they could be made For so it had beene a labour altogether lost yea a matter no lesse prophane then rebaptization to haue confirmed them by suffrages of Bishops after their Cathedrall confirmation by the Pope Euen of his Holinesse himselfe whose verdict as in this case must finally be supposed addes diuine credence vnto testifications in their owne nature fallible and merely humane the question proposed in the former Section remaines still insoluble For without the relation of some Historian or Register or especiall reuelation from aboue no Pope can diuine how many Councels haue beene held much lesse what was finally determined in euery ancient Canon confirmed by the Bishops assembled at Trent Speciall reuelations such as the Prophets had they acknowledge none And yet distinctly to tell what hath been done in times past or places a farre off without relying on others relations is an extraordinarie effect of speciall reuelation a worke of higher nature and greater difficultie then Propheticall prediction of things to come Are then the relations of Historians or Registers of Ancient Councels diuine and authentique Not without the Popes ratification with it they are Yes or else a great part of Roman faith by Bellarmines reason can bee but humane 5 Hence may we safely annex a corollary as necessary as suretable to the maine conclusion proposed for the principal subiect of this section As the Popes authority is by Iesuitical Doctrine made much greater then our Sauiours so may the assistance or countenance of his omnipotent spirit make the reports of any tēporizing Historian or mercenary Register as diuine authentique and certaine as any Propheticall or Apostolicall 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 than the Euangelists Yea hence it followes as the discreet Reader without further repetition of what hath here beene said or new suggestion of the reasons whereon the inference is grounded will I hope of his owne accord hereafter collect That determinations proceeding vpon any knaues 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 eyther for producing Diuine beliefe of mens spirituall worth wee neuer heard of or for warranting daily performance of Religious worship to their memorie as any declaration he can make vpon our Sauiours promises vnto his Apostles For we may no more doubt of any Religion he shall authorize or any mans saluation canonized by him whosoeuer be the Relatours of their life and death then of Saint Peters though our Sauiour promised hee should bee saued The reason is plaine The Pope is sole Iudge of all diuine Oracles our Sauiour as you haue heard out of Valentian is but a witnesse and so may others be whomsoeuer he shall admit SECT IIII. Containing the third branch of Romish blasphemie or the last degree of great Antichrists exaltation vtterly ouerthrowing the whole foundation of Christian Religion preposterously inuerting both Law and Gospell to Gods dishonour and aduancement of Sathans Kingdome THat the authoritie chalenged by the Romish Church is altogether preiudiciall to Gods word greater then eyther the visible Church of Israel from Moses till Christ or Christ himselfe or his Apostles eyther before or after his resurrection did eyther practise or lay claime to is euident from the former treatise It remaines we demonstrate how the acknowledgement of this most absolute most infallible authority doth quite alienate our faith and allegeance from God and the Trinitie vnto the Pope and his triple Crowne The Proposition then wee are to proue is this Whosoeuer stedfastly beleeues the absolute authoritie of the Romish Church as now it is taught doth truly and properly beleeue no article of Christian faith no God no Trinitie no Christ no redemption no resurrection no heauenly ioyes no hell CHAP. I. The Iesuites vnwillingnesse to acknowledge the Churches proposall for the true cause of his faith of differences and agreements about the finall Resolution of faith eyther amongst the Aduersaries themselues or betwixt vs and them 1 THE conclusion proposed followes out of their principles before mentioned and afterwards to bee reiterated that they may be more throughly sounded But ere wee come to raze the very foundation of their painted walles a few weake fortes must be ouerthrowne which some haue erected in hope thereby to saue their Church from battery Valentian as you heard before seeing his Mother wouldly more open to our assaults if they should admit this manner of speech I beleeue this or that proposition or article of faith because the holy Church doth so instruct me would mitigate the harshnesse of it thus If you aske me why I beleiue a Trinitie or God to be one in three persons I would answere because God hath reuealed this mysterie The diuine reuelation then is the cause of your beleefe in this particular But how doe you know how can you beleeue that God hath reuealed this by an other diuine reuelation No. For so we should runne from reuelation to reuelation without end If by reuelation you doe not beleeue it by what meanes else By the infallible proposall of the Church as a condition without which I could not beleeue it Marke the mysticalnesse of this speech Ob propositionē Ecclesiae infallibilem For the Churches infallible proposall Is not this as much as if he had said because the Church which is infallible proposeth it to me Why then doth he make it but a cōdition necessary or requisite to this assent Belike he ment not so but would haue vs to see the cōditiō not the true principal cause of his beleefe The Churches authority by his doctrine may in diuers respects be truly said both a cause and condition Or to speake more distinctly the Churches proposal is a condition without which no man can ordinarily beleeue propositions of faith the infallibility of her proposall is the true and only cause of euery Romane Catholikes beleefe in all points This denial of the churches authority to be according to their principles the true cause of beleef Is the sconse that must first be ouerthrown but after a frendly parly of the differēce betwixt vs. 2 Valentian if we wel obserue his processe in the forecited place proues only that which none in reformed churches did euer deny albeit hee profer more in his premises which whilest hee seekes to performe he hath only proued himselfe a ridiculous Atheist as partly is shewed in the former treatises shal more fully appeare in the end of this To ease his fellowes hereafter of such vnnecessary or impertinent paines as oft times they take I dare auouch in the behalfe of all my brethren in reformed Churches no Iesuite shal be more forward to demand then wee to grant That God in these latter dayes doth not teach men the Gospel in such sort as he did S.
beliefe of any particular or determinate proposition must finally bee resolued Euery conclusion of faith as is before obserued out of Bellarmine must bee gathered in this or like Syllogisme Whatsoeuer God or the first Truth sayeth is most true But God saide all those words which Moses the Prophets and the Euangelists wrote Therefore all these are most true The Maior in this Syllogisme is an Axiome of Nature acknowledged by Turkes and Infidels nor can Christian faith be resolued into it as into a Principle proper to it selfe The Minor say our aduersaries must bee ascertained vnto vs by the Churches authority and so ascertained becomes the first and maine principle of faith as Christian whence all other particular or determinate conclusions are thus gathered Whatsoeuer the Church proposeth to vs for a diuine Reuelation is most certainly such But the Church proposeth the bookes of Moses and the Prophets finally the whole volumes of the olde and new Testament with all their partes as they are extant in the vulgar Romane Edition for diuine reuelations Therefore we must infallibly belieue they are such So likewise must wee beleeue that to bee the true and proper meaning of euerie sentence in them contained which the Church to whom it belongs to iudge of their sense shall tender vnto vs. 2 For better manifestation of the Truth wee now teach the young Reader must here bee aduised of a twofolde resolution One of the things or matters beleeued or knowne into their first parts or Elements Another of our beliefe or perswasions concerning them into their first causes or motiues In the one the most generall or remotest cause In the other the most immediate or next cause alwayes terminates the resolution The one imitates the other inuerts the order of composition so as what is first in the one is last in the other because that which is first intended or resolued vpon by him that casteth the plotte is best effected by the executioner or manuall composer In the former sense wee say mixt bodies are lastly resolued into their first Elements houses into stones timber and other ingredients particular truthes into generall maximes conclusions into their immediate praemises all absurdities into some breach of the rule of contradiction Consonantly to this interpretation of finall resolution the first verity or diuine infallibility is that into which all faith is lastly resolued For as wee saide before this is the first steppe in the progresse of true beliefe the lowest foundation whereon any Religion Christian Iewish Mahometan or Ethnicke can be built And it is an vndoubted Axiome quod primum est in generatione est vltimum in resolutione when we resolue any thing into the parts whereof it is compounded we end in the vndoing or vnfolding it where nature begunne in the composition or making of it But he that would attempt to compose it againe or frame the like aright wold terminate all his thoghts or purposes by the end or vse which is farthest from actuall accomplishment Thus the Architect frames stones and timber and layes the first foundation according to the platforme he carries in his head that hee casts proportionably to the most commodious or pleasant habitation which though last effected determines all cogitations or resolutions precedent Hence if wee take this vltima resolutio as we alwayes take these termes when we resolue our owne perswasions that is for a resolution of all doubts or demands concerning the subiect whereof wee treat A Roman Catholiques faith must according to his Principles finally bee resolued 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 resolued seeing it onely can fully satisfie all demandes doubts or questions concerning it As for example if you aske why men or other terrestriall Creatures breath when fishes doe not to say they haue lungs and fishes none doth not fully satisfie all demaunds or doubts concerning this Subiect For it may iustly further be demanded what necessity there was the one should haue lungs rather then the other If here it bee answered that men and other perfect terrestiall creatures are so full of feruent bloud that without a cooler their owne heare would quickly choake them and in this regard the God of nature who did not make them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or giue them life in vaine to bee presently extinct did with it giue them lungs by whose respiration their naturall temper should be continued This answere doth fully satisfie all demands concerning the former effect For no man of sense would further question why life should be preserued whose preseruation immediately depends vpon respiration or exercise of the lungs is therfore the immediate cause of both and that whereunto all our perswasions concerning the former subiect are lastly resolued Or if it should bee demanded why onely man of all other creatures hath power to laugh to say he were indued with reason doth not resolue vs for a Philosophical wit would further question Why should reasonable substances haue this foolish faculty rather then others A good Philosopher would perswade vs the spirites which serue for instruments to the rationall part are more nimble subtle and so more apt to produce this motion then the spirites of any other creatures are But this I must professe resolues not me for how nimble or subtle soeuer they be vnlesse man had other corporeall Organes for this motion the spirits alone could not produce it and all organicall parts are framed for the operation or exercise of the faculty as their proper end Whence hee that would finally resolue the former probleme must assigne the true finall cause why reasonable substances more then others should stand in need of this motion Now seeing vnto 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 bee it was requisite that our mortality through reason obnoxious to this inconuenience should bee able to correct this contristant motion by the contrary and haue a faculty to conceiue such pleasant obiects as might dilatate the heart and spirites that as man hurts his body by conceited sorrow whereto no other Creature is subiect so he might heale it againe by a kind of pleasance whereof hee alone is capable 3 Answerable to this latter acception of finall resolution if you demaund a Romane Catholike why hee beleeues there is a Trinity there shall bee a resurrection or life euerlasting his answere would be because God or the first verity hath said so but this doth not fully satisfie for wee might further question him as hee doth vs why doe you belieue that God did say so Here it sufficeth not to say This truth is expresly taught in Canonicall Scriptures for the doubt whereby hee hopes
Dei in Scriptura respectu actus fidei se habent vt lumen color respectu visionis albi vel quemadmodum potentia dispositiones in materia se habent respectu actus informationis formae substantialis quod consequens est quae habetur fides à Scriptura Dei mentem continente eadem habetur ab Ecclesia qui libri sint verbum Dei quis sit verus scripturae sensus indicante Sacroboscus Det. Decr. Trid. Sentent Bellarm. Cap. 6 Parag. 1. Pag. 105. a Vide Annot. Cap. 5. Parag. 4. Viget Whittakerus qui sensum aliquem amplectitur propter nullam aliam causam risi quia sit Ecclesia statuit non propter Propheticam Apostolicam Scripturâ—m in tribuit â—ugustiorem authoritatem Ecclesiae quam Scripturae sed cum in fide haec duâ— sint quid propter quid Papâ—stis propter quid est sola authoritas Ecclesiae VeruÌ„s espoÌ„detur id esse falsum quae enim credimus propter Ecclesiam proponentem simul etiam credimus propter Deum loquentem verbo suo scripto vel tradito vt est alià s explicatum Sacrobos pag. 125. * At inquies quaÌ„do Papistae dicuÌ„t se certo statuere id quod Ecclesia definit esse verum propositiones ipsas statuunt esse veraâ— vel quia Ecclesia id illis dicit vel non quia Ecclesia dicit sed quia Scriptura dicit Si primum nullum discrimen inter Deum Ecclesiam statuetur nam hoc proprium solius Dei est vt id verum esse credamus quod ille dicit nullam aliam quaerendo rationem Sin secundum summa authoritas desiniendi non Ecclesiae sed scripturae defertur Verum ne in aere disputemus vt saepe solet adversarius Catholici omnes firma fide credunt Ecclesiam in nulla fidei quaestione determinanda errare posse vbi igitur Ecclesia desinit aliquid esse de fide id illi hoc Theologico discursu concludunt esse certum Ecclesia non potest aliquid non verum profidei dogmate credendum proponere At hoc Ecclesia pro dâ—gmate fidei proponit credendum est hoc ergo certum In qua ratiocinatione medius terminus est determinatio Ecclesiae atque ita quo sensu medius terminus dicitur causa cognoscendi conclusionem dici potest definitio Ecclesiae causa propter quam haec conclusio vt est terminus praedicti discursus certâ— persuadeatur Ab sit vero vt quicquid per modum medij est causa certae cognitionis eo ipso aequetur Deo Secus enim angulus externus foret Deo aequalis nam per hunc cognosco omne triangulum habere tres angulos aequales duobus rectis Atque haec solutio perspicua est solum aduertat qui minus exercitatos habet sensus dictam conclusionem vt pendet ex discursu facto pertinere ad habitum Theologiae qui quidem certus est quemadmodum est habitus fidei scientiae est tamen ab vtroque distinctus vt verior tenet Theologorum sententia nam aliae ratione pertinere potest ad habitum fidei quatenus assensu simplici sine discursu creditur tunc Ecclesiae definitio non se habet per modum medij termini sed per modum sufficientis propositionis authoritas Dei loquentis verbo suo scripto vel tradito in loco ex quo petitur desinitio est formalis ratio credendi ita vt istae duae rationes subordinatae sunt causae coniunctae actus fidei qui exercetur circa propositionem definitam sicque quemadmodum ait Aristoteles non Policletus nec statuarius sed Policletus statuarius est causa statuae dicere possumus non definitio Ecclesiae per se solitariè nec solus locus ex quo petita est definitio Ecclesiae est causa assensus fidei Sed definitio locus illa vt causa siâ—e qua non authoritas Dei loquentis in hoc vt formalis ratio obiecti Sacrobos def Decr. Trid. Sent. Bellarum c. 6. §. 1. p. 115. c See the annotations Sect. 2. c. 2. Par. 1. * His words are quoted in the Annotat. §. 6. of this chapter * Rectè illud quidem à Caietano dictum est Fatuam esse quaestionem si quis alterum interroget cur credat primae veritati reuelanti Nam in primam veritatem vltimò fâ—t resolutio assensus Fidei atque aedeo propter illaÌ„ vltimò fides assentatur Itaque noÌ„ est quaerendâ— vlterius ratio quare fides assentiatur Sed solum potest quaeri vlterius vnde habeat illa prima veritas vt sit prima veritas â— Et tunc respondendum est id habere secundum nostrum intelligendi modum ex diuinitate cuius attributum et quasi passio est quae neque falli neque sallere potest Valent. tom 3. in Aquinat Disp 1 quaest 1. de obiect fidei punct 1. * Sect. 2. cap. 2. §. 1. c Bellar. loco citato * Vide Arnob. Sacrobosco c. 4. Parag. 5. * Vide Sect. 1. Parag. 7. Resolution twofold either of obiects belieued or of our beliefe or perswasions concerning them * Laurentin de Risu That acording to the Iesuites owne Principles the Churches infallibility doth so terminate all doubts or demands in matters of faith as the immediate or prime cause doth all doubts or questions concerning any demonstrable effect * Sect. 2. cap. 2. §. 1. * Ecclesiastes 12. ver 11. Hoc loco Salomon docet inquit Bellarminus non esse vlterius inquirendum sed quiescendum penitus quando sententia data est à summo Pastore adiuncto praesertim consilio sapientum Quod si haec dicuntur de Sacerdote veteris TestameÌ„ti quanto mâ—gis dici possunt de Sacerdote Testamenti noui qui longe maiores promissiones à Deo accepit Bellar de verb. Dei lib. 3. c. 4. * At dices quando Ecclesia definit ex verbo Dei scripto vel tradito semper definit neque enim amplius accipit nouas reuelationes assistentia spiritus sancti ibi promissa est tantum ad ea quae iam reuelata sunt cognoscenda ergo à primo ad vltimum quod terminat controuersias quod iudex est quaestionuÌ„ fidei est verbum Dei Respondeo quoniam nobis non constat certò quis sit verus Scripturae sensus nisi per vocem Ecclesiae quae nostras audit contentiones respondet Ecclesia Iudex est quamuis iudicet ex Dei verbo quod illa scrutando et examinando propter assistentiam spiritus sancti semper rectè intelligit Si autem quilibet nostrum haberet infallibile donum intelligendi verbum Dei alio iudice non indigeremus Nam hoc fidei veritates continet sed quoniam ita non est verbum Dei respectu nostri non habet rationem iudicis non quasi certaÌ„ veram non contineat sententiam sed quia de
to doe according to all that they informe thee According to the Law which they shall teach thee and according to the iudgement which they shall tell thee shalt thou doe 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 doe presumptuously not hearkning vnto the Priest that standeth before the Lord thy God to minister there or vnto the Iudge that man shall die and thou shalt take away euill from Israel so all the people shall heare and feare and doe no more presumptuously 2 This precept admits of many restrictions any one of which doth take away all the force of our aduersaries obiections First it may without preiudice to our cause bee granted although it cannot out of these words bee necessarily inferred that God here prescribes obedience in the abstract such as was to bee performed vnto those Priests and Iudges that liued according to that patterne which hee had set them Thus may this precept of obedience for the extent be vniuersall and concern all causes whatsoeuer spirituall or temporall doubts of conscience or matters of this life in all which such gouernours wereto bee obeyed but conditionally if they were such as God in his law required they should be vnto such as you heard before hee gaue illuminations extraordinary such as the parties that were to obey might haue perfect notice of But how great soeuer the extent of this precept be not one fyllable in it makes more for absolute obedience vnto spirituall then vnto ciuill gouernors for it is said indefinitely thou shalt doe according to that thing which they eyther spirituall or temporall of that place which the Lord hath chosen shall shew thee And againe the words are disâ—unctiue That man that will doe presumptuously not hearkening vnto the Priest or vnto the Iudge that man shall die whether the Priest were to be supreme Iudge or no it is not said at the least the High Priest was not the chiefe man alwayes in the Councell for hee was not alwayes admitted into the supreme Consistory or Sanhedrim which is established in this place yet Bellarmine will haue the b definitiue sentence belong vnto the Priest and the execution of it to the ciuill magistrate so indeed the present Romish Church in spirituall cases would bee iudge and make Christian Princes her hangmen but their practise must not be taken for an infallible exposition of that Law whence they seeke to iustifie their practise quite contrary to the practise of the Iewish Church and Synagogue Nor doth Bellarmine or any other beside the base parasiticall Canonists or the Popes trencher chaplaines deny but that in many ciuill causes the Prince or temporall Magistrate hath a definitiue sentence can hee then gather out of any circumstance of this place that onely spirituall causes are here meant nay hee confesseth that the law is generall concerning all doubtes that might arise out of the law yea it is most probable that it onely concernes ciuill controuersies and Bellarmines reason to proue that it includeth spirituall causes or matters of religion is most idle The occasion of this Law saith hee was for them that did serue other Gods as appeares out of the beginning of the Chapter now the seruice of other Gods is a point of Religion But what though Moses in the former part of this Chapter speake of Idolaters must this law therefore concerne Idolaters In the former part hee speaketh onely of Idolaters but this law is not onely for them by Bellarmines confession Yea the circumstances of the place and the expresse law against Idolaters mentioned before euince that in this Chapter as in the former he first sets downe lawes concerning the true seruice of God and in the latteâ— part giues precepts for the obseruation of the second Table the maintaining of loue by the finall composition of all controuersies that might arise betwixt neighbours In the former law Idolaters are sentenced to death and Idolatry saith Bellarmine is a point of Religion Was the Priest alone then to giue sentence and the ciuill Magistrate onely to execute it There is not the least pretence for it out of this Text. Any ordinary Magistrate might execute him that was lawfully conuicted of this crime nor was it so hard a matter to iudge who was an Idolater amongst the Iewes as it is to determine what is an heresie amongst the Romanists This was to be proued by witnesses not by Logicall proofe or force of speculatiue reason Had the cunningest Iesuite 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 haue redeemed him against two honest men that would haue sworne hee would haue done thus much there had beene no appeale from any City in Iudah vnto any higher Court his doome had been read in the gates and without them hee should as Homer speakes haue put on a stony coat 3 That the Kings of Iudah were only to execute the Priests definitiue sentence in all hard controuersies is a positioÌ„ wel deseruing execution without appeale at Princes hands And no doubt but it did so amongst the Iewes 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 giuen the other law for ending controuersies giues the law for the election of their king if so bee they would haue one as if the former Court had then ceased to bee the supreme Tribunall seeing all Subiects might appeale vnto the King from it in which this Soueraignty did before reside as being the supreme Tribunall whence there could be no appeale 4 The King in the Law concerning his qualification is commanded to haue the Law of his God written out And it shall bee with him and he shall read therein all the dayes of his life that hee may learne to feare the Lord his God and to keepe all the words of his Law and these Ordinances for to doe them that his heart bee not lifted vp aboue his brethren and that he turne not from the commandement to the right hand or to the left Was hee to take all this pains onely that hee might learne to execute the Priestes definitiue sentence This any heathen might haue done But the Kings of Israel albeit they were not to meddle in the execution of the Priests office were notwithstanding to bee so well skilled in Scriptures as to bee able to iudge whether the Priest did according to that Law which God had set him to follow and to controle his definitiue sentence if it were euidently contrary to Gods word which both were absolutely bound to obey 5 It may perhaps here be obiected that the King had no such assurance of infallibility in iudgement as the Priest had therefore it was requisite he should rely vpon the
nor the Prophets did euer so much as once intimate such absolute power should be acknowledged in that great Prophet of whome they wrote wee suppose the imagination of the like in whomsoeuer cannot bee without reall blasphemie Yet suppose Christs infallibility and the Popes were in respect of the Church Militant the same the Popes authoritie would be greater or were their authoritie but equall his priuiledges with God would bee much more magnificent then Christs That which most condemned the Iewes of infidelity in not acknowledging Christ as sent with power full absolute from God his father were his mightie signes and wondâ—rs his admirable skill in Gods word alreadie established but chiefly his sacred life and conuersation as it were exhibiting vnto the world a visible patterne or coÌ„spicuous modell of that incomprehensible goodnesse which is infallible Now if we compare his powerfulnesse in words and workes with the Popes imperfections in both or his diuine vertues with the others monstrous vices to equalize their infallibilities were to imagine God to bee like man and Christ at the best but as his faithfull seruant the Pope his Minion his Darling or some of his age For such is our partialitie to our owne flesh that oftimes though the Wise man aduise to the contrarie a lewde and naughtie sonne in that hee is a sonne hath greater grace and priuiledges then the most faithfull seruant in the fathers house So would the Iesuites make God dote vpon the Pope whose authoritie bee his life neuer so vngracious if they should denie to bee lesse then Christs in respect of vs their practises enioyned ex Cathedra would confute them For much sooner shall any Christian though otherwise of life vnspotted be cut off from the congregation of the faithfull for denying the Popes authoritie or distrusting his decrees then the Iewes that saw Christs miracles for contradicting him in the dayes of his flesh or oppugning his Apostles after his glorification Nor bootes it ought to say they make the Popes authoritie lesse then Christs in respect they deriue it from his rather because they euidently make it greater then Christs was it cannot bee truly thence deriued or if it could this onely proues it to bee lesse then the other whilest onely compared with it not whilest wee consider both in respect of vs for Christs authoritie as the Sonne of Man in respect of vs is equall to his Fathers whence it is deriued For the Father iudgeth no man but hath committed all iudgement vnto the Sonne 2 But wherein doe they make the Popes authoritie greater then Christs First in not exempting it from triall by Christs and his Apostles doctrine neither of which were to be admitted without all examination of their truth for as you heard before Gods word was first vttered in their audience established by euident signes and wonders in their sight and presence of whom beliefe and obedience vnto particulars was exacted And it is a rule most euident and vnquestionable that Gods word once confirmed and sealed by experience was the only rule whereby all other spirits and doctrines were to bee examined that not Propheticall visions were to bee admitted into the Canon of Faith but vpon their apparent consonancie with the word alreadie written The first Prophets were to be tried by Moses the latter by Moses and their Predecessors Christs and his Apostles by Moses and all the Prophets for vnto him did all the Prophets giue testimonie The manifest experiments of his life and doctrine so fully consonant to their predictions did much confirme euen his Disciples beliefe vnto the former Canon of whose truth they neuer conceiued positue doubt 3 Againe there had beene no Prophet no signes no wonders for a long time in Iudah before our Sauiours birth yet hee neuer made that vse either of his miracles or more then Propheticall spirit which the papists make of their imaginary publike spirit he neuer vsed this or like argument to make the people relie vpon him How know yee the Scriptures are Gods word How know yee that God spake with Moses in the Wildernesse or with your Fathers in Mount Sinai Moses your Fathers and the Prophets are dead and their writings cannot speake Your present Teachers the Scribes and Pharises doe no wonders Must you not then belieue him whome daily you may behold doing such mightie workes as Moses said to haue done that Moses as your fathers haue told you was sent from God that Gods word is contayned in his writings otherwise you cannot infallibly beleeue that there was such a man indeed as you conceiue hee was much lesse that he wrote you this Law least of all can you certainely know the true meaning of what hee wrote Hee that is the onely sure foundation of faith knew that faith grounded vpon such doubts was but built vpon the sand vnable to abide the blasts of ordinarie temptations that thus to erect their hopes was but to prepare a rise to a grieuous downefall the ready way to atheisme presumption or despaire For this cause hee doth not so much as once question how they knew the Scriptures to be Gods word but supposing them knowne and fully acknowledged for such he exhorts his hearers to search them seeking to prepare their hearts by signes and wonders to embrace his admirable expositions of them And because the corruption of particular morall doctrines brought into the Church by humane tradition would not suffer the generality of Moses and the Prophets already belieued to fructifie in his hearers hearts and branch out vniformely into liuely working faith he laboured most to weede out Pharisaisme from among the heauenly seed as euery one may see that compares his sermon vpon the Mount with the Pharises glosses vpon Moses If the particular or principall parts of the law and Prophets had beene as purely taught or as clearely discerned as the generall and common principles His Doctrine that came not to destroy but to fulfill the law in words and works had shined as brightly in his hearers hearts at the first proposall as the sunne did to their eyes at the first rising For all the morall duties required by them were but as dispersed rayes or scattered beams of that diuine light and glory which was incorporate in him as splendor in the body of the sunne Nor was there any possibility the Iewes beliefe in him should prosper vnlesse it grew out of their generall assent vnto Moses doctrine thus pruned and purged at the very roote Had yee belieued Moses saith our Sauiour yee would haue belieued me for he wrote of me but if yee belieue not his writings how shall yee belieue my words For which cause they were in conscience bound to examine his doctrine by Moses and the Prophets otherwise they might haue belieued the sauing truth but falsly and vpon decitfull grounds The stronger or more absolute credence they had giuen vnto his words or workes without such examination the more
that heard him preach was as immediately from those words of eternall life which issued from his mouth as ours is from the Word preached by his messengers To what other vse then could miracles serue saue onely to breed a praeuiall admiration and make entrance for them into his hearers hearts though his bodily presence at all times was not yet were his vsuall workes in themselues truely glorious more then apt to dispell that veile of preiudice commonly taken against the meannesse of his person birth or parentage had it been meerely naturall not occasioned through willfull neglect of extraordinary meanes precedent and stubborne opposition to present grace most plentifully offered His raising others from death to life was more then sufficient to remoue that offence the people tooke at that speech If I were lift vp from the earth I should draw all men vnto me To which they answered Wee haue heard out of the Law that the Christ bideth for euer and how sayest thou that the sonne of man must be lift vp Who is that sonne of man 18 To conclude then his distinct and arbitrary foretelling euents of euery sort any Prophet had mentioned many of them not producible but by extraordinary miracles withall including diuine testifications of farre greater glory ascribed to him then Moses or any Prophet euer challenged was the demonstratiue rule according to Moses prediction whereunto all visible signs and sensible miracles should haue beene resolued by their spectators as knowne effects lead contemplators vnto the first and immediate causes on which their truth and being depends That Encomium This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased Heare him with the like giuen by Iohn Baptist Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world vnto all such as tooke 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 obserue it seeing euen interpreters most followed either neglect the words themselues in which it is directly contained or wâ—est their meaning Vnto him shall yee hearken according to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly Their request then was Talke thou with vs and we will heart but let not God talke with vs lest we die Here the whole multitude bound themselues to hear the word of the Lord not immediately from his mouth but by Moses For whiles the people stood a farre off he onely drew neere to the darkenesse where God was This their request and resolution elsewhere more fully expressed the Lord highly commended I haue heard the voice of the wordes of this people which they haue spoken vnto thee they haue well saide all that they haue spoken Oh that there were such an heart in them to feare me and to keepe all my commandements alway that it might goe wel with them and with their children for euer If we obserue that increment the literall sense of the same words may receiue by succession of time or as they respect the body not the type both which they iointly signifie the best reason can be giuen of Gods approuing the former petition and Israels peculiar disposition at that time aboue others will bee this That as posterity in reiecting Samuel reiected Christ or God the second person in Trinity so here the Fathers in requesting Moses might bee their spokesman vnto God requested that Great Prophet ordained to bee the author of a better couenant euen 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 seene so they would hearken as then they promised vnto his words as vnto the words of God himselfe esteeming him as the Apostle saith so farre aboue Moses as he that builds the house is aboue the house And in the Emphasis of that speech Whosoeuer will not hearken vnto my words which he shall speake in my name I will require it of him purposely resumed by Moses with these threates annexed as if hee had not sufficiently expressed his mind in the like precedent Vnto him yee shall hearken the same difference betweene Moses and the Great Prophet then meant is included which the Apostle in another place expresseth He that despiseth Moses Law dieth without mercy vnder two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye he shall be worthy which treadeth vnder foot the son of God and counteth the blood of the Testament as an vnholy thing Vntill the soueraignety of the Law and Prophets did determine that EncomiuÌ„ of Moses did beare date There arose not a Prophet since in Israel like vnto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face but vanished vpon the Criers voice when the kingdom of heauen beganne to appeare The Israelites to whom both promises were made did farre exceed all other nations in that they had a law most absolute giuen by Moses yet to bee bettered by an euerlasting Couenant the former being as an earnest penny giuen in hand to assure them of the latter In respect of both the name of a Soothsayer or Sorcerer was not to bee 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 Sunne from whose fulnesse ere hee 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 approch the Prince of darkenesse with his followers were to auoide the Hemisphere wherein they had raigned In the meane time the testimonies of the Law and Prophesies serued as a light or candle to minish the terrors of the night Euen Moses himself and al that followed him were but as messengers sent from God to sollicite his people to reserue their alleageance free from all commerce or compact with familiar spirits vntill the Prince of glory came in person 19 Thus without censure of their opinion that otherwise thinke or teach albeit the continuance of Prophets amongst this people were a meane to preuent all occasions of consulting forcerers or witches yet the chiefe ground of Moses disswasion from such practises acording to the literall connexion of these words The nations which thou shall possesse hearken vnto those that regarde the times and vnto sorcerers as for thee the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so with those following hitherto expounded The Lord thy God will raise vp vnto thee a Prophet was the consideration of their late mighty deliuerance by Moses the excellency of their present law and their expectation of a greater law-giuer when the first couenant should waxe old and Prophesies for a long time faile vnto strict obseruance
to stagger vs most is this Why doe you belieue or how can you know those Bookes which yee call Scriptures were from God The last and finall answere according to the Iesuiticall Catechismes wherein as you heard before out of Bellarmine they thinke they haue great aduantage of vs would be this The holy Church our Mother doth so instruct giuing vs this expresse admonition withall his amplius fili mine requiras Here vpon God their Father and the infallible Church their mothers blessing their soules are bound to rest without further doubt or demand Whence vnlesse they vse so me mentall reseruation or seeke to shrowd themselus in the former aequiuocation hetherto vnfolded they must of necessity account themselues accursed if they deny the last or finall resolution of their beliefe to be into the Churches infallibility or veracity Againe what reasonable man would demand further resolution of any doubts incident to his faculty bee it reall or verball speculatiue or practicke then into the prime and immediate rules He should surely be lasht in a Grammer schoole that eyther for quantity of syllables right accent construction of wordes or the like would seeke a fuâ—ther reason then a knowne generall rule which admitteth no exception So should he with disgrace bee turned ouer the Barre amongst the Lawyers that would demurre or seeke a deuolution of an euident ruled case which by his owne confession could neuer alter Much more grosse would his absurdity appeare that in the Mathematiques or other demonstratiue science should attempt to resolue a probleme or conclusion further then into an vnquestionable theoreme or definition Finally might wee haue a centumâ—irall Court of all professions vnder the sunne our aduersaries would bee condemned with ioint consent eyther of intollerable folly or impudency if they should with Valentian deny the last resolution of their faith to bee into the Churches infallibility seeing they make it such a Catholike inerrable perpetuall rule of Christian faith as admits no exception no deuolution from it no appeale It is to them more then he said of Logicke Ars artium scientia scientiarum a faculty of faculties a Rule of Rules able rightly to resolue all doubts concerning the very Canon of Scriptures or Gods word written or vnwritten or the true sense or meaning of both briefly able most authentically to determine define all controuersies in Religion of what kind soeuer 4 Nor will it boot them ought to say that Gods word in the Churches mouth is the Rule whereinto faith is finally resolued seeing the Church defines nothing but by Gods word eyther written or vnwritten For this is more then the party which beleeues it can know nor hath hee any other motiue to belieue it besides the Churches definition or assertion Suppose then wee should conceiue so well of a temporall Iudge as to presume hee did neuer speake but according to the true meaning eyther of statute or customary law yet if wee could not know eyther the one or the other or their right interpretation but onely by his determinations the law were little beholden to him vnlesse for a floute that should say he were resolued iointly by the Iudge and it For seeing the Law is to him altogether vncertaine but by the Iudges auouchment or interpretation his last resolution of any act of iustice must bee onely into the Iudges skill and fidelity This inference Sacroboscus would nor deny hee himselfe hath made the like to proue that not the Scripture but the Church must bee the infallible rule of faith You will obiect saith he when the Church defines it alwayes defines according to the word of God eyther written or vnwritten New reuelations it receiues none the promised assistance of the spirit helps it onely to know what is alreadie reuealed Therefore from the first to the last that which determines controuersies and is the Iudge in all questions of faith is the word of God To this obiection thus hee answeres because we cannot be certaine of the true sense of Gods word but by the voice of the Church which heares our controuersies and answeres them The Church is Iudge although it iudge according to Gods word which vpon examination and by the spirits assistance it alwayes vnderstands a right And if euery one of vs should haue the infallible gift of vnderstanding Gods word wee should not neede any other Iudge The Reader I hope will remember what was said before that those flowting hypocrites would faine beleeue the Pope saith nothing but what God saith that God may be thought to say all he sayes which is the most abhominable blasphemie that euer Hell broacht worse then worshipping of Diuels as shal appeare hereafter 5 It may be some Nouice in Artes that hath late read some vulgar Logicians vpon the demonstrations might here frame this doubt in fauour of the Romish Churches Doctrine As the finall cause may be demonstrated by the efficient and the efficient by the final so may the Church be infallibly proued by Scriptures and the Scriptures againe by the Churches authority both infallibly beleeved each for others sake as both the former demonstrations are true and certaine and yet mutually depending one vpon the other 6 This obiection had some late Logicians vnderstood what they said would carry some shew of truth to countenance Valentians former circular resolutioÌ„ but they lace their M rs rule vttered by him Pingui Minerua too too straightly For taking it as they do we shold admit of circular demoÌ„strations the conceit wherof can haue no place but in a giddy braine To demonstrate the finall cause in any worke of Nature were to assigne a Counsailor to the infinite wisdome of the God of Nature in whose intention the end is first and is the cause of all operation or efficiency Who could giue or who would demaund a naturall cause why life should be prescribed for this is the will of him that gaue it If question were made of the manner how the life of man and other creatures is preserued when as their heat might seeme to choake them A man might truly answere by respiration and respiration is from the lungs But it is one thing to aske how or by what meanes another for what end any effect is produced The former is an inquiry of the efficient within these precincts of meanes or motions alwayes prime and independent The later of the final cause absolutely indemonstrable becauses it implies a contradiction to giue a reason why that should be for whose sake all other things of that ranke haue being Nor is the end it selfe to speake properly euer produced though oftimes in common speech we take the effect immediately thereto destinated because most sensible for the end it selfe as we doe the starre next to the pole because visible for the pole or point immoueable Thus we confound respirations or actuall preseruation of life with the finall cause why men haue lungs when as both are effects of the lungs
both meanes of accomplishing Natures or rather the God of Naturs purpose in whose will or pleasure the finall cause of any naturall effect alwayes consists And seeing nothing in Nature can preoccupate his will no cause can be precedent to the finall This consideration of natural effects tending as certainly to their proposed end as the arrowe flyes to the marke caused the irreligious Philosopher to acknowledge the direction of an intelligent supernaturall agent in their working the accomplishment of whose will and pleasure as I said must bee the finall cause of their motions as his will or pleasure which bestowes the charges not the Architect vnlesse he be the owner also is the finall cause why the house is built Finally euery end supposeth the last intention of an intelligent agent whereof to giue a reason by the efficient which onely produceth works or meanes thereto proportioned would be as impertinent as if to one demaunding why the bell rings out it should bee answered because a strong fellow puls the rope 7 Now that which in our aduersaries Doctrine answeres vnto the cause indemonstrable whereinto finall resolution of Natures workes or intentions of intelligent agents must be resolued is the churches authoritie Nor can that if wee speake properly be resolued into any branch of the first truth for this reason besids others alleadged before that all resolutions whether of our perswasiōs or intentions or of their obiects works of Art or Nature suppose a stability or certainty in the first links of the chaine which wee vnfolde the latter alwayes depending on the former not the former on the latter As in resolutions of the latter kinde lately mentioned imitating the order of composition actuall continuation of life depends on breathing not breathing on it breathing on the lunges not the lunges mutually on breathing so in resolutions of the other kind which invertes the order of composition the vse or necessitie of lunges dependes vpon the vse or necessitie of breathing the necessity or vse of breathing vpon the necessity or vse of life or vpon his will or pleasure that created one of these for another Thus againe the sensitiue facultie depends vpon the vital that vpon mixtion mixtion vpon the Elements not any of these mutually vpon the sensitiue faculty if wee respect the order of supportance or Natures progresse in their production Whence hee that questions whether some kinds of plants haue sense or some stones or mettals life supposeth as vnquestionable that the former haue life that the second are mixt bodies But if we respect the intent or purpose of him that sets nature a working all the former faculties dpend on the sensitiue the sensitiue not on any of them For God would not haue his creatures indued with sense that they might liue or liue that they might haue mixt bodies but rather to haue such bodies that they might liue to liue that they might enioy the benefit of sense or the more noble faculties 8 Can the Iesuite thus assigne any determinate branch of the first truth as stable and vnquestionable before it be ratified by the Churches authoritie Euident it is by his positions that he cannot and as euident that beliefe of the churches authority cannot depend vpon any determinate branch of the first truth much lesse can it distinctly be thereinto resolued But contrariwise presse him with what Diuine precept soeuer written or vnwritten though in all mens iudgements the churches authoritie set aside most contradictory to their approoued practises for example That the second Commaundement forbids worshipping Images or adoration of the consecrate host he straight inuerts your reason thus Rather the second commandement forbids neyther because the holy Church which I beleeue to bee infallible approueth both Lastly hee is fully resolued to beleeue nothing for true which the Church disproues nothing for false or erroneous which it allowes Or if he would answere directly to this demaund To what end did God cause the Scriptures to be written He could not consonant to his tenents say That wee might infallibly rely vpon them but rather vpon the Churches authoritie which it establisheth For Gods word whether written or vnwritten is by their Doctrine but as the testimonie of some men deceased indefinitely presumed for infallible but whose materiall extent the Church must first determine and after wards iudge without all appeale of their true meaning Thus are all parts of Diuine truthes supposed to be reuealed more essentially subordinate to the Churches authoritie then ordinary witnesses are to royall or supreme iudgment For they are supposed able to deliuer what they know in termes intelligible to other mens capacities without the Prince or Iudges ratification of their sayings or expositions of their meanings and iudgment is not ordained for producing witnesses but production of witnesses for establishing iudgement Thus by our aduersaries Doctrine Gods word must serue to establish the Churches authority not the Churches authority to confirme the immediate soueraigntie of it ouer our soules 9 Much more probably might the Iew or Turke resolue his faith vnto the first truth then the moderne Iesuited Papist can For though their deductions from it be much what alike all aequally sottish yet these admit a stabilitie or certainty of what the first Truth hath said no way dependant vpon their authority that first proposed or commended it vnto them The Turkes would storme to heare any Mufti professe he were as well to be beleeued as was Mahomet in his life time that without his proposall they could not know eyther the olde testament or the Alcoran to bee from God So would the Iewes if one of their Rabbines should make the like comparison betwxit himselfe and Moses as the Iesuite doth betwixt Christ and the Pope who besides that hee must bee as well beleeued as his Master leaues the authority of both testaments vncertaine to vs vnlesse confirmed by his infallibility But to speake properly the pretended deriuation of all three heresies from the first truth hath a liuely resemblance of false petigrees none at all of true doctrine and resolutions Of all the three the Romish is most ridiculous as may appeare by their seuerall representations As imagine there should be three Competitors for the Romane Empire all pleading it were to descend by inheritance not by election all pretending lineall succession from Charles the Great The first like to the Iew alleageth an authentique petigree making him the eldest The second resembling the Turke replyes that the other indeede was of the eldest line but long since disinherited often conquered and enforced to resigne whence the inheritance descended to him as the next in succession The third like the Romanist pleades it was bequeathed him by the Emperours last wil and testament from whose death his Ancestors haue beene intitled to it and produceth a petigree to this purpose without any other confirmation then his owne authority adding withal that vnlesse his competitors and others will beleeue his