recordes and declarations written or vnwritten to be most authentique they cannot be certaine whether euer there had beene such an Emperour as they plead succession from or at least how farre his Dominions extended or where they lay This manner of plea in secular controuersies would be a meane to defeate him that made it For albeit the Christian World did acknowledge there had beene such an Emperour and that many parts of Europe of right belonged vnto his lawfull heire Yet if it were otherwise vnknowne what parts these were or who this heire should bee no Iudge would be so mad as finally to determine of eyther vpon such motiues Or if the Plaintiffe could by such courses as the World knowes oft preuaile in iudgement or other gracious respects effect his purpose hee were worse then madde that could thinke the finall resolution of his right were into the Emperours last will and testament which by his owne confession no man knowes besides himselfe and not rather into his owne presumed fidelitie or the Iudges apparant partialitie So in this controuersie whatsoeuer the Pope may pretend from Christ all in the end comes to his owne authority which wee may safely beleeue herein to bee most infallible that it will neuer prooue partiall against it selfe or define ought to his Holinesse disaduantage 10 Here againe it shall not be amisse to admonish yonger Students of another gull which the Iesuite would put vpon vs to make their Churches doctrine seeme lesse abominable in this point lest you should thinke they did aequalize the authority of the Church with diuine reuelations Valentian would perswade you it were no part of the formall obiect of faith It is true indeed that the Churches authority by their doctrine is not comprehended in the obiect of belieefe whilest it onely proposeth other Articles to bee beleeued No more is the Sunne comprehended vnder the obiects of our actuall sight whilest we behold colours or other visibles by the vertue of it But yet as it could not make colours or other things become more visible vnto vs vnlesse it selfe were the first and principall visible that is vnlesse it might bee seene more clearely then those things which wee see by it so wee would direct our sight vnto it so would it bee impossible the Churches infallible proposal could make a Romane Catholikes beliefe of Scriptures or their orthodoxal sense the stronger vnlesse it were the first and principall credible or primary obiect of his beliefe or that which must bee most clearely most certainely and most sted fastly belieued so as all other Articles besides must be belieued by the beliefe or credibility of it This is most euident out of Sacroboscus and Bellarmines resolution or explication of that point how the Churches proposall confirmes a Roman Catholiques beliefe To giue this doctrine of their Churches infallibility the right title according to the truth it is not an Article of Catholike beleefe but a Catholike Axiome of Antichristian vnbeliefe which from the necessary consequences of their assertions more strictly to be examined will easily appeare CHAP. IIII. What maner of causall dependance Romish beleefe hath on the Church that the Romanist truly and properly beleeues the Church onely not God or his word 1 THe 2. main assertions of our aduersaries whence our intended conclusion must be proued are these often mentioned heretofore First that wee cannot be infallibly perswaded of the truth of Scriptures but by the Churches proposall Secondly that without the same wee cannot bee infallibly perswaded of the true sense or meaning of these scriptures which that Church and we both belieue to be Gods word How wee should know the Scriptures to be Gods word is a probleme in Diuinity which in their iudgement cannot be assoiled without admission of Traditions or diuine vnwritten verities of whose extent and meaning the Church must be infallible Iudge It is necessary to saluation saith Bellarmine that wee know there bee some bookes diuine which questionlesse cannot by any meanes be knowne by Scriptures For albeit the Scriptures say that the Books of the Prophets or Apostles are diuine yet this I shall not certainely belieue vnlesse I first belieue that Scripture which saith thus is diuine For so wee may read euery where in Mahomets Alcoran that the Alcoran it selfe was sent from heauen but wee belieue it not Therefore this necessary point that some Scripture is diuine cannot sufficiently be gathered out of Scriptures alone Consequently seeing faith must rely vpon Gods word vnlesse wee haue God word vnwritten we can haue no faith His meaning is wee cannot know the Scriptures to be diuine but by Traditions and what Traditions are diuine what not wee cannot know but by the present visible Church as was expresly taught by the same Author before And the finall resolution of our belieuing what God hath said or not said must bee the Churches authority To this collection Sacroboseus thus farre accords Some Catholiques reiected diuers Canonicall Books without any danger and if they had wanted the Churches proposall for others as well as them they might without sinne haue doubted of the whole Canon This he thinks consonant to that of Saint Austin I would not belieue the Gospell vnlesse the Churches authority did thereto moue me He addes that we of reformed Churches making the visible Churches authority in defining points of faith vnsufficient might disclaime all without any greater sinne or danger to our soules then wee incurre by disobeying some parts of Scripture to wit the Apocryphall books canonized by the Romish church The Reader I hope obserues by these passages How Bellarmine ascribes that to Tradition which is peculiar to Gods prouidence Sacroboscus that to blind beliefe which belongs vnto the holy Spirit working faith vnto the former points by the ordinary obseruation of Gods prouidence and experiments answerable to the rules of Scriptures 2 Consequently to the Trent Councels decree concerning the second assertion Bellarmine thus collects It is necessary not onely to bee able to read Scriptures but to vnderstand them but the Scripture is often so ambiguous and intricate that it cannot bee vnderstood without the exposition of some that cannot erre therefore it alone is not sufficient Examples there be many For the equality of the diuine persons the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne as from one ioint originall Originall sinne Christes descension into Hell nd many like may indeed be deduced out of scriptures but not so plainely as to end controuersies with contentious spirits if we should produce onely testimonies of Scriptures And wee are to note there bee two things in Scripture the Characters or the written words and the sense included in them The Character is as the sheath but the sense is the very sword of the spirite Of the first of these two all are partakers for whosoeuer knowes the Character may reade the Scripture but of the sense all men are not capable nor can wee in
some part of Gods Word reuealed for our aduersaries acknowledge all points of faith should bee resolued into the first truth Hence if wee descend to any particular or determinate conclusion of faith it must be gathered in his Syllogisme Whatsoeuer the Church teacheth concerning the determinate and true sence of Scriptures whereon points of Faith are grounded is most true But the Church teacheth thus and thus for example her owne authoritie is infallibly taught by the Holy Ghost in these wordes Peter feede my sheepe Peter I haue prayed for thee that thy faith should not faile goe this sence and meaning of these wordes is most true And as true as it is must the sence likewise of euery proposition or part of Scripture by this Church expounded or declared be accounted 2 The Maior proposition of this Syllogisme is as vndoubted amongst the Roman Catholiques as the maior of the former was vnto all Christians but as yet the minor The Church doth giue this or that sence of this or that determinate place may be as vncertaine indeed as they would make our beleefe vnto the minor proposition in the generall Syllogisme before it bee confirmed by the Churches authoritie For how can we be certain that the Church doth teach all those particulars which the Iesuites propose vnto vs wee haue Bookes indeede which goe vnder the name of the Trent Counsell but how shall wee know that this Counsell was lawfully assembled that some Canons haue not beene foisted in by priuate Spirits that the Councell left not some vnwritten tradition for explicating their decrees after another fashion then the Iesuites doe who shall assure vs in these or like doubtes The present Church All of vs cannot repaire to Rome such as can when they come thither cannot bee sure to heare the true Church speake ex Cathedra If the Pope send his Writs to assure vs what Critcicke so cunning as to assure vs whether they be authentike or counterfeite Finally for all that can bee imagined in this case onely the Maior of the Catholicke syllogisme indefinitely taken is certaine and consequently no particular or definite conclusion of faith can be certaine to a Romanist because there are no possible meanes of ascertaining the Minor What the true Church doth infallibly define vnto his Conscience 3 Or if they wil hold such conclusions as are ordinarily gathered from the Trent Councell or the Popes decisions as infallible points of faith they make their authoritie to be farre greater then the infallibilitie of Gods written word yea more infallible then the Deitie This Collection they would denie vnlesse it followed from their owne premisses These for example That a conclusion of faith cannot be gathered vnlesse the minor God did say this or that determinately be first made certaine But from the Pope or Churches infallibilitie conclusions of faith may be gathered albeit the minor be not certaine de fide For who can make a Iesuites report of the Popes Decrees or an Historicall relation of the Trent Councell certaine de fide as certaine as an Article of faith And yet the Doctrine of the Trent Councell and Popes Decrees must bee held de fide vpon paine of damnation albeit men take them onely from a Priests mouth or vpon a Iesuites faith and credit 4 This is the madnesse of that Antichristian Synagogue that acknowledgeth Gods Word for most infallible and the Scriptures which wee haue for his word if it selfe bee infallible For it tels vs they are such yet will not haue collections or conclusions with equall probabillitie deduced thence so firmely beleeued by priuate men as the collections or conclusions which are gathered from the Churches infallibilitie An implicit faith of particulars grounded vpon the Churches generall infallibilitie so men stedfastly beleeue it may suffice But implicit faith of particulars grounded onely vpon our generall beleefe of Gods infallibilitie prouidence or written word sufficeth not This prooues the authoritie of the Church to be aboue the authoritie of Scriptures or the Deitie absolutely considered not only in respect of vs that is all besides the Pope and his Cardinals For that is of more authoritie absolutely not onely in respect of vs which vpon equall notice or knowledge is to be better beleeued more esteemed or obeyed but such is the authoritie of the Church in respect of the diuine authoritie such is the authoritie of the Popes Decrees in respect of Gods Word For the Minor proposition in both the former Syllogismes being alike vncertaine the conclusion must bee more certaine in that Syllogisme whose maior relies vpon the Popes infallibilitie then in the other whose Maior was grounded vpon the infallibilitie of the Deitie 5 Briefly to collect the summe of all The authoritie of the Church is greater then the authoritie of Scriptures both in respect of faith and Christian obedience In respect of faith because we are bound to beleeue the Churches decisions read or explicated vnto vs by the Popes messenger though à Sir Iohn Lack-lattin without any appeale but no part of Scripture acknowledged by vs and them we may beleeue without appeale or submission of our interpretation to the Church albeit the true sence and meaning of it seeme neuer so plain vnto priuate consciences in whom Gods Spirit worketh faith The same argument is most firme and euident in respect of obedience 6 That authoritie ouer vs is alwayes greatest vnto which wee are to yeeld most immediate most strict and absolute obedience but by the Romish Churches Doctrine wee are to yeelde supreme and most absolute obedience to the Church more supreme and absolute then vnto Gods word therefore the authoritie of the Church is greater ouer vs. The Maior is out of controuersie seeing greatnesse of authoritie is alwayes measured by the manner of obedience due vnto it The Minor is as euident from the former reason Our obedience is more absolute and strict vnto that authoritie from which in no case we may appeale then vnto that from which wee may in many safely appeale but by the Romish Churches doctrine there lies alwayes an appeale from that sence and meaning of Scriptures which Gods spirit and our owne conscience giues vs vnto the Churches authoritie none from the Churches authoritie or meaning vnto the Scriptures or our owne consciences 7 Our Sauiour Christ bids vs search the Scriptures Saint Paul trie all retaine that which is good Saint Iohn trie the Spirits whether they bee of God or no Suppose a Minister of our Church should charge a Romanist vpon his allegiance to our Sauiour Christ and that obedience which he owes vnto Gods Word to search Scriptures trie spirits and examine Doctrines for the ratifying of his faith he will not acknowledge this to be a Commandemēt of Scripture or at least not to be vnderstood in such asense as may bind him to this practise What followes if our Clergie charge him to admit it he appeales vnto the Church And as in Schooles simus
did acknowledge him Supreme Lord of all the Kingdomes of the Earth for that were as much lesse preiudiciall to Christs prerogatiue royall as a damage in possession or goods would bee to a personall disgrace or some foule maime or deformitie wrought vpon a Princes bodie CHAP. V. Propounding what possibly can bee said on our aduersaries behalfe for auoiding the force of the former arguments and shewing withall the speciall points that lie vpon them to prooue as principally whether their beliefe of the Churches authoritie can bee resolued into any diuine testimonie 1 VNto all the difficulties hitherto proposed I can rather wish some learned Priest or Iesuit would then hope any such euer will directly answere point by point For the Readers better satisfaction I will first briefly set downe what possibly can be said on their behalfe and after a disclosure of their last secret refuge draw forth thence the dead putrified carkasse of Romish faith which vnto the ignorant and superstitious that cannot vncouer the holes and clefts wherein these impostors vpon euery search are wont to hide it may yet seeme to liue and breath as the fable went of Saint Iohn the Euangelists bodie after many yeares reposall in the graue or as the blinded Iewes to this day bragge the scepter of Iudah yet flourisheth beyond Babilon in Media or some vnknowne part of India whither no European is likely to resort for a disprouall of his relation 2 Vnto the demonstratiue euidences aswell of their errour in expounding Scriptures pretended for as of other Scriptures rightly alleaged by vs against their former or like decrees they will be readie to oppose what Bellarmine hath * done That the Church must iudge of Scriptures euidence and priuate errours in expounding it not priuate men of the Churches expositions Vnto the obiected dreadfull consequences of their decrees could these possibly be erroneous they would regest disobedience to the Church that to disobey it is to disobey God Father Sonne and Holy Ghost a sinne as hanious as mangling of Christs last will and Testament as Idolatrie On the contrarie to obey the Church euen in her negatiue decrees and naked decisions vngarded with any pretence of Scripture much more where this louing Mother for the education of her children will vouchsafe what shee need not to alleage some clause or sentence of Holy writ we obey not the Church onely but Gods Word also though not in those particular places which in our iudgements either contradict the former or like decrees or else make nothing at all for them yet in textes produced for the Churches transcendent generall authoritie As he that adores the consecrated hoste in procession because his holy Mother commands him so to doe or accoūts wāt of Christs bloud no losse because denied him by her authoritie although vnto priuate spirits he may seeme to contradict that Law Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue doth yet sincerely obey the Holy Ghost and rightly obserue the true sence and meaning of these his dictates Peter I haue prayed for thee that faith should not faile Peter feed my sheep Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church From these places once firmely beleeuing the Church possibly cannot erre hee must not question whether the practises by it inioyned contradict the former lawes both being deliuered by the holy spirit who can not contradict himelfe This I take it is the summe of all the most learned of our aduersaries can or would reply vnto the former difficulties Not to draw faster but rather remitting the former bonds wherein they haue inextricably intangled themselues by their circular progresse in their resolution of faith admit their late doctrine lest any possibilitie of knowing Scriptures acknowledged by both to bee Gods word or of distinguishing humane testimonies written or vnwritten from diuine The present question we may draw with their free consent vnto this issue whether their beleef of the Churches infallible authoritie vndoubtedly established as they pretend in the fore cited places can bee truly resolued into any branch of the first truth or into humane testimonies onely If into the latter onely the case is cleare that absolutely obeying the Romish Church in the former or like decrees which her authoritie set aside to all or most mens consciences would seeme to contradict Gods principall lawes wee beleeue and in beleeuing obey men more then God humane authorities lawes or testimonies more then diuine 4 The strength or feeblenesse of Romane faith will best appeare if wee trie it in any one of these ioynts Whether by Diuine testimonie it can bee proued that Saint Peter had such an vniuersall infallibe absolute authoritie as these men attribute vnto the Pope Whether by like infallible testimonie it can bee proued the Popes from time to time without exception were Peters vndoubted successors heires apparant to all the preheminencies or prerogatiues he inioyed Whether either the soueraigntie or vniuersalitie of their authoritie supposed probable in it selfe or to themselues or particular iniunctions deriued from it can bee so fully notified to all Christians as they neede not question whether in yeelding obedience to such decrees of like consequences as were the former they doe not grieuously disobey Gods Word For though the Popes themselues might know this truth by Diuine reuelation or otherwise their internall assurance vnlesse generally communicable by diuine testimonies could be no warrant vnto others for vndertaking matters of feareful consequences whereof they doubt not onely out of secret instinct or grudging of their consciences but from an apprehension of opposition betwixt the very formes of lawes papall and diuine 5. First it is improbable that he to whom our Sauiour said If thy brother trespasse against thee di◠Ecclesiae was the Church vnto which all must from which none may appeale Or if Peter the Pope if he will be Peters successor must in causes of controuersie appeale vnto the Church How is he then as our aduersaries contend the Church or such a part of it vnto whom all euen Peter himselfe were he aliue must appeale Must others appeale to him as Iudge in his owne cause or he vnto himselfe alone Not as alone but so a late Papist to my remembrance answeres Gerson as accompanied with his fellow Consull his Chaire which is to him as Caesar was to Iulius and so shall Gods word be to both as Bibulus was to Iulius Caesar a meere pretence or bare name of authority nothing else Yet if that word auouch that neither S. Peters or his successors faith could euer faile in determining controuersies we contradict it not the Popes decisions only if we doe not in all doubtfull doctrines fully rely vpon them CHAP. VI. That neither our Sauiours prayers for the not fayling of Peters faith Luke 22 ver 32. nor his commending his sheepe vnto his feeding Ioh. 21. ver 15 proue any supremacy in Peter ouer the Church from
doe First their prerogatiues they giue to Peter are blasphemous Secondly their allegations to proue that their Popes succeede as full heires to all Peters prerogatiues are ridiculous Whence it must needes follow that their faith is but a compost of folly blasphemy This pretended perpetuity of tradition or suspitious tale of succession from Peter is the best warrant they haue the Church doth not erre in expounding the places alleadged for her infallability and their beliefe of their infallibility in such expositions the onely security their soules can haue that obeying the former decree of worshipping the consecrate host of cōmunicating vnder one kind they doe not contemptuously disobey Gods principall lawes mangle Christs last Will and Testament vilifie his pretious body and bloud Seeing then they themselues confesse the places brought by vs against their decrees to be diuine and we haue demonstrated that mens beliefe of that infallible authority in making such decrees to bee merely humane the former conclusion is most firme that whilest men obey these decrees against that naturall sense and meaning which the former passages of scripture suggest so plainly to euery mans conscience that the Churches pretended authority set aside none would euer question whether they could admit any restraint they obey men more then God humane lawes more then diuine and much better belieue the traditions of humane fancy of whose forgery for others worldly gaine there bee strong presumptions then the expresse written testimony of the holy spirit in the especiall points of their owne saluation 12 Or if vnto the testimony of Gods spirit recorded in Scriptures wee adde history tradition Councels or former Popes decrees or whatsoeuer possibly may be pretended to proue the present Popes authority it must still bee supposed greater better knowne then all that can be brought for it or against it as will appeare if we apply our argument vsed before That authority is alwayes greater which may trie all others and must bee tried by none but such is the Popes declaration or determination of all points in controuersie whether about the canon or sence of Scriptures ouer those which are brought for it whether about the truth true meaning or authority or vnwrittē traditions whether about the lawfulnes of councels or their authentique interpretations in one word his determinations are monarchical may not be examined as S. Austen or others of the ancient fathers writings may by any law written or vnwritten So Bellarmine suteable to the Trent Councell expresly auoucheth The Fathers were onely Doctors or expositors the Pope is a iudge What then is the difference betweene a Iudge and an expositor To explane as a Iudge there is required authority to explane as a Doctor or expositor onely learning is requisite For a Doctor doth not propose his sentence as necessary to bee followed but onely so farre as reason shal councell vs but a Iudge proposeth his sentence to bee followed of necessity Whereof then will the Pope bee Iudge Of expounding Scriptures these places of Scripture which make for his pretended authority Must his sentence herein of necessity be followed By Bellarmine it must albeit wee see no reason for it either out of Scripture or nature It is for Doctors to bring reasons for their expositions but the Pope needs not except hee will nor may wee exact it of a Iudge So hee addes more expresly We admit not of Bartolus or Baldus glosses as wee doe of Empecours declarations Austine and other Fathers in their Commentaries supply the places of Teachers but the Councell and Popes exercise the function of Iudges whereunto God hath designed them But how shall we know that God hath committed all iudgement vnto them seeing wee haue beene taught by his word that hee hath committed all iudgement vnto his sonne Because all men should honour the sonne as they honour the father We reade not of any other to whom the like authority is giuen by God or his sonne yet of one whose very name shall import the vsurpation of like authority that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christs Vicar generall vnto whom the Sonne as must bee supposed doth deligate the same iudiciary power the Father deligated vnto him 13. But may a Princes declaration in no case be examined by his subiects Yes though in ciuill matters it may so farre as it concernes their consciences as whether it be consonant to Gods word or no whether it make more for the health of their soules to suffer what it inflicts vpon the refusers or to act what it commands To controle contermaund or hinder the execution of it by opposition of violence or contrary ciuill power subiects may not But for any but man to vsurpe such dominion ouer his fellow creatures soules as earthly Princes haue ouer their subiects goods lands or bodies is more then Monarchicall more then tyrannical the very Idea of Antichristianisme And what I would commend vnto the Reader as a point of especiall consideration this assertion of Bellarmine concerning the Popes absolute authoritie directly proues him as was auouched before to be a supreame head or foundation of the selfe same ranke and order with Christ no way inferiour to him in the intensiue perfection but onely in the extent of absolute soueraigntie For greater soueraignty cannot be conceiued then this That no man may examine the truth or equity of commands or consequences immediately deriued from it though immediatly concerning their eternall ioy or miserie No Prince did euer deligate such soueraigne power to his Vice gerent or deputy nor could he vnlesse for the time being at least he did vtterly relinquish his owne supreame authority or admit a full compere in his kingdome Bellarmines distinctions of a primary and secondary foundation of a ministeriall and principall head of the Church may hence he described to be but meere stales set to catch guls Their conceit of the Popes copartnership with Christ is much better resembled and more truly expressed by the Poets imaginations of Iupiter and Augustus Caesars fraternity Diuisum imperium cum Iove Caesar habet Ioue and Caesar are Kings and Gods But Ioue of heauen that 's the onely ods That Christ should retaine the title of the supreame head ouer the Church militant and the realitie of supremacie ouer the Church triumphant ouer aduersaries are not offended Because there is small hope of raising any new tribute from the Angels and Saints in heauen to the Romish churches vse and as little feare that Christ should take any secular commodity from it which aunciently it hath enioyed 14. But though it were true that we were absolutely bound to obey an absolute Monarchie of whose right none doubts yet may we examine whether euery Potentate that challengeth Monarchicall iurisdiction ouer others or giues forth such insolent edicts in ciuill matters as the Pope doth in spirituall do not goe beyond his authority in these particulars albeit his lawfull prerogatiues in respect of others be
without controuersie many and great yet limited both for number and magnitude For suppose King Henry the eight after hee had done what he could against the Pope should still haue professed his good liking of Romish religion opposing only this to all his Popish Cleargie that had challenged him of reuolt Am not I defender of the faith The Pope whom I trow you take for no false Prophet hath giuen me this prerogatiue amongst Christian Princes as expresly as euer Saint Peter bequeathed him his supremacy aboue other Bishops It is as impossible for me to defend as for his Holinesse to teach any other besides the true Catholique faith Let the proudest amongst my Prelates examine my expositions of his decrees and by S. George he shall fry a fagot for an heretick Would this or the like pretence though countenanced by royall authority haue been accepted for a iust defence that this boisterous King had not contradicted the Pope but the tatling Monkes or other priuate expositors of his decrees would this haue satisfied the Popes agents vntill the King and his Holinesse had come to personall conference for finall debatement of the case yet for Christs seruants thus to neglect their masters cause is no sinne in the Romanists iudgement yea an heresie is it not to deale so negligently in it For a sinne of no lower ranke they make it not to submit our hearts minds and affections vnto the Popes negatiue decrees though against that sence of scripture which conscience and experience giue vs. Vnto all the doubts feares or scruples these can minister it must suffice That the Pope sayth he expounds scripture no otherwise then Christ would were hee in earth but onely controls all priuate glosses or expositors of them But can any Christian heart content it selfe with such delusions and defer all examinations of doctrine vntill that dreadfull day come vpon him wherein the great Shepheard shal plead his owne cause face to face with this pretended Vicar and his associates Do we beleeue that Christ hath giuen vs a written law that he shall come to be our Iudge and call vs to a strict accompt wherein we haue transgressed or kept it yet may we not try by examination whether these Romish guides lead vs aright or awry Whether some better or clearer exposition may not be hoped for then the Pope or Councell for the present tenders to vs What if the Pope should prohibite all disputations about this point in hand whether obeying him against the true sence of scripture as we are perswaded wee yeeld greater obedience vnto him then vnto Scriptures may we not examine the equity of this decree or his exposition of that Scripture which happely he would pretend for this authority his amplius fili mi ne requiras No by their generall tenent and Valentians expresse assertion it were extreame impiety to trauerse this sence or exposition vnder pretence of obscurity c. By the same reason for ought I can see it would follow that if the question were whether obeying the Pope more then God we did obey man more then God we might not examine at least not determine whether the Pope were man or God or a middle nature betwixt both which came not within the compasse of that comparison CHAP. IX In what sence the Iesuites may truly deny they beleeue the words of man better then the words of God In what sence againe our writers truly charge them with this blasphemy 1. IF we reuiew the former discourse we may find that equiuocation which Bellarmine sought as a knot in a bulrush in our writers obiections to be directly contained in their Churches deniall of what was obiected Whilest they deny that they exalt the Churches authority aboue scriptures or mans word aboue Gods this deniall may haue a double sence They may deny a plaine and open profession or challenge of greater authority in their Church then in Scriptures Or they may denie that in effect and substance they ouerthrow all authority of Scripture saue onely so farre as it makes for their purpose 2. That the Pope should openly professe himselfe competitor with God or in expresse tearmes challenge greater authority then Scriptures haue was neuer obiected by any of our writers For all of vs know the man of sinne must be no open or outward enemy to the Church but Iudas like a disciple by profession his doctrine indeed must bee a doctrine of diuels yet counterfeiting the voice of Angels as he himselfe though by internall disposition of minde a slaue to all manner of filthinesse and impurity must bee enstiled sanctissimus Dominus the most holy Lord. If the poison of his iniquity were not wrapt vp in the titles of diuine mysteries it would forth-with be disliked by many silly superstitious soules which daily suck their bane from it because perswaded that the scriptures which they neuer haue examined whose true sence they neuer tasted but from some reliques of heathenish zeale idolatrously worship in grosse do fully warrant it When our Writers therefore obiect that the Papists exalt the Popes lawes aboue Gods had not these holy Catholicks an especiall grace to grow deafe as often as wee charge their mother with such notorious and knowne whoredomes as they see might euidently be proued vnto the world if they should stand to contest with vs their meaning is plaine that the Pope in deed and issue makes the Scriptures which in shew he seemes to reuerence of no authority but onely with reference to his owne That he and his followers should in words much magnifie Gods word written or vnwritten we do not maruell because the higher esteeme men make of it the higher still hee may exalt his throne being absolutely enabled by this deuise to make all that belongs to God his Word his Lawes his Sacraments the pretious Body and Bloud of his Sonne blessed for euer meere foot-stooles to his ambition For if the authority of Scriptures or such traditions as he pretends be established as diuine and he admitted sole absolute infallible Iudge of their meaning it would argue either Antichristian blindnesse not to see or impudency of no meaner stocke not to acknowledge that the Pope by this meane might appropriate vnto himselfe the honour due vnto God and play vpon his Creator in such sort as if a corrupt Lawyer hauing euidences committed to his trust should by vertue of them take vp rents and let leases to the Landlords dammage and Tennants ouerthrow And what is most villanous vnto whatsoeuer prerogatiues though most preiudiciall to the diuine maiesty his Parasiticall Canonists shall blasphemously entitle this most holy Father the sonne of God and his faithfullest seruants Apostles or Prophets must be brought forth to abette the forgery as if euidence giuen in Court by infamous Knights of the Post should in the finall day of hearing bee produced vnder the hands and seales of free Barons or other chiefe Peeres of the Land for as was intimated
deny the High Priest himselfe not misled by any witnesses but from Christs owne wordes which hee himselfe had heard pronounceth sentence against him And if this were not enough he proposed the matter to the rest of his associates What thinke yee and they answered and said Hee is worthy to die After all this they vrged the people to approue of this their sentence perswading them to aske Barrabas and to destroy Iesus And so strongly had they coniured the multitude by their pretended authority that they apprehend this their choice as a point of faith or good seruice to God and his Church For when Pilate laieth his blood vnto their charge All the people as the Text sayeth all such as relyed vpon the Scribes and Pharises or their high Priests answered and said His bloud be vpon vs and our children One of your say Papists could not haue been more throughly perswaded of your Churches authority nor more violently bent against Iohn Hus or any other of Christs Martyrs for the like reasons then this whole multitude was against Christ being condemned by the High-priest speaking ex Cathedra Here were 〈…〉 more solemnities obserued in this proceeding 〈…〉 require in the Pope speaking ex Cathedra Theirs 〈◊〉 publike assembly and sentence was giuen by ioint consent in 〈◊〉 story and in the morning you hold it sufficient for the Pope to giue his definitiue sentence alone without euidence of the fact it selfe whereunto hee ties mens faith as shall appeare by your owne confessions Nor do you limit him any time as well in the afternoone as in the forenoone as well for ought wee can gather when drinke is in and his wits out of his head as when he is sober For you hold it not necessary for him to vse any long deliberation But if it be his will to bind all Christians to belieue him the whole Church must belieue that he was herein directed chiefe by the holy Ghost for the Church is bound to heare their Pastor And if hee binde all men to belieue him then must all of necessity belieue that hee was infallibly assisted by the holy Ghost in shewing that which hee binds them to belieue for otherwise the whole Church might erre nay were bound to erre because it is bound to belieue the Pope These consequents are your own not mine as may in part appeare from what hath been already more fully from what shall bee said hereafter Besides the whole multitude of the Iewish people heard the Priestes and Elders vtter their opinions concerning Christ and his doctrine viua voce wee haue the Popes decrees but by heare say Either was this sentence pronounced ex Cathedra or else it will bee hard for you to proue that any sentence in your Church hath beene so pronounced or can bee although the Pope himselfe bee present in the Councell and bee an eye witnesse of all proceedings 8 Yet if any of you should here shufle as yee vsually doe at the last pinch and say Howsoeuer Valentia or some others of our learned but priuate spirites may define what it is to speake ex Cathedra yet wee know not whether our Church hath so defined it or no and therefore although these High-priests and Elders did obserue all the circumstances which these doctors require in a sentence giuen ex Cathedra yet for ought we know they might nay sure they did faile in some circumstance which we know not and did not indeed speak ex Cathedra albeit they seemed so to do wherefore this doth not conclude against the Popes infallible authority when he speakes ex Cathedra if any of you shall take this last hold as I cannot imagine any other left you we shall quickly beate you out of it For let it be granted for disputations sake that the Pope hath as yee suppose these Iewes had an infallible authority when he speakes ex Cathedra yet seeing it is a matter so hard to bee knowne euen by these that heare him whether hee obserue all circumstances required to the exercise and true vse of such infallible authority and whether her hee speake ex Cathedra or no when he may seeme to sundry so to speake it would be the onely safe course for all Christian Churches vtterly to renounce all obedience to him but vpon examination of his doctrine to stand continually vpon their guard lest vnder pretence of this his infallible authority when he speakes ex Cathedra hee may worke some such inestimable mischiefe vnto the Scriptures or Christes chosen here on earth as these High Priests did vnto Christ himselfe by his seeming to speake ex Cathedra when hee doth not If by abusing this his infallible authority he should either make away these Scriptures or animate the people to imbrue their hands in the bloud of Christs deerest Saints it is not his speaking ex Cathedra that can redeem their soules from hell nor restore Gods word againe for these are matters of an higher price then that they should bee purchased with two or three words of his Holinesse vnhallowed mouth 9 To conclude if this authority of your Church be but such as the ancient Church of the Iewes had you cannot expect any faithfull people should otherwise esteeme of your decrees then the faithfull in our Sauiours time were bound to esteeme of the Iewish High-Priests and Elders whom surely they did not take for Christs onely nor best friends If the Popes infallibility bee but such as these high Priests had you may bee as guilty of the bloud of Christs Saints as they were If you will challenge as indeed you doe greater authority then they had yee must of necessity renounce your principall arguments brought to proue it CHAP. VI. That Moses had no such absolute authority as is now ascribed vnto the Pope That the manner of his attaining to such as hee had excludes all besides our Sauiour from iust challenge of the like 1 WHether Moses were a Magistrate as the Papists thinke spirituall or as others meerely ciuill or whereunto vpon grounds in due places to be discussed I most incline actually neither and virtually both it will suffice for proofe of our conclusion that the Pope is no seruant of God but an aduersary in that hee exalts him selfe aboue Moses whom none besides the High Priest and sole Mediator of the new couenant was to equalise in soueraignety ouer Gods people Nor doth the excesse of glory ascribed vnto the new Testament in respect of the old argue greater authority in Christian then was in ordinary legall gouernours whether temporall or spirituall much lesse doth it inferre greater authority in any Christ onely excepted then Moses had 2 If we take Christs Church as consisting both of Priests and people it is a congregation farre more royall and glorious then the Synagogue so taken was If we compare our High-Priest or mediator of the new Couenant with theirs the Apostles comparison is fittest Consider the Apostle and
Saint Peters loue to truth that hee would haue so fastned it to all faithfull hearts as none should euer haue failed to follow it in following which hee could not erre Doubtlesse had any such conceit lodged in his breast this discourse had drawne it out his vsuall form of exhortation had been too mild his ordinarie stile too low This doctrine had beene proclaimed to all the world with Anathemaes as loud and terrible as the Canons of any Papisticall Councell report 2 But hee followed no such deceitfull fables when hee opened vnto them the power and comming of Christ whose Maiesty as hee had seene with his owne eyes so would hee haue others to see him too But by what light By Scriptures What Scriptures Peter feede my sheepe Nay but by the light of Prophesie That is a light indeed in it selfe but vnto priuate spirites it is no better saith Valentian then a light put vnder a bushel vnlesse the visible Church doe hold it out Where did the visible Church keep residence in those dayes In Saint Peter I trow How chances it then hee saith not fixe your eyes on mine that haue seene the glory of the Lord and the Prophets light shall shine vnto you If by his commendation and proposall it were to shine hee had said better thus Ye do well in that you giue heede vnto me as to your onely infallible teacher that must confirme you in the truth of Propheticall Writings and cause them shine in your hearts but now he saith Yee doe well in that yee take heede vnto the Prophets as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place vntill the day-starre arise in your hearts This light of Prophets illuminated the eyes of Peters faith albeit with his bodily eyes hee had seene Christs glory For speaking comparatiuely of that testimony which he had heard in the Mount hee addes Wee haue also asurer word of the Prophets That the Lord had beene glorified in the Mount his Auditors were to take vpon his credite and authority nor could hee make them to see this particular as hee himselfe had done but that Christ Iesus whom he saw glorified in the Mount was the Lord of Glory he had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a surer testimony then his bodily sense the light of Prophets This then was the commendations of his flocke that they looked vpon it which shined as well vnto them as him to all without respect of persons that take heed vnto it able to bring them not to acknowledge Peters infallibility but to the day-starre it selfe whose light would further ascertaine them euen of the truth the Prophets and the Apostles taught For Christ is in a peculiar manner the first and the last in the edifice of faith the lowest the highest stone in the corner refused by the master builders or visible pillars of the Iewish Church their faith was not grounded vpon the Prophets whose words they knew not and not knowing them they knew not him but vnto such as rayse their faith by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the true square and line Christ is both the fundamentall Rocke which supporteth and the chiefe corner stone that bindes the whole house of God and preserues it from clifts and ruptures 3. But least his followers might looke amisse vpon this prophetical light rightly esteemed in the general Saint Peter thought it necessarie to advertise them not to content themselues with euerie interpretation or accustomarie acknowledgement of their truth grounded on others relations reports or skill in expounding them or multitude of voyces that way swaying This had beene as if a man that hath eyes of his owne should belieue there was a Moone or starres because a great many of his honest neighbours had tolde him so A thousand witnesses in such a case as this were but priuate testimonies in respect of that distinct knowledge which euery one may haue that list That the Lord should preserue light in Goshen when darkenesse had couered the whole face of Egypt besides seems vnto me lesse strange but more sensibly true then before whilest I consider how in this age wherein the light of his countenance hath so clearely shined throughout those parts of Europe whence the Gospell came to vs Ingolstade should still sit in darknesse enuironed with the shadow of death That her great professor Valentian borne I take it within these fourescore yeeres should grope at noone day as if he had been brought forth in the very midnight of Popery or died well nigh three hundred yeeres ago Scarse Scotus himselfe not Ockam questionlesse though shut vp in a prison where no light of any expositor had euer come could haue made a more dunsticall collection of the Apostles wordes then he hath done Saint Peter meant one of these Three First that there can bee no certaine or probable way of expounding Scriptures by our proper wit or industry or Secondly that one or other place of Scripture cannot be rightly expounded by humane wit or industry but so compared they rightly may or Thirdly that the Scriptures cannot certainely and infallibly be expounded euery where without the sentence of some other common infallible authority which in this respect is to be held as iudge of faith in the Church The Apostle hee inferres did not meane the first or second ergò the third So as the force and wisdome of the Apostolicall admonition is this No man by his priuate industry or study howsoeuer imployed eyther hee thougt not of the holy Ghosts direction or assistance or did not except it no not by any search of Scripture it selfe can certainely and infallibly vnderstand the doctrine of Scriptures in controuersies of which Saint Peter in that place speakes not one word but it is necessary he learne this of some other publike authority in the church by which the Holy Ghost speakes publikely and teacheth all His reason followes more duncticall then the collection it selfe For the Apostle straight subions As the holy men of God did speake in Scriptures not by humane authority but diuine so likewise cannot the Scriptures bee possibly vnderstood by any humane or priuate industry of this or that man but by some other authority likewise diuine by which the holy spirite which is the Author of Scriptures may be likewise the most certain interpreter of Scriptures 4 Had another read thus much vnto me and bid me read the Author or his workes wherein it was found I should presently haue named eyther Erasmus Moriae Encomium Frishlins Priscianus Vapulans or some such like Comedian disposed in meriment to pen some olde Dunces part Cannot the Sun of righteousnesse infuse his heauenly influence by the immediate operation of his spirit or doth his influence want force without coniunction with this blasing Comet or falling starre Was it not the authority of this spirit which made Saint Peter himselfe to be so authentique in his doctrine Is it not the pretended priuiledge of the same
spirit which exempts the Pope from priuatenesse makes his authority oecumenical and infallible Whosoeuer then by participation of this spirit vnderstands the Prophesies eyther immediately or expounded by others whomsoeuer his conceit of them or their right interpretation is not priuate but authentique And Canus though a Papist expresly teacheth that the immediate ground or formall reason of ours and the Apostles beliefe must be the same both so immediately and infallibly depending vpon the testimony of the spirit as if the whole world beside should teach the contrary yet were euery Christian bound to sticke vnto that inward testimony which the spirit hath giuen him Though the Church or Pope should expound them to vs wee could not infallibly belieue his expositions but by that spirit by which hee is supposed to teach so belieuing wee could not infallibly teach others the same for it is the spirit onely that so teacheth all The inference then is as euident as strong that priuate in the forecited place is opposed to that which wants authority not vnto publike or coÌ„mon The Kings promise made to me in priuate is no priuate promise but will warrant mee if I come to pleade before his Maiesty albeit others make question whether I haue it or no. In this sense that interpretation of scriptures which the spirit affordes vs that are priuate men is not priuate but authentique though not for extent or publication of it vnto others yet for the perfection of our warrant in matters of saluation or concerning God For where the spirite is there is perfect liberty yea free accesse of pleading our cause against whomsoeuer before the Tribunall seate of iustice especially being wronged in matters of the life to come To this purpose saith our Apostle But hee that is spirituall discerneth all things yet hee himselfe is iudged of no man In those things wherein hee cannot be iudged by any hee is no priuate man but a Prince and Monarch for the freedome of his conscience But if any man falsly pretend this freedome to nurse contentions or to withdraw his necke from that yoke whereto hee is subject hee must answere before his supreme Iudge and his holy Angels for framing vnto himselfe a counterfeit licence without the assured warrant of his spirit And so shall they likewise that seeke to command mens consciences in those matters wherein the spirite hath set them free This is the height of iniquity that hath no temporall punishment in this life but must bee reserued as the obiect of fiercest wrath in that fearefull day the very Idea of Antichristianisme CHAP. XIIII That Saint Paul submitted his doctrine to examination by the Words before written That his doctrine disposition and practise were quite contrary to the Romanists in this argument 1 SAint Paul as well as other Apostles had the gift of miracles which amongst Barbarians or distressed soules destitute of other comfort likely to bee wonne to grace by wonders hee did not neglect to practise but sought not to enforce beliefe vpon the Iewes by fearefull signes or sudden destruction of the obstinate albeit hee had power to anathematize not onely in word but in deed euen to deliuer men aliue vnto Sathan When hee came to Thessalonica hee went as his maner was into the Synagogue three Sabboth daies disputed with his countrimen by the Scriptures opening and alleadging that Christ must haue suffered and risen againe from the dead and this is Iesus Christ whom I preach to you These Iewes had Moses and the Prophets and if they would not heare them neither would they belieue for any miracles which to haue wrought amongst such had been as the casting of pearles before swine What was the reason they did not belieue because the Scriptures which hee vrged were obscure but Saint Paul did open them Rather they saw the truth as Papists doe but would not see it They rightly belieued whatsoeuer God had said was most true that hee had said what Moses and the Prophetes wrote and yet Saint Paul taught nothing which they had not foretold But that was all one these Iewes had rather belieue Moses and the Prophets meant as the Scribes and Pharisees or other chiefe Rulers of their Synagogues taught then as Paul expounded them albeit his expositions would haue cleared themselues to such as without preiudice would haue examined them But the Beroeans were of a more ingenâ—ous disposition so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports they were not vassals to other mens interpretations or conceites but vsed their liberty to examine their truth They receiued the word with all readinesse and searched the Scriptures whether these things were so or no. If they beleeued in part before their practise confirms the truth of our assertion that they were not to belieue the infallibility of Paul but of his doctrine albeit they were well perswaded of his personall authority If they beleeued neither in part nor wholly before they see the truth of his doctrine confirmed by that scripture which they had formerly acknowledged their ingenuity herein likewise confirmes our doctrine and condemnes the Papists of insolent blasphemy for arrogating that authoritie vnto the Popes decrees which is onely due vnto Gods word already established 2 I would demand of any Papists whether the Beroeans did well or ill in examining Saint Pauls doctrine if ill why hath the spirit of God commended them if well why is it not lawfull and expedient for all true Christians to imitate them Vnlesse the Reader bite his lippe I will not promise for him hee shall not laugh at Bellarmines answere albeit I knew him for another Heraclitus or Crassus Agelastus who neuer laughed in all his life saue once when he saw an Asse feed on thistles Surely he must haue an Asses lippes that can taste and a swines belly that can digest this great Clerks Diuinity in this point I answere saith he albert Paul were an Apostle and could not preach false doctrine thus much notwithstanding was not euident to the Beroeans at the first nor were they bound forthwith to belieue vnlesse they had seene some miracles or other probable inducements to belieue Therefore when Paul proued Christ vnto them out of the Propheticall Oracles they did well to search the Scriptures whether those things were so If Saint Paul had thought miracles a more effectuall meanes then Scriptures for begetting faith in such as acknowledged Moses and the Prophets no doubt hee had vsed miracles rather then their authority Or if the Pope cannot expound the scriptures as effectually and perspicuously as S. Paul did why doth he not at the least work miracles are we bound absolutely to belieue him is he bound to doe neither of these without which the people of Beroea were not bound as Bellarmine acknowledgeth to belieue Saint Paul Wee are if his reason be worth beliefe Christians which know the Church cannot erre in explicating the doctrine of faith are bound to embrace
the sanctuary But iust in this manner doth the Mimicall Iesuite reply to the former truth I demaund saith he whether the Doctour would approue this consequence Paul preaching to the Athenians confirmed his Doctrine with the testimonie of the Poet Aratus and the Athenians had done well if they had sought whether Aratus had said so or no therefore all Doctrines must be iudged by Poets But what if the Beraeans practise considered alone or as Iesuites doe Scriptures onely Mathematically doe not necessarily inferre thus much The Learned Doctors charitable minde would not suffer him to suspect any publique professor of Diuinitie as Sacroboscus was could bee so ignorant in Scriptures as not to consider besides the different esteeme of Prophets and Poets amongst the Iewes what Saint Paul had else where expressely said I obtained helpe of God and continue vnto this day witnessing both vnto small and great saying none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Vnlesse he could haue proued Christs resurrection other articles of Christian faith out of Moses and the Prophets the Iewes exceptions against him had beene iust For they were bound to resist al Doctrines dissonant to their ancient ordinances especially the abolishment of Rites and Ceremonies which Paul laboured most as knowing the Lawgiuer meant they should continue no longer then to the alteration of the Priesthood but in whose maintenance his adversaries should haue spent their bloud whiles ignorant they were without default of the Truth Paul taught as not sufficiently prooued from the same authority by which their lawes were established Nor was any Apostle either for his miracles or other pledges of the Spirit that hee could communicate vnto others to bee so absolutely beleeued in all things during his life time as Moses and the Prophets writings For seeing the gift of miracles was bestowed on hypocrites or such as might fall from any gifts or grace of the spirit they had though the spectators might beleeue the particular conclusions to whose confirmation the miracles were fitted yet was it not safe without examination absolutely to rely vpon him in all thinges that had spoken a diuine truth once or twice In that he might be an hypocrite or a dissembler for ought others without euidence of his vpright conuersation and perpetuall consonance to his former Doctrine could know he might abuse his purchased reputation to abet some dangerous errour Nor doe our aduersaries though too too credulous in this kinde thinke themselues bound to beleeue reuelations made to another much lesse to thinke that he which is once partaker of the Spirit should for euer bee infallible Vpon these supporters the forementioned Doctours reason which the Iesuite abuseth to establish the Churches authoritie stands firme and sound I absolutely belieue all to be true that God saith because hee saith it nor doe I seeke any other reason but I dare not ascribe so much vnto man least I make him equall to God for God alone and hee in whom the Godhead dwelleth bodily is immutably iust and holy Many others haue continued holy and righteous according to their measure vntill the end but who could be certaine of this besides themselues no not they themselues alwayes And albeit a man that neuer was in the state of grace may oft times deliuer that Doctrine which is infallible yet were it to say no worse a grieuous tempting of God to rely vpon his Doctrine as absolutely infallible vnlesse we know him besides his skill or learning to be alwayes in such a state Though both his life and death bee most religious his Doctrine must approue it selfe to the present age and Gods prouidence must cōmend it to posterity Nor did our Sauiour though in life immutably holy for doctrine most infallible assume so much vnto himselfe before his ascension as the Iesuits giue to the Pope For he submitted his doctrine to Moses the Prophets writings And seeing the Iesuits make lesse acount of Him then the Iewes did of Moses it is no maruell if they be more violently miscaried with enuious or contemptuous hatred of the Diuine truth it selfe then the Iewes were against our Sauiour or his doctrine These euen whē they could not answere his reasons drawn from scriptures receiued though most offēsiue to their distemperate humor were ashamed to cal Moses the prophets authority in questiō or to demand him how do ye know God spake by thē Must not the Churches infallibility herein assure you and if it teach you to discerne Gods word from mans must it not likewise teach you to distinguish the diuine sense of it from humā This is a straine of Atheisme which could neuer finde harbor in any professing the knowledge of the true God before the brood of Antichrist grew so flush as to seeke the recouery of that battaile against Gods Saints on Earth which Lucifer their Father and his followers lost against Michael and his holy Angels in Heauen CHAP. XV. A briefe taste of our aduersaries blasphemous and Atheisticall assertions in this argument from some instances of two of their greatest Doctours Bellarmine and Valentian That if faith cannot be perfect without the solemne testification of that Church the raritie of such testifications will cause infidelitie 1 FOR a further competent testimonie of blasphemies in this kinde wherewith wee charge the Church of Rome let the Reader iudge by these two instances following whether the Christian world haue not sucked the deadliest poyson that could euaporate from the infernall lake through Bellarmines and Valentians pennes Valentian as if he meant to outflout the Apostle for prohibiting all besides the great pastor Christ Iesus for being Lords ouer mens faith will haue an infallible authoritie which may sit as Iudge and mistresse of all controuersies of faith and this to be not the authoritie of one or two men deceased not peculiar to such as in times past haue vttered the diuine truth either by mouth or pen and commended it vnto posteritie but an authoritie continuing in force and strength amongst the faithfull throughout all ages able perspicuously and openly to giue sentence in all controuersies of faith Yet as these Embassadors of God deceased cannot bee Iudges shall they therefore haue no saye at all in deciding controuersies of faith You may not thinke a Iesuite would take Iesus name in vaine he will neuer for shame exclude his Master for hauing at least a finger in the gouernment of the Church Why what is his office or what is the vse of his authoritie registred by his Apostles and Euangelists Not so little as you would weene For his speeches amōgst others that in their life time haue infallibly taught diuine truthes by mouth or pen may be consulted as a witnesse or written law in cases of faith but after a certaine sort and manner eyther to speake the truth or somewhat thereto not impertinent as shal bee declared in due place The place he
to stagger vs most is this Why doe you belieue or how can you know those Bookes which yee call Scriptures were from God The last and finall answere according to the Iesuiticall Catechismes wherein as you heard before out of Bellarmine they thinke they haue great aduantage of vs would be this The holy Church our Mother doth so instruct giuing vs this expresse admonition withall his amplius fili mine requiras Here vpon God their Father and the infallible Church their mothers blessing their soules are bound to rest without further doubt or demand Whence vnlesse they vse so me mentall reseruation or seeke to shrowd themselus in the former aequiuocation hetherto vnfolded they must of necessity account themselues accursed if they deny the last or finall resolution of their beliefe to be into the Churches infallibility or veracity Againe what reasonable man would demand further resolution of any doubts incident to his faculty bee it reall or verball speculatiue or practicke then into the prime and immediate rules He should surely be lasht in a Grammer schoole that eyther for quantity of syllables right accent construction of wordes or the like would seeke a fuâ—ther reason then a knowne generall rule which admitteth no exception So should he with disgrace bee turned ouer the Barre amongst the Lawyers that would demurre or seeke a deuolution of an euident ruled case which by his owne confession could neuer alter Much more grosse would his absurdity appeare that in the Mathematiques or other demonstratiue science should attempt to resolue a probleme or conclusion further then into an vnquestionable theoreme or definition Finally might wee haue a centumâ—irall Court of all professions vnder the sunne our aduersaries would bee condemned with ioint consent eyther of intollerable folly or impudency if they should with Valentian deny the last resolution of their faith to bee into the Churches infallibility seeing they make it such a Catholike inerrable perpetuall rule of Christian faith as admits no exception no deuolution from it no appeale It is to them more then he said of Logicke Ars artium scientia scientiarum a faculty of faculties a Rule of Rules able rightly to resolue all doubts concerning the very Canon of Scriptures or Gods word written or vnwritten or the true sense or meaning of both briefly able most authentically to determine define all controuersies in Religion of what kind soeuer 4 Nor will it boot them ought to say that Gods word in the Churches mouth is the Rule whereinto faith is finally resolued seeing the Church defines nothing but by Gods word eyther written or vnwritten For this is more then the party which beleeues it can know nor hath hee any other motiue to belieue it besides the Churches definition or assertion Suppose then wee should conceiue so well of a temporall Iudge as to presume hee did neuer speake but according to the true meaning eyther of statute or customary law yet if wee could not know eyther the one or the other or their right interpretation but onely by his determinations the law were little beholden to him vnlesse for a floute that should say he were resolued iointly by the Iudge and it For seeing the Law is to him altogether vncertaine but by the Iudges auouchment or interpretation his last resolution of any act of iustice must bee onely into the Iudges skill and fidelity This inference Sacroboscus would nor deny hee himselfe hath made the like to proue that not the Scripture but the Church must bee the infallible rule of faith You will obiect saith he when the Church defines it alwayes defines according to the word of God eyther written or vnwritten New reuelations it receiues none the promised assistance of the spirit helps it onely to know what is alreadie reuealed Therefore from the first to the last that which determines controuersies and is the Iudge in all questions of faith is the word of God To this obiection thus hee answeres because we cannot be certaine of the true sense of Gods word but by the voice of the Church which heares our controuersies and answeres them The Church is Iudge although it iudge according to Gods word which vpon examination and by the spirits assistance it alwayes vnderstands a right And if euery one of vs should haue the infallible gift of vnderstanding Gods word wee should not neede any other Iudge The Reader I hope will remember what was said before that those flowting hypocrites would faine beleeue the Pope saith nothing but what God saith that God may be thought to say all he sayes which is the most abhominable blasphemie that euer Hell broacht worse then worshipping of Diuels as shal appeare hereafter 5 It may be some Nouice in Artes that hath late read some vulgar Logicians vpon the demonstrations might here frame this doubt in fauour of the Romish Churches Doctrine As the finall cause may be demonstrated by the efficient and the efficient by the final so may the Church be infallibly proued by Scriptures and the Scriptures againe by the Churches authority both infallibly beleeved each for others sake as both the former demonstrations are true and certaine and yet mutually depending one vpon the other 6 This obiection had some late Logicians vnderstood what they said would carry some shew of truth to countenance Valentians former circular resolutioÌ„ but they lace their M rs rule vttered by him Pingui Minerua too too straightly For taking it as they do we shold admit of circular demoÌ„strations the conceit wherof can haue no place but in a giddy braine To demonstrate the finall cause in any worke of Nature were to assigne a Counsailor to the infinite wisdome of the God of Nature in whose intention the end is first and is the cause of all operation or efficiency Who could giue or who would demaund a naturall cause why life should be prescribed for this is the will of him that gaue it If question were made of the manner how the life of man and other creatures is preserued when as their heat might seeme to choake them A man might truly answere by respiration and respiration is from the lungs But it is one thing to aske how or by what meanes another for what end any effect is produced The former is an inquiry of the efficient within these precincts of meanes or motions alwayes prime and independent The later of the final cause absolutely indemonstrable becauses it implies a contradiction to giue a reason why that should be for whose sake all other things of that ranke haue being Nor is the end it selfe to speake properly euer produced though oftimes in common speech we take the effect immediately thereto destinated because most sensible for the end it selfe as we doe the starre next to the pole because visible for the pole or point immoueable Thus we confound respirations or actuall preseruation of life with the finall cause why men haue lungs when as both are effects of the lungs
existence necessary Whatsoeuer is besides is but a shadow or picture borrowed from his infinite being Amongst created entities all essentially depending on Him Accidents haue a kind of existence peculiar to themselues yet cannot so properly bee saide to exist as their subiects on whom they haue such double dependance Nor can the Moone so truely say my beauty is mine owne as may the Sunne which lends light and splendor to this his sister as it were vpon condtion shee neuer vse it but in his sight For the same reason that for which wee belieue another thing is alwayes more truely more really and more properly belieued then that which is belieued for it if the one beliefe necessarily depend vpon the other tam in facto esse quam in fieri from the first beginning to the latter end For of beliefes thus mutually affected the one is reall and radicall the other nominall or at the most by participation onely reall This consequence is vnsound Intellectiue knowledge depends on sensitiue therefore sensitiue is of these two the surer The reason is because intellectiue knowledge depends on sensitiue onely in the acquisition not after it is acquired But this inference is most vndoubted Wee belieue the conclusion for the premisses therefore we belieue the premisses the better because beliefe of the Conclusion absolutely depends vpon the premisses during the whole continuance of it This is the great Philosophers rule and a branch of the former Axiome And some iustly question whether in Scholastique propriety of speech wee can truely say there is a beliefe of the conclusion distinct from the beleefe of the premisses or rather the beliefe of the premisses is by extrinsical denomination attributed vnto the conclusion This latter opinion at least in many Syllogismes is the truer most necessarily true in all wherein the conclusion is a particulall essentialâ—y subordinate to an vniuersall of truth vnquestionable As hee that infallibly belieues euery man is a reasonable creature infallibly belieues Socrates is such Nor can wee say there be two dictint beliefes one of the vniversall another of this particular for he that sayeth All excepteth none If Socrates then make one in the Catalogue of men hee that formerly knew all knew him to bee a reasonable Creature all he had to learne was what was meant by this name Socrates a man or a beast After he knowes him to be a man in knowing him to bee a reasonable creature hee knowes no more then he did before in that vniuersall Euery man is a reasonable Creature The like consequence holdes as firme in our present argument He that beleeues this vniuersall Whatsoeuer the Church proposeth concerning Scriptures is most true hath no more to learne but onely what particulars the church proposeth These being knowne we cannot imagine there should bee two distinct beleefes one of the churches generall infallibility another of the particular Truthes or points of faith contained in the Scripture proposed by it For as in the former case so in this He that from the churches proposall beleeues or knowes this particular The Booke of Reuelations was from God receiues no increase of former beleefe for before hee beleeued all the church did propose and therefore this particular because one of all 4 The truth of this conclusion may againe from a maine pinciple of Romish faith be thus demonstrated Whatsoeuer vnwritten traditions the Church shall propose though yet vnheard of or vnpossible otherwise to be knowne then onely by the Churches asseueration all Romanists are bound as certainly to beleeue as deuoutly to embrace as any truths contayned in the written word acknowledged by vs the Iewes and them for diuine Now if eyther from their owne experience the ioynt consent of sincere antiquitie or testimonie of Gods spirit speaking to them in priuate or what meanes soeuer else possible or imaginable they gaue any absolute credence vnto the written word or matters contained in it besides that they giue vnto the churches generall veracitie the Scriptures by addition of this credence were it great or little arising from these grounds peculiar to them must needs be more firmely beleeued and embraced then such vnwritten traditions as are in themselues suspitious vncapable of other credit then what they borrow from the Church For in respect of the Churches proposall Which is one and the same alike peremptory in both Scriptures and traditions of what kinde soeuer must be equally beleeued And if such traditions as can haue no assurance besides the Churches testimony must be as well beleeued as Scriptures or diuine truthes contained in them the former conclusion is euidently necessary that they neyther beleeue the Scriptures nor the Truthes contained in them but the Churches proposall of them onely For the least beleefe of any Diuine truth added to beleefe of the Churches proposall which equally concernes written and vnwritten verities would dissolue the former equalitie But that by the Trent Councell may not bee dissolued Therefore our aduersaries in deede and verity beleeue no Scriptures nor Diuine written Truth but the Churches proposall onely concerning them And Sacroboscus bewrayes his readinesse to beleeue the Church as absolutely as any Christian can doe God or Christ though no title of the New-testament were extant For that the Church cannot erre was an Oracle reuealed by God proposed by the Church and beleiued by the faithfull before any part of the New testament was written Now hee that without the Gospel of Iesus Christ would beleeue the Doctrines of faith as firmely as with it beleeues not the Gospel which now he hath but their authorities onely vpon which though wee had it not he would as absolute rely for all matters of doctrine supposed to be contained in it 5 Or further to illustrate the truth of our conclusion with this Iesuits former comparison which hath best illustrated the Romish churches tenent That Church in respect of the Canon of Scriptures or any part thereof is as the light is to colours As no colour can be seene of vs but by the light so by his doctrine neyther the Canon of Scriptures or any part thereof can be known without the Churches testimonie Againe as remoueall of light presently makes vs loose the sight of colours so doubt oâ— deniall of the Churches authoritie depriues vs of all true and stedfast beleefe concerning Gods Word or any matter contained in it God as they plead hath reuealed his will obscurely and vnto a distinct or cleare apprehension of what is obscurely reuealed the visible churches declaration is no lesse necessary then light to discernment of colours The reason is one in both and is this As the actuall visibilitie of colours wholly depends vpon the light as well for existence as duration so by Iesuiticall Doctrine true beleefe of Scriptures wholly depends on the visible Churches declaration as well during the whole continuance as the first producing of it By the same reason as we gather that light in it selfe is more
againâ—â— which wee dispute doe not at all beleeue God speaking in the Scriptures shal be euinced in the third Section of this The present inconuenience which now will they nill they we are to wrest from their resolutions of faith is that indeed and conscience they either acknowledge no authoritie in the Church or Scriptures or else greater in the Church then in Scriptures CHAP. II. Inferring the generall conclusion proposed in the title of this Section from Bellarmines Resolution of faith 1 ASwell to occasion the learned Readers further consideration of their ill-grounded and worse builded faith as for deducing thence the proposed inconuenience it wll not bee amisse to propose Bellarmines resolution of a Roman Catholikes faith One especiall obiection of our Writers as hee frameth it is That faith if depending on the Churches iudgement is grounded but vpon the word of man a weake foundation for such an edifiâ—e that the Scripture was giuen by the Spirit of God and must therefore bee vnderstood by the same not by the Churches Spirit Hereunto Bellarmine answereth The word of the Church i. of the Councell or the Pope speaking ex Cathedra is not the bare word of man He meanes no word obnoxious to errour but in some sort the word of God in as much as it is vttered by the asistance and gouernment of the Holy Ghost I adde saith hee that Heretiques are they which indeede doe leane vpon a broken reed For we must know that a proposition of faith must be concluded in this or the like Syllogisme Whatsoeuer God hath reuealed in Scripture is true but God hath reuealed thus or that in Scriptures Ergo this or that is true The first proposition in this Syllogisme is certaine amongst all the second likewise amongst Catholickes is â—ost firme as being supported by the testimonie of the Church Councell or Pope of whose immunitie from possibilitie of erring we haue expresse promises in the Scriptures as It hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and vs I haue prayed for thee thy faith should not â—aile But amongst Heretikes the second or minor proposition is 〈…〉 onely on coniecture or iudgement of a priuate Spirit which vsually seemes but is not good Whence seeing the conclusion must follow the weaker part it necessarily followes that all the faith of Heretikes such in his language are all that will not relie vpon the Church is but coniecturall and vncertaine 2 A dreadfull imputation could it be as substanstially proued as it is confidently auouched And the consequence of his resolution generally helde by all his fellowes is of no lesse importance then this that no man can be infalliby assured either of the truth or true sence of any particular proposition in the whole Canon of Scriptures receiued by vs and them vnlesse he haue the Churches authoritie for confirmation of both For vnto vs that onely which the Church auoucheth is certaine and vnfallible that sence of it which the Church giues onely sound if we speake of any particular or determinate truthes 3 How certaine and vnfallible assent vnto all or any Scriptures may bee wrought in mens heartes without any infallible teacher alreadie hath beene and hereafter shall be God willing in more particular sort exemplified In this place it stood the Iesuit vpon to haue giuen a better solution to the doubt obiected which he is so farre from vnloosing that hee rather knits it faster as shall appeare if the Reader will first cal to minde That for the establishing of firme and vndoubted assent to any truth proposed it skils not how infallible the truth in it selfe or the proposer be vn-vnlesse vnlesse they whose beleefe or assent is demanded be as infallibly perswaded of this infallibilitie in the truth or the proposer In this respect our aduersaries pleade their immunitie from errour as an article necessarie to be infallibly beleeued for confirmation of Gods Word alwayes most infallible as all grant in it selfe but not so as they affirme to vs vntill it bee auouched by infallible authoritie 4 Herein they concurre with vs both with the truth That if we beleeue it onely as probable that God spake all those wordes which wee acknowledge to bee most infallible because his our beleefe notwithstanding is not infallible but probable or coniecturall For as a man may haue bad desires of things essentially good so may he haue vncertaine perswasions of truthes in themselues most certaine It is not therefore the supposed infallibilitie of the Church or Pope howsoeuer but infallibly apprehended and beleeued that must strengthen our faith which otherwise as is pretended would be but coniecturall And by the former principle acknowledged aswell by them as vs it necessarily followes that if we be only probably not infallibly perswaded the Pope or Church cannot erre our assent vnto the minor proposition i. vnto any determinate part of Gods Word is onely probable not infallible For by the Iesuites Doctrine we cannot bee certainly perswaded that God spake this or that but by the Churches testimonie The immediate consequence of which two assertions compared together is wee cannot bee more certaine that God hath spoken this or that then wee are of the Churches infallibilitie If then wee bee onely probably not infallibly perswaded that the Church is infallible our beleefe of the minor proposition that is of any determinate truth which men suppose God hath spoken must bee onely probable or coniecturall not infallible Consequently to these collections the learned Papists generally holde that the Churches infallibilitie must be absolutely and infallibly beleeued as you heard before out of Canus Bellarmine and Valentian otherwise as Bellarmine would inferre our beleefe of the minor in any Syllogisme wherein a proposition of faith is concluded can be but coniecturall 5 The proposed inconuenience wee may deriue from this difficultie How the Papists themselues can attaine to the infallible beleefe of the Churches infallible authoritie The Church they thinke hath a publique spirit and publique spirits they know are infallible hence they may perswade themselues the Church is infallible only vpon the same termes they beleeue it hath a publique spirit if their beleefe of this latter be but coniectural their assent vnto the former can be no better Seeing then they must of necessitie grant for this is the principall marke they aime at that all must infallibly beleeue the Church hath a publique spirit the difficultie remoues to this point how this infallible perswasion is or may bee wrought in them Either it must be grounded vpon Scriptures or not auouched vnto them and wrought in their hearts it must be either by a publique or priuate spirit Let vs examine all the parts of this diuision 6 First if priuate mens infallible perswasion of the Churches publike or authentike spirit be not grouÌ„ded vpon Scriptures acknowledged by vs and them the Churches authoritie without all controuersie is much greater then the authoritie of Scriptures if it by this assertion can be any
elsewhere vpon carelesnesse rather then any intention of harme as I am perswaded by the Latine sacramentum Whether vpon set purpose of some more learned in that Councell presuming to gull the simple and illitterate by their cunning as Chemnitius probably thinkes or whether the mysterie of iniquitie as is more probable wrought vnawares in the braines of the ignorant which were the maior part and as some haue related did ouersway the learned vncapable of such impudency as should giue countenance to this ignominious decree partly from the equiuocation of the Latine dispensatores partly from the synominall signification which the vulgar hath made of mysterium and sacramentum the beetle-heads haue hammered out an interpretation of Saint Pauls words before cited so scurrilously contrarie to his meaning that the blacke Dogge which is said to haue appeared vnto Cardinall Crescentius might hee haue spoken in the Councell could scarce haue vttered it without blushing For the Apostle meant such dispensatores or Stewards as our Sauiour speakes of in the foure and twentieth of Saint Matthew such as should giue their fellow seruants their inst portions without purloyning such as daily expected their Masters returne to cal them vnto a strict account of their stewardship For so it is expressely added Moreouer or as much as belongs vnto our office it is required of Stewards that they be all sound faithfull Not to dispute of the Churches authoritie in disposing of Sacraments nor to exagitate the impietie of this decree be the one for the present supposed as great the other as little as they list to make it onely this I would demaund of any that is so himselfe whether he can imagine any men sober or in their right mindes would not assoone haue vrged that text The foole hath said in his heart there is no God for establishing Atheisme or Saint Peters checke vnto Simon Magus to prooue Simonie lawfull as deriue the Churches authoritie for detayning the least part of the word of life much lesse the cup of saluation from these wordes Let a man so thinke of vs as of the Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God What secrets of the Gospell before hid but now to be published to all the World of which the same Apostle elsewhere had said Anccessitie is laid vpon me and wee vnto mee if I preach it not Of the vse or necessitie of the Lords cup not a word in this place not a syllable for the Lord had sent him not to administer this Sacrament but to preach the Gospell of which the Doctrine of the Lords Supper was a part indeed but where expressely and directly he deliuers that doth hee intimate by any circumstance that either it had beene was or might bee otherwise administred then according to the patterne prescribed by our Sauiour at the first institution Rather his often repetition of these coniunctiues This bread and this cuppe eating and drinking the bodie and bloud c. Argue he neuer thought the one should be receiued without the other that this prohibition of the cup was a particular branch of the Mysterie of iniquitie not to breake out till latter ages hid from his eyes that had seene the Mysterie it selfe begin to worke As often as yee shall eat this bread saith the Apostle and drinke this cup yee shew the Lords death till hee come Wherefore whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke the cuppe of the Lord vnworthily shall bee guiltie of the bodie and bloud of the Lord. Let a man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. For he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation because hee discerneth not the Lords bodie Yet vnto the Trent Councell Saint Paul in the former place where hee had no such occasion as not speaking one word either of the Doctrine necessitie or vse of the Sacraments seemes to intimate and that not obscurely the Churches authoritie in dispensing them as the Trent Fathers haue done What then might euery Minister of Christ euerie distributer of Gods secrets haue vsed the like authoritie before the Church representatiue did at least by tacite consent approue the practise This place doubtlesse proues either altogether nothing or thus much for the Apostles wordes are indefinite for their litterall sence equally appliable to euerie faithfull Minister or priuate dispenser of such secrets not appropriate to the intire publique bodie Ecclesiastique or the capitall or Cardinall partes thereof Of the Corinthians to whom he wrote one said I am Pauls another I am Apollos the third I am of Cephas all boasting in the personal excellencies of their first Parents in Christ as the Papists now doe in Saint Peters and his successours Catholique Primacie To asswage these carnall humours in his children their Father that great Doctour of the Gentiles seekes more in this then in any other place of all his Epistles to debase himselfe and diminish others high esteeme either of his owne worth or of his calling Who is Paul then and who is Apollos but the Ministers by whom ye beleeued and as the Lord gaue to euerie man I haue planted Apollos watered but God gaue the increase So then neither is he that planteth any thing neither hee that watereth but God that giueth the encrease And he that planteth and hee that watereth are one and euery man shall receiue his wages according to his labour For wee together are Gods labourers ye are Gods husbandrie and Gods building And after a serious incitement of master builders to fidelitie with the like admonition to Gods husbandrie or building not to reioyce in men he concludes as he had begun Let euery man esteeme vs such as I haue said Ministers of Christ and disposers of the mysteries of God Of whom were they so to esteeme Of Saint Paul himselfe and euery faithfull Minister Doth he then intimate here any such prerogatiue aboue the meanest of his brethren as the Romish Cleargie vsurpes ouer the whole Christian World any authoritie to prohibit either the dispensors of Gods mysteries from administring or men so carnally minded as were these to whom he wrote from communicating Christs bloud aswell as his bodie So the Trent Fathers thinke and as if for their wilfull deniall of the Lords cup vnto the people the Lord had giuen them the cup of giddinesse to cast them into a Babilonish slumber whilest they consulted about this decree and their Scribes through retchlessenesse had written what their rauing Masters in their sickly or drunken dreames had vttered wee finde in the same Decree another place of Saint Paul immediately annexed though as disproportionable to the former as it is placed in their discourse as a mans head to an horses necke both as vnsutable to their intended conclusion as a super addition of finnes or feathers would be to such a monstrous Hippocentaurique combination The place is Saint Pauls conclusion of that discourse
Waters whereon the great Whoore sits From what historie therefore doe they beleeue the Pope is Peters successour from historie canonicall or diuine no Secular Monkish or Ecclesiasticall at the best vpon which the best faith that can be founded is but humane and their professed villanie in putting in and out whatsoeuer they please into what writing soeuer Gods word only excepted makes it more then doubtfull whether many ancient Writers did euer intimate any such estimate of the Romish Church as is now fathered vpon them or rather this foule iniquitie late reuealed whilest some haue beene taken in the manner hath beene long time concealed as a mysterie of the Romish state But they beleeue not this succession from expresse written historie but from Tradition partly From Tradition of whom Of men what men Men obnoxious to error and parties in this present controuersie yet neither partiall nor erroneous while they speake ex Cathedra saith the Iesuit But who shall assure vs what they haue spoken ex Cathedra concerning this point The Councels What Councels Councels assembled by the Pope Councels of men for the most part as ill qualified as carnally minded and so palpably carried away with faction that to attribute any diuine authoritie vnto them were to blaspheme the holy Spirit Councels which the Papists themselues acknowledge not of sufficient authoritie vnlesse they follow the Popes instructions from whom likewise they must receiue their approbation The Pope must assure vs the Councell which perhaps elected him reiecting a Competitor euery way more sufficient doth not erre But that the Pope is lawfully elected that so elected he cannot erre in this assertion who shall assure vs hee himselfe or hâ—s Predecessors This then is the last resolution of our faith if it relie vpon the Church 8 We must absolutely beleeue euery Pope in his owne cause First that he himselfe is secondly that all his Predecessors vp to Saint Peter were infallible When as many of them within these few hundred years late past by their owne followers confession were such as whatsoeuer must deriue it pedigree from them may iustly be suspected to haue first descended from the father of lies such as not speaking ex Cathedra were so far from the esteeme of absolute infallibility that such as knew them best did trust them least in matters of saecular commodity and if they were found vnfaithfull in the wicked Mammon who will trust them in the true Not Papists themselues vnlesse they speake ex Cathedra Then belike our Sauiour did not foresee this exception from his generall râ—ie or Iudas by this knacke might haue proued himselfe or any other knaue as faithfull a Pastor as S. Peter 9 But if a Pope shall teach ex Cathedra that he is Peters lawfull successor and therefore of diuine infallible authority in expounding all the former places wee must notwithstanding our Sauiours caueat belieue him Why Because it must bee supposed he hath diuine testimony for this assertion As what either diuine history diuine tradition or diuine reuelation Diuine history thy disclaime nor can impudency it selfe pretend it It may bee hee hath the perpetuall traditions of his predecessors But here againe wee demaund what diuine assurance they can bring forth that euery Pope from Saint Peter downewards did giue expresse cathedrall testimony to this perpetuall succession in like authority Suppose what no Iesuite dare auouch vnlesse hee first consult his superiours whether hee must not of necessity say so for maintenance of the Popes dignity that this assertion had beene expresly conueyed from Saint Peter to the present Pope without interruption yet if any one of them did receiue it from his predecessor hauing it but as a priuate man or vpon his honesty hee might erre in deliuering it to his successor so might the third in belieuing him For no beliefe can bee more certain then it proper obiect or immediate ground If That bee fallible the beliefe must needs be vncertaine obnoxious to error and at the best humane No better is the Popes testimony vnles giuen ex Cathedra and no better is the ground of his owne beliefe of what his Predecessors told him vnlesse they tolde it him so speaking Wherfore though this present Pope should teach ex Cathedra viua voce that hee is Peters lawfull successor yet vnlesse hee can proue that none of his predecessors did euer neglect so to auouch the same truth it is euident that hee speakes more then hee can possibly know by any diuine testimony either of history or vnwritten tradition It is euident againe hee bindes vs to beleeue that by diuine faith which hee cannot possibly know himselfe but onely by faith humane For the onely ground of his assertion is this supposed perpetuall tradition and this is but humane vnlesse it bee perpetually deliuered ex Cathedra No is there any other meanes possible vnder the sunne nay either in heauen or earth for to know matters of this nature forepast but either the testimonie of others that haue gone before vs who either were themselues or tooke their relations vpon trust from such as were present when the things related were acted or else by reuelation from him who was before all times and is a present spectatour an eye witnesse of euery action 10 Our knowledge of matters forepast by the former means though Popes themselues be the relators vnlesse their relation bee cathedrall as hath been proued are but humane and fallible Things known by immediate reuelation from God are most certaine because the immediate Relator is most infallible Doth the Pope by this meanes know what his Predecessors or Saint Peter thought concerning this perpetuall succession or generally all matters concerning this point long since forepast He may as easily tell vs what any of his successors shall doe or say an hundred yeers hence And thus much if this present Pope will vndertake the Christian people then liuing may safely belieue what the Pope then being shall say of this or both of their predecessors But to belieue man as an infallible prophet of things past which cannot approue himselfe a true foreteller of things to come were to inuert Gods ordinance and mocke his word For it hath been a perpetuall law of God that no maÌ„ should euer be belieued more then man or by any faith more then humane though in matters present whereof hee might haue beene an eye witnesse vnlesse he shewed his participation of the diuine spirit by infallible praediction of things to come or euidencie of miracles fully answering to the prediction of Gods word already written as shall bee shewed at large in the next section 11 If wee put together the first elements of Romish faith as they haue beene sounded apart they make no such compound as the simple and ignorant Papists who in policy are taught to read this lesson as little children vntaught will by gessing at the whole in grosse without spelling the parts belieue they
an answere vnto his demaunds which argues that the reuelation made to the Priestes was also manifested to the party solemnely and in sincerity of heart proposing the questions whereof hee desired to be resolued 5 That the Priest had no such priuiledge or absolute promise of Gods infallible presence as the Pope challengeth is apparant from the law of temperance prescribed And the Lord spake vnto Aaron saying thou shalt not drinke wine nor strong drinke thou nor thy sonnes with thee when yee come into the Tabernacle of the congregation lest yee die This is an ordinance for euer throughout your generations that yee may put difference betweene the holy and vnholy and betweene the cleane and vncleane and that yee may teach the children of Israel all the statutes the Lord hath commanded thee by the hand of Moses If these Priests themselues were vnholy and vncleane they could not infallibly discerne betweene the holy and vnholy betweene the cleane and vncleane if they liued not according to this they could not teach the children of Israel the rest of Gods expresse lawes much lesse could they infallibly manifest vnto them his will in all doubts and controuersies But the Pope so absolute is his prerogatiue which the Iesuites attribute vnto him must bee thought to bee infalliby assisted by the holy spirit albeit hee lead a most vnhallowed vnclean polluted life 6 But for the promise made vnto Leui and his seede God himselfe by his Prophet Malachy most expresly interpretes the meaning of it And now O yee Priests this commandement is for you if yee will not heare it nor consider it in your heart to giue glory vnto my name saith the Lord of hostes I will euen send a curse vpon you and will curse your blessings yea and I haue cursed them already because ye do not consider it in your heart behold I will corrupt your seed and cast dung vpon your faces euen the dung of your solemne feastes and you shall bee like vnto it and yee shall know that I haue sent this commandement vnto you that my couenant which I made vnto Leui might stand saith the Lord of hosts My couenant was with him of life and peace and I gaue him feare and hee feared me and was afraide before my name the law of truth was in his mouth and there was no iniquity found in his lippes hee walked with mee in peace and equity and did turne many from iniquity for the Priests lips shall preserue knowledge and they shall seeke the law at his mouth As if hee had saide Such Priests I haue had in former times and such might your prayses from my mouth and your estimation with men haue beene had you framed your liues according to the rules which my seruant Moses had set you But were these Priestes against whom hee here speakes infallible in their doctrine still because Gods promise was so ample vnto Leui If they were not why doth Bellarmine bring this place to proue the Popes infallible authority in teaching diuine vntruthes If they were why doth the Lord complain in the words immediately following But ye are gone out of the way ye haue caused many to fall by the law yee haue broken the couenant of Leui saith the Lord of hastes Therefore haue I made you also to bee despised and vile before all the people because you keepe not my wayes but haue beene partiall in the law 7 This place alone though many others might be brought clearely euinceth Gods promise vnto Leui and his posterity during the time of their priesthood to haue been condititionall not absolute And as Gods promise of infallibility was vnto him his seed such was the obedience due to thē their authority not absolute but conditional where the precepts may seem vniuersal yet are they to be limited oftimes by the conditiō of the priests life 8 But sundry propositions there bee in Scriptures for their forme vniversall which are also absolutely true in their proper subiect whose full extant or limits notwithstanding are not alwayes euident Whence many mistake in stretching them too farre others seeing them faileS in some particulars which seem comprehended vnder the vniuersality of their forme suspect the absolutenesse of their truth and account them rather morally probable or conditionally true then necessary and certaine yet are they most absolutely necessary and certaine onely their vniuersality is to bee limitted by their proper subiects This is a common difficulty in all arts though lesse apparent in the Mathematickes or Metaphysickes or other like abstract contemplatiue sciences But in Philosophie as well naturall as morall many generall rules there bee most true and euident to such as know the nature or quality either of the subiect or matter whereunto they are applied or of these particulars whence the induction was gathered and yet are obscure and doubtfull vnto others who marke the vniuersality of their form not so well acquainted with the nature of those subiects in which their tru his principally and most euidently seene nor so able to discerne the identity or diuersity the proportion or disproportion which other subiects may haue with the former but of the triall of rules in arts if God permit elsewhere I will now instance in Scripture onely what proposition could bee for the forme more vniuersall what precept conceiued in words more generall then that of sanctifying the Sabaoth In it thou shalt do no wanner of workees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non facies vllum opus The Scribes and Pharisies putting a Religion in the letter of the Law as the Iesuites now doe when it may make for their aduantage did conclude from the generality of this precept that our Sauiour brake the Sabaoth when hee healed the sicke vpon it Their pretences if we respect the vniuersality of the proposition onely were farre more probable then the Papists can picke any for their purpose Yet Iewish skill in that they consider not the end of the Sabaoth which might haue limited the vniuersall forme of the precept and restrained it vnto some kind of workes onely for not all but onely all those workes which were repugnant to the end of this precept were forbidden The end of the Sabaoth was to sanctifie themselues vnto the Lord to set forth his praise both in words and workes Such workes then onely are here onely forbidden as did distract the mind or make men vnapt to heare read or meditate on heauenly matters all workes of secular vocation or priuate consequence which might hinder mens endeauours for procuring the health or wel-fare of others not works of charity or present necessity not works tending to greater publike good or to the auoidance of greater harmes which could not be preuented but by present working for men are to read heare and meditate vpon Gods word that by it they may bee fruitfull in good deeds by which Gods name is more immediately glorified then onely by speaking well and
comprehended vnder that vniuersall affirmatiue All whatsoeuer they bid you obserue and doe but vnder the negatiue After their works do not for they were more desirous to be honored as Rabbies and Fathers of the congregation then to honour the parents of their flesh albeit they vsually taught others so to do saue onely when their treasurie might bee enriched or their owne honour enlarged by dispensations which the people easily might haue discerned for contrary as well to the Law of God and nature as these dispensators owne doctrine when themselues were not parties 9 From the restraint of this vniuersall precept wee may easily limit that speech of our Sauiour vnto Saint Peter which Bellarmine labours to make more then most vniuersall because the surest ground in their supposals of the Popes transcendent authority I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt bind vpon earth shall bee bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen By these keyes saith Bellarmine is vnderstood a power of loosing not onely sins but all other bonds or impediments without whose remouall there is no possibility of entrance into the Kingdome of heauen for the promise is generall nor is it said Whomsoeuer but whatsoeuer thou loosest c. giuing vs hereby to vnderstand that Peter and his successors may loose all knots or difficulties of what kindsoeuer if of lawes by dispensing with them if of sinnes by remitting them if of controuersies or opinions by vnfolding them Thus farre would this cunning Sophister improue the vniuersall Whatsoeuer aboue it ordinary and ancient value in Scripture phrase further then the condition of the partie to whom the promise was made being Christs seruants not his equall will suffer For what greater prerogatiue could Christ himselfe challenge then such as Bellarmine for the present Popes sake would make Saint Peters The vniuersall note in this place as the like before includes onely an abundant assurance of the power bequeathed a full and irreuocable ratification of the Keyes right vse such a shutting as none can open such an opening as none can shut as often as sentence is either way giuen vpon sufficient and iust occasions The proper subiect that limits the vniuersall forme of this more then princely prerogatiue is the denyall or confession of Christ either in open speech in perpetuall actions or resolution as shall bee by Gods assistance made euident against Romish assertions without derogation from the royalty of Priest-hood which within these territories is much more dreadfull and soueraigne then worldlings will acknowledge vntill they bee made feele the full stroke of the spirituall sword in these our dayes for the most part borne in vaine 10 Whatsoeuer reasons else they can from any other places of Scripture pretend for absolute infallibilitie in the High Priests or Church representative vnder the Law fall of their owne accord these fundamentall ones being ouerthrowne But before I proceed to euince the Iewish supreme tribunall most grosly erreneous de sacto I must request the ingenious Readers as many as vnderstand Latine and can haue accesse vnto these great Doctors writings to be eye-witnesses with vs or if it please them publike Notaries of their retchlesse impieties Of which vnlesse authentique notice bee now taken and propagated to posterity by euident testimonies beyond exception his impudent generation in future ages when these abominations grow old and more stirred in beginne so to stinke that for the Churches temporall health the bookes of moderne Iesuites must be purged will surely deny that euer any of their grand Diuines were so mad with incestuous loue of their whorish mother as to seeke her maintenance by such shamelesse grosse notorious palpable written blasphemies as vngracious Iudes would rather haue choaked with an halter in their birth then haue granted them entrance into the world through his throat Hee in comparison of these Antichristian Traitors ingenuously confessed his soule offence in betraying innocent blood But euen the flower of Romish Doctors Bishops and Cardinals are not ashamed to iustifie him in betraying and the Scribes and Pharises in solemnely condemning our Sauiour For if the one sort did not erre in iudgement the other did not amisse in executing what they enioyned yet by that very consistory of Priestes and Elders brought in by Bellarmine as chiefe supporters of the Churches infallibility was the life of the world censured to death for an hereticke or refractarious Scismatique and the â—alâ—udists taking that Consistories authority but for such as the Iesuites supposed conclude directly from principles common to the Synagogue and the Romane Church that hee deserued no lesse because hee would not subscribe vnto their sentence nor recant his opinions 11 Againe if wee vnderstand that other place The Scribes and Pharises sit in Moses seat all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you that obserue and doe vniuersally as most Papists doe and Hart out of his transmarinall Catechisme would gladly haue maintained it any Iew might thus assume vnto the Scribes and Pharises solemnly bid Iudas and others to obserue our Sauiour as a seducer or traitor and charged the people to seeke his bloud therefore they were in consciences and vpon paine of damnation bound so to doe Doe I amplifie one word or wrong them a iot in these collections I appeale vnto their owne Writers Let Melchior Canus inferiour to none in that Church for learning and for a Papist a man of singular ingenuity bee iudge betwixt vs. If from his words as much as I haue said doe not most directly follow let let mee die the death for this supposed slander Against the absolute infallibility of Councels or Synods maintained by him in his fifth booke our Writers as hee frames their argument thus obiects The Priests and Pharises called Councels whose solemne sentences were impious because they condemned the sonne of God for such in like sort may the Romish Prelacie giue sentence contrary vnto Christ Vnto this obiection saith Canus the answere is easie Let vs heare it The practises of the Priests were indeed against our Sauiour but the sentence of men otherwise most wicked was not onely most true but withall most profitable to the common-weale Yea Saint Iohn the Euangelist tels vs it was a diuine Oracle for after a long and various deliberation vsed by the Councell Caiaphas now sate as chiefe being the High-Priest pronounced that sentence whereunto almost all at the least the maior part agreed It is expedient that one die for the people and that the whole nation perish not vpon which speech the Euangelist forthwith aâ—s This hee spake not of himselfe but beeing High-Priest for that yeere hee prophesied Whence it followes sayeth Canus that our Prelates liues and actions may perhaps be contrary to our Lord Iesus but their iudiciall decrees or sentences such as are coÌ„firmed by the Pope who must bee president in their Councels as Caiaphas
Church and chosen be as we acknowledge it to bee infinite and euerlasting if these or the like arguments make any things for the infallibility of the present Romish they proue as much and as directly for the ancient Iewish Church For that was a visible company of men not of oxen and Asses and of them God had a care also Nay they were his owne peculiar people and without al controuersie the onely visible Church which hee had on earth Wherefore all the former arguments if they conclude any infallible authority in the present Romish Church they conclude much more for the like infallibility of the Iewish And by necessary consequence if I proue that the Church had no such authority my assertion stands sure That this infallible authority which the factors of the Romish Church doe challenge is greater then any visible Company of men had before our Sauiour time And by the same proofe shall the Romish Church bee debarred for euer of both the two former pleas either drawne from the authority of the Priests or from the best forme of gouernment CHAP. V. That iustly it may be presumed the Iewish Church neuer had any absolute infallibility in proposing or determining Articles of faith because in our Sauiours time it did so grieuously erre in the fundamentall point of saluation 1 FOr proofe of the Conclusion proposed that Ierusalem had no such absolute infallibility as Rome pleades for I tooke it for a long time as granted by all that if any such authority had beene established in the law it should not haue varied vntill the alteration of the priesthood For Gods couenant with Leui was in this sence euerlasting that it was to endure without interruption vntill his sacrifice was accomplished that was a Priest after a more excellent order His oblation of himselfe was the common bond to the law and Gospell the end of the one and the beginning of the other Nor did the legall rites or ceremonies themselues though these most obnoxious to corruption vanish by little and little as this sacrifice did approch neerer and neerer as darkenesse doth before the rising of the sunne rather that consummation wrought vpon the Crosse did swallow them vp at once as virility doth youth youth childhood childhood infancy Seeing then our aduersaries suppose this infallibility was annexed as a prerogatiue royall vnto the Priesthood they cannot imagine any tollerable reason why the one should expire before the other was quite abolished Hence it is that most of them hold the Scribes and Pharises in our Sauiours time were absolutely infallible in their Cathedrall consultations And I had iust reasons to presume Bellarmine had been of the same mind For besides his vrging that place without all sense or reason vnlesse grounded on this opinion They sit in Moses chaire All therfore whatsoeuer they bid you that obserue and do these other words of his seemed to imply thus much It cannot be shewed that the Sinagogue of the Iewes did faile in saith vntill Christs comming at what time it did not faile but rather become better by change By his speeches elsewhere I perceiued by the Synagogue thus changed hee meant the Church planted by Christ not the Consistory of the High-Priests and Elders not the Catholike representatiue Iewish Church For sayeth he as it is not necessary the Popes Vicar should bee inerrable when the Pope himselfe doth guid the Church and defend it from error so neither was it necessary that the Iewish high Priest should not erre when Christ the High-Priest of the whole Church was present and did gouerne his Church in person 2 This example were it true might illustrate though ill-fauoredly his assertion once supposed as possible but no way argues it to be probable Herein his similitude failes that the High Priests in our Sauiours time were Aarons lawfull successors their Priesthood as entire then as euer it was and they Deputies to none in this ranke or order That their Predecessors had such infallibility hee faine would proue Can he or any for him shew vs when or by what meanes it should determine whiles the Priesthood lasted To take away the Popes infallibility euen in this last age of the world were in thier construction to deny Christs promise made vnto Saint Peters chaire And was not the former like prerogatiue as inseparably annexed to Moses seat did our Sauiour before his Passeouer either by doctrine or practise derogate ought from any lawfull authority established on earth much lesse from that which God had expresly instituted The greatest prerogatiue the Scribes and Pharises Priests or Rulers euer had was that they were Aarons successors and possessed Moses place and this authority was neuer disanulled but rather ratified by our Sauiour after hee had vndertaken his ministeriall function They sit in Moses seat all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you that obserue and doe And elsewhere Goe and shew thy selfe vnto the Priest c. 3* Yet this Sophister would perswade vs that Isaiah and Daniel had foretold the expiration of this prerogatiue in latter times They both indeed foretell this peoples extraordinary generall blindnesse about the time of our Sauiours conuersation on earth But this directly proues what wee obiect not what Bellarmine should haue answered at least to vs who contend the Priests and Rulers of this people were not infallible in our Sauiours time nor doth Isaiah or Daniel or any Prophet of God say they were at any time such Let any Iesuite proue what easily hee may out of Isaiahs words cited by Bellarmine that the Iewish church representatiue was not infallible in our Sauiours time and from the same wee shall as clearely euince it palpably erroneous in Isaiahs owne dayes or immediately after For the selfe same words which the Euangelist saith were fulfilled in the vnbeleeuing Iewes that heard our Sauiours doctrine were literally and exactly veriâ—ied of their forefathers before the captiuity of Babylon as the Cardinall himselfe would hee take the paines to reade the whole Chapter and reuiue the place cited by him I know would not deny His wordes are these And hee said go and say vnto this people Yee shall heare indeed but yee shall not vnderstand yee shall plainely see and not perceiue Make the heart of this people sat make their eares heauy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and conuert he heale them Then said I Lord how long And he answered vntill the Cities be wasted without inhabitant and the houses without man and the land be vtterly desolate and the Lord haue remoued men far away and there be a great desolation in the midst of land The truth of our assertion is so pregnant that Maldonat the most iudicious expositor amongst the Iesuites takes it as granted the words late cited were literally meant onely of that generation with whome the Prophet liued and brings this very Text as
word in generall for the miracles related by Moses he had in perfect memory What then want of sufficient authority to propose vnto him these particular reuelations or their true meaning This is all the Romanist can pretend Yet what greater authority could he require then that Angell had which spake vnto Gideon Our Apostle supposeth any Angels proposall of diuine doctrines to be at the least equiualent to Apostolicall Though wee sayeth he whether Paul or Cephas or which he supposeth to be more an Angell from heauen preach vnto you otherwise then wee haue preached vnto you let him be accursed Or if wee respect not onely the personal authority of the proposer but with it the manner of proposing Gods word What proposall can wee imagine more effectuall then this great Angel of the couenants reply vnto Gideons distrustfull answere and the Lord looked vpon him and said Goe in this thy might and thou shalt saue Israel out of the hands of the Midianites haue I not sent thee 8 Whether Gideons diffidence after all this were a sinne I leaue it to bee disputed by the Iesuites A defect or dulnesse no doubt it was and onely in respect of the like in vs they hold a necessity of the visible Churches infallibility vnto whose sentence whosoeuer fully accords not is by their positions vncapable of all other infallible means of diuine faith To pretend doubt or distrust of Gods word once proposed by it yea to seeke further satisfaction or resolution of doubts then it shall vouchsafe to giue is more then a sinne extreame impiety Yet had this great Angell stood vpon his authority in such peremptory tearms Gideon had died in his distrust For after a second reply made by Gideon Ah my Lord whereby shall I saue Israel behold my familie is poore in Manasseh and I am the least in my fathers house and a further promise of the Angels assistance not like the former haue I not sent thee but I will therefore be with thee and thou shalt smite the Madianites as one man hee yet prefers this petition I pray thee if I haue found fauour in thy sight then shew mee a signe that thou talkest with me Depart not hence I pray thee vntill I come vnto thee and bring mine offering and lay it before thee After he had by more euident documents fully perceiued it was an Angell of the Lord that had parlied with him all this time erecting his deiected heart with these comfortable words Peace bee with thee feare not thou shalt not die He yet demands two other signes before hee aduentures vpon the Angels word But after it is once confirmed vnto him by experience of his power in keeping his fleece drie in the middle of moisture and moistning it where was nothing but drinesse about it hee is more confident vpon a Souldiers dreame then a Iesuite in like case would bee vpon the Popes sentence or blessing giuen ex Cathedra When Gadeon heard the dreame told the interpretation of the same he worshipped and returned to the hoast of Israel and said Vp for the Lord hath deliuered into your hand the hoast of Midian 9 Nor hee nor his people could at any time haue wanted like assurance of Gods might and deliuerances had they according to the rule which Moses set them turned vnto him with all their heart and with all their soule but as far were they as the Papists from admitting his words for their rule of faith The vnwritten traditions of Baal were at the least of equall or ioint authority with his writings and in deed and action though not in word and profession preferred before them Longer then their assent was by such miraculous victories as Gideon had now gotted ouer the Midianites and as it were tied and fastned to the blessings and cursings of Moses law this stiffe-necked generation did neither cleaue to it nor to their God But when Gideon was dead they turned away and went a whoring after Baalim and made Baal-Berith their God and remembred not the Lord their God which had deliuered them out of the hands of all their enemies on euery side Miracles after the Law-giuen were vsually either tokens of precedent vnbeliefe or for signes to vnbelieuers seruing especially to put them in mind of what Moses had foretold the attentiue consideration of whose predictions wrought greater faith and confidency in such as without miracles laid this law in their harts then this people conceiued vpon the fresh memory of Gideons extraordinary signes and glorious victory 10 The like occasions of such distrust as were obserued in Gideon were frequent in those times wherein the foure and fortieth Psalme was written yet the author of it is not so daunted with the oppression of his people as Gideon was The manifestation of such reproach contempt and scorne as Moses said should befall them did alwayes animate such as indeed had vsed the Law as a perpetuall rule to notifie the diuersity of all successe good or bad by the degrees of their declining from it or approach vnto it The greater calamities they suffered the more vndoubted experience they had of diuine truth contained in Mosaicalthreats the more vndoubted their experience of their truth vpon consciousnesse of their owne transgressions the greater motiues they had vpon sincere and hearty repentance to apprehend the stability of his sweetest promises for their good No depression of this people but serued as a contersway to accelerate intend or enlarge the measure of their wonted exaltation so long as they rightly weighed all their actions and proceedings in Moses ballances equalizing their permanent sorrow for sins past vnto their wonted delight in transient pleasures 11 Thus when Ieremie more admired then distrusted Gods mercies in rendering the purchase of his kinsmans field to him close prisoner for denouncing the whole desolation of his country when the Kings and Princes of Iudah had no assurance of so much possession in the promised land as to inherite the sepulchres of their fathers the Lord expels not his suspensiue rather then dissident admiration with signes and wonders as he had done Gideons doubt or his stiffe-necked forefathers distrust By what meanes then by the present calamities which had seized vppon the Cities of Iudah and that very place wherein his late purchased inheritance lay when hee cast these and the like doubts in his mind Behold the Mounts they are come into the City to take it and the Citie is giuen into the hand of the Caldeans that fight against it by meanes of the sword and of the famine and of the pestilence and what thou hast spoken is come to passe and behold thou seest it And thou hast said vnto me O Lord God Buy vnto thee the field for siluer and take witnesses for the City shall be giuen in to the hand of the Caldeans Then came the word of the Lord vnto Ieremiah saying Behold I am the Lord God of all flesh is
there any thing too hard for me The Lord had stricken Iacob with the wound of an enemy and with a sharpe chastice meÌ„â— for the multitude of his iniquities wherefore hee cryed for his affliction and said My sorrow is incurable not considering who it was had done all this vnto him for because the Lord had killed they must belieue hee would make aliue againe Their present wounds inflicted contrary to the rules of politique defence where the best pledges of their future health beyond all hope of State-Surgeons And this is the very Sâ—ale of Ieremiahs assurance from the Lords own mouth Thus sayeth the Lord like as I haue brought all this great plague vpon this people so will I bring vpon them all the good I haue promised them And the fields shall be possessed in this land whereof ye say It is desolate without man or beast and shall be giuen into the hand of the Caldeans Men shall buy fields for siluer and make writings and seale them and take witnesses in the land of Beniamin and round about Ierusalem So absolute and all-sufficient was Moses law in particular actions much more in generall or doctrinall resolution that God himselfe for confirmation of his Prophets this distrustfull peoples faith in a point by humane estimate most incredible thought it sufficient to be a remembrance to the Law-giuer For the Lord here saith to Ieremiah concerning this particular Moses many generations before had vniuersally foretold Now when all these things shall come vpon thee either the blessing or the curse which I haue set before thee and thou shalt turne into thine hart among all the nations whither the Lord thy God hath driuen thee then the Lord thy God will cause thy Captiues to returne and haue compassion vpon thee and will returne to gather thee out of all the people where the Lord thy God had scattered thee Though thou wâ—rst cast vnto the vttermost part of heauen from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee and from thence will he take thee And the Lord thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed and thou shalt possesse it and he will shew thee fauour and will multiply thee aboue thy fathers By this rule of Moses according to the prediction of Ieremiah doth Nehemiah afterwards frame his prayers to God direct his enterprise for restauration of Ierusalem Wee haue grieuously sinned against thee and haue not kept the commandements nor the statutes nor the iudgements which thou commandest thy seruant Moses I beseech thee remember the word that thou commandest thy seruant Moses saying Ye will transgresse and I will scatter you abroad among the people But if yee turne vnto me and keepe my commandements and doe them though your scattering were to the vttermost part of the heauen yet will I gather you from thence and will bring you vnto the place that I haue chosen to place my Name there Now these are thy seruants and thy people c. O Lord I beseech thee let thine eare now hearken to the praier of thy seruants who desire to feare thy name and I pray thee cause thy seruant to prosper this day and giue him fauour in the presence of this man He saw the truth of Moses diuine predictioÌ„ confirmed by the Kings present grant of his petition speedy restauration of Ierusalem albeit a Prophet by profession had disswaded the enterprise as likely to proue dangerous to his person CHAP. VIII That the societie or visible Company of Prophets had no such absolute authority as the Romish Church vsurpes 1 DId the Records of antiquity afford vs any the least presumption to thinke that absolute beliefe or obedience might safely be tendered by inferiors as due to any visible Company of men without examination of their proposals by Moses writings since they were extant the society of Prophets in all respects the Romanists can pretend had the most probable title to this prerogatiue Their professioÌ„ or calling was publike and lawfull their distinction from all others eminent their persons and places of residence visible and knowne their promises for enioying the extraordinary presence or illuminations of Gods spirit peculiar many of them venerable for their integrity in ciuill dealings and sanctity of priuate life some of them endued with the gift of miracles In all these and many like considerations that fraternity or collegiate society might iustly haue pleaded all the priuiledges a publike spirit can grant to one sort of men before others For if the more or lesse expresse testimony of Gods word for extraordinary assistance of his spirit or the different measure of his illumination or manner of immediate teaching be that which makes som mens spirit more publike then their brethrens this difference was greater betweene the Priests or Prophets and people of old then since God spake vnto the world by his sonne yet what Prophet did once intimate the necessity of his proposall for notifying the truth of Scriptures What one did euer bewray the least desire to haue his interpretations of them vniuersally held authentique or his particular predictions absolutely assented vnto without further triall then his bare assertion without examination of them by Moses doctrine already establisâ—ed 2 Had they beene the infallible Church representatiue had their assertions though giuen by ioinct consent ex Cathedra or in the most solemne manner vsed in those times beene of such authority as the Romanist would perswade vs a Councell of their Prelates lawfully assembled is Gods people had stood bound to embrace whatsoeuer a maior part of that profession had resolued vpon but this inference though necessarily following the supposed premises the Iesuit I know dare not affirme lest Ahabs bloud vntimely shed by confidence in their infallibility cry out against him Yet Bellarmine too well knowing the liquorish temper of this present age for the most part acquainted with none but table-talke Diuinity to bee such as will swallow down any doctrine bee it neuer so idle prophane or poisonous so it bee sauced with pleasant conceit and merriment would put vs of with this iest That as in Saxonie one Catholiques verdict were to be taken bâ—fore sowre hundred Lutherans so should one of the Lords Prophets haue beene followed in those times before fiue hundred of Baals And Ahab no doubt had so done had not the Diuell taught his Diuines then as hee hath done Bellarmine and his fellowes since to take vniuersality as a sure note of the Church traditions and customes of the Elders for the rule of faith and which is the vndoubted Conclusion of such premisses to follow a multitude to any mischiefe So mightily did the opinion of a maior part being all men of the same profession sway with the superstitious people of those times that Ahabs Purseuant conceiued hope of seducing Micaiah whilst they were on the way together by intimating such censures of schisme of heresie of
meanes is where hee disputes whether the Pope be bound to consult other authoritie besides his owne or vse any meanes to search the truth before hee passe sentence ex cathedra that is before he charge the whole Christian World to beleeue his decision This he thinkes expedient but so farre forth onely as if it please his Holinesse to enioyne the beleefe of some particular point vpon the whole World all must beleeue that he hath consulted Scripture and antiquitie as farre as was requisite for that point as you shall after heare 2 That in such controuersies he includes the meanes of knowing Scriptures to bee the word of God is euident out of his owne words in the forecited place For the knowledge of Scriptures he would haue to be an especiall point of faith yet such as cannot be proued by Scripture but by this liuing and speaking authoritie as he expressely contends in the eleuenth paragraph of the same question His conclusion is If it bee necessarie there should be some authoritie though humane yet by diuine assistance infallible to sit as mistresse and Iudge in all controuersies of faith and not to be appropriated to any deceased as is alreadie proued it remaines that it be alwaies liuing in the Church alwayes present amongst the faithfull by succession hee meanes of Popes Thus you see the present Pope must be Iudge and Christ his Apostles must be brought in as witnesses And yet whether there were such a Christ as Saint Mathew Luke Marke and Iohn tell vs there was or whether the Gospels which goe vnder their names be Apocryphall and that of Bartholmewes onely Canonicall we cannot know but by the Popes testimonie so that in the end he is the onely Iudge and onely witnesse both of Christ the Apostles and their writings yea of all diuine truthes at least assisted with his Bishops and Cardinals Which Bellarmine though otherwise a great deale more wary then Valentian hath plainly vttered Vnlesse saith he it were for the authoritie of the present Church of Rome he meanes the Trent Councell the whole Christian faith might be called in question so might all the acts and decrees of former Councels his reason was because wee cannot know these antiquities but onely by tradition and historicall relation which are not able to produce diuine firme infallible faith 3 Thus whilest this great Clerke would digge a pit for the blinde for he could not hope I thinke this blocke should stumble any that hath eyes in his head he is fallen into the middest of it himselfe by seeking to vndermine vs he hath smothered himselfe and buried the cause he was to maintaine For if without the Trent Councels testification wee cannot by diuine faith beleeue the Scriptures or former Councels to bee of diuine authoritie How can such as were borne within these thirty yeares beleeue that Councell it selfe which ended aboue fortie yeares agoe Few this day liuing were auditors of the Cardinals and Bishops decisions there assembled not hearing them their faith must needs be grounded vpon heare sayes Againe if it bee true the Scriptures cannot be knowne to be diuine but by the authoritie of the present visible Church if this Church doe not viua voce confirme all Christians in this fundamentall truth their faith can not be diuine but humane VVhat the Pope or his Cardinals thinke of these pointes is more then any liuing knowes vnlesse they heare them speake and then it may be a great question whether they speake as they thinke Pope Alexander the sixts decisions should haue beene negatiue like the fooles boult in the Psalme There is no God No Christ No Gospell for so his meaning might haue beene interpreted as they say dreames are by contraries seeing hee neuer spake as hee thought Lastly if the Trent Councel were so necessary for the confirmation of Scriptures and other Orthodoxall writings how detestable was your Cleargies backwardnesse to affoord the Christian World this spirituall cōfort For whether feare it were the Popes authoritie should bee curbed or meere slouth and neglect of matters diuine that did detaine them their shifts to put the Emperour off the Reader may sufficiently coniecture from Sepulueda at that time Chronicler to the Emperour in his Epistle to Cardinall Contarene one of the Popes Legates in that Councell That my intermission of writing and silence in that question concerning the correction of the yeare hath beene so long I wish the fault had laid in my slouth or forgetfulnesse that I might haue beene hence occasioned to acknowledge and deprecate the blame rather then as now I freely must impute the true cause to the negligence of you Romane Priestes whome I perceiue to wax cold and to thinke of nothing lesse then of calling the Councell with hope whereof as heretofore I was excited so now despaire hath made me dull For I see well that such as are most bound to haue a vigilant care of the Churches publique welfare and not to foreslow any opportunitie of increasing her dignitie neuer so much as mention the Councell at this time as necessarie as alwayes vsefull but when Christians eyther are alreadie or are likely to be at variance In one word neuer but them when there is sure hope it may bee hindered by their discord For when peace gets it turne and all is quiet not a word of the Councell So as what they aime at by these vnseasonable edicts is so manifest as will not suffer the slowest capacitie to liue in doubt or suspition 4 This great Learned Antiquaries Learned aduice in another Epistle sent to the same Cardinall then imployed by the Pope in the Councell was not to suffer matters decreed in any former Councell lawfully assembled together to bee disputed or called in question Sufferance hereof was in his iudgment no lesse preiudiciall to the State Ecclesiastique then vnto the temporall it would be to permit malefactors trauerse the equitie of publique lawes established and knowne after sufficient proofe or confession made of Capitall offences committed against them The marginall quotations of the Trent Councell compared with this graue admonition which had antiquitie-customes Canonicall as the Author vrgeth to giue it countenance may serue as a perfect index for our instruction with what preiudice the Bishops there assembled came to determine by whose manuduction or set rules they drew their supposed inerrable lines of life Now it is impossible any determination that takes it force from multitude of voyces shoud be eyther in it selfe more certaine or more forcible to perswade others thē are the motiues or inducements that swayed the suffragants so to determine and these in this case could by Bellarmines reason be but historicall perswasions or presumptions For no Iesuite I thinke will say these Bishops had the Popes sentence ex Cathedra to assure them before hand what Councels had beene lawfully called and fully confirmed or whether all the ancient Canons they afterwardes reestablished were alreadie as authentique and certaine as
both meanes of accomplishing Natures or rather the God of Naturs purpose in whose will or pleasure the finall cause of any naturall effect alwayes consists And seeing nothing in Nature can preoccupate his will no cause can be precedent to the finall This consideration of natural effects tending as certainly to their proposed end as the arrowe flyes to the marke caused the irreligious Philosopher to acknowledge the direction of an intelligent supernaturall agent in their working the accomplishment of whose will and pleasure as I said must bee the finall cause of their motions as his will or pleasure which bestowes the charges not the Architect vnlesse he be the owner also is the finall cause why the house is built Finally euery end supposeth the last intention of an intelligent agent whereof to giue a reason by the efficient which onely produceth works or meanes thereto proportioned would be as impertinent as if to one demaunding why the bell rings out it should bee answered because a strong fellow puls the rope 7 Now that which in our aduersaries Doctrine answeres vnto the cause indemonstrable whereinto finall resolution of Natures workes or intentions of intelligent agents must be resolued is the churches authoritie Nor can that if wee speake properly be resolued into any branch of the first truth for this reason besids others alleadged before that all resolutions whether of our perswasiōs or intentions or of their obiects works of Art or Nature suppose a stability or certainty in the first links of the chaine which wee vnfolde the latter alwayes depending on the former not the former on the latter As in resolutions of the latter kinde lately mentioned imitating the order of composition actuall continuation of life depends on breathing not breathing on it breathing on the lunges not the lunges mutually on breathing so in resolutions of the other kind which invertes the order of composition the vse or necessitie of lunges dependes vpon the vse or necessitie of breathing the necessity or vse of breathing vpon the necessity or vse of life or vpon his will or pleasure that created one of these for another Thus againe the sensitiue facultie depends vpon the vital that vpon mixtion mixtion vpon the Elements not any of these mutually vpon the sensitiue faculty if wee respect the order of supportance or Natures progresse in their production Whence hee that questions whether some kinds of plants haue sense or some stones or mettals life supposeth as vnquestionable that the former haue life that the second are mixt bodies But if we respect the intent or purpose of him that sets nature a working all the former faculties dpend on the sensitiue the sensitiue not on any of them For God would not haue his creatures indued with sense that they might liue or liue that they might haue mixt bodies but rather to haue such bodies that they might liue to liue that they might enioy the benefit of sense or the more noble faculties 8 Can the Iesuite thus assigne any determinate branch of the first truth as stable and vnquestionable before it be ratified by the Churches authoritie Euident it is by his positions that he cannot and as euident that beliefe of the churches authority cannot depend vpon any determinate branch of the first truth much lesse can it distinctly be thereinto resolued But contrariwise presse him with what Diuine precept soeuer written or vnwritten though in all mens iudgements the churches authoritie set aside most contradictory to their approoued practises for example That the second Commaundement forbids worshipping Images or adoration of the consecrate host he straight inuerts your reason thus Rather the second commandement forbids neyther because the holy Church which I beleeue to bee infallible approueth both Lastly hee is fully resolued to beleeue nothing for true which the Church disproues nothing for false or erroneous which it allowes Or if he would answere directly to this demaund To what end did God cause the Scriptures to be written He could not consonant to his tenents say That wee might infallibly rely vpon them but rather vpon the Churches authoritie which it establisheth For Gods word whether written or vnwritten is by their Doctrine but as the testimonie of some men deceased indefinitely presumed for infallible but whose materiall extent the Church must first determine and after wards iudge without all appeale of their true meaning Thus are all parts of Diuine truthes supposed to be reuealed more essentially subordinate to the Churches authoritie then ordinary witnesses are to royall or supreme iudgment For they are supposed able to deliuer what they know in termes intelligible to other mens capacities without the Prince or Iudges ratification of their sayings or expositions of their meanings and iudgment is not ordained for producing witnesses but production of witnesses for establishing iudgement Thus by our aduersaries Doctrine Gods word must serue to establish the Churches authority not the Churches authority to confirme the immediate soueraigntie of it ouer our soules 9 Much more probably might the Iew or Turke resolue his faith vnto the first truth then the moderne Iesuited Papist can For though their deductions from it be much what alike all aequally sottish yet these admit a stabilitie or certainty of what the first Truth hath said no way dependant vpon their authority that first proposed or commended it vnto them The Turkes would storme to heare any Mufti professe he were as well to be beleeued as was Mahomet in his life time that without his proposall they could not know eyther the olde testament or the Alcoran to bee from God So would the Iewes if one of their Rabbines should make the like comparison betwxit himselfe and Moses as the Iesuite doth betwixt Christ and the Pope who besides that hee must bee as well beleeued as his Master leaues the authority of both testaments vncertaine to vs vnlesse confirmed by his infallibility But to speake properly the pretended deriuation of all three heresies from the first truth hath a liuely resemblance of false petigrees none at all of true doctrine and resolutions Of all the three the Romish is most ridiculous as may appeare by their seuerall representations As imagine there should be three Competitors for the Romane Empire all pleading it were to descend by inheritance not by election all pretending lineall succession from Charles the Great The first like to the Iew alleageth an authentique petigree making him the eldest The second resembling the Turke replyes that the other indeede was of the eldest line but long since disinherited often conquered and enforced to resigne whence the inheritance descended to him as the next in succession The third like the Romanist pleades it was bequeathed him by the Emperours last wil and testament from whose death his Ancestors haue beene intitled to it and produceth a petigree to this purpose without any other confirmation then his owne authority adding withal that vnlesse his competitors and others will beleeue his
many places bee certaine of it vnlesse Tradition be assistant It is an offer worth the taking that here he makes That the sense of Scriptures is the sword of the spirit This is as much as wee contend that the sense of the Scripture is the Scripture Whence the inference is immediately necessary That if the Romish Church binde vs to belieue or absolutely practise ought contrary to the true sense and meaning of Scriptures with the like deuotion we doe Gods expresse vndoubted commandements she preferres her owne authority aboue Gods word and makes vs acknowledge that allegiance vnto her which we owe vnto the spirit For suppose wee had as yet no full assurance of the spirit for the contradictory sense to that giuen by the Church we were in christian duty to expect Gods prouidence and inuoke the spirits assistance for manifestation of the truth from all possibility wherof wee desperately exclude our selues if wee belieue one mans testimony of the spirit as absolutely irreuoucably as we would do the manifest immediate testimony of the spirit yet Sacroboscus acknowledgeth hee beliues the mystery of the Trinity as it is taught by their Church onely for the Churches authority and yet this hee beleeues as absolutely as hee doth yea as hee could belieue any other diuine Reuelation though extraordinarily made vnto himselfe 3 In both parts of beliefe aboue mentioned the causall dependance of our faith vpon the Churches proposals may be imagined three wayes eyther whilest it is in planting or after it is planted or from the first beginning of it to it full growth or from it first entrance into our hearts vntill our departure out of this world How farre and in what sort the Ministery of men in the Church is auaileable for planting faith hath been declared heretofore Eyther for the planting or supporting it the skill or authority of the teachers reaches no further then to quicken or strengthen our internal taste or apprehension of the diuine truth reuealed in Scriptures or to raise or tune our spirites as Musicke did Elishahs the better to perceiue the efficacy of Gods spirit imprinting the stampe of those diuine Reuelations in our hearts whose Characters are in our braines The present Churches proposals in respect of our beliefe is but as the Samaritan womans report was vnto the men of Sichars Many sayth the Euangelist belieued in him for the saying of the woman which testified he hath told mee all things that euer I did But this beliefe was as none in respect of that which they conceiue immediately from his owne words For they saide vnto the woman Now wee belieue not because of thy saying for we haue heard him our selues and know that this is indeede the Christ. The eare sayeth Iob tryeth the words as the mouth tasteth meates Consonant hereto is our Churches doctrine that as our bodily mouthes taste and trie meates immediately without interposition of any other mans sense or iudgement of them so must the eares of our soules trie and discerne diuine truthes without relying on other mens proposals or reports of their rellish No externall meanes whatsoeuer can in eyther case haue any vse but onely eyther for working a right disposition in the Organ whereby triall is made or by occasioning the exercise of the faculty rightly disposed How essentially faith by our aduersaries doctrine dependes vpon the churches authority is euident out of the former discourses that this dependance is perpetuall is as manifest in that they make it the iudge and rule of faith such an indefectible rule and so authentique a Iudge as in all points must be followed and may not be so far examined eyther by Gods written law or rules of nature whether it contradict not it selfe or them 4 It remaines we examine the particular maner of this dependance or what the Churches infallibility doth or can performe eyther to him that belieues or to the obiect of his beleefe whēce a Romane Catholikes faith should become more firme or certaine then another mans It must enlighten eyther his soule that it may see or diuine reuelations that they may be seene more clearely otherwise he can exceed others onely in blinde beleefe The cunningest Sophister in that schoole strictly examined vpon these points will bewray that monstrous blasphemy which some shallow braines haue hitherto hoped to couer Wee haue the same Scriptures they haue and peruse them in all the languages they doe What is it then can hinder eyther them from manifesting or vs from discerning their Truth or true meaning manifested Doe we want the Churches proposall we demand how their present Church it selfe can better discerne them then ours may what testimonie of antiquity haue they which we haue not But it may be we want spectacles to read them our Church hath but the eyes of priuate men which cannot see without a publike light Their Churches eyes are Cat-like able so to illustrate the obiects of Christian faith as to make them cleare and perspicuous to it selfe though darke and inuisible vnto vs. Suppose they could Yet Cats-eyes benefit not by-standers a whit for seeing colours in darknes albeit able themselues to see them without any other light then their owne The visible Church saith the Iesuite is able to discerne all diuine truth by her infallible publique spirit How knowes he this certainly without an infallible publique spirit perhaps as men see Cats-eyes shine in the darke when their owne doe not Let him beleeue so But what doth this beleefe aduantage him or other priuate spirits for the cleare distinct or perfect sight of what the Church proposeth Doth the proposall make diuine Truthes more perspicuous in themselues Why then are they not alike perspicuous to all that heare reade or know the Churches testimonie of them Sacroboscus hath said al that possibly can be said on their behalfe in this difficultie The Sectaries albeit they should vse the authoritie of the true Church yet cannot haue any true beleefe of the truth reuealed If the vse of it be as free to them as to Catholikes what debarres them from this benefit They doe not acknowledge the sufficiencie of the Churches proposall And as a necessary proofe or medium is not sufficient to the attayning of science vnlesse a man vse and acknowledge it formally as necessary so for establishing true faith it sufficeth not that the Church sufficiently proposeth the points to be beleeued or auoweth them by that infallible authoritie wherewith Christ hath enabled her to declare both what bookes containe Doctrines Diuine and what is the true sense of places controuersed in them but it is further necessary that wee formally vse this proposall as sufficient and embrace it as infallible 5 The reason then why a Romane Catholique rightly beleeues the Truth or true meaning of Scriptures when a Protestant that knowes the Churches testimonie as well as he in both points vncertaine is because the Catholique infallibly beleeues the Churches authority to bee
of faith Bellarmines prescription in this case is iust as if a Phisitian or Surgeon should seeke to ease the paine by ending of the Patients dayes Lest a man should sinne against his conscience this a Doctor aduiseth him to belieue the Church cannot teach amisse 14 To conclude then Hee that absolutely belieues the Pope as Christs Vicar generall in all things without examination of his decrees by Euangelicall precepts neither belieues Christ nor his Gospell no not when this pretended Vicar teacheth no otherwise then his Masters lawes prescribe For thus belieuing a diuine truth onely from this mans authority hee commits such Idolatry with him for the kind or essence as the Heathen did with Mercury their false Gods supposed messenger though so much more hainous in degree as his generall notion of the true God is better whose infinite goodnesse cannot entertaine an interpreter no better qualified then most Popes are did his wisdome stand in need of any But if when the Pope shall teach the doctrine of Diuels men absolutely belieue it to be Christs because his pretended Vicar commends it to them in thus beleeuing they commit such preposterous Idolatry as those of Calecut which adore the Deuill vpon conceit doubtlesse of some celestiall or diuine power in him as the absolute Papist doth not adore the Pope but vpon perswasion he is Christs Vicar and teaches as Christ would doe viua voce were hee again on earth And lesse it were to bee lamented did these Pseudo Catholiques professe their allegiance to Sathans incarnate Agent as to their supreme Lord by such solemne sacrifices onely as the inhabitants of Calicute performe to wicked spirits But this their blinde beliefe of whatsoeuer hee shall determine vpon a proude and foolish imagination he is Christs Vicar emboldens them to inuert the whole law of God and nature to glory in villany and triumph in mischiefe euen to seeke prayse and honour eternall from acts so foule and hideous as the light of nature would make the Calicutians or other Idolaters blush at thier very mention It is a sure token hee hath not yet learned the Alphabet of their religion that doubts whether Iesuiticall doctrine concerning this absolute beliefe extend not to all matters of fact And if out of simplicity rather then policy so they speake I cannot but much pitty their folly that would perswade vs it were not the fault of Romish Religion but of the men that professe it which hath inticed so many vnto such diuelish practises of late I would the Iesuite were but put to instance what kind of villany eyther hath beene already acted on earth or can yet possibly bee hatched in the region vnder the earth so hideous and vgly as would seeme deformed or odious to such as are wholly led by this blind faith if it should but please the Romish Clergy to giue a milde or fauourable censure of it No brat of hell but would seeme as beautifull to their eyes as young todes are to their dammes if their mother once commend the feature of it or acknowledge it for her darling Did not some of the Powder-plotte after Gods powerfull hand had ouertaken them and sentence of death had passed vpon them euen when the Executioner was ready to do his last office to them make a question whether their plot were sinnefull or no So modest were some of them and so obedient sonnes to the Church of Rome that they would not take vpon them to say eyther the one or other but referred the matter to their mothers determinations hereby testifying vnto the world that if the Church would say they would beleeue so great an offence against their Country were none against God One of them was so obstinate as to sollicite his fellow whilest both were drawne vpon one hurdle to the gallowes not to acknowledge it for any sinne Or if these must bee reputed but priuate men not well acquainted with their Churches tenents and therefore no fitte instances to disapproue her doctrine let the ingenuous Reader but peruse their best Writers answeres to the obiections vsually made against the Popes transcendent authority and hee shall easily perceiue how matters of fact are included in the beliefe of it how by it all power is giuen him in heauen and earth to peruert the vse and end of all lawes humane or diuine I will content my selfe for this present with some few instance out of Valentian CHAP. VI. Prouing the last assertion or generally the imputations hitherto laide vpon the Papacy by that authority the Iesuites expresly giue vnto the Pope in matters of particular fact as in the canonizing of Saints 1 HOw oft soeuer the Pope in defining questions of faith shall vse his authority that opinion which hee shall determine to bee a point of faith must bee receiued as a point of faith by all Christian people If you further demand howshall wee know when the Pope vseth this his absolute authority this Doctor in the same place thus resolues you It must bee belieued that he vseth this his authority as often as in controuersies of faith hee so determines for the one part that he will binde the whole Church to receiue his decision Lest stubborne spirits might take occasion to calumniate the Pope for taking or the Iesuites for attributing tyrannicall authority vnto him this Iesuite would haue you to vnderstand that the Pope may auouch some things which all men are not bound to hold as Gospell nay hee may erre though not when hee speakes ex Cathedra as head of the Church yet when hee speakes or writes as a priuate Doctor or expositor and onely sets down his owne opinion without binding others to thinke as hee doth Thus did Innocent the third and other Popes write diuers books which are not in euery part true and infallible as if they had proceeded from their Pontificiall authority Yea but what if this present Pope or any of his successors should binde all Christians to belieue that Pope Innocents bookes were in euery part infallibly true whether must wee in this case belieue Valentian or the Pope thus determining better If Valentian in the wordes immediately following deserue any credite wee must belieue the Pope better then himselfe yea hee himselfe must recant his censure of Pope Innocents works For so in the other part of his distinction hee addes Secundo potest Pontifex asserere The Pope againe may auouch something so as to bind the whole Church to receiue his opinion and that no man shall dare to perswade himselfe to the contrary And whatsoeuer hee shall thus auouch in any controuersie of Religion wee must assuredly belieue hee did auouch it without possibility of error and therefore by his Pontificiall authority His proofe is most consonant to his assertion I will not recite it in English lest the meere English Reader should suspect any able to vnderstand Latine could be possibly so ridiculous 2 These lauish prerogatiues of the
vniuersall If charged they be vnder paine of damnation secretly to worship this or that damned villaine it will be held a formall deniall of faith either not to performe what is enioyned or to bewray what they performe We may well suppose the Iesuites and others of their instruction haue more Saints in their priuate Kalenders then all the world knowes of Bellarmine grants the Pope may commend some vnder the title of Saints vnto a set Prouince or Diocesse though he enioyne not the whole Church so to esteeme or at least not so to entertayne them That Saints reputed not canonized may be priuately adored That in this case a generall custome may prescribe and breede iust presumption of the Popes tacit approbation though he giue no direct iniunction for the practize nor positiue signification of his consent For many were adored as Saints before the solemnitie of canonizing was in vse first practized as farre as this great Clerkes reading serues him by Pope Leo the third 3 Now as their proiects are of another mold and their meanes to effect them more desperate then heretofore so these intimations make it more then suspitious least secretly they crowne such of euery sort as haue beene best qualified for their purposes or haue aduentured farthest for the Churches dignitie with the titles of Saints to encourage others to like attempts And if turbulent or ambitious spirits greedie of same may bee fed with hopes of being eternized in Iesuiticall Kalendars if men male-contented with this present may haue sweet promises of euerlasting happinesse in the life to come vpon what mischiefes will they not aduenture when as the one sort is wearie of life the other curbed only with feare of present shame or disgrace after death otherwise readie to rush into any danger or auow most desperate outrages Albeit the parties proposed to be worshipped had been in their life times no so bad but rather incited to bold enterprises by their ardent zeale yet who would not desire to imitate the aduenturous actions of them whose memorie he adores And yet this longing desire of imitating such extraordinarie enterprises as others of noble spirits haue been thrust vpon by secret instinct is alwaies dangerous and in men not so well qualified as their Authors were preposterous For it will finde occasions of like practize when â—one is giuen vertue shall be the obiect of despite because in factious oppositions contempt of it may affoord matter of glorie Hatred and malice to Princes persons shall be accounted zeale and deuotion to the Church But if powder-plotters or publique Assasinats may be dignified with titles of Saints or proposed for imitation the Christian world may perceiue the height whereto this mischiefe may grow when it will be too late to controuse it It is an excellent caueat which old Gerson hath not impertinent to this purpose though intended by him especially for priuate vse Amongst other sophismes vsed by Satan to ensnare mens foules That Topicke of examples or similies affoords as many experiments of fallacies as there bee men whilest euery one seekes to imitate any one and professeth to frame his life by the example of such as either the Church doth Canonize or their Superiors Gouernors Doctors or men of same approue What doth the sonne say they but what he sees the father doe and yet these mates follow not the best but the worst Fathers at least that in them which is worst for them to follow by this example some of them stick not to say Paul commended himselfe Paul had visions in a trance and why may not God in these dayes worke the like effects in others Hence are prophecies faigned hence are admonitions by miracles hence are damned persons adored by the multitude witnesse the Legend yea and Vienna can beare witnesse of a dead dogs adoration Let the sacred Roman See therefore beware Let the Pope that sits therein beware vpon what grounds or motiues they canonize any 4 Rather let all Christian States beware least they giue such authoritie to either For if the danger were not alwayes imminent from their trayterous and bloud-thirstie mindes that professe this doctrine in any Kingdome yet from diuine Iustice the plagues vpon Prince and People that authorize or permit the profession of it will be one day publique and grieuous For better might they nurse all other kindes of inchantments or magicall practizes better might they giue harbour to all other heresies broched since the world beganne then suffer this Ocean of all mischiefes whether flowing from errours in manners or matters of doctrine to encroach vpon their coasts And here let not the Reader deceiue himselfe by imagining the holy Ghost had vsed a Metaphore rather then strict proprietie of speech when he called the whoore of Babylon a Witch or Inchantresse For the faith wherby the Romanist boasts he beleeues the Scriptures as elsewhere God willing shall be shewed is meerly magicall this doctrine we now dispute against the very Idea of infernall superstition or as they terme it vana obseruantia in respect of the essence and qualitie and for the extent of mischiefe whereto it leades as the maine Sea of sorcerie and all other kindes of magicall superstition as so many Brookes or Riuers For whence springs Sorcerie properly so called Either from expresse compact with euill spirits or from the solemne performance of certayne blinde ceremonies which are but sacrifices vnto infernall Powers whereby they gaine interest in the sacrificers soules in witnesse whereof they sometimes beare their markes in their bodies But if we looke into the mysterie of this iniquitie the Iesuites by subscribing vnto this doctrine of the Churches transcendent authoritie and taking the solemne oath of their order enter a couenant though not so expresse or immediate yet more firme and desperate then other Magicians vsually doe For they sweare and teach others to sweare absolute obedience to the Pope they thinke themselues bound and would binde others not to examine his decrees to esteeme of his pardons though destitute of al warrant from Gods word as highly as the Magicians doe of Charmes for which they can giue no reason either in arte or nature to offer vp their prayers and other religious worship vnto such as hee shall appoint them albeit for ought they know or as they iustly may suspect damned miscreants which is a more hellish sacrifice then any other Magicians vse And though Witches doe yet all sorts of Sorcerers enter not expresse couenant with the Prince of darkenesse And it is all one whether like Witches they giue their soules to him immediately or thus absolutely betroath them to his Proxy or principall Agent here on earth For as the Apostle instruct vs by thus worshipping the Beast they worship the Dragon his Master 5 Lastly in respect of this mouth of blasphemie Mahumetisme and Gentilisme are as a toy The ancient Heathen out of their inbred ignorance and want of externall meanes for right information
dicuntui Petro in triphci sunt differeÌ„tia quaed im enim dicuntur ei pro se tantum quaedam pro se omnibus â—oâ—istianis quaedam pro se successoribus id quod euidenter colligitur ex ratione diuersa qua ei dicuntur Nam quae dicuntur ei vt vni ex fidelibus certe omnibê° fidelibus dicta intelliguntur Vt Mat. 18. Si peccauerit inte â—rater tâ—us c. Quae dicuntur ei ratione aliquà propria personae ipsius ei soli dicuntur vt vade post me Satana Et Terme neâ—abis ista enim dicuntur ei ratione propriâ— imbe cillitatis et ignorantiae Quadam dicuntur ei ratione officij pastoralis quae proinde dicta intelliguntur omnibus sucessoribus vt pasâ—e oues meas et Bellar lib. 2. cap. 12. §. vltimo The Romanist makes the Pope his God in that he makes him the Rock on which the Church is built Compare Exod. 17. 1. Cor. 10. 4. The Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken in the same sense Psal 18. 3. Isa 31. 9. * This obseruation will easily approoue it self to any that will reade the booke of Deuteronomium and the Psalmes * This obseruation will easily approoue it selfe to any that will reade the booke of Deuteronomium and the Psalmes * This obseuation will easily approoue it selfe to any that will reade the booke of Deuteronomium and the Psalmes How Romish ReligioÌ„ denies the virtue and power of Christ come in the flesh That Romish faith is that faith by which S. Peter confessed Christ That the Romish Church is neither that Rocke nor built vpon that Rocke against which the gates of hell cannot preuaile because their faith is vnsouÌ„d Mat. 4. 23. Math. 7. 26. Praeterea Ecclesia congregata siue consilium proprijssime est Ecclesia Christi vt etiam aduersarij concedunt nam Ecclesi a est congregatio fidelium ergo quo magis fideles suÌ„t congregati vniti eo magis proprie sunt Ecclesia at stultu est cum aliquid de alio absolute pronunciatur excipere id quod proprijssimè per illud significatur ergo cum Christus dicit Super hanc Petram aedisicabo Ecclesiam meam slultè excipitur Ecclesia vniuersalis congregata cum ea proprijssimè sit Ecclesia Bellar. lib. 2. de Con. Auc cap. 15. Of this Church the Pope is the foundation as hee auoucheth in the words going before Quod est in domo fundamentum est in corpore caput in grege Postor Vt. n. fundamentuÌ„ non pendet à domo sed domus à fundamento ita ellam caput non pendet à corpore seâ— corpus à capite pastor non pendet à grege sed grex à pastore His conclusion is Papa praest omnibus loco Christi quibus Christus ipse inuisibiliter praeest quibus etiam praeesset visâ—â—ilâ—er si visibiliter adesset Christus aut cum praeest praeesset inuisibiliter si adesset visibiliter non solem Ecclesus particularibus sed etiam toti Ecclesue vniuersall generalibus concilijs igitur etiam Papa preest Ecclesie vniuersali Either is not the Romish Church representatiue that Church spoken of Mat. 10. or else Christs promise hath sailed * Caput Ecclesiae non potest quidem errare docendo falsam doctrinem tamen potest errare male vâ—uendo malè etiam sentiendo vt prâ—uatus humo atque hoc tantuÌ„ videmus accidisse Adamo malè enim aliquando vixit sortè etiam malè de Deo sentit tamen non malè docuit Bellarminus de Ecclesia militante lib. 111. cap. 16. Some of their Popes by their owne writers confession haue beene strangely cut off in the very acts of adultery or other sinnes by them accounted mortall Christs promise vnto S. Peter but a meere mockery by the Iesuits constructioÌ„ The Romish Church of all Idols that are or haue beene the most vaine and foolish 2 Peter c. 3. v. 4. A Parallile of Atheisticall and Papisticall mockerie The Iew and the Iesuite are alike bewitched the one in expecting Messias already come and crucified by his fathers the other in looking for Antichrist already reuealed and adored by him as his God The aduersaries 〈◊〉 in deriuing oecumenicall authority perpetually infallible from Saint Peter * Rom. 12. 2. Sect. 3. cap. 13. * 2. Pe. 1. 12. c. S. Peter knew not his successors should bee infallible There be greater probabilities that S. Ioha should haue had infallible successors then S. Peter Reuel 1. ver 3. * Reu. 19. 10. Vide lib. 2. Sect. 4. cap. 4. RESPONDEO non esse eandem rationem Politici Ecclesiastici regiminis Siquidem orbis terrarum non necessario debet esse vnum regnum proinde noÌ„ necessario postulat vnum qui omnibus praesit at Ecclesia tota vnum est regnum vna ciuitas vna domus ideo ab vno tota regi debet Cuius differentiae illa est ratio quòd ad conuersationem Poliâ—â—â—orum regnoâ—um non necessariò requiratur vt omnes Prouinciae seruent easdem leges ciuiles eâ—sdens vitus Possunt enim 〈◊〉 personarum varietate diuersis vti legibus institutis dâ—irco non requiritur vnus qui omnes in vâ—itate contineat Ad conâ—eruationem verò Ecclesiae necessè est vt omnes conueniant in eadem fide â—sdem Sacramentis â—sdemque praeceptis diuinitus traditis quod sanè sierinon potest nisi sint vnus popuâ—â—s ab vno in vnitate contineantur Bellar. l. r. de Rom. Pont. c. 9. sub sinem He acknowledgeth it were conuenient the whole world should be gouerned by one ciuill Monarch Were it possible to create surely one without bloud-shed of wrong it were requisite he or any in his behalfe should resolue vs why the whole Church might not as truly be one people by coÌ„munion with Christ their head as the Tartars and Spaniards by subordination to one Lord to wit the King of Spaine suppose he were Lord of both they as far distant each from other as they are The vncertaintie of Popish councells or traditions * Luke 16. v. 11 * He that is vniust in the least is vniust also in much saieth our Sauiour in the same place v. 10. A Popes testimony of himselfe or his predecessors is authenticke Popes bind vs to belieue by diuine faith their reports of matters forepast which they cannot belieue by any other faith but humane and fallible He that will be reputed a Prophet of times forepast must shew himselfe a prophet of things to come The present Popes authority is greater then history traditions or councels or ought that can be pretended for it * Aliud est interpretari legem more doctoris aluid more iudicis id explicationem more doctoris requiritur eâ—uditio ad explicationem more iudicis requiritur authoritas Doctor enim non proponit sententiam suam vt necessario sequendâ—m sed solum quatenus ratio suadet at
intelligitur prophetia nec id quod per illud significatur sed quod illi simile erat omâ—no ciusmodi vt prophetia non minus aptè de eo quam de quo dicta est dici patuisse videatur Nam populus hic labijs me honorat de Iudaeis qui tempore Isai erant Deus dixerat Isai 29. 13. Christus autem in ijs qui suo erant tempore impletum significat Matth. 15. 7. 8. Simile est exemplum Matthae 13. 14. Act. 28. 26. Quarto cum id ipsum quod per Prophetiam aut Scripturam dictum erat quamuis iam factum suerit tamenmagis ac magis fit Tunc enim Scriptura impleri dicitur id est quod per eam dictum erat cumulatissimè fieri Maldonat Comment in Math. v. c. 2. The place cited Matth. 13. and 14. Act. 28. 26. is that very place out of the 6. of Esai which Bellarmine vrgeth to proue the Iewes Church should faile in our Sauiours time a Math. 23. 52. Yee â—iâ—â—enceked and vncircumcised harts and eares yee haue alwaies resisted the holy Ghost as your fathers did so do you which of the Propheâ—s haue not your fathers persecuted and they haue slam theÌ„ which shewed before of the comming of that Iust of whom yee are now the betraiers and murtherers Act. 7 51. 52. * See Chap. 9. Parag. 4. * Act. 13. v. 27. Respo ideo quidam aiunt quaestionem fuisse de facto non de iure quam Concilium illud iudicauit videlicet num Iesus necandus esset in eâ—uâ—modi autem iudicijs Concilia errare posse non dubium est At quaestio illa etiaÌ„si de facto esset tamen inuoluebat quaestionem de fide grauissimam nimirum an Iesus esset verus Messias Dei silius atque adeò Deus verus Quocirca errauit in fide perniciocissimè Caiphas cum vniuerso Concilio cum iudicauit Iesum blâ—sphemâ—sse qui se Dei filium appellauerat Alij dicunt Pontificem Concilium errasse quantum ad errorem propriae mentis non tamen errasse in sententia quam protulit Verè enim Iâ—sâ—s erat reus mortis q. peccaâ—a nostra in seâ—pso purganda susceperat verè expediebat eum mori pro populo Quare Iohan. cap. 11. dicit Caipham prophetasse At licet verba Caiphae bonum sensum recipiant non tamen omnia cum enim ait de Christo Blasphemauit quid adhuc egemus testibus Certè tunc non prophetauit sed blasphemauit Bellar. de Conciliorum auct cap 8. lib. 2. * Iohn 11. ver 50. * That the Pope did erre in matters of saith not onely of fact when they condemned our Sauiour That the High priest with his associates did erre ex Cathedra in the main Article of faith * Math. 26. * Luk. 22. 66 * Math. 26. 65. * Ver. 66. * Math. 27. 25. * Though it were sufficiently proued that the Pope could not teach false doctrine ex Cathedra yet were it not safe to rely vpoÌ„ his authority Vide lib. 2. Sect. 4. cap. 6. Parag. 3. c. * Heb. 3. 12. 3. 5. 6. That the excessiue glory of the new TestameÌ„t argues no greater soueraignety in spirituall gouernors since Christs time then the priestâ— had in the Law * Ioh. 15. 14. 15. Wherein the Popes Soueraignety is made greater-then Moses had any * Psal 106. 28. * Cum igitur oporteret Dei legeÌ„ in edictis Angelorum â—â—erribiliter dari non vni homini paâ—â—cisue sapientibus sed vniuersae genti 〈…〉 coram eodem populo magna â—â—ctasant in monte vbi 〈◊〉 per 〈◊〉 dabatur conspâ—ciente multitudine metuenda ac tremenda quae siebant Non enim populus Israel sic Moysi credidit quemadmodum suo Lycurgo Lacedaemony quòd a Ioue seu Apolâ—â—ue leges quas condidit accepisset CuÌ„ enim lex dabatur populo 〈…〉 vnus iubehatur◠〈…〉 conspectu ipsias populi sufficere diâ—â—a prouidentia iudicabat mirabilibus 〈…〉 signis ac motibus 〈…〉 ad eandem leg 〈…〉 creatori seruire creaturam Aug. de Ciuit. Den. lib 10. cap. 13. * Deut. 4. 1. 2 * Ver. 3. The motiue vsed by Moses for establishing the Israelites faith * Exod. 14. 10. * Ex. 14. 13. 14 Vide Psal 106. ver 10. c. * Exod. 15. 23. a Ver. 26. Faith must bee confirmed by continuall experiments answerable to Gods word a Exod. 16. 4 12. * Deut. 18. v. 3. * Exod. 17. 7. * The Hebrews haue a common saying Ancilla plus vidit ad mare rubrum monteÌ„ Sinai quam viderent omnes Prophetae â—ag in 5 Deâ—t * Deu. 13. 1. c. God in the establishing of Moses authority giue a caueat to future generations for auoiding blind obedience Exod. 19 4. 5. 6. * Ver. 8. b Ver. 7. * Ver. 9. d Deut. 5. 22. Vide. Innâ—t a◠§ ex 〈◊〉 * Exod. 24. v. 1. 9. 10. 11. a Exod. 34. v. 1. b Ver. 10. 11. a Numb 12. 5. 6. 8. 9. d Mumb. 16. 19. e Ver. 33. * Ver. 27. 28. * Deut. 4. ver 2. a Deut. 7. ver 17 18. 19. If thou say in thine heart These nations are more then I how can I cast them out Thou shalt not feare them but remember what thy Lord thy God did vnto Pharaoh and vnto all Egypt The great tentation which thine eyes saw and the signes and wonders and the mighty hand and outstretched out arme whereby the Lord thy God brought thee out so shall the Lord thy God doe vnto all the people whose face thou fearest How farre the traditions exhortations or instructions of parents did steed their children for establishing of faith * Deut. 11. v. 2 a Ver. 18. * Ver. 19. * Ver. 22. * Psal 78. * Ver. 33. 34. * Deut. 11. 26. Ver. 26. Deut. 11 v. 13. 14. 15. 17. Deut. 11. v. 29. * Deut. 27. v. 11. 12. 13. 14. Iosuah 8. v. 33. 34. 35. Deut. 31. v. 10. 11. 12 13. * The Israelites care to instruct their children in the precepts of the Law necessary vnto Christians seeing faith seldome grows without miracles vnlesse planted in tender yeeres Deut. 4. 9. c. Iudg. 2. v. 7. 8. Ver. 10. 11. Ver. 15. 16. Ver. 19. Of Gedeons distrust and the meanes how his faith was established Iudg. 6. v. 13. Gal. 1. 8. Iudg. 6 14. Ibid. v 15. * Iudg. 7. 15. * Iudg. 8. 33. * The peoples experience of such calamities as Moses thretned was their surest ground of such ioyfull hopes as hee had promised * Ier 32. 24. 25. c. * Ier. 30. 13. 14. Ier. 22. 42. 43. c. * Deut. 30. 1. Nehemiah 1. 7. * Nehe. 6. 10. 11. That the company of Prophets had as great priuiledges as any 〈◊〉 can chalenge That the people were not bound to belieue what a maior part of Prophets determined without examination a De Eccles milit l. 3. c. 17. Ad primum 〈◊〉 illos 400. prophetas manifeste
Christ * Numb 11. 16. vid. 8 Luk. 10. v. 1. c. * So Exoduâ— 24. God commands Moses to come vp to the Lord in the Mount with Aaron Nadab and Abihu and 70. of the Elders of Israel which were to worship a farre off while Moses himselfe alone went neer vnto the Lord so saith S. Peter God caused Christ to bee shewed openly not to all the people but to the witnesses chosen before of God to such as did eat and drinke with him after he arose from the dead His Disciples aloâ— were present when God called Christ into heauenly places v. Exod. 24. v. 10. 11. b The excellency of the great Prophet in respect of Moses gathered from the difference betwixt Moses and the lesser Prophets * Numb 12. v. 6. 7. 8. * Iohn 1. ver 18. The gift of prophesie not habituall to ordinary Prophets * Ier. 28. Ier. 28. v. 10. 12. * Ver. 12. 15. 16 * 2. King 4. v. 2â— Iohn Baptist more then a Prophet from the vicinity of the great Prophet a Ioh. 11. v. 29. * Iohn 1. 33. See the stimulator chap. 10. Parog 5. * Iohn 10. v. 40. 41. 42. * Isai 40. v. 3. The matter of our Sauiours predictions compared with the precedent prophesies of him declare his Godhead * Isaiah 42. v. 8. 9. * Iohn 3. v. 5. Our Sauiours arbitrary discouery of secrets and predictions of futures contingent fully consonant to the receiued notions of the Messias * Iohn 1. v. 49. * Ver. 50. 51. * Gen 28. v. 12. 13. 19. * Ioh. 4. v. 25. * Ver. 29. * Ver. 42. b Iohn 16. v. 30. Our Sauiours Disciples and Apostles did according to his instructions more rely vpon his predictions then his miracles * Ioh. 2. v. 22. * Iohn 14. 29. * Iohn 16. ver 4 Foretelling the fulfilling of that Scripture He that eateth bread with me hath lift vp his heele against mee in Iudas hee gaue this generall rule from henceforth tell I you before it come that when it is come to passe yee might belieue that I am He Iohn 13. v. 19. * Iohn 12. v 28 * Marc. 9. v. 1. Math. 16. v. 28. Luk. 9. 27. 2. Pet. 1. 17. * Mark 9. v. 7 Luk. 9. v. 35 Math. 17. v. 5. * Iohn 12. v. 30. Our Sauiour in his last conâ—erence with the Iewes proclaimes himselfe to bee the great Prophet foretolde by Moses * Iohn 12. v. 44. * Iohn 12. ver 48 * Deut. 18. v. 19 * Iohn 12. v. 49. 50. a Deut. 18. v. 18. Our Sauiours propheticall spirit gaue life to his miracles though his miracles were good preparatiues to beleefe a Iohn 12. v. 37. a Iohn 14. v. 10 * Iohn 12. ver 32. The peculiar similitude between Christ Moses in the office of mediation * Deut. 18. v. 15 16. * Deut. 5. v. 28. 29. a Vide lib. 1. part 2. Sect. 3. cap. 11. Parag. 8. 9. 10. Heb 3 v. 3. * Deut. 18. v. 18. * Deut. 18. v. 18. d Heb. 10 ver 28 20. * Deut. 24. v. 10. The chiefe grounds of Moses disswading Israel for soâ—ceâ—y was their expectation of the great Prophet * Deut. 18. v. 14. * cap. 1. * Num. 23. v. 22. * God brought him out of Egypt his streÌ„gth shall be as an Vnicorne He shall eate the Nations his enemies and bruise their bones shoot them thorow with his arrows He coucheth lieth downe as a young Lion as a Lion who shall stirre him vp Blessed is he that blesseth thee and cursed is he that curseth thee I shall see him but not now I shall behold him but not neere There shall come a starre of Iacob and a scepter shall rise of Israell and shall smite the coasts of Moah and destroy all the sonnes of Sheth And Edom shall be possessed and Seir shall be a possession to their enemies but Israell shall do valiantly He also that shall haue dominion shall be of Iacob and shall destroy the remnant of the Citie Num. 24. v. 8. 9. 17. 18. 19. * That our Sauiours authoritie might haue been and was more manifestly proued out of Moses and the Prophets to the ancient then it can be to the moderne Iewes altogether vnacquainted with the right manner of interpreting prophecies or such common notions or traditions as the Scribes and Pharises had in our Sauiours time a Exod. 4. v. 13 b Iohn 1. v. 20. 21. * Some interpreters obserue that S. Iohn doth purposely insert these words Now they which were sent were of the Pharisees Ioh. 1. ver 24. though other Euangelists call them onlie Leuites to notifie vnto vs that this was a traditioÌ„ known vnto that sect c Ioh. 1. ver 25. d ver 31. e Mat. 3. ve 11. f Ioel 2. 28. g Ex. 13. 21. 22. h 1. Cor. 10. 1. 2. Our Sauiours prediction of his death and resurrection was that which according to Moses prophesie did most condemne the Iewes a Mat. 27. v. 63. b Mat 12. v. 39. Math. 16. v. 14 a Act. 13. v. 27. b Luk. 16. v. 31. c Act. 13. 33. Psal 2. v. 7 d Act. 3. 26. e Ve 3. â—r 2â— * Deut. 18. 15. a Act. 26. 26. c Math. 27. 64. d Isaiah 51. v. 1. e Isai 53. v. 8. 9. f Heb. 11. 12. a Act 3. ver 23. For it shal be that euery person which shall not neare that Prophet shal be destroyed out of the people a Luk. 24. 25. b Luk. 24. 27. c v. 32. a Ioh. 5. 34. 32. b A briefe suruey of the mouth of blasphemies spokeÌ„ of by S. Iohn The chiefe arguments brought by Romish Writers to proue the excellency of their church directly contrarie to the principles of Sense Nature c Isa â— â—â—er 13. * Reuel 13. v. 4. 6. 7. * Pet. 2. c. 1. v. 14. a 2. Pet. 1. 14. * 2. Pet. 1. 16. * 2. Pet. 1. 17. * 2. Pet. 1. v. 16. * Vide lib. 2â— Sect 2. cap 5. Parag. 6. a 2. Pet. 1. v. 19. b Propheticall predictions of Christ surer grounds of faith then the liue testimonies of the Apostles that had seene Christ and conuersed with him Amplectendus est Commentarius qui interpretatur in hunc modum habemus sirmiorem id est certiorem compertioreÌ„ rationem Id enim temporis sermo Propheticorum spectatior erat latius receptus quaÌ„ sermo Apostolorum EuangelistariuÌ„ Sasbout in hunc locum 2. Pet. 1. v. 19. * Cum tam serio ac grauiter admonuit beatus Petrius vt hoc inprimis intelligeremus quod omnis inquit Prophetia scripturae propria interpretatione non fit 2. Pet. 1. ali quid è tribus significare voluit nempe 1. aut non posse vllo modo scilicet certo vel prohabili exponi scripturaÌ„ propria industia ingenio Aut. 2. non posse certo quideÌ„ exponi vnum aut alterum scripturae locum ex ingenio proprio sine collatione alioruÌ„ scripturae
indeterminate sence seeing this is a Maxim vnquestionable amongst al such as haue any notion of a Dietie Whatsoeuer God hath spoken is most true in that sense wherein he meant it But if we descend to any determinate speeches written or vnwritten either acknowledged or supposed for Gods Word or such as can but ground any possible question whether they are Gods Words or no the present Romish Church doth take vpon her absolutely to iudge of all and euerie part of them For this is the very abstract or abridgement of that infinite prerogatiue which she challengeth all men must infallibly beleeue that to be Gods Word which she commends that not to be his Word which she disclaimes for such So as onely the former transcendent and indeterminate truth Whatsoeuer God saith is true is exempt from the Popes vnlimited transcendent roiall sentence no other word or syllable of truth which wee can imagine God hath or might haue spoken since the World began either by his owne or his sonnes mouth by the Ministery of his Angels Prophets Apostles or Euangelists but is euery way absolutely subiect to the Popes Monarchichall censure 5 And heere let not the Reader mistake it as any argument of our aduersaries ingenuity that they will for their owne aduantage vouchsafe to grant what no heathen Idolater did euer deny Whatsoeuer God saith is true For vnlesse this were granted by all the Pope could haue no possible grounds of pretence or claime to his absolute infallibility or infinite supremacie ouer all And that which his hirelings seeke to build vpon the former foundation is Whatsoeuer the Pope hath said or shall say ex cathedra is most true because if we descend to any determinate truthes wee must beleeue that God hath spoken all and onely that which the Pope hath alreadie testified or when any question ariseth shall testifie he hath spoken In fine the present Pope by their positions is Gods onely liuing mouth onely alsufficient to iustifie or authentically witnesse all his wordes past all which without him are vnto vs as dead Whence they must of necessitie admit the same proportion betwixt the present Popes and Gods acknowledged written word or supposed vnwritten veritie which in ciuill matters we make betwixt acredible mans personall auouchment or liuing testimonie of what he hath seene heard or knowne by vndoubted experience and another mans heresay report either of the matters he spake of his speeches themselues or their true sence and meaning after his death For the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists to vse their words are dead and Christ is absent so as we can neither be certaine what they haue spoken or what they meant in their supposed speeches but per viuam vocem Ecclesiae by the liuing voice of the present visible Church whose words are altogether as vnfallible as Gods owne words were And for this reason must bee acknowledged a most absolute Iudge of Gods written and vnwritten words aswell of their Spirituall sence and meaning as of their outward frame or visible character This is the height of their iniquitie and will inferre more then our purposed conclusion in this Section That euen of such places as are acknowledged by them for Gods Word we mus not beleeue any determinate sence or meaning but what the Pope shall expressely giue or may be presumed to allow of 6 This Doctrine as I would request the Reader to obserue brings the second and third person in Trinitie on the one partie and the Pope on the other to as plaine and euident competition for Rule or Soueraigntie ouer professed Christians faith as God and Baal were at in Elias time This ther Doctrine thus in shew grounded vpon indeed and issue most opposite to Scriptures is the true Spirituall Inquisition house whereof that materiall or bodily one is but a Tipe These following are the ioynts or limmes of that racke of conscience whereunto all such as are or would bee true members of Christ but willing withall to hold their Vnion with the Pope as Visible head of the Church are daily and howerly subiect First their soules are tied by surest bondes of faith and nature vnto this principle Whatsoeuer God hath said is most true the Iesuites againe seeke to fasten their faith and conscience as strongly vnto this God speakes whatsoeuer the Pope speakes ex cathedra This third likewise must be beleeued as an Oracle of God euen by Papists for the Pope hath spoken it ex cathedra The Bookes of Moses the Prophets the foure Euangelists are Gods Wordes VVhatsoeuer these haue spoken we contend all should beleeue for Gods own Word vpon such groundes as Saint Peter did from experience of their life-working sence communicate vnto them by hearing reading meditating or practize But the Pope vpon some controuersies arising propounds a sence of these writings or of some part of them quite contrarie to that which brought the former comfort to our soules a sence to all vnpartiall sences contradictorie to the places iointly acknowledged for Gods Word A sence the more wee thinke on in sobrietie the more wee dislike a sence the more earnestly we pray to God for his Spirits assistance and other good meanes for the right vnderstanding of his Word and encrease of faith the more stil we distaste and loath Here vnlesse we let goe some one or more of the mentioned holdfasts of faith either the first Whatsoeuer God saith is true or the second Whatsoeuer the Pope saith God saith or the third The Mosaicall Euangelicall and Apostolicall writings or those particular places about whose sence the controuersie is were spoken by God our soules are put to more violent torture then Rauilaicks bodie was But the true Papists are wise enough to slippe the third or last so as it shall not pinch them and haue a tricke withal to make the First yeeld what way they please who are resolued to follow what way soeuer it shall please the Popes authoritie whereunto their soules indeede are onely tied to lead them But of such as euer had or hope to haue any tast or relish of Gods Spirit should resolue absolutely to beleeue his interpretation of any place of Scripture contrarie to that life-working sence which must bee in euery heart endued with hope of seeing God that mans disloialtie towards God and his Holy Spirit is as impudent as if a poore subiect should reply vnto his Prince commanding him in expresse termes to doe thus or so I will not beleeue your wordes haue any such meaning as they naturally import but a contrarie such as one of my fellow seruants hath alreadie acquainted mee withall whatsoeuer you say I know your meaning is I should beleeue him in al things concerning your will and pleasure and whatsoeuer he shall enioyne that will doe 8 thâ—â— neither the Church can prooue the Scriptures nor the Scriptures the Churches authoritie was proued in the fourth SectioÌ„ of the former Book that such as hold this damnable doctrine
which the authority of the Pope cannot with probability be deriued 1. IS it then probable our Sauiors praiers for Saint Peter did collate any authority vpon him either oecumenicall for extent or souereigne for others dependence on it or absolutely and perpetually infallible for time without integritie of life or other condition besides such cathedrall consultation as is required in the Pope to support it Rather the proper effect they aymed at was an extraordinary assistance in the practise of such points as already had been or afterwards should be reuealed vnto him Our Sauiour while he vttered them did cleerely foresee all his followers should be sifted by Sathan he that professed greatest loue and resolution more then all the rest in such fearefull sort that without this promised supportance his faith had vtterly fayled which though afterwards it proued much stronger by this shaking yet whether stronger then was any of his fellowes is vncertaine most vnfit to be disputed Howsoeuer no circumstance in that place prognosticates or aboods such extraordinary future strength rather all suppose for the present a peculiar necessity of his Masters prayers for him as foreseeing his tripping to vse the mildest censure would be so dangerous as the memoriall of his recouery might be a perpetuall incouragement to all back sliders against distrust of Gods mercies No man so sit to raise vp such as are fallen or wallow in the filth of sinne as he that hath firmely apprehended grace from aboue or rather is so apprehended by it and yet can withall out of a sincere and humble acknowledgement of his relapses stoop lower then others in spirituall graces his inferiors and as it were let himselfe into the pit of despaire wherein sinners lie linking their present frailty in his owne forepassed infirmities It much disagrees with my temper euer to exaggerate the sinnes of Gods Saints yea I thinke the deniall of Christ was lesse sinfull in Saint Peter then the like would be in many others that haue receiued lesse grace because the temptation was aboue measure extraordinary permitted no doubt to this end that he might be a more faithfull comforter of his brethren whose faith was feeble crazed or decayed He that hopes with fruite to reprehend or exhort men much daunted or ashamed at the fowlenesse of their offences must as farre as truth will suffer him acknowledge himselfe to be a sharer in his owne reproofes to haue been sometimes tainted with the originall of their present griefe for so the parties grieued will be lesse iealous and conceit the medicine better Thus the royall host in the Poet cheeres vp his Princely guest amated at the mention of his infamous ancestors Ne perge queri casusque priorum Annumerare tibi Nostro quoque sanguine multum Errauit pietas nec culpa nepotibus obstet Tu modo dissimilis rebus mereare secundis Excusare tuas Did Parents shame their children staine sweet Prince thy case were mine For Piety sometimes her course did alter from our line The blemish though did not descend Let vertue be thy guide So shall thy same thy Parents faults though fowle and monstrous hide 2. By these and like circumstances may our Sauiors words But I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Therefore when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren be construed most appositely to his meaning What was it then Peter was to strengthen in others That which had been defectiue in himselfe Was that his charity his faith or both Wee reade sayth Bellarmine Peters charity did faile that his faith did faile wee neuer read In vaine then doth Bellarmine in vaine do all his fellowes labour to proue our Sauiour should in these words ratifie a perpetually indeficient puritie of Roman faith for Peter was to repaire in others what had been impaired in himselfe to preuent if it were possible the like fall in such as did or to themselues did seeme to stand to conuert restore and strengthen such as in like or worse sort had denyed their Redeemer With much greater probability might the Romanists seeke to establish a perpetuall indeficient Christian charity in Peters successors had Peters loue or charity only failed But the bad liues and manners of the Roman Clergie would giue too manifest euidence against them in this attempt In this respect haue these stout challengers taken vpon them the defence of a neuer failing faith because not so easily confuted For it is a matter very hard I must confesse to prooue that faith can neuer faile which may deny Christ so formally and constantly as Peters did without defect The best is that by their owne confession this place can proue the acts or exercises of Romane faith to be no better then S. Peters was in this deniall of Christ His offence they grant was foule but his faith without defect So may Popes be monstrously luxurious in their liues but alwaies infallible in their Doctrine Reader consult with thine owne heart and giue sentence as in the sight of God of the whole frame of their Religion by the foundation and of the foundation such as they willingly acknowledge faith to be of all true Religion and euerie Christian vertue by Bellarmines testimonie If Peter became as they pretend the fundamentall rocke by confessing that Religion doubtles which hath no better ground of infallibilitie then Peters faith not secured from a threefold deniall of Christ our Confession was first planted by the Spirit of error and of Antichrist 3 Not to dispute any longer what it was but who they were Saint Peter was to strengthen all without exceptions This iustly may seeme impossible seeing the exercise of his Ministerie could not extend to all Nations much lesse vnto all ages Yet these wordes bequeath no hereditarie royall iurisdiction ouer all persons but rather inioyne personall acts of penetencie vnto Saint Peter for his former personall offence He had found extraordinarie mercie at his Lord and Masters hands and was to communicate the like vnto his fellow seruants more guiltie of his offence Christ after his faith had failed did conuert and strengthen him against the like temptation and he conuerted was commanded to conuert and strengthen others Whom Not such as by conuersion might become his brethren or rather his children in Christ but rather such as were hewen out of the same roke and could truly call Abraham their father Sira their Mother ioinct professors with him of Moses Law and the Prophets more then his brethren and associates in denying him of whom Moses and all the Prophets bare testimonie 4 To subtract all matter of calumniation from men too much disposed to cauill without any probable cause or iust occasion notwithstanding his threefold deniall of Christ I denie not a triple or quadruple prerogatiue in Peter in respect of Christs other Apostles yet consisting not in any authoritie more infallible in it selfe or more soueraigne for superioritie ouer such as were to depend vpon him as