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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A06606	A treatise of the iudge of controuersies. Written in Latin, by the R. Father Martinus Becanus of the Society of Iesus, Professour in Diuinity. And Englished by W.W. Gent; De judice controversiarum. English	Becanus, Martinus, 1563-1624.; Wright, William, 1563-1639.	1619 (1619)	STC 1707; ESTC S101284	69,267	198

which may be declared with two similitudes the one is taken from the proportion of a mans body For if you should aske whether all the members which are in a mans body haue vitall and sensible spiritts in them by the which life in them is preserued I answeare that indeed all haue but with a certaine kynd of dependance from the head and the hart for these spirits are deriued from the head and the hart as from a double origen spring or fountaine into the other members From whence it comes that if those pores and passages be stopped intercepted through the which that distribution of spirits is made it followeth also that the other members are destitute of their spirits and cannot exercise their office at all but if they be patent and open all is well Euen so in the Church all the faythfull who are as members of the Church haue the assistance and direction of the holy Ghost but which a certaine kynd of dependance of the Pope who is as the head of the Church and from the Councells which are as the hart of the Church As long therefore as they remaine vnited to the doctrine of the Pope Coūcells they are pertakers of the assist●nce and gouernement of the holy Ghost cannot erre in fayth But if they once depart by obstinacy and stubbornesse then they begin to shut vp all their passages that the diuine assistance and direction cānot be distributed vnto them And so they begin to swarue from the truth and become subiect to errour which happened to Arius Nestorius Macedonius Pelagius and six hundred others And truly least the same happen vnto vs let vs heare the Counsell of the Apostle who in euery place doth exhort vs to the agreement and vnity of doctrine As when he writeth thus to the Romains And I desire you brethren saith he Rom. 16. 17. to marke them that make dissentions scandalls contrary to the doctrine which you haue learned and auoyd them And to the Corinthians I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord 1. Cor. 1. 10. Iesus Christ that you all say one thing and that there be no schisme among you And to the Ephesians Becarefull to vse the spirit of truth in the bond of peace One body and one spirit as Eph. 4. 3. you are called in one hope of your Saluation One Lord one fayth one Baptisme And likewise to the Hebrewes VVith variances strang Heb. 13. 9. doctrines be not led away Another similitude may be borrowed from a flock of sheepe which very well doth represent the Church For as a whole flock being gathered together in one fould or one place hath the continuall assistance of their sheepheard who doth defend them all with his hooke his dogge from the cruelty of wolues eue● so the whole Church of the faythfull being collected in one fayth and in one spirit hath the perpetuall assistāce of that diuine sheepheard Ioan. 10. 14. Matth. 28. 20. who sayd I am the good Pastour and I know my sheepe And againe Behould I am with you all dayes euen to the consūmatiō of the world Also euen as the sheep as long as they remayne togeather with the flock and their Pastour they are safe from the biting of wolues euen so all Christians as long as they remaine vnited with the Church that is agreeing with the doctrine of the Church they are safe and secure from all dangers of errour and infidelity And finally as sheepe which stray from the flock are destitute of the protection of their Pastour and so subiect to be deuoured of the rauening wolues euen so Christians who disagree from the common sense and doctrine of the Church are quite destitute of the assistāce of the holy Ghost and so in danger to fall certainly into pestiferous damnable errours From the which Christ free vs all FINIS THE CONTENTS OF THIS BOOKE OF the Iudge of Controuersies the Preface Pag. 1. The Scripture alone is not the Iudge of Controuersies concerning matters of Faith and Religion I. ARGVMENT Drawne from the Office of a Iudge Pag. 6. II. ARGVMENT Drawne out of the Scripture it selfe Pag. 9. That the Scripture according to the sense and meaning thereof cannot be Iudge Pag. 19. That the Scripture often tymes according vnto the sense is obscure and hard to be vnderstood Pag. 20. What are the causes why the Scripture is obscure Pag. 33. Wherefore is it Gods will that the Scripture should be obscure Pag. 58. It followes necessarily out of the obscurity of the Scripture that many Controuersies arise amongst Christians Pag. 64. The Scripture cannot be the Iudge of these and the like Controuersies Pag. 71. THE III. ARGVMENT Which is drawne out of the Cōtrouersies themselues Pag. 81. THE IIII. ARGVMENT Which is taken out of the vse and practise of the old Testament where not the Scripture but the Bishop was acknowledged for the Iudge Pag. 91. THE V. ARGVMENT Drawne from the custome vse and practise of the new Testamēt Pag. 106. THE VI. ARGVMENT Drawne from the Analogy and proportion of the Ciuill Iudge concerning matters belonging to the common Wealth Pag. 118. The Testimonies of Scripture brought against vs heere are examined THE I. TESTIMONY Pag. 125. THE II. TESTIMONY Pag. 134. THE III. TESTIMONY Pag. 136. THE IIII. TESTIMONY Pag. 145. THE V. TESTIMONY Pag. 149. THE VI. TESTIMONY Pag. 151. THE VII TESTIMONY Pag. 153. THE VIII TESTIMONY Pag. 157. The Conclusion of all that is contained in this Booke Pag. 160. An Obiectiō of the vulgar people against all that hath beene hitherto sayd Pag. 162. FINIS

the which I will manifestly proue that the scripture only is not sufficient to be the Iudge of all Controuersies The First shal be taken from the office of a Iudge which cànot be giuen to the Scripture The second from the Scripture it selfe in the which two things are to be considered the bare letter and the meaning therof The bare letter doth kill as the Apostle sayth the meaning or sense is obscure and hard to be vnderstood and therefore it necdeth some other Iudge or interpreter The third shal be drawne from the controuersies themselues which are in question for there are some controuersies which cannot be decided by scripture seing there is no mention at all made of them in the scripiture The fourth shal be taken out from the vse and practise of the old testament in the which not the scripture but the high Priest is acknowledged to be Iudge The fift out of the like vse and practise of the new testament The sixt is gathered out of the Analogy or proportion of the Ciuill Iudge concerning the questions and controuersies which fall out in the ciuill gouerment or Common Wealth For the written law is not the Iudge of such controuersies but the Prince or some peculiar Iudge appointed by him or his Counsell Moreouer I will examine the testimonies of the Scripture brought in against vs in the beginning By the examining of the which I will infer three things First that some of them do rather make for the Catholikes then for the Protestants and especially that of the which most of all they bragge and boast Search the scriptures Secondly that others of them belong nothing to the matter of which we speake And lastly that the Protestants who only seeke to obtaine the victory out of the scripture are altogether ignorant of the sense or meaning of it But now I will begin with our owne arguments The Scripture alone is not the Iudge of Controuersies concerning matters of Fayth and Religion I. ARGVMENT Drawne from the Office of a Iudge THE first argumēt which is drawn from the office of the Iudge thus I propound He that is the Iudge betwixt two at variance ought in such manner to pronounce the sentence that both of them may plainly perceiue what the sentence of the Iudge is so that the one may see it is for him and the other that it is against him otherwise the aduersaries will neuer leaue of their contentions but both will still continue defending their cause But the Scripture cannot do this therefore the Scripture cannot be the Iudge of al controuersies The Maiot is cleare The Minor I proue Because the Lutherans and the Caluinists for these many yeares haue iarred and warred concerning all these articles 1. The Baptisme of Children 2. The reall presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist 3. Predestination 4. The person of Christ 5. Exorcismes 6. The number Canon of books of the Scripture And yet notwithstanding the scripture which they would haue to be Iudge could not hitherto nor can decide or put an end to these controuersies Hitherto it hath neuer beene heard that euer sentence was so pronounced by the scripture that eyther the Lutherās or the Caluinists haue confessed that it was pronounced either against the one or the other of them And this is plaine For as yet they both go forward most bitterly striuing contending Which doubtlesse they would neuer do if they did perceiue that the sentence were plainly giuen in their controuersies for then either the parties condemned would cease from contending any longer and submit themselues to the sentence or els they would appeale to some other Iudge pretending themselues to be vniustly condemned But neither of these do neyther Now therefore that the force of this argument may more plainly appeare two things are to be considered The one is that the Lutherans and Caluinists do openly confesse that they acknowledg no other Iudg then scripture only Which they affirme to be plaine mainfest euident and sufficient by it selfe to decide all controuersies whatsoeuer in matters of faith and religion that no falsity or errour can be found in it The other is that although they haue this Iudge yet notwithstanding they obtaine nothing by it but that their contentions still grow greater greater and they themselues become more hatefull to each other Out of which it followes that eyther the scripture hath not hither to pronounced clearly euidently and sufficiently that sentence or if it haue that eyther the Lutherans or the Caluinists are very stubborne and obstinate who will not yield to so manifest and so euident a sentence of which two let them make their choyce II. ARGVMENT Drawne out of the Scripture it selfe IN the Scripture two things are alwaies to be considered to wit the bare letter and the sense euen as in a man the soule and the body Of these two the holy Apostle as some interpret doth speake when he saith the letter killeth but the spirit quickneth as though 21 Cor. 3. 6. he had said if thou follow the true meaning and sense of the Scripture which is like the quickning soule and spirit it will helpe thee to saluation But if thou neglect the true and lawfull sense thereof and sticke only to the plaine bare and outward letter and striue to make that the meaning and sense which the bare letter only seemeth to import without doubt very often thou wilt fall into errour This interpretation S. Augustine doth approue Oftentymes sayth he O my dearely beloued Aug ser 7 de temp brethren I haue admonished your Charity that in the Lessons which these daies are read in the Church we ought not to attend only to that which we are taught by the bare letter but that we must seeke faithfully remouing away the veile of the letter a true quickning spirit for the Apostle saith that the letter killeth but the spirit quickneth For the vnhappy Iewes and the more vnhappy Heretikes whilst they regard the meere sound of the letter as a body without the soule so they remaine dead without the quickning spirit The like he hath in his third booke of Christian doctrine in the 5. Chapter This presupposed two things are to be proued The one is that the scripture if we respect the bare letter cannot possibly be the Iudge of controuersies The other is that albeit we marke also the sense and meaning of it yet neither so it can be the Iudge The former part is certaine for that which leadeth men into errour and heresie cannot be the infallible Iudge of all controuersies but the scripture if we respect the bare letter thereof leadeth men into errour and heresy therefore it cannot be the infallible Iudge of controuersies The Maior is plaine of it selfe because we seeke an infallible Iudge to the end we may not erre therfore that which leadeth vs into errour is not an infallible Iudge The Minor is euident out of the Apostle because the scripture

naturall water For in another place it is called fier as in S. Luke He shall baptize Lue. 3. v. 1● you in spirit and fier and yet it is not vnderstood of true fire Therefore how can it appeare that in the former place true water is to be vnderstood or how will the Lutherans proue it against the Caluinists Not by any other meanes then by the practise order and tradition of the Church Another Christ in his last supper did not only institute the blessed Sacrament but also he adioyned the washing of feete and in the institution of the blessed Sacrament he sayd Eate and drinke but in the washing of eete and you ought one to wash the feete of another Here the Aduersaries say that in the first words there is a precept but not in the last And so the faythfull by Gods commaundment are obliged to receaue the blessed Sacrament in both kindes but not so to the washing of feete Now I aske how they are certaine of this or by what pretence do they thinke themselues bound to the receauing of both kyndes and yet free from the washing of feet Certainly they cannot pretend the words of Scripture For they seeme rather to shew the contrary For these words Eate and drinke seeme to signify no more of themselues then if a hous-keeper should say to his guests eate and drinke and be merry And if the hous-keeper should say so it would not be thought that be meant thereby to bynd them by a precept Therefore seing Christ spake in the same manner how is it certaine that he intended by that manner of speaking to oblige all the faythfull to the receauing of both kinds But these wordes You ought to wash the feete of one another seeme to signify a precept no lesse then if the maister should say to the seruant Thou must couer the table How therefore know they that by these words they are not obliged to wash the feete of one another seing the words themselues do shew plainly an obligation Only by the practise and Tradition of the Church For the Church neuer hath vsed this washing as necessary which notwithstanding she would haue done if shee had thought that she had beene obliged to it and that by Christs commaundment I omit many like examples which are easy to be found And out of these I conclude thus The Scripture may be considered two waies 1. According to the bare and outward letter 2. According to the inward sense which is intended of the holy Ghost But neyther of these two waies can it be iudge of Controuersies Not the former way as we haue proued in the first part of this second argument Neither as it is taken in the second way because the sense of the Scripture often tymes is so obscure and doubtfull that there is need of some other iudge who may define this to be the true meaning which is intended of the holy Ghost and not any other contrary And this is sufficient about the second Argument drawne from the Scripture THE III. ARGVMENT Which is drawne out of the Controuersies them selues THIS argument thus I propound There are many Controuersyes about fayth and Religion of the which in the Scripture there is no mention made at all or at least not so much as is sufficient so that the Scripture may giue sentence of them therefore in deciding of them some other iudge is to be sought Such Controuersyes be these The first whether the Bookes of Toby Iudith VVisedome Ecclesiasticus the Machabees be Canonicall land diuine The Lutherans and the Caluinists say no. But the Catholikes say the contrary Now who must be iudge to decide this contention The Scripture cannot be Neither the Lutherans nor the Caluinists which is well to be noted do appeale to the Scripture but to the Canon and tradition of the Iewes They say therefore that those Bookes cannot be found in the Canon of the Iewes which is extant in S. Hierome and therefore they are not to be accoūted Canonicall and Diuine Hence they confesse that in this case there ought to be some other iudge besides the Scripture And who is that The tradition of the Iewes say they But is not this strang to see our Aduersaries make more reckoning of Iewes then of Christians For although they be desirous to be accounted Christians they are deadly enemyes to the traditions of Christ and his Apostles and yet notwithstanding make great accompt of the Iewes traditions Wherefore say they not rather with S. Augustine Not August l. ●8 de ciuit Dei c. 36. the Iewes but the Church holdeth the Bookes of the Machabees for Canonicall or with Isidorus The Iewes do not receaue the bookes of Toby Iudith and the Machabees but the Church doth number them among the Canonicall Scriptures Ifidor in l. Pro●m de lib. vet no● Test And in the same place The Booke of VVisedome and Ecclesiasticus are knowne to haue the like authority that other Canonicall Bookes haue The second is how many Sacraments there be of the new Law Our aduersaries say but two Baptisme and the Lords supper The Catholiks beleeue seauen But what sayth the Scripture Nothing as concerning any certaine number and therefore it cannot be the Iudge in this Controuersy From whence therefore receaue the Catholikes the number of seauen if not out of Scripture From the tradition and consent of the Church From whence the aduersaryes the nūber of 2. Let them looke from whence Truly they haue it not from the Scripture but if they thinke they haue let them performe these three things First let them shew out of Scripture that the name of a Sacrament is attributed to Baptisme and to the Eucharist and not as well to Confirmation Order Pennance Matrimony and Extreme Vnction Secondly out of Scripture let them define a Sacrament Thirdly let them shew that the definition agreeth fitly with Baptisme and the Eucharist and not as well to the rest If they can do this they do something but that they neither wil nor euer can do this I am most certaine For first where will they find in Scripture that the name of a Sacramēt is attributed to Baptisme and the Eucharist Truly in no place But I will find where it is applyed to Matrimony For so writeth the Apostle For this cause shall man leaue his Father and Mother Eph. 5. 31. shall cleaue to his wife and they shall be two in one flesh This is a great Sacrament But I speak in Christ in the Church As though he had sayd That a man shall leaue his parents and cleaue to his wife This is a great Sacrament because it is a signe of the vniō of Christ with his Church that is the mariage of Christ and his Church Secondly where will they find Luth. in l. de captiu Bab ● vlt Melan. in ep Conf. August art 13. Mel. in locis ommun●●us tit d● numero Sacramentorum in the Scripture the definition of