to be found in the Councell of Trent Sess 4. which is the place I alledged ere-while It is committed singularly to Peter and his successors that they should teach all men what is to bee held concerning the doctrine of faith For the expounding whereof he saith a little after Sect. Si etiam that The Lord speakes of a singular office of teaching the whol Church by appointing and decreeing what is to be beleeued of all men And againe he saith that The Councels Popes execute the office of a Iudge committed Cap. 10. Sect. Respond aliud est to them by God What the Office of a Iudge is he shews in the same place a few lines before To explication after the manner of a Iudge there is authoritie required A Iudge deliuereth his sentence as a thing that necessarily must be followed To conclude hee tells vs in the same tenth chapter that Sect. Septiâ—um argumentum Christians who are sure the Church cannot erre in expounding the doctrine of faith are bound to receiue that doctrine and not to doubt whether those things be so or no. This matter Bellarmine makes plaine to all men by shewing the manner of this Office in this sort The Scripture for Cap. 10. Sect. Respondeâ— Christus It selfe needs not the witnes of men for it is most true in it selfe whether it be vnderstood or not but for our sake it needs the witnes of the Church because otherwise wee are not certaine what bookes are sacred and diuine nor what is the true and proper meaning In the same Chapter he giues vs to vnderstand what manner of foundation the testimony of the church is The word of God deliuered by the Prophets and Apostles is the first Sect. Respondeo Ad hoc foundation of our faith for therefore we beleeue whatsoeuer we beleeue because God hath reuealed it by his Prophets and Apostles But we adde that besides this first foundation there is another secondary foundation needfull to wit the testimony of the Church for we know not certainly what God hath reuealed but by the testimony of the Church Therefore our faith cleaueth to Christ the first truth reuealing those mysteries as to the first foundation It cleaues also to Peter that is to the Pope propounding and expounding these mysteries as to a secondary foundation And to make the matter yet more plaine he speakes thus in the same tenth chap. Sect. Respondeo verbum We are to know Sect. Respondeâ— verbum that a Proposition or article of faith is concluded in such a Syllogisme as this Whatsoeuer God hath reuealed in the Scriptures is true But this God hath reuealed in the Scriptures Therefore this is true Of the first of these Propositions no man makes any question The second is held for certaine truth amongst all Catholikes for it is grounded vpon the testimony of the Church that is the Councell or the Pope By which it appeares how little Mr. Fisher vnderstands the doctrine whereof he makes profession or how vnaduisedly he deliuereth his opinion For whereas Bellarmine will haue a two-fold foundation primary and secondary Mr. Fisher will acknowledge but one namely the authority of God speaking by the mouth of the church Christian beleefe saith hee ought onely to bee Treat of Faith in the Preface Sect of which point grounded vpon the authority of God speaking by the mouth of the Church We haue seene Bellarmines opinion of this matter which indeed agrees very well with the words of the Councell where it challengeth the office of interpreting the Scriptures For in that clayme it presumes that the diuine truth is already reuealed and that it is the first foundation of our faith to which the office of the Church is added which is but a secondary foundation Now by these places of the Counceâ—l and Bellarmine it is cleare that The foundation of the Romish faith is the authority of the Church This foundation of faith say wee is false and erroneous That our Sauiour Christ and his Prophets and Apostles are the foundation of faith wee beleeue and acknowledge and in this we and they agree That secondary foundation which lyeth in the authority and testimony of the church we refuse as false and naught and in this lyeth the true difference betwixt vs and them in this point as besides other De Script quaest 5. cap. 3. Apol. part 2. chap. 3. diuis 2. 11 Dr. Whitaker hath noted and the reuerend B. Iewell And this indeed is the main reason why we may not ioyn with them If they demand of vs VVhy we receiue not this authority of the church for a foundation of faith VVe answer Because we find no commission in the word of God wherby any such office is conueyed vnto it Neither deale wee herein any otherwise then reason and law direct men to do in the like case For is any man so destitute of reason or so ignorant of the law that he would receiue a man for L. Chancellour L. Treasurer or Lord Chiefe Iustice that were not able to shew any commission for the hauing and executing such an office And shall wee in a businesse of such importance that concernes our free-hold not onely for our present being of the church but for our future becomming heires of glory in heauen giue credit to men vpon their bare word without sight of their commission VVerfore doth our Lord and Sauiour so often in the Scriptures plead his authority from God warranted by the old Testament and vpbraid the Iewes with lightnesse and folly for being ready to receiue one that should come in his owne name If then the Papists would haue vs beleeue that their church is appointed to bee a foundation let them shew their warrant for it and we will accept it and build our faith vpon it But we looke that their commission should be very plain and certaine because it is of such a matter as no naturall reason can conceiue to be true For who would imagine or beleeue that the Apostles who had a little before receiued full power of order and iurisdiction ioyntly and equally with Peter as Bellarmine himselfe confesseth should suddenly De Rom. Poâ—t lib. 1. cap. 12. Sect. vt autem haue their authority abridged and be made subiect to Peter yea to his successors too as it fell out with S. Iohn to learne of them which wee bookes of Scripture and what was the meaning of the seuerall places or texts and what was true what false in Diuinity Besides the matter it selfe is of such importance by their doctrine that without the constant beliefe thereof and obedience according thereto there is no possibility of saluation For Whosoeuer saith Bellarmine will not be sed by Peter De verb. Dei lib 3. cap. 5. Sect. quartum that is learne of him or his successors as iudges and determiners what he is to take for matter of faith and what is the sense of the Scripture is none
diuinitie S. Iohn was so subiect to these successours of Peter that he was to receiue from them assurance of the truth that he deliuered of them he was to know whether his owne Epistles were the word of God or not yea whether they were his owne Epistles or not they or some of them were to assure him from God that his Reuelation was from God and not from the deuill if any doubt arose about any sentence in his Gospell Epistles or Reuelation he could not know by diuine faith what the true meaning of the place was but was to learne that of Euaristus then Pope whose office it was to deliuer an interpretation of the text to the Apostle or to allow of the interpretation made by the Apostle if he iudged it to be true Poore S. Iohn was an vnderling in all this businesse the Pope was Magister fac totum Most glorious Lord Iesus thou didst vouchsafe to shew thine extraordinarie loue to this thy holy Apostle tookest order to haue it made known to all posterity wouldest thou so much abase him as not onely to take from him the honour thou hadest bestowed vpon him by making him inferiour to S. Peter to whom before he was equall in authoritie and dignitie but also to appoint him to lacky if occasion fell out vpon foure Popes one after another to learne of them what was diuine reuelation or the word of God what was not Wherefore didst thou solemnely promise thy Apostles and Iohn amongst the rest that thou wouldest send them the comforter the holy Spirit to lead them into and to direct them in all truth Alas it was a poore comfort for them so to be taught by him that they must be faine to trauell or send to Rome to know whether he had taught them right or no. But who can be patient in this indignity offered to the holy Spirit Shall a wretched and ignorant man that I say no worse sit in iudgement to giue sentence of thy diuine Maiestie whether thou hast inspired thy seruants with truth or no Diddest thou instruct the Apostles as the deuills amongst the heathen did their counterfit prophets that they either knew not what they vttered or could not be assured what they meaned without the Pope like an Oracle made them vnderstand themselues as Daniell told Nebuchadnezar his dreame and the interpretation thereof If these things seeme to be as indeed they are absurd monstrous impious blasphemous what is the doctrine thinke you vpon which they are grounded I will repeate it againe that all men may learne to know and detest such foolish wickednesse and wicked folly S. Peter saith Bellarmine was made by Christ ordinary pastour of the whole Church his ossice was to determine what was matter of faith The Bishops of Rome Peters successours haue the same authoritie of ordinarie pastourship which he had Whosoeuer will not be thus fed by Peter and his successours belongeth not to the sheepefold of the Lord Iesus This is the arch whereon the Popes supremacie is built For the vpholding of this all the Romish Clergie are in armes If you hold not this whatsoeuer you hold you can be no true Roman Catholike From whence ariseth the impossibility of reconciliation betwixt vs and them wee cannot bee members of their Church but we must ioyn with them in this acknowledgment of this Papall authoritie They cannot renounce this opinion but they must withall viterly dissolue their Church the forme whereof as we heard out of Bellarmine consisteth in this very manner of gouerment This is thâ— boÌ„d these the ligameÌ„ts by which the whole body of their Church is coupled and knit together From the Pope thus feeding that is teaching and gouerning as from the head all life and motion is conueyed into the rest of that huge chaos take away the head all life and motion ceaseth and the parts fall asunder one from another that it can no longer be accounted the Church it was nor as they hold any Church at all We see the prophecie of the Apostle Paul fulfilled God hath sent these men strong delusions to beleeue lyes 2. Thes â— 11. For what greater delusion can there be then for a man to beleeue that of euery Pope that no Pope euer beleeued of himselfe or of any of his successours And shall we notwithstanding all this still halt betwixt two opinions Shall we suffer our selues to be so swallowed vp by the cares of this world that we can haue no leasure to know what belongeth to our saluation Shall wee so melt away in continuall voluptuousnesse that we will not spare one houre to learne which is the right way to true happinesse Shall we so please our selues in wilfull ignorance that we despise the knowledge of truth in matter of religion Doe these things concerne Preachers onely If our fore fathers had been of that minde the troups of holy Martyrs that now gloriously follow their puissant victorious leader the Lord Iesus in triumph would haue beene very thinne Oh that you could see them with your bodily eyes How many blessed Saints should you behold now triumphing in heauen that were as you are not Preachers but ordinary professours of the truth Brethren deceiue not your owne soules cast not your selues away wilfully Are not the people to be saued by the same meanes by which the Preachers are Is not the same faith in the Lord Iesus which must saue the Ministers required of the people also The Lord indeed hath giuen vs speciall charge to studie and know the holy Scriptures to what end think you surely as for our owne comfort so for your instruction The affaires of the world in your seuerall callings draw you away from oppâ—rtunity of studie the Lord in mercy to you hath commanded vs to labour in it that your want may be supplied by oâ—r aboundance Now especially hee looketh for this dutie of vs because he will now especially make tryall of your knowledge and constancy Do you not see many fall dayly on your right hand and on your left It is not your strength but Gods mercifull prouidence that holdeth you vpright he hath graciously vouchsafed to keepe you hetherto from occasion of being seduced he hath afforded you more time yet before the temptation like an armed man shall assault you if you prepare not now for the day of battell the enemy will surprise you are you be aware when you shall not be able to make resistance Many of you scarce know a friend from an enemie you are not able to discerne which be your owne colours It is an easie matter to carry you into the middest of Dothan while you seeke for the Prophet whom you know not if you meete him As he that walketh into the fields where there grow as well poysonous weeds as wholesome herbs if he know not the one from the other may as easily light vpon that which shal kill him as that which shal nourish him So he that is ignorant
contenteth not himself with this kind of teaching but will haue the teaching here spoken of to be a difiâ—itiue sentence declaring and determining what is reuealed and what the sense and meaning of it is as I shewed chapter 4. numb 7. To this must his proofes be applyed which lie thus If feeding Iohn 21. 15. be not teaching by way of determing what is reueâ—led and what the meaning of it is Then we must vnderstand it of preaching or writing commentaries How shall the consequence of this proposition bee made good since this feeding may at the least as reasonably be vnderstood of reuealing the sacred mysteries yea this interpretatioÌ„ is more reasonable because the words were spoken to him whose office it was to reueale those mysteries by vertue of his Apostolicall commission as I shewed numb 4. yea they are the very same in sense and meaning with those that are vsed in the commission Goe teach all Nations Mark 16. 16. and Iohn 20. 23. as was declared c. 4. n. 4. But admit a man should say it is meant of preaching or writing how doth Bellarmine refute him By telling vs that if we so take it wee must condemne many Popes that haue written nothing at all As if that were any inconuenience to vs although to say the truth most of the Popes that haue written might haue had as much thanke to spare their labors as to write as they haue done Well say we vnderstand it of preaching That may not be neither saith Bellarmine Why so because the Pope cannot preach to all no not diuers Popes to any at all For as their owne Histories confesse some of them did not so much as vnderstand their Grammar But what if the Pope cannot no more could any of the Apostles nor Peter preach to all yet had they authority to preach to all as occasion might happen and were not restrained to this or that congregation diocesse prouince nation or Country and in that respect were vniuersall Pastors of the whole Church yea euery one of them CHAP. VIII Of the Assumption of Bellarmines syllâ—gisme c. 3. n. 5. HItherto I haue shewed what little shew of reason there is for that interpretation of Iohn 21. 15. whereon the strength of Bellarmines conclusion principally dependeth I will now set my selfe to the sifting of the assumption or second part of his syllogisme which is To Peter and his successors that feeding Iohn 21. 15. is committed As the proposition so the assumption also containeth foure seuerall points distinctly to be considered that 1 Those words Iohn 21. are spoken to Peter 2 The office of seeding is committed to Peter 3 Peter hath his successours 4 The office of seeding is committed to Peters successors The first of these foure â—entences or points is rather supposed then expressed in the assumption but it is plainly deliuered by Bellarmin It is said to Peter only Feed my sheepe Bel de Rom. Poâ— l c. 14. Sect. Hactenâ— Who denyeth this if it be â—ightly vnder The speech was directed immediately to Peter with whom our Lord then talked but not so to Peter as if the duty to which he is exhorted belonged to none but to Institut lib. 4. cap. 6. n. 4. him Therefore Calvin truely saith that as Peter receiued mandemâ—m of 〈◊〉 Iohn 21. 15. so all other ministers are exhorted to feed the sheepe 1. Pet. 5. 2. and by so saying hee granteth that those words were spoken to Peter but hee telleth the Papists withall that if they will proue that they auouch they must shew that whosoeuer are commanded â—o feed Christs sâ—eepe to them the power ouer the whole Church is committed In which words he denieth the consequence of the proposition which he doth not expresse but acknowledgeth the assumption contained in those words To Peter Bellar. de Rom. ponl lib. 1. c. 14. Sect. Sed coâ—tra onely Christ said feed my sheepe By which it is manifest that Bellarmine doth Caluin great wrong in charging him with the denying that those words Iohn 21. are spoken to Peter onely and spendeth his time and strength in vaine to proue by seuen arguments against Caluin that which Caluin neuer denyed But Bellarmines meaning is that the words are so spoken to Peter that the thing signified by them belongeth not to the rest of the Apostles And in this sense we say it is false that those words were spoken to Peter onely If Bellarmine can not proue them true in this sense as I am sure he cannot his argument is nothing worth For how shall that proue for Peter and his successors against the rest of the Apostles which was spoken to them as well as to him yet it is not to be wondred at that Bellarmin goeth not about to proue it in that sense For indeed there is no shew or colour of proofe for it because the Word of God no where maketh any distinction betwixt this feeding Iohn 21. 15. and that teaching Mat. 16. 16. Iohn 20. 21. which was enioyned Peter and the rest of the Apostles equally and alike as Bellarmine De Rom. Pont. lib. 1. c. 12. Sect. â—ices confesseth The keyes were giuen Iohn 20. and 21. For when our Lord said Iohn 20. 19. Peace be vnto you as my Father sent me so send I you then hee gaue them the power or key of iurisdiction For by those words hee made them as it were Legates and Gouernors of the Church in his name But in the words following Receiue ye the holy Ghost whose sinnes yee remit c. he gaue them the power of order And thus much of the first proposition of the foure The second followeth namely The office of feeding Ioh. 21. is committed to Peter This is affirmed in plaine words and must bee vnderstood of Peter alone not of him and the other Apostles For that will not serue Bellarmines turne because it proues nothing for the Popes power or against that wee defend Besides Bellarmine striues here for an office proper to Peter because he cals it a singular office But how can that be proper to Peter which is cominon to the rest of the Apostles with him This also we deny as Caluin did long since In this word Institut lib. 4. cap. 6. n. 4. feed saith he nothing is giuen to Peter more then to the other Bellarmine should haue proued that this conueyeth a proper office to the Pope and not haue taken that for granted which he knoweth we alwayes deny But hee doth not so much as offer to make any proofe of it either de verbo Lib. 3. cap. 5. Lib. 1. cap. 14. Dei or de Roman Pontif. in both which places he professedly disputeth the point Indeed in the latter place hee proueth that the words Feed my sheepe were spoken to Peter only But what is that to proue that feeding Iohn 21. is committed to Peter onely Some man perhaps will imagine that the latter dependeth vpon the former but he wil quickly change his
commission from our Lord Iesus to teach the whole Church by way of iudging and determining what is to be beleeued of all men and what is not It will bee looked for perhaps that I should proceed to the discussing of some other that are brought for the proofe of this question But I thinke it would bee but lost labour for Bellarmine who was as able as any Popish writer that hath dealt with this matter and had allowance of that he wirt especially in a point that so nearely touched the Popes free-hold if not from the Consistory immediately yet with the knowledge thereof from the office appointed for that purpose in Rome setteth vp his rest vpon that place in Iohn and telleth vs confidently that Then onely Peter receiued the keyes of the kingdome as principall Bellarm. de Rom. Pont. lib. 1. c. 12. Sect. vt autem and ordinary gouernour when he heard those words Feede my sheepe and then also as he saith the charge of the rest of the Apostles his brethren was committed to him Therefore since we require a commission for such an office and that is either here or no where to bee found to what purpose should we examine other arguments which can proue no such matter Now that we haue good reason to call for the sight of a commission by which such an office should be erected no reasonable man can doubt if he consider what himselfe would doe if any man should challenge to himselfe the authority of the Lord Chancellor or Lord Treasurer of England would he take his word without knowledge of his commission vnder the broad seale And why then should wee be so simple as in a businesse of such importance to take the word of a Cardinall for the Popes prerogatiue Master Fisher the Iesuit after some other Papists alleageth for the proofe of this commission Mat. 28. 19. Goe teach all Nations But Bellarmine hath disclaimed and disproued all commission in that place and that not without reason For he saith Then onely he receiued the keyes of the Bellar. de Rom. Pont. l. 1. c. 12. Sect. Vt autem Kingdome as principall and ordinarie gouernour when he heard Feed my sheepe In this he disclaimeth it his disproofe is that the commission Mat. 28. 19. is all one with that Ioh. 20. 21. as that which by Bellarmines confession Sect. Dices containeth power both of order and iurisdiction which is also conueyed to the Apostles Math. 28. 20. Goe teach and baptize And this Master Fisher must needs acknowledge if he will haue that place be a commission for the Popes authority As for that Iohn 20. 21. the power there was not committed seuerally to Peter alone but to all the Apostles as to Legates not to ordinary pastors as Bellarmine noteth All other Sect. Vt autem places of Scripture brought by the Papists to this purpose are of the same kind and concerne all the Apostles as well as Peter wherefore all this considered I hold it altogether needlesse to meddle with those other eight arguments of Bellarmines which indeed are of another kinde and perswade my selfe that I haue said enough of that weake foundation of the Papists faith the authority of the Church in person of the Pope for the time being Whereupon I infer my former conclusion that The saith of the Church of Rome is erroneous and false euen in the very foundation of it and therefore to bee refused and reiected of all men CHAP. XI Containing a second proofe that the faith of the Church of Rome is erroneous and false SVch as the foundation of the Romish faith is such is the faith it selfe namely false and erroneous as I will shew by the argument that followes in the seuerall parts of it If some of the Articles of the faith of the Church of Rome bee false and erroneous then the faith of that Church is false and erroneous But some of the Articles of the faith of the Church of Rome are false and erroneous Therefore the faith of the Church of Rome is false and erroneous Lest any man should hastily except against the consequence of the proposition as if I went about to proue the whole by the part which may not bee I must intreat him to remember that as I noted before in this question wee take the faith of the Church of Rome for one intire thing because of that one bond the authority of the Church or Pope by which all the parts of it are so ioyned together that they all make but one body By reason of which bond he that refuseth any one part reiecteth the whole For by that his refusall he accuseth their Church of errour and failing in determining matters of faith and so ouerthroweth the very foundation of their faith Besides the denying of any one such Article let it bee in it selfe of neuer so small importance draweth vpon the denyer that Anathema or curse which seizeth on all them which are not of the faith of the Church of Rome Wherefore I may presume without presumption that the consequence is good seeing euery Article is equally and alike a matter of faith My assumption I will make good by setting downe out of the Councill of Trent diuers Articles of the Romish saith which are false and erroneous and these they are 1 The sauing verity or truth taught by Christ and his Apostles is contained in written bookes or Scriptures and vnwritten traditions Concil Trident. Sess 4. decret de Canon Scripturae 2 The bookes of Iudith Tobit Ester chap. 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. Wisdome Ecclesiasticus Baruch Daniel chap. 3. 13 14. Macchabees 1 2. are canonicall scripture d. decret de scriptur 3 The whole bookes of Scripture and euery part of them as they are in the vulgar Latine edition are to be receiued for sacred and canonicall d. decret de scriptur 4 It is the office of the Church to iudge of the true sense or interpretation of the sacred or holy Scriptures d. sess 4. de edit vsu librorum sacrorum Sect. insuper 5 The Bishop of Rome is Gods Vicar on earth Sess 6. decret de reform cap. 1. and sess 14. de poenitentia cap. 7. 6 The Church of Rome is the mother and Mistris of all Churches Sess 7. de baptis can 3. and sess 13. de extrem vnct cap. 3. and sess 22. de sacrif missae cap. 8. 7 Grace bestowed in baptisme doth take away whatsoeuer hath the true proper nature of sin sess de pec orig can 5. 8 Concupiscence in the regenerate is not truely and properly sinne d. canon 5. 9 Man doth freely assent to and cooperate or worke together with Gods exciting and cooperating grace so that he can also reiect or refuse the same grace Sess 6. de iustif cap. 5. And dessent if he will can 4. 10 The onely formall cause of iustification is iustice or righteousnesse inhaerent d. sess de iustit cap. 7. 11 By keeping the commandements of the
this charge doth not so much as imply the appointing of an office because feeding is many times enioyned where there is no singular office ordained but the executing of an office commanded which had before been appointed So the Apostle Peter 1. Peter 5. 2. chargeth th 〈…〉 were already 1 Pet. 5. 2. Ministers to feed the flicke of God And the Apostle Paul Acts 20. 28. giues the like charge to the Elders or Ministers of Act. 10. 28. Ephesus Take heed to your selues and to all the flocke to feed the Church of God And this Dr. Reynolds well obserued Dr. Reynolds against â—art Chap. 3. diuis 2. and vrged against Hart You say true wee might therefore with good reason refuse this proposition till it be proued But I will deale more kindly with Bellarmine and shew that Luther truely affirmed there was no new office erected by those words but the execution of one formerly appointed enioyned If this feeding be the teaching for which all the Apostles had commission Mark 16 15. Goe ye into all the world and Mark 16. 15. preach the Gospell to euery creature Iohn 20. 23. Whose sinnes soeuer ye remit they are remitted to them then is it not the erecting of a new office for this was at our Sauiours third appearing to his Disciples Iohn 20. 13. that at his first Ioh. 20. Ioh. 20. 19. Bellarm. de pont Rom. lib. 1. cap. 12. Sect. Dices c. 19. 20. when as Bellarmine affirmeth they had power giuen them both of iudisdiction to gouerne and of order to execute their sacrificing Priesthood And it had beene a thing not beseeming our Sauiours wisdome to giue a new Commission when there was no need nor occasion of so doing Yea to say the truth it had beene altogether in vaine because the former being as sufficient and in force there could be no place for this later But this feeding Ioh. 21. 15. is the teaching for which they had commission Mark. 16. 15. Ioh. 20. 23. For wee finde no other kinde of feeding but this one practised by the Apostles in the new Testament namely feeding by way of reuealing This appeareth touching the Scriptures Bellarm. de Coâ—cil authorit lib 2. cap. 12. Sect. Obseruandum c. and Sect. Diâ—untur Counc Trent Sess 4 decretde Canon scripturatum 2. Tim. 4. 15. The Scriptures were giuen by inspiration 2. Pet. 1. 21. Holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost as Bellarmine also confesseth The Scripture is the word of God immediatly reuealed The holy writers had immediate reuelation and writ the words of God As for traditions which the church of Rome makes a second part of the diuine testimony or word of God by their owne confession they are also by reuelation for so saith the Councell of Trent Traditions were either receiued by the Apostles from the mouth of our Sauiour or deliuered by themselues the holy Ghost enditing them Indeed this feeding Ioh. 21. 15. is nothing else but an exhortation or charge for the performance of that duty which was enioyned in that Commission Mark 16. 15. That it was such an exhortation the manner of deliuering the words sheweth which is by repeating the same thing three seuerall times For this course is very fit to make an impression of a duty commanded no way beseeming the giuing of a Commission Besides it answereth to Peters denying of his Master thrice as Cyril noteth in Ioh. Because Cyril supra Ioh. lib. 12. cap. 64. he denied him thrice at his passion therefore there is a threefold confession of loue required of him A threefold confession saith S. Austin answereth to a threefold negation that the tongue may Aug. Tract in Ioh. 123. expresse as much loue as it did feare Adde hereunto that our Lord calls for the performance of this duty as a proofe of Peters loue to him wherein hee had failed more then the rest because he had made more protestation of it then the rest For thus lies the reason If thou loue me as thou hast professed thou doest shew thy loue by the performing of the duty of feeding But what proofe had it beene of Peters loue to our Sauiour to become the visible Monarch of the whole Church Well might the giuing of such an office argue our Sauiours loue to Peter but the taking it vpon him could not testifie any great loue of his to our Sauiour For who would haue refused such an offer The burthen of teaching was laid vpon the other Apostles as well as vpon him the honour of the Supremacy if this were true was appropriated to him yea the rest of the Apostles who before were equall to him were now made inferiour and subiect to him Lastly in giuing a commission the authority of him that giues is ordinarily expressed alwaies implyed Mat. 28. 18 19. All power is giuen to me in heauen and earth Goe therefore and teach all nations Ioh. 20. 21 22 23. As my father sent me so send I you receiue the holy Ghost whose sins c. But here although as they say it is the onely place that speaks of this commission there is no authority either expressed or implyed onely as Cyrill saith It was a duty of loue to feed as it had beene formerly a proofe of feare to deny What else then can this Feeding be but the teaching which was enioyned all the Apostles at our Sauiours first appearing to them Whereupon I may safely conclude that the word neither necessarily nor in any likelihood of reason importeth the erection of any new office in the Church Let vs now proceed to debate the second point yet with this memorandum that although it be neuer so plainly proued yet Bellarmines proposition of a new office appointed Ioh. 21. 15. is false because the first point contained in it of a singular office here ordained is neither true nor likely The thing now to be discussed is this Feeding Christs sheepe Ioh. 21. 15. is teaching This sentence is plainly deliuered by Bellarmine in that proposition as he that looks vpon it cannot choose but see and proued also by two reasons the former that Reasonable sheepe are fed by teaching the latter that The Lord saith by Ieremy I will giue you Pastors according to my heart which Ier. 3. 15. shall feed you with knowledge and vnderstanding But these proofes might haue been spared for we acknowledge that Feeding is Teaching But for the fuller discussing of this matter wee must remember that Bellarmine as we saw chap. 4. numb 9. telleth vs Teaching is double by reuealing or propounding things reuealed Wee say that the teaching here spoken of is by reuelation not by propounding matters already reuealed as they would haue it But if they will haue vs yeeld to it they must proue it and not take it for granted as Bellarmine doth For without it be proued as I signified chap. 6. numb 6. his proposition cannot be true It is therfore
as easie and reasonable for vs to refuse his argument grounded vpon that which we deny as for him to affirme that he cannot proue Yet that we may deale more kindly with him then he doth with vs wee will giue him a reason of our answer which is that None of the Apostles did euer vse any other kind of teaching then reuealing If they deny this let them shew that any Apostle did euer informe the Church that This or that booke was scripture that this or that tradition was by diuine authority that this or that place had this or that sense And that this information of theirs was not by way of reuelation that is of immediate inspiration and motion from God wherby they were freed from all errour If they cannot doe this as I am out of doubt they cannot it must needs be granted that they taught onely by reuelation not otherwise They will perhaps obiect Act. 15. 7. but in vaine For the Apostles doe not there expound any place of Scripture formerly written or propound matters already reuealed by God but by the immediate inspiration of the holy Ghost resolue and enioyne what was to be done in that case So that their determination was a law then first giuen by way of reuelation from God not by way of interpreting and propounding what the Lord had formerly deliuered For it is manifest that the Lord hath no where taught in the old Testament the new was not then written that the Gentiles conuerted to the faith were to abstain from strangled things and from blood to the forbidding wherof the holy Ghost directed them immediately vpon that occasion for that time From which after a time he freed them by the like direction and reuelation giuen to the Apostle S. Paul and by him to the Church Rom. 14. And that this decree of the Apostles was made by reuelation and inspiration of the holy Ghost * De Rom. Pons lib. 4. cap. 25. Sect. Respondeâ— ad primum Bellarmine himselfe grants Yea the Apostles in that same place seeme to take a contrary course to that which if they had expounded the former Scriptures or propounded things formerly deliuered they must haue followed For as it appeareth by debating of the point by Iames and Peter the old testament absolutely Act. 15. freed the Gentiles conuerted from the ceremoniall law Why tempt ye God saith Peter Vers 10. to lay a yoake on the Disciples neckes which neither our fathers nor wee were able to beare Yet the Apostles by this decree of theirs bind them to part of that law by enioyning them Vers 20. 29. To obstaine from blood and that that is strangled Which they might not haue done if they had propounded matters already resolued of and not followed the immediate reuelation and direction of the holy Ghost To this I may adde the manner of this charge giuen by the Apostles which is by inspiration from the holy Ghost whose authority in this case they alledge It seemed good to the holy Ghost not thus saith Moses Dauid or the Lord by this or that Prophet Therfore in that Councel the Apostles did reueale what was to be done not propound what formerly had beene reuealed And yet this is the onely place in all the new Testament wherein there is any shew of Feeding by expounding and propounding otherwise then by reuelation CHAP. VII Of the two latter points in Bellarmines Propositions HAuing found the two former points to be light and false I come now to weigh the third which is set downe as plainly as either of the former that Feeding Christs sheepe Ioh. 21. 15. is teaching the whole Church There hath beene enough said already to discredit and disable the proposition yet I will goe forward that it may appeare what truth there is in it Bellarmine laboureth De Rom. Pont. lib. 1. cap. 16. much to proue that by Christs Sheepe in this place all Christians whatsoeuer are signified But what needeth all this adoe Wee neuer meant to deny it neither doth our granting or his prouing of it any thing at all helpe them or hinder vs. For there is nothing meant in this place by teaching but reuealing as I shewed in the former chap. numb 10 11 12. But this the church of Rome claimes not but striueth tooth and naile for such a teaching as consisteth in expounding and propounding things reuealed yea I will grant him both proposition and assumption in the tearmes wherein they are deliuered Because the whole Church was to bee instructed by the feeding here spoken of and no man had or hath liberty either to refuse as vntrue or not to obey as needlesse any thing that should be deliuered according to this commandement Feed my sheepe The more doth Bellarmin wrong vs in saying that we denie that the whole Church is meant by the name of sheepe in this place For whereas our Diuines say that Peter was made a particular not an vniuersall Bishop they meane not thereby to deny his authority to teach all Nations whatsoeuer and all congregations in all nations as occasion was offered but onely to signifie that hee had no commission giuen by those or any other words to be soueraigne Bishop of the whole Church as they speake in the words going a little Sect. Primum before As for that of Iohn 21. 15. they shew that those words can argue no such authority because then Paul might not haue had the same office among the Gentiles which Peter had among the Iewes so that the vniuersality denied in that and other places by our Diuines is an authority of feeding those who were ioyned with him in the same commission of feeding and had equall authority with him to reueale the truth of God to all the sheepe of Christ without exception which Caluin expresseth thus If the Caluin Institut lib. 4. c. 6. n. 4. same authority be granted to all which was promised to one wherin shall he be aboue his fellowes in office As for n. 7. which Bellarmine quoteth Caluin doth neither mention nor signifie that place Iohn 21. 15. therein There remaineth the fourth poynt to be considered that seeding Christs sheepe Iohn 21. 15. is teaching by way of iudging or determining what is to be beleeued of all men This also is expressed in plaine termes and is of as much importance as any of the other three His proofe is that wee cannot better vnderstand it then in that sense I see not why I may not grant him this without any inconuenience For indeed the Apostles feeding either by word of mouâ—h or writing was by way of sentence so that no man might deny or doubt of any thing which they deliuered Neither was there any higher court to which there might be any appeale from their sentence but all men were absolutely bound to beleeue and obey whatsoeuer they taught and commanded This wee grant and herein we would agree with Bellarmine if this were all he meaneth But he
Church a man doth encrease in the iustice which he receiued by the grace of Christ and is more iustified cap. 10. 12 The iust in some actions doe not sin venially cap. 11. 13 By euery mortall sinne a man falleth away from the grace of iustification which he had receiued cap. 14 15. and can 23. 14 By the Sacrament of poenance the grace of iustification which was lost is recouered cap. 14. 15 The good workes of a man that is iustified are his merits can 32. 16 The iust truely deserue euerlasting life by works wrought in God cap. 16. and can 32. 17 vnlesse a man faithfully and firmely beleeue the Catholick doctrine of the Council of Trent touching iustification he cannot be saued cap. 16. Sect. Post hanc 18 Some that are not predestinate receiue the grace of iustification can 17. 19 The Sacraments of the new Testament are neither more nor fewer then 7 to wit 1 Baptisme 2 Confirmation 3 The Lords Supper 4 Poenance 5 Extreame Vnction 6 Ordination 7 Matrimony and euery one of these is truely and properly a sacrament sess 7. de sacram in genere can 1. 20 Baptisme Confirmation and Ordination imprint in the soule a character that cannot be blotted out can 9. 21 The sacraments of the new Testament containe the thing they signifie and bestow it vpon them that hinder it not can 6. And vpon all as much as is required on Gods part can 7. And that by the worke wrought can 8. 22 After the consecration of the bread and wine in the Lords Supper our Lord Iesus Christ true God and man is contained truely really and substantially vnder the shewes of those sensible things sess 13. de sacram Eucharist cap. 1. 23 The holy Eucharist is to be reserued in the Chancell and caried honorably to the sicke cap. 6. 24 The tenth Commandement Thou shalt not couet is rent in sunder and made two by the Council of Trent sess 14. de poenitentia cap. 5. and can 7. 25 The time of Lent is holy and most acceptable sess 14. de poenitentia cap. 5. 26 No man that knowes himselfe to be guilty of mortall sinne how contrite soeuer he seeme to himselfe to be may come to the holy Eucharist without sacrament all confession going before d. sess 13. cap. 7. and can 11. that is Vntill hee haue confessed all and euery one of his mortall sinnes and also those circumstances which change the kind of the sinne sess 14. de sacram poenitentia c. 5. And that to a Priest in secret can 6. 7. 27 Power or authority was giuen to the Apostles and their lawfull successors to remit and retaine sinnes for the reconciling of such of the faithfull as fall after Baptisme sess 14. de sacram ent poenitentiae cap. 1. 28 It is vtterly false and differing from the word of God to say that the Lord God neuer remitteth the fault but with all he pardoneth the whole punishment d. sess 14. de poeâ—it cap. 8. can 12. sess 6. de iustif cap. 14. can 30. 29 Neither the Layâ—y nor any Clergy man that doth not consecrate is bound by any Commandement of God to receiue vnder both kinds sess 21. de sacram sub utraque specie cap. 1. 30 The Church hath decreed it for law that all the Laity and the Clergy that doe not consecrate should receiue vnder one kind onely d. sess cap. 5. 31 We may make satisfaction to God through Iesus Christ by temporall afflictions layed on vs by God and borne patiently by vs. sess 14 de sacram poenitent cap. 9. can 13. 32 The Priesthood was not to bee abolished by the death of Christ sess 22. de sacrif missae cap. 1. 33 Our Sauiour Christ by these words This doe in remembrance of me charged his Apostles and their successours to offer his body and blood vnder the signes of bread and wine d. cap. 1. 34 Water is to be mingled with wine in the Chalice that is to be offered d. sess cap. 7. 35 The names of Subdeacons Acolytes Exorcists Lectors and Doore-keepers and the proper office of euery one of these hath beene euer since the beginning of the Church sess 23. de sacram oâ—dinis cap. 2. and de reformat cap. 28. 36 Matrimony contracted not consummated is dissolued by the solemne profession of religion by either party sess 24. de sacram Matrimon can 6. 37 There is a Purgatory sess 25. decret de purgat 38 The soules which raigne with Christ do offer vp their praiers to God for men sess 25. decret de innocatione sanctorum 39 It is good profitable humbly to call vpon the saints forenamed and to fly to their prayer helpe and furtherance for the obtaining of benefits or blessings from God by his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. d. decret de inuocat 40 Veneration and honor are due to the reliques of the Saints Sess 25. decret de inuocat venerat reliq sanctorum 41 The Images of Saints and other sacred monuments are not honored without profit c. The memories or monuments of the Saints are not frequented in vaine for the obtaining of their helpe d decret de venerat 42 The Images of Christ and the Virgin Mary and other Saints are to be had and retained especially in Churches and due honor and veneration is to be giuen them d. sess 25. de sacris Imaginum 43 The power of granting indulgences was committed by Christ to the Church and the vse of them is helpfull to Christian people d. sess 25. decret de indulgent CHAP. XII That many Articles of the faith of the Church of Rome are false and erroneous VPon the 43 propositions set downe out of the Councill of Trent in the former chapter I thus argue to proue the faith of the Church of Rome erroneous The aforesaid Articles or propositions are false and erroneous The aforesaid Articles or propositions are articles of the faith of the Church of Rome Therefore some of the Articles or propositions of the faith of the Church of Rome are false and erroneous Touching these propositions that they are articles of the saith of the Church of Rome it is euident because we finde them in the Council of Trent propounded to be beleeued of all Christians Are these all will some man say wherein we dissent from them and which we reiect as erroneous No there are many other and some of them of no small moment But I hold these onely needfull to be debated because the other so depend vpon these that if these bee false none of them can be true For example It is said article 36. that there is a purgatory if this cannot be proued then it is false that the Saints in Purgatery are holpen by the suffrages of the faithfull or sacrifice of the altar which yet is deliuered as an article of faith in that decree Againe it is affirmed article 32. that Christ appointed his Apostles and their successors to offer his body and blood