and feeling of his goodnesse and truth of his word 7 Though no Law-giver or Governour whether temporal or spiritual especially whose calling was but ordinary could possibly before or since so well deserve of the people committed to his guidance as this great General already had done of all the host of Israel were they upon this consideration forthwith to believe what soever he should avouch without further examination sign or token of his favour with God without assured experience or at the least more then probable presumptions of his continual faithfulnesse in that service whereunto they knew him appointed Albeit after all the mighty works before mentioned wrought in their presence they had been bound thereunto the meanest handmaid in that multitude had infallible pledges plenty of his extraordinary calling lockt up in her own unerring senses But from the strange yet frequent manifestation of Moses power and favour with God so great as none besides the great Prophet whom he prefigured might challenge the like the Lord in his al-seeing wisdom took fit occasion to allure his people unto strict observance of what he afterwards solemnly enacted as also in them to forwarn all future generations without express warrant of his word not absolutely to believe any governour whomsoever in al though of tried skil and fidelity in many principal points of his service That passage of Scripture wherein the manner of this peoples stipulation is registred wel deserves an exact survey of all especially of these circumstances How the Lord by rehearsal of his mighty works so epassed extorts their promise to do whatsoever should by Moses be commanded them and yet will not accept it offered until he have made them ear-witnesses of his familiarity and communication with him First out of the Mount he called Moses unto him to deliver this solemn message unto the house of Jacob Ye have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you upon â—agles wings and have brought you unto me Now therefore if you will hear my voice indeed and keep my covenant then ye shall be my chief treasure above all people though all the earth be mine After Moses had reported unto God this answer freely uttered with joynt consent of all the people solemnly assembled before their Elders All that the Lord commanded we will do was the whole businesse betwixt God and them fully transacted by this Agent in their obsence No he is sent back to sanctifie the people that they might expect Gods glorious appearance in Mount Sinai to ratifie what he had said upon the return of their answer Lo I come unto thee in a thick cloud that the people may hear whilest I talk with thee and that they may also believe thee for ever They did not believe that God had revealed his word to Moses for the wonders he had wrought but rather that his wonders were from Gâ—d because they heard God speak to him yea to themselves For their principal and fundamental lawes were uttered by God himself in their hearing 〈◊〉 Moses expresseth These words to wit the Decalogue the Lord spake unto â—… 〈◊〉 â—ulâ—â—tude in the â—ouâ—t out of the midst of the fire the cloud and the 〈◊〉 with a great voice and addâ—d no more And lest the words which they had heard might soon be smothered in fleshly hearts or quickly slide oâ—â— of their brittle memories the Lord wrote them in two Tables of stone and at their transcription not â—oses onely but Aaron Nadaâ— and Aâ—thâ— with the seventy Elders of Israel are made spectators of the Divine glory ravished with the sweetnesse of his presence †They saw saith the Text thâ—… of Isrâ—â—l and unâ—er his feet as it were a work of a Saphire stone and as the 〈◊〉 hâ—aâ—â—n when it is clear And upon the Nobles of the children of Israel â—e 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 also they saw God and did eat and drink After these Tables through Aâ—â—sâ—s anger at the peoples folly and impiety were broken God writes the 〈◊〉 same words again and renews his Covenant before all the people promising undoubted experience of his Divine assistance 8 Doth Moses after all this call fire from heaven upon all such as distrâ—â—t his words â—aron and Mâ—riam openly derogate from his authority which the Lord consirmes again viva voce descending in the †pillar of the 〈◊〉 coâ—…ng these dâ—tractors in the doore of the Yabeâ—â—acce Wherefore were you 〈◊〉 aâ—raid to spâ—ak against my servant even against Moses Thâ—â—s the Lord was 〈◊〉 aâ—gâ—â—e and depaâ—tâ—d leaving his mark upon Miriam cured of her leprosie by Moses instant prayers No marvell if Korah Dathan and â—â—irams judgements were so grievous when their sin against Moses after so many documents of his high calling could not but be wilfull as their perseverance in it after so many admonitions to desist most malitious and obstinate Yet was Mâ—sâ—s further countenanced by the appearance of Gods glory unto all the Congregation and his authority further ratified by the strange and fearfull end of these chief malefactors †foretold by him and by fire iâ—luing from the Lord to consume their confederates in offering incense ungratefull to their God Tantae molis erat Judaeam condere gentem So long and great a work it was to â—…ie Israel in true faith But without any like miracle or prediction such as never saw him never heard good of him must believe the Pope as well as Israel did their Law-giver that could make the Sea to grant him passage the clouds send bread the windes bring flesh and the hard rock yeeld drink sufficient for him and all his mighty host that could thus call the heavens as witnesses to condemn and appoint the earth as executioner of his judgements upon the obstinate and rebellious yet after all this he inflicts no such punishments upon the doubtfull in faith as the Romish Church doth but rather as is evident out of the places before alledged confirms them by commemoration of these late cited and like Experiments making †God 's favours past the surest pledges of his assistance in greatest difficulties that could beset them To conclude this people believed Moses for Godâ— testimony of him we may not believe Gods Word without the Popes testimony of it He must be to God as Aaron was to Moses his mouth whereby he onely speaks distinctly or intelligibly to his people CAP. XVII That the Churches authority was no part of the rule of faith unto the people after Moses death That by Experiments answerable to his precepts and predictions the faithfull without relying upon the Priests infallible proposals were as certain both of the divine truth and true meaning of the Law as their fore-fathers had been that lived with Moses and saw his miracles 1 TO proceed unto the ages following Moses How did they know Moses law either indeed to be Gods Word or the true sence and meaning of it being indefinitely known
with the corrupt remainder of former heresies for these thousand years and more And unto many grosse errours in Romish religion which this imperfect translation did not first occasion It yet affords that countenance which the pure Fountains of the Greek and Hebrew do not but rather would scour and wipe away were they current in that Church Finally though it yield not nutriment to enlarge or feed yet it serves as a cloak to hide or cover most parts of the great mysterie of iniquity 6 Yet besides the favourable construction that may be made for that religion out of the plain and literal sense of this erroneous translation the Church wil be absolute Judge of all controversies concerning the right interpretation thereof So as not what our consciences upon diligent search and just examination shall witnesse to us but what the Church shall declare to them must be absolutely acknowledged for the true intent and meaning of Gods word as it is rendred by the vulgar interpreter To this purpose is the very next decree 7 Moreover for brideling petulant dispositions it is decreed That no man in confidence of his own wisdom or skill in matters of faith and manners making for the edification of Christian doctrine shall dare to interpret Scriptures wresting them to his own conceipt or sense against that sense or meaning which the holy Church our mother to whom it belongs to judge of the true sense and interpretation of sacred writ heretofore hath held or now doth hold albeit he never purpose to publish such interpretations 8 It is further added in the same place because I take it had been specified in a Synod before that no man shall dare to interpret Scriptures against the unanimous consent of Fathers Which I think were impossible for any man to do though were it possible few or none would attempt besides the Papists For neither can it be known what all of them hold in most places whereupon are grounded controversies of greatest moment and in such as we have best plenty of their interpretations albeit they do not contentiously dissent yet absolutely agree each with other they do not Even one and the same Father oft-times thinks of many interpretations sundry alike probable most of them unwilling by their peremptory determinations one way or other to prejudice the industrious search of others though their far inferiours for finding out some more commodious then any they bring oftentimes intimating their doubts or imperfect conjectures in such manner as if they would purposely incourage their successours to seek out some better resolution then they could find Whence it is evident That we should not alwayes interpret Scriptures against the joynt consent of Fathers albeit we went against all the particular interpretations which they have brought because they were more desirous to have the truth fully sifted then their conjectural probabilities infallibly believed Nor were it possible more to contradict most of them then by following their interpretations upon such strict terms as the Romanists would bind all men to do when they seem to make for their advantage Not the least surmise or conjecture of any one Father but if it please them must suffice against the joynt authority of all the rest For in all the three points above mentioned they admit the Church as may appear from the decrees cited for a Judge so absolute That no man may imbrace any opinion upon what grounds or probabilities soever but with humble submission to her censure Whatsoever she shall injoyn in all or any of these points albeit we have reasons many and strong not to hold it to hold not one besides her bare authority yet must all believe it alone as absolutely as if we had the apparent unanimous consent of Fathers yea of Prophets Apostles or Evangelists and all good writers in every age 9 Hence Bellarmin rejects as dissonant to the former decree this resolution of Luther That albeit the Pope and Councel conclude points of Faith yet have private men a free arbitrement so far as it concerns themselves whether they may safely believe their conclusions or no. Luther gives two reasons for his assertion both most forcible The one because the Pope shall not answer for private men at the hour of their death The other because none are competent Judges of false Doctrines but men spiritually minded when as it often fals out that in their Councels there cannot the found one man much lesse a major part of men without which how many soever there were all were as none that hath any the least relish of the Divine Spirit The like assertion doth the Jesuit condemn in Brentius 10 It is not lawful saith Brentius for any man in a point of salvation so to rely upon anothers sentence as to imbrace it without interposition of his own judgement The reason is there intimated because every man is to be immediately judged by his own conscience and may for avoiding the just censure of condemnation by it safely disclaim their opinions the execution of whose sentence or bodily punishment he may not decline seeing they are as was observed before publick and lawful yet Fallible Judges of controversies in Religion And Bellarmin bewrayes either grosse ignorance or great skil in wrangling when he exclaims against this position of Brentius as absurd and repugnant to it self That the Supream Magistrate or publick Judge may be bound to command where the subject or inferiour is not bound to obey For as well the Prince in commanding as the people in obeying must follow whither their consciences lead them Both may and in case they disagree the one or other cannot but erre in the precedent information of their consciences and herein properly doth their sin consist not in doing what erroneous conscience upon so strict terms as penalty of eternal death doth unnecessarily urge them to 11 The people saith Canus did absolutely not upon condition believe God and his servant Moses and unlesse men So believe the Church they make it of no authority Nor is it enough to believe it to be Infallible in points of Moment or such as might overthrow Faith unlesse it be acknowledged so absolutely inerrable in all as it cannot either believe or teach amisse in any question of Faith for if in any seeing there is one and the same reason of all it might as wel fail in receiving some books indeed not such for Canonical and Divine Whereupon it would follow that this argument would not follow The Church acknowledgeth Saint Matthews Gospel for Canonical therefore it is Canonical The denial of which consequence is most impious and absurd in this mans censure fully consonant to Valentian before cited That Scripture which is commended unto us and expounded by the Authority of the Church is now even in this respect because the Church commends it most authentick 12 Unto these and far more grosse conclusions all their modern Writers for ought
how great soever his Authority was the Pope can have have no pretence to be his successor therein For the edification of the people committed to him by our Saviour was to be finished before Ierusalems destruction since which time Israel hath been perpetually scattered amongst the Nations without a shepherd 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 be of their own people strangers shall have no more dominion over them 3 Had the Pope derived his right from Saint Thomas Rartholomew or other Apostle which have no writings extant this might have yeelded some surmises not so easie to be disproved that Romish traditions did contain the summe at least of all these Apostles unwritten 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 in Christ the improbabilitie had been much lesse then now it is in Peters case that the Bishop of Rome if any should have succeeded him But when that people began to grow out of love with the truth fashioning themselves unto this present world the disease whereof Saint Paul forewarned them it was Sathans policie to present unto them longing after such a Monarchical state as their Heathenish Predecessours had such shews of Peters Supremacie and residencie at Rome as by the Divine permission had either crept into some of the Ancients religious cogitations or else in time of darknesse have been shufled by the Predecessors of these cheating mates late discovered into their writings as sit baits to entice them unto this derivation of that absolute power from Peter to their greater condemnation and our good For God no doubt in his providence ordered this their blindnesse to illuminate us as he did the fall of the Jews to confirm the Gentiles in faith seeing of all the Apostles Peters prerogatives as hath been shewed were most evidently personal all to determin with himself unto which observation his own writings also give testimony Even a little before he was to leave the world where he most manifested his earnest desire of preserving his flock found in faith after his death he gives no intimation as shall be shewed more at large hereafter of any Successor unto whom they were to repair His present Epistle he foresaw would be more availeable to this purpose then any Tradition from him I will not be negligent to put you alwayes in remembrance of these things though that he have knowledge and he established 〈◊〉 present truth For I think it meet as long as I am in this Tabernacle to â—… you up by pretting vnto in remembrance seeing I know that the time is at hand that I must lay down this my Tabernacle even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewea me I will endeavour therefore alwayes that ye also may be able to have remembrance of those things after my departing 4 As for peculiar direction of later times whence perpetual infallibilitie must be derived it cannot be gathered from his writings that he knew so much as his brother Paul did Albeit in this point these two great pillars of Christs Church more famous then all their fellow Apostles besides for present efficacie of their personal ministerie come far behind the Disciple whom Jesus loved whose written Ambassage was in a peculiar sence to tarry till Christs last coming unto judgement as he himself did unto Christ first coming to destroy Jerusalem and forewarn the Nations Besides the Doctrine of common salvation necessarie for all to know plentifully set down in this Disciples Epistle his Revelations contain infallible directions peculiar to every age And as in some one gift or other every Apostle almost exceeds his fellowes so if amongst all any one was to have this prerogative of being the ordinary Pastor or to have ordinary succeslours as Aaron though inferiour to Moses in personal prerogatives during his life had after his death this doubtlesse was Saint John who ascribes that unto the diligent Expositors hearers or Readers of his Books which the Romanist appropriates to such as relie upon the visible Churches determinations never questioning whether it be that Babylon which Saint John deciphers or no Blessed is he saith Saint John that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophesie and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand Blessed they are that read it with fear and reverence or so affected as this Disciple was for unto such the Lord will by means ordinary by sober observation of the event reveal his secret intent as he did it unto him by the extraordinary gift of Prophesie for the testimoâ— of Jesus is the spirit of Prophesie Revel 19. 10. 5 It is evident the Spirit of God intended to shew Iohn and Iohn to shew the faithfull all the Eclipses that should befall the Church until the worlds end His prophesies since his death were so to instruct the world of all principal events present or to come as Histories do of matters forepast Now as he in our times wherein God inspires not men with Moses spirit is accounted the best Antiquary that is most conversant and best seen in the faithfull Records of time not he that can take upon him to divine as Moses did of the worlds state in former Ages so since the gift of prophesie ceased he is to be esteemed the most infallible teacher the safest guide to conduct others against the forces of hell chiefly heresies or doctrines of Devils that can best interpret him who first descried them and in his life time forewarned the Churches of Asia planted by Saint Paul and watered by him of the abominations that threatned shortly to overspread them and after them the whole visible Church until these later times Doth the Pope then professe more skill in Saint Iohns Revelations then any other If he do let him make proof of his Profession by the evidence of his Expositions But from this Apostle he pretends none at all and we demand but any tolerable proof of succession from S. Peter 6 A supreme oecumenical Head say the Parasites to the Sea Apostolique is as necessary now as in Saint Peters time therefore he must jure civino have a Successour But neither doth Scripture or Reason admit any such Head as they have moulded in their brains either then or now As hath been abundantly proved and their own instances brought to illustrate the probabilitie of such a device contradict them For admit that Christ and earthly Princes stood in like need of Deputie-Governours in their absence would the King of Spain were he to go on Pilgrimage unto his Kingdom of Jerusalem leave but one Deputie over all the Dominions of Spain and Portugal the West Indies Sicilie Naples and Millain Or leaving but one would indue him with such absolute power over all his Subjects in these
v. 37. The manner of his relenting chap. 43. v. 6. upon necessitie of their going for more food and his sons peremptory refusal to go without Benjamin in the five first verses of the 43 Chapter * His condescending v. 11. upon their just Apologie for mentioning their youngest brother to the Governour and Judahs undertaking for Benjamins safe conduct back and forth in the 10. 9. 8. and 7. verses lastly the close or Epiphonema of his speech v. 13. and 14. Whilest I compare one of the circumstances with another and all of them with other precedent and consequent chiefly with Judahs speech to Joseph Genesis 44. from the sixteenth verse to the end of the Chapter although I knew no other Scripture to make me a Christian this one place would perswade me to become a Pythagorean and think that my soul had been in some of Jacobs sons where it had heard this controversie rather then to imagine that it could have been fained by any that lived long after 7 Or if we consider not the particular relations onely but the whole contrivance and issue of this storie what patern of like invention had Moses to follow If the Atheist grant such a Divine Providence as he describes let him tell us whence he learned it If from any more ancient description let this be suspected for artificial if not let this be acknowledged for the first natural representation of it Without either a former patern to imitate or true resemblance of such a Divine Providence in events immediately to be related how could such a Supream Power governing and disposing all things contrary to the designes and purposes of man be by mortal man conceived More probable is the Poets fiction that Minerva should be conceived in Jupiters brain then that Humane Fancie should bring forth a more Omnipotent more wise or excellent Deity than the Poets make their Jupiter without any true image of his Providence manifested in the effects But after the manifestation of it in the story of Joseph and the live-picture of it taken by Moses all imitation of it was not so difficult though he that would seek to imitate him fully should herein come as far short of the solid marks of his historical truth as the Egyptians Juglers tricks did of true Miracles 8 As all these and many other places yeeld undoubted Characters of true Historical narrations so do his speeches unto this people Deut. 29. 30. 31. Infallible symptoms of a dving man and one that indeed had born this mighty Nation as an Eagle bears her voung ones upon her wings These admirable strains of his heavenly admonitions and divine prophesies compared with the live images of former truths witnsse that he was the Janus of Prophets Vates oculatus tam prateritorum quain futurorum one that could both clearly see what had been done beso â—… what should fall out after his death Both which shall hereafter God willing better appear by matters related and event foretold by him 9 But to proceed the whole Historical part of the Bible not Moses his Books alone yeeld plenty of such passages as being compared with other circumstances or the main drift and scope of the entire stories whereof they are parts leave no place for imagination either why they should or how possibly they could have been inserted by Art or Imitation or have come into any mans thoughts not moved by the real occurrence of such occasions as are specified in the matters related And seeing all of them are related by such as affect no Art many of them by such as lived long after the parties that first uttered or acted them we cannot conceive how all particulars could be so naturally and fully recorded unless they had been suggested by his Spirit who giveth mouth and speech to man who is alike present to all successions able to communicate the secret thoughts of forefathers to their children and put the very words of the deceased never registred before in the mouths or pens of their successors for many generations after as distinctly and exactly as if they had been caught in Characters of Steel or Brass as they issued out of their mouths 10 When I reade that speach in Ovid. 4 Metam Fab. 8. Sive es mortalis qui te genuere beati Et Mater foelix fortunata profectò Si qua tibi Soror est quae dedit ubera Nutrix If mortal thou thrice happy sure thy Parents be Or if thou any Sister hast thrice happy she Thrice happy Nurse whose breasts gave suck to thee I see no inducement to believe this for a true Story because I know the end and aim of his writing was to invent Verisimilia to feign such speeches as best besitted the persons whose part he took upon him to express thereby to delight his hearers with variety of lively representations But when I reade that narration of our Saviours Apology for himself against the Jews which said he had an unclean spirit Luke 11. 14. and a woman coming in with her verdict Now blessed is the womb that bare thee and the paps that gave thee suck v. 27. This unexpected strain with our Saviours reply unto it Yea rather blessed are those that hear the word of God and keep it v. 28. so briefly inserted into the Story inforce me to think that it was penned by one that sought onely to relate the truth part of which was this womans speech But with the means of knowing the New Testament to be the Word of God I will not here meddle the Old Testament sufficiently proveth it besides many other experiments to be prosecuted in the unfolding of sundry Articles CAP. V. Of the Harmony of sacred Writers AN other Inducement for believing the truth of the Old Testament is the Harmony of so many several writers living in such distance of Ages handling such diversity of arguments and covering them with stiles for the majesty of some and the familiarity of others more different then Virgils verses and the rudest countrymans talk and yet all of them retaining the self same relish Whiles we reade Tully Virgil Livie Salust and Ovid though all living near about one time yet their writings differ as much as Flesh and Fish Many learned men like some one or few of these and yet much mislike others reputed as excellent writers in their kinde living about the same time much more might he that should have read the common or vulgar Historiographers Poets or Orators of that time have contemned them as base in respect of the former But the Prophets of the Old Testament and the Historiographers of the same though differing infinitely in degrees of stile and invention yet agree as well in the substance or essential quality of their writings as the same Pomander chafed and unchafed There is the same odour of life and goodnesse in both but more fragrant and piercing in the one than in the other And no man that much likes the one can mislike
God said unto him by a dream I know that thou didst this even with an upright minde and I kept thee also that thou shouldest not sin against me therefore suffered I not thee to touch her Now then deliver the man his wife again for he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee that thou mayest live but if thou deliver her not again be sure that thou shalt die the death thou and all that thou hast And Moses witnesseth the ordinarie Prophecie of Ancient times to have consisted of dreams and visions Numb 12. 6 7. If there be a Prophet of the Lord amongst you I will be known unto him by a vision and will speak unto him by a dream My servant Moses is not so that is he is no ordinary Prophet unto him will I speak mouth to mouth and by vision and not in dark words but he shall see the similitude of the Lord. 3 These allegations sufficiently prove that night-dreams and visions were frequent and their observation if taken in sobriety to good use in Ancient times even amongst the Nations until they forgot as Joseph said That interpretations were from God and sought to finde out an Art of interpreting them Then night-visions did either cease or were so mixt with delusions that they could not be discerned or if their events were in some sort fore seen yet men being ignorant of Gods providence commonly made choice of such means for their avoidance as proved the necessary occasions or provocations of the events they feared 4 Much better was the temper of the Nations before Homers time They amongst other kindes of prophecyings and Sooth-sayings held dreams and their interpretations as all other good gifts to be from God As no evil was done in the Grecian Camp which the Gods in their opinion did not cause so Homer brings in Achilles advising Agamemnon to consult their Gods interpreters with all speed for what offence committed against them they had sent the Pestilence into their Camp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But to what Priest or Prophet shall we wend Or Dreamer for even Dreams from Jove descend All those kindes of Predictions had been in use amongst the Heathens as they were amongst the Israelites albeit in later times they grew rare in both for the encrease of wickednesse throughout the World the multiplicity of businesse and solicitude of Humane affairs and mens too much minding of politick means and other second causes of their own good did cause the defect of true dreams and other divine admonitions for the welfare of mankinde 5 This cause the Scriptures give us 1 Sam. 28. 6. Saul who had followed the Fashions of other Nations not the prescripts of Gods Word asked counsel of the Lord but the Lord answered him not neither by dreams nor by Urim nor by Prophets His sins had made a separation between him and the God of Israel who for this cause will not afford his presence to his Priests or Prophets that came as mediators betwixt Saul and him much lesse would he vouchsafe his Spirit unto such Priests or Prophets as were carnally minded themselves This was a rule so well known to the people of God that Strabo from the tradition of it for Moses his story he had not read reckons up this as a special point of Moses his doctrine concerning the worship of the God of Israel his words are to this effect Moses taught that such as lived chastly and uprightly should be inspired with true visions by night and such men it was meet should consult the Divine Powers in the Temple by night-visions but others who were not so well minded ought not to intrude themselves into this sacred businesse or if they would they were to expect no true visions but Illusions or idle Dreams from God they were not to expect any Yet may it not be denied but that the Heathens were oft-times by Gods permission truly resolved by Dreams or Oracles though ministred by Devils of events that should come but seldome were such resolutions for their good So the Witch which Saul most Heathen-like consulted when God had cast him off did procure him a true prediction of his fearful end This is a point wherein I could be large but I will conclude As the Heathens relations of sundry events usual in Ancient times confirm the truth of the like recorded in Scripture so the Scriptures give the true causes of their Being Ceasing or Alteration which the corrupt and Polypragmatical disposition of later Ages without revelation from the cause of causes and disposer of times could never have dreamed of as may partly appear from what hath been said of Dreams more fully from that which follows next of Oracles CAP. X. Of Oracles I Have often and daily occasion for the satisfaction of my minde in sundry questions that might otherwise have vext me to thank my God that as he made me a Reasonable Creature and of a Reasonable Creature a Student or Contemplator so He did not make me a meer Philosopher though Plato thought this deserved the greatest thanks as being the greatest benefit bestowed upon him by his God but never was I more incited in this respect to blesse the day wherein I was made a Christian then when I read Plutarchs Tract of the causes why Oracles ceased in his time Whether Heathen Oracles were all illusions of Devils or some uttered by God himself for their good though oft-times without successe by reason of their curiosity and superstition I now dispute not That Oracles in ancient times had been frequent that such events had been foretold by them as surpassed the skill of humane reason all Records of unpartial Antiquity bear uncontrollal le evidence Nor did the Heathen Philosophers themselves which lived in the Ages immediately following their decay call the truth of their former use in question but from Admiration of this known change they were incited to search the cause of their ceasing Plutarch after his acute search of sundry causes and accurate Philosophical disputes refers it partly unto the Absence of his Demoniacal Spirits which by his Philosophy might dy or flit from place to place either exiled by others more potent or upon some other dislike and partly unto the alteration of the soyl wherein Oracles were seated which yeelded not Exhalations of such a divine temper as in former times it had done and without a certain temperature of exhalations or breathing of the Earth the Demoniacal Spirits he thought could not give their Oracles more then a Musitian can play without an Instrument And this decay or alteration of the soyl of Delphi and like places was in his judgement probable from the like known experience in sundry Rivers Lakes and hot-Baths which in some places did quite dry up and vanish in others much decay for a long time or change their course and yet afterwards recover their former course or strength either in the same places
before God had injoyned a General Silence throughout this Land that all might hearken more attentively unto the Criers voice appointed to prepare the wayes of the Lord after whose message once fully accomplished as it had been after the ringing of a Market-Bell every Mountebank throughout their coasts sets to sale the dreams and fancies of his own brain for Divine Prophecies 3 Lastly the Heathen in their most Sacred Traditions and matters of greatest consequence adde circumstances according to the occurrents of their own Times which suit no better with the Substance or Essence of their Ancestors Observations then a Pigmeies slipper with a Gyants Foot How shamefully doth the wanton Poets faign his Gods to long after such matters as he himself did most delightin The best end and use of his greatest Gods apparitions are oft times to accomplish beastly lust Divine truths are usually transformed into the Poets private affection Ovids description of Jupiters coming to Semele is not much unlike the manner of GODS passing by Eliah upon the mount and therefore not altogether unbeseeming the Majestie of the Great King if all circumstances were answerable to the substance of the description but it is brought to an absurd profane and foolish purpose So likewise Semeles petition unto Jupiter is but Moses his request unto God Effeminate and transformed in sundry circumstances to the Poets humour Moses Exod. 33 18. desired to see the Glory of the Lord and the Lord answered him Thou canst not see my Face for there shall no man see my Face and live Yet willing to confirm this his Servants Faith he condescends thus far to his suit Whilst my glory passeth by I will put thee into a cleft of the rock and will cover thee with mine hand whilst I passe by and thou shalt see my back-parts but my face shall not be seen Either from some mistaking of this place or from experience of others sodain death upon such apparition of the Divine Majestie as Moses and Elias by peculiar dispensation had escaped did that tradition spring which Manbah conceited so deeply Judg. 13. 22. And Manoah said unto his wife we shall surely die because we have seen God as Gideon had done likewise Judge 6. 22. Alas my Lord God for because I have seen the Angel of the Lord face to face I shall die This Tradition had come to Ovids hands who makes that Majestie which he had described to be so great so Improvident withall as to grant her foolish request on whom he doted to her utter ruine and so Impotent that he could not protect her albeit he strove to cover her with his hand and so finally neither the God could injoy his Love nor his best Beloved her Life Such are the consequences of latter Heathens greatest Miracles but in the Sacred Storie wherein are specified Events as strange as Poets relate any such causes are assigned of them as are more weighty and the manner of their relation more Grave and Serious then the Events are Rare if God at any time appear either in vision by night or corporal shape by day it is for some Extraordinary purpose All the Miracles or wonders wrought in Israel were to bring that people unto the knowledge of the true God to rely continually upon his Providence A matter more hard if we consider the frailty of our own flesh then the effecting of any Miracles reported to have been wrought for the Jews Why his Wonderful Works should be most frequent amongst this people this reason is as plain as probable from the End This people was placed as a Light unto all the Nations of the World besides They injoyed extraordinary prosperity that others might be allured to reverence them and Taste the Goodnesse of their God Their unusual Judgements and strange kind of Afflictions were as so many Proclamations unto the World to beware of like Rebellion seeing all the world was set on wickednesse and God had appointed a day wherein he would judge the world in righteousnesse necessary it was to set out a patern of his Mercie and Justice in some People and without wrong to any other it was His especial Favour to make choice of Abrahams seed for this purpose on whom he showred his mercies in greatest abundance whilst they were obedient and faithful in the works of Abraham but when they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit then he turned to be their Enemie and he fought against them making them continual Examples of his unpartial Judgements as shall appear in the next Section SECT III. The Third Section of the Second general Part. Lib. 1. Containing Experiments drawn from the Revolution of States or Gods publick Judgements but especially of the Estate of the Jews from time to time OF all external Experiments the most Firm and solid for assuring the truth of these divine Oracles unto our soules are gathered from the Revolution of States or Gods Judgements upon several Lands and people In the observation of which the continual storie of the Jewish Nation doth best direct us The Intercourse of their particular afflictions before our Saviours time the maner of their Recoverie from them as from so many Spices of some grievous disease growing upon them The Epidemical disease which through every generation hants theirs since they desired our Saviours bloud to be upon them and their children are so many Probata or tried Experiments that these Celestial precepts containe the onley Method of preserving the Publick or private welfare of Mankind whose observations may cure whose neglect will breed all the miserie that can befall any people And this Method I would wish every Christian to follow First diligently to consider the State of the Iewes from time to time for it evidently confutes the Atheist and confirmes the Truth of the old Testament and the Truth of it established doth most evidently confute the Jew and witnesse the truth of the Gospel unto us as shall be proved God willing in due place CAP. XVIII Of the state of the Jews in General before our Saviours time with Tullies Objection against them 1 IT is storied of Alphonsus the Great that being sometime Prisoner to his Enemies he did so carry himself amongst them and prescribe them such Conditions for his release as might argue that they had overcome him only by Chance This was not so strange in a Prince so Famous and Venerable for the Integritie of his whole life and so Amiable in his cariage towards his Enemies A man as it were made to overcome and quel all the spightful malice or Base Intendments that could be devised against him by his Heroical open Heart and Bountiful Hand towards all and indefatigable Clemency even towards such as sought to outvie it by Ingratitude and just provocation of his heaviest displeasure But that the Jews a people whom others prejudicial conceipt of their peevish self-conceited Singularity raised from their strict observation of Laws
c. He increaseth all the Former Plagues Seven Times again v. 23. and 28. The First and Second degrees of the Plagues threatned were in part fulfilled in the dayes of Gedeon Samson Samuel and Saul The third likewise by Wilde Beasts we see fulfilled in the dayes of Jehoram King of Israel 2 King 17. 25 26. The fourth and fift likewise we see in part fulfilled in their Captivity in the dayes of Manasseh Jehoiachim and Zedeâ—iah and in the time Ptolomey the First under Antiochus Fpiphanes Both their own and other Stories give us full Experiments of this Prophecie As their stubbornnesse did Increase so Gods plagues here threatned did wax more Grievous these later Calamities being at the least Seven Times greater both for Extent and Durance then the former Persecutions which they suffered by the Philistines Moabites Aramites and Ammoniteâ— â—ut The last Plague which containeth all the rest more then Seven Times was not accomplished till after our Saviours Death after which time all the rest in part fulfilled before are more then Seven Times multiplied upon them In their former Overthrows or Captivities they suffered the violence of War and oftentimes felt the Extremity of Hostile laws but after these Storms were past so they would submit themselves unto their Conquerors they usually found as was shewed before more then ordinary Favour at their hands But since our Saviours Death the Memory of their former â—laguâ—â— hath been but an Invitation of the like or worse their continual bad usage prescribing the law fulnesse of their abuse In the 28. of Deuteronomy the Extraordinary Blessings and Plagues which were to overtake this People either in their Life or Death are more exactly calculated And albeit their I lessings might have been more and more Admirable then the Curses that have befallen them yet Moses it seemes foreseeing or fearing what would Be rather then hoping the Best that might Be is almost Four times as long in Calculating their Plagues as their Blessings So have the Miseries of these later Jews been Four times as long as the prosperity of their worthy Ancestours if we would take an exact measure of the One from the Sacred Histories before the Babylonish Captivity of he Later from Experience and Relation of Jewish or Heathen writers And yet no Plague either known by Experience or related by any Writers but is evidently foretold by Moses His particular Predictions shall be inserted as the Events shall give the Occasion throughout thâ—â— Discourse To begin with that most Horrible Plague Deut. 28. 53 c. Anâ— thou shalt eat the fruit of thy Body even the Flesh of thy Sons anâ— thy Daughters which the Lord thy God hath given thee during the siâ—ge and straitnesse wherein thy enemy shall inclose thee So that the Man that is tender and exceeding dainty among you shall be grieved at his Brother and at his Wife that â—â—eth in his Bosome and at the râ—mnart of his Children which he hath yet lefâ— For fear of giving unto any of them of thesâ— sh of his Children whom he shalt eat because he hath nothing left him in that siâ—ge and streightnesse wherein the enemy shall besiege thee in all thy Cities The tender and â—ainty Woman among you which never could venture to set the soal of her foot on the ground for her softnesse and tendernesse shall be grieved at her Husband that lâ—eth in her Bosom and at her Son and at her Daughter and at her After-birth that shall come out from between her feet and at her Chilâ—ren which she shall bear For when all things lack she shall cat them secretly during the siege and streightnesse wherein thâ—â— enemy shall â—esiege thee in thy Cities This Prophecie we see fulfilled to an Hairs-Breadth in Vespasians time CAP. XXIII The Fulfilling of Moses and others Prophecies touching the Desolation of Jewry and Destruction of Jerusalem and the Signs of the Time witnessing Gods Wonderful Hand therein 1 SEeing that part of Tacitus is lost whence we might have known more concerning their Calamitie then we can find now in Heathen Writers we must take the Conclusions answerable to Moses predictions from Josephus a Jew by Birth no way partial for Christians And his Conclusions to omit Moses's Authority or other Inducements can not seem Improbable from such Premisses as the Roman writers have confirmed though little intending such Inferences as we now make from them Do those calamities of the Jews related by Josephus and Eusebius seem strange They justly may if we consider This People as Natural or Ordinary men not as Patterns of GODS Extraordinary Judgements Strange might their Judgements seem and incredible to the Romans or Worldly-wise unlesse other circumstances of that Time witnessed by the Romans themselves were as rare But if By the Romans Opinion every Unusual Effect in Nature did Portend some such strange Event in Human Affairs why should not the Wisest of them in that Age expect some Extraordinarie or Miraculous Matters of Vespasians time yet excepting what he did to those stubborn Jews his other Acts were but Ordinarie and required no Pompous or Magnificent Prologues whereas many Signs either foreshewing his Exaltation to the Empire or confirming his Right unto it or Authority in Managing it were such as no Heathen I think hath ever heard of before but most Consonant unto Gods wonted Signs in Israel whilest their Kings did prosper Seeing the Wisdom of the Wise and Understanding of the Prudent amongst this People had been long hid as the Lord had threatned by his Prophet Esay Chapt. 29. and they themselves had complained We see not our tokens we have not one Prophet more Whence was it that Josephus the Jew should become a prophet for Vespasians good who had already brought much likely to bring more Harm upon his Country and Him now Captived and Imprisoned by Him So Sâ—etonius and Tacitus no Factious Friends for Jews or Christians tell us Josephus did Solace himself at his Commitment with This That Vespasian the Emperour should shortly release him Though Vespasian at that time was far enough from such Hopes in the Judgement of the Roman State which had appointed him General in the Jewish wars because His mean Birth and obscure Family did minister least Suspition of affecting the Splendour and Dignity of the Roman Empire if He should prove Conquerour Did the rest of his unruly Country-men conceit any such matter of Vespasian as Josephus did Then had they not continued stubborn as they did But although Israel knew him not and his people had no understanding yet the dumb Ox knew him to be his Owner and appointed Lord of the Farth and in Sign of his Submission to him having â—â—st off his yoak râ—â— suriously into the Room where he sate at supper where affrighting his Attendants from him he streight prostrates himself before his Feet as if he had been weary offering his neck to His Clemenâ—y Oracles had ceased in Jewry at least
of Canonical Scripture May private Spirits discern their true Sence in matters of Faith as clearly as if they were a Light indeed to thee Oh no you quite mistake his meaning in making such Collections Let Valentian explicate himself in the end of this fourth Paragraph 8 After the Church hath once gathered any Opinion out of Scriptures and thereupon opposeth the Scripture thus understood by it according to the Apostolical Tradition unto contrary Errours It is extream Impiety and wickedness to desire any more either concerning the Authority or Interpretation of that parcel of Scripture under what Pretence soever of Difficulty Obscurity or the like To that Scripture I pray mark his words wel which is commended and expounded unto us by the Authority of the Church that Scripture now ea jam even for this Reason hoc ipso is most Authentick and shines most splendently mojt clearly like a Light videlicet as we have formerly expounded put upon a Candlestick Nay in good sooth just like a Candlestick put upon a Light or Candle For in this Countrey wherein we live we see the Candlestick by vertue of the Light not the Light by means or vertue of the Candlestick And yet if your Church be the Candlestick as you suppose and the Scripture the Light as you expresly acknowledge we must by your Doctrine discern the Light of Scriptures only by the Commendation Explication or Illumination of your Church the Candlestick And this Illumination is only her bare Asseveration for Scriptures she seldom expounds but only by Negatives or Anathemas The best Correction that can be made of this untoward crooked unwieldly Similitude would be this whereas this Doctor supposeth the Pope to be the Church and saith further necesse est ut lumen illud si dei quod in divinis literis splendet praeser at Ecclesia Let him put lucem for lumen and so the Pope being by his Assertion the Church may be truly called Lucifer And then as when Cloth shrinks in the wetting men shape their Garments accordingly making sometimes a Jerkin of that which was intended for a Jacket so out of this unhandsome ill-spun similitude which was marred in the making we may frame a shorter which wil hold exceeding wel on this fashion Even as Satan being the Prince of Darknesse doth to mens seeming transform him self into an Angel of Light Just so doth the Roman Lucifer being by Valentians Confession but the Candlestick labour to transform him self into the Light it self and would be taken for such a Light or Candle as should make the very Light of Heaven it self Gods Word to shine most splendently and clearly by the glorious Beams of his Majestical Infallibility once cast upon it For otherwise unlesse the Supernatural Glory of his Infallibility do infuse Light or adde fresh Lustre to this Light or Lantern of Truth the Candlestick naturally gives no increase of perspicuity to the Light or Candle Which wil shine as clear in a private Mans hands so he wil take the pains to hold it as in a Publick Candlestick But that which I would have the serious Reader to observe especially is this Speech of his Scripture as once commended unto us or expounded by the Churches Authority becomes thereby most Authentick and shines most clearly and most splendently For this same Doctor if a Doctor may be said the same affirming and denying the same in the beginning of that Dispute would gladly shuffle so as he should not be taken with that Trick which wil discredit their Cause for ever and descry their villanous Blasphemy in this Doctrine of their Churches Authority There he would perswade us that he doth not allow of this Speech I believe this or that to be a Divine Revelation because the Church doth tell me so or of this the Church is the Cause why I believe the Divine Revelations whereas this Speech of his Quae Scriptura per Authoritatem doth infer the Authority of the Church to be the very principal and immediate Cause of our Assent unto Scriptures 9 Secondly I would have the sober Christian Reader to observe what an unhallowed and unchristian Conceit it is to admit the Scriptures for a Lantern and yet to affirm that Christians cannot behold the Light therein contained but only as the Church of Rome doth hold it out what is this else but to call the People from the marvailous Light of the Gospel unto the fearful Lightnings of the Law And to make the Pope that Mediator which the People implicitely did request when they desired that Moses might speak to them not God If we be in Christ then are we not called into Mount Sinai to burning Fire Blindnesse Darknesse and Tempests this Light of the Gospel is not environed with a fearful Cloud or Smoak threatning Destruction if we should go up into the Mount to hear the Lord himself speak we have an Advocate with the Father and need not look for a Moses to go up for us while we stand trembling a far off For as our Apostle tels us Heb. 12. 22. We are come unto the Mount Sion and to the City of the living God the celestial Jerusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels and to the congregation of the first-born which are written in heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the Spirits of just and perfect men and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Testament and to the bloud of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel What is the Consequence or Effect of this our Calling Our Apostle makes this Inference verse 25. See therefore that ye despise not him that speaketh Whom did he mean The Pope or Cardinals But they would be but of like Authority as Moses was but he that Speaketh untous is of far greater For so our Apostle collects See that ye despise nâ—t him that speaketh for if they escape not which refused him that spake on Earth much more shall we not escape if we turn away from him which speaketh from Heaven The Israelites I suppose had despised Moses if they had admitted any other infallible Teacher besides him whilest he was alive or believed any other as wel as his Writings after his death but only so far forth as they could discern their Words to be consonant unto his If Moses Writings were to these Jews a plain Rule of Faith then much more must Christs Word registred by his Apostles and Evangelists by the Rule of Faith unto us That Moses Doctrine was their Rule of Faith a Rule most plain and easie these places following abundantly testifie CAP. XVII That the Mosaical Writings were a most perfect Rule plain and easie to the Ancient Israelites 1 SO perfect Directions had Moses left for Posterities perpetual instruction that a great Prophet in later Ages desirous to bring Gods people into the right Paths which their Fathers had forsaken and for this purpose professing to impart to them whatsoever he had
anus Christiana quae non sciat Christum natum incarnatum fuisse Saint Pauls Cospel was sufficiently known in this mans Sense of his words because there is neither Christian childe nor old wife but knows that Christ was incarnate and born Too many I fear of his and his fellows catechizing know Christ no otherwise then old Wives or little Children know ordinary matters or Stories past that is only by old Wives Tales lying Legends or Tradition And on this fashion and better did the Jews Know Moses and Believed on him yet did they neither Know Him nor his Doctrine as they should have done nor in such a Sense as the Scripture useth this word Knowledge Such as he would have us content our selves withall is rather blindnesse then Knowledg and makes a man never a whit the better Christian but a greater Hypocrite 2 Let Bellarmines Answer stand thus far for true that the Knowing of Christ and Belief of the Gospel are manifest to all that are not given over to Jewish Blindnesse And what it is to Know Christ or believe the Gospel in Saint Pauls Phrase by Gods assistance we shall further explicate in the Articles following To Know Christ was all Saint Paul desired because it contained all Knowledge of Scriptures and whether Saint Paul did not desire to Know Scriptures or whether he had not his Desire herein 〈◊〉 Christian Consciences judge 3 And because I must conclude this Point as I promised with this Testimony of Saint Paul Beloved Christian whosoever thou art that shalt read these Meditations ask Counsel of thine own Heart Consult with thy Conscience consider well and give Sentence betwixt me and this Romish Doctor what kind of Knowledge Saint Paul here meant whether an Implicite or Hear 〈◊〉 Knowledge of Christ and his Kingdom in grosse or an expresse distinct true Knowledge raised from Moses and the Prophets consonancy with the Gospel of Scriptures necessary to Mens Salvation in their several Courses of life I 〈◊〉 not wrong thy Judgement so much as to seek Arguments or Authorities of Expositors for thy information in this plain undoubted caâ—e It shall sussice to rehearse the Words of that Law about whose Sence we now contend and by which we must be tried from the twelfth verse of the third to the sixth verse of the fourth Chapter of the second to the Corinthians 4 Seeing then we have such trust we use great Boldnesse of Speech and we are not as Moses which put a Veil upon his face that the Children of Israel should not look unto the end of that which should be abolished Therefore their minds are hardened For until this day remaineth the same Covering untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament Yet was the Old Testament the only Scripture in those times easie to be understood but for this Veil And this Veil as the Apostle adds verse the fourteenth put away these Scriptures then which were so difficult to the Jew are Easie to all that are in Christ by whose death the Veil was rent and that Light which shone on Moses face as the Sun upon the Eastern skie in the dawning was fully manifested to the Inhabitants of the earth since the Sun of righteousnesse did appear For the publishing of the Gospel is the putting away of the former Veil But for the Jewes even until this day saith the Apostle When Moses is read the Veil is laid over their hearts Neverthelesse when their hearts shall be turned unto the Lord the Veil shall be taken away For this Doctrine of Saint Paul as often hath been said was in their Hearts and in their mouthes Deut. 30. 14. The Apostle concludes Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty Liberty indeed in respect of that Servitude which was under the Law then they were Servants because they knew not their Masters will John 15. 15. but since the Ministry of the New Testament We all behold as in a Mirrour the Glory of the Lord with open face Verse 18. Out of our Apostles discourse this is most evident that it was the Glory of his Ministry and Evidence of Doctrine which made him so consident in the execution of this Function God saith he hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 6. And this compared with the Ministry of the Old did far exceed it in Glory and Perspicuity as he proves from the sixth verse to the eighteenth 5 The judicious Reader though not admonished would of his own accord observe how the Apostle takes Clearnesse and Perspicuity as an Adjunct of the New Testament's Glory the Jesuites quite contrary would make the Scriptures Dignity and Majesty Mother of Difficulty and Obscurity But because it was so much more glorious and perspicuous then the Ministery of the Old Testament was The Apostle infers 2 Cor. 4. 1 2. Therefore seeing we have this Ministery of the New Testament so glorious and perspiâ—uous as we have received mercy we faint not but have cast off the cloak of shame and walk not in craftinesse neither handle we the Word of God deceitfully for why should any when it will approve it self but in declaration of the Truth approve our selves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God What Proof could he make to their Consciences but only from the Evidence of that Truth which he taught and his Sincerity in teaching it These two would bind all such as made any conscience of their wayes to admit his Doctrine Whence he infers in the very next words verse 3. If then our Gospel be bid c. Briefly refuting all the Romanists Objections in this Argument before they were conceived punctim even to an hairs breadth For this would have been their common place had they lived in Saint Pauls time You may boast and say your Doctrine of the New Testament is evident and manifest but what wise man will believe you when a great many as good Schollers as your self think the contrary most true Unto this Objection of the Jews then of the Jesuites now of Satan both now and then and alwayes frequent in the mouth of Hell our Apostle answers directly as from his Doctrine we have done all the Jesuites Arguments If the Gospel be hid as indeed to some too many it is Yet it is hid only to them that perish whose Minds the God of this World hath blinded that the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the Image of God should not shine unto them 6 The Gospel then did shine yet not to Blinded eyes to whom then only to such as were indued with the Spirit of Liberty seeing the New Testament as he said was the Ministry of the Spirit of which these Jews were not partakers because they followed the Letter or Outside of the Law and had Moses Writings as children Lessons they understand not at their Tongues end not in their Hearts SECT
their Churches absolute priviledge from all error and That other of Christs real presence in the Sacrament by Transubstantiation It cannot again but add much to our grief and indignation if we call to mind how when the chief Governor and publick authority of this land were for them subscription was not urged upon such violent and bloudy terms unto any articles of their Religion as unto that of Real presence The mystery of which iniquity cannot better be resolved then into the powerful and deceitful working of Satan thus delighting to despight our Lord and Saviour by seducing his professed subjects unto the highest and most desperate kind of rebellion he could imagine upon the least occasions and shallowest reasons For such is their madness in that other point as hath been shewed in this Not one inconvenience they can object to our opinion but may be demonstrated against theirs not any fruits of Godliness they can pretend but our doctrine more directly brings forth then theirs could though we did admit it for true For to what other purpose such a Presence as they imagin should serve them save only to countenance those desperate idolatrous practices and Litourgies of Satan touched by the way in some parts of these discourses is inexplicable as shall be shewed more at large without depriving that heavenly mystery of any solemnity or devotion due unto it in the unfolding of that controversie Yours in Christ Jesus THOMAS JACKSON A Table of the Several Sections and Chapters in the Book following SECTION I. CAP. I. Containing the Assertions of the Romish Church whence her three-fold Blaspemie springs Page 309 SECT II. The first branch of Romish Blasphemie in preferring Human authority before Divine 315 2. Bellarmines replie to the main Objection joyntly urged by all Reformed Churches against the Romish the Equivocation which he sought in the Objection apparently found in his Replie 316 3. Inferring the general conclusion proposed in the Title of this Section from Bellarmins resolution of faith 319 4 Containing a further resolution of the Romish faith necessarily inferring the authority of the Roman Church to be of greater authority then Gods word absolutely not only in respect of us 324 5 That in obeying the Romish Churches Decrees we do not obey Gods word as well as them but them alone in contempt of Gods principal Lawes 327 6 Propounding what possibly can be said on our adversaries behalf for avoiding the force of the former Arguments shewing withall the special points that lie upon them to prove as principally whether their Belief of the Churches authority can be resolved into any Divine testimony 339 7 That neither our Saviours Prayers for the not failing of Peters faith Luke 22. 32. nor his commending his sheep unto his feeding Joh. 21. 15. prove any Supremacy in Peter over the Church from which the authority of the Pope can with probability be derived 31 8 That Christ not S. Peter is the Rock spoken of Matth. 16. 18. That the Jesuites exposition of that place demonstrateth the Pope to be The great Antichrist 347 9 That the Romanists Belief of the Churches infallible authority cannot be resolved into any Testimony better then Human whence the main Conclusion immediately follows That the Romanist in obeying the Church-decrees without examination of them by Gods word prefers mans Lawes before Gods 365 10 In what sence the Jesuites may truly denie They Believe the words of man better then the words of God In what sence again our Writers truly charge them with this Blasphemie 373 SECT III. 11 What restraint precepts for obedience unto the Priests of the Law though seeming most universal for their form did necessarily admit How universal Propositions of Scriptures are to be limited 376 12 The authority of the Sanhedrim not so universal or absolute amongst the Jewes as the Papists make it but was to be limited by the former Rules 385 13 That our Saviours injunction of obedience to the Scribes and Pharisees though most universal for the form is to be limited by the former Rules that without open blasphemie it cannot be extended to countenance the Romish cause that by it we may limit other places brought by them for the Popes transcendent universal authority 391 14 What it would disadvantage the Romish Church to denie the infallibility of the Synagogue 398 15 That justly it may be presumed the Iewish Church never had any absolute infallibility in proposing or determining Articles of Faith because in our Saviours time it did so grievously erre in the Fundamental point of salvation 400 16 That Moses had no such absolute authority as is now ascribed unto the Pope that the manner of his attaining to such as he had excludes all besides our Saviour from just challenge of the like 405 CAP. 17. That the Churches authority was no part of the rule of Faith unto the people after Moses death That by Experiments answerable unto the precepts and predictions the faithful without relying upon the Priests infallible proposals were as certain both of the divine truth and true meaning of the law as their forefathers had been that lived with Moses and saw his miracles Page 411 18 That the societie or visible company of Prophets had no such absolute authority as the Romish Church usurps 417 19 That the Church representative amongst the Jews was for the most part the most corrupt judge of matters belonging to God and the reason why it was so 422 20 That the Soveraignty given by Jesuites to the Pope is greater then our Saviours was 427 21 Confirming the truth delivered in the former Chapter from the very Law given by Moses for discerning the great Prophet further exemplifying the use and force of miracles for begetting faith The manner of trying prophesies Of the similitude betwixt Christ and Moses 434 22 That the method used by the great Prophet himself after his resurrection for planting faith was such as we teach The excesse of Antichrists exaltation above Christ The Diametral opposition betwixt the Spirit of God and the spirit of the Papacie 449 23 That the authority attributed to the present Pope and the Romish rule of faith were altogether unknown unto S. Peter the opposition betwixt S. Peters and his pretended successors doctrine 452 24 That S. Paul submitted his doctrine to examination by the Word before written That his doctrine dissposition and practise were quite contrary to the Romanists in this argument 456 25 A brief tast of our Adversaries blasphemous and Atheistical assertions in this argument from some instances of two of their greatest Doctors Bellarmin and Valentian That if faith cannot be perfect without the solemn testification of that Church the raritie of such testifications will cause infidelitie 460 SECT IIII. Containing the third branch of Romish Blasphemie or the last degree of great Antichrists exaltation utterly overthrowing the whole foundation of Christian Religion preposterously inverting both Law and Gospel to Gods dishonour and advancement of Sathans Kingdom 464 26
which might have prevented this plague surely in reading Gods law and continuall meditation thereon for this gives wisdom to the simple Men in this case should have asked counsel of their own heart for there is no man more faithful unto thee then It for a mans mind is some times more accustomed to shew more thenseven Watchmen that sit above in an high Tower And aboue all this pray to the â—… High that he will direct thy way in truth Had they thus done without partialitie to their corrupt affections or without all respect of persons in which Christian faith cannot be had Moses law had been a lantern unto their feet for the discerning of true Prophets and those discerned had been a light unto latter Ages for discerning the true Messias 6 The evidence of this truth not without cause so often inculcated will better appear if we consider how most prophetical predictions of particular alterations were but determinations of Mosaical generalities out of which they grow as branches out of the stock As for example the Lord told Moses before his death and he gave it to Israel for a Song to be copied out by all That when they went a whoring after the Gods of a strange laâ—â— forsaking him he would forsake them and hide his face from them After Ihoia labs death Zechartah his son seeing the Princes of Iudah leaving the house of the Lord to serve Groves and Idols albeit he were moved as the Text saith by the Spirit of God yet onely applies Moses generall prediction to the present times Thus saith God Why transgresse re ye the commandement of the Lord Surely ye shall not prosper because he have forsaken the Lord he also will forsake you Saint Paul himself useth his own advise not the Lords authority in such points as were not evidently contained in Moses law Unto the married command not I but the Lord Let not the wife depart from her husband for so Moses had expresly commanded But to the Remnant I speak not the Lord If any brother have a wife that believeth not if she be content to dwell with him let him not forsake her And again concerning Virgins I have no commandement of the Lord but I give mine advice as one that hath obtained mercie of the Lord to be faithfull This was his judgement and as he thought warranted by the Spirit of God yet he prescribes it not as a general rule of faith to all but rather leaves every man to be ruled by his conscience and the Analogie of Moses law So likewise though God use an extraordinary revelation to instruct Saint Peter in the free use of meats forbidden by Moses yet he perswades him it by manifesting the true meaning of another clause of the same law for what he uttered upon this instruction and the Experiment answerable thereto was but a further specification of what Moses had said I perceive of a truth saith Saint Peter Acts 10. 34. that God is no accepter of persons Moses had said Deut. 10. 17. The Lord your God is God of Gods and Lord of Lords a great God mighty and terrible which accepteth no persons nor taketh reward who doth right unto the fatherlesse and widow and loveth the stranger giving him food and raiment 7 These passages sufficiently informe us that the extraordinary spirit wherewith the Apostles themselves were above the measure of Gods former messengers inspired oft-times onely made the Stems whether of the Tree of Life or of Knowledge planted by Moses to blow and flourish in them by little and little after the manner of natural growth it did not alwayes bring forth new ones in an instant as the earth did at the first creation Much more usually did prophefies during the standing of the first Temple spring out of Mosaical predictions If we compare his writings with latter prophe â—ies not long before the Babylonish captivity though he had departed this life before their fathers entred into the land of Promise yet he speaks unto this last generation as an intelligencer from a far Countrey that great preparation was made against them but who should be the executioners or managers of mischief intended he leaves that to such Prophets as the Lord should raise them up for the present Jeremie and Ezechiel upon his admonition following his direction are sent by God as it were to scowre the coast to descrie when the Navie comes for what Coast it is bound and how near at hand Here had the people faithfully examined their hearts by Moses law whether not guilty of such sins as deserved the plagues threatned by him they had quickly assented unto Moses writings and the Prophets words For as consciousnesse of their sins in general might cause them fear some plague or other indefinitely threatned by their Law-giver whose writings they best believed so might the diligent observation of their particular transgressions and their progresse in them have taught them to presage the determinate manner of their plagues and punishments foretold by the present Prophet For God in his usuall course of justice so suites his punishments to the most acâ—ustomary habits or predominant sins as unto men religiously observant of Times and Seasons the growth and processe of the one will give a certain Crisis of the other Besides Every age hath peculiar signes subordinate to the general predictions of good or evil foretold by Gods messengers whereby the faithfull learn to know the day of their visitation and as Solomon saith to hide themselves in latâ—bâ—â—lo altissimi from the plague if not by their hearty repentance godly prayers and religious endeavours to prevent it And because we in this age are not so well acquainted with the particular Signes of former Times wherein true Prophets lived it is hard for any living now though easie to all the faithfull then to give any certain or particular rule how the truth of their prophesies might have been at least probably known before the event did finally and absolutely approve them Would to God we could discern the Signes of Times present and the Lord of his infinite mercie give us grace to know the day of our visitation But of this argument elsewhere by Gods assistance It shall suffice in the next place to shew that our Saviours Doctrine was by the same means to be discerned CAP. XX. That the Soveraignty given by Jesuites to the Pope is greater then our Saviours was 1 IT is a Rule in Divinity whatsoever can rightly be conceived as an absolute perfection hath Reall Existence in the Almightie From this notion of the Deitie swimming in the brains of such as in heart and deed make the Pope their Lord and God do the parties thus affected usually take whatsoever power might possibly be delegated by God to any as actually granted unto his holinesse And thus I imagine some Jesuite or other when he shall bethink himself will except against our disputes in this present case Deny
Come and see a man that hath told me all things that ever I did is not he The Christ Upon their like experience fully consonant to the same common notion on conceit of the Messias did a many of that City conceive Faith from the womans report but moe because of his own words And they said unto the woman Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that This is indeed The Christ the Saviour of the World From the like but more lively experience of his discovering secrets did his Disciples make that confession Now know we that thou knowest all things and needest not that any man should ask thee By this we believe that thou art come out from God 16 The manifestation of this Prophetical Spirit did give life unto his greatest miracles in working Faith for his Disciples believed in him after his resurrection because he had foretold his reedifying the Temple in three dayes space Which speech of his the foolish Jews not knowing His Body to be the true Temple wherein their God did dwell after a more excellent manner then between the Cherubins take as meant of the materiall Temple which had been fourty six yeers in building But saith Saint Iohn Assoon as he was risen from the dead his Disciples remembred that he thus said unto them and they believed the Scripture and the word which Iesus had said Nor did they compare these two together by chance for our Saviour often inculcated this Method as of purpose to imprint the former Oracle of Isaiab in their hearts To assure them of his going to his Father he expresly tels them Now I have spoken unto you before it come that when it is come to passe ye might believe Foretelling the persecution of his Disciples he addes These things have I told you that when the hour shall come ye might remember that I told you them That glory likewise which God had professed he would not give to any other he foretels should be given Him and so demands it as if He that did glorifie and He that was glorified were both One Father Glorifie thy Name Then came there a voice from heaven saying I have both glorified is and will glorifie it again How had he glorified it before By glorifying this great Prophet who did fully expresse but for exceed Moses in all things wherein Former Prophets did resemble him but came far short of him When was he so glorified At his transfiguration upon Mount Tabot which none without Sacrilegious impiety could have foretold as likely to befall him self save he alone that had not as Moses onely seen the Similitude of the Lord but being in the Forme of God thought it no robbery to be Equal with him Yet this Prophet of whom we speak though like to his Brethren in shape and substance to assure them he should come in the Glory of his Father foretells his Disciples that some of them should not die untill they had seen the Kingdom of God come with Power which was accomplished in that Transfiguration where as Saint Peter witnesseth He received of God the Father honour and glory when there came such a voyce unto him from the excedent glory This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Yea so well pleased as for his sake the world might henceforth know how ready he was to hear all that through faith in his Name should call upon him even such as had displeased him most For this cause the Codicil annexed to the divine Will and Testament here signified immediately after to be sealed with the bloud of this Best Beloved Son was that reciprocal duty before intimated in the Law Hear Him as is specified by three Evangelists For more publick manifestation of his Majesty as then revealed but to a few was that glorious commemoration of it lately mentioned celebrated again in the audience of the multitude This voice saith our Saviour came not because of me but for your sakes And in that place again after his wonted predictions of things should after come to passe as of his victory over death he testifies aloud to all the people that he was the great Prophet foretold by Moses sweetly paraphrasing upon his words And Jesus tried and said He that believeth in me believeth not in me but in him that sent me And if any man hear my words and believe not I judge him not for I came not to judge the world but to save the world He did not accurse such as would not acknowledge his authority or derogated from his person or miracles nor needed he so to do for he that refuseth him and receiveth not his words hath one that judgeth him the word which he had spoken it shall judge him in the last day This was that which Moses had said And whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he the great Prophet shall speak in my Name I will require it of him to wit in the last day of accompts For I have not spoken of my self but the Father which sent me he gave me a commandement what I should do and what I should speak And I know that his commandement is life everlasting the things therefore that I speak I speak them so as the Father said unto me What is this but that speech of Moses improved to it Full Value according to the circumstances and signes of those times and as it concerned the Lord and Prince of Prophets I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee and will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him 17 This being the last conference our Saviour was willing to entertain with the Jews this his last farewell given in Moses words warrants me to construe that speech of Saint Iohns though he had done so many miracles before them yet believed they not on him as I have done the like before to wit That not his miracles considered alone but with Mosaical and Prophetical writings or common notions of the Messias thence conceived or especially as they concurred with his own predictions did immediately condemn the Jews Under the name of works his words are comprehended such at the least as foretell his admirable works or in generall all those solemn invocations of his Fathers name in such predictions as had he not been the Son of God would rather have brought speedy vengeance from heaven upon his head then such glorious testimonies of his Divinity And to me our Saviour seems to call his very words works in that speech to philip Believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me the words that I speak unto you I speak not of my self but the Father that dwelleth in me he doth the works Howsoever as all the works of God were created by this Eternall Word so
their greatest wonders seemed but Apish toyes howsoever difficiles nugae And some of these juglers either out of the strength of their own illusions or upon the presumption of their profane skill in deceiving others have adventured to foretell their resurrection but were not able to dissolve the bands of death their everlasting durance in whose prisons hath openly shewed they spake presumptuously that not Mahomet himself the greatest of them was that Great Prophet foretold by Moses What was the reason then the Jews would not the Turks unto this day will not believe in Christ crucified For the inhabitants of Jerusalem Saint Paul hath answered Because they knew him not nor yet the words of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath day they have fulfilled them in condemning him The same Apostle though indued with the power of miracles yet in that place rather useth Davids words then his own works to prove Christs resurrection Of which that saying of Christ was most truly verified in the obstinate Jews Not hearing Moses and the Prophets so as to be moved by them to true repentance neither were they perswaded though this great Prophet of whom they wrote was raised from the dead again 22 Were we well acquainted either with that manner of interpretation or those prenotions the Apostle supposed as known when he used that testimony of the Psalmist Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee to prove our Saviours resurrection it would not be hard to perswade us Moses words hitherto expounded were as literally meant of Gods raising his Son out of his Maiden grave as out of his virgin Mothers womb And I make no question but the conclusion of S Peters Sermon Unto you whom a little before he had termed children of the Prophets hath God raised up his Son were meant by him of his raising Christ from the dead And yet are these words but an application of the former principal text he there insists upon Moses said unto the Fathers The Lord your God shall raise up unto you a Prophet even of your brethren like unto me ye shal hear him all things whatsoever he shall say unto you And unto this resurrection doth the strict propriety of that phrase from the middest of thee well agree For these things were not done in a corner but in Jerusalem the Metropolis of Judea not without expresse notice given to the rulers Moses indeed foretold his own death and whatsoever other Prophets raised up by God unto this people did foretell came still to passe yet none ever foretold his own raising up But seeing Christ First raising from the virgins womb though most miraculous was yet more private he forewarned the world to expect This Second altogether as powerful but more publick And in it again he is like to Moses raised up by God to be a Saviour of his people out of that Ark which without divine especial providence had been his Tomb. This similitude amongst the rest betwixt Christ and Moses as wel in their later as first birth but especially the notice our Saviour gave unto his enemies of the later hath made them unwittingly Prophets to their wo. For seeing it hath left their unbelief without excuse their last errour concerning his Resurrection is become worse then the first concerning his Birth Neither could have seemed incredible though both most miraculous to this ungratious seed of Jacob had they looked as the Prophet willed them unto the rock whence they were hewn and to the hole of the pit whence they were digged The mighty increase of Sarahs womb no better then dead and strange multiplication of Isaacs seed beyond the posterity of all the people with whom he sojourned did but portend the fruitful of-spring of the Virgins only Son should in number and dignity far surmount the sons and daughters of all the fertile mothers in Judea Isaacs posterity had been great yet able to be numbered by David But his generation who shall declare that was cut out of the land of the living Therefore strang there even of one and him as dead or destinated to death as Isaac was yea of one truly dead that made his grave with the wicked as many as the stars in the skie in multitude in dignity greater and as the sand by the sea store innumerable Mightier was the encrease of that Rock wherein he made his grave whence we are hewen then of that pit whence Israel according to the flesh was digged His exaltation since hath been their fall For seeing they would not believe his predictions as their Lawgiver had commanded the world may clearly see the curse indefinitely there denounced against all such as would not hear fulfilled upon that stubborn generation according to the full extent of S. Peters paraphrase upon it Not one or a feâ—â—only were destroyed out of the people as Korah Dathan and Abiram for disobedience unto Moses but the whole people or nation were utterly rooted out of the land All which with all particular circumstances and signs precedent or ensuing this great Prophet in his life time had so distinctly foretold that if we compare former Prophets with him they may seem to have but dreamed he alone that put these unknown ditties into their heads to have had the perfect skill of right interpreting their meaning CAP. XXII That the method used by the great Prophet himself after his resurrection for planting faith was such as we teach The excesse of Antichrists exaltation above Christ The Diametrical opposition betwixt the spirit of God and the Spirit of the Papacy 1 MOses was to be acknowledged a great Prophet because the whole host of Israel infallibly knew the Lord was with him in all he did every Prophet after him to be known by the Rules which he had given for their discernment Christ Jesus to be taken for The Great Prophet and Mediator of the everlasting Covenant because in words in works in all his wayes exactly answerable to Mosaical and prophetical Characters of the Messiah that was to come This sweet Harmony of legal Types or ancient prophecies as wel with the whole course of his blessed life as with his ignominious and cruel death or manner of his glorious resurrection I should either have esteemed or regarded lesse had not my Saviour himself preferred the assurance of prophetical testimonies before the certainty of their senses that had conversed with him in their life time admitted to conference with him after his rising from the dead For so we read of two Disciples which had seen his miracles heard his doctrine and acknowledged him for a Prophet mighty in word and deed but yet distrusted the report of his resurrection after it had been the second time confirmed by such of their fellows as had doubted with them yea their Master himself had told them as much before his death And had he not good reason then to upbraid them with distrust having now
Deut. 18. 15 16. * Deut. 5. 28 29. * Vide lib. 1. cap. 28 parag 8 9 10. †Heb. 3. 3. ‖ Deut. 18. 18 * Heb. 10. 18 20. * Deut. 34. 10 The chief grounds of Moses disswading Israel from sorcery was their expectation of the great Prophet * Deut. 18 14. * Cap. 1. †Num. 23. 22. ‖ â—… that curseth thee I shall see him but not now I shall behold him but not neer There shall come a â—… and a sâ—â—pter shall rise of Israel and shall smile the coasts of Moaâ— and destroy all the sons of Sheth And Edom 〈◊〉 â—… and Sâ—ir shall be a â—…ssion to their enemies but Israel shall do valiantly He also that shall have dominion â—… Jacob and shall destroy the remnant of the City Num. 24. 8 9. 17. 1â— 19. †That our Saviours authority might have been and was mâ—…e omofestly proved cut of Moses and the Prophets to the ancient then it can be to the modern Jews altogether unaâ—quainted with the right manner of interpreting prophecies or such common not ions or traditions as the Scribes and Pharisees had in our Saviours time * 〈◊〉 4 13. Jâ—â— 1. 20 21 * 〈…〉 words Now they which were sent wâ—re of the Phaarisees Joh. 1. â—4 though other 〈…〉 * Matth. 11. * Joel 2. 28. †Exo. 13 21 22. ‖ 1 Cor. 10. 1 2 Our Saviours Prediction of his death and resurrection was that which according to Moses prophesie did most condemn the Jews †Mat. 27. 63. ‖ Matt. 12. 39. Matth. 16. 4. ‖ Acts 13. 27. * Luke 16. 31. * Act. 13 33. Psal 〈◊〉 7. †Acts 3. 26. ‖ Vers 22. ‖ Deut. 18. 15. †Acts 26. 26. * Mat. 27. 64. ‖ Isaiah 51. 1. †Isaiah 51 8 ‖ â—eâ— 11. 12 * Acts 3. 23. For it shall be that every person which shall not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed out of the people ‖ Luk. 24. 25. * Luk 24 27. ‖ Vers 32. ‖ Joh. 5. 32 34 ‖ A brief survey of the mouth of Blaspemies spoken of by S. John The chief arguments brought by Romish Writers to prove the excellency of their Church directly contrary to the principles of Sâ—…e and Nature * Isaiah 7. 13. †Rev. 13. 4 c. * 2 Pet. 1. 14. †2 Pet. 1. 1. * 2 Pet. 1. 16. †2 Pet. 1. 17. ‖ 2 Pet. 1. 16. †Vide lib. 2. cap. 16. Parag. 6. * Prophetical predictions of Christ surer grounds of faith then the â—…-testimonies of the Apostles that had seen Christ and conversed with him Amplectendus est Commentarius qui interpretatur in hunc modum habemus Firmiorem id est certiorem compertiorem Id enim temporis sermo Prophetarum spectatior erat latiùs receptus quam sermo Apostolorum Evangelistarum Sasbout in 2 Pet. 1. c. 2 Pet. 1. 19. †â—… ingenio Aut. 2. non posse certò quidem exponi unum aut alterum scripturae locum ex ingenio propria aliorum scriptura locotum cum ea verò collatione posse Aut. 3. non posse certò quidem â—… alicujus alterius communis infallibilis authoritatis quae proinde in Ecclesia sit Fidei Juâ—â—â— secundum significare voluit Ergo tertium Non quidem primum Nam constat multa â—… probabiliter exposita à sanctis Patribus propria corum ingenii solertia atque industria Non etiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut non putet aliquis se posse unum aut alterum scripturae locum ingenio proprio infallibiliter ac certo expoâ—… Scripturae locis Nam quis omnino haereticorum hoc putat Aut quid opus erat hoc â—… aut alterum Scripturae locum ingenio sensuque proprio interpretari â—… plures inter quos collatio instituitur Unde ipse D. Petrus Omnis inquit 〈…〉 tantum sed absolutè ac sine ulla acceptione omnis Prophetia Scripturâ—◠〈◊〉 ut tertium illud quod diximus significaverit hoc loco D. Petrus Nempe 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Apostolica 〈◊〉 â—it Neminem privato suo labore atque proprio studio quacunque demum 〈…〉 Scriptura doctrinam scripturae certò ac infallibiliter in controversis quaestionibus 〈…〉 authoritate in Ecclesia communi per quam spiritus sanctus communiter 〈…〉 Nam 〈◊〉 ipse Apostolus ibidem subjungit quen admodum non authoritate humana 〈…〉 etiam non humana ac propria industria hujus vel illius 〈…〉 cognoscenda est sed ex aliqua authoritate item divina 〈…〉 est sit etiam 〈◊〉 Scripturae interpâ—es Ita fit uc sola Scriptura â—… Valen. Tom. 3. in Aquinat disp 1. quaest 1. de object fidei Punct 7. §. Patticipation of that Spirit by which the Scriptures were written makes private mens interpretations of them not private but Authentick ‖ It is worth labour to see Canus 2. lib. Locorum Theol cap. 8. where he saies Eclesiae authoritas non est Formalis ratio sidei ultima Resolutio Fidei non fit in Ecclesiae TestimoniuÌ„ See chap. 2â— Parag. 3. †1 Cor. 2. 15. * Act. 17. 2. †Acts 17. 11. * Respondeo etsi Paulus erat Apostolus non poterat falsam doctrinam praedicate tamen non constabat hoc initio Beroensibus nec tenebantur mox credere nisi prius viderent miracula aut alias probabiles rationes credendi Itaque cum Paulus probaret illis Christum ex oraculis Prophetarum merito illi scrutabantur Scripturas an haecita se haberent Bellar. de verb. Dei lib. 3. cap. 10. resp ad 7. * At Christiani quibus constat Ecclesiam non posse errare in explicanda doctrina sidei tenentur eam recipere non dubâ—â—are an haec ita se habeaur Idem ibid. * 2 Cor. 2. 17. * 2 Cor. 4. 2. * Joh 〈◊〉 18. * Addo etiam quod eth haeâ—… us peccat dubitando de authoritate Ecclesae in quam perhaptâ—mum regeneratus est neque est eadem conditio lâ—aâ—etici qui lemel fidem professus est Judaei ant Ethâ—câ— qui nunquam suit CChristianus tamen posito hoc dubiâ— hoc peccate 〈◊〉 male facit serâ—â—ndo â—xaâ—inando an 〈◊〉 sâ—â—â—tura Pâ—… à Concâ—lio â—…dentiâ—o prolata ita se habeant modòid faciat intentione inveniendi veritatem non calumniandi Deberet quidem ille sine examine recipere doctâ—inaÌ„ Ecclesiae tamen melius est ut examiâ—…do praeparetur ad veritatem quam negligendo remaneat in suis teâ—ebris Idem ibid. * Neque pra termitâ—enda puto duo corollatia quae ex hoc malo argumento pâ—jus colligit doctor iste Unum est Omnem doctrinam ex scripturis esse dijudicaÌ„dam Alterum Apostolos â—… praedicaâ—â—e quod non ex scripturis pro-pheticis confirmari posser Quaero enim num illi probetur â—aeâ— consecutio Paulus praedicans Atheniensibus suam doctrinam confirmavit testimonio Atati pâ—… recteque 〈◊〉 cissent Athenienses si Aratum scrutati suissent an ita se haberet Ergo omnis