through mine Hypocrisie for a little time of a transitory Life they might be deceived by me and I should procure malediction and reproach to mine old Age. This eating which he refused could never have been of Faith that is no way Warrantable by the Doctrine or Principles of Faith which had taught him the contrary as he well exprest in the next words following for though I were now delivered from the Torments of Men yet could I not escape the Hand of the Almighty neither alive nor dead Wherefore I will now change this Life manfully and will shew my self such as mine Age requireth 9 And it should be considered that the Parties of whom our Apostle speaks in the forementioned place were never injoyned by any Lawful Superiours either Civil or Ecclesiastick to eat such Meats as they made scruple of yea the very original or fountain of their Scruple was from the expresse Law of God denouncing fearful Judgements against all such as polluted themselves with Unclean Meats so that their eating albeit solemnly injoyned by the greatest Powers on earth could not fall within the Subject of true Obedience because the Laws injoyning it as they conceived stood actually condemned by the expresse Law of God to the contrary in defence whereof many of their Ancestors had exposed their Bodies to most grievous Tortures and the refusal of such Meats as they made Scruple of had been alwayes accounted the justest Title of glorious Martyrdom amongst the Jews And albeit these Laws concerning Unclean Meats were indeed Antiquated at the Alteration of the Priesthood yet should we not marvail if at the first planting of the Gospel many good Christians did make great Conscience of eating such Meats as were forbidden by them when S. Peter himself long after our Saviours Ascension durst scarce take Gods own word against his written Law then not Abrogated as he supposed in this Case For when there came a voice unto him saying Arise Peter kill and eat Peter said Not so Lord for I have never eaten any thing that is Polluted or Unclean And the voice came unto him again the second time saying the things that God hath purified do not thou account Polluted Nor was Peter as it seems yet fully satisfied for it is added in the next words This was so done thrice and the vessel was drawn up again into Heaven All these Circumstances abundantly evince that it was not the bare Doubt or Scruple but the Quality of the things doubted of and the inveterate Opinion or abominable Conceit which the Jews or other of their Instruction had of the Meats themselves that made their eating to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so far from being of Faith that it rather seemed to overthrow it Had the excesse of the Danger they feared been lesse or had there been any ordinary Possibility of any proportionable Good to set against it their Sin in eating had been lesse albeit the Grounds of their Scruple had been greater or their Perswasions one way or other lesse setled 10 Albeit this Exposition of our Apostle may seem strange and new to many honest and well disposed Minds in our Church yet in truth the manner of the deduction only is new the Doctrine it self is generally held by all Divines though not expresly in Conclusion yet in the Premises wherein it is essentially contained and may be most evidently deduced Thus. 11 All Sin consists either in preferring none before some the lesse before a greater or a Corporal before a Spiritual Good the Hainousnesse of Sin in the excesse of difference betwixt the true good neglected and the seeming good embraced which is either absolutely evil or else a far lesse good which in competition with the greater good is likewise to be accounted evil Now if whatsoever be not of Faith be a Sin then by the former Rules it is a Sin because a lesse good is preferred before a greater or some evil chosen without any proportionable good that might serve as a sufficient Recompence But if the nature of all Actual Sin consist in one of these two It is questionable how or in what case Doubting or Scruple of what we do doth make our Actions Sinful Briefly it is an External Cause or Circumstance concurring to the making of a Sinful Action not any essential part or internal Circumstance of the Sin it self once caused And it thus concurs only when that which in it self is Evil or proves so in the event would not be â—vil unto us unlesse we had some doubt or scruple that is some Notice or Apprehension of it as Evil In such Cases indeed we should not Sin unlesse we had formerly doubted but to speak exactly we do not sin because we do what we doubt of but because in doing some Actions when we Doubt we exactly prefer Evil before Good which otherwise we should not albeit we did the self same Action For it could not be Evil to us without the Apprehension of its Nature so as the Apprehension of it concurs to the making of it Evil. And because in all Doubts or Scruples there is some Apprehension of Evil therefore when we Doubt in Cases above mentioned our Actions are not of Faith but Sinful But if either we could be fully perswaded to the contrary that is if we could out of sincerity of Conscience setled Judgement discern that very thing which either we our selves sometimes did or others yet Apprehend as Evil not to be truly Evil the same Action which before had been shall not be now sinful unto us because we now prefer not Evil before Good Or again albeit the thing were in it self Evil being prohibited by some positive Law but we upon invincible or unculpable Ignorance did not Apprehend it for such we should not actually sin in doing it because in this Case we could not truly be câ—nsured for preferring Evil before Good seeing the Apprehension maketh it evil to us albeâ—t we did prefer that which was evil before that which was good As for example If a Proâ—â—â—yte should have eaten Swines Flesh being altogether ignorant not by his own but the Priests Negligence of the Israelites Law to the contrary he had done that which was evil because forbidden by the Law but not ill because he had no Apprehension of it as evil but did eat it without all scruple as well as the strong in Faith did in S. Pauls time As doubting in those Cases wherein we have an Apprehension of some excesse of evil makes mens Actions not to be of Faith and want of doubt so all other Circumstances be observed makes them to be according unto Faith †so it oft-times fals out that such as nothing Doubt whether they do ill or no do Sin far more then such as not without great Scruple of Conscience make the same sinisâ—er Châ—ice For oft-times the Causes why men make no scruple or why they Apprehend not the evil which they do are such
III. That The continual practise of Hereticks in urging Scriptures to establish Heresie and the diversity of opinions amongst the Learned about the Sense of Them is no just Exception why They should not be acknowledged as the Sole Entire and Compleat Rule of Faith OUt of the former Discourse their other Objections are almost answered already and they be especially Two The first If the Scriptures be plain and easie how comes it to passe that there should be such Contentions amongst the Learned about them Or whence is it that every Heretick is so forward to urge Scriptures for his Opinion even to the Death The Second lies as it were in the womb of this as this did in the former's and drawn out in its proper shape is thus There can be no certain Means of taking up controversies or contentions in the Church but only by admitting an Infallible Authority for deciding all controversies viva voce seeing the Scripture is alwayes made a party on all sides in such contentions 2 In the former Objection they indict the Scriptures as the Principal in the later our Church as an Abetter of such Quarrels and Contentions as it breeds For our Church we shall answer in the next for Gods Word in this present Section CAP. XIX Containing the true State of the Question with the Adversaries General Objections against the Truth 1 IT cannot be denied that alwayes there have been and alwayes will continue Contentions amongst learned men in Points of Faith or Doctrine or about the true Sence or Meaning of Scriptures in these other Cases For thus much these Scriptures themselves do plainly witnesse Oporâ—… esse haereses For there must be Heresies even among you that they which are approved among you might be known But the Question is not whether there have been now are or alwayes shall continue many Contentions about the Sense of Scripture but First Whether the Scriptures have not plainly set down the original Causes and nurses of such Contentions and the Means how to avoid them so men will be ruled by them most plain for this purpose or Secondly Whether not submitting their wils desires and affections unto these plain and perspicuous Rules of life this supposed Infallible Rule of the Romish Church can prevent remove or compose all such Contentions according to the Truth and cause men stedfastly hold the Unity of Faith in the Bond of Peace 3 The Causes of Contentions about the Sence of Scriptures are the very same with the fore-mentioned which made the Scriptures unto sundry seem Obscure or the same which make men to mistake their true Sence and Meaning For even these Wars and Contentions whereof we speak specially these arise from Lusts which sight in our members †we lust and have not we envy and have indignation and cannot obtain we fight and war and got nothing not the Truth which we seek because we ask it not Do not such as contends most about the true Sence ask it most doth not every Heretick the earnester he is professe that he prayes for the Truth so much the more servently yea but such men receive not that which they so earnestly ask because they ask it amisse They desire skill in Scripture to advance their own Conceits and maintain their foolish and carnal Affections otherwise asking they should have and seeking they should find especially the true Sence and Meaning of Gods Word which must instruct us how to frame all our other Petitions unto God aright 4 These and infinite like places we acknowledge plainly declaring the Causes of Contentions and as many more some of which shall be here and there inserted directing us how to avoid all occasions of striâ—e and debate Both which if we observe Contentions will quickly cease Which those not observed must increase as a just punishment of Truth neglected coâ—…icted or low esteemed notwithstanding the best indeavours of any Authority upon earth imaginable to the contrary 5 But some perhaps will demand Is there no use of Humane Authority in this Case yes As for the begetting of true and lively Faith we supose the live-voice of an Ordinary Ministery as the Organ whereby the written Word must be conveyed to our Spirits so for retaining the Unity of this Faith in the Bond of Peace for suppressing or preventing all Occasions of Schismes Heresies or Contentions we acknowledge the necessary Use of a Lawfull Magistracie yet no infallibilitie in either The proper end and use of Both is to espouse mens Souls with an indissoluble knot of Love and Loyaltie unto the written Word the only Infallible Rule of that Faith whereby they live The One by unfolding the generall Points or Maximes of Christian Faith The other by constraining them at least to a civil Practise of undoubted Principles acknowledged by all and inhibiting such Courses as the Moral Precepts of this Canon have defected for Causes and Nurses of Contention Our Adversaries whether out of wilfull malice or oversight or out of both according to the diversities of their tempers have taken occasion to traduce our Churches Doctrine as if it admitted no Means for preventing or composing Contentions but onely the bare letter of Scripture Whereas we all teach that the written Word is the onely Means Infallible not the onely Means Simplie for effecting Both. Nor doth it skill how necessary either Ministerial Expositions or Juridical Decisions be for bringing us unto or retaining us in the Unitie of the Truth professed for not Necessity of Means but Infallibility of Direction is the proper unseparable Condition of the Rule of Faith And seeing Gods Word only endures for ever and therefore onely is Infallible it must be the Sole Rule of Faith how many or how necessary soever the Means be that must bring us to the true Knowledge of it 6 Valentian and Saero-boscus think it all One to acknowledge no Ecclesiasticall Authority or use of Ministerie and not to acknowledge an Infallibility in Both. But this is a Position devoid both of Sense and Reason For As our Senses though of themselves onely capable of particular and Material Objects subject to change and contingencie are the necessary and onely ordinary Means whereby our Intellective Facultie is brought to apprehend Universal and immaterial Principles whose Truth is necessary everlasting and immutable So may the Ministery and Magistracie though both in themselves fallible and obnoxious to Errors be the necessary and onely ordinary Means whereby we are brought as it were by a sensible Induction to the infallible Acknowledgement of the supernatural divine eternal Truths which are the proper Object of the illuminated or spiritual as immaterial and universal Principles are of the natural understanding which shall God willing be declared hereafter In this place I onely thought good to forewarn the Reader of this Hiatus in our Adversaries Collections whereunto the blind and ignorant English Papist led by such blinded forraign Guides as Valentian and Sacro-â—osâ—â—â— who either
certain as they could be made For so it had been a labour altogether lost yea a matter no lesse prophane then rebaptization to have confirmed them by suffrages of Bishops after their Cathedral confirmation by the Pope Even of his Holinesse himself whose verdict as in this case must finally be supposed addes Divine credence unto testifications in their own nature fallible and meerly humane the question proposed in the former Section remains still insoluble For without the relation of some Historian or Register or especial revelation from above no Pope can divine how many Councels have been held much lesse what was finally determined in every ancient Canon confirmed by the Bishops assembled at Trent Special revelations such as the Prophets had they acknowledge none And yet distinctly to tell what hath been done in times past or places afar off without relying on others relations is an extraordinary effect of special revelation a work of higher nature and greater difficulty then Prophetical prediction of things to come Are then the relations of Historians or Registers of Ancient Councels divine and authentick Not without the Popes ratification with it they are Yes or else a great part of Roman faith by Bellarmines reason can be but humane 5 Hence may we safely annex a corollary as necessary as sutable to the main conclusion proposed for the principal subject of this Section As the Popes authority is by Jesuiticall Doctrine made much greater then our Saviâ—â—rs so may the assistance or countenance of his Omnipotent spirit make the reports of any temporizing Historian or mercenary Register as divine authentiâ—k anâ—…â—â—rtain as any Prophetical or Apostolical testimonies of the Messiah Yea if it should please him to authorize Baronius Annals or relations of former Councels their credit should be no lesse then the Evangelists Yea hence it followes as the discreâ—t Reader without further repetition of what hath here been said or new suggestion of the reasons whereon the inference is grounded will I hope of his own accord hereafter collect That determinations proceeding upon any knaves or loose companions testimonies though more loosely examined so examined at all or taken for examined by the Pope shall by his approbation be of force as all-sufficient either for producing Divine belief of mens spiritual worth we never heard of or for warranting daily performance of Religious worship to their memory as any declaration he can make upon our Saviours promises unto his Apostles For we may not more doubt of any Religion he shal authorize or any mans salvation canonized by him whosoever be the Relators of their life and death then of S. Peters though our Saviour promised he should be saved The reason is plain The Pope is sole Judge of all divine Oracles our Saviour as you have heard out of Valentian is but a witnesse and so may others be whomsoever he shall admit SECT IV. Containing the third branch of Romish blasphemy or the last degree of great Antichrists exaltation utterly overthrowing the whole foundation of Christian Religion preposterously inverting both Law and Gospel to Gods dishonour and advancement of Satans Kingdom THat the authority challenged by the Romish Church is altogether prejudicial to Gods word greater then either the visible Church of Israel from Moses till Christ or Christ himself or his Apostles either before or after his resurrection did either practise or lay claim to is evident from the former treatise It remains we demonstrate how the acknowledgement of this most absolute most infallible authority doth quite alienate our faith and allegeance from God and the Trinity unto the Pope and his triple Crown The Proposition then we are to prove is this Whosoever stedfastly believes the absolute authority of the Romish Church as now it is taught doth truly and properly believe no article of Christian faith no God no Trinity no Christ no redemption no resurrection no heavenly joyes no hell CAP. XXVI The Jesuites unwillingnesse to acknowledge the Churches proposal for the true cause of his saith of differences and agreements about the final Resolution of saith either amongst the Adversaries themselves or betwixt us and them 1 THe conclusion proposed follows out of their principles before mentioned and afterwards to be reiterated that they may be the more throughly sounded But ere we come to raze the very foundation of their painted wals a few weak forts must be overthrown vvhich some have erected in hope thereby to save their Church from battery Falentian as you heard before seeing his Mother would lie more open to our asâ—aults if they should admit this manner of speech I believe this or that proposition or article of saith because the holy Church doth so instruct me would mitigate the harshnesse of it thus If you ask me why I believe a Trinity or God to be one in three persons I would answer because God hath revealed this mystery The divine revelation then is the cause of your Belief in this particular But how do you know how can you Believe that God hath revealed this by another divine revelation No. For so we should run from revelation to revelation without end If by revelation you do not believe it by what means else By the infallible proposal of the Church as a condition without which I could not believe it Mark the mysticalnesse of this speech Ob propositionem Ecclesiae infallibilem For the Churches infallible proposal Is not this as much as if he had said because the Church vvhich is infallible proposeth it to me Why then doth he make it but a condition necessary or requisite to this assent â—elikâ— he meant not so but vvould have us to see the condition not the true and principal cause of his belief The Churches authority by his doctrine may in divers respects be truly said both a cause and condition Or to speak more distinctly the Churches proposal is a condition without vvhich no man can ordinarily believe propositions of faith the infallibility of her proposal is the true and only cause of every Roman Catholicks belief in all points This denial of the Churches authority to be according to their principles the true cause of belief Is the sconse that must first be overthrown but after a friendly parly of the difference betwixt us 2 Valentian if we wel observe his processe in the forecited place proves only that which none in reformed Churches did ever deny albeit he profeâ— more in his premises which whilest he seeks to perform he hath only proved him self a ridiculous Atheist as partly is shewed in the former treatises and shall more fully appear in the end of this To ease his fellows hereafter of such unnecessary or impertinent pains as oft times they take I dare avouch in the behalf of all my brethren in reformed Churches no Jesuite â—…al be more forward to demand then we to grant That God in these later dayes doth not teach men the Gospel in such sort as he did S. Paul
proposition must finally be resolved Every conclusion of faith as is before observed out of Bellarmine must be gathered in this or like Syllogisme Whatsoever God or the first Truth saith is most true But God said all those words which Moses the Prophets and the Evangelists wrote Therefore all these are most true The Major in this Syllogisme is an Axiom of Nature acknowledged by Turks and Infidels nor can Christian faith be resolved into it as into a Principle proper to it self The Minor say our Adversaries must be ascertained unto us by the Churches authority and so ascertained becomes the first and main principle of faith as Christian whence all other particular or determinate conclusions are thus gathered Whatsoever the Church proposeth to us for a divine Revelation is most certainly such But the Church proposeth the Books of Moses and the Prophets finally the whole volumes of the old and new Testament with all their parts as they are extant in the vulgar Roman Edition for divine revelations Therefore we must infallibly believe they are such So likewise must we believe that to be the true and proper meaning of every sentence in them contained which the Church to whom it belongs to judge of their sence shall tender unto us 2 For better manifestation of the Truth we now teach the young Reader must here be advised of a Twofold Resolution One of the things or matters believed or known into their first parts or Elements Another of our Belief or perswasions concerning them into their first Causes or motives In the one the most general or remotest cause In the other the most immediate or next cause alwayes terminates the resolution The one imitates the other inverts the order of composition so as what is first in the one is last in the other because that which is first intended or resolved upon by him that casteth the plot is last effected by the executioner or manual composer In the former sence we say mixt bodies are lastly resolved into their first Elements houses into stones timber and other ingredients particular truths into general maximes conclusions into their immediate premisses all absurdities into some breach of the rule of contradiction Consonantly to this interpretation of final resolution The First Verity or divine infallibility is that into which all Faith is lastly resolved For as we said before this is the first step in the progresse of true Belief the lowest Foundation whereon any Religion Christian Jewish Mahometan or Ethnick can be built And it is an undoubted Axiom quod primum est in generatione est ultimum in resolutione when we resolve any thing into the parts whereof it is compounded we end in the undoing or unfolding it where nature begun in the composition or making of it But he that would attempt to compose it again or frame the like aright would terminate all his thoughts or purposes by the end or use which is farthest from actual accomplishment Thus the Architect frames stones and timber and layes the first foundation according to the platform he carries in his head and that he casts proportionably to the most commodious or pleasant habitation which though last effected determines all cogitations or resolutions precedent Hence if we take this ultima resolutio as we alwayes take these termes when we resolve our own perswasions that is for a resolution of all doubts or demands concerning the subject whereof we treat A Roman Catholicks faith must according to his Principles finally be resolved into the Churches infallibility For this is the immediate ground or first cause of any particular or determinate point of Christian faith and the immediate cause is alwayes that into which our perswasions concerning the effect is finally resolved seeing it onely can fully satisfie all demands doubts or questions concerning it As for example if you ask why men or other terrestrial Creatures breath when fishes do not to say they have lungs and fishes none doth not fully satisfie all demands or doubts concerning this Subject For it may justly further be demanded what necessity there was the one should have lungs rather then the other If here it be answered that men and other perfect terrestrial creatures are so full of fervent blood that without a cooler their own heat would quickly choak them and in this regard the God of nature who did not make them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or give them life in vain to be presently extinct did with it give them lungs by whose respiration their naturall temper should be continued This answer doth fully satisfie all demands concerning the former effect For no man of sense would further question why life should be preserved whose preservation immediately depends upon respiration or exercise of the lungs and is therefore the immediate cause of both and that whereunto all our perswasions concerning the former subject are lastly resolved Or if it should be demanded why onely man of all other creatures hath power to laugh to say he were indued with reason doth not resolve us for a Philosophical wit would further question Why should reasonable substances have this foolish faculty rather then others A good Philosopher would perswade us the spirits which serve for instruments to the rational part are more nimble and subtle and so more apt to produce this motion then the spirits of any other creatures are But this I must professe resolves not me for how nimble or subtle soever they be unlesse man had other corporeal Organs for this motion the spirits alone could not produce it and all organical parts are framed for the operation or exercise of the faculty as their proper end Whence he that would finally resolve the former Problem must assigne the true final cause why reasonable substances more then others should stand in need of this motion Now seeing unto reason onely it is proper to forecast danger and procure sorrow and contristation of heart by preconceit of what yet is not but perhaps may be it was requisite that our mortality through reason obnoxious to this inconvenience should be able to correct this contristant motion by the contrary and have a faculty to conceive such pleasant objects as might dilate the heart and spirits that as man hurts his body by conceited sorrow whereto no other Creature is subject so he might heal it again by a kind of pleasance whereof he alone is capable 3 Answerable to this latter acception of final resolution if you demand a Roman Catholick why he believes there is a Trinity there shall be a resurrection or life everlasting his answer would be because God or the First Verity hath said so but this doth not fully satisfie for we might further question him as he doth us why do you believe that God did say so Here it sufficeth not to say This truth is expresly taught in Canonical Scriptures for the doubt whereby he hopes to stagger us most is this Why do you believe
are quoted lib. 〈◊〉 cap 30. Parag 16. †Lib 2. cap. 16. Part. 8. ‖ Voluerit igitur de side supernaturali 〈◊〉 loqui 〈◊〉 dissert à 〈◊〉 aâ—… acquisita vim generandi fidem habere quicquid ad actum sive ex parte parentiae sive ex parte objectâ— est necessarium Verum â—… Ecclesia quae respectu nostri est causa proponens ut est supra explicatum And a little after Anâ—… Ecclesiae proponentis loquentis Dei in SCriptura respectu actus fidei se habent 〈◊〉 lumen â—… 〈◊〉 vel quemadmodum potentia dispositiones in materia se habent respectu actus informationis â—… quod consequens est quae habetur fides a Scriptura Dei mentem contmente eadem habetur ab Ecâ—… 〈◊〉 Dei quis sit verus scripturae sensus indicante Sacroboseus Def. Decr. â—… Sertent Bellaâ—m cap â—… pag 105. * Vide Annot. Cap. 30. Parag. 4. Vâ—get Whittakerus qui sensum â—… 〈◊〉 nisi quia sic Ecclesia statuit non propter Prophetieam Apostoâ—icam Scripturam tribuit augustionem â—… Ecclefiae quam Scripturae sed cum in fide hac duo sint quid propter quid Papistis â—… Vâ—… respondetur id esse falsum quae enim credimus propter Ecclesiam propâ—… Dâ—â—m loquentem verbo suo scripto vel tradito ut est alià s explicatum Sacrobes pag. 125. * At inquâ—es quando Papiâ—… dâ—câ—nt se câ—â—to 〈◊〉 ‑ 〈◊〉 id quod â—ccleâ—â—â— dâ—… vâ—… prâ—posiâ—…es 〈◊〉 sâ—…nt â—sse veâ—â—â— vâ—l quia Eccâ—â—sâ—â— id illis dicit vel non quia Ecclesia dicit sâ—d quâ—a Sâ—â—ipâ—… dâ—cit Si â—…mum nullâ—… disâ—…n inter Dâ—um Ecclesiâ—m â—â—atnetur nam hâ—c propâ—ium solius Dei est ut id verum esse credamus quod ille dicit nulâ—am aliam qâ—…â—â—tionâ—m Sin sâ—â—unâ—um summa authoritas definiendi non Ecclesiae sed scriptuâ—ae deseâ—tur Verum ne in aere diâ—puâ—â—â—us ut sâ—pe solet adversarius Catholici oâ—â—es firma fide credunt Ecclesiam in nulla fidei quaestione deterâ—… 〈◊〉 â—â—re poâ—â—e ubi igiâ—ur Ecclesia definit aliquid esse de fide id illi hoc Theologico discursâ— concludunt esse ceâ—â—um Eccâ—… non potest alâ—quid non veâ—um pro Fidei dogmate credendum proponere At hoc Ecclesia pro dogâ—ate fidei pâ—opoui◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—st hoc eâ—go certum In qua ratiocinatione medius terminus est determinatio Ecclesiae atque ita quo â—enâ—…â—…diuâ—â—â—rm 〈◊〉 diciâ—uâ—â—ausa cognoscâ—ndi conclusionem dici potest definitio Ecclesiae causa propter quam haec concluâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inus prâ—dicti discâ—rsus certo persuadeatur Absit vero ut quicquid per modum medii est causa câ—râ—â— cognâ—… â—o ipâ—o â—…tur Dâ—o Sâ—cus enim angulus externus soret Deo â—qualis nâ—m per hunc â—ognosco omnem triaâ—gulum habeâ—â— trâ—â—â—…gulos aquales duobus rectis Atqueâ—aec solutio perspicua est solùm advertat qui minus exercitatos habet seâ—… dictâ—… concluâ—…em ut pendet ex discursu facto pertinere ad habitum Theologiâ— qâ—i quidem certâ—s est queâ—â—dmâ—…â—st hâ—bâ—tus fidei scieâ—uae est tamen ab utrâ—que distinctus ut verior tenet Theologorum senâ—entia nâ—n aâ—â—a â—â—tione perâ—inâ—… potâ—st ad habituâ— fidei quatenus assenâ—u simplici sine discursu creditur tunc Ecclesiae dâ—finitio non â—e haâ—et pâ—… modum â—â—dii teâ—m ni sed per modum sufficientis propositionis authoritas Dei loquentis verbo suo scripto vel 〈◊〉 in lâ—co 〈◊〉 quo petituâ— dâ—finitio est â—orn alis raâ—io credendi ita ut istae dâ—ae râ—tiones subordinatae â—unt causae conâ—… actâ—◠〈◊〉 qui exercetuâ—â—iâ—ca propositionem dâ—â—nitam sicque quemadmodum ait Aristorâ—les non Policletus â—â—c 〈◊〉 â—â—us sâ—d Polâ—â—letus â—…tuarius est causa statuae diceâ—e possumus non definitio Ecclesiae per se soliâ—aâ—â—e nec sâ—lus lâ—câ—◠〈◊〉 quo 〈◊〉 est â—â—finiâ—io Ecclesiae est causa assensus fidei Sed definitio locus illa ut causa â—ine qâ—a non authorâ—â—as Deâ— lâ—quenti in hoc ut formalis ratio objecti Sacrobos def Decr. Sent. Bellarm. cap. 6. part 1. pag. 113 114 115. †See the Aâ—notations cap. 3 par 1. ‖ His words are quoted in the Annotat. parag 5 of this Chapter * Reâ—â—◠〈◊〉 quidâ—… à Cajetaâ—… dictum est Faâ—… esse quâ—… nem si quâ—s aâ—tâ—… interrâ—…t â—ur â—reâ—at prâ—â—â— veritati â—evelanti Nam in pâ—imam veâ—â—tatem 〈◊〉 fiâ—… 〈◊〉 assâ—â—sus â—idâ—â— atquâ— adâ—o â—â—opâ—â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—dâ—s aâ—â—entiâ—â—◠〈◊〉 que non eâ—â— qâ—…da 〈◊〉 ‑ 〈◊〉 ratio qâ—…des aâ—… Sed solum pâ—â—â—st qâ—aeâ—i ulteâ—iuâ— unde habeat illa prima veritas uâ— sit prima veritas Et tunc respondendum est id hâ—bâ—â—e sâ—cundum 〈◊〉 intelligendi modum ex divinitate cuius attributum quasi passio est quâ— neque â—alli neque falleâ—e poteâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. in Aqâ—inat Disp 1. quâ—st 1 de object â—â—dei punct 1. parag 5. * Cap. 3. parag 1. †Bellar. loco citato ‖ Vide Sacroâ—oâ—â— ca 6. par 1. pag. 109. * Chap. 1. Resolution twofold either of objects believed or of our Belief or perswasions concerning them * Antonius Laurentinus Politianus de Risu That according to the Jesuits own Principles the Churches infallibility doth so terminate all doubts or demands in matters of the Romanists faith as the immediate or prime cause doth all doubts or questions concerning any demonstrable effect * Cap. 3. par â— * Ecclesiastes 12. ver 11. Hoc loco Solomon docet inquit â—â—llarminus non esse 〈◊〉 inquitendum sed â—… peâ—… quando â—… data est à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adjuncto â—… sapientum Quod 〈◊〉 dicuntur de Sacerdote veteris Testamenti quanto magis dici possunt de Sacerdote Testamenti novi 〈◊〉 longe maâ—… promissiones Deo accepit Bellarde verb. Dei lib. 〈◊〉 cap. 4. * At dices quando Ecclesia definit ex verbo Dei scripto vel tradito semper definit neque enim amplius accipit novas revelationes assistentia Spiritus sancti ibi promissa est tantum ad ea quae jam revelata sunt cognoscenda ergo à primo ad ultimum quod terminat controversias quod judex est quaestionum fidei est verbum Dei Respondeo quoniam nobis non constat certò quis sit verus Scripturae tensus nisi per vocem Ecclesiae quae nostras audit contentiones respondet Ecclesia Judex est quamvis judicet ex Dei verbo quod illa serutando examinando propter assistentiam Spiritus sancti semper rectè intelligit Si autem quilibet nostrom haberet infallibile donum intelligendi verbum Dei alio judice non indigeren us Nam hoc fidei veritates contiâ—… sed quonium ita non est verbum Dei respecttu nostri non habet rationem judicis Non quasi certam veram non â—… sed qâ—… de ejus sensu per
and Gentile is much-what the same and the same celestial observation may serve for both The Priests after their return from captivity were forbidden to eat of the Most Holy Thine till there arose up a Priest with Urim and Thummim Fzra 2. 63. But either no such did arise at all from the erection of the Second Temple until Christ time or if any did it was but to give this people a Farewel of Gods extraordinary speaking unto them either by Priests or Prophets Josephus consciseth that revelations by Urim and Thummim did finally cease 200 years before his time Put more probable is the opinion of others that this as all other kind of Prophecies and many extraordinarie signs of Gods power and presence sometime most frequent in that nation did cease with that generation which returned from captivitie or immediately after the finishing of the Second Temple as if God during all that time had appointed a Fast or Vigil as an introduction to the Time of Fulnesse â—foel 2. 28. Wherein their sons and daughters should prophecie and their old men dream dreams and their young men see visions and his Spirit should be poured out on all flesh as well upon the servant as the master as well upon the Gentile as the Jew Malach. 1. 11. For this cause as I said God had enjoyned this long fast in Judah to humble the Jew and teâ—uâ—h him that He was no more his God then the Gentiles and imposed silence to all his prophets dis-inuring his chosen Israel from his wonted Call that so this people might grow more mild and apt to herd together with his other slock now to be brought into the same fold wherein both might joyntly hear the great Shepherds voice As God elsewhere had threatned so it came to passe that visions had ceased in Judah before the rising of the Roman Empire and likely it is that presages by dreams or like means formerly usual among the Ancient Heathen did either altogether determine or much decrease in many Nations about the same time For which reasons the Romans of that Age being the only wise men of the world given too much by nature unto secular Policâ—e did give lesse credit to the relations of the Ancient Greeks or the events registred by their Ancestours in their own Countrey The like incredulity remaineth in most of us but may be easily removed by discovering the root of it CHAP. XII The reasons of our mistrusting of Antiquities 1 IT is the common practise of men to measure matters of Ancient times by observation of the times and place wherein they live as commonly we passe our censure on other mens actions and intentions according to our own resolutions and secret purposes in like cases And besides this general occasion of mistaking other mens actions and events of other times every particular sort of men seek to assign causes of things sutable unto their proper Faculties The Natural Philosopher striveth to reduce all effects to Matter and Form or some sensible qualitie the Mathematician to abstract Forms or Figures or insensible influences the Politician thinks no alteration in publick States or private mens affairs fals out but from some Politick cause or Purpose of man and whilest in the Annals of Antiquities he reads of sundry events surpassing the reach or skill of mans invention or contrary to the ordinarie course of nature he attributes all unto the Simplicity or credulitie of their Ancestors Albeit if we should search the true cause of their credulitie in yielding assent unto such strange reports it will easily confute the error of posterity for this credulity in such particulars could not have been so great in their Ancestors unlesse their mindes had been first inclined to the general from the tradition of their Predecessors But why their forefathers should either have invented such strange reports or be so inclinable to believe them if we search into the depth or first spring of this perswasion we cannot imagine any other cause but the real and sensible Experience of such strange events as they reported to posterity This did enforce Belief upon the first Progenitors of any Nation and from the fulnesse of this perswasion or actual Belief in them was bred this credulitie or aptnesse in posterity to believe the like which yet in successe of time did by little and little wear out It is great simplicity and uncharitable credulitie in us to think that either the most Ancient or middle Ages of the world were generally so simple credulous or apt to believe every thing as some would make them It had been as hard a matter to have perswaded men of those times that there were no Gods no divine power or providence as it would be to perswade the modern Athiests that there is an Almighty power which created all things governeth and disposeth of all things to his glory The most politick Atheâ—st now alive is as Credulous in his kinde as the simplest creature in the old world was and will yield his assent unto the Epicures or other Brutish Philosophers conclusions upon as light reasons as they did their Belief unto any Fable concerning the power or providence of the Gods the reason of both their credulities in two contrary kindes is the same The often manifestation of an extraordinary power in Battels or presence in Oracles and sensible documents of revenge from heaven made the one prone to entertain any report of the Gods though never so strange and the want of like sensible signs or documents of the same power in our dayes whilest all mens minds are still set upon politick means and practises for their own good doth make the other so credulous and apt to assent to any Politik Discourse and so averse from Belief of the Prophets or sacred Writers which reduce all effects to the First Cause But this we cannot do so immediately as the Ancient did because God useth his Wisdom more in the managing of this Politick world then he did in times of old and men naturally are lesse apprehensive of His Wisdom then of His Power so that his present wayes are not so obvious at the first sight unto sense as sometimes they were though more conspicuous to sanctified reason now at this day then before and the manner of his proceeding more apt to confirm true Belief in such as follow his 〈◊〉 then ever it was For the same reason were the Ancient Israelites more prone to Idolatry then their successours were after the erection of the second Temple or either of them were at any time to serve their GOD. For the sensible signs and bewitching inticements of some extraordinary powers mistaken for Divine were then most common and Gods Wonders and miracles grew more rare because they swarved from his commandments What Jew was there almost in the time of the Maccabees but would have given his body for an Holcaust rather then sacrifice to any of the Heathen Gods The undoubted experience of long Wo and
the Turks by Adoption Heires of the same promise So truly doth the Scripture tell us the truth of all antiquitie and the true causes of Nations encrease but of this elsewhere To conclude this story of Noah 6 The former Argument drawn from the suddain increase and propagation of men the scarcitie of Arts Civil Discipline and Inventions with other Experiments better known to them then us enforced certain of the Ancient Philosophers to hold a perpetual Vicissitude some of General some of Particular Deluges whereby the works of Antiquitie once come to perfection had been and continually should be defaced either generally throughout the World or in sundry Countries according to the extent of the Inundation This Opinion might seem more safe because not eaâ—â—e to be disproved in that Old World in which the wisest living besides the people of God had no distinct Knowledge of any thing that had happened 100 year before his own Birth much lesse what mutations should follow after his death but unto us their Prognostication is like unto some late Prophecies of Dooms-day confuted by a world of witnesses even by the continuance of every thing after that time which by their prophecies should have imposed a fatal end to all things We may truly use the Mockers words to these mockers of truth Since the old Philosophers died all things continue alike Seed-time and Harvest have been still distinct nor hath there been any Floud to destroy either the Whole Earth or any entire Nation thereof For Assurance of which promise the Almightie hath set his Bow in the Cloud whose Natural Causes though the Philosophers can in some sort assign and shew the manner how diversities of colours arise in it yet the Ancient Poets saw more then either they themselves have left exprest or later Philosophers sought to conceive when they feigned Iris to be Thaumantis Filia the Daughter or as we of this age would say the Mother of Wonderment the Messenger of the great God Jupiter and his Goddesse Juno The occasions of this Fiction had they been well acquainted with them might have informed Philosophers that the Rain-bow had some better use then a bare Speculation how it was made some Final besides the Material and Efficient Cause unto whose search the Admirable Form or composition of it did incite men naturally And the Ancient Philosophers who were for the most part Poets and endued with more lively notions of the First and Supreme Cause of all things did usually assign a Final Cause commonly Supernatural of such effects as proceeded from Efficient and Material Natural Causes As the Pythagoreans thought the Thunder whose matter form and efficient they well knew was made to terrifie such as were in Hell not erring in the general that it had some such like use though mistaken in the particulars whom it was made to terrifie Natural Philosophie gives us the Material and sensible Efficient Causes the Scripture onely the true and Supernatural End which leads us to the Immortal Invisible and Principal Efficient Cause of all natural effects even of Nature it self And Aristotle acknowledgeth the motions or dispositions of the Matter to depend upon the End or Final Cause albeit he gives no Final cause at all of main principal much lesse the Supreme or Principal Final cause of all natural effects but confounds the Form with the End against his own principles and contrary to the Analogie between Nature and Art which is the ground of all his Discourse about the Matter Form and Efficient For the Artificial Form is not the End of the Artists work but rather incites the Spectator to view and admire his Skill from which his gain or fame may redound And these one or both are the Principal end of all his labours so is the Glory of the First and Supreme Efficient Cause the Principal and utmost End of all the works of Nature and Nature itself if I may so speak the Art or Skill of the First and Supernatural Cause But as Aristotles Philosophie is imperfect because it leades us not either unto the First Cause or Last End of all things so it is fully sufficient to confute such Divines as think there were Rainbows before the Floud Which opinion hath no pretence of Scripture to enforce it and grounds in nature it can have none unlesse they will avouch this evident untruth That every disposition of the Air or every Cloud is fitly disposed to bring forth the Rain-bow And if other Natural Causes with their motions and dispositions depend upon the Final such as acknowledge the truth of Scripture have no reason to think that either the Clouds or Air had that peculiar disposition which is required unto the production of the Rain-bow before the Floud when this wonderful Effect could have no such use or end as it hath had ever since For it was ordained as the Scripture tels us to be a Sign or witnesse of Gods Covenant with the New World a Messenger to secure mankind from destruction by Deluges Now if it had appeared before the Sight of it after the floud could have been but a silly comfort to Noahs Timorcus Posteritie whose mistrust lest the the like inundation should happen again was greater then could be taken away by any ordinary or usual Sign if we may believe such Testimonies of Antiquitie as we have no reason to suspect I omit the discussion of their Opinion who think the Rain-bow doth naturally argue such a temper of the air as is unapt for the present to conceive any Excessive Moisture Either from these reasons in nature then well known or from the Tenour of Gods forementioned Covenant communicated to the Ancient Heathen people by Tradition doth Jupiter in Homer make Iris the messenger of his Peremptorie command unto Neptune to desist from aiding the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From Jove I come a messenger to him that Neptune hight His pleasure is that thou henceforth ne come in field or fight But hence to Heaven or to wide Sea address thy speedy flight 7 The true Mythologie of which Fiction I should from the circumstance of the Storie conjecture to be this The swelling of waters and abundance of moisture did advantage the Grecians and annoy the Trojans for whom fair weather was best as having greatest use at that time of service by Horse For this reason is Neptune by Iris commanded to get him into the Sea which â—s as much as to say the Over-flow of waters and abundance of moisture was now to be asswaged and Apollo on the other side sent to encourage Hector and his Trojans The meaning is that Jupiter would now have fair and drie weather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go to prepare the Troops of Horse for they must do the deed And charge thine enemies at
England under William Rufus whose conditions were such that whosoever would give enough might have whatsoever lay in his power to grant Their estate in England during other three Kings raign until Richard the first yields little matter of observation this people hate had not as yet broken out against them but was all this time in gathering and after their first planting here they were to have a time to bring forth fruit for others to eat a time to gather wealth for others to spend as Moses had foretold 8 Most miserable in the mean time was their estate throughout the Eastern Empire as one of their own Writers Benjamin Tudelensis who went on Pilgrimage to visit his Country-men wheresoever dispersed throughout the world complaineth of their general hard usage amongst the Graecians instancing in such as were seated about Constantinople within whose wals they might not come but upon occasion of publick commerce or business in which case they were allowed passage onely by Boat having their habitation as it were in an Island Amongst two thousand of this servile Congregation there residing not one permitted to come on horse-back save only Solomon the Emperours Physitian whose exaltation perhaps not fourteen handfuls above ground was held as a publik grace of the whole Nation the chief solace of that miserable and servile usage which all the rest without difference good or bad did sustain dayly beat and scourged in the open streets Yet must we believe this Relator That these Jews were wealthy good and merciful men observant of the Law such as could patiently endure this miserable captivity But Patience perforce according to the Proverb is no Patience If GOD had granted them ability or opportunity they had quickly shewed their Jewish minds by Jewish actions And why he keepeth them continually under unwilling to hear their cry though They cannot we Christians may easily perceive the cause For so his Prophet Samuel had fore-told And ye shall cry out at that day because of your King whom ye have chosen you and the Lord will not hear you at that day Which words as a learned convert Jew rightly observeth were not fulfilled in Samuels time whose opinions may be fortified by these reasons 9 Samuels authority over that people was not so strictly linked with GODS but that they might reject the one for their present Judge still retaining the other for their supream Lord and who can deny that the God of their Fathers did rule over them in Davids Solomons Jehoshaphats and Ezekiahs times Sin no doubt they did in abandoning Gods Priest and Prophet to follow the fashions of other Nations in submitting themselves unto a King And Samuel like a good Physitian forewarneth them of that incurable disease which this new-fangle and intemperate act did even then Prognosticate whose Fatal Crisis notwithstanding did not insue until they overgrown with desperate wilful and intemperate malice had rejected Hint with open mouth who was both Priest and Prophet and their lawful King whose kingdom was not of this world whose Soveraignty was so united with the divine Majesty that in casting him away they could not but cast off God that he should not reign over them 10 Again before that time God alwayes heard their cry and redeemed them from all Forrain Bondage and such as Samuel there describeth was neither general nor perpetual under their own Kings neither did the best of such use any nor the worst all or most part of the natural Israelites in such sort as he there threatneth yet all the miseries there threatned 1 Sam. 8. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17. have been since accomplished in full measure if I may so speak in length breadth and profundity First this Serviâ—â—â—y hath been extended over All the Nation without exception Secondly the continuance of it hath been exceeding long and perpetual without interruption and so must continue until they confesse their forefathers rebellion and acknowledge him for their King whom rejecting they rejected God for he that will not so honour the Son cannot Honour the Father as King Lastly those marks of servility set forth by Samuel have been so deeply imprinted in this generation rejected of GOD that his Prophecy compared with Modern Histories concerning them will seem but as Painted Wounded men in a cloth of Arrasse to the bleeding reliques of a scattered vanquished army For neither under any Caesar though they made choice of Caesar for their King nor under any other Kings or States have they lived as Free-denizons capable of publick Office or Honour the best of them are but as slaves prohibited to use the meanest of Christians so The most of them as Samuel fore-told are admitted in Common-wealths for manual services or other handy-crafts imployments Captains I think none of them have been unlesse perhaps in some desperate services many of them in greater Cities are suffered to follow Merchandize that they may serve the State as Spunges alwayes surer to be squeezed for the moysture they have sucked then to be nourished by it Sundry of them are curious Artificers and professe ingenious Trades like silly Silk-worms permitted to exercise their skill in precious stuff to fill Princes Coffers and find their Countries cloathing 11 The possession offields and Vineyards hath not been so usual amongst this people as their spoil amongst such as possessed any so this Jew relateth it as a special prerogative of Calonymus the son of Theodorus both in their life-times chief of the Synagogue in Narbona and lineally descended as he pretendeth from David that he might quietly possesse the fruits of his grounds The Princes it seemeth of that and like places did take other Jews fields and vineyards and best Olive trees and gave them unto their servants rather tything then taking the tenth of their seed and Vineyards for that usually was the Jews part the other nine as Samuel foretold 1 Sam. 8. 14 15 16. fell unto Princes Officers lot 12 But the greater these dispersed sons os Isaac Servility was the more it commendeth the fidelity of Gods word concerning the sons of Rechab who as this Author relateth live united in form of a Kingdom or Nation not subject to any forrain yoak rather able to offend their neighbours then likely to receive harms from them Their estate to this Authors dayes continued such as they themselves acknowledged unto Jeremy Onely experience it seemeth had taught them to build Cities for their better security against the incursion of forrainers which was not against their oath in case of necessity as appeareth from Jeremy 35. 9 10 11 12. Because in other points they have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab their Father and kept his precepts and done according to all that he had commanded them therefore Jonadab hath not wanted a man to stand before him until this day that is their estate hath continued such as their Father left them much better then the estate of Abrahams Sons by Sarah Though
universal or absolute amongst the Jews as the Papists make it but was to be limited by the former Rules 1 ONe especial place on which they stand is from that Law in Deuteronomy If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgement between bloud and bloud between plea and plea between plague and plague in the matters of controversie within thy gates then shalt thou arise and go up unto the place which the Lord thy God shall chuse And thou shalt come unto the Priests of the Levites and to the Judge that shall be in those dayes and ask and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgement and thou shalt do according to that thing which they of that place which the Lord hath chosen shew thee and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee According to the Law which they shall teach thee and according to the judgement which they shall tell thee sealt thou do thou shalt not decline from the thing which they shall shew thee neither to the right hand nor to the left And that man that will do presumptuously not hear kning unto the Priest that standeth before the Lord thy God to minister there or unto the Judge that man shall die and thou shalt take away evil from Israel so all the people shall hear and fear and do no more presumptuously 2 This precept admits of many restrictions any one of which doth take away all the force of our adversaries objections First it may without prejudice to our cause be granted although it cannot out of these words be necessarily inferred that God here prescribes obedience in the abstract such as was to be performed unto those Priests and Judges that lived according to that pattern which he had set them Thus may this precept of obedience for the extent be universal and concern all causes whatsoever spiritual or temporal doubts of conscience or matters of this life in all which such governours were to be obeyed but conditionally if they were such as God in his law required they should be unto such as you heard before he gave illuminations extraordinary such as the parties that were to obey might have perfect notice of But how great soever the extent of this precept be not one syllable in it makes more for absolute obedience unto spiritual then unto civil governours for it is said indefinitely vers 10. thou â—… do according to that thing which they either spiritual or temporal of that placâ—… which the Lord hath chosen shall shew thee And again the words are diâ—…ctive That man that will do presumptuously not hearkening unto the Prâ—… unto the Judge that man shall die whether the Priest were to be supream Judge or no it is not said at the least the High Priest was not the chief man alwayes in the Councel for he was not alwayes admitted into the supream Consistory or Sanhedrim which is established in this place yet Bellarmin will have the definitive sentence belong unto the Priest and the execution of it to the civil magistrate so indeed the present Romish Church in spiritual cases would be judge and mâ—ke Christian Princes her hang-men but their practise must not be taken for an infallible exposition of that Law whence they seek to justifie their practise quite contrary to the practise of the Jewish Church and Synagogue Nor doth Bellarmin or any other beside the base parasitical Canonists or the Popes trencher chaplains deny but that in many civil causes the Prince or temporal Magistrate hath a definitive sentence can he then gather out of any circumstance of this place that only spiritual causes are here meant nay he confesseth that the law is general concerning all doubts that might arise out of the law yet it is most probable that it only concerns civil controversies and Bellarmins reason to prove that it includeth spiritual causes or matters of Religion is most idle The occasion of this Law saith he was for them that did serve other Gods as appears out of the beginnning of the Chapter now the service of other Gods is a point of Religion But what though Moses in the former part of this Chapter speak of Idolaters must this law therefore concern Idolaters In the former part he speaketh only of Idolaters but this law is not only for them by Bellarmins confession Yet the circumstances of the place and the expresse law against Idolaters mentioned before evince that in this Chapter as in the former he first sets down laws concerning the true service of God and in the later part gives precepts for the observation of the second Table the maintaining of love by the final composition of all controversies that might arise betwixt neighbours In the former law Idolaters are sentenced to death and Idolatry saith Bellarmin is a point of Religion Was the Priest alone then to give sentence and the civil Magistrate only to execute it There is not the least pretence for it out of this Text. Any ordinary Magistrate might execute him that was lawfully convicted of this crime nor was it so hard a matter to judge who was an Idolater amongst the Jews as it is to determin what is an Heresie amongst the Romanists This was to be proved by witnesses not by Logical proof or force of speculative reason Had the cunningest Jesuite in the world been taken amongst them kneeling down before an Image and praying to it all the distinctions in the Master of sentences or Aquinas or both their Commentators could not have redeemed him against two honest men that had sworn he had done thus much there had been no appeal from any City in Judah unto any higher Court his doom had been read in the gates and without them he should as Homer speaks have put on a stony coat 3 That the Kings of Judah were only to execute the Priests definitive sentence in all hard controversies is a position well deserving execution without appeal at Princes hands And no doubt but it did so amongst the Jews The former Court as is most probable was to cease when they had a King amongst them And Moses in the former Chapter after he had given the other law for ending controversies gives the law for the election of their King if so be they would have one as if the former Court had then ceased to be the supream Tribunal seeing all Subjects might appeal unto the King from it in which this Soveraignty did before reside as being the supream Tribunal whence there could be no appeal 4 The King in the Law concerning his qualification is commanded to have the Law of his God written out And it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the dayes of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and to keep all the words of his Law and these Ordinances for to do them that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren and that he turn not from the commandment
which cause they were in conscience bound to examine his doctrine by Moses and the Prophets otherwise they might have believed the saving truth but falsly and upon deceitfull grounds The stronger or more absolute credence they had given unto his words or works without such examination the more they had ensnared their souls and set their consciences upon the Rack by admitting a possibility of contradiction betwixt two doctrines both firmly believed without any evidence of their consonancy or Both conspiring to the same end The speedier and higher this edification in Christ had been the sooner it might have ruinated that foundation which God by Moses and the Prophets had reared in Israel unlesse this new work had been orderly squared well proportioned closely layed and strongly cemented unto the former In secular schooles he is held an unwise answerer that will admit Socraticall Interrogations for albeit there appear no difficulty in any one proposed apart yet in the processe a respondent may be easily brought to grant Conclusions from which he knows not what Consequences may be drawn because their Consonancie with the Problem whose defence he undertakes is not so evident nor immediate as upon a sodain may be fully examined And not examining the consonancie of every other proposition with the principles of that faculty whereto the Problem belongs the best answerer living may be made either grant what he should not or deny what should be granted Now Christs doctrine was to Mosaical and Prophetical as the Conclusion to the Promises or as the Corollary of greatest use unto the Speculative Theorem Suppose then a Jew well skilled in Moses and the Prophets should instantly upon the first hearing of our Saviours Sermons or sight of his miracles have admitted him for such an infallible teacher upon termes as absolute and irrevocable as the Jesuite would have the Pope acknowledged by all Christians a good disputant might easily have staggered him by these or 〈◊〉 Socratical demands Do you steafastly believe Moses writings for Gods word Gâ—â— forbid I should doubt of this Do ye believe this new doctrine confirmed by miracles as firmly What if I do Do you know as certainly whether both agree as well as one part of Moses writings with another What if I do not Untill you be fully resolved in this your belief in both cannot be sound for in case they should disagree the one must needs be false and if choice were given you whether in sooth would you disclaim Here a wise man that as the wise King speaks had eyes in his head and would not be led by a blind faith would have paused a while and thought with himself This is a point that should be looked to for if these new doctrines should prove incompatible as for any just examination hitherto made they may I cannot see whâ—ther deserves more credence Whiles I consider Moses writings and call to mind those mighty wonders our fathers told us with like continuall experiments of their divine truth nothing can seem more certain then they again whiles I behold these new miracles me thinks his authority that works them should be as great as Moses was yet if they should happen to disagree the one must be better believed then the other or else for ought I see there can be no certainty of either for if this mans possibly may be why might not Moses doctrine likewise be false or if our fathers were deceived by his signes and wonders why may not we be so served by this mans miracles But if upon just triall they shall be found fully to agree in every point as I trust they do then doubtlesse both are from God and I shall stedfastly believe this new doctrine to be divine if such as Moses had foretold and withall more evidently acknowledge then before I could that Moses spake by the Spirit of the all-seeing everliving God if this Jesus of Nazareth be in all points like to him and so qualified as he foretold the great Prophet should be But in the interim till the triali â—e made it is best to lay sure hold on Moses and the Prophets For prior tempore potior jure their writings doubtlesse were from God because hitherto they could not be destroyed time and they shall trie whether Jesus and his doctrine be so or no whether he be that great Prophet that should come or we are yet to look for some other 4 Thus when John Baptist sent his Disciples to our Saviour with this very question Art thou he that should come or shall we look for another The answer he returned again whether for confirmation of Iohns own faith or as the most interpreters think of his Disciples was this and no more Go and shew Iohn what things ye have seen and heard that the blind see the halt go the lepers are cleansed the deaf hear the dead rise again and the Gospel is preached to the poor and blessed is he that shall not be offended in me These or other of their fellow Disciples had enformed their Master Iohn before of Christs healing the Centurions servant by his word or command though absent of his raising the widows son from death to life of the rumours spread abroad of him thorowout all Judea and the regions round about and upon this report as Saint Luke tells us did John make the former solemne demand But some will yet demand how could he or his Disciples be confirmed by the answer given them wherein is little more then formerly both had heard for the raising up of the widowes son which especially occasioned their coming was the greatest of all in this Catalogue and yet as great as this some of the ancient Prophets had done how could it then prove him to be the Messias Had he told them as much in plain termes they might have beleeved him because this great work did witnesse him to be a Prophet and therefore one that could not lie But by this answer how could they gather more then the people upon the astonishment of that accident had said for when the dead man sate up and spake fear saith the Evangelist came on them all and they glorified God saying A great Prophet is raised up among us and God hath visited his people Luke 7. 16. 5 Yet this objection at least the solution confirms the truth of my former assertion that by his miracles alone considered they were not bound absolutely to believe he was the Messias but by comparing them with other circumstances or presupposed truths especially the Scriptures received and approved prophesies of the Messias though no one for the greatnesse of power manifested in it could of it self yet the frequencie of them at that time and the condition of the parties on whom they were wrought might absolutely confirme John and his Disciples because such they were in these and every respect as the Evangelical Prophet had foretold Messias should work for this reason our Saviour delivers his
did his words give life unto his greatest works his Divinations were to his Miracles as his humane soul was to his body And no question but the conception of their Faith that heard him preach was as immediately from those words of eternal life which issued from his mouth as ours is from the Word preached by his Messengers To what other use then could miracles serve save onely to breed a praeviall admiration and make entrance for them into his hearers hearts though his bodily presence at all times was not yet were his usuall works in themselves truly glorious more then apt to dispell that veil of prejudice commonly taken against the meannesse of his person birth or parentage had it been meerly naturall not occasioned through wilfull neglect of extraordinary means precedent and stubborn opposition to present grace most plentifully offered His raising others from death to life was more then sufficient to remove that offence the people took at that speech If I were lift up from the earth I should draw all men unto me To which they answered We have heard out of the Law that the Christ bideth forever and how sayest thou that the Son of Man must be lift up Who is that Son of Man 18 To conclude then his distinct and arbitrary foretelling Events of every sort any Prophet had mentioned many of them not producible but by extraordinary miracles withall including divine testifications of farre greater glory ascribed to him then Moses or any Prophet ever challenged was The demonstrative Rule according to Moses prediction whereunto all visible signes and sensible miracles should have been resolved by their spectators as known effects lead contemplators unto the first and immediate causes on which their Truth and Being depends That Encomium This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Hear him with the like given by John Baptist Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world unto all such as took him for a true Prophet did more distinctly point out the similitude peculiar to Him with Moses expressed in the forecited place of Deuteronomy literally though not so plainly as most Readers would without direction observe it seeing even interpreters most followed either neglect the words themselves in which it is directly contained or wrest their meaning Unto him shall ye hearken according to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly Their request then was Talk thâ—â— with us and we will hear but let not God talk with us lest we die Here the whole multitude bound themselves to hear the word of the Lord not immediately from his mouth but by Moses For whiles the people stood afar off he onely drew neer to the darknesse where God was This their request and resolution else-where more fully expressed the Lord highly commended I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken unto thee they have well said all that they have spoken Oh that there were such an heart in them to fear me and to keep all my commandements alway that it might go well with them and with their children for ever If we observe that increment the literal sence of the same words may receive by succession of time or as they respect the Body not the Type both which they jointly signifie the best reason can be given of Gods approving the former petition and Israels peculiar disposition at that time above others will be this That as posterity in rejecting Samuel rejected Christ or God the second Person in Trinity so here the Fathers in requesting Moses might be their spokesman unto God requested that Great Prophet ordained to be the Author of a better Covenant even that promised womans seed their brother according to the flesh to be Mediator betwixt God and them to secure them from such dreadfull flames as they had seen so they would hearken as then they promised unto his words as unto the words of God himself esteeming him as the Apostle saith so farre above Moses As he that builds the house is above the house And in the Emphasis of that speech Whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name I will require it of him purposely resumed by Moses with these threats annexed as if he had not sufficiently expressed his mind in the like precedent Unto ‖ him ye shall hearken The same difference between Moses and the Great Prophet then meant is included which the Apostle in another place expresseth He that despiseth Moses Law dieth without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye he shall be worthy which treadeth under foot the Son of God and counteth the blood of the Testament as an unholy thing Untill the soveraignty of the Law and Prophets did determin that Encomium of Moses did bear date There arose not a Prophet siâ—â—e in Israel like unto Moses whom the Lord knâ—w face to face but vanished upon the Criers voice when the Kingdom of heaven began to appear The Israelites to whom both promises were made did far exceed all other nations in that they had a Law most absolute given by Moses yet to be bettered by an Everlasting Covenant the Former being as an earnest penny given in hand to assure them of the Latter In respect of Both the name of a Soothsayer or Sorcerer was not to be heard in Israel as in the nations which knew not God much lesse expected a Mediator in whom the spirit of life should dwell as plentifully as splendor doth in the body of the Sun from whose fulnesse ere he visibly came into the world other Prophets were illuminated as those lights which rule the night are by that great light which God hath appointed to rule the day at whose approach the Prince of darknesse with his followers were to avoid the Hemisphere wherein they had raigned In the mean time the testimonies of the Law and Prophesies served as a light or candle to minish the terrors of the night Even Moses himself and all that followed him were but as messengers sent from God to sollicit his people to reserve their alleageance free from all commerce or compact with Familiar spirits until the Prince of glory came in person 19 Thus without censure of their opinion that otherwise think or teach albeit the continuance of Prophets amongst this people were a mean to prevent all occasions of consulting sorcerers or witches yet the chief ground of Moses disswasion from such practises according to the literall connexion of these words The nations which thou shalt possesse hearken unto those that regard the times and unto sorcerers as for thee the Lord the God hath not suffered thee so with those following hitherto expounded The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet was the consideration of their late mighty deliverance by Moses the excellencie of
or how can you know those Books which ye call Scriptures were from God The last and final answer according to the Jesuitical Catechismes wherein as you heard before out of Bellarmine they think they have great advantage of us would be this The holy Church our Mother doth so instruct giving us this expresse admonition withall his amplius fili 〈◊〉 ne requiras Here upon God their Father and the infallible Church their Mothers blessing their souls are bound to rest without further doubt or demand Whence unlesse they use some mental reservation or seek to shrowd themselves in the former aequivocation hitherto unfolded they must of necessity account themselves accursed if they deny the last or final resolution of their belief to be into the Churches infallibility or veracity Again what reasonable man would demand further resolution of any doubts incident to his faculty be it real or verbal speculative or practick then into the prime and immediate rules He should surely be lasht in a Grammar School that either for quantitie of syllables right accent construction of words or the like would seek a further reason then a known general rule which admitteth no exception So should he with disgrace be turned over the Barre amongst the Lawyers that would demur or seek a devolution of an evident ruled case which by his own confession could never alter Much more grosse would his absurdity appear that in the Mathematicks or other demonstrative science should attempt to resolve a Probleme or conclusion further then into an unquestionable Theorem or definition Finally might we have a centumviral Court of all professions under the Sun our Adversaries would be condemned with joint consent either of intolerable folly or impudency if they should with Valentian deny the last resolution of their faith to be into the Churches infallibilitie seeing they make it such a Catholick inerrable perpetual rule of Christian faith as admits no exception no devolution from it no appeal It is to them more then he said of Logick Ars artium scientia scientiarum a faculty of faculties a Rule of Rules able rightly to resolve all doubts concerning the very Canon of Scriptures or Gods Word written or unwritten or the true sence or meaning of both briefly able most authentically to determine and define all Controversies in Religion of what kind soever 4 Nor will it boot them ought to say that Gods Word in the Churches mouth is the Rule whereinto faith is finally resolved seeing the Church defines nothing but by Gods Word either written or unwritten For this is more then the party which believes it can know nor hath he any other motive to believe it besides the Churches definition or assertion Suppose then we should conceive so well of a temporall Judge as to presume he did never speak but according to the true meaning either of Statute or customary Law yet if we could not know either the one or the other or their right interpretation but onely by his determinations the Law were little beholden to him unlesse for a flout that should say he were resolved jointly by the Judge and it For seeing the Law is to him altogether uncertain but by the Judges avouchment or interpretation his last resolution of any act of justice must be onely into the Judges skill and fidelitie This inference Sacroboscus would not deny he himself hath made the like to prove that not the Scripture but the Church must be the infallible rule of faith You will object saith he when the Church defines it alwayes defines according to the Word of God either written or unwritten New revelations it receives none the promised assistance of the spirit helps it onely to know what is already revealed Therefore from the first to the last that which determines controversies and is the Judge in all questions of faith is the Word of God To this objection thus he answers Because we cannot be certain of the true sence of Gods Word but by the voice of the Church which hears our controversies and answers them The Church is Judge although it judge according to Gods Word which upon examination and by the spirits assistance it alwayes understands aright And if every one of us should have the infallible gift of understanding Gods Word we should not need any other Judge The Reader I hope will remember what was said before that those flowting hypocrites would fain believe the Pope saith nothing but what God saith that God may be thought to say all he sayes which is the most abhominable Blasphemie that ever Hell broacht worse then worshipping of Devils as shall appear hereafter 5 It may be some Novice in Arts that hath late read some vulgar Logicians upon the demonstrations might here frame this doubt in favour of the Romish Churches Doctrine As the finall cause may be demonstrated by the efficient and the efficient by the final so may the Church be infallibly proved by Scriptures and the Scriptures again by the Churches authority both infallibly believed each for others sake as both the former demonstrations are true and certain and yet mutually depending one upon the other 6 This objection had some late Logicians understood what they said would carry some shew of truth to countenance Valentians former Circular Resolution but they lace their Masters Rule uttered by him Pingui Minerva too too straitly For taking it as they do we should admit of circular demonstrations the conceit whereof can have no place but in a giddy brain To demonstrate the final cause in any work of Nature were to assigne a Counsellor to the infinite wisdom of the God of Nature in whose intention the end is first and is the cause of all operation or efficiencie Who could give or who would demand a naturall cause why life should be preserved for this is the will of him that gave it If question were made of the manner how the life of man and other creatures is preserved when as their heat might seem to choak them A man might truely answer by respiration and respiration is from the lungs But it is one thing to ask How or by what Means another for what End any effect is produced The former is an inquiry of the Efficient within these precincts of means or motions alwayes prime and independent The later of the final cause absolutely indemonstrable because it implies a contradiction to give a reason why that should be for whose sake all other things of that rank have being Nor is the End it self to speak properly ever produced though oft-times in common speech we take the Effect immediately thereto destinated because most sensible for the End it self as we do the starre next to the Pole because visible for the Pole or point immoveable Thus we confound respiration or actual preservation of life with the Final cause why men have lungs when as both are effects of the lungs both means of accomplishing Natures or rather the God of Natures
purpose in whose will or pleasure the finall cause of any natural effect alwayes consists And seeing nothing in Nature can preoccupate his will no cause can be precedent to the finall This consideration of naturall effects tending as certainly to their proposed end as the arrow flyes to the mark caused the irreligious Philosopher to acknowledge the direction of an intelligent supernatural agent in their working the accomplishment of whose will and pleasure as I said must be the finall cause of their motions as his will or pleasure which bestows the charges not the Architect unlesse he be the owner also is the final cause why the house is built Finally every End supposeth the last intention of an intelligent Agent whereof to give a reason by the Efficient which onely produceth works or meanes thereto proportioned would be as impertinent as if to one demanding why the bell rings out it should be answered because a strong fellow puls the rope 7 Now that which in our Adversaries Doctrine answers unto the cause indemonstrable whereinto final resolution of Natures works or intentions of intelligent agents must be resolved is the Churches Authority Nor can that if we speak properly be resolved into any branch of the first Truth for this reason besides others alledged before that all resolutions whether of our perswasions or intentions or of their objects works of Art or Nature suppose a stability or certainty in the first links of the chain which we unfold the latter alwayes depending on the former not the former on the latter As in resolutions of the latter kind lately mentioned imitating the order of composition actual continuation of life depends on breathing not breathing on it breathing on the lungs not the lungs mutually on breathing so in resolutions of the other kind which inverts the order of composition the use or necessity of lungs depends upon the use or necessitie of breathing the necessitie or use of breathing upon the necessity or use of life or upon his will or pleasure that created one of these for another Thus again the sensitive faculty depends upon the vital that upon mixtion mixtion upon the Elements not any of these mutually upon the sensitive faculty if we respect the order of supportance or Natures progresse in their production Whence he that questions whether some kinds of plants have sense or some stones or metals life supposeth as unquestionable that the former have life that the second are mixt bodies But if we respect the intent or purpose of him that sets Nature a working all the former faculties depend on the sensitive the sensitive not on any of them For God would not have his creatures indued with sense that they might live or live that they might have mixt bodies but rather to have such bodies that they might live to live that they might enjoy the benefit of sense or the more noble faculties 8 Can the Jesuite thus assigne any determinate branch of the First Truth as stable and unquestionable before it be ratified by the Churches authority Evident it is by his positions that he cannot and as evident that belief of the Churches authority cannot depend upon any determinate branch of the First Truth much lesse can it distinctly be thereinto resolved But contrariwise presse him with what Divine precept soever written or unwritten though in all mens judgements the Churches authority set aside most contradictory to their approved practises for example That the second Commandement forbids worshipping Images or adoration of the consecrated Host he straight inverts your reason thus Rather the second Commandement forbids neither because the holy Church which I believe to be infallible approveth both Lastly he is fully resolved to believe nothing for true which the Church disproves nothing for false or erroneous which it allowes Or if he would answer directly to this demand To what end did God cause the Scriptures to be written He could not â—â—sonâ—â—t to his tenents say That we might infallibly rely upon them but rather upon the Churches authority which it establisheth For Gods Word whether written or unwritten is by their Doctrine but as the testimony of some men deceased indefinitely presumed for infallible but whose material extent the Church must first determine and afterwards judge without all appeal of their true meaning Thus are all parts of Divine truthes supposed to be revealed more essentially subordinate to the Churches authority then ordinary witnesses are to royal or supreme judgement For they are supposed able to deliver what they know in termes intelligible to other mens capacities without the Prince or Judges ratification of their sayings or expositions of their meanings and judgement is not ordained for producing witnesses but production of witnesses for establishing judgement Thus by our adversaries Doctrine Gods Word must serve to establish the Churches authority not the Churches authority to confirm the immediate soveraigntie of It ever our souls 9 Much more probably might the Jew or Turk resolve his faith unto the First Truth then the modern Jesuited Papist can For though their deductions from it be much what alike all equally sottish yet these admit a stabilitie or certainty of what the First Truth hath said no way dependant upon their authority that first proposed or commended it unto them The Turks would storme to hear any Mufti professe He were as well to be believed as was Mahomet in his life time that without His proposal they could not know either the old Testament or the Alcoran to be from God So would the Jews if one of their Rabbines should make the like comparison betwixt himself and Moses as the Jesuite doth betwixt Christ and the Pope who besides that he must be as well believed as his Master leaves the authority of both Testaments uncertain to us unlesse confirmed by his infallibility But to speak properly the pretended derivation of all three heresies from the First Truth hath a lively resemblance of false pedegrees none at all of true Doctrine and resolutions Of all the three the Romish is most ridiculous as may appear by their several representations As imagine there should be three Competitors for the Roman Empire all pleading it were to descend by inheritance not by election all pretending lineal succession from Charles the Great The first like to the Jew alledgeth an authentick pedegree making him the eldest The second resembling the Turk replies that the other indeed was of the eldest line but long since disinherited often conquered and enforced to resigne whence the inheritance descended to him as the next in succession The third like the Romanist pleads it was bequeathed him by the Emperors last Will and Testament from whose death his Ancestors have been intit'led to it and produceth a pedegree to this purpose without any other confirmation then his own authority adding withall that unlesse his competitors and others will believe his records and declarations written or unwritten to be most authentick they cannot