corner stone which onely ocupleth the whole building in which hee is the highest and the lowest first laid in humility for the disobedient to fall vpon but now exalted vnto greatest glory to fall vpon them And as the Apostle cals his owne scarres the markes of Christ because inflicted for Christs sake so may hee call Christ the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles because the onely end whereto both Propheticall and Apostolicall lawes were directed was to lay this sure foundation But granting what they take for granted The Apostle did meane wee were builded vpon the Prophets and Apostles as vpon a second foundation or first row of stones next in order vnto the rocke so they make Peter a rocke or foundation onely in this sense If they doe not hee could not bee the Rocke on which the Church is built If they do let them giue vs the right hand of fellowshippe for wee accuse them not for making him such a foundation as the other Apostles were but suchas it is euident they were not yea such indeed and substance as Christ onely is and should bee acknowledged by all the faithfull For in what sense is Christ said to be the foundation Because hee is the head of his Church both for supporting and directing it Was not Peter such in respect euen of his fellow Apostles Bellarmine can assigne no difference betwixt them but in these very tearmes All of them hee confesseth had occumenicall iurisdiction but not in such sort as Peter had all were infallible because Apostles and Ambassadors but not after the same maner he was yea Peter was their head on whom they did depend so did not hee on them This makes Peter the corner stone that cupleth the building Which doubtlesse was Christs peculiar whilest hee liued on earth not communicated vnto Peter as they acknowledge vntill his resurrection or ascention That they tell vs then they make but one primary foundation and therefore none such as Christ is as if they should say they admit no more such Popes as Pius primus was because there hath neuer beene nor euer shall bee any Pope Pius the First but hee for to make Peter such a Primate is to make him a foundation or head of the same rancke and order that Christ was onely his inferiour as successor in time or to vse their words a foundation in Christs place So Bellarmine expresly auoucheth where prouing Peters Supremacy or Lordship from his name hee thus inferres Peter onely was knowne by Christs owne name of Cephas or Rocke whereby he is called as often as by any other whatsoeuer yea this is the peculiar attribute in which he is set out vnto vs as the foundation and head of the Church therefore Christ communicating this vnto Peter would haue it signified vnto the world that hee meant to make Peter the foundation and head of the Church in his owne place Why doth Christ cease to bee the foundation in becomming the head stone in the corner or doe they to auoid open suspition of Antichristianisme acknowledge him come in the flesh but gone againe to make roome for Peter and his successors Certainely were the Apostle to gather the meaning of Bellarmines speeches his inference would bee thus In that he sayeth a new head is come in his place hee abrogates the formers authority as he was Ambassador betweene God and man nor is it now as the Testament giuen by Moses was in the Prophets time ready to expire but already expired by actuall succession of another vnto whom Christ the first visible head or foundation did at his aduancement to higher dignity seale the same commission hee had from his father for transacting all affaires concerning the state of his visible Church 18 But doth the space betweene heauen and earth more exceed Romes distance from the vtmost ends of the world then hee to whom all power was giuen in heauen and earth doth the present Pope in amplitude of spirituall iurisdiction Whence is it else that Christ regiment cannot so fully and immediately extend it selfe vnto his Church militant wheresoeuer scattered vpon the face of the earth as the Popes may to the East or West Indies from eyther of which he cannot receiue certaine information how his instruction sent thither succed with his flocke vnder a yeeres space at the least Euery Pope in his time is a rocke a foundation an head in Christs absence from the earth Might not euery one of them in like sort admit a Pope a Vicar generall an absolute fellow Monarch from whom in these remote countries there should bee no more appeales to Rome then are from Rome to Christs throne of Maiesty If wee speake not of that Maiesty which hee there enioyes but of that authority which hee sometimes had or wee can imagine hee could haue in regiment of his Church were hee now visibly present in the flesh it is that Saint Peter and his successors may by our aduersaries doctrine be more properly instiled compeeres to Christ then the best man liuing besides vnto the worst of them For it must bee thought that Christ in his absence ratifies all their decrees without exception as wee may not question them more then wee might Christs owne were hee visibly resident in his Church yet was the authority of Christs other Apostles so mightily ouertopped by Peters Supremacy that they could not bee infallible or occumenicall without his approbation If they were Peter was not such an head to them as his Successors are to theirs euen to all Bishops or inferior Ministers throughout the world If they were not the Pope if hee will bee Peters Successor should make Bishops or Cardinals at least eleuen occumenicall Pastors of authority infallible though with such dependancy on his plenarie power as Christs other Apostes had on Peters Or let them resolue vs in other fundamentall difficulties which their doctrine ministers 19. Christ sayd thou art Peter that is say they a Rocke an head a foundation in my place Vnto whom was this sayd to one of the twelue expressed by name Simon the sonne of Iona To whom likewise singularised by the same expresse tearmes of indiuiduall difference and like restraint of present circumstances or occurrences it was said feed my lambes feed my sheepe If any of Christs speeches as the Popes aduocates graunt many were personally directed to Saint Peter questionlesse these two By what analogie of faith or rule of Grammer can they then extend these to euery Pope in his generation or if any such there haue beene or yet may be vnto whom the foeminiue title of Petra by right of sexe may better agree then vnto Simon Bar-Iona Yet might the name or title infallible draw the supreame dignitie after it they are much-ouerseene in not giuing the name of Peter to euery Pope Christ they confesse is come in the flesh and was in person made head and foundation of the Church and at his departure left Peter in
assembled is built the oecumenicall Pastor that must keepe them and by them all Christs flocke from going astray the supreame head that by his vertue and influence must sustaine euery member of Christs body here on earth from falling into heresie or approching the territories of hel through any kind of error or infidelity 27 Our Sauiour promised in solemne manner ex Cathedra the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against his Church What Church the Catholike What Catholike Visible or Inuisible Triumphant or Militant Visible and Militant What Catholike visible militant Church The Romane that consists of diuers members In it some are Pastors some are sheepe whether haue better interest in that promise Pastors Of Pastors some are Prelates some inferiours whether are to be preferred before the other Prelates doubtlesse for of them consists the body of the Church representatiue which is most properly called the Church and next in reuersion vnto Peters prerogatiue Did the gates of hell then neuer preuaile against the greatest Romish Prelates I nominate no particular person I speake onely of them as the Scripture doth of Drunkards Whoremongers Adulterers Dogs Enchanters Many of highst place in that Church haue for a long time liued and for ought their followers can or care to say vnto to the contrary died such as the spirit of God hath excluded from the kingdome of heauen such as Gods word tels vs hell must swallow vp with open mouth Are they the Church and may hell gates preuaile against them and yet not preuaile against the Church 28 But if a woman an whorish woman cannot be taken without an excuse may wee thinke those effemenate sworne creatures of seruitude to that great strumper can want an answere No this distinction is alwaies at hand Their Popes and Cardinals may as erre so goe to hell But how as priuate Doctors not as oecumenicall Pastors not as they speake ex Cathedra so to my remembrance I haue read of a proud Romish Prelate that reproued for his secular pompe made answere hee followed these fashions as hee was a Duke not as an Archbishoppe But the reprouers reply hath made the Apologie better then which no Iesuite can make for the Pope most ridiculous euer since If this be so quoth the shepheard such was the Pastor God had appointed to rebuke the madnes of this false Prophet I pray resolue mee what shall become of my Lord Duke if the Archbishoppe goe to the diuell If many sometimes Popes be now in hell as no Iesuite I thinke will professe any morall hope that all are saued What is becom of the Church representiue which lodged in their brains Hath the number of glorified Saints been encreased by their departure from earth Were they euer a whit more happy for being heires to that glorious promise Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church or were their comments vpon that place Orthodoxall what was the comfort Saint Peter himselfe could euer haue reaped thence Onely this though Sathan may so sift thee that thy soule may goe to hell before thy body descend to the graue yet rest assured of this that thy faith which in Cathedrall resolutions shall neuer faile thee in thy life time shal suruine in thy successors when thou art dead but to what purpose if notwithstanding this prerogatiue all may descend one after another into hell 29 Or if their doctrine were true to what end did Christ come in the flesh onely to build a Church which like a lampe or candle may gloriously shine whiles there is an interrupted succession of Popes to propagate the splendor but whose glory when that expires for ought that glorious promise addes vnto it must bee extinguished as the light goes out when the oyle is spent Better assurance then euery Pope for his time hath Saint Peter by their doctrine had none from those wordes of our Sauiour For whatsoeuer power or prerogatiue was in them bequeathed to him doth descend by inheritance to his successors And would the meanest Iesuite now liuing haue gloried much in a life graced with no greater visible Church dignity then S. Peters was perpetually exposed to like danger without any other solace to support it saue onely this that his posterity should enioy the same priuiledges But now that the glory and dignity of the Romish Church is becom so great the Iesuites portion thereby grown so fat they can bee well content to sooth vp the Pope in his conceit that howsoeuer his person may goe to hell a place it seems not much dreaded because vnknown yet hell gates shall neuer preuaile against his faith which hath brought such large possessions to the Church both which hee may infallibly entayle to his successors vntill the worlds end But as I said before what then shall become of that cathedrall faith shall it augment the quire of Gods elect or can they make as many S. Faithes as haue beene Popes 30 Herein appeares the excesse of these dayes impietie in respect of former that this imaginary Idea of Romish faith should be more superstitiously adored then any other Idoll in the world euer was Although that of the Apostle may bee more properly said of it then any other nihil est in mundo Other Idols represented either men or beasts some permanent creature or reall quality This is a fancy of a Chimaera a shape of nothing or if by nature and essence ought it is such a conceit or mentall quality as may bee in diuels Existance it hath none but as Eclypses of the sunne by fittes or courses when the Pope shall speake ex Cathedra What shall become of it and the colours in the Rainbow after the day of iudgement are two questions of like vse consequence and of these two obiects the one as fit to direct mens courses by sea or land as the other to conduct vs towardes heauen The dazled imaginations of these Idolaters that can thus conceit this faith to bee spirituall and eternall by succession when it cannot saue them in whom it is are much worse then some foolish heathens dreames of an immortall fame that was to accompany their mortall soules as they esteemed them and argue in these sonnes of Antichrist either an incogitancy or vnbeliefe of Christ who liues for euer come in the flesh or a secure worldly hope hee shall neuer or not this long time come to iudgement 31 Saint Peter hath fortold that there shall come in the last daies mockers which will walke after their lusts and say where is the promise of his comming for since the fathers died all things continue alike from the begiuning of the creation Atheists and Libertines I know here are literally meant But as the Prophets vsually prefigure our future blisse by Ierusalems presēt glory or other known felicity by which perhaps it was represented vnto them So might S. Peter shadow out vnto vs the mystery of iniquity according to that rude draught
doe First their prerogatiues they giue to Peter are blasphemous Secondly their allegations to proue that their Popes succeede as full heires to all Peters prerogatiues are ridiculous Whence it must needes follow that their faith is but a compost of folly blasphemy This pretended perpetuity of tradition or suspitious tale of succession from Peter is the best warrant they haue the Church doth not erre in expounding the places alleadged for her infallability and their beliefe of their infallibility in such expositions the onely security their soules can haue that obeying the former decree of worshipping the consecrate host of cōmunicating vnder one kind they doe not contemptuously disobey Gods principall lawes mangle Christs last Will and Testament vilifie his pretious body and bloud Seeing then they themselues confesse the places brought by vs against their decrees to be diuine and we haue demonstrated that mens beliefe of that infallible authority in making such decrees to bee merely humane the former conclusion is most firme that whilest men obey these decrees against that naturall sense and meaning which the former passages of scripture suggest so plainly to euery mans conscience that the Churches pretended authority set aside none would euer question whether they could admit any restraint they obey men more then God humane lawes more then diuine and much better belieue the traditions of humane fancy of whose forgery for others worldly gaine there bee strong presumptions then the expresse written testimony of the holy spirit in the especiall points of their owne saluation 12 Or if vnto the testimony of Gods spirit recorded in Scriptures wee adde history tradition Councels or former Popes decrees or whatsoeuer possibly may be pretended to proue the present Popes authority it must still bee supposed greater better knowne then all that can be brought for it or against it as will appeare if we apply our argument vsed before That authority is alwayes greater which may trie all others and must bee tried by none but such is the Popes declaration or determination of all points in controuersie whether about the canon or sence of Scriptures ouer those which are brought for it whether about the truth true meaning or authority or vnwrittē traditions whether about the lawfulnes of councels or their authentique interpretations in one word his determinations are monarchical may not be examined as S. Austen or others of the ancient fathers writings may by any law written or vnwritten So Bellarmine suteable to the Trent Councell expresly auoucheth The Fathers were onely Doctors or expositors the Pope is a iudge What then is the difference betweene a Iudge and an expositor To explane as a Iudge there is required authority to explane as a Doctor or expositor onely learning is requisite For a Doctor doth not propose his sentence as necessary to bee followed but onely so farre as reason shal councell vs but a Iudge proposeth his sentence to bee followed of necessity Whereof then will the Pope bee Iudge Of expounding Scriptures these places of Scripture which make for his pretended authority Must his sentence herein of necessity be followed By Bellarmine it must albeit wee see no reason for it either out of Scripture or nature It is for Doctors to bring reasons for their expositions but the Pope needs not except hee will nor may wee exact it of a Iudge So hee addes more expresly We admit not of Bartolus or Baldus glosses as wee doe of Empecours declarations Austine and other Fathers in their Commentaries supply the places of Teachers but the Councell and Popes exercise the function of Iudges whereunto God hath designed them But how shall we know that God hath committed all iudgement vnto them seeing wee haue beene taught by his word that hee hath committed all iudgement vnto his sonne Because all men should honour the sonne as they honour the father We reade not of any other to whom the like authority is giuen by God or his sonne yet of one whose very name shall import the vsurpation of like authority that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christs Vicar generall vnto whom the Sonne as must bee supposed doth deligate the same iudiciary power the Father deligated vnto him 13. But may a Princes declaration in no case be examined by his subiects Yes though in ciuill matters it may so farre as it concernes their consciences as whether it be consonant to Gods word or no whether it make more for the health of their soules to suffer what it inflicts vpon the refusers or to act what it commands To controle contermaund or hinder the execution of it by opposition of violence or contrary ciuill power subiects may not But for any but man to vsurpe such dominion ouer his fellow creatures soules as earthly Princes haue ouer their subiects goods lands or bodies is more then Monarchicall more then tyrannical the very Idea of Antichristianisme And what I would commend vnto the Reader as a point of especiall consideration this assertion of Bellarmine concerning the Popes absolute authoritie directly proues him as was auouched before to be a supreame head or foundation of the selfe same ranke and order with Christ no way inferiour to him in the intensiue perfection but onely in the extent of absolute soueraigntie For greater soueraignty cannot be conceiued then this That no man may examine the truth or equity of commands or consequences immediately deriued from it though immediatly concerning their eternall ioy or miserie No Prince did euer deligate such soueraigne power to his Vice gerent or deputy nor could he vnlesse for the time being at least he did vtterly relinquish his owne supreame authority or admit a full compere in his kingdome Bellarmines distinctions of a primary and secondary foundation of a ministeriall and principall head of the Church may hence he described to be but meere stales set to catch guls Their conceit of the Popes copartnership with Christ is much better resembled and more truly expressed by the Poets imaginations of Iupiter and Augustus Caesars fraternity Diuisum imperium cum Iove Caesar habet Ioue and Caesar are Kings and Gods But Ioue of heauen that 's the onely ods That Christ should retaine the title of the supreame head ouer the Church militant and the realitie of supremacie ouer the Church triumphant ouer aduersaries are not offended Because there is small hope of raising any new tribute from the Angels and Saints in heauen to the Romish churches vse and as little feare that Christ should take any secular commodity from it which aunciently it hath enioyed 14. But though it were true that we were absolutely bound to obey an absolute Monarchie of whose right none doubts yet may we examine whether euery Potentate that challengeth Monarchicall iurisdiction ouer others or giues forth such insolent edicts in ciuill matters as the Pope doth in spirituall do not goe beyond his authority in these particulars albeit his lawfull prerogatiues in respect of others be
continuall faithfulnesse in that seruice whereunto they knew him appointed Albeit after all the mighty workes before-mentioned wrought in their presence they had beene bound thereunto the meanest handmaid in that multitude had infallible pledges plenty of his extraordinary calling lockt vp in her own vnerring senses But from the strange yet frequent manifestation of Moses power and fauour with God so great as none besides the great Prophet whom hee prefigured might challenge the like the Lord in his all â—acing wisdome tooke fiâ—te occasion to allure his people unto strict obseruance of what he afterwards solemnly enacted as also in theâ— to forwarne all future generations without expresse warrant of his word not absolutely to belieue any gouernour whomsoeuer in all though of â—ried skill and fidelity in many principal points of his seruice That passage of Scripture wherin the manner of this peoples stipulation is registred well deserues an exact 〈◊〉 of all especially of these circumstances How the Lord by rehearsall of his mighty workes forepassed extorts their promise to doe whatsoeuer should by Moses be commanded them yet will not accept it offered vntill hee haue made them eare-witnesses of his familiarity and communication with him First out of the Mount he called Moses vnto him to deliuer this solemn message vnto the house of Iacob Yee haue seene what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you vpon Eagles wings and haue brought you vnto mee Now therefore if you will heare my voice indeed and keepe my couenant then yee shall bee my chiefe â—easure aboue all people though all the earth be mine After Moses had reported vnto God this answere freely vttered with ioint consent of all the people solemnly assembled before their Elders All that the Lord commanded we will doe was the whole businesse betwixt God and them fully transacted by this Agent in their absence No hee is sent backe to sanctifie the people that they might expect Gods glorious appearance in Mount Sinai to ratifie what he had said vpon the returne of their answere Loâ— I come vnto thee in a thicke cloud that the people may heare whilst I talke with thee and that they may also belieue thee for euer They did not belieue that God had reuealed his word to Moses for the wonders hee had wrought but rather that his wonders were from God because they heard God speake to him yea to themselues For their principall and fundamentall lawes were vttered by God himselfe in their hearing as Moses expresseth These words to wit the Decalogue the Lord spake vnto all your multitude in the mount out of the midst of the fire the cloud and the darkenesse with a great voice and added no more And lest the words which they had heard might soone bee smoothered in fleshly hearts or quickly slide out of their brittle memories the Lord wrote them in two Tables of stone and at their â—ranscription not Moses onely but Aaron Nadab and Abihu with the seuenty Elders of Israel are made spectators of the diuine glory rauished with the sweetnesse of his presence They saw saieth the Text the God of Israel and vnder his feet as it were a worke of a Saphire stone and as the very heauen when it is cleare And vpon the Nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand also they saw God and did eate and drinke After these Tables through Moses anger at the peoples folly and impiety were broken God writes the same words againe and renewes his Couenant before all the people promising vndoubted experience of his diuine assistance 8 Doth Moses after all this call fire from heauen vpon all such as distrust his words Aaron and Miriam openly derogate from his authority which the Lord confirmes againe viua voce descending in the pillar of the cloud conuenting these detractors in the dore of the Tabernacle Wherefore were you not afraid to speake against my seruant euen against Moses Thus the Lord was very angry and departed leauing his marke vpon Miriam cured of her leprosie by Moses instant prayers No maruell if Korah Dathan and Abirams iudgements were so grieuous when their sinne against Moses after so many documents of his high calling could not but bee wilfull as their perseuerance in it after so many admonitions to desist most malitious and obstinate Yet was Moses further countenanced by the appearance of Gods glory vnto all the congregation and his authority further ratified by the strange and fearefull end of these chief malefactors foretold by him and by fire issuing from the Lord to consume their confederates in offering incense vngratefull to their God Tantae molis erat Iudaeam condere gentem So long and great a worke it was to edifie Israel in true faith but without any like miracle or prediction such as neuer saw him neuer heard good of him must belieue the Pope as well as Israel did their Law-giuer that could make the sea to grant him passage the cloudes send bread the windes bring flesh and the hard rocke yeeld drink sufficient for him and all his mighty hoast that could thus call the heauens as witnesses to condemne appoint the earth as executioner of his iudgements vpon the obstinate and rebellious yet after all this hee inflicts no such punishments vpon the doubtfull in faith as the Romish Church doth but rather as is euident out of the places before alleadged confirmes them by commemoration of these late cited and like experiments making Gods fauours past the surest pledges of his assistance in greatest difficulties that could beset them To conclude this people belieued Moses for Gods testimony of him wee may not belieue Gods word without the Popes testimony of it Hee must bee to God as Aaron was to Moses his mouth whereby hee onely speakes distinctly or intelligibly to his people CHAP. VII That the Churches authority was no part of the rule of faith vnto the people after Moses death That by experiments answerable to his precepts and predictions the faithfull without relying vpon the Priests infallible proposals were as certaine both of the diuine truth and true meaning of the law as their forefathers had beene that liued with Moses and saw his miracles 1 TO proceed vnto the ages following Moses How did they know Moses law either indeed to bee Gods word or the true sence and meaning of it being indefinitely knowne for such By tradition Yes By tradition onely No But how at all by tradition As by a ioint part of that rule on which they were finally to relie Rather it was a meane to bring them vnto the due consideration or right application of the written rule which Moses had left them So hard were their hearts with whom this great Law-giuer had first to deale that faith could not take roote in them vnlesse first wrought and subacted by extraordinary signes and wonders but once thus created in them
and allegiance which most Kingdomes of Europe haue for these thousand yeeres and more borne to the See of Rome or from the bloudy victories ouer all other inferiour Churches or priuate spirits that haue oppugned her These or like allegations in their iudgement abundantly proue their Church to be Christs best beloued the Pope to be his Deputy or rather his corriuall here on earth whose words sound as the word of God and not of Man albeit the spirit hath plainely foretold that the beast which had his power from the Dragon and should open his mouth vnto blasphemies against God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heauen should haue power giuen withall to make warre with the Saints and to ouercome them yea ouer euery kindred tongue and nation so as all that dwell vpon the earth should worshippe him whose names were not written in the Booke of life of the Lambe which was slaine from the beginning of the world 5 To the Iesuites bragges that no visible Church since the world beganne did either spread it selfe so farre or flourish so long as theirs hath done I onely oppose that of our Sauiour Ex tuo ipsius ore iudicabere serue nequam Thine owne confession shall condemne thee thou bondslaue of Sathan For if the Romish Hierarchy bee or hath been in the worlds eye the most potent and flourishing that euer was This description of the Beasts power cannot agree so well to any as vnto it Nor doth the Scripture any where intimate the true Church militant should dominere ouer all Nations or be so triumphantly victorious as they boast theirs hath beene To thinke the Antichrist whom they expect should in three yeeres space subdue as many Nations as haue beene tributary to the See of Rome is a conceit that iustifies the Iew as well in his credulity of things to come which are impossible as in his hypocriticall partiality towards his present estate which hee neuer suspects of Apostasie Vnto this obseruation the Reader may adde other like descriptions of this scarlet Whore all so fitly agreeing to the Papacy as hee that will not acknowledge it for the Kingdome of great Antichrist hath great reason to suspect his heart that if hee had liued with our Sauiour he would scarce haue taken him for his Messias nor can the Iesuites bring any better reasons why the Pope should not be the Antichrist then the Iewes did why Christ should not be the Great Prophet Yet this I say not to discourage such as doubt whether the Pope bee that Man of sinne or to bring them out of loue with their beliefe which may be sound without expresse or actuall acknowledgement of this truth not as yet reuealed vnto them as those two Disciples no doubt were neither hypocrites nor infidels albeit they mistrusted the report of Christs resurrection for they were farther from approuing the practises of the Iewes against him then from actuall acknowledgement of it If any man thus doubt whether the Pope be Antichrist so hee doe not approue his hatred and warre against Gods Saints or his other diuelish practises Gods peace bee vpon him and in good time I trust his eyes shall bee enlightned to see the truth in this particular as those two Disciples did in the Article of the resurrection 6 Seeing wee haue proued the Popes authority so farre to exceede Christs it may seeme needlesse to compare it with the Apostles Yet lest any Iesuite should except that their authority might be greater after their Masters glorification then his was before let vs a while examine what they assumed vnto themselues what they gaue vnto the Scriptures before extant CHAP. XIII That the authority attributed to the present Pope and The Romish rule of faith were altogether vnknowne vnto Saint Peterâ— the opposition betwixt Saint Peters and his pretended Successors doctrine 1 TO beginne with Saint Peter the first supposed to be enstalled in this See of Rome It may be presumed that this Supremacy ouer his fellow Apostles were it any was in his life time whiles his miracles were fresh the extraordinary efficacy of his Ministery dayly manifested as well knowne amongst the faithfull as the Popes now amongst Romane Catholickes If necessary it had beene to acknowledge him or his successors as a second Rocke or foundation the commendation of this doctrine vnto posterity had bin most requisite at the time he wrote his second Epistle as knowing then the time was at hand hee should lay downe his Tabernacle when hee endeuoured his auditors might haue remembrance of his former doctrine to make their calling and election sure If euer there had beene a fitte season for notifying the necessity of the See Apostoliques infallibility all the circumstances of this place witnesse this was it If any they to whom hee wrote were most bound to obey it Their faith had beene planted by him his present intent and purpose was more and more to confirm them in the truth wherein they were in some measure established And being thus mindfull will hee not make choice of meanes most effectuall to preuent heresie or Apostasie What are these then absolute reposall in his and his Successors infallibility Had this beene the best rule of faith hee knew his fault were inexcusable for not prescribing it to such as most willingly would haue vsed it His personall testimony and authority was I confesse as great as any mortall mans could be with his owne eyes he had beheld the Maiesty of our Lord Christ whom hee preached vnto them If any trust there bee in humane senses this Saint of God could not possibly be deceiued If any credence to bee giuen vnto miracles or sanctity of life his flocke might rest assured hee would not deceiue his workes so witnesse the sincerity of his doctrine or if his eyes were not in these his auditors iudgements sufficient witnesses of this truth he further assures them when his Lord receiued of God the Father honour and glory there came such a voice vnto him from the excellent glory This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased And this voyce sayth he wee heard when it came from heauen being not a farre off but with him in the mount If Saint Peters seat or chaire had beene as the Pole-starre whereto our beliefe as the Mariners needle should bee directed lest wee floate wee know not whether in the Ocean of opinions were the bosome of the visible Church the safest harbour our soules in all stormes of temptation could thrust into this Apostle was either an vnskilfull Pilot or an vncharitable man that would not before his death instruct them in this course for the eternal safety of their soules whose bodily liues hee might haue commanded to haue saued his owne Had perpetuall succession in his See or Apostolicall tradition neuer interrupted beene such an Ariadnaes thread as now it is thought to guide vs through the Labyrinth of errors Such was
his steed Peter the Scriptures tell vs was to follow Christ but as they pretend left Pope Linus in his place so hath euery Pope his successor since that time Yet these latter mightily faile in not nominating others whiles they themselues are liuing and visible stones as Christ without question did Saint Peter whiles conuersant with the faithfull in the flesh and Peter Linus in his lifetime 20. But howsoeuer they must of necessitie either make Peter Linus and their successors but one ioint permanent foundation and so the Popes should not bee builded vppon the foundation of the Prophets and the Apostles but rather Christs other Apostles vpon them vpon whom likewise all the faithfull since the Apostles time should be immediatly built Or if they doe not make Peter and the Popes one ioint vnseparable foundation they must admit as many seuerall foundations as Popes so as the euerlasting Rocke whereon the Church is built could not be truly said one and the same but by a perpetuall equiualency of alteration or succession as we say corruptible elements fire or water or candles remaine one and the same because as one part consumes another as good comes in the place This glorious aedifice as hath been obserued stands only by faith or firme adherence to the foundation and by the Aduersaries owne confession to disclaime the authority of the present Romish Church or Pope in points of faith is an heresie or Apostasie of the same nature as if a man had renounced Peter for his supreame head and this all one as if he had cut himselfe of from being a member of Christ Wherefore in respect of vs that are now to be edified the authority of this present Pope is equiuale â—t to Christs our adherence to the one in points of faith and manners must be such as it should haue been to the other had we liued in the dayes of his visible conuersation in the world Finally CHRIST Saint Peter and his successors in regiment of the Church militant here on earth differ by the Roman account no otherwise then Romulus Numa Ancus c. Romulus was first Founder of that kingdome but least other of kings of the same ranke and order he was onely his dignity after his departure was acknowledged greater in another world because as his people were made to beleeue be ascended aliue into heauen as a God Much better might the Romanist deriue his Psewdocatholique Romane faith from Romulus the first builder of that great City that sometimes ruleà ouer the Kings of the earth then from Christ who did erect a kingdome indeed but not of this world wherein none was to succeed him because he remaines Yeasterday to day the same for euer Whence the Prophet sayth this kingdome shall neuer be destroied or giuen to another people but shall breake and destroy all former kingdomes and it selfe stand for euer For any especially of that nation whose former kings had put this immortall King to death concerning the flesh to enstile themselues Rockes and foundation of this euerlasting Empire or absolute spirituall Monarchies in this place doth euidently shew they are the feete of that image most of which hath been as shall be broken to peeces by that stone cut without hands out of the Mountaine vntill it become like the chaffe of the summer flowers carried away with the winde and no place bee found for them or as the Apostle interprets the Prophet the Lord shall consume them with the spirit of his mouth and shall abolish them with the brightnesse of his comming 21. Would the Iesuite then know wherein he and his Latian Lord God must take after Saint Peter Me thinks their formal acknowledgement of that generall principle Christ manifested in the flesh made the headstone in the corner compared with their late mentioned Apostacy in seeking to lay another foundation was liuely resembled if not mystically prefigured by Saint Peter faith immediatly after his glorious confession eclipsed by interposition of such earthly conceits as perpetually darken their mindes For vpon our Sauiours declaration what bodily calamity what ignominy reproach should at Ierusalem shortly after befall the Rocke it selfe whereupon that Church against which hee had now sayd the gates of hell should neuer preuaile was founded Peter as Saint Mathew sayth tooke his Master aside and friendly checks him as if he had forgotten his former promise Maister be good to your selfe this shall not be vnto you As if he had sayd if the gates of hell shall not preuaile against your Church or vs your poore Disciples I hope you are able to priuiledge your owne person from such disgrace and scorne as none but they can intend against you So carnally did this great Apostle vpon ignorance conceit Christs spirituall promise as the papacy vpon habituall or affected error doth to this present day For one principall argument most vsuall in the mouthes and pennes of that great Heads chiefe disciples to proue the Romish the only Church vnto which that glorious promise was made or at least hath been perpetually performed is because no temporall or secular power hath euer beene able though many wicked Potentates Kings and Emperors such titles they giue to all their enemies haue attempted either to deface her externall pompe state and splendor or so to vse the Popes or Cardinalls or other of her principall and dearest children as the Iewes did our Sauiour Christ and his Disciples They are of the world and therefore speake they of the world and the world heareth them But could they vnto any child of God more plainly proue themselues heires to that checke giuen by our Sauiour to Saint Peter Goe behinde me Satans ye are an offence because ye vnderstand not the things that are of God but the things that are of men Could they more euidently demonstrate the Pope to be that man of sin that must be inducted to the Church of God by Satan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe aduersary or accuser he himself bearing the name of aduersary likewise in his title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a second foundation in shew subordinate in deede and consequence quite contrary to that which the Prophets and Apostles haue laide eternally priuiledged if wee may beleeue his followers from those spurnings of men from which the pretious stone of Syon was not exempted 22. To collect the summe of late Romanists comments vpon their Churches supposed fundamentall Charter Their confession of Christ come in the flesh and made head stone in the corner though conceiued in forme of words orthodoxal enough proues only this but disabundantly to all the world that the Pope their supreame head sits in the Temple of God whose circumference in respect of men who cannot search other mens hearts is defined by this confession Their attributing the title of Rocks or fun damentall supportance of that spirituall house vnto this head proclaimes vnto all the world that hee
which it had in his time For the substance natiue quality or proportion of the Atheists and the moderne godlesse Romanists mockery that are the same onely the one is more rude and rough hewen the other more smoothly varnished with hipocrisie and ouerlaied with artificiall colours The blunt Atheist like a lewd debter that simply denies his bond imagines the Lord will neuer come to call him to an account The subtle Romanist like a crafty companion that acknowledgeth the debt but no set day of payment specified saue onely tomorrow hopes to driue off God almighty from day to day putting Christs comming as farre from him the next three yeeres to come as it was the last three past and so would hold on these hundred thousand yeeres if the world should stand so long because Antichrist who by professed enmity against Christ shall giue the world three yeeres warning according to the yeeres of an hireling of its dissolution if wee may belieue this mocker is not yet reuealed Nor euer shall bee to him vnto whom since the Patriarkes and Apostles died continue as they did from the beginning of the new creation mans redemption without any generall Apostasie or decay of Peters faith which remaines still as fresh and liuely as when he first confessed Christ Not the Iew more sottish in expecting his Messias then this hypocrite in deferring Antichrists comming And no maruell when that which first caused the Iew so grieuously to stumble and since retaines him in his vnbeliefe is made the onely ground of the Romane Catholikes faith Hell by approued experiment of the ones fall knew well the same charme would enchant the other both being equally tainted with a superstitious heathenish conceit that their teachers could not erre because they sit in the seates of such as were infallible in their life times And hence it is they are so blind and see it not bewitched and bewitching others with continuall reiterating that magicke spell of templum Domini the Church the Church words whose meaning they vnderstand no more then simple women doe waggish scholars medicines or charmes for the tooth ach Their ignorance though they may put vs in mind of another mockery they make of our Sauiours words 32 For where hee promised hell gates should neuer preuaile against his Church meaning against no true Christian soule espoused to him by an indissoluble knot of faith and euerlasting loue these mockers dispossesse the Christian world of this glorious hope by a double delusion first perswading it that the vniuersall Church militant may encampe in one mans brest vpon whom though hell shut her gates the simple such as they would make vs all must belieue the Church is safe because hee came not with them as an heretike For so in the second place though our Sauiour promiseth in termes as ample and maiesticall as can be deuised that not Hell gates that is no power or force of hell shall bee able to hold play with that Church whose safe conduct to his heauenly kingdome hee there vndertooke they make the meaning of his assurance to bee but this No heresie as if hell gates were furnished with no other munition shall euer make breach vpon the Romane Consistory or approach the Popes seat of dignity Thus to support the Popes supremacy they would make Christ so to shufle as if a Prince were it possible any Prince could bee so base should warrant his confederates safe conduct through his territories vpon as high tearmes as his soueraignery or supremacy would stretch vnto and yet challenged vpon the others miscarriage interpret his meaning to haue been but this I did warrant him he should not die of poyson administred by any Physition of mine in my dominions that no violence should bee offered him by theeues and robbers or other vnruly subiects I vndertooke not CHAP. VIII That the Romanists beliefe of the Churches infallible authority cannot be resolued into any testimony better then humane whence the 〈◊〉 conclusion immediately followes That the Romanist in obeying the Church-decrees without examination of them by Gods word prefer mans lawes before Gods 1 SEing it hath beene manifested as well by ostensiue proofe from Scriptures as by deduction to inconueniences most contrary to the analogy and preiudiciall to the main foundation of faith that Saint Peter was not the Church nor such an head as the Pope doth make himselfe of all the faithfull the principall point is cleare that the Romanists beliefe of such a transcendent absolute oecumenicall authoriry in the Church as might warrant our obedience to the former decrees cannot bee resoluedinto any diuine testimony or absolute promise of Christ in neither of which the Pope can haue any interest but onely by right deriued from S. Peter 2 To follow them a little in their schoole humor onely reckoning the speculatiue probabilities that can bee brought for them without computation of their blasphemies or other dangerous consequences wherewith their doctrine heretofore hath beene and must bee farther charged let vs trie what strength the other ioincts haue in themselues and see in the next place what proofe they can make their Popes are successors to such preheminences as Peter had Albeit euen this ioinct as all the rest of their religion is quite benummed and vtterly depriued of sence by the deadly blow lately giuen to the principall nerue whence life and motion must bee deriued to the whole body of their religion for if wee consider the intensiue perfection of that preheminence or estimation which Peter in respect of his fellowes had either with his Lord or with his flocke this was founded in a correspondent excesse of his loue his liuely faith and diligent feeding vnto no one of which good qualities the Popes professe themselues heires infallible Or if wee respect the extent or amplitude of S. Peters extraordinary soueraignety it was the same with Dauids kingdome or Christs owne pastorall charge and reached but from Dâ—n to Beershebah At the vtmost it and the circumcision had the same circumference Within which how great soeuer his authority was the Pope can haue no pretence to bee his successor therein For the edification of the people committed to him by our Sauiour was to bee finished before Ierusalems destruction since which time Israel hath beene perpetually scattered amongst the nations without a shepheard to gather them And when it shall please the Lord as it is probable it will to reduce them to his fold their Ruler shall bee of their own people strangers shall haue no more dominion ouer them 3 Had the Pope deriued his right from Saint Thomas Bartholomew or other Apostle which haue no writings extaÌ„t this might haue yeelded some surmises not so easie to bee disproued that Romish traditions did containe the summe at least of all these Apostles vnwritten doctrine if from Saint Paul the great Doctor of the Gentiles and first planter of faith amongst the Romans as much commended by him as any other of his children
before whatsoeuer the Pope though in his owne cause shal say it must by this doctrine be supposed that Christ doth say the same Yea if it should please his Holines to auouch ex Cathedra that these words Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech are truely and literally meant of himselfe as Christs Vicar or of perpetuall succession in Peters chaire the euidence must be taken as vpon the Almighties oath who in that place hath sworne as much as these words import but what that is the Pope must iudge That then he permits Christ the title of his soueraigne Lord and vrges others to subscribe vnto his lawes as most diuine is iust as if some Polititian should solicite the whole body of a kingdome solemnely to acknowledge one otherwise lawfull heire vnto the Crowne for their Monarch most omnipotent and absolute whose will once signified must bee a law for euer inuiolable to all his subiects not with intent that hee should in person retaine such perpetuall soueraignety ouer them but that hee might haue absolute power to dispose of his kingdome as he pleased vnto the worlds end or to nominate others as absolute in his place whilest he spent his dayes as a soiourner in a forraine land Finally not the most treacherous and detestable plot the most wicked Pope that hath beene is or shall be could desire to effect but may by this deuice be countenanced with as great and sacred authority as were the best actions our Sauiour euer vndertooke which as may better appeare from what shall be said in the next Section is to make euery Popes authority as much greater then our Sauiours as their liues and actions are worse then his was 3 Suppose some Diuell should possesse the Popes place in similitude of a man as some Papists thinke the great Antichrist who shall challenge as great authority as the Pope doth shall be a Diuell incarnate or the sonne of a Diuell might he not hold his dignity by the same plea the Iesuites make for their Lord and Master Could hee not be content to pretend Christs name or succession from Saint Peter as Simon Magus might hee haue obtained what hee desired would haue done for his owne aduantage Could hee not vrge the authority of Gods word to confirme his owne ouer it and all that is called Gods If in such a case it might not be permitted men to examine his allegations out of Scriptures how could the diuell himselfe bee conuinced by Scriptures or deposed from his supremacy thence pretended And can wee doubt whether hee which makes no other plea then the Diuell were hee in place might is not that Filius Diaboli The great Antichrist Were we not taught that the sonnes of this world are wise onely in their owne generation wee might iustly wonder that any men indued with naturall wit could be so blind as at the first sight not to descrie the politique sophismes vsed by the Romanist to cosen Christ of his kingdom As their whole Religion is but the image of the old Romane policy so their maine plot of Templum Domini Templum Domini the Church the Church as if all were rebels against Christ that will not sweare absolute fealty to the Church Romish may bee most fully paralelled by the like practise of such cunning Statesmen as hauing alwaies one eye to the aduancement of their own priuate fortunes liue vnder an absolute Monarch of himselfe royally minded but not much intermedling in the affairs of greatest moment Oportunity of high place vnder a king vpon what occasion soeuer thus sequestred that poore mens complaints cannot possesse his eares tempts polititians to effect their owne purposes vnder pretence of his right to condemne all of treason or disloyalty that will not obey their designes directed in their Soueraignes name though most abhorrent from the disposition of his royall heart were hee acquainted with such lamentable grieuances of his poore Subiects as are the vsuall consequents of Princes gracious fauours vpon great ones The more absolute such a Princes lawfull authority the greater his natiue subiects loue vnto him is the more both may both bee abused by such vnthankefull officers As it is the soueraigne conceit all men haue of Christs kingdome which keepes the silly in such seruility vnto the Pope his pretended agent 4 This is the onely difference in these two cases otherwise most like An earthly Prince may liue and die deluded of his Machiauillian states-men ouer whom hee hath no power after he himselfe is once subiect But Christ liues and raignes a King for euer and though his throne bee in the highest heauens beholds the things are done on earth hee sees and yet suffereth his pretended officers to retaine such as loue darkenes more then light in grossest ignorance and blind subiection to the Prince of darkenesse and his associate the Prince of darkenesse hee sees and yet suffers them detain all such as delight in lies more then in truth from acquaintance with his holy spirit Hee sees and yet suffers their foulest villanies to be countenanced by his sacred lawes hee sees and yet suffers his holy name to be abused to the establishing of Antichristian heresies hee sees and yet suffers his glory made a stale for maintenance of their secular pompe Hee is the keeper of Israel and cannot so slumber as any abuse should escape his notice his indignation shall not sleepe for euer but in due time he will rouse himselfe as a Lion awaked to take vengeance vpon all the workers of iniquity on them aboue others who haue thus vsurped his throne on earth taking that iudgement during the time of his supposed absence wholly into their handes which belongs onely vnto him Euen so come Lord Iesu holy and true and with the breath of thy mouth destroy him that hath destroyed trueth and sincerity from amongst the sonnes of men SECT III. Containing the second degree of great Antichrists exaltion in making his authority more absolutely infallible then any the visible or representatiue Church of the Iewes Moses or the Prophets euer had Finally in making it greater then Christs or his Apostles was THat the Church of Rome doth aduance her decrees aboue the lawes and ordinances of the Almighty her wordes that in this kind is called Gods aboue all diuine Oracles written and vnwritten is apparant out of their owne positions hitherto discussed yet is this but the first degree of great Antichrists exaltations The second is the exalting the Popes aboue any personall authority that euer was either practised or established on earth This in briefe is the assertion which by Gods assistance wee are in this present section to make euident The authority which the Iesuites and Iesuited Priests giue and would bind others vpon paine of damnation to giue vnto the present Church or Pope throughout euery age is greater then any authority that euer was challenged since the world began by any man or visible company of men
to preiudice the truth of ours by raysing a suspition in the ignorant of our bad dealing as if wee taught the contrary 3 His second fortresse is that neither our Sauiour Christ nor his Apostles did euer taxe the Prelates or inferiour Priests by these names directly but alwayes vnder the name of Scribes and Pharises lest they might thereby seeme to reprehend the Priesthood or seat of authority And this they did that men might know honour and reuerence to bee due vnto the Prelacy or PriesthOod although the Priests or Prelates in their liues and persons were not so commendable The consequence is not amisse albeit his reason bee not so firme and the corollary which hee hence deduceth most malitious Hence saith hee wee are giuen to vnderstand that the heretikes of this age which vpon euery occasion inueigh against Bishops Priests especially the Pope doe but ill consent in manners with our Sauiour and his Apostles But did neither our Sauiour Christ nor his Apostles taxe the Priests Prelates by their proper names for that reason which Bellarmine brings Wee may suppose I trust without offence that Gods Prophets did not go beyond their commission in taxing the chiefe offences or offendors of their times that our Sauiour or his Apostles might vpon the like or greater occasions haue vsed the same forme of reprehension the Prophets did or other more personall The true reason why so they did not was because they had no such respect of persons or titles as Bellarmine dreames of but aimed chiefly at the fairest for such vsually gaue greatest countenance to foulest sins And who knowes not now in the Synagogues latter dayes the glorious titles of Scribes and Pharises had in a sort drowned the names of Priests as the reputation of Iesuites hath of late yeeres much eclipsed all other titles of inferiour ministers heretofore more famous in the Romish Church It was likewise the high esteeme of these two Saint like sects which seduced most silly soules throghout Iewry to follow traditions contrary to Gods lawes as the Iesuites late same hath drawne most of the blind Churches children which goe more by eare then eye sight to account villany piety and falshood subtlety As our Sauiour and his Apostles reprehended the Rabbies or Priestes in their times not vnder the names of Priestes and Leuites but vnder the glorious names of Scribes and Pharisies then reputed the onely guides of godlinesse so would they were they now on earth as wee in imitation of them taxe the Romish Clergy especially vnder the names of Iesuits or other more famous orders in that church But the Sect of Scribes and Pharises being not knowne in Malachies time nor any other order so glorious then as the order of Priests he tels them their owne in their proper names And now O yee Priests this commandement is for you So did Micah and Zephania and euery Prophet as their demerites gaue occasion 4 His third fortresse is that whatsoeuer Christ saith of Moses chaire must he conceiued to make more for Saint Peters and such as sate therin Why our Sauiours admonition should make more for the Popes authority within his owne territories then it did for the Scribes and Pharises or High Priests authority in the land of Iewry I see no reason that it may concerne the people liuing vnder the Pope and Clergy of Rome as much as it did the people of Iewry then subiect to the High Priest Scribes and Pharises I will not deny for such Iudges as they were the Popes of Rome in their seuerall generations may bee nay would God they were not Let vs see then what infallibility in giuing definitiue sentence Bellarmine can proue out of the fore-mentioned place The words are plaine Whatsoeuer they bid you doe that doe What all without any exception nay you doe the Papists wrong if you collect so Whatsoeuer they speake ex Cathedra Then the proposition though most vniuersall for the forme is restrained by our aduersaries themselues vnto such doctrines onely as they taught ex Cathedra And iustly seeing this restraint hath more apparent ground in the Text then any other Therefore it is said they sit in Moses seat they are infallible not alwaies because they somtimes sit but whiles they sit in Moses seat or giue sentence out of it what is it then to giue sentence out of Moses seat to pronounce sentence solemnly and vpon deliberation If vnto all their doctrines or definitiue sentences so prononnced men had beene bound in conscience to yeeld obedience the Pope as shall bee shewed anone had neuer sate in Peters chaire yea Peter himselfe had been in conscience bound to be an Apostata from Christ But what is the meaning of these words They sit in Moses seat all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you that obserue and doe That is all that Moses first said and they recite This is a strange interpretation indeed will the ignorant or illiterate Papist reply yet to omit many others of their owne a late Iesuites whole skill in expounding Scriptures saue onely where doting loue vnto their Church hath made him blind none of theirs few of our Church haue surpassed When hee commands to obserue and doe all that the Scribes Pharises say whilest they sit in Moses seat hee speakes not of theirs but of Moses his doctrine the meaning is as if hee had said whatsoeuer the law or Moses recited by the Scribes and Pharises shall say vnto you that obserue and doe but doe not yee according to their works This he takes to bee Saint Hilaries and Saint Hieroms exposition of the place If any man yet further demand why our Sauiour did not speake more plainely Whatsoeuer Moses saith obserue and doe rather then Whatsoeuer the Scribes and Pharises say obserue and doe Maldonat in the same place giues two reasons The first because our Sauiour did now purpose to taxe the Scribes and Pharises hypocrisie which hee had not taxed vnlesse hee had shewed that they taught otherwise then they liued The second that in this Chapter hee intended to reprehend the Scribes and Pharises sharpely and therefore it was expedient hee should first commend them for some things lest all his reproofes might seeme to proceed from passion or want of iudgement Thus farre Maldonat vnto whose answere wee may adioyne that our Sauiour Christ as Maldonat also wel hath noted did speake these words vnto such as had seene his miracles and heard his doctrine and yet could not bee his dayly auditors with his other Disciples but were to repaire to the Scribes and Pharises as vnto their ordinary teachers and instructers in the Law Here if wee consider the humor of rude and ignorant people for such may wee suppose most of his auditors were as yet it was very likely they would either be slow to heare or ready to distast any doctrine that should proceed from the Scribes and Pharises mouthes whom they had heard so much discommended by
Church and chosen be as we acknowledge it to bee infinite and euerlasting if these or the like arguments make any things for the infallibility of the present Romish they proue as much and as directly for the ancient Iewish Church For that was a visible company of men not of oxen and Asses and of them God had a care also Nay they were his owne peculiar people and without al controuersie the onely visible Church which hee had on earth Wherefore all the former arguments if they conclude any infallible authority in the present Romish Church they conclude much more for the like infallibility of the Iewish And by necessary consequence if I proue that the Church had no such authority my assertion stands sure That this infallible authority which the factors of the Romish Church doe challenge is greater then any visible Company of men had before our Sauiour time And by the same proofe shall the Romish Church bee debarred for euer of both the two former pleas either drawne from the authority of the Priests or from the best forme of gouernment CHAP. V. That iustly it may be presumed the Iewish Church neuer had any absolute infallibility in proposing or determining Articles of faith because in our Sauiours time it did so grieuously erre in the fundamentall point of saluation 1 FOr proofe of the Conclusion proposed that Ierusalem had no such absolute infallibility as Rome pleades for I tooke it for a long time as granted by all that if any such authority had beene established in the law it should not haue varied vntill the alteration of the priesthood For Gods couenant with Leui was in this sence euerlasting that it was to endure without interruption vntill his sacrifice was accomplished that was a Priest after a more excellent order His oblation of himselfe was the common bond to the law and Gospell the end of the one and the beginning of the other Nor did the legall rites or ceremonies themselues though these most obnoxious to corruption vanish by little and little as this sacrifice did approch neerer and neerer as darkenesse doth before the rising of the sunne rather that consummation wrought vpon the Crosse did swallow them vp at once as virility doth youth youth childhood childhood infancy Seeing then our aduersaries suppose this infallibility was annexed as a prerogatiue royall vnto the Priesthood they cannot imagine any tollerable reason why the one should expire before the other was quite abolished Hence it is that most of them hold the Scribes and Pharises in our Sauiours time were absolutely infallible in their Cathedrall consultations And I had iust reasons to presume Bellarmine had been of the same mind For besides his vrging that place without all sense or reason vnlesse grounded on this opinion They sit in Moses chaire All therfore whatsoeuer they bid you that obserue and do these other words of his seemed to imply thus much It cannot be shewed that the Sinagogue of the Iewes did faile in saith vntill Christs comming at what time it did not faile but rather become better by change By his speeches elsewhere I perceiued by the Synagogue thus changed hee meant the Church planted by Christ not the Consistory of the High-Priests and Elders not the Catholike representatiue Iewish Church For sayeth he as it is not necessary the Popes Vicar should bee inerrable when the Pope himselfe doth guid the Church and defend it from error so neither was it necessary that the Iewish high Priest should not erre when Christ the High-Priest of the whole Church was present and did gouerne his Church in person 2 This example were it true might illustrate though ill-fauoredly his assertion once supposed as possible but no way argues it to be probable Herein his similitude failes that the High Priests in our Sauiours time were Aarons lawfull successors their Priesthood as entire then as euer it was and they Deputies to none in this ranke or order That their Predecessors had such infallibility hee faine would proue Can he or any for him shew vs when or by what meanes it should determine whiles the Priesthood lasted To take away the Popes infallibility euen in this last age of the world were in thier construction to deny Christs promise made vnto Saint Peters chaire And was not the former like prerogatiue as inseparably annexed to Moses seat did our Sauiour before his Passeouer either by doctrine or practise derogate ought from any lawfull authority established on earth much lesse from that which God had expresly instituted The greatest prerogatiue the Scribes and Pharises Priests or Rulers euer had was that they were Aarons successors and possessed Moses place and this authority was neuer disanulled but rather ratified by our Sauiour after hee had vndertaken his ministeriall function They sit in Moses seat all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you that obserue and doe And elsewhere Goe and shew thy selfe vnto the Priest c. 3* Yet this Sophister would perswade vs that Isaiah and Daniel had foretold the expiration of this prerogatiue in latter times They both indeed foretell this peoples extraordinary generall blindnesse about the time of our Sauiours conuersation on earth But this directly proues what wee obiect not what Bellarmine should haue answered at least to vs who contend the Priests and Rulers of this people were not infallible in our Sauiours time nor doth Isaiah or Daniel or any Prophet of God say they were at any time such Let any Iesuite proue what easily hee may out of Isaiahs words cited by Bellarmine that the Iewish church representatiue was not infallible in our Sauiours time and from the same wee shall as clearely euince it palpably erroneous in Isaiahs owne dayes or immediately after For the selfe same words which the Euangelist saith were fulfilled in the vnbeleeuing Iewes that heard our Sauiours doctrine were literally and exactly veriâ—ied of their forefathers before the captiuity of Babylon as the Cardinall himselfe would hee take the paines to reade the whole Chapter and reuiue the place cited by him I know would not deny His wordes are these And hee said go and say vnto this people Yee shall heare indeed but yee shall not vnderstand yee shall plainely see and not perceiue Make the heart of this people sat make their eares heauy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and conuert he heale them Then said I Lord how long And he answered vntill the Cities be wasted without inhabitant and the houses without man and the land be vtterly desolate and the Lord haue remoued men far away and there be a great desolation in the midst of land The truth of our assertion is so pregnant that Maldonat the most iudicious expositor amongst the Iesuites takes it as granted the words late cited were literally meant onely of that generation with whome the Prophet liued and brings this very Text as
nor the Prophets did euer so much as once intimate such absolute power should be acknowledged in that great Prophet of whome they wrote wee suppose the imagination of the like in whomsoeuer cannot bee without reall blasphemie Yet suppose Christs infallibility and the Popes were in respect of the Church Militant the same the Popes authoritie would be greater or were their authoritie but equall his priuiledges with God would bee much more magnificent then Christs That which most condemned the Iewes of infidelity in not acknowledging Christ as sent with power full absolute from God his father were his mightie signes and wondâ—rs his admirable skill in Gods word alreadie established but chiefly his sacred life and conuersation as it were exhibiting vnto the world a visible patterne or coÌ„spicuous modell of that incomprehensible goodnesse which is infallible Now if we compare his powerfulnesse in words and workes with the Popes imperfections in both or his diuine vertues with the others monstrous vices to equalize their infallibilities were to imagine God to bee like man and Christ at the best but as his faithfull seruant the Pope his Minion his Darling or some of his age For such is our partialitie to our owne flesh that oftimes though the Wise man aduise to the contrarie a lewde and naughtie sonne in that hee is a sonne hath greater grace and priuiledges then the most faithfull seruant in the fathers house So would the Iesuites make God dote vpon the Pope whose authoritie bee his life neuer so vngracious if they should denie to bee lesse then Christs in respect of vs their practises enioyned ex Cathedra would confute them For much sooner shall any Christian though otherwise of life vnspotted be cut off from the congregation of the faithfull for denying the Popes authoritie or distrusting his decrees then the Iewes that saw Christs miracles for contradicting him in the dayes of his flesh or oppugning his Apostles after his glorification Nor bootes it ought to say they make the Popes authoritie lesse then Christs in respect they deriue it from his rather because they euidently make it greater then Christs was it cannot bee truly thence deriued or if it could this onely proues it to bee lesse then the other whilest onely compared with it not whilest wee consider both in respect of vs for Christs authoritie as the Sonne of Man in respect of vs is equall to his Fathers whence it is deriued For the Father iudgeth no man but hath committed all iudgement vnto the Sonne 2 But wherein doe they make the Popes authoritie greater then Christs First in not exempting it from triall by Christs and his Apostles doctrine neither of which were to be admitted without all examination of their truth for as you heard before Gods word was first vttered in their audience established by euident signes and wonders in their sight and presence of whom beliefe and obedience vnto particulars was exacted And it is a rule most euident and vnquestionable that Gods word once confirmed and sealed by experience was the only rule whereby all other spirits and doctrines were to bee examined that not Propheticall visions were to bee admitted into the Canon of Faith but vpon their apparent consonancie with the word alreadie written The first Prophets were to be tried by Moses the latter by Moses and their Predecessors Christs and his Apostles by Moses and all the Prophets for vnto him did all the Prophets giue testimonie The manifest experiments of his life and doctrine so fully consonant to their predictions did much confirme euen his Disciples beliefe vnto the former Canon of whose truth they neuer conceiued positue doubt 3 Againe there had beene no Prophet no signes no wonders for a long time in Iudah before our Sauiours birth yet hee neuer made that vse either of his miracles or more then Propheticall spirit which the papists make of their imaginary publike spirit he neuer vsed this or like argument to make the people relie vpon him How know yee the Scriptures are Gods word How know yee that God spake with Moses in the Wildernesse or with your Fathers in Mount Sinai Moses your Fathers and the Prophets are dead and their writings cannot speake Your present Teachers the Scribes and Pharises doe no wonders Must you not then belieue him whome daily you may behold doing such mightie workes as Moses said to haue done that Moses as your fathers haue told you was sent from God that Gods word is contayned in his writings otherwise you cannot infallibly beleeue that there was such a man indeed as you conceiue hee was much lesse that he wrote you this Law least of all can you certainely know the true meaning of what hee wrote Hee that is the onely sure foundation of faith knew that faith grounded vpon such doubts was but built vpon the sand vnable to abide the blasts of ordinarie temptations that thus to erect their hopes was but to prepare a rise to a grieuous downefall the ready way to atheisme presumption or despaire For this cause hee doth not so much as once question how they knew the Scriptures to be Gods word but supposing them knowne and fully acknowledged for such he exhorts his hearers to search them seeking to prepare their hearts by signes and wonders to embrace his admirable expositions of them And because the corruption of particular morall doctrines brought into the Church by humane tradition would not suffer the generality of Moses and the Prophets already belieued to fructifie in his hearers hearts and branch out vniformely into liuely working faith he laboured most to weede out Pharisaisme from among the heauenly seed as euery one may see that compares his sermon vpon the Mount with the Pharises glosses vpon Moses If the particular or principall parts of the law and Prophets had beene as purely taught or as clearely discerned as the generall and common principles His Doctrine that came not to destroy but to fulfill the law in words and works had shined as brightly in his hearers hearts at the first proposall as the sunne did to their eyes at the first rising For all the morall duties required by them were but as dispersed rayes or scattered beams of that diuine light and glory which was incorporate in him as splendor in the body of the sunne Nor was there any possibility the Iewes beliefe in him should prosper vnlesse it grew out of their generall assent vnto Moses doctrine thus pruned and purged at the very roote Had yee belieued Moses saith our Sauiour yee would haue belieued me for he wrote of me but if yee belieue not his writings how shall yee belieue my words For which cause they were in conscience bound to examine his doctrine by Moses and the Prophets otherwise they might haue belieued the sauing truth but falsly and vpon decitfull grounds The stronger or more absolute credence they had giuen vnto his words or workes without such examination the more