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
for this end be giuen only to them as it was to Moyses to iudge the people then it was not for the same end giuen to all and euery one of the common people and euery ordinary faythfull person among them The third proofe is drawne from the essentiall partes of an authenticall and infallible Iudge because in this spirit are to be found neither ability to know persons nor authority to iudge causes nor infallibility to pronounce a certaine sentence and iudgment First therefore this spirit cannot know and examine the state and disposition the cause and question of the person who is to be iudged neither can the person who is to be iudged know that this spirit remaynes in him who is to iudge or that authority by it is giuen to iudge For this spirit say they who chalenge it is knowne that it is the spirit of God only to them who haue it how then shall it be knowne to others who are to be iudged by it How shall the people know the spirit of the Pastour that they may be directed by it or the Pastour know the spirit of the people that he may direct thē How shall any conuersation in discipline of good life any communication in doctrine of fayth any subordination in obedience to lawes be obserued among these person vncertaine one of anothers spirit and authority by it How shall the sentence of absolution vpon the faythfull or of condēnation vpon the faythlesse be iustly denounced How shall the doctrine of truth be preached or the doctrine of falshood be confuted and the people obliged to belieue the one and to forsake the other How shall iustice be ordered obedience obserued authority maintained lawes executed and penalties inflicted where neither the inferiour can know the spirit of the superiour vpon which spirit his authority dependes nor yet the superiour can any way force or compell the spirit of the inferiour who yet will chalenge an equality of preheminence and priuiledge of the spirit with him Secondly this spirit cannot challenge to it selfe any such power or authority or shew any authenticall warrant from God that it is the spirit of God either in Scripture Tradition or practise of the Church all which a◠before do reiect and condemne it It cannot exercise any function which belonges to this authority as to censure or absolue to oblige or vnity to punish or reward any fault cōmitted or person committing it It cannot with equality of tryall heare or examine the cause nor denounce and pronounce any sentence which can oblige It cannot admonish threaten terrify and enioyne any punishment by the rodde of iustice It cannot compell correct and punish any delinquen◠by way of exteriour iustice or enforce the one party to yield subscribe and submit to the sentence of iustice It cannot bridle in the hand of the one the fury of iniustice or deliuer to the handes of the other the right of iustice It cannot conuince the one of his errour against truth nor secure the other of his possession of truth It cannot compell the one to cease from wronge or giue redresse to the other in his wrong What power hath the spirit of one man to threaten to command to correct or punish the spirit of another What authority can one spirit alleadge which another cannot as well challenge What prerogatiue of spirit can the Pastour assume of which the spirit of the people may not as well presume Vpon what priuiledge can any superiour stand vpon which and the same any inferiour may not or will not as well insist The inferiour can as cōfidently assure himselfe as certainly auouch and as resolutly resolue himselfe that he hath receaued the spirit of the Sonne of God dwelling in him That he hath the spirit of his sonne abiding in his heart by which he cryeth Abbae Father That God hath giuen him also the pledge of the spirit The spirit of adoption VVhich doth giue testimony of his spirit That his spirit doth search all thinges yea the profundities of God That his spirit doth try all thinges yea prophesyes Doth try all spirits if they be of God And that he is a spirituall man doth iudge of all thinges and himselfe is to be iudged of no man because he hath the sense of Christ and knoweth the sense of our Lord that may instruct him Where is then the authority of the Pastour ouer a flocke endewed with this spirit or the power of the superiour to correct a people full of this spirit How shall the one compell to obey and the other haue the liberty of the spirit not to obey What order or subordination what discipline gouernement can be established among such spirits or men ruled and directed by such spirits Thirdly this priuate spirit cannot giue any certainty or infallibility of the verity of his iudgment for it cannot assure and secure any that it is a spirit of God not Sathan of light not darknesse of truth not falshood of a true not a false Prophet It cannot assure secure any that his iudgment for example of predestination iustification certainty of saluation of only fayth is not a presumption and illusion and rather hereticall then Catholike doctrine It cannot assure and secure others either that the spirit is true or that the iudgement of it is vpright or that the doctrine of it is true all sectes and heresies whether Caluinist or Lutheran rigid or milder whether Protestant or Puritan whether Brownist or Familist whether Anabaptist or Arian whether Swenkfeldian or Libertine challeng it for the certainty of their doctrine as true are taught and directed by it as true and yet some or all of them must needes be false as being contrary euery one to another euery one condemning another and all condemned by the authority of Gods Church and by the spirit of God instructing and assisting it By all which it is apparent that the priuate spirit wanting visibility to be knowne authority to iudge and infallibility to secure cannot be an authenticall iudge of controuersies of Fayth Fourthly the fourth reason against this priuate spirits infallible authority to iudge of fayth is drawne from the properties of a rule foundation of fayth before assigned all which are wanting in it For first it wants the promise of any certainty and infallibility it hath no promise or warrāt in Scripture that it is the Pillar and ground of truth the house the temple the kingdome of Christ that hell gates shal not preuaile against it that he who heareth it heareth Christ who contemneth it contemneth Christ and who obeys it not is as the Heathen and Publican that it shall remayne with euery man shall teach euery man all truth and instruct euery man in all which Christ shall speake to him All which yet are promised to the holy Church and the spirit of God in it Secondly It wants
this preaching is deriued frō Mission according to that of S. Paul How shal they belieue him whom they haue not heard how shall they heare without a preacher how shall they preach except they be sent So that faith it by hearing hearing is by preaching of Pastours and preaching is by mission from the authority of Superiours Of which the reason is because faith is an argumēt or proofe of things that do not appeare either to our sense or reason but are aboue our vnderstanding and capacity therfore we cannot attaine to it by euidence of reason but by credit of authority To this authority that we may giue credit we must conceaue and heare it this hearing that we may be obliged to accept it must by Church-Pastors be proposed and preached to vs and this preaching that it may the better secure vs of it must be from lawfull mission by ordinary succession deriued and so lawfull mission from apostolical authority infallible preaching or proposition of Pastours and a pious disposition in vs to heare and belieue what is thus proposed are the meanes by which according to S. Paul true faith is attained But this priuat spirit quite ouerthrowes all this excellēt order and subordination ordayned by Christ Iesus proposed to vs by the holy Ghost For first it alone without any disposition of hearing without any proposition or preaching of Church Pastours without any authority of apostolicall mission and ordination teaches and directs in particuler euery one man woman or child which is true Scripture which is true sense of it and which is true doctrine collected out of it therfore euery one thus made faithfull by this spirit stands need neither of disposition to heare what is to be belieued nor of preaching to belieue what they heare nor of mission and ordination to secure them of what is preached because this spirit supplies the effect of all both ordination proposition and disposition of hearing therfore all order and discipline all subordination and subiection all sacraments or preaching are needlesse yea fruitlesse in Gods Church As this spirit secures alone so without Sacraments it sanctifies alone As it instructs all in faith so it corrects all in errours against faith And as it is directed by none but God so it is subordinate to none but God alone obliged to none obedient to none it is immediate as they which haue it imagine from God it wil be subiect only to God it will be directed only by God it alone inspires all what they are to belieue alone works all what they are to do and alone secures all that they cannot faile of their end and saluation and so alone to all is all in all that is the beginning progresse and end of all grace and goodnesse Thus is the spirit to them if you will credit them Secondly It alone hath warrant and commission power and authority in whomsoeuer it is whether he be yonge or old simple or wise vnlearned or learned secular or spirituall to examine censure to giue sentence and iudgment in any cause or Controuersy ouer any Pastour or Prelate vpon any Councell or Church particuler or generall present or past late or auncient For as Caluin and Kemnitius for example by the prerogatiue of this their spirit tooke vpon them to censure and correct by their Examine and Antidote not only the late generall Councel of Trent but also the auncient generall Councels of Nice Constantinople Chalcedon and Ephesus yea the whole Church of God and all Doctours in it for many ages togeather as is before shewed so euery bible-bearing Ghospeller who hath got but a tast of this spirit and can but read the Scripture in English will by the same prerogatiue of this spirit assume to himselfe the same authority to examine the same examiners to censure the same censurers and to iudge the spirit of the former iudges yea to examine censure and iudge all Pastours Doctours Fathers Councells and Churches and to determine which of them haue erred what sense of Scripture is to be preferred and what Fayth and Religion is to be imbraced All which as these new Protestant Maisters first practised vpon the ancient Fathers so these their new discipls haue learned to practise the same vpon them their maisters and do as well censure them as they did their Predecessours and that worthily for what they taught and practised against their Fathers is a iust punishment that their children should learne and practise the same against them That it cannot be a meanes of fayth which requirs credible testimonies SECT VI. FIFTHLY this fayth as it is obtained by piously hearing the infallible preaching of Pastours lawfully ordained and sent so also it requires besides diuine reuelation reasons and motiues of credibility forcible to moue the Vnderstanding to accept as probable this doctrine of Fayth thus by preaching proposed and by God reuealed for as before He that giueth credit quickly is light of hart And reasons of credibility such as are miracles sanctity vnity conuersions of Nations and such like before mentioned doe make a true fayth more credible according to that of Dauid Thy testimonies are made too credible But that this priuate spirit cannot giue any such credible testimonies or produce any probable motiue to conuince any one that it is a true spirit of God or a certaine meanes of faith is proued Because it cannot alledge any consent of people and nations nor any authority of miracles to vse S. Augustines words nourished by hope increased by charity and confirmed by antiquity such as confirmed S. Augustine in his faith it cannot alleadge any vnity which it causeth either with the head Christ or with his body the Church not any sanctity which it worketh by works memorable for piety or miraculous for power and vertue not any consent of vniuersality by which it hath been imbraced in all places at all times by all nations and persons no not in ancient time by any persons renowned for holinesse and learning not any succession of Pastours prelates doctours or saints who haue relied themselues their faith saluation vpon it it cannot produce any one euident either authority of holy scripture or any one tradition of apostolicall time or any one practise of auncient Church or any one decree of generall Councels or any one testimony of learned Doctours or any one probable much lesse conuincing argument of reason that either all or any one man must or may settle his beliefe in it interprete the Scripture by it rely his saluation vpon it deduce all resolutions of fayth all questions of Controuersies all doubts of Religion from it and giue peremptory iudgment and sentence of all Pastours and Prelates of all Saints and Doctours of all Churches and Councells of all doctrine and religion according to the suggestion of it which yet the precise Protestāts do both in doctrine professe and in practise performe That it cannot be a
their decrees no Emperour with his sword no people or Pastour in any parish should haue publikly professed maintayned and confirmed the true fayth of Christ and true doctrine of saluation but all of Antichrist and damnation Thirdly it follows that all the predictions and prophecies of the prophets before Christ all the promises and assurances made by Christ himselfe or by his Apostles to his Church either of the extension and amplitude of Christes Church from sea to sea from North to South to the vttermost end of the world to all people and nations to all Iles and Kingdomes to all Kinges and Princes or of continuance succession of the same as long as the Sunne Moon shall endure from Sabaoth to Sabaoth from age to age frō generation to generation without interruption or discontinuance from that tyme till the worlds end or of the Holy Ghosts assistance and continuance with it as the Pillar and ground of truth against all the waues and stormes of the sea of this world against all the swordes and violence of persecutors and Tyrants and against all principalities and powers the gouernours of this darknesse and the very gates of hell it selfe It followes I say that all these predictions haue beene false and not verifyed as Castalion and Dauid George both Protestants conuinced by experience of the not being of a Protestant Church haue confessed it followes that the Prophets of the old Testament who foretould them were false not true Prophets that the Apostles of the new Testament who confirmed them were vnlawfull and faythlesse messengers and that Iesus Christ who planted watered promised to giue increase to this his Church was not the only true omnipotent God but either a false deceauer who promised that he knew should not be performed or els a weake worker who could not performe that which he had promised to wit this amplitude succession and firmity of his Church thus wholy frustrated and made void according to the former principle and doctrine All which is wikedly confessed vpon the former groundes by Dauid George Ochinus and others Fourthly it followes that Turkes Iewes and Gentils haue had a more flourishing state of a Church Kingdome and Professours as hauing beene more visible potent and dilated for many continued ages in many distant partes of the world then the christians who haue had neither Prince Prelate people or scarce any publike Professours of true Christianity for one age together vnder any one King in any one prouince of the world That Mahomet and Antichrist or the diuel by them did with more prudence and power with more piety and policy establish enlarge protect their faith and common wealth which so long continued then Iesus Christ who is true God and man did or could do his faith and Church which so soone after his departure erred failed and decayed Where is the greater glory of the second temple then of the first Where is the ends of the earth giuen to it for a possession Where are the Kings and Queenes who as nursing fathers are to haue protected it Where are the people and nations who with the gold of Arabia and Saba were to haue inriched it Where are the Iles and kingdomes who from the vttermost ends of the world were to haue waited vpon this Church of Christ more then any other of Iews Turks or Pagans What was Christ lesse true lesse good lesse faythfull lesse able and potent in the establishing and preseruing his kindgome then were Moyses or Mahomet Cyrus or Romulus in setling and enlarging their Synagogue Sect or Common-wealth Surely it followes O horrour and blasphemy if these positions and points of the Protestants priuate spirits doctrine were true and warrantable Of absurdities which follow vpon the second head of sole Fayth SECT III. SECONDLY Out of the second principle and doctrine depending on it which is that a man is iustified by only faith which is a faith speciall of euery one 's owne predestination iustification and glorification so certaine and so sure as that there is a God or that Christ is saued so perpetuall that it can neuer be lost and peculiar only to the elect depending vpon their priuat spirit and the rest before mentioned it followes First That a man is not only without all doubt or so much as any feare certaine of his predestination past iustification present and glorification to come but also that he is more certaine of it then he is of the B. Trinity of the Incarnation Passion Resurrection ascension and coming of Christ which he belieues only by a faith not supernaturall and diuine but historicall generall and common as they say to the reprobate and diuels yea more certaine then Iesus-Christ was of his saluation whom they affirme to haue feared doubted distrusted and despaired before his death of his saluation as is afterward shewed Yea as certaine must they be as certaine they are that God is one God or that Iesus Christ is in heauen or as if Iesus Christ were present and so told them which are their owne words and comparisons which is both absurd and impious absurd because they haue scripture to auouch the being of one God and the saluation of Christ but which auouches to euery mā this his saluatiō in particular they haue neither scripture nor reason Impious because what greater impiety and blasphemy can be conceaued then to make Christ God and man doubtfull of his saluation and themselues sinfull and wicked wretches certaine of theirs Secondly it followes that euery Protestant may and must by faith belieue as certaine that of which neither authority of scripture testimony of Church or euidence of reason doth yield any argument of certainty but only his owne priuate spirit and conceit doth suggest and perswade this certainty of euery one his owne iustification and saluation and yet that the same Protestants may doubt yea refuse to assent and belieue such articles of faith as both expresse authority of Scripture euident proposition of Church and confessed testimony of auncient tradition Fathers and Councels doth fully and frequently deliuer and approue such are many articles now in controuersy as Freewill merit good works reall presence prayer to saints for the dead and such like All which for example Caluin and euery Protestant do as firmly notwithstanding all the former confessed testimonies reiect and condemne as they belieue the certainty of their owne saluation which notwithstanding that it be not mentioned or motioned in particular in any such or the former testimonyes they do most vndoubtedly and firmely apprehend and belieue In which among all absurdities what can be more absurd then without any other reason or testimony but ones owne conceit so firmely to adhere to a thing of importance so vncertaine both in it selfe and in experience and yet not belieue many thinges in themselues so probable and so mainly by so many testimonies confirmed and approued Which what is it els
all the Commandements or any of them is impossible 10. That no humane lawes do oblige in conscience to their performance 11. That the Sacraments chiefly Baptisme are seales and signes of predestination to glory of remission of sinnes and perseuerance in Gods fauour and that in Baptisme are forgiuen sinnes past and to come 12. That man by reason of Gods decree and originall sinne hath no liberty or freedome of will to do or auoid bad workes 13. That God hath ordained and predestinated vpon his meere will and pleasure without any cause giuen or so much as forseene all who are damned both to damnation and to sinne All which positions as they are auerred by the learned Protestants and preached to the people so they do ouerthrow all the articles of the Creed all the petitions of the Pater noster and all the precepts of the Ten Commandments and leade to all loosenesse and dissolution of life as shal be shewed SVBDIV. 1. In generall dectroying all fayth AND first that these Positions do quite ouerthrow take away all diuine and supernaturall fayth which is the first foundation and corner-stone of our spirituall building the first preparation to life and iustification the first root of all true vertue and good workes the first gate by which God enters into our soule the first light which shines in our vnderstanding the first true seruice which we offer to God and the first step by which we beginne to walke our iourney to heauen that this doctrine doth quite ouerthrow this fayth and all the articles of the Creed proposed in it is proued 1. Because they distinguish three sortes of fayth 1. Historicall of thinges reuealed and related in scripture and proposed by the Apostles in the Creed such as are the Trinity Incarnation Passion Resurrection and Ascension of Christ with all other articles which all Christians vsually belieue 2. Generall of promises in generall and all graces promised by Christ to all as the sending of the Holy Ghost the coming to iudgment the raysing of the dead and the like which are generall for all 3. Speciall of the promise made to euery man in particuler of his predestination iustification and saluation by which euery one is made infallibly certaine that his sinnes are forgiuen him and that he shal be saued Whereas I say they make these three sortes of Fayth the first and second of these Faithes to wit Historicall and Generall by which they belieue the articles of the Creed promises of God in general they affirme to be faigned not true fayth a shadow of Fayth not a real iustifying faith a Fayth which is common to the reprobate and damned euen to the Diuels themselues and only the third or Special fayth they assigne to be the true diuine and supernaturall iustifying fayth which hath for his obiect the speciall mercy of God to them in particuler applyed the certainty of remission of their sinnes assuredly past and security of their saluation infallibly to come by which they doe as much or more assuredly belieue their iustification and saluation then they do the B. Trinity Incarnation or the rest of the articles of Fayth Now if this speciall fayth be the only true diuine supernaturall and sauing fayth by it is belieued only one article of the Creed that not truly as shall appeare to wit Remission of sinnes and the Historicall and Generall fayth by which the rest of the articles are belieued be only a shadow of Fayth a fayth of the damned and Diuells then we haue no diuine and supernaturall fayth of the rest of the articles but belieue them only by a Faith which is a fained faith a shadow and no more a guift of God then the fayth of the damned and the Diuells in hell Therefore all true â—nd diuine beliefe of the articles of the Creed is by this special doctrine of speciall Fayth quite abolished and taken away from all Christians and nothing but a shadow of Fayth a fained and diabolicall faith left to them and so by one position of theirs is cut off all diuine fayth or beliefe of all the articles of the Creed Secondly whiles they deny all authority of Tradition Church Councels and Fathers and will belieue nothing but what they themselues find in Scripture and that as their priuate spirit interprets it While they make their spirit the iudge of all fayth all controuersies of fayth what is to be receaued or reiected belieued or condemned While I say they doe thus they may by the vertue of this spirit call in question the authority and credit of the Creed it selfe with the authours of it as not to be found in Scripture and the particuler articles they may either reiect as counterfeit intruded or els expound and interpret them as their spirit shal lead them Thus Luther and Caluin following Erasmus for Erasmus is sayd to haue layd the egge which Luther hatched to haue insinuated that which Luther assured to haue doubted of that which Luther downe right denyed made doubt of the authority of the Creed whether it was made by the Apostles or not And the Seruetians in Transiluania witnesse Canisius admit it but so farre as it agrees with the word of God interpreted no doubt by their spirit Thus did Beza by his spirit affirme that part of the sixt article he descended into hell to haue been thrust into the Creed Thus Caluin and Zuinglius following likewise Erasmus by their spirit affirmed that part of the tenth article the Communion of Saints to haue beene intruded into this Creed out of some other Creed and not to haue beene found in the ancient Creeds Thus Luther by his spirit changed in his Germane Creed the word Catholike Church into Christian Church And Beza reiected the same word Catholike as most vaine and wicked And thus by their Glosses and expositions vpon many articles as not pleasing their tast they wrest diuers as shall appeare from their natiue proper sense for example he descended into hell that is he descended into the graue so make a new Creed in sense and meaning agreable to their spirit and the doctrine of it Of which who will haue a full view let him read Andr. Iur. his Nullus and Nemo and Fitzsimons vpon the Masse where their many absurd glosses and expositions are at large discouered and confuted SVBDIV. 2. In particuler against all the twelue Articles of the Creed THIRDL Y because by this doctrine and these Doctours are oppugned in particuler all the mysteries of fayth in euery article of the Creed which by this briefe enumeration of euery one shal be made manifest And first in the first article attributed to S. Peter I follow the diuision of S. S. Augustine and Doctour Kellison is oppugned 1. The faith and beliefe of all the articles in generall in the word Credo by all who hould that it is
of beliefe And the Formall motiue or meanes that is reuelation of God is the formall finall and last resolution why we belieue infallibly such verityes to be true So that if one aske by what we are before prepared and disposed to belieue the truth it is by the credible testimonies if by what we are directed guided to know the truth it is by the Churches propositiō if by what we are assisted and enabled to assent infallibly to this truth it is by the habit of Faith if for what and why we doe actually formally and finally assent belieue the same truth it is for the reuelation of God As therefore the Samaritans at the first were prepared by the womans relation who told them that surely it was the Messias who had told her all that she had done to thinke it probable that he might be the Messias and the woman was as it were a proponent or propounding cause to them of him Many of the Samaritans belieued in him for the word of the woman giuing testimony that he told me all thinges whatsoeuer I haue done But afterwards hauing heard and conuersed with our Sauiour himselfe for two dayes they now sayd Not for thy saying O woman do we belieue for our selues haue heard and do know that this is the Sauiour of the world indeed So all Christians are first prepared by credible testimonies directed by Church authority to the knowledge and certainty of that truth but afterwards when the diuine reuelation it selfe as the word of our Sauiour is made knowne to them then do they now formally and finally not for the testimonies of credibility or Church proposition but for the diuine reuelation it self giue firme and infallible assent and beliefe to the verityes or articles of fayth And thus Catholike fayth is that which is for probable testimonies accepted as credible by Church proposed as infallible by an infused habit effected as supernaturall by diuine verity reuealed as truth infallible and necessary to be belieued This fayth is that which is the beginning and ground of iustification the way and gate to saluation vpō which the Church of Christ is founded and is as the life and soule of it which maketh vs members and partes of Christs Church we being by it and Baptisme inserted into his mystical body which maketh vs certainly infallibly belieue either expresly or implicitè all whatsoeuer articles of sayth God hath reuealed to his Church by his Apostles which is a necessary meane instrument or dispositiō to our iustification and saluation without which none are iustified and by which informed with charity all are iustifyed which is one entire fayth in all faithfull who for one motiue and by one proponent cause do belieue all one doctrine which being one and entire belieue as they ought eyther all articles of fayth explicitè or implicitè or none at all which by refusing to assent to any one article in which is questioned the ground of all is by infidelity lost to all and to conclude which distinguisheth a Catholike from an Heretike in that whosoeuer hath this fayth is a Catholike and whosoeuer wants it or looses it is an Infidell or Heretike and so out of state of grace and saluation And thus much for the order and manner of Gods working of fayth by these meanes in vs. Secondly for the necessity and efficacy of these meanes though all and euery one in particuler be ordinarily necessary to true and diuine supernaturall faith the credible testimonies as exteriour motiues to conuince our Vnderstanding that it may prudently accept of this faith as credible and worthy of beliefe the motion of grace and habit of fayth as interiour assistants that the Will may not resist but piously incline to consent determine the Vnderstāding to assent and that the Vnderstanding may obediently yeild assent to the misteries of fayth the materiall obiects as those which we are to belieue and the formall as that why we are to belieue all which are absolutly necessary to make fayth credible free and supernaturall and without them all faith is but humane false or fained yet in respect of vs and of our certainty of beliefe a proponent cause and that infallible which can be no other but the Churches authority is most important and necessary And first that a proponent cause is needfull all grant because faith being by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ some preacher or teacher is necessary to propose and teach vs what is to be belieued by vs for as fayth depends not vpon reason but vpon authority that of God affirming this or that to be true and commanding it to be belieued so this authority thus affirming this verity must be made knowne to vs by some directing or proponent meanes or els we cannot come to the knowledge of it 2. That this directing and proponent cause must be infallible so that it cannot erre it selfe nor propose to vs an errour or falshood to be belieued for a truth is proued for since God requires of vs a certainty infallibility of fayth and this our certainty must be had by some direction and proposition by which it is proposed made knowne to vs what we are certainly to belieue it must needes follow that this Proponent cause must be certaine and infallible or els our fayth directed and guided by it cannot be certaine Thence it followes that they who admit a proponent cause as the Protestants do their church and yet do admit it to be fallible and subiect to errour as all of them do their Church cannot haue any certaine and infallible fayth at all as wanting a necessary certaine and infallible meanes to propose and teach them this certaine and infallible fayth which is confirmed by S. Augustine who sayth That if Gods prouidence rule and gouerne humane matters we may not despaire but that there is a certaine authority appointed by the same God vpon which staying our selues as vpon a sure step we may be lifted vp to God Thirdly this certaine infallible proponent or directing cause is Church-authority which Church that it may infallibly direct vs we securely rely vpon it first Iesus Christ selected and made it not only his inheritance Which he hath chosen Or his house which he builded and gouerned Or his Temple of which himselfe is Priest but also his dearest spouse VVhich he espoused to himselfe alone in fayth and truth As a Virgin pure and vnspotted without corruption Yea as his owne body And one body with him VVhich as head he nourisheth cherisheth and sanctifieth making her glorious without spot And which he hath purchased with his pretious bloud Secondly he priuiledged it first with his owne presence promising to be with it all dayes euen to the consūmation of the world Next with the presence of the Holy Ghost The spirit of truth
that he may abide with you for euer And shall not depart out of thy mouth and out of the mouth of thy seed and out of the mouth of thy seeds seed for euer And for what end That he may teach you all thinges That spirit of truth shall teach you all truth Thirdly he armed it with all power and authority To remit or retaine all sinnes to bind or loose whatsoeuer is to be bound or loosed in earth or in heauen to correct punish with the rod of correction To excommunicate and deliuer vp to Sathā And to determine all questions or controuersies as it should seeme good to the Holy Ghost and it Fourthly he established and cōfirmed it As the pillar and foundation of truth that being in it selfe grounded in truth and also grounding others in the same it should stand so firmely that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Fifthly he gaue to it commission and charge to teach all nations and to preach the Ghospell to all creatures Sixtly he gaue vs warrant and security that we might safely heare and obey it He that heareth you heareth me Seauenthly he gaue vs charge and command by precept of obligation that whatsoeuer they shal say to you speaking of the Scribes and Pharisies in Moyses chaire but à fortiori of the Pastours and Prelats in Peters Chaire that doe you Eightly he threats and terrifyes vnder great punishment first of danger and of contempt of himselfe by contemning it He that despiseth you despiseth me Secondly of infidelity and losse of his fauour and grace He that will not heare the Church let him be to thee as the Heathen and the Publican Thirdly of hell and damnation for euer He that belieueth not shal be condemned All which doe proue not only an authority and that infallible in the Church to direct and teach vs but also an obligation in vs to obey submit our selues for fayth to the direction and instruction of it And least any should doubt of this Church what it is the holy Ghost explicates the meaning of our Sauiour tells vs that it is Some Apostles some Prophets and other some Euangelists and other some Pastours and Doctours to the consumation of the Saints vnto the worke of the ministery vnto the edifying of the body of Christ vntill we meet all into the vnity of Fayth Which Pastours he will giue vs according to his owne hart who shall feed vs with knowledge doctrine And how shall they feed vs by preaching and proposing to vs the doctrine of fayth for as hearing is a necessary meanes to belieuing How shall they belieue him whome they haue not heard so preaching and proposing what is to be belieued by Church-pastours is necessary to hearing so to belieuing How shall they heare without a Preacher By which is apparently proued the necessity and infallibility of Church authority for a propounding and directing cause in matters of fayth and Religion All which may be confirmed First by authority of holy Fathers among whome I will cyte S. Irenaeus and S. Augustine for the rest Irenaeus that learned Doctour and holy Martyr sayth VVe ought not to seeke among others the truth which we may easily take and receaue from the Church seeing that the Apostles haue most fully layd vp in her all thinges which are of truth that euery man that will may take out of her the drinke of life For which those thinges that are of the Church are with diligence to be loued and the tradition of truth is to be receaued S. Augustine sayth The truth of the Scripture is holden of vs when we do that which pleaseth the vniuersall or whole Church the which is commended by the authority of the Scriptures themselues that because the Holy Scriptures cannot deceaue whosoeuer feareth to be deceaued with the obscurity of this question let him require the iudgement of the Church which without any ambiguity the holy Scripture doth demonstrate In which is affirmed First that all truth is left by the Apostles in the Church not in Scripture only Secondly that the same truth is to be learned and receaued of all by the sayd Church Thirdly that the truth thus receaued is most true and is to be loued and followed of all See more of the Fathers aboue in the first part to whome I add a confirmation out of Luther against himselfe and his followers who sayth that The Church neither can nor ought to teach errours no not in the least thinges since God is the mouth of the Church and as God cannot lye so neither can the Church Secondly by Reason for since of all the rest of the means and rules also of fayth there may be and often is question doubt as for example of the articles which be true which not of reuelation which is reuelation of God which an illusion of the enemy of the motion of the spirit which is of God which of nature which of Sathan of the inclination of the Will which is a pious disposition and which an illuding affectation of tradition which is diuine Apostolicall or Ecclesiasticall which not of Scripture which is true which false of true which is the incorrupted translation which corrupted of the incorrupted trāslation which is the true sense which is false and of the true sense which is to be belieued as fundamentall and necessary which is not to be belieued as fundamentall but only voluntary Of all which since I say there euer hath beene and now is great question contentiō some infallible directing iudge propounding cause is a necessary meane to end these all like controuersies and to settle and resolue vs in the assured certainty of the one or other or els will the contention be euer endlesse and we in our opinions restlesse Among which seeing no other can be assigned but the Church and that God hath giuen so large commission and priuiledge for that end to it as we haue produced it remaines that the Church and Church authority is of all necessary meanes of fayth the most necessary for vs to settle and satisfy vs in the certainty of our diuine fayth And thus much of the order necessity of these six meanes and chiefly of Church-proposition or the Proponent cause How the Protestants want all these six meanes of Fayth SECT III. THE third Consideration is to reflect how that of all these six meanes necessary to diuine fayth the Protestants haue not any one but are defectiue in all These meanes are either External as the credible testimonies which by euidence of reason conuinceth that such a faith is credible and may prudently be belieued and Church proposition which by the credit of authotity assures that the same is true and is to be belieued both which are externall to the person belieuing or Eternall
all and because they haue none they affirme that none are now wrought or if any be wrought that they are false feygned or diabolicall For Holinesse of life they confesse it to be so far from them that as Luther confesseth Men are dayly worse being possessed now with seauen Diuells more then before yea with whole troupes of Diuells and are more couetous crafty cruell and wicked then when they were Papists And the like is confessed by Caluin Musculus and others cyted by Becanus and the Protestants Apology If we seeke for Vniuersality they are ashamed to stile themselues by the name Catholike which is vniuersall but by the name of Protestant or for distinction of Protestants by the name Lutheran Caluinist or the like Vniuersality of place they cannot challenge because their doctrine neuer extended out of the limits of a few Northern countryes in Europe nor euer entred Africa Asia or America Vniuersality of tyme they cannot chalenge because their Church had its first being but about an hundred yeares agoe and this so apparently that we can nominate the yeare when the authour who the place where the opinions what the mantainers and abetters by whome this doctrine had first being in the world and the opposers who at first did yet continue to gainsay it so as they disclaime expresly from this marke not only denying it to be any marke of the Church but also confessing that their Church was according to some of them seauen hundred to others a thousand to others twelue hundred to others foureteene hundred yeares euer from Christ as before is proued either not at all or altogether latent and inuisible If we seeke for Succession of Ordination from the Apostles they either beg it from the Romā Church which they account Antichristian or els take vp a new one at their owne handes and are Prelates and Pastours of their owne creation and for want of ordinary vocation from Christ are content with an extraordniary of their owne inuention By which and much more for breuity omitted is euident that all testimonyes of credibility sufficient to make their doctrine seeme probable and worthy of credit are wanting to them and their Church 2. That the Protestants want the two externalll meanes of fayth which is Church-infallible proposition by which they should be assured confirmed in the certainty of their diuine reuelation mysteries reuealed in the certainty of their spirit and motions by it and in the certainty of their Scripture and meaning of it is proued because whether we take the Church Authoritatiue for the chiefe Pastours and Prelates by whose authority it is gouerned or Representatiue for the general Councels in which the whole body in the assembly of Bishops is represented or Collectiue for the whole multitude of all faythfull belieuers through the whole world dispersed Take it I say in which of these senses you will in all which it is the true Church of God and of infallible authority yet in none of these doe the Protestants receaue any infallible direction or confirmation frō it For if we respect their Pastours and Prelates they are not directed by them or obedient in fayth to them but by the liberty and priuiledge of their spirit euery priuate person hath authority to censure and iudge them If we respect generall Councells they disclaime all as before is proued or if they approue any it is so farre as their Decrees do agree with the fancy of their spirit to which they subiect them and so longe as they are pleased to obserue what is commāded by them in which they will be free without obligation to obey them If we respect the whole body of the Church they in their generall Tenents doe generally hould that it may erre and faile in doctrine and fayth and for practise do boldly affirme that for many ages it hath fallen and failed not only in doctrine of Idolatry superstition and heresy but also in very extancy and being of a Church as hauing beene inuisible not extant but dead buried and corrupted for so many ages togeather as in the first part is proued and thus they cut off al infallible authority of Church proposition which more then the other meanes they do in plaine tearmes expresly reiect and condemne 3. That the Protestants want the first internall means of Faith that is a pious disposition or inclination to belieue what is proposed by the Church as reuealed by God is proued because as a pious inclination of the will moued by the grace of God doth apply and determine the Vnderstanding of a willing and well disposed person either to labour and seeke out such motiues testimonies as do make the truth of Religion seeme probable or to assent to such as are already proposed vnto it so the obstinate disposition of a willful Protestant doth refuse to giue any credit or beliefe to any reasons though neuer so euident or to any definition of the Church though euery way most certaine but resolues with out amendement to persist in his preiudicate opinion notwithstanding any reason or authority to the contrary By which his obstinacy 1. He fals into heresy by willfully following his owne opinion which he chooses and carelesly contēning the authority of the Church in that it defines 2. He looseth his fayth which he receaued in Baptisme fals into infidelity partaking with Heretikes 3. He belieues no articles of fayth to which he assentes though truly firmly and for the testimony of God by any diuine and Catholike fayth which depends vpon an infallible meane that is Church proposing authority but by humane fayth wholy relying and lastly resoluing his beliefe eyther vpon the authority of some deceauing maister or vpon the testimony of some wrested Scripture or vpon the euidency of some deluding notes and markes or vpon the seeming apparency of his owne spirit and conceit 4. He separates himselfe from the vnion of the body of Christ from the benefit of the merits of his passion from the communion of his Saints both in earth and heauen and from all participation of hope of glory in Gods Kingdome to come so remaines as a dead member cut from the body as a dry bough deuided from the tree as a darke glimse of light separated from the Sunne as a small streame stopped from the current of the fountaine all which as they do presently decay and dry or come to nothing so he 4. That the Protestants want the two internall meanes and help of Fayth that is the infused and permanent guift of fayth inherent in the Vnderstanding and both enabling and illuminating it to the producing of the act of diuine supernaturall fayth is proued Because Protestants who hold that Fayth doth iustify and that Iustification is not by any inherent guif and quality but by the extrinsecall fauour of God not imputing our sinnes vnto vs
apparitions so great similitude in their motions and apparitions so many rules and differences vpon long experience haue beene giuen to discerne them and so great skill cunning is requisite to apply them Sith there be so many and so dangerous wayes to take as of Pagans Iewes Turks Heretikes all differing condemning one another all depending vpon the motions of these spirits Sith such and so high is the excellency of the nature of these spirits to be discerned such and so weake the infirmity of man to discerne them such and so subtile malicious and powerfull is mans enemy the Diuell to deceaue in them by counterfeit dissimulation of piety or by forged illusions insteed of reuelations or by outward apparitions in forme of Saints Angels or God all by verity of examples confirmed Sith so speciall extraordinary so rare and vnvsuall is this gift of discerning these spirits Sith I say all this is so as is proued with what reason and iudgment can any man make this priuat spirit or rather selfe-seeming conceit of his owne braine a competent sufficient and infallible iudge to discerne and decide al these questions and difficulties arising vpon them What braine-sicke madnesse senslesse presumption is it for euery silly simple and vnlearned person man or woman all of which challēg this spirit to assume so much to themselues and presume so farre vpon their owne conceit as to discerne and declare which of euery one of these spirits is of God the deuill or nature which is good or bad which true or false either in thēselues or others and vpon this presumption to ground the certainty of their religion faith and saluation What greater temerity and rashnes can there be then to build a worke so great and important as is the eternity of saluation or damnation vpon no more solid and certaine a ground then is the proper conceit of euery priuate motion of an vncertaine spirit Surely if men were not blind or bewitched and that either willfully or foolishly blinded or bewitched and both so deeply that they eyther will not or cannot see what both sense reason doth dictate to their owne conscience what both authority and testimony of God and holy men doth lay before them what both examples experience of so many ages doth confirme vnto thē surely they could not but often doubt and distruct many tymes stagger and relent their owne iudgment conscience doubtlesse pricking them in this their ostentation of the certainty of their spirit they could not but sometyms enter into consideration yea and feele a sensible touch of trepidation in soule and stand in a wonder and amazemēt at themselues how they dare venture so far and stand so confidently in so weighty a matter vpon the judgement of so vncertaine vnconstant vnwarranted yea corrupted deceitfull and partiall a Iudge as is this their priuate spirit conceit imagination What man of reason and discretion or of care conscience will not hould it farre more secure and safe in these points of eternity with euery good Catholike to ioyne his spirit with the spirit of the Saints and seruants of God now reigning in heauen to subiect his spirit to the spirit of Gods holy Church heere on earth guided infallibly by an infallible spirit of God and by conforming themselues to this spirit to imbrace and follow that Fayth and religion that doctrine and discipline that sacrifice and sacraments which so many Saints and holy men so many Confessours and learned Doctours so many Churches and Councells in all ages throughout all Countryes belieued in their harts professed by their liues defended by their writinges and sealed and confirmed with their liues bloud And thus much for the first reason against the priuate spirit drawne from the difficulty to discerne spirits THE PRIVATE SPIRITS AVTHORITY To interprete Scripture and iudge of Fayth confuted by reasons drawne from the true and infallible authority and meanes of interpreting holy Scripture CHAP. V. VVhat Interpretation Authority and meanes are necessary infallible for the sense of Scripture SECT I. SVBDIV. 1. What Interpretation of Scripture is necessary THE better to vnderstand the reasons drawne from the infallible authority and meanes of interpreting of Holy Scripture by which the priuate spirits authority is confuted we may consider 1. What interpretatiō that is which is required as necessary 2. What authority as infallible is required to this intetpretation and in whome it is resident 3. What meanes are to be vsed and followed as certaine by these Interpreters to this interpretation Out of all which may be inferred and proued the insufficiency of the priuate spirit to be eyther authour or meanes of this interpretation of Scripture First therefore when we speake of the sense and interpretation of scripture we speake not of that sense and interpretation which is only probable and credible but of that which is certaine and infallible Not of that which is only for the pulpit and documents of manners or which is for the schooles and subtiltyes of diuinity but of that which is for doctrine of Fayth and articles of beliefe Not of that which is only to confirme and increase vs in that fayth which we already belieue but of that which is to persuade and produce fayth a new eyther in our selues when and why we first belieue or in others whome we persuade first to belieue And this is that sense of Scripture which as it is being rightly vnderstood in the sense which the holy Ghost intended a firme and solide foundation of true fayth so being falsly vnderstood and wikedly peruerted by false teachers it is the Mother or nurse of al heresies For as nothing is persuaded as worthy of beliefe but which is true or vnder the shew of truth and as the scripture is by all granted to be most true so all vse the text of Scripture as a meane to persuade that which they would haue to be belieued as true the true teachers in the true sense the false in the false sense both cyting the wordes and text but the one in that sense and meaning which the holy Ghost intended the other in that which they themselues inuented Which course of false sense as the Diuell first beganne when he would haue by Scripture persuaded Christ to cast himselfe downe headlong saying It is written he hath giuen his Angels charge ouer thee So the members of Sathan follow the same way and labour by the same Scripture to seduce the members of Christ as the faythlesse the faythfull the sacrilegious the religious the Heretikes the Catholikes For the Iewes would by Scripture haue proued that Christ was not only not Messias saying Search the Scriptures and see that from Gallilee a Prophet ryseth not but also that he was a malefactour and such a one as ought to dye saying VVe haue a law and according to our law he ought to dye And the same is continued both by Turkes
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
Tette of Kings it cannot conuert the multitude of Iles bring in the riches of the Gentills preach pennance and remission of sinnes from Hierusalem to the vttermost of the earth from North to South from Sabaoth to Sabaoth from the ends of the earth All which yet as they were promised to holy Church so are they performed in it and by the spirit of God in it Seauenthly this spirit wanteth all warrant and Commission from God either expressed in holy Scripture or mentioned in the Creed of the Apostles or deliuered by any Tradition or defined by any Councell or contained in any rule of Fayth or deduced out of any principle of Religion or confirmed by any practise of antiquity that all men must rely on it be ruled by it and be obedient to it for the certainty of their Fayth and Religion we find no preheminence or prerogatiue attributed to it that it is either the Kingdome the Citty the Inheritance the House the Temple the Spouse or the body of Christ which yet the Church of God by his spirit in it hath We read of no authority it hath either to bind or loose sinnes or to offer sacrifice or to minister Sacraments or to instruct in all Truth to teach all Nations or to punish offenders with the Rodde of correction of censure of excommunication giuing vp to Sathan which yet the Church of God by his spirit hath We haue no expresse warrant or commaund to do what it shall say to vs do to heare and obey it as Christ himselfe and that vnder paine of despising Christ of being an Ethnicke and Publican and of damnation All which yet we haue of the Church of Christ and of the spirit of God dwelling in it and directing it All which properties and conditions since they ought to be in a rule iudge of faith as is before shewed and are all and euery one wanting in this Protestant priuate spirit as is heere manifest it remaines euident that for these reasons it cannot be a sufficient or competent Iudge of all controuersies of Fayth and Religion THE PROTESTANT PRIVATE SPIRITS AVTHORITY To iudge of Controuersies of Fayth confuted by Reasons drawne from the nature and certainty of Fayth CHAP. VII The properties of Fayth with the priuate Spirits manner of proceeding SECT I. THIS priuate spirits authority to expound Scripture and to resolue questions of Fayth we haue confuted by reasons drawne from the nature of an infallible both Interpreter of Scripture and Iudge of fayth It remaines that we coÌ„fute the same by reasons drawne froÌ„ the nature and infallible certainty of Fayth of which this spirit is assigned by the ProtestaÌ„ts to be a principall if not a sole and whole meanes or instrument to cause it For which we may note that the Protestants doe 1. ground their saluation vpon only fayth which say they doth only iustify 2. They ground this their fayth vpon only Scripture which according to theÌ„ containes al things necessary to be belieued 3. They ground this their Scripture and the sense of it only vpon the priuate spirit by which alone excluding all authority of Tradition Church-Councells or Fathers they expound the Scripture so that the priuate spirit is to them the principall or sole ground of their sense of Scripture their Scripture-sense the principal or sole ground of their fayth this their fayth the principal or sole ground of their saluation What certainty therefore they haue of Scripture Fayth or Saluation dependes vpon the certainty they haue of this their spirit which if it faile and proue not to be true and of God but deceitfull and of Sathan then failes with it the truth of their sense of Scripture the truth of their Fayth and Religion and the truth of their hope or certainty of saluation Whereupon it followes 1. That they can haue no more certainty of their fayth and saluation then they haue of this their spirit which is the ground of their fayth and saluation 2. That what conditions or properties are required to certainty of Fayth the same are required in this spirit which is to them the prime mayne in effect the sole meanes or grounds of faith 3. That if we demonstrate that the properties and conditions which are necessary to fayth are wanting in this priuate spirit then we conuince that this priuate spirit cannot be either a sufficient ground wheron to build faith or a competent Iudge wherby to determine controuersies of Fayth Which being supposed let vs examine these properties of faith what and how many they be and applying them to the priuat spirit shew that they are all euery one wanting in it 1. Therfore this diuine and supernaturall faith as it is necessary to saluation for according to S. Paul Without faith it is impossible to please God And according to S. Augustine It is certaine that none can come to true happinesse except he please God and hat none can please God but by faith for faith is the foundation of all good things faith is the beginning of mans saluation without faith none can come to the fellowship of the children of God because without it neither in this world doth any man obtaine the grace of iustification nether in the next shal he possesse eternall life so also it must necessarily haue these properties or conditions that is it must be one certaine entire and Catholike faith manifested by diuine reuelation diâ—ulged by Apostolicall mission and preaching confirmed by miraculous operations and made credible by conuincing testimonies of credibility All which as they are peculiar to true faith either connexed to it or concurring with it so are they all wanting to this priuate spirit and haue no affinity or similitude with it as in particuler shal be shewed The priuate spirit cannot be a meane of vnity in Fayth SECT II. THEREFORE Fayth is one witnes S. Paul One Lord one Baptisme one Fayth witnes S. Leo Except it be one it is not Fayth Witnes Irenaeus All belieuing in one and like manner all points all teaching deliuering in one and the same manner all thinges and all hauing one soule and one hart which though it differ in language yet is the same in tradition One I say in all persons both in the materiall obiect because the same articles of Fayth are belieued by all and also in the formall obiect because for the same motiue and in the same manner they are belieued by all in all places tymes Which one fayth as one soule in many partes of the body doth make one Church in all the partes of the world But that this priuate spirit neither is nor can be one in all who claime and challeng it as neither inclining and mouing them all to belieue either one and the same thing or in one and the same manner or for one and
miserable That it cannot be meanes of the integrity and perfection of Faith SECT IIII. THIRDLY Faith as it is one and certaine so it must be entire and Catholicke that is the doctrine of it must both in all points be wholy and entirely belieued also by all persons be vniuersally and Catholikly professed It must be in all and euery point completely belieued because euery point by God reuealed and by the Church proposed to vs is of equall verity certainty and necessity of beliefe Therefore as the keeping of all the Commandmēts doth oblige all and the breaking of any one is a transgression of the Law so the belieuing of all articles of faith either actually and expresly as the learned doe or virtually and implicite as the vnlearned do who expresly belieuing the principall and most necessary to be expresly knowne do in not doubting or oppugning the rest virtually belieue al the rest in that they belieue them as the Church doth teach them doth in like manner oblige all and the voluntary doubting or misbelieuing of any one is an heresy against fayth and doth violate the integrity which should be in Fayth of which the fundamentall reason is because all articles of fayth are belieued for one and the same infallible motiue and reason that is for the reuelation of God made knowne by infallible proposition of the Church of which whosoeuer denies the authority in one point infringes the infallibility of the same in all points for if the reuelation of God or proposition of Church may faile in one it may faile in all so can giue no certainty of any Out of which followes that an Heretikes who obstinatly misbelieues one article reuealed and proposed is intensiuè no lesse an Infidell that is as destitute of any diuine fayth as is ◠Pagan who belieues not any one Christian article at all because what he belieues in any he belieues not vpon a right true and solid motiue of beliefe that is the reuelation of God and proposition by Church which if he did he would for the same belieue also the rest It must likewise be Catholikly and vniuersally belieued that is what was by the first faythfull the Apostles others in the first ages belieued must also be by the succeeding faythfull in the next ages likewise belieued and what is in most places and Countryes and hath been by the most faythfull in most Countryes generally belieued the same must also by others likewise faythfull in other Countryes be generally belieued By which Catholik beliefe of the same doctrine in all or the most places persons and tymes is made one Catholike Church among all persons in all places and all tymes But that this Protestant priuate spirit cannot produce any such one and the same fayth either entire and whole in euery point or Catholicke and generall in all persons places and tymes that it cannot incline all persons in all tymes and places to belieue all points of one entire Catholike fayth is proued First because it is neither one in all persons neither hath any lincke or combination of any vnity to combine in one all persons as neither proposing to all persons all articles of fayth by one the same motiue nor combining all persons dispersed in tyme and place in one lincke of one Fayth for it is singular seuerall priuate and proper in euery one without any subordination or connexion among any as is apparent by the former instāces of Luther Zuinglius Caluin Rotman Osiander Illyricus Quintinus Seruetus Blandrata and others who all as so many ruptures out of one Riuer hauing broke the bankes of Catholike vnity did at seuerall tymes and places diuide themselues into seuerall currents of opposition and runne al a course contrary one to another without meanes or hope of euer meeting or reuniting againe Secondly because it is a spirit of separation diuision and disunion in that whomesoeuer it possesses it doth separate them as disioynted members from the vnion of Gods holy Church the spouse and body of Christ and doth diuide and cut them into seuerall peeces and mammocks of sects schismes and heresyes For as euery one receaues a new part or portion of this new spirit he chooses to himselfe a new opinion of doctrine labours to erect and set vp a new Conuenticle of new belieuers and makes himselfe the head or follower of a new sect or heresy and so all sect-maisters or Heretikes who in all ages from Christ downewardes haue separated themselues from his Church and erected a new fayth and Synagogue haue had their origen and beginning from this spirit haue made their progresse and proceeding by this spirit and haue ended themselues and their dolefull and desperate presumption in the obstinacy of this spirit In all which the scope and marke they aymed at was thereby to free themselues from all order and subiection thereby to arrogate to themselues all authority and dominion thereby to exercise what liberty they best affected and to belieue and teach what doctrine they most fancied and best fitted their conceit humour Thirdly because this spirit is inuisible insensible inperceptible and vnable to be knowne or vnderstood as they graunt by others or any saue only they who imagine they are possessed with it And as it is inuisible and vnknowne so it is composed of an inuisible and vnknowne company meeting in inuisible and vnknowne congregations ministring inuisible and vnknowne Sacraments making an inuisible and vnknowne Church consisting of inuisible and vnknowne both Pastors who preached and people who heard the doctrine of it for many ages togeather of which they can assigne neither tyme when nor place where nor people who were taught by them can produce no acts or monuments no recordes or registers either of people who belieued professed this their faith or of Princes who did honour and defend it or of persecutours who did oppose and persecute it or of any men women or children who were baptized and liued or dyed in it They can nominate no Citty or Country no Priest or Prelate no Prince or Potentate no Confessour or Martyr who belieued professed honoured and defended in paper or pulpit by word or sword the fayth of this spirit and why Because the directour is a spirit inuisible which compasseth a Church of persons insensible who preach a doctrine incredible and performe actions not memorable All which is nothing els but an inuinsible argument of an impossible fiction inuented in the idle braines of braine-sicke spirits to disguise the nouelty of a new new deuised Religion And this is all the integrity or vniuersality of Fayth that this priuate spirit can effect or affoard That it cannot be a meanes of Fayth which is got by hearing SECT V. FOVRTLY This Faith which is thus one and certaine thus entire and Catholicke is also ordinarily by one and the same way and meanes imparted vnto vs that is by Hearing this hearing proceeds from Preaching
reuelation thus proposed we settle our last resolution of fayth and the certainty of it as vpon the former credible motiues or humane fayth we setled our preparation or acceptation of fayth and the credibility of it Now if we compare or apply these togeather it will euidently appeare that in neither is committed any Circle because the former that is the acceptation depends vpon credible motiues which are as the Samaritan womans word making it seeme probable that Christ was the Messias and the later that is the assent to Fayth dependes â—pon diuine reuelation which is as our Sauiours word reuealing to them that he is the true Messias and so both haue seuerall grounds and principles on which they depend the one credible testimonies the other diuine reuelation wherby comparing them togeather no appearance of any circular proofe can be found betweene them For the actuall assent and beliefe it selfe whereby we infallibly belieue the mysteries reuealed though we belieue the verity of Scripture reuelations by the authority of Church proposition and Church proposition for the authority of Scripture reuelation whereby Scripture reuelation doth giue vs testimony of Church proposition and againe Church proposition of Scripture reuelation Yet that this reciprocall testimony and proofe is not any proper and vitious Circle is proued First because it is in diuerso genere causa in diuers kinds of causes which before out of Aristotle is admitted for good and lawfull for the testimonyes of Scripture reuelation to the infallibility of Church proposition is causall as a cause and that formall why we belieue and assent to Church proposition But Church proposition is only conditionall as conditio sine quae non to know Scripture reuelation and so they are reciprocall in a different manner of proofe the one that is Scripture à priori as including diuine reuelation the other that is Church à posteriori required only as a condition The former as a formall precedent cause the latter as a subsequent annexed condition Both of them not much vnlike to our Sauiours testimony of S. Iohn Baptist and to S. Iohns testimony of our Sauiour the one as of God and infallible the other as of an holy man credible or to the testimony of our B. Sauiour the woman to the Samaritans the one as giuing certainty the other as proposing credibility of his being the Messias Or to the former example of rationale and risibile of the Sun-shine and the Day of the Vapours and Raine of the opening the Window and the entring of the Wind. All which reciprocally proue one another as the cause and the effect or as seuerall causes And all which doe much resemble the testimony of Scripture to the Church and of the Church to the Scripture which is likewise in a seuerall kind of causality and a different manner of probation Secondly because this reciprocall proofe is not ad omnino idem as Aristotle requires to a proper Circle that is the one is not the totall and sole cause of knowing the other For Church proposition is not knowne only by Scripture reuelation and no other way but also by other proofes signes and credible testimonies conuincing that Church authority is necessary and infallible to distinguish true sense of Scripture from false and to end Controuersies about Scripture And therefore as Aristotle admits that though the premises haue proued the conclusion yet the conclusion may againe proue the premises that in eodem genere causae so that the conclusion be proued by another medium then by the premises So though the Scripture reuelation proue Church proposition yet Church proposition may againe reciprocally proue Scripture reuelation so it be knowne by another meanes as we see it is then only by Scripture reuelation for this according to Aristotle is only an improper Circle and not a bad and vnlawfull Circle Thirdly because this reciprocall proofe is not to one the same person who is ignorant or doubtful of both but to diuers persons and such as suppose the one For to a Catholike who admits as belieued Church propositioÌ„ we proue by it Scripture-sense or reuelation and so an vnknowne thing to him by another thing supposed and knowne to him but to a Protestant who admits as by him belieued Scripture reuelation we proue by it Church proposition so to him a thing vnknowne by another more knowne But to a Pagan who admits neither Scripture reuelation nor Church proposition we proue neither of them one by another but both the one and the other by other probable motiues and credible testimonies more agreeable to his natural capacity and by them persuade him first to accept as credible Church proposition and by it Scripture reuelation by which Scripture and Church or scripture expounded by Church we persuade him to assent and belieue the articles reuealed In all which we proue ignotum per notius the vnknowne by the more knowne to him and so preparing him to giue credit to one do by that induce him to belieue the other By which meanes we still proceed from a thing knowne to an vnknowne to that person and so auoyd the Circle and begging of the question into which the Protestants runne and there sticke fast In which note the difference betweene them and vs for they proue reciprocally and circularly the Scripture by the spirit and the spirit againe by scripture in the same kind of proofe to wit formally as shal be shewed We proue scripture by Church and Church by scripture in diuers kindes of cause to wit the one causall and the other conditionall as is shewed 2. They proue the one by the other no otherwise knowne then by the other as the scripture by the spirit which spirit is only and by no other meanes knowne then by scripture and é contra as shal be shewed But we haue more means to know the Church then by scripture as is shewed 3. They proue one by the other to the same person to wit the Protestant doubtfull of both we to diuers persons who suppose belieue the one so ad hominem by that we proue the other Al which as it is true as presently shal be shewed so it shewes an apparent difference between the Protestant circular maÌ„ner of proofe of scripture by spirit and of spirit by scripture and of our Catholike improper Circle and lawfull manner of proofe of scripture by Church and of Church by scripture And thus much to cleare the imputation layd vpon Catholikes for their circular manner of proceeding in their proofe of scripture by the Church and of Church by scripture The Protestants diuers manners of Circles SECT III. SVBDIV. â— The Circle betweene the Scripture and the Spirit IT remaynes to shew that the Protestants doe seuerall wayes fall into this vnlawfull Circular manner of probation for which we may note how the Protestants for their doctrine of fayth iustification and saluation do make this gradation concatenation
warrantable according to these grounds of their Fayth that no lawes are possible or oblige in conscience that no bad workes are imputed or hinder saluation that the liberty of the Ghospell makes all actions free and voluntary that only fayth doth iustify and cannot be lost that no man hath freewill nor can do otherwise thē God hath decreed Which positions ouerthrow all duety of obedience and all obligation of duty to any Prince Sixtly it followes that in vaine and to no end are all consultations and deliberations of thinges to be done eithe◠by priuate persons in their priuate affaires or by publike Councellours of Princes for the publicke good because all in both must be as God hath decreed and man hath no more free-will to do otherwise then he is determined then he hath not to be a man as he was created In vaine are all precepts and lawes of doing or not doing going or staying bargayning buying or selling because man hath neither freedome of will nor obligation in conscience to do them more then to reach heauen with his fingar In vaine are all exhortations either priuate or publicke in sermons or in familiar speaches by preachers parents or friends either from euill or to good to one study or other to one course of life or other to one worke or other because man hath no more power or freedome of will to choose any of them then he hath freedome to cure himselfe of the goute or an ague or restore his arme that is cut off In vaine and to no end are either terrours and threats of punishment or promises and hopes of reward either prayses commendations of good and dispraises and reprehensions of bad deedes because neither are any deeds in themselues good but bad before God nor is any man more free and able to do the one rather thē the other then he is to moue mountaines or to adde height to his stature To what end therefore are Maisters offended with the negligence of seruants Doe parents correct the vndutifullnes of their children Do Princes punish the rebellion or offences of their subiects Do Preachers reprehēd the vices of their auditours or exhort them to workes of piety and charity disswade them from actions of sinne and iniquity Sith the workes be both alike sinnes do both alike violate the precept and are both alike forgiuen and not imputed sith the lawes do not oblige in conscience and are impossible to be kept sith the parties haue no power or freedome to do the one more then the other but all as by the decree of God and force of their originall concupiscence are forced and necessitated to do it Seauenthly it followes that in vaine and to no end doth any Protestant make any scruple of conscience which needes not as a law to direct as a thousand witnesses to accuse as a iudge to condemne or cleare as an executioner to torment and torture him as it doth other men for their sinnes vnrepēted because where no sinne is imputed where no Free-will is admitted where no good worke or obseruation of any commandement is possible where no law of God or man doth oblige in conscience to performāce what needs any conscience to torment or trouble it selfe with the guilt of any law infringed with the sting of any iniustice committed with the scruple of any good worke omitted since neither the law could be fullfilled nor the act could be preuented nor any punishment shal be inflicted nor God offended Why should therfore be studied any cases of conscience Why should be admitted any Chancery or Court of conscience Why should there be any confession of sinnes secret or any restitution of debts and monyes secret any forbearance of wrong secret when there is no feare or shame of man Why shall therefore any Protestant in life or at death trouble his conscience or haue any scruple of any good worke omitted of any secret murther committed of any iniustice rapine cruelty periury bribery sorcery practised or of any heresy idolatry or infidelity of any Iudaisme Turcisme or Atheisme belieued followed or perswaded Surely he needes not for one dramme of fayth of speciall fayth of apprehension of Christs iustice compounded with an impossibility of performing the law with the necessity of mans wil with the liberty of the Ghospell and with the certainty of present and future iustification will purge all this melancholy feare and scrupulosity and leaue the soule cleare of any doubt feare timidity or vncertainty of heauen for any whatsoeuer sinnes and offences howsoeuer or by whomesoeuer committed Out of all which former absurdities we may obserue these differences betweene a Protestant and a Catholike a iust man of the one and a iust man of the other that 1. A Protestant belieues a fayth which neuer any Prince Prelate or people neuer any Doctour Confessour or Martyr neuer any Councell prouinciall or generall belieued for 1500. and more yeares before Luther The Catholike belieues the same which all Princes Christian all Prelates and people reputed true Christians all Confessours Martyrs and Saints all Councels generall no fewer then eighten and all prouinciall aboue 100. haue euer since Christ professed and belieued Secondly a Protestant belieues a fayth which falsifyeth and frustrateth the predictions of the Prophets the promises of Christ the preaching of the Apostles the mission of Pastours the succession of Prelates the ordination of Priests the vertue of miracles the constancy of Confessours the purity of Virgins the bloud of Martyrs and the vnity sanctity antiquity and vniuersality of the Catholicke Church the Catholike belieues and professes a fayth which verifies and confirmes all the former and in which they agree in beliefe and profession with them all Thirdly the Protestants belieue a fayth which hath lesse authority credibility and motiues of persuasion such as are miracles vnity vniuersality and others to persuade and make it credible then hath the fayth of Iewes Turkes or Pagans the Catholikes belieue that which hath vnity visibility vniuersality antiquity sanctity prophecies miracles monuments of piety charity bounty and all reasons of probability to persuade and make it credible Fourthly the Protestant is made iust by a speciall fayth of which is no mention either in any Scripture Tradition Councell or Father and which neither Doctour Father Prelate Prince Prouince people or person in the world before them belieued and professed as a sauing and iustifying fayth the Catholicke is made iust by a Catholike fayth which hath beene generall vniuersall wholy by all people Prelates and Princes in all tymes and places acknowledged and professed Fifthly the Protestāt is made iust by a fayth by which all the seed and posterity of Abraham Noe and Adam yea all Iewes Gentils Turks Heretikes wicked blasphemers idolaters murtherers sacrilegious and incestuous persons which haue beene or shal be till the worlds end may as well be saued and assured of their saluation as they themselues the Catholike is made iust
so generally receaued or strongly confirmed by all authority of any Church Tradition Councell or Fathers and deuise a new one of his owne inuention and therby wil build a new fayth and religion which it perswades the followers to be the only way to truth and life Fourthly the spirit of euery Catholike will deliuer his owne interpretation only as probable and submit himselfe to the censure and iudgment of the spirit of the Catholike Church captiuating with S. Paul his vnderstanding to obedience of Fayth The Protestants spirit will auouch their interpretation as certaine infallible and of Fayth and all with that obstinacy that no reason or authority shall remoue them from it or alter their opinion in it Fifthly the spirit of a Catholike being setled groūded in a certainty of Catholike and Apostolike fayth will expound Scripture according to the rule of the same for the illustration or confirmation of the same fayth as it is generally receaued but will not ground himselfe and his beliefe in his owne exposition nor perswade and introduce a new beliefe vpon the same The Protestant spirit will ground it selfe and his first beliefe vpon his owne exposition and by the same perswade others to forsake their old fayth and to follow a new and so change the ancient religion for a nouell opinion grounded vpon a new exposition of any text of Scripture framed according to the fantasy of the priuate spirits conceit And thus though Catholike Doctours and Pastours haue the spirit of God to expound holy Scripture as much and more then the Protestants haue yet they vse apply it either to schoole-questions and manners only or as probable and credible only or if to doctrine of fayth they apply it either to illustrate and confirme their fayth or if to ground and settle it they square it according to the rule of fayth the practise of the ancient Church the decrees of Councells and the consent of Fathers All which the Protestant Doctour in the setling and resolution of his Fayth reiects and relies his fayth vpon an exposition of scripture grounded only vpon his owne proper and priuate conceit The obiections answered SECT II. THE Obiections which the Protestants Luther Melancthon Brentius Magdeburgenses Musculus Whitaker other Protestants do vsually make for the power and authority of this their priuate spirit to expound scripture are drawne some from those places which affirme the interpretation of scripture to be a guift that gratis and freely bestowed others from those places which require reading prayer or meditation in euery one for the obtaining of this gift Of the first sort are these and such like First they obiect those places where the guift of Prophecy or interpretation of speaches is attributed to the operation of one and the same spirit which deuides to euery one as it will Where also Prophecy that is interpretation of scripture preaching is giuen to the Faythfull if all doe prophecy Euery one hath a Psalme hath a reuelation hath a tongue hath an interpretation Let Prophets two or three speake and the rest iudge You may all one by one prophecy that all may learne and all may be exhorted Therefore euery one who hath the spirit and grace of God hath the gift to interprete scripture To which is answered 1. That in all those places S. Paul speakes of guifts extraordinary and gratis giuen for the tyme such as are the guift of languages the curing of diseases foretelling thinges to come and interpreting of obscure reuelations or mysteries which were bestowed only for a tyme and as personall vpon the Apostles and first belieuers with whome they decayed and ceased not of any guifts ordinary and generall which are to be permanent in the Church and common to all faythfull Therfore these places can make nothing for euery faythfull persons power and ability to expound scripture that so certainly that vpon it he may build his fayth and saluation 2. These guifts are not giuen any one of them to all persons nor yet all of them to any one person and that for all ends vses for the guifts are giuen according to the measure of fayth according to the measure of the donation of Christ according to the rule of Fayth Therefore all these guifts are not alike giuen to euery one but so distributed that some are Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists others Pastours and Doctours and not all Apostles not all Prophets not all Doctours not all workers of miracles speakers with tongues or interpreters of speaches Therfore all and euery faythfull person hath not the guift of interpreting and expounding scripture but those vpon whome by speciall guift or function it is bestowed 3. They who haue this guift and the spirit of it haue it as subordinate and a part or parcell of the spirit of Gods Church by which it is to be directed not as opposite singular or independent of the same or of any one but themselues for so was the spirit of the Prophets subiect to the Prophets That is as S. Chrysostome expounds it that both the Prophet and his guift was subiect to the colledge or company of the Prophets which is the whole Church and the spirit of euery member is applyed to the vse and benefit of the whole body What spirit therefore is priuate and proper as of it selfe and either diuided from the head or not subordinate to the whole body of the Catholike Church and applyed to the vse and benefit of the same that spirit is not the spirit of vnity and peace but of diuision and dissention and so not the spirit of God who is not the God of dissention but of peace but of Sathan whose kingdome thus by spirits deuided will be made desolate and such is the spirit of all Protestants as is before fully declared According to which groundes are answered and explicated in particular all places which are obiected for this spirits authority As first That one and the same spirit doth work all these deuiding to euery one as it will is spoken first of reuelations and guifts extraordinary called gratis giuen not ordinary and permanent in the Church of God such as is this guift of interpretation of Scripture Also it is spoken of persons priuate the vulgar sort vpon whome this extraordinary guift is sometymes bestowed not of the Councels and Prelats to whose function as proper to it this guift or promise is annexed And if any priuate persons haue had this extraordinary guift as Amos a sheepheard Debora a woman who in the old Testament were Prophets and Origen who not yet a Priest was a Doctour and interpreter of Scripture they were priuiledges extraordinary and a few only which make not a generall rule for all and what they taught they taught not as Maisters who did either arrogate to themselues any proper authority or did teach any new doctrine or
so a spirituall man iudges of all thinges in generall that is both of spirituall thinges which are diuine and mysticall and also of humane thinges which are terrene and sensuall but a sensuall man iudges only of temporall thinges of the world and not of spirituall which are of God The reason therfore is de generibus singulorum that a spirituall man iudges of all sortes of thinges both diuine humane but not de singulis generunt that he can iudge in particuler of all kindes or spirituall thinges as when a man is sayd to eat of all thinges it is meant that he eates of all kinds of meat both flesh and fish not of euery particuler peece of both 2. Euery spirituall man doth iudge spirituall thinges but according to such rules and directions as euery thing is to be iudged that is thinges manifest and certaine he iudges according as they are iudged already and determined thinges vncertaine and obscure according to the rule of Fayth and the authority and testimony of Councels Fathers Tradition and Church as before is explicated not according to his owne selfe-seeming spirit and conceit in which his spirit is still subordinate to the spirit of Gods Church and directed by it 3. Because euery faithfull Christian is not alwayes spirituall that is perfect hauing his senses exercised in the discerning of good and euill for some haue need of milke and not of strong meat and euery one that is partaker of milke it vnskilful of the word of iustice for he is a child Therfore this iudgment especially of misteries of faith is not for al imperfect though faithfull Christians but only for persons spirituall that is perfect and vnderstanding in spiritual learning wisdome And so it makes nothing for the priuate spirits iudgment in euery faithfull Christian And because spirituall persons haue not euery one a spirit for all spirituall things for to one certes by the spirit is giuen the word of wisdome and to another the word of knowledge according to the same spirit and to another Prophecy to another discerning of spirits all which one and the same spirit worketh And all are not Apostles Prophets or Doctours nor worke miracles do cures or speake with tongues And because some mēbers are more some lesse honourable or base some more weake some lesse and some haue offices functions some more honourable some lesse some to see and direct others to walke and be directed euery one according to his nature function though one and the same spirit worke all these therefore all persons who are spirituall haue not all spirituall offices guifts but some the guifts of prayer and contemplation some of mortification and humiliation some of obedience patience others of discerning of spirits and others to whō by their office it belongs of iudging of faith and scripture as before And therefore though spirituall men iudge all things spirituall and temporall yet euery spirituall man doth not infallibly iudge and discerne euery spirituall thing no more then euery faculty of the soule as sensitiue vegitatiue or rationall doth performe all and euery function of feeling growing and reasoning but euery one his proper function And as the function of the eye is only to see and of the hāds to worke and the feet to walke so they who will giue the function of seeing and iudging of the sense of scripture and misteries of faith to euery person in the body of the Church do as much as if one should attribut the function of seeing to the handes and feet for as in a body naturall so in the body mysticall which is S. Pauls comparison some are principal members some inferiour so euery one hath his proper function in the Church as the bishops are eyes to discerne truth the princes are armes to defend the body and the people are the rest of the parts of the body to be directed The function therfore of one is not to be attributed to another but euery one in his place and degree is to exercise his owne function in his proper office and worke By which is apparent that those and such like places of scripture do make nothing for the authority and power of this priuate spirit in euery one to discerne and iudge of all places of scripture and misteries of faith except the Protestants as they attribut to euery spirit power to do euery thing so they will out of euery place of scripture inferre any thing so ex quolibet proue quodlibet as their spirit doth direct and teach them And thus much of the first manner of arguments or obiections drawne from the guift of the spirit of God and grace impertinently applied to proue this their priuate spirits authority Other obiections answered SECT III. THE second manner of obiections are drawne from the meanes which are prescribed in scripture for the due right Vnderstanding of holy scripture which are prayer meditation and diligent seeking enquiring out the true sense of scripture out of scripture and such like by which the Protestants seeme to backe much their spirits proceeding for so doth Caluin professe to imbrace that sense of scripture which by meditation annexed the spirit of God doth suggest by vertue of which spirit he contemns all what any humane wisdone can oppose For which they obiect that Dauid did meditat day night in the law of God That Timothy did from his Childhood learne the Scripture which might instruct him That S. Peter did will them to attend and looke into the propheticall word as to a candell shining in a darke place That S. Paul affirmes that faith faithful persons are built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles That they of Beroea did search the scriptures if the things were so as Paul did teach And that Christ did will the Iewes to search the Scriptures For all which we are to obserue 1. That these meanes are good and profitable but not sufficient of themselues for a certaine and infallible exposition of scripture for besides them is required the infallible assistance of the holy Ghost for an infallible sense of scripture to be relied vpō 2. That these meanes are to be vsed by those who haue power and authority to expound scripture to whom though they be necessary yet are they not of themselues either sufficient or infallible either to euery priuate person or to others without other helpes and assistances of the holy Ghost 3. That priuate persons when they vse apply duely these meanes may giue a probable exposition of scripture either for their owne consolation and confirmation in faith or for the edification and aduise of others but cannot rely vpon it either as a sole and solid foundation of their beliefe or as a generall rule for the true and certaine exposition of all the difficult and abstruse places of scripture For as S. Augustine saith such is the
interpretation 3. What meanes are to be vsed by these interpreters to make this interpretation and of 4. rules of infallible interpreting of Scripture Sect. 2. That the priuate Spirit cannot haue this infallible authority and be this infallible meanes is proued Subd 1. By reasons drawne from the nature of the Holy Scripture which is to be expounded 2. By reasons drawne from the priuate spirit which should expound it CHAP. VI. THE Priuate Spirits authority to iudge of Controuersies of fayth confuted by reasons drawne from the nature of a Iudge of Fayth Sect. 1. The properties of a Iudge of Fayth Sect. 2. The whole body of the Church cannot be this Iudge Sect. 3. Secular Princes cannot be this Iudge Sect. 4. Lay-people cannot be this Iudge Sect. 5. The Scripture cannot be this Iudge Sect. 6. Bishops and Prelates of the true Church are this Iudge Sect. 7. The priuate spirit cannot be this Iudge CHAP. VII THE priuate spirits authority to iudge of Controuersies of faith confuted by reasons drawne from the nature and certainty of Fayth Sect. 1. The properties of Fayth with the priuate spirits māner of proceeding Sect. 2. The priuate Spirit cannot be a meanes of Vnity in fayth Sect. 3. Nor a meanes of the certainty of Fayth Sect. 4. Nor a meanes of the integrity and perfection of faith Sect. 5. Nor a meanes of fayth which is got by hearing Sect. 6. Nor a meanes of Fayth which requires credible testimonies Sect. 7. Nor a meanes of Fayth which obligeth all to belieue accept of it CHAP. VIII THE priuate spirits authority to iudge of Fayth confuted by circular absurdities following vpō it against Fayth Sect. 1. Of the nature of a Circle the difference of Circles Sect. 2. The Catholikes cleared from the obiected Circle agaynst their doctrine Sect. 3. The Protestants diuers manners of Circles Subd 1. Their Circle betweene the scripture the spirit 2. Between the spirit and Fayth 3. Between election vnderstanding of scripture 4. Between the Spirit of euery priuate man of a generall Councell CHAP. IX THE priuate Spirits Authority to iudge of Controuersies of Fayth confuted by doctrinall absurdities following vpon it against Fayth Sect. 1. Idolatry and heresy compared and of 4. heads and origens of all late Heresies proceeding of the priuate Spirit Sect. 2. Of absurdities which follow vpon the 1. head Of contempt of all Church-authority and relying vpon the priuate Spirit Sect. 3. Of absurdities which follow vpon the 2. head Of sole Fayth Subdiu 1. Agaynst man making him as iust and more certaine of saluation then Christ. 2. Agaynst Fayth making it false contradictory sinnefull rash presumptuous and preiudicious to charity c. 3. Against Christ to whome it is iniurious as a Redeemer Phisitian Lawgiuer Iudge Priest and makes him ignorant sinnefull damned for the tyme. Sect. 4. Of absurdities which follow vpon the 3. head that is Of Concupiscence being originall sinne Subdiu 1. Eight diuers absurdities which follow vpon it 2. The difference between a iust Catholicke and Protestant Sect. 5. Of absurdities which follow vpon the 4. head that is Of absolute predestination to damnation Subdiu 1. Absurdities against man leading to carelesnesse despayre of saluation and inability to be saued 2. Absurdities against God making him the Authour of sinne 3. A Sinner 4. The only Sinner 5. A Lyer and dissembler 6. A Tyrant most cruell 7. A Deuill 8. Obseruations vpon the former doctrine Sect. 6. Of absurdities which follow against Fayth and the Creed Subdiu 1. In generall destroying all Fayth 2. In particular against all the 12. articles of the Creed Sect. 7. Of absurdities agaynst Prayer and the Pater Noster Subdiu 1. In generall making all prayer needlesse or hopelesse 2. In particular opposing all the 7. petitions of the Pater Noster Sect. 8. Of absurdities against the obseruation of all lawes and chiefly the Ten Commaundements Subdiu 1 In generall how all lawes are made impossible and not obliging 2. In particular how many wayes the Protestant dostrine encourageth to the breach of all lawes and to all lewdenesse of life 3. To what vices in particular the same leads chiefly to Slouth Lust Cruelty and Pride 4. Bad life 1. In the common people 2. In the Ministers 3. In the first reformers of protestāt Religiō confessed to be an effect of this doctrine Sect. 9. The conclusion comparing the priuate spirits doctrine with the Catholike Churches doctrine whether leads to the greater honour of God CHAP. X. THE Protestants Obiections and proofes taken out of Scripture for the defence of their priuate Spirits authority to interprete Scripture and iudge of Controuersie are proposed and answered Sect. 1. Of certaine obseruations profitable for the solution of obiections Sect. 2. The obiections for the priuate Spirits authority answered Sect. 3. More obiections proposed and answered CERTAINE CONSIDERATIONS OF SIX MEANES NECESSARY TO ATTAINE FAITH All wanting in the Protestants and suppressed by their doctrine of the Priuate Spirit CHAP. I. Of these six meanes which they be SECT 1. THOVGH according to S. Hierome Haereses ad originem reuocare refut are est To reduce heresies to their origen is to refute them that is to shew not only the tyme when they did begin but also the head or foūtaine from whence they did spring is a sufficient proofe both of their nouelty and falsity so to haue shewed the Priuate Spirit to haue beene the origen Mother which hath begot all late heresyes which as a brood of such a Damme haue descended from her which in the first Part is fully performed is a sufficient proofe that the same heresyes are degenerate from all diuine Verity and are as so many poisoned streames descended from an infected fountaine And though all Sect-maisters who disclaime delude the vsual receaued grounds of Christian religiō such as are Scripture Tradition Church Councels Sea Apostolike and Fathers and appeale euery man to his owne Priuate Spirit do make this their Spirit the origē of their fayth which also in the former part is I hope sufficiently and copiously conuinced that the chiefe and prime Protestants before cited haue done might suffice to conuince their doctrine of falsity for that it is descended frō a Mother of such impiety Though I say this that hath beene thus proued might be a sufficient motiue to breed a dislike of this Priuate Spirit and of the doctrine springing from it yet because that out of it all sorts and sects of heresyes especially lately engendred haue issued as so many vipers out of a dunghill and because the confutation of it is the confutation of all heresies in their origen and as it were a brusing of all late nouell opinions in the head or a strangling of them togeather wiih their Mother in her wombe for to proue the fountaine to be poisoned is to proue the streame to be infected and to conuince the Mother of adultery is to proue the child liable
to bastaâ—dy it is a worke profitable and I hope worth the labour to descend into a particuler confutation of this Priuate Spirit and by speciall and seuerall kindes of arguments such as are the authority of holy Scripture the testimonies of auncient Fathers the principles of holy Fayth the euidency of solid reason the absurdities both doctrinall and practicall that ensue vpon it and the fruits and effects which haue beene produced by it to lay open the deformity falsity and impiety of this Priuate spirit and to shew the inconueniences absurdities and blasphemies which ensue vpon the making it the whole ground of Fayth the sole interpreter of Scripture and the only iudge of all controuersies of Faith Religion which as is before in the former part shewed all Protestants haue done and yet do For the better performance of which vndertaken taske and the more both orderly to proceed and more clearely to vnderstand the same as in the former part we proued six groundes of Christian and Catholike fayth vpon which it is built and shewed that as the Catholikes do imbrace them all the Protestants do reiect and delude them all so it will not be amisse in this part first before we enter the particuler confutation to propose to the iudicious Readers consideratioÌ„ also six helps or meanes by which ordinarily God vseth to worke true Catholicke fayth in the hart of euery true beleeuer and to shew that as they are all and euery one of them concurring to the true fayth of euery Catholik so they are all wanting to all sortes of Protestants and to their faith and religion whereby both Catholikes Protestants may discerne as well by what kind of causes and meanes true Fayth is produced as vpon how solid a grouÌ„d and foundation the same is builded and so al may the better be enabled to iudge whether of the two Religions that is Catholike or Protestant be not only more solidly grouÌ„ded but also more diuinely produced For which we may note that as these six Meanes or helpes are necessary to Fayth so three of them are necessary in respect of the Obiect belieued and three in respect of the Subiect belieuing In respect of the Obiect the first is the Materiall obiect or articles to be belieued which as they are supernatural and aboue the capacity of our vnderstanding so are they to reason not euident and cleare but obscure both in their verity that they are true and in their reuelation that they are reuealed by God and therefore are by fayth for the authority of God affirming belieued And these are the B. Trinity the Incarnation Resurrection Transubstantiation Iustification Glorification and the rest which we belieue The second meane is the Formall Obiect or motiue why we belieue which is the prime verity reuelation or testimony of God who as he hath reuealed all mysteries that we are to belieue and as we are to belieue them because God hath reuealed them so did he at the first reueale them all to the Prophets and Apostles from whome we are to receaue by Scripture or Tradition all reuelations of all mysteries of Fayth whatsoeuer are by any till the worlds end belieued without expectance of new reuelations by any new spirit for so did Christ himselfe make knowne to the Apostles All which he heard of his Father c. And therupon the Apostles are coÌ„manded to preach the Ghospell to all creaturs And all faithfull are sayd to be built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles that is vpon the reuelations made by Christ vnto them and by them deliuered by Scripture or tradition to vs. The third Meane is the Proponent cause or condition necessarily required to our beliefe which as an infallible rule and iudge is immediatly to propose to vs the verity certainty both of the articles reuealed and of the reuelation of them for as the articles are aboue our capacity and the reuelation may to vs be doubtfull and both are obscure and as the Scripture and Tradition are not only hard obscure but also mute and vnable either to explicate themselues or expresse to vs the resolution of al doubts which may arise therefore some Iudge or Proponent cause in respect of vs is necessary which must be not only infallible and vniuersall in it selfe and able without errour to satisfy all doubts but also knowne and visible vnto vs that by it we may know the verity of all both articles and reuelation as also Scripture Tradition which proponent cause except God had prouided and left vs he had left vs destitute of a necessary meanes to fayth which is to deliuer and declare to vs what God hath reuealed and so had not prouided vs sufficient helps to attaine to the certainty of beliefe And this is the authority of the Church of God or the Spouse of Christ as afterwards shall be proued And thus are necessary in respect of the obiect 1. the Materiall obiect what we belieue 2. the Formal obiect why we belieue 3. the Proponent cause to assure vs of the verity both of what why we belieue In respect of the subiect who belieues are also necessary other three helpes First a Speculatiue iudgement of the Vnderstanding grounded vpon credible Testimonyes and probable reasons of perswasions which doe make appeare euident to mans natural iudgmeÌ„t that this faith is credible and worthy of beliefe and prudently may be accepted as more credible more worthy of beliefe then any other of Pagans Iewes or Heretikes whatsoeuer though it be not as yet for these reasons belieued as true These euident testimonyes of credibility which according to diuers dispositions doe diuersly moue and perswade some of them one person and some another and which are only humane not diuine and leaue as yet an impression only of euident credibility not of diuine verity as they are in Scripture required Thy testimonies are made credible exceedingly so are they ordinarily to men of reason so necessary to their conuersion that the Will which is not moued but with reason or shew of reason for nihil volitum nisi praecognitum cannot giue consent to any Verity of fayth except it first be perswaded by some direction of these motiues of credibility Wherupon ordinarily those who are conuerted from infidelity to Christianity without some one or other of these motiues may be sayd to be too credulous for qui cito credit leuis est corde He that giueth credit quickly is light of hart as on the contrary they who are not moued by them sufficiently proposed are Stulti tardi corde ad credendum Foolish and slow of hart to belieue and thereby are vnexcusable from sinne but they who with desire and deligence with deuotion humiliation and resignation do endeauour and duly doe enquire seeke out the truth of Religion are by inuincible ignorance excused from all sinne of positiue infidelity vntill
their vnderstanding be conuinced by euident reasons of perswasion that the one religion is false and damnable the other true and infallible Thus these reasons of credibility are the first help or meanes in the subiect to illustrate the vnderstanding and conuince it of the credibility of the thinges belieued Secondly a pious motion affection or disposition of the Will which directed by the former motiues of credibility and inspired by the speciall guift of grace either preuenting or infused doth first it selfe giue consent and submit itselfe to obedience of fayth then doth determinate the Vnderstāding to giue assent to the verity of the mysteries proposed This pious disposition first is supernaturall proceeding frō the grace of God who workes in vs both to will and to accōplish And begins in you a good worke and so our first motion to fayth is of grace Seconly it is free proceeding from our free power and will He that beleeueth and is baptized shal be saued but he that belieueth not shall be condemned And so our free will concurs also to fayth and saluation or resists by incredulity to damnation Thirdly it is necessary to the conuersion of the faithfull is the cause why some who haue slender yet sufficient motiues of credibility weake motions of grace are freely conuerted whereas others who haue stronger both motiues and motion do obstinatly resist will not be conuertd according to that Certaine belieued these things which were spoken by Paul certaine beleeued not And How often would I gather togeather thy children thou wouldest not And this is the second help or meane working in the will The third and last help or meane in the Guift or habit of Fayth which 1. is a permanent guift or quality produced by God infused into our Vnderstanding 2. It doth enable and lighten the Vnderstanding which otherwise of it selfe is as able to see and belieue the high mysteries of fayth as the eye without light is to see colours to giue assent and beliefe to whatsoeuer articles are by holy Church proposed as reuealed by God By fayth we vnderstand or belieue that God is It is the beginning and first ground of saluation iustification by which we first know God The iustice of God is reuealed by fayth by which we liue in God The iust liueth by fayth and by which we are prepared to iustification VVith the hart we belieue vnto iustice We are iustifyed by fayth It is sometimes both obtained before grace of iustification be had and also kept after that is lost so that many haue this habit of fayth who haue not the habit of Charity Many of the Pharises belieued in him but did not confesse him If I should haue all fayth and haue no Charity c. It may be lost that only by infidelity or refusing to belieue as it was in Hymenaeus Philetus and in those who erred from the fayth Made shipwracke about the fayth And fell from fayth And thus it is lost in all Heretikes who fall from fayth into heresy and so loose their habit by which in Baptisme they were enabled afterwards to belieue truely And these three to wit The credible testimony to conuince the Vnderstanding to accept the articles as credible The pious affection of the will to encline the will to obedience of faith And the guift or habit of Faith to enable both Will and Vnderstanding to consent and assent to the diuine reuelations are those which are required on the part of the subiect or person who belieues The order and necessity of the former meanes SECT II. THE second Consideration may be to ponder first the order and manner of proceeding Secondly the necessity and efficacy of these six helpes or meanes of Fayth all as they are compared one with another and all as they haue their operation in vs. And first for the order we may obserue that the māner which by God ordinarily is vsed according to these meanes to prepare and help an Infidell or Heretike of discretiō to his conuersion to true fayth is this 1. Mans Vnderstanding by reason of credibility motiues of perswasion is induced and disposed to accept this fayth as credible and such as in prudence may and is before any other to be beleiued and his iudgement by certaine markes and signes apparent and easy to euery ones capacity is perswaded that this Church and company of belieuers is rather then any other the true Church of Christ by which he is to be directed in all particulars of his beliefe 2. He is directed by the Churches authority how to discerne betweene the verity and falshood of thinges declared and betweene certainty of reuelation diuine illusion diabolicall And by it is proposed and declared to him what in particuler he is to beleeue as true and what to condemne as false 3. The wil is inclined by grace to subiect it selfe vnto obedience in consenting to fayth to determine the vnderstanding to yield assent to fayth 4. The guift or habit of faith is infused into the Vnderstanding that it may yeild a firme and infallible beliefe or assent to the articles of fayth thus made probably credible by reasons of credibility thus proposed by the Churches authority and thus made of infallible verity for the authority or testimony of God reuealing and affirming them to be true In which act of assent consistes the essence and perfection of diuine and supernaturall fayth By which is apparent both the manner and order how ordinarily God workes true Fayth in euery Christian by these meanes and also how faith is resolued and grounded vpon euery one of these meanes in particuler For if we respect the disposing meanes by which we are prepared to accept of our fayth as credible it dependes vpon the exteriour motiues of credibility and so our fayth is resolued into them dispositiuè If we respect the directing meanes which propose and declare to vs in particuler what we are to belieue our faith depends vpon the authority of the Church and so it is resolued into it directiuè If we respect the efficient meanes by which it is wrought in vs it depends vpon the guift or habit of faith and so is resolued into it effectiué But if we respect the formall meanes and finall resolution why we doe belieue it it depends vpon the diuine reuelatiō of God and so is resolued into it formaliter and finaliter Of which the preparatiue meanes that is the Credible testimonies are precedent to faith and leaue only an human perswasion of the credibility of the verityes The Directiue meanes that is the Churches authority is also precedent exteriourly proposing what in particuler and why we are to belieue The Effectiue meanes that is the habit of faith doth interiourly cōcurre with the Will and Vnderstanding to the act
who receaue both the old and new Testament but interpreted according to Mahomets Alcaron and also by all Heretiks who seek to fill their books not oÌ„ly with words of Scripture but sayth Vincent Lyrin with thousands of testimonies thousands of examples thousands of authorityes out of the Law the Psalmes the Prophets the Apostles which expounded after a new and ill manner would thereby throw downe soules from the tower of Catholike fayth to the pit of wicked heresy being as our Sauiour sayth of them false Prophets or teachers who vnder the garments of sheep that is sayth Vincent Lyrin the wordes of the Prophets and Apostles are rauenous VVolues infesting the fold of the Church and deuouring the flocke of Christ and saying Christ is heere or there that is as Origen expounded it in this or that text of Scripture who thus transfiguring themselues into the shew of Apostles or preachers of Christ do labour to transfer the people into another Ghospell who depraue the Scripture to their owne and others destruction And by the wordes of the Law sayth S. Ambrose impugne the Law and do frame a false sense of the wordes of the Law that they may confirme their owne peruerse opinions by the authority of the Law Against al whome we may note the wordes of S. Hilary saying That Heresy is about the vnderstanding not the text of Scripture the sense not the words is the sinne And of S. Hierome That the Ghospell is not in the wordes but the sense of scripture not in the outward rine but in the inward marrow not in the leaues of wordes but in the root of the sense SVBDIV. 2. Who haue authority to make the Interpretation of Scripture SEcondly this sense and meaning of scripture because it is not facil and easy to be knowne to all by reason of the great obscurity in the wordes the great fecundity in the sense and the great profundity in the mysteries or articles belieued which cannot by euery one nor by any one without the assistance of the same spirit which penned it be vnderstood therfore is necessary some authentical certain and infallible authority for the true vnderstanding of this authenticall certaine and infallible sense of scripture This authority because it is in the Catholike Church chiefly in the Pastours and Prelates of the same for the better gouernement of it in true doctrine vpon whom God hath bestowed the infallible assistance of his holy spirit as is afterward proued therfore their authority is necessary for the finding out the true and certaine sense of scripture Whensoeuer therfore the chiefe Pastour or Pastours of the Church vsing the meanes for it appointed of which in the next proposition do either ex Cathedra or in a Councell confirmed approued or by a generall consent propose deliuer and declare any sense or exposition of scripture as true and to be belieued as an article of faith in any controuersy against heretikes then is that sense to be receaued for their authority as authenticall certaine and infallible From whence ensues that though in matters of Philosophy and reason we must rather attend what is said theÌ„ by whome it is said and respect rather the force then the authority of the person who sayes it yet in matters of faith we must first respect them who preach and the authority and commission of their person and by it iudge of their doctrine preached For if the person be lawfully sent if he haue lawfull commission if he be a lawfull pastour not deuided by heresy or schisme from the whole body then the people are to attend to him and for his commission to receaue his doctrine but if he want mission commissioÌ„ if he teach of himselfe and his owne authority if he produce the doctrine not of the Church-proposition but of his owne inuention let him teach what he wil proue it how he wil he is not to be heard nor belieued by the common and vulgar people to whom it belonges to be obedient subiect to the authority of their Pastour not to iudge of the verity of his doctrine more then in generall whether it be consonant or dissonant from the vniuersally receaued doctrine of the Church for they are to obey their Pastours to remaine in the same rule in the faith first deliuered in that which they heard from the beginning to auoid profane nouelties of words not to receiue any other Ghospel or doctrine but that which they learned and receaued from the beginning leauing the particulars to the testimony of others either equal to their pastour in function or superiour to him in authority Which point is to be noted against the Manichees of old and the Protestants of late who respect not the authority of the Preacher but the force of his reason attend not to the commission of the Pastour who he is that teacheth but to the plausibility of his doctrine what it is and how far it is pleasing to their priuat spirit disposition or iudgment SVBDIV. 3. What meanes are to be vsed to make this Interpretation and of foure Rules of infallible interpreting of scripture Thirdly The meanes which are to be obserued vsed and followed by these Pastours or Prelats for the securing vs of this true sense of scripture are these 1. The rule of faith that is the Catholike and vniuersally receiued doctrine of faith and piety which was deliuered by the Apostles receiued by posterity 2. The generall practise or obseruatioÌ„ custome or tradition of the whole Church in pointes where the doctrine is not certaine 3. The auncient exposition or consent of the holy fathers and doctours of the primitiue Church where the former do not appeare 4. The decrees and definitions of the Councels either generall or prouincial approued by generall and the conformity to them in all expositions doubtfull Thâ—se are as so many rules or conducts according to which the certaine and authenticall sense of scripture is by the Pastours of gods Church to be squared and guided First that the rule of fayth is to be presupposed obserued and followed in the finding out the true sense of scripture is proued 1. This rule of Fayth is by S. Paul who often doth mention it called sometymes a rule which bringeth peace VVho haue followed this rule peace be on them Sometimes a rule in which they are to remaine to auoid dissentions Let vs remaine in the same rule that we may iudge the same Sometymes his rule which he deliuered to them and by which they are to increase in fayth Your fayth increasing according to our rule Sometymes a reason of Fayth according to which is giuen the guift of prophesy or interpretation of scripture Donations or prophesy according to the rule of Fayth And in effect it is no other but the doctrine they receaued the fayth preached through the whole world the disposition
of one point with another The first ground of all they make Gods free and irrespectiue election or predestination of some to his grace and saluation his like reiection condemnation of others to damnation 2. To these elect and only to them God giues true fayth and certaine assurance of their saluation 3. To these faythfull only to them he giues the infallible assistance of this his priuate spirit 4. To this spirit and only to it he giues the true and certaine vnderstanding of the holy Scipture the sense of it So that 1. Election 2. Fayth 3. The spirit 4. Vnderstanding of Scripture is as a chaine of many lincks whereof all are so connected euery one with another as he that hath one hath all and he that wantes one wantes all For say they the vnderstanding of scripture is giuen only to them and to all them who haue the spirit the spirit is giuen only to them and to all them who haue fayth Fayth is giuen only to them and to all them who are elect and so all and only the elect are faithfull all and only the faithfull haue the spirit all and only they that haue the spirit vnderstand Scripture And so à primo ad vltimum all ōly the elect must haue true fayth spirit and vnderstanding of Scripture In which election is the mother and foundation the vnderstāding of Scripture the fruit top of al their perfection This is the connexion of their doctrine concerning their faith and saluation Now as cōcerning the knowledge infallible assurance of all these which according to their groundes euery one of them must haue of himselfe to wit that he is elect faithfull and hath the true spirit of God the right vnderstanding of scripture As concerning I say the assurance of all these and the meanes of this assurance whereupon depends their saluation if any shall demand of them whereupon they ground this their certainty and assurance of all these that is their election fayth spirit scripture-sense which are inseparable and infallibly according to them ensuing one vpon another it will appeare by their answere that they haue no groundes at all but that they runne in a round and Circle rowling and wheeling from one ground or principle to another and from that to the former backe againe without any firme or setled groūd and resolution whereon to stay themselues and their fayth whereupon they skip forward and backward from one to another that is from the scripture to the spirit and from the spirit to the scripture againe from the spirit to fayth from faith to the spirit againe from faith to election and from election to fayth againe and so from election to scripture againe and from scripture to election backe againe For aske a Protestant how and by what meanes he vnderstands the Scripture He answers by the spirit And aske him how and by what meanes he knowes that he hath the true spirit He answers by Scripture And so knowes the scripture by the spirit and the spirit by scripture Againe aske him how and by what meanes he is assured of his faith He answers by his spirit and scripture but how is he sure of his spirit and scripture by his fayth backe againe Further aske him how and by what meanes he is assured of his election He answers by his fayth his spirit or the scripture and yet his election is the ground of his fayth spirit and vnderstanding of scripture So that 1. The scripture proues the spirit and the spirit the scripture 2. The spirit proues his fayth and his fayth the spirit 3. His faith proues his election and his election is the ground of his fayth with it of his spirit and knowledge of scripture also So that as many linckes as are in their chaine so many Circles and circular proofes are made by them and all in vaine and to no purpose at all as shall be shewed And first of their first circular proofe betweene the scripture and the spirit it shal be plainely proued that they fall directly and headlong into Aristotles proper and so much condemned Circle prouing the scripture by the spirit and the spirit by the scripture againe in one and the same kind of cause to one and the same person and by one sole and whole manner of proofe In all which we haue before cleared our selues and our doctrine from the obiected Circle against vs. For which we may obserue two principles of Protestant doctrine the one that the scripture only is the rule and meanes to come to the knowledge of the certainty of all thinges to be belieued wherupon they reiect all Tradition vnwritten word of God and rely only vpon the written word for the sole and complete rule of fayth The other that this written word is to be interpreted and vnderstood only by the spirit of the Lord which as it is particuler and priuate in euery man so euery man must be directed by his priuate spirit in the vnderstanding and interpreting of the scripture and in the collecting out of it what he is to belieue wherupō they reiect all authority of Church Councels or Fathers and make only the priuate spirit the Rule and Iudge of interpreting scripture as in the first part is at large proued Which being supposed it will euidently appeare how the Protestants runne this Circle betweene this priuate spirit and scripture For aske a Protestant how he knowes infallibly which is scripture and which is true sense of it He answeres by the internal testimony of the priuate spirit assuring him it is so Aske him how he infallibly knowes this his internall testimony of his spirit is the testimony of the holy Ghost He answers by the scripture assuring him it is so for my sheep heare my voice Aske him againe how he knowes infallibly this is scripture and this the true meaning of this scripture He runnes backe to the testimony of his spirit And againe how he knowes that this his testimony of his spirit is the spirit of God He returnes to the scripture againe Thus he wheeles in a round betweene scripture and spirit prouing the scripture by the spirit and the spirit by the scripture an vnknowne spirit by an vnknowne scripture and an vnknowne scripture by an vnknowne spirit one vnknowne by another as vnknowne And if Aristotle did hould it an absurd demonstration proof to proue the Conclusion by the premises and the premises againe by the conclusion in the same manner of proofe which was as he reasons as much as to proue A by B and againe B by A. which is either idem per seipsum or ignotum per aequè ig notum And if S. Augustine did count it absurd for the Manichees to proue their Fundamental Epistle to be Canonicall because Manes held it to be so and Manes to be a Prophet or Apostle because his Fundamētall Epistle did affirme him to be so wherein he
condemneth one another as the fayth and saluation of the Lutherans Caluinists Anabaptists and the rest in number aboue 100. which are all opposit in fayth all condemne one another and yet are all sure of their saluation by this fayth Ergo it cannot be true Secondly that this fayth is contrary or contradictory in it selfe is proued thus That certainty of Fayth is contradictory which belieueth a fayth and doctrine contrary or contradictory but by this certainty of Fayth the Lutherans Caluinists Libertines Anabaptists Trinitarians and the rest do belieue fayth and religions contrary and contradictory as is manifest by the former instances Ergo. Againe that fayth is contradictory which doth make the same man belieue cōtradictories but this speciall fayth makes men belieue contradictories as that it doth make him iust and doth not mak him iust Ergo. That it maks a man iust they affirme because by it a man is iustified that it makes not a man iust is proued because by it he belieues that he is iust therefore he is iust before he belieues it in the same manner as God is God before he is belieued to be God Or thus A man is iust before he belieue because his iustice is the obiect of his fayth and so presupposed to fayth and yet he is not iust before he belieue because this iustice is the effect of his fayth by which he is iustified and so is after fayth but to be iust and not iust both before he belieue is cōtradictory Ergo. Againe that is contradictory which is good and not good which doth make a man iust and not iust but this speciall fayth is good because it iustifyes and not good because it is a sin and that mortall Ergo. Againe it makes a man iust because by it he is iustified not iust because by it he is made sinfull it being a sinne as euery good worke is in their grounds Againe this fayth doth alone iustify and doth not alone iustify alone iustify because Caluin and all Protestants affirme it it alone doth not iustify because the same Caluin affirmes that Baptisme is a signe of remission of sinnes past and to come which remission of sinnes to come dependes vpon the memory of Baptisme past and so not vpon fayth only Againe this fayth according to them being a worke of man wholy infected with original sinne is a sinne and so maketh a man sinnefull this fayth doth iustify and so is a good worke but to make a man sinnefull and iust are contrary or contradictory Ergo. Againe it affirmes that euery good worke euen the least of the best person is a sinne so there are no good workes but all sinnes and it affirmes that fayth cannot be without good workes and so there are good workes but to affirme that there are good works and that there are no good workes are contradictory Ergo. Thirdly that this faith is a sinne and makes a man sinfull is proued thus Euery good worke euen the best worke of the best man according to them is a sinne because it proceeds from a fountaine corrupted with sinne but this faith which iustifieth is such a good worke which consequently is a sinne therfore it maketh a man sinne and so a man is saued from sinne by a worke which is sinne made iust by an act which is iniust adopted the sonne of God by a worke which offendes God and is made partaker of heauen by an act which deserues hell Fourthly That this faith is temerarious is proued thus That is rashly and lightly belieued which is belieued without any authority of scripture which according to them is the only meanes of beliefe but there is no Scripture that assures for example that either Caluin Knox or Tindall is predestinated hath his sinnes forgiuen him and shal be glorified in heauen which yet they belieue say they more certainly by this speciall faith then they do the diuinity birth death resurrection or ascension of Christ which they belieue onely by an historical faith therfore they rashly and without ground do belieue it Which is confirmed because to belieue things they see men haue sense to belieue morall or mathematicall conclusions they haue reason and demonstration and to belieue articles of faith they haue reuelation of God in scripture but to belieue euery one that his predestination iustification glorification is certaine to him is made knowne neither by experience of sense nor by euidence of reason nor by reuelation of scripture or any way else therefore it is rashly without ground belieued Fiftly That this only speciall faith is presumptuous is proued thus As that is desperation which will not hope for saluation by grace so that is presumption both the extreames of hope which will hope for it without good works good life obseruance of the Commandements and merits to which life eternall is promised but only and speciall faith excludes all good works all merit all obseruance of the commandements as any meanes of saluation and as not possible to be done 2. It is great presumption to expect so great and eternall a reward kingdome and felicity without any labour and paines for it without any promise or warrant of it and that without any doubt or feare of the obtaining it all contrary to expresse scripture which wish vs with feare and trembling to worke our saluation Not to be without feare of sinne forgiuen And assures vs that no man knowes whether he be worthy of loue or hatred And all contrary to the practise of all saints who haue vsed such continuance and feruour of prayer such rigour and austerity of penance such retirement and forsaking of the world all to obtaine and purchase it at Gods hands Which yet this speciall faith will obtaine by only assuring and securing a man most certainly of it without either condition of works and good life without any works of penance or satisfaction or without any doubt or feare of loosing it or failing in it Sixtly That this only faith destroyes all hope Charity prayer and good works is proued thus No man can hope for that which he hath no man prayes and makes suit for that which he hath and cannot loose no man labours to practise that which he deems impossible to performe But this faith assures them of their predestination that they are predestinate and cannot be damned assures them of Gods fauour that they haue remission of sinnes and iustification and cannot loose it and assures them of glorification that they shall enioy heauen and saluation which is as due to them as to Christ and can no more faile them then it can faile Christ where is then any place for hope It assures thē that good works and the keeping of the law is impossible that pennance and satisfaction is fruitlesse yea derogating from the merit of Christ that all merit by grace or hope of reward for our good deeds is excluded That such a