from the same Author from whom doe proceed all truthes in Theology Veâ—o nil veriâ—… aâ—d are all of the like verity albeit they are not of the same authority Wherefore the depositions of prophane Authors are not lightly to be reâ—ected and set at naught when they beare witnesse to the truthes in Diuinity seeing our blessed Sauiour would not haue such inhibited to cast out diuels Mar. 9. 39. in his Name which yet did not follow him as his owne disciples did For as in matters of Controversie where truth is to be determined by mens oathes if there be such a number of deponents as the Law requireth it is sufficient albeit it be not amisse if there be more euen so in the decision of questions that are diuine it is sufficient if the truth be confirmed by euident testimonies and reasons taken out of the vn-erring booke of God yet if testimonies also and reasons taken out of prophane Authors bearing witnesse to the â—ame truthes be added to the former it is not preiudiciall but beneficiall to the cause For it is no disgrace to the Diuine truth in Theology the soueraigne Lady and Queene of all Sciences to haue the truthes of all humane arts to attend vpon her Nay rather it is an euident demonstration of her true Nobility seeing she is waited vpon with such a Princely traine Nay her certaine truths cannot be fully opened neither all the truthes of any other Science without some measure of knowledge in them all For there is among 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and such a strong linke of assinity the principles and grounds of the one lightning and strengthening the rules of the other that no perfection of knowledge can be had in any one of them without some measure of knowledge in all Wherefore it is not to be seared that the principles and precepts of humane arts will thwart the principles and precepts of sacred Theology seeing they are in no wise contrary the one to the other no not in those very positions which yet seem to carry a shew of contrariety As for example Of nothing nothing Ex nihilo nihil fit Mundus sactus est c nihilo A priuatione ad habitum non sit regressio Mortuâ— resurgent can be made viz. by any limited and finite power is not contrary to this The world was made of nothing viz. by the infinite illimited power of God So there is no recouery froÌ„ death to life viz. by any naturall or ordinary meanes is not contrary to this the dead shall all rise viz. by the supernaturall power of God And so in diuers other of the like kind For doth not all reason euen in Philosophy acknowledge the vndoubted truth of this principall in Diuinity viz. that which is impossible with man is possible with God vnto whoÌ„ nothing is impossible and therefore that which cannot be brought to passe by any naturall power may be effected by a supernatural And doth not also all reason teach that euery truth agreeth Verum vero â—onsonat with euery truth is contrary onely to falshood and vntruth And therefore seeing euery true argument and reason doth agree with that whereof it is an argument and reason and ioyned with it maketh a true proposition no true reason in any wise can be contrary vnto truth Why doth not reason experience and Scripture also teach that one fountaine cannot Iac. 3. 11. send forth sweet water and bitter And therefore seeing all naturall reason as well as Scripture from God the Creator of nature and the reuealer of the Scripture they cannot be contrary one to the other vnlesse that God may be contrary to himselfe Scripture indeed is contrary to the iudgement of corrupted nature and may be new and strange to nature her selfe in her integrity but it can in no meanes be contrary therevnto Aug de Ciuit. Dei l. 22. c. 1. vnto So Saint Austin truth was perswaded new to custome but not contrary to reason Nay there is admirable consent and harmony as a learned Author testifieth betweene the naturall Amand. Pol. lib. 2 Log. fol. 213. paâ—efactions of God and the supâ—rnaturall for from God is both reason and Scripture and reason being obsâ—ured by sinne and desiled with filthy errours the Spirit of God by the Scripture doth lighten againe and free her from her former aberrations So Saint Ambrose the light of nature being Am de suga seâ—uli cap. 3. dimmed was to be cleared by the Law To whom accordeth Saint Cyrill The law was giuen that thereby the light that Cyrill in Ioh. l. 1. c. 11. was in vs should be increased Wherefore let no reasonable man dispute against reason nor learned man against humane learning vnlesse he will indanger the reputation of his reason and of his learning also A stranger which was not of the kindred of Israel hauing shauen her selfe and cut of the haire of her eye-browes and of her head and hauing performed all other things ordained iâ— the Law to that purpose might be ioyned to the people of God and be admitted into the Sanctuary So Phiâ—osophy and humane learning by her corrupt Doctrines a stranger to the seruice of God being pruned from them by the sharpe booke of the Scripture may yeeld some good timber to the Lords Spirituall buildâ—rs for the rearing vp and also for the beautifying of the Spirituall House and Temple of God Truth it is that the errours in Philosophy being wrongfully opposed against the truthes in Theology and stifly and obstinately maintained and defended haue made some of the Philosophers the Partriarches of Haeretickes and yet as true it is that the truthes thereof being diligently sought out by the studious haue had such as haue bin best instructed therein the chiefest Patrons of all Diuine verities and the strongest impugners of all Heathenish and Haereticall pranities And hereof it is that in all well-ordered Schooles and Vniversities yong Schollers are first trayned vp in the knowledge of the tongues and Arts before they be admitted to be students in Diuinity And doth not experience it selfe make this manifest that the siner the naturall wit of any student is and the more it is ripened with a greater measure of all manner of humane learning the fitter such an one is to vnderstand the heauenly doctrines of the diuine Scriptures and to diue into the profundity of the mysteries of Faith Po. as S. Austin saith grace doth not abolish Aug. in Ps 10â— nature but make it perfect neither doth nature reiect but embrace grace Yea as Tertullian truely teacheth God sent first nature to be our Schoole-mistris beiâ—g afterward to send prophesie that thou being first the disciple of nature mightst afterward be more easily induced to beleeue prophesie For the booke of Nature is as well the Lords booke as the booke of Scriptures and the truthes written in the one are as well the Lords trutâ—…es
against all their sinfull maladies For the remedy could not haue been thus decreed vnlesse the malady had been so also QVEST. LXIII No Image ought to be made to represent God Arguments drawen from things that be vnlike Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in the waters vnder the earth For an Image is made to be a similitude or likenesse and so to resemble that for the representation whereof it is made But no creature that may be represented by a bodily Image is like vnto God and therefore no Image of any such creature is meete to be made to represent God thereby So reasoneth the Prophet Behold the Isay 40. 15. Nations are to God as the drop of a Bucket and are counted as the dust of the ballance Yea all Nations are before him as nothing they are counted to him lesse then nothing yea as meere vanity To whoÌ„ then will ye liken God or what similitude will ye set vp vnto him Among all the creatures of this inferiour world the nearest to God and the meetest representation of him is the spirit and soule of the regenerate man indued with holinesse and true righteousnesse the which things cannot well be represented by any bodily shape and therefore much lesse the vnmatchable Maiesty of the incomparable Deity And so the Apostle hath taught saying For as much as we are the generation Act. 17. 29. of God representing him by our spirituall nature which cannot well be resembled by any bodily shape we ought not to thinke that the Goâ—head is like vnto gold siluer or stone grauen by the art or inuention of man Wherefore no Image or bodily shape ought to be made to represent God QVEST. LXIIII. All the workes of Infidels are sinnes Nature is common to all men but not grace By grace the faithfull are ingrafted into Christ and are made good Treeâ— bringing forth good fruit But the best among the Infidels is as a Bryer and the most vpright sharper then a thorne hedge Mich. 7. 4. Rom. 11. 24. they are by nature wilde Oliues yea they are as Trees twice dead plucked vp by the roots the which if they seem to bring Iude v. 12. forth fruit that fruit of theirs soone withereth away coÌ„meth to no thing and so the end proueth that they are altogether without good fruit Wherefore all the works of Infidels are fruitlesse and sinfull workes QVEST. LXV The true seruants of God know themselues to be the true seruants of God Arguments drawne from such things as are like As any one that is admitted into another mans seruice and hath a setled purpose to discharge his duty faithfully vnto his Lord and Master must needes know that he is such an ones seruant yea that he is his faithfull seruant euen so euery true beleeuer that is entred into the Lords family and hath this grace giuen vnto him to be carefull in all simplicity and sincerity 2 Cor. 1. 12. to performe all those duties that the Lord requireth at his hands cannot be ignorant that he is the seruant of God yea that he is his faithfull and sincere seruant So reasoneth the Apostle Know yee not to whomsoeuer yee giue your selues as Rom. 6. 1â— seruants to obey his seruants yee are to whom yee obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnesse And this the Apostle spake of all true Christians in the Church of Rome that had but ordinary gifts and not of such onely that had this comfortable knowledge giuen vnto them by an extraordinary reuelation if there were any such there QVEST. LXVI God giueth saluation to the faithfull in Christ and not in any other As it is sacriledge to add to a maÌ„s Testament or solemn Couenant so much more is it to adde vnto Gods Now Gods Testament Act. 3. 25. or Couenant is this that he giueth saluation to the faithfull for the obedience of one that is of Christ And therefore all such are not better then sacrilegious persons which adde to this Couenant the workes of the Law performed by themselues as the meritorious causes of Gods fauour and loue and of their owne happinesse and blessednesse So reasoneth the Apostle saying Brethren I speake after the manner of men if it Gal. 3. 15. be but a mans Testament or Couenant when it is confirmed no man doth abrogate there from or adde thereunto To Abraham and his seed were the promises made viz. In thy seed shall all Nations be blessed he saith not saith the Apostle and to thy seeds speaking of many but to thy seed as of one which is Christ And this I say the Law which was foure hundred and Gen. 22. 18. thirty yeares after cannot disanull the Couenant that was confirmed a fore of God in respect of Christ that the promise should be of none effect And therefore all such of our Romanists which will needes adde to eternall blessednesse giuen freely in Christ the meriting thereof by their owne workes are iustly chargeable as guilty of grieuous sacriledge because they adde to the couenant of God QVEST. LXVII Vngodly persons are no true members of the Church of Christ As Botches and Sores and all corrupt humours are to the body of Man so are all vngodly persons to the Church Isay 1. 5. which is the mysticall Body of Christ But Botches and Sores and corrupt humors are no members of mans Body but when they are taken away the Body is eased and made whole and sound also So vngodly persons are no true members of the Church of Christ But as Saint Iohn saith are the limbes and 1 Ioh. 3. 8. members of the Deuill howsoeuer they themselues are perswaded to the contrary QVEST. LXVIII The testimony of God set downe in the Canonicall Scriptures and not receiued from vnwritten Traditions is the onely sure euidence and ground of truth As in buying and selling of temporall commodities euery honeâ—… subiect will bee content to stand to the measures weights and ballances that are marked and sealed with the marke and seale which is allowed by the Kings Law and to receiue for currant all such coine as beareth the Image and Matth. 22. 20. superscription of the Prince and to refuse all other so euery good Christian is religiously to embrace that doctrine that beareth the stampe of the Canonicall Scriptures and is liable to those measures weights and ballances and hath iust cause to refuse all that which will not hold weight by them So reasoneth Saint Austin Let vs not bring forth deceitfull Aug cont Donat l. 2. c. 6. ballances whereinto we may put what we will after our owne lust say this is heauy or this is light but let vs produce the diuine ballance out of the holy Scriptures as out of the Lords store-house and into it let vs put that which hath
doctrine of the Romish Church are fabulous and false by the testimonies of her owne vulgar people learned Writers the ancient Fathers Canonicall Scriptures Arguments drawen from humane and diuine testimonies It is an approued saying that the voice of the people is the voyce of God the which in Gods matters is true of Gods people and in matters subiect to sense and naturall reason is true in all such persons as haue in them sense and reason sound 1 Cor. 14. 22. Wherfore seeing miracles may be discerned by sense and naturall reason and therefore are appointed for Infidels which haue no other meanes to apprehend the truth of them the iudgement of the vulgar people is not to be refused herein especially if it concurâ—e with the plaine censure of such as are reputed learned and wise But 〈◊〉 of the miracles of the Romish Church produced by them for the confirmation of the doctrine of Transubstanciation Purgatory Images and the like haue beene esteemed so fabulous by some of their owne learned Writers that they haue not only called them pâ—oâ—s fraudes but also haue iudged their golden Legend wherein many of them are set downe to haue beene penned by a man of a brasen face and of and on forehead And so likewise haue their owne vulgar people iudged of them as it is euident in that generally they esteemed the Fryers the reporters of these miracles to haue beene such shamelesse lyers that it went for a common prouerbe among them A Fryer ergo a Lyer as Walsingham one of their own Chronologers writeth in the time of Richard the second And if they thus iudged of them when the tenth part of their faigâ—…ed forgâ—ries was nothing so fully disclosed as they wâ—re in some ages â—ollowing how can any one now iustly refuse their testimony therein Yea whereas the Doctrine of the Apostles hath beene long since so sufficiently confirmed by miracles 〈◊〉 by the hand of God in the Primitiâ—e Church that as Austine thinketh he that expecteth moe miracles is himselfe a monster and also seeing it was foretold by the vneâ—ring Spirit of God that in the latter times Antichrist should 2 Thes â— 9. came by the working of Saâ—an with all power and signes and lying wonders and with all deceiued lenesse of vnrighteousnesse It is euident that the Church of Rome is the 〈◊〉 not of Christ but of Antichrist because she is so fâ—lly fraught with such variety of lying wonders and signes The Catholike apology of that renowned Doctor of our Church Thomas Morton now L. Bishop of Lâ—tchfield doth make it manifest that diuers points of the Romish Religion are erroâ—ous and vntrue by the plaine and direct testimonies of diuers enâ—…ent men of their owne profession Now what may be the cause that these men of note diuers wayes bound to the Church of Rome and in their affections wholy dâ—voted to her service and in their resolutions euen captiuated to her determinations should yet reâ—ect 〈◊〉 particular points of their owne deare mothers faith contrary to the generall consent of all the residue of their owne sworne brethren but that the evidency of truth lightned and cleered with many vndeniable and vnâ—voidable arguments and reasons forced them after a sort to subâ—cribe tâ— the doctrines of such as were their oppoâ—…tes The truth hereof may fully appeare by the bookes of that great and learned Clearke Erasmus who being conuinced with the evidencie of truth doth side with the Proâ—essours of the Gospell in many things albeit in his setled resolution hee had devâ—ted himselfe not only to be an obedient child but euen a seruile and a slauâ—sh vâ—ssall vnto the censure of the Church of Rome in al things that she decreed by her deâ—initiue sentence Kemnitius doth thus testifie of him that hee being present at a Kemnit in Exam Concil Trid. fol. 66. dispuâ—ation as a party against the Protestants confessed that their owne opinion then questioned had no sure and certaine testimonies of holy Scriâ—ture but that the contrary position might better and more plainely and soundly be proued out of the word of God yet said â—e if the Church shall command this I will beleeue it for I will captiuate mine vnderstanding vnto the Church If then such men so captiuated to the Church of Rome doe yet in diuerse particular points giue testimonie against her doctrine contraâ—y to their purpose and setled resolution in the generall herein appeareth the great power and strength of truth in that it doth extort a full testimony from a 〈◊〉 vowed enimie It is an ordinary asseueâ—ation of the patrones of the Romish superstition that their religion is old and ancient and hath the testimony of antiquitie vnity and vniuersality and that the religion of such as proâ—esse the Gospell is new was vnknowne before the time of Martin Luther yea some of them euen men of no small note and reputation haue beene so impudent shamelesse that they haue not been afraid boldly to avouch in their booke published to the view of all men that all antiquity and that in euery controâ—ersi that is betweene them Camp Rat. â— Possevin Bibliothec Select l. 7. c. 18. vs is wholy for them and directly against vs. The which if it were true why was their Index Expâ—rgatoâ—…us made therein order taken to put out diuerse things one of the bookes not only of diverse writers of their owne side but also out of the monuments of the ancient Fathers What Doe any that trust to the goodnesse of their owne cause and to the fulnesse of the witnesses produced by themselues maime and mangle and curtall and abridge their testimonies giuen vnder their owne hands and set downe in record by themselues and so suffer them not to tel out to the end fully and wholy their owne mindes Verily hereby it is plaine and manifest that all antiquity is not fully and wholy for them and therefore that such of them at least that make boast thereof are of the number of such haereticks as sinne being condemned by Tit. 3. 11. their owne consciences Yea whereas they Father vpon diuerse of the greatest lights of the Church diuerse Treatises that neuer came from them as the Liturgies of S. Iames S. Marke S. Denis and the like and as the Decretall Epistles fathered vpon divers ancient Bishops of Rome and produce out of them diverse testimonies for the iustifying of diuerse points of their Idolatry and superstition hereby it is manifest that their cause is very bad in that it cannot bee maintained but by such counterfeit and forged evidences Lastly to conclude if that the gouernours of the Church of Rome were not well witting to themselues in their owne consciences that the testimonie of God himselfe deliuered in the bookes of the Canonicall Scriptures was not directly against them why doe they refuse them as authenticall as supreame iudges in those tongues wherein they were first penned by the speciall and immediate