gross ouersight 3. The third argument may be taken from that if the Church be not infallible in matters of faith there is no external formal cause sufficient to beget diuine faith For as I e See infâ—a l. 244. shâ—wed c. 2. there is no formal cause of beleef but authoritie nor anie formal authoritie but in some Author nor anie Author but some intellectual person or companie of intellectual persons and faith we cannot haue in ordinarie course without some formal external cause sufficient to engender infallible faith f Vvhitaker l. 1. descript p. 64. l. 3. p. 39â— See infra c. 17. n. 4. And no person on earth can be pretended in which infallible authorities should be if not the Church 4. The fourth argument shal be this The Churches authoritie in preaching or proposing al Christs doctrin is not natural or humane but supernatural and diuine Therfore it is infallible in doing that The consequence is euident becaus diuine authoritie is infallible The antecedent I proue out of those words of Christ to his Apostles Teach al Nationâ— baptizing them c. teaching Math. vlt. them to keepe al that I haue commanded you Where Christ gaue no humane or natural authoritie to his Apostles but supernatural and diuine And what authoritie of teaching or baptizing he gaue to them he means also to their successors els these should haue no authoritie to preach or baptize as also becaus that authoritie was giuen to the Apostles for the good of the Church and therfore was to endure as long as the Church endureth moreouer the Churches authoritie to preach or propose al points of faith is diuine Therfore also her authoritie to testifie and persuade that it is Gods word which she preacheth is diuine The Antecedent is proued already The consequence I proue becaus persuasion that it is Gods word which the Church teacheth is the end of her preaching it And if God giue her duine authoritie for the means doubtles he giueth the like for the end becaus the end is more desired then the means and the means desired but for the end And if the Churches authoritie in testifying or perswading what she preacheth be diuine doubtles it is infallible in testifying it For diuine authoritie to perswade is infallible Further more the Churches authoritie can force vs to beleue the scripture to be Gods word Therfore her authoritie is diuine and infallible The consequence is clear becaus no authoritie can force vs to beleue diuine matters but what is diuine The antecedent Protestants grant For thus Whitaker contr 1. q. 3. c. 7. I answer as often before that we are forced by the Churches authoritie to beleue these books to be canonical And can fallible authoritie force 5. The fift argument for the Infallibilitie of the Church in matters of faith shal be taken from the great and manifold inconueniences or absurdities which necessarily follow of the denial of it As first that Christ hath giuen vs no competent or fit Iudge of controuersies of faith For if the Church be fallible she is no competent or fitt Iudge of Infallible matters and the scripture cannot be a Iudge becaus à proper iudge is an vnderstanding person and iudgment an act of vnderstanding And this is so clear as now g See infra l. 2. c. 7. sect 2. Protestants confess that the scripture is no proper Iudge And want of a competent Iudge would make coÌ„trouersiesendles And as Hooker saieth in the preface to his book § 6 of this we are right sure that Nature Scripture and Experience it self Scripture nature experience require a â—udge of controuersies so also Tailor in lâ—bertie of prophsing sect 6. n. 1. haue al taught the world to seek for the ending of contentions by submitting it self vnto some iudicial or definitiue sentence whervnto nether parte that contendeth may vnder anie pretence or coler refuse to stand Wherfore to refuse a Iudge who can pronounce such a definitiue sentence in contentions about matters of faith is to resist Nature Scripture and Experience An other great inconueniencie which denial of the Churches infalli ilitie breedeth is that it openeth a way to heresies and schismes For vpon pretence of the Churches erring in some matters of faith a plain gap is opened to depart from her profession of faith as heretiks doe or from her communion in Sacraments as Schismatiks doe And al sufficient means of ether conserâ—â—ng or restoring vnitie in faith and communion quite taken away First becaus al sufficient external authoritie which is the secondarie formal obiect of faith is taken away Secondly becaus as we shal proue hereafter and h See infra l 2. c. 5. sec 2. Protestants now confess the Scripture nether teacheth al points of faith nor al those which it teacheth doth it teach so clearly as is requisit to beget infallible faith Thirdly Experience sheweth this in Protestants who denying the Church to be infallible haue nether vnitie in faith or communion nor yet anie hope of it as i Cataubor Epist ad R. Iacobum Caluin Antid Concil sess 7. Laâ—de sect 38. p. 360. Confess Martyr in Hospin part 2. Histor fol. 245. Whitaker contr 2. q. 〈◊〉 c. 8. cout 3 q 6. c. 2. respons ad Rainoldum p. 8. Laude sec 38. n. 23. Potter sec 2. p. 38. Chillingworth c. 2. § 85 and others Nether wil it serue them to k Laude sect 26. n 3. Chilling c. 2. p. 61. say that they haue sufficient means of vnitie in fundamental points becaus the scripâ—â—â—e teacheth them plainly and as for diuision in Not-fundamental points that destroieth not the substantial vnitie of faith or of the Church First becaus themselues confess the Scripture teacheth not 〈◊〉 See infra l. 2. c. 5. seâ—t 2. al fundamental points secondly becaus they m See part 1. 〈◊〉 1 〈◊〉 6. confess they know not which are fundamental points Which Not fundamental points Thirdly becaus diuision in anie point of faith sufficiently proposed or of communion is a substantial diuision of true faith and Church as I haue clearly proued parte 1. l. 2. c. 5. And as Laude saieth sec 32. p. 226. If controuersies arise in the Church some end they must haue or they wil tear al in sunder 6. An other great inconueniencie is that by denying the Churches infallibilitie we take away al external infallible proof that the Scripture is the word of God and therfore this question How know you the Scripture to be the word of God much troubleth Protestants and as Laude saieth sec 16. p. 65. britâ—geth some of them to infidelitie For as he confesseth ibid. p. 66. Scripture must be known to be Scripture by a sufficient Sâ—ripture must be proud by some word of God and by some infal authoritie infallible diuine proof and that such a proof can be nothing but the word of God And p. 64. It seemes to me verie necessarie that we be able to proue the books of
5. calleth this The Ladie and as it were Goddess of al traditions Robert Baronius tract de Eccles c. 21. n. 1. The Fathers knew no other infallible Rule of faith beside the Scripture and perpetual tradition of the Church Dauenant de Iudice c. 5. we grant Tradition before Moyses was sufficient that before Moises the word of God not written and propagated to posteritie by continual tradition was a sufficient Rule of faith Whitaker contr 1. q. 3. c. 5. I deny not that the Churches Tradâ—tion conuinâ—ent tradition is a conuincent argument which books are Canonical which not And if conuincent infallible Behold the Churches tradition of the Scripture is certain vndoubted the Ladie and as it were Goddess of traditions and her perpetual or vniuersal tradition as infallible as the Scripture an infallible rule of faith And what maketh it so but Gods assistance 7. Fourthly they grant that the testimonie or tradition of the Church Testimonie of the Church proueth the scripture is an infallible proof of the Scripture Whitaker l. 2. de Scriptura c. 4. sec 4. p. 227. I say the testimonie of the Church sufficeth to conuince and refute those who think amiss of Scripture or denie the articles of Christian faith Ibid. p 270. Thy meaning was that the iudgment of the Church was a most strong argument in the kinde of external cause and my meaning was altogether the same l. 1. c. 1. sec 9. p. 19. The true Churches testimonie of the Scripture must be taken and who taketh it not shal be guiltie of sacriledg Contr. 1. q. 3. c. 7. we are forced by the Churches authoritie to beleue these books to be diuine And c. 9. p. 325. Al those Fathers doe they proue anie other thing then that Scripture is to be receaued becaus it was alwaies receaued of the Becaus Church and some books to be reiected becaus the Churchal waies reiected them This we most willingly grant And ibid. p. 326. we confâ—ss with Ireney that the authoritie of the Church is a firme and compendious Demonstration of Canonical doctrin And l. 5. contra Dureum sec 19. I think there could not be brought à stronger argument against the schismatical Donatists then from the authoritie of the Church And l. 1. sec 30. we confess the Churches approbation is necessarie and we admit no books but which haue certain and perpetual testimonie of the true Church you see therfore how much we giue to the Churches tâ—stimonie in which we think is strenght enough to confirme Strenght enough in the â—hurch testimonie the Canon of Scripture and refute al Aduersaries Kemnitius 1. parte Exam tit de Scriptura Al this dispute whether S. Iames Epistle be Canonical dependeth on the assuâ—ed firme and agreing testimonies of the Church Hooker l. 2. § 4. Nether could we euer come to anie pause wheron to rest our assurance this way so that vnles beside Scripture there were something which Something beside Scripture can assure vs. might assure vs that we doe wel we could not think we doe wel in being assured that the Scripture is a sacred and holie rule of wel doing And this thing which can assure vs as a pause to rest on that scripture is a sacred rule he saieth l. 3. § 8. is the Church where he addeth scripture teacheth vs that sauing faith the which God hath discouered vnto the worldby Reuelation and it presumeth vs taught by the Church that it self is diuine and sacred Item If â—nfidels or Atheists chance at anie time to cal it in question this giueth vs occasion to â—ift what reason there is wherby the testimonie of the Church concerning scripture and our owne perswasion which Scripture it self confirmed may be proued a truth Testimonie of the Church infalâ—ible infallible Behold the Church can assure vs as a pause to rest our assurance on that the Scripture is Gods word she teacheth vs that it is diuine and that her testimonie of the Scripture is infallible And is not this to haue one â—illable to this purpose that That wheron we must rest our assurance that the Scripture is Gods word is the Church as Chillingworth auoucheth c. 2. § 30. Doth the Church assure vs as a pause to rest our assurance on doth she teach vs that the Scrippture is Gods word is her testimonie of the Scripture infallible and may we not rest our assurance herof on the Church or is this no more but to be a key or inducement as Laude wold haue it sec 16 § 25. 8. Spalatensis l. 7. de Republ. c. 1. n. 9. doth not onely say that the Churches testimonie of the Scripture is sufficient to beleue it to be The Churâ—hâ—◠〈◊〉 stim onelie meâ—ns Gods word but also addeth that it is the onely motiue or meane to beleue it to be such To enquire which book is Canonical the Church hath that alone singular and onely Rule that the Vniuersal Church ask herself and what she in actual exercise holdeth seek and plainely know And l. contra Suarem c. 1. n. 34. I shew that nether Councels nor Popes nor Fathers nor Church can otherwise define which books be canonical which not but by the onely testimonie of the whole Church Chillingworth c. 2 n. 27. The question whether such or such a book be canonical Scripture cannot be decided affirmatiuely but onely by the testimonies of ancient Churches n. 32. by the Churches But by the Church consent we are assured what Scriptures be canonical of this controuersie we make iudge the consent and testimonie of the ancient and primitiue Church Which he repeateth n. 35. 42 And n. 114 It is vpon the authoritie of vniuersal tradition that we would haue them beleue scripture In his preface n. 28. Whatsoeuer is held necessarie by the Catholik Church of this age I verily beleue Finally they commonly grant as we shal see l 2. c. 4 sec 2. that the Scripture needeth an Interpreter euen for some necessarie points of faith And I hope they wil not say that a needful Interpreter for matters of infallible faith is fallible in interpreting them or that the Church of God is not this infallible Interpreter rather then anie A needful interpreter of infallible faith is infallible other I add also that Whitaker contr 2. q. 4. c. 2. granteth that the Church erreth not in things that are necessarie to anie men And such are more then absolutly necessarie to euerie one Laude also Relat. p. 356. The Fathers of the primitiue Church did sufficiently propose to men the diuine reuelation and did by it beget and breed vp faith Behold the testimonie or authoritie of the Church sufficeth to conuince and demonstrate that the Scripture is to be receaued becaus the Church receaueth it that the Church can assure vs that the Scripture is the word of God and that her testimonie herein is infallible is a Rule of faith nay the onely Rule or meane to
know which books be Canonical And why infallible in this and not in other points What word of God affirmeth that and denieth this Is it not plainly voluntarie to grant her to be infallible in this and not in other points of faith Is it not for to haue some pretence that Protestants are infallibly certaine that the Scripture is the word of God by testimonie of the Church and that being had to neglect her See S. Austin Cont. Epist. fundâ—m 〈◊〉 5. testimonie in other points of faith Is not this to make the infallibilitie of the Church to serue their turne as far as they haue need of it and otherwhere to leaue it For in the matter of the Scripture and other such points as they think themselues bound to beleue which are onely as they cal them the fundamental points they wil haue the Church to be infallible but in other points which they think themselues not bound to beleue they wil haue her to be fallible so that iust as far as they think themselues bound to beleue she is infallible and farther she is fallible 9. Fiftly they plainly insinuate Protestants beleue partly for the Church that they beleue the scripture to be Gods word partly for the testimonie and authoritie of the Church For thus their French Confession art 4. We acknowledg these books to be Canonical not onely for the common Protestants in Colâ—oq Rotâ—â—bâ—ess 11 Fulk 2. Tâ—essal 2. consent of the Church but also c. Laude sec 38. p. 330. I beleue the entire scripture first by the trrdition of the Church Whitaker Contr. 1. q. 3. c. 1. The summ of our opinion is that the scripture is of it self worthie to be beleued not onely becaus the Church hath so commanded Ibid. We reiect not the testimonie of the Church but denie that we beleue the scripture for her commendation alone And c. 5. We beleue them to be canonical not onely for the Churches testimonie and Authoritie but for c. The same he hath l. 1. de Scriptura p. 18. 52. Chillingworth c. 2. § 35. Protestants by the Churches consent are assured what scriptures be canonical § 155. scripture needs the attestation Scripture needs tradition of vniuersal tradition Field l. 4. c. 20. The number authors and integritie of canonical books we receaue by tradition And truely who say they beleue the Scripture not for the testimonie of the Church only doe plainly insinuate that they beleue it partly for her testimonie And as Chilling saieth c. 2. § 154. None can build an infallible faith vpon motiues that are onely lightly credible and noâ— infallible as it were a great and heauie burden vpon a foundation that hath not strenght proportionable For what is euen a partial formal cause of infallible beleef is infallible 10. Sixtly they teach that we ought to follow the Church King Iames in Praefat. Antiuors blameth Vorstius becaus he would not admit the Church to be Arbitrer of the errors obiected The Church is arbiter of controuersie to him Carleton l. de Eccles c. 1. what then wil some say Doe we see the Church in the Church I indeed doe so and after holie scripture wil ask my mother to shew herself and that the Church teach where the Church is to be sought White in defense of his waie c. 37. It is necessarie to finde and follow the teaching of the Church Whitaker l. 2. de Scrip. p. 234. I confess the Church is to be heard as a Mistress Potter sec 6. p. 66. It is verie meet that the ignorant people should submit themselues to the direction of the Church in manie profound doctrins aboue their reach sec 2. p. 28. The Church Catholik or vniuersal is confessed in some sense to be vnerring and he is little better then a pagan that despiseth her iudgmeâ—t Ibid. p. 52 Particular Churches ow to the Catholik mother of al Christians the duetie of obedience Geneuas note Prouerb 1. Frustrate not thy Mothers instruction that is the teaching of the Church Field in the Epist Dedicatorie before his books of the Church seing the Controuersies of Religion in our time are grown in number so manie and in Nature so intricate that few haue time and leasure fewer strenght of vnderstanding to examin them what remaineth for men desirous of satisfaction in things of such consequence but diligently to search out which among al the societies of men in the world is that blessed companie of holie ones that house hold of faith that Spouse of Christ and Church of the liuing God which is the pillar and ground of truth that so they may embrace her communion follow her directions and Rest in the iudgment of the Church rest in her iudgment Which words are so ful and so plain for the sufficient and safe proposal of the Church in al controuersies of faith as Chilling c. 2. n. 86. saieth They slipt vnaduisedly from him and he strained to high 11. But of al which hath in this Chapter been related out of Protestants it euidently appeareth first how manifest a truth it is that the Church of God is infallible in proposing matters of faith seing they haue so plainly and manifoldly confessed it partly directly partly indirectly though it doe quite ouerthrow their cause Secondly that if they would constantly stand to their aforesaied confessions there would be no more controuersies betwixt vs whether the true Church were the al-sufficient external proposer of al points of faith nor indeed about anie other matter of faith For Laude sect 33. p. 249. they confess in plain words that the true Church for more then a thousand yeares hath taught contrarie to their doctrin and therfore openly except against the Church after the first four or fiue hundred yeares and indeed against the Church of what time soeuer calling that in her ouersights and blemiâ—hes which in the Church of latter times they calerrors superstitions impietie Idolatries And thus hauing proued that the true Church is infallible in proposing points of faith let vs also proue that she is a necessarie proposer of them becaus this also is a necessarie condition of the Al-sufficient Proposer of matters of faith ELEVENTH CHAPTER That the true Church of God is in ordinarie course a necessarie Proposer of al points of faith proued by holie scripture 1. THAT the true Church of Christ is in ordinarie course a necessarie proposer of al points of faith so as we cannot in ordinarie course haue sauing faith of anie point vnles she propose it for diuine truth is euident out of those former places of Scripture whence we proued that she is a sufficient proposer of al points of faith For they proue not onely the sufficiencie but also the necessitie of her proposal Rom. 10. The Apostle giuing the necessarie ordinarie external cause of diuine faith giueth no other then hearing lawful preaching of the word of God saying How shal they beleue whome they haue not heard
both books alike Which Present Church authoritie made Whitaker contr 1. q. 3. c. 7. to say we may be forced by the authoritie of the Church to beleue these books to be Canonical And if forced to beleue by authoritie of the Church then the authoritie of the Church is a most effectual and sufficient cause of infallible beleif And in the same place S. Austin I would not beleue the Gospel vnles the Authoritie of the Catholik Church did moue me which clearly testifieth the necessitie of the Churches proposal and made Whitaker q. cit c. 8. to grant that it is true we should not beleue the Gospel vnles thâ— Catholik Church did propose it But S Austin saieth more If the Catholik Churches authoritie did not moue me And it is far more for Catholik authoritie to moue vs to beleue then for the Church onely to propose Men of no authoritie may propose but authoritie which moueth to beleue the Gospel and with out which we cannot beleue the Gospel must needs be necessarie and infallible authoritie For beleif of the Gospel is infallible and such must be the authoritie that so moueth vs to it as without which we cannot beleue Commonly Protestants answer that S. Austin spake these words of himself as he was an heretik But this cannot be becaus as he was an heretik he did not beleue the authoritie it self of the Catholik Church and therfore as such he could not be moued to beleue the Scripture for her authoritie For how could he be moued to beleue the Scripture for that which it self he did not beleue Secondly becaus he saieth not non credidissem as Morton tom Apol. l. 1 c. 37 falsly citeth him but non crederem which words properly are to be vnderstood of him as he was minded at that present And al a August de Doctrina l. 3 c. 10. 11. Tertul de â—arnâ— Christi c. 13 15. words are to be vnderstood according to their proprietie if the contrarie be not manifest For otherwise we should be vncertain how to vnderstand men And it is not manifest that S. Austin did not vse those his words according to their proprietie Wherfore Morton loco cit granteth that S. Austin maketh the Church the meanes by which a Catholik beleueth and the reason without which not which sufficeth for my present purpose to shew the necessitie of the Churches proposal for the meanes by which and reason without which not are necessarie Thirdly becaus afterward S. Austin addeth The authoritie of Catholiks being weakned I can no more beleue the Gospel which he spake plainly of himself as he was then a Catholik and shew that his beleef of the Gospel euen both then and for the time after depended on the authoritie of the Church I add also that though S. Austin had saied the foresaied word of himself onely as he was an heretik yet it would thence follow that the proposal and authoritie of the Church is at least necessarie to begin beleif of the Gospel howsoeuer it be not necessarie for to continue it And it cannot be saied that is is necessarie so onely as an inducement or disposition to such beleef becaus as S. b L. de vtil cred c. 11. Austin saieth That we know we owe to reason that we beleue to authoritie So that as Reason is the formal cause of our knowledg so is Authoritie the formal cause of our beleef and such cause of our beleef of the Gospel is the authoritie of the Catholik Church such not principal but subordinate to Gods authoritie Chillingworth c. 2. § 54 p. 54. p. 73. and § 97. p. 88. saieth That S. Austin by Catholik Church meanerh the Church of al ages including Christ and the Apostles But nether proueth he that nor can tel how S. Austin could be infallibly certain of the testimonie of the Church of Christ and the Apostles time but by the testimonie of the Church of his time Which if it were not infallible he could not be infallibly certain of the testimonie of the Church of Christ and the Apostles time Beside S. Austin sheweth that he meaneth of the authoritie of the present Church in saying The Catholik authoritie doth commend to me both books alike And l. 1. contra Crescon c. 33. The truth of Scripture is held when we doe what now seemeth to the whole Church Which is plainly ment of the present Church The same S. Austin as is before cited saieth l. 10. de Gen. ad literam c. 23. That baptisme of Infants were not to be beleued vnles it were an Apostolical tradition And l. 2. de baptismo c. 4. that he durst not defend the baptisme giuen by heretiks vnles he were assured by the authoritie of the Church Therfore he thought the authoritie of the Church necessarie to beleue those points of faith Vincentius l. 1. c. 2. Here possibly one may demand when the rule of Scripture is perfect and in it self more then enough sufficient vnto al things what need is there to ioine vnto it the authoritie of the Churches sense And he answereth this is becaus al men doe not take it in one sense therfore it is necessarie that the line of interpretation be directed according to the rule of Ecclesiastical and Catholik sense Behold the sense of the Church necessarie to vnderstand the Scripture rightly And the same Vincent 16. c. 41. It is necessarie that the vnderstanding of the holie Scripture be directed according to the onely rule of the Churches sense And if the vnderstanding of the Scripture must be directed according to the sense of the Church doubtles the sense of the Church is necessarie THIRTEENTH CHAPTER That the true Church of God is a necessarie proposer of al points of faith proued by reason grounded in Scripture 1. FIrst What is Gods ordinarie meanes of teaching faith is in ordinarie course necessarie to haue faith Gods ordinarie means of teaching faith is by the Church therfore his means of teaching by the Church is in ordinarie course necessarie The Maior seemeth euident by it self and the Minor is proued by those places Rom. 10. Faithis of hearing lawful preaching Ephes 4. God hath put Pastors for consummation of Saints 1. Tim. 5. The Church is the pillar and ground of truth and so euident as Whitaker l. 1. de Scrip. p. 73. saieth That the ordinarie manner by which God teacheth is by the Church I willingly grant 2. Secondly becaus nether Scripture nor reading of Scripture is a necessarie cause of engendring faith in ordinarie course Therfore the preaching of the Church is such a means For there is doubtles some ordinarie means instituted by God which in ordinarie course is necessarie and if not Scripture nor reading of Scripture surely the Church and her preaching For no other can be reasonably imagined The Antecedent I proue becaus as I saied before for manie ages before Moyses there was no Scripture at al nor for some yeares after Christ was there anie Scripture of
hearing the word of God and the ministerie of the Church is necessarie in ordinarie course for the begetting of faith P. 9. The Church ordinarie propounder of faith God hath apointed an outward ordinarie means to present and propound diuine verities to our faith and this ordinarie means we grant is the Church Is not this to grant in plain termes that the Church is the ordinarie proposer of faith apointed by God P. 10. The Church is one cause to wit inductiue or preparatiue without which men ordinarily doe not beleue P. 6. The testimonie of the present Church is the first external motiue of our faith it is the key or dore that lets men into the knowledg of diuine misteries Laude sec 16. p. 73. No man may expect inward priuat reuelation without the external means of the Church vnles perhaps the case of necessitie be excepted Hooker l. 3. § 8. we al know that the first outward motiue leading men to esteeme of the Scripture is the authoritie of Gods Church Chillingworth c. 1. p. 63. Whether such or such a book be canonical Scripture affirmatiuely cannot be decided but by the testimonie of the ancient Churches P. 52. we take the Scripture vpon vniuersal tradition P. 66. Of this controuersies which books be canonical we make the Church the Iudg The consent and testimonie of the ancient and primitiue Church P. 72. It is superfluous for you to proue out of S. Athanasius and S. Austin that we must receaue the sacred Canon vpon the credit of Gods Church vnderstanding by Church the credit of Tradition P. 96. It is vpon the authoritie of vniuersal tradition that we would haue them beleue the Scripture c. 3. § 38. p. 150. The Church is a necessarie introduction to faith Couel art 4. Doubtles it is a tolerable opinion in the Church of Rome that the Scriptures are holie and diuine in themselues but so esteemed by vs for the authoritie of the Church See Whites defense p. 251. 254. 3. Nether doe they onely confess this but also confess that the Scripture teacheth it The confession of Auspurg c. de potestate Ecclesiasticâ Eternal iustice the holie Spirit life euerlasting can not be had but by the ministerie of the word and Sacraments as Paul saieth The confession of Bohemia art 10. They grant that none can haue true faith vnles he hear the word of God according to that of Paul Faith is of hearing And againe how shal they beleue in him whome they haue not heard And the Protestants in their Conferencie in Maspurg in Hospin parte 2. Historiae Sacram fol. 77. agreed that the holie Ghost speaking of the ordinarie waie giueth Vocal word of God faith to none vnles a sermon or vocal word goe before but he worketh faith by and with the vocal word where and in whome he pleaseth Rom. 10. Caluin 4. Instit c. 1. § 5. God inspireth faith but by the Organ of his Gospel as Paul admonisheth that faith is of hearing Ibid. Vve must hold what we haue cited out of Paul that the Church is not builded otherwise then by external preaching In 1. Cor. 3. v 6. Note in this place that preaching of the word is necessarie nothing can hinder but God can infuse faith whiles we sleep if he wil without help of man but he hath decreed otherwise to wit that faith is of hearing The same he hath Hebr. 4. 1. Tim. 3. and Ephes 4. Beza in colloquio Montisbel p. 407. The ordinarie means by which faith is ordinarie cause infused is by hearing the word of God Rom. 10. wherfore these two causes are alwaies ioined to wit the Holie Ghost and hearing of the word of God Bucer in Rom. 10. The Apostle knew that God can cal al men without the ministerie of men yet he simply wrote how shal they beleue in him of whome they haue heard nothing Hyperius vpon the same place This it is That al beleue and inuocate God it is necessarie that they first heare the Gospel and be taught Daneus l. de visibili Ecclesia p. 1069. Paul saieth Faith is of hearing not of priuat reading Whitaker l. 1. de Scriptura p. 29. Vvhat thou obiectest of the Apostle how shal they beleue him whome they haue not hear doth demonstrate that preaching is necessarie to â—aue right faith of God P. 39. I am not ignorant how necessarie the ministerie of the Church is both to begett and confirme faith and if you vrge I can grant that what is beleued is beleued by the ministerie of the Church For God hath set that order in his Church that faith be of hearing and hearing of the word of God The like he hath p. 41. 100. l. 3. p. 396. Contro 1. q. 2. c. 15. Faith as the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 10. is of hearing And q. 6. c. 15. out of which place Rom. 10 it is euident that faith is conceaued by hearing And in his last sermon p. 694. It is certain that in those of yeares faith is of hearing as the Apostle teacheth White in his way § 27. p. 116. It wil be easily granted that the ministerie of the Church is the ordinarie means wherby we learn the faith of Christ and that no man of himself can attain to the knowledg therof but as the Church teacheth him Except in some extraordinarie cases the preaching therof is required is a necessarie condition as the text of S. Paul Rom. 10. speaketh See Potter sec 5. p. 9. and Dent in his plain way p. 250. 4. Out of which confessions of Protestants it is manifest 1. that the Churches proposal is necessarie to beget faith 2. that her proposal is the ordinarie means and instrument by which God produceth faith in vs 3. That without her preaching there is no faith 4. That though God can beget faith without the help of the Church yet he hath decreed not to doe it 5. That we cannot beleue the Scriptures but by the means of the Church 6. That the Scripture teacheth this which is plainly to confess both that the Churches proposal of points of faith is necessarie to haue faith of them and also that we must first know the Church before we can know the Scripture and consequently that we must know the Scripture by the Church and not Vvhitaker l. 〈◊〉 de Scrip. p. 18. 49. Chilling c. 2. n. 21. the Church by the Scripture as commonly Protestants vse to teach Let them therfore tel me what Church preached Protestant doctrin to Luther and to the first Protestants of hearing of what lawful preacher he had his Protestant faith By what Churches ministerie he learnt the Protestant sense of Scriptures or say that he had not his faith of hearing but of diuine inspiration which themselues condemn in Suencfeldius Anabaptists and Enthusiasts as is to be seen in Melancthon Respons ad articulos Bauaricos fol. 172. Schusselburg to 10. catal haeret p. 30. Kemnitius 2. parte Exam. tit de Sacram. ord p. 391.
no firme or solid foundation of my beleef in anie thing Nor likewise no firme or solid Rule 6. Fiftly they grant that the voice Cause of diuine faith authoritie or testimonie of the Church is a true cause of diuine faith Whitaker l. 1. de Scriptura p. 118. The Church is Mother of beleuers P. 121. The Church by preaching the Gospel begot vs to Christ P. 175. I denie not that the voice of the Church is an instrumental cause of beleuing l. 3. c. 441. I exclude not the testimonie of the Church from a cause of beleuing if by cause you mean an instrument P. 442. Thou tellest what kinde of instrument the Church is to wit not dumb or dead but in which is its proper motion and vertue And who denieth this or knoweth not the necessitie or vertue of this instrument Ibid. p. 425. The Church is Mistress of faith Item faith is the effect of the Churches testimonie And contr 2. q. 5. c. 19. The Church maketh faithful by preaching of the word And l. 1. de Scrip. p. 145. out of both testimonies Spirit and Church faith is in some sort inflamed and burneth Contr. 1. q. 3. c. 3. God reuealeth truth by the Church c. 11. We confess God speaketh by the God speaketh by the Church Church And generally al Protestants confess that the Church is the Mother of the faithful and a mother is a true cause of her Children And if the Church be the mother of the faithful doe beget the faithful if her voice her testimonie be an instrumental cause of diuine faith if she haue a proper vertue in producing faith if diuine faith be the effect of her testimonie and by her preaching she make faithful Surely If the effect be diuine the cause is diuine she hath a diuine power or vertue For as Whitaker confesseth l. 1. de Scripturâ p. 166. The effect surpasseth not the cause and l. 3. § 415. Such as the doctrin and religion is which we professâ— such also must the cause and authoritie of beleuing be So also Potter sec 5. p. 7. Field of the Church l. 4. c. 2 Chillingworth c. 2. n 154. c. 3. n. 33. But the effect of the Church is truly diuine to wit diuine faith Therfore also her testimonie and is truly diuine And indeed how can we diuinely and infallibly beleue for a humane and fallible testimonie How can diuine faith be the effect of a humane testimonie SIXTEENTH CHAPTER That Protestants doe diuers vvaies grant that the Authoritie or Testimonie of the Church is a formal cause of diuine faith 1. THis followeth first out of that they granted the authoritie of the Church in matters of Sâ—p c. 15. n. 2. faith to be diuine For doubtles if it be diuine it may be some formal cause of diuine faith Nay they think as is before shewed that if it be diuine it may be the vltimate formal cause of diuine faith But otherwise they grant it also For first they confess that the cause why they beleue the Scripture is the authoritie of the Church Whitaker l. 2. de Scriptura p. 320. I grant indeed that the Ratio credendâ— est propâ—er quam credimus Vvhitaker l. 3. de Scrip. p 442. 459. Scripture is to be receaued becaus 〈◊〉 is receaued of the Church P. 312. Al Christians are moued by the authoritie of the Church to beleue the Gospel Cont. 1. q. 3. c. 9. Al these Fathers what other thing doe they proue then that the Gospel is to be receaued becaus it hath alwaies been receaued of the Church and some books to be reiected becaus the Church alwaies Becaus reiected them This we most willingly grant Ibid. sec 5. p. 322. we beleue them For. to be canonical not for the onelie testimonie or authoritie of the By. Church to beleue these books to be canonical And ibid. c. 1. This way seems For. tolerable that Scripture is diuine in it self but not acknowledged for such but for the testimonie of the Church Laude Relat. sec 15. p. 57. T is not denied that this baptisme of Infants is an Apostolical Therfore tradition and therfore to be beleued Chillingworth c. 2. p. 73. we must receaue the sacred canons vpon Vpon the credit of Gods Church Ibid. we wil Becaus say with Athanasius That onely fowr Gospels are to be receaued becaus the Canons of the holie Catholik Church vnderstand of al ages since the perfection of the Canons haue so determined Ibid. p. 62. We beleue the Scripture vpon Vpon the credibilitie of vniuersal tradition And c. 3. p. 140. We haue sufficient certaintie From. of Scripture from vniuersal tradition And what can those causal particles Becaus By For Vpon From Therfore in this matter signifie but a formal cause of beleef 2. Hooker l. 2. § 4. There is some pause wheron to rest our assurance of Pause to rest assurance or the Scripture beside the Scripture and some other thing which may assure vs. And this pause wheron to rest our assurance and which can assure vs of the Scripture he saieth l. 5. § 8. is the authoritie of the Church And what is that which is a pause wheron we rest the assurance of our beleef but some formal cause of our beleef Laude Relat. sec 16. p. 119. The credit of the Scripture to be diuine Main ground hath three main grounds The first is the tradition of the Church And is not that which is a main ground of beleef some formal cause of beleef And sec 38. p. 344. we relie vpon the infallible authoritie of the word of God and Relie vpon the whole Catholik Church And is not that some formal cause of beleef vpon which we relie as we doe vpon the word of God Couel art 4. p. Doubtless it is a tolerable opinion in the Church of Rome that the Scriptures are holie and diuine in themselues but so esteemed of vs for the authoritie of the Church And is not that For. for which we esteem the Scriptures to be diuine some formal cause of our esteem of them The like hath Whitaker contr 1. q. 3. c. 1. who also l. 1. de Script p. 23. saieth That the question between him and D. Stapleton was whether we are to beleue For. the Scripture to be diuine onely for the testimonie of the Church or rather for the inward persuasion of the holie Ghost The same he saieth contr 1. q. 3. c. 1. Wherin he plainly supposeth that we are to beleue the Scripture to be diuine for the authoritie of the Church and onely denieth that we are to beleue so for it alone Which al Catholiks also denie And contr 1. q. 3. c. 3. saieth Manie beleued Christ for the testimonie of Ihon. And c. 5. p. 322. we beleue them to be canonical not onely for the authoritie of the Church Then partly for her authoritie Ibid. It followeth not that we know
not By. which books be Canonical by anie other testimonie then of the Church And c. 8. Austin indeed saieth he was held in the Church for testimonie of Catholiks and consent of Nacions But as himself saieth l. 1. de Script p. 39. To beleue for the Church and for the Churches For sheweth the reason of beleef authoritie sheweth the cause and reason of beleef The same he saieth p. 46. And Chillingworth c. 2. p. 68. To say we receaue the books of the new So doth Becaus testament commonly receaued becaus they are so were indeed to make Commonly receaued a rule or reason to know the Canon by And indeed as I saied before what other kinde of cause of beleef can these particles Becaus or For signifie but some formal cause of beleef And the same Chillingworth c. 3. p. 152. It followeth not that becaus the Churches authoritie is warrant enough for vs to beleue some Vvarrant enough for to beleue doctrin touching which the Scripture is silent therfore it is warrant enough to beleue these to which the Scripture seemes repugnant Now the doctrins which S. Austin receaued vpon the Churches authoritie were of the first sorte Which is plainly to confess that S. Austin receaued some doctrins vpon the Churches authoritie and that the Churches authoritie is warrant enough to beleue doctrins of which the Scripture is silent But authoritie which is warrant enough to beleue is a formal cause of beleef Laude also sec 16. p. 102. The key that lets men into the Scriptures euen to this The key knowledg of them That they are the word of God is the tradition of the Church And p. 107. The testimonie of the Church is a subseruient cause to lead to knowledg of the author of Scriptures And what is the key of beleef but a formal cause of beleef or what subseruient cause of beleef can testimonie be but a formal cause Hooker also l. 2. § 7. granteth that the authoritie of the Church is the key which openeth the dore into The dore the knowledg of Scripture And Poâ—ter sec 5. p. 6. The testimonie of the present Church is the key or dore which lets men into the knowledg of diuine misteries And what is the key or dore in matters of beleef but some formal cause of beleuing them For as I said before what cause of beleef can testimonie or authoritie be but formal Wherfore if not in words in effect and deed they grant the testimonie or authoritie of the Church to be a formal cause of faith Ad in vaine they denie the name when they grant the thing For August 9. de ciuit c. vel l. 2. contr Crescon c. 2. l. 2. ad Bonif. c. 5. Caluin 2. Instit c. 2 §. 7. l. 4. c. 3. truth consisteth not in words but in things 3. Secondly they often times grant that we beleue By the Church by the testimonie of the Church and By the preaching of the Church Whitaker l. 1. de Script p. 39. We beleue by the Church by the preaching of the Church Ibid. p. 46. That we cannot beleue but by the testimonie of the Church is no question betwene vs. Contr. 2. q. 3. c. 3. p. 317. Manie beleue these Scriptures by the Church Which he repeateth p. 316. and 320. where headdeth God reuealeth by the Church as by aministerial means But in matter of beleef To By testimonie and for testimonie is al one cause beleue by or for authoritie by or for testimonie is al one kinde of cause becaus Authoritie or testimonie can be no other kinde of cause of beleef but formal nor beleef can haue anie other formal cause but Authoritie or Testimonie Wherfore the Scripture often times saieth men beleued by Ihon Baptist by the Apostles by the Prophets meaning for their testimonie or authoritie And so we say we beleue by witnesses or for their testimonie Becaus when the word Bâ— is said of Authoritie or Testimonie in respect of beleef it can signifie no other cause then For doth in the same matter to wit formal Wherfore seing the causal particle By doth signifie that Authoritie or Testimonie is some kinde of cause of beleef it must needs signifie the same kinde of cause which For in that matter doth signifie as it is al one to say we know the conclusion by the premises and for the premises but yet with this difference that By more signifieth a subordinat cause of beleef then For doth and therfore it is oftener said in the Scripture men beleued by the Apostles or by the Prophets then for them Though in other matters By may signifie a different kinde of cause then For doth And that By and For in matter of beleef signifie the same cause of beleef Whitaker tacitly granteth in that he often times denieth that we beleue by the Church or by the testimonie of the Church and saieth l. 1. de Script p. 7. What then Protestantâ— denâ—e we beleue by the testimonie of the Church Stapleton Dost not thou say that we are certain by the Church that this or that Scripture is diuine This thou saiest is that which properly is in question Did I say think put or ascribe to thee or thine anie other thing when I sought the true state of the question Behold how plainly he confesseth that the true state of the question between him and Catholiks is whether we beleue the Scripture to be diuine by the testimonie of the Church though in other places he would put a great L. 1. de script p 39. 46. difference between beleuing by the testimonie and for the testimonie of the Church And ibid. in Margine To beleue by the testimonie of the Church is the plain heresie of Papists 4. Thirdly Protestants grant the Church of God is apointed by him to be witnes of his diuine truth as I shewed before c. 5. n. 6. But a witnes is by his authoritie and testimonie a formal cause of beleuing what he witnesseth and the onely end of a witnes is to cause beleef And this confesseth Caluin in Acts c. 20. v. 21. saying Testimonie is interposed to take away al doubt that is to beleue firmely And out of that which hath been shewed in this Chapter it is euident that if not in words indeed and effect Protestants doe grant that the authoritie or testimonie of the Church is a formal cause of diuine faith and as I said before to grant the thing and denie the word or name is but follie For what doe we mean when we say the Church is a formal subordinat cause of faith then what they haue saied and granted Thus haue we proued that euen by the confession of Protestants the Church of God is infallible at lest in fundamental points of faith and also diuinely infallible by Christs absolute promise and the holie Ghosts assistance and also that her authoritiein matters of faith is a formal cause of faith though subordinat to Gods
152. The word of God is perfect and easie to be vnderstood of those that desire their saluation as wel of it self as compared with it self c. 4. p. 111. S. Peter saieth not that there is anie obscuritie in the Epistles of S. Paul Brentius in his Prolegomenies contra Sotum They babble that the scripture is obscure and therfore needeth interpretation Sutclif in his Chalenge c. 3. p. 94. Papists slander the scriptures as if they were dark and hard to be vnderstood And thus they write when they exhort al men weemen and Children to read the Scripture or say that they know euerie parcel of the Scripture to be Gods words by the matter contained therin For how can they know euerie parte of the Scripture to be Gods word by the matter vnles they know the matter of euerie parte therof SECOND SECTION Sometimes denie it LVther praefat in psalmos It is Impudencie to brag of vnderstanding al Scripture most impudent rashnes to say one vnderstands anie book of scripture in al points Whitaker Contro 1. q. 4. c. 1. We neuer saied that al things in scripture are easie plain nothing obscure nothing hard to be vnderstood but we openly confess that manie places of scripture are obscure and hard Ibid. Luther was far from that madnes to say that nothing in the scriptures is hard and that it need no interpretation C. 3. p. 340. When the◠proue that there is great difficultie to vnderstand scripture they dispute not against vs. Et c. 4. p. 345. Nether did we euer say or think that al things in scripture be open Lib. 1. de Script p. 56. What man on earth canst thou finde who vnderstandeth al the Misteries of scriptures who is ignorant of nothing who can declare al See him p. 102. and 149. Potter sec 5. p. 19. How manie obscure texts of scriptures which she the Church vnderstands not Moulins of the Iudge of Controuersies c. 17. p. 281. Whosoeuer should vaunt of the vnderstanding al scripture shold vaunt of◠perfection to which the Angels are not comen as I think Chillingworth c. 3. § 25. some texts of scripture are so obscure and ambiguous that to say this and this is the certain sense of them were high presumption Morton tom High presumption 1. Apologiae l. 1. c. 19. denieth that this is the Controuersie betwixt Catholiks and Protestants Whether scripture be of it self so plain as it needeth no interpreter Plessie of the Church c. 4 p. 113. yea but yet are not there some places in Scripture plainly known to be hard Who can denie that Feild l. 4. Eccles c. 15. There is no question but there are manifold difficulties in the scripture Fulk against Heskins p. 7. who is so mad to deny but that there are diuers places both in the old and new testament which be obscure and hard to be vnderstood not onely of the ignorant but euen of the best learned Idem p. 12. And if it be impudencie and madnes for anie to say He vnderstands the Scripture in al points how can Protestants say they know the Scripture to be the word of God by the matter therof as diuers Protestants doe say who affirme that al the Scripture is infallibly known to be the word of God not by the authoritie or testimonie of the Church of God but by the matter therof THIRD CHAPTER VVhether al points necessarie to be belued be actually or expresly in scripture or no. FIRST SECTION Protestants sometimes affirme THe confession of Scotland c. 18. In which Canonical books we affirme al things to be Sufficiently expressed beleued for mans saluation are sufficiently expressed Luther in Postilla in ferias S. Stephani Nothing is to be affirmed but what is expressed in scripture Melancthon and Brentius in Hospin parte 2 Histor Sacram. fol. 107. Of Zuinglius his doctrin we cannot be certain seing of it we haue no clear and express word of God Smidelin l. contra Hosium p. 169. Faith is not faith but an vncertain opinion which doth not rely vpon some express testimonie of scripture Wigandus apud Schusselburg to 7. Catal. Heret p. 681. Onely those dogmes are to be auoched and taught Vvhose very words or equiualent are in Scripture in the Church whose verie words or equiualent are in Scripture Protestants in Conference at Ratisbone sess 10. p. 310. There cannot by the Churches testimonie anie new or peculiar dogme be deuised which afterward may be added to the other dogmes expressed in Scripture Caluin in Gratulat ad Praecentorem p. 337. Nothing is to be beleued which is not expressed in Scripture Contra Heshusium p. 844. where is the express word of God the touchstone Moulins l. contra Peron c. 45. We receaue no doctrin as necessarie to saluation vnles it be in Scripture ether in express termes or equiualent Epist Ether in express termes or equiualent 3. ad Episcopum Wintoniensem p. 183. The Principle by which our religion mainteineth it self against Papistrie is which are of diuine law are sufficiently and euidently conteined in Scripture And D Andrews answering admitteth this Principle For those things which belong to faith and manner of life Whitaker contr 1. q. 6. c. 6. we say Al things necessarie ether to faith or life are plainly and Abundantly expressed abundantly expressed in Scripture See him l. 3. de script c. 12. p. 419. Laude Relat. sec 33. p. 268. If the Popes decision be infallible legant Let them read it to vs out of the holie Scripture and we beleue it Morton in his Appeal l. 1. c. 2. sec 15. In al doctrins of faith we are to adheare precisely to the written word as vnto the sufficient and infallible rule of faith Tom. 2. Apol. l. 1. c. 46. The holie Scripture is to be held for the onely rule of faith The absolute rule of faith the total rule of the Church And c. 49 A most exact rule Tailor of Libertie of Prophesing sec 9. n. 4. In scripture al that is necessarie is plain King Iames in his speech to the Parlament An. 1603. My faith is grounded vpon the Scriptures and the express word of God Fulk in Acts c. 15. Al things necessarie to saluation are expressed in the holie Scripture Perkins contr 16. c. 2. we say that al things which belong to faith and good life and are necessarie to saluation are clearly expressed in Scripture Chillingworth in the praeface n. Clearly expressed 21. Moderate Protestants wil damne no man without express and certain warrant from Gods word See ib. n. 10. 30. 37. Item p. 18. Author Praefationis in to 5. Iesuiticae doctrinae impressae Rupellae 1596. calleth it a detestable lye That Scripture conteineth not al the misteries Explicitly of religion explicitly Vorstius Respons ad Sladum what is necessarie to be beleued is conteined word for word in Scripture Who wil see more Protestants that there is no necessarie point of faith which is not
line and In euerie line leaf of the bible proclaimes it to be the word of God The scripture by its own light shewes it self to be the word of God In his Defense p. 285. The scriptures haue in them a light and an authoritie of their own sufficient to proue themselues to be the word of God and to giue infallible assurance to al men of the true sense p. 15. I denie that the Canonical books cannot be proued to be by themselues secluding Church authoritie and tradition P. 282. The authoritie and teaching of the Church is not alway nor simply necessarie to shew al men the light of the scripture or so much as to point to it For ether by immediat light of Gods spirit or by the light of nature it may be known to be Gods word And p. 277. he saieth that assurance of By light of nature the true sense of the Scripture is very By onelie â—eading ordinarily had without al motion of the Church whatsoeuer by onely reading See him c. 20. p. 169. Field Appendice parte 2. p. 14. It Euident by itself is euident in it self that God speaketh in the scripture and reuealeth those things which we beleue which is that which we say Bel in his Downfal of Poperie art 7. p. 135. The scriptures Canonical are discerned from not Canonical euen of themselues like as light is discerned from darknes Protestants in Colloq Ratisbon Thesi 1. p. 19. Credit is to be giuen to the scripture for it self and sess 10 p. 314. The authoritie of the Gospel of Mathew is gathered out of the scripture it self Chillingworth c. 4. § 53. The doctrin it self is very fit and worthie to be thought to come from God SECOND SECTION Protestants sometimes denie it HOoker Couel Laude White Chillingworth and others related in the former Chapter sec 2. who denie that Scripture can be sufciently known by it self denie that it sufficiently sheweth or proueth it self And the said Laude Relat. sec 16. p. 8â— We doe not say that there is such a light in Scripture as that euerie man vpon the first sight must yeeld to it Ibid. p. 70. No created thing alone can giue No created thing can giue witnes to it self witnes to it self and make it euident nor one parte testifie for an other and satisfie where Reason wil but offer to contest sec 38. n. 6. We beleue Scripture to No particular text for proof of Scripture be Scripture and by diuine and in fallible faith too and yet we can shew no particuler text for it Feild in Appendice part 2. p. 21. Tradition of the Church necessarie The tradition of the Church is a necessarie means wherby the books of Scripture may be deliuered vnto vs and made known Potter sec 5. p. 8. That Scripture is of diuine authoritie the Beleuer sees by Found by help of the Church that glorious beam of diuine light which shines in the Scripture though found by the help and direction of the Church without and of grace within Chillingworth c. 2. § 46. p. 69. That the Diuinitie of a writing cannot No wiseman saieth be known from it self alone but by some extrinsecal authoritie you need not proue for no wise man denies it Ibid. § 3. p. 53. The controuersie wherin the Not but by natural reason Scripture is the subiect of the question cannot be determined but by natural reason § 8. p. 55. It can neuer be proued by Scripture to a gainsayer that the book called Scripture is the word of God So also § 27. p. 63. § 29. p. 64. sec 52. p. 72. Ibid. § 155. p. 114. A written A written rule needeth some thing els rule must alwaies need something els which is ether euidently true or euidently credible to giue attestation to it And the same mean al other Protestants cited before l. 1. c. 14. who say That the attestation of the Church is necessarie for to know the Scripture to be the word of God and that the Church is as it were the key or dore to enter into the knowledg of the Scripture For how should the Churches attestatioÌ„ be necessarie to know the Scripture to be the word of God if it can be known to be such by itself SEAVENTH CHAPTER VVhether Scripture be the true Iudge of Controuersies of faith FIRST SECTION Protestants sometimes affirme WHitaker Contr. 1. q. 5. c. 7. The second argument wher with the Iesuit proueth that Scripture cannot be Iudge and Interpreter of Scripture is this becaus in euerie wel ordered common wealth the Iudge and law are different wherfore seing scripture is the law it can be no way Iudge And he answereth The Scripture iudg Interpreter andrule diuine law is the iudgment the Iudge the Interpreter and the rule And c. 8. The Chief Iudge of Controuersies must haue these three First that we certainly know that his sentence is true and that we ought to submit to it Secondly that there is no appealing from his sentence Thirdly that he be not partial And al these hath the scripture and the Holie Ghost speaking in scripture Contro Supreme iudge 2. q. 5. c. 5. In al Controuersies we appeal to the scripture as to the supreme Iudge l. 2. contra Dureum sec 41. Austin wold haue the scripture to be witnes I make it Iudge l. 3. de Scriptura p. 409. I wil haue the scripture alone and the Holie Ghost speaking in scripture the Iudge of al doctrines Zuinglius in Disp 1. to 2. fol. 625. No iudg but Scripture I wil admit no other Iudge beside the Scriptures Confessio Heluetica c. 2. We suffer no other Iudge in matter of faith but God himself pronouncing by the Scriptures what is true what fals Dauenant de Iudice Controuersiarum c. 2. p. 65. We must need admit the Scripture for Iudge and also for Rule of Iudging Laude sec 26. p. 194. To settle Controuersies in the Church there is a visible Iudge and Infallible but not liuing And that is the Scripture And sec 25. p. 157. he saieth The Scripture is the Iudge Item sec 39. p. 386. Morton to 2. Apol. l. 5. c. 1. Scripture is the Supreme and infallible iudge of the Church to the learned in obscure matters and to the vnlearned in clear And c. 13. Then you acknowledg it Scripture to be the publik iudge God keep youin this minde Ibid. The Fathers in al difficulties against Heretiks appealed to the scripture as to the supreme iudge See him l. 2. c. 1. and his Appeal l. 3. c. 15. sec 5. White in his way p. 14. The scripture onely is the iudge and Rule of faith See Melancthon in locis c. de Ecclesiâ SECOND SECTION Sometimes denie it PRotestants in Colloq Ratisbon sess 1. p. 38. It is one thing to shew the Iudge an other to shew Iudg and Rule different the Rule So the Rule is not Iudge
Chillingworth c. 2. § 3. p. 53. scriptures being the sole Iudge of Controuersies that is the sole Rule for man to Iudge them by For wee mean nothing els § 11. p. 57. To speak properly as Not properly a Iudge men shold speak when they write of Controuersies in religion the scripture is not a Iudge of Controuersies but a Rule onely and the onely Rule for Christians to iudge them by Ibid. § 10. We denie not but a Iudge and a law might wel stand together but we denie that No iudge apointed by God there is anie such Iudge of Gods apointment § 12. Which conclusion that though the Scripture may be a Rule it cannot be a Iudge I haue already granted § 23. There is not anie publikly authorized Iudge to determin Controuersies in religion nor anie necessitie there should be anie The same he hath § 85. And § 104. speaking Scripture cannot be a Iudge truly and properly The scripture is not a Iudge nor cannot be hut onely a sufficient Rule for those to Iudge by who beleue it to be the word of God § 155. This assertion That scripture alone is Iudge of al Controuersies in faith if it be taken properly is nether a fundamental nor an vnfundamental point of faith nor no point of faith at al but a plain falshood It is not a Iudge of Controuersies but a Rule to iudge them by Potter sec 2. p. 32. The Scripture is Iudge or rather Rule of Controuersies Whitaker Contro 1. q. 1. c. 2. The Scripture is the same in the Church which the law is in the common wealth Moulins de Iudice Contro c. 13. If our aduersaries think not that the title of Iudge ought to be giuen to the Scripture at least they shold not deny it title of Rule and this is that which we require namely that our faith be ruled by onely Gods word But nether wold this content them vnles Gods word be expounded as they would haue it which were to make themselues the rule of iudging EIGHTH CHAPTER VVhether Scripture be to beleued to be Gods vvord vvith diuine and infallible assurance FIRST SECTION Protestants sometimes affirme LAude Relat. sec 16. p. 72. suppose it aggreed vpon that there must be a diuine faith cui subesse non potest Scripture must be known with diuine faith falsum vnder which can rest no possible error That the books of scripture are the written word of God Ibid. p. 66. This is agreed on by me that scripture must be known to be scripture by a sufficient infallible diuine pro of See him p. 64. and p. 75. After a man once beleue his faith growes stronger then ether his reason or his knowledg p. 86. Beleif is firmer then anie knowledg can be becaus it rests vpon diuine authoritie which cannot deceaue See ibid. p. 105. and p. 114. 115. Likewise sec 33. p. 227. Moral certaintie is not Moral certaintie not sufficient strong enough in points of faith See him sec 19. p. 125. sec 16. cit p. 74. Reason without grace cannot see the way to heauen nor beleue this book Reason not sufficient in which God hath written the way Potter sec 5. p. 2. Faith is saied to be diuine and supernatural First in regard of the Author or efficient cause of the habit and act of diuine infused faith which is the special grace of God Secondly in regard of the obiect as things beleued which are aboue the reach of mere nature or reason Thirdly in regard of the formal reason or principal ground on which faith chiefly relyeth and into which it is finally resolued which is diuine Reuelation or authoritie of God If it faile in anie of these it is no diuine or supernatural faith P. 7. The assent of diuine faith is absolutly diuine which Faith is absolutly diuine requires an obiect and motiue so infallibly true as that it nether hath nor can possibly admit anie mixture of error or falshood p. 10. supernatural faith must be absolutly vndoubted and certain Sec. 6. p. 59. The assent of faith is more certain if it be possible then that of sense or science or demonstration becaus it rests on diuine authoritie which cannot possibly deceaue Sec. 5. cit p. 40. diuine faith must haue a diuine foundation that can not deceaue Caluin 1. Instit c. 7. § 5. Lightned by his vertue we beleue not by our own or other mens iudgment that the scripture is from God but aboue humane iudgment we resolue most assuredly euen as if we saw God there that it came from Gods own mouth by the ministerie of men See him ibid. § 4. and c. 6. § 2. And both he 3. Instit c. 2. § 6. 7. 16. in Cathechismo c. de fide Beza in Confes c. 4. sec 5. Luther in psalm 14. to 3. define faith to be Faith most certain and infallible A most certain assurance and Fulk in Rom. 8. Nota 9. to be an Infallible assurance White in his Way p. 2. Faith must be infallible or certain that is free from error and such as cannot deceau◠vs. P. 10. Our faith must be withful assurance and perswasion SECOND SECTION Sometimes they denie CHillingworth c. 1. § 8. p. 36. Of this hypothesis That al the articles of our faith were reuealed by God we cannot ordinarily haue anie rational and acquired certaintie more then moral But moral certaintie C. 2. § 3. p. 53 The controuersie wherin the scripture it self is the subiect of the question cannot be determined but by natural reason Ibid. § 32. p. 65. Natural reason built on principles common to Reason last resolution of Protest faith al men is the last resolution into which the Churches authoritie is but the first inducement Item § 24. p. 62. I know no other natural and rational means to be assured herof of the incorruption of Scripture then I haue of anie other books incorrupted For though I haue a greater degree of rational and humane Humane assurance assurance of that then this in regard of diuers considerations which make it more credible That the Scripture hath been preserued from anie material alteration yet my assurance of both is of the same Moral assurance kinde and condition both moral assurances and nether physical or mathematical Scripture no materia obiect of faith Ibid. § 32. p. 65. The Scripture is none of the material obiects of our faith but onely the means of conueying them vnto vs. § 35. p. 66. Of this controuersie which books be Canonical wemake the Church the Iudge but not the present Church but the consent and testimonie of the ancient and primitiue Church which though it be but a highly probable inducement and no demonstratiue enforcement yet me thinks you should not denie but it may be a sufficient Probabilitie a sufficient ground of Protest faith ground of faith Ibid. § 152. p. 112. The priuiledg of not being in possibilitie of erring
they denie the Vulgar latin to be authentical becaus it is a Translation For as Whitaker c. 8. cit sayeth An Interpreter translateth authentical Scripture but maketh not his Translation authentical Scripture See Morton to 2. Apol. l. 1. c. 14. p. 71. White in his Way p. 23. The conclusion Translation not a Rule That the English translation is not the Rule may be granted P. 1â— Al translations be to be tried by the original Hebrew and Greek And a Rule is not to be ruled it self Morton in Whites Defense c. 28. p. 259. What English Protestant euer No infallible affirmed that our Translations were infallible or took them for the Rule Tailor in his libertie of prophesing sec 4. n. 7. Is there anie man that hath translated perfectly or expounded Nor authentik infallibly No translation challengeth such a praerogatiue as to be authentik but the vulgar latin Pareus Colleg. Theol. 2. D. 1. We say that onely the Hebrew edition of the old testament and the Greek of the New is authentical Sic etiam Collegio 1. D. 14. Moulins of the Iudge of Contro part 2. c. 6. p. 378. Common sense telleth that translations are not to be receaued but as far as they are agreable to the originals TENTH CHAPTER VVhether the Scripture be to be beleued to be the vvord of God onely for the testimonie of the Church FIRST SECTION Protestants sometimes affirme SPalatensis l. 7. de Repub. c. 1. n. 9. To enquire which books are Canonical The Church hath that alone singular and onely rule that the Vniuersal Church ask herself and what she in actual exercise holdeth seek and plainly know And l. contra Suarem c. 1. n. 34. I shew that nether Councels nor Popes nor Fathers nor Church can otherwise define which books be Canonical which not but by the onely testimonie of the whole Church Chillingworth c. 2. n. 7. The question Onely by the Church whether such or such a book be Canonical Scripture cannot be decided affirmatiuely but onely by the testimonie of the ancient Church The like he hath n. 35. 42. And ibid. n. 1â—4 It is vpon the authoritie of vniuersal tradition that we would haue them beleue the Scripture See him supra c. 8. sect 2. And c. 1. n. 7. I grant that Christ hath founded a visible Church stored with al help necessarie to saluation particularly with sufficient meanes to beget and conserue faith to mantein vnitie and compose schismes to discouer and condemn heresies and to determin al controuersies in religion which were necessarie to be determined I grant that this means to decide controuersies in faith and religion must be endued with an vniuersal infallibilitie in whatsoeuer it propoundeth for a diuine truth C. 2. n. 3. It is superfluous for you to proue out of S. Athanasius and S. Austin that we must receaue the sacred Canon vpon the credit of Gods Church vnderstanding by Church the credit of tradition We wil say with Athanasius that onely four Gospels are to be receaued becaus the Canons of the holie and Catholik Church vnderstand of al ages since the perfection of the Canon haue so determined Whitaker l. 1. de script p. 46. We cannot beleue but by the testimonie of the Church as by the ordinarie means SECOND SECTION Protestants sometimes denie it LAude in his Relation sec 16. n. 1. p. 60 The tradition of the Church taken and considered alone is Tradition of the Church not sufficient so far from being the onelie that it can not be a sufficient proof to beleue by diuine faith that Scripture is the word of God n. 19. p. 80. The Tradition of the present Church is too weak becaus it is not absolutly diuine Ibid. 25 p. 88. If Scripture hath an other proof nay manie other Scripture can approue â—t self proofs to vsher it and lead it in then no question it can proue and approue it self Potter sec 5. p. 6. The testimonie of present Church though it be not the last resolution of our faith yet it is the first external motiue to it It is the key or dore which lets men into the knowledg of diuine misteries But the faith of a Christian finds not in al Not â—nie sure ground this anie sure ground wheron finally to rest or setle itself til it arise to greater assurance then the present Church alone can giue The same must al Protestants say who ether teach that the testimonie of the Church is fallible or that the Scripture hath a sufficient light to shew it self to be Gods word Humfrey ad Rat. 3. Campiani p. 210. We say that an argument taken from the authoritie of the Church simply Churches authoritie litle worth in our Academic is little worth effecteth nothing p. 212. No firme firme and irrefragable argument can be taken from the Church militant Brefly no argument firme and solid is taken from aniâ— Church vnles it be the Apostolik Whitaker Controu 1. q. 3. c. 3. Scripture known without the Church Without the Churches iudgment it may be known to be Christs voice and true Scripture Cont. 2. q. 5. c. 18. It is most fals that we cannot beleue this to be true Scripture but by the testimonie of the Church l. 2. de Script p. 280. who is led with the proper testimonie of the Church doth follow but humane testimonie And ibid. saieth it is mere humane l. 1. p. 112. The voice of the maisters of the Church may be publik but Pastors authoritie of no moment their authoritie is but priuat that is of no moment l. 1. de Scriptura p. 16. An argument which is taken from the bare testimonie of the Church for to confirme the Scriptures or anie parcel therof I say is vnualid vneffectual vnfit to perswade l. 2. p. 235. â—he Church hath Hath no authoritie in matters of faith no authoritie in matters of faith l. 3. p. 345. The iudgment of the Church considered by itself is mere humane Caluin in Act. 15. v. 28. Fond Papists think there is some authoritie in the Church ELEVENTH CHAPTER VVhether Scripture be the formal cause of Protestants beleuing vvhatsoeuer they belleue as of faith FIRST SECTION Protestants sometimes affirme 1. WHitaker l. 1. de Scriptura c. 5. sec vlt. p. 58. Whatsoeuer we beleue Vvhatsoeuer they beleue is foâ— Scripture we beleue for the scripture which is the external cause of faith I mantein that in kinde of external cause we beleue not for the testimonie of the Church but for the authoritie and testimonie of the scripture it self which alone in the ministerie of the Church is the external principal cause of faith For faith riseth not of the testimonie it self of the Church but onely of the authoritie and diuinitie of the scripture And p. Onely for Scripture 69. Not for the authoritie of the Church by which we are taught but for the authoritie of the scripture it self we acknowledg the scripture
of the Church to be necessarie for to beleue it For faith is said to be of hearing of the word of God lawfully preached The Church is called the pillar and ground of truth she is accounted Gods witnes her voice Christs voice her Pastors are accounted Gods Legats and apointed by God to keep men constant in faith Al which doe shew not onely that the Churches preaching is necessarie to beleue but that also her authoritie or testimonie is necessarie And al authoritie or testimonie is a formal cause of beleif becaus That we beleue Chilling c. 1. n. 7. we ow to authoritie And Protestants define faith to be an assent to diuine Reuelations vpon the authoritie of the Reuealer And doubtles à Reuealer is a liuing and intellectual person not a dead letter Whitaker also as I before cited Authoritie is the foundation of faith â—aith relieth vpon authoritie Herevpon S. Austin l. contra Epist Fundam c. 4. and 5. professeth that authoritie held him in the Catholik Church That Christ by miracles got authoritie and by Authoritie deserued beleef That religion can no way be rightly gotten but by authoritie And otherwhere De vtil cred c. 17. Epist 5. 6. that in the Church is the height the top the castle of authoritie and that her authoritie is most firme And l. 2. contra Crescon c. 32. I receaue not what Cyprian held of baptizing heretiks becaus the Church doth not receaue it l. 2. de Doctrin Christiana c. 8. The books of wisdom and Ecclesiasticus are to be accounted Prophetical becaus they haue been admitted into authoritie l. contra Epist Fund c. 5. Which books of the Acts I must needs beleue if I beleue the Gospel becaus both Books Catholiks authoritie doth alike commend vnto me In which places he plainly maketh the authoritie of the Catholik Church a sufficient external cause of his beleif or not beleif 9. Reason also sheweth the same For if God would haue vs to beleue his misteries it is most likelie he would apoint on earth some external authoritie subordinat to his supreme authoritie for which we should beleue them Whervpon S. Austin l. de vtilit Credendi c. 16. saied If God haue Prouidence of mankinde we ought not to despaire but that he hath apointed some authoritie on which we relying as on a sure step may mount to God And this authoritie he saieth is the authoritie of the Church But the authoritie on which we relie is doubtles some formal cause of our beleif Protestants also sometimes confess the same For thus Chillingworth c. 2. Scripture beleued for the Churches authoritie p. 96. It is vpon the authoritie of vniuersal tradition that we would haue them beleue Scripture The same he hath p. 69. Whitaker Contro 1. q. 3. c. 7. We are forced by the Churches Forced to beleue authoritie to beleue these books to be Canonical And if her authoritie can force vs to beleue it is a sufficient cause of beleef And l. 1. de Script p. 15. We may be forced by the authoritie of the Church to acknowledg the Scripture P. 72. The Church is Mistres and Guide of our faith P. 87. I am à Disciple of the Church I acknowledg her my Mother P. 46. We cannot beleue but by the testimonie of the Church as by the ordinarie meanes P. 62. We are led to beleue first by the authoritie of the Church P. 68. I most willingly grant the external iudgment of the Church to be the help and means ordained by God and necessarie for vs to engender nourish and confirme faith And l. 2. p. 234. The Authoritie of the Church is a certain introduction to beleue P. 289. Catholik authoritie commending both books Austin was necessarily induced to beleue both books The same we must doe For what book soeuer such authoritie shal commend to vs we must needs beleue it P. 320. I grant the Scripture is to be receaued becaus it is receaued of the Church Contr. 1. q. 3. c. 2. The Church is a witnes of holie writ C. 5. By tradition Tradition conuâ—nceth and authoritie of the Church it may be conuinced which books be Canonical C. 9. what other doe al those Fathers proue then that Scripture is to be receaued becaus it was alwaies receaued of the Church And doth not Becaus giue a cause of beleif And Hooker Laude Potter cited l. 1. c. 14. grant that the testimonie of the present Church is the key or dore that lets men into the Scripture Laude Relat sec 16. p. 102. euen to this knowledg of them that they are the word of God And Spalatensis and Chillingworth c. 10. libri primi add that such a book cannot be known to be Canonical Scripture but by the testimonie of the Church But authoritie testimonie iudgment are formal causes of beleif And if Protestants doe think that the authoritie Sâ—p l. 1. c. 14. of the Church is no formal cause of faith why should they teach that the Churches preaching is necessarie to faith and that the preaching teaching or proposing by priuat men would not suffice For priuat men may propose al the Church proposeth onely they cannot propose anie thing with such authoritie 10. And hence appeareth euidently that the true Church and her authoritie must alwaies in ordinarie course be beleued before Scripture becaus her authoritie is the formal external cause of the beleif of the Scripture And also that falsly wrote Whitaker l. 2. de Scrip. p. 235. The Church hath no authoritie in matters of faith Ibid. p. 228. The testimonie of the Church is no cause of faith And l. p. 122. The So Laude Relat. sec 1. p. 117. Taude sec 16. p. 106. Scripture is now the onely sufficient meaÌ„s to beleue And Contr. 2. q. 5. c. 18. Faith doth not depend vpon the authoritie of the Church And ibid. c. 20. The Scripture is more manifest then the Church And Chillingworth c. 2. p. 57. we say euerie man is to chuse his religion first and then his Church For beside what we haue proued Whitaker himself hath granted That the authoritie of the Church is an introduction to faith That we are first led to beleue by her authoritie and that her So laude sec 16. p. 89. Hooker l. 2. §. 7. Potter sect 5. testimonie is the ordinarie and necessarie means to engender faith That her authoritie causeth faith and therfore her authoritie must first of al be beleued becaus it is an introduction à first leader à necessarie means to ingender faith or as others say the key or dore to faith 1â— And out of that which hath been said in this Chapter is easily solued that question why is tradition Vvhy Traditionerodible of it self aâ—d not Scripture of itself Credible and not Scripture I answer That if we speak of tradition materially that is of the doctrin which we haue by tradition that is no more credible of itself then is the doctrin which we
Preacher nor is in ordinarie course necessarie to engender diuine faith as we shal clearly proue hereafter neuertheless becaus the letter of Scripture is a Proposal of points of faith though we cannot properly enquire whither Scripture propose al points of faith becaus that is the parte of a Proposer yet we may wel enquire whether in Scripture or by Scripture al points of faith which are anie wayes necessarie te be beleued of anie kinde of men be sufficiently proposed as Protestants commonly affirme and Catholiks euer deny So that whether the letter of Scripture be a Proposal of points of faith or a Proposer of them we may enquire whether by Scripture al such necessarie points be sufficiently proposed or no. Yet before we enquire this we wil shew the vncertaintie of Protestants touching al things belonging to Scripture that euen therby it may clearly appeare that howsoeuer they say that the Scripture is the Iudge the entire Rule or Al-sufficient Proposer of al matter of faith they can indeed think nothing less FIRST CHAPTER VVhether S. Iames Epistle be Canonical Scripture and Gods vvord or no FIRST SECTION Protestants sometimes affirme CALVIN in praefat in epistolam â—acobi I doe willingly without controuersie embrace it Epistle of S. Iames becaus I finde no sufficient cause to reiect it Whitaker ad Rationem 1. Campiani We receaue it and number it among the Canonical books For whatsoeuer Luther or anie other thought of it yet our Churches doe willingly embrace it Contro 1. q. 1. c. 16. our Church receaueth al and onely those books of the New testament which the Councel of Trent receaued If Luther and others who follow Luther otherwise thought or wrote of some books of the New testament as the Epistles of Iames and Iude let them answer for themselues Nether need we cite anie more becaus both the French English and Holland Confessions account S. Iames Epistle Canonical SECOND SECTION Protestants sometimes denie LVther in c. 22. Genes to 6. fol. 282. Iames concludeth il It Luther said S. Iames dâ—ated followes not as Iames doateth Therfore the fruits doe iustifie Let therfore our aduersaries be packing with their Iames And praefat in Epistol Iacobi I doe not think this was written of anie Apostle for this cause For it is directly against S. Paul and al other Scripture it attributeth Iustification to works Melancthon de sacris Concionibus to 2. fol. 23. If it cannot be mitigated with some exposition as that of Iames you see c. such simply are not to be receaued Magdeburgians Cent. 1. c. 4. The Epist of Iames doth not a little stray S. Iames ascribeth iustification to workes from the Apostolical doctrin whiles it adscribeth iustification to works and not to faith alone And Cent. 2. c. 4. The Epistle of Iames adscribeth iustice to works against S. Paul and al other Scriptures Pomeranus the first Protestant Pastor of Wittenberg in c. 4. Epist S. Iames erreth ad Rom. By this place thou maiest espie the error of the Epistle of Iames in Iâ—â—erreth ridiculously which thou seest a wicked argument beside that he ridiculously inferreth he citeth Scripture against Scripture which the Spirit cannot suffer Wherfore it cannot be numbred among the books which preach iustice Confessio Heluetica c. 15. The same he S. Iames saied not contradicting the Apostle otherwise he were to be reiected Which they would neuer say if they were assured that it were Gods word For I suppose they would not reiect Gods word in anie caâ—e Musculus in locis Tit. de Iustificatione they obiect to vs the places of Iames. But whosoeuer he was though â—e taught differently from Paul he could not preiudice truth And he addeth Impertiâ—ently That he impertinently bringeth in the example of Abraham that he abuseth the word Faith and setteth down a sentence different from Apostolical doctrin And Tit. de Scripturis plainly aâ—uocheth that he holdeth it not for Authentical Hence it is euident that Protestants agree not about their Canon or Rule of their faith For Lutherans reiect S. Iames Epistle as also diuers others which Caluinists account parte of the Rule of their faith and parte of Gods word Euident also that Caluinists must iudge their brothers Lutherans to haue a most desperate cause For as Whitaker writeth Respon ad Rat. 1. Campiani who cannot defend their religion vnles they laie violent hands vpon the Scripture and break the sacred authoritie of diuine books they must needs haue a naughtie and desperate cause But so doe al Protestants who denie S. Iames Epist Morton to 2. Apol. l. 1. c. 1. Al corruption of Gods word deserueth Gods thunderbolt And the same Whitaker l. 2. de Script p. 218. It is most of al necessarie that the Sic etiam cont 1. q. 3. c. 3. A certain Canon most necessarie certain Canon of Scriptures be vndoubted among Christians But so it is among Protestants For they are not agreed about the certain Canon of Scriptures And yet as Laude saieth sec 38. n. 8. What scripture is Canonical is a great point of faith Sec. 3. n. 12. If she the Church at this day reckons vpmore books within the Canon then heretofore she did then she is changed in a main point of faith the Canon of scripture And Hooker l. 1. § 14. Of things necessarie the very chiefest is to know what books we are bound to esteeme holie See infra c. 15. n. 7. SECOND CHAPTER VVhether al things that are in Scripture be plain and easie to be vnderstood or no FIRST SECTION Protestants sometimes affirme LVther de seruo arbitrio to 2. fol. 426. It is published by the wicked Sophisters that some things in Scripture are hard and that al are not open Ibid. fol. 440. I say of al the No parte of Scripture obscure Scripture I wil not haue anie part of it to be saied obscure In psal 37. to 3. fol. 10. If anie of their Papists number appeal and say we need the exposition of Fathers the Scriptures are obscure Thou shalt answer that this is fals No book in al the world is more clearly written then the Scripture which if it be compared with al other books is like to the sun before al other light Whervpon said Tailor in his Epistle dedicat of his libertie of Prophesing p. 47. so confident Luther sometimes was as he said he could expound al Scripture Gerlachius to 1. Disp 1. p. 9. We say al the Scripture is so clear as it Al scripture clear needeth no interpretation at al. Zanchius de Scriptura to 8. col 408. How can the Scripture be called obscure in anie parte of it Et col 409. If the Scripture be not obscure in anie parte as we shewed before much less in In euerie parte those things which are necessarie to Saluation Whitaker contro 1. q. 4. p. 341. Al the Scripture The whole Scripture is plain and clear Plessie of the Church c. 5. p.
p. 376. and c. 14. p. 399. Contro The onelie sufficient means 2. q. 5. c. 6. 9. Chillingworth c. 2. n. 3. scriptures be the sole Iudge of Controuersies that is the sole rule for man to iudg them Sole Rule by And he inscribeth that Chapter thus scripture the onely rule wherby to iudg of Controuersies Where § 32. he saieth I cannot know anie doctrin to be a diuine and supernatural truth or a part of Christianitie but onely becaus the scripture saies so And where saieth the Scripture that it self is the word of God Who wil see more Protestants may read Zuinglius in Hospin part 2. Histor fol. 23. Bernenses ibid. fol. 52. Beza Apol. contra Sanitem p. 289. and in Colloq Montisbel p. 10. Whitaker l. 1 de Script p. 146. l. 3. p. 483. l. 9. contra Dureum sec 64. Morton to 2. Apologiae l. 1. c. 45. 46. 47. 49. l. 5. c. 12. he saieth Matters of faith must relie onely on the light of the letters of faith Martyr in Disput Oxon p. 143. and Pareus Colleg. Theol. 3. disp 2. affirme that Scripture is the onely Onelie external infallible means external infallible means to get faith and as necessarie to the saluation of the Church as meat to life as also Pareus before said and Whitaker also White in his Defense p. 69. The whole rule of the Churches iudgment Vvhole Rule is onely scripture onely scripture onely scripture and nothing but scripture SECOND SECTION Protestants sometimes denie it PRotestants doe diuers waies denie Scripture to be the sole or entire rule of faith First in formal termes For thus Chillinhworth c. 2. n. 8. p. 55. when Protestants affirme against Papists that the scripture is a perfect rule of faith their meaning is not that by scripture al things absolutly may be proued which are to be beleued For it can neuer be proued by scripture to Not al things absolutely a Gainsayer that there is a God or that the Book called the scripture is the word of God Ibid. n. 155. p. 114. scripture is not a Iudge of Controuersies but a Rule to iudge them by and that not an absolutly perfect Rule but as perfect Not an absolutey perfect Rule as a written Rule can be which must alwaies need something els which is ether euidently true oreuidently credible to giue attestation to it See also n. 156. Feild l 4. de Eccles c. 15. we doe not so make the scripture the Rule of our faith but that other things in their kinde are Rules likewise in such sort as it is not safe without respect had vnto Not safe by Sctipture alâ—ne them to iudg of things by Scripture alone Hooker l. 1 § 14. Albeit scripture doe profess to contein in it al things which are necessarie to saluation yet the meaning cannot be simply of al things Not simply al things necessarie which are necessarie Secondly they confess that Scripture is no sufficient Rule to beleue that it self is the word of God or who are Schismatiks Hooker l. 2. § 4. It is not the word of God which Scripture can not assure vs that it iâ— the word of God doth or possibly can assure vs that it is the word of God By what then are you infallibly assured Is it by the word of man Laude Relat. sec 16. p. 70. There is no place in scripture which tels vs that such books conteining such and particulars No place in Scâ—iptuâ—e are the Canon and infallible wil and word of God And p. 69. That scripture should be fully and sufficiently known as by diuine and infallible testimonie lumine proprio by resplendencie of that light which it hath in it self onely and by the witnes that it can so giue to it self I could neuer yet see cause to allow P. 80. The light which is in Scripture itself is not bright enough it cannot beare sufficient witnes to itself P. 88. Where he Hooker speaks so Can not bear witnes to it self sensibly that Scripture cannot beare witnes to it self nor one parte of it to an other that is grounded vpon nature which admits no created thing to be witnes to it self and is acknowledged by our Sauior Sec. 25. n. 6. The Iudge shal be the Scripture and the Primitiue Church Primitiue Church iudge Chillingworth c. 2. n. 11. p. 52. Scripture we say is the rule to iudge controuersies by yet not al simply but al the controuersies of Christians of those that are already agreed vpon this first Not al controuersies by Scripture principle That the Scripture is the word of God n. 27. When Scripture is affirmed to be the rule by which al controuersies of religion are to be decided those are to be excepted out of this generalitie which concern the Scripture it self Ibid. Your Negatiue Conclusion That these questions Not controuersies â—bâ—ut Scripture it self touching Scripture are not decidable by Scripture you needed not haue cited anie reason to proue it it is euident by itself Which he often repeateth as n. 29. 46. 52. 156. And n. 27. The question whether scuh or such a book be Onely by the Church Canonical scripture affirmatiuely cannot be decided but onely by the testimonie of the ancient Churches And n. 35. you demand whether that by the Churches Assured by the Church consent they are assured what scriptures are Canonical I answer yes they are so And wheras you infer from Church iudge of the Scripture hence This is to make the Church Iudge I haue told you already that of this controuersie we make the Church Iudge Feild l. 4 de Eccles c. 7. To him that doubteth of both old andnew Testament we must not alleadg the authoritie of ether of these but some other thing Morton to 2. Apol. l. 5. c. 14. It is that which we wold haue That Scripture is to be accounted Iudge of those who beleue the scripture Which is plainly to confess that it is not Iudge of al. And Ibid. c. 10. We account not scripture the onely but the supreme Interpreter Not onely Scripture And c. 57. Protestants doe not so make the scripture the supreme Iudge of Controuersies as therfore they refuse the iudgment of Councels And l. 3. de Missa c. 3. The Iudgment of sense in Sense a ground of Protest fâ—ith sensible obiects is a notable ground of faith Whitaker Contro 1. q. 5. c. 6. He leeseth his labor who out of scripture disputeth against those that denie the scripture Against such we must dispute out of the testimonie of the Church or vse other arguments l. 1. de Script p. 92. The Creed of the Apostles is the rule of faith Creed is the rule Plessie of the Church c. 3. The question with the Donatists was more for matter of fact then of right as who had first failed in Charitie offended the Schisme not decided by Scripture Communion opened the gate
honor and reuerence as the Queen and plainly Goddess of traditions And l. 1. c 36. relateth the foresaid words of Brentius and alloweth them Feild of the Church l 4. c. 20. Though we reiect the vncertain and vain traditions of the Papists yet we receaue the number and names of the Authors of books diuine and Canonical as deliuered by tradition The number authors and integritie of the partes of these books of Scripture we receaue as deliuered by Integritie of Scripture beleued by Tradition tradition Bel in his Downfal art 7. p 134. We receaue this tradition that the Scripture is the word of God p. 135. And so this tradition is not excepted but virtually included in our affirmation Moulins of Traditions c. 3. and 2◠we reiect not al traditions for Scripture itself is a tradition Carleton in Consensu de Scriptura c. 9. I wil say freely what I think I think there are some Apostolical traditions euer conserued and to be conserued iu the Church For Austin said not in vain what the whole Church obserueth c. So he proued Baptisme of Infants to be an Apostolical tradition so also before him Origen From Apostolical traditiou we receaued the true Canon of Scripture and the true sense of the Canon From hence the Church doth celebrate the Lords day Canon and sense of it receaued by Tradition Aretius loco 33. calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostles Creed what books are Canonical which is the true exposition of scripture Item Vniuersal traditions necessarie to be obserued are the Apostles Creed which books be Canonical which is the true exposition of the chiefest places of scripture Laude Relat sec 16. p. 104. when the Fathers say we are to relie vpon scripture onely they are neuer to Note this be vnderstood with exclusion of Tradition in what case soeuer it may be had not but that the Scripture is abundantly sufficient in and to it self for al things but becaus it is deep and may be drawn into different senses and so mistaken if anie man wil presume vpon his own strenght and go single without the Church sec 11. p. 44. Some traditions I denie not true and firme and of great both authoritie and vse in the Church as being Apostolical And why is not the Churches tradition concerning Scripture one of these Ibid. As for that tradition That the books of holie Scripture are diuine I wil handle that hereafter And sec 16. cit p. 81. Against this tradition That the books of Scripture are the word of God the Church of England neuer excepted Sess 15. p. 57. It is not denied that this baptisme of infants is an apostolical tradition and therfore note to be beleued Protestants in Colloq Ratisb sess 11. Our aduersaries bring that tradition of Scripture of which there is no Controuersie at al among vs. And sess 1. We grant that Moyses books are Moyses that this is a tradition by the testimonie of the Church which could witnes that Moyses books were put into the Ark. Chillingworth c. 2. § 45. The Canon of Scripture as we receaue it is built vpon vniuersal tradition The Canon is built vpon vniuersal Tradition Vniuersal Tradition rule of Controuersies § 155. Vniuersal tradition is the Rule to iudge al Controuersies by § 114. It is vpon the authoritie of vniuersal tradition that we wold haue them beleue Scripture And though sometimes he teach that this vniuersal tradition is but humane and fallible and consequently Supra c. 2. sect 2. grant his faith of the Scripture and al that is in it is but humane and fallible as we haue seen before yet c. 3. n. 45. he auoucheth it to be as infallible as the Scripture For thus he writeth you were to proue the Church infallible not in her traditions which wee willingly grant if they be as vniuersal as the tradition of the vndoubted books of Scripture is to Vniuersal tradition as infallible a◠Scripture be as infallible as the Scripture is Ibid. § 46. If you can of anie thing make it appeare that it is tradition we wil seek no farther Hooker also l. 3 § 8. If Infidels or Atheists chance at anie time to cal it Scripture in question this giueth vs occasion to sift what reason there is wherby the testimonie of the Church concerning scripture and our own perswasion which scripture itself hath confirmed may be proued a truth infallible Lo the Churches testimonie is a truth infallible And we may rest our assurance vpon a truth infallible and such is more then an inducement to faith Brentius also in the words afore cited saieth the Churches tradition concerning Scripture is certain firme and vndoubted And Morton saieth Protestants reuerence it as it were the Goddess of traditions 7. Moreouer they grant that it is a point of faith That scripture or the Bible is the word of God and as such it is put in their Confessions of faith Nay Hooker l. 1. § 14. saieth Of Anglica art 6. Gallica art 3. Belgica art 4. things necessarie the verie chiefest is to know what books we are bound to esteem holie l. 3. § 8. The main principle whervpon our beleif of al things therin conteined is that the scriptures Protestants main Principle are Oracles of God himself Laude Relat sec 11. § 2. calleth it prime principle of faith sec 16. § 2. Great principle in Diuinitie § 6. Great principle of faith the ground and proof of whatsoeuer is of faith P. 104. Cheifest principle P. 110. Main principle of Diuinitie Chillingworth c. 2. § 11. First principle Whitaker l. 2. de Scriptura p. 218. It is most of al necessarie that the certain Canon of scriptures be vndoubted among Christians Vshers Reioinder p. 63 Of al things this is most sure and ought to be beleued that the scripture is the word of God But this most necessarie most sure this prime this great this main point of faith is no written word of God For thus Laude sec 16. p. 70. There is no place in scripture which tels vs that such books conteining such and such particulars are the Canon and infallible wil and word of God Hooker l 1. § 14. Being perswaded by other means that these Scriptures are the Oracles of God Note themselues doe then teach vs the rest l. 4. § 4. It is not the word of God which doth or possibly can assure vs that we do wel to think it is in his word White in his Way p. 48. The certaintie of the Scripture is not written indeed with letters in anie particular place or book therof And I hope it is not written with Ciphers See more of their like Confessions supra c. 5. sec 2. 8. And yet Hooker l. 5. § 21. saieth We haue no word of God but the Scripture No word of God for their main Principle Whitaker Contro 2. q. 5. c. 18. We acknowledg no other word then written what doctrin soeuer is
OF THE AL-SVFFICIENT EXTERNAL PROPOSER OF MATTERS OF FAITH DEVIDED INTO TVVO BOOKES IN THE FIRST Is proued that the true Church of God is the Al-sufficient external Proposer of matters of Faith IN THE SECOND Is shewed the manifold vncertanities of Protestants concerning the scripture and how scripture is or is not an entire Rule of Faith By C. R. Doctor of Diuinitie 1. Timothe 4. The Church of the liuing God the pillar and ground of truthe At PARIS M. DC LIII THE PREFACE to the Reader 1. NAtural reason gentle Twoe waies to learn truthe Reader teacheth vs that what we can not know by ourselues we should learne by authoritie of others and according as their authoritie is vndoubted or probable toyeeld assured or probable assent therto and the same reason teacheth vs also that as the See infra l. 2. c. 8. sect 1. clear sight of God in heauen is supernatural to vs and far aboue the reach of our reason so is also the right way therto Wherfore as S. Devâ—â—l â—redendi 〈◊〉 16. 8. 17. Augustin rightly sayeth if God wil haue men come to him in heauen he must needs haue instituted some authoritie on earth for to direct them assuredlie in the right way becaus by reason we cannot finde way to heauen known by authoritie out that way Which authoritie must be infallible because otherwise it could not assuredlie direct vs as also becaus it is to direct vs by diuine faith which is altogether infallible And herein is Gods goodnes to be admired that he would bring men to heauen rather by authoritie and faith then by knowledg and reason becaus euerie one can beleeue but not euerie one konw hard matters And in al that is hitherto saied Catholiks and Protestants generally agree The controuersie between them is in whome God hath setled this assured authoritie for to direct and guide vs infallibly in our way to heauen 2. For Catholiks say that as God Authoritie setled in men at the first set this authoritie in his Prophets and Apostles so becaus they were not to liue with vs for euer he continueth it in his Church which he hath made his spouse the mother and mistres of the faithful the pillar and ground of truth his mistical body wherof Christ is head and the Holy Ghost the Soule who is to teach her all truth and in whose heart is alwaies Gods Word beleued in her mouth his word preached and in her hands his word written But Protestants becaus they can shew no Church before Luther who taught in substance the same waie to heauen which they doe as I haue otherwere Lib. 2. de Authore Protestâ— Ecclesia shewed by their own plaine and manifold confessions are forced to denie that God hath setled this infallible authoritie in his Church for to direct vs and guide vs infalliblie to heauen and doe grant her no more authoritie in matters of faith then a whâ—tat Cont. 1. q. 5. c. 20. l. 1. dâ— script 144. l. 2. p. 254. â—71 l 3. p. 435. mere humane enen in the b Laude sec 16. n. 26. 61. most fundamental points of al. Naie some of them saïe she hath c whitat Cont. 1. q. 3 c. 3. l. 1. de script p. 153. l. 2. p. 235. Caluin Actor 15 v. 28. See infra l. 2. c. 10. sec 2. and l. 1. c. 2. §. 8. no authoritie at al in matters of faith So they abase the authoritie or rather take awaie al authoritie in matters of faith from their Mother and Mistres in faith from the spouse of Christ from the pillar and ground of truth from her whose head Christ is and whose soule is the Holie Ghost who teacheth her al truth And this The roote of al heresie is the true roote of al heresies not to beleue that the true Church of God the pillar an t ground of truth whome the Holie Ghost teacheth al truth is an infaillible guide apointed by God to direct vs assuredly to heauen For euerie one would follow her none would oppose her whome they confess to be an infallible Guide 3. Protestants grant euerie one of the Prophets or Apostles to haue been infallible in matters of faith and yet cannot shew so mainie nor so plaine testimonies of Scripture for their infallibilitie as we can shew for the infallibilitie of the Church But al infallibilitie in matter of faith they wil put in the scripture as vsually al d Tâ—rtul dâ— prâ—wr c 15. Hilar l. ad Constant. August epâ—s 222. Hâ—eron in Galat. 〈◊〉 Sed infrâ— l. 2. c. 14. seq heretiks did because they wil vnderstand that as thy please and so indeed put al infallibilitie in themselues though nether scripture saith that itselfe is infallible nor was it written for aboue 2000. yeares before Moyses nor was it in al places or times when and where infallible faith was nor itself can shew the way to heauen to them that cannot read it nor sheweth that which Protestants account the most fundamental point of faith or al other points so clearly as it neede no interpreter See infra l. 2. c. 4. see 2. as we shal hear Protestants themselues confess 4. And can any reasonable man perswade himself that God hath setled al infallible authoritie forto direct men assuredly to heauen in that which he conffessth God neuer saied is infallible nor it was in al times or places where and when men were infallibly guided in their way to heauen which cannot by it self guide the greatest part of men which teacheth them not the most necessaire point of al nor al points so clearly as it need not some interpreter and yet say they withal God hath not giuen vs any infallible interpreter I add also that who follow it for their onlie guide in matters of faith haue no constancie nor vnitie in faith nor yet any hope of vnitie Is such â e See infra l. 1. c. 8. n. 6. one mens onelie assured guide to heauen 5. We produce the express word of God that his true Church is the pillar and ground of truthe and that the holie Ghost teacheth her al truth let Protestants produce the like express word of God that the book called scripture is the pillar and ground of truth and that it teacheth al truth You must saieth f Cont. Pra. â—eam l. 11. Tertullian proue as clearly as I doe Bring á proof like to mine And S. Augustin Read as plaine words as these are which we read to you Doe l. de vnis c. 6. 14. not bring vs your consequences or inferences of which we may â—ay with S. Augustin g Serm. 14. de verb. Apost This is a humane argument not diuine authoritie h See iâ—fra l. 25. 3. sâ—c 1. Protestants vse to say that al things necessarie to be beleued are expresly in scripture and need no inference and that faith relieth not on argument but on authoritie let
them keep this in this main controuersie legant let them read in Scripture not themselues infer out of Scripture that God hath set al infallible authoritie for matters of faith in Scripture and we wil beleue them as i l. de vnitate c. 17. S. Augustin saied in the like case to the donatists and k laude Relat sec 33. Chillirg p. 3 33 Protestants saie in the dislike to vs or I wil els say with the same S. Augustin I beleue what God saieth not l de vnita c. 11. what vaine heretiks babble or what fallible men infer 6. Nay Protestants are so far from reading in Scripture that in it is al infallible authoritie for matters of faith as themselues m seâ— infra l. 2. c. 5. sec 2. confess â—hat by Scripture al things absolutâ—ly cannot be proued which are to be beleued That Scripture is not an absolutly perfect Rule of controuersies that it cannot decide the question of Schisme that it is not safe to iudge al things by scripture alone that it doth not contein simply al things which are necessarie to saluation that it cannot assure vs that it is the word of God That it needeth an interpreter for some points of faith Which are to far from the nature of an al-sufficient infallible guide of men in matters of faith and so far from the nature of an al-sufficient rule in matters of faith as I think no iudicious Protestant can in his iudgment ioine them together For it is plain contradiction to be Al-sufficient and to be deficient in so main and so manie points 7. And not with standing though Hou scripture is necessarie and a rule in Scripture be not that Al-sufficient authoritie which God hath instituted on earth for to direct men by right faith to heauen nor it be the entire or the necessarie Rule â—or the very being of infallible faith yet it is necessarie to the better being of faith and a sufficient Rule both for al fundamental or al simply necessarie points of faith and also for the most points of Christian faith and à mediate rule for al of them And this being al that for which Scripture was written and which it ought to haue it is to be accounted a perfect â—ule becaus euerie thing is perfect when it hath al that it ought to haue And herein we grant more perfection to Scripture then Protestants doe both because we teach that it containeth al that we account absolutly necessarie or fundamental to saith Protestants say it teacheth not that which they account the most fundamental point of al to wit that it self is the word of God and also becaus we say that eâ—her immediatâ—ly or mediatly it teacheth clearly al points of faith what soeuer in that it sendeth vs to the true Church which teacheth clearly al points But Protestants say that nether immediatly nor mediatly it teacheth some clearly and sendeth vs not to any infallible interpreter So that S. Augustin l. 1. cont Creson c. 33. we grant both more vniuerâ—alitie and also more claritie to Scripure then Protestants do though they wold seem to maâ—e more of scripture them we doe but in truth make so litle of the Scripture as Chilling 〈◊〉 2. 6. 32. v. 9. some of them teach that we are not bound vnder paine of damnation to beleue the diuine authoritie of Scâ—ipture Nay say that the Scripture is none of the material obiects of faith that we haâ—e as great reason to beleue there was a King Henrie VIII as that which is saied in Sâ—ripture of Christ suffering See infra l. 2. c. 8. sec 2. and c. 15. n. 2 vnder Pontius Pilat which is in effect to say we haâ—e as great reason to beleue some men as to beleue God For not al but some men say there was a King Henrie VIII and both God and in a manner al men say thar Christ suffered vnder Pontius Pilat INDEX OF THE CHAPTERS OF the first Book I. IN which is enplicated the question touching the iâ—fallibilitie of the Church II. In which are set down the rational grounds of what is saied in this treatise concerning the Church III. What conditions are necessarie to the Al-sufficient external Proposer of points of faith IV. That God can giue to men a diuine infallibilitie or veracitie in proposing matters of faith V. That the true Church of God is a sufficient and infallible Proposâ—r of al which she proposeth as points of faih proued by what she is saied to be in Scripture VI. That the true Church of God is infallibilible in al she proposeth as points of faith proued by Gods promises to her in Scripture VII That the true Church of God is an infallible proposer of matters of faith proued by the holie Fathers VIII That the true Church of God is infallible in matters of faith proued by Reason IX Some of the protestants reasons against the infallibilitie of the true Church of God in matters of faith answered X. That the true Church of God is infallible in matters of faith proued by manifold coufessions of protestants XI That the true Church of God is in ordinarie Course a necessarie Propeposer of al points of faith proued by holy Fathers XII That the true Church of God is a necessarie Proposer of al points of faith proued by Reason XIII That the true Church of God is a necessarie proposer of al points of faith proued by plain confessions of Protestants XIV That Protestants grant the Churches authoritie to be diuinâ— XV. That Protestants grant it to be a supernatural cause of saith XVI How a vicious circle is auoided in prouing the Church by the Scripture and the scripture by the Church XVII How we are to answer that question How know yoâ— the Scripture to be the word of Gode XVIII That the true Church of God doth clearly and vniuersally propose al points of faith XIX Which is a sufficient Proposal of the Church for points of faith INDEX Of the Chapters of the second Book I. PRocestants vncertain which books be canonical Scripture II. Protestants vncertain whither al that is in scripture be plain and easie to be vnderstood or no. III. Protestants vncertain whether al things necessarie to be beleued be actually in scripture or no. IV. Protestants vncertain whether al things necessarie to be beleued be clearly in scripture or no. V. Protestants vncertain whether scripture be the onlie and entire Rule of faith or no. VI. Protestants vncertain whether scripture of itself do sufficiently shew it self to be the word of God or no. VII Protestants vncertain whether scripture be a true Iudge of Controuersies or no. VIII Protestants vncertain whether scripture be to be beleued to be Gods word with infallible asseurance or no. IX Protestants vncertain whether translated scripture be Authentical or no. X. Protestants vncertain whether scripture be to be beleued to be the word of God only for the Churches testimonie or no. XI Protestants
vncertain whether scripture be the formal cause of their beleuing whatsoeuer they beleue or no. XII Protestants vncertain whether they had the scripture from Catâ—oliks or no. XIII Protestants vncertain whether Catholiks make great account of scripture and proue their doctrin by it or no. XIV That scripture taken by it self without the atâ—estation of the Church cannot sufficiently propose to vs anie thing to be beleued with diuine faith XV. That scripture though beleued to be the word of God doth not sufficiently propose al points of faith XVI That Scripture doth not sufficienly propose anie point of faith to al men capable of external proposal XVII That scripture hath not proposed points of faith in al times when faith was XVIII That scripture hath not proposed points of faith in al places where faith was XIX That scripture doth not clearly enough propose al points of faith XX. That the proposal of scripture is not in ordinarie course necessarie to diuine faith XXI That the scripture conta ineth the summ of Christian faith XXII That the scripture teacheth plainly the summ of Christian faith XXIII That the scripture is necessarie to the better being of Christian faith XXIV Protestants arguments that the scripture conteineth al points of faith answered OF THE AL-SVFFICIENT EXTERNAL PROPOSER OF POINTS OF FAITH FIRST BOOK THE STATE OF THE question concerning the Infalibilitie of the Church explicated FIRST CHAPTER IN the former part of this work which was of the distinction of fundamental and not fundamental points of faith I shewed that there are no such fundamental points of faith as Protestants imagin to wit such as if they be beleued suffice to haue a sauing beleefe to be a true member of the Church and to be in the way of saluation though other points of faith sufficiently proposed be not beleued nor any such not fundamental points of faith as if they be sufficiently proposed be not necessarie and fundamental to a sauing faith to a true member of the Church why treated of the sufficient Proposer and to the way of saluation but that a sufficient proposal of what points of faith soeuer doth binde to beleue them al and euerie one of them vnder pain of losse of sauing faith of being a true member of the Church and of being in the way of saluation It remaineth that we sheâ— who is this â—l-sufficient Proposer of points of faith and which is a sufficient Proposal of them And becaus as we shal proue hereafter the Church is this Al-sufficient external Proposer of points of faith and that she cannot be such vnless she be infallible in al points of faith it is requisit before we proceed to explicate what we vnderstand by the Church what by her infallibilitie what by matters of faith and what by necessarie to al and euerie one 2. First therefore by the Church what is meant by The Church we vnderstand not anie particular Church whatsoeuer either of the cittie of Rome or of anie particular Prouince and mâ—ch less anie particular person what soeuer but only the whole vniuersal or Catholike Church of Christ and we only â—n quire whether she be infallible in al points vhich she teacheth as points of diuine faith not regarding for this present whether also anie particular Church or person be infallible or no becaus it wil suffice to our purpose that the whole Church be so infallible and also because the infallibilitie of anie particular Church or person may be disputed salua fidei compage as S. Augustin speaketh 3. The second point to be explicated what by infallibilitiâ— is Infallibilitie by which we mean not freedome both from al actual error and also from al possibilitie of error as is in God euen by his nature but only freedome from al actual error in matters of faith by Gods efficacious assistance Bellarm. l 6. degraâ—â—s 4. Grâ—tia effi cax adiunctâ—m habet infallibilitatem non necessitatem abstracting whether there be also freedome from al possibilitie of error in such matters or no. And this is that kinde of infallibilitie which we attribute to Gods true Church and which is both necessarie and sufficient to her for to be a fit external proposer of faith Necessarie becaus if she were not in some sort infallible in matters of faith her proposal of such matters would not be sufficient to engender infallible faith of them And also sufficient to be an external Proposer of such matters subordinat to God who is the principal proposer of them For as it implieth contradiction that diuine faith should beleue any thing that is not true so likewise it implieth contradiction that she who by Gods assistance is free from al actual errors in matters of faith should actâ—ally errin them and therefore she is a sufficient external ground and pillar to stand or relie vpon And hence it appeareth See infra c. 9. n. 3. how superfluous it were to proue that the Church hath no possibilitie to err ether near or remote in matters of faith seing freedome from actual error in them by Gods efficacious assistance sufficeth to an external proposer of them And that the true Church of God hath this kinde of freedome from error in matters of faith is clear by Christs promises by the testimonies of the Prophets and Apostles by the attestation of the holie Fathers by the light of reason and by the confessions some times of the learnedest Protestants as we shal shew hereafter 4. The third particle to be explicated whaâ— is meaÌ„t by matters of faith is Matters of faith By which we mean only such matters as the Church proposeth to be beleued with diuine faith not such as she proposeth to be beleued with humane faith as are the liues of saints in the Breuiarie their miracles Reliques aâ—d such like 5. The fourth particle is necessarie what by Necessarie to saluation to saluation In which particle a Potter sec 5. p. 16 19. 21. laude sec 21. p. 140. â—60 seqq Protestants commonly agree with Catholiks in words that the Church is infallible but indeed they desagree two ways For first they mean onâ—ly such points of faith as by reason of the matter are b whitaker cont 2. q. 4. l. 2. Caluin 4. Institut c. 8. potter sec 5. p. 19. 23. laude p. 355 357. 358. absolutely necessarie as the passion and Resurrection of Christ and such like and not also such as are necessarie to Saluation by reason they are clearly reuealed by God and sufficiently proposed to vs. For Catholiks hold that the Church is infaillible in matters of faith which are any way necessarie to Saluation though only by reason of their clear reuelation and sufficient proposal Becaus if we beleue not al things litle orgreat clearly reuealed by God and sufficiently proposed to vs as from God we doe not beleue God to be faithful in al his words which yet to beleue is most necessarie to salâ—ation Secondely
could drie vp al the brooks of thy Propositions with the onely sun of the Church 8. S. Austin l. de haeres saieth of the Donatists They dare rebaptize Catholiks wherin they more shewed themselues to be heretiks seeing the whole Catholik Church hath iudged that euen in heretiks vsual baptisme is not to be reiected Behold Donatists accounted heretiks becaus they went against the iudgement of the whole Church And in the end saieth of al heresies reckoned there by him it is superfluous to ask what the Church iudgeth of them when it sufficeth to See Potter sect 2. p. 33. know that she iudgeth against them Behold the iudgment of the Church suffiseth to condemn heresies Lib. de Vnitate c. 22. Thiâ— is nether openly nor euidently read ether by you or by me yet if there were anie wiseman of whome our Sauior had giuen testimonie and that he should be consulted in this question we would make no doubt to doe what he should say least we might seem to gain say not him so much as Christ by whose testimonie he was commended Now Christ beareth witnes to his Church Item Whosoeuer refuseth to follow the practise of the Church doth refuse our Sauior himself who by his testimonie recommendeth this Church Behold that to denie the Churches testimonie to be sufficient in matters of faith is to denie Christs testimonie of her Chillingworth c. 1. n. 163 saieth that S. Augustin in saying that some point of faith is nether openly nor euidently read inscripture contradicteth forsooth himself becaus l. 2. de Doctr. Christ c. 9. he saieth In these things which are openly put in scripture are al those found which conteine faith and manner of life But S. Austin there speaketh of al thinges which conteine faith and manner of life l Morton tom 2. Apost l. 1. c 49. verum respondes necessarie simply to euerie one or which are necessarie as he addeth to haue hope and charitie or which commeth alto one he speaketh of the Rule of faith Which as he saieth l. 3. de Doctr. Christ c. 2. is receaued from the plainer places of scripture Beside which kinde of points of faith there are others which are nether openly nor euidently read in Scripture and such was the baptisme of heretiks wherof he spake lib. de vnit c. cit But what is this to S. Austins authoritie that who contradicteth the Church in a matter of faith contradicteth Christ and who followeth her followeth Christ becaus he giueth witnes to her Lib. 2. de Baptist c. 4. Nether durst we say anie such thing that baptisme of Heretiks is vailable vnles we were assured by the most agreeing authoritie of the whole Church Behold the authoritie of the Church both sufficient and necessarie for some point of faith And ibid. c. 9. The whole world was held by the strength of Custome of the Church and this alone was opposed against those who brought in Noueltie And was not that sufficient which held the whole world and which alone was opposed to erroneous Noueltie Lib. 7. de Baptis c. 53. It is sâ—fâ— for vs to auouch with confidence of secure voice what in the Gouernment of our Lord Iesus Christ is confirmed with consent of the vniuersal Church Lib. 2. contra Crescon c. 32. I doe not receaue what Cyprian thought of baptizing heretiks and Schismatiks becaus the Church doth not receaue it Lib. contra Epist fund c. Becaus 5. which book of the acts I must needs beleue if I beleue the Ghospel becaus both books Catholik authoritie doth Becaâ—s alike commend to me Behold Catholik authoritie bindeth vs to beleue books of Scripture and is a cause why we beleue them l. 2. de Doctr. Christ c. 8. The Books of Wisdom and Becaus Ecclesiasticus are to be accounted prophetical becaus they haue been admitted into authoritie And l. 3. c. 2. let him consult the Rule of faith which he hath receaued from the plaineâ— places of scripture and from the authoritie of the Church Epist 56. Al the height of authoritie is setled in that holie name of Christ and in his one Church for recreating and reformiâ—g mankind And calleth the authoritie of Church most firme sermone 14. de Verbis Apostoli c. 21. This is a grounded thing an erring Disputer is to be borne with in other questions not diligently disgested nor yet made firme by ful authoritie of the Church There Error is to be borne with but it ought not to goe so far that it endeauour to shake the foundation it self of the Church Behold dispute in matters not determined by the Church may be borne with al but not with matters determined by her ful authoritie lib. 10. de Genesi ad literam c. 23. The custome of our Mother the Church in baptizing Infants is noe way to be despised not yet at al to be beleued vnles it were an Apostolical tradition Laude sec 15. p. 57. answereth that S. Austin meaneth not that tradition is the cause of our beleuing the baptisme of Infants but that it is the cause that we sought and found it in scripture But this is a plain euasion For S. Austin speaketh not of our seeking the Baptisme of Infants in Scripture nor of the cause of our finding it there but of our beleuing it and plainly sayeth that the cause of our beleuing it is tradition and that without tradition it were not at al to be beleued 9. And so vndoubted a thing it was in the time of the Fathers that the Church of God is a sufficient and infallible Proposer of matters of faith as euen Pelagius in S. Austin l. de gestis Pelagij c. 19. professed I curse Ancient heretiks confessed the Church to be â—nfallible al that gain say or contradict the doctrins of the holie Catholik Church And Dioscorus in Concil Chalced. Act. 1. If Euthyches think contrarie to the doctrin of the Church he is worthie not onely of punishment but euen of fire But now Gentle Reader consider first how manie omitting m Viâ—cent c. 1. 14 32. manie more for breuities sake testimonies of holie fathers haue been brought for the sufficiencie and infallibilitie of the Church in matters of faith Secondly how cleare and euident as some of them are confessed by Protestants to be against them Thirdly how vnlikelie it is that in this so main and clear a matter the Fathers should ether contradict themselues or be contrarie some to others Fourthly how Protestants expositions of those testimonies which they wil not grant to be against them are voluntarie not grounded in the words of the Fathers nay violent and contrarie to the vsual sense of such words and therfore are mere shifts inuented for to delude Fathers authoritie And thus hauing proued both by holie scripture and Fathers that the true Church of God is a sufficient and infallible Proposer of points of faith let vs proue the same by reason Onely I wil add D. Rainolds confession
Scripture to be the word of God by some authoritie that is absolutly diuine and he proueth it thus For if they be warranted vnto vs by anie authoritie less then diuine then al things conteined in them which haue no greater assurance then the scripture in which they are read are not obiects of diuine beleif and that once granted wil enforce vs to yeeld that al the articles of Christian beleef haue no greater assurance then humane or moral faith or credulitie can affoord Thus he both confesseth and proueth that the Scriptures must be proued to be the word of God by some infallible diuine proof and that such a proof can be nothing but a word of God and by some authoritie that is absolutly diuine But where this word of God by which the scripture is to be proued is where this absolutly diuine authoritie is out of the Church he cannot tel For himself saieth sec 16. cit p. 70. There is no place in Scripture which tells vs that such books conteining such and such particulars are the word of God And p. 88. Scripture cannot bear witness to it self nor one parte of it to an other White also in his way p. 48. The certaintie of the scripture is not written indeed with letters in anie particular place or book of the scripture So there is no written word of God that See infâ—a l. 〈◊〉 c. 6 sec 2. auoucheth the Scripture to be the word of God And vnwritten word of God they admit none Wherefore Laude flieth to a diuine light in See infra l. 2. c. 5 sec 2. scripture which saieth he after the present Church hath testified the Scripture to be the word clearly sheweth to vs that it is the word of God But beside that this light is feigned as we shal see more hereafter light is no word of God which Laude requireth to pâ—â—ue the scripture by but a quali 〈…〉 of the word of God nor is anie formal obiect of beleef which authoritie or veracitie onely is but is obiect of science or of vision And so this light is nether the material obiect of faith nor sufficient proof of the Scripture becaus it is no word of God nor anie formal obiector cause of faith becaus it is no authoritie Wherefore Chillingworth finding no surer motiue to beleue the Scripture then the testimonie of the Church and yet not granting that to be infallible granteth that consequence which Laud would auoid See l. 2. 〈◊〉 8. sec 2. to wit that al their assurance that the Scripture is Gods word and of al things conteined in it is but humane and fallible and so Protestants faith is not diuine or infallible and may deceaue them An other main inconueniencie is that if the Catholik A fallible Church menâ— force to professor in faith or to forsake her communion Church could err in matters of faith she might force vs to profess her error if she exacted â—t as a condition of her communâ—â—â— which were great sin or so forsake her communion which were to put our selues out of the state of Saluation becaus there is no saluation out of the Church as there Caluin 4. Inst. c. 1. §. 4. Vvhitaker contr 2. q. 5. c. 3. was not out of the Arck of Noe Wherby we see that the Infallibilitie of the Church and Necessitie of being in the Church doe mutually infer one the other 7. To al these proofs out of Reason I may add that Reason forceth Protestants to confess that the Church is infallible in fundamental points and if it were not to haue some pretence to refuse the Churches iudgment in some points it wold force them to confess that she is also infallible in Not-fundamental points and making fundamental or Not-fundamental which they please they take pretence to admit or refuse the Churches iudgment-in which points they please And this is the true ground of their denial of the Churches diuine Infallibilitie in al points of faith which to haue discouered is to haue refuted I may add also that for more then 2000. yeares God Protestants make she Church more infallible in the law of nature then after gaue infallibilitie to his Church and that he neuer said that he wold take it from her and that the Church is not less infallible now then it was before Moyses but rather founded as the Apostles saieth in better promises NINTH CHAPTER Some of the Protestants arguments against the Infallibilitie of the true Church of God in matters of faith ansvvered 1. PRotestants heap vp great store of Arguments but no express testimonie of Scripture against the Infallibilitie of the Church in matters of faith that so they may by number supplie the weakness of them and if not conuince the Reader yet confound him wherfore I wil not relate them al but the chiefest by answer to which the Reader may see how he may answer the rest The first argument is this The Church may a Vvhitaker cont 2. q. 4. 6. 2. 3. Chilling c. 5. n. 93. err in matters of manners therfore also in matters of faith I answer that if they mean in the Antecedent of the vniuersal Church I distinguish of damnably erring or venially erring and denie that the whole Church can damnably err in manners becaus that would make her not holie and so that article of our Creed I beleue the holie Catholik Church should be fals and as Laude said sec 25 § 5. The whole militant Church is holie and so we beleue Item If we wil keep vp our Creed the whole militant Church must be holie Secondly I denie the consequence For etror in manners destroieth onely a qualitie of the Church which is holiness and without which the substance of the Church may be but sinful error in faith destroieth her b See part 1. l. 2. c. 6. substance and maketh her no true Church of God but a fals and heretical Church becaus sinful error in faith is the sin of heresie And also euen euerie sinless error in faith destroieth the end for which the Church is instituted which is to be a sure and vndoubted c See sup c. 2. n. 2. and c. 8 n. 2. Guide in matters of faith and to perswade them which she could not if she erred in anie point of faith For as S. d Epist. 8. 9. Austin saieth of the Scripture if anie error were found in anie point of her doctrin her doctrin in other points would be vnsure and suspected of error Besids we might argue thus against Protestants the Church may err fundamentally in manners Therfore also fundamentally in faith 2. A second argument is that the Church may for some time be ignorant of some points of faith Therfore may also err I distinguish the antecedent of points of faith necessarie necessitate medij or Adesse fidei and then I denie it For then she should not be a sufficient guide of faith or of points not so necessarie and
How shal they preach vnles they be sent And then inferreth Therefore faith is of hearing Wherefore he maketh hearing of lawful preaching the word of God as necessarie a cause ordinarily speaking of beleuing as mission is a necessarie cause of lawful preaching And lawful preaching is not out of the true Church And truly said Stapleton contr 4. q. 3. art 2. The compleat formal Compleat formal cause of faith L. 2. de Saâ—ram c 25. omnium dogmatum firmitas pendetab authoritate praesentis Ecclesiae Epiphan in Ancorato Hieron cont Lucifer Cyril Catech 17. cause of our faith ordinarily speaking is God reuealing by the Church and Bellarmin l 3. de Verbo Dei c. 10. The secondarie foundation of faith is the testimonie of the Church But the formal cause and secondarie foundation is doubtles necessarie to faith in ordinarie course which is al the necessitie we speak of And this must those fathers mean who did read in the Greed I beleue in the holie Church for to beleue in one is to make his authoritie a formal cause of beleef and also waldensis who tom 1. l. 2. c. 21. saieth that the testimonie Io. de Ragusio de com sub vtraque specâ—e Ecclesiam non errare simplâ—â—â—ter primum in doctrina fides of the Catholik Church is the obiect of Christian faith to wit the formal external obiect for the material obiect is al reuealed truth And falsly saieth Whitaker l. 1. de Scrip. p. 175. Faith is not of hearing the voice or authoritie of the Church but of Gods word For the Apostle saieth plainely that faith is of hearing and hearing of lawful preaching of Gods word Wherfore he must no more exclude lawful preaching from a cause of faith then we exclude the word of God For the word of God is that which faith beleueth and lawful preaching is the external formal cause wherefore we beleue it And Whitaker himself loco cit is forced to confess that the voice of the Church is an instrumental cause of faith And if an instrumental cause surely a necessarie cause in ordinarie course and faith is of its instrumental cause and consequently of the voice of the Church Ibid. p. 11â— he saieth hearing is the mother of faith Item p. 121. The Church by the preaching of the Gospel begetteth vs to Christ And p. 118. The Church is the mother of beleuers and how mother of beleuers if not necessarie Is not a mother necessarie And p. 69. I most willingly grant that the external iudgment of the Church is a help and means to engender nourish and confirme faith instituted of God and necessarie for vs. And if necessarie for vs we can haue no faith without it controu 2. q. 5. c. 19. By preaching of the Gospel we come to faith and neuer without The Church is the schoole of the faithful and maketh faithful by preaching of the word as by a necessarie and ordinarie meanes If anie obiect that then deaf men could not haue faith I answer First that deaf men can nether read Scripture becaus without hearing they cannot know what letters signifie Secondly that deaf men haue not anie ordinarie meanes of faith For as S. Austin saieth l. 3. contra Iulianum c. 4. The defect of deafnes hindereth faith it self witnes the Apostle faith is of heaâ—ing Porter sec p 104. Some are inuiâ—â—â—bly disabâ—ed from faith Wherfore if God wil haue such to beleue actually he prouideth them of some extraordinarie meane And this proof I confirme out of the Confession of Bohemia and diuers Protestants who as we shal see hereafter out of this place doe proue that preaching and ministerie b C. 14. of the word are necessarie to engender faith 2. Secondly I proue that the true Church is a necessarie proposer of al points of faith out of her forsaied proprietie that she is the pillar and ground of truth 1. Tim. 3. For the pillar and ground of truth is necessarie to vphold truth The true Church is the pillar and ground of Truth Therfore she is necessarie to vphold truth The Maior seemeth euident by it self For how can the pillar and ground of a thing be not necessarie to vphold that whereof it is the pillar and ground The Minor is the Apostles words And Caluin vpon this place saieth the Church in respect of men doth sustein truth And Whitaker controu 2. q. 5. c. 19. The Church doth sustein preach and propose truth to others l. 1. de scrip p. 112. The Church doth sustein diuine truth that it fal not wholy among men But what susteineth a thing is necessarie to it 3. Thirdly I proue The same out of her office to be witnes to Gods truth For witnesses are necessarie for to beleue that which they are appointed to testifie The Church or the Pastors of the Church are appointed by God to be witnesses of his truth Therfore they are necessarie The Minor is proued before And the Maior is euident For vnles witnesses were necessarie to assure vs of the truth wherof they are witnesses there were no need to a point them For what need is there to appoint such as are needles and such witnesses are needles without whome wecaÌ„be assured of the truth 4. Fourthly I proue the necessities of the Churches proposing matters of faith out of the ends for which Protestants as we saw c. 8. n. 2. confess the Church was instituted by God to wit to be Mother Mistres and guide of Christians in matters of faith For doubtles what is such is necessarie But now let vs proue the same by the holie Fathers TWELFT CHAPTER That the true Church of God is a necessarie proposer of al points of faith proued by holie Fathers 1. S. Cyprian l. de vnitate It is the Church by whose trauail we are borne with whose milk we are nourished with whose spirit we are animated But such a one is a necessarie proposer of faith S. Ireney l. 3. c. 4. What if dispute had been of some smal matter should we not haue recurred to the most ancient Churches and receaued from them what is certain of this present question Which made Whitaker cont 1. q. 3. c 9. to grant that the authoritie of the Church is a firme compendious Demonstration of Canonical scripture But Ireney saieth more that it is a necessarie demonstration Tertull. praescrip c. 21. What the Apostles preached what Christ reuealed to them here I wil prescribe that it ought not to be proued otherwise then by the same Churches which the Apostles erected For Which words Whitaker l. citato granteth that Tertullian made this prescription that the doctrin of the Apostles was not to be proued anie other way then by the Churches which they founded And if by no other way then the Churches testimonie is necessarie 2. S. Augustin contra Epist Fundam c. 5. I must needs beleue this book of the Acts if I beleue the Gospel seing the Catholik authoritie doth commend to me
the new Testament and in S. Ireneys time no Scripture amongst some Barbarians and yet there wanted not then some necessarie means of getting faith For there were faithful men in al those times and places 3. Thirdly Preachers or Pastors are necessarie to the Church in ordinarie course Therfore preaching also is necessarie The consequent is euident For why should preachers be necessarie if preaching for which preachers are be not The Antecedent is cleare both out of manie places in Scripture and out of the definition of the Church where Ministers of the word and of Sacraments are put as an essential parte of the Church where nether Scripture nor reading of it is put as anie parte thereof and also out of the confessions of Protestants as we shal see in the next Chapter If anie say that before Scripture was written Gods ordinarie means and necessarie for vs was preaching but after Scripture was written the reading of it is the necessarie ordinarie means of faith First I answer he voluntarily saieth that God hath changed his necessarie ordinarie means of causing faith Secondly Scripture neuer can be the vniuersal necessarie means of causing faith becaus it cannot be such to blinde men or to such as cannot read nay nor to anie that vnderstand it not in the original toungs according to the opinion of Protestants Besids See l. 2 c. 2. sect 2. it is absurd to say that after Scripture God had altered his ordinarie necessarie means of engendring faith For why should he alter it What proof is there that he did alter it Where is his word that saieth it 4. Fourthly sowing is necessarie in ordinarie course that the seed doe grow but preaching is compared in Scripture to sowing Therfore it is necessarie in ordinatie course that Gods seed or word doe grow in mens hearts FOVERTEENTH CHAPTER That the true Church of God is a necessarie proposer of points of faith proued by plain confession of Protestants 1. THat the Church is so necessarie a proposer of points as without her proposal in ordinarie course we can haue no diuine faith is so manifest as Protestants sometimes doe plainly confess it For thus Luther tom 1. fol. 54. The ministration of the word by a priest is necessarie to faith Tom. 2. l. contra Church conceaued by vocâ—l word Catharin fol. 140. The Church is conceaued framed nourished generated conserued by the vocal word Tom. 5. in c. 1. Zachariae fol. 516. Albeit God can teach men the Gospel without preaching yet he wil not doe it And ibid. praefat in Catechesim fol. 645. There are some this day euen of the Gentrie who dare say they haue no need of Pastors or preachers but that books suffice out of which anie man may learne the same things by himself without anie teaching And in colloquio marpurgi in Hospin part 2. fol. 77. Lutherans and SacramentariaÌ„s agreed That the holie Gost ordinarily speaking giueth faith to none vnles the vocal word goe before Kemnitius 2. parte Exam. tit de Sacram. ord p. 391. God vpon his certain Decree hath determined to dispense those things which belong to our saluation not infusing into mens minds inward peculiar reuelations without anie means but by the external ministerie of the word Caluin 4. Instit c. 1. § 4. The knowledg of the visible See him 1. Inâ—â—â—t c. 7. § 3. l. 4. c. 1. §. 5. in Actor c. 16. v. 17. Church is profitable yea necessarie to vs seing there is no other entrance vnto life vnles she conceaue vs in her wombe beare vs and fâ—ed vs with her duggs And ibid. § 5. Howbeit Gods power is not tied to external means yet he hath tied vs to the ordinarie means of teaching Ether pride or emulation or sloth driueth manie to perswade themselues that by priuate reading and studying they can profit enough In 1. Tim. 3 The office of ministring doctrin which God hath put in his Church is the onely instrument of truth Onlie Instrumental Preaching is before faith that it perish not out of the memorie of men The ministerie of the word being taken away Gods truth wil fal Ibid. Paul simply meaneth that becaus faith is by hearing there wil be no faith without preaching Beza epist 20. Iâ— it clear that faith is of hearing and therfore it followeth that preaching must goe before faith Fayus in enchiridio disput 66. The necessitie of Ecclesiastical ministerie appeareth by that that without it we cannot haue knowledg and vnderstanding ether of the word of God or of his â—il reuealed to vs in it Whitaker l. 3. de Scriptura p. 413. We alconfâ—ss the testimonie of the Church to be most necessarie by which men by Christs apointment may be brought to beleue P. 499. we affirme the ministerie of the Church to be verie necessarie l. 1. de Script p. simply we cannot beleue without the ministerie of the Church P. 39. we beleue not I confes vnles the Church by preaching teach vs. P. 106. The ministerie being taken away nether faith nor charitie nor obedience nor anie other vertue wil remaine safe See him p. 46. 106. 108. 111. l. 3. p. 369. I confess that the ministerie of the Church is most necessarie for to beleue the Scriptures l. 3. p. 478. I affirme determine hold that there is no entrance to saluation without the ministerie of the word Ibid. By ministerie of Pastors we assent to the Scriptures nor is it to behoped that without this ministerie we can haue faith And p. 477. It is true that without the ministerie there is no entrance to saluation and that this ministerie is not but in Pastors Contro 2. q. 3. c. 11. p. 332. By the preaching of Pastors the gates of heauen are in a sorte opened so that without the ministerie of the word no entrance to saluation can be for anâ—â— Ibid. q. 5. c. 19. p. 550. Without preaching of the Gospel we neuer come to saluation Fulk of succession p. 30. Saluation of people can neuer be procured without preaching And p. 163. No Christian wil denie but that preaching is necessarie for building of the Church Latimer in his sermons fol. 38. Take away preaching and you take away faith And fol. 99. The office of preaching is the onely ordinarie means by which God hath decreed that we be saued Cartwright in Hooker l. 5. p. 230. No saluation to be looked for where no preaching is Item Reading cannot begin the work of saluation it cannot breed and cause faith without sermons And the Puritans in whitgifts Answer to the admonition p. 53. Reading is not feeding Field in his Appendix part 2 p. 21. The tradition of the Church is a necessarie means wherby the books of Scripture may be made known The Churches proposiug of things is a necessarie condition without which ordinarily men can not beleue Potter sec 5. p. 5. We doe not depriue the Church of that prerogatiue and office which Christ hath giuen it Faith comes by
need had he to say Al power in heauen and earth was giuen to him for to giue mere humane power to his Apostles and also what humane power could be fit or sufficient to teach and administer diuine word and Sacraments And if Christ gaue to his Apostles true diuine authoritie to preach his word and administer his Sacraments he gaue them also true diuine authoritie to testifie that it was his word and Sacraments which they administred becaus the end of their preaching was to perswade men that it was his word and Sacraments which they administred and God giuing diuine authoritie to the means must needs giue the like authoritie to the end becaus he more desireth the end then the means and therfore wil not giue less authoritie to obtaine the end then he doth to obtain the means 3. Secondly Protestants say manie things of the Churches authoritie which must needs argue it to be diuine For Whitaker l. 1. de Script p. 11. and 19. saieth It is sacriledg not to receaue the Churches testimonie of the Sacriledg not to receaue the Churches testimonie Scriptures Tailor l. of libertie of prophesying sec 9. n. 2. The authoritie of the Church is diuine in its original for it deriues immediatly from Christ Potter sec 1. p. 10. The good Spirit of truth and loue euer assists and mantaines that great bodie the Catholik Church Sec. 5. p. 20. The whole Church cannot so err as to be destroied For then our lords Promise of her stable edification shold be of no value P. 21. Nor hath the Church vniuersal the like assurance from Christ that she shal not err in vnnecessarie additions as she Assurance from Christ hath for her not erring in taking away from the faith what is fundamental and necessarie It is comfort enough for the Church that the lord in mercie wil secure her from al capital dangers P. 22. That the Church shal neuer be robbed of anie truth necessarie to the being of the Church the promses of Christ assure vs. P. 30. Their General councels authoritie is immediatly deriued and deriued and delegated from Christ Laude in his Relation sec 21. p. 170. That the whole Church cannot err in doctrins absolutly fundamental seemes to be clear by the promise of Christ Mathew 16. The gates of hel c. Ibid. This power By Christs â—romise of not erring is in it partely by this promise of Christ Sec. 16. p. 61. The vniuersal Church deliuers those supernatural fundamental truthes by promises of assistance Sec. 33. p. 231. For this necessarie truth the Apostles receaued the promise for themselues and the whole Catholik Church Sec 38. p. 355. The Catholik Church of Christ Infallible assistance promised in things absolutly necessarie onely had infallible assistance promised And Chillingworth c. 5. p. 277. That there shal be by diuine prouidence preserued God hath promised absolutely in the world to the worlds end a companie of Christians who hold al things precisely and indispensably necessarie to saluation and nothing ineuitably destructiue of it this the Doctor affirmeth that God hath promised absolutely And is her authoritie not diuine which not to receaue is sacriledg Is not she diuinely infallible who is infallible by Christs absolute promise and the Spirit of truth his efficacious assistance What mean we by Diuinely infallible but infallible in this sort Doth not Laude sec 16. p. 91. say That so great assistance of Christ and the B. spirit as is purposely giuen to that effect that the authoritie of anie companie be diuine and infallible enough And doe not the forsaid Protestants confess that such assistance of Christ and of the B. Spirit is purposely giuen to the Church in fundamental points of faith How then can they denie that her authoritie in such points is diuine and she diuinely infallible in them 4. Thirdly Protestants are sometimes ashamed to say the Authoritie or testimonie of the true Church is mere humane and doe but restrictly say that it is diuine Whitaker contro 1. q. 3. c. 11. p. 331. It is a slander that we make the Iudgment of the Church mere humane which surely is fals Laude in his Relat. sec 16. n. 19. The tradition of the present Not more humane Church is not absolutely diuine And n. 21. The voice of the Church is not simply diuine Sec. 10. n. 11. The Churches authoritie is not simply diuine Sec. 19. n. 1. The testimonie of the present Church is not simply diuine Potter Sec. 5. p. 15. That the Church is infallible we doe not absolutely deny we onely deny the Church to be absolutely infallible Which is tacitly to confess that the authoritie or testimonie of the Church is truely diuine in some degree For what is not meerly humane and onely denied to be simply diuine is in some degree truly diuine And what authoritie is in anie degree truly diuine by Gods special assistance implieth contradiction to deceaue But why doe Protestants vse these ambiguous and equiuocal termes not simply not absolutely which they condemne in others and doe not speak out and Vvhitaker l. 3. p. 419. Laude Relat sec 33. p. 247 tel plainly whether authoritie of the Church in matters of faith be truly diuine by Gods efficacious assistance or no. For if it be truly diuine in anie degree by Gods efficacious assistance that sufficeth to vs becaus it implieth contradiction that such diuine authoritie should deceaue or be deceaued And as Chillingworth c. 3. § 33. p. 175. saieth The Apostles could not be the Churches fundation without freedom from error in al those things which they deliuered constantly as certain reuealed truthes For if once we suppose they may haue erred in some things of this nature it wil be vtterly vndiscernable what they haue erred in and what they haue not And in like manner I say of the Church That she could not be the pillar and ground of diuine truth without freedom from error in al things which she deliuereth as diuine truthes 4. Fourthly they grant that the The Rule of faith tradition and doctrin of the Church is the rule of faith and of iudging controuersies by White in defense of his way c. 3. p. 339. I grant that the doctrin of the Pastors of the true Church such as succeed the Apostles is the rule and means of faith And c. 37. p. 356. That the Churches doctrin is the rule I deny not Chillingworth l. 2. n. 155. Vniuersal tradition is the rule to iudge al controuersies by And c. 3. p. 148. We beleue canonical books vpon vniuersal tradition But the doctrin or tradition of the Church could not be the rule of diuine and infallible faith or of iudging controuersies in such faith if it were not also diuine and infallible For a rule must be as diuine and infallible as that is which is ruled by it And as Chillingworth saieth c. 3. p. 148. cit An authoritie subiect to error can be
we challeng not Ibid. § 154. you content not yourselues with a moral certaintie of things you beleue p. 113. Moral certaintie sufficient Me thinks you should require onely a moral and modest assent to them points of faith and not a diuine as you cal it and infallible faith Ibid. § 159. p. 116. God requireth of vs vnder pain of damnation onely to beleue the verities therin Scripture conteined and not the diuine authoritie of the books wherin Not diuine authoritie of Scripture they are conteined We haue I beleue as great reason to beleue there was such a man as Henrie the Eight King of England as that Iesus Christ suffered vnder Pontius Pilat C 6. § 3. p. 325. That there is required of vs a As great reason for beleef of K. Hen. as of Christ. knowledg of them points of faith and an adherence to them as certain as that of sense or science that such a certaintie is required of vs vnder pain of damnation this I haue demonstrated to be a great error and of dangerous and pernicious consequence § 5. p. 327. Men may talke their pleasure of an absolute and most infallible certaintie but did they generally beleue that obedience to Christ were the onely way to present and eternal felicitie but as much as Caesars Commentaries or the historie of Salust I beleue the liues of most men Papists and Protestants would be better then they are And therfore it followes from your own reason that faith which is not a most certain and infallible knowledg may be true and sauing faith C. 7. § 7. p. 389. In requiring that this faith should be diuine and Dangerous that faith must be infallible infallible you cast your Credents into infinit perplexitie Erasmus on the 2. and 27. of Mathew There is no fear that al the authoritie of the Scripture shold fall if anie error were found in it Luther called the Scripture The books of Heretiks Protestants in Colloq Ratisbon sess 11. say that we must distinguish betwene the faith wherwith we beleue points necessarie to saluation and historical faith wherwith we beleue the Scripture to be the word of God And historical faith is not diuine faith vnles they wil make manie kinds of diuine faith And they add that there is not equal reason of beleuing that scripture is Gods word and that Christ is Incarnate And Whitaker l. 1. de Script p. 88. who haue no other faith but historical doe no more beleue Christ then the Diuels Moulins in his Bucler sec 4. p. 13. Properly speaking articles Scripture no doctrin of Christian religion of faith are doctrins of Christian religion and in this sense the Canon of Canonical books is no article of faith So that the Canon of Scripture is no doctrin of Christian religion White in his Defense c. 30. p. 282. scripture ether by the immediate light Scripture known by â—ight of nature of Gods spirit or by the light of nature may be known to be Gods word And if by the light of nature without diuine faith Hooker l. 3. § 8. we know by reason that the scripture is the word of God By reason Whitaker aforsaid l. 1. de Script p. 25. The most diuine character of the scripture doth most plainly tel al that ether haue receaued the Holie Ghost or are imbued with mean understanding By mean vnderstanding that it came from God And if mean vnderstanding suffice without the Holie Ghost there need no diuine faith to beleue it And ibid. p. 122. Who hath reason and wil vse it may therby most easily discern these diuine books from mens books P. 150. Scriptures By onelie reading may be known by onely reading And in praefat ad Staplet The Scripture giueth so clear a testimonie of its diuiniâ— tie that who read it with a smal attention and iudgment cannot be ignorant that it is diuine And p. 77. vnles he be doltish l. 2. p. 235. Scriptures may be acknowledged and held without the testimonie of the Spirit NINTH CHAPTER VVhether translated Scripture be authentical FIRST SECTION Protestants sometimes affirme WHite in his Way to the Church p. 12. I say the Scripture translated into English Translated Scripture rule of faith is the Rule of faith whervpon I relying haue not a humane but a diuine authoritie And p. 27. The doctrin conteined in the Scripture is a light and so abideth into what language soeuer it be translated and therfore the children of light know it and discern it Ibid. So the vnlearned man is secured not vpon the Churches credit and authoritie but by the ministerie which teacheth him he is directed to the light itself And this Ministerie we haue and vse for our Translations but they that obey it know the Translation and so proportionably The matter of Scripture sheweth it self al articles of faith to be infallible becaus the matter therof appeares to them as a candle in a lantern shewing it self in its own light And in his table before his book The Scriptures translated into English are the Rule of faith And in his Defense of his Way c. 28. p. 266. Though it be granted that the Ministerie of men and rules of art and knowledg of tonges be al subiect to error yet doth it not follow that by them we cannot obtein infallible assurance of our translations Chillingworth c. 2. § 32. we beleue the Scripture not finally Matter of Scripture known by it self and for itself but for the matter conteined in it And so al Protestants should say seing when they exhort the common people to the reading of their translated Bibles they bear them in hand that it is the word of God and that their translation of the word of God is authentical and worthie to be beleued for it self Besids they did the people beleue what they teach them becaus it is in their Bibles and so make their Bibles the rule and ground of their peoples faith And no other infallible rule of faith their common people can pretend to haue Moreouer if they make the matter or true sense of Scripture the rule of faith as commonly they doe they cannot denie but Scripture truly translated hath the same matter which the original hath SECOND SECTION Sometimes denie it WHitaker Contro 1. q. 2. c. 7. We make no edition of Scripture authentical but the Hebrew in the old and the Greek in the New Testament Translations if No translation authentical they agree we allow them if they differ we reiect them Ibid. c. 8. We doe doe not say that we must stand to our translations as authentical of themselues but we appeal to the fountaines onely as truly authentical C. 9. Authentical Scripture must come imediatly from the Holie Ghost C. 10. onely authentical is Canonical Et ibid. q. 5. c. 9. The ignorance of the original toungs Hebrew and Greek hath caused manie errors And thus al Protestants should say becaus
P. 76. Faith is of scriptures heard P. 108. Faith is begotten not of testimonie of the Church but onely out of scripture P. 122. The The â—â—elie sufficient means scripture is the most strong the most effectual I ad also now the onely sufficient means to beleue P. 130. Our faith relieth vpon the scriptures alone P. 165. scriptures are the foundations of our faith P. 167. The scripture is the beginning of beleuing The same he hath p. 168. P. 173. The formal cause of our Scripture the formal cause of beleef faith is not the voice of the Church but Gods word reuealed in the scriptures Potter sec 5 p. 8. The principal motiue and last obiect of beleif is the diuine last obiect authoritie of the scripture it self P. 10. The cheif principle ground on which faith rests and for which it firmely The ground of faith assents vnto those truths which the Church propounds is the diuine reuelation made in scripture sec 7. p. 95. The creed conteines onely the material The formal obiect obiect of faith The scripture is further the formal obiect of faith or the motiue and ground whervpon faith is grounded being both the obiectâ—m quod in respect of things therin reuealed and obiectum Obiectum quod and quâ— quo in respect of that diuine veritie and authoritie which reueals them Laude Relat. sec 16. p. 84. Tradition of the present Church is the first moral motiue to beleue but the beleif it self That the scripture is the word of God rests vpon the scripture P. 89. Doe Faith resolued into Scripture you grant as you ought to doe that we resolue our faith into scripture as the ground and we wil neuer denie that Tradition is the key that letts vs in Sec. 18. p. 123. The Prophets testimonie was diuine into which namely their writings the Iewes did resolue their faith Hooker l. 2. § 7. Scripture is The ground of al beleef the ground of al beleif Chillingworth c. 3. § 32. p. 149. I can not know anie doctrin to be a diuine and supernatural truthe but becaus the scripture saies so And where saies it that it is the word of God Vttermost formal cause of faith Morton to 2. Apol. l. 1. c. 37. Papists are forced against their wil to grant that thè vttermost formal cause of Catholik faith doth not consist in the authoritie of the Church but in scripture Ib. The diuine authoritie of the scripture by vertue of the holie Ghost doth imprint in the minds of the hearers the last formal Last formal cause cause of faith And l 5. c. 11. scripture is to the faithâ—ul the supreme Iudge euen concerning vs in which our consciences doe last rest In his Appeal l. Last rest and resolution 3. c 15. sec 5. In the doctrin of scripture mens consciences may take their last rest and resolution White in his Table before his way The last resolution of our faith is into the authoritie of the scripture And yet they cannot denie but the authoritie of the Scripture is create For they were written by men And so the formal cause the vttermost formal cause the last formal cause the last rest Create authoritie the vttermost formal cause of Protest faith the last resolution of their faith is create authoritie and not Prima veritas it self as they pretend and condemn Catholiks for onely saying that the create authoritie of the true formal cause but say not as Protestants say of Scripture the vttermost the last formal cause the last resolution of our faith Besids Protestants make Protestants inferences out of humane Principles the last resolution of their faith their own Inferences partly out of some humane principle to be equal and equiualent vnto express Scripture or word of God as is shewed before c. 3 sec 2. and so make their own Inferences and those partly out of humane Principles the formal cause the vttermost the last formal cause that into which their faith is last resolued and withal teach that L. 1. c. 18 n. 1. the Inference cannot be more certain then the Principle out of which it is inferred How then can their faith haue more certaintie then humane as Chillingworth confessed c. 8. sec 2. SECOND SECTION Sometimes denie it CHillingworth c. 2. n. 159. p. 116. For other reasons I conceaue this doctrin that Scripture is the rule of faith Not fundamental becaus if a man should beleue Christian religion Scripture no fâ—ndamental doctrin wholy and entirely and liue according to it such a man though he should not know or not beleue the Scripture to be a rule of faith no nor to be the word of God my opinion is he may be saued so that the books of Scripture are not so much the obiects of our faith as the instruments of conueying it to our vnderstanding and not so much of the being of Christian doctrin as requisit to the welbeing of it Ireneus tels vs of some barbarous nations that beleued the doctrin of Christ and yet beleued not the Scripture to be the word of God For they neuer heard of it and faith comes of hearing God requiring of vs vnder pain of damnation onely Not damnabâ—e not to beâ—eue the Scripture to beleue the verities therin conteined and not the diuine authoritie of the books wherin they are conteined Ibid. n. 32. p. 65. Which Scripture we beleue not finally and for it self but for the matter conteined in it We Scripture not last obâ—â—st of faith are to beleue it not as the last obiect of out faith but as the means of it Ibid. Natural reason built on principles common Natural â—eason last â—eâ—oluâ—◠〈◊〉 of â—rotest faith to al men is the last resolution of our faith of the Scripture into which the Churches authoritie is but the first inducement n. 115. p. 96. By you as wel as by Protestants al is finally resolued into reason Baro in his Apologie pro disput de obiecto fidei p. 48. Laicks beleue the doctrin which is proposed to them to be beleued to be in the Protest beleue Scripture but with 〈…〉 ne faith Scripture onely with humane faith Behold first That Scripture is the rule of faith is no fundamental doctrin Secondly one may be saued though the beleue not the Scripture to be the word of God Thirdly books of Scripture are not so much obiects of our faith as instruments therof Fourthly are not so much of the being of Christian faith as of the wel being of it Fiftly God requires not vnder pain of damnation to beleue the diuine authoritie of Scripture Sixtly we beleue not the Scripture finally and for it self Seauently It is not the last obiect of faith Eightly natural reason is the last resolution of Protestants faith of the Scripture Ninthly Laicks beleue their doctrin to be in the Scripture but with humane faith And can that which is such be the formal
the Catholik faith And himself addeth In al controuersies the Papists with whom we deale crie Plain euident manifest scripture P. 49. he citeth Bellarmin l. 1. de Verbo Dei c. 2. saying other means may deceaue me but nothing is more known nothing more certain then the scriptures that it were the greatest madnes in the world not to beleue them P. 64. some of them say the scripture is the rule and the principal Papists make Scripture a Rule rule too yea more as Bellarmin and others P. 15. Papists grant that al other authoritie is finally resolued into the authoritie of Scripture P. 17. We admit the Scripture on al hands and al the question between vs is about the Church In his Defense p. 162. Our Aduersaries Papists grant the last and highest resolutions of our faith to be into the authoritie of the Scripture Which he repeateth p. 309. 310. 3â—5 Laude sec 16. n. 24. The greatest vpholders of Tradition that euer were made the Scripture vâ—ry necessarie in al ages of the Church sec 20 n. 3. p. 120. The Roman Churches receâ—â—ues the scripture as Rule of faitâ— Iuâ—l Defense of A Rule the Apologie part 1. p. 65. p. 129. You Harding say the scriptures are so clear of your side Luther in psal 22. tom So clear on their side 3. fol. 343. We cannot ouercome the Papists bring a huge number of places of scripture for works Plessie in his preface to his book of the Church When in the time of our Fathers men began to protest openly against the abuses and traditions of the Romish Church by the authoritie of Gods word they that were then accounted famous for learning in that Church as Ecbius Cocleus Prierias and others laboured al they could to defend the said abuses by the holie scripture Behold how from the verie beginning of Protestancie Catholiks sought to defend their doctrin by Scripture Morton also tom 2. Apol l. 5. c. 21. relateth this words of Roffensis against Luther The words of the Gospel make most plainly for vs al fight for vs more clearly then More clearly then the sun the sun And ibid. l. 1. c. 37 citeth this Note of the Rhemist Testament Ioan. 4. This woman Mystically being the Church it is here signified that they which at the first beleue becaus the Church teacheth so afterward be much confirmed finding it in the Scripture also And ibid. Morton addeth yee see then that your last resolution is founded in the authoritie of the Scriptures Whitaker Contro 1. q. 1. c. 1. Papists extol the scriptures and we higly Papists extol the Scripture esteeme them and there is no controuersie that we ought to search the scriptures but how we should search them Kemnice in Epist dedicat 1. partis Exam. The Papists at this time put al the strenght and Defense of their cause in the matter of the scripture and Tradition Thus Catholiks esteem and speak of holie Scripture wheras far otherwise Luther postilla in Domin 8. post Trinitatem fol. 301. said The scripture is the book of Heretiks Christianus Protestants say Scripture is the book of Heretikr ad Portum l. contra Verronem tom 5. Rupellae p. 31 Luther said most truly that scripture is the book of heretiks The same Luther postilla in Epiphaniam It is true that Heretiks are made by occasion of scripture Daile in his Apologie c. 5. Papists reuerence the Gospels and Epistles of the Apostles as diuine bookes SECOND SECTION Sometimes denie it APologie of the Church of England parte 4. c. 18. d. 1. These men Papists alwaie abhor and flie the word of God euen as the theef flyes the gallowes Ibid. These men bid the holie scripture away as dum and fruitles Item They burn the scriptures and cal them the books of Heretiks The like hath Whitaker ad Rat. 5. 6. Campiani And Contro 1. q. 6. c. vlt. Contr. 2. q. 5. c. 6. And l. 2. de Scrip. c. 6 sec 3. And Morton tom 2. Apol. l. 1. c. 47. Martyr in 1. Cor. 15. Papists leaue no place ether to God or scripture Caluin in Gal. 1. v. 8. The Papists do furiously vex the pure and simple doctrin of the Gospel In Ioan. 4. v. 20. The Papists giue no place to Prophets or Apostles Act. 17. v. 2. Papists think nothing can be certainly gathered out of scripture Contra Anabapt p. 412. The Papists say that the holie scriptures Vide Caluin in â—oan 6. v. 60. c. 8. v. 12. 39. c. 17. v. 20. are to be let goe Luther in l. de Consilijs The Pope burieth the holie scripture in durt and dust Morton to 2. Apol. l. 1. c. 33. Cardinal Hosius was not ashamed to say impiously See his Appeal l. 5. c. 28. sâ—c 2. Tom 2. Apol. l. 5 c. 13. Potter sect 5. p. 3. It had been better if Scripture had not been written Yet ibid. confesseth This I haue read of Hosius but not in Hosius But he is ashamed to tel where he read it to wit in Iuels Apologie of the Church of England parte 4 where Iuels best excuse of a manifest lie is that some of his lying brethren had told that leud lie before him Read Cope Dial. 6. c. 19. of this faceles lie of Iuel And Hardings answer to the Apologie Hosius de Verbo Dei Bellarm. Praefat in tom 2. White in his Way p. 18. They know and confess the most and greatest points of their religion euen wel nigh al wherin they dissent from vs haue no foundation on the scripture And in his Epistle Dedicatorie Al their speâ—ch is of the Church no mention of the scriptures nor God their Father but their Mother the Church And in his Defense p. 61. accuseth Catholiks of Enmitie rebellion and contempt of scriptures Ibid. p. 346. The words of the scripture itself the Replier and his Complices despise and reuile But it is wel that both himself and his fellowes do giue him the lie herein as we saw in the former section Vshers Reionder p. 1. Papists flie from the Scripture euen as the dog flieth from the whip wherwith he is beaten they speak euil of it But now hauing shewed the manifold and main vncertainties and contradictions of Protestants touching Scripture let anie iudicious Reader iudge whether Protestants can rationally say or think that the Scripture is the onely Iudge or onelie Rule or onelie sufficient Proposer of points of faith apointed by God for to direct and guide vs assuredly and infallibly in matters of assured and infallible faith but now let vs set down Catholiks certain and constant doctrin concerning the same Onely let vs remember luthers word vpon the fift psalme No Heretiks were ouercomen by force or craft but by mutual dissension nether doth Christ fight otherwise with them then by sending amongst them the spirit of giddines and dissension FOVRTEENTH CHAPTER That Scripture taken by it self alone vvithout attestation of the Church that it is the
Blasphemous And Confessed by Protestants diuers Protestants confess this to be a point of faith For the Bohemian confession professeth to beleue art 17. That our Ladie was a Virgin before and after her childbirth Protestants in Colloq Ratisb sess 10. p. 318. Who denies it her perpetual Virginitie is an Heretik Zuinglius serm de B. Virgine Maria to 1. fol. 350. I beleue with firme and vndoubted minde the pure chaste and vnspotted Virgin brought forth Christ yet so as without anie spot of Chastitie she remained a Chaste Virgin for euer Luther l. de votis to 2. fol. 272. If anie denie Marie vas à Virgin he is damned Beza in his confession of faith c. 3. sec 3. professeth that she was a Virgin after her Childbirth And why put he it into his confession of faith if he beleued it not to be a point of faith Whitaker also Contro 1. q. 6. c. 9. dares not denie it plainly For being pressed with this argument he saieth It belongeth not to me to dispute of the perpetual Virginitie of Marie Feild l. 3. of the Church c. 30. If these were the opinions of â—ouinian That Marie ceased to be a Virgin when she had born Christ and that al sinns are equal we condemn them and his error therin as much as the Romanists doe Nether can Protestants denie it if they wil obserue the definition of Heresie which sometimes they giue to wit Error against the doctrin of the Church For Beza de puniendis Haeret. p. 150. Moulins l. 1. cont Peron c. 7. Potter sect 2. p. 55 See sup l. 〈◊〉 10. that the perpetual Virginitie of our B Ladie is the doctrin of the Church is euident by the aforesaid Fathers Greek and Latin in the East West and South Nether haue they anie reason to denie it besides their own error That nothing is of faith but what is expresly in Scripture or may be euidently deduced of it Now that this is nether expressed nor euidently collected ouâ— of Scripture granteth Perkins Cathol Refut Contro 7. c. 1. I finde not in holie Scripture that Marie remained alwaies a Virgin and died a Virgin And al Protestants must grant becaus most of them denie it to be a point of faith as Beza Apologia altera contra Saintem p. 355. Academia Nemausiensis contra Iesuit Tornan p. 566. Feild l 4. de Eccles p. 240. Riuet Contro tract 1. 1. sec 20. Iunius Contro 1. l. 4. c. 9 To this point of faith I ad the question of Schisme which as Plessie cited supra c. 5. sec 2. confessed cannot be decided by Scripture becaus it is a matter of fact of which the Scripture speaketh not And yet schisme is as necessarie to be decided as heresie becaus that is as wel damnable as this 4. As for the Fathers they so plainly and directly say there are traditions not written as for breuities sake I wil omit their words and relate the confessions of Protestants Whitaker Contro 1. q. 6. c. vlt. p. 415. I confess the Fathers speak much of traditions The Fathers were sometimes deceaued we grant that the Fathers defended traditions Ibid. c. 12. I grant that Ireneus appealed from Scripture to Apostolical traditions So Perkins it is clear he was deceaued with traditions P. 389. Eusebius his testimonie for traditions is plain enough but no way to be admitted Ibid. It is clear that Basil was too much addicted to traditions Ibid. Damascen was too much giuen to traditions P. 391. Chrysostomus saying for tradition is Morton Appeal p. 315 vnaduised and vnworthie of so great a Father I doe not acknowledg this his tradition Ibid. Epiphanius was too much delighted with traditions He allowes indeed Apostolical Seultettom 2. c. 19. 20. traditions P. 392. Let vs not regard what Cyprian saieth of tradition P. 393. Al is not to be admitted which Ambrose saieth of traditions Ibid. Ether Austin speaketh of vnnecessarie traditions or he contradicteth himself P. 394. Innocentius Primus erred in his traditions Thus he Kemnitius 1. parte Exam. tit de Traditionibus p. 140. Excellent men in the Church besids Scripture gaue too much to traditions P. 141. The admiring of traditions not written drew manie good and excellent men in the Church from the holsome rule of faith And that was done in the first and best times of the Church soone after the Apostles traditions beg an to be thrust vpon the Church This opinion remained and stuck in their successors as in Clement P. 142. Euen good men in the Church were deceaued by too great esteem of not-written traditions P. 143. Admiration of not-written traditions deceaued good and great men in the Church Euen in the best times of the Primitiue Church admiration of not-written traditions could draw most excellent men from the rule of faith Reinolds thesi 1. Basil and Epiphanius assaying al sorts of helps against Heretiks wil haue certain things to be conteined in traditions wherto by the iudgment of the Scripture itself there must be no less credit giuen then to Scripture Perkins in his problem c. de Tradit some Fathers inclining to heretiks did embrace traditions not-written And he reakoneth S. Iustin S. Ireney Clement Alexandrin Eusebius Tertullian And ibid. saieth The Fathers oftentimes speak contradictions about tradition 5. Surely the Fathers testimonies for necessarie traditions must needs be euident which haue forced thes learned and earnest Protestants to confess that the Fathers auouch such kinde of traditions as they reiect wheras no one learned Catholik euer granted that the Fathers reiected such kinde of traditions as they defend Nether can Protestants produce one testimonie of anie Father which expresly or directly denieth such traditions But Protestants infer it out of some Father speeches of the perfection of Scripture and of its conteining al things necessarie which inference is naught For the perfection of Scripture and its conteining al things necessarie may wel stand with traditions as we shal see hereafter 6. Nay Protestants themselues are Protostants admit some traditions forced to admit some necessarie tradition not written Brentius in Prolegomenis contra Sotum c. de traditionibus Wee grant that the tradition wherwith the holie Scripture and what is conteined in it is deliuered vnto vs by our Ancestors is certain firme and vndoubted this tradition is necessarie to vs and in al manner to be embraced Kemnitius parte 1. exam tit de Traditionibus p. 113 This tradition by which the books of the holie Scripture are giuen into our hands we reuerently receaue The Fathers where they deliuer this tradition of the books of Scripture proue it by the testimonies of the Primitiue Church Morton to 1. Apol. l. 1. c. 32. after he had rehearsed the aforsaid words of Brentius of the tradition of Scripture saieth This Ladie and as it were Goddess of al traditions Protestants reuerence more then you Papists And to 2. Apol. l. 1. c. 5. The true Canon of Scriptures we must
not written that we say is bastard Beza in Rom. 1. v. 17. Christians acknowledg no other obiect of faith but the written word of God Perkins in his Reform Cath. Contro 20. c. 2. We acknowledg the onely written word of God Wherfore ether there is some point of faith nay the cheifest point of al an vnwritten word of God or this point That the scripture is the word of God is no point of faith with Protestants Which Chillingworth c. 2. § 4. seemeth plainly to teach where he saieth The controuersies wherin the scripture it self is the subiect of the question cannot be determined but by natural reason § 32. The scripture is none of the material obiects of our faith Scripture no material obiect of faith § 51. Tradition by which Scripture is known is a Principle not in Christianitie but in reason § 159. God requireth of vs vnder pain of damnation onely to beleue the verities therin conteined not the diuine authoritie of the books wherin they are conteined And the same insinuate Whitaker Hooker and White cited supra c. 8. sec 2. Who say that Scripture may be known by reason and light of nature to be the word of God So that the most necessarie most sure prime great main ground of Protestants faith is a principle of natural reason and no obiect of diuine faith or which we are bound to beleue vnder pain of damnation Surely I see not how Protestants can make agree these two main points of their doctrin There is no word of God vnwritten necessarie to be beleued and That scripture is the word of God is a word of God vnwritten necessarie to be beleued The first is the common doctrin of al Protestants who therfore denie that there is anie tradition that is word of God vnwritten necessarie to be beleued and say the Scripture is the perfect and entire rule of faith conteining al that is necessarie to be beleued The second also is their vsual doctrin For that with them it is a word of God That the Scripture is the word of God is euident both becaus they put the Canon of Scripture in their Confessions of faith as a parte of their beleif and Sup n. 7. also because Laude loco cit calleth it a prime principle of faith And Vsher That of al things this ought to be beleued And seing they say their beleif of al other points dependeth on this I suppose they wil not denie this to be a point of faith or Gods word and say it is but a humane principle or word of man That this point is not written is euident For no where it can be shewed and also because Laude White and others cited supra c. 5. sec 2 confess that it is no where written in Scripture And if it were anie where written we could proue Scripture by itself which Whitaker Feild Hooker Couel Chillingworth and others cited c. 5. doe denie And that they account this point necessarie to be beleued I need not proue becaus they account it the most necessarie of al and on which dependeth whatsoeuer els they beleue 9. An other proof that the Scripture doth not sufficiently propose al points of faith may be taken from the Protestants confession That they cannot deduce most of their points of faith in which they differ from vs out of Scripture by anie necessarie Inference but by adding to Scripture some humane principle As they caÌ„not infer out of that saying of Scripture Doe this in Commemoration of me that the Eucharist is not substantially the bodie of Christ but by adding this humane principle A Commemoration cannot be substantially the thing which is commemorated And the like wil appeare in their proof of other their points of faith if they be brought into syllogistical forme And how can that be saied to propose See Vvhites 〈◊〉 16 p. 138. sufficiently al points of faith which doth but partly propose them and needeth the addition of another How can it be called the perfect rule of faith which needeth addition seening we haue shewed before out of the Fathers and their own confession that a Rule needeth no addition C. 5. sect 2. Nay how can they say they beleue those conclusions as points to be infallibly beleued which they being fallible men doe also infer partly out of fallible and humane principles seeing as Laude saieth sec 16. § 3. This is an inuiolable See him sect 19. p. 125. ground of reason That the principle of anie conclusion must be of more credit then the conclusion itself And the same say Whitaker Contro 2. q. 5. c. 18. l. 〈◊〉 de Script p. 166. 392. 416. Potter sec 5. p 14. 15 33. 40 Morton to 2. Apol. l. 1. c. 37. Chillingworth Fallible Principles can neuer produce an infallible conclusion c. 2. p. 57. and others commonly Thus haue we proued that Scripture doth not sufficiently propose al points of faith now we wil proue that it doth not propose to al men SIXTEENTH CHAPTER That Scripture doth not sufficiently propose points of faith to al men capable of external proposal 1. THat Scripture doth not sufficiently propose points of faith to al men who are capable of external proposal is euident in the blinde and those who cannot read For the blinde cannot so much as see the letters of the Scripture and those who cannot read cannot see their signification or what they signifie Therfore Scripture of itself doth propose nothing sufficiently vnto them If anie answer that Scripture may be read to them and so propose sufficiently to them I reply First that if Scripture cannot propose to them but by some others reading of it of itself alone it cannot propose and so can be no Rule of faith to them becaus a Rule needeth no help to direct And yet White in his Defense c. 24. p. 105. saith This Rule of faith is of such nature as it is able to direct al men yea the simplest and vnleaâ—nedest aline Secondly that according to Protestants al men are fallible and may read wrong ether of purpose or of ignorance And the Scriptures proposal were not infallible if it vsed a fallible help Surely the blinde or ignorant men can haue no greater assurance then moral that the Reader readeth true For what diuine infallible assistance can he be thought to haue in reading true And it were madness to say he hath diuine assistance in reading true and to denie that the true Church of God hath the like assistance in teaching true 2. And as D. Potter saieth sec 5. p. 7. The assent of diuine faith is absolutly diuine which requires an obiect and motiue so infallibly true as that it nether hath nor can possibly admit anie mixture of error or falshood And he should haue said it cannot possibly admit anie mixture of fallibilitie And doubtles anie particular mans reading is fallible How then can the blinde or ignorant men haue faith absolutly diuine whose motiue is Gods