OF THE AL-SVFFICIENT EXTERNAL PROPOSER OF MATTERS OF FAITH DEVIDED INTO TVVO BOOKES IN THE FIRST Is proued that the true Church of God is the Al-sufficient external Proposer of matters of Faith IN THE SECOND Is shewed the manifold vncertanities of Protestants concerning the scripture and how scripture is or is not an entire Rule of Faith By C. R. Doctor of Diuinitie 1. Timothe 4. The Church of the liuing God the pillar and ground of truthe At PARIS M. DC LIII THE PREFACE to the Reader 1. NAtural reason gentle Twoe waies to learn truthe Reader teacheth vs that what we can not know by ourselues we should learne by authoritie of others and according as their authoritie is vndoubted or probable toyeeld assured or probable assent therto and the same reason teacheth vs also that as the See infra l. 2. c. 8. sect 1. clear sight of God in heauen is supernatural to vs and far aboue the reach of our reason so is also the right way therto Wherfore as S. Devâ—â—l â—redendi 〈◊〉 16. 8. 17. Augustin rightly sayeth if God wil haue men come to him in heauen he must needs haue instituted some authoritie on earth for to direct them assuredlie in the right way becaus by reason we cannot finde way to heauen known by authoritie out that way Which authoritie must be infallible because otherwise it could not assuredlie direct vs as also becaus it is to direct vs by diuine faith which is altogether infallible And herein is Gods goodnes to be admired that he would bring men to heauen rather by authoritie and faith then by knowledg and reason becaus euerie one can beleeue but not euerie one konw hard matters And in al that is hitherto saied Catholiks and Protestants generally agree The controuersie between them is in whome God hath setled this assured authoritie for to direct and guide vs infallibly in our way to heauen 2. For Catholiks say that as God Authoritie setled in men at the first set this authoritie in his Prophets and Apostles so becaus they were not to liue with vs for euer he continueth it in his Church which he hath made his spouse the mother and mistres of the faithful the pillar and ground of truth his mistical body wherof Christ is head and the Holy Ghost the Soule who is to teach her all truth and in whose heart is alwaies Gods Word beleued in her mouth his word preached and in her hands his word written But Protestants becaus they can shew no Church before Luther who taught in substance the same waie to heauen which they doe as I haue otherwere Lib. 2. de Authore Protestâ— Ecclesia shewed by their own plaine and manifold confessions are forced to denie that God hath setled this infallible authoritie in his Church for to direct vs and guide vs infalliblie to heauen and doe grant her no more authoritie in matters of faith then a whâ—tat Cont. 1. q. 5. c. 20. l. 1. dâ— script 144. l. 2. p. 254. â—71 l 3. p. 435. mere humane enen in the b Laude sec 16. n. 26. 61. most fundamental points of al. Naie some of them saïe she hath c whitat Cont. 1. q. 3 c. 3. l. 1. de script p. 153. l. 2. p. 235. Caluin Actor 15 v. 28. See infra l. 2. c. 10. sec 2. and l. 1. c. 2. §. 8. no authoritie at al in matters of faith So they abase the authoritie or rather take awaie al authoritie in matters of faith from their Mother and Mistres in faith from the spouse of Christ from the pillar and ground of truth from her whose head Christ is and whose soule is the Holie Ghost who teacheth her al truth And this The roote of al heresie is the true roote of al heresies not to beleue that the true Church of God the pillar an t ground of truth whome the Holie Ghost teacheth al truth is an infaillible guide apointed by God to direct vs assuredly to heauen For euerie one would follow her none would oppose her whome they confess to be an infallible Guide 3. Protestants grant euerie one of the Prophets or Apostles to haue been infallible in matters of faith and yet cannot shew so mainie nor so plaine testimonies of Scripture for their infallibilitie as we can shew for the infallibilitie of the Church But al infallibilitie in matter of faith they wil put in the scripture as vsually al d Tâ—rtul dâ— prâ—wr c 15. Hilar l. ad Constant. August epâ—s 222. Hâ—eron in Galat. 〈◊〉 Sed infrâ— l. 2. c. 14. seq heretiks did because they wil vnderstand that as thy please and so indeed put al infallibilitie in themselues though nether scripture saith that itselfe is infallible nor was it written for aboue 2000. yeares before Moyses nor was it in al places or times when and where infallible faith was nor itself can shew the way to heauen to them that cannot read it nor sheweth that which Protestants account the most fundamental point of faith or al other points so clearly as it neede no interpreter See infra l. 2. c. 4. see 2. as we shal hear Protestants themselues confess 4. And can any reasonable man perswade himself that God hath setled al infallible authoritie forto direct men assuredly to heauen in that which he conffessth God neuer saied is infallible nor it was in al times or places where and when men were infallibly guided in their way to heauen which cannot by it self guide the greatest part of men which teacheth them not the most necessaire point of al nor al points so clearly as it need not some interpreter and yet say they withal God hath not giuen vs any infallible interpreter I add also that who follow it for their onlie guide in matters of faith haue no constancie nor vnitie in faith nor yet any hope of vnitie Is such â e See infra l. 1. c. 8. n. 6. one mens onelie assured guide to heauen 5. We produce the express word of God that his true Church is the pillar and ground of truthe and that the holie Ghost teacheth her al truth let Protestants produce the like express word of God that the book called scripture is the pillar and ground of truth and that it teacheth al truth You must saieth f Cont. Pra. â—eam l. 11. Tertullian proue as clearly as I doe Bring á proof like to mine And S. Augustin Read as plaine words as these are which we read to you Doe l. de vnis c. 6. 14. not bring vs your consequences or inferences of which we may â—ay with S. Augustin g Serm. 14. de verb. Apost This is a humane argument not diuine authoritie h See iâ—fra l. 25. 3. sâ—c 1. Protestants vse to say that al things necessarie to be beleued are expresly in scripture and need no inference and that faith relieth not on argument but on authoritie let
p. 408. Faith surely relieth vpon Authoritie-Authoritie is the foundation of faith And p. ibid. principium credende ab externa authoritate pendet 509. To beleue sâ—me Authoritie is necessarie nor can anie thing be beleued without Authoritie And l. 1. p. 50. That thou saiest our faith relieth vpon testmonies not vpon arguments I grant Laude Relat. sec 38. p. 345. We doe not beleue one article of faith by fallible authoritie of humane deductions And heereupon they define diuine faith to be an Assent to diuine reuelations vpon the authoritie of the reuealer And hence it followeth that Protestants cannot beleue either Melancthoâ— in proediâ—amento qualitaâ—is â—hillingw c. 11. p. 35. Protestâ—nts can haue no formal faith of theyr bibles The Bible to be the word of God or Their copies thereof to be incorrupt for anie light they conceaue to be in them or for the maiestie or stile of them or for the excellencie of the matter becaus none of these is anie formal Authoritie or veracitie but they are qualities of the word of God which qualities may cause Knowledg or opinion accordingly as they are certain or only probable signs of Gods word but cannot cause formal faith And that Protestants haue not formal faith of the scripture they seem some times to confess For thus laude Relat. Protestant last resolution is into arguments sect 1â— p. 83. 84. 85. 101. He that beleues â—esolues his last and full assent Tâ—at the scripture is of diuine authoritie into internal arguments found in the letter it self Loe Protestants last resolution is not into authoritie but into arguments And Pottersec 5. p. 8. That the scripture is of diuine authoritie the beleuer seeth â—y that glorious beam of diuine light * Laudep 8â— 114. 115. 118. 121. 123. 3â—0 which shines in scripture and by manie internal arguments found in the letter it selfe Whitaker lib. 1. de script p. 15. We beleue for the truth of the thing which is taught or for the diuinitie of the doctrine it self So also pag. 56. 88. Which is in effect to confess that they do not formally beleue but know or as Potter speaketh see that the bible is of diuine authoritie because their assurance that the bible is of diuine authoritie is not lastly resolued into authoritie but into arguments taken out of scripture or into the lighâ—e the diuinitie or truth of the doctrin in it whereas faith is not lastly resolued into arguments or truth or light but Fides est non apparentium Heb. 11. into authoritie nor is discursiue but is a simple assent of things not appearing for authoritie 3. The third ground is that only diuine Authoritie or veracitie can be anie true formal obiect or formal cause of diuine faith This likewise is euident For humane or fallible authoritie is not sufficient to cause diuine and infallible faith Becaus the authoritie for which we beleue must be at least as sure as our beleef like as the premises for which we know the conclusion must be as sure as the conclusion And no c See infra 12. c. 8. sâ—c 〈◊〉 authoritie but diuine can be so sure as diuine faith is which implieth contradiction to be false And this Protestants confess For thus Whitaker l. 3. de scriptura p. †sic etiam p. 509. 415. Such as the doctrin and religion is which we profess heauenly and diuine such also must the reason and authoritie of beleuing be And p. 392. Our faith must rely vpon an externall infallible means And l. 1. p. 166. The effect doth not surpass the cause Potter sect 5. p. 40. diuine faith must haue a diuine foundation And Chillingw c. 2. n. 154. None can build an infallible faith vpon motiues that are not infallible as it were a great and heauie burden vpon a foundation that hath not strength proportionable And the same saieth laude sec 16. n. 5. sec 33 p. 248. Potter sec 5. p. 7. Field l. 4. of the Church c. 2. and others And hence we inferre that the authoritie or testimonie of the church in matters of faith is diuine becaus as we shal d See infrâ— c. 15. n. 6. proue and Protestants sometimes confess it is a true cause of diuine faith 4. The fourth ground is that for the authoritie of Gods church to be diuine it need not rely vpon immediat reuelation from God but his special and effectuall assistance wil suffice thereto First becaus it cannot be proued that immediat reuelation is absolutely necessarie Secondly it were derogatorie to Gods omnipotencie as if he could not make anie infallible but in one manner Thirdly becaus S. e c. 1. v 3. f Lâ—ude sec 16. p. 91. Luke professeth that what he wrote was by hear-say of such as had conuersed with Christ Fourthly becaus Protestants some times confess that such and so great assistance of Christ and of the holie Ghost as is purposely giuen to that effect is enough to make the authoritie of anie companie of men diuine and infallible 5 The fist ground is that an authoritie Authoritie truly â—â—n ne is a sufficient external cause of diuine faith diuinely infallible may be a sufficient external formal cause of diuine faith subordinat to Gods authoritie which is the principal formal cause thereof This is certain For what greater certaintie or infallibilitie can diuine faith require in its external and subordinat cause then to be truly diuine Becaus al diuine authoritie effectually assisted by God to tell nothing but truth neuer lieth as diuine faith is neuer fals and therefore is a sufficient foundation external and subordinat to Gods authoritie on which diuine faith may rely 6. The sixt ground is that veritie Verities distinct from veraâ—itie or authoritie is distinct from Authoritie and veracitie For veritie is the material object of faith and that which faith beleueth Authoritie or veracitie is the formal obiect or that for which faith beleueth veritie Wherefore veritie cannot be beleued for it self both because it hath not of it self the formal cause of beleef which is Authoritie or veracitie as also becaus that veritie which faith beleueth hath not of it self any motiue to procure assent because it is vnseen and vnapparent in it self and Formal Authoritie or veracitâ—e is noâ— in words or writings onely is apparent in Authoritie 7. The seauenth ground is that though veritie can be in words or writings as in signs thereof yet Authoritie or verâ—citie which is the formal cause of beleuing veritie cannot be in words or in writings taken by themselues For Authoritie is in some Author and veracitie in one that is verax and euerie Author or veraâ— is some intellectual person who vttereth veritie and who for his authoritie or veracitie deserueth and causeth beleef of that The formal cause of faith is the authoritie of the reuealer veritie which he vttereth Besides diuine faith as al dogrant is beleef of some diuine truth reuealed
If anie obey not our word note him And 1. Ioan. 4. v. 6. who knoweth God heareth vs who is not of God heareth not vs In this we know the spirit of truth and spirit of error Where doubtles he speaketh of infallible knowledg of God by hearing him and infallible knowledg could not haue been by hearing him if he had not been infallible in teaching Gods truth And these testimonies of scripture doe not only proue that God can giue to men diuine and infallible authoritie or veracitie but also that he hath giuen it to some 4. That the holie Fathers thought that God can giue diuine or infallible authoritie or veracitie to men wil be euident out of their testimonies a Infra c. 7. hereafter brought to proue that he hath giuen such to the Church And Reason conuinceth that he can giue such authoritie or veracitie to men because it implieth not contradiction For what contradiction can be pretended that God can if he please effectually assist some so that they teach nothing in matters of faith but truth as he efficaciously assisteth the elect that they cannot be led into error Math. 24. And his effectual assistance maketh their authoritie or veracitie to be so diuine Infallible as we desire and is sufficient to be an external ministerial or subordinat cause of diuine and infallible faith For it implieth contradiction that who is efficaciously assisted by God to say but truth should lie And I take it to be so euident that God can giue such authoritie or veracitie to his Church or to men as I think scarce anie Protestant wil haue the face â—o denie it For this is not to make men or the Church Primam veritatem prime veritie as Whitaker fondly argueth l. 2. de scrip p. 230. but only a secondarie veritie or veracitie subordinat and depending vpon Gods prime veritie or veracitie If God can giue to men endles eternitie and yet not make them Gods why can he not also giue them infallible veritie or veracitie and yet not make them Gods or Prime veritie If he can make weakmen not to fall why can he not make the Church not to err in points of faith If he can make that the elect who are the principal part of the Church shal not be led into error Matth. 24 why can he not make the Church it self § 45. Naye so manifest it is See infra c. 15. and Cal uin in Luc. 10. v. 16. that God can giue to men this kinde of diuine veracitie or infallibilitie as Protestants themselues sometimes confess that he hath giuen it to men For thus Whitaker l. 3. de scripturâ p. 395. The testimonie of the holie Diuine Ghost is internal of the Apostles external both in their kindâ—s diuine Sufficient l. 2. p. 310. the authoritie alone of the Apostles sufficed to cause faith l. 1. p. 46. The Apostles authoritie was so great that you might safely beleue their preaching for it self P. 49. though the Apostles were men yâ—t they were so extraordinarily gouerned of the holie Ghost Râ—lied on their testimonie that most certaine faith relied on their testimonie P. 51. The Apostles for their fulnes of the holie Ghost by certaine Marks deserued assured authoritie so as we beleue them alone Controu 2 q. 3. c. 5. the Apostles did consigne the canon as most certaine organs of the holie Ghost endued with diuine authoritie l. 1. de Scrip. c. 8. p. 86. it was safe to Diuine beleue Paul but speaking Laude Relat of the Controu sec 16. p. 81. If the speech be of the prime Christian Church the Apostles disciples and such as had immediat reuelation from heauen no question but the voice and tradition of this Church is diuine not Simply dâ—uine aliquo modo in a sort but simply P. 84. In the voice of the primitiue and Apostolical Church there was simply diuine authoritie P. 85. we resolue only into Resolue into Apostolical tradition prime tradition Apostolical and scripture it self P. 91. Euerie assistance of Christ and the blessed Spirit is not enough to make the authoritie of anie companie of men diuine and infallible but such and so great an assistance only as is purposely giuen to that effect Such an assistance the Prophets vnder the old testament and the Apostles vnder the New had P. 102. we haue a double diuine Diuine testimonie altogeither infallible to confirme to vs that scripture is the word of God The first is the tradition of the Apostles themselues The other the Scripture it self And into these we doe and may safely resolue our faith Sec. Safely resolue into Tradition 18. p. 123. The Prophets testimonie was diuine Sec. 33. p. 239. Al the places Diuine ether speak of the Church including the Apostles as al of them doe and then al grant the voice of the Church is Gods voice diuine and Infallible Potter sec 5. p. 5. The prime Church I call that which included Christ and the Apostles who had immediat reuelation Simply diuine from heauen the voice and testimonie of their Church is simply diuine and Infallible Ibid. p. 30. Their general Councels authoritie is immediatly deriued and delegated from Christ sec 1. p. 25. The high preist in cases of moment had a certaine priuiledg from error if he consulted the diuine oracle by the iudgement of Vrim or by the breast plate of iudgment wherin were Vrim and Thummim wherby he had an absolutly infallible direction If anie such Absolutely infallible promise of God to assist the Pope could be produced his decisions might then iustly pass for oracles without examination Behold the high Priest in cases of moment had a priuiledg from error had an absolutly infallible direction and if the Pope had such his decisions might pass for oracles Humfrey ad Rat. 3. Camp p. 214. Rock of faith we confess the Apostolik Church to be the rock of our faith Chillingworth c. 2. paragrapho 138. we saie that Infallibilitie continued in the Church euen togeither with the scripture so long as Christ and his Apostles were liuing And parag 155. As the Apostles persons whiles they were liuing were the only iudges of controuersies so their writings now they are dead are the onlie Rule to iudg them by Feild lib. 4. of the Greater then scripture Church c 11. If the comparison be made between the Church including the Euangelists we denie not but the Church is of greater authoritie antiquitie and excellencie then the scripture of the new testament White in his waie p. 74. The Apostles teaching was infallible Behold the authoritie the testimonie the voice the tradition of the Prophets Apostles Euangelists and of the Primitiue Church is altogeither infallible is diuine not in a sorte but simply as Gods voice is a sufficient cause of faith is to be beleued for it self for which alone we may beleue into which we maie resolue our faith the rock of faith
Apostles words to the particular Church of Ephesus is not sufficient both becaus the pronoune Thou Which is their Ground is not in the Greek text which alone Protestants account c See infra l. 2 c. 9. sect 2. authentical as also becaus S. Timothe conuersed in the vniuersal Church as euerie citizen conuerseth in the cittie though he liue not in euerie parte therof d Iunius l. 3. de eccles c. 14. â—liâ—nsis Respons-ad Bellarm c. 14. Others therfore distinguish the word pillar and saie that the Church is not the pillar on which diuine truth relieth but such a pillar as truth is put vpon to be read as in old time Edicts were put vpon pillars to be read This shift also is new not found in anie ancieÌ„t author nor grouÌ„ded in anie word of the text nay plainly contrarie to the meaning therof For the Church is saied to be such a pillar as Ground is and Ground is not to laie truth or Edicts vpon but to vphold things And so plain it is that the Church is here called a pillar of truth becaus it vpholdeth it amongst men as Caluin vpon this place saieth Becaus in Contr. 3. q. 5. c. 2. Fundamentum sustinet e dificium Reinolds Confer p. 557. respect of men she susteineth truth Whitaker contr 2. q. 4. c. 2. She is like to a pillar in this that as a pillar doth sustâ—in the whole building and make it more firme so the Church doth sustein and vphold truth And ibid. q. 1. c. 13. It belongeth to a pillar to sustein others in truth Nether do these men who grant the Church to be such a pillar as susteineth truth amongst men differ from Catholiks about the Churches susteining truth amongst men but about the manner how she doth sustein it to wit whether by onely preaching truth as they would or by preaching and by her authoritie also of testifying as Catholiks teach For a pillar and ground is to be relied on But to this purpose al is one by what meanes she susteins infallible truth For if she sustein infallible truth by teaching it she must be infallible in teaching it Beside if truth be alwaies tied to the Church she is alwaies infallible 4. Others distinguish the word d Moulins cont Peron c. 13. Chilling c. 3. p. 177. Vsheâ—â— Reionder p. 25. Is and say that the Apostles meaning is not that the Church is the pillar of truth but oâ—ely that she ought to be or it is the dutie of the Church to be the pillar of truth This exposition is as the former new and voluntarie and therfore a plain shift to delude the text and contrarie to the Apostles words who saieth not what is the dutie of the Church or what she ought to be but what she is Nether could it be her dutie to vphold truth if she were not made infallible For it were impossible for her to performe it e Vvhitaker contr 2. q. 4. c. 2. Others therfore distinguish the word Truth into necessarie and not necessarie and grant that the Church is the pillar and ground of al necessarie truth But as I haue said and must often say albeit onely the principal articles of faith be necessarie to diuine faith and saluation by reason of the matter which is to be beleued yet al articles of faith are also necessarie by reason of the formal cause for which they are to be beleued which is diuine reuelation sufficiently proposed and which is most necessarie to diuine faith and which is denied if anie article of faith be not beleued I add also that al articles of faith euen by reason of the matter which they conteine are necessarie to the better being of faith and of the faithful or as the Apostle speaketh to the consummation of Saints Seing therfore al articles of faith be two waies necessarie there is no reason to limit the Apostles speech to anie certaine articles especially when as Morton saieth in his Grand Imposture c. 2. sec 6. It is the law of allawes Non Rule not to distinguish See Gerlaâ—hius tom 2. dâ—sput 24. distinguendum vbi lex non distinguit Which he repeateth ibid. c. 13. and tom 2. Apol. l. 2. c. 22. Moreouer seeing none knoweth precisely which points are fundamental or absolutly necessarie to be actually beleued of euerie one which not it were to no purpose for vs that the Church were infallible in fundamental points only becaus we know not which are al the fundamental points and notknowing which they are we caÌ„not know in which points of faith the Church is infallible in which not And then what good would her Infallibilitie which is giuen to her for our good doe to vs I add also that Protestants are not â—See part 1. l. 1. c. 7. constant whether the Church be infalliblein fundameÌ„tal points or no. And that if indeed the Church were infallible in fundamental points her authoritie as I saied before were in such points diuine and we might giue her authoritie as a iust secondarie cause of our beleuing them and in them relie on her authoritie as vpon a sure pillar or ground of faith both which Protestants The Churches preaching a â—â—â—se of faith denie 5. Our second proof of the Infallibilitie of the Church in al points of faith shal be taken from that in scripture her preaching is saied to be a cause and that necessarie in or dinarie course of diuine and infallible faith Rom. 10. v. 14. How shal they beleue whome they haue not heard And how shal they heare with out a preacher How shal they preach vnles they be sent Therfore faith is of hearing In which words the Churches preaching is made a cause and that necessarie in ordinarie course of infallible faith and faith is saied to be of hearing her preaching the word of God Wherfore thus I argue in forme The necessarie cause in ordinarie course of infallible faith is infallible The Churches preaching is the necessarie cause in ordinarie course of infallible faith Therfore her preaching is infallible The Maior is euident becaus a humane and fallible cause cannot produce a diuine and infallible effect And g See sup n. 2. as Whitaker l. 1. de scrip p. 166. The effect doth not surpass the cause And less can it be a necessarie cause therof becaus what is fallible cannot be necessarie for what is fallible maie faile and what is necessarie to faith cannot faile Besides al grant that the extraordinarie cause of infallible faith by the preaching of the Apostles and Prophets was infallible as we shewed in the fourth Chapter n. 5. and why not also the ordinarie cause by the preaching of the Church seeing the end of both preachings is the same to wit infallible faith For if ordinarie fallible aâ—thoritie in the Church can cause infallible faith what need had God to giue infallible authoritie to the Prophets and Apostles for that end The minor to wit that the Churches preaching
the good of the Church which was to continue after the Apostles Thus we haue refuted the Protestants three answers to this promise of Christ and shewed them to be mere shifts Nay indeed they turne Christs most bountiful promise made vnto his Church to nothing for to what purpose is it to teach the Church al fundamental or absolutly necessarie truths and not tel her which are those truths To what purpose were it to teach the Church vneffectually as Reprobates are taught To what purpose were it that the Apostles alone were taught al truth if the Church also were not taught it who is to teach vs as they taught her 4. An other promise of Infallibilitie in matters of faith made to the Church is Isaiae 59. v. 21. This is my Conuenant with the saieth our lord my spirit which is in the and my words which I haue put in thy mouth shal not depart from thy mouth and from the mouth of thy sred and from the mouth of thy seeds seed saith our Lord from hence forward and for euer Which words are not a command as Moulins would haue it but a conuenant or promise and that absolute not conditional as Plessiae wold and doe plainly promise to the Church continual infallibilitie and infallibilitie for euer and in al the words of God which he hath put in her mouth and are so plain as Whitaker contr 2. q. 5. c. 19. saied This place doth shew that true preaching of the word shal be in the Church perpetual Yet l. 1. de Scrip. p. 133. he saieth this promise was not made to the teaching Church but to the whole Church that is the elect But first this distinction of the teaching Church and the elest Church hath no ground in the text and therfore is a voluntarie and irrational shift Secondly words put in thy mouth shew plainly that it is made to the teaching Church and as Whitaker before cited shew that true preaching of the word shal be perpetual in the Church Thirdly if this promise be made to the whole elect Church it comprehendeth some parte at least of the teaching Church For alwries some of the teaching Church are Elect and so there are alwaies some preachers of al points of faith in the Church I omit their vsual shift of their distinction of Fundamental and not fundamental points of faith both becaus there are no not fundamental points in their sense that is not necessarie to sauing faith true Church and Saluation but al are fundamental to those ends that is necessarie to be beleued at least virtually and also actually if they be sufficiently proposedâ— And also becaus z See part 1 l. 1. c. 7. Protestants doe not constantly defend that the Church is infallible in fundamental points and a See infra l. 2 c. 10. sect 2. generally they say that she is not infallible in their most fundamental point of al to wit that scripture is the word of God and al of them denie her to be diuinely infallible in anie point of faith what soeuer And God in these words plainly testifieth that he wil make her diuinely infallible becaus he wil put his word in her mouth and make that it shal neuer depart from her which is to make her diuinely infallible as he made the Prophets or Euangelists For I cal that diuinely infallible which is infallible by Gods diuine assistance and not by anie natural insight of truth and natural fidelitie in telling it And such diuine infallibilitie God hath promised to his Church in the foresaid words of the Prophet or that can not be promised by anie words which men can speak or hear 5. And now Gentle Reader I pray thee consider First how manie places to omit others for breuitie sake I haue brought for the diuine infallibilitie of the true Church of God in al matters of faith secondly how directly they affirme the said infallibilitie so as they need no inference of ours though I haue reduced some of them to sillogistical forme becaus b Beza in Colloq mont p. 95. 96. 98. Hunnius de Condit disput thesi 18. Vvhitaker Prâ—â— Controu Morton part 2. Apol. l. 1. 〈◊〉 49. Fulco de Sucâ—es p. 493. Chilling c. 3. n. 43. Protestants do require it Thirdly how clearly that Protestants are forced to inuent so manie so new so contrarie one to the other so voluntarie and so violent expositions Fourthly how against so manie so direct so plain places of Scripture which teach the infallibilitie of the Church in al points of faith Protestants cannot bring one place of Scripture which directly so much as seemeth to teach that she is fallible in points of faith as may be seen in Whitaker contro 2. q 4. c. 3. and other Protestants who write of this matter but al their arguments are ether taken wholy from mere natural reason or at least partly from natural reason which euidently sheweth that they can haue no diuine and infallible faith that the Church is fallible in points of faith becaus the conclusion followeth the weaker part wheras Catholiks haue express and clear scripture for her infallibilitie and consequently good ground for diuine faith of it The most they can bring out of Scripture for their purpose are some examples which are the same which the Donatists brought for the perishing of the Church as may be seen in S. Augustin l. de Vnitate c. 13. to which he there fully answereth and indeed do rather proue the perishing of the Church then her erring in faith and therfore must be answered as wel of Protestants as of Catholiks For as Whitaker saieth Contro 2. q. 3. c. 1. He is mad that saieth the Church can Perish And ibid. c. 2. who denieth that the Church is founded for euer and to continue perpetually he is no Christian Morton in his replie for defence of his apologie p. 90. It is madness to say that the whole visible Church can faile and Chillingworth c. 3. § 11. we beleue the Catholik Church can not perish Though this he beleue not infallible For in answer to the preface § 18. he saieth the contrarie doctrin I doe at no hand beleue to be a damnable heresie And c. 5. § 41. Nether is it certain that the doctrin of the Churches failing is reâ—ugnant to the Creed Fiftly consider how vntruly wrote Chillingworrh c. 2. § 28. of Catholiks you yourselues doe not so much as pretend to enforce to the beleif hereof Infallibilitie of the Church by anie proofs infallible and conuincing but onely to induce vs to it by such as are by your confession onely probable motiues § 35. your faith euen of the foundation of your faith yoâ—r Churches authoritie is built lastly and wholy vpon prudential motiues And § 70. The faith of Papists relies alone vpon their Churches infallibilitie That there is anie Church infallible and that theirs is it they pretend not to beleue but onely vpon prudential motiues Are so manie so plain so
no firme or solid foundation of my beleef in anie thing Nor likewise no firme or solid Rule 6. Fiftly they grant that the voice Cause of diuine faith authoritie or testimonie of the Church is a true cause of diuine faith Whitaker l. 1. de Scriptura p. 118. The Church is Mother of beleuers P. 121. The Church by preaching the Gospel begot vs to Christ P. 175. I denie not that the voice of the Church is an instrumental cause of beleuing l. 3. c. 441. I exclude not the testimonie of the Church from a cause of beleuing if by cause you mean an instrument P. 442. Thou tellest what kinde of instrument the Church is to wit not dumb or dead but in which is its proper motion and vertue And who denieth this or knoweth not the necessitie or vertue of this instrument Ibid. p. 425. The Church is Mistress of faith Item faith is the effect of the Churches testimonie And contr 2. q. 5. c. 19. The Church maketh faithful by preaching of the word And l. 1. de Scrip. p. 145. out of both testimonies Spirit and Church faith is in some sort inflamed and burneth Contr. 1. q. 3. c. 3. God reuealeth truth by the Church c. 11. We confess God speaketh by the God speaketh by the Church Church And generally al Protestants confess that the Church is the Mother of the faithful and a mother is a true cause of her Children And if the Church be the mother of the faithful doe beget the faithful if her voice her testimonie be an instrumental cause of diuine faith if she haue a proper vertue in producing faith if diuine faith be the effect of her testimonie and by her preaching she make faithful Surely If the effect be diuine the cause is diuine she hath a diuine power or vertue For as Whitaker confesseth l. 1. de Scripturâ p. 166. The effect surpasseth not the cause and l. 3. § 415. Such as the doctrin and religion is which we professâ— such also must the cause and authoritie of beleuing be So also Potter sec 5. p. 7. Field of the Church l. 4. c. 2 Chillingworth c. 2. n 154. c. 3. n. 33. But the effect of the Church is truly diuine to wit diuine faith Therfore also her testimonie and is truly diuine And indeed how can we diuinely and infallibly beleue for a humane and fallible testimonie How can diuine faith be the effect of a humane testimonie SIXTEENTH CHAPTER That Protestants doe diuers vvaies grant that the Authoritie or Testimonie of the Church is a formal cause of diuine faith 1. THis followeth first out of that they granted the authoritie of the Church in matters of Sâ—p c. 15. n. 2. faith to be diuine For doubtles if it be diuine it may be some formal cause of diuine faith Nay they think as is before shewed that if it be diuine it may be the vltimate formal cause of diuine faith But otherwise they grant it also For first they confess that the cause why they beleue the Scripture is the authoritie of the Church Whitaker l. 2. de Scriptura p. 320. I grant indeed that the Ratio credendâ— est propâ—er quam credimus Vvhitaker l. 3. de Scrip. p 442. 459. Scripture is to be receaued becaus 〈◊〉 is receaued of the Church P. 312. Al Christians are moued by the authoritie of the Church to beleue the Gospel Cont. 1. q. 3. c. 9. Al these Fathers what other thing doe they proue then that the Gospel is to be receaued becaus it hath alwaies been receaued of the Church and some books to be reiected becaus the Church alwaies Becaus reiected them This we most willingly grant Ibid. sec 5. p. 322. we beleue them For. to be canonical not for the onelie testimonie or authoritie of the By. Church to beleue these books to be canonical And ibid. c. 1. This way seems For. tolerable that Scripture is diuine in it self but not acknowledged for such but for the testimonie of the Church Laude Relat. sec 15. p. 57. T is not denied that this baptisme of Infants is an Apostolical Therfore tradition and therfore to be beleued Chillingworth c. 2. p. 73. we must receaue the sacred canons vpon Vpon the credit of Gods Church Ibid. we wil Becaus say with Athanasius That onely fowr Gospels are to be receaued becaus the Canons of the holie Catholik Church vnderstand of al ages since the perfection of the Canons haue so determined Ibid. p. 62. We beleue the Scripture vpon Vpon the credibilitie of vniuersal tradition And c. 3. p. 140. We haue sufficient certaintie From. of Scripture from vniuersal tradition And what can those causal particles Becaus By For Vpon From Therfore in this matter signifie but a formal cause of beleef 2. Hooker l. 2. § 4. There is some pause wheron to rest our assurance of Pause to rest assurance or the Scripture beside the Scripture and some other thing which may assure vs. And this pause wheron to rest our assurance and which can assure vs of the Scripture he saieth l. 5. § 8. is the authoritie of the Church And what is that which is a pause wheron we rest the assurance of our beleef but some formal cause of our beleef Laude Relat. sec 16. p. 119. The credit of the Scripture to be diuine Main ground hath three main grounds The first is the tradition of the Church And is not that which is a main ground of beleef some formal cause of beleef And sec 38. p. 344. we relie vpon the infallible authoritie of the word of God and Relie vpon the whole Catholik Church And is not that some formal cause of beleef vpon which we relie as we doe vpon the word of God Couel art 4. p. Doubtless it is a tolerable opinion in the Church of Rome that the Scriptures are holie and diuine in themselues but so esteemed of vs for the authoritie of the Church And is not that For. for which we esteem the Scriptures to be diuine some formal cause of our esteem of them The like hath Whitaker contr 1. q. 3. c. 1. who also l. 1. de Script p. 23. saieth That the question between him and D. Stapleton was whether we are to beleue For. the Scripture to be diuine onely for the testimonie of the Church or rather for the inward persuasion of the holie Ghost The same he saieth contr 1. q. 3. c. 1. Wherin he plainly supposeth that we are to beleue the Scripture to be diuine for the authoritie of the Church and onely denieth that we are to beleue so for it alone Which al Catholiks also denie And contr 1. q. 3. c. 3. saieth Manie beleued Christ for the testimonie of Ihon. And c. 5. p. 322. we beleue them to be canonical not onely for the authoritie of the Church Then partly for her authoritie Ibid. It followeth not that we know
authoritie with which in ordinarie course it maketh one total or entire formal cause of faith SEAVENTENTH CHAPTER Hovv a vicious circle is auoided in prouing the Scripture by the Church and the Church by the Scripture 1. PRotestants greatly obiect to Catholiks that they Laude sect 16. p. 64. 116. Châ—ling c. 2. n. 118. c. 3. n. 27. Field l. 4. c. 7 Morton 10. 1. Apol. l. 1. c. 55 make a vicious circle becaus they proue the Church by the Scripture and likewise the Scripture by the Church Wheras themselues vse the same proof and haue the same difficultie and auoidles apparently as we shal make manifest a vicious circle For as is euident by their confessions relate din the fourteenth Chapter commonly they teach that the testimonie of the Church is necessarie to beleue the Scripture to be the word of God and that it cannot be known to be such by its own light alone and yet they proue the Church to be the true Church onely by the scripture Laude Relat. sec 16. p. 38. and 102. thinketh to See inâ—â—a l. 2. c. 6. seâ— 2. auoid a vicious circle thus That though they doe mutually yet they doe not equally confirme the authoritie ether of other For the Scripture doth infallibly confirme the authoritie of the tradition of the Church but tradition doth but morally and probably confirme the authoritie of the Scripture But first it is fals that the Church doth but probably confirme the authoritie of the Scripture For as we haue shewed before the Churches testimonie is a sufficient external and ministerial means to beget diuine faith and the holie Fathers also proued sufficiently the diuine veritie of Scripture against such as denied anie parte of it by the authoritie of the Church and it were to expose the credit of Scripture to the laughter of Infidels to say that it cannot be proued otherwise then probably and that al Christian faith of what is in scripture relieth vpon onely probable proof that the scripture Seesup c. 8. n. 13. is the word of God Besids it is euidently fals and no way proued that after the Church hath probably proued that the Scripture is the word of God the Scripture it self sheweth a clear light that it is the the word of God For that the Scripture hath such a clear light ether before the Churches testimonie or after is merely faigned without al proof and if it had it would not cause faith in vs that it is the word of God becaus faith is of things not appearing but science or knowledg Moreouer seing Laude and Protestants generally confess that the Church is infallible in fundamental points they cannot consequently say that she is not infallible in this point That the Scripture is the word of God becaus they account this the Hooker l. 1. §. 14. Laudesest 11. p. 43. sect 16. p. 59. 65. 110. See infral 2. 6. 11. sect 1. fundation of al other points whatsoeuer And what is infallible affordeth an infallible and more then a moral and probable proof Besids this circle were vicious becaus the proof were not equal on ether side For on the Scriptures side it were infallible and on the Churches side but fallible And we ask for an infallible proof of Scripture as wel as of the Church becaus we must be infallibly assured of both and to giue vs a fallible proof of the Scripture by the Church were to delude vs. Finally I ask if the Scripture doe infallibly confirme the tradition of the Church as Laude saieth how doth the tradition of the Church onely probably confirme the authoritie of the Scripture can not that which is infallibly proued or confirmed make an infallible proof of some other thing 2. But Catholiks far more clearly auoid al vicious circles For euerie circular proof is not vicious but that onely wherby our knowledg is no way bettered For the effect may be proued a priori or propter quid by the cause and the cause a posteriori or quia by the effect and say that our diuine faith of the Church nether first riseth nor dependeth of the certaine of the Scripture but onely is confirmed by the Scripture but that the certaintie of the Scripture both first riseth and stil dependeth for vs on the authoritie of the Church For the true Church of God whosoeuer she is was beleued more then two thousand yeares before there was anie Scripture and she hath sufficient authoritie to testifie of herself This we proue by al the waies by which we proued that she is a sufficient proposer of al points of faith For if of al euen of herself that she is the true Church For this is a point and a principal one of faith Besids the foresaid proofs not onely proue that she is a sufficient proposer of points of faith but also that she is such of herself or of her own authoritie giuen to her by God For if of her preaching faith riseth if she be the pillar and ground of truth if she be a witnes apointed by God if her voice be one with the voice of Christ her authoritie is diuine and she is euen for herself to be beleued as the Apostles were to be beleued for Sup. c. 4 â— 5. themselues The Fathers also who by her authoritie proued the Scriptures against such heretiks as denied them and as they thought sufficiently and infallibly surely did think that she was to be beleued for her own authoritie For by Scripture they could not proue her against such as denied Scripture Reason also confirmeth the same For if a Disciple of Christ be to be beleued for himself why not the Spouse of Christ one mistical person with him whose head he is and whose soule is the holie Ghost And if S. Paul could say I Paul say vnto you If you be circumcised Galat. 5. Christ wil not profit you Why not the Church Whitaker l 1. de Script p. 86. saieth who haue such a Spirit as Paul had may by some iudgment testifie their Spirit And contr 1. q. 3. c. 3. Paul doth aproue his epistles with his own name and iudgment The old and new Testament doe confirme and signe one the other In other causes this mutual confirmation is naught worth But in this it is much worth becaus none is so fit a witnes of God and of his word as God himself in his word And why may we not say the same of the Church and Scripture which he saieth of the old and new Testament becaus none is so fit a witnes of God and of his Church and of his word as God in his Church and in his word If S. Iohn could say of himself we know that his testimonie is true why may not the Spouse C. 21. of Christ who is one mistical person with him and whose head he is to whome he promised the assistance of the Holie Ghost to teach her al truth and the Holie Ghost is her soule say the
they mutually confirme each other yet with this difference that the true Church giueth sufficient testimonie to her self sufficient I say to beleue her with diuine faith to be the true Church of God becaus her authoritie in matters of faith is diuine as the Apostles was and therfore needeth not the testimonie of the Scripture to be beleued to be such as Christ gaue sufficient testimonie to himself Ioan. 5. S. Ihon Baptist to himself If particular men were credible of themselues why not the whole Church of God Math. 3. S. Ihon Euangelist to himself Ioan. 21. and S. Paul to himself Galat. 1. 2. Cor. 4. and so doth the pillar and ground of truth to her self But the Scripture giueth not sufficient testimonie of it self to be infallibly beleued to be Gods word but needeth authoritie of some infallible Author or Person becaus Scripture is onely the material obiect which is to be beleued and authoritie is the formal obiect or cause of beleef without which there can be no true or formal beleef but onely science or opinion For as S. Austin saieth That we beleue we owe to authoritie And Whitaker l. 3. de Script p. 408. Faith relieth vpon authoritie Authoritie is the foundation of faith Yet Scripture being beleued to be Gods word is a sufficient testimonie to confirme the beleef already had of the Church and also to produce such beleef in those who beleue not the Church And thus much for answer to that question How we beleue the Church to be infallible For we first beleue the Church God speaketh by the mouth of the Church Vvhitaker l. 3 de Scrip 414. so also Contr. 1 q. 3. c. 11. see c. 4. n. 4. and c. 14. n. 1. to be infallible for Gods vocal word vttered by the Church And we are confirmed in that beleef for Gods written word in the Scripture And to Catholiks we giue Gods vocal word as the first subordinat cause of that our beleef but to such as beleue the Scripture and not the Church we giue onely Gods written word And therfore no maruel if to Protestants who admit not the authoritie of Gods Church or his vocal word we proue the infallibilitie of the Church onely by Scripture wheras if they did equally admit as wel Gods vocal word as his written word or his true Church as his Scripture we might without anie vitious Circle at al mutually proue Gods vocal word by his written word and his written by his vocal and his Church by his Scripture and his Scripture by his Church becaus Gods testimonie is sufficient for proof of whatsoeuer and by what means soeuer it be vttered to wit by speech by writing or howsoeuer els Wherfore this is no vitious Circle God saieth by his Church that God speaketh by his Church Vvhitaker supra such Scripture is his word Therfore it is so God saieth by his Scripture that such are his Church Therfore they are so 5. And as for answer to the question How know you the true Church to be infallible in al matters of faith I say that beside the reasons grounded in Scripture giuen before we may giue a natural reason therof For as S. Austin saieth rightly If God haue L. de vâ—il cred c. 16. prouidence of mankinde he hath on earth setled some authoritie on which we relying may mount to him And this authoritie must not be blinde or deceiptful in matters of saluation as al matters of faith are as al fallible authoritie is and therfore is infallible in al such matters And as the same S. Austin saieth of the Scripture that if the lest lie be found in it the authoritie of al the rest faileth so if in the authoritie which God hath setled on earth for matters of Saluation there were found anie error we could not securely relie vpon it And the same reason teacheth vs that if God would setle this infallible authoritie on earth in anie he would setle it in his Church who is his beloued Spouse and Mother of the Faithful whome he hath apointed to conceaue them by the diuine seed of his word to beare nourish and guide them in their way to saluation For who can be imagined to be more fit to be infallible in matters of Saluation then the spouse of God the mother Nurse and Guide of the Faithful Would God apoint to mankinde a blinde or deceiptful guide to saluation surely no if he effectually meant to saue mankinde Nether wil it suffice to grant as Protestants doe that the Church is infallible in fundamental points first becaus there are no fundamental points 〈◊〉 their sense that is such as suffice to saluation though others sufficiently proposed be not beleued Secondly becaus if as S. Austin saied of the Scripture she lie in some points of faith we cannot be sure she doth not in others Wherfore wel saied Chillingworth c. 3. n. 36. An authoritie subiect to error can be no stable or firme foundation of my beleef in anie thing Thirdly becaus Protestants cannot tel which precisely are such fundamental points as they imagin and therfore cannot be certain in which points the Church erreth not Fourthly becaus they say the Church is fallible euen in their most fundamental point of al which is That Scripture is the word of God and sometimes also in other fundamental points as is shewed parte 1. l. 1. c. 7. Fiftly Chillingworth denieth that there is anie one certain Church vniuersal or particular which is infallible euen in fundamental points but onely that there are alwaies some vncertain men who hold al the fundamental points and therfore denieth that anie certain Church is an infallible Guide euen in fundamentals and saieth c. 2 n 139. p. 105. you must know there is a wide difference between infallible in No certain Church infaâ—lible euen â—â—fundamental points fundamentals and being an Infallible guide euen in fundamentals and we vtterly denie the Church to be the latter For to say so were to oblidge ourselues to finde some certain societie of men of whome we might be certain that they nether doe nor can err in fundamentals nor in declaring what is fundamental what not fundamental and consequently to make anie Church an infallible Guide in fundamentals would be to make it infallible in al things which Note this she proposeth and requireth to beleued Which he often times repeateth c. 3. as n. 39. 55. 58. and 60. where he addeth that it is falsly supposed that they grant that in some certain points No certain Church to be obeied vnder pain â—f damnation fundamental some certain Church is infallibly assisted and vnder pain of damnation to be obeyed So that no certain Church vniuersal or particular is ether an infallible Guide or to be beleued or obeyed vnder pain of damnation euen in fundamental points Beside The Church and Some Church are different For The Church signifieth the whole true Church as himself confesseth c. 5. n. 26. p. 263. or The
we challeng not Ibid. § 154. you content not yourselues with a moral certaintie of things you beleue p. 113. Moral certaintie sufficient Me thinks you should require onely a moral and modest assent to them points of faith and not a diuine as you cal it and infallible faith Ibid. § 159. p. 116. God requireth of vs vnder pain of damnation onely to beleue the verities therin Scripture conteined and not the diuine authoritie of the books wherin Not diuine authoritie of Scripture they are conteined We haue I beleue as great reason to beleue there was such a man as Henrie the Eight King of England as that Iesus Christ suffered vnder Pontius Pilat C 6. § 3. p. 325. That there is required of vs a As great reason for beleef of K. Hen. as of Christ. knowledg of them points of faith and an adherence to them as certain as that of sense or science that such a certaintie is required of vs vnder pain of damnation this I haue demonstrated to be a great error and of dangerous and pernicious consequence § 5. p. 327. Men may talke their pleasure of an absolute and most infallible certaintie but did they generally beleue that obedience to Christ were the onely way to present and eternal felicitie but as much as Caesars Commentaries or the historie of Salust I beleue the liues of most men Papists and Protestants would be better then they are And therfore it followes from your own reason that faith which is not a most certain and infallible knowledg may be true and sauing faith C. 7. § 7. p. 389. In requiring that this faith should be diuine and Dangerous that faith must be infallible infallible you cast your Credents into infinit perplexitie Erasmus on the 2. and 27. of Mathew There is no fear that al the authoritie of the Scripture shold fall if anie error were found in it Luther called the Scripture The books of Heretiks Protestants in Colloq Ratisbon sess 11. say that we must distinguish betwene the faith wherwith we beleue points necessarie to saluation and historical faith wherwith we beleue the Scripture to be the word of God And historical faith is not diuine faith vnles they wil make manie kinds of diuine faith And they add that there is not equal reason of beleuing that scripture is Gods word and that Christ is Incarnate And Whitaker l. 1. de Script p. 88. who haue no other faith but historical doe no more beleue Christ then the Diuels Moulins in his Bucler sec 4. p. 13. Properly speaking articles Scripture no doctrin of Christian religion of faith are doctrins of Christian religion and in this sense the Canon of Canonical books is no article of faith So that the Canon of Scripture is no doctrin of Christian religion White in his Defense c. 30. p. 282. scripture ether by the immediate light Scripture known by â—ight of nature of Gods spirit or by the light of nature may be known to be Gods word And if by the light of nature without diuine faith Hooker l. 3. § 8. we know by reason that the scripture is the word of God By reason Whitaker aforsaid l. 1. de Script p. 25. The most diuine character of the scripture doth most plainly tel al that ether haue receaued the Holie Ghost or are imbued with mean understanding By mean vnderstanding that it came from God And if mean vnderstanding suffice without the Holie Ghost there need no diuine faith to beleue it And ibid. p. 122. Who hath reason and wil vse it may therby most easily discern these diuine books from mens books P. 150. Scriptures By onelie reading may be known by onely reading And in praefat ad Staplet The Scripture giueth so clear a testimonie of its diuiniâ— tie that who read it with a smal attention and iudgment cannot be ignorant that it is diuine And p. 77. vnles he be doltish l. 2. p. 235. Scriptures may be acknowledged and held without the testimonie of the Spirit NINTH CHAPTER VVhether translated Scripture be authentical FIRST SECTION Protestants sometimes affirme WHite in his Way to the Church p. 12. I say the Scripture translated into English Translated Scripture rule of faith is the Rule of faith whervpon I relying haue not a humane but a diuine authoritie And p. 27. The doctrin conteined in the Scripture is a light and so abideth into what language soeuer it be translated and therfore the children of light know it and discern it Ibid. So the vnlearned man is secured not vpon the Churches credit and authoritie but by the ministerie which teacheth him he is directed to the light itself And this Ministerie we haue and vse for our Translations but they that obey it know the Translation and so proportionably The matter of Scripture sheweth it self al articles of faith to be infallible becaus the matter therof appeares to them as a candle in a lantern shewing it self in its own light And in his table before his book The Scriptures translated into English are the Rule of faith And in his Defense of his Way c. 28. p. 266. Though it be granted that the Ministerie of men and rules of art and knowledg of tonges be al subiect to error yet doth it not follow that by them we cannot obtein infallible assurance of our translations Chillingworth c. 2. § 32. we beleue the Scripture not finally Matter of Scripture known by it self and for itself but for the matter conteined in it And so al Protestants should say seing when they exhort the common people to the reading of their translated Bibles they bear them in hand that it is the word of God and that their translation of the word of God is authentical and worthie to be beleued for it self Besids they did the people beleue what they teach them becaus it is in their Bibles and so make their Bibles the rule and ground of their peoples faith And no other infallible rule of faith their common people can pretend to haue Moreouer if they make the matter or true sense of Scripture the rule of faith as commonly they doe they cannot denie but Scripture truly translated hath the same matter which the original hath SECOND SECTION Sometimes denie it WHitaker Contro 1. q. 2. c. 7. We make no edition of Scripture authentical but the Hebrew in the old and the Greek in the New Testament Translations if No translation authentical they agree we allow them if they differ we reiect them Ibid. c. 8. We doe doe not say that we must stand to our translations as authentical of themselues but we appeal to the fountaines onely as truly authentical C. 9. Authentical Scripture must come imediatly from the Holie Ghost C. 10. onely authentical is Canonical Et ibid. q. 5. c. 9. The ignorance of the original toungs Hebrew and Greek hath caused manie errors And thus al Protestants should say becaus
P. 76. Faith is of scriptures heard P. 108. Faith is begotten not of testimonie of the Church but onely out of scripture P. 122. The The â—â—elie sufficient means scripture is the most strong the most effectual I ad also now the onely sufficient means to beleue P. 130. Our faith relieth vpon the scriptures alone P. 165. scriptures are the foundations of our faith P. 167. The scripture is the beginning of beleuing The same he hath p. 168. P. 173. The formal cause of our Scripture the formal cause of beleef faith is not the voice of the Church but Gods word reuealed in the scriptures Potter sec 5 p. 8. The principal motiue and last obiect of beleif is the diuine last obiect authoritie of the scripture it self P. 10. The cheif principle ground on which faith rests and for which it firmely The ground of faith assents vnto those truths which the Church propounds is the diuine reuelation made in scripture sec 7. p. 95. The creed conteines onely the material The formal obiect obiect of faith The scripture is further the formal obiect of faith or the motiue and ground whervpon faith is grounded being both the obiectâ—m quod in respect of things therin reuealed and obiectum Obiectum quod and quâ— quo in respect of that diuine veritie and authoritie which reueals them Laude Relat. sec 16. p. 84. Tradition of the present Church is the first moral motiue to beleue but the beleif it self That the scripture is the word of God rests vpon the scripture P. 89. Doe Faith resolued into Scripture you grant as you ought to doe that we resolue our faith into scripture as the ground and we wil neuer denie that Tradition is the key that letts vs in Sec. 18. p. 123. The Prophets testimonie was diuine into which namely their writings the Iewes did resolue their faith Hooker l. 2. § 7. Scripture is The ground of al beleef the ground of al beleif Chillingworth c. 3. § 32. p. 149. I can not know anie doctrin to be a diuine and supernatural truthe but becaus the scripture saies so And where saies it that it is the word of God Vttermost formal cause of faith Morton to 2. Apol. l. 1. c. 37. Papists are forced against their wil to grant that thè vttermost formal cause of Catholik faith doth not consist in the authoritie of the Church but in scripture Ib. The diuine authoritie of the scripture by vertue of the holie Ghost doth imprint in the minds of the hearers the last formal Last formal cause cause of faith And l 5. c. 11. scripture is to the faithâ—ul the supreme Iudge euen concerning vs in which our consciences doe last rest In his Appeal l. Last rest and resolution 3. c 15. sec 5. In the doctrin of scripture mens consciences may take their last rest and resolution White in his Table before his way The last resolution of our faith is into the authoritie of the scripture And yet they cannot denie but the authoritie of the Scripture is create For they were written by men And so the formal cause the vttermost formal cause the last formal cause the last rest Create authoritie the vttermost formal cause of Protest faith the last resolution of their faith is create authoritie and not Prima veritas it self as they pretend and condemn Catholiks for onely saying that the create authoritie of the true formal cause but say not as Protestants say of Scripture the vttermost the last formal cause the last resolution of our faith Besids Protestants make Protestants inferences out of humane Principles the last resolution of their faith their own Inferences partly out of some humane principle to be equal and equiualent vnto express Scripture or word of God as is shewed before c. 3 sec 2. and so make their own Inferences and those partly out of humane Principles the formal cause the vttermost the last formal cause that into which their faith is last resolued and withal teach that L. 1. c. 18 n. 1. the Inference cannot be more certain then the Principle out of which it is inferred How then can their faith haue more certaintie then humane as Chillingworth confessed c. 8. sec 2. SECOND SECTION Sometimes denie it CHillingworth c. 2. n. 159. p. 116. For other reasons I conceaue this doctrin that Scripture is the rule of faith Not fundamental becaus if a man should beleue Christian religion Scripture no fâ—ndamental doctrin wholy and entirely and liue according to it such a man though he should not know or not beleue the Scripture to be a rule of faith no nor to be the word of God my opinion is he may be saued so that the books of Scripture are not so much the obiects of our faith as the instruments of conueying it to our vnderstanding and not so much of the being of Christian doctrin as requisit to the welbeing of it Ireneus tels vs of some barbarous nations that beleued the doctrin of Christ and yet beleued not the Scripture to be the word of God For they neuer heard of it and faith comes of hearing God requiring of vs vnder pain of damnation onely Not damnabâ—e not to beâ—eue the Scripture to beleue the verities therin conteined and not the diuine authoritie of the books wherin they are conteined Ibid. n. 32. p. 65. Which Scripture we beleue not finally and for it self but for the matter conteined in it We Scripture not last obâ—â—st of faith are to beleue it not as the last obiect of out faith but as the means of it Ibid. Natural reason built on principles common Natural â—eason last â—eâ—oluâ—◠〈◊〉 of â—rotest faith to al men is the last resolution of our faith of the Scripture into which the Churches authoritie is but the first inducement n. 115. p. 96. By you as wel as by Protestants al is finally resolued into reason Baro in his Apologie pro disput de obiecto fidei p. 48. Laicks beleue the doctrin which is proposed to them to be beleued to be in the Protest beleue Scripture but with 〈…〉 ne faith Scripture onely with humane faith Behold first That Scripture is the rule of faith is no fundamental doctrin Secondly one may be saued though the beleue not the Scripture to be the word of God Thirdly books of Scripture are not so much obiects of our faith as instruments therof Fourthly are not so much of the being of Christian faith as of the wel being of it Fiftly God requires not vnder pain of damnation to beleue the diuine authoritie of Scripture Sixtly we beleue not the Scripture finally and for it self Seauently It is not the last obiect of faith Eightly natural reason is the last resolution of Protestants faith of the Scripture Ninthly Laicks beleue their doctrin to be in the Scripture but with humane faith And can that which is such be the formal
could see them to be Apostles of themselues but becaus they gaue to others the light of faith and pietie And thus much for this first proof that Scripture cannot sufficiently shew it self to be the word of God for want of the material obiect of diuine faith which is Gods saying that it is his word For God no where saieth in Scripture that Scripture is his word and what God faieth diuine faith cannot beleue 7. An other argument to the same purpose may be taken from the Scriptures not hauing in it self the formal obiect of faith which is authoritie For albeit Scripture in it self contein most diuine and infallible veritie yet taken by it self as it is such words and such sense it hath not proper authoritie becaus Authoritie is in an Author and an Author is a Rational or intellectual Person saying something which for his authoritie or credit we beleue And Veritie which we beleue is in his speech Authoritie or Veracitie for which we beleue is in his person Likewise we cannot beleue but for some witnes who testifieth that which we are to beleue and a witnes doubtles is an intellectual person distinct from his testimonie or that which he witnesseth And Scripture is no intellectual person but the testimonie of God who is supreme witnes of it Wherfore it is no formal cause of our beleef as a witnes is but onely the material obiect which is to be beleued Besids the Character or stile of Scripture or the doctrin or maiestie therof being not authoritie or veracitie they cannot cause formal faith or beleif but at most opinion or knowledg For as we haue often repeated out of S. Austin That we beleue we owe to Authoritie Which is so euident as Whitaker l. 3 de Scriptura p. 408. saieth Faith relieth vpon authoritie Authoritie is the foundation of faith And p. 509. To beleue some Authoritie is necessarie Wherfore wel wrote Stapleton Contro 3. q. 1. art 2. The word of God it self written or vnwritten is not of it self and properly à mean to beleue but is that which is beleued Is not the formal obiect of faith or anie parte therof but is the material obiect For the word speaketh not but is heard by the voice of God or of the Church speaking and faith is of hearing the word of God And therfore properly Scripturam credimus non Scripturae And in like manner Potter sec 7. p. 95. saieth The Creed conteines onely the material obiect of faith not the formal And yet it conteines the words and sense of Scripture Wherfore the Scripture it self containes not the formal obiect of faith but onely the material which is diuine veritie And when graue Authors attribute authoritie to Scripture ether they take authoritie for veritie or credibilitie to be beleued or they speak figuratiuely attribâ—ting by prosopopeia a person to the Scripture as is vsual when men speak of writings to speak of them as if they were the writers So we say the Scripture speaketh saieth teacheth and such like meaning God by the Scripture doth so Or els they take not Scripture by it self but with the writer therof And so no doubt it hath authoritie not in it self but adioined to it to wit as it is the Scripture of God or word of God But this authoritie is the increate authoritie of God himself beside which we must haue in ordinarie course à create authoritie for to beleue with diuine faith and this create authoritie is not in the Scripture but in the Church and much less is in the Scripture Prima vâ—ritas as Whitaker saieth l. 3. de Scripturâ p. 485. 509. For so it shold not be a made or created thing but God himself And hence appeareth that Protestants beleuing what they beleue merely becaus they finde â—up c. 11. â—ect 1. it in Scripture and making Scripture their formal and vttermost cause of their beleif haue no formal faith becaus they beleue not for anie formal authoritie or veracitie but for seeming veritie of the things which they finde in Scripture which seeming veritie may cause opinion but not true and formal faith But to admit that the original hand writings of the Prophets and Apostles known to be theirs had authoritie sufficient to beget diuine faith how can mere copies of their writings and those made by fallible men as al Bibles now extant are made by ordinarie writers or Printers haue Copies of authentical writings are not authentical of themselues such authoritie vnles they be signed or testified by some authentical person that they are agreable to the Originals Are mere Copies of neuer so authentical writings made by priuate men but not testified by anie of sufficient credit that they are agreable to the originals of sufficient credit to beget humane vndoubted beleif in anie court of Iustice And wil we haue mere copies of the Prophets or Apostles writings made by fallible and ordinarie men to be of themselues alone of sufficient credit to beget diuine faith can not vndoubted humane faith be gotten by such mere copies not attested by anie authentical person and can vndoubted diuine faith becaused by such copies made by fallible men cannot reasonably be accouÌ„ted infallible vnles they be attested by some infallible person and it is the attestation of the infallible person which maketh them infallibly credible to vs. Wherfore out of that which I haue hitherto said I argue Vvhat is onely the material obiect of faith is not the formal thus in forme What is onely thematerial obiect of faith or is onely beleued cannot be also the formal obiect of faith and the reason of beleuing That which is the word of God written or vnwritten is onely the material obiect of faith and what is beleued Therfore it can not be also the formal obiect and reason of beleuing The Maior is euident The Minor I proue becaus the word of God taken by it self hath no formal authoritie And onely formal authoritie is the formal obiect of faith and reason of beleuing And here is the difference betwixt the word of God and the Prophets Apostles and Church of God that these haue formal diuine authoritie in themselues and therfore are not onely material obiects of faith and beleued to be Prophets Apostles Difference between Scripture and Church and Church of God but also are formal external reasons of beleuing what they say themselues are or what els they propose 8. A third proof that Scripture of it self cannot sufficiently propose it self to be the word of God is becaus the authoritie of the true Church is the formal external cause for which in ordinarie course the Scripture is beleued with diuine faith to be the word of God This is euident out of those places in Scripture which we cited before l. 1. c. 11. and 12. which not onely proue the necessitie of the Churches preaching the Scripture to be Gods word for to be beleued as such but also proue the verie authoritie
of the Church to be necessarie for to beleue it For faith is said to be of hearing of the word of God lawfully preached The Church is called the pillar and ground of truth she is accounted Gods witnes her voice Christs voice her Pastors are accounted Gods Legats and apointed by God to keep men constant in faith Al which doe shew not onely that the Churches preaching is necessarie to beleue but that also her authoritie or testimonie is necessarie And al authoritie or testimonie is a formal cause of beleif becaus That we beleue Chilling c. 1. n. 7. we ow to authoritie And Protestants define faith to be an assent to diuine Reuelations vpon the authoritie of the Reuealer And doubtles à Reuealer is a liuing and intellectual person not a dead letter Whitaker also as I before cited Authoritie is the foundation of faith â—aith relieth vpon authoritie Herevpon S. Austin l. contra Epist Fundam c. 4. and 5. professeth that authoritie held him in the Catholik Church That Christ by miracles got authoritie and by Authoritie deserued beleef That religion can no way be rightly gotten but by authoritie And otherwhere De vtil cred c. 17. Epist 5. 6. that in the Church is the height the top the castle of authoritie and that her authoritie is most firme And l. 2. contra Crescon c. 32. I receaue not what Cyprian held of baptizing heretiks becaus the Church doth not receaue it l. 2. de Doctrin Christiana c. 8. The books of wisdom and Ecclesiasticus are to be accounted Prophetical becaus they haue been admitted into authoritie l. contra Epist Fund c. 5. Which books of the Acts I must needs beleue if I beleue the Gospel becaus both Books Catholiks authoritie doth alike commend vnto me In which places he plainly maketh the authoritie of the Catholik Church a sufficient external cause of his beleif or not beleif 9. Reason also sheweth the same For if God would haue vs to beleue his misteries it is most likelie he would apoint on earth some external authoritie subordinat to his supreme authoritie for which we should beleue them Whervpon S. Austin l. de vtilit Credendi c. 16. saied If God haue Prouidence of mankinde we ought not to despaire but that he hath apointed some authoritie on which we relying as on a sure step may mount to God And this authoritie he saieth is the authoritie of the Church But the authoritie on which we relie is doubtles some formal cause of our beleif Protestants also sometimes confess the same For thus Chillingworth c. 2. Scripture beleued for the Churches authoritie p. 96. It is vpon the authoritie of vniuersal tradition that we would haue them beleue Scripture The same he hath p. 69. Whitaker Contro 1. q. 3. c. 7. We are forced by the Churches Forced to beleue authoritie to beleue these books to be Canonical And if her authoritie can force vs to beleue it is a sufficient cause of beleef And l. 1. de Script p. 15. We may be forced by the authoritie of the Church to acknowledg the Scripture P. 72. The Church is Mistres and Guide of our faith P. 87. I am à Disciple of the Church I acknowledg her my Mother P. 46. We cannot beleue but by the testimonie of the Church as by the ordinarie meanes P. 62. We are led to beleue first by the authoritie of the Church P. 68. I most willingly grant the external iudgment of the Church to be the help and means ordained by God and necessarie for vs to engender nourish and confirme faith And l. 2. p. 234. The Authoritie of the Church is a certain introduction to beleue P. 289. Catholik authoritie commending both books Austin was necessarily induced to beleue both books The same we must doe For what book soeuer such authoritie shal commend to vs we must needs beleue it P. 320. I grant the Scripture is to be receaued becaus it is receaued of the Church Contr. 1. q. 3. c. 2. The Church is a witnes of holie writ C. 5. By tradition Tradition conuâ—nceth and authoritie of the Church it may be conuinced which books be Canonical C. 9. what other doe al those Fathers proue then that Scripture is to be receaued becaus it was alwaies receaued of the Church And doth not Becaus giue a cause of beleif And Hooker Laude Potter cited l. 1. c. 14. grant that the testimonie of the present Church is the key or dore that lets men into the Scripture Laude Relat sec 16. p. 102. euen to this knowledg of them that they are the word of God And Spalatensis and Chillingworth c. 10. libri primi add that such a book cannot be known to be Canonical Scripture but by the testimonie of the Church But authoritie testimonie iudgment are formal causes of beleif And if Protestants doe think that the authoritie Sâ—p l. 1. c. 14. of the Church is no formal cause of faith why should they teach that the Churches preaching is necessarie to faith and that the preaching teaching or proposing by priuat men would not suffice For priuat men may propose al the Church proposeth onely they cannot propose anie thing with such authoritie 10. And hence appeareth euidently that the true Church and her authoritie must alwaies in ordinarie course be beleued before Scripture becaus her authoritie is the formal external cause of the beleif of the Scripture And also that falsly wrote Whitaker l. 2. de Scrip. p. 235. The Church hath no authoritie in matters of faith Ibid. p. 228. The testimonie of the Church is no cause of faith And l. p. 122. The So Laude Relat. sec 1. p. 117. Taude sec 16. p. 106. Scripture is now the onely sufficient meaÌ„s to beleue And Contr. 2. q. 5. c. 18. Faith doth not depend vpon the authoritie of the Church And ibid. c. 20. The Scripture is more manifest then the Church And Chillingworth c. 2. p. 57. we say euerie man is to chuse his religion first and then his Church For beside what we haue proued Whitaker himself hath granted That the authoritie of the Church is an introduction to faith That we are first led to beleue by her authoritie and that her So laude sec 16. p. 89. Hooker l. 2. §. 7. Potter sect 5. testimonie is the ordinarie and necessarie means to engender faith That her authoritie causeth faith and therfore her authoritie must first of al be beleued becaus it is an introduction à first leader à necessarie means to ingender faith or as others say the key or dore to faith 1â— And out of that which hath been said in this Chapter is easily solued that question why is tradition Vvhy Traditionerodible of it self aâ—d not Scripture of itself Credible and not Scripture I answer That if we speak of tradition materially that is of the doctrin which we haue by tradition that is no more credible of itself then is the doctrin which we
them keep this in this main controuersie legant let them read in Scripture not themselues infer out of Scripture that God hath set al infallible authoritie for matters of faith in Scripture and we wil beleue them as i l. de vnitate c. 17. S. Augustin saied in the like case to the donatists and k laude Relat sec 33. Chillirg p. 3 33 Protestants saie in the dislike to vs or I wil els say with the same S. Augustin I beleue what God saieth not l de vnita c. 11. what vaine heretiks babble or what fallible men infer 6. Nay Protestants are so far from reading in Scripture that in it is al infallible authoritie for matters of faith as themselues m seâ— infra l. 2. c. 5. sec 2. confess â—hat by Scripture al things absolutâ—ly cannot be proued which are to be beleued That Scripture is not an absolutly perfect Rule of controuersies that it cannot decide the question of Schisme that it is not safe to iudge al things by scripture alone that it doth not contein simply al things which are necessarie to saluation that it cannot assure vs that it is the word of God That it needeth an interpreter for some points of faith Which are to far from the nature of an al-sufficient infallible guide of men in matters of faith and so far from the nature of an al-sufficient rule in matters of faith as I think no iudicious Protestant can in his iudgment ioine them together For it is plain contradiction to be Al-sufficient and to be deficient in so main and so manie points 7. And not with standing though Hou scripture is necessarie and a rule in Scripture be not that Al-sufficient authoritie which God hath instituted on earth for to direct men by right faith to heauen nor it be the entire or the necessarie Rule â—or the very being of infallible faith yet it is necessarie to the better being of faith and a sufficient Rule both for al fundamental or al simply necessarie points of faith and also for the most points of Christian faith and à mediate rule for al of them And this being al that for which Scripture was written and which it ought to haue it is to be accounted a perfect â—ule becaus euerie thing is perfect when it hath al that it ought to haue And herein we grant more perfection to Scripture then Protestants doe both because we teach that it containeth al that we account absolutly necessarie or fundamental to saith Protestants say it teacheth not that which they account the most fundamental point of al to wit that it self is the word of God and also becaus we say that eâ—her immediatâ—ly or mediatly it teacheth clearly al points of faith what soeuer in that it sendeth vs to the true Church which teacheth clearly al points But Protestants say that nether immediatly nor mediatly it teacheth some clearly and sendeth vs not to any infallible interpreter So that S. Augustin l. 1. cont Creson c. 33. we grant both more vniuerâ—alitie and also more claritie to Scripure then Protestants do though they wold seem to maâ—e more of scripture them we doe but in truth make so litle of the Scripture as Chilling 〈◊〉 2. 6. 32. v. 9. some of them teach that we are not bound vnder paine of damnation to beleue the diuine authoritie of Scâ—ipture Nay say that the Scripture is none of the material obiects of faith that we haâ—e as great reason to beleue there was a King Henrie VIII as that which is saied in Sâ—ripture of Christ suffering See infra l. 2. c. 8. sec 2. and c. 15. n. 2 vnder Pontius Pilat which is in effect to say we haâ—e as great reason to beleue some men as to beleue God For not al but some men say there was a King Henrie VIII and both God and in a manner al men say thar Christ suffered vnder Pontius Pilat INDEX OF THE CHAPTERS OF the first Book I. IN which is enplicated the question touching the iâ—fallibilitie of the Church II. In which are set down the rational grounds of what is saied in this treatise concerning the Church III. What conditions are necessarie to the Al-sufficient external Proposer of points of faith IV. That God can giue to men a diuine infallibilitie or veracitie in proposing matters of faith V. That the true Church of God is a sufficient and infallible Proposâ—r of al which she proposeth as points of faih proued by what she is saied to be in Scripture VI. That the true Church of God is infallibilible in al she proposeth as points of faith proued by Gods promises to her in Scripture VII That the true Church of God is an infallible proposer of matters of faith proued by the holie Fathers VIII That the true Church of God is infallible in matters of faith proued by Reason IX Some of the protestants reasons against the infallibilitie of the true Church of God in matters of faith answered X. That the true Church of God is infallible in matters of faith proued by manifold coufessions of protestants XI That the true Church of God is in ordinarie Course a necessarie Propeposer of al points of faith proued by holy Fathers XII That the true Church of God is a necessarie Proposer of al points of faith proued by Reason XIII That the true Church of God is a necessarie proposer of al points of faith proued by plain confessions of Protestants XIV That Protestants grant the Churches authoritie to be diuinâ— XV. That Protestants grant it to be a supernatural cause of saith XVI How a vicious circle is auoided in prouing the Church by the Scripture and the scripture by the Church XVII How we are to answer that question How know yoâ— the Scripture to be the word of Gode XVIII That the true Church of God doth clearly and vniuersally propose al points of faith XIX Which is a sufficient Proposal of the Church for points of faith INDEX Of the Chapters of the second Book I. PRocestants vncertain which books be canonical Scripture II. Protestants vncertain whither al that is in scripture be plain and easie to be vnderstood or no. III. Protestants vncertain whether al things necessarie to be beleued be actually in scripture or no. IV. Protestants vncertain whether al things necessarie to be beleued be clearly in scripture or no. V. Protestants vncertain whether scripture be the onlie and entire Rule of faith or no. VI. Protestants vncertain whether scripture of itself do sufficiently shew it self to be the word of God or no. VII Protestants vncertain whether scripture be a true Iudge of Controuersies or no. VIII Protestants vncertain whether scripture be to be beleued to be Gods word with infallible asseurance or no. IX Protestants vncertain whether translated scripture be Authentical or no. X. Protestants vncertain whether scripture be to be beleued to be the word of God only for the Churches testimonie or no. XI Protestants
for the authoritie of the reuealer or as Chillingworth c. 1. p. 35. saieth an assentto diuine reuelation vpon the authoritie of the reuealer And the same saieth laude sec 38. p. 344. Potter sect 5. p. 3. and others But a Reuealer is a person intelligent Therefore the authoritie of some person intelligent is the formal cause of faith and not anie words or writings which are rather the external reuelation then the reuealer And hence it is that though in holie Scripture there be diuine veritie and that which is to be beleued with diuine faith yet if scripture be taken alone by it self meerely as it is such words or writings it hath no formal authoritie or veracitie to cause its veritie to be beleued For as such it is neither anie intellectuall person nor hath any intellectuall person adioned to it for whose authoritie it should be beleued Wherefore wel said Stapleton Controu 3. q. 1. ar 2. credimus scripturam non scripturae becaus scripture hath in it self truth which is beleued but not authoritie for which it is beleued And likewise wel wrote Chillingw c. 2. p. 69. That the diuinitie of a writing cannot Note this be known for it self alone but by some extrinsecal authoritie you need not proue for no wise man denieth it And ibid. p. 114. A written rule must always need something els which either is euidently true or euidently credible to giue attestation to it And laude sect 16. p. 88. Scripture cannot bear witnes to it self nor one part of it to an other The same saieth Hooker l. 2. § 4. And g See infra l. 1. c. 14. Protestants generally confess that the scripture cannot be beleued of vs without the attestation of the Church The true cause whereof is that scripture of it self hath no authoritie but al the authoritie for which it is beleued is out of it self to wit in God who is author of it and in his Church who is witnes to it And when graue authors attribute authoritee to the scripture ether by authoritie they mean veritie or they take not scripture by it sels alone but as it is the scripture of God As in like manner they say the scripture saiâ—th this teacheth this affirmeth this speaketh this meaning God by scripture But Gods authoritie alone doth not in ordinarie course engender faith and we seeke that authoritie on earth without which Gods authoritie alone wil not in ordinarie course engender diuine faith of the scripture or of any thing els which authoritie euidently and confessedly is not in the scripture it self 8. The eight ground is that to a Four things in a proposer Proposer of points of faith properly so called there be long foure things 1. is his person 2. his Authoritie to propose such matters 3. his proposal which is his words or writings And 4 the truth proposed and signified by his words or writings For a Propoâ—er of matters of faith is a Preacher who proposeth or preacheth ether by word onely as most of the Apostles did or by writings also as S. Paul and some other Apostles Netherwords nor writings are proposers did And as their words were no Proposers but that by which they proposed so nether were theire writings anie Proposers but were that by which they proposed And of all the four said things only the twoe last are in the scripture and therefore it cannot be properly the Proposâ—r of faith but onely the Proposal if we consider the words and the Proposed if we consider the truth which the words signifie But al the foure are in the Church of God And Protestants cannot denie that she is a person or persons nor that her words or writings are her Proposals or the truth signified by them her truth Proposed Nether do they whereim Protestants grant diuine authoritie to the Châ—râ—h deny that she hath diuine authoritie to propose matters of faith as to teach Gods word and administer his Sacraments giuen to her in the last of S. Mathew onely they denie that her authoritie to testifie or persuade that which she teacheth is infallible and sufficient as an external and subordinat cause to engender diuine beleef of what she teacheth In which they do not consequently why Protestants de not speake consequently proceed For first how can the authoritie of the Church be diuine in proposing Gods word and be not infallible in proposing it secondly how can she haue diuine and infallible authoritie to preach Gods word and not haue the like authoritie to testifie and perswade that it is Gods word which she preacheth seing persuation that it is Gods word which she preacheth Persuasion is the end of preaching is the end of her preaching as is euident and Whitaker confesseth in these words l. 2. de scriptura p. 281. Preaching is instituted for persuation Would God giue to his Church diuine auctoritie for the means and not for the end seing The end more desired then 〈◊〉 the means euerie rational desirer desireth more the end then the means Thirdly Protestants grant that God hath giuen diuine authoritie to the Pastors of his Church for to gouern her Whitaker l. 2. de scrip p. 246. Ministers of the Church are iâ—strvments of the holy Ghost enduâ—d with diuine authoritie to gouern the Church committed to them And if Pastors haue diuineauthoritie to gouern the Church haue they not also diuine authoritie to persuade her that it is Gods word which they teach her Is not diuine authoritie as necessarie to Pastors for to persuade the Church as to gouern it and right beleef as necessarie to the Church as good gouernment More ouer Chillingw c. 2. p. 105. Protestants generally confess that the church of God is infallible in fundamental points and so infallible that it implieth contradiction that she should err in them And how can she be so infallible in them and be not infallible by Gods special and effectual assistance can the church of her own nature or power be infallible in such high matters aboue nature and reason Nay it seems so absurd euen to Protestants themselues to deny the church of God to haue diuine authoritie to testifie Gods truth as sometimes they deny it but restritctly as i Laude sec 16. 19. and 10. that it is not simplâ— diuine not absolutely diuine or that she is not k Potter sec 5. p. â—5 I whitaker Contr. 1. q. 3. c. 11. absolutly infallible and confess that the iudgment of the church is in some sorte diuine and call it a slander that they say the iudgment of the church is meer humane But in truth they make her authoritie in matters of faith meer humane yea less and none at al. For thus Whitaker Contr. 1. q. 5. c. 10. In the church thou shalt finde nothing but humane and therefore vncertain l. 3. de script p. 395. The perpetual testimonie of the church as far as it is of the Church is but humane testimonie p.
327. The testimonie of the church of it self is wholy and meerly humane And l. 1. p. 112. The authoritie of the matters of the church is of no moment p. 16. An Protestants deny all authoritie of the Church in matters of faith argument taken from the bare testimonie of the Cburch to confirme anie point of faith is fond vnfit and vnforcible to perswade l. 3. p. 482. The testimonie of the church vnles it be strengthned by scripture is not worth a farthing in matters of faith And l. 2. p. 235. The Church hath no authoritie in matters of faith but all is Gods alone And ibid. In matters of faith and engendring faith the Church hath no authoritie at all And to this blasphemous denial of the churches authoritie in matters of faith m See infra c. 16. n. 5. Chillingworth addeth that no certain Church vniuersal or particular is infallible euen in fundamental points but onely that there shal be always some vncertain men who shal hold al the fundamental points 3. The ninth ground is that as the Apostles may be considered as they were so manie honest men and â—o no doubt theyr authoritie was but humane or as Apostles diuinely assisted in matters of faith and so their authoritie was diuine as Protestants confess infra c. 4. so the church of God may be considered as so manie honest and vertuous men and so doubtles her authoritie is but humane and fallible or as she is the Church of God the pillar and ground of truth guided by Christ her head and effectually assisted by the holie Ghost and so we say her authoritie in matters of faith is diuine and infallible though not in that high degree as the Apostles was But Protestans when they say that the authoritie of the Church is but humane in matters of faith consider her only as she is such men wherein they proceed as if speaking of a man they should consider only his bodie not thinking of his head or Soule For the true church The church is a misticall bodie whereof Christ is the head and the holie Ghost the soule of Christ is a misticall bodie whereof Christ is the head and the holie Ghost the soule and in matters of faith is guided by this head and effectually assisted by this soule according to Christs manifest and expresse promise as we shall see heereafter and therefore in such matters hath diuine and infallible authoritie from hersaid head and soule And what maruel that a bodie whereof Christ is head and the holie Ghost the soule hath truly diuine authoritie that is be truely and effectually assisted by its diuine head and soule to propose nothing as of faith but what is truth And Vvhat iâ— meant by diuine authoritie of the Church to be thus truly and effectually diuinely assisted is all the diuine authoritie which we attribute to the church and is both sufficient and necessarie for the ends for which God appointed her as we shall see presently 10. The tenth ground are the ends The end for which God gaue diuine infallibilitie to his church for which God gaue diuine infallibilitie to his Church and her Pastors which if they be well considered wil clearly shew that he hath giuen her and them diuine infallibilitie in matters of faith For he hath made his church the pillar and ground of diuine truth 1. Timoth. 3. which she cannot be without diuine infallibilitie in diuine truth And becaus he made her pillar and ground not of a part of diuine truth but simply of diuine truth and that fundamental points are but a part of diuine truth and the least part too he made her diuinely infallible not onely in fundamental points but in all points which he would haue be beleued with diuine faith And this our Sauiour expressed more fully when he said to his Apostles that he would send them the holie Ghost for to teach them all Ioâ—n 14. §. 16 Matt. 16. things all truth Likewise because Christ hath made his church so firme and strong as the gates of hel cannot preuail against her and that euerie sinful error in any point of faith is formal haeresie and a * gate Greg. in psal 5. pâ—niâ— Portae inferi hâ—reses sunt of hel destructiue of the church as I shewed parte 1. l. 2. c. 6. therefore he hath giuen his church diuine infallibilitie in all matters of faith for to resist any haeresie in what point of faith soeuer And in like manner because God hath made the Pastors Ends for which God gaue diuine infallibilitie to the Pastors of his church the external cause and his instrument and means of engendring diuine infallible faith Rom. 10. he hath giuen them diuine infallibilitie in all matters of faith because no inferior infallibilitie would suffice as I shewed n. 3. And likewise because he hath made them his instruments and means not to engender a parte of faith as fundamental points are but all faith becaus the Apostle saith not how shall they beleue funâ—amental points without hearing a preacher but simply how shall shey beleue he hath giuen them diuine authoritie and infallibilitie for all points which â—e are to beleue And in like sort because God hath giuen Pastors and Doctors not Ephes c. 4. only for the fouÌ„datioÌ„ of the bodie of Christ or for the making of Saints but also for the edification or building of Christs bodie and câ—nsummation or perfection of Saints vnto a perfect man and that fundamental points cannot doe all this but not fundamental points as they are true points of diuine faith so they are necessarie to the building of Christs bodie and Not fundamental points are of the perfection of faith consummation of his Saints vnto a perfect man therefore he hath giuen them diuine authoritie and infallibilitie euen in not fundamental points And the Apostle though no doubt he had taught the Thessalonians al fundamental points yet he desired to add those things which he said were wanting to their faith which 1. Thessal c. 3. was to consummat or perfect theyr faith And as far as the edification of Christs bodie and consummation of faith extendeth so far extendeth the Pastors diuine infallibilitie which is giuen to them for this end 11. And hence riseth the eleuenth ground which is that seing n Caluin 4. Instit. c. 〈◊〉 § 3. c 2. §. 1. c. 8. Vvitaker Contr. 2 q 4. c 2 â—otter sess Ep. 22. Protestants forced by the euidencie of truth doe confesse that the Church is infallible in necessarie points of faith if they would grant that she is infallible as well in points necessarie to anie men as in points necessarie to all men and in points as wel necessarie by reason of the formal cause of beleef which is diuine reuelation sufficiently proposed though they be not necessarie by reason of their matter which is to be beleued though by reason also of that they be necessarie to the
better being of faith or perfection and consummation of Saints and as well in points necessarie to the well being or perfection of faith as simply to the being thereof they should not differ from vs about what points the church is infallible For we doe not say that she is infallible in points which are not necessarie to any nor necessarie in any sorte to the being or wel being or Stapâ—et Contr. 4. q. 2. not 7. Ad Eâ—â—lesiae infâ—l ibilitatem in docendo satis â—st vt sit in fallibilis in substantiâ fidet publico dogma te rebus ad salutem nocessarijs Et ad 4. argumentum iâ—faâ—libilâ—tas docentis Eccâ—efiae pont tur tantum in rebus ad salutem necessaris The like saith Bellarm l 4. de Pont. c. 5. Canus l. 5 c. 5. Patribus Synodi Spiritus 〈◊〉 non est praesens in omnibus sedinrebus solùm ad salutem necessarijs perfection of Christian faith as manie scholastical subtilties are as Stapleton professeth Contr. 4. q. 2. notab 7. For as in natural things God giueth not superfluities but only what is necessarie to the being or perfection of them so nether in supernatural matters But as he is not defectiue in natural things for necessaries ether for their simply being or their perfection so much lesse is he defectiue in supernatural matters according as these are of more importance then those and more regarded of him And Protestants by saying that God hath made his Church infallible only in things necessarie to all men and necessarie to her verie being make him les liberal in supernatural matters then in natural Besides o See infra 〈◊〉 6. n. 1. Chillingw c. 2. p. 54. saieth that the scripture can end all controuersies touching things necessarie and verie profitable And ib. p. 98. What one of the Euangelists hath more then an other is only profitable and not necessarie And if God hath giuen diuine infallibilitie to the scripture and Euangelists not only for necessarie points but also for such as are profitable why should we thinke that he hath not giuen to his Church the like infallibilitie not onely for simply necessarie points but also for profitable as all are which make to the edification of Christs bodie and consummation of saints vnto a perfect man as all true points Morton â—om 1. Apologa l. 2. c. 9 Quasi â—erè nou fit fidei dogma quod piriâ—us S. omnibus eredendum propinauis of faith doe For who can denie that all true points of faith reuealed clearly by God are of the integritie and perfection of faith and are profitable for vs to beleue otherwise to what end were they so reuealed And if God reuealed them clearly he would haue them beleued and if beleued he would appoint on earth some infallible authoritie to propose them which not being in the scripture must needs be in the church I ad also How al pointâ— of faith are necessarie that though al points of faith be not simply necessarie by reason of the matter which is to be beleued they al are simply necessarie by reason of the formal cause which is diuine reuelation sufficiently proposed for that is simply necessarie to be beleued in whatsoeuer it proposeth How the principal and the instrument are â—one and how different 12. The twelft ground is that as the principal agent and the instrument are but one entire cause in Kinde to witt efficient but in order and degree are far different Different causes to witt Principal and Instrumental so the authoritie of God and of the Apostles in matters of faith were one and the same entire cause of diuine faith to witt formal but in order and degree were twoe and far different for the one was principal the other ministerial one increate the other create one absolutely necessarie the other not absolutely necessarie the one sufficient of it self to beget diuine faith the other not sufficient of it self And this vnitie betwixt the authoritie of God and of the Apostles our Sauiour expressed when he said Luke c. 10. Who heareth you heareth me which could not be true vnles he and his Apostles were in some sort one and the same speaker as the king and his Embassadour are And this same Protestants sometymes confess For thus Caluin in Ioan. 20. v. 21. He bids the Apostles succeed into the same function which he had of his father he imposeth on them the same person he giueth them the same right Christ communicateth with his Apostles the same authoritie which he had of his father Whitaker Cont. 2. q. 3. c. 5. The Apostles did consigne the Canon not as men but as the person of God And lib. 1. de script p. 61. Becaus Christ left earth he gaue his office to preachers And pa. 71. I denie not that Pastors doe in some sort bear the person of God And the distinction also between these twoe authorities Christ expressed when he said Ioan. 16. The holie Ghost shal bear witnes of me and yee also shal bear witnes In which words he expresseth two witnesses ad twoe testimonies And the same did the Apostles when they said Act. c. 15. It hath seemed to the holie Ghost and to vs to lay no other burden vpon you but these where they express twoe imposers of the same burden the holie Ghost and themselues and twoe authorities of imposing it one of the holie Ghost the other of themselues For they could not impose that burden without they had authoritie distinct from the authoritie of the holie Ghost though not separate from it And the same for vnitie and distinction of the authoritie of the holie Ghost and of the Church I say of the Church that the authoritie of God and of his Church is one and the same in kinde The entire formal cause of faith in ordinarie course see infra c. 11. n. 1. of causing diuine faith but far different in credit and degree of causing it though in ordinarie course neuer separated For in ordinarie course the entire formal cause of diuine faith is Gods and his churches authoritie togeither or God speaking by his Church And the Churches authoritie being one entire cause of diuine faith with Gods authoritie her authoritie must needs be in matters of faith diuine and infallible for a fallible authoritie cannot be one cause in kinde of beleef with an infallible authoritie but a quite different kinde of cause And if these grounds be compared with the grounds of Protestants for which they limit the infallibilitie of Gods Church to onely fundamental points and to mere humane infallibilitie they will appeare yet more firme and solid For theyr grounds are not founded vpon any ends of the Church expressed in scripture as these are but founded onely vpon their own ends which are only to delude the texts of Scripture which attribute infallibilitie to the Church in al points of faith by saying that they are meant of fundamental points onely
and partly to defend themselues from the authoritie of the Church in points wherein they oppose her by saying that her authoritie in anie points what soeuer is but human and fallible also in such points as they oppose her p See Chillingw c. 3. p. 146. 172. c. 2. p. 86 laude sect 16. p 93. 91. 231. Some say that the Church is efficaciter or efficaciously assisted by God in fundamental points and therefore is infallible in them but is only merely The Church is assisted efficaciously in â—l points of faith sufficiently assisted in not fundamental points and therefore fallible in them But besids that this distinction of Gods efficacious and sufficient assistance in this matter is new and therefore iustly suspected as naught it is also voluntarie without sufficient ground and therefore irrational Besids it granteth that the Church is diuinely infallible in fundamental points For to be diuinely infallible is no more but to be diuinely assisted efficaciously more ouer it maketh the Churches authoritie euen in fundamental points to be vncertain For if she be fallible in not fundamental points of faith clearely reuealed for such al true points of faith are and points but obscurely and darkely reuealed are but matters of opinion how shal we be certain that she is not fallible in fundameÌ„tal points seing not fundamental points if they be points of faith are as clearly reuealed as the fundamental as S. Augustin saieth of the scripture that if it lie in any point it may be suspected in al. It maketh also the Churches infallibilitie vnuseful to vs becaus none know which are al the fundamental points necessarie to be actually beleued of euerie one which not To omit that there are no vnfundamental points of faith in the Protestants sense but al true points of faith are fundamental to the verie being of sauing faith and to be beleued actually if they be sufficiently proposed or virtually though they be not so proposed And to omit also that meer sufficient assistance which is neuer efficient Sufficient neuer efficient iâ— vain were vain becaus as Philosophers say that power is vain which is neuer reduced to act and is such a power as is no where els to be found and also that fully sufficient and not efficacious implie contradiction For though fully sufficient assistance may be not efficient for want of our cooperation Not distinct from efficacious or coÌ„curse yet it is alwayes efficacious becaus efficacious as it is distinct from efficient is no more but what hath ful power or vertue to worke and such is that which is sufficient But whether there be anie difference betwixt sufficient and efficacious assistance or none God hath really and effectually made his Church the pillar and ground of truth and so strong that the gates of hel shal not preuail against her and therefore he hath giuen her efficacious or effectual assistance in al points of faith and so hath made her diuinely infallible in al such points For as Chillingw c. 3. p. 145. saieth wel The Apostles could not be the Churches foundations without freedome from error in al those things which they deliuered constantly as certain reuealed truthes So I say the Church could not be the pillar and ground of truth without freedome from error in al things she deliuereth as points of diuine truth 13. And out of these grounds first we may clearly see that the true Church of God is diuinely infallible in all points which she proposeth to be beleued with diuine faith Secondly we may easily answer al the obiections of Protestants to the contrarie Thirdly we may see what litle cause Laude had sec 16. p. 91. to make such a wonder that Catholicks should say that the present true Church of God is diuinely infallible in al matters of faith seing by diuinely infallible they mean no more then diuinely assisted efficaciously to propose nothing to be beleued but what is truth But rather we Iust wonder that the Churche of Christ should not be diuinely infallible may wonder that rational Christians wil deny her to be diuinely infallible or which is alone diuinely assisted efficaciously whom they cannot deny to be the mother of the faithfull the spouse of Christ whose head is Christ and whose soule is the holie Ghost who teacheth her al things and al truth who is the pillar and ground of truth and against whom the verie gates of hel shal not preuail Is not such a one diuinely assisted efficaciously And whome themselues confess to be infallible in fundamental points For can she be humanely Vvhitaker cont 1. q. 3. c. 11. l. 3. descript p. 19 laude Relat. sect 16. p. 65. infallible in such high matters 14. Some Protestants vrge vs much to tel whether the authoritie or infallibilitie of the Church in matters of faith be meerly diuine or no. To whom I answer that if by diuine they mean diuine in it self as hauing How the testâ—monie of the Church is diuine and now not anie diuinitie in it self we say it is not diuine meerly nor at al for it is a create authoritie as was also the authoritie of the Prophets and Apostles but if by diuine they mean diuinely instituted and diuinely assisted efficaciously not to err in matters of faith it is meâ—rly diuine it is infallible meerly by Gods efficacious assistance and not by any natural knowledg or industrie of the Church Though she must vse humane industrie as was vsed in the Councel of the Apostles Act. 15. Lastely it is wel to be noted that when we say we beleue for Gods authoritie or veracitie we mean not therby that we beleue becaus God doth efficiently cause our beleef namely by lightining our vnderstanding or stirring vp our wil to beleue becaus Gods authoritie or veracitie is no efficient cause of our beleef but onely à formal cause therof and also becaus he is in like sorte efficient cause of our hope or Charitie as he is of our beleef and yet he is not cause of them by his authoritie but our meaning is that we beleue not for anie thing which God worketh in vs but for his authoritie or veracitie which is in himselfe And therfore they say noâ— Canuâ— l 2. c. 4. Vvhitaker l. 1. descript p. 23. wel who say we beleue becaus we are moued therto by special instinct from God or that our faith is lastely resolued into such special internal instinct For such special instinct can not be anie formal cause of our beleef but onely an efficient cause therof and faith is not lastly resolued into anie efficient cause but onely into some formal besids that instinct is peculiar to him in whome it is wheras the motiue or reason of Catholik faith is common to al who haue such faith more ouer it is not euident credible by it self that such special instinct is from God and faith is to be resolued into some cause which is euidently credible as is the
authoritie both of God and of his Church in matters of faith and therfore the resolution of our beleef into ether of them is sufficient and rational For as when a King sendeth an Embassadour to tel vs some thing we beleue with humane faith what is told vs for the authoritie of them both as for one entire adioint cause of our beleef yet differently prinpally for the Kings authoritie and secondarily for the authoritie of his faithful Embassador so what we beleue with diuine faith we beleue for the authoritie both of God and of his Church as for one entire and total cause of our beleef but principally for the authoritie of God See infra c. 11 n. 1. and secondarily for the authoritie of his Church but with this difference that the King nether giueth nor increaseth the fidelitie of his Embassador but God giueth to his Church al the fidelitie she hath for matters of faith Wherfore al Christian faith is lastly resolued into Christs outward speach to his Church and into her outward speaking to vs both which speakers and speakings are but one in such sorte as is *q Sup. n. 12. before declared And when the Apostle saied Rom. 10. Faith is of hearing he meant not of hearing internally by inspiration Vvitaker cont 2. q. 4. c. 2 who hear the Church heaâ— Christ him â—elf but of hearing externally by preaching and doubtles meant of a last resolution of faith For hearing Christes lawful Preachers we heare him as before we shewed And the resolution of diuine faith into the Churches authoritie is both sufficient becaus her authoritie in matters of faith is plainly diuine and is also agreable to mens manner of getting faith who in ordinarie course are to haue their faith not from God immediatly speaking to them but from the Church immediatly speaking to them from God and therfore their faith is to be resolued immediatly into the authoritie of the Church and mediatly into the authoritie of God Wherfore wel saied Bellarmin l. 6. de Grat. lib. arb c. 3. Catholiks haue infallible faith becaus what they beleue they beleue becaus God saied it and that God said it they beleue becaus the Church testifieth it For what we beleue Christ told it to his Church and she hauing euer continued til our time telleth it vnto vs. And seing Protestants grant that faith may be welresolued into the authoritie of the r Infra c. 4. 〈◊〉 8. Apostles or of the s L. 2. c. 11. sect 1. scripture or vniuersal tradition becaus though their t Infra c. 10. n. 3. 6. 7. 9. authoritie be create yet by Gods efficacious assistance it is plainly diuine and infallible they shold not denie that faith may be also resolued into the authoritie of the Church becaus it is create authoritie seing Christ hath most clearly promised to assist his Church most efficaciously and also that the Apostle testifieth Rom. 10. That Faith hath its being from hearing the preaching of the Church And euerie thing is rightly resolued into that of which it hath its verie being especially seing the voice of the Church is the voice of Christ and that hearing her we hear him THIRD CHAPTER VVhat conditions are necessarie to the Al-sufficient external Proposer of pointes of faith appointed by God 1. CATHOLICKS and Protestants agree that there Twoe kindes of Proposers of faith are two kindes of Proposer of points of faith vnto men The one Internal who proposeth them internally to our mindes The other external who proposeth them externally to our senses Secondly they agree that the Internal Proposer is the Holie Ghost and the external some instituted by him Thirdly they agree that the Internal Proposer can by himself alone sufficiently propose al points of faith to vs and engender faith in vs without concurse of the external Proposer Fourethly they agree that ordinarilâ—y the Internal Proposer neuer proposeth points of faith to our mindes nor engendereth faith in vs but with the concurse and proposal of the external Proposer Fiftly they agree that the External Proposer can no way engender diuine faith in vs without the concurse of the internal So that they agree in al points touching the Internal Proposer and also concerning the External Proposer that there is such a one instituted of God that his concurse ordinariely is necessarie and that he cannot engender faith without concurse of the Internal Proposer but they disagree about the conditions necessarie to such an external Proposer and who he is but if we finde out the conditions necessarie to such a Proposer we shal easily finde who he is 2. The first condition necessarie to a sufficient external Proposer of Conditions necessarie to the external Proposer points of faith is that he be some intellectual person or Companie of Intellectual Persons This is euident out of the very word it self For a Propâ—ser signifieth a person who proposeth And also becaus to propose points to be beleued is an act of vnderstanding and as our Sauiour saied to the first Proposers instituted by himself is to teach and preach or as the Apostle also speaketh to preach and to teach or Math. vlt. Marc. vlt. Rom. 10. preach are acts of vnderstanding Secondly becaus as we shal proue hereafter the external Proposer is instituted by God for to moue men to beleue points of faith for his authoritie and al authoritie properly speaking is in some intellectual person Whervpon when the Apostle saied Rom. 10. How shal they beleue without à Preacher he added that the Preacher must be lawfully sent which lawful sending giueth him authoritie or credit that he is worthie to be beleued in what he proposeth Thirdly becaus vnles we make the proposer to be some Person or persons we confound Proposer with proposal which are things clearly distinct and the Proposer is some person his Proposal is his word or writing so that a word or writing is no Proposer but onely à Proposal If anie obiect that the Church is proposed in the Apostles Creed to be beleued as wel as other points of faith are and being a thing proposed it cannot be the Proposer of al points of faith I denie the consequence For the Church being a companie of intellectual persons it can propose it self to be beleued to be the true Church as the Prophets and the Apostles proposed themselues to be such as wel as anie other thing which they preached But a dead writing caÌ„not sufficiently propose it self as a Sup. c. 2. n. 5. Chillingworth before confessed and others b L. 2. c. 6. sect 2. hereafter wil confess of the scripture And the reason hereof is becaus a writing hath not of it self anie formal authoritie Besides though the Proposer and proposed may sometimes be the same thing yet the Proposer and Proposal cannot because the Proposal is that wher with the Proposer proposeth what is to be beleued as the writings of the Prophets or Apostles were their
Proposal of matters of faith and therfore not Proposers 3. The second condition necessarie to a sufficient external Proposer of points of faith instituted by God is that his authoritie be c See infra 〈◊〉 5. n. 2. diuine or diuinely assisted as the Apostles was and infallible in Proposing them The reason is becaus points of faith are supernatural and diuine and to be beleued so assuredly as we ought to d See infra 62. 6. 8. sec 1. curse an Angel if he saied the contrarie Galat. 1. And therfore no humane or natural authoritie but that which passeth Angelical authoritie and is supernatural and diuine is apt or sufficient to cause such assurance of diuine matters And this e Vvitaker l. 1. descrip p. 392. 415. Potter sect 5. p 7. See infra l. 5. n. 5. and l. 2. c. 11. n. 1. Protestants grant For becaus they think the scripture onely hath diuine and infallible authoritie they make it alone the assured Proposer of points of faith Besides by a sufficient Proposer we mean such á one as proposeth matters of faith so sufficiently as matters of diuine faith require and whose proposal is such as it bindeth men to beleue with diuine faith what he proposeth and such it could not be vnless his authoritie in proposing were infallible diuine or diuinely assisted efficaciously 4. The third condition is sufficient claritie in his proposing points of faith The reason is becaus if he donot clearly enough propose vnto vs the points of faith we cannot be assured what he proposeth or what we are to beleue 5. The fourth condition is that his Proposal be necessarie in ordinarie course for vs to haue faith The reason is becaus if his Proposal were not necessarie to vs for to haue faith he were not the ordinarie External Proposer instituted by God without whose concurse God wil not in ordinarie course produce faith 6. The fift condition is that he be vniuersal for time for place for points of faith and for al kindes of men capable of External Proposal The reason is becaus the external Proposer without whose concurse God wil not in ordinarie course engender faith must propose al points of faith must be present in al times when God engendereth faith in al places where he engendereth faith and present to al kinds of men capable of external Proposal in whome he engendereth faith And otherwise he were not the ordinarie external Proposer without whose concurse God in ordinarie course wil not engender faith And we enquire who is this ordinarie external Proposer of points of faith becaus onely he is necessarie to be known Now of al these conditions onely Infallibilitie and claritie in some points agree to scripture as is euident by it self and we shal proue more hereafter and therfore it is not the ordinarie External Proposer necessarie to be sought and they al agree to the true Church as we shal proue euidently by Gods holie assistance And we wil begin with her Infalibilitie in matters of faith For that she is a companie of Intellectual persons needs no proof which we wil proue by plain places of Scripture testimonies of Holie Fathers reason grounded in Scripture and open Confessions of learned Protestants Becaus the denial of the Churchs Infallibilitie in matters of faith is the formal cause of al Heresies and Infidelitie as her Infallibilitie or veracitie in matters of faith is the formal external cause of al diuine faith For she being by testimonie of the Holie Scripture apointed by God to be the pillar ground and witness of diuine truth must needs be the formal External cause of our beleife of diuine truth without which God ordinarily wil not engender faith and consequently The rote of al Heresie the denial of the Infallibilitie of this pillar ground and witness must needs be a formal cause of al heresie or Infidelitie opposit to beleif of diuine truth and of Hereticks vncertaintie what they are to beleue firmely and vndoubtedly For who leaue the pillar ground and testimonie of truth can neuer be firmely setled Wheras Catholicks relying firmely vpon this pillar and standing fast vpon this ground setled by God and testimonie appointed by him are firme and constant in their faith and iustly giue it for a sufficient secoÌ„darie reason of what they beleue because the pillar ground and testimonie of truth is most iustly giuen for such a sufficient reason of our beleuing truth Yet before we proue the Churches diuine veracitie or infallibilitie in matters of faith we wil proue that God can giue to men such a diuine veracitie or infallibilitie becaus this is some step to proue that he hath giuen it at least it remoueth a great impediment of beleuing that he hath giuen it and besides it maketh the testimonies wherwith we wil afterwards proue that he hath giuen such Infallibilitie to be more vndoubted FOVRTH CHAPTER That God can giue to men a diuine veracitie or Infallibilitie in proposing matters of faith 1. THERE be two kinds of diuine Infallibilitie the one Twoe kindes of diuine Infallib litie increate and intrinsecally diuine which is in God himself who is the prime veracitie the other create and but extrinsecally diuine in that it is diuinely and efficaciously assisted by God to teach nothing but truth and therfore but analogically called diuine as a holesome medicin is tearmed healthfull And in this sorte was the authoritie of the Prophets and Apostles diuine and is the authoritie or veracitie of the true Church of God in matters of faith The former diuine authoritie or veracitie is the principal alone sufficient and absolutly necessarie cause of diuine faith the latter is but secondarie not alone sufficient nor simply necessarie cause of diuine faith but onely a sufficient external subordinat cause and necessarie onely in ordinarie course yet both these authorities or veracities are so Infallible as it implieth contradiction that ether of them should teach anie vntruth And as for the former that need no proaf and the like is manifest of the latter For it is plain contradiction that one diuinely ad effectually assisted by God to teach truth should teach vntruth And therfore this latter kinde of veracitie may be a sufficient external and subordinate cause of diuine and infallible faith such as implieth contradiction to be fals For a diuine veracitâ—â—â— or authoritie which implieth contradiction to See infra c. 5. n. 7. teach vntruth may be a sufficient external cause of such faith as implieth contradiction to be fals and may be iustly giuen as such for a sufficient cause of our beleef And this is that kinde of diuine authoritie or veracitie which we say God can giue to men and which he hath giuen to his Church in matters of faith Neuertheless we doe not make the Infallibilitie of the Church equal to the Infallibilitie of the Prophets and Apostles for their Infallibilitie was by immediate reuelation from God and sufficient to propose euen new points
and the Apostles and Euangelists were of greater authoritie and excellencie then the scripture of the new testament And neuertheles the Prophets Apostles Euangelists and Primitiue Church were men Wherfore God not only can but hath giuen to men authoritie infallible simply diuine made their voice his voice made it a sufficient cause of diuine faith and such as into it we maie resolue our faith 6. To al these confessions of Protestants that the authoritie and veracitie of the Prophets Apostles Euangelists and Primitiue Church was diuine and infallible I add that generally Protestants confes that the true Church of God of what time soeuer is Infallible in fundamental points of faith as I shewed parte 1. l. 1. c. 7. And they must needs confes it vnles they wil say the Church of the time since the Apostles is perishable For if it be errable in fundamental points it is perishable becaus fundamental points are essential points and without which the Church cannot stand no more then a house can stand without a fundation as is euident and themselues confess And besides if it should not hold al points necessarie to Saluation which can neuer agree to the true Church of God it should faile of the end for which God instituted it which was to bring men to saluation Now this Infallibilitie of the Church in fundameÌ„tal points cannot be natural as issuing from the nature of the men who are the Church as is manifest Therfore it is supernatural and diuine proceeding from Gods special assistance and vertue of Christs promise that she doe not err in such points And if Churches Infallibilitie in fundamental points be supernatural and diuine proceeding from Gods special and effectual assistance to that purpose it may iustly be giuen as a sufficient external cause why we beleue any fundamental point as that the scripture is the word of God See Vvitaâ—er l. 3. de script p. 4 28. Wherfore ether Protestants must denie this to be a fundamental point of their faith which yet some of them account so fundamental as that vpon it their beleif of alother points dependeth or they cannot denie but that we may beleue with diuine faith that the scripture is the word of God becaus the present Church doth testifie so and that her authoritie is not only an Introduction or inducement to beleue the scripture to be the word of God as b Vvhitaker l. 2. descrip p. 234. Potter sec 5. p. 8 Hooler l. 3. §. 8. Laude sec 5. n. 25. Chilling c. 3. p. 150. they vse to say but a true and sufficient external cause therof For it cannot be denied but that infallible diuine authoritie or veracitie can be in its order a sufficient cause of infallible and diuine faith And if the Churches infallibilitie in some points of faith be diuine voluntarie and vaine it is to denie it to be such in al points of fâ—ith For if she be fallible in some points of faith what assurance can we haue that she is diuinely infallible in others as S. Augustin rightly said of the scripture Besides her diuine infallibilitie in onely fundamental points were to no purpose for us seing we know not certainly which are those fundamental points which not Moreouer al points of faith sufficiently proposed are equally to be beleued of vs with diuine faith and therfore there must be diuine authoritie in the proposer for them al. I add also that Protestants teach that the word or voice of a minister absoluing a penitent is infallible and Protestants make ministers voâ—â—e Gods voiâ—e equiualent to Gods voice and as much to be beleued as if God spoke to him from heauen as is to be seen in the Apologie of the Confess of Auspurg c. de poenitentia Perkins Cathol reform Cont. 3. c. 3. Fulk of Priesthood p. 168. And if one Ministers voice be such much more the voice of the Church 7. And out of these confessions of Protestants of the infallible and diuine authoritie of the Prophets Apostles Euangelists we maie see First how fondly some c Vvhitaker l. 1. descrip p. 24. â—26 l. 3. p. 419. cont 2. q. 4. c. 1. Laude sect 16. n. 6. Petter sec 5. Châ—lling c. 3. n. 50. Protestants argue The present Church is men Therfore it is not infallible in matters of faith As if the Prophets Apostles Euangelists had not been men Secondly how vntruly Laude saieth sec 16. p. 65. That special immediat reuelation is necessarily required to the verye least degree of diuine authoritie For besids that he affirmeth that without all proof it is manifestly refuted by their grant of infallibilitie of the present Church in fundamental points For if she be infallible in such highe and diuine points she is such without immediat diuine reuelation Besids himself sec tit p. 51. granteth that such and so great assistance of Christ and his Holie Ghost as is purposâ—ly giuen to that effect is enough to make the authoritie Vvhat assistance suffieth to make â—uine infâ—llibilitie of anâ—e companie of men diuine and infallible And if such and so great assistance wil suffice to make infallible and diuine authoritie then special immediat reuelation is not needful for that purpose And surely it were greatly to restraine the Omnipotencie of God that he cannot giue the verie least degree of diuine authoritie but by special reuelation and that what so euer special assistance of his without that were not sufficient to that purpose Moreouer S. Luke c. 1. professeth to haue written his Ghospel by hearsay Thirdly we maiesee how impiously wrote Whitaker controu 2. q. 5. c. 11. The Apostles are not simply to be Protestants wil examin the Apostles heard but to be examined to the Rule of scripture l. 1. de script c. 10. sec 8. No mans testimonie of God and of his word can be sufficient And l. 3. c. 19. p. 500. I beleue Moises but not for Moises The like he hath ib. p. 402. 404. and other where often Ibid. c. 8. p. 409. The Apostles giue al authoritie of iudging to the Scriptures take none to themselues l. 2. p. 294. Nether Pauls nor the Apostles authoritie was reason or Rule of beleuing l. 1. c. 2. p. 41. Noman beleued for Ihons testimonie onely c. 7. p. 78. The command to heare the Apostles was not simple for what soeuer they shold say Simple obedience and beleef is due to Christ onely l. 3. c. 3. p. 383. Nones but Gods testimonie of himself is sufficient And Laude Relat. sec 16. p. 107. were the Apostles liuing and should tel vs that they spake and writ the verie Oracles of God yet this were but their own testimonie of themselues and so alone not able to enforce beleif on others For wil they haue the Apostles to be examined and their testimonie vnsufficient which they haue granted to be simply diuine the voice of God altogeither infallible to be beleued for it self sufficient to cause faith and into
which we may resolue our faith For as Whitaker himself saieth l. 1. de script p. 45. if it once appeare that the voice of the Church is the voice of God it were impietie not to beleue what she teacheth For it were to cal in question Gods authoritie And l. 3. de scriptura p. 428. wil you not be content with diuine iudgment or wil you except against infallible iudgment Besids the Church being built vpon the authoritie of the Prophets and Apostles Ephes 2. and Apocal. 21. if that be not sufficient al Christian faith is built vpon an vnsufficient foundation and so is fallible But to this vnchristian impietie are they by little and little lead by their denial of the Churches infallibilitie in al matters which she proposeth vs of faith For who compareth the dignitie of the Spouse of Christ with anie singular Prophet or Apostle or the loue of Christ to his Spouse with his loue to anie singular Prophet or Apostle or the scriptures testimonies of his efficacious assistance to his Spouse for not erring in faith with the testimonies of his like assistance to anie singular Prophet or Apostle wil easily see that the denial of the Churches infallibilitie wil lead him to doubt or denie the Infallibilitie of anie singular Prophet or Apostle and the denial of that wil lead to the denial of al infallible certaintie of Christian faith to which it hath already lead Chillingworth as is to be seen in him c. 2. § 24. and 154. and otherwhere often And if it be true See infra l. 2. c. 8. sec 2. which his three Approuuers the cheifest Doctors of Oxford say that he teacheth nothing contrarie to the doctrine of their English Church their English Church hath not infallible or diuine faith But of this we shal speak more hereafter Now let vs proue out of Scripture that the true Church of Christ which soeuer she is is infallible in al points of faith Finally Protestants teach that a ministers word absoluing one is as infallible as Gods word as is to be seen in Apologia Confess Augustanae c. de Poenitentia Confess Bohem. c. 14 Caluin 10 v. 16. Perkins in Reform Catholik cont 3. c. 3. and others FIFT CHAPTER That the true Church of God is a sufficient and infallible Proposer of al vvhich she proposeth as points of faith proued by vvhat she is saied to be in Scripture 1. TWO waies we may proue the Infallibilitie of the true Church of God in al points which she proposeth as of faith out of Scripture the one is by what she or her Pastors are there saied to be the other by what God in Scripture hath promised to her The first way we wil take in this Chapter and the second in the next In the Scripture the true Church of God is saied first to be the pillar and ground of truth secondly her preaching is saied to be a cause of faith Thirdly her pastors are saied to be witnesses of Gods truth Fourthly their voice is saied to be Christs voice Fiftly they are saied to be put to keepe the faithful constant in faith out of al which we wil euidently proue her infallibilitie in al matters which she proposeth as of faith 2. The Apostle 1. Timot. 3. v. 15. saieth which is the Church of the liuing God the Pillar and Ground of truth Which words doe not onely proue the Church to be infallible but also that she is an external formal cause of diuine truth concerning vs or which commeth al to one of our beleif of it becaus on what our beleif of diuine truth relieth as on a pillar or ground that is some formal cause therof But her infallibilitie I proue out thence in forme thus what is the Pillar and Ground of diuine and infallible truth is diuinely infallible in such truth The Church is such therfore she is diuinely infallible in diuine truth The Minor is the Apostles The Maior is euident For a humane and fallible pillar or Ground is not able to See â—uprae 2. n. 3. vphold diuine and infallible truth as is euident and Chillingworth confesseth c. 2. § 154. in these words None can build an infallible faith vpon motiues that are not infallible as it were a great and heauie burden vpon a foundation that hath not strength proportionable And the same he hath c. 1. n. 7. And also Whitaker l. 1. de Script p. 166. l. 3. p. 392. 415 Field l. 4. de Eccles c. 2. Laude sec 33. p. 248. Potter sec 5. p. 7. And as the same Chillingworth saieth wel c. 3. § 33. The Apostles could not be the Churches foundation without freedom from error in al those things which they deliuered constantly as certaine reuealed truthes so I say the Church could not be the pillar and Ground of truth to the faithful without fredom from error in al things which she constantly deliuereth as certain reuealed truthes Nether can it be imagined how the Scripture could by a clearer metaphor haue affirmed the Infallibilitie of the Church in matters of faith then by saying that she is the pillar and Ground of diuine truth For who can imagin that God would not make her infallible whome he maketh the Pillar and Ground of his truth Neuertheless Protestants seek manie waies to elude the clearness of this text some by distinguishing the word Church Some by distinguishing the word Pillar some by distinguishing the word Is and some by distinguishing the word truth And Chillingworth c. 3. § 76. p. 176. wil haue Timothe not the Church to be called the pillar and ground of truth Which varietie of shifts doth sufficiently confute them 3. a Vvhitaker cont 2. q. 2. c. 2. â—ulk in 1. Timot. 3. Field l. 4. de Eâ—cle c. 4. Some say the Apostle speaketh not of the vniuersal Church but onely of the particular Church of Ephesus becaus he saieth S. Timothe conuersed in the Church which is the pillar of truth But this shift first is new not found in anie ancient author Secondly is contrarie to the Apostles word For he vseth the word Church absolutly and Protestants translate it The Church which as is clear and b Laude Reâ— lat p. 128. 141. Chilâ—ing p. 263. themselues confess signifieth the whole Church and not a parte of the Church as a particular Church is Thirdly it is contrarie to his meaning For no particular Church is the pillar and Ground of truth becaus euerie particular Church is fallible Fourthly it is contrarie to the Fathers For S. Hierom in c. 26. Iob. saieth The Church which is the congregation of al Saints the pillar and ground of truth Fiftly it is against themselues For Whitaker contr 2. q. 3. c. 2. denieth that by the Church 1. Timoth. 3. is meant anie particular Church but wil haue it to be their inuisible and Catholike Church and so doth Iuel part 1. Apolog. c. 9. § 1. and others Sixtly the ground or pretence of their limitation of the
witnes Sutclif l. 1. de Eccles c. 1. p. 11. we doubt not but the Church is a faithfull witnes of the scripture Beza 1. Tim. 3. v. 15. The Church is witnes and conseruer of truth amongst men Feild of the Church l. 4. c 6. The Churches office of teaching and witnessing the truth Potter sec 5. p. 9. To the Church we willingly attribute these two excellent vses first of witnes testifying the authoritie and sense of scripture to vs Secondly of Gods instrument by whose ministerie in preaching and expounding the scriptures the Holie Ghost breeds a diuine faith in vs. Whitaker controu 1. q. 3. c. 1. The Churches testimonie must be receaued Ibid. The Church deliuereth the rule of faith as witnes Controu 2. q. 5. c. 18. The Church is an external witnes and interpreter of truth l. 1. de scrip p. 15. we may be forced by the authoritie of the Church to acknowledg the Scripture Caluin 4. Instit. c. 1. §. 10. Moulins Buâ—leâ— sec 104. P. 19. The Churches testimonie must be receiued and who receaueth it not is guiltie of Sacriledg Ibid. it is the office of the Church and Pastors to testifie of the scriptures P. 22. The Church hath authoritie to testifie those things which are of faith P. 46. we cannot beleue but by the testimonie of the Church as by the ordinarie means P. 49. I haue told what offices the Church hath touching scripture First it is to be witnes and keeper of the scripture Ibid. Indeed the Church is witnes of faith 7. You see how the euidencie of the Churches Infallibilitie in witnessing Gods truth forceth Protestants to speak at least as Catholicks doe howsoeuer they think not so For they say she is a faithful witnes she hath authoritie to testifie Gods truth her authoritie can force men to acknowledg the scripture Her testimonie must be receiued and who receaueth it not is guiltie of sacriledg And hath she of her humane nature to be a faithful witnes of supernatural truths hath she of herself authoritie to testifie such truths can her humane authoritie forcemen to acknowledg things aboue sense and reason Is it sacriledg not to receiue humane testimonie Pastors are to consummate Saints 8. The fourth argument we wil take from that the Scripture saieth that God hath put Pastors in the Church for to consummate Saints and to keep them vnited and constant in diuine faith til we meet al in one Ephes 4. v. 11. And he gaue some Apostles and some Prophets others some EuaÌ„ge lists and others Pastors and Doctors to the consummation of Saints for edification of the bodie of Christ vntil we meet in the vnitie of faith That now we be not Children and carried about with euerie winde of doctrin Out of which place I argue thus in forme whome God putteth in the Church as he put Apostles Prophets and Euangelists for to consummate Saints and to keep them vnited and constant in diuine infallible faith to them he hath giuen diuine infallibilitie in matters of faith but so he put the Pastors and Doctors of the Church Therfore to them he hath giuen diuine infallibilitie in matters of faith The Maior is euident both becaus to the Apostles Prophets and Euangelists such infallibilitie was giuen and therfore the like to others whome God putteth in the Church for the same end he put them as also becaus if they had not diuine Infallibilitie they were nether fit nor able to consummate Saints and keep them vnited and constant in diuine infallible faith For humane veracitie cannot make men diuinely assured Some Protestants may say that this proueth that Pastors of the Church haue Infallibilitie in fundamental points but not in al points But beside what we haue saied before of this distinction and that it is here both new and groundles and therfore a mere voluntarie and irrational shift it is clearly refuted First becaus Pastors are saied to be put for the same end for which the Apostles Prophets and Euangelists were to wit to consummate saints and to keep them vnited and constant in al points of diuine faith And also Pastors are saied to be put in the Church in the same manner for that end as the Apostles were Secondly becaus Saints are not consummate if they be suffered to err in anie points of faith Thirdly m Laude sec 16. p 65. 91. Seâ— the Prefacen 2. Protestants wil not grant diuine Infallibilitie to Pastors euen in fundamental points and the Apostle speaketh of diuine infallibilitie such as the Prophets and Apostles had And if Protestants would in deed grant diuine infallibilitie in fundameÌ„tal points to Pastors I think they would not stick to grant them diuine infallibilitie in other points of faith 8. Wherfore Chillingworth c. 3. n. 79. and seq seemeth to grant that the Pastors wherof the Apostle speaketh had diuine infallibilitie in al points of faith as the Apostles had but denieth that he speaketh of Chilling turneth Pastors vnto writings Pastors succeeding the Apostles but onely of such as in the Apostles time had immediat reuelation and that they consummate Saints and keep them vnited and constant in faith for euer by their writing But this Exposition or limitation of the Apostles words to Pastors onely in the time of the Apostles First is new for he citeth no ancient auther for it and therfore is iustly suspected secondly it hath no ground in the Apostles words and therfore is ameere voluntarie and irrational shift to delude the true sense of them Thirdly becaus no Pastors of the Apostles time distinct from Apostles and Euangelists wrote anie thing For S. Mark and S. Luke were Euangelists and al other writers were Apostles And S. Paul speaketh of Pastors who were different from both Apostles and Euangelists nor saieth he that the Pastors writings were put in the Church to conâ—ummate Saints but the Pastors themselues were put for that end and Chillingworth in effect wil not that Pastors were put but onely their writings becaus not those infallible Pastors but onely their writings were to coÌ„tinue in the Church for euer Wheras the Apostle speaketh not of writings but of men to wit of infallible Pastors that were to continue for euer Lastly it is contrarie to the common sense of Protestants who out of this place doe gather that there shal beal waies Pastors in the Church as Melancthon to 1. Lutheri disp de Politia Eccles fol. 442. Kemnitius 2. parte Exam p. 192. Caluin 4. Instit c. 3. § 2. and vpon this place Whitaker Controu 4. q. 1. c. 3. p. 634. and others And besids now Sâ—â— l. 2. 〈◊〉 6. sec 2. Protestants grant that no Scripture is of it self without the testimonie of the Pastors of the Church sufficient to proue anie point to be beleued with diuine faith much less to consummate Saints and keep them constant and vnited in such faith Wherfore S. Paul meant not of anie writings of infallible Pastors in the Apostles
could drie vp al the brooks of thy Propositions with the onely sun of the Church 8. S. Austin l. de haeres saieth of the Donatists They dare rebaptize Catholiks wherin they more shewed themselues to be heretiks seeing the whole Catholik Church hath iudged that euen in heretiks vsual baptisme is not to be reiected Behold Donatists accounted heretiks becaus they went against the iudgement of the whole Church And in the end saieth of al heresies reckoned there by him it is superfluous to ask what the Church iudgeth of them when it sufficeth to See Potter sect 2. p. 33. know that she iudgeth against them Behold the iudgment of the Church suffiseth to condemn heresies Lib. de Vnitate c. 22. Thiâ— is nether openly nor euidently read ether by you or by me yet if there were anie wiseman of whome our Sauior had giuen testimonie and that he should be consulted in this question we would make no doubt to doe what he should say least we might seem to gain say not him so much as Christ by whose testimonie he was commended Now Christ beareth witnes to his Church Item Whosoeuer refuseth to follow the practise of the Church doth refuse our Sauior himself who by his testimonie recommendeth this Church Behold that to denie the Churches testimonie to be sufficient in matters of faith is to denie Christs testimonie of her Chillingworth c. 1. n. 163 saieth that S. Augustin in saying that some point of faith is nether openly nor euidently read inscripture contradicteth forsooth himself becaus l. 2. de Doctr. Christ c. 9. he saieth In these things which are openly put in scripture are al those found which conteine faith and manner of life But S. Austin there speaketh of al thinges which conteine faith and manner of life l Morton tom 2. Apost l. 1. c 49. verum respondes necessarie simply to euerie one or which are necessarie as he addeth to haue hope and charitie or which commeth alto one he speaketh of the Rule of faith Which as he saieth l. 3. de Doctr. Christ c. 2. is receaued from the plainer places of scripture Beside which kinde of points of faith there are others which are nether openly nor euidently read in Scripture and such was the baptisme of heretiks wherof he spake lib. de vnit c. cit But what is this to S. Austins authoritie that who contradicteth the Church in a matter of faith contradicteth Christ and who followeth her followeth Christ becaus he giueth witnes to her Lib. 2. de Baptist c. 4. Nether durst we say anie such thing that baptisme of Heretiks is vailable vnles we were assured by the most agreeing authoritie of the whole Church Behold the authoritie of the Church both sufficient and necessarie for some point of faith And ibid. c. 9. The whole world was held by the strength of Custome of the Church and this alone was opposed against those who brought in Noueltie And was not that sufficient which held the whole world and which alone was opposed to erroneous Noueltie Lib. 7. de Baptis c. 53. It is sâ—fâ— for vs to auouch with confidence of secure voice what in the Gouernment of our Lord Iesus Christ is confirmed with consent of the vniuersal Church Lib. 2. contra Crescon c. 32. I doe not receaue what Cyprian thought of baptizing heretiks and Schismatiks becaus the Church doth not receaue it Lib. contra Epist fund c. Becaus 5. which book of the acts I must needs beleue if I beleue the Ghospel becaus both books Catholik authoritie doth Becaâ—s alike commend to me Behold Catholik authoritie bindeth vs to beleue books of Scripture and is a cause why we beleue them l. 2. de Doctr. Christ c. 8. The Books of Wisdom and Becaus Ecclesiasticus are to be accounted prophetical becaus they haue been admitted into authoritie And l. 3. c. 2. let him consult the Rule of faith which he hath receaued from the plaineâ— places of scripture and from the authoritie of the Church Epist 56. Al the height of authoritie is setled in that holie name of Christ and in his one Church for recreating and reformiâ—g mankind And calleth the authoritie of Church most firme sermone 14. de Verbis Apostoli c. 21. This is a grounded thing an erring Disputer is to be borne with in other questions not diligently disgested nor yet made firme by ful authoritie of the Church There Error is to be borne with but it ought not to goe so far that it endeauour to shake the foundation it self of the Church Behold dispute in matters not determined by the Church may be borne with al but not with matters determined by her ful authoritie lib. 10. de Genesi ad literam c. 23. The custome of our Mother the Church in baptizing Infants is noe way to be despised not yet at al to be beleued vnles it were an Apostolical tradition Laude sec 15. p. 57. answereth that S. Austin meaneth not that tradition is the cause of our beleuing the baptisme of Infants but that it is the cause that we sought and found it in scripture But this is a plain euasion For S. Austin speaketh not of our seeking the Baptisme of Infants in Scripture nor of the cause of our finding it there but of our beleuing it and plainly sayeth that the cause of our beleuing it is tradition and that without tradition it were not at al to be beleued 9. And so vndoubted a thing it was in the time of the Fathers that the Church of God is a sufficient and infallible Proposer of matters of faith as euen Pelagius in S. Austin l. de gestis Pelagij c. 19. professed I curse Ancient heretiks confessed the Church to be â—nfallible al that gain say or contradict the doctrins of the holie Catholik Church And Dioscorus in Concil Chalced. Act. 1. If Euthyches think contrarie to the doctrin of the Church he is worthie not onely of punishment but euen of fire But now Gentle Reader consider first how manie omitting m Viâ—cent c. 1. 14 32. manie more for breuities sake testimonies of holie fathers haue been brought for the sufficiencie and infallibilitie of the Church in matters of faith Secondly how cleare and euident as some of them are confessed by Protestants to be against them Thirdly how vnlikelie it is that in this so main and clear a matter the Fathers should ether contradict themselues or be contrarie some to others Fourthly how Protestants expositions of those testimonies which they wil not grant to be against them are voluntarie not grounded in the words of the Fathers nay violent and contrarie to the vsual sense of such words and therfore are mere shifts inuented for to delude Fathers authoritie And thus hauing proued both by holie scripture and Fathers that the true Church of God is a sufficient and infallible Proposer of points of faith let vs proue the same by reason Onely I wil add D. Rainolds confession
of the Fathers in his Preface Sâ—â— his thâ—s 5. p. 106. to his conclusions The Fathers who denie the Church of Rome may err gain say vs indeed but they gain say the Ghospel too Pardon me o Cyprian I would beleue thee gladly but that beleuing thee I should not beleue the word of God Al the testimonies of the Fathers for the Roman Church are of two sortes the one of them true but clean beside the purpose the other to purpose enough but vntrue And in verse bidds Auant al yee who on the Fathers saws depend Thus plainly he confesseth the Fathers to be against him touching the Infallibilitie of the Church Out of which testimonies of Fathers and confession of Protestants euident it is that it is an vniuersal tradition that the true Church of God is infallible in al matters which she professeth as of faith And therfore if as hereafter Protestants say they admit vniuersal traditions in al matters where it can be had and that vniuersal tradition is the key the introduction to al diuine truthes that for it they beleue the Scripture to be the word of God and that it is as infallible as the Scripture they cannot denie the true Church of God to be infallible in al matters which she proposeth as of faith EIGHT CHAPTER That the true Church of God is infallible in al points of faith proued by Reason 1. THE Infallibilitie of the Church of God which soeuer she is in al points of faith is so euident as it is not onely testified by scripture and Fathers but also conuinced by light of Reason And therfore falsly saied Chillingwort c. 3. § 27. p. 141. For the Infallibilitie of the Church no proof can be pretended but incorrupted places of Scripture The first Reason we wil take from the definition or description of the true Church giuen by scripture Fathers and Protestants For the Scripture Acts. 2. v. 42. describeth the true Church of Christ to be à companie of men pâ—rseuering in the doctrin of the Apostles and communion of Sacraments And doubtles a Church perseuering in them is infallible The Fathers as Protestants Confess are wont to vnderstand by a Moulins cont Peron l. 1. c. 2. the Church which oftentimes they cal Catholik the whole societie of Christians orthodox and sound in faith vnited together in Communion But a Church Orthodox and sound in faith is infallible so long as she remaineth such Protestants also as we shewed pars 1. l. 2. c. 6. put in the definition of the true Church that she profess the pure and entire word of God and they giue puritie in doctrin for an essential note of her But a Church of whose definition it is and whose essential note is to profess pure and entire doctrin is infallible in profession therof And what some may say that they mean onely of puritie of doctrin in fundamental points is refuted c. 6. citato 2. The second argument may be taken from the ends for which God instituted à Church on earth And to omit those ends which we brought out of Scripture c. 5. as to be the pillar and ground of truth to be the ordinarie means of begetting infallible faith to be Gods witnes of infallible faith to consummate and keep the faithful vnited and constant in infallible faith an other end is that she is instituted as an infallible and b Vvhitaker l. 3. de script 〈◊〉 392. Pottâ—r sect 5. p. 7. necessarie means to bring men to saluation by faith Hope and Charitie And Faith sisignifieth whole faith not a parte onely as fundamental articles are Therfore she is as infallible in teaching al points of faith as in teaching al points of hope or Charitie She is also instituted to be a mother to conceaue and beare Children to God by the infallible word of God to be their Mistress and c Laude sect 38. p. 345. Guide in faith That she is the mother of the faithful The Apostle testifieth Galat 4. v. 26. and Caluin confesseth 4. Instit c. 1. § 4. where he saieth Let vs learn by the onelie title of Mother The Church mother and mistâ—es of the faithful how profitable yea how necessarie it is to know her seing there is no entrance into life vnles she conceaue vs in her wombe vnles she beare vs nourish vs with her duggs c. Whitaker l. 1. de scriptura p. 87. I am a disciple of the Church I acknowledg the Church for my Mother The Church truly is mother of the faithful And p. 72. The Church is truly mistress and Guide of our faith P. 128. we honor the Churâ—h as mother Nurse Tutress Teacher we heare and respect her as our perpetual Mistress P. 153. None denieth the Church to be a Mistress of her own We denie not but a Mistreshipp was giuen to the Church l. 2. p. 234. I confess the Church is to be heard as a mistress and her iudgment also to be followed But the sure means of infallible faith instituted by God The Mother of Christians in infallible faith instituted by God the Mistress or Guide of infallible faith instituted by God must needs be infallible both becaus of Gods institution and for the infallibilitie of the end For a fallible Mistress or guide is as good as none for to learn infallible truth or to attein to infallible securitie or as Chillingworth saieth c. 6. § 20. A doubtful Guide is A fallible Guide naught worth for mens direction as good as none at al. And c. 1. n. 7. I grant that this means in the Church to decide controuersies in faith and Religion must be endued with an vniuersal infallibilitie in whatsoeuer it propoundeth for a diuine truth And to say as Protestants doe that she is a sure guide but in fundamental points cannot stand with her fallibilitie in other points For as S. d Epist 8. and 9. Difference of Maisters in faith and science Austin saieth of the Scriptur if it faile in anie point it becoms doubtful in al so say of the Church If she can faile in some points of faith she is doubtful in al. And here must be wel noted the diffeence of Masters or Mistresses in sciences and in faith For Masters or Mistresses of sciences doe shew their schollers the truth of things in the things themselues and so they are but shewers of the truths which they teach not perswaders of it but Masters or Mistresses of mattets to be beleued doe not make their disciples see the truths which they teach in themselues but in their own authoritie and their authoritie is the formal cause of perswading them those truths Wherfore if Protestants would indeed grant the Church to be Mistress of Christians in matters of faith they must needs grant that in her authoritie they see the truthes which they beleue and for her authoritie are persuaded of them but indeed they doe not distinguish between à Mistress in faith and in science which is a
gross ouersight 3. The third argument may be taken from that if the Church be not infallible in matters of faith there is no external formal cause sufficient to beget diuine faith For as I e See infâ—a l. 244. shâ—wed c. 2. there is no formal cause of beleef but authoritie nor anie formal authoritie but in some Author nor anie Author but some intellectual person or companie of intellectual persons and faith we cannot haue in ordinarie course without some formal external cause sufficient to engender infallible faith f Vvhitaker l. 1. descript p. 64. l. 3. p. 39â— See infra c. 17. n. 4. And no person on earth can be pretended in which infallible authorities should be if not the Church 4. The fourth argument shal be this The Churches authoritie in preaching or proposing al Christs doctrin is not natural or humane but supernatural and diuine Therfore it is infallible in doing that The consequence is euident becaus diuine authoritie is infallible The antecedent I proue out of those words of Christ to his Apostles Teach al Nationâ— baptizing them c. teaching Math. vlt. them to keepe al that I haue commanded you Where Christ gaue no humane or natural authoritie to his Apostles but supernatural and diuine And what authoritie of teaching or baptizing he gaue to them he means also to their successors els these should haue no authoritie to preach or baptize as also becaus that authoritie was giuen to the Apostles for the good of the Church and therfore was to endure as long as the Church endureth moreouer the Churches authoritie to preach or propose al points of faith is diuine Therfore also her authoritie to testifie and persuade that it is Gods word which she preacheth is diuine The Antecedent is proued already The consequence I proue becaus persuasion that it is Gods word which the Church teacheth is the end of her preaching it And if God giue her duine authoritie for the means doubtles he giueth the like for the end becaus the end is more desired then the means and the means desired but for the end And if the Churches authoritie in testifying or perswading what she preacheth be diuine doubtles it is infallible in testifying it For diuine authoritie to perswade is infallible Further more the Churches authoritie can force vs to beleue the scripture to be Gods word Therfore her authoritie is diuine and infallible The consequence is clear becaus no authoritie can force vs to beleue diuine matters but what is diuine The antecedent Protestants grant For thus Whitaker contr 1. q. 3. c. 7. I answer as often before that we are forced by the Churches authoritie to beleue these books to be canonical And can fallible authoritie force 5. The fift argument for the Infallibilitie of the Church in matters of faith shal be taken from the great and manifold inconueniences or absurdities which necessarily follow of the denial of it As first that Christ hath giuen vs no competent or fit Iudge of controuersies of faith For if the Church be fallible she is no competent or fitt Iudge of Infallible matters and the scripture cannot be a Iudge becaus à proper iudge is an vnderstanding person and iudgment an act of vnderstanding And this is so clear as now g See infra l. 2. c. 7. sect 2. Protestants confess that the scripture is no proper Iudge And want of a competent Iudge would make coÌ„trouersiesendles And as Hooker saieth in the preface to his book § 6 of this we are right sure that Nature Scripture and Experience it self Scripture nature experience require a â—udge of controuersies so also Tailor in lâ—bertie of prophsing sect 6. n. 1. haue al taught the world to seek for the ending of contentions by submitting it self vnto some iudicial or definitiue sentence whervnto nether parte that contendeth may vnder anie pretence or coler refuse to stand Wherfore to refuse a Iudge who can pronounce such a definitiue sentence in contentions about matters of faith is to resist Nature Scripture and Experience An other great inconueniencie which denial of the Churches infalli ilitie breedeth is that it openeth a way to heresies and schismes For vpon pretence of the Churches erring in some matters of faith a plain gap is opened to depart from her profession of faith as heretiks doe or from her communion in Sacraments as Schismatiks doe And al sufficient means of ether conserâ—â—ng or restoring vnitie in faith and communion quite taken away First becaus al sufficient external authoritie which is the secondarie formal obiect of faith is taken away Secondly becaus as we shal proue hereafter and h See infra l 2. c. 5. sec 2. Protestants now confess the Scripture nether teacheth al points of faith nor al those which it teacheth doth it teach so clearly as is requisit to beget infallible faith Thirdly Experience sheweth this in Protestants who denying the Church to be infallible haue nether vnitie in faith or communion nor yet anie hope of it as i Cataubor Epist ad R. Iacobum Caluin Antid Concil sess 7. Laâ—de sect 38. p. 360. Confess Martyr in Hospin part 2. Histor fol. 245. Whitaker contr 2. q. 〈◊〉 c. 8. cout 3 q 6. c. 2. respons ad Rainoldum p. 8. Laude sec 38. n. 23. Potter sec 2. p. 38. Chillingworth c. 2. § 85 and others Nether wil it serue them to k Laude sect 26. n 3. Chilling c. 2. p. 61. say that they haue sufficient means of vnitie in fundamental points becaus the scripâ—â—â—e teacheth them plainly and as for diuision in Not-fundamental points that destroieth not the substantial vnitie of faith or of the Church First becaus themselues confess the Scripture teacheth not 〈◊〉 See infra l. 2. c. 5. seâ—t 2. al fundamental points secondly becaus they m See part 1. 〈◊〉 1 〈◊〉 6. confess they know not which are fundamental points Which Not fundamental points Thirdly becaus diuision in anie point of faith sufficiently proposed or of communion is a substantial diuision of true faith and Church as I haue clearly proued parte 1. l. 2. c. 5. And as Laude saieth sec 32. p. 226. If controuersies arise in the Church some end they must haue or they wil tear al in sunder 6. An other great inconueniencie is that by denying the Churches infallibilitie we take away al external infallible proof that the Scripture is the word of God and therfore this question How know you the Scripture to be the word of God much troubleth Protestants and as Laude saieth sec 16. p. 65. britâ—geth some of them to infidelitie For as he confesseth ibid. p. 66. Scripture must be known to be Scripture by a sufficient Sâ—ripture must be proud by some word of God and by some infal authoritie infallible diuine proof and that such a proof can be nothing but the word of God And p. 64. It seemes to me verie necessarie that we be able to proue the books of
confessions for it is so euident as they are forced sometimes to confess it TENTH CHAPTER That Protestants doe manie vvaies confess that the true Church of God is Infallible in proposing matters of Faith 1. IT is so euident that the true Church of God is Infallible in proposing matters of faith as Protestants doe manie wayes confess it though it doe quite ouerthrow their cause becaus themselues acknowledg that for manie ages she hath opposed their doctrin whose confessions I wil endeauour to set down in order For first they plainly and absolutly grant that the Church cannot err in matters of faith Luther l. de seruo arbitrio to 2. fol. 438. Thus hath our Creed I beleue Not in the least article the holie Catholik Church that it is imposâ—ible for her to err in the least article Respons ad Syluestrum tom 1. fol. 177. I shal be an heretik if I hold it not after the Catholik Church hath determined it Ibid. The vniuersal Church cannot err as the Cardinal of Cocciustom 〈◊〉 p. 140. Cambray proueth most learnedly Libro de decem Praeceptis The Church cannot err it is gouerned by the holie Ghost In Resolutionibus Do we not see how watchful Christ is in his Church that he suffereth not them to err Tom. 7. German fol. 562. The Church nether ought nor can lie no not in the least Not in the least matter matter seing God is the mouth of the Church and God cannot lie so nether the Church can And lib. de potestate Bellarm. l. 3. de Verbo Dâ—â— c. 5. Papae We are not certain of anie priuate man that he hath reuelation from the father but the Church it iâ— of whom we may not doubt Melancthon Respons ad Clerum Coloniensem to 2. p. 113. Let the earth swallow me and al Etna ouer whelme me before I fight with the Church of God We sphalus in Hospin parte 2. Histor Sacram. fol. 237. â—h Church Not in doctrin of God can not err in doctrin Thus Luther and Lutherans 2. Caluin 4. Instit c. 1. § 3. we are Seâ— alâ—o c. 8. §. 12. sure that we shal alwayes haue truth whiles we are in the lapos the Church lib. de scandalis p 102. I willingly add that the sense of the Church is so ioined with the true doctrin of the law and Gospâ—l that she is rightly iudged a faithful teacher and Interpreter of it And in Antidoto Concil sess 4. None of vs but submitts his writings to the iudgment of the Church Sadeel ad Repetit Turiani loco 30. p. 643. If the Church be the ground of truth as Paul auoucheth if faith be the fundation of the Church as Ambrose affirmeth it followeth that whersoeuer the true Church is there true faith is Moulins l. 1. contra Peron c. 1. It is true that who is assured that he is in the true Church is assured that he hath true faith and doctrin 3. Cranmer in Fox Acts p. 1709. I am readie in al things to follow the iudgment of the most sacred word of God and of the holie Catholik Church Latimer Ibid. p. 1603. I confes there is a Catholik Church to the determination of which I wil stand Philpot. ibid. p. 1637. I doe not think the Catholik Church can err in doctrin P. 1640. If they can proue themselues to be the Catholik Church I wil neuer be against their doctrin but reuoke al that I haue saied Ridley ibid. p. 1597. I acknowledg an vnspotted Church in the which no man can err Whitaker controu See Vvhitaker â—ont 1. q. 5. c. 3. q. 3. c. 5. cont 2. q. 4. c. 2. l 2. cont Bâ—â— sect 1. 2. q. 5. c. 18. It cannot hold anie heretical doctrin and yet be a Church Ibid. Truth maketh the Church and the Church teacheth where is truth and which is truth C. 19. which place 1. Timoth. 3. sheweth that truth abideth alwaies in the Church nor can be separated from her other companies may err but it is proper and a Note of this companie that it can not err as they confess Ibid. this place Isaiae 53. sheweth that true preaching of the word shal be perpetual in the Church And controu 4. q. 4. c. 2. The Church is the Mistress of faith and manners to her al must submit And l. 3. de Scriptura p. 453. They slander vs that we make the iudgment of the Church merely humane P. 412. Tradition was once of the same authoritie as Scripture is now White in his way p. 79. No man denieth but that it is a good way not to be deceaued in an obscure question to ask and follow the Iudgment of the Church so it be the true Church P 80. The Church is to vs a witnes and vpholder of the faith and alwaies preserueth it which we denie not P. 67. These words be tolerable The doctrin teaching and beleif of the true Church Infallible rule is the infallible Rule in al points to be followed In his defence p. 318. wee wold frâ—ely grant this conclusion if his meaning weâ—e no more but that the doctrin and faith of the vniuersal Church is the Rule of faith See him also p. 339. â—ulk in Ioan. 14. Nota 5. The true Church of Christ neuer fals into Apostaâ—ie heresie or to nothing Therfore it is an impudent slander we say so Feild in Appendice part 1. p. 69. Nether D. Humfrey nor we condemne the Vniuersal Madnes to condemne the Church Church but think it verie madnes so to doe Laude sec 20. p. 142. A verie dangerous thing it is to crie out in general tearmes The whole Catholik Church can err sec 18. p. 139. We hold that the Church neuer fals into heresie That the whole visible Church neuer fals into heresie we most willingly grant sec 16. p. 113. First comes in the tradition of the Church the present Tradition of the Church is not heretical Church so it is no heretical or schismatical beleif sec 36. p. 344. we doe relie vpon the infallible authoritie of the word of God and the whole Catholik Church Ibid. p. 346. T is true that after à General Councel is ended and admitted by the whole Church is then infallible Moulins in Arnolds flights c. 8. It is fals that we say simply The Church can err Andrews Respons ad 1. Epist Molinei Arrius his name is iustly in the Catalogue of Heretiks becaus he opposed the consent of the Vniuersal Church Chillingworth c. 2. § 124. p. 100. That the liuing Iudge in the Iewish Church had an infallible direction is that which the Doctor Potter attributes to the Iews Potter sec 2. p. 25. The high Priest had an absolutly infallible direction If anie See Chilling c 2 p. 106. such promise from God to assist the Pope could be produced his decisions might then iustly pass for oracles without examination Ibid. p. 34. The Catholik Church is the faithful keeper of al
5. calleth this The Ladie and as it were Goddess of al traditions Robert Baronius tract de Eccles c. 21. n. 1. The Fathers knew no other infallible Rule of faith beside the Scripture and perpetual tradition of the Church Dauenant de Iudice c. 5. we grant Tradition before Moyses was sufficient that before Moises the word of God not written and propagated to posteritie by continual tradition was a sufficient Rule of faith Whitaker contr 1. q. 3. c. 5. I deny not that the Churches Tradâ—tion conuinâ—ent tradition is a conuincent argument which books are Canonical which not And if conuincent infallible Behold the Churches tradition of the Scripture is certain vndoubted the Ladie and as it were Goddess of traditions and her perpetual or vniuersal tradition as infallible as the Scripture an infallible rule of faith And what maketh it so but Gods assistance 7. Fourthly they grant that the testimonie or tradition of the Church Testimonie of the Church proueth the scripture is an infallible proof of the Scripture Whitaker l. 2. de Scriptura c. 4. sec 4. p. 227. I say the testimonie of the Church sufficeth to conuince and refute those who think amiss of Scripture or denie the articles of Christian faith Ibid. p 270. Thy meaning was that the iudgment of the Church was a most strong argument in the kinde of external cause and my meaning was altogether the same l. 1. c. 1. sec 9. p. 19. The true Churches testimonie of the Scripture must be taken and who taketh it not shal be guiltie of sacriledg Contr. 1. q. 3. c. 7. we are forced by the Churches authoritie to beleue these books to be diuine And c. 9. p. 325. Al those Fathers doe they proue anie other thing then that Scripture is to be receaued becaus it was alwaies receaued of the Becaus Church and some books to be reiected becaus the Churchal waies reiected them This we most willingly grant And ibid. p. 326. we confâ—ss with Ireney that the authoritie of the Church is a firme and compendious Demonstration of Canonical doctrin And l. 5. contra Dureum sec 19. I think there could not be brought à stronger argument against the schismatical Donatists then from the authoritie of the Church And l. 1. sec 30. we confess the Churches approbation is necessarie and we admit no books but which haue certain and perpetual testimonie of the true Church you see therfore how much we giue to the Churches tâ—stimonie in which we think is strenght enough to confirme Strenght enough in the â—hurch testimonie the Canon of Scripture and refute al Aduersaries Kemnitius 1. parte Exam tit de Scriptura Al this dispute whether S. Iames Epistle be Canonical dependeth on the assuâ—ed firme and agreing testimonies of the Church Hooker l. 2. § 4. Nether could we euer come to anie pause wheron to rest our assurance this way so that vnles beside Scripture there were something which Something beside Scripture can assure vs. might assure vs that we doe wel we could not think we doe wel in being assured that the Scripture is a sacred and holie rule of wel doing And this thing which can assure vs as a pause to rest on that scripture is a sacred rule he saieth l. 3. § 8. is the Church where he addeth scripture teacheth vs that sauing faith the which God hath discouered vnto the worldby Reuelation and it presumeth vs taught by the Church that it self is diuine and sacred Item If â—nfidels or Atheists chance at anie time to cal it in question this giueth vs occasion to â—ift what reason there is wherby the testimonie of the Church concerning scripture and our owne perswasion which Scripture it self confirmed may be proued a truth Testimonie of the Church infalâ—ible infallible Behold the Church can assure vs as a pause to rest our assurance on that the Scripture is Gods word she teacheth vs that it is diuine and that her testimonie of the Scripture is infallible And is not this to haue one â—illable to this purpose that That wheron we must rest our assurance that the Scripture is Gods word is the Church as Chillingworth auoucheth c. 2. § 30. Doth the Church assure vs as a pause to rest our assurance on doth she teach vs that the Scrippture is Gods word is her testimonie of the Scripture infallible and may we not rest our assurance herof on the Church or is this no more but to be a key or inducement as Laude wold haue it sec 16 § 25. 8. Spalatensis l. 7. de Republ. c. 1. n. 9. doth not onely say that the Churches testimonie of the Scripture is sufficient to beleue it to be The Churâ—hâ—◠〈◊〉 stim onelie meâ—ns Gods word but also addeth that it is the onely motiue or meane to beleue it to be such To enquire which book is Canonical the Church hath that alone singular and onely Rule that the Vniuersal Church ask herself and what she in actual exercise holdeth seek and plainely know And l. contra Suarem c. 1. n. 34. I shew that nether Councels nor Popes nor Fathers nor Church can otherwise define which books be canonical which not but by the onely testimonie of the whole Church Chillingworth c. 2 n. 27. The question whether such or such a book be canonical Scripture cannot be decided affirmatiuely but onely by the testimonies of ancient Churches n. 32. by the Churches But by the Church consent we are assured what Scriptures be canonical of this controuersie we make iudge the consent and testimonie of the ancient and primitiue Church Which he repeateth n. 35. 42 And n. 114 It is vpon the authoritie of vniuersal tradition that we would haue them beleue scripture In his preface n. 28. Whatsoeuer is held necessarie by the Catholik Church of this age I verily beleue Finally they commonly grant as we shal see l 2. c. 4 sec 2. that the Scripture needeth an Interpreter euen for some necessarie points of faith And I hope they wil not say that a needful Interpreter for matters of infallible faith is fallible in interpreting them or that the Church of God is not this infallible Interpreter rather then anie A needful interpreter of infallible faith is infallible other I add also that Whitaker contr 2. q. 4. c. 2. granteth that the Church erreth not in things that are necessarie to anie men And such are more then absolutly necessarie to euerie one Laude also Relat. p. 356. The Fathers of the primitiue Church did sufficiently propose to men the diuine reuelation and did by it beget and breed vp faith Behold the testimonie or authoritie of the Church sufficeth to conuince and demonstrate that the Scripture is to be receaued becaus the Church receaueth it that the Church can assure vs that the Scripture is the word of God and that her testimonie herein is infallible is a Rule of faith nay the onely Rule or meane to
How shal they preach vnles they be sent And then inferreth Therefore faith is of hearing Wherefore he maketh hearing of lawful preaching the word of God as necessarie a cause ordinarily speaking of beleuing as mission is a necessarie cause of lawful preaching And lawful preaching is not out of the true Church And truly said Stapleton contr 4. q. 3. art 2. The compleat formal Compleat formal cause of faith L. 2. de Saâ—ram c 25. omnium dogmatum firmitas pendetab authoritate praesentis Ecclesiae Epiphan in Ancorato Hieron cont Lucifer Cyril Catech 17. cause of our faith ordinarily speaking is God reuealing by the Church and Bellarmin l 3. de Verbo Dei c. 10. The secondarie foundation of faith is the testimonie of the Church But the formal cause and secondarie foundation is doubtles necessarie to faith in ordinarie course which is al the necessitie we speak of And this must those fathers mean who did read in the Greed I beleue in the holie Church for to beleue in one is to make his authoritie a formal cause of beleef and also waldensis who tom 1. l. 2. c. 21. saieth that the testimonie Io. de Ragusio de com sub vtraque specâ—e Ecclesiam non errare simplâ—â—â—ter primum in doctrina fides of the Catholik Church is the obiect of Christian faith to wit the formal external obiect for the material obiect is al reuealed truth And falsly saieth Whitaker l. 1. de Scrip. p. 175. Faith is not of hearing the voice or authoritie of the Church but of Gods word For the Apostle saieth plainely that faith is of hearing and hearing of lawful preaching of Gods word Wherfore he must no more exclude lawful preaching from a cause of faith then we exclude the word of God For the word of God is that which faith beleueth and lawful preaching is the external formal cause wherefore we beleue it And Whitaker himself loco cit is forced to confess that the voice of the Church is an instrumental cause of faith And if an instrumental cause surely a necessarie cause in ordinarie course and faith is of its instrumental cause and consequently of the voice of the Church Ibid. p. 11â— he saieth hearing is the mother of faith Item p. 121. The Church by the preaching of the Gospel begetteth vs to Christ And p. 118. The Church is the mother of beleuers and how mother of beleuers if not necessarie Is not a mother necessarie And p. 69. I most willingly grant that the external iudgment of the Church is a help and means to engender nourish and confirme faith instituted of God and necessarie for vs. And if necessarie for vs we can haue no faith without it controu 2. q. 5. c. 19. By preaching of the Gospel we come to faith and neuer without The Church is the schoole of the faithful and maketh faithful by preaching of the word as by a necessarie and ordinarie meanes If anie obiect that then deaf men could not haue faith I answer First that deaf men can nether read Scripture becaus without hearing they cannot know what letters signifie Secondly that deaf men haue not anie ordinarie meanes of faith For as S. Austin saieth l. 3. contra Iulianum c. 4. The defect of deafnes hindereth faith it self witnes the Apostle faith is of heaâ—ing Porter sec p 104. Some are inuiâ—â—â—bly disabâ—ed from faith Wherfore if God wil haue such to beleue actually he prouideth them of some extraordinarie meane And this proof I confirme out of the Confession of Bohemia and diuers Protestants who as we shal see hereafter out of this place doe proue that preaching and ministerie b C. 14. of the word are necessarie to engender faith 2. Secondly I proue that the true Church is a necessarie proposer of al points of faith out of her forsaied proprietie that she is the pillar and ground of truth 1. Tim. 3. For the pillar and ground of truth is necessarie to vphold truth The true Church is the pillar and ground of Truth Therfore she is necessarie to vphold truth The Maior seemeth euident by it self For how can the pillar and ground of a thing be not necessarie to vphold that whereof it is the pillar and ground The Minor is the Apostles words And Caluin vpon this place saieth the Church in respect of men doth sustein truth And Whitaker controu 2. q. 5. c. 19. The Church doth sustein preach and propose truth to others l. 1. de scrip p. 112. The Church doth sustein diuine truth that it fal not wholy among men But what susteineth a thing is necessarie to it 3. Thirdly I proue The same out of her office to be witnes to Gods truth For witnesses are necessarie for to beleue that which they are appointed to testifie The Church or the Pastors of the Church are appointed by God to be witnesses of his truth Therfore they are necessarie The Minor is proued before And the Maior is euident For vnles witnesses were necessarie to assure vs of the truth wherof they are witnesses there were no need to a point them For what need is there to appoint such as are needles and such witnesses are needles without whome wecaÌ„be assured of the truth 4. Fourthly I proue the necessities of the Churches proposing matters of faith out of the ends for which Protestants as we saw c. 8. n. 2. confess the Church was instituted by God to wit to be Mother Mistres and guide of Christians in matters of faith For doubtles what is such is necessarie But now let vs proue the same by the holie Fathers TWELFT CHAPTER That the true Church of God is a necessarie proposer of al points of faith proued by holie Fathers 1. S. Cyprian l. de vnitate It is the Church by whose trauail we are borne with whose milk we are nourished with whose spirit we are animated But such a one is a necessarie proposer of faith S. Ireney l. 3. c. 4. What if dispute had been of some smal matter should we not haue recurred to the most ancient Churches and receaued from them what is certain of this present question Which made Whitaker cont 1. q. 3. c 9. to grant that the authoritie of the Church is a firme compendious Demonstration of Canonical scripture But Ireney saieth more that it is a necessarie demonstration Tertull. praescrip c. 21. What the Apostles preached what Christ reuealed to them here I wil prescribe that it ought not to be proued otherwise then by the same Churches which the Apostles erected For Which words Whitaker l. citato granteth that Tertullian made this prescription that the doctrin of the Apostles was not to be proued anie other way then by the Churches which they founded And if by no other way then the Churches testimonie is necessarie 2. S. Augustin contra Epist Fundam c. 5. I must needs beleue this book of the Acts if I beleue the Gospel seing the Catholik authoritie doth commend to me
both books alike Which Present Church authoritie made Whitaker contr 1. q. 3. c. 7. to say we may be forced by the authoritie of the Church to beleue these books to be Canonical And if forced to beleue by authoritie of the Church then the authoritie of the Church is a most effectual and sufficient cause of infallible beleif And in the same place S. Austin I would not beleue the Gospel vnles the Authoritie of the Catholik Church did moue me which clearly testifieth the necessitie of the Churches proposal and made Whitaker q. cit c. 8. to grant that it is true we should not beleue the Gospel vnles thâ— Catholik Church did propose it But S Austin saieth more If the Catholik Churches authoritie did not moue me And it is far more for Catholik authoritie to moue vs to beleue then for the Church onely to propose Men of no authoritie may propose but authoritie which moueth to beleue the Gospel and with out which we cannot beleue the Gospel must needs be necessarie and infallible authoritie For beleif of the Gospel is infallible and such must be the authoritie that so moueth vs to it as without which we cannot beleue Commonly Protestants answer that S. Austin spake these words of himself as he was an heretik But this cannot be becaus as he was an heretik he did not beleue the authoritie it self of the Catholik Church and therfore as such he could not be moued to beleue the Scripture for her authoritie For how could he be moued to beleue the Scripture for that which it self he did not beleue Secondly becaus he saieth not non credidissem as Morton tom Apol. l. 1 c. 37 falsly citeth him but non crederem which words properly are to be vnderstood of him as he was minded at that present And al a August de Doctrina l. 3 c. 10. 11. Tertul de â—arnâ— Christi c. 13 15. words are to be vnderstood according to their proprietie if the contrarie be not manifest For otherwise we should be vncertain how to vnderstand men And it is not manifest that S. Austin did not vse those his words according to their proprietie Wherfore Morton loco cit granteth that S. Austin maketh the Church the meanes by which a Catholik beleueth and the reason without which not which sufficeth for my present purpose to shew the necessitie of the Churches proposal for the meanes by which and reason without which not are necessarie Thirdly becaus afterward S. Austin addeth The authoritie of Catholiks being weakned I can no more beleue the Gospel which he spake plainly of himself as he was then a Catholik and shew that his beleef of the Gospel euen both then and for the time after depended on the authoritie of the Church I add also that though S. Austin had saied the foresaied word of himself onely as he was an heretik yet it would thence follow that the proposal and authoritie of the Church is at least necessarie to begin beleif of the Gospel howsoeuer it be not necessarie for to continue it And it cannot be saied that is is necessarie so onely as an inducement or disposition to such beleef becaus as S. b L. de vtil cred c. 11. Austin saieth That we know we owe to reason that we beleue to authoritie So that as Reason is the formal cause of our knowledg so is Authoritie the formal cause of our beleef and such cause of our beleef of the Gospel is the authoritie of the Catholik Church such not principal but subordinate to Gods authoritie Chillingworth c. 2. § 54 p. 54. p. 73. and § 97. p. 88. saieth That S. Austin by Catholik Church meanerh the Church of al ages including Christ and the Apostles But nether proueth he that nor can tel how S. Austin could be infallibly certain of the testimonie of the Church of Christ and the Apostles time but by the testimonie of the Church of his time Which if it were not infallible he could not be infallibly certain of the testimonie of the Church of Christ and the Apostles time Beside S. Austin sheweth that he meaneth of the authoritie of the present Church in saying The Catholik authoritie doth commend to me both books alike And l. 1. contra Crescon c. 33. The truth of Scripture is held when we doe what now seemeth to the whole Church Which is plainly ment of the present Church The same S. Austin as is before cited saieth l. 10. de Gen. ad literam c. 23. That baptisme of Infants were not to be beleued vnles it were an Apostolical tradition And l. 2. de baptismo c. 4. that he durst not defend the baptisme giuen by heretiks vnles he were assured by the authoritie of the Church Therfore he thought the authoritie of the Church necessarie to beleue those points of faith Vincentius l. 1. c. 2. Here possibly one may demand when the rule of Scripture is perfect and in it self more then enough sufficient vnto al things what need is there to ioine vnto it the authoritie of the Churches sense And he answereth this is becaus al men doe not take it in one sense therfore it is necessarie that the line of interpretation be directed according to the rule of Ecclesiastical and Catholik sense Behold the sense of the Church necessarie to vnderstand the Scripture rightly And the same Vincent 16. c. 41. It is necessarie that the vnderstanding of the holie Scripture be directed according to the onely rule of the Churches sense And if the vnderstanding of the Scripture must be directed according to the sense of the Church doubtles the sense of the Church is necessarie THIRTEENTH CHAPTER That the true Church of God is a necessarie proposer of al points of faith proued by reason grounded in Scripture 1. FIrst What is Gods ordinarie meanes of teaching faith is in ordinarie course necessarie to haue faith Gods ordinarie means of teaching faith is by the Church therfore his means of teaching by the Church is in ordinarie course necessarie The Maior seemeth euident by it self and the Minor is proued by those places Rom. 10. Faithis of hearing lawful preaching Ephes 4. God hath put Pastors for consummation of Saints 1. Tim. 5. The Church is the pillar and ground of truth and so euident as Whitaker l. 1. de Scrip. p. 73. saieth That the ordinarie manner by which God teacheth is by the Church I willingly grant 2. Secondly becaus nether Scripture nor reading of Scripture is a necessarie cause of engendring faith in ordinarie course Therfore the preaching of the Church is such a means For there is doubtles some ordinarie means instituted by God which in ordinarie course is necessarie and if not Scripture nor reading of Scripture surely the Church and her preaching For no other can be reasonably imagined The Antecedent I proue becaus as I saied before for manie ages before Moyses there was no Scripture at al nor for some yeares after Christ was there anie Scripture of
hearing the word of God and the ministerie of the Church is necessarie in ordinarie course for the begetting of faith P. 9. The Church ordinarie propounder of faith God hath apointed an outward ordinarie means to present and propound diuine verities to our faith and this ordinarie means we grant is the Church Is not this to grant in plain termes that the Church is the ordinarie proposer of faith apointed by God P. 10. The Church is one cause to wit inductiue or preparatiue without which men ordinarily doe not beleue P. 6. The testimonie of the present Church is the first external motiue of our faith it is the key or dore that lets men into the knowledg of diuine misteries Laude sec 16. p. 73. No man may expect inward priuat reuelation without the external means of the Church vnles perhaps the case of necessitie be excepted Hooker l. 3. § 8. we al know that the first outward motiue leading men to esteeme of the Scripture is the authoritie of Gods Church Chillingworth c. 1. p. 63. Whether such or such a book be canonical Scripture affirmatiuely cannot be decided but by the testimonie of the ancient Churches P. 52. we take the Scripture vpon vniuersal tradition P. 66. Of this controuersies which books be canonical we make the Church the Iudg The consent and testimonie of the ancient and primitiue Church P. 72. It is superfluous for you to proue out of S. Athanasius and S. Austin that we must receaue the sacred Canon vpon the credit of Gods Church vnderstanding by Church the credit of Tradition P. 96. It is vpon the authoritie of vniuersal tradition that we would haue them beleue the Scripture c. 3. § 38. p. 150. The Church is a necessarie introduction to faith Couel art 4. Doubtles it is a tolerable opinion in the Church of Rome that the Scriptures are holie and diuine in themselues but so esteemed by vs for the authoritie of the Church See Whites defense p. 251. 254. 3. Nether doe they onely confess this but also confess that the Scripture teacheth it The confession of Auspurg c. de potestate Ecclesiasticâ Eternal iustice the holie Spirit life euerlasting can not be had but by the ministerie of the word and Sacraments as Paul saieth The confession of Bohemia art 10. They grant that none can haue true faith vnles he hear the word of God according to that of Paul Faith is of hearing And againe how shal they beleue in him whome they haue not heard And the Protestants in their Conferencie in Maspurg in Hospin parte 2. Historiae Sacram fol. 77. agreed that the holie Ghost speaking of the ordinarie waie giueth Vocal word of God faith to none vnles a sermon or vocal word goe before but he worketh faith by and with the vocal word where and in whome he pleaseth Rom. 10. Caluin 4. Instit c. 1. § 5. God inspireth faith but by the Organ of his Gospel as Paul admonisheth that faith is of hearing Ibid. Vve must hold what we haue cited out of Paul that the Church is not builded otherwise then by external preaching In 1. Cor. 3. v 6. Note in this place that preaching of the word is necessarie nothing can hinder but God can infuse faith whiles we sleep if he wil without help of man but he hath decreed otherwise to wit that faith is of hearing The same he hath Hebr. 4. 1. Tim. 3. and Ephes 4. Beza in colloquio Montisbel p. 407. The ordinarie means by which faith is ordinarie cause infused is by hearing the word of God Rom. 10. wherfore these two causes are alwaies ioined to wit the Holie Ghost and hearing of the word of God Bucer in Rom. 10. The Apostle knew that God can cal al men without the ministerie of men yet he simply wrote how shal they beleue in him of whome they haue heard nothing Hyperius vpon the same place This it is That al beleue and inuocate God it is necessarie that they first heare the Gospel and be taught Daneus l. de visibili Ecclesia p. 1069. Paul saieth Faith is of hearing not of priuat reading Whitaker l. 1. de Scriptura p. 29. Vvhat thou obiectest of the Apostle how shal they beleue him whome they haue not hear doth demonstrate that preaching is necessarie to â—aue right faith of God P. 39. I am not ignorant how necessarie the ministerie of the Church is both to begett and confirme faith and if you vrge I can grant that what is beleued is beleued by the ministerie of the Church For God hath set that order in his Church that faith be of hearing and hearing of the word of God The like he hath p. 41. 100. l. 3. p. 396. Contro 1. q. 2. c. 15. Faith as the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 10. is of hearing And q. 6. c. 15. out of which place Rom. 10 it is euident that faith is conceaued by hearing And in his last sermon p. 694. It is certain that in those of yeares faith is of hearing as the Apostle teacheth White in his way § 27. p. 116. It wil be easily granted that the ministerie of the Church is the ordinarie means wherby we learn the faith of Christ and that no man of himself can attain to the knowledg therof but as the Church teacheth him Except in some extraordinarie cases the preaching therof is required is a necessarie condition as the text of S. Paul Rom. 10. speaketh See Potter sec 5. p. 9. and Dent in his plain way p. 250. 4. Out of which confessions of Protestants it is manifest 1. that the Churches proposal is necessarie to beget faith 2. that her proposal is the ordinarie means and instrument by which God produceth faith in vs 3. That without her preaching there is no faith 4. That though God can beget faith without the help of the Church yet he hath decreed not to doe it 5. That we cannot beleue the Scriptures but by the means of the Church 6. That the Scripture teacheth this which is plainly to confess both that the Churches proposal of points of faith is necessarie to haue faith of them and also that we must first know the Church before we can know the Scripture and consequently that we must know the Scripture by the Church and not Vvhitaker l. 〈◊〉 de Scrip. p. 18. 49. Chilling c. 2. n. 21. the Church by the Scripture as commonly Protestants vse to teach Let them therfore tel me what Church preached Protestant doctrin to Luther and to the first Protestants of hearing of what lawful preacher he had his Protestant faith By what Churches ministerie he learnt the Protestant sense of Scriptures or say that he had not his faith of hearing but of diuine inspiration which themselues condemn in Suencfeldius Anabaptists and Enthusiasts as is to be seen in Melancthon Respons ad articulos Bauaricos fol. 172. Schusselburg to 10. catal haeret p. 30. Kemnitius 2. parte Exam. tit de Sacram. ord p. 391.
need had he to say Al power in heauen and earth was giuen to him for to giue mere humane power to his Apostles and also what humane power could be fit or sufficient to teach and administer diuine word and Sacraments And if Christ gaue to his Apostles true diuine authoritie to preach his word and administer his Sacraments he gaue them also true diuine authoritie to testifie that it was his word and Sacraments which they administred becaus the end of their preaching was to perswade men that it was his word and Sacraments which they administred and God giuing diuine authoritie to the means must needs giue the like authoritie to the end becaus he more desireth the end then the means and therfore wil not giue less authoritie to obtaine the end then he doth to obtain the means 3. Secondly Protestants say manie things of the Churches authoritie which must needs argue it to be diuine For Whitaker l. 1. de Script p. 11. and 19. saieth It is sacriledg not to receaue the Churches testimonie of the Sacriledg not to receaue the Churches testimonie Scriptures Tailor l. of libertie of prophesying sec 9. n. 2. The authoritie of the Church is diuine in its original for it deriues immediatly from Christ Potter sec 1. p. 10. The good Spirit of truth and loue euer assists and mantaines that great bodie the Catholik Church Sec. 5. p. 20. The whole Church cannot so err as to be destroied For then our lords Promise of her stable edification shold be of no value P. 21. Nor hath the Church vniuersal the like assurance from Christ that she shal not err in vnnecessarie additions as she Assurance from Christ hath for her not erring in taking away from the faith what is fundamental and necessarie It is comfort enough for the Church that the lord in mercie wil secure her from al capital dangers P. 22. That the Church shal neuer be robbed of anie truth necessarie to the being of the Church the promses of Christ assure vs. P. 30. Their General councels authoritie is immediatly deriued and deriued and delegated from Christ Laude in his Relation sec 21. p. 170. That the whole Church cannot err in doctrins absolutly fundamental seemes to be clear by the promise of Christ Mathew 16. The gates of hel c. Ibid. This power By Christs â—romise of not erring is in it partely by this promise of Christ Sec. 16. p. 61. The vniuersal Church deliuers those supernatural fundamental truthes by promises of assistance Sec. 33. p. 231. For this necessarie truth the Apostles receaued the promise for themselues and the whole Catholik Church Sec 38. p. 355. The Catholik Church of Christ Infallible assistance promised in things absolutly necessarie onely had infallible assistance promised And Chillingworth c. 5. p. 277. That there shal be by diuine prouidence preserued God hath promised absolutely in the world to the worlds end a companie of Christians who hold al things precisely and indispensably necessarie to saluation and nothing ineuitably destructiue of it this the Doctor affirmeth that God hath promised absolutely And is her authoritie not diuine which not to receaue is sacriledg Is not she diuinely infallible who is infallible by Christs absolute promise and the Spirit of truth his efficacious assistance What mean we by Diuinely infallible but infallible in this sort Doth not Laude sec 16. p. 91. say That so great assistance of Christ and the B. spirit as is purposely giuen to that effect that the authoritie of anie companie be diuine and infallible enough And doe not the forsaid Protestants confess that such assistance of Christ and of the B. Spirit is purposely giuen to the Church in fundamental points of faith How then can they denie that her authoritie in such points is diuine and she diuinely infallible in them 4. Thirdly Protestants are sometimes ashamed to say the Authoritie or testimonie of the true Church is mere humane and doe but restrictly say that it is diuine Whitaker contro 1. q. 3. c. 11. p. 331. It is a slander that we make the Iudgment of the Church mere humane which surely is fals Laude in his Relat. sec 16. n. 19. The tradition of the present Not more humane Church is not absolutely diuine And n. 21. The voice of the Church is not simply diuine Sec. 10. n. 11. The Churches authoritie is not simply diuine Sec. 19. n. 1. The testimonie of the present Church is not simply diuine Potter Sec. 5. p. 15. That the Church is infallible we doe not absolutely deny we onely deny the Church to be absolutely infallible Which is tacitly to confess that the authoritie or testimonie of the Church is truely diuine in some degree For what is not meerly humane and onely denied to be simply diuine is in some degree truly diuine And what authoritie is in anie degree truly diuine by Gods special assistance implieth contradiction to deceaue But why doe Protestants vse these ambiguous and equiuocal termes not simply not absolutely which they condemne in others and doe not speak out and Vvhitaker l. 3. p. 419. Laude Relat sec 33. p. 247 tel plainly whether authoritie of the Church in matters of faith be truly diuine by Gods efficacious assistance or no. For if it be truly diuine in anie degree by Gods efficacious assistance that sufficeth to vs becaus it implieth contradiction that such diuine authoritie should deceaue or be deceaued And as Chillingworth c. 3. § 33. p. 175. saieth The Apostles could not be the Churches fundation without freedom from error in al those things which they deliuered constantly as certain reuealed truthes For if once we suppose they may haue erred in some things of this nature it wil be vtterly vndiscernable what they haue erred in and what they haue not And in like manner I say of the Church That she could not be the pillar and ground of diuine truth without freedom from error in al things which she deliuereth as diuine truthes 4. Fourthly they grant that the The Rule of faith tradition and doctrin of the Church is the rule of faith and of iudging controuersies by White in defense of his way c. 3. p. 339. I grant that the doctrin of the Pastors of the true Church such as succeed the Apostles is the rule and means of faith And c. 37. p. 356. That the Churches doctrin is the rule I deny not Chillingworth l. 2. n. 155. Vniuersal tradition is the rule to iudge al controuersies by And c. 3. p. 148. We beleue canonical books vpon vniuersal tradition But the doctrin or tradition of the Church could not be the rule of diuine and infallible faith or of iudging controuersies in such faith if it were not also diuine and infallible For a rule must be as diuine and infallible as that is which is ruled by it And as Chillingworth saieth c. 3. p. 148. cit An authoritie subiect to error can be
not By. which books be Canonical by anie other testimonie then of the Church And c. 8. Austin indeed saieth he was held in the Church for testimonie of Catholiks and consent of Nacions But as himself saieth l. 1. de Script p. 39. To beleue for the Church and for the Churches For sheweth the reason of beleef authoritie sheweth the cause and reason of beleef The same he saieth p. 46. And Chillingworth c. 2. p. 68. To say we receaue the books of the new So doth Becaus testament commonly receaued becaus they are so were indeed to make Commonly receaued a rule or reason to know the Canon by And indeed as I saied before what other kinde of cause of beleef can these particles Becaus or For signifie but some formal cause of beleef And the same Chillingworth c. 3. p. 152. It followeth not that becaus the Churches authoritie is warrant enough for vs to beleue some Vvarrant enough for to beleue doctrin touching which the Scripture is silent therfore it is warrant enough to beleue these to which the Scripture seemes repugnant Now the doctrins which S. Austin receaued vpon the Churches authoritie were of the first sorte Which is plainly to confess that S. Austin receaued some doctrins vpon the Churches authoritie and that the Churches authoritie is warrant enough to beleue doctrins of which the Scripture is silent But authoritie which is warrant enough to beleue is a formal cause of beleef Laude also sec 16. p. 102. The key that lets men into the Scriptures euen to this The key knowledg of them That they are the word of God is the tradition of the Church And p. 107. The testimonie of the Church is a subseruient cause to lead to knowledg of the author of Scriptures And what is the key of beleef but a formal cause of beleef or what subseruient cause of beleef can testimonie be but a formal cause Hooker also l. 2. § 7. granteth that the authoritie of the Church is the key which openeth the dore into The dore the knowledg of Scripture And Poâ—ter sec 5. p. 6. The testimonie of the present Church is the key or dore which lets men into the knowledg of diuine misteries And what is the key or dore in matters of beleef but some formal cause of beleuing them For as I said before what cause of beleef can testimonie or authoritie be but formal Wherfore if not in words in effect and deed they grant the testimonie or authoritie of the Church to be a formal cause of faith Ad in vaine they denie the name when they grant the thing For August 9. de ciuit c. vel l. 2. contr Crescon c. 2. l. 2. ad Bonif. c. 5. Caluin 2. Instit c. 2 §. 7. l. 4. c. 3. truth consisteth not in words but in things 3. Secondly they often times grant that we beleue By the Church by the testimonie of the Church and By the preaching of the Church Whitaker l. 1. de Script p. 39. We beleue by the Church by the preaching of the Church Ibid. p. 46. That we cannot beleue but by the testimonie of the Church is no question betwene vs. Contr. 2. q. 3. c. 3. p. 317. Manie beleue these Scriptures by the Church Which he repeateth p. 316. and 320. where headdeth God reuealeth by the Church as by aministerial means But in matter of beleef To By testimonie and for testimonie is al one cause beleue by or for authoritie by or for testimonie is al one kinde of cause becaus Authoritie or testimonie can be no other kinde of cause of beleef but formal nor beleef can haue anie other formal cause but Authoritie or Testimonie Wherfore the Scripture often times saieth men beleued by Ihon Baptist by the Apostles by the Prophets meaning for their testimonie or authoritie And so we say we beleue by witnesses or for their testimonie Becaus when the word Bâ— is said of Authoritie or Testimonie in respect of beleef it can signifie no other cause then For doth in the same matter to wit formal Wherfore seing the causal particle By doth signifie that Authoritie or Testimonie is some kinde of cause of beleef it must needs signifie the same kinde of cause which For in that matter doth signifie as it is al one to say we know the conclusion by the premises and for the premises but yet with this difference that By more signifieth a subordinat cause of beleef then For doth and therfore it is oftener said in the Scripture men beleued by the Apostles or by the Prophets then for them Though in other matters By may signifie a different kinde of cause then For doth And that By and For in matter of beleef signifie the same cause of beleef Whitaker tacitly granteth in that he often times denieth that we beleue by the Church or by the testimonie of the Church and saieth l. 1. de Script p. 7. What then Protestantâ— denâ—e we beleue by the testimonie of the Church Stapleton Dost not thou say that we are certain by the Church that this or that Scripture is diuine This thou saiest is that which properly is in question Did I say think put or ascribe to thee or thine anie other thing when I sought the true state of the question Behold how plainly he confesseth that the true state of the question between him and Catholiks is whether we beleue the Scripture to be diuine by the testimonie of the Church though in other places he would put a great L. 1. de script p 39. 46. difference between beleuing by the testimonie and for the testimonie of the Church And ibid. in Margine To beleue by the testimonie of the Church is the plain heresie of Papists 4. Thirdly Protestants grant the Church of God is apointed by him to be witnes of his diuine truth as I shewed before c. 5. n. 6. But a witnes is by his authoritie and testimonie a formal cause of beleuing what he witnesseth and the onely end of a witnes is to cause beleef And this confesseth Caluin in Acts c. 20. v. 21. saying Testimonie is interposed to take away al doubt that is to beleue firmely And out of that which hath been shewed in this Chapter it is euident that if not in words indeed and effect Protestants doe grant that the authoritie or testimonie of the Church is a formal cause of diuine faith and as I said before to grant the thing and denie the word or name is but follie For what doe we mean when we say the Church is a formal subordinat cause of faith then what they haue saied and granted Thus haue we proued that euen by the confession of Protestants the Church of God is infallible at lest in fundamental points of faith and also diuinely infallible by Christs absolute promise and the holie Ghosts assistance and also that her authoritiein matters of faith is a formal cause of faith though subordinat to Gods
like Protestants also who being enforced by Scripture confess that concerning men the Church susteineth truth must needs Supra c. 5. n. 3. confess that she is to be beleued of men for herself For doubtles the susteiner of truth is to be beleued for himself Besids Chillingworth c. 2. n. 25. 1â—9 and 154. granteth that Vniuersal tradition credible of itself See sup c. 10. n. 37. c. 15. â— 5. Vniuersal tradition is credible of it self and therfore fit to be rested on So that something beside Scripture is credible of itself And Laude Relat. sec 19. p. 124. saieth A man may be assured by Ecclesiastical and humane proof And p. 125. Certain it is that by humane authoritie consent and proof a man may be assured infallibly that the Scripture is the word of God The same hath Potter sec 5. p. 7. who addeth ibid. p. 6. That the testimonie of the present Church is the highest humane authoritie And is not the highest humane authoritie and that which can assure vs infallibly credible of it self As in matters known by reason some are intelligible by them selues so in matters of beleef some are credible by themselues els there wold be an endles process in such matters Beside some are witnesses without al exception and if anie be such surely the true Church of God and witnesses without al exception are credible for them selues But here we must beware of being deceaued becaus as Protestants grant to the Church no other authoritie then humane so they can grant her to be beleued for herself with no other kinde of faith then humane Wheras as the Apostles had two kinds of authorities the one humane as they were honest and vertuous men the other diuine as they were specially assisted by the holie Ghost so the true Church of God hath the same two kinds of authorities humane as it is so ancient so great so learned so vertuous a companie of men and diuine as it is specially assisted by the holie Ghost in al matters of faith And so she is to be beleued for her self both with humane and diuine faith as the Apostles were to be beleued and the humane authoritie is no doubt a great disposition to the beleef of the diuine authoritie And surely sith we must needs grant that ether the true Church of God is credible with diuine faith that she is the true Church of God for her self or that these Copies which we haue written by fallible men are credible for themselues that they are the word of God and conformable to their originals no man of iudgment can think but that rather the Church of God is so credible for herself then such copies as we haue written by fallible men For beside al other proofes these Copies nether doe nor can testifie of themselues that they are the word of God or agreable to the original writings of the Prophets or Apostles as the true Church of God both can and doth testifie of herself that she is the true Church of God and the same with that which was instituted by Christ 3. Hence it is euident that Catholiks prouing to themselues the Church by the Scripture and the Scripture by the Church commit no vicious Circle For they first proue the Church by her own diuine authoritie and likewise the Scripture by the same authoritie and they doe but confirme the authoritie of the Church by the Scripture And to heretiks who denie the true Church but admit the Scripture as did the Donatists they proue the Church by the Scripture and to other Heretiks who denie Scriptures as did the Manichees they proue the Scripture by the Church And therfore in prouing the Church and the Scripture one by the other commit no vitious Circle ether in their proof to themselues or to Heretiks For to themselues they proue the Scripture to be the word of God by authoritie of the Church as by the external and secondarie formal motiue of faith and confirme their beleef of the Church by the Scripture as by a material obiect of faith which is the word of God So that two waies they auoid a vitious Circle first becaus they first beleue the Church for her own authoritie as for a secondarie and subordinat authoritie to Gods authoritie and doe but confirme their beleef of the Church by the Scripture So that beleef of the Scripture to be Gods word dependeth necessarily in ordinarie course of the Churches authoritie but beleef of the Church to be the Church of God doth not necessarily depend vpon the testimonie of the Scripture but onely is confirmed therby Secondly becaus they proue the Church by the Scripture otherwise then they proue the Scripture by the Church For they proue the Scripture by the authoritie of the Church as by a witnes and as by the external formal motiue of faith secondarie and subordinate to Gods authoritie as the Primitiue Christians proued the Scripture by the authoritie of the Apostles and they proue the Church by the Scripture as by a material obiect of faith which is Gods word and not as by a witness but as by a testimonie of a witnes And to proue things by Gods word and by authoritie instituted by God are different kinds of proofes and shew that there is no vitious Circle If anie say that we proue the Church by the authoritie of Gods word I answer that authoritie properly is of some person and truth and veritie is in his word so we proue the Church by the truth of Scripture but the Scripture we proue by the authoritie of the Church And as for our proof also of the Church by Scripture and of the Scripture by the Church to Heretiks we commit no vitious circle becaus we proceed so with different heretiks For to such heretiks as admit Scripture but denie the Church we proue the Church by Scripture and to such as admit the Church but denie Scripture we proue Scripture by the Church 4. And hence also appeareth how falsly saied Chillingworth c. 2. n. 35. That our Churches authoritie is built lastly and wholy vpon prudentiaâ— motiues Which he repeateth again n. 70. For her authoritieis built lastly vpon Gods institution which we know by her infallible testimonie and confirme it by Scripture Falsly also he saied c. 3. n. 27. For the infallibilitie Vniuersal tradition is Gods vocal word of the Church no proof can be pretended for it but incorrupted places of Scripture For the Churches infallibilitie is built principally vpon Gods authoritie and secondarily vpon her own which is instituted by God as the Apostles infallibilitie was built secondarily vpon their own authoritie Prudential motiues are but rational motiues or dispositions to faith they are nether the principal nor subordinat formal cause of diuine faith For diuine Authoritie is the formal motiue of faith prudential motiues make knowledg or opinion not faith and at most can make the Churches authoritie to be euidently credible but cannot make it to be credited
or beleued with diuine faith EIGHTENTH CHAPTER Hovv vve are to ansvver that question VVherfore or hovv vve beleue or knovv the Church to be Infallible 1. OVT of that which hath been hitherto saied is clearly answered that question How or Wherfore we beleue or know the true Church of God to be absolutly infallible in al which she teacheth as matter of faith Laude sec 16. p. 60. saieth The tradition of the Church taken alone cannot be a sufficient proof to beleue by diuine faith that Scripture is the word of God For that which is a ful and sufficient proof is able of it self to settle the soule of man which Tradition is not alone able to doe For it may be further asked why we should beleue the Churches Tradition And if it be answered Becaus the Church is infallibly gouerned by the holie Ghost it may be demanded How that may appeare And if thâ—â— be demanded ether you must say you haue it by special Reuelation or els you must attempt to proue it by Scripture And the verie offer to proue it by Scripture is a sufficient acknoâ—ledgment that the Scripture is a higher proof then the Churches tradition which in your own ground is or may be questionable til you come thither Besids it is an inuiolable ground of reason that the Principles of anie conclusion Thus he whose words I haue related at large that I might not seem to dissemble the difficultie 2. First therfore we must note that Beleef and Knowledg are different For Beleef is a simple assent for the authoritie of the speaker Knowledg if it be not of such things as are euident of themselues as that the whole is greater then a parte and such like is discursiue inferring one thing out of an other Therfore these are different questions Wherfore we know the Church to be infallible in al matters of faith and Wherfore we beleue her to be so infallible And we wil answer to both questions differently and distinctly To the question Wherfore we beleue the Chrch to be infallible I answer that if you demand the material Gods vocal word the material obiect of faith obiect of my beleef therof it is Gods vocal word vttered to me by the Church For as is shewed before out of the Apostle Faith is of hearing and Hearing is by the vocal word of God vttered by the Church And for this vocal word of God as his testimonie the Church was beleued to be infallible before there was anie Scripture and of the aforesaied Barbarians who had no Scripture and could be so beleued though al Scripture should perish And this Luther and other Protestants before cited doe confess when they say The Church is conceaued bred by the vocal word of God Supra c. 14. â— 1. and 3. 3. And if you ask the formal obiect for whose authoritie we beleue the Church to be thus infallible I answer For the authoritie of God principally and for the authoritie of the Church which is the pillar and ground of faith subordinatly As we beleue what the Embassador saieth principally for the King who sent him and subordinatly for the authoritie of the Embassador himself as apointed by the king And as before anie Scripture was written Prophets were beleued not for anie Scripture but principally for the authoritie of God who sent them and secondarily for their own Prophetical authoritie instituted by God Wherfore we need not as Laude thinketh proue the Church to be infallible ether by special reuelation or by Scripture as Chillingworth saieth c. 3. p. 141. Becaus beside the priuat word of God which is by special reuelation and his publik written word Publik vocal word of God Videsup c. 14. n. 1. which is Scripture there is also his publik vocal word which he vttereth and speaketh by the mouth of the Church as wel as there is his written word which he wrot by Vvhitak l 3. descript p. 414. Spiritus per as Ecclesia loquitur â—ic etiam cont 1. q. 3. c. 11. cont 2. q. 4. c. 2. Quâ— ecclesiam audiunt Christum ipsum audiunt the hands of his prophets and Euangelists And Gods word by whom soeuer it is ether spoke nor written is of equal authoritie and his vocal word equally to be beleued as his written Wherfore we haue no need to proue the Church to be infallible by the Scripture as there was no need nor possibilitie by it to proue that or anie other point of faith before anie Scripture was written vnles it be against such heretiks as beleue the Scripture but beleue not the Church But Catholiks doe onely confirme their faith which before they had of the infallibilitie of the Church by Gods vocal Gods vocal word confirmed by his written word vttered by the Church by his written word of the Scripture As we vse to be confirmed in the beleef of a thing which a man doth not only say by word of mouth but also by writing 4. And moreouer it is not alwaies necessarie as laude thinks that the mean of knowing be more known then the thing known by it as when they mutually make each other known as Relatiues and the Cause and proper Effect doe For in these a Circle is not vitious As from a Father we proue a sonn and from a sonn à Father From Rational Risible and from Risible Rational from the suns rising the Daie and from the Daie the suns rising And as Whitaker saieth contr 1. q. 3. c. 3. of the old and new Testament Something 's mutually proue each other The old and new Testament doe mutually confirme one the other In other matters this mutual confirmation would not auaile but in this it auaileth much For none is so fit a witnes of God and of his word as God in his word And contro 2. q. 5. c. 18. As the cause doth bring forth and shew the effect so the effect in like manner doth illustrat the cause Ibid. c. 9. Relatiues are not before or after one the other And lib. 3. contra Dureum sec 3. doth this seem ridiculous to the to seek the word out of the word White in his Defense p. 301. It is no more a Circle in vs to proue our Spirit by the Scripture and again to be assured of the Scripture by the Spirit then it is in discours to goe too and and fro between causes and effects The like he hath in his way p. 117. Field in his Appendice part 2. p. 16. That the cause may be proued by the effect and the effect by the cause and that such a kinde of argumentation is not a circulation but a demonstratiue regress that two causes may becauses ether of other we make no question Caluin 1. Instit c. 9. § 3. God hath ioyned together the certaintie of his word and Spirit with a mutual knot The samesay I of Gods vocal word vttered by the Church and his written word signed by the Euangelists that
expresly in Scripture may read Kemnitius 2. parte Exam. tit de Sacram. ibid. tit de Missa 3. parte tit de Inuocat Sanctor l. de duabus naturis c. 30. apud Hospin in concordia discordi c. 47. Gerlachius to 2. disput 24. Heshusius apud Hospin l. cit c. 46. and l de reali praesentia contra Caluinum Scusselburg to 8. Catalog p. 64. and 520 Heidelbergenses in Colloquio Mulbrunen si act 11. Sadeel praefat Respons ad art abiurat p. 403. Tract de sacrificio c. 3. King Iames in Basilicon Doron part 1. Morton 1. part Apol. l. 2. c. 9. Lobechius disp 23. And what they mean by Express termes Couel art 2. p. 20. declareth thus we cal that expressliteral mention Vvhat Protestants means by Express which is set down in plain termes and not inferred by way of consequence And the same is euident by the words of Hunnius Whitaker Fulk and King Iames which we shal presently citie So that nothing is express in Scripture if it needeth our inference and nothing matter of faith which needeth our inference out of Scripture if ether al points of faith be express in Scripture as the aforesaid Protestants teach or we beleue not anie one article of faith by fallible authoritie of humane deductions as Laude saieth Relat. sec 38. p. 345. or as Whitaker saieth l. 1. de script p. 50. That thou saiest our faith relieth vpon testimonies not arguments I grant And generally al Protestants when they refuse to beleue anie point or vrge vs to proue out of Scripture what they refuse to beleue not require and exact express words of Scripture as is to be seen in their writings about sacrifice Transubstantion Inuocation of Saints and the like In so much as Morton 1. parte Apol. l. 2. c. 9. alleadgeth these words of Bellarmin for to shew the consent of Protestant They al teach that al things necessarie to saluation are expresly conteined inscriptures And Morton addeth What Protestants think and how much they consent thou hast shewed But when themselues are to proue anie thing controuerted out of Scripture they sing an other song as shal by and by appear Besids manie Protestants argue that such a thing is not becaus it is not express in Scripture So Beza in Confess c. 5. sec 5. Heshusius l. de reali praesentiâ Iacobus Andreae contra Hosium p. 169. Kemnitius 2. parte Exam. p. 229. Gerlachius to 2. disput 24. Chilling Praeface n. 10. and others which plainly sheweth That sometimes they require to a point of faith that it be expresly in Scripture SECOND SECTION Sometimes denie it PRotestants in the Conference at Ratisbon sess 3. p. 95. This Rule shal stand against al the Gates of Hel Nothing is to be admitted as a dogme or article of religion but what is expressed in scripture or may be drawn from thence in good Consequence Sess 11. p. 356. Not onely those things are extant in scripture which are there in express words but also those which may be thence deduced by good Consequence Sess 13. p. 386. I finally conclude that Good consequence sufficeth nothing is to be beleued in worship articles and dogmes which is not ether expresly conteined in scripture or may in good consequence be drawn from it Wirtenbergenses Respon 1. ad Patriarcham Constantinop We embrace al those things which may be proued out of scripture in good Consequence Confession of England art 6. The holie scripture conteineth al things necessarie to saluation so that what is not read in it nor can be proued out of it is not to be required of anie to be beleued as an article of faith or as necessarie to saluation Pareusl 1. de Iustificat c 16. That we must vaunt of the express word of God and recal al our dogâ—nes to this one Express word of God not alwaies required head is an express lie King Iames Respon ad Cardinal Peron p. 401. We haue set down that only those things are to be thought necessarie to saluation which ether are expresly conteined in the word of God or haue been drawn from it by necessarie consequence And p. 392. The King calleth those simply necessarie which ether the word of God expresly commandeth to be beleued or done or which the ancient Church hath inferred out of the word of God by necessarie consequence Iuel in his Defense of the Apologie c. 9. p. 54. we say not that al Not al points plainly expressed cases of doubt are by manifest and open words plainly expressedin the Scriptures for so there should need no exposition But we say there is no cause in Religion so dark and doubtful but it may be necessarily proued or reproued by our collection and conference of the Scriptures Cartwrightin Whitgifts Defense p. 82. Manie things are both commanded and forbidden of the which there is no express mention in the word which Manie commanded things not expressed are as necessarie to be followed or auoided as those wherof express mention is made Which saieth Whitgift I take to derogate much from the perfection of the Scripture to be mere Papistical Whitaker Contro 1. q. 6. c. 9. Whatsoeuer is inferred or gathered out of Scripture though hardly al such the ancient Fathers most truly said was written And Controu 4. q. 4. c. 1. It is al one to be expresly in Scripture Alone to be expressed and infâ—rred and to be euidently inferred out of Scripture Fulk in answer to Clarks ouerthrow p. 659. We are willing to acknowledg and admit necessarie Collection to be of as great authoritie as Of as great authoriâ—â—e the express word of the Scripture In Reioinder to Bristow p. 97. Bristow slandereth me to affirme that in al matters onely euident scripture must be brought and heard which I neuer affirmed P. 88. I meane by onely Scripture whatsoeuer is taught by plain As good words or may be gathered by necessarie conclusion which is as good as express words So also 2. Thessal 2. not 19. and de Success p. 74. White in Defense of his way p. 288. No Protestant affirmes al things to be written expresly Laude in his Relation sec 38. p. 332. It is enough to ground beleef vpon necessarie consequence out of Scripture as wel as vpon express text As wel Potter sec 5. p. 3. That this diuine Reuelation for al necessarie points is sufficiently and clearly made in the Scriptures ether in express termes or by manifest deductions is the constant doctrin of Antiquitie euen til the latter times Chillingworth in his Preface n. 28. I beleue al things euidently conteined in them Scriptures al things euidently or euen probably deducible from them Morton to 2. Apol. l. 1. c. 41. Euen probably inferred Those things which are deriued from Scripture by necessarie consequence are to be held for written traditions See ib. l. 5. c. 9. Chamier l. 13. de fide c. 10. n 12. It is not the word of
Chillingworth c. 2. § 3. p. 53. scriptures being the sole Iudge of Controuersies that is the sole Rule for man to Iudge them by For wee mean nothing els § 11. p. 57. To speak properly as Not properly a Iudge men shold speak when they write of Controuersies in religion the scripture is not a Iudge of Controuersies but a Rule onely and the onely Rule for Christians to iudge them by Ibid. § 10. We denie not but a Iudge and a law might wel stand together but we denie that No iudge apointed by God there is anie such Iudge of Gods apointment § 12. Which conclusion that though the Scripture may be a Rule it cannot be a Iudge I haue already granted § 23. There is not anie publikly authorized Iudge to determin Controuersies in religion nor anie necessitie there should be anie The same he hath § 85. And § 104. speaking Scripture cannot be a Iudge truly and properly The scripture is not a Iudge nor cannot be hut onely a sufficient Rule for those to Iudge by who beleue it to be the word of God § 155. This assertion That scripture alone is Iudge of al Controuersies in faith if it be taken properly is nether a fundamental nor an vnfundamental point of faith nor no point of faith at al but a plain falshood It is not a Iudge of Controuersies but a Rule to iudge them by Potter sec 2. p. 32. The Scripture is Iudge or rather Rule of Controuersies Whitaker Contro 1. q. 1. c. 2. The Scripture is the same in the Church which the law is in the common wealth Moulins de Iudice Contro c. 13. If our aduersaries think not that the title of Iudge ought to be giuen to the Scripture at least they shold not deny it title of Rule and this is that which we require namely that our faith be ruled by onely Gods word But nether wold this content them vnles Gods word be expounded as they would haue it which were to make themselues the rule of iudging EIGHTH CHAPTER VVhether Scripture be to beleued to be Gods vvord vvith diuine and infallible assurance FIRST SECTION Protestants sometimes affirme LAude Relat. sec 16. p. 72. suppose it aggreed vpon that there must be a diuine faith cui subesse non potest Scripture must be known with diuine faith falsum vnder which can rest no possible error That the books of scripture are the written word of God Ibid. p. 66. This is agreed on by me that scripture must be known to be scripture by a sufficient infallible diuine pro of See him p. 64. and p. 75. After a man once beleue his faith growes stronger then ether his reason or his knowledg p. 86. Beleif is firmer then anie knowledg can be becaus it rests vpon diuine authoritie which cannot deceaue See ibid. p. 105. and p. 114. 115. Likewise sec 33. p. 227. Moral certaintie is not Moral certaintie not sufficient strong enough in points of faith See him sec 19. p. 125. sec 16. cit p. 74. Reason without grace cannot see the way to heauen nor beleue this book Reason not sufficient in which God hath written the way Potter sec 5. p. 2. Faith is saied to be diuine and supernatural First in regard of the Author or efficient cause of the habit and act of diuine infused faith which is the special grace of God Secondly in regard of the obiect as things beleued which are aboue the reach of mere nature or reason Thirdly in regard of the formal reason or principal ground on which faith chiefly relyeth and into which it is finally resolued which is diuine Reuelation or authoritie of God If it faile in anie of these it is no diuine or supernatural faith P. 7. The assent of diuine faith is absolutly diuine which Faith is absolutly diuine requires an obiect and motiue so infallibly true as that it nether hath nor can possibly admit anie mixture of error or falshood p. 10. supernatural faith must be absolutly vndoubted and certain Sec. 6. p. 59. The assent of faith is more certain if it be possible then that of sense or science or demonstration becaus it rests on diuine authoritie which cannot possibly deceaue Sec. 5. cit p. 40. diuine faith must haue a diuine foundation that can not deceaue Caluin 1. Instit c. 7. § 5. Lightned by his vertue we beleue not by our own or other mens iudgment that the scripture is from God but aboue humane iudgment we resolue most assuredly euen as if we saw God there that it came from Gods own mouth by the ministerie of men See him ibid. § 4. and c. 6. § 2. And both he 3. Instit c. 2. § 6. 7. 16. in Cathechismo c. de fide Beza in Confes c. 4. sec 5. Luther in psalm 14. to 3. define faith to be Faith most certain and infallible A most certain assurance and Fulk in Rom. 8. Nota 9. to be an Infallible assurance White in his Way p. 2. Faith must be infallible or certain that is free from error and such as cannot deceau◠vs. P. 10. Our faith must be withful assurance and perswasion SECOND SECTION Sometimes they denie CHillingworth c. 1. § 8. p. 36. Of this hypothesis That al the articles of our faith were reuealed by God we cannot ordinarily haue anie rational and acquired certaintie more then moral But moral certaintie C. 2. § 3. p. 53 The controuersie wherin the scripture it self is the subiect of the question cannot be determined but by natural reason Ibid. § 32. p. 65. Natural reason built on principles common to Reason last resolution of Protest faith al men is the last resolution into which the Churches authoritie is but the first inducement Item § 24. p. 62. I know no other natural and rational means to be assured herof of the incorruption of Scripture then I haue of anie other books incorrupted For though I haue a greater degree of rational and humane Humane assurance assurance of that then this in regard of diuers considerations which make it more credible That the Scripture hath been preserued from anie material alteration yet my assurance of both is of the same Moral assurance kinde and condition both moral assurances and nether physical or mathematical Scripture no materia obiect of faith Ibid. § 32. p. 65. The Scripture is none of the material obiects of our faith but onely the means of conueying them vnto vs. § 35. p. 66. Of this controuersie which books be Canonical wemake the Church the Iudge but not the present Church but the consent and testimonie of the ancient and primitiue Church which though it be but a highly probable inducement and no demonstratiue enforcement yet me thinks you should not denie but it may be a sufficient Probabilitie a sufficient ground of Protest faith ground of faith Ibid. § 152. p. 112. The priuiledg of not being in possibilitie of erring
they denie the Vulgar latin to be authentical becaus it is a Translation For as Whitaker c. 8. cit sayeth An Interpreter translateth authentical Scripture but maketh not his Translation authentical Scripture See Morton to 2. Apol. l. 1. c. 14. p. 71. White in his Way p. 23. The conclusion Translation not a Rule That the English translation is not the Rule may be granted P. 1â— Al translations be to be tried by the original Hebrew and Greek And a Rule is not to be ruled it self Morton in Whites Defense c. 28. p. 259. What English Protestant euer No infallible affirmed that our Translations were infallible or took them for the Rule Tailor in his libertie of prophesing sec 4. n. 7. Is there anie man that hath translated perfectly or expounded Nor authentik infallibly No translation challengeth such a praerogatiue as to be authentik but the vulgar latin Pareus Colleg. Theol. 2. D. 1. We say that onely the Hebrew edition of the old testament and the Greek of the New is authentical Sic etiam Collegio 1. D. 14. Moulins of the Iudge of Contro part 2. c. 6. p. 378. Common sense telleth that translations are not to be receaued but as far as they are agreable to the originals TENTH CHAPTER VVhether the Scripture be to be beleued to be the vvord of God onely for the testimonie of the Church FIRST SECTION Protestants sometimes affirme SPalatensis l. 7. de Repub. c. 1. n. 9. To enquire which books are Canonical The Church hath that alone singular and onely rule that the Vniuersal Church ask herself and what she in actual exercise holdeth seek and plainly know And l. contra Suarem c. 1. n. 34. I shew that nether Councels nor Popes nor Fathers nor Church can otherwise define which books be Canonical which not but by the onely testimonie of the whole Church Chillingworth c. 2. n. 7. The question Onely by the Church whether such or such a book be Canonical Scripture cannot be decided affirmatiuely but onely by the testimonie of the ancient Church The like he hath n. 35. 42. And ibid. n. 1â—4 It is vpon the authoritie of vniuersal tradition that we would haue them beleue the Scripture See him supra c. 8. sect 2. And c. 1. n. 7. I grant that Christ hath founded a visible Church stored with al help necessarie to saluation particularly with sufficient meanes to beget and conserue faith to mantein vnitie and compose schismes to discouer and condemn heresies and to determin al controuersies in religion which were necessarie to be determined I grant that this means to decide controuersies in faith and religion must be endued with an vniuersal infallibilitie in whatsoeuer it propoundeth for a diuine truth C. 2. n. 3. It is superfluous for you to proue out of S. Athanasius and S. Austin that we must receaue the sacred Canon vpon the credit of Gods Church vnderstanding by Church the credit of tradition We wil say with Athanasius that onely four Gospels are to be receaued becaus the Canons of the holie and Catholik Church vnderstand of al ages since the perfection of the Canon haue so determined Whitaker l. 1. de script p. 46. We cannot beleue but by the testimonie of the Church as by the ordinarie means SECOND SECTION Protestants sometimes denie it LAude in his Relation sec 16. n. 1. p. 60 The tradition of the Church taken and considered alone is Tradition of the Church not sufficient so far from being the onelie that it can not be a sufficient proof to beleue by diuine faith that Scripture is the word of God n. 19. p. 80. The Tradition of the present Church is too weak becaus it is not absolutly diuine Ibid. 25 p. 88. If Scripture hath an other proof nay manie other Scripture can approue â—t self proofs to vsher it and lead it in then no question it can proue and approue it self Potter sec 5. p. 6. The testimonie of present Church though it be not the last resolution of our faith yet it is the first external motiue to it It is the key or dore which lets men into the knowledg of diuine misteries But the faith of a Christian finds not in al Not â—nie sure ground this anie sure ground wheron finally to rest or setle itself til it arise to greater assurance then the present Church alone can giue The same must al Protestants say who ether teach that the testimonie of the Church is fallible or that the Scripture hath a sufficient light to shew it self to be Gods word Humfrey ad Rat. 3. Campiani p. 210. We say that an argument taken from the authoritie of the Church simply Churches authoritie litle worth in our Academic is little worth effecteth nothing p. 212. No firme firme and irrefragable argument can be taken from the Church militant Brefly no argument firme and solid is taken from aniâ— Church vnles it be the Apostolik Whitaker Controu 1. q. 3. c. 3. Scripture known without the Church Without the Churches iudgment it may be known to be Christs voice and true Scripture Cont. 2. q. 5. c. 18. It is most fals that we cannot beleue this to be true Scripture but by the testimonie of the Church l. 2. de Script p. 280. who is led with the proper testimonie of the Church doth follow but humane testimonie And ibid. saieth it is mere humane l. 1. p. 112. The voice of the maisters of the Church may be publik but Pastors authoritie of no moment their authoritie is but priuat that is of no moment l. 1. de Scriptura p. 16. An argument which is taken from the bare testimonie of the Church for to confirme the Scriptures or anie parcel therof I say is vnualid vneffectual vnfit to perswade l. 2. p. 235. â—he Church hath Hath no authoritie in matters of faith no authoritie in matters of faith l. 3. p. 345. The iudgment of the Church considered by itself is mere humane Caluin in Act. 15. v. 28. Fond Papists think there is some authoritie in the Church ELEVENTH CHAPTER VVhether Scripture be the formal cause of Protestants beleuing vvhatsoeuer they belleue as of faith FIRST SECTION Protestants sometimes affirme 1. WHitaker l. 1. de Scriptura c. 5. sec vlt. p. 58. Whatsoeuer we beleue Vvhatsoeuer they beleue is foâ— Scripture we beleue for the scripture which is the external cause of faith I mantein that in kinde of external cause we beleue not for the testimonie of the Church but for the authoritie and testimonie of the scripture it self which alone in the ministerie of the Church is the external principal cause of faith For faith riseth not of the testimonie it self of the Church but onely of the authoritie and diuinitie of the scripture And p. Onely for Scripture 69. Not for the authoritie of the Church by which we are taught but for the authoritie of the scripture it self we acknowledg the scripture
the Catholik faith And himself addeth In al controuersies the Papists with whom we deale crie Plain euident manifest scripture P. 49. he citeth Bellarmin l. 1. de Verbo Dei c. 2. saying other means may deceaue me but nothing is more known nothing more certain then the scriptures that it were the greatest madnes in the world not to beleue them P. 64. some of them say the scripture is the rule and the principal Papists make Scripture a Rule rule too yea more as Bellarmin and others P. 15. Papists grant that al other authoritie is finally resolued into the authoritie of Scripture P. 17. We admit the Scripture on al hands and al the question between vs is about the Church In his Defense p. 162. Our Aduersaries Papists grant the last and highest resolutions of our faith to be into the authoritie of the Scripture Which he repeateth p. 309. 310. 3â—5 Laude sec 16. n. 24. The greatest vpholders of Tradition that euer were made the Scripture vâ—ry necessarie in al ages of the Church sec 20 n. 3. p. 120. The Roman Churches receâ—â—ues the scripture as Rule of faitâ— Iuâ—l Defense of A Rule the Apologie part 1. p. 65. p. 129. You Harding say the scriptures are so clear of your side Luther in psal 22. tom So clear on their side 3. fol. 343. We cannot ouercome the Papists bring a huge number of places of scripture for works Plessie in his preface to his book of the Church When in the time of our Fathers men began to protest openly against the abuses and traditions of the Romish Church by the authoritie of Gods word they that were then accounted famous for learning in that Church as Ecbius Cocleus Prierias and others laboured al they could to defend the said abuses by the holie scripture Behold how from the verie beginning of Protestancie Catholiks sought to defend their doctrin by Scripture Morton also tom 2. Apol l. 5. c. 21. relateth this words of Roffensis against Luther The words of the Gospel make most plainly for vs al fight for vs more clearly then More clearly then the sun the sun And ibid. l. 1. c. 37 citeth this Note of the Rhemist Testament Ioan. 4. This woman Mystically being the Church it is here signified that they which at the first beleue becaus the Church teacheth so afterward be much confirmed finding it in the Scripture also And ibid. Morton addeth yee see then that your last resolution is founded in the authoritie of the Scriptures Whitaker Contro 1. q. 1. c. 1. Papists extol the scriptures and we higly Papists extol the Scripture esteeme them and there is no controuersie that we ought to search the scriptures but how we should search them Kemnice in Epist dedicat 1. partis Exam. The Papists at this time put al the strenght and Defense of their cause in the matter of the scripture and Tradition Thus Catholiks esteem and speak of holie Scripture wheras far otherwise Luther postilla in Domin 8. post Trinitatem fol. 301. said The scripture is the book of Heretiks Christianus Protestants say Scripture is the book of Heretikr ad Portum l. contra Verronem tom 5. Rupellae p. 31 Luther said most truly that scripture is the book of heretiks The same Luther postilla in Epiphaniam It is true that Heretiks are made by occasion of scripture Daile in his Apologie c. 5. Papists reuerence the Gospels and Epistles of the Apostles as diuine bookes SECOND SECTION Sometimes denie it APologie of the Church of England parte 4. c. 18. d. 1. These men Papists alwaie abhor and flie the word of God euen as the theef flyes the gallowes Ibid. These men bid the holie scripture away as dum and fruitles Item They burn the scriptures and cal them the books of Heretiks The like hath Whitaker ad Rat. 5. 6. Campiani And Contro 1. q. 6. c. vlt. Contr. 2. q. 5. c. 6. And l. 2. de Scrip. c. 6 sec 3. And Morton tom 2. Apol. l. 1. c. 47. Martyr in 1. Cor. 15. Papists leaue no place ether to God or scripture Caluin in Gal. 1. v. 8. The Papists do furiously vex the pure and simple doctrin of the Gospel In Ioan. 4. v. 20. The Papists giue no place to Prophets or Apostles Act. 17. v. 2. Papists think nothing can be certainly gathered out of scripture Contra Anabapt p. 412. The Papists say that the holie scriptures Vide Caluin in â—oan 6. v. 60. c. 8. v. 12. 39. c. 17. v. 20. are to be let goe Luther in l. de Consilijs The Pope burieth the holie scripture in durt and dust Morton to 2. Apol. l. 1. c. 33. Cardinal Hosius was not ashamed to say impiously See his Appeal l. 5. c. 28. sâ—c 2. Tom 2. Apol. l. 5 c. 13. Potter sect 5. p. 3. It had been better if Scripture had not been written Yet ibid. confesseth This I haue read of Hosius but not in Hosius But he is ashamed to tel where he read it to wit in Iuels Apologie of the Church of England parte 4 where Iuels best excuse of a manifest lie is that some of his lying brethren had told that leud lie before him Read Cope Dial. 6. c. 19. of this faceles lie of Iuel And Hardings answer to the Apologie Hosius de Verbo Dei Bellarm. Praefat in tom 2. White in his Way p. 18. They know and confess the most and greatest points of their religion euen wel nigh al wherin they dissent from vs haue no foundation on the scripture And in his Epistle Dedicatorie Al their speâ—ch is of the Church no mention of the scriptures nor God their Father but their Mother the Church And in his Defense p. 61. accuseth Catholiks of Enmitie rebellion and contempt of scriptures Ibid. p. 346. The words of the scripture itself the Replier and his Complices despise and reuile But it is wel that both himself and his fellowes do giue him the lie herein as we saw in the former section Vshers Reionder p. 1. Papists flie from the Scripture euen as the dog flieth from the whip wherwith he is beaten they speak euil of it But now hauing shewed the manifold and main vncertainties and contradictions of Protestants touching Scripture let anie iudicious Reader iudge whether Protestants can rationally say or think that the Scripture is the onely Iudge or onelie Rule or onelie sufficient Proposer of points of faith apointed by God for to direct and guide vs assuredly and infallibly in matters of assured and infallible faith but now let vs set down Catholiks certain and constant doctrin concerning the same Onely let vs remember luthers word vpon the fift psalme No Heretiks were ouercomen by force or craft but by mutual dissension nether doth Christ fight otherwise with them then by sending amongst them the spirit of giddines and dissension FOVRTEENTH CHAPTER That Scripture taken by it self alone vvithout attestation of the Church that it is the
letter or vvord of God cannot sufficiently propose to men anie thing to be beleued vvith diuine and infallible faith 1. THat Scripture taken by it self alone without attestation of the Church that it is the letter or word of God doth not sufficiently propose to vs or to speak more properly that in Scripture or by Scripture alone is not sufficiently proposed to vs anie thing to be beleued with diuine and infallible faith is euident becaus al the Scriptures sufficient proposal a Sup c. 1◠sect 1 dependeth on this that it self is the word of God And b Sup. c. 5. sect 1. it self saieth not anie where that it is the word of God and if it did anie where say it that saying would require an other word of God to say the same of it and so forward without end And this is so clear as Hooker l. 2. § 4. Laude Relat. sec 16. p. 70. and 88. Potter sec 5. and Chillingworth c. 2. doe both grant it and proue it and likewise al other c Sup. c. 6. sect 2. Protestants who grant that the light of the Scripture is not so great that without the Church shew it to vs we can see it And indeed al Protestants should grant the same who confess as we related l. 1. c. 14. that the preaching of the Church is necessarie to engender diuine faith For if that be necessarie as we haue proued l. 1. c. 11. 12. 13. 14. we cannot beleue the Scripture to be the word of God before the Church preach it to vs. 2. But it is against those Protestants who as we related supra c. 6. sec 1. auouch that Scripture in it self hath such and so much diuine light as by it self alone it can be infallibly known to be the word of God But beside that this great light is denied by most of their fellowes as is shewed c. 6. cit sec 2. and feigned without al sufficient ground as shal hereafter appeare it may be clearly refuted For as Laude loco cit p. 7. saieth wel If this inward light were so clear how could there haue been anie varietie among the ancient Beleuers touching the authoritie of S. Iames and S. Iudes epistle and the Apocalyps For certainly the light which is in the Scripture was the same then which is now And I add How could the Lutherans not see this light in S. Iames Epistle as wel as the Caluinists Nether can it be pretended that this is becaus the Holie Ghost doth not sufficiently lighten their eyes becaus this light may be seen euen by natural reason as Whitaker Hooker White and other taught supra c. 8. sec 2. 3. Besids this light great or less is not fit or apt to the end for which it was feigned For it was feigned to defend that beleif That Scripture is the word of God dependeth not on the testimonie of the Church but proceedeth of the Scripture it self And clear light cannot cause beleif Light causeth not faith but sight or vision which is of things not appearing Hebrewes 11. but onely causeth certain knowledg or vision And not light but onely authoritie is the formal obiect of faith For as the Apostle saieth Faith is of hearing not of sight And S. Austin l. devtilitate Credendi c. 11. That we beleue we owe to authoritie So that light wanteth both the material obiect of faith which is Things not appearing Haebrae 11. and also the formal obiect which is Authoritie And therfore Whitaker l. 2. de Script p. 227. 319. 235. l. 1. p. 77. 116. 122. often times granteth that though certain knowledg That the Scripture is the word of God may be had without the testimonie of the Church yet denieth that diuine faith therof can be had without the Churches preaching becaus the Apostle saieth plainly How shal they beleue without à Preacher And Faith is of hearing And Potter sec 5. p. 8. That Scripture is of diuine authoritie the Beleuer sees by that glorious beam of diuine light which shines in Scripture and by manie internal arguments found in the letter it self So this light breedeth sight not faith Beside How doe Beleuers How doe Beleuers se◠see If therfore the Scripture can sufficiently propose nothing to be beleued with diuine faith til it self be beleued with diuine faith to be the word of God as is certain the natural knowledg or vision which one may haue that the Scripture is the word of God without the Churches testimonie serueth not to the end for which it was deuised Besids I hope they wil not say that their diuine faith That al that is in Scripture is true is resolued into natural Sup c. 8 se 1. knowledg That the Scripture is the word of God as Chillingworth seemeth to say c. 2. p. 53. 72. For so the ground and foundation of diuine and infallible faith should be natural humane and fallible knowledg Moreouer this internal light is no word of God but at most a qualitie of the word of God and nothing can be the material obiect of diuine faith and beleued but what is the word of God or saied of God Wherfore ether they must shew where God hath saied that Scripture is the word of God or they can neuer beleue it with diuine faith or they must say that they can beleue that with diuinefaith which God hath neuer saied which is most absurd And into this absurditie al Protestants must fal who say they beleue with diuine faith that the Scripture is the word of God and yet denie that there is anie vnwritten word of God which saieth That the Scripture is the word of God d Sup. c. 5. sect 2. For doubtles there is no such written word as themselues confess 4. Moreouer this light great or less is ether in the letter or words of the Scripture or in the sense therof Some Protestants seem to say that it is in the letter or words For thus Whitaker l. 1. de Scrip. p. 25 We beleue the Scriptures for the most diuine character P. 88. That they Scripture known by the words are the Scriptures is known by the stile and phrase P. 104. The Scripture doth shew à certain kinde of diuinitie in the verie words phrase and in al the forme of the speech And p. 113. That it came from God is euident by the inscription the hand the seal the things and al the letter◠And Contro 1. q. 6 c. 9. As if by the verie inscription to the Romans it were not euident that it is Pauls And Laude sec 16 p. 83. He that beleues resolues his last and ful assent That the Scripture is of diuine authoritie into internal arguments found in the letter it self But beside that this internal light in the words of Scripture is merely feigned it is clearly refuted becaus so al men should see it who can read the Scripture And also becaus the words of Scripture are such as men first inuented and haue
haue by the Scripture For example the doctrin of seauen Sacraments which we haue by tradition is no more credible of itself then anie other point of faith which we haue by Scripture But if we speak formally of Tradition as it is an act of the Church that is of itself credible becaus that includeth the deliuerie of doctrin by the liuelie or liuing voice of the Church Which voice of the Church is euident to vs and her authoritie maketh the doctrin which she deliuereth credible But the Scripture is deliuered to vs by dead letters and it is not euident to vs that the Prophets or Apostles were the Enditers of those letters and therfore it hath not their authoritie adioined to it as the voice of the Church hath her authoritie adioined to it and so the Scripture not hauing the authoritie of the Authors therof so annexed to it as Tradition hath the authoritie of the Church it can not be so credible of itself Hence also is answered that question which Chillingworth in his Answer to the Preface n. 25. p. Chillingwort the question answered 18. and c. 3. p. 162. saieth He desired to be resolued by manie of our side but neuer could to wit why an implicit faith in Christ and in his word shold not suffice as wel as implicit faith in our Church Becaus it implieth that in ordinarie course there should be diuine faith in Christ and in his word without faith in his Church Christ and his word include not al that is necessarie in ordinarie course to diuine faith becaus faith is of hearing à lawful Preacher Rom. 10. But faith in his Church includeth al that is in ordinarie course necessarie to diuine faith For we can not beleue in Christs Church but we must beleue in Christs and in his word Heretiks say they beleue in Christ and in his word but that wil not suffice them becaus they doe not beleue Vhosoeuer beloue in Christ Church beleue in Christ but not contrariewise also in his Church But whosoeuer beleue in his Church beleue in him but not contrariwise whosoeuer beleue in Christ so as Heretiks doe beleue also in his Church wherfore implicit faith in Christs Church may suffice becaus that necessarily concludeth faith in Christ but al kinds of faith in Christ as that of Heretiks doth not include faith in his Church 12. As for the authoritie of Fathers to proue that the Scripture of it self without the attestation of the Church can propose nothing sufficiently to be beleued with diuine faith it may suffice what before l. 1. c. 7. we cited out of S. Basil that Scripture without tradition of the Church would haue no force but be like a bare letter and out of S. Austin that he could not beleue the Gospel if the authoritie of the Church were weakened And as for Protestants confessions it may also suffice what we cited out of them l. 1. c. 14. and here l. 2. c. 5. and 6. That the Church is a necessarie introduction the key the dore which lets vs into the knowledg of the Scripture And c. 5. That we cannot refel schismatiks or Heretiks who denie the Scripture out of Scripture For if the Church be such euident itis that without the Church the Scripture cannot be beleued to be Gods word and til it be beleued to be Gods word it can not sufficiently propose anie thing to vs to be beleued with diuine faith FIFTEENTH CHAPTER That Scripture though beleued to be Gods vvord doth not sufficiently propose to men al points of faith 1. THat Scripture though beleued to be Gods word doth not sufficiently propose to vs al points of faith is euident First becaus as is proued in the former Chapter it doth not at al propose to vs this point of faith That it self is the wodr of God which yet is a point of a Confess Angl. art 6. Gall. art 3 Belg. art 4. faith necessarie to be beleued yea in the b Sup. c. 11. sec 1. Protestants opinion the chiefest point of al as on which dependeth their beleif of al the rest If anie obiect that the Scripture being beleued to be Gods word it need not propose itself to be Gods word I answer that I speak not what the Scripture need not doe but what it doth not Caluin 1. Instit c. 7. 8. where he endeauoreth to proue Scripture to be Gods word bringeth no word of God to proue it but proueth it out of the qualities of Scripture to wit dignitie veritie conformitie antiquitie and such like And so doth Whitaker Contro 1. q. 3 c. 3. and yet there confesseth c Item l. 1. de Sript p 21. that these arguments cannot persuade these books to be Canonical And the same saieth Caluin c. 7. cit § 4. And what cannot perswade doth not sufficiently propose to make beleif For beleif cannot be without persuasion Besids these arguments make not faith but science 2. Secondly the Scripture itself saieth There are some necessarie traditions not written 2. Thessalon 2. v. 15. Hold the traditions which you haue learnt ether by speech or by our Epistle Whitaker Contro 1. q. 6. c. 10. confesseth that Protestants answer diuersly whose answers becaus himself refuteth we wil for breuities sake omit His answer is that d So Peâ—kins Cath Refor cont 7. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Barom An. 53. there were some necessarie traditioÌ„s not written when this Epistle was written Let Whitaker shew as plain testimonie of Scripture that al was written after You must proue as plainly out of Scripture as we proue as Tertullian saied to Praxeas c. 11. Secondly becaus the Fathers as S. Chrysostom Oecumenius Theophilact vpon this place S Basil l de Spiritu Sancto c 29. S. Epiphanius haeresi 61. and S. Damascen l. 4. de fide c. 17. out of this place do proue that euen in their times there were necessarie traditions not written 3. Thirdly becaus there are diuers points of faith which nether are expresly in Scripture nor can be euidently and necessarily inferred out of it But for breuities sake I wil speak of one onely which is the perpetual virginitie of our Blessed Ladie For that is a point of faith as is clear Perpetual Virginitie of our B. Ladie a point of faith becaus both Iouinian and Heluidius were condemned as Heretiks for denying it as is euident out of S. Ambrose Epist 7. S. Epiphanius haeresi 78. S. Hierom. l. contra Heluidium S. Austin haeresi 84. Gennadius l. de Ecclesiast dogmat c. 68. And doth anie now know what is a point of faith or what is true heresie better then al these Fathers Nay then al the Church of their time which condemned partly tacitly partly openly the aforesaid Heretiks S. Basil homil de humana generatione Christi saieth The eares of those who loue Christ cannot suffer to here that the Mother of God at anie time left to be a Virgin S. Epiphanius loc cit calleth it
word read by a particular fallible man If anie answer that Reading to them is but à condition of their beleuing but the whole motiue is Gods word which is written I replie First that their beleif dependeth vpon this condition and how can infallible faith depend vpon à condition which is fallible Secondly that thus the word Read and not Written must be the formal cause of their beleif And so Scripture is not the formal cause of their faith For Scripture is onely the word written I ask therfore what is the external formal cause of the blinde and ignorant mens beleif of that which is in Scripture For some such external cause there must be as Whitaker l. 1. de Scrip. c. 6. p. 64. Potter and others grant not the doctrin it self For that is the material obiect of their faith and the thing which is beleued Nor the writing of it or letters of the Scripture For that they perceaue or vnderstand not Nor the Reading For that is fallible 3. If anie say that the doctrin is both the material and formal cause of their beleif becaus it is credible for itself I replie First that this Credibilitie for itself or internal light in the doctrin is feigned and refuted heretofore in that we said before c. 14. of the Scripture Secondly that assent to doctrin for itself cannot be faith becaus faith is an assent for authoritie of some that proposeth doctrin Thirdly that thus Scripture or writing is no formal cause of beleif as Protestants said before c. 11. sec 1. but meerly doctrin is that cause and that writing is but a conseruer or pointer to diuine doctrin but no cause at al of beleuing it Let them then not say that Scripture is the principal external formal cause of their beleuing what they beleue but confess that Scripture or writing of diuine doctrin serues them to no more then Reading serues the blind or ignorant who as they haue the same faith which the learned so must they haue the same external formal cause of faith which they haue but that al the formal cause of their beleuing what they finde in Scripture is the internal light of the doctrin it self and that they haue no external formal cause of their beleif of it and that writing or reading of it doth but point to the veritie or light of the doctrin as they say of the Churches testimonie of the Scripture that it doth but point at the word of God which is to destroie al formal faith which is an assent for authoritie and to become Enthusiasts and to make al Christian doctrin ridiculous to Infidels in telling them that Christians haue no external formal cause why they beleue ether the Scripture to be written by Gods inspiration or that which is in it to be Gods doctrin beside the Scripture or doctrin itself And that as the Church doth but point to the diuinitie of the Scripture but is no formal cause of our beleuing it to be diuine So the Scripture doth but point at the diuinitie of the doctrin which it conteineth but is no formal cause of beleuing it to be diuine doctrin Nether can they giue a good reason why they should say that Gods writing should be credible of be credible of itself to be Gods writing and need onely the Churches pointing to it for to beleue that it is Gods writing and that Gods doctrin should not be credible of itself to be his doctrin and need onely the Scriptures pointing to it that it is his doctrin For why should not Gods doctrin be as credible of itself to be his writing And so al external formal causing of beleif is gon and onely pointing to the obiect of beleeif is left And Protestants must not say that they beleue anie thing becaus it is in Scripture but onely pointeth to what they beleue as they say they beleue not Scripture to be the word of God becaus the Church testifieth that it is so but for it self being pointed to by the Church See Chillingworth supra c. 11. sec 2. SEAVENTENTH CHAPTER That the Scripture hath not proposed points of faith in al times vvhen faith vvas had 1. THat Scripture hath not proposed points of faith in al times when points of faith were beleued is euident For there was no Scripture til Moises and yet therewas true faith euer before since Adam Whitaker Contro 1. q. 6. c. 7. I grant that there is no Scripture ancienter then Moises books and that religion remained pure al that time without Scripture Ibid. c. 16 I grant that God from Adam to Moises kept Religion kept by tradition more then 2000. years doctrin deliuered by liuing voice that is traditions not written Item c. 7. cit Some barbarous men for a time wanted Scripture For a time doctrin may be kept entire without writing Item q. 3. c. 10. I grant there was a time when the word was not written and then was the Church Kemnice 1. parte Exam. tit de Scriptura p. 14. From the beginning of the world for 2450. yeares heauenly Moulins of Tradition c. 17. doctrin by diuine voice reuealed was proposed and from hand deliuered without Scripture diuinely inspired And ibid. p. 41. It is clear that the Apostles for some first yeares deliuered and spread Apostolik doctrin without anie writing of theirs by onely liuelie voice 2. Chillingworth c 2 n. 159. Ireneus tels vs of some barbarous Nations that beleued the doctrin of Christ and yet beleued not the Scripture to be the word of God For they neuer heard of it and faith comes of hearing 3. Dauenant de Iudice c. 5. We grant that before Moyses the word of God Before Moyses Tradition was sufficient not written and propagated to Posteritie by continual tradition was a sufficient Rule of faith Rainolds Conclus 1. God reuealed his wil without writing to Adam and from Adams time til Moises 4. And was the Church of God for 2400. years before Christ infallible in al points of faith and is she not after Christ infallible in the most fundamental point of al concerning Scripture was the tradition of the Church for al that time an infallible rule of faith and it is not now Is the Church since Christs Hebr. 7. time of worse condition then it was then or did men in that time ordinarily beleue ether without some external means or motiue which is Prophetical and miraculous or did they beleue infallibly for the tradition of the Church at that time which was fallible Whitaker l. 1. de Script p. 64. saieth We ask which is that external cause for which we must beleue For there must Some external cause infallible be some external cause seing faith is not bred in vs nor produced of the Holie Ghost without external causes vnles miraculously and is of hearing And l. 3. c. 10. p. 415. As the Doctrin and religion which we profess is heauenlie and diuine such also must be the reason and
authoritie of beleuing And ibid. c. 4. p. 392. Our faith must relie vpon an external a Chilling c. 1. n. 7. Laude sect 33 p. 2. 8 Field l. 4. c. 7. infallible means and which is an external infallible means causeth faith Potter sec 5. p. 7. The assent of diuine faith is absolutly diuine which requires an obiect and motiue so infallibly true as that it nether hath nor can possibly admit anie mixture of error or falshood And what external means had men to beleue ordinarily before there was Scripture but the Church For what external infallible cause did they beleue but for the Church or was the beleif of euerie man for those 2400. yeares Prophetical or miraculous without anie external infallible motiue or cause What motiue so infallibly true as that it could not possibly admit anie mixture of error or falshood had the ordinarie Beleuers before there was anie Scripture beside the Church EIGHTEENTH CHAPTER That Scripture hath not proposed points of faith in al places vvhere faith vvas had 1. THis is euident by the testimonie of S. Ireney who l. 3. c. 4. saieth that in his time manie Barbarous Nations beleued in Christ Augustin l. 1. de Doctr. Christ. c. 39. without letters or inck which made Whitaker Contro 1. q. 6. c. 7. to confess that some Barbarous men for a time wanted Scriptures and that for a Scripture not simply necessarie time doctrin may be conserued entire without writing and that hence is rightly concluded that Scripture is not simply necessarie And l. 1. de Script c 14. sec 4. p. 159. Those Barbarians of whome Ireney speaketh who had saluation written in their hearts were indeed true Christians though they knew not Scripture But saieth he they were not simply ignorant of the Scripture becaus they held the doctrin of the Scripture But I replie that Scripture and doctrin of Scripture are different and relatiuely opposit Moreouer the doctrin of Scripture is no Proposer to beleue but the thing proposed to be beleued And we speak of the Proposer of points of faith not of points of faith or doctrin of faith proposed Though therfore these Barbarians beleued the doctrin which is in Scripture yet they beleued not it by means of Scripture We therfore ask by what infallible external means they beleued it if not by the Church For some infallible means they must haue had to beleue in ordinarie course as Whitaker and Potter cited in the former Chapter confess and is euident And howsoeuer the doctrin or sense of the Scripture may be saied to be the Scripture becaus it is the more principal parte of Scripture yet in this question of the Proposer of points of faith it ought not to be meant by the word Scripture becaus the doctrin of Scripture is the points of faith and is that which is to be sufficiently proposed and beleued and so it is not the Proposer but the Proposed Wherfore Whitaker So also Vvhite in his Vvay p. 2â— and in his Defensep 259. loco iam citato and Contro 1. q. 3. c. 10. equiuocateth For when Catholiks argue that the Church is ancienter then Scripture becaus it was before anie Scripture Or that Scripture is not necessarie to faith becaus diuers Nations beleued without Scripture he answereth that the Church is not ancienter then the word of God None beleued without knowledg of that doctrin which is in Scripture For Scripture is Vvhitaker Contr. 2 q. 5. c. 19. Praedicatio verbum â—c iptum ratione differuns not the word of God or doctrin of God simply taken but the word or doctrin of God written Wherfore it is a Sophisme à Coniunctis ad diuisa to speak of Gods word simply when he should speak of Gods word written For Catholiks speak of the word or doctrin of God written not simply taken and confess that the word of God simply taken is ancienter then the Church and that none can beleue without this doctrin becaus it is that which is to be beleued And they ask what is the infallible external cause for which this doctrin or word of God was beleued of those Barbarians seing that could not be the letter of God or the Scripture which they had not Ether therfore they beleued the word of God and doctrin of Scripture for no external infallible cause and so they beleued miraculously and extraordinarily or they beleued it for the infallible authoritie of the Church When therfore Whitaker saieth that Scripture is the L. 1 de Scrip. c. 11. sec 1. Contr. 1. q. 6. c. 9. 14. Caluin 1 Instit c. 6. §. 2. Vide supra c. 5. sec 1. onely sufficient means to beleue ether he meaneth by Scripture the letter of Scripture or the sense if the letter those Barbarians had not nor blinde and ignorant men haue that means to beleue if the sense that is not the means to beleue but the obiect to be beleued and we ask what is the infallible external means for to beleue this sense For as Whitaker saieth l. 1. de Script p. 151. Wee seek some external means for which we beleue the Scripture And Contro 2. q. 4. c. 3. To interpret Scripture without means is Enthusiastical Anabaptistical and extraordinarie For the spirit now teacheth only by means and such as the means are such must needs be the Interpretation 2. Protestants Confessions that al things which are to be beleued are not in Scripture are related supra c. 5 sec 2. to wit That al things absolutly cannot be proued by scripture not al things simply that it is not an absolutly perfect Rule not safe to iudge by Scripture alone that scripture cannot assure vs cannot proue itself to be Gods word That Schisme cannot be decided by scripture NINTEENTH CHAPTER That Scripture doth not clearly enough propose al points of faith 1. THat Scripture doth not clearly enough propose al points of faith is euident First becaus as we haue already proued it teacheth not al points of faith immediatly and much less so clearly as is necessarie to beget diuine faith of them al Secondly becaus Scripture nowhere saieth that it teacheth al points of faith so clearly And therfore Protestants can haue no diuine faith that it teacheth al points so clearly as is necessarie to faith Thirdly becaus the Scripture itself saieth that in it are some hard and difficult things 2. Petri 3. And Acts 8. When S. Phillip had asked the Eunuch whether he vnderstood what he read in Scripture He answered And how can I vnles somes hew me and the place which he read was of the passion of Christ which is a most necessarie point of faith Whervpon Whitaker l. 2. de Scriptura p. 229. saieth The Eunuch without Philip nether beleued nor vnderstood what was sufficient to saluation And yet he was a pious man And Luke 24. Iesus beginning from Moises and al the Prophets interpreted to them in al Scriptures which were of him And what
of faith and in what smal matter soeuer they proposed as from God and to be the fouÌ„datioÌ„ of the Church but the Infallibilitie of the present Church is but by mediate reuelation from God nor for to propose anie new points of faith but to conserue those which she hath receiued from the Prophets and Apostles nor in anie litle matter soeuer but onely in points necessarie to the consummation of Saints and edification of the bodie of Christ yet in this both those infallibilities agree that they are both diuine in their kinde by the special assistance of God and in al things which are necessarie in anie sorte for the consummation of Saints and edification of the bodie of Christ and right constitution of his Church 2. Now euident it is that God can not giue to men his owne essential authoritie or veracitie becaus that implieth contradiction and were to make them Gods but that he can giue them authoritie or Infallibilitie analogically termed diuine becaus it is diuinely instituted and assisted efficaciously by God I proue by scripture Fathers Reason and Confession of Protestants By scripture Moyses authoritie ioyned with Gods Caluin 4 Instit c. 8. §. 2. Popuâ—â—â—â—n Deum n Moysem credidâ—â—â—e diâ—untur for Exodi 14. v. 30. it is saied They beleued God and Moyses Where Moyses is saied to be beleued by diuine faith becaus with the same faith with which God was beleued which could not be if he had not diuine authorite For who hath but humane authoritie or veracitie cannot be beleued with diuine faith The like is Ioan. 5. v. 47. If you beleued Moyses perhaps you would beleue me The Apostle also Galat. 5. v. 2. saith I Paul say vnto you if you be circumcised Christ wil nothing profit you where he alleadgeth his Apostolical authoritie as sufficient cause of beleuing not with humane but with diuine faith that Christ wil not profit those that are circumcised And his Apostolical authoritie had not be in a sufficeÌ„it cause of diuine faith vnles itself had bein diuine for humane authoritie can be a sufficient cause but of humane beleif In like sorte S. Ihon saieth of himself c. 20. v. 21. This is the Disciple who beareth testimonie of these and wrote these and we know that his testimonie is true Where doubtles he meaneth that his testimonie is infallibly true And c. 19. v. 35. he Vvhat God can giue to particulâ—r men he can giue to his Church proueth that bloud and water issued out of Christs side by his own testimonie which had been a weak proof of a matter of diuine faith if his testimonie or veracitie in testifing such matters had not been diuine And c. 1. he saieth S. Ihon Baptist was sent to giue testimonie of Christ that Almight beleue by him And if his testimonie had been fallible it had been too weak a means to cause men to beleue with infallible faith And the Prophet Isaie c. 53. v. 1. complaineth thus who hath beleued our hearing Where doubtles he speaketh not of humane but of diuine beleif and sheweth that men should haue beleued him with diuine faith And S. Ihon. c. 4. v. 39. Manie Samaritans of that cittie beleued in him for the word of the woman bearing testimonie Where doubtles he meaneth of beleuing in Christ with diuine faith and yet saieth they beleued for the word of a woman bearing witnes who was sent of Christ to bear that witnes And though they afterward saied now we beleue not for they speech for we ourselues haue heard and know that this is truly the Sauior of the world they meant not to denie that her testimonie was anie cause at al of their beleif in Christ but that they needed it not for to beleue in Christ seing they heard and knew him and as S. Augustin saieth homil 15. in Ioan. They beleued more firmely for Christs words For Christ did confirme not infirme the womans testimonie Wherfore Morton Apol. tom 2 l. 1. c. 37. citeth and alloweth these words of Tolet vpon this place when they saied now we doe not beleue for thy word that is as if they saied before we beleued for thy word but now we haue a greater testimonie of beleuing then thine we need not the less where is the greater insinuating that they wold beleue for the word of Christ which they heard albeit they had not beleued for the Samaritan woman And in like manner though we doe now beleue in Christ for the testimonie of the Church yet if we heard himself speak as the Samaritans did we wold beleue in him al though we had not beleued in him for the Church 3. In like manner the scripture testifieth that it is damnable sin and Incredulitie not to beleue men sent by God Marc. vlt. v. 14. Going into the world preach the Ghospel to euerie Damnable not to beleue some men creature who shal beleue and be baptized shal be saued who shal not beleue you shal be condemned Where it is plainly said to be damnable sin not to beleue with diuine faith men sent by God to preach to them And how shold it be damnable sin not to beleue them with diuine faith if they had not diuine but only humane authoritie Nay how could they beleue men with diuine faith if they had but humane authoritie which is fallible And 16. v. 14. He vpraided their Incredulitie and hardnes of heart that they beleued not them who had seen him to haue risen Where doubtles Christ speaketh not of humane but of diuine beleif and saieth it was incredulitie not to beleue them with diuine faith And what Incredulitie or hardness of heart had it been not to haue beleued them with diuine and Infallible faith if they had had only humane and fallible See infra c. 5. n 2. and supra c. 2. n. 3. authoritie Nay as I saied before how could they beleue them with diuine and Infallible faith who had but humane and fallible authoritie or veracitie And it must wel be noted that he calleth it incredulitie and hardnes of heart not to haue beleued them that is persons for to auoid a cauil that he only condemned Incredulitie of his Resurrection For he plainly attributeth Incredulitie to not beleif of the persons who testified his Resurrection For diuine faith bindeth to beleue both diuine messengers and their message for their authoritie And therfore it is incredulitie and against diuine faith not to beleue ether And it could not haue been incredulititie or want of diuine faith not to beleue them vnles they had had diuine authoritie or veracitie to testifie his Resurrection And if it be incredulitie opposit to diuine faith not to beleue men sent by God to testifie surely it is diuine credulitie to beleue such and if it be diuine credulitie to beleue them they must haue diuine authoritie For diuine infallible credulitie cannot be but for diuine infallible authoritie The Apostle also 2. Thessal 3. v. 13. saieth
direct places of Scripture as Catholiks bring for the infallibilitie of the Church onely prudential motiues To say nothing of the testimonie of Fathers conuincent reasons and plain confession of Protestants which hereafter we shal bring for the same purpose 6. To al the former proofes of the infallibilitie of the Church taken out of holie Scripture I wil add one taken from the Apostles Creed or Symbol which c Caluin 2. Instit. c. 16. §. 8. Vvhitaker l. 3. de script c. 3 sect 1. Protestants say is an Epitome of the Scripture ad conteineth al fundamental points of faith For in that we profess to beleue the holie Catholik Church And holie she cannot be if she sinfully err in anie point of faith becaus euerie sinful error in faith is heresie and euerie heresie a sin which excludeth out of heauen Nor Catholik she could be if she err sinfully or not sinfully in anie matter of faith becaus Catholik includeth orthodoxie that is right beleef as is euident becaus Catholik is opposit to heretik as also becaus the Fathers affirme it as d L. 1. in Gen. Epist. 48. S. Austin S. e Catâ—chesi â—8 Cyril S. f Epist 5. Pation and g Optatus l. 1. others And namely S. h L. de vniâ—ate Austin sayeth that though Christians were spred ouer the world and yet did not beleue aright they were not Catholiks Which sheueth that Catholik doth not include onely diffusion but also Orthodoxie And if the Church be euermore orthodox she is euermore vnerring in matters of faith and we professing in our Creed that she is euer Catholik profess that she iâ— euer vnerring in matters of faith which is to be as infallible as we mean and as Laude sec 21. § 5. saieth wel If we wil keep vp our Creed the whole militant Church must be holie And holie she cannot be if she sinfully err anie waie against faith which is the foundation of al holines SEAVENT CHAPTER That the true Church of God is a sufficient and infallible Proposer â—f al points of faith proued by the holie Fathers 1. S. Ireney l. 3. c. 4. It is easie to receaue the truth from the Church seing the Apostles haue most fully deposited in her as in a rich store-house al things belonging to truth Whitaker Contr. 1. q. 6. c. 12. p. 389. saieth we grant this But indeed they are far from granting it as shal presently appeare Chillingworth c. 2. n 148. answereth that though S. Ireney say The Apostles deposited al truth in the Church yet he saieth not that she shal alwaies keep al truth For the Apostles deposited al truth in particular persons and Churches and yet these kept it not alwaies But S. Ireney not onely saieth that the Apostles deposited al truth in the Church but as in a riche store-house and that it is easie to receaue Vincent Ecclesia sedula cauta dâ—positorum apud se dogmatum custos it from her which he nether saied nor could saie of anie particular persons or Churches And for to be a rich store house of al truth from which is easie to receaue it is to be a sufficient and infallible keeper and Proposer of al truth And Whitaker c. citato p. 388. confesseth that S. Ireney did appeale from scripture to Church and to Apostolical tradition and saieth that heretiks are to be refuted by tradition Which is to confess that S. Ireney thouht the Churches tradition infallible for els he had betraied the Christiâ—n cause in appealing from an infallible Proposer to a fallible and had taught that heretiks were to be refuted by fallible meanes 2. S. Athanasius epist ad Epictetum disputing against Arians saieth we must answer onely which alone sufficeth these things are not of the Church nor our Ancestors thought so Behold the authoritie i Contrà Vvhitaker l. 2. de script p. 239. alone of the Church accounted sufficient to refure heretiks and if sufficient surely infallible 3. S. Chrysostom in 2. Thessal c. 2. It is a tradition of the Church ask no more which words are so plain for the sufficiencie and infallibilitie of the Churchestradition as it made Whitaker c. cit p. 391 to crie It is au inconsiderate speech and vnworthie Church infallible in vniuersal traditions of so greata Father and Chillingworth c. 3. n. 45. to confess that the Church is â—nfallible in her vniuersal traditions but not saieth he in al her decrees or definitions of controuersie But what word of God warranteth the Churches Infallibilitie in her traditions and not in her definitions of faith Besids Chillingworth c. 2. n. 25. and els where often and Protestants generally denie anie tradition of the Church to be infallible becaus nothing is infallible wiâ—h them but the written word of God and tradition is not written I add also that S. Chrysostom saieth not it is an vniuersal tradition but simply It is a tradition 4. Basil l. de Spiritu sancto c. 27. What things are obserued and preached of vs we haue receaued partly by written doctrin partly by the Apostles deliuered to vs in misterie and both these haue equal vertue to pietie Behold traditions of the Apostles not written and they of equal vertue to pietie with their written doctrin and he addeth that the Ghospel without tradition of the Church would haue no force but be a smal or bare letter To Which Whitaker c. cit p. 390. saieth If k So Keâ—â—nitiu part 1. §. 148. Basil were aliue he would without doubt not acknowledg this sentence which deserueth to be cast out and condemned of al pious men Which is plainly to confess that S. Basil thought the Churches tradition to be a sufficient proposal of points of faith and without it the Scripture would be to no purpose 5. Tertullian l. Praescrip c. 16. teacheth that we ought not to dispute against Heretiks out of Scripture but out of tradition Whitaker c. cit p. 392 answereth that he spake of such heretiks as denied the Scripture and therfore as Ireney did appealed from Scripture to the Church But first it is fals that Tertullian spake onely of such heretiks as denied Tertul. appealed from scripture to the Church the Scripture For he plainly speaketh of al such as denie ether the scripture or corrupted the true sense of it as al heretiks doe Secondly I ask when Tertullian appealed from Scripture to Church did he appeale to some sufficient and infallible proof of faith or no If he did we haue what we desire if not he betraied the Christian cause and taught vs to leaue the onely infallible means of refuting heretiks and to take a fallible 6. S. Cyprian l. de Vnitate The spouse of Christ cannot be made an adulteress and if she cannot be made an Adulteress she is infallible in faith 7. Hierom. l. contra Vigilantium I reiect al Doctrins contrarie to the Church and with open mouth condemn them And dialogo contra Lucifer I
know which books be Canonical And why infallible in this and not in other points What word of God affirmeth that and denieth this Is it not plainly voluntarie to grant her to be infallible in this and not in other points of faith Is it not for to haue some pretence that Protestants are infallibly certaine that the Scripture is the word of God by testimonie of the Church and that being had to neglect her See S. Austin Cont. Epist. fundâ—m 〈◊〉 5. testimonie in other points of faith Is not this to make the infallibilitie of the Church to serue their turne as far as they haue need of it and otherwhere to leaue it For in the matter of the Scripture and other such points as they think themselues bound to beleue which are onely as they cal them the fundamental points they wil haue the Church to be infallible but in other points which they think themselues not bound to beleue they wil haue her to be fallible so that iust as far as they think themselues bound to beleue she is infallible and farther she is fallible 9. Fiftly they plainly insinuate Protestants beleue partly for the Church that they beleue the scripture to be Gods word partly for the testimonie and authoritie of the Church For thus their French Confession art 4. We acknowledg these books to be Canonical not onely for the common Protestants in Colâ—oq Rotâ—â—bâ—ess 11 Fulk 2. Tâ—essal 2. consent of the Church but also c. Laude sec 38. p. 330. I beleue the entire scripture first by the trrdition of the Church Whitaker Contr. 1. q. 3. c. 1. The summ of our opinion is that the scripture is of it self worthie to be beleued not onely becaus the Church hath so commanded Ibid. We reiect not the testimonie of the Church but denie that we beleue the scripture for her commendation alone And c. 5. We beleue them to be canonical not onely for the Churches testimonie and Authoritie but for c. The same he hath l. 1. de Scriptura p. 18. 52. Chillingworth c. 2. § 35. Protestants by the Churches consent are assured what scriptures be canonical § 155. scripture needs the attestation Scripture needs tradition of vniuersal tradition Field l. 4. c. 20. The number authors and integritie of canonical books we receaue by tradition And truely who say they beleue the Scripture not for the testimonie of the Church only doe plainly insinuate that they beleue it partly for her testimonie And as Chilling saieth c. 2. § 154. None can build an infallible faith vpon motiues that are onely lightly credible and noâ— infallible as it were a great and heauie burden vpon a foundation that hath not strenght proportionable For what is euen a partial formal cause of infallible beleef is infallible 10. Sixtly they teach that we ought to follow the Church King Iames in Praefat. Antiuors blameth Vorstius becaus he would not admit the Church to be Arbitrer of the errors obiected The Church is arbiter of controuersie to him Carleton l. de Eccles c. 1. what then wil some say Doe we see the Church in the Church I indeed doe so and after holie scripture wil ask my mother to shew herself and that the Church teach where the Church is to be sought White in defense of his waie c. 37. It is necessarie to finde and follow the teaching of the Church Whitaker l. 2. de Scrip. p. 234. I confess the Church is to be heard as a Mistress Potter sec 6. p. 66. It is verie meet that the ignorant people should submit themselues to the direction of the Church in manie profound doctrins aboue their reach sec 2. p. 28. The Church Catholik or vniuersal is confessed in some sense to be vnerring and he is little better then a pagan that despiseth her iudgmeâ—t Ibid. p. 52 Particular Churches ow to the Catholik mother of al Christians the duetie of obedience Geneuas note Prouerb 1. Frustrate not thy Mothers instruction that is the teaching of the Church Field in the Epist Dedicatorie before his books of the Church seing the Controuersies of Religion in our time are grown in number so manie and in Nature so intricate that few haue time and leasure fewer strenght of vnderstanding to examin them what remaineth for men desirous of satisfaction in things of such consequence but diligently to search out which among al the societies of men in the world is that blessed companie of holie ones that house hold of faith that Spouse of Christ and Church of the liuing God which is the pillar and ground of truth that so they may embrace her communion follow her directions and Rest in the iudgment of the Church rest in her iudgment Which words are so ful and so plain for the sufficient and safe proposal of the Church in al controuersies of faith as Chilling c. 2. n. 86. saieth They slipt vnaduisedly from him and he strained to high 11. But of al which hath in this Chapter been related out of Protestants it euidently appeareth first how manifest a truth it is that the Church of God is infallible in proposing matters of faith seing they haue so plainly and manifoldly confessed it partly directly partly indirectly though it doe quite ouerthrow their cause Secondly that if they would constantly stand to their aforesaied confessions there would be no more controuersies betwixt vs whether the true Church were the al-sufficient external proposer of al points of faith nor indeed about anie other matter of faith For Laude sect 33. p. 249. they confess in plain words that the true Church for more then a thousand yeares hath taught contrarie to their doctrin and therfore openly except against the Church after the first four or fiue hundred yeares and indeed against the Church of what time soeuer calling that in her ouersights and blemiâ—hes which in the Church of latter times they calerrors superstitions impietie Idolatries And thus hauing proued that the true Church is infallible in proposing points of faith let vs also proue that she is a necessarie proposer of them becaus this also is a necessarie condition of the Al-sufficient Proposer of matters of faith ELEVENTH CHAPTER That the true Church of God is in ordinarie course a necessarie Proposer of al points of faith proued by holie scripture 1. THAT the true Church of Christ is in ordinarie course a necessarie proposer of al points of faith so as we cannot in ordinarie course haue sauing faith of anie point vnles she propose it for diuine truth is euident out of those former places of Scripture whence we proued that she is a sufficient proposer of al points of faith For they proue not onely the sufficiencie but also the necessitie of her proposal Rom. 10. The Apostle giuing the necessarie ordinarie external cause of diuine faith giueth no other then hearing lawful preaching of the word of God saying How shal they beleue whome they haue not heard
Whitaker contro 1. q. 3. c. 11. and l. 1. de Script c. 3. p. 44. and l. 2. c. 10. sec 4. Pareus l. 3. de Iustif c. 3. and 8. to which I ad that Beza in colloquio Montisbelg p. 407. saieth of extraordinarie means by which faith is infused we haue no testimonie in Scripture Wherfore they can haue no faith that Luther had his faith by anie extraordinarie means or otherwise then Suencfeldius Anabaptists and Enthusiasts pretend that they had theirs And hence also appeareth that Protestants nether take the right way which God hath apointed and the Scripture plainly declareth for to learn true faith and diuine truth by Protestants take noâ— the right way to get right faith nor wil learn them of those whome God hath apointed to teach and shew them For the onely way which God in ordinarie course hath apointed and the Scripture declareth to learn true faith by is by hearing Rom. 10. and the persons whome they are to hear are lawfully sent Preachers ibidem the Successors of those of whome Christ saied Who heareth yee heareth me Luke 10. and whome he hath put in his Church for consummation of Saints Ephes 4. and whome he hath made the pillar and ground of truth 1. Timoth. 3. But Protestants seek truth by their reading or by their discoursing or inference and not of Pastors or of the pillar or ground of truth and therfore no meruel if they neuer finde truth whiles they wil not seek it how and where it is to be found For where should truth be sought or found but at the pillar and grouÌ„d of truth And who seek it not there are neuer like to finde diuine faith but at most humane beleef And Chillingworih therfore often times L 36. 37. 62. 73. 112. 117. professeth that Protestants haue onely humane and moral certaintie such as they haue of profane stories no infallible or certainly vnerring beleef and that they haue as great reason to beleue there was a Heurie eight as that Iesus Christ suffered vnder Pontius Pilat To such prophane credulitie or rather incredulitie are they fallen who seek not truth at the pillar and ground of truth which is the Church Vvhitaker l. 1. descrip p. p. 8. 43. Chilâ—ng c. 2. n. 12. but profess that they wil first seek truth and then the Church which is as much as if they said they wil seek first the end and afterwards the onely means to come to it But now let vs proue that Protestants doe some times grant that the authoritie of the Church is euen diuine or diuinely infallible FIFTEENTH CHAPTER That Protestants doe diuers vvaies confess that the authoritie of the Church in matters â—f faith is diuine or diuinely infallible 1. IN the former Tenth Chapter we shewed that Protestants doe often times confess that the Church is infallible at lest in fundamental points of faith now we wil shew that some times they confess that she is also diuinely infallible that is infallible by Gods diuine efficacious assistance And indeed it cannot be conceaued how she can be infallible in anie kinde of supernatural and diuine matters and not be diuinely infallible in them that is infallible by Gods diuine efficacious assistance For by herself or her natural power she cannot so much as know them much less be infallible in them 2. Caluin in Luc. 10. The testimonie of our Saluation giuen by men sent of God is no less then if he spoke from heauen The same saieth confessio Bohemica c. 14. Apologia Confess Augustanae c. de Poenitentia perkins in Reformed Catholik cont 3. c 3. and others Whitaker l. 3 de Script p. 4â—6 when the Church giueth testimonie to the Scriptures surely this testimonie is diuine because God is the author Testimonie of the Church diuine of this testimonie Behold the testimonie of the Church is diuine and that becaus God is Author of it Nether can he by the testimonie of the Church mean the truth testified by her becaus that were to equiuocate and also to grant no more her testimonie to be diuine then is the testimonie of anie priuat man of the Scriptures Wherfore by the Churches testimonie he must needs mean The Churches testification of the Scriptures or her act of testifying them to be diuine and so is no priuat mans testification diuine though he testifie the same which the Church testifieth And contr 1. q. 3. c. 11. Stapleton saieth the iudgment Iudgement of the Church diuine of the Church is diuine be it so let the iudgment of the Church be diuine We enquire not now whether the iudgment of the Church be diuine in it self but how we know that it is diuine Which supposeth that the Iudgment of the Church is diuine for we cannot know that it is diuine if it be not such indeed And ibid. we confess that the iudgment of the Chuch is in some sorte diuine not simply but in some parte when the testimonie of the Church conspireth with the testimonie of the holie Ghost then we confess it is diuine Where by Iudgment he cannot mean the truth iudged by the Church but her act of iudging both for what we said of testimonie of the Church as also becaus he saieth her iudgment is not simply diuine wheras Gods truth iudged by the Church is simply diuine and not onely in parte And the same Whitaker l. 2. de Script c. 7. p. 246. Ministers of the Church are instruments of the holie Ghost and endued with diuine Ministers endued with diuine authoritie authoritie to gouern the Church committed to them Where is plainly granted to Ministers diuine authoritie to gouern the Church and if to gouern why not also diuine authoritie to testifie that to be diuine truth which they teach Is it not as necessarie to the Church to be rightly taught as to be rightly gouerned And if as necessarie why not diuine authoritie granted as wel for the one as for the other And Authoritie of sâ—ripture equal to Christ contro 1. q. 3. c. 11. p. 328. The authoritie of the Scripture is no less then the authoritie of Christ himself And yet the Scripture is a create thing as wel as the Church is Powel l. de Adiaphoris p. 7. Such indifferent things as by the Church haue been lawfully and orderly instituted are so far humane as they are also diuine therfore haue more then humane authoritie yea plainly diuine And if things instituted by the Things instituted by the Church plainely diuine Church haue plainly diuine authoritie surely she hath diuine authoritie to institute them For humane authoritie can institute nothing which is plainly diuine Nether do I think that anie iudicious Protestant wil denie that the Authoritie of the Church to preach Gods word and administer his Sacraments is truly diuine becaus our Sauiour Mathew the last saieth Al power in heauen and earth is giuen to me wherfore going teach al nations baptizing them c. And what
onely true Church as Laude saieth sec 20 p. 128 and Some Church signieth some indeterminate partilar Church Therfore The Church cannot be said to be infallible in fundamentals if onely Some Church be so For Some Church is not The Church 6. Nether can this necessarie authoritie setled by God for mankinde be said to be in Scripture becaus Scripture was nether in al times for there was none before Moises nor in al places for in S. Ireneyes time there were manie good Christians See infrâ— c. 20. who had no Scripture nor can serue immediatly by it self for al kinds of men For scripture can not immediatly by it self teach those who are blinde or cannot read as moâ—st men cannot And to teach of guide them by the reading of men who are fallible were no infallible guidance Besides Protestants confess that Scripture is hard to be vnderstood and needeth Interpreters euen in matters of faith in which See infral 2 c. 4. sec 2. and c. 2. sec 2 matters it cannot be a sufficient guide For as Chillingworth c. 1. n. 6. saieth of a Rule Both these Properties are required to be a perfect rule both to be so compleat as to need no addition and to be so euident as to need no Interpretation so I say of a Guide or authoritie to direct if it be not euident it is no sufficient guide or authoritie becaus without euidencie it cannot serue for sure direction Moreouer Scripture cannot but improperly be called a guide but as a Rule may be called a Guide or a Iudge For properly a Guide or Iudge is a liuing person who may direct by Rule But of this we shal speak more hereafter 7. And out of al which hath been said in this Chapter appeareth how wrongfully Laude said first that we must know the Church to be infallible ether by special reuealation or by Scripture For there is a third way to wit by Gods vocal word vttered by the Church it self as when the Apostles liued we might haue known them to be infallible by their own testimonie which was Gods vocal word Secondly he falsly saieth that to proue the Church by the Scripture is a sufficient acknowledgment that the Scripture is of a higher proof For Christ and the Apostles proued their doctrin out of the old testament and yet the old testament was not a higher proof then their doctrin And in like sorte the Fathers proued Scripture by the Church and as I said before Relatiues and such as mutually and equally make each other known are of equal proof each to other Thirdly how wrongly he saied that it is an inuiolable ground of reason that the principles of anie conclusion must be of more credit then the conclusion it self For this is not true in Relatiues and such others as are equally known and equally infer one the other And that principle is true onely in such Consequents as are not as wel known as the Antecedents but known onely for the Antecedents as most consequents are as may appeare out of that Maxime of which that principle dependeth to wit Propter quod vnumquodque tale illud magis Which is plainly meant of that which is the sole cause of the knowlegd of an other But Scripture is nether the sole cause nor yet the first cause of our assurance of the true Church but the first cause is principally Gods authoritie and secondarily the Churches diuine authoritie instituted by him as it was in his Apostles and also Gods vocal testimonie or word vttered by his Church and Gods written testimonie signed in Scripture by his diuine Scribes is but a confirmation of our assurance of his true Church And God may wel confirme by writing what he hath spoken and yet be equally credited by what he speaketh as by what he writeth becaus his veracitie is infinit and equally infallible in both And hitherto we haue sufficiently proued that Gods true Church which soeuer she is wanteth not ether Infallibilitie or necessitie required to be the sufficient external Proposer of faith apointed by God it resteth that we shew that she wanteth nether sufficient Claritie nor vniuersalitie requisite to be that external Proposer and to shew which proposal of hers is sufficient and requisit for to cause faith NINETENTH CHAPTER That the true Church of God doth clearly and vniuersally propose al points of faith 1. IN the third Chapter we shewed that foure conditions are necessarie to the al sufficient external Proposer of al points of faith to wit Infallibilitie Necessitie Claritie and Vniuersalitie and hitherto we haue proued that the true Church of God hath the two first conditions It remaineth that we also shew that she hath also the two latter to wit Claritie in clearly proposing what is to be beleued and Vniuersalitie in proposing it to al who are capable of external proposal and in al times and places where faith is to be proposed 2 And for Claritie it is euident that the Church of God clearly enough proposeth to her Children and to others what they are to beleue and if anie doubt arise of her meaning she calleth General Councels and expresseth it more clearly as was seen in the Councel of Nice ad others And as for Vniuersalitie of time and place it is euident that it agreeth to Gods true Church becaus she hath been in al times and is dispersed al the world ouer whersoeuer faith is preached And the like is of her proposing al points of faith 3. And finally that in the true Church is lawful sending to preach points of faith is vndoubted And so haue we proued that the true Church of God which soeuer she is hath al the conditions requisit to the al or absolute sufficient external proposer of al points of diuine faith which God wil haue men to beleue and consequently is that al sufficient external proposer of faith which we ought to seek TWENTITH CHAPTER VVhich is a sufficient proposal of the Church for points of faith 1. A sufficient proposal of the Church for points of faith is when she clearly declareth a matter to be of faith or when she condemneth the contrarie as heresie and excludeth out of her communion al obstinat or pertinacious mainteiners of it See D. Stapleton l. 1. de Principijs c. 11. But onely Excommunication doth not conuince that the Church accounteth it Heresie becaus she may excommunicate euen for holding doctrines that are temerarious or scandalous THE SECOND BOOK OF THE EXTERNAL PROPOSER OF POINTS OF FAITH THE PREFACE 1. ALBEIT Scripture cannot be properly called a Proposer of points of faith becaus a Proposer properly is an intellectual person as the word it self euidently sheweth and much less can it be the Proposer apointed by God as necessarie in ordinarie course to engender diuine faith becaus such a Proposer is a Preacher lawfully sent of God by hearing of whom diuine faith is engendred as is euident by the Apostle Rom. 10. and Scripture nether is a
p. 376. and c. 14. p. 399. Contro The onelie sufficient means 2. q. 5. c. 6. 9. Chillingworth c. 2. n. 3. scriptures be the sole Iudge of Controuersies that is the sole rule for man to iudg them Sole Rule by And he inscribeth that Chapter thus scripture the onely rule wherby to iudg of Controuersies Where § 32. he saieth I cannot know anie doctrin to be a diuine and supernatural truth or a part of Christianitie but onely becaus the scripture saies so And where saieth the Scripture that it self is the word of God Who wil see more Protestants may read Zuinglius in Hospin part 2. Histor fol. 23. Bernenses ibid. fol. 52. Beza Apol. contra Sanitem p. 289. and in Colloq Montisbel p. 10. Whitaker l. 1 de Script p. 146. l. 3. p. 483. l. 9. contra Dureum sec 64. Morton to 2. Apologiae l. 1. c. 45. 46. 47. 49. l. 5. c. 12. he saieth Matters of faith must relie onely on the light of the letters of faith Martyr in Disput Oxon p. 143. and Pareus Colleg. Theol. 3. disp 2. affirme that Scripture is the onely Onelie external infallible means external infallible means to get faith and as necessarie to the saluation of the Church as meat to life as also Pareus before said and Whitaker also White in his Defense p. 69. The whole rule of the Churches iudgment Vvhole Rule is onely scripture onely scripture onely scripture and nothing but scripture SECOND SECTION Protestants sometimes denie it PRotestants doe diuers waies denie Scripture to be the sole or entire rule of faith First in formal termes For thus Chillinhworth c. 2. n. 8. p. 55. when Protestants affirme against Papists that the scripture is a perfect rule of faith their meaning is not that by scripture al things absolutly may be proued which are to be beleued For it can neuer be proued by scripture to Not al things absolutely a Gainsayer that there is a God or that the Book called the scripture is the word of God Ibid. n. 155. p. 114. scripture is not a Iudge of Controuersies but a Rule to iudge them by and that not an absolutly perfect Rule but as perfect Not an absolutey perfect Rule as a written Rule can be which must alwaies need something els which is ether euidently true oreuidently credible to giue attestation to it See also n. 156. Feild l 4. de Eccles c. 15. we doe not so make the scripture the Rule of our faith but that other things in their kinde are Rules likewise in such sort as it is not safe without respect had vnto Not safe by Sctipture alâ—ne them to iudg of things by Scripture alone Hooker l. 1 § 14. Albeit scripture doe profess to contein in it al things which are necessarie to saluation yet the meaning cannot be simply of al things Not simply al things necessarie which are necessarie Secondly they confess that Scripture is no sufficient Rule to beleue that it self is the word of God or who are Schismatiks Hooker l. 2. § 4. It is not the word of God which Scripture can not assure vs that it iâ— the word of God doth or possibly can assure vs that it is the word of God By what then are you infallibly assured Is it by the word of man Laude Relat. sec 16. p. 70. There is no place in scripture which tels vs that such books conteining such and particulars No place in Scâ—iptuâ—e are the Canon and infallible wil and word of God And p. 69. That scripture should be fully and sufficiently known as by diuine and infallible testimonie lumine proprio by resplendencie of that light which it hath in it self onely and by the witnes that it can so giue to it self I could neuer yet see cause to allow P. 80. The light which is in Scripture itself is not bright enough it cannot beare sufficient witnes to itself P. 88. Where he Hooker speaks so Can not bear witnes to it self sensibly that Scripture cannot beare witnes to it self nor one parte of it to an other that is grounded vpon nature which admits no created thing to be witnes to it self and is acknowledged by our Sauior Sec. 25. n. 6. The Iudge shal be the Scripture and the Primitiue Church Primitiue Church iudge Chillingworth c. 2. n. 11. p. 52. Scripture we say is the rule to iudge controuersies by yet not al simply but al the controuersies of Christians of those that are already agreed vpon this first Not al controuersies by Scripture principle That the Scripture is the word of God n. 27. When Scripture is affirmed to be the rule by which al controuersies of religion are to be decided those are to be excepted out of this generalitie which concern the Scripture it self Ibid. Your Negatiue Conclusion That these questions Not controuersies â—bâ—ut Scripture it self touching Scripture are not decidable by Scripture you needed not haue cited anie reason to proue it it is euident by itself Which he often repeateth as n. 29. 46. 52. 156. And n. 27. The question whether scuh or such a book be Onely by the Church Canonical scripture affirmatiuely cannot be decided but onely by the testimonie of the ancient Churches And n. 35. you demand whether that by the Churches Assured by the Church consent they are assured what scriptures are Canonical I answer yes they are so And wheras you infer from Church iudge of the Scripture hence This is to make the Church Iudge I haue told you already that of this controuersie we make the Church Iudge Feild l. 4 de Eccles c. 7. To him that doubteth of both old andnew Testament we must not alleadg the authoritie of ether of these but some other thing Morton to 2. Apol. l. 5. c. 14. It is that which we wold haue That Scripture is to be accounted Iudge of those who beleue the scripture Which is plainly to confess that it is not Iudge of al. And Ibid. c. 10. We account not scripture the onely but the supreme Interpreter Not onely Scripture And c. 57. Protestants doe not so make the scripture the supreme Iudge of Controuersies as therfore they refuse the iudgment of Councels And l. 3. de Missa c. 3. The Iudgment of sense in Sense a ground of Protest fâ—ith sensible obiects is a notable ground of faith Whitaker Contro 1. q. 5. c. 6. He leeseth his labor who out of scripture disputeth against those that denie the scripture Against such we must dispute out of the testimonie of the Church or vse other arguments l. 1. de Script p. 92. The Creed of the Apostles is the rule of faith Creed is the rule Plessie of the Church c. 3. The question with the Donatists was more for matter of fact then of right as who had first failed in Charitie offended the Schisme not decided by Scripture Communion opened the gate
line and In euerie line leaf of the bible proclaimes it to be the word of God The scripture by its own light shewes it self to be the word of God In his Defense p. 285. The scriptures haue in them a light and an authoritie of their own sufficient to proue themselues to be the word of God and to giue infallible assurance to al men of the true sense p. 15. I denie that the Canonical books cannot be proued to be by themselues secluding Church authoritie and tradition P. 282. The authoritie and teaching of the Church is not alway nor simply necessarie to shew al men the light of the scripture or so much as to point to it For ether by immediat light of Gods spirit or by the light of nature it may be known to be Gods word And p. 277. he saieth that assurance of By light of nature the true sense of the Scripture is very By onelie â—eading ordinarily had without al motion of the Church whatsoeuer by onely reading See him c. 20. p. 169. Field Appendice parte 2. p. 14. It Euident by itself is euident in it self that God speaketh in the scripture and reuealeth those things which we beleue which is that which we say Bel in his Downfal of Poperie art 7. p. 135. The scriptures Canonical are discerned from not Canonical euen of themselues like as light is discerned from darknes Protestants in Colloq Ratisbon Thesi 1. p. 19. Credit is to be giuen to the scripture for it self and sess 10 p. 314. The authoritie of the Gospel of Mathew is gathered out of the scripture it self Chillingworth c. 4. § 53. The doctrin it self is very fit and worthie to be thought to come from God SECOND SECTION Protestants sometimes denie it HOoker Couel Laude White Chillingworth and others related in the former Chapter sec 2. who denie that Scripture can be sufciently known by it self denie that it sufficiently sheweth or proueth it self And the said Laude Relat. sec 16. p. 8â— We doe not say that there is such a light in Scripture as that euerie man vpon the first sight must yeeld to it Ibid. p. 70. No created thing alone can giue No created thing can giue witnes to it self witnes to it self and make it euident nor one parte testifie for an other and satisfie where Reason wil but offer to contest sec 38. n. 6. We beleue Scripture to No particular text for proof of Scripture be Scripture and by diuine and in fallible faith too and yet we can shew no particuler text for it Feild in Appendice part 2. p. 21. Tradition of the Church necessarie The tradition of the Church is a necessarie means wherby the books of Scripture may be deliuered vnto vs and made known Potter sec 5. p. 8. That Scripture is of diuine authoritie the Beleuer sees by Found by help of the Church that glorious beam of diuine light which shines in the Scripture though found by the help and direction of the Church without and of grace within Chillingworth c. 2. § 46. p. 69. That the Diuinitie of a writing cannot No wiseman saieth be known from it self alone but by some extrinsecal authoritie you need not proue for no wise man denies it Ibid. § 3. p. 53. The controuersie wherin the Not but by natural reason Scripture is the subiect of the question cannot be determined but by natural reason § 8. p. 55. It can neuer be proued by Scripture to a gainsayer that the book called Scripture is the word of God So also § 27. p. 63. § 29. p. 64. sec 52. p. 72. Ibid. § 155. p. 114. A written A written rule needeth some thing els rule must alwaies need something els which is ether euidently true or euidently credible to giue attestation to it And the same mean al other Protestants cited before l. 1. c. 14. who say That the attestation of the Church is necessarie for to know the Scripture to be the word of God and that the Church is as it were the key or dore to enter into the knowledg of the Scripture For how should the Churches attestatioÌ„ be necessarie to know the Scripture to be the word of God if it can be known to be such by itself SEAVENTH CHAPTER VVhether Scripture be the true Iudge of Controuersies of faith FIRST SECTION Protestants sometimes affirme WHitaker Contr. 1. q. 5. c. 7. The second argument wher with the Iesuit proueth that Scripture cannot be Iudge and Interpreter of Scripture is this becaus in euerie wel ordered common wealth the Iudge and law are different wherfore seing scripture is the law it can be no way Iudge And he answereth The Scripture iudg Interpreter andrule diuine law is the iudgment the Iudge the Interpreter and the rule And c. 8. The Chief Iudge of Controuersies must haue these three First that we certainly know that his sentence is true and that we ought to submit to it Secondly that there is no appealing from his sentence Thirdly that he be not partial And al these hath the scripture and the Holie Ghost speaking in scripture Contro Supreme iudge 2. q. 5. c. 5. In al Controuersies we appeal to the scripture as to the supreme Iudge l. 2. contra Dureum sec 41. Austin wold haue the scripture to be witnes I make it Iudge l. 3. de Scriptura p. 409. I wil haue the scripture alone and the Holie Ghost speaking in scripture the Iudge of al doctrines Zuinglius in Disp 1. to 2. fol. 625. No iudg but Scripture I wil admit no other Iudge beside the Scriptures Confessio Heluetica c. 2. We suffer no other Iudge in matter of faith but God himself pronouncing by the Scriptures what is true what fals Dauenant de Iudice Controuersiarum c. 2. p. 65. We must need admit the Scripture for Iudge and also for Rule of Iudging Laude sec 26. p. 194. To settle Controuersies in the Church there is a visible Iudge and Infallible but not liuing And that is the Scripture And sec 25. p. 157. he saieth The Scripture is the Iudge Item sec 39. p. 386. Morton to 2. Apol. l. 5. c. 1. Scripture is the Supreme and infallible iudge of the Church to the learned in obscure matters and to the vnlearned in clear And c. 13. Then you acknowledg it Scripture to be the publik iudge God keep youin this minde Ibid. The Fathers in al difficulties against Heretiks appealed to the scripture as to the supreme iudge See him l. 2. c. 1. and his Appeal l. 3. c. 15. sec 5. White in his way p. 14. The scripture onely is the iudge and Rule of faith See Melancthon in locis c. de Ecclesiâ SECOND SECTION Sometimes denie it PRotestants in Colloq Ratisbon sess 1. p. 38. It is one thing to shew the Iudge an other to shew Iudg and Rule different the Rule So the Rule is not Iudge
honor and reuerence as the Queen and plainly Goddess of traditions And l. 1. c 36. relateth the foresaid words of Brentius and alloweth them Feild of the Church l 4. c. 20. Though we reiect the vncertain and vain traditions of the Papists yet we receaue the number and names of the Authors of books diuine and Canonical as deliuered by tradition The number authors and integritie of the partes of these books of Scripture we receaue as deliuered by Integritie of Scripture beleued by Tradition tradition Bel in his Downfal art 7. p 134. We receaue this tradition that the Scripture is the word of God p. 135. And so this tradition is not excepted but virtually included in our affirmation Moulins of Traditions c. 3. and 2◠we reiect not al traditions for Scripture itself is a tradition Carleton in Consensu de Scriptura c. 9. I wil say freely what I think I think there are some Apostolical traditions euer conserued and to be conserued iu the Church For Austin said not in vain what the whole Church obserueth c. So he proued Baptisme of Infants to be an Apostolical tradition so also before him Origen From Apostolical traditiou we receaued the true Canon of Scripture and the true sense of the Canon From hence the Church doth celebrate the Lords day Canon and sense of it receaued by Tradition Aretius loco 33. calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostles Creed what books are Canonical which is the true exposition of scripture Item Vniuersal traditions necessarie to be obserued are the Apostles Creed which books be Canonical which is the true exposition of the chiefest places of scripture Laude Relat sec 16. p. 104. when the Fathers say we are to relie vpon scripture onely they are neuer to Note this be vnderstood with exclusion of Tradition in what case soeuer it may be had not but that the Scripture is abundantly sufficient in and to it self for al things but becaus it is deep and may be drawn into different senses and so mistaken if anie man wil presume vpon his own strenght and go single without the Church sec 11. p. 44. Some traditions I denie not true and firme and of great both authoritie and vse in the Church as being Apostolical And why is not the Churches tradition concerning Scripture one of these Ibid. As for that tradition That the books of holie Scripture are diuine I wil handle that hereafter And sec 16. cit p. 81. Against this tradition That the books of Scripture are the word of God the Church of England neuer excepted Sess 15. p. 57. It is not denied that this baptisme of infants is an apostolical tradition and therfore note to be beleued Protestants in Colloq Ratisb sess 11. Our aduersaries bring that tradition of Scripture of which there is no Controuersie at al among vs. And sess 1. We grant that Moyses books are Moyses that this is a tradition by the testimonie of the Church which could witnes that Moyses books were put into the Ark. Chillingworth c. 2. § 45. The Canon of Scripture as we receaue it is built vpon vniuersal tradition The Canon is built vpon vniuersal Tradition Vniuersal Tradition rule of Controuersies § 155. Vniuersal tradition is the Rule to iudge al Controuersies by § 114. It is vpon the authoritie of vniuersal tradition that we wold haue them beleue Scripture And though sometimes he teach that this vniuersal tradition is but humane and fallible and consequently Supra c. 2. sect 2. grant his faith of the Scripture and al that is in it is but humane and fallible as we haue seen before yet c. 3. n. 45. he auoucheth it to be as infallible as the Scripture For thus he writeth you were to proue the Church infallible not in her traditions which wee willingly grant if they be as vniuersal as the tradition of the vndoubted books of Scripture is to Vniuersal tradition as infallible a◠Scripture be as infallible as the Scripture is Ibid. § 46. If you can of anie thing make it appeare that it is tradition we wil seek no farther Hooker also l. 3 § 8. If Infidels or Atheists chance at anie time to cal it Scripture in question this giueth vs occasion to sift what reason there is wherby the testimonie of the Church concerning scripture and our own perswasion which scripture itself hath confirmed may be proued a truth infallible Lo the Churches testimonie is a truth infallible And we may rest our assurance vpon a truth infallible and such is more then an inducement to faith Brentius also in the words afore cited saieth the Churches tradition concerning Scripture is certain firme and vndoubted And Morton saieth Protestants reuerence it as it were the Goddess of traditions 7. Moreouer they grant that it is a point of faith That scripture or the Bible is the word of God and as such it is put in their Confessions of faith Nay Hooker l. 1. § 14. saieth Of Anglica art 6. Gallica art 3. Belgica art 4. things necessarie the verie chiefest is to know what books we are bound to esteem holie l. 3. § 8. The main principle whervpon our beleif of al things therin conteined is that the scriptures Protestants main Principle are Oracles of God himself Laude Relat sec 11. § 2. calleth it prime principle of faith sec 16. § 2. Great principle in Diuinitie § 6. Great principle of faith the ground and proof of whatsoeuer is of faith P. 104. Cheifest principle P. 110. Main principle of Diuinitie Chillingworth c. 2. § 11. First principle Whitaker l. 2. de Scriptura p. 218. It is most of al necessarie that the certain Canon of scriptures be vndoubted among Christians Vshers Reioinder p. 63 Of al things this is most sure and ought to be beleued that the scripture is the word of God But this most necessarie most sure this prime this great this main point of faith is no written word of God For thus Laude sec 16. p. 70. There is no place in scripture which tels vs that such books conteining such and such particulars are the Canon and infallible wil and word of God Hooker l 1. § 14. Being perswaded by other means that these Scriptures are the Oracles of God Note themselues doe then teach vs the rest l. 4. § 4. It is not the word of God which doth or possibly can assure vs that we do wel to think it is in his word White in his Way p. 48. The certaintie of the Scripture is not written indeed with letters in anie particular place or book therof And I hope it is not written with Ciphers See more of their like Confessions supra c. 5. sec 2. 8. And yet Hooker l. 5. § 21. saieth We haue no word of God but the Scripture No word of God for their main Principle Whitaker Contro 2. q. 5. c. 18. We acknowledg no other word then written what doctrin soeuer is
much as we desire Ibid. If by al the scripture he mean the summe of doctrin necessarie to euerie one for saluation then we Knowledg of Christ Necessarie to euerie one acknowledg the argument and say it is al clear Againe If he confess that the scripture is like an open book for the misteries of our Redemption truly we haue not to demand anie more For thence wil follow that al things are manifest in scripture which are necessarie to saluation which is the ground of our Defense Morton to 1. Apol. l. 2. c. 9. after he had cited out of Coster these words We denie not but that the chiefest points of faith necessarie to euerie ones saluation are clearly enough set down in scripture saieth A pure and right doctrin of Protestants And in his Appeal l. 2. c. 28. scriptures be Al fundamental points the perfect treasurie of al fundamental Principles of faith Musculus in locis tit de Nomine Dei p. 425. Al things could not be namely expressed in scripture which desire of Gods glorie doth require it sufficeth that the summe of them Sum and general rules and certain general rules should be inserted in scripture to which we might frame al our life Humphrey ad Rat. 2 dam Campiani p. 114. We know that cases or points of law cannot be set down in lawes as Aristotle and Lawyers say wel yet the summ of al religion Summe of religion and al heads of faith are conteined in those writings out of which al our dogmes may be fully and abundantly drawn as out of fountaines Caluin l. 2. de lib. arbit p. 151. Not al sermons were taken word for word yet their Gospel was faithfully drawn into a summe which may fully suffice vs. 3. Now that Catholiks teach that Stat. leâ—on l 13. de Principijs c. 6. Bellar. l. 4. de Verbo Dei c. 11. Gordon Cont. 1. c. 21. 32. the summ of Christian religion and al things necessarily to be beleued explicitly of al men are conteined in Scripture Protestants themselues confess For thus Rainolds in the Preface to his Conclusions citeth out of the Preface of Gregorie 13. in Biblia Regia In these Books See Vvhitâ—k Cont 2 q. 5. c. 20. Morton to 2. Apol l. 1. c. 19. in 〈◊〉 p. 317. Châ—lling c. 〈◊〉 §. 80. are explaned al the Misteries of our religion And ibid saieth The Church of Rome itself doth acknowledg that the whole doctrin religion and faith which leadeth the Faithful to saluation and life by the true worship of God is conteined in Gods word Whitaker Contro 1. q. 6. c. vlt. Bellarmin confesseth Vvhole doctrin of religion Al dogmes simply necessarie to al. Vvhite Vvay p â—3 and in Defense 〈◊〉 35. Potter sect 4. p 95. that al Dogmes simply necessarie to al men are had in the Scripture Laude Relat. sec 11. n. 1. Bellarmin confesseth that al things simply necessarie for al mens saluation are in the Creed and the Decalogue See him sec 20. n. 3. See also Chillingworth c. 2. n. 144. c. 3. n. 80. Potter sec 4. p. 95. sec 5. p 4. 13. 4. Wherfore the true difference between vs is not whether al things simply necessarie to be explicitly beleued or al necessarie to euerie one be in Scripture but whether al things anie way necessarie or necessarie to anie men be in Scripture For they wil haue al points that are of faith to be ether actually conteined in Scripture or to be clearly inferred out of it as we shewed supra c. 9. sec 1. Nay Rainolds in his first Conclusion defendeth that the Scripture teacheth whatsoeuer is behooful for saluation which he often repeateth so that Vvhatsoeuer is behooful they wil haue not onely al things necessarie but also al things behooful to saluation to be conteined in Scripture And neuertheles they confess that it doth not teach that itself is the word of God which with them is the most fundamental point of al. Wheras we confess that it conteineth al which we acknowledg to be fundamental that is by Gods institution absolutly necessarie to saluation so that in effect we grant more to Scripture then they doe though they in words giue more to it then we 5. I add also that the Scripture sufficiently teacheth the far greater parte of points of faith This I proue becaus the Fathers heretofore and other Catholiks since haue confuted al most al the heresies that haue risen by plain testimonies of Scripture Herevpon Catholik writers as we heard Protestants Confess c. 13. sec 1. say they haue plain Scripture in al places for the Catholik faith an in al Controuersies crie Plain euident manifest Scripture And herevpon also both Fathers and Catholiks sometimes by the word Scripture vnderstand the whole word of God becaus it conteineth the far greater and principaller parte of the word of God Catholiks saieth Stapleton Act. 17. v. 2. expresly teach that the far greatest parte and in general In general al doctrin of faith al doctrin of faith may be and must be gathered out of Scriptuie 6. Moreouer I add that the Scripture teacheth mediatly euerie point of faith becaus it sendeth vs to the Church which teacheth vs al points of faith S. Austin l. 1. cont Crescon c. 33. Albeit of this matter there be no example brought out of holie Scriptures yet euen in this matter the truth of the same holic Scriptures is held when we doe what b Present Church now seemeth to the whole Church which the authoritie of the same Scriptures doth commend that seing the holie scripture cannot deceaue whosoeuer feareth to be deceaued by the obscuritie of this question let him of it ask the same Church which the holie Scripture sheweth without al doubt And the like he saieth in other places And Protestants in Colloq Ratisb sess 6. p. 144. confess That it seemeth a faire saying By means of the infallible authoritie of the Church al matters of faith or manners may be deduced out of scripture Hence appareth how vntruly D. Potter sec 5. p. 12. saied of vs They teach that much of the obiect or matter of faith is not conteined in Scripture anie way TWO AND TWENTITH CHAPTER That the Scripture teacheth plainly enough the summ of Christian faith and al things absolutly necessarie to be beleued explicitly 1. THat Scripture teacheth plainly enough the summ of Christian faith and al things absolutly necessarie to be beleued explicitly I proue becaus as is shewed in the former Chapter it teacheth al such points and that it teacheth them clearly enough appereth by that it teacheth them in the plain and vsual sense of these words which is to teach plainly enough as can be by writing And this may be shewed by Induction though al the Articles of the Apostles Creed which a Catechimus Trident p. 13. conteineth al the points which are absolutly necessarie to be beleued explicitly and is called of the b
c Potter sec 5. p. 2â— 89. laude p. â—â—7 165. Caluin Admonâ—s vlt. p. 3â—2 martyâ— laâ— 4. c. 10. Protestants differ from Catholiks in that they doe not beleue al points of faith euen such as are necessarie to be beleued onâ—ly by reason of their clear reuelation sufficienly proposed to be necessarie to the wel being of faith euen by reason of the matter which they conteâ—ne when as indeed al points of faith are necessarie to the better being or perfection of faith euen by reason of the matter which they contein For as in natural things God doth not giue what is superfluous both to their being and also to their wel being or perfection so nether doth he in supernatural matters as are points of faith Whererpon the Apostle 1. Thessal 3. desired to add somethings which were wanting to their faith and yet doubtless nothing was wanting to the verie being of their sauing faith but only to the wel being or perfection thereof And Ephes. 4. he saith that God gaue Pastors to the consummation or perfection of Saints Wherfore as far as the better being or perfection of Christian faith or consummation of Saints reacheth so far also reacheth the infallibilitie of the Church And when some Catholiks say that the Church is infallible onely in things necessarie to saluation as Canus l. 5. loco 5. Stapleton Controu 4. q. 2. ad quartum argumentum and Bellarmin l. 4. de Pontifice c. 5. they doe not mean as some d Potter sec 5. p. 16. 17. 22. 29. Protestants think that she is infallible in things merely fundamental which are necessarie to saluation by reason of the matter or necessitate medij as the principal points of faith are necessarie but of things which are any way necessarie to saluation either by reason of their matter and their reuelation also or by reason of their reuelation only as other The Church infallible onely in things some way necessarie points of faith are necessarie and also which are necessarie ether to the verie being or to the berter being of saluation by reason of their matter as al points of faith are necessarie For in al things which are anie way necessarie to saluation and onely in things which are some way necessarie to saluation God hath giuen Infallibilitie to his Church Becaus as I said as in natural things he faileth not in any thing which is anie way necessarie to their being or better being so nether doth he faile or abound in supernatural things as is saluation 6. The last particle to be explicated whas meant by al and euerie one is To al and euerie one In which Protestants differ from Catholicks becaus they attribute Infallibilitie to the Church onely in things e Potter sec 5. p. 19. 29. absolutly necessarie to al mens faluation as Laude speaketh Relat. p. 355. or in things absolutly necessarie in themselues as he speaketh ibid. â—p 357. and generally Protestants say the Church is infallible bâ—t in fundamental points by which they mean onely such as are necessarie to euerie Christian as Potter saieth sect 7. p. 74. not such as are necessarie onely to some But seing Christ hath instituted his Church as a necessarie mean to saue al and euerie kinde of men she must needs be as in fallible in matters which are necessarie for the saluation onely of some as she is in matters which are necessarie for the saluation of al. For els he should faile in a necessaire meanes for the saluation of some kinde of men which were impious to think seing he came to saue al kinds of men and therfore he hath made his Church infallible as wel in matters of faith which are necessarie onely to the saluation of some kindes of men as which are necessarie to al kinds of men And this is so euident as whitaker Controu 2. q. 4. c. 2. confesâ—eth that in things necessarie to anie The ful sense of this question the Church erreth not So that our meaning in this question of the infallibilitie of the Church is that the Catholick or vniuersal Church throughe Gods efficatious assistance certainly or infallibly neuer erreth in anie point necessarie to saluation ether for the matter and diuine reuelation too or onely for diuine reuelation sufficiently proposed or necessarie ether to the being or wel being of faith ether of al men or of anie kinde of men So that in what point soeuer which is anie way necessarie to saluation ether of al or of anie men the Church infallibly neuer erreth through Gods efficatious assistance of her which assistance Christ hath most clearly promised to her as he hath promised to her remission of al sinnes and Protestants might as wel question her power for remission of some kindes of sinnes as question her infallibilitie in some points of faith SECOND CHAPTER In vvhich are laid dovvn rational grounds of that vvhich vve shal say of the Infallibilitie of the Church in matters of faith 1. THe first ground is that only Onely Gods word can be beleued with diuine faith Quomodo credet quem non audâ—e runt Rom. 10. the word of God or what is said of God can be the material obiect or that which is beleeued with diuine faith This is euident becaus only that word which implieth contradiction to be fals can be the material obiect of diuine faith which implieth contradiction to beleeue aniething that is nottrue and such only is the word of God and no word of man or of anie creature And hence il followeth thaâ— Protestants cannot beleue with diuine saith either of these propositions The Bible is the word of God The present copies of the Bible are couformable to the original For a Chillinh c. 〈◊〉 p 90. laâ—dâ— sect 16. p 69. 70 〈◊〉 117. Hoober l. 2. §. 〈◊〉 Beza in Rom. 1. â—ee l. 2. c. 15. n. 8. and c. 5. sest 1. they maintein that the scripture is the sole and adaequat obiect of diuine faith and confessing which is euident that neither of the said propositions is in scripture nor is anie written word of God they must needs also confess that they haue no diuine faith of the said propositions Wherefore thus I argue in forme against them Onely the scripture or written word of God is the material obiect of diuine faith The said propositions are no scripture or written word of God Therefore they are no material obiect of diuine faith 2. The second ground is that onely Onely Authoritie or veracitie the formâ—l cause of belâ—ef Authoritie or veracitie can be the formal obiect or formal cause of anie beleef whatsoeuer This also is euident For as the Apostle saieth Rom. 10. faith is of hearing and S. Austin lib. de vtil cred c. 11. That we beleue we owâ— to authoritie that we Know to reason Which he hath also lib. de vera Religione c. 24. And it is confessed by Protestants For thus Whitaker l. 3. de scriptuta
is in ordinarie course a necessarie cause of infallible faith is plainly the Apostles meaning For he asketh how shal they beleue without a preacher lawfully sent and the Pastors of the Church are the only preachers lawfully sent And out of this necessarie dependencie of faith on lawful preaching he inferreth Therfore faith is of hearing to wit of hearing the preaching of some lawfully sent which is to make lawful preaching a cause of faith For if faith be of hearing lawful preaching lawful preaching is a cause of faith Nether hindereth it that the word preached is also a cause of faith for the word is the obiect to be beleued and lawful preaching is the cause of beleuing it Otherwise why should lawful preaching be necessarie and notanie kinde of preaching suffice And so euideÌ„tit is that these words of the Apostle make the Churches preaching à cause ormeans of faith as Whitaker l. 1. de scrip p. 41. being vrged with them answereth thus I confess preaching is the external means instituted by God by which faith is begotten in the See ib. p. 68. and 442. mindes of the Hearers And p. 15. The Churches preaching is but instrumeÌ„tally cause of faith And l. 3. p. 425. Faith is the effect of the testimonie of the Church as of an instrument And contr 1. q. 3. c. 3. The Church is not author of faith but as an instrument and external means And an instrument is a true cause And the same say others as h C. 14. we shal see hereafter And I as kno more but the Church to be asecondarie or instrumental cause in respect of God of diuine faith For doubtles she cannot be the principal cause therof as nether were the Prophets or Apostles I omit that fond shift of fundamental and nor fundamental points which may be here vsed for to delude this text becaus beside that which hath been already saied against it the Apostle doth not say How shal they beleue fundamental points but how shal they beleue that is beleue anie point of faith at al without a preacher And also becaus out of the Churches diuine infallibilitie in fundamental points of faith euidently followeth her like infallibilitie in al points of faith Nether haue I as yet read anie Protestant who would grant the Church to be diuinely infallible in some points of faith and denie herto be so infallible also in others points see infra l. 2. c. 10. sec 2. Pastors are Gods witnesses 6. The third proof of the Curches Infallibilitie in al points of faith shal be taken from that in scripture her Pastors are saied to be by God appointed witnesses for to be get diuine and infallible faith Acts. 1. v. 8. yee shal be witnesses to me in Hierusalem and in al Iurie and Samaria and to the vtmost of the land The like is ibid. v. 48. and 22. c. 2. v. 32. c. 10. v. 39. c. 13. v. 31 c. 22. v. 25. c. 26. v. 6 1. Corinth 15. v. 15. Ioan 1. v. 8. c. 15. v. 26. c. 21. v. 21. and otherwhere Out of which places I argue thus in forme who are witnesses apointed by God to testifie diuine truth and to beget diuine and infallible faith for the end of witnesses is Caluin Actor 20. v. 21. Testificatio ad toilendam omnem dubitationem interponiâ—ur to beget beleif of what they witnes are altogether infallible The Pastors of the Church are such Therfore they are altogether infallible The Maior is euident For humane and fallible witnesses are vnfit to testifie diuine truth becaus such may proue fals and are vnable effectually to beget diuine and infalble faith For the i Supra n. 2. 5. effect doth not surpass the cause And surely no wise man would assuredly beleue anie thing for the testimonie of one of whose fidelitie he were not assured For as in science we cannot be assured of the conclusion and not of the Premises for which we are assured of the conclusion so in faith we cannot be infallibly assured of the thing witnessed and not be infallible assured of the witnes k Vvhitaker l. 1. de scrip p. 49. 50. Laude sect 16. p. 65. Some answer that witnesses appointed immediatly by God as the Apostles were are altogether infallible but not such as are mediatly appointed by him as the Church is But this is The sawne end requireth like means Caâ—uin 1. Cor. 1 15. v. 15. Redundat in maximum Dei opprobrium si ordinati á Deo aeternâ— eius veritatis praecones mendatijs illusâ—sse â—undo deprehendantur friuolous For the diuers manner of Gods appointing witnesses doth not varie the end for which he appointeth them which being one and the same in the Apostles and the Church to wit testifying of diuine truth and therby causing of diuine faith requireth diuine infallibilitie in both and only proueth the manner of Gods giuing infallibilitie to them to be different to wit extradinarie The Minor namely that the Pastors of the Church are appointed by God witnesses of diuine truth for to beget by their testimonie diuine faith concerning the Apostles the aforesaid places manifestly auouch and Protestants generally confess as we saw in the former l N. 5. Chapter But they denie that Pastors successors of the Apostles are so appointed by God But this is euidently proued becaus the end for which the testimonie of the Apostles was instituted by God to wit to beget diuine faith continueth And therfore their infallible authoritie of testifying continueth As becaus the end of the Apostles preaching baptizing administrating Sacraments and the like continueth so their authoritie of testifying Gods truth doth continue â—ay it was more needful that infallible authoritie of testifying should be in the Apostes successors then in the Apostles themselues becaus the Apostles besides their infallible authoritie of testifying had the gift of miracles which much strengthned their saied authoritie which gift rheir successors ordinarily haue Office of Pastors to testifie diuine truth not and therfore more need infallible authoritie of testifying then the Apostles needed Beside the authoritie of testifying diuine truth is an ordinarie office or dutie of the Pastors of Gods Church as Protestants here confess and al ordinarie offices or duties remain in the Apostles successors Moreouer Pastors who succed the Apostles as we shal proue in the next argument are put to consummat Saints therfore also to testifie Gods truth And so euident it is that the Church and her Pastors are witnesses of diuine faith as Protestants often times confess it For thus the English confession art 20. The Church is a witness and The Churche afaithful witnes teacher of truth And Rogers vpoâ— that article Al of vs do grant that the Church as faithful witnes may yea of necessitie must testifie to the world what hath been the doctrine of Gods people from time to time Melancthon in Locis tit de Eccles I confess the Church keepeth the scripture as