that he may abide with you for euer And shall not depart out of thy mouth and out of the mouth of thy seed and out of the mouth of thy seeds seed for euer And for what end That he may teach you all thinges That spirit of truth shall teach you all truth Thirdly he armed it with all power and authority To remit or retaine all sinnes to bind or loose whatsoeuer is to be bound or loosed in earth or in heauen to correct punish with the rod of correction To excommunicate and deliuer vp to Sathā And to determine all questions or controuersies as it should seeme good to the Holy Ghost and it Fourthly he established and cōfirmed it As the pillar and foundation of truth that being in it selfe grounded in truth and also grounding others in the same it should stand so firmely that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Fifthly he gaue to it commission and charge to teach all nations and to preach the Ghospell to all creatures Sixtly he gaue vs warrant and security that we might safely heare and obey it He that heareth you heareth me Seauenthly he gaue vs charge and command by precept of obligation that whatsoeuer they shal say to you speaking of the Scribes and Pharisies in Moyses chaire but à fortiori of the Pastours and Prelats in Peters Chaire that doe you Eightly he threats and terrifyes vnder great punishment first of danger and of contempt of himselfe by contemning it He that despiseth you despiseth me Secondly of infidelity and losse of his fauour and grace He that will not heare the Church let him be to thee as the Heathen and the Publican Thirdly of hell and damnation for euer He that belieueth not shal be condemned All which doe proue not only an authority and that infallible in the Church to direct and teach vs but also an obligation in vs to obey submit our selues for fayth to the direction and instruction of it And least any should doubt of this Church what it is the holy Ghost explicates the meaning of our Sauiour tells vs that it is Some Apostles some Prophets and other some Euangelists and other some Pastours and Doctours to the consumation of the Saints vnto the worke of the ministery vnto the edifying of the body of Christ vntill we meet all into the vnity of Fayth Which Pastours he will giue vs according to his owne hart who shall feed vs with knowledge doctrine And how shall they feed vs by preaching and proposing to vs the doctrine of fayth for as hearing is a necessary meanes to belieuing How shall they belieue him whome they haue not heard so preaching and proposing what is to be belieued by Church-pastours is necessary to hearing so to belieuing How shall they heare without a Preacher By which is apparently proued the necessity and infallibility of Church authority for a propounding and directing cause in matters of fayth and Religion All which may be confirmed First by authority of holy Fathers among whome I will cyte S. Irenaeus and S. Augustine for the rest Irenaeus that learned Doctour and holy Martyr sayth VVe ought not to seeke among others the truth which we may easily take and receaue from the Church seeing that the Apostles haue most fully layd vp in her all thinges which are of truth that euery man that will may take out of her the drinke of life For which those thinges that are of the Church are with diligence to be loued and the tradition of truth is to be receaued S. Augustine sayth The truth of the Scripture is holden of vs when we do that which pleaseth the vniuersall or whole Church the which is commended by the authority of the Scriptures themselues that because the Holy Scriptures cannot deceaue whosoeuer feareth to be deceaued with the obscurity of this question let him require the iudgement of the Church which without any ambiguity the holy Scripture doth demonstrate In which is affirmed First that all truth is left by the Apostles in the Church not in Scripture only Secondly that the same truth is to be learned and receaued of all by the sayd Church Thirdly that the truth thus receaued is most true and is to be loued and followed of all See more of the Fathers aboue in the first part to whome I add a confirmation out of Luther against himselfe and his followers who sayth that The Church neither can nor ought to teach errours no not in the least thinges since God is the mouth of the Church and as God cannot lye so neither can the Church Secondly by Reason for since of all the rest of the means and rules also of fayth there may be and often is question doubt as for example of the articles which be true which not of reuelation which is reuelation of God which an illusion of the enemy of the motion of the spirit which is of God which of nature which of Sathan of the inclination of the Will which is a pious disposition and which an illuding affectation of tradition which is diuine Apostolicall or Ecclesiasticall which not of Scripture which is true which false of true which is the incorrupted translation which corrupted of the incorrupted trāslation which is the true sense which is false and of the true sense which is to be belieued as fundamentall and necessary which is not to be belieued as fundamentall but only voluntary Of all which since I say there euer hath beene and now is great question contentiō some infallible directing iudge propounding cause is a necessary meane to end these all like controuersies and to settle and resolue vs in the assured certainty of the one or other or els will the contention be euer endlesse and we in our opinions restlesse Among which seeing no other can be assigned but the Church and that God hath giuen so large commission and priuiledge for that end to it as we haue produced it remaines that the Church and Church authority is of all necessary meanes of fayth the most necessary for vs to settle and satisfy vs in the certainty of our diuine fayth And thus much of the order necessity of these six meanes and chiefly of Church-proposition or the Proponent cause How the Protestants want all these six meanes of Fayth SECT III. THE third Consideration is to reflect how that of all these six meanes necessary to diuine fayth the Protestants haue not any one but are defectiue in all These meanes are either External as the credible testimonies which by euidence of reason conuinceth that such a faith is credible and may prudently be belieued and Church proposition which by the credit of authotity assures that the same is true and is to be belieued both which are externall to the person belieuing or Eternall
must needs by consequence hould so for the most part do hould that there are no infused and permanent guiftes or habits of fayth which concurre or help to our Iustification but that all is wrought by the motion of a transeunt spirit which motiō as it worketh according to them in them by it selfe only wholy all internall good workes without any cooperatiō of man or mans freewill so it is only a motion which worketh in whome it will when it will and how it will al and whatsoeuer it wil in man to his iustification and saluation by which it is euident that as in all their opinions they are neyther constant nor permanent but are wafted with euery wind of new doctrine and so fly from the beliefe of one thing to another so they are not guided by any permanent guift or quality but by certaine flashes motions of an vncertaine spirit which leads them from one vncertainty to another and so leaues them in al vncertaine 5. That the Protestants want the first of the eternall meanes or helps of Fayth that is the materiall obiects or articles of beliefe which are to be belieued as reuealed by Christ vnto the Apostles and by the Apostles left to their Successours and by them to vs and posterity is proued 1. Because they belieue many thinges as obiects of Fayth which are not reuealed eyther in Scripture or Traditions of which are many instances giuen in the former parte so do they not belieue many articles which are reuealed both in Scripture and Tradition for which cause they reiect all tradition and in it many mysteries of fayth which the Apostles left only by Tradition and refuse many partes of Scripture and that chiefly because they containe many points of doctrine which they will not belieue 2. Because as they admit many points of doctrine into the number of their articles of fayth which the ancient Church condemned for heresies as contrary to Apostolicall doctrine witnesse the ancient condemned heresies of Heluidius Vigilantius Arius Iouinian and others by them reuiued so they cōdemne many pointes of doctrine as erroneous superstitious or idolatrous which the ancient Church receaued for articles of Fayth as agreable to Apostolicall tradition witnesse all the poyntes of doctrine which the Magdeburgenses and others before cyted condemne as errours and staines in the ancient Fathers in euery age since Christ in both which they erre in the materiall obiects of Fayth as well in receauing condemned heresies for Apostolicall verities as in cōdemning receaued Apostolicall verities reuealed by Christ for erroneous heresyes 3. Because as they admit speciall Fayth only whose obiect is only their remission of sinnes and iustification for diuine Fayth by which they are iustified so all other fayth by which they belieue for example the B. Trinity Incarnation Passion and Resurrection and Ascension of Christ with the rest of the articles of faith vsually belieued they acknowledge for no other but for a general Faith common as well to the damned and Diuells as to them which faith in the Diuel and damned as it is no voluntary and free act proceeding from a pious disposition of the Will nor a diuine and supernaturall worke depending vpon any authority of God reuealing but a meere naturall and necessary act of knowledge◠conuincing their vnderstāding eyther by force of experience or by euidence of reason or by apparent and euident notes of credibility or by some manifestly knowne testimonies of God of the verity of that which they belieue and tremble at so in the same manner their Faith of the same articles by their owne confession is not diuine but a meere humane fayth grounded vpon some generall receaued opinion or vpon some meere human authority and so what they conceaue of the generall articles of faith they do not receaue them as any articles of doctrine and supernaturall fayth but as generall receaued positions humane coniectures and their owne selfe-seeming and chosen opinions 6. That the Protestants want all diuine Reuelation for which as the formall cause and the finall resolution they should belieue al which is by God reuealed is proued 1. Because what they belieue they belieue not for that it was reuealed to the Apostles by the Holy Ghost eyther at Pentecost when it did visibly teach and confirme them or in successe of tyme when vpon occasion as at the conuersion of Gentils it did reueale to them all the mysteries euer after to be belieued which Reuelation made to the Apostles is the formall cause of fayth nor yet for that it is proposed to them by Church infallible authority as a condition necessary to know what is reuealed but for that it is reuealed to them a new by their owne priuate spirit from which they receaue all their directions and certainty both what is reuealed why it is reuealed and also by what meanes it is reuealed 2. Because the meanes by which Christ doth manifest and declare vnto vs his diuine reuelations they eyther plainely reiect or wholy subiect to their priuate spirit for the authority of traditions by which part of the diuine reuelations are deliuered to vs and the Proposition of the Church by which we are secured of the certainty of them they reiect and deny The authority of the Scripture which is an other meane by which God hath reuealed his truth and which they chalenge as the only means both of knowledge certainty of diuine reuelations they wholy subiect to their priuate spirit by which they are assured which is true Canon which is true edition which true trāslation which true sense of it And so for diuine reuelation they haue neyther any at all nor yet any meanes to know or attaine vnto it And thus much of the Protestants want of all the necessary helps meanes by which true and diuine supernaturall Catholike fayth is produced conserued and increased in the soule of euery faithfull belieuer and member of Christs holy body and Church How the Catholikes and Protestants differ in these six meanes and how the Protestants make their priuate spirit the only meanes of all SECT IIII. THE fourth consideration is to reflect vpon the aduantage which we Catholiks haue against the Protestāts and the difference that is betweene vs and them in these meanes of Fayth and how that the Protestants do substitute one only deluding and deceitfull meanes that is this their priuate Spirit in place of all the six former meanes of fayth And first for the materiall obiect they professe to belieue 1. only the doctrine which is reuealed in scripture 2. that only which is reuealed in that one parte of Scripture which they are pleased to accept as Scripture by their spirit 3. that only in that part of Scripture which is according to their precōceaued opinion so interpreted by their spirit so that Scripture alone and that not in whole but in part and that part of Scripture as it is
to bastaâ—dy it is a worke profitable and I hope worth the labour to descend into a particuler confutation of this Priuate Spirit and by speciall and seuerall kindes of arguments such as are the authority of holy Scripture the testimonies of auncient Fathers the principles of holy Fayth the euidency of solid reason the absurdities both doctrinall and practicall that ensue vpon it and the fruits and effects which haue beene produced by it to lay open the deformity falsity and impiety of this Priuate spirit and to shew the inconueniences absurdities and blasphemies which ensue vpon the making it the whole ground of Fayth the sole interpreter of Scripture and the only iudge of all controuersies of Faith Religion which as is before in the former part shewed all Protestants haue done and yet do For the better performance of which vndertaken taske and the more both orderly to proceed and more clearely to vnderstand the same as in the former part we proued six groundes of Christian and Catholike fayth vpon which it is built and shewed that as the Catholikes do imbrace them all the Protestants do reiect and delude them all so it will not be amisse in this part first before we enter the particuler confutation to propose to the iudicious Readers consideratioÌ„ also six helps or meanes by which ordinarily God vseth to worke true Catholicke fayth in the hart of euery true beleeuer and to shew that as they are all and euery one of them concurring to the true fayth of euery Catholik so they are all wanting to all sortes of Protestants and to their faith and religion whereby both Catholikes Protestants may discerne as well by what kind of causes and meanes true Fayth is produced as vpon how solid a grouÌ„d and foundation the same is builded and so al may the better be enabled to iudge whether of the two Religions that is Catholike or Protestant be not only more solidly grouÌ„ded but also more diuinely produced For which we may note that as these six Meanes or helpes are necessary to Fayth so three of them are necessary in respect of the Obiect belieued and three in respect of the Subiect belieuing In respect of the Obiect the first is the Materiall obiect or articles to be belieued which as they are supernatural and aboue the capacity of our vnderstanding so are they to reason not euident and cleare but obscure both in their verity that they are true and in their reuelation that they are reuealed by God and therefore are by fayth for the authority of God affirming belieued And these are the B. Trinity the Incarnation Resurrection Transubstantiation Iustification Glorification and the rest which we belieue The second meane is the Formall Obiect or motiue why we belieue which is the prime verity reuelation or testimony of God who as he hath reuealed all mysteries that we are to belieue and as we are to belieue them because God hath reuealed them so did he at the first reueale them all to the Prophets and Apostles from whome we are to receaue by Scripture or Tradition all reuelations of all mysteries of Fayth whatsoeuer are by any till the worlds end belieued without expectance of new reuelations by any new spirit for so did Christ himselfe make knowne to the Apostles All which he heard of his Father c. And therupon the Apostles are coÌ„manded to preach the Ghospell to all creaturs And all faithfull are sayd to be built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles that is vpon the reuelations made by Christ vnto them and by them deliuered by Scripture or tradition to vs. The third Meane is the Proponent cause or condition necessarily required to our beliefe which as an infallible rule and iudge is immediatly to propose to vs the verity certainty both of the articles reuealed and of the reuelation of them for as the articles are aboue our capacity and the reuelation may to vs be doubtfull and both are obscure and as the Scripture and Tradition are not only hard obscure but also mute and vnable either to explicate themselues or expresse to vs the resolution of al doubts which may arise therefore some Iudge or Proponent cause in respect of vs is necessary which must be not only infallible and vniuersall in it selfe and able without errour to satisfy all doubts but also knowne and visible vnto vs that by it we may know the verity of all both articles and reuelation as also Scripture Tradition which proponent cause except God had prouided and left vs he had left vs destitute of a necessary meanes to fayth which is to deliuer and declare to vs what God hath reuealed and so had not prouided vs sufficient helps to attaine to the certainty of beliefe And this is the authority of the Church of God or the Spouse of Christ as afterwards shall be proued And thus are necessary in respect of the obiect 1. the Materiall obiect what we belieue 2. the Formal obiect why we belieue 3. the Proponent cause to assure vs of the verity both of what why we belieue In respect of the subiect who belieues are also necessary other three helpes First a Speculatiue iudgement of the Vnderstanding grounded vpon credible Testimonyes and probable reasons of perswasions which doe make appeare euident to mans natural iudgmeÌ„t that this faith is credible and worthy of beliefe and prudently may be accepted as more credible more worthy of beliefe then any other of Pagans Iewes or Heretikes whatsoeuer though it be not as yet for these reasons belieued as true These euident testimonyes of credibility which according to diuers dispositions doe diuersly moue and perswade some of them one person and some another and which are only humane not diuine and leaue as yet an impression only of euident credibility not of diuine verity as they are in Scripture required Thy testimonies are made credible exceedingly so are they ordinarily to men of reason so necessary to their conuersion that the Will which is not moued but with reason or shew of reason for nihil volitum nisi praecognitum cannot giue consent to any Verity of fayth except it first be perswaded by some direction of these motiues of credibility Wherupon ordinarily those who are conuerted from infidelity to Christianity without some one or other of these motiues may be sayd to be too credulous for qui cito credit leuis est corde He that giueth credit quickly is light of hart as on the contrary they who are not moued by them sufficiently proposed are Stulti tardi corde ad credendum Foolish and slow of hart to belieue and thereby are vnexcusable from sinne but they who with desire and deligence with deuotion humiliation and resignation do endeauour and duly doe enquire seeke out the truth of Religion are by inuincible ignorance excused from all sinne of positiue infidelity vntill
their vnderstanding be conuinced by euident reasons of perswasion that the one religion is false and damnable the other true and infallible Thus these reasons of credibility are the first help or meanes in the subiect to illustrate the vnderstanding and conuince it of the credibility of the thinges belieued Secondly a pious motion affection or disposition of the Will which directed by the former motiues of credibility and inspired by the speciall guift of grace either preuenting or infused doth first it selfe giue consent and submit itselfe to obedience of fayth then doth determinate the Vnderstāding to giue assent to the verity of the mysteries proposed This pious disposition first is supernaturall proceeding frō the grace of God who workes in vs both to will and to accōplish And begins in you a good worke and so our first motion to fayth is of grace Seconly it is free proceeding from our free power and will He that beleeueth and is baptized shal be saued but he that belieueth not shall be condemned And so our free will concurs also to fayth and saluation or resists by incredulity to damnation Thirdly it is necessary to the conuersion of the faithfull is the cause why some who haue slender yet sufficient motiues of credibility weake motions of grace are freely conuerted whereas others who haue stronger both motiues and motion do obstinatly resist will not be conuertd according to that Certaine belieued these things which were spoken by Paul certaine beleeued not And How often would I gather togeather thy children thou wouldest not And this is the second help or meane working in the will The third and last help or meane in the Guift or habit of Fayth which 1. is a permanent guift or quality produced by God infused into our Vnderstanding 2. It doth enable and lighten the Vnderstanding which otherwise of it selfe is as able to see and belieue the high mysteries of fayth as the eye without light is to see colours to giue assent and beliefe to whatsoeuer articles are by holy Church proposed as reuealed by God By fayth we vnderstand or belieue that God is It is the beginning and first ground of saluation iustification by which we first know God The iustice of God is reuealed by fayth by which we liue in God The iust liueth by fayth and by which we are prepared to iustification VVith the hart we belieue vnto iustice We are iustifyed by fayth It is sometimes both obtained before grace of iustification be had and also kept after that is lost so that many haue this habit of fayth who haue not the habit of Charity Many of the Pharises belieued in him but did not confesse him If I should haue all fayth and haue no Charity c. It may be lost that only by infidelity or refusing to belieue as it was in Hymenaeus Philetus and in those who erred from the fayth Made shipwracke about the fayth And fell from fayth And thus it is lost in all Heretikes who fall from fayth into heresy and so loose their habit by which in Baptisme they were enabled afterwards to belieue truely And these three to wit The credible testimony to conuince the Vnderstanding to accept the articles as credible The pious affection of the will to encline the will to obedience of faith And the guift or habit of Faith to enable both Will and Vnderstanding to consent and assent to the diuine reuelations are those which are required on the part of the subiect or person who belieues The order and necessity of the former meanes SECT II. THE second Consideration may be to ponder first the order and manner of proceeding Secondly the necessity and efficacy of these six helpes or meanes of Fayth all as they are compared one with another and all as they haue their operation in vs. And first for the order we may obserue that the māner which by God ordinarily is vsed according to these meanes to prepare and help an Infidell or Heretike of discretiō to his conuersion to true fayth is this 1. Mans Vnderstanding by reason of credibility motiues of perswasion is induced and disposed to accept this fayth as credible and such as in prudence may and is before any other to be beleiued and his iudgement by certaine markes and signes apparent and easy to euery ones capacity is perswaded that this Church and company of belieuers is rather then any other the true Church of Christ by which he is to be directed in all particulars of his beliefe 2. He is directed by the Churches authority how to discerne betweene the verity and falshood of thinges declared and betweene certainty of reuelation diuine illusion diabolicall And by it is proposed and declared to him what in particuler he is to beleeue as true and what to condemne as false 3. The wil is inclined by grace to subiect it selfe vnto obedience in consenting to fayth to determine the vnderstanding to yield assent to fayth 4. The guift or habit of faith is infused into the Vnderstanding that it may yeild a firme and infallible beliefe or assent to the articles of fayth thus made probably credible by reasons of credibility thus proposed by the Churches authority and thus made of infallible verity for the authority or testimony of God reuealing and affirming them to be true In which act of assent consistes the essence and perfection of diuine and supernaturall fayth By which is apparent both the manner and order how ordinarily God workes true Fayth in euery Christian by these meanes and also how faith is resolued and grounded vpon euery one of these meanes in particuler For if we respect the disposing meanes by which we are prepared to accept of our fayth as credible it dependes vpon the exteriour motiues of credibility and so our fayth is resolued into them dispositiuè If we respect the directing meanes which propose and declare to vs in particuler what we are to belieue our faith depends vpon the authority of the Church and so it is resolued into it directiuè If we respect the efficient meanes by which it is wrought in vs it depends vpon the guift or habit of faith and so is resolued into it effectiué But if we respect the formall meanes and finall resolution why we doe belieue it it depends vpon the diuine reuelatiō of God and so is resolued into it formaliter and finaliter Of which the preparatiue meanes that is the Credible testimonies are precedent to faith and leaue only an human perswasion of the credibility of the verityes The Directiue meanes that is the Churches authority is also precedent exteriourly proposing what in particuler and why we are to belieue The Effectiue meanes that is the habit of faith doth interiourly cōcurre with the Will and Vnderstanding to the act
of beliefe And the Formall motiue or meanes that is reuelation of God is the formall finall and last resolution why we belieue infallibly such verityes to be true So that if one aske by what we are before prepared and disposed to belieue the truth it is by the credible testimonies if by what we are directed guided to know the truth it is by the Churches propositiō if by what we are assisted and enabled to assent infallibly to this truth it is by the habit of Faith if for what and why we doe actually formally and finally assent belieue the same truth it is for the reuelation of God As therefore the Samaritans at the first were prepared by the womans relation who told them that surely it was the Messias who had told her all that she had done to thinke it probable that he might be the Messias and the woman was as it were a proponent or propounding cause to them of him Many of the Samaritans belieued in him for the word of the woman giuing testimony that he told me all thinges whatsoeuer I haue done But afterwards hauing heard and conuersed with our Sauiour himselfe for two dayes they now sayd Not for thy saying O woman do we belieue for our selues haue heard and do know that this is the Sauiour of the world indeed So all Christians are first prepared by credible testimonies directed by Church authority to the knowledge and certainty of that truth but afterwards when the diuine reuelation it selfe as the word of our Sauiour is made knowne to them then do they now formally and finally not for the testimonies of credibility or Church proposition but for the diuine reuelation it self giue firme and infallible assent and beliefe to the verityes or articles of fayth And thus Catholike fayth is that which is for probable testimonies accepted as credible by Church proposed as infallible by an infused habit effected as supernaturall by diuine verity reuealed as truth infallible and necessary to be belieued This fayth is that which is the beginning and ground of iustification the way and gate to saluation vpō which the Church of Christ is founded and is as the life and soule of it which maketh vs members and partes of Christs Church we being by it and Baptisme inserted into his mystical body which maketh vs certainly infallibly belieue either expresly or implicitè all whatsoeuer articles of sayth God hath reuealed to his Church by his Apostles which is a necessary meane instrument or dispositiō to our iustification and saluation without which none are iustified and by which informed with charity all are iustifyed which is one entire fayth in all faithfull who for one motiue and by one proponent cause do belieue all one doctrine which being one and entire belieue as they ought eyther all articles of fayth explicitè or implicitè or none at all which by refusing to assent to any one article in which is questioned the ground of all is by infidelity lost to all and to conclude which distinguisheth a Catholike from an Heretike in that whosoeuer hath this fayth is a Catholike and whosoeuer wants it or looses it is an Infidell or Heretike and so out of state of grace and saluation And thus much for the order and manner of Gods working of fayth by these meanes in vs. Secondly for the necessity and efficacy of these meanes though all and euery one in particuler be ordinarily necessary to true and diuine supernaturall faith the credible testimonies as exteriour motiues to conuince our Vnderstanding that it may prudently accept of this faith as credible and worthy of beliefe the motion of grace and habit of fayth as interiour assistants that the Will may not resist but piously incline to consent determine the Vnderstāding to assent and that the Vnderstanding may obediently yeild assent to the misteries of fayth the materiall obiects as those which we are to belieue and the formall as that why we are to belieue all which are absolutly necessary to make fayth credible free and supernaturall and without them all faith is but humane false or fained yet in respect of vs and of our certainty of beliefe a proponent cause and that infallible which can be no other but the Churches authority is most important and necessary And first that a proponent cause is needfull all grant because faith being by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ some preacher or teacher is necessary to propose and teach vs what is to be belieued by vs for as fayth depends not vpon reason but vpon authority that of God affirming this or that to be true and commanding it to be belieued so this authority thus affirming this verity must be made knowne to vs by some directing or proponent meanes or els we cannot come to the knowledge of it 2. That this directing and proponent cause must be infallible so that it cannot erre it selfe nor propose to vs an errour or falshood to be belieued for a truth is proued for since God requires of vs a certainty infallibility of fayth and this our certainty must be had by some direction and proposition by which it is proposed made knowne to vs what we are certainly to belieue it must needes follow that this Proponent cause must be certaine and infallible or els our fayth directed and guided by it cannot be certaine Thence it followes that they who admit a proponent cause as the Protestants do their church and yet do admit it to be fallible and subiect to errour as all of them do their Church cannot haue any certaine and infallible fayth at all as wanting a necessary certaine and infallible meanes to propose and teach them this certaine and infallible fayth which is confirmed by S. Augustine who sayth That if Gods prouidence rule and gouerne humane matters we may not despaire but that there is a certaine authority appointed by the same God vpon which staying our selues as vpon a sure step we may be lifted vp to God Thirdly this certaine infallible proponent or directing cause is Church-authority which Church that it may infallibly direct vs we securely rely vpon it first Iesus Christ selected and made it not only his inheritance Which he hath chosen Or his house which he builded and gouerned Or his Temple of which himselfe is Priest but also his dearest spouse VVhich he espoused to himselfe alone in fayth and truth As a Virgin pure and vnspotted without corruption Yea as his owne body And one body with him VVhich as head he nourisheth cherisheth and sanctifieth making her glorious without spot And which he hath purchased with his pretious bloud Secondly he priuiledged it first with his owne presence promising to be with it all dayes euen to the consūmation of the world Next with the presence of the Holy Ghost The spirit of truth
without interruption of persons or chang of doctrine by a perfect enumeration of successours Apostles and Apostolical Seas vntill this present tyme these our present Prelates Patriarches and Popes We haue the rare examples of millions of Martyrs Confessours Virgins who haue with their bloud life defended and honoured our confessed Faith Doctrine the strange punishments of persecuting Pagans Iews Heretikes who haue with their sword and cruelty opposed and persecuted it In all which we differ from them and haue the aduantage of them in credible motiues 5. For infallible proponent cause as they do not require or assigne any yea as before do expresly reiect all chiefly the true that is Church authority so they cannot produce any which either can be a proponent cause or if it could is yet either infallible or so much as credible for them selues and their Religion For their scripture is not to them a proponent but if it were true scripture a reuealing cause because in it is reuealed truth of which reuelatiō there is need of a proponent cause to declare which is scripture which is among many the true sense of it Their priuate spirit which yet they make their proponent cause is so farre from being either infallible or credible that it is not only most fallible and subiect to deceaue yea and actually doth deceaue and hath deceaued so many but also most incredible without any apparence of probability eyther to them who haue it or to others who follow it that it can be true or direct and declare any truth at all We haue a proponent cause so certaine and infallible which is Church authority that it hath for the infallibility of it the predictions of Prophets the promises of Christ the declaration of the Apostls the confirmation of miracles the approbation of holy Fathers the practise of all antiquity what not all to proue the verity and infallibility of it in directing and declaring to vs what and why we are to belieue And in this proponent cause also we differ and that principally from the Protestants and so haue the aduantage prerogatiue ouer them in the externall meanes and so in all the meanes required to fayth For the priuate spirit in particuler if it were a sole necessary ground meanes of fayth as the Protestants without ground suppose it if euery Christiā lawfully might necessarily ought to rely vpon it which yet none can for the certainty of his Fayth Religion if it were a secure ground to build vpon and a certaine meanes as it is not to attaine to true fayth and saluation yet with as great reason yea with more probability might we Catholikes both chalenge it rely vpon it then the Protestants may or cā And 1. for the certainty of the spirit that they haue infallibly the spirit of God more then we what can they chalēge for it more then we What certainty can they claime more then we If they alleadge their bare word say they haue it we can alleadge ours and say also we haue it If they alleadge Scripture say they haue it for them we also can alledge the same and say we haue it for vs yea and had it before them for that they had what they haue of it from vs. If they alleadge they haue the true sense of Scripture for them and their priuate spirit we can alleage we haue the same and the same meanes to attaine it as they many of vs haue as great learning and knowledge in tongues as they as great a care and desire of truth as they as diligent paines and industry as they as feruent prayer and deuotion to find and obtaine it as they If they alleadge the sense and feeling of this spirit within them we can alleadge and feele as much sensible deuotion and more spirituall as many inspiratiōs illuminations these more certain as great promptnes and readines to obey Gods motions that with more humility then they yea in all these we haue and can alleadge more then they 1. The conformity in iudgement with the ancient Fathers Councels and Church with whome we agree 2. The direction and authority of our holy Mother the spouse of Christ our Church which we obey 3. The subordination and vnion of our selues with our Pastours Superiours of the Church to whome we are subiect subordinate And all this haue we more then they all making vs more certaine then they all better grounded then they So that we may confidently say with the Apostle In quo quis audet audeo ego VVhat they dare we dare what they can we can what they may chalenge for the probability of their spirit we can may chalenge the same yea more then they plus ego with more reason and probability vpon better safety security In the certainty therfore of this spirit if it be secure we are equall with them yea many degrees aboue them Secondly For the necessity of hauing the true spirit of God in vs and the efficacy or effect of the operation of it with vs we Catholikes are so far from denying either that we hould a necessity and that absolute of both affirming that as a principle of our faith that no person whatsoeuer cā truly and duly belieue any article of faith much lesse al nor do any one worke auailable to saluation much lesse saue his soule without the special presence assistāce of the grace or spirit of God in him In as much therfore as concerns the necessary being and working of this spirit of grace of God in vs in some thinges we and the Protestantes agree in other we differ We agree 1. In that both of vs graunt and require an operation and assistance of this spirit of God not only to true faith but also to good life 2. In that both of vs do graunt require this operatiō to be so necessary in euery one that neither right faith nor vpright life can be attained or performed but by it that as the prime principal cause and agent 3. In that both of vs do graunt require this necessary and operating spirit to be so priuate particuliar internall in euery one that it hath an effectual operation or cooperation in him that so effectual that to it is attributed the effect of our conuersion saluation And thus farre we agree Thirdly We differ frō them in these 1. In the name vsual manner of appellation for we cal it the grace of God which as before is of diuers sortes some gratis giuen as the guift of languages cures c. some iustifying as Faith Hope Charity some actuall as excitant adiuuant operant cooperant sufficient effectual the rest before mentioned They call it the spirit or priuate spirit or motion of God as inspiring and working whatsoeuer good is wrought in them 2. We
interpreted by Prophecy was not doctrine or mysteries of faith but either exhortation to piety for edification and consolation or of things secret as future euents or vnknowne faults or facts done by which the secrets of the heart of the infidell or idiot was made knowne and he conuinced and iudged of all therfore it makes nothing for doctrine of faith and interpretation of scripture 4. This manner of Prophecy howsoeuer and of whatsoeuer it was it was not independent and of it selfe free to interprete what and how it will but so that the rest doe iudge that the spirits of Prophets be subiect to the Prophets And so euery priuate spirit must be subiect to the iudgment of the Church and the Churches spirit Fourthly they obiect those places where it is said that All thy Childrē are taught of our Lord Al shal be docible of God Your selues haue learned of God I will giue my law in their bowels and I will write it in their heart All shall know me from the least to the greatest If any will do his will who sent me he shall vnderstand of the doctrine whether it be of God My sheepe do heare my voice do follow me Yow haue no need that any do teach you but as his vnction teacheth you of all things All these places I say do not either ioyntly altogether or particularly any one mention any priuiledge that euery one hath by the instinct of his owne priuate spirit to interprete holy scripture to decide deep mysteries of faith and to iudge of all controuersies of diuinity which is the point auerred by the Protestants denied by vs and in controuersy betweene both 2. In them is affirmed only that God will giue his inward guift of grace to all sort of persons so sufficiently that they may know him his truth and the true way to saluation and by the same may obserue his Commandements and come to be saued In which yet is neither excluded but rather supposed as precedent and an exteriour proponent cause the ordinary meanes of preaching by Pastours and of instruction by them and subordination to them But yet is not giuen to any one any power or priuiledge to preferre his owne spirit before the spirit of the whole Church or to censure the doctrine which is once adiudged by the same which among the rest this Protestant priuate spirit doth assume to it selfe For which we may note that it is one thing to haue faith sufficient for saluation another to haue the guift of infallible interpretatiō of scripture The former is a guift general to all the faythful though they be as yet little ones who only sucke milke though they be as yet carnal not spiritual thogh they be ignorant of many things and haue many thinges wanting to the perfection of their faith Yet they be sealed with the spirit of the promise the pledge of our inheritance haue the spirit of God dwelling in them and so haue the literall verity of all the former places verifyed in them The later is a guift peculiar and proper only to them who by place and function are spirituall and perfect haue their senses exercised to the discerning of good and euill And haue the guift of discerning of spirits and interpreting of speaches And these are they who as tryers and discerners of fayth interpreters of Scripture and haue the guift and power infallible to direct others in the doctrine of fayth who are ex officio the Pastours and Prelates of Gods Church and are as Bishops to rule to feed the flocke of Christ to exhort and reproue with all authority to controule rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the fayth and to denounce to certaine not to teach otherwise And all by that power which God hath giuen them to edification and to reuenge all disobedience and to bring into captiuity al vnderstanding to the obedience of Christ This is the office of the Prelates and Bishops of Gods Church 3. This inward guift of grace or vnction of the Holy Ghost is only an efficient internall and cooperant cause and so necessary to mooue the vnderstanding and will to assent to that which as certaine is proposed but this iudge or interpreter must be an exteriour proponent cause which must deliuer to vs this sense as certaine which being proposed grace doth enable vs to belieue Now all these and such like places are meant of the interiour guift of grace which is necessary but not ordinarily sufficient without a precedent exteriour and proponent cause which is this infallible Interpreter of holy Scripture in Pastours of the Church Fifthly to those places where it is commanded not to belieue euery spirit but to proue the spirits if they be of God and to proue all thinges and hould that which is good is answered 1. That all and euery person of the body of the holy Church is not directed to make this tryall but only the chiefe that is the Pastours and Prelates as when a man is willed to discerne and see not euery member and part of the body is directed so to do but the chiefe members as the head which is to iudge and the eye to see to whose function it is proper and belonges or as when an Vniuersity is directed to examine and iudge of such a booke and doctrine not euery student but the chiefe Doctours of that faculty are so directed and willed so that not euery person and vnlearned party in the Church is to make this tryall of spirits but only Pastours and Prelates to whose function it is peculiar and proper to iudge and decide all such like questions and doubts 2. This tryall and iudgment is to be made not of questions doctrine already decided and determined by the authority of the Church but of such as are yet doubtfull and vndecided For that which is once determined by the generall consent of the Church or Councell is not againe to be examined and iudged by any priuate mans spirit for so the Decrees of Coūcells were both vaine endlesse that therfore is to be tryed which is not before both tryed and iudged and that by those who haue both ability and authority to do it which makes nothing for this priuate spirit which will both try what is before by any Councell iudged and will by euery simple vnlearned person try and iudge it Sixthly to that of 1. Cor. 2.15 The spirituall man iudgeth all thinges and himselfe is iudged of none It is answered that S. Paul to confound the Corinthians who standing vpon their humane worldly wisedome contemned his vnlearned manner of instruction affirmes that they being men sensuall can iudge only of sensuall thinges but he being spirituall and perfect in diuine wisedome can iudge both of things sensuall and spirituall and
respect of mans infirmity and Sathans subtility 93. Signes of good Spirits 89. DiffereÌ„ce betweene good and bad spirits ibid. How hard to discerne them by scripture pag. 109. Not to be discerned by all faythfull ibid. Spirituall maisters necessary pag. 111. Spirit of God the Interpreter as wel as the maker of scripture p. 38.39 Gods Spirit how it worketh in euery one and what it is 373. How it differs in Catholicke Protestant doctrine in the exposition of scripture and certainty of saluation pag. 37. Spirituall men how they iudge of all things ibid. Priuate Spirit the mother of all heresies pag. â— May be chalenged as well by Catholikes as Protestants pag. â—8 What it worketh pag. 30.34.38 Confuted by Scripture pa. 34. Why not to be belieued ibid. Why it cannot be a Iudge pag. 37. What it is in whome it is what it worketh how it is punished pag. 46. Is blind lying deceytfull pag. 44 Is confuted by scripture out of S. Iohn S Paul S Peter Exechiel Iob and other scriptures pag. 33.40.48.50 By Fathers in the six first ages after Christ pag. 55. A PuritaÌ„ spirit described out of Iob pag 47 Is only a selfe opinion pag. 50. The priuate spirit cannot discerne the difficulties about the Spirit of good Angels soules diuels pag. 80. caÌ„not discerne spirits good or bad pag. 112. cannot be meanes to interprete scripture 1â—1 caÌ„not explicate what bookes are scripture in what language figures what seeming contradictions what difficult places 131. Priuate Spirits exposition of scripture is against scripture false fallible contrary to the spirit of Gods Church and author of all heresies pag. 1â—6 184 It cannot be a Iudge as not able to know be knowne pag 17â— It wants authority 174. Infallibility 175 Certainty ibid. â—8â— Duration immutability Visibility Vniâ—y pag. 178.188.176 Vniuersality warrant to be obeyed pag. 178. Priuate Spirit is the ProtestaÌ„ts sole grouÌ„d of scripture sense faith saluation pag. 182. Authour of al sects 184. Vpon what ground it relyes pag pag. â—87 Teaches directs Protestants all in all pag. â—91 Cannot oblige others to beleeue any thing 195. It can giue no credible testimonies of beliefe pag. 195. CaÌ„not make a knowne and visible CoÌ„gregation 188. Nor teach an entyre vniuersall Fayth pag· 186. T TEntations vaine to ouercome them by mortification or labour according to ProtestaÌ„ts pag. 26â— V VNity wanting in the priuate spitit of Protestants pag. 178.188.176 Vniuersality also wanting in the same ibid. Visibbility a like ibid. W WOmen seducers of ancient and later tymes pag. â—â—6 VVorkes neither hinder damnation nor help to saluation according to Protestants pag. â—61 FINIS Faultes escaped in the printing PAge 5. line 2. adde it pag. 6. l. 20. in read is pag. 24. l. 16. haue read hath pag. 26.29 is read as pag. 34. l. â—7 him read them pag. 63 l. 23. glorify read glory pag. 76. l. 21. adde to pag. 103. l. 22. adde her pag. 104. l. 30. dele to Ibid. l. 32. his read her pag. 107. line 33. after men adde of which first S. Paul 1. Cor. 12. pag. 117. l. 22. after force adde of reason pag. 121. l. 31. of read from pag. 123. l. 14. whome read them p. 129. l. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. l. 27 dele in pag. 136. l. 31. Act. 15 12. read Act. 13.21 pag. 152. l. 3. dele S. Ibid. l. 1â— read were not thus pag. 163. lin â—4 dele and. pag. 174. lin 10. vnity read vntye pag. 183. lin 15. adde First pag. 187. lin penult Heretickes read Hereticke pag. 194. lin â— more read most pag. 198. lin 23. read knowne after and vnknowne as c. pag. 208. lin â—3 affection read assertion pag. 209. lin 22. therfore read before pag. 210. l. 13. the read their pag. 215. l. â—9 spirit read spirits pag. 216. lin 10. adde to be pag. 241. lin 7. read so it is true that euery ones sinnes c. pag. 24â— adde euery one pag. 244. lin 2â— least read best pag. 247. lin â—0 read lesse pardonable pag. 250. lin 16. dele and in the effect thereof pag. 255. lin 11. adde and confession pag. â—56 lin 2â— one read onely pag. 259. l. penult now read new pag. 260 lin 25. pointed read painted Ibid. lin vlt. dele pit of pag 263. l. 11. read that he had no freewill pag. 269. lin 24. free read freedome pag. 270. lin 20. esteeme read esteemed Ibid. lin 28. his read thus pag. 288. lin vlt. dele stel pag. 293. lin 18. read tell him that which pag 296. lin 6. read in him sinne pag. 311. lin 22. adde to pag. â—14 lin 3. read need not Ibid. lin 33. read from euer pag. 320. lin 10. neuer read euer Ibid. l. 21. dele to pag. 324. lin 11. dele all pag. 329. lin 6. we read will pag. 330 lin 29. debauched read debased pag. 340. l. 21. read one hundred thouâ—and pag. 346. lin 14. read he is diuulged pag. 348. lin 4. dele by In the Margent PAg. 4. Mat. read Marc. Ibid. Ephes 2.10 read Ephes 2.20 pag. 5. Psal 24.25 read 92.5 Ibid. Philip. 2.33 read 2.13 pag. 11. Eph. 25.29 read Ephes 5.27 pag. 12. Matth. 20.10 read 28.19 Ibid. Matth. 15. read Marc. 16.15 pag. 15. confirme read conuert pag. 50. Iob. 12. read Prou. 1â— pag. 60. Ep. â—6 read 60. pag. 65. read Tom. 7. cont Iulian l. 1. c. â— pag. 104. 3. Reg. 12. read 3. Reg. 22. pag. 182. Aug. serm 8. read 8â— Other Faultes if any haue escaped it is desyred of the gentle Reader to correct them by his owne iudicious reading the Author being far absent from the Print and forced to commit the same to strangers Hierom. Six meanes or helpes to attain faith 1. The material obiect what we do belieue 2. The formall obiect or reuelatioÌ„ why we belieue (a) Ioan. 15.15 (b) Mat. 16.15 (c) Eph. 2.10 (d) 2. Thes 2 14. 3. The proponeÌ„t cause declaring the certainty of what and why we belieue 4 Credible Testimonies to conuince the Vnderstanding of the probability of fayth (e) Psal 25 Eccles 15.4 Luc. 24.25 The pious disposition of the will disposed by grace to giue conseÌ„t to the verity (f) Phi. 2.23 (g) Phi. 16. (h) Mar. 16.26 (i) Act. 28.24 (*) Matt. 23 37. The guift or habit of faith cocurring to the act of assent or beliefe (k) Heb. 11.3 (l) Rom. 1.17 (m) Ibid. (n) Rom. 10.10 (o) Rom. 5.1 (p) Ioan. 12.42 (q) 1. Cor. 13 24. (r) 1. Tim. 1.20 2. Tim. 2.17 (s) 1. Tim. 6.10 (t) 1. Tim. 10.19 (u) Heb. 6 5. The order manner of operatioÌ„ of rhe six meanes of fayth 1. Credible testimonies persuade 2. The churches authority proposeth 3 Grace inclinâ—th the will 4. The habit of faith enableth the Vnderstanding to belieue the articles reuealed and the reuelation of them How fayth is resolued Dispositiuè Directiuè Effectiue Formaliter (w) Ioan. 4.39 (x) Vers 42. Effects of Fayth The necessity of
and the Parlament ordaines all which are against vnity and certainty of al faith and religioÌ„ Lastly it would follow that for 300. years after Christ wheÌ„ the Emperours were pagan and not Christian either pagans must be iudges and deciders of the true sense of scripture and of all controuersies of faith or that there was for that time no iudge of them at al also when Princes become hereticks as Constantius and Valens did or Apostata's as Iulian did that either true Christians should be obliged to obey and follow Pagans Apostata's as iudges and vmpiers of their faith or else that they by falling into heresy or apostacy should loose their regall power and authority and subiects should be freed from their duty and obedience to them None of which our Protestants will admit as being indeed too too absurd The Lay-people cannet be this Iudge SECT IIII. FOVRTHLY that this infallible authority is not in the lay people and priuate persons of the Church is proued 1. Because they want knowledge and vnderstanding to discusse and penetrate either the articles which are belieued or the meanes for which they are to be belieued as being for the most part men simple and vnlearned for which cause they were neuer admitted to any Councels as Arbitrators or Iudges of faith but alwaies directed by their Pastours in their obedience to faith 2. Because they haue no warrant or commission giuen them for this end either expressed in any Scripture or approued by any Tradition or practise of the Church or mentioned by any testimony of Fathers or Councels therfore are not to assume or exercise it till they proue it 3. Because of al sortes they are the most fallible vncertaine and vnconstant in their opinions and practises and therfore are left alwayes to be ruled ordered as the people are in the temporall common-wealth not to rule and gouerne as Magistrates and Iudges 4. Because it would follow that all should be Iudges Pastours to determine none should be subiects to obey or sheepe to be fed that the Church gouernment should be Democraticall of people which of all is the worst that euery maÌ„ should haue a religion of his owne without any vnion with any or subordination to any that the people should preach and minister Sacraments as well as Priests or Prelates should excommunicate censure and punish one another as well as Bishops make decrees for faith and manners as wel as Councels In respect of all which inconueniences and absurdities which are so many testimonies against this authority of the people our Sauiour did speake to the people in parables and without parables he did not speake to them but to the Apostles and Pastours he gaue knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen To the people he spake of things easy and publicke as their sins and vices vertues good life but to the Apostles and that separated from the people of his death resurrection the holy Ghost the day of iudgment and such like mysteries With the people he did conuerse before his death not after his resurrection he manifested not himselfe to all the people but to the Apostles as Pastours and witnesses preordained of God he appeared after his resurrectioÌ„ did eate and drinke with them and commaunded them only not the vulgar sort to preach to the people To the people it is said Obey your Prelats be subiect to them but to the Pastours take heed to the whole flocke wherin the holy Ghost hath placed you Bishops to rule the Church of God To the people it is said suffer the cockle to grow but to the Pastours take away the euil one from among your selues To the people it is said do that which they the Pastours say but to the Pastours He who heareth you heareth me and he that knoweth God heareth vs. By heaâ—ing of them is knowne which is the spirit of truth which of errour Of the people it is said How shall they belieue him whome they haue not heard how shall they heare without a preacher But of the Pastours How shall they preach vnlesse they be sent All which conuince that our Sauiour intended to make the people not Pastours but sheep not rulers but subiects not iudges to commaund but seruants to obey in matters of faith and religion The Scripture cannot be this Iudge SECT V. FIFTLY That the scripture cannot be this iudge to determyne and end al controuersies is proued 1. Because this scripture in respect of vs requires a iudge it selfe to determine and assure vs which is true Canon true originall text true translation true sense the rest as before therefore to vs it cannot be a iudge 2. Because all or the greatest difficulties all or the maynest questions and all oâ— the hoatest contentioÌ„s which haue passed either among Catholike Doctours or betweene Catholicks and Hereticks are about the scripture and the sense of it none of which scripture it selfe could euer yet end and decide without some other iudge and vmpier plainly to pronounce sentence in the cause and immediatly vnder punishment to oblige the parties to belieue and obey the sentence 3. Because the scripture is mute dumbe vnable to speake heare or pronounce sentence and is apt not only to be lost alteted and corrupted as de facto it hath beene but also to be drawne wrested and interpreted to contrary senses and opinions by any sort of interpreters in any cause and question as the lamentable practise of so many hundred of heresies hereticks in all ages doth witnesse 4. Because the scripture in it selfe is neither cleare and euident nor doth euidently and expresly containe and declare all the senses of it selfe all the mysteries of beliefe all the questions of controuersies all doubtes in diuinity many things being both now by Protestants and Catholicks belieued and hauing beene by all faithfull in all ages practised which neither for practise were grouÌ„ded vpoÌ„ only scripture nor for the doctrine of theÌ„ are expressed in any scripture 5. Because many haue beene conuerted to faith without any reading or knowledge of scripture many controuersies haue beene decided without any sentence of scripture many faithfull haue liued in the world and beene directed in their faith before any writing of scripture As for example all in the old Law for 3000. yeares before Moyses all in the new law for a good time after the sending of the holy Ghost dispersion of the Apostles and many nations after Christ for 200. years who witnesse Irenaeus neuer did see nor heare of the bible and many thousands of saints and soules who did neuer see read heare or vnderstand any Scripture at all and yet did liue holily in earth and do raigne gloriously in heauen 6. In the scripture are two things the letter and the sense as the body the soule The letter according to S. Augustine doth kill that
is the externall litterall sense of the words sometimes doth kill cause errour but the spirit that is the true sense which the holy Ghost intended doth quicken auaileth to saluation But that neither the letter nor the spirit can be a competēt iudge of controuersies is proued 7. Not the letter because the letter or the words in the bare literall sense are occasion of errour and heresy for so they were to the Iewes who in reading of Moyses the Law had the veile set ouer their eyes and vnderstood not Christ contained and signified in the Ceremonies of the law And so it hath beene to all Heretickes who forsaking the sense intended by the holy Ghost proposed by the Church and following the letter expounded by their owne spirit haue falsly vnderstood the scripture grosly fallen into errours Thus the letter deceaued Sabellius who expounding that of S. Iohn I and the father am one of vnity of persons not of substance falsly defended in the deity to be not three but only one person which had three names offices or properties of the father the sonne the holy Ghost creating redeeming and sanctifying mankind as the Patripassiās defended the Father to haue suffered on the Crosse as one and the same person with the sonne Thus the letter deceaued the Arrians who expounding that of S. Iohn The father is greater then I of Christ absolutly and completely as whole Christ not as man according to his humanity did thereupon deny Christ to be God equall to the Father Thus it deceaued the Macedonians who expounding that of S. Paul The spirit searcheth all things euen the profoundites of God concluded not as they ought that the spirit pierceth cōprehendeth all things as God but thus that he who searches doubts who doubts is ignorant who is ignorant is not God and so the holy Ghost who searches all is not God Thus it deceaued the Manichees who held the old Testamēt to be cōtrary to the new because for instance the old said that God created all things That God ceased frō labour the seuenth day That Man was created according to the Image of God And the new said the contrary that the Word created all things That God worketh vntill now And that you are of your father the diuell Not conceauing according to the spirit and true sense that God created all things by the word as by an Idaea that God rested from his worke of creation and yet worketh by conseruation that man was created to the Image of God by nature and of the diuell by malice Thus the Pelagians denying originall sinne to haue descended from Adam to vs literally interpreted that of Ezechiel The sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the father not only of sonnes who are not partakers but also of sonnes who are partakers of the iniquity of the father as all are of Adams sinne in whome all sinned and who receaued as head the promise of keeping or losing paradise by precept of for bearing or eating the apple for himselfe and his posterity after him Thus it deceaued others who applying literally that of S. Iohn The flesh profiteth nothing some in the Apostles time to the resurrection of the flesh others of late to the reall presence in the B. Sacrament the one therupon denyed the resurrection of all bodies the other the reall presence of Christs body both vpon one ground not distinguishing the spirituall from the carnall manner of one and the same body By which they might as well inferre that the flesh of Christ by his incarnation and passion profiteth no more then according to them it doth by his resurrection and manducation By which proofe of authority and examples it is apparent that the external letter of scripture cannot be iudge of controuersies That the internall sense of Scripture cannot be iudge is likwise proued because this true sense intended by the holy Ghost is often obscure hard and vncertaine as is certaine and before proued This obscurity breeds controuersies as experience dayly teaches and that these controuersies cannot be ended iudged by scripture-sense is proued 1. Because scripture-sense is the thing in question contention therfore is the thing to be iudged and decided not the iudge who is to giue iudgment and resolue the parties contending in iudgmēt As for example a question is about the sense of those words of the Gospel this is my body of those of the Creed He descended into hell Catholikes vnderstand them as the words import of the reall presence and of the locall descension both of Christs body Protestants expound them of a figuratiue presence by remembrāce of him in the sacrament and of an infernall suffering of hel-paines in his soule vpon the Crosse Now of these senses which is true which false the sense of the words cannot iudge betweene Catholicks and Protestants but some other iudge is necessary to confirme the one and confound the other so to end the controuersy 2. Because many places of scripture are so hard and obscure as the true sense of them cannot be truly discerned but by Church practise and tradition as for example whether those words of S. Mathew Teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghost do proue a necessity of the vocall pronuntiation of these wordes for the forme of baptisme as all Protestants with vs do grant or require no more but a mentall intention it sufficing only to baptize in the name of Iesus as Act. 8.26 doth insinuate Whether those of S. Iohn Except a man be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost he cannot enter into the kingdome of God inferre a necessity of water for the matter of baptisme as the Lutherans with vs grant and the words import or that the water and the holy Ghost be all one as Caluin expounds Also why the Protestants should not inferre as well a precept and necessity of a sacrament of washing of feet out of those words of our Sauiour And you ought to wash one anothers feet after the example of Christ who did and commanded it as they do out of those of S. Mathew Eat yee drinke yee inferre a necessity of receauing vnder both kinds because our Sauiour did commanded the like Now these and such like require a Iudge to iudge of the sense and reason of them cannot themselues iudge and decide themselues to vs. By which is euident that neither the letter nor the sense of scripture can be a competent iudge of all controuersies of faith and scripture Lastly the same is proued by the analogy of a temporal Iudge in causes ciuill with an Ecclesiasticall Iudge in causes spirituall for as Controuersies aryse in ciuill causes the common-wealth so do they arise also in matters spirituall and
testimony of truth to all Nations They are the Fathers who beget spirituall children by the preaching of the word who nourish them with the food of the Sacraments who rule them by good lawes and discipline and who defend them with their spirituall power authority They only haue the Keyes of the house of Dauid which they shall open and none shut The keyes of the Kingdome of heauen against which hell-gates shall not preuaile and the kingly Priesthood All because in and by their priestly function and authority Christ doth forgiue sinnes doth reconcile to him the world doth make lawes doth exercise his power and establish his kingdome of heauen and doth raigne in the house of Iacob for euer And thus is the iudiciary authority of the Church in the Pastours and Prelates of it lawfully ordained and peaceably vnited proued by the testimony of holy Scripture The same is further proued by the practise of the Church in all tymes and ages for when any Controuersy did arise any new opinion did start vp or any practise was doubtful and questioned the decision and iudgment was referred neither to the whole body of all belieuers nor to the Princes Kinges and Emperours the chiefe Protectours of the Church not to the Lay-people the greatest number in the Church not to the Scripture written word only which is a rule not properly a Iudge in the Church but to the chiefe Pastours and Prelates the Directours Gouernours of the Church who collected togeather in some Councell either prouinciall which sufficed in cases where the cause was either not important or other could not be collected or generall which was gathered when the cause was great the aduersaries potent and the assembling conuenient had the hearing examining and iudging of the cause referred to them and did censure the persons and put a finall determination to the cause question Thus we read that the question about the obseruation of Legall Ceremonies was determined in the Councell of the Apostles at Hierusalem The Controuersy about the obseruation of Easter on the 14. day as the Iewes vsed or the Sunday after as is now by Christians vsed was by diuers Councels decided as at Rome vnder Pope Victor at Hierusalem vnder Narcissus in France vnder Irenaeus in Pontus vnder Palma at Corinth vnder Bachillus and lastly at Nice vnder Pope Syluester Thus was the Nouatians and their sect denying pennance and absolution to them who failed in persecution condemned by the Prelates and Bishops of Italy at Rome of France at Arles and of Africke at Carthage Thus was Sabellius and his heresy denying the Trinity of persons condemned by the Prelates of Aegypt at Alexandria The Donatists and their schisme denying the validity of Baptisme ministred by Heretikes cōdemned at Rome Arles and Carthage and other places by the Bishops of the same Countryes Paulus Samosetanus and his errour affirming Christ to be pure man was condemned by the Bishops of Asia in two Synodes at Antioch Thus were the Manicheans condemned at Ancyra the Archontickes at Neocaesaria Eustachius at Gangra in Armenia Priscillianus at Toledo in Spaine Pelagius in Palestina Melitum Carthage Constantinople And Macedonius Apollinaris Photinus Sabellius Eunomius at Rome Berengarius at Vercells and Rome Luther and his fellowes at Ments Treuers and Colen in Germany and Macline Cambray and other places in the low-Countryes All which and many more were censured and iudged by the Bishops called in Synodes Prouinciall In like manner by the Prelates collected in generall Councells were censured and iudged the causes of greater heresies and contentions As that of Arius in the first Coūcell of Nice and the diuinity of Christ defended That of Macedonius in the second generall at Constantinople and the deity of the Holy Ghost confirmed That of Nestorius in the third generall at Ephesus and the vnity of one diuine person in Christ decreed That of Eutiches in the fourth generall Councell of Chalcedon and the verity of two natures in Christ concluded That of Peter and Seuerus of Antioch Petrus of Apamea Cyrus of Edessa Anthymius Acatius of Constātinople in the fifth generall at Constantinople and their persons with Origens errours condemned That of Cyrus of Alexandria Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus of Constantinople and their Monothelite heresy of one will in Christ in the sixth generall at Constantinople condemned and the two wills in Christ determined That of Leo and Copronymus Emperours and the Image-breakers with them in the seauenth at Nice censured and the worship of Images defended That of Photius and the deniers of the procession of the holy Ghost from the Sonne in the eight generall at Constantinople reiected and Ignatius the Patriarch confirmed All which were in the Greeke Church In the latin and West Church Bishops also proceeded and iudged in the generall Councels as in the ninth and tenth generall at Lateran against the Sarazens and Anti-popes vnder Calixtus II. and Innocent II. In the eleuenth and twelfth also of Lateran against the Waldenses and Ioachim the Abbot vnder Alexander the III. and Innocent III. In the thirtenth fourtenth of Lyons against Fredericke the Emperour and the errour of the Greeks vnder Innocent IV. and Gregory the X. In the fifteenth at Vienna against the Begards and others vnder Clement the V. In the sixteenth at Florence against the Greeks vnder Eugenius the IV. In the seauenteenth at Lateran vnder Leo the X. against Schismatikes And lastly in the last at Trent vnder Paul III. Iulius the III. and Pius the IV. against the Lutherans all Heretikes of late In all which and others examination was made and iudgment giuen not by Princes Lay-people or the whole body of the Cleargy but only by Bishops and Prelates the chiefe Pastours of the Church who only and not the former were as appeares by authority of Scripture and the continued practise of the Church the true authenticall and infallible Iudges of controuersies of Fayth and Religion The priuate spirit cannot be this Iudge SECT VII IT remaynes to proue that this infallible and authenticall authority to iudge of controuersies of Fayth neither doth nor can reside in euery particuler faythfull person nor that the priuate spirit of euery one which is heer intended can be a competent Iudge of all controuersies of Religion This is conuinced by diuers proofes drawne from diuers heades The first proofe is drawne from the former reasons which disproue this authority to reside either in Princes or in the lay-people or the whole community of all faythfull belieuers for all the reasons which proue against them and their spirit proue much more against euery priuate person and this spirit in particuler The second proofe is drawne from the former reasons which proue this authority to be communicated only to the Prelates and chiefe Pastours of the Church for if the spirit of God
reuelation thus proposed we settle our last resolution of fayth and the certainty of it as vpon the former credible motiues or humane fayth we setled our preparation or acceptation of fayth and the credibility of it Now if we compare or apply these togeather it will euidently appeare that in neither is committed any Circle because the former that is the acceptation depends vpon credible motiues which are as the Samaritan womans word making it seeme probable that Christ was the Messias and the later that is the assent to Fayth dependes â—pon diuine reuelation which is as our Sauiours word reuealing to them that he is the true Messias and so both haue seuerall grounds and principles on which they depend the one credible testimonies the other diuine reuelation wherby comparing them togeather no appearance of any circular proofe can be found betweene them For the actuall assent and beliefe it selfe whereby we infallibly belieue the mysteries reuealed though we belieue the verity of Scripture reuelations by the authority of Church proposition and Church proposition for the authority of Scripture reuelation whereby Scripture reuelation doth giue vs testimony of Church proposition and againe Church proposition of Scripture reuelation Yet that this reciprocall testimony and proofe is not any proper and vitious Circle is proued First because it is in diuerso genere causa in diuers kinds of causes which before out of Aristotle is admitted for good and lawfull for the testimonyes of Scripture reuelation to the infallibility of Church proposition is causall as a cause and that formall why we belieue and assent to Church proposition But Church proposition is only conditionall as conditio sine quae non to know Scripture reuelation and so they are reciprocall in a different manner of proofe the one that is Scripture à priori as including diuine reuelation the other that is Church à posteriori required only as a condition The former as a formall precedent cause the latter as a subsequent annexed condition Both of them not much vnlike to our Sauiours testimony of S. Iohn Baptist and to S. Iohns testimony of our Sauiour the one as of God and infallible the other as of an holy man credible or to the testimony of our B. Sauiour the woman to the Samaritans the one as giuing certainty the other as proposing credibility of his being the Messias Or to the former example of rationale and risibile of the Sun-shine and the Day of the Vapours and Raine of the opening the Window and the entring of the Wind. All which reciprocally proue one another as the cause and the effect or as seuerall causes And all which doe much resemble the testimony of Scripture to the Church and of the Church to the Scripture which is likewise in a seuerall kind of causality and a different manner of probation Secondly because this reciprocall proofe is not ad omnino idem as Aristotle requires to a proper Circle that is the one is not the totall and sole cause of knowing the other For Church proposition is not knowne only by Scripture reuelation and no other way but also by other proofes signes and credible testimonies conuincing that Church authority is necessary and infallible to distinguish true sense of Scripture from false and to end Controuersies about Scripture And therefore as Aristotle admits that though the premises haue proued the conclusion yet the conclusion may againe proue the premises that in eodem genere causae so that the conclusion be proued by another medium then by the premises So though the Scripture reuelation proue Church proposition yet Church proposition may againe reciprocally proue Scripture reuelation so it be knowne by another meanes as we see it is then only by Scripture reuelation for this according to Aristotle is only an improper Circle and not a bad and vnlawfull Circle Thirdly because this reciprocall proofe is not to one the same person who is ignorant or doubtful of both but to diuers persons and such as suppose the one For to a Catholike who admits as belieued Church propositioÌ„ we proue by it Scripture-sense or reuelation and so an vnknowne thing to him by another thing supposed and knowne to him but to a Protestant who admits as by him belieued Scripture reuelation we proue by it Church proposition so to him a thing vnknowne by another more knowne But to a Pagan who admits neither Scripture reuelation nor Church proposition we proue neither of them one by another but both the one and the other by other probable motiues and credible testimonies more agreeable to his natural capacity and by them persuade him first to accept as credible Church proposition and by it Scripture reuelation by which Scripture and Church or scripture expounded by Church we persuade him to assent and belieue the articles reuealed In all which we proue ignotum per notius the vnknowne by the more knowne to him and so preparing him to giue credit to one do by that induce him to belieue the other By which meanes we still proceed from a thing knowne to an vnknowne to that person and so auoyd the Circle and begging of the question into which the Protestants runne and there sticke fast In which note the difference betweene them and vs for they proue reciprocally and circularly the Scripture by the spirit and the spirit againe by scripture in the same kind of proofe to wit formally as shal be shewed We proue scripture by Church and Church by scripture in diuers kindes of cause to wit the one causall and the other conditionall as is shewed 2. They proue the one by the other no otherwise knowne then by the other as the scripture by the spirit which spirit is only and by no other meanes knowne then by scripture and é contra as shal be shewed But we haue more means to know the Church then by scripture as is shewed 3. They proue one by the other to the same person to wit the Protestant doubtfull of both we to diuers persons who suppose belieue the one so ad hominem by that we proue the other Al which as it is true as presently shal be shewed so it shewes an apparent difference between the Protestant circular maÌ„ner of proofe of scripture by spirit and of spirit by scripture and of our Catholike improper Circle and lawfull manner of proofe of scripture by Church and of Church by scripture And thus much to cleare the imputation layd vpon Catholikes for their circular manner of proceeding in their proofe of scripture by the Church and of Church by scripture The Protestants diuers manners of Circles SECT III. SVBDIV. â— The Circle betweene the Scripture and the Spirit IT remaynes to shew that the Protestants doe seuerall wayes fall into this vnlawfull Circular manner of probation for which we may note how the Protestants for their doctrine of fayth iustification and saluation do make this gradation concatenation
himselfe gaue testimony to his Epistle and his Epistle to him as the maister giues to the seruant and the seruant to the maister when both are in question And if it were absurd for any to belieue Simon Magus and Selena or Hellena or Montanus and his Priscilla and Maximilla Prophetesses or Mahomet and his Sergius the Arian to be true Prophets because one did affirme and proue the other his companion to be a Prophet both being suspected and vnknowne and both wanting other kind of proofe then mutuall and Circular affection one of another Then in like manner it is as great absurdity and folly for one to belieue the scripture and sense of it because the priuate spirit affirmes it to be the true sense and againe the priuate spirit to be the true spirit of God because the Scripture interpreted by that priuate spirit affirmes it to be so In which manner of proofe all the conditions do concurre which Aristotle requires to a proper and vnlawfull Circle or circular demonstration For 1. They proue circularly and reciprocally one another as the spirit proues the scripture and the scripture againe the spirit in which is regressus ab eodem ad idem 2. They proue circularly one another in eodem genere causae for the spirit is the formall cause why they belieue the sense of the scripture and that sense of scripture is the formall cause why they belieue that to be the spirit of God 3. They proue one another totally and wholy that is the sole and whole reason why they belieue that is the sense of scripture is the spirit and the sole whole reason why they belieue this is the spirit is that sense of Scripture framed by that spirit 4. They proue one another not only circularly wholy and in the same manner of causes but also to one and the same person For as this spirit can assure only him who hath it not another that this is true sense of scripture and this true sense of scripture can assure only him not another that this is the true spirit for according to their doctrine no man can be assured of anothers spirit that it is of God but only himselfe who hath it so doth this priuate spirit and this scripture both assure one person to wit him that hath it and that circularly that this spirit is of God that this scripture is truly vnderstood by this spirit which is most proper to that Circle condemned by Aristotle for vnlawfull And thus much of the first proofe Secondly the same absurdities which Aristotle infers vpon a circular demonstration betweene the premises and coÌ„clusion do follow vpon this Circle betweene the scripture and the spirit For 1. The same thing doth proue it selfe For if by A I proue B and againe by B I proue A then I proue A by A or if I proue the conclusion by the premises and the premises againe by the conclusion then I proue the conclusion by it selfe as Aristotle reasons So if I proue the spirit by the scripture and the scripture againe by the spirit then I proue the spirit by the spirit it selfe for the spirit which proues that the scripture is true by the same scripture proues that it selfe is the true spirit therefore the same is proued by the same 2. The same thing is prius notum posterius notum in respect of the same thing For as the conclusion is knowne after the premises as it is proued by them and therefore the premises as it proues them so the spirit is knowne after the scripture as it is proued by scripture to be the spirit and knowne also before the same scripture as it proues it to be scripture and so it is posterius prius cognitum respectu eiusdem first knowne and after knowne in respect of the same 3. The same thing vnknowne is proued by another vnknowne For as when Simon Magus vnknowne to be a Prophet is proued to be a Prophet by his Selena as vnknowne Or when Montanus is so proued by his Maximilla Or Manes by his Epistle and Mahomet by his Sergius the one vnknowne Prophet is proued by another vnknowne So when this scripture and sense of it is knowne by a spirit as vnknowne doubtfull as is the scripture and sense it selfe then one vnknowne is proued by another as vnknowne which is against all manner of lawfull proofe where one ignotum vnknowne must be proued by another notius more knowne Whereupon follow these absurdities 1. That the spirit doth proue it selfe 2. That it doth proue ignotum por ignotum that is the vnknowne sense of scripture by the spirit vnknowne 3. That this spirit is prius posterius notum in respect of the same scripture By which absurdities as Aristotle did disproue the Philosophers circular demonstration of the conclusion by the premises and of the premises againe by the conclusion so we disproue the Protestants circular proofe of the spirit by the scripture and of the scripture by the spirit And as S. Augustine did reiect the Manichees proofe who by Manes did proue their Fundamentall Epistle and by their Epistle Manes And as the Fathers reiected the Monâ—anists proofe who by Montanus proued Maximilla to be a Prophetesse and by Maximilla Montanus to be an Apostle So do we reiect the Protestants proofe who by the Scripture will proue their spirit to be of God and by the spirit the sense of scripture to be true And as a Iudge should be partiall and vnwise who should admit the Maister to cleare the seruant and the seruant to cleare the maister when both are accused as guilty of the same crime so should we be partiall and vnwise if we should admit their spirit to proue their sense of scripture and their true sense of scripture to proue their spirit when both are in the same Circle and both vnknowne and doubtfull By which we see that Protestants walke in a circle and performe that which Dauid sayth The wicked walke in a Circle And that which S. Augustine out of the 139. Psal sayth VVhat is this circuit To go round not to stand to go in a round of errour where they trauell without end for they who go on forward begin in one place and end in another but he who goes in a round neuer ends This is the labour of the wicked as is shewed in another Psalme The wicked walke in a round Thus S. Augustine and that truely for they haue neither beginning from which to deriue nor end wheron to rest themselues and their groundes of doctrine but caput circuitus the head the ground and foundation of their doctrine consists in a Circle in which they still wheele in a round out of which they can neuer vnwind themselues and by which they can neuer proue any thing to be true as Aristotle sayth And thus much of the first kind of Circle made by the Protestants betweene the spirit and the scripture let vs proceed to the
the truth and not to make himselfe and his priuate spirit iudge of the grounds of truth or of the truth which is to be found in theÌ„ And this is all that can be inferred out of these places this may suffice for the solution of all such argumnets or obiections as are made out of Scripture by the Protestants for the establishing of this priuate spirits power and authority to interprete Scripture and to iudge of al controuersies of Fayth FINIS A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPALL MATTERS handled in this Booke A S. Ambrose his commendations pag. 58. His authority against the priuate Spirit pag. 59. Angells apparitions pag. 74. Difficulties about them pag. 81. Apostles their authority to iudge of Fayth pag. 166. Their power deriued from Christ pag. 167. Their successors power to iudge of Faith pag. 168. The foundation of Fayth pag. 390. Apparitions of God or Angells in what places to what persons pag. 75. ApparitioÌ„s of Diuels in diuers shaps of beastes of men of Angells of Christ of the B. Trinity ibid. 140. Of soules in Limbo Purgatory Hell and Heauen pag. 77.78 Difficulties to know which be apparitions of God Angells Diuells soules pag. 79. ApparitioÌ„s of SathaÌ„ inward by suggestions pag. 98. By imaginary illusions pag. 102. By exteriour visions pag. 104. S. Augustine commeÌ„ded against the priuate spirit pag. 61. For the profundity of holy Scripture and authority of Fathers pag. 64. For necessity of Fayth pag. 182. agaynst Circles pag. 210. B BIshops and Priests their office pag. 153. Their authority to iudge of Religion pag. 162. Their Tribunal power in the old Law the beginning progres end pag. 162. In the law of Christ pag. 165. What their authority is pag. 166. Their authority proued by scripture pag. 168. How for it extends ibid. Their authority for euer pag. 168. In all Councells pag. 170. C CAluin his saying against the priuate spirit pag. 36.64 His Circle between the spirit of euery man a Councell pag. 215. His doctrine of the doctrine of saluation pag. 234.239 Of saluation of Infants without Baptisme pag. 235. Of Christs sinne and despaire on the Crosse pag. 257. Of the B. Trinity pag. 304 Of Christs Diuinity pag. 305. Of Christs descent into Hell pag. 308. Of his AscensioÌ„ pag. 3â—0 Of beatitude before the day of Iudgment pag. 311. Cases of Conscience for feare of sinne in vaine according to Protestant doctrine pag. 26â— Catholikes aduaÌ„tage aboue Protestants pag. 24. In the habit of faith p. 15. In the credible testimonies of Vnity Sanctity Vniuersality Succession Miracles Examples pag. 27. In the infallible Church-authority pag. 28. Catholikes belieue all Reuelations ancient generall infallible pag. 25. Catholikes may challenge all which the Protestants may pag. 28. Yea the priuate spirit pag 29. DiffereÌ„ce between iust Catholikes Protestants pag. 266. Good life-confessed in the auncient and late Catholikes in the people and the Clergy pag. 347. Catholike and Protestant doctrine compared in giuing more honour to God to Christ to Saints Angells Scripture Sacraments to Church Fayth Good workes c. pag. 350. Christ by Protestant doctrine no generall Redeemer pag. 248. No perfect Redeemer from sin his suffering of Hell paynes due to sin pag. 249. No Sauiour from sinne Sathan sensuality the curse of the Law or from Hell pag. 250. No perfect Phisitian pag. 251. No law giuer 252. An vniust iudge 253. No Priest or offerer of Sacrifice 254. Made ignorant 256. Sinfull suffering hell paines pag 257. Christian AsseÌ„blies in the Primitiue Church in what manner they were for that tyme. pag. 382. Church-authority necessary to fayth pag. 10. infallible 11. proued by Scripture pag. 16. Church selected priuiledged armed established c. obligeth p. 12. It consists of Pastors Ibid. Is proued by Fathers reason Ibid. Necessary to expound Scripture pag. 125. Church-practice A rule to confute heretikes pag. 125. Church-prâ—position and scripture-authority no circle pag. â—02 Vpon Church falling failing froÌ„ faith what absurdities do follow vz. That all ancieÌ„t Concels Doctors were AntichristiaÌ„ That Prophesies are false pag. 231. That Turkes Iewes Gentils haue a more credible Church then Christians pag. 230. Church-practice a meanes to interpret Scripture iudge of Doctrine pag. 125. Church of Christ a Congregation of great sinners pag. 26â— Circle what it is pag. 198. Difference betweene a lawfull vnlawfull Circle pag. 199. And betweene a Circle as obiected against Catholikes and Protestants pag. 200 Catholikes Circle cleared as being partiall in diuers kinds of causes and to diuers sorts of persons pag. 202. Protestants Circle between the Scripture and the Spirit pag. 206. Betweene the Spirit Fayth 210. Betweene Election and Scripture 212. Betweene the Spirit of euery person and of a Councell pag. 215. ProtestaÌ„ts Circle vnto the same kind of cause and that totally pag. 208. Absurdities that follow vpon it pag. 212. Councells 3. of the Iewes in Christs tyme. pag. 164. How the holy Ghost assisted or fayled in them pag. 164. Councells a meanes to interpret Scripture 128. Councells haue byn a meanes to iudge of Fayth pag. 171. Concupiscence made originall sinne and what followes thereon pag. 227. D DIuells Apparitions of them pag. 75. Difficulties to know them pag. 80. Signes to know the motions of them 83. Their subtility 95.97 Their deluding of Heretickes auncient moderne pag. 95. Their tempting to sin to vertue 99. Examples of their apparitions to Heretickes pag. 100. By imagination visibility pag. 10â— F FAyth Six meanes to Fayth pag. 3. Materiall formall obiect proposition Ibid. Credible Testimonies pious disposition habit pag. 4. Reuelation to the Apostles Ibid. Necessity of a proponent cause Ibid. Credible Testimonies pag 4.7 192. Fayth requires a pious disposition supernaturall frees an infused habit permanent not perpetuall pag. 6 The order of these helpes vz. credible Testimony Church-proposition grace actuall infused habit reuelation pag. 7.8 The Resolution of Faith dispositiuè deriuatiué effâ—ctiuè formaliter pag. 8. Shewed by the Samaritan womaÌ„ and Christ pag. 9. The helpes to Fayth external eternall internall pa. 14. Wanting in Protestants 15. Fayth depends vpon authority pag. 117. Faith required to know scripture the sense of it p. 118.120 The rule of Fayth pag. 146. Fayth one pag. 183. Certaine 187. By preachinâ— and hearing 190. By credible testimonies 192. Obligeth to acceptance 194. Speciall Fayth how certaine in Protestants 185. Fayth is of eternall verity and presupposeth the obiect pag. 228. Cannot staÌ„d with certainty of saluatioÌ„ 233.240 vide Sole fayth Fayth by hearing preaching and mission pag. 190. Sole Fayth a Protestant Principle the effect of it pag. 227. Sequells of Iustification by sole Fayth p. 222. makes Protestants more certaine of their saluation then was Christ 233 Makes Protestants as iust as Christ 234. makes all men to be saued 235. Is not grounded vpon Gods word 233. Is false contradictory sinnfull rash presumptuous preiudicious to Hope Charity and Good