A LETTER from The Authour of Sure-footing, to his Answerer.

SIR,
I Am certainly inform'd there is an Answer to
my Book intended, and a Person chosen
out for that Employment; whose Name I
am unconcern'd to know, it being only his Quality
as a Writer I have to do with. I receive the
Alarum with great chearfulness; knowing that,
if my Adversary behaves himself well, it will
exceedingly conduce to the clearing and settling
the main point there controverted. But, because
there is difference between being call'd an
Answer and being an Answer, and that 'tis extremely
opposit to my Genius, to be task't in laying
open mens Faults even as Writers, though it
has been my unhappiness formerly to meet with
Adversaries, whose way of writing made that
carriage my only duty wherefore to prevent,
as much as I am able, all occasion of such unsavory
oppositions, and to make way to the
clearing the point, that so our Discourse may
redound to the profit and satisfaction of our
Readers, I make bold to offer you these few Reflexions;
which in effect contain no more but a
Request you would speak to the point, and in
such a way as is apt to bring the matter nearer a
clearing. This if you please to do, you will

A

very much credit your self and your endeavours
in the opinion of all ingenuous persons. If you
refuse, and rather chuse to run into Rhetorical
Excursions, and such Discourses as are apt to
breed new Controversies not pertinent to the
present one under hand, you will extreamly disparage
both your self, your party and your
Cause, and give me an exceeding advantage
against them all; I shall also have the Satisfaction
to have manifested before-hand by means of
this Letter, that I have contributed as much as
in me lies to make you avoid those Faults, which
I must then be forc't to lay open and severely
press upon you, little to your Credit nor your
Causes neither; You being as I am inform'd
and Reason gives it signally chosen out as held
most able to maintain it.
2. That there may be no more distance between
us than what our Cause enforces, I heartily
assure you that though I highly dislike your
Tenets negatively opposit to what we hold Faith,
and the Way of Writing I foresee you must take
unless you resolve to love Candour better than
your Cause as being Inconclusive and so apt to
continue not finish debates, yet I have not the
least pique against yours or any mans Persons. Nor
have I any particular aversion against the Protestant
party; rather I look upon it with a better eye
than on any other Company whatever which has
broke Communion with the Catholick Church:
It preserves still unrenounc't the form of Episcopacy,
the Church-Government instituted by
Christ; and many grave Solemnities and Ceremonies,
which make our Union less difficult:
Many of their soberest Writers acknowledge divers
of the renounc't Tenets to the Truths: some
of them also profess to hold Tradition, especially
for Scripture's Letter; and even for those Points
or Faith-Tenets in which they and we agree,
that is, where their Interest is not touch't. I wish
they would as heartily hold to it in all other
Points which descended by it, and look into the
Virtue it has of ascertaining, and declare in what
that Virtue consists; I am confident, a little candour
of confessing truly what they finde, joyn'd
with an endeavour of looking into Things rather
than Words, would easily make way to a fair
Correspondence. I esteem, and even honour the
Protestants from my heart for their firm Allegiance
to his Sacred Majesty and his Royal Father;
This uniting them already with all sober Catholiks
under that excellent notion of good Subjects,
and in the same point of Faith, the Indispensableness
of the duty of Allegiance we owe our
Prince by Divine Law. Lastly I declare, that for
this as well as for Charitable Considerations, I
have a very particular zeal for their reconcilement
to their Mother-Church; and that 'tis out
of this love of Union I endeavour so earnestly to
beat down the wordish and dissatisfactory way
of Writing, and go about to Evidence the Ground
of all our Faith; knowing, that, as wounds are

A 2

never connaturally and solidly cur'd, by uniting
the distant sides at the surface, and leaving them
disunited and unheal'd at the bottom, but the
cure must begin their first; so, the onely Way to
heal the Wounds of the Church, is to begin first
to win some to acknowledge the most radical and
bottom-Principle of all Faith; as controverted
between us; without which all agreement in particular
points must needs be unsound and hollow-hearted.
This is my onely aym in Sure-Footing.
That therefore you may not obstruct so good a
work, and withall perform the duty of a solid
and candid Writer, I offer to your self and all
ingenuous Readers these few Reflexions: not
sprung from my Will for what Authority have
I to prescribe you your method but from true
Reason working upon the Thing; which makes
it just duty in you, and so ought oblige you to
follow it.
3. In the first place, since the scope of my
whole Book is about the First Principle in Controversy,
or the Ground of all Faith, as to our
Knowledge; that is, about a Point antecedent to
all particular Points; In conceive it reasonable you
should let your Discourse stand firm to the matter
in hand, and not permit it to slide into Controversies
about Particulars. For so, 'tis evident,
we shall be apt to multiply many words little to
our present purpose. On what conditions you
may have right to alledge Particulars as pretended
Instances of Traditions failing, shall be seen
hereafter.
4. Next, I desire you would please to speak
out Categorically, and declare whether you hold
Faith absolutely Certain to us, or else Possible to
be false for any thing we know. To explicate my
self better, that so I may void some common
and frivolous Distinctions, my intent is to demand
of you in behalf of the Christian Reader
and his due satisfaction, whether you hold Gods
Providence has laid in the whole Creation any
Certain means, by way of proper Causes to such
an Effect, to bring down Faith truly to us, and
whether we can arrive at Certain Knowledge of
those means, that is, come to see or know the
Connexion between such Causes and their Effect
spoken of. I make bold to press you earnestly to
this declaration; and my reason is, because nothing
will more conduce to the Conclusion of our
present Debate: For in case such Causes be laid
and can be seen by us, then they are Evident or
Demonstrative Reasons for the Ground of our
Faith's Certainty: But, if no such Causes be
laid, or being laid, cannot be seen by us, then
all the Wit of man can never avoid the consequence,
but that we can have onely Probability
for all our Faith; that is, for any thing we absolutely
know, 'tis all as false as an old wife's tale;
since there are no degrees in Truths and Falshoods.
If you advance this Civil piece of Atheistry,
you must pardon me if I be smart with you
in opposition to so damnable and Fundamental
an Errour: I love Christianity and Mankinde too

A 3

well to suffer that Position which destroyes effectually
the Root of all their Eternal Happiness,
and the Substance of all their Hope, to pass unstigmatiz'd,
as it deserves. Nor think to avail
your self by some Discoursers in our Schools, It
will be shown, when prest, that they are still preserv'd
good Christians through the virtue of Tradition
which they all hold to, notwithstanding
their private speculations: but you not, because
of your want of Certain Grounds, to make you
rationally hold Christs Faith. They onely mistook
a Word, whereas you will be found to erre in the
whole Thing, or the ordinary Means to true Christianity.
Again, if such Causes be fitting to be laid by
God's Providence, 'tis impossible to avoid the
Doctrin propos'd in Sure-Footing, because 'tis
absolutely Impossible to invent any thing that
looks like such Causes, but those which are deliver'd
there; nor did any other Way ever attempt
to show any such. Whence I foresee your
Cause will force you to fly for refuge to the actual
Uncertainty; or possible Falshood of all our
Faith for any thing any man living knows by
ordinary means. A sad consequence of an erroneous
tenet! But 'tis connatural, and, so to be
expexted, such Effects should follow the renouncing
the Rule of Faith.
5. Thirdly, I conceive it very reasonable that
you would please to declare whether Controversy
ought to have any First Principle or no; If none
then to speak candidly out, and confess that Controvertists
are Certain of nothing they say, since
their discourse has no Ground or First Principle
to rely on. If any, whether Traditon be It; or,
if it be not, what else is; and then vouch as
plain reason tells us you ought that what you
assigne has truly in it the nature of a First Principle,
which common Reason gives to be self-evidence.
Or, lastly, to profess if you judge it
your best play that, what you substitute in stead
or Tradition, though it be a First Principle, yet
it need not be at all self-evident. Any thing shall
content me, so you will but please to speak out,
and to the point.
6. Again, since it is evidently your task to
argue against Tradition's Certainty, 'tis as Evident
that while you argue against it, you must
bear your self as holding It uncertain; I conceive
then plain Reason obliges you not to produce any
thing against Tradition which depends upon
Tradition for its Certainty; for, in doing so you
would invalidate and even nullify all your own
proofs: Since, if Tradition be held by you uncertain,
and they have no certainty but by means
of It, they must be confest Uncertain too; and
so they would be incompetent to be produc't as
proofs, and your self very dis-ingenuous to produce
them: I add self-contradicting too, and
Unskilful; Nature and Aristotle teaching us,
that a Discourser ought not sustain contrary to
himself. Hence plainest Reason excludes you

A 4

from alledging any kind of Testimony, either from
Scripture, Councils, Fathers, or History, till you
answer my Corollaries 12, 15, 16. which pretend
to demonstrate the Certainty of all these dependent
on Tradition's; and the onely way to show
my discourses there to be weak, is to manifest
my mistake by declaring into what other thing
your Certainty of those Testimonies is finally resolvable,
which is not coincident with Tradition
When you produce such a Principle, and prove it
such, you have right to alledge the foresaid Testimonies,
for then you can make good their
Authority: Till then, you can have no right in
true reason to do it. Not onely, because till then
you are to be held a Renouncer of that Thing's
Certainty upon which there are pretended demonstrations
against you. Theirs is built; and
those presum'd true ones, because you let such
strongest Attempts pass unanswer'd; but very
particularly for this Consideration that our present
matter restrains you from it: For, our discourse
is about the Ground of that Authority
which ascertains to us Faith; which therefore is
antecedent to the notions of Faith, Faithful,
Church, Councils, Fathers, nay and creditable
History-books too; since those rely on Tradition
taken at large for their Certainty, as is evident
by plain reason, Coroll. 16, 24. which devolves
into this, that Tradition, is FIRST AUTHORITY,
and so not proovable or disproovable by
any other secondary Authorities; but ought to
be impugn'd by pure Reason. But, if you think
fit to grant this Certainty to Tradition taken at
large, yet deny it to Christian Tradition, which
hath, besides its Human force, most powerful Divine
Motives also to strengthen it; please to speak
it out, and the strange unreasonableness of the
position will quickly be made appear. Or, if you
grant Christian Tradition Certain in bringing
down those common Points in which we agree,
yet Fallible, nay actually erring, in bringing down
to us those other points which we were found
holding upon Tradition when you left us, and for
which, as grievous Errors, you pretended to leave
us; please to declare in what you hold the virtue
of Tradition consists, ascertaining to us both
those common points, and how we come to know
Tradition is engag'd for them; which done, it
will quickly appear whether its ascertaining virtue
has its Effect upon some, and not others; or
on all. Unless you do this, your very admittance
of Traadition's Certainty in some; overthrows
you without more ado: for, to acknowledge it
argumentative for the Certainty of some, grants
it a virue of Ascertaining, which therefore you
are oblig'd to grant in all, unless you give the
reason of your Exception: otherwise to admit it
when your Interest is not toucht, and reject it
when it opposes you, is plainly to confess that
Tradition is able to certify, yet that you admit
it when you list, and reject it when you list.
7. Being inform'd then by Evident Reason,
that no kind of Authority but only the way of
Reason is a competent Weapon to fight against
Tradition with; I have three things to propose
to your Thoughts on this occasion, which I hope
will sound reasonable to any intelligent man by
the very mentioning. First, that you would not
alledge such Arguments as strike as well at the
Constancy of every Species in Nature, especially
Rational Nature; that is, such natural Mediums
as tend to destroy all Natural Certainty.
Secondly, that your objections be not forrain,
or fetch't from afar of; for these are multipliable
without End, and apt to be suggested by
Fancy upon every non-seeing the coherence of
some other remote whether real or conceited
Truth, with the Tenet we aim to impugn;
but that they be immediate and close, that is,
taken out of the Intrinsecal Nature of the Thing;
For so, they will be more forcible and by consequence
be apt to do your Cause much service;
and unless they be such, they will do it none:
For, in regard my whole process is grounded on
the nature of the Thing, as appears by my Transition,
and every Logician knows that remote
and common considerations are liable, for any
thing we know, to be connected or not-connected
with the point we would apply them to, because
we see no Connexion, but what's Immediate;
it follows that 'tis a very incompetent and
dissatisfactory way to impugn an Adversary who
endeavours all along to frame his discourse out of
the Intrinsecal Nature of the Thing, by remote,
or unimmmediate, that is, indeed, Unconnected
Mediums. The third thing I request is,
that you either grant that no Argument or Reason
is Conclusive, Obliging-to-Assent, or Satisfactory,
but what is either Proper at least Necessary
Cause or Effect; or else show us out of
Logick that other Mediums have this virtue, and
how they come to have it. This way of procedure
will give me a great respect for you as taking
honestly the Way which is apt to clear
Truth; and you will have this Satisfaction to
your Conscience that you have endeavour'd it to
your power by following the best method you
could imagin to give your Cause its due and advantage,
in case it can bear that Test; that is, in
case it be Truth. And, if it cannot bear it, that
is, if it be no Truth, 'tis you own best Advantage
by this strict procedure to have discover'd
it. Your Judicious Readers also that look seriously
for satisfaction, will rest much edify'd and
thankfull for your prusuing that Method which
is likely to save them a great deal of fruitless
pains in reading multitudes of books writ in a
loose way, whence no Conclusion or Satisfaction
is likely to result.
8. My fifth request, and I hope 'tis just and
reasonable, is this; that, if you conceive your
Discourse has made good the Certainty of Written
Authorities or quoted Testimonies, without
Tradition, which I see is impossible, and hence
you make account you have title to produce
them against Tradition's Certainty, That being
the matter in hand and therefore you resolve
to pursue the way of Citing Authours; you
would then be pleas'd to vouch your Citations
to have truly in them the nature of Testimonies;
that is, to be built on Sensible Knowledge, and
not on Speculative, or Opinion in the Authour
alledg'd, and that they fall under none of
Dr. Pierce's faulty or Inconclusive Heads; or
else show they are Conclusive though thus Faulty,
which is done by confuting my Grounds laid
in my First Appendix. § 6, 7, 8. Or, lastly, to
declare, that though thus Faulty and Inconclusive
they ought still to be alledg'd; and to give your
reason for it; which, candidly spoken out, I am
sure will be this, that you must either produce
such, or none. I hope all our ingenuous Readers
will think me very reasonable, who am
well contented with any thing which is spoke
out expressly and declaratively of what method
or way of satisfying you take; and onely desire
you would not quote and speak confusedly and
in common, as if you meant to persuade your
Readers that your discourse has in it some
strange force taken in the bulk, though you
will vouch no one particular piece of it to be
Certain; or, as if you suppos'd their reasons were
to be amaz'd and stupify'd meerly at the venerable
Names of Authors and the solemnity of a
diverse-letter'd, or diverse-languag'd quotation,
without clearing to their Judgements the virtue
by which such Citations can pretend to have
force able to subdue their understandings to Assent,
or which is all one satisfy them. If you refuse
to do me reason in this point, and still resolve
to pursue the huddling together Testimonies
without warranting their Certainty by showing
upon rational grounds they must be such, I
shall declare beforehand to my Readers, that I
must be forc't to do right to my self; which is,
to rank all your Testimonies under Dr. Pierce's
Faulty Heads, and so let them go as they are.
9. Particularly, I beg the Justice of you not
to think to over-bear me with the conceiv'd Authority
of other Divines' resolving Faith in their
Speculative Thoughts after another manner than
I do: since this can onely rend to stir up Invidiousness
against my person which yet their charity
secures me from and not any wayes to invalidate
my discourse. For, every one knows tis no
news Divines should differ in their way of explicating
their Tenet, which they both notwithstanding
hold never the less firmly; and every
learned man understands that the word Divine,
importing a man of Skill or Knowledge in such a
matter, no Divine has any Authority but from
the Goodness of the Proofs or Reasons he brings
and on which he builds that Skill. Please then
to bring, not the empty pretence of a Divines
Authority or Name to oppose me with, and I
shall freely give you leave to make use of the Virtue
of their Authorities, that is their Reasons against
me as much as you will. I easily yeeld to
those great discoursers, whoever they be, a precedency
in other Speculations and Knowledges,
to which they have been more addicted, and for
which they have been better circumstanc't; In
this one of the Ground of Faith, both my much
Practice, my particular Application, my Discourses
with our nations best Wits of all sorts, my
perusing our late acute Adversaries and the Answers
to them, with other Circumstances; and
lastly, my serious and industrious studying the
Point, join'd with the clearing Method God's
Providence has led me to, have left me as far
as I know in no disadvantage. What would
avail you against me and our Church too for
my Interest as defending Tradition is indissolubly
linkt with Hers is, to show that our Church
proceeds not on Tradition, or that in Her
Definitions She professes to resolve Faith another
way rather than mine, or which is
equivalent to rely on somthing else more firmly
and fundamentally than on Tradition. But
the most express and manifold Profession of
the Council of Trent to rely constantly on Tradition,
has so put this beyond all possible Cavil on
my side, that I neither fear your Skill can show
my Grounds in the least subcontrary to hers, nor
the Goodness of any Learned and considering
Catholik however some may conceive the Infallibility
of the Church plac't ad abundantiam
in somthing else will or can ever dislike it. I expect
you may go about to disgrace my Way as
new: But I must ask, whether you mean the substance
of it is new, or onely that 'tis now deeper
look't into and farther explicated than formerly:
If you say the former, my Consent of Authorities
p. 126, 127, &c. has clearly shown the contrary;
and common sense tells us no other way was
or could be possibly taken for the Generality of
the Church at least in Primitive times till Scripture
was publisht universally and collected: If
the later, please to reflect, that every farther Explication
or Declaration, as far as 'tis farther, must
needs be new; and so, instead of disgracing us,
you most highly commend our reasons for drawing
consequences farther than others had done
before us. Again, if it be onely a farther Explication,
'tis for that very reason not-new; since the
Sence of the Explication is the same with the thing
explicated; As 'tis onely an Explication, then 'tis
now-new; as farther, 'tis indeed new, but withal
innocent, nay commendable. But there are three
things more to be said on occasion of this objecting
Catholik Divines; One is, that, taking Tradition
for the living voice of the present Church
as I constantly declare my self to do, not one
Catholick does or can deny it; for he would eo
ipso become no Catholick but an Arch-heretick;
and this all acknowledge. In the thing explicated
then, that is, in the notion of Tradition all
agree with me and consequently in the Substance
of my Explication nor can any do otherwise, except
they be equivocated in the Word Tradition
and mistake my meaning, which I conceive none
will do wilfully after they have read here my
declaration of it so unmistakably laid down. The
second thing is, that an Alledger of those Divines
will onely quote their Words as Speculaters, not
those in which they deliver themselves naturally
as Christians or Believers; which Sayings were
they collected, we should finde them unanimously
sounding to my advantage, and not one of them
oppositely. And, lastly, speaking of our Explication
as to its manner, Divines contradict one another
in other kinds of Explications, but not one
Author can be alledged that expresly contradicts
this which I follow.
10. My sixth request is, that you would speak to
the main of my Book, and not catch at some odd
words, on the by as it were: Otherwise, understanding
Readers will see this is not to answer,
but to cavil.
11. And, because we are I hope both of us
endeavouring to clear Truth I am sure we ought
to be so therefore, to acquit your self to your
Readers that you ingenuously aim at it, I conceive
you will do your self a great deal of right,
and me but reason, nay which is yet weightier
do the common Cause best service, if you will
joyn with me to retrench our Controversie as
much as we can. Let us then avoid all Rhetorical
Digressions and Affectations of Witty and
fine Language; which I have declin'd in my
whole Book, and chosen a plain downright manner
of Expression, as most sutable and connatural
to express Truth. Likewise all Repetitions
of what particulars others have said or answer'd
before us, such as are the Objections made by
that ingenious person, the L. Faukland, and the
Answers given them in the Apology for Tradition;
unless it be conceiv'd those Solutions are insufficient,
and Reasons be offer'd why they are
judg'd so. For I conceive it an endless folly to
transcribe and reprint any thing others have done
before us, except it be Grounds which ought to
be oft inculcated and stuck to; and those particulars
which we show to be not yet invalidated,
but to preserve still their strength. Much less
do I suspect it can fall under the thought of one
who aims to discourse rationally such my Answerer
ought to be to take together all the filth
and froth of the unwarrantable Actions or Opinions
of some in the Church, or to run on endlesly
with multitudes of invective & invidious sayings
on his own head without proof; & then apply
them to the Church, as does the Disswader. It
would also very much conduce to the bringing
our differences to a narrower compass if you
would candidly take my Book endwayes, and
declare what in it is evident, and so to be allowed;
what not: What Principles are well laid or
Consequences right drawn; and what are otherwise:
To requite which favours, I promise the

B

same Carriage in my Reply to you. By this
means it will be quickly discover'd whether or
no you have overthrown my Discourse by showing
it ill coherent, and how far 'tis faulty; that,
if I cannot clear it to be connected, I may confess
my fault and endeavour to amend it. For,
however I see my Grounds Evident, yet I am far
from judging my self Infallible in drawing my
Consequences; though I see withal the method
I take, will not let me err much; Or, if I do, my
Errour will be easily discoverable; because I go
not about to cloud my self in words, but to
speak out as plain as I can from the nature of
the Thing.
12. In the next place I earnestly request you, as
you love Truth, not to shuffle of the giving me
a full Answer, nor to desist from your Enterprise
as I hear a Certain person of great esteem for his
learning and prudence has already done though
you find some difficulty where to fasten upon the
Substantial part of my discourse. There are
perhaps many difficult passages which my Shortness
forc't me to leave Obscure; These will naturally
occasion mistake, and Mistake will breed
Objections to impugn me with. Please, if others
fail, to make use of those at least. 'Tis
no discredit in you to mistake what's obscure;
rather it argues a fault in me did not my circumstance
of writing Grounds, & onely to Schollers,
excuse me that I left it so; To make amends
for which I promise you to render it clear when
I see where it pinches you or others. And on this
score, I owe very particular thanks to Mr Stillingfleet,
that by speaking clearly out his thoughts, he
gave me a fair occasion to open that point he
impugn'd, I think, upon mistake of our Tenet.
13. If you think fit somtimes to argue ad
hominem, be sure what you build on be either our
Churches Tenet or mine; for I am bound to defend
nothing else. If then you quote Fathers, first, see
they speak as Fathers, that is as Believers and Witnessers;
for so 'tis evident our Church means
them by her Expressions in the Council of Trent;
as also did Antiquity. For both of them constantly
alledge and stand upon Traditio Patrum,
not Opinio Patrum: Next, see you bring Consensus
Patrum, or an agreement at least of very many
of them speaking as Witnesses, otherwise you
will not touch me nor our Church; for she never
abetted them further. In case you bring Councils,
it would be very efficacious you would chuse
such Testimonies if you can finde them as I
brought from the Council of Trent; that is, such
in which they declare themselves or the Circumstances
give it they proceed upon their
Rule of Faith: For, otherwise, every one knows
that Bishops in a Council have in them, besides
the Quality of Faith Definers, those also of
Governours, and of the most Eminent and solid
Divines in God's Church. If Scripture, you
must make Evident the Certainty of your way of
arguing from it, ere I or our Church shall allow

B 2

it argumenative. Thus much for Authority. If
you oppose me by my own Principles or Discourses
of my Reason, I must defend my self as
well as I can. One thing on this occasion, I must
mind you of; 'tis this, that though you should
conquer in this way of arguing ad hominem, you
onely conquer me as a Discourser, by showing that
I contradict my self; not my Tenet: for to prove
that false, you must fix your foot and build your
discourse on some Certain Ground; which barely
my holding it on which your discourse ad
hominem relies cannot make it. You must
build then on some Grounded Truth if you will
go about to overthrow a pretended one. Indeed,
if you can show Tradition contradicts her self,
you will do more than miracle, and so must conquer.
But I fear not the Gates of Hell, much less
Man's wit can prevail against that impregnable
Rock. Onely, I beseech you bring not as Parallels
against our Tradition in hand, which is a vast and
strong stream, other little petty rivulets sprung
originally from the Sensations of two or three:
For, then, as one side was liable, in a thing not
known publikly, to bely their Senses; so the conveyance
down of such sleight built Attestations
may easily be self-contradictory. I na word, if
you will argue, take first into your Thoughts the
nature of the Thing you argue against, and then
fall to work assoon as you will. Now, if you
should chance to say you hold the Sayings of Fathers
and Councils some at least, to be Certain,
my Reason tells me from Principles, that, having
renounc't Tradition which onely could ascertain
them, rational nature in you will not let you have
any hearty conceit of their Convictiveness, whatever
you pretend; but that you rawly alledge
them, and so let them go with a valeant quantum
valere possunt. That therefore we may have
some security more than your bare word which
Experience tells us is now affirmative now negative
in this point, as it best sutes your Interest, or,
after a pretty Indifferent manner, half-one-half-tother
that your profession of holding to such
Authorities is not hollow-hearted but rooted in
your Reason, 'tis just your Readers should expect
you would declare in what the virtue of Certifying
consists, and that They have this virtue.
This if you do, you acquit your self to go to
work solidly, and you offer us fair play in giving
us some hold of your Reason, whereas a common
Expression gives none. This Procedure also
will show, when apply'd, whether you are Justifiable
or no for admitting some Authorities of
that nature and rejecting others.
14. My last request is, that, if in the course of your
Answer you think fit to complain of me for bringing
History and other Proofs heretofore commonly
without more ado admitted, into Incertainty:
please to amend the fault you finde, and settle
their Certainty on some better Principles than I
have endeavour'd. In the mean time 'tis Evident
my whole Book ayms at settling the Certainty of
all Authority, by evidencing the Certainty of
First Authority; upon which the Assuredness of
History, Fathers, Councils, Church, Faith, nay
Virtue or Christian Life must all be built. This
is my way; if you judge it incompetent to do
the Effect spoken of, be pleas'd to manifest it Unfit
and show us a Better.
15. Perhaps I may have demanded more of
you in some particulars than is due from the strict
duty of meerly answering: in the Schools, a bare
denial, or distinction is enough for a Respondent.
But I conceive we are not on these terms: in regard
we are not met face to face, where the returns
of the one to the other can be quick on every
occasion. This obliges us, for the Readers satisfaction,
to enlarge our selves and bring reason for
every thing we affirm or deny, lest we should be
thought to do it gratis. And, your case here, is
particularly disadvantageous: For, if you go
about to overthrow that on which I aym to show
the Certainty of all Authority built, and yet declare
not on what your self hold them built,
and, by your faithful promise to show it shortly,
give them strong hopes you will perform it; you
send them away very much dissatisfy'd either
with you or with all the Authority in the world,
though built on Sensitie Knowledge: Of which
it being impossible Rational Nature should permit
them to doubt, they must needs dislike your
attempt, and have an ill conceit of your performance.
SIR, I understand, to my exceeding Satisfaction,
that multitudes of the most Eminent, Solid and
Ingenuous Wits of our Nation have been diligent
perusers of my Book. Consider, their eyes are upon
you while you Answer; I am confident they will
judge I have requested no more of you in this Letter,
but what's reasonably due to their and my satisfaction;
and so, will look your Answer should be
correspondent. They are weary of endless Contests
about Faith; and, seeing we are not now controverting
the signification of some ambiguous Testimony,
but penetrating deep into the very bowels of
a point which is of the greatest concern in the whole
world; and pursuing in a method likely to decide
the clearing of it, their expectations are very much
erected and attentively observing what will be the
issue of this rational combat. Frustrate not their
desires to see Truth manifested by bringing the Question
back from the plain open field of Evidence-in-
our-method, to a Logomachy or word-skirmish in a
Wilderness of Talk, out of which the Thread of
Grounds or Principles had disentangled it. To
them therefore as well as your self I address this;
requesting those of them who are acquainted with
my Answerer, to press him to do himself, me, the
world his Cause too, if it can bear it the right
due in Reason, and here demanded. This Sir, if
you will perform, I shall lay aside the remebrance
of the Justice I have to it, and look upon it purely
as a Favour and most obliging Civility to him who
is, next to Truth's,
Feb. 6th
1665.
Your Friend and well-wisher, J.S.

POSTSCRIPT.

IF you complain of this Fore-stalling as Unusual;
as long as 'tis rational you can have no
reason to do so: and it will appear such to him
that considers it was an unusual Circumstance
occasion'd it. 'tis this: I had endeavour'd to
bring Controversie from an Endless to a Conclusive
Way: and both my Reason and Experience
made me apprehend my Protestant Answerer
would have such strong Inclinations to bring it
back back into the way of quoting and glossing Testimonies
that is, into a wordish scanning a great
part of all the Libraries in the World that a
slender touch at it in my Book was not forcible
and express enough to oblige him to take notice
of it. Having communicated therefore my
thoughts with intelligent and ingenuous persons,
both Catholiks and Protestants, and receiv'd their
approbation, I resolv'd, and pursu'd it as you see;
And I hope the manifold Usefulness of it as
shall be seen what way soever now you take upon
you of answering will sufficiently justify my
Action.
FINIS.