it be contained among the chief articles of the Creed or plainly expressed in scripture 9. So sufficient that it be able to explicate determine all articles and doubtes in religion 10. So complet that it containe virtually be able to resolue plainly all questions and conclusions of Faith which may at any time vpon any occasion arise All which are necessary for such a rule and foundation vpon which so important a matter as faith and religion is grounded And this is the first thing to be obserued for the properties and conditions both of the Iudge and his rule of faith The whole body of the Church cannot be this Iudge SECT II. SECONDLY We may note that this infallible authority to iudge of controuersies of faith is giuen neither to the whole body and congregation of the Church of God as the rigid Lutherans with Brentius do hould nor to the secular Princes and Parlamentes as all the Lutherans at first and the State-Protestants of England do yet defend nor to the lay-people and priuate persons as Caluin and the Caluinists do maintaine nor yet is it residing in the wordes and text or scripture as the ordinary preachers pretend but only is giuen to the Pastours and Prelates of the Church of Christ who are lawfully by authority from Apostolicall succession ordained and Catholickly continue without diuision of heresy or schisme in the same and among them principally to the chiefe head and Pastour the successor of Peter and Bishop of Rome All which concerning euery one shall be briefly proued First therefore although the whole body of the Church collected haue the infallible assistance of the holy Ghost that it cannot erre or be deceaued in faith yet hath it not the same assistance that it may ought to be iudge determiner of faith For as in a naturall body the soule doth informe and giue life to the whole body and euery member of it but doth not discourse and giue vse of reason to the whole or euery part but only to the head so the spirit of God assistes the whole Church with the priuiledge of freedome from errour in faith but doth not likewise giue to it the priuiledg◠of authority to teach and iudge of faith and direct others in the same for which cause God hath giuen a measure of donation diuisions of graces and ministrations and made some not al Apostles Doctours Prophets that some may rule others be ruled some teach and others be taught some be superiours to iudge and direct others be inferiours to be iudged and directed and so an order and subordination a peace and vnity may be obserued and kept in the whole body among the members of Christs Church Whereof see more in the next fourth Section Secular Princes cannot be this Iudge SECT III. THIRDLY That this infallible authority is not in secular Princes or their Assemblies and Parlaments either as particuler members of the Church against Melancthon or as Princes and Superiours among the rest against Brentius so that they can and may lawfully and infallibly iudge of Controuersies make ecclesiasticall lawes giue authority to preach and prescribe a forme of doctrine a manner of seruice and an order of Sacraments and sacrifice though it be largely by many proued against the supremacy of Princes in causes Ecclesiasticall and requires a treatise more large yet in briefe it shall by these reasons be proued First because Kinges and Princes are in the Church of God and spirituall affaires as sheep to be ruled and ordered not as sheepheardes to rule and gouerne they are Lambes to be fed by Peter Sheep of the fold of Christ Members of the Church of God and seruants of the family of Christ Thus did the ancient and holy Fathers freely tell and admonish them and the Christian and good Emperours themselues acknowledged it S. Gregory Nazianzen told Valentinian That the law of Christ did subiect them Emperours to his power and Tribunall and that they were holy sheep of his holy fold S. Ambrose told Theodosius the Great that he was a sonne of the Church and that a good Emperour is within not aboue the Church Theodoret sayes of Constantine the Great that as a louing sonne he did propose busines to the Bishops and Priests as Fathers Constantine himselfe cōfesses that God gaue Priests power to iudge of Emperours witnesse Ruffinus that they were bishops within the Church he without it witnes Eusebius Valentinian the elder confesses that he as a laye man might not interpose himselfe in Church affaires but the Bishops and Priestes had care of such affaires witnes Sozom. And that himselfe was to submit himselfe to them witnes Paulus Diaconus And Theodosius the Great obeyed S. Ambrose his excommunication departed out of the Chancell at his command and cōfessed that thereby he had learned to know what difference there was betweene an Emperour and a Bishop witnes Theodoret and Nicephorus Secondly because the offices of the Bishops and Emperours are diuers and distinct the one of bodyes and goods the other of soules and fayth the one of life and death for offences against the King and common-wealth the other of sinnes and sacraments belonging to Gods lawes mans conscience the one is temporall of the kingdome and common-wealth the other is spirituall of the Church flocke of Christ which the hereticall Emperours forgetting were stoutly and zealously admonished and reprehended by the holy Bishops vnder them for the same As for example Cōstantius the Arian 1. by Hosius of Corduba willing him not to medle with Ecclesiasticall affaires nor to commaund them but to learne of them because to him God had committed the Empire but to them the Church 2. By Leontius of Tripolis because being ruler of military and politicke affaires he should not rule in thinges that belong only to Bishops 3. By S. Hilary of Arles wishing him to writ to Iudges of Prouincies that they should not presume or vsurpe to intermedle with the causes of Clergy men 4. By S. Athanasius of Alexandria that he and such who will be Presidents in ecclesiasticall iudgments who will make the Tribunals of the Court the seales of deciding ecclesiasticall causes themselues Princes and Authours of Church affaires are the abomination of desolation yea euen Antichrist himselfe Valentinian the yonger seduced by his wife was told by S. Ambrose of Milane That he had no Imperiall right in thinges that are diuine for the Court doth belong to the Emperour but the Church to the Priest And being called by the Emperour to reason with Auxentius the Arian he answered That if a conference was to be made of fayth it was to be made by the Priestes as it was vnder Constantine who prescribed no lawes but gaue free iudgement to Priests That it was neuer heard that in a cause of fayth Lay
would haue killed him 2. Before his passion after the raysing of Lazarus to aduise about his apprehension when Caiphas vpon malice aduised his death and as Priest prophesyed of the Iewes saluation by his death 3. At his passion when by false witnes they condemned him as guilty of death and thereupon procured his death In the first the holy Ghost fully assisted them and their Councell that their determination was both true and iust In the second the holy Ghost assisted in part the high Priest in that his verdict of the Iewes saluation by one which verdict proceeded from the guift of prophesy annexed to his Priestly function and in part forsooke him in that is was iniust for that he did vpon malice condemne him In the third the holy Ghost quite forsooke them both in verity of the sentence as falsely accusing Christ of blasphemies and in the iustice of the same as wrongfully condemning him to be worthy of death By which is declared how farre the Priests iudiciary power before Christ did extend it selfe how long it did endure in what manner by degrees it did cease and end out of all is conuinced that neither Prince people or priuate person but the Priest in that tyme had power to decide and iudge all Controuersies of the law of fayth Secondly this authority of Priests and Prelates is proued out of the new Testament and that two wayes 1. By the commission authority which our Sauiour gaue to the Apostles and by their practise of it 2. By the same Commission giuen to the same Apostles not only for themselues and their owne tyme but also for their successours and all tymes ages That our Sauiour gaue this iudiciary power to his Apostles and to them only is proued 1. By the authority and commission he gaue to S. Peter as the head 2. By the same which he gaue to the rest as the principall mēbers and directours of the Church vnder this head To S. Peter as head he first promised it thē he prayed to confirme him in it 1. He promised it in that he promised to make him the foundation of the Church by giuing him the title of a Rocke saying Vpon this Rocke I will build my Church for what a maister is in a house what a gouernour is in a Citty what a King is in a kingdome and what a head is in a body the same is a foundatiō in a building Peter in the Church therefore to Peter was heere promised to be the head the foundation and the Gouernour of his Church 2. In that he promised to make him the Gouernour of the Church in a representatiue manner giuing him keyes of it To thee I will giue the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen For as the deliuering vp the keyes of the Citty to any is a signe of giuing vp the charge and gouernement of it to him so the promise of giuing to Peter the keyes of the kingdome of heauen was a promise of giuing power authority to gouerne as a Iudge the Kingdome of heauen that is his Church 3. In that he gaue him power to bind and loose that is to retaine or remit by way of absoluing or not absoluing to commaund and punish by way of dispensation censure sentence or iudgement not only persons whomesoeuer but also causes whatsoeuer whether of crimes and offences against lawes or in doctrine and opinion against fayth And so the promise was made 1. To the person of S. Peter 2. Of authority to be Iudge and Gouernour 3. In all causes of doctrine or offēces whatsoeuer 4. Christ prayed to his Father for confirmation of this authority vpon S. Peter I prayed for thee that thy fayth faile not and thou once conuerted confirme thy Brethren that is that he might be firme in his fayth and thereby with his power confirme and settle others in the same Out of which Lucius Felix Marcus Leo Agatho Paschalis Popes with S. Bernard after them cited by Bellarmine doe gather the infallibility of S. Peter and the Popes power in iudgment of fayth Lastly Christ inuested S. Peter in this authority and iurisdiction when he gaue him commission and charge to feed his sheep Feed my Sheep feed my Lambes in which he gaue authority to Peter singularly as to one whō he calls Simon the sonne of Iohanna and from whome in particuler he drawes before hand a triple confession of his singular loue to him aboue the rest He giues also him authority to feed that is to exercise all pastorall charge and function which requires 1. That he feed with spirituall food all his sheep within the fold of his holy Church according to Ezechiel Are not the flocks fed of the Pastours And Psalm 22.1 Our Lord doth gouerne me in greeke feed me nothing shal be wāting to me he hath placed me there in a place of pasture 2. That he cure the sheep that are sore gather those who are dispersed reduce them that wander and defend those who are assaulted by the wolues according to that of Ezechiel And my sheep were dispersed because there was no Pastour and they came to be deuoured of the beastes of the field and were dispersed My flockes haue wandered in all mountaines and in euery high hill That which was lost I will seeke that which was cast away I will bring againe and that which was broken I will bind vp and that which was weake I will strengthen and that which was fat and stronge I will feed them in iudgment 3. That he rule gouerne discerne iudge and chastise according to that of Scripture Thou shalt feed that is gouerne my people Israel and be Captaine ouer Israel Thou shalt rule them in an iron rod. Behould I iudge betweene beast and beast of Rams and of Bucke goates Betweene the fat beast and the leane Out of which is apparent 1. That our Sauiour gaue to S. Peter in these wordes feed my sheep a pastorall charge ouer al his sheep that is all Christians who are the sheep of Christ 2. That this pastorall charge consists in collecting curing directing defending and iudging these sheep of Christ 3. That Peter by this charge had power to preach minister Sacraments correct offenders and iudge of all doctrine as chiefe head and Gouernour in the Church of Christ And so it is conuinced that this iudiciary authority was giuen to S. Peter as head of the rest That the same was giuen also to the rest of the Apostles is proued because as Christ did communicate to his Apostles power and authority which was proper to himselfe to forgiue sinnes VVhose sinnes you forgiue in earth shal be forgiuen in heauen and to offer Sacrifice Do this So also to the same did he communicate these priuiledges proper to himselfe that as he was Maister of all One is your Maister Christ so also he made them Maisters
not only of Infants but also of Nations that they should teach all Nations As he was light of men so they should be the light of the world As he gaue testimony to the truth so they should giue testimony and be witnesses of him to the end of the earth That as the Father did sanctify him so he prayed to his Father to sanctify them As he was sent by his Father into the world so he sent them As by a voice from heauen it was sayd of him heare him so by his owne mouth he sayd of them he that heareth you heareth me The Apostles therefore were appointed for Maisters specially sanctifyed made the light of the world ordained witnesses of his truth sent with authority and commission as himselfe was for that end that they should be heard and obeyed as himselfe was and the same power they receaued from him not only themselues challenged and practised after him and with him but also their Successours after them and with them For as Christ was giuen a light of the Nations so they sayth S. Luke were also the light of the nations As the spirit of God was on him to euangelize to the poore so God chose them sayth S. Luke that the Gentils by their mouth should heare the word of the Ghospell and belieue As he did reconcile the world to himselfe so he sayth S. Paul placed in them the word of reconciliation As he came an Embassadour from his Father to be a messenger of iudgment to the world so sayth S. Paul we are Legates for Christ. As our Sauiour sayd of himselfe He that is God doth heare the wordes of God therefore you heare not because you are not of God so doth S. Iohn say of them He that knoweth God heareth vs and he that is not of God heareth vs not Therefore as Christ thought it no robbery to be equal to his Father in diuinity so they thought it no iniury to him to be in some sort participant with him in his power and authority And that Christ gaue this authority to the Apostles not only for themselues and their owne time but also for their successors and for all ages so that it is to reside and remaine in the Pastours and prelates of holy Church their successors continually till the end of the world is euident for if he haue this authority as necessary for the peace and gouernement of his Church and if the Church stand as great need of it in all ages as in that time of the Apostles as it is certaine it doth then without doubt it was as well giuen to the Pastours of the future tymes of the Church as to them of the present for which end Christ sayth S. Paul gaue some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastours and Doctours and for what end For the consummation or perfection of Saints that is of all faythfull for the worke of the ministery to teach his truth for the edification and propagation of his body to conserue and increase his Church for the vnity of fayth vntill all concurre in one least men be wauering and vncertaine in faith like little ones least they be carryed with euery wind of doctrine least they be circumuented by craftines in errour All which dangers as they remaine in all tymes so the remedy prepared against them must remaine for all tymes Whereupon S. Peter did not only himselfe exercise this authority but at his departure gaue the same to the Pastours of Pontus Galatia and Bythinia to whome he writ his Epistles willing them to feed the flocke of God which is among them S. Paul did not only practise it himselfe but also left it to the Pastors of Ephesus to rule the Church of God To Titus to ordaine Priests through all Citties in Creet as he had disposed To Timothy to commend to faithfull men what he had heard of him and willed the conuerted Iewes to obey their Gouernours and be subiect to them because they watch as being to giue an account of their soules Whereupon not of the Apostles only but of all Pastours and only of Pastours it is sayd My spirit which is in thee and my wordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed frō this present for euer What is this word my spirit which is in thee but to compare the prophesy and the performance the Paraclete the spirit of truth which the Father will giue to you What are the wordes in thy mouth but the wordes and vnderstanding which thou Father gauest to me I gaue to them and they receaued of me What is thy seed and seeds seed but those who are to belieue by their word in me What is from this tyme for euer but that I will be with you euen to the consummation of the world And so doth the prediction of the Prophet concurre with the performance of our Sauiour To all Pastours and only of Pastours it is sayd Sonnes are borne to thee for thy fathers and thou shalt make them Princes ouer all the earth that is according to S. Augustine for Apostles thou shalt haue Prelates To al Pastours and only to Pastours it is sayd He that heares you heares me And He that knowes God heares vs and he that is not of God heares vs not That is sayth S. Cyprian all Gouernours who by subordination succeed the Apostles Because sayth S. Augustin In the chaire of vnity he hath placed the doctrine of verity Of al and to all Pastours it is sayd How shall they preach except they be sent No man assumes to himself honour but he that is called of God as Aaron To all and only of Pastours it is sayd If he heare not the Church let him be to thee as the Heathen and Publican that is sayth Chrysostome and Theophilact if he heare not the Pastours of the Church And if he be worthy to be esteemed so who despises them that admonish him of his fault much more worthy is he to be deemed so who despises him who instructs him in fayth To all and only Pastours it is sayd That the gates of hell shall not preuaile against the Church In so much that all the promises of Church-stability and perpetuity in fayth cōsists chiefly in this infallible authority of the Pastours who are to instruct in fayth direct in fayth and to iudge of fayth and what promises are made to the Church are made chiefly to the Pastours as the principall partes of it and by thē to the rest as inferiour To them therefore is giuen the word of reconciliation the dispensation of the mysteries the function of Embassages the
must needs by consequence hould so for the most part do hould that there are no infused and permanent guiftes or habits of fayth which concurre or help to our Iustification but that all is wrought by the motion of a transeunt spirit which motiō as it worketh according to them in them by it selfe only wholy all internall good workes without any cooperatiō of man or mans freewill so it is only a motion which worketh in whome it will when it will and how it will al and whatsoeuer it wil in man to his iustification and saluation by which it is euident that as in all their opinions they are neyther constant nor permanent but are wafted with euery wind of new doctrine and so fly from the beliefe of one thing to another so they are not guided by any permanent guift or quality but by certaine flashes motions of an vncertaine spirit which leads them from one vncertainty to another and so leaues them in al vncertaine 5. That the Protestants want the first of the eternall meanes or helps of Fayth that is the materiall obiects or articles of beliefe which are to be belieued as reuealed by Christ vnto the Apostles and by the Apostles left to their Successours and by them to vs and posterity is proued 1. Because they belieue many thinges as obiects of Fayth which are not reuealed eyther in Scripture or Traditions of which are many instances giuen in the former parte so do they not belieue many articles which are reuealed both in Scripture and Tradition for which cause they reiect all tradition and in it many mysteries of fayth which the Apostles left only by Tradition and refuse many partes of Scripture and that chiefly because they containe many points of doctrine which they will not belieue 2. Because as they admit many points of doctrine into the number of their articles of fayth which the ancient Church condemned for heresies as contrary to Apostolicall doctrine witnesse the ancient condemned heresies of Heluidius Vigilantius Arius Iouinian and others by them reuiued so they cōdemne many pointes of doctrine as erroneous superstitious or idolatrous which the ancient Church receaued for articles of Fayth as agreable to Apostolicall tradition witnesse all the poyntes of doctrine which the Magdeburgenses and others before cyted condemne as errours and staines in the ancient Fathers in euery age since Christ in both which they erre in the materiall obiects of Fayth as well in receauing condemned heresies for Apostolicall verities as in cōdemning receaued Apostolicall verities reuealed by Christ for erroneous heresyes 3. Because as they admit speciall Fayth only whose obiect is only their remission of sinnes and iustification for diuine Fayth by which they are iustified so all other fayth by which they belieue for example the B. Trinity Incarnation Passion and Resurrection and Ascension of Christ with the rest of the articles of faith vsually belieued they acknowledge for no other but for a general Faith common as well to the damned and Diuells as to them which faith in the Diuel and damned as it is no voluntary and free act proceeding from a pious disposition of the Will nor a diuine and supernaturall worke depending vpon any authority of God reuealing but a meere naturall and necessary act of knowledge◠conuincing their vnderstāding eyther by force of experience or by euidence of reason or by apparent and euident notes of credibility or by some manifestly knowne testimonies of God of the verity of that which they belieue and tremble at so in the same manner their Faith of the same articles by their owne confession is not diuine but a meere humane fayth grounded vpon some generall receaued opinion or vpon some meere human authority and so what they conceaue of the generall articles of faith they do not receaue them as any articles of doctrine and supernaturall fayth but as generall receaued positions humane coniectures and their owne selfe-seeming and chosen opinions 6. That the Protestants want all diuine Reuelation for which as the formall cause and the finall resolution they should belieue al which is by God reuealed is proued 1. Because what they belieue they belieue not for that it was reuealed to the Apostles by the Holy Ghost eyther at Pentecost when it did visibly teach and confirme them or in successe of tyme when vpon occasion as at the conuersion of Gentils it did reueale to them all the mysteries euer after to be belieued which Reuelation made to the Apostles is the formall cause of fayth nor yet for that it is proposed to them by Church infallible authority as a condition necessary to know what is reuealed but for that it is reuealed to them a new by their owne priuate spirit from which they receaue all their directions and certainty both what is reuealed why it is reuealed and also by what meanes it is reuealed 2. Because the meanes by which Christ doth manifest and declare vnto vs his diuine reuelations they eyther plainely reiect or wholy subiect to their priuate spirit for the authority of traditions by which part of the diuine reuelations are deliuered to vs and the Proposition of the Church by which we are secured of the certainty of them they reiect and deny The authority of the Scripture which is an other meane by which God hath reuealed his truth and which they chalenge as the only means both of knowledge certainty of diuine reuelations they wholy subiect to their priuate spirit by which they are assured which is true Canon which is true edition which true trāslation which true sense of it And so for diuine reuelation they haue neyther any at all nor yet any meanes to know or attaine vnto it And thus much of the Protestants want of all the necessary helps meanes by which true and diuine supernaturall Catholike fayth is produced conserued and increased in the soule of euery faithfull belieuer and member of Christs holy body and Church How the Catholikes and Protestants differ in these six meanes and how the Protestants make their priuate spirit the only meanes of all SECT IIII. THE fourth consideration is to reflect vpon the aduantage which we Catholiks haue against the Protestāts and the difference that is betweene vs and them in these meanes of Fayth and how that the Protestants do substitute one only deluding and deceitfull meanes that is this their priuate Spirit in place of all the six former meanes of fayth And first for the materiall obiect they professe to belieue 1. only the doctrine which is reuealed in scripture 2. that only which is reuealed in that one parte of Scripture which they are pleased to accept as Scripture by their spirit 3. that only in that part of Scripture which is according to their precōceaued opinion so interpreted by their spirit so that Scripture alone and that not in whole but in part and that part of Scripture as it is
or forme of true doctrine which they had learned and is committed to them The doctrine which they receaued froÌ„ the beginning VVhich was first euangelized to them Or the precepts of the Apostles and ancients Or rather of our Sauiour deliuered by the holy Prophets and Apostles And the word of God which remaines for euer That the knowledge of this rule or doctrine of fayth is presupposed to the true knowledge and vnderstanding of scripture is proued both by scripture and reason By scripture the Prophet Isay sayth as S. Cyprian and S. Augustine do both of them read and vnderstand it Except you belieue you cannot vnderstand that is sayth S. Cyprian the Iewes cannot vnderstand the scripture except they first belieue in Christ S. Augustine sayth There be some of you who vnderstand not and therefore they vnderstand not because they belieue not let vs first adhere by Fayth that we may be reuiued by vnderstanding And in another place Fayth must go before Vnderstanding that the vnderstanding may be the reward of Fayth Therefore Fayth and the rule of fayth is necessary before the vnderstanding of Scripture Secondly the Scripture for the sense is a Booke sealed with seauen seales these seales none can open but he who hath the key of Dauid This key of Dauid is giuen only to them who are faythfull with Dauid therfore the key of faith is requisit to the opening the sense of the booke of scripture which is confirmed by S. Hierome who alleadging the same words sayth The Law is spirituall and requires reuelation that it be vnderstood For proofe of which he produceth the example of the Eunuch who read but vnderstood not the scripture till Philip did expound it to him made him faythfull and so became of a scholler a Maister Thirdly Euery learned Scribe in the Kingdome of Heauen is like to a man the maister of a family who bringeth out of his treasure new and old The Scribes were the Maisters and Interpreters of scripture but they were in the kingdome of heauen that is in the Church by Fayth and so did interprete the new and old Testament which S. Augustine alleadging to the same purpose against the Manichees sayth You vnderstand not because you belieue not as sayth I say for you are not instructed in the kingdome of heauen that is in the true Catholike Church of Christ for if you were you would produce old and new out of the scriptures Therfore one must be a scholler in the Church by fayth before he can come to vnderstand the scripture as a Maister Fourthly S. Paul sayth to Timothy Thou hast learned holy scriptures from thy infancy which are able to instruct thee to saluation by fayth which is in Christ. If the scriptures instruct by Fayth then Fayth is prerequired before we can be instructed by them or vnderstand them Fifthly the holy Fathers and Doctours of the Church haue by the breach of this rule as a signe discerned Heretikes and by the authority of it as a strong argument confuted the same Thus were discerned Marcion Valentinus Câ—rinthus and Basilides by their deprauing the rule of truth witnesse Irenaeus Thus Paulus Samosatenus by his forsaking the Canon of the Church and flying to strange and adulterous doctrine Thus Montanus by his vttering strange words contrary to the custome of the Church deriued by tradition and succession from the Apostles witnes of both Eusebius Thus Nestorius by forsaking the ancient doctrine and introducing of new witnes Socrates And thus all Heretikes by their forsaking the rule of Christianity witnesse S. Augustine They being all esteemed to haue truth on their side who walke according to the rule which the Church receaued from the Apostles the Apostles from Christ witnes Tertullian Thus did S. Hierome confute and confound the heresy of the Luciferians by the light of the Sunne of the Church Gregorius Nazianzen the same by the doctrine abhorring the same S. Basil the Eunomians by the vnwritteÌ„ tradition of the Church Athanasius the Arians by the authority of the Orthodoxe Church and his ancestors opposite to them and abhorring their doctrine S. Epiphanius the Melchisidechians by the tradition of the Apostles and succession of doctrine The Millenarians by their transgressing the limits of the holy Church of God and the hope of Propheticall and Apostolicall tradition in fayth and doctrine And the Demerâ—s and other Heretikes by the style of Christianisme and the phrase of the Apostles receaued from the Fathers S. Augustine the Pelagians by the grounded custome of the Church hastening to baptisme infants By the most ancient knowne and vndoubted rule of Fayth truth And by the authority of the Church so commended in scrâ—pture The Donatists by the authority of the Church and by apostolicall Tradition And both Irenaeus Origen and S. Augustine did confute all Heretikes by the tradition of the Apostles manifest to the whole world in the Church sayth Irenaeus By the Ecclesiasticall tradition dissented off by none sayth Origen By the Catholike Church whose not receauing any opinion is sufficient sayth S. Augustine to confound any heresy Therfore the doctrine and practise of the ancient Fathers was to discerne and confute all Heretikes by this rule of Fayth Sixthly the same is proued by Reason because the scripture is the booke of the faythfull not the faithlesse therefore as it was writ to the faythfull as the conuerted Iewes Romans Corinthians c. so it is vnderstood truely only by the faythfull as the Christians not by the Infidels as the Iewes Turkes and Heretikes who haue and read the wordes but vnderstand not the sense meaning because the veile is yet ouer their eyes in the reading of it for want of fayth therefore the letter that is the words and reading of it doth kill them and is to them a ministration of death and only the spirit that is the vnderstanding of it doth giue life to them who haue fayth Of which necessity of Fayth prerequired to the vnderstanding of Scripture see Stapleton de principijs Doctrinalibus where the same is further proued out of the ancient Fathers testimonyes to wit S. Augustine Irenaeus Origen Athanasius Cyrill of Alexandria Theodoret and Vincentius Lyrin who sayth that the holy and learned men did interprete the holy Scripture according to the traditions of the Catholike Church and the rule of Catholike fayth And againe That the line of propheticall and Apostolicall interpretation must be directed according to the rule of the Catholike and Ecclesiasticall sense Which and much more he alleadges against the custome of Heretikes who haue alwayes the Scripture in their mouth and out of it do confirme their errours Out of which may be inferred how vntruly and fraudulently the Protestants do generally auerre that in the scripture the spirit of God is and is to be sought
the Church As therfore there are customes lawes Iudges to decide causes ciuill so there is Tradition Scripture and a Iudge to decide causes spirituall and as customes and lawes are a rule not a Iudge to decide the one so also are tradition Scripture a rule not a Iudge to decide the other As well therefore is requisite besides Scripture some other liuing and speaking Iudge in matters of fayth religion to iudge and end the Controuersies among ChristiaÌ„s as is necessary besids Law some other personal iudge in affaires of the Common-wealth to debate and decide contentions among Neighbours The necessity of both which chiefly appeares when either the parties are contentious and not willing to yield or that the law is obscure and wantes explication or seemes contradictory and requires reconciliation or is penned in tearms generall and stands need of some restriction in causes particuler All which sith they fall out as well in Scripture as in common or ciuill lawes some iudge or iudges are as well necessary to expound Scripture as they are to interprete Lawes and thereby to end Controuersies And thus is sufficiently proued that neither Scripture and the word of God nor Princes and Kinges Gouernours of the Common-wealth nor the Lay common people among the Faythfull nor yet the whole body and congregation of the Church of God can be a fit iudge to pronounce sentence and determine matters of fayth and religion Bishops and Prelats of the true Church are this Iudge SECT VI. IT remaines to proue that this iudiciary power and authority to heare and examine to decide and determine as a Iudge authentical and infallible in matters of fayth belongs only to Pastours and Prelates of the Church and that they hauing receaued lawfull ordination by power successiuely descending from the Apostles by which they enter as sheepheardes not theeues and still remayning in vnity without heresy or schisme by which they continue true Pastours not Wolues that they I say thus ordained and vnited are the only and true Iudges of fayth Religion This position as much importing for the certainty of fayth in all persons and mainly confuting the authority of the priuate spirit in euery priuate person is fully to be proued 1. By the authority of the old Testament the practise of the Priests in it 2. By authority of the new Testament and the practise of Christ and his Apostles in it 3. By authority of the Church euer after Christ and the practise of all Bishops Prelates in it First therefore out of the old Testament we haue an expresse law made by God himselfe for this iudiciary authority of Priests in these wordes If thou perceaue that the iudgment with thee be hard and doubtfull betweene blood and blood cause and cause leprosy and not leprosy and thou see that the wordes of the Iudges within thy gates do vary aryse and go vp to the place which our Lord thy God shall choose thou shalt come to the Priests of the Leuiticall stocke and to the Iudge that shall be at that tyme and thou shalt aske of them who shall shew thee the truth of the iudgment and thou shalt doe whatsoeuer they that are Presidents of the place which our Lord shall choose shall say and teach thee according to his law and thou shalt follow their sentence neither shalt thou decline to the right hand nor to the left hand but he that shal be proud refusing to obey the Commandment of the Priest which at that tyme ministreth to our Lord thy God and the decree of the Iudge that man shall dye In which wordes 1. The Priests haue authority and commission to iudge of all causes 2. The people are willed to go to them for iudgment in doubtfull causes 3. Vnder paine of death they are commauÌ„ded to stand too obey their iudgment without appeale to any higher Court of Prince or other In which we may note 1. The institution and beginning of this authority of the Priests in the old Law 2. The progresse and continuance of it 3. The end and cessation of it 1. The institution of it was for all cases of the Law of Commandment of Ceremonies of iustifications that is of the law morall of the ten Commandments ceremoniall of seruing God and iudicial of gouerning the people though in this place be mentioned only two causes that is of blood and leprosy These causes were determined in two Courts or Councells the one greater at Hierusalem called Synedrion consisting of the high Priest as chiefe and 70. with him as assistantes in which greater causes were iudged and appeales from the lower Councell were admitted and this was by God himselfe instituted The other lesser in euery Citty consisting of 23. persons who had the hearing and determining of smaller causes and was by Moyses at the aduice of Iethro his Father in law instituted By these two Councells were all causes iudged of these the Priests were Presidents and Iudges and of the greater the high Priest for the tyme was supreme Iudge whose senteÌ„ce in all causes and vnder paine of death all were obliged to obey 2. The continuance of this law and tribunall-seat doth appeare 1. By the facts of some of the Kinges chiefly of Iosaphat King of Iuda which repaired this Councel being decayed and made Amarias the high Priest President for those things which belonged to God and Zabadias for the office of the Kinges 2. By the wordes of the Prophets especially of Malachy who sends the people to the Priests to require the law from his mouth because he is the Angell of the Lord of Hoasts Of Aggaeus who bids them aske the Priests â—e Law And of the Wiseman who wils his sonne to seeke no further because the words of wisemen are as prickes and as nailes deeply stricken in which by the councel of Maisters are giueÌ„ of one Pastour Therfore this sentence is the last iudgmeÌ„t which admits no appeale 3. The end cessation of this law and Tribunall of Moyses doth appeare by the beginning of a new Tribunal of Christ For as with the death of Christ the obligation of the law the sacrifices of the Law and the prophesies vnder the law ceased and the verity of them being in his passion fullfilled so also the iudiciary power both of the Priest and of the Law diminished as the greater power of the new law-maker Christ increased And the assistance of the holy Ghost by degrees failed them and their Councell as by degrees the power of Christ was more plainely manifested the grace of the holy Ghost more abundantly bestowed of which out of Scripture we haue this proofe and experiment whereas the high Priest with the Priests Scribes and Phaâ—isies gathered three Councells in the life of Christ all about the person of Christ 1. In his infancy at the coÌ„ming of the Wise-men to consult where he was borne wheÌ„ Herod
profundity of holy scriptures that though his wit was better his leasure more and his diligence greater yet he might from his child-hood tiâ—l his old age profit in the vnderstanding of them not for that so much of them as is necessary to saluation is so hardly to be atteined but for that when once ones faith is grounded vpon them so many and manifold misteries remaine for the more intelligent proficients inuolued in the words and the maâ—ter that the moâ—t aged witty and industrious may say when he is become perfect then he begins For which elswhere he professes that he is ignorant of more things in scripture then he knowes Therfore only prayer meditation and study will not surfice for euery one to find out the true and certaine sense of euery place of Scripture which for euery one to assume to himselfe would not be a certainty of faith but presumption of pride And the same which is sayd of Prayer Meditation and study may be sayd of skill of tongues conference of originall texts and other places and of consideration of antecedents and consequents of phrases and the like Of which see Stapleton Which supposed the answere to all the former obiections is facile First Dauid did read and study the Scripture but he did it for his priuate consolation and meditation not for his foundation in fayth in which he was before grounded 2. Timothy did read and study them from his childhood but to learne the sense and meaning of them of his Maisters and teachers not to be iudge and censurer of them and that for his instruction in manners not for his doctrine of fayth which he receaued from his Ancestours not from his owne reading of Scripture 3. S. Peter did will them to attend to the propheticall doctrine but not to interprete it according to euery ones priuate spirit and proper interpretation which he forbids saying No prophesy of Scripture is made by priuate interpretation much lesse with a neglect of the rules and grounds of fayth or with a contempt of the Pastours and Superiours of the Church of God preferring its owne before their exposition 4. S. Paul affirmes that we must be built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles that is not only vpon the written word of the Apostles or Prophets for many had fayth and were Cittizens of Saints and Domesticals of God before any scripture or writing of the Apostles was extant and many built their fayth vpon the Apostles who writ nothing at all but vpon the doctrine and fayth reueiled to the Apostles and by them left by preaching or writing to posterity and as such by the Church proposed to vs. Out of which nothing can be inferred for making the scripture much lesse the priuate spirit interpreting it the sole or sufficient ground of Fayth Againe taking the foundation either for the doctrine or writinges of the Apostles and they who are built vpon it or for principall partes or for the body of the Church we may consider first the foundation of doctrine either in it selfe and so as being the truth reuealed it is the ground of fayth or in respect of vs as by vs it is accepted and so it relyes vpon the Pastours and Prelates of the Church by whome it is proposed to vs as reuealed and for whose authority we receaue it as reuealed Secondly we may consider the Church either as it is the whole body of all faythfull in all tymes especially after the Apostles and so it is built vpon the doctrine preached and written or as it signifies the first heads and directours of it to wit the Apostles and so it is built immediatly vpon Christ and the holy Ghost reuealing to them that doctrin and scripture which they haue left to posterity and which they preach and propose to vs and in this sense the Church that is the Apostles and first Pastours were before the doctrine was either preached or written by them so were the foundation of their doctrine and preaching of it to vs though to the rest of the faythfull the doctrine preached and written by them is the foundation vpoÌ„ which their fayth is built Which answere doth not only cleare the Scripture for hauing any priuate spirit as Iudge ouer it but also declares how the Church is built vpon the doctrine of the Apostles or Prophets taking the Prophets eyther for the writings of the Prophets in the old Testament or for the Interpreters of the Apostles writing in the new and also how the Church in the sense before declared is the ground of the Apostolical and propheticall doctrine reuealed to the Church and the first Pastours of it and by them left to vs who receaue it from them and their authority and so from the Church 5. They of Beörea did search the scriptures whether those thinges were so as Paul declared that is not so that by searching the scripture they did make themselues and their spirit iudge of the Apostolicall doctrine preached out of scripture but so that either being nor yet fully conuerted and satisfyed they would with diligence and in humility enquire further of the doctrine preached which is alwayes permitted and aduised to all for otherwise he that giueth credit quickly is light of hart or that being satisfyed they would as Catholicke Doctours do search out conferre and vnderstand those places of scripture which Paul did alleadge and thereby the more strongly confirme themselues and better satisfy others in Fayth In which as they did proceed prudently and piously and we permit and aduise euery learned Catholike to do the like so they did no more make either their spirit or the Scripture interpreted by their spirit iudge of the Apostles doctrine then if one for searching the testimonyes of S. Augustine which are cyted by Bellarmine should therby be sayd to make himselfe iudge of Bellarmine his doctrine or as one searching the places cited by Caluin to see if they be as they are by him cited should thereby make himselfe iudge of Caluin and his doctrine Which to inferre out of their actions as it is absurd so is it to inferre that the Beröeans made themselues iudges of S. Pauls doctrine out of the Beröeans seeking out the places which S. Paul alleadged 6. Our Sauiour willed the Iewes to search the Scripture it is true but which Iewes to wit those who were learned and how Not so that he would make them and their priuate spirits iudges of Scriptures or the truth found in them but that he would haue them being yet incredulous studiously to informe themselues of him being the true Messias out of those Scriptures which they belieued already to be true and to beare true witnesse of the true Messias which is no more then to persuade any Protestant to read Scriptures Fathers and Catholike authours and out of them to informe himselfe of the verity of Catholike Religion which is to search out
the truth and not to make himselfe and his priuate spirit iudge of the grounds of truth or of the truth which is to be found in theÌ„ And this is all that can be inferred out of these places this may suffice for the solution of all such argumnets or obiections as are made out of Scripture by the Protestants for the establishing of this priuate spirits power and authority to interprete Scripture and to iudge of al controuersies of Fayth FINIS A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPALL MATTERS handled in this Booke A S. Ambrose his commendations pag. 58. His authority against the priuate Spirit pag. 59. Angells apparitions pag. 74. Difficulties about them pag. 81. Apostles their authority to iudge of Fayth pag. 166. Their power deriued from Christ pag. 167. Their successors power to iudge of Faith pag. 168. The foundation of Fayth pag. 390. Apparitions of God or Angells in what places to what persons pag. 75. ApparitioÌ„s of Diuels in diuers shaps of beastes of men of Angells of Christ of the B. Trinity ibid. 140. Of soules in Limbo Purgatory Hell and Heauen pag. 77.78 Difficulties to know which be apparitions of God Angells Diuells soules pag. 79. ApparitioÌ„s of SathaÌ„ inward by suggestions pag. 98. By imaginary illusions pag. 102. By exteriour visions pag. 104. S. Augustine commeÌ„ded against the priuate spirit pag. 61. For the profundity of holy Scripture and authority of Fathers pag. 64. For necessity of Fayth pag. 182. agaynst Circles pag. 210. B BIshops and Priests their office pag. 153. Their authority to iudge of Religion pag. 162. Their Tribunal power in the old Law the beginning progres end pag. 162. In the law of Christ pag. 165. What their authority is pag. 166. Their authority proued by scripture pag. 168. How for it extends ibid. Their authority for euer pag. 168. In all Councells pag. 170. C CAluin his saying against the priuate spirit pag. 36.64 His Circle between the spirit of euery man a Councell pag. 215. His doctrine of the doctrine of saluation pag. 234.239 Of saluation of Infants without Baptisme pag. 235. Of Christs sinne and despaire on the Crosse pag. 257. Of the B. Trinity pag. 304 Of Christs Diuinity pag. 305. Of Christs descent into Hell pag. 308. Of his AscensioÌ„ pag. 3â—0 Of beatitude before the day of Iudgment pag. 311. Cases of Conscience for feare of sinne in vaine according to Protestant doctrine pag. 26â— Catholikes aduaÌ„tage aboue Protestants pag. 24. In the habit of faith p. 15. In the credible testimonies of Vnity Sanctity Vniuersality Succession Miracles Examples pag. 27. In the infallible Church-authority pag. 28. Catholikes belieue all Reuelations ancient generall infallible pag. 25. Catholikes may challenge all which the Protestants may pag. 28. Yea the priuate spirit pag 29. DiffereÌ„ce between iust Catholikes Protestants pag. 266. Good life-confessed in the auncient and late Catholikes in the people and the Clergy pag. 347. Catholike and Protestant doctrine compared in giuing more honour to God to Christ to Saints Angells Scripture Sacraments to Church Fayth Good workes c. pag. 350. Christ by Protestant doctrine no generall Redeemer pag. 248. No perfect Redeemer from sin his suffering of Hell paynes due to sin pag. 249. No Sauiour from sinne Sathan sensuality the curse of the Law or from Hell pag. 250. No perfect Phisitian pag. 251. No law giuer 252. An vniust iudge 253. No Priest or offerer of Sacrifice 254. Made ignorant 256. Sinfull suffering hell paines pag 257. Christian AsseÌ„blies in the Primitiue Church in what manner they were for that tyme. pag. 382. Church-authority necessary to fayth pag. 10. infallible 11. proued by Scripture pag. 16. Church selected priuiledged armed established c. obligeth p. 12. It consists of Pastors Ibid. Is proued by Fathers reason Ibid. Necessary to expound Scripture pag. 125. Church-practice A rule to confute heretikes pag. 125. Church-prâ—position and scripture-authority no circle pag. â—02 Vpon Church falling failing froÌ„ faith what absurdities do follow vz. That all ancieÌ„t Concels Doctors were AntichristiaÌ„ That Prophesies are false pag. 231. That Turkes Iewes Gentils haue a more credible Church then Christians pag. 230. Church-practice a meanes to interpret Scripture iudge of Doctrine pag. 125. Church of Christ a Congregation of great sinners pag. 26â— Circle what it is pag. 198. Difference betweene a lawfull vnlawfull Circle pag. 199. And betweene a Circle as obiected against Catholikes and Protestants pag. 200 Catholikes Circle cleared as being partiall in diuers kinds of causes and to diuers sorts of persons pag. 202. Protestants Circle between the Scripture and the Spirit pag. 206. Betweene the Spirit Fayth 210. Betweene Election and Scripture 212. Betweene the Spirit of euery person and of a Councell pag. 215. ProtestaÌ„ts Circle vnto the same kind of cause and that totally pag. 208. Absurdities that follow vpon it pag. 212. Councells 3. of the Iewes in Christs tyme. pag. 164. How the holy Ghost assisted or fayled in them pag. 164. Councells a meanes to interpret Scripture 128. Councells haue byn a meanes to iudge of Fayth pag. 171. Concupiscence made originall sinne and what followes thereon pag. 227. D DIuells Apparitions of them pag. 75. Difficulties to know them pag. 80. Signes to know the motions of them 83. Their subtility 95.97 Their deluding of Heretickes auncient moderne pag. 95. Their tempting to sin to vertue 99. Examples of their apparitions to Heretickes pag. 100. By imagination visibility pag. 10â— F FAyth Six meanes to Fayth pag. 3. Materiall formall obiect proposition Ibid. Credible Testimonies pious disposition habit pag. 4. Reuelation to the Apostles Ibid. Necessity of a proponent cause Ibid. Credible Testimonies pag 4.7 192. Fayth requires a pious disposition supernaturall frees an infused habit permanent not perpetuall pag. 6 The order of these helpes vz. credible Testimony Church-proposition grace actuall infused habit reuelation pag. 7.8 The Resolution of Faith dispositiuè deriuatiué effâ—ctiuè formaliter pag. 8. Shewed by the Samaritan womaÌ„ and Christ pag. 9. The helpes to Fayth external eternall internall pa. 14. Wanting in Protestants 15. Fayth depends vpon authority pag. 117. Faith required to know scripture the sense of it p. 118.120 The rule of Fayth pag. 146. Fayth one pag. 183. Certaine 187. By preachinâ— and hearing 190. By credible testimonies 192. Obligeth to acceptance 194. Speciall Fayth how certaine in Protestants 185. Fayth is of eternall verity and presupposeth the obiect pag. 228. Cannot staÌ„d with certainty of saluatioÌ„ 233.240 vide Sole fayth Fayth by hearing preaching and mission pag. 190. Sole Fayth a Protestant Principle the effect of it pag. 227. Sequells of Iustification by sole Fayth p. 222. makes Protestants more certaine of their saluation then was Christ 233 Makes Protestants as iust as Christ 234. makes all men to be saued 235. Is not grounded vpon Gods word 233. Is false contradictory sinnfull rash presumptuous preiudicious to Hope Charity and Good
as the articles which are belieued and the reuelation why they are belieued both which are of eternal verity and certainty or Internal as the pious disposition of the will by grace preuenient and the actuall assent to fayth in the Vnderstanding by the infused guift of Fayth both which grace and guift do operate and cooperate to the act of diuine supernaturall and catholike fayth That these I say all and euery one of these meanes are wanting in Protestants to their fayth beliefe I proue And first that they want all testimonies of credibility which may perswade any man prudently to accept of their fayth we may suppose and note that these testimonies or motiues are of three sortes 1. such as may perswade Iewes and Gentils to become Christians 2. such as may confirme Catholikes to continue Christians 3. such as may induce Heretikes to returne to be Catholikes Of the first sort are many alleaged by ancient Fathers Dionysius Areopagita Iustinus Martyr Clemens Alexandrinus Tertullian Cyprian Lactantius Chrysostome Augustine against the Gentils all cited proued by Valentia As for exāple in respect of Christ the dignity of his person the efficacy of his preaching the verity of his predictions and the vertue of his miracles In respect of Christian doctrine the manner of the propagation of it not by power eloquence nobility or liberty but by the simplicity of simple poore and vnlearned mens preaching and that to a faith aboue reason contrary to the inclination of flesh and bloud The confirmation of it by miracles martyrdome prophecies sanctity of doctrine and order of discipline the opposition of it by the violence and persecution of Iewes and Pagans and by the eloquence reasons of Rethoricians and Philosophers all in vaine In respect of the Scripture the antiquity of it as extant before any writings of any Philosophers the consonancy of it in the agreement of the old testament with the new and of both in themselues In respect of the Professours their excellent wit eloquence learning and vertue in it their conuersions from infidelity to it their wonderfull constancy and fortitude in defending and dying for it All which haue beene vrged as strong motiues against Gentils to conuert them to it Of the second sort which may confirme Catholikes or such as confirmed S. Augustine in his catholike beliefe against the Maniches which he recites to haue beene 1. the consent of people and Nations 2. Authority begun by miracles nourished by hope increased by charity and confirmed by antiquity 3. The succession of Priests from the seate of Peter to the then present Bishop of Rome 4. The name of Catholike neuer vsurped by Heretikes speaking to strangers but vsually attributed by them to Catholikes all which did iustly keep me sayth he in the bosome of the Catholike Church Of the third sort which may reduce Heretiks are such as the Nicen Councell in the Creed S. Augustine and others did alledge to conuince the Heretikes of their tyme that is 1. Vnity of the present Church with the ancient in doctrine and vnity of the partes with the head by fayth vnity among themselues by charity and to their Pastour by obedience 2. Sanctity of doctrine which induceth sinners to holinesse and conuerts Infidells to christianity and sanctity of persons who exercise good workes of piety confirme their doctrine and holinesse by miracles and prophecies 3. Vniuersality in name by which it is called Catholike In place by being or hauing been extended in preaching or professing to all or most Nations at the least successiuely In tyme by being ancient in beginning from the Apostles and constant in continuing from them vntill this present against al persecution of Gentils Iewes or Pagans 4. Succession of Pastours and Prelats who by lawfull succession from some Apostolicall sea or from some who haue authority from it and by lawfull ordination from them who are lawfully ordeined can deriue their succession and ordination from the Apostles These are markes and testimonies which distinguish the true Church of Christ from al conuenticles of Heretikes do conuince euidently that to be the true church where they are to be found and that to be false where they are wanting Which supposed it is to be proued First that the Protestants want all these testimonies of credibility which should make euident the credibility of their fayth and religion either to Pagans to conuert them or to Heretikes to reduce them or to their owne followers to confirme them And first because it will be to tedious to touch euery one in particuler we will select the most principall and for the first sort which may conuert Pagās it is certaine that whatsoeuer of the former motiues the Protestants can alleadge either concerning Christ his doctrine his Scripture or his Professours to proue Christian Religion credible to a Pagā they receaued them all from vs and our Church from which they haue receaued what they haue either of Christ of Scripture of Sacraments of Christian religion in generall therefore what these proue or confirme they proue confirme our Church and doctrine not theirs For the first of the rest if we seeke Vnity of doctrine among them it is not to be found They haue not Vnity either with the Primitiue Church and Fathers whose doctrine they reiect in free Will Merit Iustification Prayer to Saints and most points now in controuersy as in the first part is at large proued nor with any head or supreme Gouernour of which sort they admit none on earth but disclaime all supremacy in any person whatsoeuer for matter ecclesiasticall nor yet among themselues who are diuided into many diuisions and subdiuisions of Sects and Heresies that long agoe the number exceeded a hundreth now are so many that they cannot be numbred In all which as they want all Vnity so they want all meanes to settle any vnity in that they admit no iudge to decide any controuersy and to silence any persons contentious If we seeke for Sanctity either of doctrine or of persons by holynesse of life or miracles it is not to be expected among them for their doctrine which is for example that euery motion though naturall of concupiscence is sinne as well without as with consent that all workes though the best are sinne that no good Workes doe merit that no Iustice is inherent but imputatiue that only Fayth iustifies that the Commandements are impossible that Man hath not Free-will that God ordaines and creates Men to saluation or damnation without respect to their endeauour or workes This doctrine I say is a speciall retractiue to detaine any man from attaining to any sanctity and perfection of life as impossible and not in his power For any kind of Miracles they are so destitute of them to confirme their new doctrine that they disclaime
their owne priuate spirit iudgement and opinion for matters of fayth religion preferring it before the sentence of the whole Church and Pastours of it are Heretikes sinnefull subuerted to be auoided according to S. Paul but such are all those who make their priuate spirit the rule and iudge of their fayth religion and exposition of Scripture as is apparent because neglecting the direction of the spirit of God which directs his whole Church they preferre before it their own priuate spirit which directs themselues therefore are iustly condemned and so to be auoided as Heretikes Out of diuers places of Scripture condemning the relying vpon our owne iudgement SECT VII THE last proofe which I will vse is out of these places of Scripture which as in generall they exhort vs not to be wise in our owne conceit nor to trust in our owne opinion iudgement so in particuler they do condemne this relying of euery man vpon his priuate spirit which is nothing els but his conceit and opinion First the Wiseman sayth Leane not vpon thy owne prudence be not wise in thy owne conceit The way of a foole is right in his owne eyes but he that is wise heareth counsaile There is a way that seemeth to a man iust but the later end thereof leades to death◠I say sayth VVoe to you that are wise in your owne eyes and prudent before your selues Moyses sayth You shall not doe there the thinges that we do heere this day euery man that which seemeth good to himselfe Of all which S. Paul giues a reason and denounceth a punishment because hauing not glorified God they are become vaine in their imaginations and their foolish hart hath beene hardened for saying of themselues that they be wise they are become fooles And to them that are of contention obey not the truth wrath and indignation In the flame of fire giuing reuenge to thē that know not God and that obey not the Ghospell Out of which places I argue thus They who leane on their owne prudence are wise in their owne conceit are vpright in their owne eyes are wise and prudent before themselues doe that which seemes good to themselues say themselues are wise these become vaine foolish contentious hard-harted know not God obey not truth resist the Ghospell and are cursed according to holy Scripture But such are all they who in mysteries of fayth in matters of religion and in expositions of Scripture forsake the direction of the spirit of God promised and giuen to his Church and rely and depend vpon their own spirit or self seeming conceit who by it choose their fayth and vpon it ground their saluation as all Protestants do who are guided by this priuate spirit therefore in this miserable and desperate case of ignorance vanity folly obstinacy and cursednes are all those who in their fayth religion and exposition of Scripture are thus guided directed and instructed by their priuate spirit And if these sayinges of Scripture be verified in affaires morall or domesticall publique or politique which are in the compasse of our naturall iudgement reason of which they are properly vnderstood and in which experience also teaches that they who in any arte science or negotiation most rely vpon their owne iudgement and follow their owne wayes do often commit the greatest errours and fall into the deepest dangers wheras they who are aduised by others and goe the ordinary way doe for the most part proceed more securely and succeed more prosperously Then much more is the verity of them confirmed in mysteries of fayth which are aboue our capacity in verities of religion which are not measured by reason and in explication of Scripture which is a booke sealed and that with seauen seales which none in heauen or earth could open or looke vpon but the Lambe nor any spirit interprete it but that which did make it In all which euery mans proper iudgement must needes be weake and euery ones priuate spirit doubtfull whether it can attaine to the true and proper vnderstanding of them All which is confirmed by the authority of that famous Doctour S. Augustine who sayth Quis mediocriter intelligens non plané viderit c. VVho though of meane capacity doth not plainely see that it is more profitable and secure for the simple to obey the wise then to liue according to ones owne direction and if this course be safer in small matters as in tilling of ground marrying of wiues education of children and ordering of ones family much more it is in religion for humane thinges are more easy to be knowne and in diuine things there is more danger of sinne and offence And againe No science or trade though meane and easy is learned without a Maister what therefore can be more audacious and temerarious then to seeke to vnderstand bookes of diuine mysteries without Interpreters And againe Men to vnderstand a Poet do seeke for a maister Asper Cornutus Donatus and others and darest thou without a guide aduenture vpon the diuine bookes which be full of diuine mysteries as all confesse and darest thou giue thy iudgement or interpretation of them And thus is this priuate spirit defining of fayth decyding of controuersies and determining of religion confuted by authority of holy Scripture expresly confuting and condemning it and the aforesayd function assigned to it He who wil see more testimonies to proue the right Iudge of controuersies and the infallible interpreter of Scripture which are the authority of Gods holy Church and the chiefe Pastours of it let him read Bellarmine where he shall see the practise and testimony of antiquity and the euidence of reason all at large cited for the same THE PRIVATE SPIRITS INTERPRETING OF HOLY SCRIPTVRE AND Iudging of Mysteries and Controuersies of Fayth confuted by the testimony of holy Fathers CHAP. III. WE haue confuted this pretended power and authority of the priuate spirit by the authority of Gods holy Word it remaines that we do the same by the testimony of ancient holy Fathers For which we may note that as S. Augustin alleadging the Fathers before him against the Pelagians sayd That he would not assume to himselfe to alleadge the sentences of all Fathers nor yet all the sentences of them whome he alleadged but some sayings of some few which yet are such as will cause our aduersaries to blush and yield if eyther feare of God or shame of man will ouercome so great an obstinacy in them So we will not vndertake to alleadge either all the Fathers or al the testimonies of those whom we alleadge no more then we haue done al the Prophets or Apostles or all the authorities of them whome we haue cyted which labour in both we leaue to thē who are more expert in both yet I hope we haue collected some and those in euery age such as being wel pondered
men did iudge of Bishops That if we looke into Scripture or ancient tymes Bishops vsed to iudge of Christian Emperours not Emperours of Bishops Thus S. Ambrose imitating S. Athanasius who sayd When was it euer heard that the iudgement of the Church did receaue authority from the Emperour Many synods and iudgements haue beene yet did neither any Bishops persuade any Emperour any such thing nor any Prince shew himselfe curious in any Ecclesiasticall affaires Valens the Arian was asked by Eulogius the Priest in Edessa Hath the Emperour the dignity of Priesthood we haue a Pastour whome we must obey Anastasius the Eutichian was told by Gelasius the Pope That though he did rule ouer mē in earthly things yet he did subiect his necke to the Prelates in diuine thinges Thou knowest that thou oughtest to be ruled nor to rule in order of religion thou knowest that thou art to depend of this iudgement not they to be brought to thy will S. Mauritius was admonished by S. Gregory the great That Priests are as Gods among men therefore ought to be honoured of all Kinges And Michael was let vnderstand the same by the Nicolas 1. Leo the Image-breaker was told by S. Iohn Damascene That the Church ought to be ruled not by lawes of Kinges but by the written and not written institutions of Ancestours And to conclude S. Iohn Chrysostome sayd freely to his owne Deacon If any Duke Consull or the Emperour himselfe come vnworthily represse repell him thou hast greater power then he Where we may note that these Emperous were thus by these Fathers reprehended for assuming Ecclesiasticall iudgment either as Heretiks or as Tyrants nor yet for doing it alone without the Bishops but only and simply as Emperours who hauing only temporall power ouer the common-wealth did assume Ecclesiastical ouer the Church Which also is further proued by the confession and practise of the best of the Christian Emperours for Constantine the Great acknowledged that the Bishops had power to iudge him and when he did iudge of the cause of Caecilianus Bishop of Carthage he did it so that he asked pardon of the Bishops for it Valentinian the elder would haue them to iudge in a cause of fayth and ecclesiasticall order who are not vnlik either in office or title that is Priests of Priests Marcians commissioners referred themselues to the Councell of Calcedon to be taught in fayth and himselfe wills that Priests determine what is to be obserued in Religiō And though he himselfe went to the Councell yet it was not to determine but confirme the fayth not prescribing lawes sayth S. Ambrose but leauing the Priests free iudgement and making the Priests themselues Iudges as he did in the Councell of Aquileia Theodosius the second sent to the Councell of Ephesus but not so much as to talke of matters of Fayth holding it vnlawfull for those who are not of Episcopall order to medle in Ecclesiasticall affaires The same did Iustinian in his Constitutions and Basil in the eight generall Councell Thirdly because power not only to preach but much more to iudge of doctrine of fayth for the authority to iudge is the strong meat of perfect men whose senses are exercised to the discerning of good and euill was committed to Bishops as of greater difficulty then the office or preaching giuen to Priests and is a spirituall grace or guift giuen by imposition of handes to spirituall men according to that of the Apostle Neglect not the grace that is in thee which is giuen thee by prophecy with imposition of the handes of Priesthood Therefore as power to minister Sacraments is proper to Priests so also to iudge of Controuersies is proper to Bishops lawfully ordained by authority successiuely descending from the Apostles For which cause to Priests and Prelates not to Kings and Princes it is sayd Thou shalt seeke the law out of the mouth of the Priest My wordes shall not depart out of thy mouth and out of the mouth of thy seed and out of the mouth of thy seedes seed for euer I will giue you mouth and wisedome which all your aduersaryes shall not be able to resist It is not you that speak but the spirit of my Father which speaketh in you He that heareth you heareth me He that knoweth God heareth vs. He that is not of God heareth vs not sayth one of the spirituall Pastours for which guift Caiphas prophesy was a guift of his functiō or priesthood according to S. Augustine though his ill life was the cause of ignorāce of what he prophesyed Lastly because many inconueniences and absurdities would follow if this authority were annexed to the kingly Scepter not to the priestly function for it would follow that Fayth could not continue one and the same neither in all persons nor in all tymes nor in all Countryes because Princes in all tymes and places are of disposition various in iudgement different in faction opposite and in subordination neither depending one of another nor alwayes respecting Religion or Religious persons more then may besteed them for their temporall and priuate endes and vses Wherefore as Ieroboam of old and Queene Elizabeth of late did relinquish the old and introduce a new Religion for reasons more politicke then diuine rather to establish their doubtfull titles then religiously to serue God so would Kinges by vertue of this their authority if it were in them either in policy or vpon affection be still altering Religions and setting vp new most for their owne endes and dispositions by which we should haue as many alterations of Religion as of Kinges and as many Churches as are Kingdomes and as great opposition in Faith as is in States and Common-wealthes All which may appeare by an example in Englād where while the authority in iudging in matters of faith was in the Prelats religion continued 900. yeares the same from Ethelbert till Henry the eight but after that power of iudging was assumed to the scepter by King Henry the 8. the supremacy by one the same King was in three yeares thrice changed from the Pope to the Clergy from the Clergy to the Archbishop from the Archbishop to the King and afterwards as many religions were a new broght in as Kings were a new crowned to wit one by King Henry another by King Edward a third by Queen Mary a fourth by Queen Elizabeth a fifth of Puritans would haue been vnder the same Queen if power had not preuented it and what may be yet lies in the power of the King and Parlament It would also follow that a man should be obliged alwayes to follow the religion of the King to change with the King and so should not be obliged to be certaine of any or to dy or suffer for any religion but should belieue and preach obserue and practice what the King prescribes
where the one is there the other must be 2. That Melchisedech was a Priest and his sacrifice was in bread and wine 3. That Christ is compared to Melchisedech not only in his kingly authority as King of iustice and peace as Melchisedech was nor only in his genealogy as being without Father as man and without mother as God or without predecessor before him or successor after him in the office of redeemer as Melchisedech is said to be without Father mother but also in priestly function concealed on purpose by S. Paul for the incapacity of the Iews as a thing of which he hath a speech great and inexplicable to vtter and in his priestly sacrifice by offering bread wine as Melchisedech did and that not for one time but for euer Sith I say all this is euident it followes 1. That Christ is a priest not according to Aaron in offering bloud but according to Melchisedech in offering bread and wine and that not once by himselfe but for euer by his Apostles and Priests to whom he gaue commission to offer the same sacrifice which himselfe had done 2. It followes that to verify Christs being priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech there must be a succession of priests and sacrifice in Gods Church to offer the same sacrifice for euer so to make his priesthood continue for euer But by this former Protestant doctrine is excluded all sacrifice for sinne all priesthood to offer sacrifice and all holy orders to consecrat priests and so this perpetuall priesthood and sacrifice of Christ according to Melchisedech is reiected First in Christ himselfe and his owne person whome they deny to haue offered any sacrifice at his last supper Secondly in his Priests and deputies to whome they deny all authority of Priesthood and all power to offer sacrifice and so admit no sacrifice at all according to the order of Melchisedech either by Christ or his Church and why Because only Fayth doth iustify satisfy and apply the merit of Christ only Fayth doth couer all sinnes by the apprehension of the iustice of Christ only Fayth doth assure all that they are iust shall continue and that they need no other worke Sacrament or sacrifice to make or keep them iust but only Fayth and so this Fayth destroyes all sacrifice therby the Priesthood of Christ Lastly that this doctrine bereaues Christ of his knowledge both beatificall by which from the first instance of his conception he did clearely see God and also infused and that not out of thinges naturall and by accidents infused which by nature and industry may be obtained but also of thinges supernaturall and per se infused of things which are by fayth reuealed to vs such as are the mysteries we belieue and the secrets of harts all which by ancient Deuines is admitted to haue beene in Christ from the first instant of his conception That I say they depriue Christ of all this excellency and knowledge and make him ignorant and more ignorant then Adam who was created as in perfection of stature and strength of body so also in perfection of all philosophicall and theologicall knowledge in soule by which he gaue names to all beasts and more ignorant then Salomon who was the wisest of men before or after him is proued Because they affirme that he assumed our ignorance that he was ignorant like other children was instructed as boyes are increased in knowledge not only experimentall but also habituall as others do learned and profited in artes and sciences humane and diuine as children do that he was iignorant of the place of Lazarus his burâ—all of the Iewes fayth who offered the man sicke of the palsy of the Figge-tree both of what kind it was and what fruit it bore and of the day of iudgment not only to reueale it to others but to know it himselfe that he made farre-fetcht-similitudes and needlesse illations nothing to purpose wrested the wordes and sense of the Prophets weakly confuted his aduersaries failed in memory and made prayers and petitions vnaduised and not premeditated forced with the vehemency of sorrow in the garden all which are by Caluin imputed to him But if Christ was thus ignorant and blind in his vnderstanding then might he be deceaued in his iudgement and so deceaue others and faile in truth of that he sayd or reuealed in Scripture then may the scripture be false his fayth and doctrine be false all Christians be lead into errour and blindnes then may he be infirme in his operations and sinfull also in his actions For if the vnderstanding which is the light to lighten and the guide to direct the other faculties of the soule may be blind ignorant inconsiderate and erroneous then may the will which doth follow the light and direction of the vnderstanding and wils nothing but that the vnderstanding knowes also faile in the election of good and so will that is ill and commit sinne and so may Christ who is the Way the Truth and the Life fall into errour falshood and sinne and so erre deceaue and commit sinne To all which if we adde the detestable and blasphemous assertions boldly auerred by prime Protestants Luther Caluin and their fellowes against Christ to wit that God made him a sinner vniust guilty and hatefull to himselfe that he was culpable a sinner true and most truly a sinner as other men a sinner most great most vile and obnoxius to the anger of God that he carried himselfe vncurteously and not like a sonne to his mother that he made a prayer vnpremeditated a vow abrupte inconsiderate contrary to his vocation to be corrected retracted and renounced that he renounced his office of mediatour was forgetfull of our saluation and the charge committed to him that he confessed his effeminate nicenesse esteemed himselfe not to be sent of God did wauer betweene praising and blaspheming of God did stagger among the waues of tentations vttered words of desperation was ouercome with desperatioÌ„ did renounce his saluation knew God was angry at him that he stood in need of Baptisme was cursed and execrable as commonly the damned are that he suffered the horrour of a conscience feeling Gods eternall wrath did feare and highly despaire in his soule in the same manner aâ— the damned did wauer betweene hell and life struggle with the horrour of eternall paines had an horrour of eternall punishment was tormented with the feare of horrible damnation was horribly afraid of the profound abisse of death was in feare to be absorpt by death was stroken with the horrour of the diuine malediction was tortured with anxiety as if he had God his enemy feared his saluation was perswaded that he was vndonne and was striken with the horrour of Gods iudgment more then euer any man was or could be in which his horrour consisted the summe of our consolation that he suffered the same paines of hell