who should oppugne it Yf calumniously they admit this Doctrine of the Churches Soueraingty in matters of lesser moment with intention to restrayne it only to such and deny it in greater and more weighty Controuersies then are they truly interessed in the words of an auncient Father (i) Tertul. contra Praxeam Affectauit diabolus aliquando veritatem defendendo concutere 6. Now the reason why the Scripture alone though in it selfe it be most reuerend certaine and infallible doth occasion such vncertainty in the decyding of Controuersies is no lesse fully acknowledged by our learned Aduersaries For since it is not the shew but the sense of the word as Doctour Reynolds (k) In his conference with Hart. p. 63. acknowledgeth that must decyde Controuersies and seing the Scripture immediatly of it selfe performeth not the same as not hauing viuam vocem as D. Whitaker (l) De sacra Scripturae p. 221. confesseth wherwith it speaketh but by the help of certaine meanes on our part to be obserued And seing that the meanes are these following to wit the reading of the Scriptures the Conference of places the weighing of Circumstances of the text their skill in tongues their diligence prayer and the like furthermore seing as these are generally acknowledged by our Sectaries (m) So teacheth D. Reynolds in his Crnference p. 83. sequentibus And D. VVhitaker Controu 1. q. 3. c. â—1 q. 5. c. 10. to be the ordinary meanes so are they confessed by others of our most learned aduersaries to be but humane and most subiect to errour and mistaking as appeareth euen by the example of many Protestants who though vsing the former sayd meanes haue yet most fouly erred euen in the iudgment of their owne brethren in the interpreting of Scripture Therfore from hence it necessarily followeth that all priuate interpretation of Scripture proceeding from these meanes is most ambiguous and vncertaine But to conclude this poynt I will heere set downe D. Whitakers (n) VVhitaker vbi supra inference or collection in his owne words drawne froÌ„ the former premises thus then he argueth Looke what the meanes speaking of interpreting the Scripture are such of necessity must the interpretation be but the meanes of interpreting obscure places of Scripture are vncertaine doubtfull and ambiguous therefore it cannot otherwise be but the interpretation must be vncertaine And if vncertaine then may it be false Thus far the former Doctour which shall serue for the closure of this poynt and likewise of the first part of this Treatise THE SECOND PART That Protestants cannot agree which Bookes be Scripture and which are not CHAP. I. IN the former part it being proued that the Scripture is not the Iudge of Controuersies by reason of the diuers arguments there alledged It now followeth heere to be declared that if for the tyme we should grant ex hypothesi that the Scripture as it is absolutely considered in it selfe were this only and true iudge yet our Aduersaries of all sorts of Christians euer being are most exempted from pretending it for iudge and this for three speciall considerations 2. First because they do not agree among theÌ„selues which seuerall books ordinarily contained within the printed volume of the Bible are Scripture and which are not Secondly in that they do not acknowledge any original copy now extant to be true and incorrupted only of such bookes as they all ioyntly receaue for Scripture as also in that they condemne all Translations of confessed Scripture as false and erroneous eyther into Greeke Latin or English Thirdly because the confessed and incorrupted Scripture more clearly maketh for the Catholikes then for our Aduersaries if we insist eyther in the perspicuity of the letter or in the expositions of the Fathers or in the implicite iudgments of our Aduersaries themselues Which three poynts being iustifyed and made good the proofe wherof shall be the subiect of this Part it cannot be conceaued how they should defend with any aduantage to themselues the Scripture to be this Iudge 3. And intending to begin with their dissentions in acknowledging or reiecting certaine bookes of Scripture we are first particularly and attentiuely to obserue that wheras all Controuersies of fayth are to be determined as our Aduersaries hould by the Canonicall Scripture which is the only written word of God And seing they are at endles stryfe one with another which is this Scripture one acknowledging such and such bookes to be this sacred word which another discanoneth as apocryphall and prophane Therfore they in no sort can pretend the Scripture to be the iudge of Controuersies as not being yet resolued amongst themselues which those bookes be that are to be counted within the body and Canon of holy Scripture and consequently not agreed with theÌ„selues which is this iudge For except this last poynt be first acknowledged on al sides it followeth that if a Lutheran against a Caluinist or one Caluinist against another do vrge a place or text of such a booke which the one acknowledgeth to be Scripture the other condemning it the vrging of such a place can be of no force for the iudging of the question controuerted since it wil be replyed that the Canonicall and true Scripture alone is to defyne all doubts of fayth but that booke out of which such places and texts are alledged is no part of Gods wrytten word and therfore is not of authority for proofe of any poynt 4. Now that our Aduersaries cannot agree hitherto what bookes are true Scripture and what are not it will appeare most euidently euen out of their owne wrytinges And first to begin with their disagrements in opinion touching the bookes of the old TestameÌ„t in which poynt I will speake nothing of certaine parts of Daniel of Ester neyther of the bookes of Toby Iudith of the booke of Wisedome Ecclesiasticus and the Machabees since our Aduersaries with a full and ioynt consent haue thrust al these out of the Canon of the Bible though if they be to deale with Catholikes and will needes haue the Scripture only to iudge of all questions they ought to acknowledge al those bookes to be parcell of Scripture which the Catholikes do take for Scripture But I will restraine my selfe only to such the which some of them do reuerence as Canonicall and others reiect as Apocryphall from whence it followeth as I sayd before that they disagreeing among themselues what bookes are parts of the holy Scripture and consequently of their supposed iudge cannot with any shew of reason maintaine that the Scripture ought to determine at least among them al doubts of Religion whatsoeuer 5. First then the booke of Iob though it be acknowledged and receaued by most of the Caluinistes both here in England and other Countries yet Luther (a) In Conuiuialibus ser titul de Patriarchis Prophetis sayth plainly that he doth not belieue all those things which are reported therin Nay he proceedeth so
2. Cor. 4. the light to shine out of darknes and can cause truth to be confirmed by the maintainers of falshood The insufficiency of the Scripture for the determining of points of fayth discouered by force of Reason CHAP. X. MANY argumēts might be produced from reason for the confirming of this verity but I here content my selfe with some few of the chiefest And first if our aduersaries Position were true concerning the Scriptures being iudge of our fayth then must they vnderstand hereby eyther their whole Canon and body of Scriptures taken ioyntly togeather or els euery particular booke therof as it is considered by it selfe alone Not this later both because it would follow that if any one booke alone were a competent Iudge of all articles of our fayth that then al the other parcels of Scripture were superfluous and needles which were most prophane to imagine As also in that euery particular Ghospell or any such part thereof doth omit many chiefe articles of our Fayth without any mention had of them at all And thus we find that the Annuntiation the Natiuity the Circumcision of our Lord besides many other points are not as much as once touched in S. Iohns Ghospell in like sort neyther doth S. Matthew mention the Circumcision nor S. Marke the Presentation 2. Now our Aduersaries Doctrine herein is no more iustisiable if they will here vnderstand the whole body of all the Canonicall books of Scripture ioyntly considered together to be this Iudge which assertion they for the most part maintaine And the reason therof is this In that diuers Canonicall and vndoubted parcels euen by the Protestants acknowledgment of both the old and the new testament haue bene lost for the space of 1500. yeares and neuer yet found againe And therfore it ineuitably followeth that if all the sacred books of Scripture taken together should be this iudge and that diuers of them for so many Centuries and ages haue bene and still are lost that then during so long a tyme we neuer enioyed a sufficient and competent Iudge and such a one as was proportionable to that fayth left to vs by the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists but in lieu therof we haue had a maimed imperfect and defectiue Iudge Which to affirme were to impugne Gods care and prouidence which he beareth towards his Church 3. Now that diuers parcels of both the Testaments haue perished it is most cleare and our Aduersaries cannot deny it And first touching the new Testament it appeareth out of the Epistle to the Colossians (a) c. vle that Saint Paul wrote an Epistle to them of Laodiced which neyther we nor the auncient Fathers haue proued euer to haue bene extant since the Apostles tyme. In like sort S. Paul may seeme to intimate in his first Epistle to the Corinthians (b) cap. 5. in these words Scripsi vobis in epistola c. that before the writing of the sayd Epistle he had written to thē another Epistle and yet we cannot find that the Church euer had any such Epistle 4. Now it is no lesse cleare that diuers parts of the old Testament haue bene and are as yet lost at least for the sayd former space of tyme. And to omit the testimonies of S. Chrysostome (c) Hom. 9. in Matth. hom 7. in prior ad Corinth affirming so much we read in the books of Kings (d) 3. Reg. 4. that Salomon wrote many Parables and verses which now we haue not for thus there it is sayd Locutus est Salomon tria millia Parabolarum fuerunt carmina eius quinque millia After the same manner we find it also registred of Dauid (f) Paralip vlt. in these words Gesta autem Dauid priora nouissima scripta sunt in libro Samuel Videntis in libro Nathan Prophetae atque in volumine Caiad Videntis All which wrytinges here mentioned are neyther at this present nor haue for many former ages bene extant in Gods Church So cleare thus we see it is by the force of this argument that the Scripture neyther as it is wholy takē together nor seuerally by particular books can be the iudge for the determining of all doubts of fayth 5. Another reason for the incompetency of the Scripture as Iudge may be taken from the nature of a iudge as is else where touched constituted in euery well gouerned Common wealth For it cleare that euery Iudge first ought to be able of his owne authority to take notice of the Contentions and Controuersies rysing in the state Secondly he must haue power by interpreting the law to giue his censure against the party offending Lastly he is to compell and force the delinquents to obedience vnder the paine of feuere punishments None of which points can be effected except there be besides the wrytten law a visible iudge Seing then by application of what is here sayd to our present purpose that the Scripture cannot of it selfe take notice of Controuersies rysing in matters of religion nor euidently declare to the Litigants the true meaning of such passages of it self warranting or condemning the points in question nor finally can constraine the aduerse party to relinquish his errours impugned by the wrytten Word as we find by the dayly experience of Heretikes flying to the Scripture as Iudge Therfore it is most perspicuous that the Scripture cannot be erected as a competent Iudge in the decision of articles of fayth among Christians 6. Neyther is it any satisfiable answere to reply that God himselfe seeth all Contentions in doubts of fayth and in some sort by meanes of the Scripture pronounceth his sentence in condemnation of the heresies impugned This I say is not sufficient and the reason hereof is because God doth not so euidently deliuer his sentence by the mediation of the Scripture as the party conuinced therby will acknowledge it for his sentence And consequently if the question should be whether the Scripture be the word of God or not God could not clearly giue his iudgment only by the helpe of Scripture Therfore it followeth that we must haue a visible iudge and such as his finall decrees being once manifested the party maintaining his errours will acknowledge them as they proceed from the Iudge whether iustly or iniustly to be clearly and euidently condemned by the sayd iudge which we see falleth not out in obtruding the Scripture for it is obserued that the Anabaptist or any other acknowledged heretike wil neuer confesse his heresies to be impugned by the Scripture or himself condēned therby 7. And of the like feeblenes is that other answere of some hereto who courteously do grant that there may be acknowledged indeed an external publike iudge of all doubts in religion meaning the generall voice of gods Church but yet this iudge teach they is limited in it definitions and not absolutely infallible but only so farre forth as it treadeth the tract and path of Gods written word and which declining from
sect 57. Melancthon in cap. 4. epist. ad Roman Iacobus Andraeas in Epitom colloq Montisbelgar pag. 58. Luc. Osiander in Enchirid. controuers c. p. 272. 6. The Doctrine of Freewill in like sort is maintayned by Osiander Cent. 16. p. 814. by Siccanus Hemingius as Willet doth witnesse in his Sinopsis printed 1600. p. 808. By Perkins in his reuelat p. 326. 7. The Doctrine of merit of workes to wit that in regard of Christ his Passion and promise and as proceeding from faith all which poynts the Catholiks do acknowledge as necessary they are meritorious is warranted by the testimonies of Melancthon (p) loc com de bonis operib of the Confessions q in the Harmony of Hooker (r) l. 5. Ecclesiast polic sect 72. pag. 208. and of the disputation holden at Ratisbone (s) p. 509. 8. The forbearance of certaine meates at set tymes and this not for a politick respect but in regard of spirituall ends is iustified by Hooker (t) In his Ecclesiast polic l. 5. sect 72. p. 204. who not only condemneth Aerius and Montanus for teaching the contrary but doth also answere the place vrged out of S. Paul by our Aduersaries in disproofe of our Catholike fastings The sayd Doctrine is also approued by a booke wrytten by a Protestant authour intituled Querimonia (u) p. 31. 94. Ecclesiae printed in London anno 1592. 9. The Doctrine of Euangelicall Counsels is maintained by Luther (x) assertionib art 30. by Hooker in his Ecclesiasticall policy lib. 3. sect 8. pag. 140. and by D. Couel in his defence of Hooker art 8. p. 49. 50. c. 10. Lastly that the true Church is euer to be Visible is proued from the testimonies of Melancthon who alledging sundry texts out of Scripture in proofe therof thus (y) loc com de Eccles p. 354. concludeth Hi similes loci non de Idea Platonica sed de Ecclesiae visibili loquuntur D. Field (z) l. 1. of the Church p. 19. 21. doth affirme the same and therupon reprehendeth Bellarmine for prouing needlesly the Visibility of the Church as if the same were denyed by the Protestants D. Humfrey in like sort iustifieth the Churches Visibility and intreating at large and prouing this poynt in the end directeth his wordes to the Catholikes in this manner Cur (a) In Iesuitismo part 2. rat 3. p. 240. ergo anxiè curiosè probant quod à nobis nunquam est negatum that is why do our Aduersaries so painfully proue that to wit the Churches Visibility which we neuer denied Thus teacheth the said Doctour 11. The same Doctrine of the Churches Visibility is in like sort maintained by Henoch Clappam (b) In his soueraigne remedy against schisme p. 18. who thus saith Not only all Auncients did hould the Churches Visibility but also al learned men of our age 12. These now ten articles among many other such like Catholike poynts acknowledged by our Aduersaries as the Reader may fully see in that most elaborate learned conuincing and vnanswerable booke stiled The Protestants Apology of the Roman Church may be sufficient to proue that the Scripture maketh most cleare and euidēt for the iustifying of our Catholike Fayth in the former poynts at least in the iudgments of these as I may tearme them Agrippian and halfe Christians I meane in the iudgments of the aforealledged Protestants teaching and acknowledging these Catholike Positions And the reason hereof is in that those who maintaine and defend the sayd former articles do neuertheles as I touched before confidently teach auouch that that only and nothing els is to be beleeued in matters of faith which is manifestly and expresly warranted or necessarily deduced out of the written word Now this being thus I see not how our former Protestants can auoyde and diuert the danger of this their present Doctrine which broacheth that the written word alone is solely definitiuely to determine all Ecclesiastical doubts Controuersies of Religion The Conclusion CHAP. XII IT is recorded of a certaine Heathen Poet who endeauouring to discounsell his Prince and Mecaenas from waging of warre to the which he had bene ouermuch inclined composed a Tragedy representing therin all those aggreuances and terrours commonly attending vpon warrs as sacking of townes depopulation of countries slaughter of souldiers murthering of the innocent and other such lamentable effects But insteed of his Catastrophe or last Act therof he caused the Chorus without any speach at all to bring forth in a vessell certaine dead bones of his Princes predecessours with a paper therin bearing this or the like inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Behould heere mighty Prince the bonesof such thy auncestours which were slaine and dyed in the warres Which deadliuely spectacle being set in the sight of his Lord spake no doubt more feelingly and persuadingly as forcing or inuading his Vnderstanding by the irresistable assault of the Eye then the deliuerance of words or any other external representation could import 2. The like in the closure of this treatise I thinke good to obserue for hauing laboured to withdraw our Sectaries from erecting the Scripture as sole Iudge of Cōtrouersies in the patronizing wherof they warr fight against Gods sacred word against the practise of the church in her first purity against the vniforme iudgment of the auncient Fathers and finally against Reason it self And hauing refuted this their Doctrine first by discouering the difficulty of the Scriptures in regard wherof euery priuate spirit though of such as are predestinated and elected cannot assure himself indubiously of their true sense meaning Secōdly by laying down the incōpetency insufficiency of the Scriptures in this poynt proceeding both from the Protestants disagrements which is Scripture from the corruptions of all Originalls and Translations therof now extant at least by the iudgment of our new Ghospellers and lastly by shewing that supposing the Scripture to be this iudge yet it maketh in behalfe of vs Catholiks and not for our Aduersaries if we insist either in the perspicuity of the letter therof or in the iudgment of the Fathers and Protestants passed theron The proofe of which passages necessarily forcing that the Scripture cannot be this determining Iudge Which being accomplished it now remaineth by allusion to the former Poet that in place of an exact ceremonious Conclusion I only present to the view of the Protestants the yet extant and as it were the vn-entombed sentences Iudgments of their own ancestours I meane of Luther Caluin Zuinglius and their followers wherin with great bitternes of speach they do anathematize and damne one another for their different opinions rysing out of their supposed reuealing spirit out of their priuate interpreting the Scriptures as ech one doth truly charge another though they all indifferently maintained with the like feruour this Doctrine promising infallibly to thēselues in particular the certainty of this spirit and iustifying
to thinke that the customes not crossing your wrytten lawes doe by their being in any sort indignify the same lawes Our Aduersaries (o) Caluin Instit 4. Chemnit in exam Concil Trident. besides almost all others doe so admire the wrytten Word of God as that they reiect and betrample all Apostolicall Traditions whatsoeuer though they in no sort impugne the sacred Scripture boldly pronouncing that all such traditions doe mightily wrong and dishonour the sayd Scripture So forgetfull they are of those wordes of an auncient Father (p) Tertul. vbi supra touching traditions Id verius quod prius id prius quod ab initio id ab initio quod ab Apostolis 7. To conclude you would repute it most straÌ„ge to fynd any man that should affirme the present lawes of England to be the only square according to which all suites ought to be decyded and yet the same person withall to auerre that at this tyme we enioy no true Originall or Translations of those lawes all of them being by his censure depraued with many falsifications and alterations since from this it would follow that not the true auncient lawes of the Realme but certaine falsifyed lawes constitutions should adiudge all depending causes Our Aduersaries mayntaining the Scripture for sole Iudge of Controuersies as often we haue sayd do withall maintayne so wonderfully doth innouation and nouelty in Religion darken the very light of reason that at this day there is neyther Originall of the holy Scriptures (q) Se heerof Beza in resp Castal Carolus Molinaeus in sua transl part 12. fol. 110. Castalio in defensio transl p. 117. VVhitaker against Reynolds p. 2â—5 The ministers of Lincolne diocesse in their booke p. 11. or translations of them into the Greeke Latin or our owne vulgar Tongue which are not by their expresse assertions and wrytings fraught with diuers corruptions and deprauations as most largly we will demonstrate in this ensuing discourse Now the matter standing thus as that you are able euen out of the grounds of your owne profession in regard of the great resemblance found betweene it and the question heere disputed particularly to discerne the absurdities and grosse inconueniences attending the Doctrine heere impugned to whome may this discourse more iustly seeme to be presented then to the mature and graue Iudgements of your selues And thus much concerning the peculiar inducements of this my dedication And yet before I remit you to the perusall of this small worke I will make bold a boldnes humbly vndertaken for your owne spirituall good to put you in mynd to haue a reserued eye and intense circumspection ouer our moderne Pseudoscripturists so to call them that is to say Men who fasly abuse the holy Scriptures and who as familiarly and peculiarly interest themselues in the Scriptures as if they had begotten them on their owne brayne as the Poets doe faigne that Iupiter did Pallas And yet when these men vnderstand the Scripture in it true sense as the deuil sometymes hath dâ—â—e seing they giue credit therto not by reason of the Churches authority but of theyr owne priuate conceit which euer stands obnoxious to errour what other thing els do they then belieue a truth falsly But when they interpret Gods wrytten Word in a different construction from the vniuersall and Catholike Church of God I see not how they can auoyd that Dilemma of an ancieÌ„t Father (r) Tertul. l. de praescript Si alium Deum praedicant quomodo eiusdem rebus literis nominibus vtuntur aduersus quem praedicant Si eumdem quomodo aliter So truly and deseruedly are such men included within the sentence of Saint Austin a Father whome of all the Auncients the Protestantes not liking yet least dislyke Omnes (s) Aug epist 221. ad Consentium qui Scripturas in authoritate c. All those speaking of the hereticall Scripturists of his tyme who alledge Scripture for authority make shew to affect the Scripture when indeed they affect their owne errours And thus Graue Iudges in all humility I take my leaue beseeching you euen for your owne soules health that in your seates and tribunalls of Iudicature you doe so iudge as that hereafter your selues be not iudged especially I meane when Gods annoynted Priests or poore distressed Catholikes guilty only of treason if so it must needs be tearmed coÌ„mitted in professing the auncient faith of Christ his Apostles shall become the subiect of your iudgments but euen theÌ„ remeÌ„ber that your selues as being herein deputyes to Gods deputyes are to giue a strict account to that supreme Iudge of all Qui (t) Gen. 18. iudicat omnem terram or with peculiar reference to terrene Iudges to vse the wordes of the Prophet Dauid (u) Psalm 81. Qui inter Dâ—os dijudicat Yours in all Christian loue and charity N. S. THE CHAPTERS OF THE FIRST PART THE Catholikes reuerence towards the Scripture with the state of the questioÌ„ touching the Scripture not being Iudge Chap. 1. That the Priuat Spirit is not infallibly assured of truly interpreting the Scripture Chap. 2. The reasons of the Scriptures difficulty Chap. 3. The difficulty of the Scripture by reason of its subiect Chap. 4. The like difficulty in regard of its seueral spiritual senses Chap. 5. The like difficulty in regard of its phrase or style Chap. 6. The difficulty of the Scriptures acknowledged by the Fathers Chap. 7. The testimonies alledged by our Aduersaries out of the Fathers for the Scriptures sole Iudge are answeared Chap. 8. The same difficulty acknowledged by our Aduersaries Chap. 9. The insufficiency of Scripture for determining doubts in Religion proued by arguments drawne from Reason Chap. 10. That it cannot be determined by Scripture that there is any Scripture or word of God at all Chap. 11. That Heresies in all ages haue bene maintained by the supposed warrant of Scripture Chap. 12. That our Aduersaries do confesse it to be the custome of Heretikes to flie to the Scripture alone and that diuers of them therfore do appeale to the Church as Iudge Chap. 13. THE CHAPTERS OF THE Second Part. THAT the Protestantes cannot agree which bookes are Scripture and which not Chap. 1. That the Protestantes allow not the Originall Hebrew of the old Testament now extant for authenticall and vncorrupted Chap. 2. That the Protestantes allow no Originall Greeke Copy of the new Testament now extant as vncorrupted Chap. 3. That that Protestants reiect the Septuagints translation of the old Testament as erroneous Chap. 4. That the Protestants reiect the vulgar Latin Translation coÌ„monly called S. Hieroms translation Chap. 5. That the Protestants do condemne all the chiefe traÌ„slations made by their owne brethren Chap. 6. That the English Translations are corrupt and therfore not sufficient to determine doubts in Religion Chap. 7 That supposing the Scripture for Iudge of Controuersies yet the letter therof is more cleare and perspicuous for the Catholikes then for the
and that the one had no greater illumination then the other it therefore necessarily followeth that we ought to giue no greater credit to the one then to the other so since we cannot belieue both we ought according to all force of reason to belieue neither 10. Fifthly this spirit wherof they make such ventitation as that we ought not to entertaine any other sense of Gods word then what the influence of the said spirit may seeme to exhale either is absolutely infallible or els at some times and in some thinges fallible and subiect to errour if the later then it proceedeth from the Diuell since the spirit of God neuer erreth if the first then how can there be any contention or Controuersy amongst the faythfull enioying this spirit And yet diuers both haue beene and are amongst the Caluinists Lutherans It may be they will reply heereto that this spirit is euer infallible when it speaketh according to the sense of the holy Scripture A goodly priuiledg for so the spirit of the Diuell is infallible as long as it followeth Gods sacred word furthermore who must iudge when it speaketh according to the sense of the holy Scripture And thus is the difficulty made as intricate as before 11. Sixâ—ly and lastly the falshood of the Protestants doctrine heerein is euicted from the Protestants doctrine in another point thus is heresy become the sword which woundeth heresy to wit that Generall Councells may erre for if such Synods being aduantaged with many priuiledges aboue any one priuate man may want the assistance of the holy Ghost in interpreting the Scripture or defining what is heresy how can we probably assure our selues that this or that particuler Protestant infallibly enioyeth the guift of expounding truly Gods sacred written word And because this inference is much preiudiciall to our Aduersaries therfore I will dissect euery particular veyne and sinew of all such circumstances which may afford aduantage to the one part aboue the other 12. Thus then if an Oecumenical and generall CouÌ„cell indicted and confirmed by lawfull authority representing the maiesty of Gods Church as being the supreme (y) So doth Augustin tearme a Generall Councell epist 162. Tribunal therof assured by (z) Wher two or three are gathered togeather in my name Matt. 18. promise of Christ his assisting presence warranted with the first exaÌ„ple of that kind by the blessed (a) Act. 15. Apostles highly reuerenced and magnified by the (b) Aug. vbi supra lib. de Baptis c. 18 Anast ep ad Epictetum Basil epist 78. Amb. epist 32. Leo ep 53. Hier. lib. cont Luciferianos ancient fathers acknowledged and receaued by our learnedest (c) The Lutherans receaue the first six Councells and most of the Protestants the first foure aduersaries consisting of seuerall hundreds of most venerable Prelates conspicuous for vertue readines in the Scriptures varieties of tongues and infinitenes of reading gathered from the most remote and opposite regions of Christendome and therfore the lesse probable vpon their such sudden meeting ioyntly to imbrace any one poynt of innouation battering daily vpon their knees at the eares of Almighty God with most humble and feruerous prayer seconded with most austere fastinges and other corporall chastisements and all this to the end that it would vouchsase his diuine goodnes so to guide and sterne this reuerend assembly with his holy spirit as what expositions they giue of the Scripture or what otherwise they determine for vndoubted faith may be agreable to his sacred word and truth Now notwithstanding this if such a celebrious concourse and confluence I say of Pastours being the Mart or Rende-uous of vertue and learning shall so faile therein as that they may and haue sundry tymes most fouly erred as our supercilious (d) Caluin lib. 4. Instit 9. §. 8. Luth. lib. de Concil Kemnitius in exam Concil Trident. Sectaryes auouch in their Constructions of Scripture and resolutions of fayth though all such their decrees be otherwise warranted with a iudiciall conference of Scripture the generall practise of Gods Church and the conspiring testimonyes of all antiquity If this I say may happen the best meanes thus producing the worst effects what shall we then conceaue of an obscure Syr Iohn a man ingendred in the â—lyme of pryde and ignorance who acknowledgeth no other Apostolical Sea then his owne Parish Church and who in some points euer subdeuideth himselfe from the rest of his (e) As appeareth by their bookes written against one another of which point See Coâ—eius Hospintanâ—s brethren so as he is truely condemned of heresy euen by the lying mouth of heresy A man for the most part depraued in manners but competent for learning not hauing any warrant from God for his proceeding nor president from his holy Church Yea one to whome God Hatly (f) No prophesy of Scriptur is of any priuate interpretation 2. Pet. c. 1. denyeth this presumed certainty of expounding Gods word and further of whose spirit we are commaunded (g) Dearly beloued belieue not euery spirit but try the spirits to doubt and which is more of whose seducing (h) These thinges I haue written vnto you concerning those which deceaue you Ioan. 1. c. 2. we are most cautelously premonished 13. Now if this man being in his Pulpit vpon the Lords day in the presence of his ignorant and psalming auditory a fit Pathmos for his ensewing reuelations and there opening the Bible for thus falshood is forced to beg countenance from truth vndertaking to expound some text or other for the establishing of his late appearing fayth though contrary to the iudgement of all auncient Councells affirming himselfe to be secured by speciall Euthysiames and illuminations from God for the better iudging the point controuerted rysing from his owne explication of Scripture which being don what assurance may we haue of the truth of this his all-iudging spirit And is there not great reason to expect more errours then sentences to drop from this mans mouth And what madnes then is it to allow to such an one and but one that infallibility of spirit in expounding Gods sacred Write and answerable determining the articles of fayth which himselfe denyeth to a generall Councell Yet such is the forward blindnes of our enchanted Nouellistes heerin who for example preferre in this case vnder the pretext of the reuealing spirit before the mature and graue resolutions of all antiquity and Councells the ignorant rash and sensuall positions and interpretations of an incestuous reuolted (i) Luther Monke or stigmaticall (k) Caluin fugitiue intimating heereby that many vertuous and learned men gathered togeather for the disquisitioÌ„ of truth must necessarily erre one sole obscure lateborne illiterate irreligious Scripturist cannot erre O insensaâ—i (i) Galat. cap. â— Galatae quis vos fascinaâ—it c 14. But at this present I will stay my pen proceeding no further in the demolishing and battering
downe of the weak fortresse of this priuate spirit That which is already deliuered may serue as a preparatiue to the Reader the better to apprehend the force and weight of the ensewing arguments and reasons I will now hasten to the maine subiect and will first begin with the reasons of the Scriptures difficulty The reasons of the Scriptures difficulty CHAP. III. WHY the Catholikes do absolutely deny the Scriptures to haue this inappeachable soueraignty of resoluing all doubts in religion there is no reason amongst others more forcible then that which is drawne from the difficulty of true vnderstanding the sayd writinges for though our Aduersaryes do pretend the easines of them to be such as that any how ignorant soeuer if so he be of the number of the iustifyed may withall readines picke out the true sense for the approbation and fortifying of any point of Fayth whatsoeuer Yet he who looketh into this matter with a cleare-sighted iudgement shall find them to be inuolued with so many ambiguityes as that aforehand he shall haue need to repaire to some (m) Act. 9. Ananias or other to remoue from his eyes the scales of partiality ignorance and other imperfections 2. Therefore let such whose state through want of learning or otherwise is not to intermedle with those sacred writinges remember the punishment inflicted to the (n) 1. Reg. 6 6. Bethsamites for curiously behoulding the Arke which belonged not to them yet we see the consideration of this danger and of far greater is not powerfull inough to controle the ignorant Sectary in his expounding the Scripture who being once placed vpon the high pinacle of his reuealing spirit vndertakes to view al ages and Countryes of the Church and ouerlooking the iudgments of priuate Fathers interpreting Gods written word as low and humble vales extends his sight to the summity and height of generall Councells therein still behoulding with a feuere eye whatsoeuer standeth not right in the line of his owne exposition 3. The chiefe and primitiue reasons of their abstruse hardnes are three to wit The Subiect handled in those writinges The mulâ—iplicity of the senses contained in the wordes And the Methode or manner of the phrase and stile And if but any one of these three do happen though in an inferiour degree of intricatenes in human writings yet we see by experience that it doth so intangle the Reader in such a labyrinth of mistakings as that he will freely acknowledge this ignorance in not apprehending aright in all places the authours mind what shall we theÌ„ thinke when all these three do meet togeather in Gods sacred Booke and that in the highest degree of any writtinges euer extant as it shall appeare in the subsequent Chapters Of the subiect of the Scriptures CHAP. IIII. TO begin with the subiect of the Scriptures we are herein to obserue that it as farpasseth in depth and prosundity the contents of mans wrytinges as God the authour therof ouergoeth him in wisedome and power For wheras the matter of all such humane labours is euer such as that the naturall wit of man is sutable and proportionable thereto both for the deliuering or apprehending thereof and the reason heereof is because the vnderstanding being as it were the summe of our little world euer keepeth it selfe within the Tropicks of naturall reason and consequently is not of force to deliuer or apprehend any thing which may not be confined within the same compasse whereas if we looke into the subiect of these celestiall and diuine writinges we shall find the height of many thinges intreated therein to be such as that they transcend all naturall reason 2. I could heere insist in the Creation of the world of nothing whereof these holy Scriptures assure vs though contrary in outward shew to all Philosophy which teacheth ex nihilo nihil sit I will passe ouer the infinite prophesies recorded therin which euer of their owne nature are hardly to be vnderstood I will in like sort pretermit to speake of the nature of the Angels intreated of in the said booke of Life whose essence being merely spirituall and indued with diuers great priuiledges aboue man can but imperfectly be comprehended with our fleshly vnderstandings finally I will forbeare to speake of the eternall predestination and reprobation of man how and by what meanes they are wrought of the externall working of God within our soules with his grace or otherwise of the Sacraments the Conduits of his grace poynts wherof we are instructed in the holy Scripture and such wherin we may truly glasse the weaknes of mans vnderstanding and the depth of Gods wisedome and power 3. But I will insist a little in those two incomprehensible and astonishing Articles of Christian faith reuealed to vs out of those former diuine Scriptures to wit of the Trinity and of the Incarnation wherin in the first to omit diuers other stupendious difficulties we are taught by â—he said Oracles of God that one and the same Nature to wit the Godhead is in three persons really distinct the same Nature is really and formally identifyed with each of the three persons In lyke sort in the article of the IncarnatioÌ„ where besydes that the Creatour of al things is become a Creature and the father the daughters sonne we receaue from the same fountaine that in one Hypostasis or person to wit in the person of Christ are two perfect natures very far different and that this Hypostasis is altogether really formally identifyed with the diuyne Nature neuertheles is most in wardly vnited with the humane Nature which humane nature doth really and formally differ from the diuine nature And thus much but to skim ouer superficially this poynt of the subiect and matter of the Scriptures which if it were handled according to the fulnes largnes of it selfe would iustly require a Treatise of no small quantity Of the diuers senses of the Scripture intended by the Holy Ghost CHAP. V. IN speaking of the multiplicity of the senses in the Scriptures we are to call to remembrance that Gods sacred written word differeth from all humane writinges besides in many other poynts especially in this that wheras al such haue but one sense or meaning properly intended by the authour this is so fertil therin as that like a shel if it were possible contayning within it seueral kernels of different tastes it carrieth in many places besydes the immediate literal sense three diuers spirituall senses and all warranted by the holy Ghost These three are the Allegoricall Tropologicall and Anagogicall 2. The Allegoricall sense euer beares reference of a spirituall and secret meaning to Christ or his Church So we read that Abraham hauing truly and really two sonnes the one borne of the free-woman the other of the bond-slaue did figure out the two testameÌ„ts of God euen by the exposition of (a) Salat 4. S. Paul 3. The Tropologicall is directed to instruction of manners or conuersation of lyfe
is Secōdly that we cānot be assured whether this representation of the Maiesty voyce or authority of God speaking in the Scriptures be but a meere illusion of the diuell or some vehement apprehension of our owne phansy which may well be doubted of considering that all our aduersaries will auouch no doubt the Maiesty of God in those bookes which they acknowledge for diuine Scripture and yet we see by the example aboue that one of them seemes to find the authority and Maiesty of God in such a booke which himselfe acknowledgeth the which another of his brethren for want of the same Maiesty vtterly reiecteth Againe let our aduersaries yield some sufficient reason if they can to assure vs that there appeareth a greater Maiesty of God in those books of Scripture which they all ioyntly acknowledge for Canonicall then in those others which the Catholikes do receaue and themselues reiect 5. Others among whome is also Caluin (e) Inst 1. c. 7. §. 5. for he is most various and irresolute in saluing this difficulty to answere the former doubt come finally to this point which indeed is the Center of all their answeres to wit that God giueth to the elect and faythfull that inspiration or illumination of spirit as that therby they are made able to discerne which is the true word of God which is forged adulterated consequētly that they are assured that there are certaine diuine wrytings left to his Church And thus they flye to the priuate spirit already refuted To this ten our D. Field (f) l. 4. c. 8. thus sayth After we are enlightened by the spirit we do no longer trust eyther our owne iudgment or the iudgment of other men that the Scriptures are of God but aboue all certainty of humane iudgment we do certainly resolue as if in them we saw the Maiesty and glory of God Thus we see how our aduersaries not resting themselues vpon any firme resolution but replying now this now that and so running in and out are most farre from satisfying the difficulty here propounded with these their Meandrian and wynding euasions 6. Now the weakenes of this last answere is discouered seuerall wayes and first besides all those reasons and arguments aboue vrged in refutation of the priuate spirit in that if they be demanded to proue how they are assured of this supernaturall illumination they endeauour to proue it out of the Scriptures since they cannot say it is beleeued for it selfe seing it then would follow contrary to their owne ground that something is to be belieued which hath not his proofe in Scripture And if againe they be required to proue that there are Scriptures they alledge for proof therof this their illumination which kind of reasoning euery yong Logitian knoweth to be a vitious circulation since both these seuerall pointes to wit the certainty of the Scriptures and the certainty of their illumination may be questioned doubted of alike by them with whome they are to deale Secondly the former answere is insufficient in that this their supernaturall inspiration wherby they discerne the Scriptures is nothing els but an Act of Fayth and as it seemes is so acknowledged to be by D. Field (g) lib. 4. cap. 13. who calleth it Apotentiall hability the light of diuine vnderstanding and the light of grace all which thinges are included in Fayth and therfore our Aduersaries do generally teach that the illumination of this spirit belongeth to all the faythfull Now we know that it is their owne groūd and principle that Fayth ryseth only out of the Scriptures 7. These two thinges then being thus by the Protestantes assertions to wit that this illumination is an act of Fayth and that Fayth proceedeth only from the Scriptures I see not that it can be possibly conceaued how this their illumination of Faith which is later both tempore naturâ then the Scriptures as proceeding by their Doctrine from reading and giuing credit to the said Scriptures should be the meanes and guide to direct them in discerning that there is any Scripture at all or which is the true word of God and which Apocryphall and prophane since they ought to haue this illumination before they begin to censure iudge of the Scriptures And thus far concerning this question whether the Scripture is able to proue that there is Scripture And since it cannot it cōsequently followeth that it cānot be the iudge of our fayth in that besides it is an Article of our Fayth that there is Scripture it is not able to proue that from which by our Aduersaries Doctrine all the rest is deryued That Heresies in all ages haue bene mayntained by the supposed warrant of Scripture CHAP. XII NATVRE the seale of Almighty God impressed in these Elementary bodies is not only indued with a generatiue power therby to eternize or perpetuate herselfe but hath withall this annexed priuiledge to wit that euery indiuiduall body which is produced beareth a great resemblance as we see both in man and other creatures if so the secondary causes be not found defectiue to that body by the which it was begotten And this secret or mystery of producing the like to itselfe is extended euen to arts and sciences hence it proceedeth that in Logike the artificiall refiner of reason true Propositions euer beget true Conclusions and out of false premises result false and erroneous illations Neyther doth this ground rest heere but passeth further it being in like sort iustifiable in all generall Axiomes and principles which are the Basis or foundation of any Doctrine which Principles being true good and expedient then must all that which as necessary effectes are ingendred therby be of the same nature But if they be false wicked and pernicious the rest then which is builded therupon participateth of the same quality So as to take a Synopsis or view in generall of the state or nature of such grounds and principles it shal be sufficient without recurring particularly to them only to rest in the speculation of such propositions other poynts of Doctrine which thence do deseend and are as it were propagated by them 2. Now then it being thus that we are able to glasse the Fathers look in the childes face the premises in the cōclusion and the causes in the effectes I doubt not but whosoeuer will call to mynd some few of those blasphemous and wicked heresies which haue bene ingendred hatched and nourished by this Principle and ground That the Scripture interpreted by the priuate spirit is the true and sole iudge of Controuersies will at length haue iust reason to pronounce that the sayd heresies are the deformed and prodigious brood of so vgly and monstrous a parent since there was neuer yet any heresy but it could support it selfe for the tyme by misconstruction of Scripture And therfore no maruel if euery Sectary did so much couet to make his refuge to Gods sacred word Hoping that in this sort by disclaiming
parcells be acknowledged and receaued for Scripture by other Sacramentaries 13. And thus much may serue for our Aduersaries open and great contention concerning the approuing or reiecting of seuerall bookes of both the Testaments Frō whence it most necessarily followeth that though it might be dreamed for the tyme as I sayd aboue that the Scripture might be iudge of Controuersies among them which acknowledge with one consent such and such bookes only to be Scripture since all they agree what bookes those be which are to be this iudge Yet our Aduersaries wherwith we now deale cannot possibly maintaine the same for iudge for they disagreing with themselues of the bookes which are Scripture must needs disagree which is this iudge and how farre it reacheth euery one of them either extending it beyond it limites or straitning it within to narrow a compasse Therfore it is no more possible that the Scripture should decyde all Controuersies with the Protestants so long as they continue in their contrary sentēces about the authority of diuers bookes therof then it can be conceaued how a suite depēding betwene two is to be decyded by a certaine limited company of men as there is a limited number of the Canonicall bookes of Scripture or els not to be tryed at all and yet the one of these Litigants should disclaime from diuers of the sayd deputed Iudges as altogether imcompetent and insufficient and the other in like sort frō sundry of the other iudges Can it be conceaued I say how this matter should be ended both the parties still perseuering without change in their seuerall auersions against the seuerall persons of the intended Iudges especially if the iudgment of the matter were not to be vndertaken but with this condition that both the Litigant parties should freely and voluntarily agree aforehand in the number and in the particular persons of those iudges by whome they would haue their question and Controuersy determined And thus it iust fareth with our Protestants as long as they disagree what bookes are the Canonicall Scripture and yet will they haue this Scripture alone to determine and resolue all poynts of fayth and religion 14. To this argument drawne from their vncertainty of acknowledging what bookes are the word of God Our Aduersaries can only reply that though there be some particular bookes as these aboue mentioned of which they are not absolutely resolued whether they are to be accounted as parcells of Gods word or no yet since they all agree in acknowledging the rest of the bookes to be Canonicall all those other bookes so ioyntly acknowledged by them for Scripture ought to be taken for this iudge of Controuersies Which answere of theirs is most weake and relieues them nothing at all and this for seuerall reasons 15. And first seing there are many bookes both of the old Testament and of the new not speaking of those bookes in the old which are ioyntly condemned by thē all and acknowledged by Catholikes which are impugned by some of our Aduersaries and defended by others And that by all probability yea morall certainty some one or other of those bookes so impugned by some of thē is though not so acknowledged Gods sacred word which being so it must needes then follow that the Protestants teaching the Scripture to be the iudge and square of all doubts and Controuersies and attributing this prerogatiue not to any one booke a part since any one booke or other is not able to decyde all doubts which may arise in that it intreateth not of all poynts which may come in question but to the whole body and Canon of the Scripture It must follow I say that this supposed iudge of theirs is maimed and imperfect as wanting some one booke or other which being reiected by some of our Auersaries should concurre to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and full perfection or accomplishment of it selfe And therfore I conclude that if any such one booke of sacred Scripture be exempted frō the number of those which should make vp this Iudge as in all likelyhood some one or other is since there are greater proofes for the authority of them all then for condemnation of any one it demonstratiuely may be inferred that our Aduersaries cannot pretend as long as they thus contend which bookes be Scripture the Scripture to be this their iudge it being taught by our Aduersaries that fides is not obiectum adaequatum to any one booke or parcell of Scripture but to the whole Canon it selfe 16. Secondly if only such bookes which are ioyntly receaued by all our Aduersaries are to make vp this Iudge and no others then would it follow that there are diuers poynts of Fayth which by their owne acknowledgment are necessary to be beleeued and yet cannot be proued at all or at least clearly inough out of such parcells of Scripture as they all acknowledge to be Scripture though most euidently proued out of those parts which are reiected by some of thē As for exāple if the three first Gospels are to be reiected as Luther teacheth we shall fynd that there are diuers poynts touching our Sauiours Incarnation and particularly that he was borne of a Virgin as also his life conuersation heereupon earth which are to be beleeued and are found in some of these three Gospells and yet the Ghospell of S. Iohn only which is acknowledged by Luther maketh no mention of them neyther are they at al touched in any other acknowledged booke of Scripture 17. Thirdly though it were supposed that only those bookes of Scripture which all our Aduersaries doe ioyntly acknowledge for Canonicall were to decyde and iudge all poynts of Fayth yet could not those books performe so much except it were first agreed among them that there were some certaine originall copies or some translations now extant of them which our Aduersaries would acknowledge for true and vncorrupted since otherwise not the true word of God but the word of God as it is corrupted should become the iudge of our Fayth But there are no Originals nor Translations of the Scripiure speaking euen of those bookes which themselues do ioyntly acknowledge that are now extant which they do not charge with sundry corruptions and falsifications as it shall appeare most euidently in these Chapters following So manifest it is that euen those bookes only as are acknowledged by all our Aduersaries cannot become the iudge of Controuersies 18. But before we come to the Translations it followeth that as we haue shewed aboue that our Aduersaries do reiect many bookes of vndoubted and Canonicall Scripture and consequently that they cannot pretend the Scripture as iudge So we will in this place obserue the carriage and comportment of the Protestants towards the Euangelists and the Apostles whom diuers of our Sectaries haue not bene affraid to charge with foule errours in manner and practise or exercise of their faith And first it is cleare that D. Whitaker (d) De Eccles contra Bellarm.
controu 2. quaest 4. pag. 223. thus wryteth It is manifest that euen after Christ his Ascension and the holy Ghosts descending vpon the Apostles not only the common sort but euen the Apostles themselues erred in the vocation of the gentils c. Yea Peter also erred concerning the abrogation of the Ceremoniall law c. and this was a matter of fayth c. he furthermore erred in manners and these were great errours 19. Answerably hereto Brentius (e) In Apolog CoÌ„fess c. de Concilijs p. 900. an eminent Protestant wryteth that S. Peter chiefe of the Apostles and Barnabas after the holy Ghost receaued together with the Church of Hierusalem erred D. Fulke (f) Against the Rhemish Testam in Galat. 2. speaking vpon the said point sayth Peter erred in ignorance against the Gospell Iewill (g) In his defence of the Apology pag. 361. affirmeth that S. Marke did erroneously alledge Abiather for abimelech and S. Mathew with the like ouersight did write Ieremy for Zachary Conradus (h) In Theolog. Calumist l. 2. fol. 40. Schlusselburg a famous Protestant chargeth Caluin to maintaine that the Apostles alledged the Prophetes in other sense then was meant Zuinglius (i) Tom. 2. Elench coÌ„tra Anabap f. 10. most wonderfully abaseth the wrytings of the Apostles and the Euangelists in these words This is your ignorance that you thinke the Commentaries of the Euangelists and the Epistles of the Apostles to haue bene then in authority when Paul did write these thinges as though Paul did attribute then so much to his Epistles that whatsoeuer was contained in them was sacred c. which thing he sayth were to impute immoderate arrogancy to the Apostle 20. D. Bancroft (k) In his suruey of the pretended discipline pag. 373. alledgeth out of Zanchius his Epistles that one of Caluins Schollars sayd If Paul should come to Geneua and preach the same houre that Caluin did I would leaue Paul and heare Caluin Caluin (l) In his CoÌ„mentar in omnes Pauli Epistol p. 510. himselfe chargeth S. Peter with errour to the Schisme as he sayth of the Church to the endangering of Christian liberty and the ouerthrow of the grace of Christ The Century wryters (m) Cent. 2. l. 2. c. 10. â—ol 580. thus reprehend S. Paul Paul doth turne to Iames the Apostle and a Synod of the Presbiters being called together he is persuaded by Iames and the rest that for the offended Iewes he should purify himselfe in the TeÌ„ple wherunto Paul yieldeth which certainly is no small sliding of so great a doctour In which one testimony we see that not only Paul but the rest of the Apostles are charged by the Centurists with errour in fayth And to close this poynt with that incestuous and reuolted monke I meane Luther we read that besides the seuerall bookes of the new Testament as it aboue shewed denyed by him as also besides the reprehending of Peter of whome he thus sayth Peter (n) In epist ad Galat. c. 1. after the English transl fol. 33. 34. Tom. 5. VVittemberg of anno 1554. fol. 290. the chiefe of the Apostles did liue and teach extra verbum Dei besides the word of God he thus inueigheth most scurrilously against Moyses himselfe Moyses (o) Luther tom 3. VVittenberg in psal 45. f. 423. tom 3. german f. 40. 41. in colloq mensalib german f. 152. 153. had his lips vnpleasant stopped angry c. do you collect all the wisedome of Moyses and of the heathen Philosophers and you shall find them to be before God eyther Idolatry or Hypocryticall wisedome or if it be Politicke the wisedome of wrath c. Moyses had his lippes full of gaul and anger c. away therfore with Moyses 21. And thus farre of this poynt from whence we conclude that the Protestants in charging the Euangelistes and the Apostles with errours of fayth in their words and actions do withall labour to take away the infallible authority due to their wrytings and books for grant they erred in the first way how can we be secured they erred not in the second seing their pens had no greater priuiledge from God of not erring then their tongues and other their actions had and consequently they cannot alledge their wrytings as being subiect to errour by necessary inferences drawne from their owne grounds for the finall decyding and determining of all doubts arysing in matters of fayth and religion That the Protestantes allow not the Originall Hebrew of the old Testament now extant for authenticall and vncorrupted CHAP. II. ALTHOVGTH our Aduersaries do giue it out in their wrytings and sermons that the Hebrew Originall which now they haue and as it is at this present poynted with pricks is pure and free from all corruption and therfore that we ought in any text of the old Testament to recurre to the Hebrew as to the touch stone of truth and to a cleare and vntroubled fountaine Yet that this is but a meere glosse and false vaunt of them inuented only to quit themselues from that reading of the text altogether fauouring the Catholike Doctrine wherunto both the Greeke and Latin Fathers and the whole Church of God for so many ages haue bene accustomed it is most euideÌ„t For it is most certaine that in diuers places themselues do forsake the present Hebrew and do read as the Septuagint or as the Latin Interpretour doth read both who differ much from the present Hebrew Some few texts for example I will heere set downe 2. First then that prophesy of Dauid (a) Psal 8. concerning the Apostles the Septuagint S. Paul (b) Rom. 10. and the Protestants themselues do read thus In omnem terram exiuit sonus eorum Their sound went out through all the earth and yet the present Hebrew hath insteed of these words sonus eorum linea or perpendiculum eorum so insutable with the other words as that it is hard to collect any good and perfect sense therof 3. The Psalme 22. affoards a most notorious prophesy of the particular manner of our Sauiours death in these words They haue peirced my handes and feet for so the Septuagint the Catholikes and the Protestantes in their Translations doe read and yet the present Hebrew so much magnified by theÌ„ hath insteed therof these words as a Lyon my handes and my feet frustrating thereby so remarkable a prophesy of our Sauiours particular suffring death 4. The Hebrew sayth in one (c) Reg. 24. place Zedechias his brother meaning thereby the brother of Ioachim and yet the English Bible translated anno 1579. readeth thus Zedechias his fathers brother according to the Greeke and Latin translation therin 5. Likewise in another place (d) Parâ—lip 2. the present Hebrew sayth Achaz King of Israel and yet our Aduersaries reiect this reading and translate Achaz King of Iuda following therein the Septuagingts translation and the Latin interpretour 6. I let passe the
1. de resurrect and of Ambrose (p) In c. 4. ad Ephes all which Fathers do vnderstand by those wordes of Matthew in corde terrae Hell 22. We also alledge for proofe of the same article that saying of the Apostles Qui ascendit ipse est c. He that ascendeth is the same which descended into the lower parts of the earth where the Latin words inferiores partes terrae do not signify the graue as our Aduersaries do interprete but hel and thus we fynd this place expounded by S. Ierome (q) Omnes hi in hunc locum Ambrose Chrysostome and Theophilact they prouing Christ his descending into hell out of this and the former alledged text 23. For confirmation of Purgatory and Prayer for the dead besides that place of the Machabees which is so plaine as that it needeth no illustration of the Fathers we alledge that place of Matthew (*) c. 12. where it is said that there are some sins which neyther are remitted in this world nor in the world to come Wherby we Catholikes the Fathers afore vs do gather that some sinnes are remitted in the world to come by prayers and suffrages of the Church and this Illation is deduced from this text by S. Austin (r) l. 21. de Ciuit. Dei c. 24. l. 6. in Iulian. cap. 5. S. Ierome (s) lib. 4. dialog c. 39. Bede (t) In c. â— Marci and others 24. Another authority for proofe of Purgatory is vsually alledged out of S. Matthew (u) Math. 5. Luâ— 12. and S. Luke where it is sayd Esto consentiens aduersario tuo c. Be at agreement with thy aduersary betymes whiles thou art in the way with him least perhaps thy aduersary deliuer thee to the iudge and the iudge deliuer thee to the officer and thou be cast into prison verily I say to thee thou shalt not go from thence till thou repay the last farthing Now by the last farthing is here mistically and figuratiuely vnderstood small sinnes which shal be payed for that is shal be punished in the fire of Purgatory and thus is this place expounded by Tertullian (x) l. de anima c. 17. Cyprian (y) lib. 4. epist 2. Origen (z) Hom. 35. in Luc. Ambrose (a) In c. 12. Luc. and Ierome (b) In c. 5. Math. who thus plainly interpreteth the former words Hoc est quod dicit non egredieris de carcere donec minuta peccata persoluas that is This he saith Thou shalt not get out of prison till thou hast discharged euen thy little sinnes 25. Touching Prayer to Saintes And first that Saintes do intercede and pray for vs we proue out of Ieremy (*) cap. 15. where it is sayd Dixit Dominus ad me si steterint Moyses Samuelcoram me non est anima mea ad populum istum that is If Moyses and Samuel stood afore me my mind is not to this people Meaning that if Moyses and Samuel should theÌ„ pray to God for the people of the Iewes yet God would not heare theÌ„ out of which place we gather that Moyses and Samuel theÌ„ being dead were accustomed at other tymes to pray to God for theÌ„ since otherwise this speach of God had bene indirect and to no purpose Now wheras our Aduersaries to auoyd this argument do say that the meaning of this place it not that if Moyses and Samuel in their owne persons but if any other godly men such as Moyses Samuel were should pray to God he would not heare them Yet notwithstanding we find this place expounded literally personally and truly and so consequently against our Aduersaries their answere of Moyses and Samuel by Chrysostome (c) Hom. 1. in epist 1. ad Thes sal Ierome (d) In huÌ„e locum Gregory (e) l 9. moral c. 12. 26. To the same end we produce out of the Machabees (f) 2. Mac. cap. vlt. how Iudas did see in a vision Onias the Priest and Ieremy the Prophet both which were then dead praying for the Iewes Now seing that this booke of the Machabees is accounted true and vndoubted Scripture by S. Austin (g) l. 18. de Ciuit. Dei cap. 36. Cypryan (h) l 1. ep 3. ad Cornelium Ambrose (i) l. 2. de Iacob c. 10. 11. 12. Gregroy (k) Inorat de Mach. Nazianzen and others it therfore followeth that these Fathers acknowledging the Machabees for Scripture and neuer making any other construction of this vision then literall such as the words import do also acknowledge that this place doth infallibly proue that the Saintes do pray for vs. 27 Now more particularly that Saintes are to be prayed vnto we proue by the words in Iob (l) Iob. c. 5. where it is sayd Voca si quis est qui tibi respondeat ad aliquem Sanctorum conuertere That is Call if any there be which may answere thee and turne thy selfe to any of the Saints Where by the name of the Saintes are vnderstood the Angells according to the exposition of S. Austin (m) In annot in Iob. But if Angells do pray for vs then do Saintes the like since there is one and the same reason of both 28. Now to make an end of this Chapter I will finally rest in bringing a place or two out of the Scripture to proue that the Eucharist is a true and proper though vnbloudly Sacrifice contrary to our Aduersaries wicked Doctrine herein And first we are accustomed to alledge in proofe hereof the priesthood of Melchisedech of whome it is thus said Melchisedech (n) Genes 14. rex Salem protuliâ— c. that is Melchisedech being King of Salem did offer bread and wyne for he was a priest of the high God Now not only Dauid (o) Psalm 109. but also S. Paul (p) Hebr. 7. do so referre this place to Christ as that S. Paul doth plainly say that Christ was a Priest according to the order of Melchisedech not according to the order of AaroÌ„ Now if Christ be a Priest according to the order of Melchisedech then the reason hereof is in that Christ is to institute an vnbloudy sacrifice vnder the forme of bread and wyne and so we Catholikes do hould that this he did when he first instituted the blessed Eucharist And answerably hereto the Fathers do interprete those words of the Psalmist (q) l. 4. stormat Thou art a Priest according to the order of Melchisedech and the like words of S. Paul to wit that Christ is therfore properly and truly called a Priest according to the order of Melchisedech because he instituted at his last supper a Sacrifice vnder the formes of bread and wyne Thus are those former places expounded by Clemens (r) lib. 5. demonstr EuaÌ„g c. 3. Alexandrinus Eusebius (s) l. â— ep 3. ad Caecil Caesariensis Cyprian (t) Haeres â—9 Epiphanius (u) lib. 5. de Sacram. c.
necessarily gathered that their disclaiming from the auncient Fathers as patrones of our religion doth implicitly inuolue in it selfe as aboue I haue touched that euen in our aduersaries acknowledgmeÌ„ts the Fathers interpreted the Scriptures in one and the same sense with vs Catholikes for if they had made one and the same construction of the Scripture with the ProtestaÌ„ts they had then taught the same Doctrine which the Protestants now teach and consequently it appeareth how dangerous it is to our Aduersaries to appeale to the Scripture alone as Iudge of all Controuersies if for the true construction and sense therof they would rest in the iudgments of the anncient Fathers That the Scripture doth make for the Catholikes euen by the tacite acknowledgment of our Aduersaries rising from their maintayning of our Catholike articles CHAP. XI IN this last place we are to vndertake to shew that euen by our Aduersaries Confessions the holy Scripture is most cleare for iustifying our Catholike Faith which point might be proued at large by producing their owne words and expositions of many of the chiefe passages of Scripture wherby we are able to demonstrate out of their owne books and writings that they are interpreted by them in the same sense and meaning wherein we Catholikes do vsually expound them But this course I will purposely forbeare partly to auoyde the distastfull iteration of the former texts so often already repeated but chiefly in regard of the tedious prolixity which would necessarily attend the deliuering in their owne wordes of our Aduersaries expositions of all such places and in supply therof I will take a more briefe and yet no lesse conuincing method That is I will set downe ten of our mayne Controuersies for example of al the rest acknowledged taught and iustified by our Aduersaries and such who for wit and learning may seeme to equall any others of their owne side Which thing being once performed it then ineuitably followeth euen from their owne Principles that they acknowledge the Scriptureto make for the Catholikes in the sayd Doctrines confessed by theÌ„ since their owne generall and constant axiome (*) Luther iâ— CoÌ„ment c. 1. ad Galat Caluin l. 4. Instit c. 8. §. 8. Chemnit in Exam. Conc. Trident sess 4. in libro quem inseripsit Theologiae Iesuit praecip capit Brentius in suis Prologeminis c. de Traditionibus HaÌ„melmanus in suo volumine coÌ„tra Traditiones alij permulti is that they are not to beleeue any thing as matter of fayth but what hath it warrant in Gods written word And to proceed yet more particularly seing that for iustifying of such Catholike articles no passages of Scripture can be alledged more forcibly and pressingly by our Aduersaries own censure then the texts alledged in the former Chapters it therfore may be concluded that those very particular texts euen by the acknowledgment of the Protestants do receaue that sense and construction which the Fathers and we Catholikes haue deliuered of them for proofe and warranting of our fayth Agayne wheras our Aduersaries which maintaine any such Catholike Positions will no doubt confidently auouch that they teach nothing which may be contradicted by the Scripture It in like sort followeth that all such texts of Scripture meÌ„tioned aboue and others of like nature which are vrged by other protestaÌ„ts to impugne the said Catholike points are at least in these mens iudgments to be taken in a construction far different from ouerthrowing the sayd articles So as the conclusion of all is this that in these mens censures we implicity do shew that such authorities of Scripture vrged by vs do confirme our Catholike Fayth and obiected by them do preiudice it nothing at all But to beginne 1. And first concerning the Primacy of one in the Church of God we fynd that Caluin (a) Alledged by VVhitg p. 137. thus sayth The twelue Apostles had one among them to gouerne the rest D. Whitguift (b) vbi suprap 375. sayth Among the Apostles themselues there was one chiefe c. In like sort Musculus (c) Alledged by VVhitguift vbi supra p. 66. sayth Peter is found in many places to haue bene chiefe among the rest Melancthon (d) In his booke intituled Centur epist theolog epist 74. thus writeth as certaine Bishops are President ouer many Churches so the Bishop of Rome is President ouer all Bishops and this Canonical policy no wyse man I hope will or ought to disalow To maintaine this sayd Doctrine Iacobus Andraeas is alledged by Hospinianus (e) Historia sacramentaria part 2. fol. 589. 2. That the Pope is not Antichrist appeareth froÌ„ the testimonies of diuers Protestants which teach that Antichrist is not yet come So doth Zanchius (f) In epist Pauli ad Philippens teach the like doth Franciscus (g) In his booke intituled Antichristus siue progno stiâ—â— mundi Lambertus affirme And Done in one of his sermons (h) Of the sâ—â—ond coÌ„ming of Christ confesseth That some Protestantes do make a doubt whether Antichrist be yet reuealed or no. And heere we are to obserue that some other Protestants who do teach him to be come do make the Turk to be him thus doth MelaÌ„cthon so vrged by Haruey in his Theological discourse pag. 102. Bucer and Fox teach vz. Act. Mon. of anno 1577. pag. 539. 3. Touching the Reall Presence who knoweth not that Luther and the Lutheranes defend it And therfore it is needles to set down the particular names of any of them since the maintainers of this Doctrine which are not Catholikes are tearmed Lutherans especially because they chiefly dissent from the Caluinistes in this poynt 4. That Priests do truly remit sinnes by Absolution and not only pronounce them to be remitted appeareth from the testimony of the English Communion booke where the Priest sayth And by his authority committed to me I absolue thee from all thy sinnes Which booke is therfore reprehended by the booke called the Suruey (i) p. 145. of the booke of common prayer As also the same is proued by Lobechius (k) Disput Theologic pag. 301. who sayth That God remits sinne immediatly by himselfe but mediatly by his ministers And that the Caluinistes do therfore erre in withdrawing this efficacy from the absolution giuen by the minister of the word Thus farre Lobechius And answerably hereto we find that Melancthon (l) In Apolog confess Aug. art 13. did teach that Absolution is properly a Sacrament The like did Spandeburge (m) In margarit Theologic pag. 116. Andraeas (n) In concilat locorum seript pugnant loc 191. Althamerus and Sarcerius (o) Loc. com hom 1. de potest Eccles fol. 305. affirme 5. That the Sacraments of the new Testament conferre grace ex opere operato appeareth from the iudgment of D. Bilson in his true difference part 4. pag. 539 D. Whitaker contra Duraeum l. 8. p. 662. M. Hooker in his Ecclesiasticall policy lib. 5.
these two sects do absolutely approue such as are euen of their owne faction 14. And first we find that Conradus (*) In Catalog nostri temporis l. 1. the foresayd Lutheran placeth six sorts of his owne Lutherans in the Catalogue of Heretikes So through the disallowing of one anothers Doctrine did first rise the distinction of Molles Rigidi Lutherani so as it is manifest euen out of their owne bookes and inuectiues that they hould one another for Heretikes 15. Now touching the Sacramentaries among themselues Doth not Caluin (r) lib. de coena Domini l. 4. Instit. c. 15. §. 1. condemne Zuinglius for teaching that the Sacraments are bare externall signes And is not Caluin reciprocally condemned by Zuinglius (s) Zuinglius epist ad quandaÌ„ Germaniae ciuitatem fol. 196. in Commentar de vera falsa relig c. de Sacra againe because he attributed more to the Sacraments then externall signes 16. Castalio (t) In l. ad Caluin de praedest a Sacramentary charging Caluin for teaching God to be the authour of sinne maketh a distinction of the true God and of Caluins God and giueth a different description of them both and among other thinges he there thus concludeth By this meanes not the diuell but the God of Caluin is the Father of lyes but that God which the holy Scripture teacheth is altogether contrary to this God of Caluin c. And then after The true God came to destroy the workes of the Caluinian God and these two Gods as they are by nature contrary one to another so they beget and bring forth children of contrary disposition to wit that God of Caluin children without mercy proud c. Thus Castilio And thus much of our forraine new Ghospellers for some tast of the bitter sentences deliuered against one another in which poynt I acknowledge not to haue set downe the hundred part of theyr mutuall accusations 17. Now if we looke here at home it is easy to shew that the Protestantes and Puritanes do as litle fauour one another for their seuerall Doctrines rysing from making the Scripture sole iudge of Religion as the fore named Sectaries haue done Hence it is that the Puritanes will not acknowledge the Protestantes to be true and sincere professours of the Ghospell as appeareth by their diuers admonitions exhibited to the Parliamentes euery leaâ—e almost therin inueighing against them as against the Ghospells enemies So we see that in one of their bookes (u) A Christian and modest offer c. pag. 11. they say That if themselues be in errour and the Prelats on the contrary haue the truth they protest to all the world that the Pope and the Church of Rome and in them God and Christ Iesus himselfe haue great wrong and indignity offred vnto them in that they are reiected c. 18. Touching the Protestantes recrimination of the Puritanes we find that the Protestantes (x) Powel in his ConsideratioÌ„s do censure them to be notorius and manifest Schismatikes and members cut of from the Church of God They are sayd by another Protestant (y) The Suruey of the preteÌ„ded discipline 1. 5. c. 24. c. 35. To haue peruerted the true meaning of certaine places both of Scriptures and Fathers to serue theyr owne turnes And agayne the said Authour saith of them The word of God is troubled with such choppers and changers of it c. And to conclude he further affimeth to leaue out infinite other places That the later braules pittifull distractions and coÌ„fusions among the Puritanes proceed of such intollerable presumption as is vsed by peruerting and false interpretation of holy Scripture Which seuere and bitter condemnations of one another cannot be vnderstood to be spoken of things indifferent and touching ceremonies only as they are wont to salue the matter when they be charged therwith by Catholikes 19. These loe are the yet liuing-remembrances of our Sectaries Progenitours ouerthrow occasioned through their waging of warre in the defence of so erroneous a Doctrine which alone are of force if all other former proofes and arguments were defectiue to conuince our Nouellists of their foule errour therin But since all these alledged authours were Protestants and for the greater part acknowledged for men of Piety and as professing the Ghospell by the present Church of England since they all disclaymed from the Churches authority in defining of Controuersies all ventilated alike the facility of the holy Scripture acknowledged it as sole iudge and warranted their different Doctrines from Scripture alone finally all actually impatronized themselues of the interpreting spirit since I say they all proceeded thus far and were warranted therin with as much reason as any ProtestaÌ„t maintaining the same Doctrine at this present can iustly apply to himselfe yet seing not one of those would affoard any approbation of an others mans reuealing spirit in the exposition of Scripture but openly traduced ech others spirit as erroneous and hereticall and vpon their contrary expositions of Scripture they did beget contrary Doctrines What then remaineth but that euery sober and discret Christian do reiect this Paradox to wit that the Scripture is the sole and only iudge of Controuersies since it hath ingendred in the propugners thereof such a Babylon of confused and tumultuous accusations that with al resignatioÌ„ of iudgment he humbly acknowledge that Christ his Vicar assisted with competency of meanes from the whole Church is appoynted by Christ himselfe to be heere vpon Earth the sole supreme and inappealable Iudge in all matters of fayth and religion often recalling to his memory that it is (z) Math. 18. wrytten Dic Ecclesiae si Ecclesiam noÌ„ audierit sit tibi veluti Ethnicus Publicanus FINIS