Sectaries so he terms us contend about and for proof of this Blasphemous Assertion to bring the forecited place Ere their allegations of this or like places brought to prove the Scriptures Difficultie or Obscurity can be pertinent they must according to the state of the Question already proposed first prove this Obscurity or Difficultie to be perpetuall and ordinarie not inflicted as a punishment upon Hypocrites or such as love Darknesse more than Light And this they never shall be able this one place alledged by Valentian most evidently proves the contrarie For this was an extraordinarie and miraculous Judgement vpon these Jews for their Hypocrisie as appears Verses the thirteen and fourteen And unto such as they were weacknowledge the Scriptures by the just Judgement of God to be most Difficult still but denie such Difficulties to be any Bar why they should not be the complete Rule of Faith If the Jesuites will avouch the contrarie Let them tell us whether any other Rule could in this case supply their defect be it unwritten Tradition or viva vox infallibilis authoritatis the infallible teaching or preaching of the visible Church or Pope This I presume they will be ashamed to affirm For this Prophecie was fulfilled of the Pharisees which lived in our Saviours time and heard him preach the Doctrine of Salvation as plainly as the Pope can do yet neither could his Doctrine nor Miracles win them to his Father Why could they not Because they had as the Papists now have though not so openly disclaimed the Scriptures for the Rule of their Faith and did follow the Precepts or Traditions of Men and God as we said before hath so de reed that such as neglect the Truth known or love Darknesse more than Light should be given over to this reprobate sense that the more evident the Truth is the more hatefull it should be to them as the hate of these Scribe and Pharisees to our Saviour was greater then their fore-elders had been to the Prophets because the light of his Doctrine was greater his Reprehensions more sharp and their deeds and Hypocrisie worse than their Fathers No marvail then if it be so hard a matter to recover a learned Papist or make a Jesuite recant his errour in this Point seeing they are farther gone in this Jewish disease of contemning Gods Word following Traditions and Precepts of Men for the Rule of their Faith than these Jews themselves were not likely therefore they would have yeelded to our Saviour himself if they had lived in his time Nor should the ingenious Reader think we Hyperbolize or over-lash when we charge them with deeper Blasphemie in this Point than these Jews were guiltie of as if this were strange seeing they are such great Scholers and professe that they love Christ as well as we for so would these Jews boast of their Antiquitie and skill in Scriptures and thought that they loved God and his Servant Moses as well as Christ and his Apostles did But it was Gods purpose to confound the Wisdom of the worldly-wise of the Scribes and Pharisees then and of the learned Priests and Jesuites now CAP. XIV How men must be Qualified ere they can understand Scriptures aright that the Pope is not so Qualified 1 OUt of the forementioned places it is Evident that Gods Word otherwise plain and perspicuous was hidden from this Peoples eyes for their Hypocrisie and the same Blindnesse continues still in their Posteritie for continuing in like sin But can it be proved as evidently by any other place of Scripture that unto such as do the Will of God and Practise according to his Precepts the same Word shall be plain and easie so far as is necessarie for their Salvation Yes Infinite places may be brought to this Purpose And lest any man should except against the Extent of such bountifull promises as if they included some condition of Learning great dexteritie of Wit or the like whereof many men are not capable Our Saviour Christ addes the universall Note If any man will do his Will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self If Any Man will do his Will Not if any man will learn the learned Tongues or studie the Scribes and Pharisees Comments which this people supposed to have been the onely as they were good Means for understanding Scriptures aright whilest subordinate to this principall Condition here mentioned by our Saviour The occasion of the Multitudes admiring his Doctrine was that He who had never been Scholar to their Rabbins should be so expert in Scriptures as it is Verse the fifteenth Our Saviours replie to this their Doubt conceived by way of admiration in the sixteenth Verse is that he had his Learning from God and not from Man My Doctrine is not mine but his that sent me And as he was taught by his Father to deliver and teach the heavenly Doctrine so might the simplest and most unlearned amongst them be likewise taught of God to discern whether his Doctrine were of God or whether he spake of himself If they would do the Will of God and seek his Glory not their own as Christ did not seek his own Glory but his that sent him Yet might these Jews have brought the same Exceptions against our Saviours Rule for discerning Doctrines which the Papists now bring against the Scriptures why they should not be the infallible Rule of Faith as shall appear hereafter In the mean time whom shall we beleeve the Modern Jesuite who will swear one thing sitting and the contrary standing or Christ Jesus whose Word as he himself remains yesterday to day the same for ever Even at this day as well as at that time when he spake this Oracle if any man will do the Will of God which sent him he amidst the Varietie of mens Opinions concerning matters of Faith shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether Men speak of themselves without recourse unto the infallible Authority of such as sit in Peters Chair who are to Peter but as unto Moses the Scribes and Pharisees were unto whom Gods Church in Jewrie about our Saviours time was not much beholden for Doctrines of Faith or Decisions of Doubts concerning the Truth of Scriptures or principal Mysteries taught by Moses 2 Will you hear what Bellarmine the only Champion that ever Rome had for eluding evident Authorities of Scripture could answer unto this place Our Lord and Saviour did not intena in this speech to shew us that all honest minded men might understand every place of Scripture by themselves but to teach us that good men are free from diverse such Impediments as dis-enable others for understanding the true Doctrine of Faith either by themselves or by others help For some became uncapable of true Faith by pride and desire of worldly honour others by covetousnesse All these things heard the Pharisees also which were covetous and they
have acknowledged as much had be been in their place For why should he Any other might say he had the Spirit of God and that he was the Messias and what if Peter one of his Fellows late a Fisher-man did confesse him The Scribes and Pharisees principal Members of the visible Church deny him to be their Messias And how should they know his Words to be the Word of God unlesse the Church had confirmed them If Christ himself should have said in their hearing as he did to the Jews John 5. 46. Moses wrote of me consider his Doctrine and lay it to your hearts A Jesuite would have replied You say Moses wrote of you But how shal we know that he meant you Moses is dead and saies nothing and they that sit in his Chair say otherwise And verily the Scribes and Pharisees had far greater Probabilities to plead for the Infallibility of that Chair then the Jesuites can have for their Popes who had they been in the others place could have coyned more matter out of that one saying of our Saviour Mat. 23. 2. Sedent in Cathedra Mosis for the Scribes and Pharisees infallible Authority then all the Papists in the world have been able to extract out of all the Scriptures that are or can be urged for the Pope or Church of Romes Infallibilitie 4 The Scribes and Pharisees though no way comparable to the â—esuites for cunning in painting rotten or subtilty in oppugning Causes true and â—…nd could urge for themselves against such as confessed Christ that none of the Rulers nor of the Pharisees did Believe in him but only a Cursed Crew of such as knew not the Law John 7. 48. They could Object the Law was obscure and the interpretation of it did belong to them But could these pretences excuse the people for not obeying Christs Doctrine You will say perhaps they could not be excused because Christs Miracles were so many and manifest These were somewhat indeed if Christ had been their Accuser But our Saviour saith plainly that he would not accuse them to his Father And for this cause he would not work many Miracles amongst such as were not moved with the like already wrought lest he should increase their Sins If Christ did not who then had reason to accuse them Moses as it is in the same place did Moses in whom they trusted and on whom they fastened their Implicite Faith Moses of whom they thought and said We will Believe as he Believed Moses whose Doctrine they to their seeming stood as stifly for against Christs new Doctrine as they supposed as the Jesuites do for the Catholick Church as they think against Hereticks and Sectaries as they term us Why then is Moses whom thus they honoured become their chief Accuser because while they did Believe on him only for Tradition or from pretence of Succession or for the dignity of their Temple Church or Nation they did not indeed Believe Him nor his Doctrine For had they Believed his Doctrine they had Believed Christ For he wrote of Christ So he might thinks the Jesuite and yet write so obscurely of him as his Writings could be no Rule of Faith to the Jews without the Visible Churches Authority Yea rather they should and might have been a Rule unto them for their good against the Visible Churches Authority and now remain a Rule or Law against both to their just condemnation because the Doctrine of Christ was so plainly and clearly set down in these writings had they set their hearts unto them Even the Knowledg of Christ the Word of life it self was in their mouthes and in their hearts For that Commandment which Moses there gave them was That Word of Faith which S. Paul the infallible Teacher of the Gentiles did preach as he himself testifies Rom. 10. 8. If any man ask how this Place was so easie to be understood of Christ or how by the doctrine of Moses Law the doctrine of the Gospel might have been manifested to their Consciences my Answer is already set down in our Saviours Words Had they done Gods Will revealed unto them in that Law they should have known Christs Doctrine to have been of God 5 Had they according to the prescript of Moses Law repented them of their Sins from the bottom of their Hearts the Lord had blotted all their Wickedness out of His remembrance And their hearts once purged of Wickednesse would have exulted in his presence that had made them whole Faith would have fastened upon his Person though never seen before Not the Moon more apt to receive the Sun-beams cast upon it then these Jews hearts to have shined with the Glory of Christ had they cast away all Pride and Self-conceit or the Glory of their Nation but unto them as now they are and long time have been swollen with Pride and full of Hypocrisie Christs Glory is but as clear Light to sore or dim-sighted eyes They wink with their eyes lest they should be offended with the Splendor of it This Doctrine of Christ and Knowledge of Scriptures in points of Faith shall be most obscure to us if we follow them in their foolish pretences of their Visible Church most clear perspicuous and easie if we lay Moses Commandments to our hearts For Truth Inherent must be as the eye-sight to discern all other things of like nature CAP. XVIII Concluding this Controversie according to the state proposed with the testimony of Saint Paul 1 WE may conclude this Point with our Apostle Si Evangelium nostrum tectum est iis qui pereunt tectum est in quibus Deus hujus saeculi excaecavit mentes id est infidelibus ne irradiat eos lumen Evangelii gloriae Christi qui est imago Dei If the Gospel be Obscure or rather hid For it is a Light obscure it cannot be God forgive me if I used that speech save only in our Adversaries persons It is hid only to such as have the eyes of their mind Blinded by Satan the God of this World Of which Number may we not without breach of Charity think he was one who seeing the light and evidence of this place would not see it but thought it a sufficient Answer to say Aposiolus non loquitur de intelligentia Scripturarum sed de cognitione side in Christum The Apostle speaks not of understanding Scriptures but of Knowing and Believing in Christ It is well the Jesuite had so much Modestie in him as to grant this later that he spake at the least of Knowing Christ For if the knowledg of Christ be so clear to the godly and elect then are the Scriptures clear too so far as concerns their Faith For S. Paul wrote this and all his Epistles only to this end that men might truly come to the Knowledge of Christ But he meant of a perfect and true Knowledge not such as Bellarmine when he gave this Answer dreamed of ut neque sit puer neque
is essentially subordinate CAP. IV. Containing a further Resolution of Romish faith necessarily inferring the authority of the Romish Church to be of greater authority then Gods Word absolutely not only in respect of us IF we rack the former syllogism a little farther and stretch it out in every joynt to its ful length we may quickly make it confesse our proposed conclusion and somewhat more The Syllogism was thus What soever God hath spoken is most true But God hath spoken and caused to be written all those words contained in the Canon of Scriptures acknowledged by opposite religions of these times Therefore these words are most true The certainty of the Minor depends as our adversaries wil have it upon the present Romish Churches Insallibility which hath commended unto us these Books for Gods Word Be it then granted for disputations sake that we cannot know any part of Gods Word much lesse the just bounds extent or limits of all his words supposed to be revealed for our good but by the Romish Church The Spiritual Sense or true meaning of al most or many parts of these determinate Volums and visible Characters as yet is undeterminate and uncertain whereas all ponts of belief must be grounded on the determinate and certain sence of some part of Gods Word revealed for our adversaries acknowledg all points of Faith should be resolved into the First Truth Hence if we descend to any particular or determinate conclusion of Faith it must be gathered in his Syllogism Whatsoever the Church teacheth concerning the determinate and true sence of Scriptures whereon points of Faith are grounded is most trâ—â— But the Church teacheth thus and thus for example That her own authority is infallibly taught by the Holy Ghost in these words Peter feed my sheep Peter I have prayed for thee that thy faith should not fail ergo this sence and meaning of these words is most true And as true as it is must the sence likewise of every proposition or part of Scripture by this Church expounded or declared be accounted 2 The Major proposition of this Syllogism is as undoubted amongst the Roman Catholicks as the Major of the former was unto all Christians but as yet the Minor The Church doth give this or that sence of this or that determinate place may be as uncertain indeed as they would make our belief unto the Minor proposition in the general Syllogism before it be confirmed by the Churches authority For how can we be certain that the Church doth teach al those particulars which the Jesuites propose unto us we have Books indeed which go under the name of the Trent Councel but how shall we know that this Councel was lawfully assembled that some Canons have not been foisted in by private Spirits that the Councel left not some unwritten tradition for explicating their decrees after another fashion then the Jesuites do who shall assure us in these or like doubts The present Church All of us cannot repair to Rome such as can when they come thither cannot be sure to hear the true Church speak ex Cathedra If the Pope send his Writs to assure us what Critick so cunning as to assure us whether they be authentick or counterfeit Finally for all that can be imagined in this case only the Major of the Catholick syllogism indefinitely taken is certain and consequently no particular or definite conclusion of Faith can be certain to a Romanist because there are no possible means of ascertaining the Minor What the true Church doth infallibly define unto his Conscience 3 Or if they wil hold such conclusions as are ordinarily gathered from the Trent Councel or the Popes decisions as infallible points of faith they make their authority to be far greater then the infallibility of Gods written word yea more infallible then the Deity This Collection they would deny unlesse it followed from their own premisses These for example That a conclusion of faith cannot be gathered unless the minor God did say this or that determinately be first made certain But from the Pope or Churches infallibility conclusions of faith may be gathered albeit the minor be not certain de Fide For who can make a Jesuites report of the Popes Decrees or an Historical relation of the Trent Councel certain de fide as certain as an Article of faith And yet the Doctrine of the Trent Councel and Popes Decrees must be held de fide upon pain of damnation albeit men take them only from a Priests mouth or upon a Jesuites faith and credit 4 This is the madnesse of that Antichristian Synagogue that acknowledgeth Gods Word for most infallible and the Scriptures which we have for his word if it self be infallible For it tels us they are such yet wil not have collections or conclusions with equal probability deduced thence so firmly believed by private men as the collections or conclusions which are gathered from the Churches Infallibility An implicit faith of particulars grounded upon the Churches general infallibility so men stedfastly believe it may suffice But implicit faith of particulars grounded only upon our general Belief of Gods infallibility providence or written word sufficeth not This proves the authority of the Church to be above the athority of Scriptures or the Deity absolutely considered not only in respect of us that is all besides the Pope and his Cardinals For that is of more authority absolutely not only in respect of us which upon equal notice or knowledge is to be better believed more esteemed or obeyed but such is the authority of the Church in respect of the divine authority such is the authority of the Popes Decrees in respect of Gods Word For the Minor proposition in both the former Syllogisms being alike uncertain the conclusion must be more certain in that Syllogism whose major relies upon the Popes infallibility then in the other whose Major was grounded upon the infallibility of the Deity 6 Briefly to collect the sum of all The authority of the Church is greater then the authority of Scriptures both in respect of Faith and Christian Obedience In respect of Faith because we are bound to believe the Churches decisions read or explicated unto us by the Popes messenger though a Sir John Lack-latin without any appeal but no part of Scripture acknowledged by us and them we may believe without appeal or submission of our interpretation to the Church albeit the true sence and meaning of it seem never so plain unto private consciences in whom Gods Spirit worketh Faith The same argument is most firm and evident in respect of Obedience 6 That authority over us is alwayes greatest unto which we are to yield most immediate most strict and absolute obedience but by the Romish Churches Doctrine we are to yield supream and most absolute obedience to the Church more supream and absolute then unto Gods word therefore the authority of the Church is greater over us The Major is out of controversie seeing
cannot erre in explicating the doctrine of faith are bound to embrace it without questioning whether the places alleadged be to the purpose or no. Let such Christians as believe the Pope cannot erre in the name of God believe whatsoever he shall teach without examination yet remember withall that thus to believe is to worship the Dragon by giving their names unto the Beast But unto what Christians is the Popes infallibilitie better known then Saint Pauls was to the Beroeans Not unto us whose fathers have forsaken him for his Apostasie from God and taught us to eschew him as Antichrist to hold his doctrine as the very doctrine of devils Unto us at least his Holinesse should seek to manifest his infallibility by such means as Saint Paul did his even unto such as had seen his miracles and had experience of his power in expounding Scriptures Besides Saint Pauls conversation in all places was continually such as did witness him to be a chosen vessell full of the spirit of grace He did not make marchandise of the Word of God as most Popes do but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God so he spake through Christ he did not walk in craftinesse yet who greater Polititians then Popes Nor did he handle the Word of God deceitfully but in declaration of the truth he did approve himself to every mans conscience in the sight of God This one amongst others he accounts as an especiall motive to perswade men of his heavenly calling in that he did not preach himself but Christ Jesus and himself their servant for Iesus sake For so our Saviour had said He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory The Pope that we might know him to be Christs opposite seeks almost nothing else nothing so much as to be absolute Lord over all other mens faith If this any Jesuite will deny let him define what Prince amongst the nations what Tyrant in the World did ever challenge greater soveraignty in affairs of this life then the Pope doth in all matters whatsoever concerning the life to come 3 But it may be Bellarmine was either afraid or ashamed of this answer wherefore he adds another as wise to keep it from blushing I â—â—de saith he albeit an Heretick sin in doubting of the Churches authority into which he hath been regenerate by Baptisme nor is the case the same in an Heretick which hath once made profession of faith and in a Jew or Ethnick which never was Christian yet this doubt which is a sin being supposed he doth not amisse in searching and examining whether the places alleadged by the Trent Councell oat of Scriptures or Fathers be true or pertinent so hâ— do this with an intent to finde the truth not to calumniate A man at the first sight would deem Bâ—llâ—rmine for his own part at least had given us leave to examine the Popes doctrine by Scripture but that as you heard before he absolutely denies nor will he I am sure pawn his hat that he which searcheth the Scriptures and Fathers alleadged and cannot find any such meaning in either as the Trent Councell would thence infer shall be freed by their Church from heresie although he be not so uncivil as to calumniate the Pope but onely salvareverentia ingenuously professe that he thinks on his Conscience the Scripture meant no such matter as the Councel intended This none of their Church dare promise for dubius in fide by their doctrine est haereticus he that doubts after sâ—uch an authentick determination is condemned for an heretick and yet without such assurance of being freed from heresie this permission of reading Scriptures is not worth God a mercy seeing he must at length be constrained to believe the Scripture saith just so as the Pope saith albeit his private conscience informe him to the contrary so that by reading them he must either wound his own conscience more then if the use of them had been denied him or else use them but as a court favour or grace bestowed upon him by the Pope for which he must in good manners yeeld his full assent to his doctrine with infinite thanks for his bounty Howsoever if he be doubtfull in their tenents he may not read the Scriptures with Calvin Beza or any of our Writers Expositions or in any Edition save such as they approve or with the Rhemish animadversions or glosses or according to the analogy of that faith wherein the Jesuites have catechized him So that the reading of Scriptures if their opinions be erroneous as we hold the Popes decisions are serves to as good purpose for confirming one of their catechizing in the right faith as the ringing of bells doth to bring a melancholy man out of some foolish conceit which runs in his mind both of them will believe their former imaginations though never so bad the better because the one thinks the bells ring the other that the Scriptures speak just so as he imagines This Bellarmine cannot dissemble in his next words Bound he is to receive the Churches doctrine without examination but better he were prepared unto the truth by examining then by neglecting it to persist still in his blindnesse His meaning in plain English is this He and his fellows could wish Reformed Churches would all come off at once and believe as Romanists do without all examination whether they believe as Christians or Magicians but if we will not be so forward as they could wish we were they could in the second place be very well content to admit us into their Church again though after a yeer or two's deliberation rather then lose our company for ever 4 The learned Doctor Whitakers of famous memory out of the former place gathered these two corollaries Every doctrine is to be tried 〈◊〉 Scripture The Apostle taught nothing but what might have been confirmed out of Moses and the Prophets Sacrâ—boscus reply to these Orthodoxal collections confirmes me in that conceit I entertained of Romish Schoolmen when I first began to read them They seemed to me then much more now to handle matters of greatest moment in divinity after the same fashion for all the world nimble Artists do Philosophical Theorems in the Schools whiles they are coursed by such as would triumph in their disgrace Be the argument brought in it self never so good or forcible to evince the contradictory to their tenents yet if the opponent in his inference of what was last denied chance but to omit some petty terme or clause impertinent to the main question or make his propositions more improbable by framing them more universal then he needs occasion will quickly be taken to interrupt his progresse and put him off especially if the Answerer be so well provided with some shew of instance to the contrary or absurdity likely to follow if all were true his Antagonist would seeme to prove Nor do I censure this as a fault in youth or whilest we are in
with other stand mutually affected how both subordinate to the absolute immutability of that one everlasting decree Want of resolution in these points as far as my observation serves me hath continually bred an universal threefold want of care and vigilancie for preventing dangers in themselves avoidable of alacrious indeavors to redeem time in part surprized by them of patience of hearty submission to Gods will and constant expectation of his providence after all hope of redemption from temporal plagues long threatned by his messengers is past For here we suppose what out of the fundamental principles of Christian religion shall in good time be made evident that in all ruinated states or forepast alterations of religion from better to worse there was a time wherein the possibility of misfortunes which afterwards befel them might have been prevented a time wherein they might have been recovered from eminent dangers wherewith they were encompast a time after which there was no possibility left them of avoyding the day of visitation never brought forth but by the precedent fulness of iniquity but alwaies necessarily by it In the discussion of these and other points of like nature because more depending upon strict examination of consequences deduced from the undoubted rules of Scripture then upon authorities of antiquitie skill in the tongues or any other learning that required long experience or observation I laboured most whilest those Arts and Sciences which are most conducible to this search were freshest in my memory And could I hope to satisfie others in all or most of these as fully as I have long since done my self I should take greatest pleasure in my pains addressed to this purpose But would it please the Lord in mercy to raise up some English writer that could in such sort handle these points as their use and consequence or necessity of present times requires succeeding ages I am perswaded should have more cause to bless the day of his nativity then of the greatest States-mens or stoutest Warriors this land hath yielded since the birth of our Fathers this day living It shall suffice he to begin the offering with my mite in hope some learned Academicks for unto them belongs the conquest of this golden fleece will employ their Talents to like publick use What I conceive shall be by Gods assistance unfolded in as plain and unoffensive terms as the nature of the subject will bear or my faculties reach unto partly in the Article of Gods providence partly in other discourses directly subordinate unto it Lastly for the full and perfect growth at least for the sweet and pleasant flourishing of lively Faith one of the most effectual means our industry that can but plant or water attains unto would be to unfold the harmony betwixt Prophetical predictions and Historical events concerning the Kingdom of Christ and time of the Gospel a point for ought I know not purposely handled by any modern writer except those whose success cannot be great until their delight in contention and contradiction be less Notwithstanding whatsoever I shall find good in them or any other without all respect of persons much more without all desire of opposition or occasion of contention a matter alwaies undecent in a Christian but most odious and lothsom in a subject so melodious and pleasant I will not be afraid to follow intending a full Treatise of the divers kindes of Prophecies with the manner of their interpretations before the Articles of Christs Incarnation Passion and Ascension These are the especial points which for the better confirmation of true Christian faith and rectifying perswasions in matters of manners or good life are principally aimed at in these meditations The main obstacle the Atheist stumbles at is the Article of the bodies resurrection Whose passive possibility shall by Gods assistance be evidently demonstrated against him by the undoubted rules of nature whose Priest or Minister he professeth himself to be That de facto it shall be the Scriptures whose truth ere then will appear Divine must assure us Nature cannot though thus much were in some sort known and believed by many natural men from traditions of the ancient or suspected from some notions of the law of nature not quite obliterated in all sorts of the heathen as shall in that Article God willing be observed But why our Assent unto this and all other Articles in this Creed being in good measure established the momentary hopes or transitory pleasures of this world should with most in their whole course of life with all of us in many particular actions in private and secret temptations more prevail then that exceeding weight of glory which Christian hope would fasten on our souls to keep unruly affections under hath often enforced me to wonder and wonderment hereat first moved me to untertake these labors if by any means I may attain unto the causes of this so grievous an infirmity or find out some part of a remedy for it Doubtless had the heathen Philosophers but known or suspected such joyes as we profess we believe and hope for or such a death or more then deadly torments as after this life ended we fear their lives and manners would as far have surpassed the best Christians now living as their knowledge in supernatural mysteries came short of the most learned that are or have been in that profession and yet whatsoever helps any Christian or heathen had for encreasing knowledge or bettering manners are more plentiful in this then any precedent age so that the fault is wholly in our selves that will not apply medicines already prepared as shall God prospering these proceedings be declared in the last Article of this Creed For controversies betwixt us and the Romish Church besides such are directly opposite to the end and method proposed I purposely meddle with none of that rank some as that of the Churches infallibility undermine the very foundation others as the doctrine of merit and justification the propitiation of the Mass unroof the edifice and deface the walls of Christian faith leaving nothing thereof but altarstones for their idolatrous sacrifices For this reason have I built with one hand used my weapon with the other laying the positive or general grounds of Faith against the Infidel or Atheist in the first Book and gaurding them in the second by the sword of the Spirit against all attempts of Romish Sanballats or Tobiahs who still labor to perswade our people the walls of Christs Church here erected since our fore-fathers redemption from captivity unless supported by their supposed infallibility are so weak That if a Fox should go upon them he should break them down In the third which was at this time intended but must stay a while to bring forth a fourth I batter those painted walls whose shallow foundations are discovered in the second The other controversies about the propitiatory sacrifices of the Mass Merits and Justification I prosecute in the Articles of Christs Passion and
Infallibility might prove as a Powder-plot to blow up the whole Edifice of Christian Faith as it certainly will if men suffer it to be once planted in their Hearts and Consciences The Jesuites speculative Positions of their Churches transcendent Authority are as the Train the Popes Thunderbolts as the Match to set the whole World on Combustion unlesse his Lordly Designes though in matters of Faith and greatest moment be put in execution without Question or demur as shall God prospering these proceedings most clearly appear in the sequel of this discourse Wherein are to be discussed 1 Their Objections against us the Points of Difference betwixt us with the Positive Grounds of Truth maintained by us 2 The Inconveniences of their Positions Erection of tripple Blasphemy by the overthrow of Christianitie 3 The Original Causes of their Errour in this and such erroncous Perswasions as held by them in other Points not descried by us prove secret Temptations for others to follow them or serve as previal Dispositions for their Agents to work upon 4 The possible Means and particular Manner how Orthodoxal may be distinguished from Heretical Doctrine or the Life-working Sense of Scriptures from Artificial Glosses These Points discussed and the Positive Grounds of Christian Faith cleared as well against the open Assaults of the professed Atheists as the secret Attempts of undermining Papists we may with better security proceed to raise the Foundation laid in the first general Part of the first Book to the height intended SECT I. What Obedience is due to Gods Word what to his Messengers THe whole Scripture saith the Apostle is given by inspiration of God and is profitable to Teach to Reprove to Correct and to Instruct in Righteousnesse that the Man of God may be absolute being made perfect unto all good works What or whom he means by The Man of God is not agreed upon by all that acknowledge his words in the sense he meant them most Infallible and Authentick Some hereby understand onely such men as Timothy was Ministers of Gods word or Prophets of the new Testament and so briefly elude all Arguments hence drawn to prove the sufficiency of Scriptures for being the Absolute rule of Faith at least to All as well unlearned as learned Yet should they in all reason might Gods Word rule their Reason grant them to be such unto all such as Timothy was publick Teachers men conversant in or consecrated unto Sacred Studies but even This they deny as well as the Former the former in their opinion be more absurd for us to affirm especially holding the Hebrew text only Authentick Briefly they charge us with debasing Peter for advancing Paul or rather for colouring or adorning our pretended sense of Pauls Words that is for giving too little to Peters Successors or the Church too much to Scriptures too little to Spiritual too much to Lay men 2 These are plausible Pretences and sweet Baits to stop the mouthes and mussle the pens of Clergy-men in reformed Churches unto most of whom as they object besides the Spiritual Sword little or nothing is left for their just defence against the Insolencies of rude illiterate profane Laicks And yet who more earnest then they in this Cause against the Church against themselves yet certain it is that no man can be truly for himself unlesse he be first of all for Truth it self of which he that gains the greatest share what other detriment or disparagement soever in the mean time he sustain in the end speeds alwayes best And seeing To Lie or teach amisse is a matter altogether impossible to Omnipotencie it self to be able and willing withall to defend a Falshood or set fair colours on foul Causes is rather Impotencie then Abilitie Hence was that quicquid possumus pro veritate possumus Seeing by Truth we live our Spiritual Life to weaken it for strengthning our Temporal Hopes can never rightly be accounted any true effect of Power but an infallible Argument of great and desperate Imbecillitie 3 For these Reasons since I consecrated my labours to the search of Divine Truth my mind hath been most set to find it out in this present Controversie whereon most others of Moment chiefly depend And as unto the Romanist it is though falsly termed the Catholick so should it be unto us to all that love the Name of Christ The very Christian Cause a Cause with which the Adversaries Fortunes our Faith their Temporal our Spiritual Estate and Hopes must stand or fall a Cause whose Truth and Strength on our part will evidently appear If we first examine what the Antichristian Adversary can oppose against it CAP. I. The Sum of the Romanists Exceptions against the Scriptures 1 THeir Objections against Scriptures spring from this double Root The One that They are no sufficient Rule of Faith but Many Things are to be Believed which are not taught in Them The Second that albeit they were the compleat Rule of Faith yet could they not be known of us but by the Authority of the Church so that all the former Directions for establishing our Assent unto the Scriptures as unto the Words of God Himself were vain seeing this cannot be attained unto but by relying upon Christs visible Church The former of these two Fountains or Roots of Errour I am not here to meddle with elsewhere we shall That the Scriptures teach All Points of Faith set down in this Creed they cannot denie or if they would it shall appear in their several Explications So that the Scripture rightly understood is a competent Rule for the Articles herein contained Let us then see whether the Sense or Meaning of these Scriptures which both They and We hold for Canonical may not be Known Understood and fully Assented unto Immediately and in themselves without relying upon any visible Church or Congregation of men from whose Doctrine we must frame our Belief without distrust of Errour or Examination of their Decrees with any intention to reform them or swarve from them 2 That the Scripture is not the Rule whereon Private Men especially Unlearned ought to rely in matters of Faith from these general Reasons or Topicks they seek to perswade us First admitting the Scriptures to be Infallible in themselves and so consequently to all such as can perfectly understand them in the Language wherin they were written yet to such as understand not that Language they can be no Infallible Rule because they are to them a Rule only as they are Translated but no Unlearned man can be sure that they are translated aright according to the true Intent and meaning of the Holy Ghost for if any man do infallibly Believe this and build his Faith hereupon then is his Faith grounded upon the Infallibilitie of This or That mans Skill in Translating whereof he that is Unlearned can have no sufficient Argument neither out of Scripture nor from Reason Nay Reason teacheth us that in matters of ordinarie capacitie most men are
annexed to any peculiar Men or Company of Men distinct from others by Prerogative of Place Preheminence of Succession and from him or them to be derived unto all others set apart for this Ministerie or whether the Ministerie of any men of what Place or Societie soever whom God hath called to this Function and enabled for the same be sufficient for the begetting of true Faith without any others Confirmation or Approbation of their Doctrine 9 Secondly it is questioned how this Ministery of Man which is necessarily supposed ordinarily both for knowing the Word of God and the true Meaning of it becomes available for the begetting of true Belief in either point In whomsoever the Authoritie of this Ministerial Function be the Question is whether it perform thus much only by Proposing or Expounding the Word which is Infallible or by their Infallible Proposal or Exposition of it that is whether for the attaining of true Belief in both Points mentioned we must relie infallibly upon the Infallible VVord of God only or partly upon it and partly upon the Infallibility of such as expound it unto us Or in other words thus whether the Authoritie or Infallibilitie of any Mans Doctrine or Asseveration concerning these Scriptures or their true Sense be as infallibly to be Believed as those Scriptures themselves are or that Sense of them which the spirit of God hath wrought in our Hearts by sure and undoubted Experience 10 These are the principal Roots and Fountains of Difference between us concerning our present Controversie whence issue and spring these following First Whether Christ whose Authoritie both acknowledge for Infallible hath left any Publick Judge of these Scriptures which both receive or of their right Sense and Meaning from whose Sentence we may not appeal or whether all to whom this Ministrie of Faith is committed be but Expositors of Divine Scriptures so as their Expositions may by all faithful Christians be examined Hence ariseth that other Question whether the Scriptures be the Infallible Rule of Faith If Scripture admit any Judge then is it no Rule of Faith If all Doctrines are to be examined by Scripture then is it a perfect Rule 11 Our Adversaries especially later Jesuites Positions are these The Infallible Authoritie of the present Church that is of some visible Companie of living Men must be as absolutely Believed of all Christians as any Oracle of God and hence would they bind all such as proâ—esse the Catholick Faith in all Causes concerning the Oracles or Word of God to yield the same Obedience unto Decrees and Constitutions of the Church which is due unto these Oracles themselves even to such of them as all Faithful Hearts do undoubtedly know to be Gods written Word 12 The Reasons pretended for this absolute Obedience to be performed unto the Church or visible Company of Men are drawn from the Insufficiency of Scripture either for notifying it self to be the Word of God or the true Sense and Meaning of it self Consequently to these Objections they stifly maintain That the Infallible Authority of the present Church is the mosâ— sure most safe undoubted Rule in all Doubts or Controversies of Faith or in all Points concerning these Oracles of God by which we may certainly know Both without which we cannot possibly know either which are the Oracles of God which not or what is the true Sense and Meaning of such as are received for his Oracles one of the especial Consequents of these Assertions is That this Churches Decisions or Decrees may not be examined by Scriptures 13 Our Churches Assertions concerning the knowledge of Gods Word in general is thus As Gods Word is in it self Infallible so it may be infallibly apprehended and Believed by every Christian unto whom he vouchsafeth to speak after what manner soever he speak unto him Yea whatsoever is necessary for any man to Believe the same must be infallibly written in his heart and on it once written there he must immediately relie not upon any other Authoritie concerning it 14 Or if we speak of Gods written Word our former general Assertion may be restrained thus 15 We are not bound to Believe the Authority of the Church or visible Companiâ— of any living men either concerning the Truth or true Sense of Divine Oracles written so stedfastly and absolutely as we are bound to Believe the Divine written Oracles themselves Consequently to this Assertion we affirm 16. The the Inâ—allible Rule whereupon every Christian in matters of written Verities absolutely and finally without all appeal condition or reservation is to relie must be the Divine written Oracles themselves some of which every Christian hath written in his Heart by the finger of Gods Spirit and Believes immediately In and For themselves not for any Authoritie of Men and these to him must be the Rule for examining all other Doctrines and trying any Masters of Faith But because most in our daies in Matters of Faith and Christian Obedience misse the Celestial Mean and fall into one of the two extreams It shall not be amisse while we seek to divert their course from Sylla to admonish lest they make shipwrack in Charybdis CAP. IV. Shewing the Mean betwixt the two Extremities the one in Excesse proper to the Papists the other in Defect proper to the Anti-papist 1 IT is a Rule in Logick that Two contrary Propositions for their form may be both False And hence it is that many Controversers of our times either in love to the Cause they defend or heat of contention not content only to Contradict but desirous to be most Contrarie to their Adversaries fal into Errour with them No Controversie almost of greater moment this day extant but yields Experiments of this Observation though none more plentiful then this in hand concerning the visible Churches Authoritie or Obedience due to Spiritual Pastours 2 The Papists on the one side demand Infallible Assent and illimited Obedience unto whatsoever the Church shall propose without examination of her Doctrine or appeal which is indeed as we shall afterwards prove to takeaway all the Authority of Gods Word and to erect the present Churches Consistorie above Moses and S. Peters Chair On the other side sundrie by profession Protestants in eagernesse of opposition to the Papists affirm that the Church or Spiritual Pastors must then only be Believed then only be Obeyed when they give Sentence according to the Evident and Expresse Law of God made evident to the Hearts and Consciences of such as must Believe and Obey them And this in one word is to take away all Authoritie of Spiritual Pastors and to deprive them of all Obedience unto whom doubtlesse God by his written Word hath given some special Authoritie and Right to exact some peculiar Obedience of their Flock Now if the Pastor be then only to be Obeyed when he brings evident Commission out of Scripture for those particulars unto which he demands Belief or Obedience
through mine Hypocrisie for a little time of a transitory Life they might be deceived by me and I should procure malediction and reproach to mine old Age. This eating which he refused could never have been of Faith that is no way Warrantable by the Doctrine or Principles of Faith which had taught him the contrary as he well exprest in the next words following for though I were now delivered from the Torments of Men yet could I not escape the Hand of the Almighty neither alive nor dead Wherefore I will now change this Life manfully and will shew my self such as mine Age requireth 9 And it should be considered that the Parties of whom our Apostle speaks in the forementioned place were never injoyned by any Lawful Superiours either Civil or Ecclesiastick to eat such Meats as they made scruple of yea the very original or fountain of their Scruple was from the expresse Law of God denouncing fearful Judgements against all such as polluted themselves with Unclean Meats so that their eating albeit solemnly injoyned by the greatest Powers on earth could not fall within the Subject of true Obedience because the Laws injoyning it as they conceived stood actually condemned by the expresse Law of God to the contrary in defence whereof many of their Ancestors had exposed their Bodies to most grievous Tortures and the refusal of such Meats as they made Scruple of had been alwayes accounted the justest Title of glorious Martyrdom amongst the Jews And albeit these Laws concerning Unclean Meats were indeed Antiquated at the Alteration of the Priesthood yet should we not marvail if at the first planting of the Gospel many good Christians did make great Conscience of eating such Meats as were forbidden by them when S. Peter himself long after our Saviours Ascension durst scarce take Gods own word against his written Law then not Abrogated as he supposed in this Case For when there came a voice unto him saying Arise Peter kill and eat Peter said Not so Lord for I have never eaten any thing that is Polluted or Unclean And the voice came unto him again the second time saying the things that God hath purified do not thou account Polluted Nor was Peter as it seems yet fully satisfied for it is added in the next words This was so done thrice and the vessel was drawn up again into Heaven All these Circumstances abundantly evince that it was not the bare Doubt or Scruple but the Quality of the things doubted of and the inveterate Opinion or abominable Conceit which the Jews or other of their Instruction had of the Meats themselves that made their eating to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so far from being of Faith that it rather seemed to overthrow it Had the excesse of the Danger they feared been lesse or had there been any ordinary Possibility of any proportionable Good to set against it their Sin in eating had been lesse albeit the Grounds of their Scruple had been greater or their Perswasions one way or other lesse setled 10 Albeit this Exposition of our Apostle may seem strange and new to many honest and well disposed Minds in our Church yet in truth the manner of the deduction only is new the Doctrine it self is generally held by all Divines though not expresly in Conclusion yet in the Premises wherein it is essentially contained and may be most evidently deduced Thus. 11 All Sin consists either in preferring none before some the lesse before a greater or a Corporal before a Spiritual Good the Hainousnesse of Sin in the excesse of difference betwixt the true good neglected and the seeming good embraced which is either absolutely evil or else a far lesse good which in competition with the greater good is likewise to be accounted evil Now if whatsoever be not of Faith be a Sin then by the former Rules it is a Sin because a lesse good is preferred before a greater or some evil chosen without any proportionable good that might serve as a sufficient Recompence But if the nature of all Actual Sin consist in one of these two It is questionable how or in what case Doubting or Scruple of what we do doth make our Actions Sinful Briefly it is an External Cause or Circumstance concurring to the making of a Sinful Action not any essential part or internal Circumstance of the Sin it self once caused And it thus concurs only when that which in it self is Evil or proves so in the event would not be â—vil unto us unlesse we had some doubt or scruple that is some Notice or Apprehension of it as Evil In such Cases indeed we should not Sin unlesse we had formerly doubted but to speak exactly we do not sin because we do what we doubt of but because in doing some Actions when we Doubt we exactly prefer Evil before Good which otherwise we should not albeit we did the self same Action For it could not be Evil to us without the Apprehension of its Nature so as the Apprehension of it concurs to the making of it Evil. And because in all Doubts or Scruples there is some Apprehension of Evil therefore when we Doubt in Cases above mentioned our Actions are not of Faith but Sinful But if either we could be fully perswaded to the contrary that is if we could out of sincerity of Conscience setled Judgement discern that very thing which either we our selves sometimes did or others yet Apprehend as Evil not to be truly Evil the same Action which before had been shall not be now sinful unto us because we now prefer not Evil before Good Or again albeit the thing were in it self Evil being prohibited by some positive Law but we upon invincible or unculpable Ignorance did not Apprehend it for such we should not actually sin in doing it because in this Case we could not truly be câ—nsured for preferring Evil before Good seeing the Apprehension maketh it evil to us albeâ—t we did prefer that which was evil before that which was good As for example If a Proâ—â—â—yte should have eaten Swines Flesh being altogether ignorant not by his own but the Priests Negligence of the Israelites Law to the contrary he had done that which was evil because forbidden by the Law but not ill because he had no Apprehension of it as evil but did eat it without all scruple as well as the strong in Faith did in S. Pauls time As doubting in those Cases wherein we have an Apprehension of some excesse of evil makes mens Actions not to be of Faith and want of doubt so all other Circumstances be observed makes them to be according unto Faith †so it oft-times fals out that such as nothing Doubt whether they do ill or no do Sin far more then such as not without great Scruple of Conscience make the same sinisâ—er Châ—ice For oft-times the Causes why men make no scruple or why they Apprehend not the evil which they do are such
by meer Natural precepts For we suppose what afterwards wil manifest it self that all Truths necessary for men to Believe have a distinct relish from all falshood or other unnecessary or superfluous Truths and may be known by their fruit so men wil be careful to preserve the Sincerity of their Spiritual Taste 4 Gods written Word then is the only pure Fountain and Rule of Faith yet not such immediately unto all as it is written but the Learned or Spiritual Instructors only whose Hearts and Consciences must be ruled by it as in all other spiritual duties so especially as they are Instructors in this That they may not commend any Truths or principles of faith unto the illiterate but such as are expresly contained in Gods written Word or at least are in substance the self same with these written Truths If the Unlearned through Gods just Judgement absolutely admit of other principles and equalize them with these such shal lead them into Errour and pervert their faith If they doubt of any mans Doctrine whether it be truly Spiritual or consonant to the foundation of faith they may appeal to Scriptures as they shal be expounded to them by others Finally they are tied to no visible Company of men whom they must under pain of damnation follow but for their Souls Health they may trie every Spiritual Physitian If they wil be Humorous they may but at their own peril both for Temporal Punishment in this life and for Eternal in the life to come 5 For conclusion the Scripture according to our doctrine and the general Consent of Reformed Churches is the only Infallible rule of faith in both respects or conditions of a Perfect Rule First in that it contains all the principles of faith and points of salvation So that no Visible Church on earth may commend any doctrine to others as a doctrine of Faith unlesse it be commended to them for such by the Scriptures by which every ones doctrine that acknowledgeth God for his Lord must be examined as by a Law uncontrollable Secondly in that these principles of faith are plainly perspicuously and distinctly set down to the Capacities of all that faithfully follow their practical rules most plain most perspicuous and easie to all capable of any rule or reason So that this Sacred Canon needs no Associate no Addition of any Authoritie as equally infallible nor more perspicuous then it self to supply what it wants only the Ministery of men skilful and industrious in the search or Exposition of it is to be supposed And all these be they never so excellent and wel conversant in them are unto Scriptures but as the ordinary Expositors of Classick and Authentick Books are unto the chief Authors or Inventors of the science contained in them Supposing that the first Authors were men of extraordinary and infallible skil and their Expositors as they usually are but of ordinary Capacity or Experience in those faculties 6 Finally the Books of Scriptures are to be reputed a more absolute Rule for all Matters of Faith and Divine Mysteries then any Books or Writings of men are for natural sciences or secular professions as in sundrie other Respects so in This that they give as more facile so more infallible directions for finding out their true Sense and Meaning then any other Writings do or Writers could have done who though present could not be so fully Assistant but cannot so much as affoord their presence to their Expositours in the search of Truths rather professed then fully conceived much lesse infallibly taught by them whereas the Spirit of Truth which first did dictate is every where present alwayes Assistant to such as seriously and sincerely seek the Truth contained in these Divine Oracles conducting them from Knowledge to Knowledge both by all such Means as Artists have for increasing their skil and by other Means extraordinary such as none in any other Faculty can have nor any may hope for in the Search of Scriptures but only such as Delight in and Meditate upon them Day and Night SECT II. That the pretended Obscurity of Scriptures is no just Exception why they should not be acknowledged the absolute Rule of Faith which is the Mother-Objection of the Romanist CAP. XII How far it may be granted the Scriptures are Obscure with some Premonitions for the right state of the Question 1 IT is first to be supposed that these Scriptures for whose Soveraignty over our Souls we plead against the pretended Authority of the Romish Church were given by God for the Instruction of all succeeding Ages for all sorts of Men in every Age for all Degrees or divers Measures of his other Gifts in all several sorts or Conditions of Men. This diversitie of Ages and Conditions of Men in several Callings who so wel considers may at the first sight easily discover our Adversaries Willingnesse to wrangle in this point whose usual practise as if they meant to cast a Mist before the weak-sighted Readers eyes is to pick out here and there some places of Scriptures more Hard and difficult then Necessary or requisite to be understood of Every man perhaps of Any man in this Age. The Knowledge of all or any of which notwithstanding those that live after us though otherwise peradventure men of far meaner gifts then many in this present Age shall not therefore need to give for lost or desperate when they shall be called unto this Search For God hath appointed as for every thing else so for the Revelation of his Word certain and peculiar Times and Seasons Daniel though full of the Spirit of Prophecie and one that during the Reign of Nebuchadnezzar and Balthasar his son had as it were continually travelled of Revelations concerning the Estate of Gods Church and the affairs of forrain Kingdoms for many generations to come yet knew not the approaching Time of his peoples deliverance from Captivity until the first year of Darius son of Ahashuerosh And this he learned by Books even in the first year of his Raign I Daniel understood by Books the number of the years whereof the Lord had spoken unto Jeremiah the Prophet that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolation of Jerusalem And of his own Revelation he saith And Daniel was commanded to shut up his words and seal up his book unto the end of the Time or as some read unto the appointed Time and then many shall run to and fro and Knowledge shall be increased For at the Time appointed as he intimates in the words following others though no Prophets were to know more of this Prophecy then the Prophet did himself Then I heard it but I understood it not then said I O my Lord what shall be the end of these things And he said Go thy way Daniel for the words are closed up and sealed till the end of the Time 2 The Prophets of later Ages did see Revelations of matters which had been hid from the Ancient
Bellarmine prove that Law was Obscure to him which as he himself confesseth had given Light unto his eyes If it were not why did he pray to God to understand it Then I perceive the Jesuites drift in this present Controversie is to establish a Rule of Faith so easie and infallible as might direct in all the wayes of Truth without Prayer to God or any help from Heaven Such a one it seems they desire as all might understand at the first sight though living as luxuriously as their Popes or minding worldly matters as much as their Cardinals Nili velint nimium esse â—aeci unlesse they would as Valentian speaks desire to be Blinde 5 Surely more blind then Beetles must they be that can suffer themselves to be perswaded that ever God or Christ would have a Rule for mans direction in the Mysteries of Salvation so plain and easie as he should not need to be beholden to his Maker and Redeemer for the true and perfect understanding of it This is a Wisdom and Gift which cometh onely from above and must be daily and earnestly sought for at the hands of God who we may rest assured will be alwayes more ready to grant our Petitions herein with lesse changes then the Pope to give his Decisions in a doubtfull Case â—ad David ask a this Wisdom of him that sate in Moses Chair we might suspect the Pope might be sued unto But Davids God is our God his Lord our Christ our Redeemer and hath spoken more plainly unto us then unto David who yet by his meditations on Gods written Laws added Light to Moses Writings as later Prophets have done to his All which in respect of the Gospels Brightnesse are but as Lights shining in dark places yet even the least conspicuous amongst them Such as will give manifest evidence against us to our eternal Condemnation if we seek this Wisdom from any others then Christs his Prophets and Apostles Doctrine by any other Means or Mediatourship then David did his From Gods Law written by Moses 6 Let us now see what Valentian can say unto the fore-cited Testimonie and to that other like unto it We have also a most sure word of the Prophets to the which ye do well that yee take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a â—…k place untill the day dawn and the day-Star ariseth in your hearts It is true saith the Doctor the word of God is a Light and this Light is clear and illuminates the eyes But it must be considered how it comes to enlighten our eyes Do you su pos that it effects this in as much as every man doth comprehend it within the 〈◊〉 of his private wit or industry as it were in a little bushell Nothing lesse But â—… it as it is placed in the Authority of the Catholick Church as in a Candlestick where it may give Light to all that are in the house For we shall shew saith he â—… place that this Authoritie of the Church is the living Judge and Mistresse of â—…th 〈◊〉 therefore is it necessary that she should carrie this Light which is contâ—… Holy Wâ—it and shew it unto all that associate themselves to her and remain â—… bosome although they be unlearned men and such as are not able by themselves to behold this Light as it is contained in the Scriptures as in a Lanthorn 7 He that could find in his heart to spend his groat or go a mile to see a Camel dance a Jigge let him but lay his finger on his mouth that he spoil not the Pageant with immoderate laughing and he may without any further cost or pains be partaker of as prettie a Sport to see a grand demure School-Divine laying aside his wonted habit of Metaphysical Proof turned Doctour Similitude on a suddain and swaggering it in the Metaphorical Cut. For what one joynt or strain is there in this long laborious vast Similitude that doth any way encline unto the least semblance of Truth or can be drawn to illustrate any such Meaning as this man intended or any way to break the force of our Writers Arguments drawn from the forecited places For first what Semblance is there between a private mans Interpretation or Comprehension of Scripture-sence and the putting of a Light or Candle under a Bushel For what though some one some few or more such men will apprehend this or that to be the full Meaning of some controversed place in Scripture I am by our Churches Doctrine no more bound to Believe them then I am to Believe the Pope of Rome whom I never saw nor knew I am bound to Believe neither of them more then if they should tell me that the whole Light of that candle which shines alike to all were onely comprehended in their eyes For by our Doctrine I may behold the same Light of Scriptures which they do as freely as they Judge of it by mine own eyes and Sense as well as they not onely submit my Sense and judgement unto theirs But if we should as this â—esuite would have us permit the judgement of all Scripture-sence wholly and irrevocably unto the Pope and his Cardinals as if their Consistorie were the compleat Hemisphere or rather the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sphere the whole sphere wherein this heavenly Lamp doth shine then indeed we should see no more of its Light then we could of a Candle put under a Bushell or locked up in some close Room In which Case we might Believe others that it did shine there still but whether it did so or no we could not Judge by our own eyes And in like manner would this Doctor perswade us that we should judge of this Light of Scriptures onely by the Testimonie or Authoritie of such as see it shine in the Consistorie at Rome not with our own eyes Had the Lord permitted but one grain of good wit to have remained in this Bushel of Bran not Impudencie in grain could without Plushing have offered to accuse our Church for hiding the Light of Scriptures under a Bushell when as we contend the free Use of it should be permitted to the whole Congregation But he disputeth of the Light as Blind men may of Colours He lived at Ingolstade and the Light of Gods Word was at Rome lockt up within the compasse of the Consistorie so that he could not see to make his comparison of it Secondly what Proportion is there between the Churches Authority such Authority as he claims for his Church and a Candlestick Let the Consistory be supposed the Candlestick wherein the word of God doth shine as a Light or Candle Doth it indeed shine there unto whom To all that will associate themselves to that Church Come then let every man exhort his Neighbour to repair to the Mountain of the Lord. Shall we there immediately see the Truth of Scriptures clearly and distinctly with our own eyes because the Pope or Trent-Councel holds out unto us the Books
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
III. That The continual practise of Hereticks in urging Scriptures to establish Heresie and the diversity of opinions amongst the Learned about the Sense of Them is no just Exception why They should not be acknowledged as the Sole Entire and Compleat Rule of Faith OUt of the former Discourse their other Objections are almost answered already and they be especially Two The first If the Scriptures be plain and easie how comes it to passe that there should be such Contentions amongst the Learned about them Or whence is it that every Heretick is so forward to urge Scriptures for his Opinion even to the Death The Second lies as it were in the womb of this as this did in the former's and drawn out in its proper shape is thus There can be no certain Means of taking up controversies or contentions in the Church but only by admitting an Infallible Authority for deciding all controversies viva voce seeing the Scripture is alwayes made a party on all sides in such contentions 2 In the former Objection they indict the Scriptures as the Principal in the later our Church as an Abetter of such Quarrels and Contentions as it breeds For our Church we shall answer in the next for Gods Word in this present Section CAP. XIX Containing the true State of the Question with the Adversaries General Objections against the Truth 1 IT cannot be denied that alwayes there have been and alwayes will continue Contentions amongst learned men in Points of Faith or Doctrine or about the true Sence or Meaning of Scriptures in these other Cases For thus much these Scriptures themselves do plainly witnesse Oporâ—… esse haereses For there must be Heresies even among you that they which are approved among you might be known But the Question is not whether there have been now are or alwayes shall continue many Contentions about the Sense of Scripture but First Whether the Scriptures have not plainly set down the original Causes and nurses of such Contentions and the Means how to avoid them so men will be ruled by them most plain for this purpose or Secondly Whether not submitting their wils desires and affections unto these plain and perspicuous Rules of life this supposed Infallible Rule of the Romish Church can prevent remove or compose all such Contentions according to the Truth and cause men stedfastly hold the Unity of Faith in the Bond of Peace 3 The Causes of Contentions about the Sence of Scriptures are the very same with the fore-mentioned which made the Scriptures unto sundry seem Obscure or the same which make men to mistake their true Sence and Meaning For even these Wars and Contentions whereof we speak specially these arise from Lusts which sight in our members †we lust and have not we envy and have indignation and cannot obtain we fight and war and got nothing not the Truth which we seek because we ask it not Do not such as contends most about the true Sence ask it most doth not every Heretick the earnester he is professe that he prayes for the Truth so much the more servently yea but such men receive not that which they so earnestly ask because they ask it amisse They desire skill in Scripture to advance their own Conceits and maintain their foolish and carnal Affections otherwise asking they should have and seeking they should find especially the true Sence and Meaning of Gods Word which must instruct us how to frame all our other Petitions unto God aright 4 These and infinite like places we acknowledge plainly declaring the Causes of Contentions and as many more some of which shall be here and there inserted directing us how to avoid all occasions of striâ—e and debate Both which if we observe Contentions will quickly cease Which those not observed must increase as a just punishment of Truth neglected coâ—…icted or low esteemed notwithstanding the best indeavours of any Authority upon earth imaginable to the contrary 5 But some perhaps will demand Is there no use of Humane Authority in this Case yes As for the begetting of true and lively Faith we supose the live-voice of an Ordinary Ministery as the Organ whereby the written Word must be conveyed to our Spirits so for retaining the Unity of this Faith in the Bond of Peace for suppressing or preventing all Occasions of Schismes Heresies or Contentions we acknowledge the necessary Use of a Lawfull Magistracie yet no infallibilitie in either The proper end and use of Both is to espouse mens Souls with an indissoluble knot of Love and Loyaltie unto the written Word the only Infallible Rule of that Faith whereby they live The One by unfolding the generall Points or Maximes of Christian Faith The other by constraining them at least to a civil Practise of undoubted Principles acknowledged by all and inhibiting such Courses as the Moral Precepts of this Canon have defected for Causes and Nurses of Contention Our Adversaries whether out of wilfull malice or oversight or out of both according to the diversities of their tempers have taken occasion to traduce our Churches Doctrine as if it admitted no Means for preventing or composing Contentions but onely the bare letter of Scripture Whereas we all teach that the written Word is the onely Means Infallible not the onely Means Simplie for effecting Both. Nor doth it skill how necessary either Ministerial Expositions or Juridical Decisions be for bringing us unto or retaining us in the Unitie of the Truth professed for not Necessity of Means but Infallibility of Direction is the proper unseparable Condition of the Rule of Faith And seeing Gods Word only endures for ever and therefore onely is Infallible it must be the Sole Rule of Faith how many or how necessary soever the Means be that must bring us to the true Knowledge of it 6 Valentian and Saero-boscus think it all One to acknowledge no Ecclesiasticall Authority or use of Ministerie and not to acknowledge an Infallibility in Both. But this is a Position devoid both of Sense and Reason For As our Senses though of themselves onely capable of particular and Material Objects subject to change and contingencie are the necessary and onely ordinary Means whereby our Intellective Facultie is brought to apprehend Universal and immaterial Principles whose Truth is necessary everlasting and immutable So may the Ministery and Magistracie though both in themselves fallible and obnoxious to Errors be the necessary and onely ordinary Means whereby we are brought as it were by a sensible Induction to the infallible Acknowledgement of the supernatural divine eternal Truths which are the proper Object of the illuminated or spiritual as immaterial and universal Principles are of the natural understanding which shall God willing be declared hereafter In this place I onely thought good to forewarn the Reader of this Hiatus in our Adversaries Collections whereunto the blind and ignorant English Papist led by such blinded forraign Guides as Valentian and Sacro-â—osâ—â—â— who either
did not or would not know what our Church in this Point doth hold fall headlong in the very first entrance of this dispute 7 But in this as in the former Question it shall not be amisse to propose our Adversaries principall Arguments and Exceptions against our Churches Doctrine in admitting the Scripture for the Rule of Faith And I would request any man that is able to judge of the force and strength of an Argument to read the best learned and most esteemed of our Adversaries for the further confirmation of this Truth which we teach Against which some who have not sought into their Writings may happily imagine that much more hath or might be said by any of them then can be found in all their Writings Whereas Bellarmine and Valentia two excellent Schollars and most judicious Divines where their wits were their own and all other good Writers of their side whom I could hitherto meet with by reason of the Barrennesse of their matter and shallow unsetled Foundation of their Infallible Church have performed as good service to our Cause in this present Controversie as that Roman Orator famous for his Unskilfulnesse in Augustus his time did to the Parties whom he accused I would to God said the Emperour this foâ—lish Fellow had accused my gallerie which had been long in building for then it had been absolved that is according to the use of this word in Latin finished long ere this In this Case we have his wish And for the edification of mine own Faith in this Point I must out of the sincerity of a good Conscience professe I would not for any good on earth but Bellarmine Valentian and other grand Patrones or plausible Advocates of the Popes Cause especially Valentian had taken such earnest pains in accusing our Churches Doctrine for they have most clearly acquitted it in that we may justly presume there can be no more said against it And whether all they have said or can say be ought I leave it to the judicious Readers judgement I will set down some of their Objections and then prosecute their general Topick or forms of their Arguments whence all particulars which in this Case they can bring must receive their whole strength 8 All Hereticks saith Saint Augustin which admit the Authority of Scriptures for some rejected all or most parts of the Sacred Canon seemâ—… themselves to follow the Scriptures when as indeed they follow their own Errours Nor do Heresies saith the same Father in another place and other naughtyâ— Opinions which ensnare mens Souls spring from any other Root then this That the right sense of Scripture conceivea amisse and yet so conceived is boldly and rashly avouched 9 And in another book of Augustin it is said Valentian would have the saying well observed as it shall be to his shame That Hereticks do not cor-rupt onely the obscure and difficult but even the plain and easie places of Scriptures and our Saviour Christ as this Writer addeth did intimate how obnoxious the Evangelical Doctrine was to this corruption by Hereticks when he forewarned us to beware of false Prophets Hereticks saith he seem to be Prophets because they make a fair shew of Scripture-phrases which are as the Character or external shaâ—e of heavenly Doctrine But Prophets they are not because under the out â—ard shew of heavenly words they manifest not the native sense and meaning of the Holy Ghost but their own adulterate corrupt Opinions sacrilegiously invested by them in sacrea phrase as it were the abomination of desolation standing in the Holy place as Origen clâ—gantly notes Hom. 29. in Matt. By the same Analogie are they called ravening Wolves being arayed in sheeps cloathing c. 10 These and like places are brought by Valentian as the title and conclusion of that Paragraph shew to this purpose That seeing all Hereticks may and do easily pervert the Scriptures as Saint Peter saith to their own dâ—struction We should hence be instructed that this universal Authority and most behoâ—â—vefull for the Salvation of all which we seek as the common Judge in all Points of Faith cannot 〈◊〉 seated in the Scripture alone 11 Another Mark whereat these fiery Darts do usuall aim is to fasten the conceipt of Heresie upon our Church seeing it hath alwayes been the practise of Hereticks to cover their wicked imaginations with sacred phrase and as Lyrinensis saith to inter sperse or straw their depraved Opinions with the 〈◊〉 and fragrant Sentences of Scripture as with some precious spice lest the exhaâ—…ation of their native smell might bewray their corruption to the Reader This is a Common place trodden almost bare by the English pamphleting Papist who learns the Articles of his Roman Creed and general heads of Controversies betwixt us with their usuall Arguments or Exceptions against our Doctrine no otherwise then the Fidler doth his Song holding it sufficient for his part to afford a Mimicks face scurrilous stile or Apish gesture unto the â—nventions of Bellarmin Valentian or some forrain Jesuites Brain And as it is hard for us to speak though in general termes against any Sin in a Countrey Parish but one or other will perswade himself that we aim at his overthwart-Neighbour unto whom perhaps our reproofs are lesse appliable then unto him that thus applies them so is it very easie for this Mimical crue to perswade the ignorant or discontented People that every Minister whose person or behaviour upon what respect soever they dislike is the very man meant by the Ancient Father and our Saviour in the former general Allegations if he use but the phrase of Scripture not the Character of that forrain Beast Whereas their Objections duly examined can hurt none but the Objectors CAP. XX. That the former Objections and all of like kind drawn from the Cunning Practise of Hereticks in colouring false Opinions by Scripture are most forcible to confirm ours and confound the Adversaries Doctrine 1 MUster they as many Authorities or Experiments of this Rank as they list we know the strength and nature of their weapons They are dangerous indeed to such as have not put on the Brest-plate of Righteousnesse or Shield of Faith but yet God be praised as sharp at the one end as at the other and they had need to be wary how and against whom they use them For beaten back directly by the Defendants they may be as fair to kill the Thrower at the rebound as Them against whom they were first intended For proof hereof look how easily we can retort all they have thrown at us upon themselves It hath been the practise of Hereticks say they to misinterpret Scriptures and pretend their Authoritie for countenancing errours This wounds not us except we were naked of all Syllogistical Armour of proof For they should prove if they will conclude ought to our prejudice that none but Hereticks have used Scriptures Authoritie to confirm their Opinions For if Orthodox
Sathans head and put him to flight why should his faithfull followers despair by the same Weapons to foyl and slay Sathans servants so they will be as industrious to use them as the others are to abuse them Nor will you I hope deny that Christ is present perpetually to his true Church as well as Sathan is to Hereticks Say then what you can or dare why ye should think it strange or impossible that he should teach all faithfull Souls the true Sense and Meaning of his Word immediately by his Blessed Spirit working with the Ministery of Saints without a Vicar general on earth as well as Sathan doth Hereticks the counterfeit sense or false but fair-seeming Meaning of it immediately by himself or his wicked spirits For we never heard that Sathan had any Vicar general by whom he teacheth Hereticks all their cunning unlesse this be the Pope which if he be then is he not Vicar general unto Christ 6 Seeing beloved Christians we are compassed about with such a cloud of Witnesses whereof not one without open Infidelity can be impeached let us not disdain to take the practise of Christ Jesus the Authour and Finisher of our Faith as a Pattern well befitting our imitation Not to be as industrious in searching the inward Sense and secret Meaning as Hereticks in urging the outward letter of the Law were not to follow the footsteps of a victorious Lord most good and gracious to his followers with as great alacritie as vanquished Sathans wicked instruments do his both if not detested by us as the foulest shame that in this life can befall us will breed our everlasting Confusion in the life to come 7 That I may dispute with such as make a jest of Scriptures according to their childish follie if by this means I might possiblie cure their Impietie Tell us I pray ye Doctors of Rome many of whom I know to be men of learning wit and spirit and for this reason as I should think more unwilling to make your selves palpablie ridiculous to every child or novice in Arts howsoever unto all sorts you strive to make Christs Practise such Tell us what is your Counsel in this choice Shall we forsake Christ Our us Saint Peters bâ—st Master to become Scholers unto your Staphilus or Hoâ—… Câ—… who if their reports be true did sooner put the Devil to silence with this Doctrine of your Churches Infallibilitie then Christ did for all his Scriptures for the Devil as the Evangelist tels us departed not from our Saviour before the Third Blow Avoid Sathan able to abide the Coalier but Two or rather one a little doubled I believe as the Church believes and the Church believes as I believe So much by your Doctrine doth the Devil fear the very Name of your Church though in a Coaliers mouth more then the Word of God albeit uttered by the Son of God himself 8 But we know the Proverb too well Like to like Children and ignorant people are not ignorant that the Devil will be commanded by such as studie the black-Art no marvail if he suffer himself upon good termes to be put down by a Coalier And as I will not peremptorily denie but the Story might be true so questionlesse such as most believe it mightily mistake the true cause of Sathans sudden silence for the truer the Story were the likelier were it he should hold his peace as soon as he heard the Coalier believe as he would have him This is a Catechism in it kind so perfect and absolute so well suiting to the old Serpents purpose that if Hell might have a general vacancie from all other imployments for time as long as hath been since Luâ—â—sers fall not all the Powers therein could devise what one word might be added what detracted unlesse perhaps they would expresse what the Coalier happily understood I believe as the Church Romish believes and the Church Romish as I believe whose Consequence is Both shall believe whatsoever Hell would have them The use of such rustick weapons as these was perhaps on your part not unnecessary in that rude World wherein Lindan's Panoplie went for approved harnesse or Ecchius Bolts for good Artillerie but should you use the like now every Punie in our Schools that knows but how to manage an Argument of which God be praised we have enough for a whole Army shall match your great Goliath whilest they thus keep aloof and lay your stoutest Champions in the dust by returning their own or like shot upon them CAP. XXI The pretended Excellencie of the supposed Roman Rule for composing Controversies impeached by the frequencie of Heresies in the Primitive Church and the imperfection of that Union whereof since that time they so much boast 1 BUt let us leave off skirmishing afar off and come a little nearer to the Point You are content to joyn with us in This That it hath been the Practise of Hereticks from time to time to stand much upon the Authority of Scriptures Then were not Luther and Calvin the first that ever made this Odious Comparison betwixt Gods Word and the Popes Nay you will nor deny but this Practise of urging Scripture was most frequent and the Truth most troubled hereby in the Primitive Church If a man might ask you where was this your supposed Infallibilitie then in the swadling-clouts or unborn If then unborn it is too young to make younger Brethren of all Congregations else too young to cause Christian Kings and Emperours subject their Crowns unto your upstart Mitre If then born albeit but in its Infancie yet such an Herculean Power as you professe yours to be which puts an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to all Christian mens thoughts in Points of Faith for to this purpose your Controversors cite that place of Scripture as your Vulgar reads it Verba Sapientum sunt tanquam clavi in altum fixi per Magistrorum consilium conscripta à Pastore Uno data viz. the Pope istis amplius Fili mi ne requires might in all congruitie have taken Hercules Motto for its Word Cunarum labor est angues superasse mearum though it had lain then sleeping in the Cradle yet might it were it such as you would make it easily have crusht this Seed of Serpents in the very nest wherein they bred and not have suffered them to grow up to flying Dragons to pester the World far and near with their deadlie poison 2 I would have you here to consider this Incongruity well which I must farther prosecute in the next Dispute You plead the necessity of your Churches Infallibility for composing all Contentions and varietie of Opinions about Scripture-sense and yet we evidently see which you cannot deny that such bitter Contentions and dangerous varieties of Opinions about Scripture-sense were most rife most eagerlie prosecuted and maintained when this Title of your Churches Infallibilitie if it were just might have been best known and soonest assented unto For sure the Ancient
Fathers who had learned Christian Obedience alwayes ready to give honour where honour was due would most willingly have acknowledged so absolute a Soveraigntie and could have been glad to have used the Benefits of it to have spared themselves a great deal of trouble and pains if it could have been proved then to have been such an excellent Mean for allaying all Contentions amongst the Learned The Pope was much to blame to let Athanasuis suffer such pains exile and abuse by the Arian faction in the defence of the Truth if his Infallibilitie could have composed the Quarrel Austin hath been famous throughout all Generations since for his learned Labours against the Pelagian Heresie Cyril for his accurate Confutation of Nestorius and yet the Scripture was the best Weapon they knew Neither of them did ever appeal to the Popes Infallibilitie not the Popes themselves which then lived would have used any other Rule but Scripture for their own defence 3 Your usuall Argumentis that unlesse God had left such an infallible Authority as might take up all Controversies he had not sufficiently provided for his Church Then by your consent he left such an Authority as was sufficient to perform this good service to it To whom then did he commit it To the Sea of Rome say you How chanceth it your fore-elders did not put it in practise and make the Power of it better known This Blame you cannot lay 〈◊〉 the Almighty for he for his part by your confession provided abundantly for the Peace and Quiet of his Church And yet it seems the Church was ill provided for when Schisms and Heresies sprung so fast This therefore was your Churches fault that bore this Spiritual Sword in vain and world not use it when the Christian world stood most in need of it for the 〈◊〉 Decision of Controversies So then although we should grant you that your Church had sometimes the Birth-right amongst all the Israel of God yâ—â— might we justly say of it as old Israel said of Reuben his eldest son Thy â—â—nity is gone and we were to seek this Supream Authority if God had given any such Supremacy to any in some other Tribe which were likely to use it better 4 If you reply your Churches Authority in composing Controversies amongst the learned hath been better known since that flourishing Agâ—â— learned and religious Fathers and since it hath been so well known and acknowledged Heresies have been more thin sown then before few or 〈◊〉 till Luther arose daring to confront the Church or Popes Authority with Scripture You give us hereby just cause to suspect that Heresie had get the upper hand of Truth for the Multitude of followers that there had been a general Combination in Falshood till Luther brake it For if sundry 〈◊〉 the Ancient Hereticks with whose Doctrine the Primitive Church was pesterâ—… could under pretence of Scripture have got into Supream Authority or 〈◊〉 established their Propositions framed as they thought out of Gods Word with strength of Temporal Sword as Mahomet did his It were great Simplicity to think that they could not have been content to have let the Scriptures sleep or have threatned all with Death and Destruction that should have urged them to the prejudice of their Opinions especially of such Opinions as did concern their Dignity For all Falshood and Spiritual Blindnesse hates this Light and could either wish it put out or them utterly extinct that Object it to them As he that hath wound himself into anothers Inheritance by some quirk in Law or Captious clause not well understood would not be much offended to have all Evidences of primary Copies either burnt or buried even That by which he got it if It upon better Consideration or more indifferent hearing were likely to overthrow his Title 5 And if we may guesse at the course of Satans Policy in watching his Opportunities to effect his purpose by the customary fashion of secular Politicians his Schollars in like Cases most probable it is that after these Broâ—'s of Dissention about the Gospel of Peace so frequent in the Primitive Church the great Calamities and bodily Affliction which followed thereon most men grew weary of their Spiritual Warfare and became slothful in the search of Scriptures the only Armory for all munition in this kind of war Every man afterwards in the fresh memory of the Church their Mothers bleeding Wounds and the Desolation which had ensued these furious Broâ—'s became more tractable to entertain conditions of Peace and Satan himself who had sown the seeds of all the former Dissention after he saw all or most weary of war was content to turn Peace-maker for his own advantage These were as the first Preparations for laying the Foundations of the myâ—â—cal â—abel in whose erection the Marner Method and Circumstances of the formers dissolution are all inverted The Building of the first was hindered by the Confusion of Tongues or the Division of one Language into many whence insued the scattering of the People throughout the earth the second was finished by the Concourse of divers People and the Composition or Confusion of different Languages For as Goropius acutely observes the present temper of modern Italian Spanish French we may adde of our English Dialects was from the mixture of the Roman and Barbarous Tongues whilest the natural inhabitants of these Countries before accustomed to the Roman Language and the Barbarians which at that time over-ran them were inforced to imitate each other in their words and manner of speech that they might be the better understood in matters of necessary Commerce or ordinary Contracts And this is the true reason why our Ancient English Latinisms are not as the Latin Graecisms which were derived by Art and Imitation from clear Helicon extracted from the purest Roman but from Latin of the base and vulgar stamp This Confusion of the Latin and other barbarous Tongues was but a Type or picture of confounding the Ancient true Roman Religion with barbarous Heresies Heathenish Rites and several kinds of Paganisms whilest the Romans who had already begun to distaste the Truth sought by lying Legends and false Wonders to please the grosse Palate of the Goths Vandals Hunnes Alans Franks and Saxons and they again here-with delighted were content to imitate the other in sundry sacred and religious Rites so as neither kept their Ancient Religion but all imbraced this mixture or new confused Masse And to speak properly that Unity whereof the Adversary so much boasts since that flourishing Age of Fathers wherein Contentions were so rife and the Roman Church no better esteemed then some of her sisters was not a Positive Consent in the sincere Truth wrought by the Spirit of God as a perfect Homogeneal mixture by true and lively heat but rather a bare Negation of actual Dissention caused by a dull Confusion of the dregs of Errour coagulate and congealed together by Ignorance
in all Points necessary to salvation without any such infallible Authority For it is a matter of far lesse Difficulty for any man of sense and reason to deduce particular Conclusions from general and evident Principles then to finde out the general and fundamental Principles by natural Notions or other Principles And therefore more easie for any such man to resolve his Conscience in particular Points of Faith or Christian Obedience after he hath found out the Foundation of Christian Faith to wit Chrâ—… Jesus crucified raised from the dead and other general Dictates of Faith in the Apostolical Writings then to come unto the acknowledgement and Belief of these fundamental Points themselves from the broken knowledge such as the Jews have of the Old Testament And thus it evidently follows that if the Old Testament be a Rule unto the Jews for finding out the Truth of the New much more may the New once acknowledged by them and admitted of equal Authority with the Old be a perfect Rule for them in matters of Salvation And if these Scriptures are or may be a Rule to the Jews if they will believe them then must they be a Rule to all Christians that Believe them No Christian I hope wil deny but that the Old Testament is the Rule of the Jews For the unbelieving Jews shal be condemned in what part of the world soever for not following this Rule which God hath commended and made known unto them not for not acknowledging the Popes Infallibility of which many of them never heard And if the Old Testament be such to them much more must the whole Canon be unto us such a Rule and if we die in misbelief or infidelity we shall be judged by this Rule of Gods Law and Gospel which we transgressed not by the Popes Decrees or Expositions of it That many Christians by profession erre in Points of Faith or mistake the true Sense and Meaning of it or pervert it to their Destruction proceeds from their Ingratitude towards God that gave it and for their delight in Falshood Which is the reason why these Jews mistake the true Meaning of the Old Testament 9 If any of our Adversaries here demand how chanceth it so many Jews erre in the Foundation of Faith if the Scripture be such an infallible Rule he must be content to resolve me in the like Question How chanceth it so many Jews live unconverted in Spain and Italy and other places either in the Popes Dominions or where his Authority is established if the Infallibility of his Authority or their Church be such an excellent Rule If they reply the Jews might believe all Points of Roman-Catholick Faith aright so they would admit their Church as Judge or Mistresse of Faith the Jews might with as good reason rejoyn so might the Romans believe all Points of Judaism would they acknowledge this supposed Infallibility of Doctrine to be in their Rabbinical Expositions not in the Popes Determinations But the Romanist I suppose would desire a Sign ere he believed them herein and are we lesse bound by the Rule of Faith to desire some tolerable satisfaction to these reasons following ere we believe them in this Point as prejudicial in our judgement to Religion in general as Subscription to Rabbinical Doctrine is unto Chistian Verity 10 The Jews admit the Old Testaments Authority as undoubtedly as the Jesuites do the Popes yet it enlightens not their hearts What is the Reason Because that Part of Scripture is so obscure So Valentian and such as follow him in all congruity must say yea he hath said it That Veil which Saint Paul saith is put before the hearts of Jews that they cannot behold the Glory of the Gospel as the Apostle there argues is woven for the most part of the Difficulties of Scriptures Nor do the Jews only deny the New Testament to be infallible but bitterly inveigh against it as erroneous and contradictory to the Old What is the Cause Is it not that which Valentian elsewhere assigns The Scripture alone that is in his language without the infallible Avouchment of their Church is so far from ending all Controversies of Faith that it rather occasions Controversies and Dissentions in Doctrines of Faith If to the Jew through his default the Writings of Moses and the Prophets be so obscure adde your infallible Key to open his heart to them or them to it If by this obscurity they minister matter of Contentation or their Sense mistaken exasperate Jewish malice against Christians Interpose your Humane Authority inspired from above to allay the fervency of their distempered Zeal 11 You acknowledge this Obscurity and other objected Insufficiencies disinabling the Scripture for ruling or judging mens Faith to arise from the frailty or viciousnesse of Humane Nature and hence you plead your Churches Infallibility as necessary and al-sufficient to supply these defects incident unto Scripture not in it self but in respect of us Your Churches Authority then at the least adjoyned to Scripture should make men otherwise subject to the former Infirmities or vitious Dispositions capable of Heavenly Doctrine Tell us then distinctly Can it or can it not make all or most or such as the Scriptures do not Believe aright If this it cannot do adjoyning to Scriptures it is by your own Objections against them a Rule as unsufficient as you would make them without it If it can make all or most or such as Scripture alone doth not Believe aright this it must effect either by removing or not removing those Diseases or Infirmities of Humane Nature which Scriptures without it cannot cure 12 First if it could remove that Temper which makes the Jew a more unprofitable Hearer of Scripture then young Gallants are of stoical moral discipline your Church is guilty of wilful malice and murther of souls that will not apply this infallible Key able of it self to open that Veil of Adamant wherewith the Jews hearts are so masked that neither the light of Mosaical Prophetical Apostolical or Evangelical Writings can find entrance unto them Secondly albeit this supposed infallible Authority could remove the former Veil yet were it not in this respect to be acknowledged an infallible Rule of Faith but rather an ordinary necessary Means such as we acknowledge the lawful Magistracy or Ministry to be for squaring or proportioning mens frail or exorbitant Affections the better to parallel with Gods word the most exact inerrable and al-sufficient Rule of Faith even by your consent were it not for this Infirmitie or vitious Disposition of mans Nature which as you likewise acknowledge is the sole Cause why the Scriptures are Obscure and minister matter of Contention 13 But our Adversaries attribute not any such vertue to their infallible Rule as to make a fool wise the lascivious chaste the drunkard sober a knave honest the impudent modest or ambitious lowly for even the Pope himself in whose bosome this Rule lodgeth may harbour these and like vices in his
in mens hearts So in later Ages since the Almightie gave his Word in every language and the number of Preachers hath been greatly multiplied the old Serpent permits the Jesuits and his other Instruments to translate expound and Preach the Gospel to the ignorant And in opposition to the practise of Reformed Churches the lay Roman Catholick may now behold yea read the Words of Life What difference then can any make betwixt theirs and our Doctrine in this Point such as in times past was betwixt true Miracles wrought by the singer of God and Diabolical Wonderments all which later were usually wrought to idle purposes and by some apish trick or other bewrayed their Authors sinister intendments So doth the cunning restraint of this Libertie late granted to the Roman Laicks great in shew bewray who was the Authour of this Plot and what his purpose Some merry Devil sure is minded to make Hell sport by putting this gull upon the learned Papist his Instrument to put the like upon the ignorant who now at length may read the Scriptures but with absolute submission of their Interpretation to his Instructors who may not take any receit thence but according to their supreme Infallible Physitians prescripts which may not be examined by any Rule of Gods written or unwritten Word nor may any man call his skill in question much lesse condemn him of Imposture by the lamentable issue and dismal successe of his Practises Should men upon like termes be admitted to read Galen or Hippocrates and yet the Monopoly of Medicines permitted to some one Emperick or Apothecarie not liable to any account whether his confections were made according to the Rules of Physick Art or no They might be in greater danger of poysoning then if these grand Physitians had never written for that might be prescribed them by such an authentick Mountebank as a Cordial which the other had detected for Poyson So should the Christian World might the Jesuites plea prevail be continually at the Popes Curtesie whether they should embrace that Sense of Scriptures which Christ and his Apostles have condemned for the Doctrine of Devils as the Oracles of the living God and food for their Souls 7 But some man more indifferent would here perhaps interpose Though theirs be bad do you prescribe us any better Method of Health Your former counsel to practise the Apostles Rules is as if a man should say to one sick of a dangerous disease Expel the bad humour and you shall be well Yet as we said before Est pars sanitatis velle sanari To desire the exâ—…pation of such Affections as hinder our proficiencie in the School of Christ or knowledge of his precepts is a good step to health The Scriptures are the words of life containing Medicines as well as Meat and must purge our Souls of carnal Affections as Physick doth the body of bad Humours They teach withall what Abstinence must be used ere we can be capable of that spiritual Welfare which they promise to the Soul of such as follow their Prescriptions And because our natural Corruption cannot be asswaged much lesse expelled but by their force or vertue which is not alwayes manifested upon the first Receipt we are to come unto them with such reverence as the Moralist did to Meditations of Vertue Vacua sobria mente in sobrietie of Spirit not in the heat abundance or actual motion of such Affections as hinder their operation upon our Souls as men usually take Physick upon a fasting and quiet stomack although Pestered with bad humours which yet cannot be extirpate but by Physick nor by Physick if ministred in the actual motion heat or raging of such humours If a man have but this desire to be rid of such Affections as breed this distemper in his Soul or work a distast of the Word of Life he is capable of that Promise Habents dabitur and shall in good time see his desire augmented whose encrease will bring forth greater fervencie in prayer and prayers if fervent though in men subject to such infirmities avail much and shall in the end be heard to 〈◊〉 full And as well in thankfull duty to the Redeemer of Mankind for his gracious Promises as in hope of being further partakers of the Blessings promised Every one that heareth Gods Word ought and such as hear it a right will as oft as they seek recovery of their spiritual Health by it or such Means as it prescribes abstain from all occasions and occurrents that may encrease provoke or strengthen such Affections as hinder the operations of it upon their Souls For even Nature taught the Cynick to account surfetting and intemperate diet madnesse in the Heathen whiles they sacrificed for Health If any have erred in hearing Gods Word amisse or in the unseasonable applying of Sacred Prescripts these Errors must be recalled by further consultation with their dispensors by more diligent search and better instruction in other parts of this Method of Life 8 Saint Peter knew many ignorant and unstable Souls had perverted some haâ—d places of S. Pauls Epistles as they had other Scriptures to their own destruction Did he therefore advise them to whom he thus wrote not to seek their Salvation out of Saint Pauls Epistles but with absolute submission of their judgement to his and his successours Prescripts Or doth he not seek to establish them in that Doctrine which Saint Paul had taught according to the wisdom given him in all his Epistles Or can any endued with reason doubt whether Saint Paul himself did not expect his Writings should be a Rule of Faith to all that read them without continuance either of his own or others actual Infallible Proposal of them He had protested once for all Though we or an Angel from Heaven preach unto you otherwise then that we have preached unto you let him be accursed He had said before and yet saith he now again If any man preach unto you otherwise then ye have received let him be accursed For he had taught them as their own Conscience might witnesse the Doctrine of God and not man as he intimateth in the next words 9 Either Saint Paul is not Authentick in this protestation or else all stand accursed by it that dare absolutely admit any Doctrine though from an Angels mouth but upon due examination and sure triall whether consonant or contrary to what Saint Paul hath left in writing His meaning notwithstanding in many places as his fellow-Apostle witnesseth was much perverted And seeing what was past could not be amended it seemed necessary to Saint Peter to admonish others lest they should be intangled in like errour But what means had he left to prevent this perverting of Scriptures in them Either none besides or none so good as diligent Reading or Hearing the written Word For such was this Epistle which for their Admonition he now wrote and was desirous questionlesse all of them should with attention hear or read
Delusions and Appearances as well as the true their divine Illuminations whence the Contention amongst the professed Prophets themselves was as great as any now amongst the learned Interpreters of Prophecies or other Scriptures And from this Contention amongst the Prophets the unlearned or rather all in that people not Prophets were by the Romanist Objections against us were they pertinent to waver and halt between the contrariety of Illuminations and Visions professed as well by the false Prophets as the true Nor will any Jesuite I think be so bold as to deny lest every man might perceive him to deny more then possibly he could know that those lying Spirits in the mouthes of Ahabs Prophets were then as cunning in imitating true Revelations as now in counterfeiting Orthodoxal Interpretations of Truth revealed Or if this they cal in question let them resolve us why Idolatry in those Ages wherein true Prophets flourished most should be as frequent and various as Heresies in later times wherein the preaching of the Gospel is most plentiful The true Reason whereof as we suppose is this These lying Spirits were alike apt to imitate Gods several manner of speaking whether by means ordinary or extraordinary in divers Ages At all times if we compare either their native Capacity or acquired skil with our own though in matters wherein we have been most conversant if to their sagâ—…y we adde their malicious Temper and eager Desires of doing ill which alwayes adde an Edge unto Wit in mischievous Invention In all these they so far exceed the sons of seduced Adam that unlesse the Almighty did either 〈◊〉 us by his Holy Spirit or restrain them in the exercise of their skil especially in Spiritual matters wherewith the natural man hath no acquaintance who could in any Age be able to discern their Jugling much less to avoid their snares alwayes suited to the present season Notwithstanding most evident it is that in Ahabs as in all other times tainted with the like or a quivalent Sins the Almighty gives them leave to do their worst to practise with such cunning in every kind as leaves men so disposed as these false Prophets were until they amend no more possibility of distinguishing Devilish Suggestions from Divine Oracles then Ahab had without repentance to escape his doom read by Elias and Michaiah For he had not fallen unlesse his Prophets had been first seduced Their Errour therefore was by Gods just judgement as Fatal as his Fall both absolutely inevitable upon supposition of their obstinate Disobedience to the undoubted Mandates of Gods written Law Thus no one tittle of our Adversaries Objections how the learned should be sure of their interpretations when others as learned as they are as strongly perswaded to the contrary but is as directly opposite unto the Certainty of true Prophets Revelations seeing many yea most of that Profession and in the judgement of man men of better gifts and places then such as proved true Prophets were otherwise perswaded usually such as the people esteemed best strangeliest deluded 3 That from this Variety of Opinions amongst the Prophets about their Illuminations others not endued with the gift of Prophesie were in the self same case the unlearned people throughout the Christian world are in wheresoever or whensoever Dissentions arise amongst the learned admits no question but amongst wranglers For albeit the excellent Brightness of Divine Truth did necessarily imprint an infallible Evidence in their apprehension to whom it was immediately by Means extraordinary revealed yet could they not communicate this Evidence or Certainty unto the people but by preaching the Word revealed after the self same manner we do Yea sometime it was only communicated unto them by the Ministery of others no Prophets Here let any Jesuite or other Patron of the Romish Churches Cause answer me to these Demands First whether the People were not bound to believe the true Prophesies either delivered by the Prophets own mouthes or read by others or directed to them in writing to be the Word of GOD and to reject the contrary Doctrine of false Prophets as Delusions Secondly whether if the ordinary People of those times could by any Christians though private men in later may not by the same Means distinguish the Word of God being in like sort read or expounded or preached unto them from the Word of Man The Word remains stil the same the Truth of it better confirmed unto the World by the continuance of it in power and strength throughout all Ages intermediate wherein Gods Spirit by which it was first manifested to the Prophets and written in the Peoples hearts hath been more plentiful then before especially since the Revelation of the Gospel most plentiful in this present if I may so speak the second time of Grace Our Argument then stands good A fortiori If every private man amongst GODS People of Old might and ought Believe and believing Obey his Word revealed to others only read or expounded unto him rejecting all contrary or erroneous Doctrines the People of this Age must do the like and all Objections possible against the judgement of modern private Spirits conclude as much against all private persons of Ancient times For their Means of knowing the Prophets Illuminations or Visions were ordinary such as we have now liable to all exceptions that can be made against our knowledge or perswasion of the true Sense of Scripture But neither theirs nor our Imbecillity in knowing or Facility of erring was or is any just Exception why the Scripture should not be a Rule to both Albeit all the Papists Arguments might be urged with far greater probability against them who were to Believe Prophetical Writings first For more easie it is to Assent unto Particulars contained in a general Canon already established by the approbation of former Ages and confirmed by joynt consent of Parties most adverse and contrary in the interpretation of several parcels then to admit the general Canon it self for the undoubted Word of GOD or yield obedience to the Particulars therein contained Yet were the Ancient people bound to admit the Prophesie of Isaias Jeremiah as the undoubted Word of God albeit unknown to their Ancestors but only in the generality of Moses doctrine much more as we conclude may Christians now living assent unto the true expositions or particular contents of these Prophesies or other Scriptures of whose absolute Truth in general they do not doubt and of whose 〈◊〉 articulars they may now behold the sundry Opinions and Expositions of divers Ages 4 To presse the former Arguments more fully parallel'd to our present Controversie a little farther I would demand of any Jesuite whether the Word of God taught by the Prophets who were to win credit by their skil not presumed skilful for their Authority in the Church or credit in Common-weal or the definitive sentence of the High-Priests or others in eminent place were to be the Rule of Israels Faith Whether the
from me in the interpretation of it It may be they have not followed those Rules which thou taughtest them Lord give me grace to meditate aright upon thy Testimonies so shall I have more understanding then my Teachers But what if the most reverend and Ancient Fathers of former times were of a contrary mind O Lord they were faithfull servants in the House and yet faithfull but as Servants not as thy Son and it may be thou didst suffer those thy worthy Servants to go awry to try whether I thy most unworthy Servant would forsake the footsteps of thine anointed Son to follow them but Lord teach me thy Statutes so shall I in this point wherein I differ from them have more understanding then the Ancient Thy Name hath been alreadie glorisied in their many excellent Gifts all which they received of thy bounteous hand and it may be that now it is thy pleasure in this present Difficultie to ordain thy praise out of such Infants mouthes as mine They out of this thy fertile and goodly field have gathered many yeers Provision for thy great Houshold thy Church but yet either let somewhat fall or left much behind which may be sufficient for us thy poor Servants to glean after them either for our own private use or for that small flock which thou hast set us to feed And let all sober-hearted Christians judge yea let God that searcheth the very heart and reins and Christ Jesus the Judge of all mankind give judgement out of his Throne whether in reasoning thus we are more injurious to the Ancient Fathers deceased then they unto the Ancient of dayes and Father of the World to come in denying the free Gifts and Graces of his Holy Spirit unto succeeding as well as former Ages We reverence the Fathers as men endued with an especiall measure of his Grace as men that have left many excellent Writings behind them fit for the instructions of later Ages as well as former They will not honour God as much For their Arguments conclude if any thing Him to have been a gracious God and his Spirit a Guide onely of some few Generations of old but in this present and all late past They make him a God his Spirit a Guide and his Word a Rule onely of the Pope who must be the onely God the onely Guide and his Decisions about Scripture the onely Rule of all other mens Faith yea a Rule of Scripture it self as shall afterwards appear SECT IV. The last of the three main Objections before proposed which was concerning our supposed defective Means for composing Controversies or retaining the unity of Faith fully answered and retorted That the Roman Faith hath no Foundation THE last Objection is Our Church hath no Means of taking up Controversies seeing we permit the Use of Scriptures unto all and every man to follow that Sense of them which he liketh best We do indeed permit every man to satisfie his own Conscience in matters of Salvation and God forbid for by his Apostles he hath forbidden we should usurp any Supreme Lordship or absolute Dominion over their Faith Yet a Christian Obedience unto Pastors we require in the Flock unpossible in our judgement to be performed aright unlesse undertaken more for Conscience then for fear of Punishment And as Obedience if not framed by Conscience can never be sincere so Conscience unlesse regulated by the Sacred Canon man needs be erroneous and alwayes relish more of Superstition then Religion The Gospel we ever esteemed as a gladsom Message of Peace and Salvation and do we by seeking to square mens thoughts and affections unto it prepare their hearts to deadly Warre It is we know and you denie not the Fountain of Life apt to season the waters of Marah and Meribah a Medicine able to allay all bitternesse of Contention and qualifie the poisonous roots of Strife and do we by setting it open for fainting Souls to quench their thirst dig pits of Destruction for them to fall into The Scriptures in general we have proved to be a plain and facile Rule a Light unto mens feet and a Lantern unto their paths and do we by permitting the free Use of it to all first explicated and unfolded by the Dispensers of Divine Mysteries lay stumbling-Blocks in their way not possible to be descried or avoided or spread a snare to catch their Souls in Darknesse we permit everie man to follow that Sense or Meaning of it which his Conscience hketh best but we permit no man to frame the liking of his Conscience to his Lust we teach the contrarie as a Principle of Faith and Christian Obedience If any disobedient Spirits list to contend where they should perform Obedience we know the Church of God hath no such Custome all such Contentions we detest and labour as much as you by all Means lawfull to quell The same Internall Means God 's Word are alike free to both but more used by us which relie more upon them all the Difficultie is about Means External CAP. XXVI Containing the true state of the Question or a Comparison between the Romish Church and ours for their Means of preventing or Composing Controversies 1 THe Question them must be first whether we can as well discern such as read Scriptures as you such as read your Church Decrees with Contentious minds Secondly whether we have Means as forcible and effectual as you have any to reform them or stay the spreading Contagion of their Heresie To begin with the later 2 Such as you discern to be contentious or to dissent from that Doctrine which you conceive or teach for true you threaten with what The Pope or Churches Curse Such as we discern to breed Contentions amongst us or Dissentions from that Truth which we in Conscience think all ought to professe we threaten with Death and Damnation and the terror of that Dreadfull-Day which shall accomplish that we denounced against all 〈◊〉 by whom Offences come Will not the continual preaching of this Doctrine be as forcible to deterre a man from sowing Sedition as the Anniversarie Solemnitie of the Popes Curse Will men Believe a Jesuite from the Pope when they will not Believe Moses and the Prophets nor Christ Jesus himself But you will say although men will not be kept in Order with Peters Keves yet will they dread Pauls Sword or rather if they will not dread the fire of Hell which must but long hence torment their Souls yet will they stand in awe of the fagot alwaies readie in your Church for plaguing Hereticks If this were the best Means to stop mens mouthes from professing what they are in Conscience perswaded the Scripture tels them The Fundamentall Points of Christianitie had never been known either to you or us Christian Religion it self had been martyred with Christs Martyrs But as their Ashes was the fertilest Soil wherein the seed of the Gospel could be sown so was the long and cruel Oppression of
such as dissented from your Church as a â—opting or pruning to cause ours flourish and hath at length set the Israel of God at libertie from Aegyptian Slavery 3 But supposing this violent Course upon great exigence of circumstances either in the Matter Manner or Times of Contentions to be both lawfull and expedient yet could not the ordinarie Practise of it be more effectuall to restrain men from contradicting then it might be to enforce them to oppugne the Truth It might according to the diverse dispositions of such as manage it be a Means one way or other alike forcible either to retain men in Heresie Idolatrie and Infidelitie or in the Unitie of true and livelie Faith albeit Fear alone may make men perfect Hereticks or Infidels but not inwardly or sincerely Faithfull 4 And as for our Church albeit she search not so narrowly into the secrets of every mans conscience nor be so tyrannically jealous of every Word that might be ill interpreted nor so outragiously cruel in punishing known dissention from her or discovered Errour yet God be praised she hath Pauls Sword as well as yours which our Magistrate bears not in vain but can unsheath it when need requires against such as are open and evident abetters of Contentions unlesse perhaps you will except that it hath not been so much exercised in cutting you off from amongst us who are the Ringleaders of all division debate and Trouble in our Church as it might be according to your Doctrine If in the Practise of this coactive Authoritie over contentious Spirits there be any fault God amend it for in our Churches Doctrine concerning this Point there is none and God grant our Magistrates may Practise as our faithfull Pastors teach whose Doctrine is that this External as well as the Internal Power is given for Edification not for destruction and must be directed by the same Rule that the Use and Practise of it must be limited by the End that the End of it is by Injunction of things Good and Prohibition of Evil to proportion mens Actions and Conversations to the Rule of Faith and Law of God that so every member of the Common-wealth thus wrought and fashioned by the coactive Power may be more easily transformed into a member of Christ as being more apt and pliable for the Word of Life to work upon Nor are we so precisely wedded to any determinate course for quelling or preventing contentious Schismes or Heresies but we may admit what other soever time shall detect more effectual for attaining the former End unto which our love is such as will not suffer us dislike any Means allied to it though having affinitie with your Church Part of whose external discipline we are not ashamed to use unto good because by you abused to bad and wicked Purposes But for your Churches Practise in the use of your best Means for avoiding all Contentions you plead no Infallibilitie therein you may fail as well as we and the Question now is about our Doctrine 5 Out of that which hath been said our Means for punishing such as we know to be contentious appears as good as yours whose use so far as we like it is as free for us as for your selves let us now see whether we have Means as good or as infallible as yours to discerne who are contentious 6 For the Popes Infallibilitie whether it be any or no we are anone to enquire and we may not in this place give you leave to prejudice our Church with the supposal of it Nor do your selves make this discretion of contenâ—ous Spirits any essential part thereof 7 None of you that I have read doth attribute any Prophetical Spirit to the Pope in this Case as if he could descrie the storms of Contentions which might cause shipwrack of Faith before they arise as far off as Eâ—… did the Rain when it first began to gather into a cloud like a mans hand The excellencie of his Infallibilitie by your own Positions if I mistake not consists in the decisions of Controversies brought unto him not in the discovery or finding out of such as breed Contention But doth he vouch safe to decide all Controversies that arise in his Dominions albeit brought unto him Vix vacat exiguis rebus adesse Jovi The exercise of this Dominus Deus vester plenarie Power is much like the use of the Heathen Gods upon the old Roman Stage Nec Deus intersit nisi nodus vindice dignus Inciderit Unlesse it be to loose some Gordian knot The Popes decision is not eas'ly got And where it is got it goes no farther then to the just and infallible censure of the Opinion it self in punishing the Authors or abetters of adjudged Heresies or Schismes he may erre as well as we because herein he goes but by the Information of private men who neither are so absoluteâ—y Holy but they may prove partial nor so Wise and skilfull alwayes but they may erre in their Information especially where it goes successively from ear to ear and from one Countrey Dialect to another as drink from vessel to vessel always losing some part of its proper and native Sapor so that it may relish otherwise to his Holinesse mouth then it did at the first setting abroach by the Authour 8 And seeing the best Means to avoid Contention is the just punishment of them that causelesly cause them your Churches Authority being herein so much more obnoxious to Errour and Misinformation as her Diocesse is larger lesse uniforme or more remote is liable to many Exceptions from which such little ones as she out of her greatnesse contemns are free Nor is the Question as you bear the simple in hand betwixt Publick and Private Spirits but between your private men and ours as whether yours can better discâ—â—â— who are contentious thorowout your vast Precincts then ours who are such amongst us at home That no man should dissent from the Doctrine of the Catholick Church you all agree Some of you dissent from it as most of their fellows think who yet will not professe but rather seek to cloak their dissent either with colours of Consonance or pretended reasons of no Repugnance unto Catholick Tenents Catharinus will defend the Councel of Trent and yet hold Certainty of Salvation Soto and Bellarmin reprove him but how could either of them discern whether Catharinus had the true Meaning of the Trent Councel or not Catharinus I take it had a Suffrage in making those Decrees whereof neither Soto nor Bellarmin were allowed much lesse Authentick Interpreters for the Popes Bull confirming that Councel prohibits all private Interpretations of it yet hath not the Pope or any Publick Authoritie since that time condemned Catharinus for this dissention How knew Maldonate that Jansenius Hesselius and others which deny that Christs Words in the sixth of John are to be understood of Sacramental eating did varie from the received Doctrine of your Church and jump
with Hereticks Difference between your selves and us in this Point you shall never be able to assigne any Tell us by what Means you can discern who dissent from your Canons and our Answer is readie we can discern who dissent from ours by the same if no other were left us This briefly may suffice for removall of Prejudices easie to be wrought in such as compare not Particulars with Particulars or consider not the use of external Magistracie acknowledged by us for punishing Contentious Spirits or our Means of discerning who are such In both which respects we are at least equal to the Romans CAP. XXVII That the Romish Church hath most need of some excellent Means for taking up Contentions because it necessarilie breeds so many and so grievous 1 FOr the main Point as well about the Original of Contentions and Schismes as incorrigible continuance in them onely this Difference I find That we permitting a sober search of Scriptures unto all not binding any mans Faith to the Judgement of man leave a possibilitie to the learned of finding out a liberty unto all of professing the Truth found for the health and life of their Souls without dread or danger to their Bodies And seeing we bind no man upon pain of damnation to Believe any point of Doctrine which is not plainly and expressely set down in Scriptures we minister no occasion of deadly dissention unto any For Contentions amongst our selves they are rather distempers then dangerous diseaseâ— nor do they affect those parts of Religion in which our spiritual Life is properly seated Yet even these in later yeers had been and alwayes would be fewer and their danger lesse were it not for those Foxes which your Church suborns to bring firebrands into the Lords Harvest And even these your Foxes in this our Land howsoever for this publick Mischief against us and the intended Combustion of our Church their Tails were tied together by your Churches knot have yet whet their cankred Teeth as eagerly and opened their venemous Mouthes as bitterly one against another as any but they could have done either against us or any creatures living But to leave private dissentions amongst your selves your Church prohibiting men the ingenuous search of Scriptures and free profession of their Conscience tying them to submit their Judgements at all adventure unto the corrupt Doctrine of your Clergie hath set open a wide gap to such grosse Opinions and monstrous Heresies as no man vnlesse his judgement had been surprised by your pretended Authority or his Spiritual senses lockt up in superstition sleep and midnight darknesse would ever have assented unto much lesse have tolerated when men were taught to hold them for Points of Faith as infallibly true as the Scripture it self only because your Church hath proposed and practised them 2 Thus did your Doctrine and filthy Practise of Indulgences to omit many moe from some surmises of the Ancient concerning a third place after this life as it were from a small seed or kernel by little and little come up to such a mighty growth that it violently rent and tore asunder the main Wals of Christs Temple and caused that irreparable breach and rupture betwixt the Southern and Northern parts of Christs Church established in this Western part of the World And albeit Cassander with divers other learned men in your Church both before and about the time of the Trent-Councel wished a reformation of many Points maintained by you hoping the Lutheran and other reformed Churches would thereby be drawn to Unity with you again yet what one suspicious Opinion hath that Councel cleared what bad amended what harsh or odious one hath it mitigated Nay what Possibility hath it left for the amendment of any in Ages to come amongst such as shall acknowledge that Authority infallible which hath thundred out so many Anathema's to all Gainsayers Before it was lawful for Cassander and Cajetan Fspenceus and others to shew their dislike of your Doctrine and signifie their desires of amendment retaining some Reliques or fashion of men that had been Free-born not Slaves or Vassals to corrupt and dissolute Tyrants They used their Liberty of Speech even in those cases wherein it is not now lawful for any in your Church to mutter no not so much as to sigh or groan under that heavy Yoak which their Forefathers grudged to bear whose weight and hardnesse notwithstanding you still increase whilest your upstart Statesmen the Jesuites like Rehoboams green-headed Counsellers daily seek to make your Ecclesiastick Monarchâ—s little finger greater then his Predecessors loins 3 Some Jesuite or other happily would reply Had Luther been quiet the Church had been still at such Peace and Unity as it enjoyed for many years before What manner of Peace and Unity was that Any other then such as usually is found in any political Argus-eyed Tyrannie before the sinews of it shrunk or the ligaments be dissolved where no man may move but he is seen nor mutter but he is heard where the least secret signification of any desire of Freedom in Speech or Liberty in Action is interpreted for open Mutiny and the least Motion unto Mutiny held matter sufficient for a cruel Death These were the Bonds of your Peace and Unity in this point of your Ecclesiastick Monarchie As for your Peace in other speculative Points of lesse use or commodity to your state it was like the revellings or drunken Consorts of Servants in their night sportings when the Master of the House is asleep in a retired room Any School-man might broach what Opinion he list and make his Auditors drunk with it others might quarrel with him and them in as uncivil sort as they list so no Weapon were drawn against the Popes Peace Albeit in the mean time the Scripture suffered as open Violence and Abuse as Priscian doth when drunken or dunstical Grammarians braul in extemporary Latin As for your Cardinals and States-men they were at league indeed but it was foedissimum foedus a League solemnized with more then barbarous and heatheâ—sh sacrifice with the bloud of many thoâ—sand silly Lambs for whom the Lamb of God had sacrificed his precious Body and Bloud What number of Hussits Bohemians Picardes poor souls of Lions were made a prey unto your Woolvish I may not say Lions teeth seeing as the Italian Poet argues this Title so ill befits your Popes Nec cadit in turpes nobilis ir a feras No Lions they for noble wrath No place in such base creatures hath But what Troops of such harmlesse souls were slain burnt and tormented for their longing after the Liberty of the Sons of God nor we nor you that live this day can know nor shall be known until the Register of the Book of life be opened And howsoever they went as their Lord and Master the great Shepheard of their souls had done before them like sheep unto the slaughter whilest their friends and kinsfolks cries were drowned with your Jewish
Believe their Infallibilitie most infallibly it could be no Rule of Faith but might be rejected till we see it evidently proved whereas they contend it should be the Rule of Faith unto all and by their own confession a main Article of their Creed but according to their Positions as we shall hereafter prove the onely Article of Christian Faith How destitute these their Assertions are of all Grounds of Reason or Rules of Nature hath been made evident There remain onely Two Pillars possibly imaginable for supporting this pretended Infallibilitie Tradition and Scripture Against Tradition all the Arguments they can heap against the Certainty of Scriptures stand good as shall hereafter God willing be shewed That no Argument can be drawn from Scripture to their succour albeit the later Jesuites have earnestly sought to scrape a many for better then Scrapings are not the very best they bring we are now to prove 7 That our Belief of Scriptures Truth and their true Sense by what Means soever we attain thereto must be infallible Both agree The Means that must infalliblie ascertain or prove their Divine Truth and true Meaning unto us say our Adversaries is the Churches Infallibilitie which likewise must be infallibly Beleeved otherwise it could not be the Rule of Faith or Belief infallible It shall suffice here once for all to admonish the Reader That as often as we mention Belief of Scriptures or the Churches infallibility in this Dispute we mean not any kind of Belief but that only which is infallible so likewise whiles we mention the Means or Proofs of either we understand onely Means or Proofs infallible whereon Faith may immediately relie as upon a Rule most sure and certain In all these we demand nothing but what our Adversaries most willingly grant From their grant we argue thus 8 If either the Scriptures can thus ascertain or prove the Churches Infalibilitie or It the infallible Truth of Scriptures to our Souls we must of necessity either Believe the one of these before the other The Churches Infalibility before Scriptures or Scriptures before It or both together without all prioritie of Belief or praeexistent knowledge of the one whence the Belief or knowledge of the other must spring The members of the Division are in the Proposal actually two but in the Disquisition will prove three To begin with the first 9 If they say we must believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God before we 〈◊〉 believe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of their Church they overthrow their own and est ablish 〈◊〉 Postions For thus they make the Scripture a Rule of our Faith at the least In this one Article of the Catholick Churches Infallibilitie which by this Assertion we may and ought infallibly to believe because the Scriptures which we first infallibly believe do teach and prove it Hence private men should be taught by the Holy Ghost first to believe the Truth of Scriptures and for it the Churches Infallibilitie Wherefore the Scripture must be the immediate Rule of their Belief in the Article of the Churches Infallibility which to them is the generall Rule of Faith and so by consequence the Scriptures which to us are onely the Rule of Earth must be more then so to them even the Rule of their Rule of Faith But if the Scriptures may be the immediate and insallible Rule of their Belief in this one Article of the Churches Infallibility what reason possibly can be imagined why they should not be the infallible and immediate Rule of their Faith in all other parts or Articles of their Creed For I call Heaven and Earth Men and Angels to witnesse bâ—…xt ours and the Romish Church whether the Articles of Christs Incarnation his Death his Passion his Burial his Resurrection his Aseension his Intercession for us the Resurrection of the dead and Life everlasting c. be not to any mans Capacitie in the World much more plainly set down in sundry places of Scripture then the Infallibilitie of the present Romish Church in these words Peter feed my sheep Peter to thee 〈◊〉 give the â—…s of Heaven Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us or in any place her sonnes can challenge for it Wherefore if the Holy Ghost teach us this Article of the Churches Infallibilitie immediately without the Churches infallible Authoritie which as we now suppose must be proved from the Scriptures first infallibly Believed then questionlesse he may and will immediately teach us the other Articles of our Creed and whatsoever necessary to Salvation which are more plainly and perspicuously set down in Scriptures without the help or assistance of the Churches infallible Authority which it is supposed to teach by places more doubtfull 10 Or if our Adversaries will hold it no Absurdity to say that the Holy Ghost may teach us the true Sense and Meaning of the fore-mentioned places of Scripture which seem to make for the Infallibility of the Romish Church as Petre pasce oves c. immediately without the help or assistance of the Churches Infallibilitie which is here the lesson supposed to be taught and refers all other Points of Faith or matters of Doctrine unto the Churches teaching immediately they are bound in Reason to shew a Scripture for this Assertion And besides they must perforce make the same comparison betwixt the Holy Ghosts immediate teaching and the Church or Popes immediat teaching which our Saviour Christ made between the Holy Ghosts extraordinary teaching which was to ensue his Glorification and his own immediate teaching before his Passion and as soon as the Holy Ghost hath once taught us the Meaning of these places which make for the Churches Infallibilitie that may be applied unto him in respect of the Popes Supereminencie in teaching which our Saviour Christ spake of himself and his own personall Instructions in the dayes of his Humility in respect of that 〈◊〉 â—ed Comforters Illuminations to be bestowed in abundant measure upon his Apostles immediately upon his Ascention For thus by their Assertions that Holy Comforter after that Lesson once taught Tues Petrâ—… should take his leave of faithfull hearts in the same termes our Saviour there did of his Disciples I tell you the Truth it is expedient for you that I go away For if I go not away the Comforter that Infallible Teacher on whose Authority your Souls must rest will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you and again I have many things to say unto you but ye cannot hear â—oem now howâ—eit when He is come that hath the Spirit of Truth your infallible Teacher whose Tongue while he speaks ex Cathedra I must attend he will lead you unto all Truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear be shall speak he shall glorifie me for he shall receive of me and shew it unto you These words I say might be
taken as a typical Prophesie of the Popes Infallible Authoritie such a Prophesie of it I mean as the History of the Paschal Lamb was of Christs Passion if they will hold the first member of the former division That the Holy Ghost doth first teach us Infallibly to Believe these Scriptures which they urge for the Infallibility of their Church and having once made us infallibly to Believe them refers us to the Churches Infallibilitie taught and Believed by them for the Rule of Faith in all other Articles 11 Sed quia hac non successit alia aggredien lum est via Let us now see whether they be like to find any better successe by following the second member of the forementioned Division i. If they should say We must infallibly Believe the Churches Infallibilitie in expounding Scriptures or Points of Faith before we can infallibly Believe them to be the Word of God or to contain in them Doctrines of Faith This indeed they must say if they hold their Churches Authority to be the Rule of Faith or whereby infalliblie to distinguish Divine Truth from Apocryphal 12 Let us first take the Proposition supposed for Disputations sake viz. We must believe the Churches Infallible Authority before we can believe the Scripture to be the Infallible Oracles of God Secondly let us consider but this one part of the Churches infallible Authority which all the Modern Papists acknowledge That the Scriptures cannot be known infallibly to be the Word of God but by the confirmation of the present Church And let us see how these two Assertions can stand together By the first the Churches infallible Authority must be infalliblie Believed before Scriptures By the second which contains the chief part of the Churches Infallibilitie the Scriptures cannot be infallibly acknowledged or believed to be the Word of God but upon former supposal of Believing the Churches Infallibilitie confirming this Truth unto us 13 Here let all whose Brains are not intoxicate with the wine of Fornication pause a while and contemplate what Babylonish giddinesse hath possest their Brains that have run round about so long though alwayes staggering in urging Scriptures for to prove that as an Article of Belief which must be infallibly Believed before those places of Scriptures which they urge for it or else nor they nor any other Scriptures can ever be stedfastly Believed to be the Word of GOD or to have sufficient Authoritie in them to cause stedfast Belief unto that which they teach For this is the Issue of all our Adversaries Arguments in this Point That such matters as are contained in Scriptures cannot be stedfastly acknowledged or Believed for Supernatural or Divine Truths until they be confirmed by this Infallible Authority of the present Church Where again I would have the Reader call to mind what was before observed out of Bellarmines Positions That this Infallibility of the Church consists directly in this that it is perpetually assisted by the Holy Ghost and it is all one with them to say We Believe the Churches infallible Authority in matters of Faith and to say We Believe the Church is perpetually assisted by the Holy Ghost Again by all the later Jesuiteâ— Positions it is all one to say We Believe the Church is perpetually assisted by the Holy Ghost in determining matters of Faith and to say We Beleeve that the Pope speaking ex Cathedra is assisted perpetually by the Holy Ghost in determining matters of Faith 14 Out of these Assertions compared with the Proposition supposed The Churches infallibilitie must be Believed before Scripture or other Articles of Faith this will immediately and directly follow We must Believe that the Holy Ghost the Supreme Judge of Scriptures and matters of Faith doth infalliblie assist the Church or Pope speaking ex Cathedra before we can Believe that there is an Holy Ghost For this is one Article of Faith taught in Scriptures which Scriptures say our Adversaries cannot be Believed but by the confirmation of the Churches Infallible Authority and this infallible Authoritie consists as we said before in this that it is infallibly assisted by the Holy Ghost wherefore the Conclusion of this absurd Position is That we must first Believe the Holy Ghost is perpetually resident in the Popes breast or Consistory of Rome before it can be Believed that there is an Holy Ghost or Divine Trinitie in Heaven If we consider the Practise of our Adversaries in urging Scripture to prove their Churches Infallibility to be the Rule of Faith they should in Reason admit the first member of the fore-mentioned Division and hold that the Scriptures must be infallibly Believed for the Word of God before the Infallibilitie of the Church which they seek to prove by Scriptures can be infallibly Believed But again if we consider their assertions concerning the Churches Infallibilitie That the Scriptures cannot be known to be the Scriptures but by It and that It is the Rule of Faith they must of necessitie admit the second member of the fore-cited Division and maintain that the Churches Infallibilitie must infallibly be Believed before we can Believe the Scriptures to be the infallible Oracles of God For Regula semper est prior regulato but the Churches Infallibilitie is the Rule of Faith by their Positions and to Believe the Scripture to be the infallible Oracles of God is a main Point of Faith and necessary to Salvation for This is the Iesuites principal Topick to disprove the Scriptures Sufficiencie for being the Rule of Faith in all Points because it containeth not this one Point viz. that the Scriptures are the infallible Oracles of God It is hence evidently proved that neither of the two first members of the former Division can stand either with Reason the Allegators Practise or Positions For the first quite overthrows their Positions concerning their Churches Infallible Authoritie The second proves their Practise to be most absurd in urging Scriptures for to prove it And yet the third member is of all the three the most absurd albeit not so dissonant to their Positions or Practise in this Point because as are they so is it Senselesse both which will evidently appear by the bare proposal of it 15 The third member was That we must infallibly Believe the Scriptures to be the Oracles of God and the Churches Infallibilitic both together without any Prioritie of Time order or nature First if this Assertion be true then cannot the Churches Infallibility serve as a Rule to know the Scriptures to be the Word of GOD infalliblie because regula prior est regulato But by this Assertion there is no Priority in the Churches Infallibilitie their supposed Rule in respect of our knowing or Believing the Scriptures to be the Oracles of GOD. Secondly if the former Assertion be true then neither can the Scriptures prove the Churches Infallibility nor the Churches Infallibility prove the Scriptures to be the Word of God unto any Believer For all Means or
at least which this Counterfeit exacts to be Believed as true to wit that he himself is a man of excellent parts and one that wil use Fidelity as wel in his Doings as Sayings and in a word one whose proposal in matters of State or War is as infallible as the Popes in matters of Faith Yet notwithstanding that this Counterfeits Proposal or Asseveration which must be Believed from the Princes commendation of him which must be believed again from his Proposal Non habent unum idem objectum sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have not one and the same Object yet is the former resolution â—… and so is Valentians resolution of his Catholick Faith most ridiculously impious For what other issue of such dissolute resolutions can be expected but that men who know no better should hereby be driven to suspect the Scriptures for Counterfeit and the Catholick Church if the Roman were only the Catholick Church of villanous Forgery at the least in those places of Scripture which she pretends for Proof of her own Infallibilitie 19 As for Valentians later Exception why his Resolution should not be Circular it is more ridiculous then the former most ridiculously false to omit other points in this one that he dare deny the Churches proposal by their Doctrine to be the Cause why we Believe the Divine Revelation or rather that these Scriptures which we have are Divine Revelations For by their Positions we cannot assure our selves that the Scriptures are the Word of God by any other cause or reason besides the Churches Authoritie and therefore by their Doctrine the infallible Authoritie of their Church is the only Cause why we Believe this Sacred Canon of Scriptures which we enjoy to be Divine Revelations although it be no Cause by their Doctrine why we Believe that in general Divine Revelations are true For this is a dictate of Nature not controversed betwixt us and them or betwixt any who acknowledge a Divine Power And Valentian himself directly implies that which he impudently denies in the self-same period For he granteth that Propositio Ecclesiae est ratio credendi divinam revelationem ratio eredendi the Reason or Rule of Believing must needs include in it a precedent Cause of Belief it cannot be only a Condition annexed thereto but of this point God willing hereafter 20 Sacroboscus who hath followed Bellarmines and Valentians foot-steps as faithfully as any â—rish Foot-man could his Master though sometimes taking a more compendious and smoother way likely to entice pedestria ingenia wits either by nature dull or novices in Arts and smatterers in School-learning to follow him sooner then those great ones hath taken upon him to answer to this Circle in effect as Valentian doth save only that he hath put more Tricks of Art upon it either to confound the judicious or deceive the sample Reader Which here we shal not need to examin because we purpose to unrid his mystical Evasions in the next Dispute In the end of his tract in defence of Bellarmin he frames his Objection against both Valentian and his own Resolution Whether in Believing the Church by Scriptures and Scriptures By the Church the Belief of the one must in nature if not in time go before the other He thinks it not necessary that the one should be before the other Nam actus fidei fertur in suum objectum modo simplici ut visus in suum And therefore as we see colours per species visibiles by the visible shapes or resemblances which flow from them not by seeing the visible shape before the colours so do we Believe the Scriptures by the Church albe it we do not expresly and formally Believe the Church before we believe the Scriptures Quo teneam vultus mutantem Protea nodo In the former part of this his discourse the Visible Church was unto Scriptures as the Light was unto Colours now it is unto Scriptures as visible Shapes are unto Colours What then Do we not see visible shapes before Colours nor Colours before them no. For we see no visible shapes at all but by them Colours only are brought into our sight and we cannot see one before the other if the one we see not at all And in like sense it were true that we should not Believe the Church before Scriptures not Scriptures before we Believe the Church if we were not bound to Believe the one at all But if we see one thing by another which we likewise see we must needs see that first by which we see the other and so if either we Believe the Scriptures by Believing the Church or Believe the Church by believing Scriptures we must of necessitie Believe the one before the other For that by which we Believe a thing is the Means of Belief and the Means of Belief must needs in nature and order go before Belief it self And if the Church be the Means of believing only in as much as we believe it or to speak more distinctly if the believing the Church be the very Meanes of believing the Scriptures then must we needs believe the Church before we believe the Scriptures If our Adversaries affirm that their Church is the only infallible Means of believing Scriptures in any other sort then by believing it let them in the name of God assign by what Means they wil she can make us believe the Scriptures we shal not much contend so they wil not bind us to believe this their Churches Decisions Sacroboscus his comparison of the Visible Church and visible Shapes we admit thus far for good that as unlesse there were such visible Shapes no Colours could be seen so likewise unlesse God had some Visible Church on earth men ordinarily could not see the Light of the Gospel For it is not ordinarily communicated to any but by the Ministery of others but being communicated we believe it in it self and for it self not by believing others as we see Colours in themselves and for themselves not by seeing the visible Shapes by which they are presented or communicated unto our eyes But whether there be any Propriety between the belief of these two Church and Scriptures according to our Adversaries Doctrine or whether the belief of the one be the cause of the Belief of the other or in what sort the cause and what Inconveniences wil follow thereon we shal dispute hereafter 21 Let them in the mean time illustrate the Manner how we believe Scriptures by the Church as they please Let it have the same proportion to Scriptures which the Light or visible Shapes have unto Colours they themselves make the belief of Scriptures most uncertain and for this reason seek to establish the Infallibility of their Church for to assure us of the Truth of Scriptures We demand how â—… of their Churches Infallibility can possibly be proved By Reason that is impossible as you heard before By Tradition of whom of such as may erre that is
uncertain Of the infallible Church But her Infallibility is called in question and any Church may challenge this Prerogative as wel as theirs unlesse they can shew a better Title Without Revelation from above it is stil uncertain fide divina whether we are to Believe any Churches Infallibility concerning Scripture Or if any which of all Revelations from above we acknowledge none but the written Word they acknowledge Traditions as wel as It yet so as the Scriptures by their Confession are as certain as Tradition which they make equal only with the written Word acknowledged by us not above it Wherefore if the Scriptures be in themselves by their Objections uncertain then is Tradition as uncertain What shall assure us of the Truth of either The infallible Church But this can assure no man unlesse he first Believe it for certain and infallibly What shal make it certain to us The Scriptures But they are uncertain say our Adversaries and the Church must confirm their certainty unto us Though this Circle wherein Valentian and Sacroboscus have run giddie were of force to raise up all the Spirits in Hel and though they raised should sift all the Jesuites Brains in the world yet should not all the invention of Man with the help of Devils be able to find out the least Probability of avoiding the former Inconvenience Nay they should far sooner make ropes of the sand in the Adriatick Sea so strong as would hale Italy unto the Islands of Devils before they could teach all the Jesuites in the world so much Geometry as to make one of these Uncertainties support another CAP. XXXI The Unsufficiency of the Roman Rule of Faith for effecting what it aims at albeit we grant all they demand the ridiculous use thereof amongst such as do acknowledge it 1. WHen I was a Child as our Apostle saith and spake as a child understood as a child I thought some great matters might be contained under those Hyperbolical and swelling Titles of the Romish Church where-with mine ears were often filled And although I had been instructed to the contrary yet could I have wished her doctrine true such was my Affection to her shape as it was falsely represented to my childish Fantasie But after the Day-star had shined in mine heart the former Humour wherewith the eye-sight of my infant mind had been corrupted was quickly dispelled Once able to look more narrowly into the subtilest of her School-mens Disputes and examin her learned Clerks Apologies for her by the Gospels Light I saw clearly how by presenting meer shews or shadows of Truth they led weak-sighted Souls into Error as it were in a mist in the beginning of their works usually inserting pretended Grounds here and there as they espie occasion of their intended Conclusions supported with some sleight Reasons for the present feeding us with expectation of better Proofs either in some other work or a great way after in the same which may stay our minds til we come at them where they return us back again to what is past that being now far off and most particulars out of mind may seem not altogether nothing to such as wil not take pains to review it And thus in fine as the mist so their Proofs seem every where somewhat til a man come near them but then so vanish as he shall see nothing of that he looked for 2 Bellarmins books de verbo Dei compared with those others of his de Romano Pontifice c. and Valentians Analysis fidei wil easily approve this observation to him that shal read them through with Attention Both of them in the beginning of their works promising great matters made me expect some extraordinary proof in the processe but finding them best at the first always ambitions in producing multitude of Allegations to little purpose copious in bestowing glorious Titles and Prerogatives upon their Holy Church and yet finally contracting her Universalitie and sacred Catholickship into one mans breast who by their own Confession may be so carnally grosse that he cannot draw any spiritual breath their former goodly Encomions ending thus made me call to mind how crafty companions cozen children of what they love or stay their crying at what they dislike by promising them some Gallant â—ine Gâ—â—die Trim Goodly Brave Golden New Nothing Such brave Epithets so ravish a childs thoughts as at the first hearing he parts with any thing he hath or forbears to seek what otherwise he would have in hope of such a gay reward never looking into the substance of what is promised which was indeed just nothing With like bombast outsides do modern Priests Jesuites terrifie silly souls men or women meer children in understanding from all communion with our Church leading them through such painted Forefronts or fained but sightly Entrances into their vast imaginary empty Paradise wherein grows nothing but forbidden Fruit. Though Volums they write huge and large and in the sublimity of their speculative imaginations fetch Arguments from beyond the Moon yet unto him that hath but the eye of ordinary Reason in his head not blinded by their juglings their best Collections prove in the end but like the drawing of a net spread far and wide in the open air able to retain nothing of what it had compadded only such as looked a far off or had brains so weak or sight so ill disposed as could not distinguish betwixt the element of air and water making more then an ordinary stir in fetching so huge a draught might happily suspect some goodly Catch 3 Suppose we should grant that the Pope whiles he speaks ex cathedra cannot erre who shall I am sure no Jesuit or private Spirit can without all ambiguity and pretence of gainsaying determin directly and absolutely what it is to speâ—k ex cathedra And it is not to be expected that the Pope will ex cathedra define what it is to define a thing ex cathedra in such sort as shall leave â—…sion to excuse his Errour if he should be urged with a Sentence ex cathedraâ— which to the Major part of professed Christians might seem doubtful whether it were palpably erroneous or no. But suppose we knew directly and authentically what it were to speak ex cathedra and when the Pope did indeed so speak when not which no man can know but only by hear-say unlesse such as hear him give Sentence yet what Assurance can the Jesuites give unto the Christian World that his Holiness shal so determin or speak as often as the Peace of Christs Church or Weal of Christendom shal require That he shal speak de sacto ex cathedra whensoever the Church stands in need of a Decision the Papists themselves do not hold as any part of his Infallibility but only that he is able so to speak when his Infallibility wil. And â—… on 〈◊〉 arâ—umâ—ntum No man in their judgement can or ought â—…rain him to a â—…cision except he list And seeing they
affirm he may be an Heretick or a Son of Satan although it were true he could not propose an Heresie to be Believed yet is there no shew of Truth why he may not be so maliciously bent as he wil not vouchsafe actually to determin that for Heresie in others which in his judgement as he is a Doctor or private man is very orthodoxal thus doing he should go against his own Conscience to give Sentence Gods Spirit as they say wil guide his Tongue when or whilest he speaks ex cathedra But an evil Spirit may so work upon his Affections that he shal not come in good time so to speak especially against that Opinion which in his private Conscience he holds for true This I think none of them can deny 4 Now whilest these doubts stand unsatisfied and ye without further assurance of his Infallibility in deciding Controversies then only this Hypothetical or conditional if he speaks ex cathedra all the comfort which the Christian World perplexed with the variety of Opinions and diversities of Sects can reap from these fair promises of the Jesuites concerning their Church or Popes infallible Authority is but as if a man should say unto a Husbandman doubtful upon the uncertaintie of Weather when to sow or reap tush be of good cheer you shall certainly know what season is good what not for Seed-time and Harvest when the man in the Moon sets forth an Almanack Veritas hypotheticae propositionis saith old Javel nihil ponit in crumena Many die with fewer pounds in their purses then Arguments in their heads sufficient to prove the Truth of this conditional Proposition If I had five thousand pounds I should be a wealthy man In like manner if this be all the assurance their infallible Rule can afford us That a general Councel if lawfully assembled or the Pope if he speak ex cathedra cannot possibly erre The most pestiferous and noisome Heresies that now infect the Church may perhaps be quelled some hundred years after all now alive be dead When the Pope wil call a Councel or consult his Chair GOD knows what manner of Resolutions were to be expected if either should happen we may conjecture by their wonted Practise which is thus 5 After a Councel is called the Major part being made to serve their Makers turn for of Bishops the most must be the Popes new creatures the rest must subscribe to their Decrees usually set forth in the weather Wizards language and their sceptick School-men appointed to riddle out some good meaning that may save their Prelates Credit In the mean time the Pope and his Cardinals may follow their pleasures take their ease and with it the dreaming Captains Motto Tot urbes capio dormiens ac vigilans We take up as many Controversies we edifie the Church as much sleeping as waking If no tolerable interpretation of their doubtful Decisions can be found yet a good sense must be Believed and private Spirits may not peremptorily avouch that the Councel meant this or that but only it meant the best and this we take to be the best and therefore we think it meant thus but with humble submission to their infallible Authority All this while the Sectaries so they term us must be set to prove Negatives as that there can be no true Meaning in those speeches which may have twenty But if out of their School-mens Wranglings who can better seek out then follow the truth found any interpretation or manner of Tenet can be found which may yield advantage to them or prejudice to their Adversaries about some hundred years after perhaps when they have light on a Pope and Cardinals whose wits and they once in their life-times meet a Decision may be had upon this Opportunity of seeming advantage And yet the Catholick Church during this hundred or perhaps two hundred years of her silence must be supposed to have held perpetually the self-same Tenet which this private man hath bolted out of late albeit neither he nor any particular member thereof did know as much yea though five heads of the Church and as many principal members five successions of Popes Cardinals and Bishops have died in the mean time no one of which in all their lives did trouble their thoughts with any such matter and whilest both their Schoolmens private speculations and their publick Practise have witnessed the contrary Was the Doctrine of Justification and Merits held by any of their Doctors heretofore as the later Jesuites have refined them Did any of their Popes and Councels determin of their manner of Worshipping Images as Vasquez hath of late And yet I think if the Pope should be driven to a Decision of this Question he would define as Vasquez hath done so extraordinary is the Approbation of his Apologie for Imagery as if It likewise were worthy of Adoration And if this Pope should so determin it you must think that all his Predecessours were of the same Opinion if they had been asked cundem sensum tenuit semper mater Ecclesia 6 But what is most strange That Church may for five six or twelve hundred years and more use a Translation justly suspicious as for many other Reasons so for this That of the divers Authors thereof some we know not others we know too wel and yet when a Councel after so long time shal meet every mans work found very authentick Some learned Papists have been perswaded that their vulgar Translators were docti à Deo omnes all assisted by the Holy Ghost in their Translations But Bellarmin thinks this Opinion too charitable for so they must grant that Theodotion the Heretick the undoubted Author of some parts of that Edition was infallibly assisted by the Holy Ghost If he were not how is that part of their Vulgar which they have from him authentick and true Though erre he might as being a private man or rather a publick Heretick Dicimus tamen eum non errasse in ea translatione quam approbavit Ecclesia yet we say saith Bellarmin but I hope no wise man wil so think that he did not erre in that Translation which the Church hath approved I see then it is all one whether the Holy Ghost do assist the Translatour whilest he is about his work or the Pope his Translation after it be finished and He dead nor doth it skil how he were Qualified whilest he lived either for Integrity Wit or Learning the Cause is all one as in the Pope himself who may as freely bestow this particular gift of not erring in Translations upon whom he please without all respect of good Qualities as Saint Peter did that transcendent donative of absolute Infallibility upon him and his Successors Saint Jeroms Translation had laudable Testimonies of Antiquity yet not generally received in his time onely prejudiced by the Newnesse of it and Antiquity of the Italick But whose is the Vulgar or how first came it in request It is saith Bellarmine
continuance of your Lordships wonted favours whom I still request the Christian Readers as many as reap any profit from my pains on my behalf to remember with such respect as is due to Honourable Patrons of religious studies or cherishers of painful endeavours in good causes From Corpus Christi Colledge March 25. 1614. Your Lordships in all observance THOMAS JACKSON To the indifferent Reader specially to the learned Artists of the two Famous UNIVERSITIES CHristian and beloved Reader I have been detained in this entrie though not longer then the Structure of it required yet then I my self or thou perhaps could have wished for speedier dispatch of the main edifice intended Somewhat notwithstanding to my apprehension I had observed whereby Artists more accurate but younger Divines then my self whose furtherance in the like throughout all my meditations I still respect might be directed for taking sure hold of their slipperie Antagonists in this conflict and finding my self every day then other more unapt more unwilling at least to be any Actor in quarrels of this nature because most desirous to spend my mortal spirits in opening the pleasant Fountains of immortalitie I thought it not altogether unlawfull to dispence with these labours for a while in hope to prosecute them more safely and with better successe hereafter by seconding such as had gone before me with my small strength for intercepting these despitefull Philistims which continually labour to damme up these sacred Wels of Life Many excellent wits and grave Divines as well in our English as other reformed Churches I knew had accurately deciphered the special characters of the Beast and demonstrated most properties of great Antichrist upon the Pope But that the fundamental Charter of the Romish Church or the Commission pretended by Jesuites for the erection of it should as the manner was to demolish lesser religious houses for building others more magnificent extend to raze the very first foundations of Religion as common to Christians Jews and Turks that the acknowledgement of such infallibilitie as they Deifie her with should be more incompatible with Christianitie then any Idolatry of the Heathen that such as absolutely believe all her decrees without examination truely believe no article of this Creed with the like principal branches of Antichristianisme were points for ought I knew rather touched by the way or proposed as clear in themselves to the indifferent and ingenuous that judge of the Romish Church by the known picture of her misse-shapen lims then prosecuted at large or with purpose to pull off that artificial painting where-with late Jesuites have so beautified this uglie Monsters face that the World bewitched with gazing too much on it cannot but love her other deformities though in themselves most loathsome For though the practises enjoyned by her be so vile as would have caused Rome Heathen to have blushed at their mention or her other doctrines so palpably grosse that her own Sons heretofore have derided them and as yet spare to speak ought in particular for their defence yet to salve all this it must suffice that the Church which cannot erre hath now authorized them If any think I prejudice the truth of moderate accusations by laying such heavie imputations upon this doctrine as make it incomparably more detestable then any other he speaks not inconsequently to his positions if he hold the Trent Councel was infallibly assisted by the holy Ghost or that the Pope in Cathedral resolutions cannot erre But he which thinks foul impieties may bring Romish Prelates out of favour with the Spirit of Truth and make them as obnoxious to errors as others are or can perswade himself that many practises and opinions by that Church already authorized are in their nature abominable and impious must either accord to me or dissent from Reason Conscience and Religion For these so be will but vouchsafe his silence or attention joyntly proclaim aloud that nothing amisse either in matter of doctrine or manners can be so detestable without this presumptuous groundlesse warrant of absolute infallibilitie as with it that albeit a man would set himself to practize all particulars directly contrary to what God hath commanded or to contradict God and his goodnesse yet his iniquity without this absolute belief of full authority derived from him so to do would be but as a body without a soul in respect of the Romish Churches impieties which makes the Holy Ghost the principal Author of Gods written Word the abettor of all her fraud untruths or villanies Briefly as it is not the doing of those materials God commands us to do but faithfull submission of our Wils to his in doing them which as S. James instructs us makes us true Christians so is it not the doing or maintaining of what God forbids or hates but the doing of it upon absolute submission of our souls and consciences to other lawes then he hath left which makes men live members of Antichrist as being animated informed and moved by the spirit of errour Now this perswasion of absolute infallibility and universall warrant from the Holy Spirit without condition or restraint being peculiar to the Romish Church admitting it to be as faulty in practises and as obnoxious to errors as any other none can be reputed so truely Antichristian as it For albeit Mahomet pretended divine revelations yet his Priests challenge no such absolute infallibility as doth the Pope they make no second Rocks or foundations no ordinary Pastor equivalent to their great Prophet Whence although the Turks hold opinions in themselves or materially considered more grosse and maintain some practices not much lesse villanous then Jesuites do yet the grounds or motives of their belief which are as the soul or spirit of Religion are nothing so pestiferous nothing so directly opposite to the Holy Spirit as is this Jesuiticall rule of faith Nor do they either professe such belief in Christ or acknowledge him for a foundation so elect and precious as brings them within the Temple of God within which unlesse Antichrist sit his contrariety unto Christ could not be so essential so immediate or direct as by the rules of sacred Philosophie we are taught it must be Yet I know not whether the indignity of this doctrine is more apt to affect Divines and Men rightly religious and fearing God then the sottishnesse of their arguments to perswade it to provoke the just indignation of ingenuous Artists which cannot endure though in matters of indifferencie to captivate their understandings to positions devoid of sense To require some probabilitie of reason civil or natural is on their part no insolent demand for exchange of Christian faith or adventuring their inassurance of life eternal in the service of meer forrainers whom they never saw Yet unto peremptory resolutions no lesse dangerous do Jesuites solicit us not onely without any tolerable shew of probabilitie but quite contrary to Gods principal lawes and our natural notions of good and evil as by these
the true Papists are wise enough to slip the third or last so as it shall not pinch them and have a trick withall to make the First yeeld what way they please who are resolved to follow what way soever it shall please the Popes Authority whereunto their souls indeed are onely tied to lead them But of such as ever had or hope to have any tast or relish of Gods Spirit if any should resolve absolutely to believe his interpretation of any place of Scripture contrary to that life-working sence which must be in every heart endued with hope of seeing God that mans disloyalty towards God and his Holy Spirit is as impudent as if a poor subject should replie unto his Prince commanding him in expresse termes to do thus or so I will not believe your words have any such meaning as they naturally import but a contrary such as one of my fellow-servants hath already acquainted me withall whatsoever you say I know your meaning is I should believe him in all things concerning your will and pleasure and whatsoever he shall enjoyn that will I do 8 That neither the Church can prove the Scriptures nor the Scriptures the Churches Authoritie was proved in the fourth Section of the former Book That such as hold this damnable Doctrine against which we dispute do not at all believe God speaking in the Scriptures shall be evinced in the third Section of this The present inconvenience which now will they nill they we are to wrest from their resolutions of faith is That in deed and conscience they either acknowledge no Authoritie in the Church or Scriptures or else greater in the Church then in Scriptures CAP. III. Inferring the general conclusion proposed in the Title of this Section from Bellarmines Resolution of faith 1 ASwell to occasion the learned Readers further consideration of their ill-grounded and worse builded faith as for deducing thence the proposed inconvenience it will not be amisse to propose Bellarmines resolution of a Roman Catholicks faith One especial Objection of our Writers as he frameth it is That Faith if depending on the Churches judgement is grounded but upon the word of man a weake foundation for such an Edifice that the Scripture was given by the Spirit of God and must therefore be understood by the same not by the Churches Spirit Hereunto Bellarmine answereth The word of the Church 〈◊〉 of the Councel or the Pope speaking ex Cathedra is not the bare word of man He means no word obnoxious to errour but in some sort the Word of God in as much as it is uttered by the assistance and Government of the Holy Ghost I adde saith he that Hereticks are they which indeed do lean upon a brokenreed For we must know that a proposition of Faith must be concluded in this or the like Sâ—llogisme Whatsoever God hath revealed in Scripture is true but God hath revealed this or that in Scriptures Ergo this or that is true The first proposition in this Syllogisme is certain amongst all the second likewise amongst Catholicks is most firm as being supported by the testimonie of the Church Councel or Pope of whose immunity from possibilitie of erring we have expresse promises in the Scriptures as It hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us I have prayed for thee thy faith should not fail But amongst Hereticks the second or minor proposition is grounded onely on conjecture or judgement of a private Spirit which usually seems but is not good Whence seeing the conclusion must follow the weaker part it necessarily followes that all the faith of Hereticks such in his language are all that will not relie upon the Church is but conjectural and uncertain 2 A dreadfull imputation could it be as substantially proved as it is confidently avouched And the consequence of his resolution generally held by all his fellows is of no lesse importance then this That no man can be infallibly assured either of the truth or true sence of any particular proposition in the whole Canon of Scriptures received by us and them unlesse he have the Churches Authority for confirmation of both For unto us that onely which the Church avoucheth is certain and unfallible that sence of it which the Church gives onely sound if we speak of any particular or determinate truths 3 How certain and unfallible Assent unto all or any Scriptures may be wrought in mens hearts without any infallible teacher already hath been and hereafter shal be God willing in more particular sort exemplified In this place it stood the Jesuite upon to have given a better solution to the doubt objected which he is so far from unloosing that he rather knits it faster as shal appear if the Reader wil first cal to mind That for the establishing of firm and undoubted assent to any truth proposed it skils not how infallible the truth in it self or the proposer be unlesse they whose Relief or Assent is demanded be as infallibly perswaded of this Infallibility in the truth or the proposer In this respect our adversaries plead their immunity from errour as an Article necessary to be infallibly Believed for confirmation of Gods Word alwayes most infallible as all grant in it self but not so as they affirm to us until it be avouched by Infallible authority 4 Herein they concur with us Both with the truth That if we believe it only as probable that God spake all those words which we acknowledge to be most infallible because his our belief notwithstanding is not infallible but probable or conjectural For as a man may have bad desires of things essentially good so may he have uncertain perswasions of truthes in themselves most certain It is not therefore the supposed Infallibility of the Church or Pope howsoever but infallibly apprehended and believed that must strengthen our faith which otherwise as is pretended would be but conjectural And by the former principle acknowledged as wel by them as us it necessarily follows that if we be only probably not infallibly perswaded the Pope or Church cannot erre our assent unto the minor proposition i. unto any determinate part of Gods Word is only probable not Infallible For by the Jesuites Doctrine we cannot be certainly perswaded that God spake this or that but by the Churches testimony The immediate consequence of which two assertions compared together is we cannot be more certain that God hath spoken this or that then we are of the Churches Infallibility If then we be only probably not infallibly perswaded that the Church is infallible our Belief of the minor proposition that is of any determinate truth which men suppose God hath spoken must be only probable or conjectural not infallible Consequently to these collections the learned Papists generaly hold that the Churches Infallibility must be absolutely and infallibly believed as you heard before out of Canus Bellarmin and Valentian otherwise as Bellarmin would infer our Belief of the Minor in any
Syllogismâ—… wherein a Proposition of Faith is Concluded can be but Conjectural 5 The proposed inconvenience we may drive from this difficulty How the Papists themselves can attain to the infallible belief of the Churches infallible authority The Church they think hath a publick spirit and publick spirits they know are infallible hence they may perswade themselves the Church is infallible only upon the same terms they believe it hath a publick spirit if their belief of this later be but conjectural their assent unto the former can be no better Seeing then they must of necessity grant for this is the principal mark they aim at that all must infallibly believe the Church hath a publick spirit the difficulty removes to this point how this infallible perswasion is or may be wrought in them Either it must be grounded upon Scriptures or not avouched unto them and wrought in their hearts it must be either by a publick or private spirit Let us examin all the parts of this division 6 First if private mens infallible perswasion of the Churches publick or Authentick spirit be not grounded upon Scriptures acknowledged by us and them the Churches Authority without all controversie is much greater then the authority of Scriptures if it by this assertion can be any and the Churches not all in all For unto that which men cannot know whether it be true or false they cannot be bound to yield absolute or immediate obedience unto that authority which they absolutely believe as infallible they are bound to yield infallible assent and absolute obedience directly in it self and for it self But by this supposition men cannot know Scriptures infallibly without the Churches authority and yet they must infallibly believe the Churches authority without Scriptures The Scriptures authority therefore is either lesse then the Churches or none at all 7 But be it supposed that private mens infallible Belief of the Churches publick spirit is grounded upon Scriptures acknowledged by us and urged by them to this purpose as upon these it seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and us I have prayed for thee thy faith should not fail The question whereunto we demand an answer is whether this infallible Belief of the Churches authority grounded upon these places must be wrought in mens hearts by a private or publick spirit If by a private spirit only Bellarmin believed the Churches publick spirit or those Scriptures truth or true meaning whereon he grounds it He and all other Papists such as he was when he delivered this Doctrine neither Bishops nor Cardinals are subject to the same inconveniences which he hath condemned us for as Hereticks For all private spirits by his positions are abnoxious to errour unsufficient to plant any infallible perswasion in matters of faith yet such is this article of the Churches Authentick spirit of which unlesse men be so perswaded infallibly perswaded they cannot be of the minor proposition in any Syllogism wherein a point of faith is concluded and uncertain of the minor they cannot be certain of the conclusion which as Bellarmin rightly observes alwayes follows the weaker part The infallible conclusion therefore of Bellarmin's resolution is unlesse private men may have publick spirits to warrant the truth of Scriptures and the Churches infallibility thereon grounded they cannot truely believe any conclusion of faith It remains then we inquire what inconvenience wil follow if they admit private men to be partakers of publick spirits 8 Diversity of such spirits they acknowledge not If therefore private mens Infallible Assent unto the truth or true sense of those particular Scriptures whence they seek to prove their Churches Infallibility must be planted by a publick spirit planted it must be by the same spirit which guides and guiding makes the Church and Pope authentick and infallible both in their proposal of Scriptures and declaration of Scriptures sence Seeing this spirit is one and the same if it can make the Church or Pope infallible in all why may it not make all private men by this supposition partakers of it alike infallible at the least in the right understanding of those places which warrant the Churches Infallibility or publick spirit For our adversaries I hope wil easily grant that the Churches publick and Authentick spirit must be most infallibly Believed because so expresly taught in those Scriptures cited by Bellarmin to this purpose If this publick or Authentick spirit can work such infallible apprehension of those places true meaning in private hearts why not in all others as necessary for them to know that is in all necessary to salvation And if thus it do why are we bound to believe the Pope more then the Pope us we being partakers of a publick and infallible spirit as wel as he 9 Or if they hold it no absurdâ—ty to say we must believe two or three places It seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and us Peter feed my sheep by a publick and authentick spirit teaching us from these to rely upon the Pope in all other parts of Gods Word because as it must be supposed we have but a private spirit for their assurance by this supposition the Popes authority in respect of us must have the same excesse of superiority unto Scriptures that a publick spirit hath unto a private or the Pope who believeth all Scriptures by a publick spirit hath unto a private man This publick spirit whereof they vaunt is the same which did inspire the Scriptures to Atoses the Prophets and Apostles and must by this position be the Pope or Churches immediate Agent for establishing this inviolable league of absolute allegeance with mens souls unto them but of none so absolute to their Creator and Redeemer and the rest of whose written laws and eternal decrees must be communicated unto them by a private spirit and subscribed unto with this condition If the Pope shal witnesse them to be his laws or to have this or that meaning 10 Nor can our adversaries deny the truth of this subsequent collection If it were possible for the Pope in matters controversed to teach contrary to Gods Word we were bound to follow him For they themselves argue thus If the Pope could erre in matters of Faith Faith might perish from the Earth all Christians bound to erre because bound to obey him This proves that our Assent to any Scriptures besides those which teach the Popes authority cannot in it self be perfect and absolute but subject to this condition if the Pope be infallible And even of those places which as they pretend witnesse him to be such there yet remains a further difficulty These the Pope believes not because they are confirmed to him by his predecessor but directly and immediately by his publick spirit But may private men believe them so too No. For these especially and the Churches infallibility contained in them are by all our adversaries consent propositions of Faith in respect of us and need by their doctrine the proposal or
greatnesse of authority is alwayes measured by the manner of obedience due unto it The Minor is as evident from the former reason Our obedience is more absolute and strict unto that authority from which in no case we may appeal then unto that from which we may in many safely appeal but by the Romish Churches doctrine there lies alwayes an appeal from that sence and meaning of Scriptures which Gods spirit and our own conscience gives us unto the Churches authority none from the Churches authority or meaning unto the Scriptures or our own consciences 7 Our Saviour Christ bids us search the Scriptures S. Paul try all retain that which is good S. John try the Spirits whether they be of God or no Suppose a Minister of our Church should charge a Romanist upon his allegiance to our Saviour Christ and that obedience which he owes unto Gods Word to search Scriptures trie Spirits and examin Doctrines for the râ—tifying of his faith he wil not acknowledge this to be a Commandment of Scripture or at least not to be understood in such a sence as may bind him to this practise What follows if our Clergie charge him to admit it he appeals unto the Church And as in Schools simus and nasus simus is all one so in their language is the Church and the Church of Rome This Church tels him he may not take upon him to trie of what spirit the Pope is nor examin his determinations decisions or interpretations of any Scripture by other known places of Scripture or the analogie of faith acknowledged by all Unto this decree or sentence of the Church although he have it but at the second hand or after it have passed through as many Priests and Jesuites mouthes as are Post Towns from London to Edenburgh he yields absolute obedience without acknowledgement of farther appeal either unto Scriptures or other authority whatsoever further manifestation of Gods wil he expects none Let all the reformed Churches in the World or all the Christian World besides exhort threaten or adjure him as he tenders the good of his own soul as he wil answer his Redeemer in that dreadful day of final Judgement to examin the Church or Popes decrees by Gods written Laws his answer is he may not he cannot do it without open disobedience to the Church which to disobey is damnation of soul and body But O fools and slow of heart to believe and obey from the heart that doctrine whereunto ye were delivered Know ye not that to whomsoever ye give your selves as servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether it be the man of sin unto death or obedience unto righteousnesse Of all Mankind are onely Roman Catholicks not bought with a price that they may thus alienate their souls from Christ and become servants of men that they may consecrate themselves by solemn vow to the perpetual slavery of most wicked and sinful men even monsters of Mankind CAP. V. 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 Laws 1 BUt the simple I know are born in hand by the more subtile sort of this generation That thus obeying sinful men they obey Christ who hath injoyned them this obedience unto such That thus believing that sence of Scripture which the Church their mother tenders unto them they do not believe her better then Scriptures because these two Beliefs are not opposite but subordinate that they prefer not her decrees before Christs written Laws but her interpretation of them before all private Expositions This is the only City of refuge left them wherein prosecuted by the former arguments they can hope for any succour but most of whose gates already have been all shortly shall be shut upon them 2 That they neither believe nor obey Gods Word whilest they absolutely believe and obey the Church without appeal is evident in that this Church usually binds men not unto Positive points of Religion gathered so much as from any pretended sence of Scripture expounded by it but to believe bare Negatives as that this or that place of Scripture either brought by their adversaries or conceived by such amongst themselves as desire the knowledge of truth and right information of conscience have no such meaning as the Spirit of God not flesh and bloud as far as they can judge of their own thoughts hath revealed unto them 3 But the Spirit may deceive private men or at least they may deceive themselves in their trial of Spirits They may indeed and so may men in publick place more grievously erre in peremptory judging private men because obnoxious to errour in the general erroneous in this particular wherein they ground their opinions upon Gods Word plentiful to evince it at least very probable reasons they bring many and strong whereunto no reasonable answer is brought by their adversaries whose usual course is to presse them only with the Churches authority which appears to be of far greater weight then Gods word unto all such as yield obedience to her negative decrees without any evidence or probability either of Scripture or natural reason to set against that sence and meaning of Gods Laws whereunto strength of arguments unrefuted and probable pledges of Gods Spirit undisproved have long tied their souls Do we obey God or believe his word whilst we yield obedience to the Church in such Commandments as to our consciences upon unpartial examination seem condemned ere made by the very fundamental Laws of Religion and all this oft-times without any shew or pretence of Scripture to warrant us that we do not disobey God in obeying them 4 But doth the Romish exact absolute obedience in such points as if it were possible they could be false may endanger the very foundation of true Religion without evident demonstration that their daily practise neither doth nor can endanger it Yes For what can more concern the main foundation which Christians Jews and Mahumetans most firmly hold then those precepts in number many all plainly and peremptorily forbidding us to worship any Gods but One or any thing in the Heaven or Earth but Him only The Romanists themselves grant that cultu latriae God alone is to beadored that so to adore any other is Idolatry and Idolatry by their confession a most grievous sin O how much better were it for them to hold it none or Gods Word forbidding it of no authority then so lightly to adventure the hourly practise of it in contempt of such fearful threatnings as they themselves out of Gods Laws pronounce against it upon such broken distoynted surmises as are the best they can pretend for their warrant 5 To believe Christs flesh and bloud should be there present where it canot be seen or felt yea where we see and feel another body as perfectly as we can do ought is to reason without warrant of Scripture but a
possible more to deny this truth in effect or consequence more to oppugn the whole edifice of our faith then by planting another Rock another Foundation without communication wherewith none can be supported by the former against the gates of hell 15 But perhaps we mistake or malign the Romanist in charging him with shufling in another foundation besides Christ in that sense the Apostle denies any other ‖ Foundation can be laid We rather by too much pressing them with that Axiom of his make him contradict himself for else-where he saith We are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets 16 I wil not here dispute whether S. Paul in that place mean we are built upon the persons of the Prophets and Apostles they being placed nearer the rock or main Foundation it self then we or rather upon the main Foundation which both the Prophets and the Apostles joyntly had laid beâ—… which no other can be laid Christ crucified and glorified For he is both the Foundation which wholly supporteth and the corner stone which only câ—… pleth the whole building in which he is the Highest and the Lowest first laid in humility for the disobedient to fall upon but now exalted unto greatest glory to fall upon them And as the Apostle cals his own scars the Marks of Christ because inflicted for Christs sake so may he call Christ the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles because the only end whereto both Prophetical and Apostolical laws were directed was to lay this sure Foundation 17 But granting what they take for granted The Apostle did mean we were builded upon the Prophets and Apostles as upon a second foundation or first row of stones next in order unto the rock do they make Peter a rock or foundation only in this sense If they do not he could not be the Rock on which the Church is built If they do let them give us the right hand of fellowship for we accuse them not for making him such a Foundation as the other Apostles were but such as it is evident they were not yea such in deed and substance as Christ only is and should be acknowledged by all the faithful For in what sense is Christ said to be the Foundation Because he is the head of his Church both for supporting and directing it Was not Peter such in respect even of his fellow Apostles Bellarmin can assign no disserence betwixt them but in these very tearms All of them he confesseth had oecumenical jurisdiction but not in such sort as Peter had all were infallible because Apostles and Ambassadours but not after the same manner he was yea Peter was their head on whom they did depend so did not he on them This makes Peter the corner stone that coupleth the building Which doubtlesse was Christs peculiar whileit he lived on earth not communicated unto Peter as they acknowledg until his resurrection or ascension That they tell us then they make but one primary Foundation and therefore none such as Christ is as if they should say they admit no more such Popes as Pius primus was because there hath never been nor ever shall be any Pope Pius the First but he for to make Peter such a Primate is to make him a foundation or head of the same rank and order that Christ was only his inferiour as successor in time or to use their words a foundation in Christs place So Bellarmin †expresly avoucheth where proving Peters Supremacy or Lordship from his name he thus infers Peter only was known by Christs own name of Ceâ—â—as or Rock tribute in which he is set out unto us as often as by any other whatsoever yea this is the peculiar attribute in which he is set out unto us as the foundation and head of the Câ—… 〈◊〉 Christ communicating this unto Peter would have 〈◊〉 sâ—… world that he meant to make Peter the foundation and head of the Church 〈◊〉 own place Why doth Christ cease to be the Foundation in becoming the head stone in the corner or do they to avoid open suspition of Antichristianism acknowledge him come in the flesh but gone again to make room for Peter and his successours Certainly were the Apostle to gather the meaning of Bellarmins speeches his inference would be thus In that he saith a New Head is come in his place he abrogates the formers Authority as he was Ambassadour between God and man nor is it now as the Testament given by Moses was in the Prophets time ready to expire but already expired by actual succession of another unto whom Christ the first visible head or foundation did at his advancement to higher dignity seal the same Commission he had from his father for transacting all affairs concerning the state of his visible Church 18 But doth the space between heaven and earth more exceed Romes distance from the utmost ends of the world then he to whom all power was given in heaven and earth doth the present Pope in amplitude of spiritual jurisdiction Whence is it else that Christs regiment cannot so fully and immediately extend it self unto his Church militant wheresoever scattered upon the face of the earth as the Popes may to the East and West Indies from either of which he cannot receive certain information how his instructions sent thither succeed with his flock under a years space at the least Every Pope in his time is a rock a foundation an head in Christs absence from the earth Might not every one of them in like sort admit a Pope a Vicar general an absolute fellow Monarch from whom in these remote countries there should be no more appeals to Rome then are from Rome to Christs throne of Majestie If we speak not of that Majestie which he there enjoyes but of that authority which he sometimes had or we can imagin he could have in regiment of his Church were he now visibly present in the flesh it is evident that Saint Peter and his successours may by our adversaries doctrine be more properly instiled compeers to Christ then the best man living besides unto the worst of them For it must be thought that Christ in his absence ratifies all their decrees without exception as we may not question them more then we might Christs own were he visibly resident in his Church Yet was the authority of Christs other Apostles so mightily overtopped by Peters Supremacy that they could not be infallible or oecumenical without his approbation If they were Peter was not such an head to them as his successors are to theirs even to all Bishops or inferiour Ministers throughout the world If they were not the Pope if he will be Peters Successours should make Bishops or Cardinals at least Eleven oecumenical Pastors of authority infallible though with such dependency on his plenary power as Christs other Apostles had on Peters Or let them resolve us in other fundamental difficulties which their doctrine ministers 19
Jove Caesar habet Jove and Caesar are Kings and Gods But Jove of heaven that 's the only ods That Christ should retain the title of the supream head over the Church militant and the reality of supremacy over the Church triumphant our adversaries are not offended Because there is small hope of raising any new tribute from the Angels and Saints in heaven to the Romish Churches use and as little fear that Christ should take any secular commodity from it which anciently it hath enjoyed 14 But though it were true that we were absolutely bound to obey an absolute Monarch of whose right none doubts yet may we examin whether every Potentate that challengeth Monarchical jurisdiction over others or gives forth such insolent edicts in civil matters as the Pope doth in spiritual do not go beyond his authority in these particulars albeit his lawful preâ—ogatives in respect of others be without controversie many and great yet limited both for number and magnitude For suppose King Henry the eight after he had done what he could against the Pope should stil have professed his good liking of Romish religion opposing only this to all his Popish Clergie that had challenged him of revolt Am not I defender of the faith The Pope whom I trow you take for no false Prophet hath given me this prerogatrâ—… amongst Christian Princes as expresly as ever S. Peter bequeathed him his supremacy above other Bishops It is as impossible for me to defend as for his Holinesse to teach any other besides the true Catholick Faith Let the proudest amongst my Prelates examin my expositions of his decrees and by S. George he shall fry a fagot for an Heretick Would this or the like pretence though countenanced by royal authority have been accepted for a just defence that this boisterous King had not contradicted the Pope but the tatling Monks or other private expositors of his decrees would this have satisfied the Popes agents until the King and his Holinesse had come to personal conference for final debatement of the case yet for Christs servants thus to neglect their masters cause is no sin in the Romanists judgement yea an heresie is it not to deal so negligently in it For a sin of no lower rank they make it not to submit our hearts minds and affections unto the Popes negative decrees though against that sence of Scripture which conscience and experience gives us Unto all the doubts fears or scruples these can minister it must suffice That the Pope saith he expounds scripture no otherwise then Christ would were he in earth but only controls all private glosses or expositors of them But can any Christian heart content it self with such delusions and defer all examinations of doctrine until that dreadful day come upon him wherein the great Shepheard shall plead his own cause face to face with this pretended Vicar and his associates Do we believe that Christ hath given us a written law that he shal come to be our Judge and call us to a strict account wherein we have transgressed or kept it yet may we not try by examination whether these Romish guides lead us aright or awry Whether some better or clearer exposition may not be hoped for then the Pope or Councel for the present tenders to us What if the Pope should prohibit all disputations about this point in hand whether obeying him against the true sence of Scripture as we are perswaded we yield greater obedience unto him then unto Scriptures may we not examin the equity of this decree or his exposition of that Scripture which happily he would pretend for this authority his amplius fili mi ne requiras No by their general Tenent and Valentians expresse Assertion it were extream impiety to traverse this sence or exposition under pretence of obscurity c. By the same reason for ought I can see it would follow that if the question were whether obeying the Pope more then God we did obey man more then God we might not examin at least not determin whether the Pope were Man or God or a middle nature betwixt both which came not within the compasse of that comparison CAP. X. In what sense the Jesuites may truly deny they believe the words of man better then the words of God In what sense again our writers truly charge them with this blasphemy 1 IF we review the former discourse we may find that equivocation which Bellarmin sought as a knot in a bulrush in our writers objections to be directly contained in their Churches denial of what was objected Whilest they deny that they exalt the Churches authority above Scriptures or mans word above Gods this denial may have a double sence They may deny a plain and open profession or challenge of greater authority in their Church then in Scriptures Or they may deny that in effect and substance they overthrow all authority of Scripture save only so far as it makes for their purpose 2 That the Pope should openly professe himself competitor with God or in expresse tearms challenge greater authority then Scriptures have was never objected by any of our writers For all of us know the Man of Sin must be no open or outward enemy to the Church but Judas-like a disciple by profession his doctrine indeed must be a doctrine of devils yet counterseiting the voice of Angels as he himself though by internal disposition of mind a slave to all manner of filthinesse and impurity must be enstiled Sanctissimus Dominus the most holy Lord. If the poison of his iniquity were not wrapt up in the titles of divine mysteries it would forth-with be disliked by many silly superstitious souls which daily suck their bane from it because perswaded that the Scriptures which they never have examined whose true sense they never tasted but from some reliques of heathenish zeal idolatrously worship in gross do fully warrant it When our Writers therfore object that the Papists exalt the Popes laws above Gods had not these holy Catholicks an especial grace to grow deaf as often as we charge their mother with such notorious and known whoredomes as they see might evidently be proved unto the world if they should stand to contest with us their meaning is plain that the Pope in deed and issue makes the Scriptures which in shew he seems to reverence of no authority but only with reference to his own That he and his followers should in words much magnifie Gods word written or unwritten we do not marvel because the higher esteem men make of it the higher still he may exalt his throne being absolutely enabled by this device to make all that belongs to God his Word his Laws his Sacraments the pretious Body and Bloud of his Son blessed for ever meer foot-stools to his ambition For if the authority of Scriptures or such traditions as he pretends be established as divine and he admitted sole absolute infallible Judge of their meaning it would argue
his Apostles was THat the Church of Rome doth advance her decrees above the laws and ordinances of the Almighty her words that in this kind is called Gods above all divine Oracles written and unwritten is apparant out of their own positions hitherto discussed yet is this but the first degree of great Antichrists Exaltation 〈◊〉 second is the exalâ—â—ng the Popes above any personal authority that ever was either practised or established on earth This in brief is the assertion which by Gods assistance we are in this present section to maâ—e evident The authority which the Jesuites and Jesuited Priests give and would bind others upon pain of damnation to give unto the present Church or Pope throu 〈◊〉 every age is greater then any authority that ever was challenged since the world began by any man or visible company of men the man Christ Jesus not excepted This conclusion followeth immediately out of three Positions generally held and stifly maintained by that Church The first that the Pope live he as he list cannot erre in matters of faith and manners when he speaketh ex Cathedra that we are bound infallibly to believe whatsoever he so speaks without examination of his doctrine by Gods word or evident external sign or internal Experiment of Gods spirit speaking in him The second that we cannot assure our selves the Scriptures are the Oracles of God but by the infallible testimony of the Visible Church The third that the true sense and meaning of Scriptures in cases doubtful or controversed cannot be undoubtedly known without the infallible declaration of the same Church CAP. XI What restraint precepts for obedience unto the Priests of the Law though 〈◊〉 ing most universal for their Form did necessarily admit And how universal Propositions of Scriptures are to be limited 1 SEing we undertake to prove that no such authority as the Romish Church doth callenge was ever established on earth The answering of those arguments drawn from the authority of the Priests in the old Testament may to the judicious seem at the first sight needlesse yet because such as they set the fairest glosses upon if we look into the inside or substance are fullest fraught with their own disgrace and ignominy It wil not be superfluous to acquaint the Reader with some particulars prefixing some general admonitions to the younger sort for more commodious answering of all that can be brought of like kind 2 Their common places of cozening the world especially smatterers of Logick or school learning with counterfeit proofs of Scripture is either from some universal precept of obedience given to the people or general promises of infallibility made to the Priests in the old Testament Such as come unto the Scriptures having their mind dazled with notionâ— of universale primum or other Logick rules true in some cases think the former precepts being for their form universal may admit no exception limitation or restraint otherwise the holy Ghost might break the rule of Logick when as they admit many restraints not alwayes from one but oft-times from divers reasons from these following especially God sometimes injoyns obedience as we say in the Abstract to set us a pattern of such true accurate obedience as men should perform unto authority it self or unto such governours as neither in their lives nor in the Seat of judgement would decline either to the right hand or to the left but square all their proceedings to the exact rule of Gods word Unto such governours continual and compleat obedience was to be performed because the 〈◊〉 governed upon examination should alwayes find them jump with the law of God unto which absolute obedience as hath been shewed is due Nor doth the word of God in setting out such exact obedienc lie open to that exception which Politicians take against Philosophers as if it as Philosophers do did give instructions only for happy men of Aristotles making or for the Stoicks wise men who can no where be found but in Plato's common-wealth whose Metropolis is in the Region of Eutopia For the ancient Israel of God had this prerogative above all the nations of the earth that their Priests lips whilest they themselves were clothed with righteousness and bare holinesse unto the Lord in their breasts should still preserve knowledge and be able to manifest the wil of God unto the people not only by interpreting the general written law but by revelations concerning particular facts of principal moment as may be gathered from that law Also thou shalt put in the breast-plate of judgement the Urim and the Thummim which shall be upon Aarons heart when he goeth in before the Lord And Aaron shall bear the judgement of the children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually 3 To omit the various interpretations and divers opinions of this Brest-plates use why it was called the Breast-plate of Judgement Josephus and Suidas in my mind come nearest the truth That the Revelation by it was Extraordinary that Gods presence or Juridical approbation of doubts proposed was represented upon the pretious stones that were set therein is probable partly from the aptnesse of it to allure the Israelites unto Idolatry partly from that formality which the Egyptians in imitation of the Ephods ancient use amongst the Jews retained long after in declaration of the truth in Judgement For Diodorus tels us that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or chief Judg in that Famous and venerable Egyptian high Court or Parliament did wear about his neck in a golden chain Insigne a Tablet of pretious stone or if the Reader be disposed to correct the Translator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they called as the Septuagint did Aarons Breast-plate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on which he stedfastly looked while matters were debating as Suidas saith the High Priest did on his Breast-plate whilest they asked counsel of God and whilest he gave Sentence turned it unto the better cause exhibited as the fashion was in that Court in writing iâ— sign the Truth it self did speak for it That the Urim or Thummim were more then an Emblem yea an Oracle of Justice and right Judgement is apparant out of Scripture When Josâ—… was consecrated to be Israels chief Governour in Moses stead he was to stand before Fleazar the Priest ordained to ask counsel for him by the Judgement of Urim before the Lord So did Abiathar certisie David of Sauls malitious resolution against him and the Lords of â—eilahs treachery if he should trust unto them So again David is assured of victory by the judgement of Urim and Thummim if he would follow the Amalekites that had burnt Zâ—klâ—g 4 Such Priests as these were to be absolutely obeyed in answers thus given from the mouth of God And it is most probable that the parties whom these answers did concern had perfect notice of the Revelation made to the Priests howsoever the truths of such answers being confirmed by Experiment in those
expresse folly of his premises partly to examin the place it self because the evidence of it failing wil be a presumption against all they pretend of like kind and may afford some farther light how we may restrain proâ—ositions for their form most universal by the matter or circumstances concomitant 2 The fortresses which he erects for defence are Three His First that our Saviour in this very Chapter wherein he reprehends the Scribes and Phaâ—isees most sharply yet gives this Caveat to such as are weak in faith lest they should neglect their doctrine for their bad lives and Hypocrisie The note considered in it self is not amisse but brought to countenance their bad cause or else to prejudice the truth of ours by raising a suspition in the ignorant of our bad dealing as if we taught the contrary 3 His Second Fortresse is that neither our Saviour Christ nor his Apostles did ever tax the Prelates or inferiour Priests by these names directly but alwayes under the name of Scribes and Pharisees lest they might thereby seem to reprehend the Priesthood or Seat of Authority And this they did that men might know honor and reverence to be due unto the Prelacy or Priesthood although the Priests or Prelates in their lives and persons were not so Commendable The consequence is not amisse albeit his reason be not so firm and the Coâ—ollary which he hence deduceth most malitious Hence saith he we are given to understand that the Hereticks of this age which upon every occasion inâ—…gh against Bishops Priests especially the Pope do but ill consent in manners with our Saviour and his Apostles But did neither our Saviour Christ nor his Apostles tax the Priests Prelates by their proper names for that reason which Bellarmin brings We may suppose I trust without offence That Gods Prophets did not go beyond their commission in taxing the chief offences or offendors of their times that our Saviour or his Apostles might upon the like or greater occasions have used the same Form of reprehension the Prophets did or other more personal The true reason why so they did not was because they had no such respect of Persons or Titles as Bellarmin dreams of but aimed chiefly at the Fairest for such usually gave greatest counteâ—… to foulest sins And who knows not how in the Synagogues later dayes the glorious titles of Scribes and Pharisees had in a sort drowned the names of Priests as the reputation of Jesuites hath of late years much eclipâ—ed all other titles of inferiour ministers heretofore more famous in the Roâ—… Church It was likewise the high esteem of these two Saint-like Sects which seduced most silly souls throughout Jewry to follow traditions contrary to Gods laws as the Jesuites late Fame hath drawn most of the blind Churches children which go more by ear then eye-sight to account villany piety and falshood subtilty As our Saviour and his Apostles reprehended the Rabbâ—es or Priests in their times not under the names of Priests and Levites but under the glorious names of Scribes and Pharisees then reputed the only guides of godlinesse so would they were they now on earth as we in inâ—itation of them tax the Romish Clergie especially under the names of Jesuites or other more famous orders in that Church But the Sect of Scribes and Pharisees being not known in Malachies time nor any other order so glorious then as the order of Priests he tels them their own in their proper names And now O ye Priests this commandment is for you So did Micah and Zephaniah and every Prophet as their demerits gave occasion 4 His third Fortresse is that whatsoever Christ saith of Moses chair must be conceived to make more for Saint Peters and such as sate therein Why our Saviours admonition should make more for the Popes authority within his own territories then it did for the Scribes and Pharisees or High Priests authority in the land of Jewry I See no reason That it may concern the people living under the Pope and Clergie of Rome as much as it did the people of Jewry then subject to the High Priest Scribes and Pharisees I wil not deny for such Judges as they were the Popes of Rome in their several generations may be nay would God they were not Let us see then what infallibility in giving definitive sentence Bellarmin can prove out of the fore-mentioned place The words are plain Whatsoever they bid you do that do What All without any exception nay you do the Papists wrong if you collect so Whatsoever they speak ex Cathedra Then the proposition though most universal for the form is restrained by our adversaries themselves unto such doctrines only as they taught ex Cathedra And justly seeing this restraint hath more apparent ground in the Text then any other Therefore it is said They sit in Moses seat they are infallible not alwayes because they sometimes sit but whiles they sit in Moses seat or give sentence out of it what is it then to give sentence out of Moses seat to pronounce sentence solemnly and upon dâ—liberation If unto all their doctrines or definitive sentences so pronounced men had been bound in conscience to yield obedience the Pope as shall be shewed anone had never â—ate in Peters chair yea Peter himself had been in conscience bound to be an Apostâ—… from Christ But what is the meaning of these words They sit in Moses seâ—t all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observeâ— and do That is All that Moses first said and they reâ—ite This is a straâ—ge interpretation indeed will the ignorant or illiterate Papist reply yet to omit many others of their own a late Jesuites whose skill in expounding Scriptures save only where doting love unto their Church hath made him blind none of theirs few of our Church hath surpassed * When he commands to observe and do all that the Scribes and Pharisees say whilest they sit in Moses seat he speaks not of theirs but of Moses his doctrine the meaning is as if he had said whatsoever the law or Moses recited by the Scribes and Pharisees shall say unto you that observe and do but do not ye according to their works This he takes to be Saint Hilaries and Saint Hieroms exposition of the place If any man yet further demand why our Saviour did not speak more plainly Whatsoever Moses saith observe and do rather then Whatsoever the Scribes and Pharisees say observe and do Maldonat in the same place gives two reasons The first because our Saviour did now purpose to tax the Scribes and Pharisees hypocrisie which he had not taxed unlesse he had shewed that they taught otherwise then they lived The second that in this Chapter he intended to reprehend the Scribes and Pharisees sharply and therefore it was expedient he should first commend them for some things lest all his reproofs might seem to proceed from passion or want of judgement Thus far
for after a long and various deliberation used by the Councel Caiaphas who now sate as chief being the High-Priest pronounced that sentence where unto almost all at the least the major part agreed It is expedient that one die for the people and that the whole nation perish not upon which speech the Evangelist forthwith addes This he spake not of himself but being High-Priest for that yeer he prophesied Whence it follows faith Canus that our Prelates lives and actions may perhaps be contrary to our Lord Jesus but their judicial decrees or sentences such as are confirmed by the Pope who must be president in their Councels as Caiaphas was shall prove true and profitable unto Christians as instituted by God for the peoples good yea they shall proceed from the Holy Ghost for the reason which we have learned of the Evangelist to wit because such as give them are Prelates of Christs Church And this is all I have to say unto the second Argument 12 It is easie indeed for them thus to answer to whom it is most easie and most usual to blaspheme That the Popes aswell as Caiapha's prophecies may in the Event prove true and profitable to Christs Church we do not doubt because unto such as love God or are beloved of him all things even Sathans malice that had suborned Caiâ—phas and his brethren against Christ and his members turn to the best But he that had taken this High-Priest whilest he uttered this sentence for an infallible Prophet of the Lord had been bound in conscience to have done so to our Saviour at his as the people did to Baals Priests at Elias's instigation If our adversaries will permit us to interpret the Trent Councels Decrees as the faithfull of those times did Caâ—aâ—bus prophecie we will subscribe unto them without delay It is expedient we grant and profitable with all unto the Church that there should be such Decrees whereby the faith of others might be tried But as it was not lawfull for the people to imbrue their hands in Christs bloud though the greatest benefit that ever befell the world was by his death so neither is it safe to admit the Trent Canons though a wonderfull blessing of God they should be set forth because they so clearly testifie the truth of his word concerning Antichrist Canus said more in this then was needfull according to his supposed principles in his answer to the next argument But God who ruled the mouth of Caiâ—phas and made him speak the truth when he intended nothing lesse dâ—â— also direct Canusâ—s pen to vent what upon better consideration he would have concealed Yet herein he wrote but out of the abundance of his own and most of his fellows hearts who hold that the Priests and 〈◊〉 â—â—re onely in a matter of Fact not in any point of Faith when they 〈◊〉 Christ For conclusion of this consider with me Christian Reader how great cause we have to thank our gracious God that the sâ—â—t of 〈◊〉 or â—abble of Predicants were not founded in our Saviours daveâ— for thâ—… doubâ—â—e the Devil had picked a traitor out of that crue whose impudenâ— sophistical Apologies for open Blasphemie and unrelenting perseverance 〈◊〉 traitâ—rous plots might have outfaced the world that the delivering of Chriâ—… into his enemies hands had been no â—uch sin as Jâ—… testified it waâ—… his pâ—nitent speech and desperate end CAP. XIV What it would disadvantage the Romish Churâ—h to â—eny the infallâ—…lity of the Synagngue THat any visible company of men before our Saviour Christs time dâ—… challenge such absoluâ—e authority over mens faith as the Pore doth would be very hard for them to prove and no question but the high-Pâ—… and â—…ers amongst the Jews did oftentimes challenge more then they had If the Rom mist should say that they had no such infallible authority in deciding all controversies as their Church now challengeth the assertion would be as improbable in it self as incongruous to their positions For unto any indifferent man such Infalliâ—ilitie in the Watch-Tower of Sion mâ—… quisite during the time of the Law then since thâ— promulgation of the Gospel â—e it granted the points to be expresly believed of the anâ— ent people were but few yet even such of them as were most necessary to salvation were more enigmatically and mystically set down then any in the new Testament aâ—e and the measure of Gods Spirit upon every sort of men the vulgar especially in thâ—se times much lesse For this câ—use God raised uâ— Prophets to instruct them whose authority though it was not such as the Roman Church now challengeth but given to supply the ignorance and negligence of the Church representative in those dayes yet much greater thâ—n is ordinarily required in the light of the Gospel by which as the doctrine of salvation is become most conspicuous in it self so is the illumination â—… Gods Spirit more plentifull then before it had been And since the Prophets have been so clearly expounded by the Apostles and the harmony of the two Testaments so distinctly heard the ordinary Testâ—… of â—esuâ—â—… 〈◊〉 to the spirit of Propheâ—ie Allowing then these infinite ods on our pâ—rts that enjoy the labours of former ages with the ordinary preaching of the Gospel an infallible oecumenical authority is much 〈◊〉 needfull now then it was in the Law 2 Or if our adversaries will be so wayward as to deny the like infallibility to have been requisite in the ancient Jewish Church they shall hereby thwart evidently themselves disanull their chief title and utterly disclaim the main plea hitherto used for their own infallibilitie Foâ—… them do uâ—ge Gods promises made unto that Church to prove aâ—… of 〈◊〉 a like authority in theirs And if these promises made to the Jews admit any distinction condition or limitation whereby tâ—… absolute infallibilitie as they suppose it may be impaired then may all the promises made or supposed to be made unto their Church admit the same or like But besides the weakning of their title by debarring themselves of this plea drawn from the example of the ancient Jewish Church no man that reads their writings can be ignorant that all their chief and principal arguments wherewith they carry away most simple souls and importune such as almost neither fear God nor man to give sentence for them and their Church against us are drawn from these or the like Topicks unlesse God had ordained one supreme Judge or infallible Authority that might decide all controversies in matters of faith viva vâ—ce he had not sufficiently provided for his Church yea which were most absurd he had left it in worse estate then civil Estates are for ordinary matters for they besides their written Laws have Judges to determine all cases or controversies arising And seeing that Monarchical Government is of all others the best and in any wise mans judgement most available for avoiding all dissention and keeping the unity of
Faith there should be no question but God hath ordained such an authentical manner of deciding all Controversies If he have not it must needs be either because he could not establish such an infallible Authority and uncontrolable power or else because he would not To say he could not were to deny his omnipotencie open blasphemie to say he would not were little better for this were to denie his goodnesse and love to his Church both which the Scriptures testifie to be great nay infinite 3 But how great soever his love to his Church and chosen be as we acknowledge it to be infinite and everlasting if these or the like arguments make any thing for the infallibilitie of the present Romish they prove as much and as directly for the ancient Jewish Church For that was a Visible company of men not of oxen and asses and of them God had a care also Nay they were his own peculiar people and without all controversie the onely visible Church which he had on earth Wherefore all the former arguments if they conclude any infallible Authority in the present Romish Church they conclude much more for the like infallibility of the Jewâ—sh And by necessary consequence if I prove That Church had no such Authority my assertion stands sure That this infallible authority which the Factors of the Romish Church do challenge is greater then any visible Company of men had before our Saviours time And by the same proof shall the Romish Church be debarred for ever of both the two former pleas either drawn from the authority of the Priests or from the best form of government CAP. XV. That justly it may be presumed the Jewish Church never had any absolute infallibility in proposing or determining Articles of faith because in our Saviours time it and so grievously erre in the fundamental point of salvation FOr proof of the Conclusion proposed that Jerusalem had no such absolute infallibilitie as Rome pleads for I took it for a long time as granted by all that if any such authority had been established in the Law it should not have varied untill the alteration of the Priesthood For Gods covenant with Levi was in this sence everlasting that it was to endure without interruption untill His sacrifice was accomplished that was a Priest after a more excellent order His oblation of himself was the common bond to the Law and Gospel the end of the one and the beginning of the other Nor did the Legal rites or ceremonies themselves though these most obnoxious to corruption vanish by little and little as this sacrifice did approach neerer and neerer as darknesse doth before the rising of the Sun rather that consummation wrought upon the Crosse did swallow them up at once as virility doth youth youth childhood childhood infancie Seeing then our Adversaries suppose this infallibilitie was annexed as a prerogative royall unto the Priesthood they cannot imagine any tolerable reason why the one should expire before the other was quite abolished Hence it is that most of them hold the Scribes and Pharisees in our Saviours time were absolutely infallible in their Cathedrall consultations And I had just reasons to presume Bâ—llarmin had been of the same mind For besides his urging that place without all sense or reason unlesse grounded on this opinion They sit in Moses chair All therefore whatsoever they bid you that observe and do these other words of his seemed to imply thus much It cannot be shewed that the Synagogue of the Jews did fail in faith untill Christs coming at what time it did not fail but rather became better by change By his speeches elsewhere I perceived by the Synagogue thus changed he meant the Church planted by Christ not the Consistory of the High-Priests and Elders not the Catholick Representative Jewish Church For saith he as it is not necessary the Popes Vicar should be inerrable when the Pope himself doth guide the Church and defend it from errour so neither was it necessary that the Jewish High Priest should not erre when Christ the High-Priest of the whole Church was present and did govern his Church in person 2 This example were it true might illustrate though ill-favouredly his assertion once supposed as possible but no way argues it to be probable Herein his similitude fails that the High Priests in our Saviours time were Aarons lawfull successors their Priesthood as entire then as ever it was and they Deputies to none in this rank or order That their Predecesâ—ors had such infallibility he fain would prove Can he or any for him â—hew us when or by what means it should determin whiles the Priesthood lasted To take away the Popes infallibility even in this last age of the word were in their construction to deny Christs promise made unto S. Peters chair And was not the former like prerogative as inseparably annexed to Moses seat did our Saviour before his Passeover either by doctrine or practise derogate ought from any lawful authority established on earth much lesse from that which God had expresly instituted The greatest prerogative the Scribes and Pharisees Priests or Rulers ever had was that they were Aarons successors and possessed Moses place and this authority was never disanulled but rather ratified by our Saviour after he had undertaken his ministerial function They sit in Moses seat all therefore whatsoever they bid you that observe and do And elsewhere Go and shew thy self unto the Priest c. 3 Yet this Sophister would perswade us that Isaiah and Daniel had foretold the expiration of this prerogative in later times They both indeed foretel this peoples extraordinary general blindnesse about the time of our Saviours conversation on earth But this directly proves what we object not what Bellarmin should have answered at least to us who contend the Priests and Rulers of this people were not infallible in our Saviours time nor doth Isaiah or Daniel or any Prophet of God say they were at any time such Let any Jesuite prove what easily he may out of Isaiahs words cited by Bellarmin that the Jewish Church representative was not infallible in our Saviours time and from the same we shal as clearly evince it palpably erroneous in Isaiahs own dayes or immediately after For the self same words which the Evangelist saith were fulfilled in the unbelieving Jews that heard our Saviours doctrine were literally and exactly verified of their fore-fathers before the captivity of Babylon as the Cardinal himself would he take the pains to read the whole Chapter and review the place cited by him I know would not deny His words are these And he said go and say unto this people Ye shall hear indeed but ye shall not understand ye shall plainly see and not perceive Make the heart of this people fat make their ears heavy and â—â—â—ut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and convert and
Evangelist and led him to Caiaphas the High Priest where the Scribes and Elders were gathered together And lest a Jesuite should have picked a quarrel at the time of their assembly as if they had met at some unlawful hour Saint Luke saith as soon as it was day the Elders of the people and the High Priests and the Scribes came together and led him into their Councel and examined him upon the very fundamental point of faith Saying art thou The Christ tell us For affirming this which is open infidelity to deny the High Priest himself not missed by any witnesses but from Christs own words which he himself had heard pronounceth sentence against him And if this were not enough he proposed the matter to the rest of his associates What think ye and they answered and said He is worthy to die After all this they urged the people to approve of this their Sentence perswading them to ask Barrabas and to destroy Jesus And so strongly had they conjured the multitude by their pretended authority that they apprehend this their choice as a point of faith or good service to God and his Church For when Pilate laieth his bloud unto their charge All the people as the Text saith all such as relied upon the Scribes Pharisees or their high Priests answered and said His bloud be upon us and our children One of your lay Papists could not have been more throughly perswaded of your Churches authority nor more violently bent against John Hus or any other of Christs Martyrs for the like reasons then this whole multitude was against Christ being condemned by the High Priest speaking ex Cathedra Here were more conditions and more solemnities observed in this proceeding of theirs then you require in the Pope speaking ex Cathedra Theirs was a publick assembly and sentence was given by joynt consent in the Consistory and in the morning you hold it sufficient for the Pope to give his desinitive sentence alone without evidence of the fact it self whereunto he ties mens faith as shal appear by your own confessions Nor do you limit him any time as wel in the afternoon as in the forenoon as wel for ought we can gather when drink is in and his wits out of his head as when he is sober For you hold it not necessary for him to use any long deliberation But if it be his wil to bind all Christians to believe him the whole Church must believe that he was herein directed by the Holy Ghost for the Church is bound to hear their chief Pastor And if he bind all men to believe him then must all of necessity believe that he was infallibly assisted by the Holy Ghost in shewing that which he binds them to believe for otherwise the whole Church might erre nay were bound to erre because it is bound to believe the Pope These consequents are your own not mine as may in part appear from what hath been already more fully from what shal be said hereafter Besides the whole multitude of the Jewish people heard the Priests and Elders utter their opinions concerning Christ and his doctrine viva voce we have the Popes decrees but by hear-say Either was this sentence pronounced ex Cathedra or else it wil be hard for you to prove that any sentence in your Church hath been so pronounced or can be although the Pope himself be present in the Councel and be an eye witnesse of all proceedings 8 Yet if any of you should here shufle as ye usually do at the last pinch and say Howsoever Valentia or some others of our learned but private spirits may define what it is to speak ex Cathedra yet we know not whether our Church hath so desined it or no and therefore although these High Priests and Elders did observe all the circumstances which these doctors require in a sentence given ex Cathedra yet for ought we know they might â—ay sure they did fail in some circumstance which we know not and did not indeed speak ex Cathedra albeit they seemed so to do wherefore this doth not conclude against the Popes infallible authority when he speaks ex Cathedra if any of you shall take this last hold as I cannot imagin any other left you we shal quickly beat you out of it For let it be granted for disputations sake that the Pope hath as ye suppose these Jews had an infallible authority when he speaks ex Cathedra yet seeing it is a matter so hard to be known even by these that hear him whether he observe all circumstances required to the exercise and true use of such infallible authority and whether he speak ex Cathedra or no when he may seem to sundry so to speak it would be the only safe course for all Christian Churches utterly to renounce all obedience to him but upon examination of his doctrine to stand continually upon their guard lest under pretence of this his infallible authority when he speaks ex Cathedra he may work some such inestimable mischief unto the Scriptures or Christs chosen here on earth as these High Priests did unto Christ himself by his seeming to speak ex Cathedra when he doth not If by abusing this his infallible authority he should either make away these Scriptures or animate the people to imbrue their hands in the bloud of Christs dearest Saints it is not his speaking ex Cathedra that can redeem their souls from hell nor restore Gods word again for these are matters of an higher price then that they should be purchased with two or three words of his Holinesse unhallowed mouth 9 To conclude if this authority of your Church be but such as the ancient Church of the Jews had you cannot expect any faithful people should otherwise esteem of your decrees then the faithful in our Saviours time were bound to esteem of the Jewish High Priests and Elders whom surely they did not take for Christs only nor best friends If the Popes infallibility be but such as these High Priests had you may be as guilty of the bloud of Christs Saints as they were If you wil challenge as indeed you do greater authority then they had ye must of necessity renounce your principal arguments brought to prove it CAP. XVI That Moses had no such absolute authority as is now ascribed unto the Pope That the manner of Moses his attaining to such as he had excludes all besides our saviour from just challenge of the like 1 WHether Moses were a Magistrate as the Papists think spiritual or as others meerly civil or whereunto upon grounds in due places to be discussed I most incline actually neither and virtually both it wil suffice for proof of our conclusion that the Pope is no servant of God but an adversary in that he exalts himself above Moses whom none besides the High Priest and sole Mediator of the new covenant was to equalize in soveraignty over Gods people
you cannot that God can and what if he should expresly grant such authority as the Pope now challengeth would your arguments conclude him to be Antichrist or the Doctrine we teach to be blasphemous On the contrary seeing our Saviour Christ did never either practise or challenge seeing neither Moses nor the Prophets did ever so much as once intimate such absolute power should be acknowledged in that great Prophet of whom they wrote we suppose the imagination of the like in whomsoever cannot be without real blasphemie Yet suppose Christs infallibilitie and the Popes were in respect of the Church Militant the same The Popes authority would be greater or were their authority but equall his priviledges with God would be much more magnificent then Christs That which most condemned the Jews of infidelity in not acknowledging Christ as sent with power full and absolute from God his Father were his mighty signes and wonders his admirable skill in Gods Word already established but chiefly his sacred life and conversation as it were exhibiting unto the World a visible patern or conspicuous modell of that incomprehensible goodnesse which is infallible Now if we compare Christ his power fulnesse in words and wâ—… with the Popes imperfections in both or his divine vertues with the others 〈◊〉 strous viâ—es to equalize their infallibilities were to imagine God to be like man and Christ at the best but as his faithfull servant the Pope his â—inâ—on his Darling or Son of his age For such is our partiality to our own flesh that oft-times though the Wise man advise to the contrary a lewd and naughty son in that he is a son hath greater grace and priviledges then the most faithfull servant in the Fathers house So would the Jesuites make God dote upon the Pope whose authority be his life never so ungracious if they should deny to be lesse then Christs in respect of us their practises enjoyned ex Cathedra would confute them For much sooner shall any Christian though otherwise of life unspotted be cut off from the Congregation of the faithfull for denying the Popes authority or distrusting his decrees then the Jews that saw Christs miracles for contradicting him in the dayes of his flesh or oppugning his Apostles after his glorification Nor boots it ought to say They make the Popes authority lesse then Christs in respect they derive it from his rather because they evidently make it greater then Christs was it cannot be truly thence derived or if it could this onely proves it to be lesse then the other whilest onely compared with it not whilest we consider Both in respect of us for Christs authority as the Son of Man in respect of us is equall to his Fathers whence it is derived For the Father judgeth no man but hath ommitted all judgement unto the Son 2 But wherein do they make the Popes authority greater then Christs First in not exempting it from trial by Christs and his Apostles doctrine neither of which were to be admitted without all examination of their truth for as you heard before Gods Word was first uttered in their audience established by evident signes and wonders in their sight and presence of whom Belief and Obedience unto particulars was exacted And it is a rule most evident and unquestionable that Gods Word once confirmed and sealed by Experience was the onely rule whereby all other spirits and doctrines were to be examined that not Prophetical visions were to be admitted into the Canon of Faith but upon their apparent consonancie with the Word already written The first Prophets were to be tried by Moses the latter by Moses and their Predecessors Christs and his Apostles by Moses and all the Prophets for unto him did all the Prophets â—… The manifest experiments of his life and doctrine so fully consonant to their predictions did much confirm even his Disciples Belief unto the former Canon of whose truth they never conceived positive doubt 3 Again there had been no Prophet no signes no wonders for a long time in Iudah before our Saviours birth yet he never made that use either of his miracles or more then Prophetical spirit which the Papists make of their imaginary publick spirit he never used this or like argument to make the people relie upon him How know ye the Scriptures are Gods Word How know ye that God spake with Moses in the wildernesse or with your Fathers in Mount Sinai Moses your Fathers and the Prophets are dead and their writings cannot speak Your present Teachers the Scribes and Pharisees do no wonders Must you not then believe him whom daily you may behold doing such mighty works as Moses is said to have done that Moses as your fathers have told you was sent from God that Gods Word is contained in his writings otherwise you cannot infallibly believe that there was such a man indeed as you conceive he was much lesse that he wrote you this Law least of all can you certainly know the true meaning of what he wrote He that is the onely sure foundation of faith knew that faith grounded upon such doubts was but built upon the sand unable to abide the blasts of ordinary temptations that thus to erect their hopes was but to prepare a Rise to a grievous Downfall the ready way to Atheisme presumption or despair For this cause he doth not so much as once question how they knew the Scriptures to be Gods Word but supposing them known and fully acknowledged for such he exhorts his hearers to search them seeking to prepare their hearts by signes and wonders to embrace his admirable expositions of them And because the corruption of particular moral doctrines brought into the Church by humane tradition would not suffer the generality of Moses and the Prophets already believed to fructifie in his hearers hearts and branch out uniformely into lively working faith he laboured most to weed out Pharisaisme from among the heavenly seed as every one may see that compares his Sermon upon the Mount with the Pharisees glosses upon Moses If the particular or principal parts of the Law and Prophets had been as purely taught or as clearly discerned as the generall and common principles His Doctrine that came not to destroy but to fulfill the Law in words and works had shined as brightly in his hearers hearts at the first proposal as the Sun did to their eyes at the first rising For all the moral duties required by them were but as dispersed rayes or scattered beams of that divine light and glory which was incorporate in him as splendor in the body of the Sun Nor was there any possibility the Jews Belief in him should prosper unlesse it grew out of their general assent unto Moses Doctrine thus pruned and purged at the very root Had all believed Moses saith our Saviour 〈◊〉 would have believed me for he wrote of me but if ye believe not his writings how soâ—â—l ye believe my words For
certain as they could be made For so it had been a labour altogether lost yea a matter no lesse prophane then rebaptization to have confirmed them by suffrages of Bishops after their Cathedral confirmation by the Pope Even of his Holinesse himself whose verdict as in this case must finally be supposed addes Divine credence unto testifications in their own nature fallible and meerly humane the question proposed in the former Section remains still insoluble For without the relation of some Historian or Register or especial revelation from above no Pope can divine how many Councels have been held much lesse what was finally determined in every ancient Canon confirmed by the Bishops assembled at Trent Special revelations such as the Prophets had they acknowledge none And yet distinctly to tell what hath been done in times past or places afar off without relying on others relations is an extraordinary effect of special revelation a work of higher nature and greater difficulty then Prophetical prediction of things to come Are then the relations of Historians or Registers of Ancient Councels divine and authentick Not without the Popes ratification with it they are Yes or else a great part of Roman faith by Bellarmines reason can be but humane 5 Hence may we safely annex a corollary as necessary as sutable to the main conclusion proposed for the principal subject of this Section As the Popes authority is by Jesuiticall Doctrine made much greater then our Saviâ—â—rs so may the assistance or countenance of his Omnipotent spirit make the reports of any temporizing Historian or mercenary Register as divine authentiâ—k anâ—…â—â—rtain as any Prophetical or Apostolical testimonies of the Messiah Yea if it should please him to authorize Baronius Annals or relations of former Councels their credit should be no lesse then the Evangelists Yea hence it followes as the discreâ—t Reader without further repetition of what hath here been said or new suggestion of the reasons whereon the inference is grounded will I hope of his own accord hereafter collect That determinations proceeding upon any knaves or loose companions testimonies though more loosely examined so examined at all or taken for examined by the Pope shall by his approbation be of force as all-sufficient either for producing Divine belief of mens spiritual worth we never heard of or for warranting daily performance of Religious worship to their memory as any declaration he can make upon our Saviours promises unto his Apostles For we may not more doubt of any Religion he shal authorize or any mans salvation canonized by him whosoever be the Relators of their life and death then of S. Peters though our Saviour promised he should be saved The reason is plain The Pope is sole Judge of all divine Oracles our Saviour as you have heard out of Valentian is but a witnesse and so may others be whomsoever he shall admit SECT IV. Containing the third branch of Romish blasphemy 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 Satans Kingdom THat the authority challenged by the Romish Church is altogether prejudicial to Gods word greater then either the visible Church of Israel from Moses till Christ or Christ himself or his Apostles either before or after his resurrection did either practise or lay claim to is evident from the former treatise It remains we demonstrate how the acknowledgement of this most absolute most infallible authority doth quite alienate our faith and allegeance from God and the Trinity unto the Pope and his triple Crown The Proposition then we are to prove is this Whosoever stedfastly believes the absolute authority of the Romish Church as now it is taught doth truly and properly believe no article of Christian faith no God no Trinity no Christ no redemption no resurrection no heavenly joyes no hell CAP. XXVI The Jesuites unwillingnesse to acknowledge the Churches proposal for the true cause of his saith of differences and agreements about the final Resolution of saith either amongst the Adversaries themselves or betwixt us and them 1 THe conclusion proposed follows out of their principles before mentioned and afterwards to be reiterated that they may be the more throughly sounded But ere we come to raze the very foundation of their painted wals a few weak forts must be overthrown vvhich some have erected in hope thereby to save their Church from battery Falentian as you heard before seeing his Mother would lie more open to our asâ—aults if they should admit this manner of speech I believe this or that proposition or article of saith because the holy Church doth so instruct me would mitigate the harshnesse of it thus If you ask me why I believe a Trinity or God to be one in three persons I would answer because God hath revealed this mystery The divine revelation then is the cause of your Belief in this particular But how do you know how can you Believe that God hath revealed this by another divine revelation No. For so we should run from revelation to revelation without end If by revelation you do not believe it by what means else By the infallible proposal of the Church as a condition without which I could not believe it Mark the mysticalnesse of this speech Ob propositionem Ecclesiae infallibilem For the Churches infallible proposal Is not this as much as if he had said because the Church vvhich is infallible proposeth it to me Why then doth he make it but a condition necessary or requisite to this assent â—elikâ— he meant not so but vvould have us to see the condition not the true and principal cause of his belief The Churches authority by his doctrine may in divers respects be truly said both a cause and condition Or to speak more distinctly the Churches proposal is a condition without vvhich no man can ordinarily believe propositions of faith the infallibility of her proposal is the true and only cause of every Roman Catholicks belief in all points This denial of the Churches authority to be according to their principles the true cause of belief Is the sconse that must first be overthrown but after a friendly parly of the difference betwixt us 2 Valentian if we wel observe his processe in the forecited place proves only that which none in reformed Churches did ever deny albeit he profeâ— more in his premises which whilest he seeks to perform he hath only proved him self a ridiculous Atheist as partly is shewed in the former treatises and shall more fully appear in the end of this To ease his fellows hereafter of such unnecessary or impertinent pains as oft times they take I dare avouch in the behalf of all my brethren in reformed Churches no Jesuite â—…al be more forward to demand then we to grant That God in these later dayes doth not teach men the Gospel in such sort as he did S. Paul
Without the help or ministerie of man We maintain as wel as they God is not a father to such as will not acknowledge the Church for their Mother Notwithstanding thus we conceive and speak of the Church indefinitely taken not consined to any determinate place not appropriated to any individual or singularized persons Now to verifie an indefinite speech or proposition the truth of any one particular sufficeth As he that should say Socrates by man was taught his learning doth not mean the specifical nature or whole Mankind but that Socrates as others had one man or other at the first to instruct him The same Dialect we use when we say Every one that truly cals God father receives instructions from the Church his Mother that is from some in the Church lawfully ordained for planting faith unto whom such Filial Obedience as elsewhere we have spoken of is due The difference likewise between the Romanists and us hath partly been discussed before In brief it is thus We hold this Ministery of the Church is a necessary condition or mean precedent for bringing us to the Infallible Truth or true sense of Gods word yet no infallible Rule whereon finally or absolutely we must rely either for discerning divine Revelations or their true meaning But as those resentâ—â—ances of colours which we term Species visibiles are not seen themselves though necessary for the sight of real colours so this Minisiery of the Church alâ—… in it self not infallible is yet necessarily required for our right apprehension 〈◊〉 the Divine Truth which in it self alone is most infallible yea as infallible to us as it was ‖ to the Apostles or Prophets after it be rightly apprehended The difference is in the manner of apprehending or conceiving it They conceived it immediately without the Ministery or instruction of man so cannot we This difference elsewhere I have thus resembled As trees and plants now growing up by the ordinary husbandry of man from seeds precedent are of the same kind and quality with such as vvere immediately created by the hand of God so is the immediate ground of ours the Prophets and Apostles Faith the same Albeit theirs was immediately planted by the finger of God ours propagated from their seed Sown and cherished by the daily industry of faithful Ministers 3 Neither in the substance of this assertion nor manner of the explication do we much differ if ought from Canus in his second book where he taxeth Scotus Durand and others for affirming the last resolution of our faith was to be made into the veracity or infallibility of the Church The Apostles and Prophets saith he resolved their faith into truth and authority divine Therefore we must not resolve our faith into the humane authority of the Church For the faith is the same and must have the same Formal Reason For better confirmation of which assertion he adds this reason Things incident to the object of any habit by accident do not alter the formal reason of the object Now that the Articles of faith should be proposed by these or these men is meerly accidental wherefore seeing the Apostles and Prophets did assent unto the Articles of faith because God revealed them the reason of our assent must be the same Lastly he concludes that the Churches authority miracles or the like are only such precedent conditions or means for begetting faith as sensitive knowledge exhortations or advise of Masters are for bringing us to certain knowledge in demonstrative faculties Had either this great Divine spoken consequently to this doctrine in his 5th Book or would the Jesuites avouch no more then here he doth vve should be glad to give them the right hand of fellowship in this point But they go all a wrong way unto the truth or would to God any way to the truth or not directly to overthrow it Catharinus though in a manner ours in that question about the certainty of salvation saith more perhaps then they meant whom Canus late taxed Avouching as Bellarmin cites his opinion that divine faith could not be certain and infallible unlesse it were of an object approved by the Church Whence would follow what Bellarmin there infers that the Apostles and Prophets should not have been certain of their Revelations immediately sent from God until the Church had approved them which is a doctrine wel deserving a sharper censure then Bellarmin bestows on Cathirinus Albeit to speak the truth Bellarmin was no fit man to censure though the other most worthy to be severely censured Catharinus might have replied that the Prophets and Apostles at least our Saviour in whom Bellarmin instanceth vvere the true Church as wel as they make the Pope Nor can Valentia's with other late â—esuites opinions by any pretence or thew hardly Bellarmins own be cleared from the same inconveniences he objects to Catharinus as will appear upon better examination to be made hereafter CAP. XXVII That the Churches Proposal is the true immediate and prime cause of all obsolute belief any Romanist can have concerning any determinate divine Revelation 1 WHereas Valentian and as he sayes Caietan deny the Churches infallible proposal to be the cause why we believe divine Revelations This speech of his is Equivocal and in the equivocation of it I think Valentian sought to hide the truth The ambiguity or Fallacy is the same which was disclosed in Bellarmins reply unto us objecting that Pontificians make the Churches authority greater then Scriptures In this place as in that the word of God or divine revelations may be taken either indefinitely for whatsoever God shall be supposed to speak or for those particular Scriptures or Revela tions which we suppose he hath already revealed and spoken Or Valentian may speak of the object of our belief not of belief it self If we take his meaning in the former sense what he faith is most true For the Churches infallibility is no cause why we believe that to be true vvhich vve suppose God hath revealed nor did vve ever charge them with this assertion This is an Axiom of nature presupposed in all Religions yet of which none ever knew to make so great secular use as the Romish Church doth But if we speak of that Canon of Scripture which vve have or any things contained in it all which vve and our adversaries joyntly suppose to have come from God the only cause vvhy vve do or can rightly believe them is by Jesuitical doctrine the Churches infallibility that commends them unto us 2 If that Church which Valentian holds so infallible should have said unto him totidem verbis you must believe the books of Maccabees are canonical even for this reason that your holy Catholick Mother tels you so he durst not but have believed as wel the reason as the matter proposed To wit That these Books were Canonical because the Church had enjoyned him so to think albeit his private conscience left to Gods grace and
it self would rather have held the Negative For if we believe as the Papists generally instruct us that we our selves all private spirits may erre in every perswaâ—on of faith but the Church which onely is assisted by a publick spirit cannot possibly teach amisle in any We must upon terms as peremptory and in equal degree believe every particular point of faith because the Church so teacheth us not because we certainly apprehend the truth of it in itself For we may erre but this publick spirit cannot And consequently we must infallibly believe these propositions ‖ Christ is the Redeemer of the world not Mahomet ‖ There is a Trinity of persons in the divine nature for this reason only that the Church commends them unto us for divine revelations seeing by their arguments brought to disprove the sufficiency of Scriptures or certainty of private spirits no other means possible is left us Nay were they true we should be only certain that without the Churches proposal we stil must be most uncertain in these and all other points because the sons are perpetually obnoxious to errour from which the mother is everlastingly priviledged The same propositions and conclusions we might conditionally believe to be absolutely authentick upon supposal they were Gods word but that they are his word or revelations truly divine we cannot firmly believe but only by firm adherence to the Churches infallible authority as was in the second Section deduced out of the Adversaries principles Hence it follows that every particular proposition of Faith hath such a proper causal dependance upon the Churches proposal as the conclusion hath upon the premisses or any particular upon it universal Thus much Sacroboscus grants 3 Suppose God should speak unto us face to face what reason had we absolutely and infallibly to believe him but because we know his words to be infallible his infallibility then should be the proper cause of our belief For the same reason seeing he doth not speak unto us face to face as he did to Moses but as our adversaries say reveals his will obscurely so as the Revealer is not manifested unto us but his meaning is by the visible Church which is to us in stead of Prophets Apostles and Christ himself and all the several manners God used to speak unto the world before he spake to it by his only son this Panthea's infallibility must be the true and proper cause of our Belief And Valentian himself thinks that Sarah and others of the old world to whom God spake in private either by the mouth of Angels his son or holy spirit or by what means soever did not sin against the doctrine of saith or through unbelief when they did not believe Gods promises They did herein unadvisedly not unbelievingly Why not unbelievingly because the visible Church did not propose these promises unto them 4 If not to believe the visible Churches proposals be that which makes distrust or dissidence to Gods promises infidelity then to believe them is the true cause of believing Gods promises or if Sarah and others did as Valentian faith unadvisedly or imprudently in not assenting to divine truths proposed by Angels surely they had done only prudently and advisedly in assenting to them their assent had not been truly and properly belief So that by this assertion the Churches proposal hath the very remonstrative note and character of the immediat and prime cause whereby we believe and know matters of saith For whatsoever else can concur without this our aslent to divine truths proposed is not true Catholick belief but firmly believing this infallibility we cannot erre in any other point of faith 5 This truth Valentian elsewhere could not dissemble howsoever in his prosessed resolution of Faith he sought to cover it by change of apparel Investing the Churches proposal only with the title of a Condition requisite and yet withal so dislonant is falsity to it self making it the Reason of believing divine Revelations If a reason it be why we should believe them need must it sway any reasonable minde to embrace their truth And whatsoever inclines our minds to the embracement of any truth is the proper efficient cause of belif or assent unto the same Yea Efficiency or Causality it self doth Formally consist in this inclination of the minde Nor is it possible this proposal of the Church should move our minds to imbrace divine Revelations by any other means then by believing it And Belief it self being an inclination or motion of the mind our minds must first be moved by the Churches proposal ere it can move them at all to assent unto other divine truths Again Valentian grants that the orthodoxal or catechistical answer to this interrogation Why do you believe the doctrine of the Trinity to be a divine revelation is because the Church proposeth it to me for such He that admits this answer for sound and Catholick and yet denies the Churches proposal to be the true and proper cause of his Belief in the former point hath smothered doubtlesse the light of nature by admitting too much artificial subtilty into his brains For if a man should ask why do you believe there is a fire in yonder house and answer were made Because I see the smoak go out of the Chimney should the party thus answering in good earnest peremptorily deny the sight of the smoak to be the cause of his Belief there was a fire he deserved very wel to have either his tongue scorched with the one or his eys put out with the other Albeit if we speak of the things themselves not of his Belief concerning them the fire was the true cause of the smoak not the smoak of the fire But whatsoever it be Cause Condition Circumstance or Effect that truly satissieth this demand Why do you believe this or that it is a true and proper cause of our belief though not of the thing believed If then we admit the Churches proposal to be but a condition annexed to divine revelations yet if it be an infallible medium or mean or as our adversaries all agree The only mean infallible whereby we can rightly believe this or that to be a divine revelation it is the true and only infallible cause of our Belief That speech of Valentian which to any ordinary mans capacity includes as much as we now say was before alledged That Scripture which is commended and expounded unto us by the Church is eo ipso even for this reason most authentick and clear He could not more emphatically have expressed the Churches proposal to be the true and prime cause why particular or determinate divine revelations become so credible unto us His Second Sacrobosâ—us hath many speeches to be inserted hereafter to the same effect Amongst others where Dâ— Whittaker objects that the principal cause of faith is by Papists ascribed unto the Church he denies it only thus far What we believe for the Churches proposal we
jointly believe for God speaking either in his written word or by tradition Yet if a man should have asked him why he did or how possibly he could infallibly believe that God did speak all the words either contained in the Bible or in their traditions he must have given either a womans answer because God spake them or this because our holy mother the Church doth say so For elsewhere he plainly avows the Books of Canonical Scripture need not be believed without the Churches proposal whose infallible authority was sufficiently known before one tittle of the New Testament was written and were to be acknowledged though it had never been he plainly confesseth withal that he could not believe the Scriptures taught some principal Articles of faith most firmly believed by him unless the Churches authority did thereto move him against the light of natural reason Now if for the Churches proposal he believe that which otherwise to believe he had no reason at all but rather strong inducements to the contrary as stedfastly as any other truth the Churches infallibility must be the true and only cause both why he believes the mystery proposed and distrusts the natural dictates of his conscience to the contrary In sine he doth not believe there is a Trinity for in that Article is his instance because God hath said it but he believes that God hath said it because his infallible Mother the Church doth teach it This is the misery of miseries that these Apostates should so bewitch the World as to make it think they believe the Church because God speaks by it when it is evident they do not believe God but for the Churches testimony well content to pretend his authority that her own may seem more Soveraign Thus make they their superstitious groundless magical Faith but as a wrench to wrest that principle of nature Whatsoever God saith is true to countenance any villany they can imagin as wil better appear hereafter But first the Reader must be content to be informed that by some of their Tenents the same Divine revelations may be asâ—ented unto by the Habit either of â—heologie or of Faith both which are most certain but herein diâ—ferent That tâ—e former is discursive and resembles science properly so called the later not so but rather like unto that habit or faculty by which we perceive the truth of general Maxims or unto our bodily sight which sees divers visibles all immediately not one after or by another Whilst some of them dispute against the certainty of private spirits their arguments suppose Divine revelations must be believed by the Habit of Theologie which is as a sword to oâ—â—end us Whiles we assault them and urge the unstability of their resolutions they slie unto the non disâ—ursive Habit of faith infused as their best buckler to ward such blows as the Habit of Theologie cannot bear off 6 Not here to dispute either how truly or pertinently they deny â—aith infused to be a discursive habit the Logical Reader need not I hope my adâ—onition to observe that faith or belief whether habitual or actual unlesse discursive cannot possibly be resolved into any preexistent Maxim or principle From which grant this Emolument wil arise unto our cause that the Churches authority cannot be proved by any divine revelation or portion of Scripture seeing it is an Article of Faith and must be believed â—odâ—m intuâ—â—u with that Scripture or part of Gods Word whether written or unwritten that teacheth it as light and colours are perceived by one and the same intuition in the same instant And by this assertion we could not so properly say We beleeue the divine revelation because we believe the Church nor do we see colours because we see the light but We may truly say that the objects of our faith divine revelations are therefore actually credible or worthy of belief because the infallible Church doth illustrate or propose them as the light doth make colours though invisible by night visible by day This similitude of the light and colours is not mine but Sacroboscus's whom in the point in hand I most mention because Doctor Whitakers Objections against their Churches Doctrine as it hath been delivered by Bellarmine and other late Controversers hath enforced him clearly to unfold what Bellarmine Stapleton and Valentian left unexpressed but is implicitely included in all their Writings But ere we come to examine the full inconveniences of their opinions I must request the Reader to observe that as oft as they mention Râ—solution of faith they mean the discursive habit of Theologie For all resolution of Belief or knowledge essentially includes discourse And Bellarmine directly makes Sacroboscus expressely avoucheth the Churches authority the medius terminus or true cause whence determinate conclusions of faith are gathered From which and other equivalent assertions acknowledged by all the Romanists this day living it will appear that Valentian was either very ignorant himself or presumed he had to deal with very ignorant Adversaries when he denied that the last resolution of Catholick faith was into the Churches authority which comes next in place to be examined CAP. XXVIII Discovering either the grosse ignorance or notorious craft of the Jesuite in denying his Faith is finally resolved into the Churches veracity or infallibility That possibly it cannot be resolved into any branch of the First Truth 1 IT were a foolish question as Cajetan saith Valentian hath well observed if one should ask another why he believes the First Truth revealing For the Assent of Faith is finally resolved into the First Truth It may be Cajetan was better minded towards Truth it self first or secondary then this Jesuite was which used his authority to colour his former rotten position That the Churches proposal by their doctrine is not the cause of faith but our former distinction between belief it self and it object often confounded or between Gods Word indefinitely and determinately taken if well observed will evince this last reason to be as foolish as the former assertion was false No man saith he can give any reason besides the infallibility of the Revealer why he beleeves a divine Revelation It is true no man can give nor would any ask why we believe that which we are fully perswaded is a divine Revelation But yet a reason by their positions must be given why we believe either this or that truth any particular or determinate portion of Scripture to be a divine Revelation Wherefore seeing Christian Faith is alwayes of desinite and particular propositions or conclusions and as Bellarmine saith and all the Papists must say these cannot be known but by the Church As her infallible proposal is the true and proper cause why we believe them to be infalliblie true because the onely cause whereby we can believe them to be divine revelations so must it be the essential principle into which our Assent or Belief of any particular or determinate
or how can you know those Books which ye call Scriptures were from God The last and final answer according to the Jesuitical Catechismes wherein as you heard before out of Bellarmine they think they have great advantage of us would be this The holy Church our Mother doth so instruct giving us this expresse admonition withall his amplius fili 〈◊〉 ne requiras Here upon God their Father and the infallible Church their Mothers blessing their souls are bound to rest without further doubt or demand Whence unlesse they use some mental reservation or seek to shrowd themselves in the former aequivocation hitherto unfolded they must of necessity account themselves accursed if they deny the last or final resolution of their belief to be into the Churches infallibility or veracity Again what reasonable man would demand further resolution of any doubts incident to his faculty be it real or verbal speculative or practick then into the prime and immediate rules He should surely be lasht in a Grammar School that either for quantitie of syllables right accent construction of words or the like would seek a further reason then a known general rule which admitteth no exception So should he with disgrace be turned over the Barre amongst the Lawyers that would demur or seek a devolution of an evident ruled case which by his own confession could never alter Much more grosse would his absurdity appear that in the Mathematicks or other demonstrative science should attempt to resolve a Probleme or conclusion further then into an unquestionable Theorem or definition Finally might we have a centumviral Court of all professions under the Sun our Adversaries would be condemned with joint consent either of intolerable folly or impudency if they should with Valentian deny the last resolution of their faith to be into the Churches infallibilitie seeing they make it such a Catholick inerrable perpetual rule of Christian faith as admits no exception no devolution from it no appeal It is to them more then he said of Logick Ars artium scientia scientiarum a faculty of faculties a Rule of Rules able rightly to resolve all doubts concerning the very Canon of Scriptures or Gods Word written or unwritten or the true sence or meaning of both briefly able most authentically to determine and define all Controversies in Religion of what kind soever 4 Nor will it boot them ought to say that Gods Word in the Churches mouth is the Rule whereinto faith is finally resolved seeing the Church defines nothing but by Gods Word either written or unwritten For this is more then the party which believes it can know nor hath he any other motive to believe it besides the Churches definition or assertion Suppose then we should conceive so well of a temporall Judge as to presume he did never speak but according to the true meaning either of Statute or customary Law yet if we could not know either the one or the other or their right interpretation but onely by his determinations the Law were little beholden to him unlesse for a flout that should say he were resolved jointly by the Judge and it For seeing the Law is to him altogether uncertain but by the Judges avouchment or interpretation his last resolution of any act of justice must be onely into the Judges skill and fidelitie This inference Sacroboscus would not deny he himself hath made the like to prove that not the Scripture but the Church must be the infallible rule of faith You will object saith he when the Church defines it alwayes defines according to the Word of God either written or unwritten New revelations it receives none the promised assistance of the spirit helps it onely to know what is already revealed Therefore from the first to the last that which determines controversies and is the Judge in all questions of faith is the Word of God To this objection thus he answers Because we cannot be certain of the true sence of Gods Word but by the voice of the Church which hears our controversies and answers them The Church is Judge although it judge according to Gods Word which upon examination and by the spirits assistance it alwayes understands aright And if every one of us should have the infallible gift of understanding Gods Word we should not need any other Judge The Reader I hope will remember what was said before that those flowting hypocrites would fain believe the Pope saith nothing but what God saith that God may be thought to say all he sayes which is the most abhominable Blasphemie that ever Hell broacht worse then worshipping of Devils as shall appear hereafter 5 It may be some Novice in Arts that hath late read some vulgar Logicians upon the demonstrations might here frame this doubt in favour of the Romish Churches Doctrine As the finall cause may be demonstrated by the efficient and the efficient by the final so may the Church be infallibly proved by Scriptures and the Scriptures again by the Churches authority both infallibly believed each for others sake as both the former demonstrations are true and certain and yet mutually depending one upon the other 6 This objection had some late Logicians understood what they said would carry some shew of truth to countenance Valentians former Circular Resolution but they lace their Masters Rule uttered by him Pingui Minerva too too straitly For taking it as they do we should admit of circular demonstrations the conceit whereof can have no place but in a giddy brain To demonstrate the final cause in any work of Nature were to assigne a Counsellor to the infinite wisdom of the God of Nature in whose intention the end is first and is the cause of all operation or efficiencie Who could give or who would demand a naturall cause why life should be preserved for this is the will of him that gave it If question were made of the manner how the life of man and other creatures is preserved when as their heat might seem to choak them A man might truely answer by respiration and respiration is from the lungs But it is one thing to ask How or by what Means another for what End any effect is produced The former is an inquiry of the Efficient within these precincts of means or motions alwayes prime and independent The later of the final cause absolutely indemonstrable because it implies a contradiction to give a reason why that should be for whose sake all other things of that rank have being Nor is the End it self to speak properly ever produced though oft-times in common speech we take the Effect immediately thereto destinated because most sensible for the End it self as we do the starre next to the Pole because visible for the Pole or point immoveable Thus we confound respiration or actual preservation of life with the Final cause why men have lungs when as both are effects of the lungs both means of accomplishing Natures or rather the God of Natures
purpose in whose will or pleasure the finall cause of any natural effect alwayes consists And seeing nothing in Nature can preoccupate his will no cause can be precedent to the finall This consideration of naturall effects tending as certainly to their proposed end as the arrow flyes to the mark caused the irreligious Philosopher to acknowledge the direction of an intelligent supernatural agent in their working the accomplishment of whose will and pleasure as I said must be the finall cause of their motions as his will or pleasure which bestows the charges not the Architect unlesse he be the owner also is the final cause why the house is built Finally every End supposeth the last intention of an intelligent Agent whereof to give a reason by the Efficient which onely produceth works or meanes thereto proportioned would be as impertinent as if to one demanding why the bell rings out it should be answered because a strong fellow puls the rope 7 Now that which in our Adversaries Doctrine answers unto the cause indemonstrable whereinto final resolution of Natures works or intentions of intelligent agents must be resolved is the Churches Authority Nor can that if we speak properly be resolved into any branch of the first Truth for this reason besides others alledged before that all resolutions whether of our perswasions or intentions or of their objects works of Art or Nature suppose a stability or certainty in the first links of the chain which we unfold the latter alwayes depending on the former not the former on the latter As in resolutions of the latter kind lately mentioned imitating the order of composition actual continuation of life depends on breathing not breathing on it breathing on the lungs not the lungs mutually on breathing so in resolutions of the other kind which inverts the order of composition the use or necessity of lungs depends upon the use or necessitie of breathing the necessitie or use of breathing upon the necessity or use of life or upon his will or pleasure that created one of these for another Thus again the sensitive faculty depends upon the vital that upon mixtion mixtion upon the Elements not any of these mutually upon the sensitive faculty if we respect the order of supportance or Natures progresse in their production Whence he that questions whether some kinds of plants have sense or some stones or metals life supposeth as unquestionable that the former have life that the second are mixt bodies But if we respect the intent or purpose of him that sets Nature a working all the former faculties depend on the sensitive the sensitive not on any of them For God would not have his creatures indued with sense that they might live or live that they might have mixt bodies but rather to have such bodies that they might live to live that they might enjoy the benefit of sense or the more noble faculties 8 Can the Jesuite thus assigne any determinate branch of the First Truth as stable and unquestionable before it be ratified by the Churches authority Evident it is by his positions that he cannot and as evident that belief of the Churches authority cannot depend upon any determinate branch of the First Truth much lesse can it distinctly be thereinto resolved But contrariwise presse him with what Divine precept soever written or unwritten though in all mens judgements the Churches authority set aside most contradictory to their approved practises for example That the second Commandement forbids worshipping Images or adoration of the consecrated Host he straight inverts your reason thus Rather the second Commandement forbids neither because the holy Church which I believe to be infallible approveth both Lastly he is fully resolved to believe nothing for true which the Church disproves nothing for false or erroneous which it allowes Or if he would answer directly to this demand To what end did God cause the Scriptures to be written He could not â—â—sonâ—â—t to his tenents say That we might infallibly rely upon them but rather upon the Churches authority which it establisheth For Gods Word whether written or unwritten is by their Doctrine but as the testimony of some men deceased indefinitely presumed for infallible but whose material extent the Church must first determine and afterwards judge without all appeal of their true meaning Thus are all parts of Divine truthes supposed to be revealed more essentially subordinate to the Churches authority then ordinary witnesses are to royal or supreme judgement For they are supposed able to deliver what they know in termes intelligible to other mens capacities without the Prince or Judges ratification of their sayings or expositions of their meanings and judgement is not ordained for producing witnesses but production of witnesses for establishing judgement Thus by our adversaries Doctrine Gods Word must serve to establish the Churches authority not the Churches authority to confirm the immediate soveraigntie of It ever our souls 9 Much more probably might the Jew or Turk resolve his faith unto the First Truth then the modern Jesuited Papist can For though their deductions from it be much what alike all equally sottish yet these admit a stabilitie or certainty of what the First Truth hath said no way dependant upon their authority that first proposed or commended it unto them The Turks would storme to hear any Mufti professe He were as well to be believed as was Mahomet in his life time that without His proposal they could not know either the old Testament or the Alcoran to be from God So would the Jews if one of their Rabbines should make the like comparison betwixt himself and Moses as the Jesuite doth betwixt Christ and the Pope who besides that he must be as well believed as his Master leaves the authority of both Testaments uncertain to us unlesse confirmed by his infallibility But to speak properly the pretended derivation of all three heresies from the First Truth hath a lively resemblance of false pedegrees none at all of true Doctrine and resolutions Of all the three the Romish is most ridiculous as may appear by their several representations As imagine there should be three Competitors for the Roman Empire all pleading it were to descend by inheritance not by election all pretending lineal succession from Charles the Great The first like to the Jew alledgeth an authentick pedegree making him the eldest The second resembling the Turk replies that the other indeed was of the eldest line but long since disinherited often conquered and enforced to resigne whence the inheritance descended to him as the next in succession The third like the Romanist pleads it was bequeathed him by the Emperors last Will and Testament from whose death his Ancestors have been intit'led to it and produceth a pedegree to this purpose without any other confirmation then his own authority adding withall that unlesse his competitors and others will believe his records and declarations written or unwritten to be most authentick they cannot
be certaine whether ever there had been such an Emperour as they plead succession from or at least how far his Dominions extended or where they lay This manner of plea in secular controversies would be a mean to defeat him that made it For albeit the Christian World did acknowledge there had been such an Emperour and that many parts of Europe of right belonged unto his lawfull heir Yet if it were otherwise unknown what parts these were or who this heir should be no Judge would be so mad as finally to determine of either upon such motives Or if the Plaintiffe could by such courses as the World knows oft prevail in judgement or other gracious respects effect his purpose he were worse then mad that could think the finall resolution of his right were into the Emperours last Will and Testament which by his own confession no man knows besides himself and not rather into his own presumed fidelitie or the Judges apparant partiality So in this Controversie whatsoever the Pope may pretend from Christ all in the end comes to his own authority which we may safely believe herein to be most infallible that it will never prove partiall against it self or define ought to his Holinesse disadvantage 10 Here again it shall not be amisse to admonish younger Students of another gull which the Jesuite would put upon us to make their Churches Doctrin seem lesse abominable in this point lest you should think they did equalize the authority of the Church with divine revelations Valentian would perswade you it were no part of the formal object of faith It is true indeed that the Churches authority by their Doctrine is not comprehended in the object of Belief whilest it onely proposeth other Articles to be believed No more is the Sun comprehended under the objects of our actual sight whilest we behold colours or other visibles by the vertue of it But yet as it could not make colours or other things become more visible unto us unlesse it self were the first and principal visible that is unlesse it might be seen more clearly then those things which we see by it so we would direct our sight unto it so would it be impossible the Churches infallible proposal could make a Roman Catholicks Belief of Scriptures or their Orthodoxal sence the stronger unlesse it were the first and principal credible or primary object of his Beliefe or that which must be most clearly most certainly and more stedfastly believed so as all other Articles besides must be believed by the belief or credibility of it This is most evident out of Sacroboscus and Bellarmines resolution or explication of that point how the Churches proposal confirmes a Roman Catholicks belief To give this Doctrine of their Churches infallibility the right title according to the truth it is not an Article of Catholick Belief but a Catholick Axiom of Antichristian unbelief which from the necessary consequences of their assertions more strictly to be examined will easily appear CAP. XXIX What manner of casual dependance Romish Belief hath on the Church that the Romanist truely and properly believes the Church onely not God or his Word 1 THe two main assertions of our Adversaries whence our intended conclusion must be proved are these often mentioned heretofore First that we cannot be infallibly perswaded of the truth of Scriptures but by the Churches proposal Secondly that without the same we cannot be infallibly perswaded of the true sence or meaning of these Scriptures which that Church and we both believe to be Gods Word How we should know the Scriptures to be Gods Word is a Probleme in Divinity which in their judgement cannot be assoiled without admission of Traditions or divine unwritten verities of whose extent and meaning the Church must be infallible Judge It is necessary to salvation saith Bellarmine that we know there be some books divine which questionlesse cannot by any means be known by Scriptures For albeit the Scripture say that the Books of the Prophets or Apostles are divine yet this I shall not certainly believe unlesse I first believe that Scripture which saith thus is divine For so we may read every where in Mahomets Alcoran that the Alcoran it self was sent from heaven but we beliefe it not Therefore this necessary point that some Scripture is divine cannot sufficiently be gathered out of Scriptures alone Consequently seeing faith must rely upon Gods Word unlesse we have Gods word unwritten we can have no faith His meaning is we cannot know the Scriptures to be divine but by Traditions and what Traditions are divine what not we cannot know but by the present visible Church as was expresly taught by the same Authour before And the final resolution of our believing what God hath said or not said must be the Churches Authority To this collection Sacroboscus thus farre accords Some Catholicks rejected divers Canonical Books without any danger and if they had wanted the Churches proposal for others as well as them they might without sin have doubted of the whole Canon This he thinks consonant to that of Saint Austin I would not believe the Gospel unlesse the Churches authority did thereto move me He addes that we of reformed Churches making the visible Churches authority in defining points of faith unsufficient might disclaim all without any greater sin or danger to our souls then we incurre by disobeying some parts of Scripture to wit the Apocryphal books canonized by the Romish Church The Reader I hope observes by these passages How Bellarmine ascribes that to Tradition which is peculiar to Gods providence Sacroboscus that to blind belief which belongs unto the holy Spirit working faith unto the former points by the ordinary observation of Gods Providence and Experiments answerable to the rules of Scriptures 2 Consequently to the Trent Councels Decree concerning the second assertion Bellarmine thus collects It is necessary not onely to be able to read Scriptures but to understand them but the Scripture is often so ambiguous and intruate that it cannot be understood without the exposition of some that cannot erre therefore it alone is not sufficient Examples there be many For the equality of the divine persons the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son as from one joynt original Original sin Christs descension into Hel and many like may indeed be deduced out of Scriptures but not so plainly as to end Controversies with contentious spirits if we should produce onely testimonies of Scriptures And we are to note there be two things in Scripture the Characters or the written words and the sence included in them The Character is as the sheath but the sence is the very sword of the spirit Of the first of these two all are partakers for whosoever knowes the Character may read the Scripture but of the sence all men are not capable nor can we in many places be certain of it unlesse Tradition be assistant It is an offer worth the taking
that here he maks That the sence of Scriptures is the sword of the spirit This is as much as we contend that the sence of the Scripture is the Scripture Whence the inference is immediately necessary That if the Romish Church bind us to believe or absolutely practise ought contrary to the true sence and meaning of Scriptures with the like devotion we do Gods expresse undoubted commandements she prefers her own authority above Gods Word and makes us acknowledge that allegiance unto her which we owe unto the spirit For suppose we had as yet no full assurance of the spirit for the contradictory sence to that given by the Church we were in Christian duty to expect Gods providence and invoke the spirits assistance for manifestation of the truth from all possibility whereof we desperately exclude our selves if we believe one mans testimony of the spirit as absolutely and irrevocably as we would do the manifest immediate testimony of the spirit yet Sacroboscus acknowledgeth he believes the mysterie of the Trinity as it is taught by their Church onely for the Churches authority and yet this he believes as absolutely as he doth yea as he could believe any other divine Revelation though extraordinarily made unto himself 3 In both parts of Belief above mentioned the causal dependance of our faith upon the Churches proposals may be imagined three wayes either whilest it is in planting or after it is planted or from the first beginning of it to it full groweth or from it first entrance into our hearts untill our departure out of this world How far and in what sort the Ministery of men in the Church is available for planting faith hath been declared heretofore Either for the planting or supporting it the skill or authority of the teacher reaches no further then to quicken or strengthen our internal tast or apprehension of the divine truth revealed in Scriptures or to raise or tune our spirits as Musick did Elishahs the better to perceive the efficacy of Gods spirit imprinting the stamp of those divine Revelations in our Hearts whose Characters are in our Brains The present Churches proposals in respect of our Belief is but as the Samaritan womans report was unto the men of Sichar Many saith the Evangelist believed in him for the saying of the woman which testified he hath told me all things that ever I did But this Beliefe was as none in respect of that which they conceive immediately from his own words For 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 〈◊〉 saith Job trieth the words as the mouth tasteth meats Consonant hereto is our Churches doctrine that as our bodily mouthes taste and trie meats immediately without interposition of any other mans sense or jugement of them so must the ears of our souls trie and discern divine truths without relying on other mens proposals or reports of their rellish No external means whatsoever can in either case have any use but only either for working a right disposition in the Organ whereby trial is made or by occasioning the exercise of the faculty rightly disposed How essentially faith by our adversaries doctrine depends upon the Churches authority is evident out of the former discourses that this dependance is perpetual is as manifest in that they make it the judge and rule of faith such an indefectible rule and so authentick a Judge as in all points must be followed and may not be so far examined either by Gods written law or rules of nature whether it contradict not it self or them 4 It remains we examin the particular manner of this dependance or what the Churches infallibility doth or can perform either to him that believes or to the object of his belief whence a Roman Catholicks faith should become more firm or certain then other mans It must enlighten either his soul that it may see or divine revelations that they may be seen more clearly otherwise he can exceed others only in blind Belief The cunningest Sophister in that school strictly examined upon these points wil bewray that monstrous Blasphemy which some shallow brains have hitherto hoped to cover We have the same Scriptures they have and peruse them in all the languages they do What is it then can hinder either them from manifesting or us from discerning their Truth or true meaning manifested Do we want the Churches proposal we demand how their present Church it self can better discern them then ours may what testimony of antiquity have they which we have not But it may be we want spectacles to read them our Church hath but the eyes of private men which cannot see without a publick light Their Churches eyes are Cat-like able so to illustrate the objects of Christian faith as to make them clear and perspicuous to it self though dark and invisible unto us Suppose they could Yet Cats-eyes benefit not by-standers a whit for seeing colours in darkness albeit able themselves to see them without any other light then their own The visible Church saith the Jesuite is able to discern all divine truth by her infallible publick spirit How knows he this certainly without an infallible publick spirit perhaps as men see Cats-eyes shine in the dark when their own do not Let him believe so But what doth this belief advantage him or other private spirits for the clear distinct or perfect sight of what the Church proposeth Doth the proposal make divine Truths more perspicuous in themselves Why then are they not alike perspicuous to all that hear read or know the Churches testimonie of them Sacroboscus hath said all that possibly can be said on their behalf in this difficultie The Sectaries albeit they should use the authoritie of the true Church yet cannot have any true belief of the truth revealed If the use of it be as free to them as to Catholicks what debars them from this benefit They do not acknowledge the sufficiencie of the Churches proposal And as a necessary proof or medium is not sufficient to the attaining of science unless a man use and acknowledge it formally as necessary so for establishing true faith it sufficeth not that the Church sufficiently proposeth the points to be believed or avoweth them by that infallible authority wherewith Christ hath enabled her to declare both what books contain Doctrines Divine and what is the true sense of places controversed in them but it is further necessary that we formally use this proposal as sufficient and embrace it as infallible 5 The reason then why a Roman Catholick rightly believes the Truth or true meaning of Scriptures when a Protestant that knows the Churches testimonie as well as he rests in both points uncertain is because the Catholick infallibly believes the Churches authority to be infallible whereof the Protestant otherwise perswaded reaps no benefit by it but continues still in darkness
labouring in vain to see the Truth of Divine revelations without it as much in vain as if a man should strive to see colours without light For this is Sacroboscus instance Besides the habit of faith seated in the understanding and the supernatural concourse of the Holy Spirit due to all endued with the babit of faith but necessary in respect of the subject or party two things more are requisite on the behalf of the object of which if either be wanting the facultie can never perform it proper function Of these two the one is that the proposition to be believed be revealed by God the other that there be a sufficient proposal made to us that God hath revealed it For an unsufficient proposal of any object is as none as may appear by the example of light which proposeth colours to be seen For when the light is weak or scant we cannot discern Colours not that we want a visible object but because we want light sufficient to illuminate the object or the space betwixt us and it He adds withall such as disclaim the Churches Authority and are content with this That Truths of faith are revealed by God in his Word and hence promise themselves the supernatural concourse of the Holy Ghost for producing acts of faith are destitute of a sufficient proposer and their presumption such as if a man should perswade himself because he hath Colours before his eyes and God ready to afford his ordinary concourse as oft as he is disposed to exercise his visive faculty he should be able to see them without light For saith this Jesuite the Prophets are dead Apostles dead Christ gone to heaven and instead of all Prophets Apostles or himself hath left us his Church Nor is it to be expected that God will every where upon all occasions supply the want of the external proposals by the abundance of internal illuminations as he did to our first parent or Saint Paul who had his Gospel neither from man nor by man but by the revelation of Jesus Christ For those are priviledges 6 The calumnie intended in this last instance hath often heretofore been prevented We never denied either the necessity or suffâ—iciencie of the Churches proposal as an external mean we account no other of that rank and nature is or could be either more necessary or more sufficient Saint Paul we grant had an extraordinary priviledge and yet for his private information had the truth proposed unto him by Ananias though the gifts of his publick Ministery were immediately from God Both the measure of his faith and manner of attaining it were unusual but his faith it self once attained no otherwise independent of any external proposal then ours is and all Christians must be We should have been more beholden to this professor had he distinctly told us what it is in their language to have a sufficient proposer albeit this we may gather from his words late cited and these following The Sectaries take upon them to correct the Churches sentence as oft as they list and then they oppose Christ to the Church as if the Church did propose one thing and Christ teach another If they admitted any Church as a sufficient proposer they were bound to conforme their opinions to it in all things As you heard before out of Bellarmine That the Popes Decrees may not be examined whether consonant or contrary to Gods Word or the foundations of faith already laid in our hearts and out of Canus That we must believe the Church absolutely without its or ands Thus believing we have Gods Word sufficiently proposed without this belief or acknowledgement of such authority in the Church we have no sufficient proposal of it but strive as foolishly to hear God speak as if we sought to see Colours without the light 7 It appears I hope as clearly to the Reader as to me that the Churches testimony or authority by our Adversaries Doctrine benefits none but such as stedfastly and absolutely believe it in all things But he that so believes it may by it easily believe all other points as he that can perfectly see the light may see Colours by it Want of this radical belief in us makes our faith in their opinion so unstable or rather blind and dead Yet can I hardly perswadâ— my self all of them will grant the Church addes any inherent or participated splendor to divine revelations whereby they become perspicuous in themselves as Colours are made visible by irradiation of the Sun Thus much notwithstanding all of them I know willingly would subscribe unto A Protestant can neither of himself be infallibly perswaded of the Truth of Scriptures or other conclusions of faith nor doth he absolutely believe any others that are infallible in their determinations but a Roman Catholick albeit by his private spirit he cannot infallibly believe them yet he infalliby believes the Church which cannot erre in belief All then that a Papist hath more then a Protestant is this his Belief of the Church if once he doubt of this he is where he was Which in plain termes is as much as to say ‖ He believes the Church concerning Scriptures not Scriptures That this is the true interpretation of their Tenent may easily be gathered from their own writings For Bellarmine expressely contends and all of them suppose that saying of Saint Austin Non crederem Evangelio nisime commoveret Ecclesiae authoritas I would not believe the Gospel unlesse the Churches authority did thereto move me to be true as well after faith is produced whilest it continues as whiles it is in planting Now if a man should say Non crederem Francisco nisi me commoveret Petri fiâ—elitas I would not trust Frances but for Peters word this speech resolved into it natural or proper sence is aequivalent unto this I do not trust Frances but Peter that gives his word for him And in case Peter should prove false or be distrusted by him that took his word for Frances as yet not believed but for Peters sake the creditor could have no hold of either Thus if Bellarmine and his fellows be as they would seem to make S. Austin minded not to believe the Gospel but for the Churches authority or proposal of it let them speak plainly and properly not in parables or metaphors and so we shall know their meaning to be That they indeed believe not the Scriptures but the Church or the Church truly and really the Scriptures onely by extrinsecal denomination 8 Nor can they reply either consequently to Sacrobos us instance or their general Tenents that as he which sees colours by the light truly sees colours not the light onely so he that believes Scriptures by the Churches infallible proposal believes not the Churches proposal onely but Scriptures as truely and properly The diversity of reason in these two consequences ariseth from the diverse manner of seeing colours by the Suns light and believing
Scriptures by the Church which we are now to gather from this short Catechisine containing the summe of Roman faith CAP. XXX Declaring how the First main ground of Romish faith leads directly unto Atheisme the second unto preposterous Heathenisine or Idolatry 1 IT is a prety Sophisme as a judicious and learned Divine in his publick exercise for his first degree in Divinity late well observed where-with the Jesuite deludes the simple making them believe their faith otherwise weak and unsetled is most firm and certain if it have once the visible or representative Churches confirmation when as the Church so taken seldom or never instructs or confirms any at least not the hundred thousandth part of them unto whose salvation such confirmation is by Jesuitical perswasions most absolutely necessary But suppose the visible Church or Romish Consistory the Pope and his Cardinals should vouchsafe to catechize any the Dialogue between them and the Catechized would thus proceed Cons. Do ye believe these sacred Volumes to be the Word of God Catech. We do Cons. Are you certain they are Catech. So we hope Cons. How can your hope be sure for Mahomet saith His Alchoran is sundry other Hereticks say their fained revelations or false traditions are Gods Word How can you assure us ye may not be deceived as well as they Are not many of them as good Schollers as you Catech. Yes indeed and better Cons. Are not you subject unto error as well as they Catech. Would God we were not Cons. What must you do then to be ascertained these are divine revelations Cat. Nay we know not but this is that which we especially desire to know and would bind our selves in any bond to such as could teach us Cons. Well said do you not think it reason then to be ruled in this case by such as cannot be deceived Cat. It is meet we should Cons. Lo we are the men we are the true visible Church placed in authoritie by Christ himself for this purpose These Scriptures tell you plainly as much 〈◊〉 Petrus super hanc Petram c His holiness whom here you see is Peters Successor sole heir of that promise far more glorious then the Jewish Church ever had any 2 This is the very quintessence and extraction of huge and corpulent volumes written in this argument which our English Mountibanks sent hither from the Seminaries venditate as a Paracelsian medicin able to make men immortal The summ of all that others write or they alleadge is this â—very one may pretend what writings he lists to be the word of God who shall be the infalliale Judge either of written or unwritten revelations Must not the Church for she is Magistra Judex fidei These are the words and this is the very Argument wherein Valentians soul it seems did most delight he useth them so oft But to proceed The parties Catechized thus by the visible Church it self should any Protestant enter Dialogue with them how they know those received Scriptures to be the Word of God could answer I trow sufficiently to this question thus Mary sir we know better then you For we heard the visible Church which cannot erre say so with our own ears Prot. You are most certain then that these are the Oracles of God because the visible Church Gods living Oracle did bear testimony of them Catech. Yea sir and their testimony is most infallible Prot. But what if you doubt again of their infallibilities How will you answer this objection Mahomet saith his Alcoran is Scripture the Turkish Priests wil tel you as much viva voce and shew you if you be disposed to believe them evident places therein for his infallibility Manes could say that he had divine revelations The Pope pretends he hath this infallibilitie which neither of them had Who shall judge the Consistory But why should you think they may not erre as wel as others Did they shew you any evidence out of Scriptures or did they bring you to such entire acquaintance with their publick spirit as to approve your selves Divine Criticks of all questions concerning the Canon as oft as any doubt should arise Catech Oh no these audacious Criticismes of private men they utterly detest and forewarned us upon pain of damnation to beware of For there is no private person but may erre and for such to judge of Scriptures were presumption justly damnable Rely they must for this reason upon the Churches infallibility and that continually It alone cannot without it all others may erre as wel as Manes Mahomet Nestorius or Eutyches undoubtedly believing it cannot erre we our selves are as free from error as he that follows such good counsel given by others as he cannot give himself is more secure then he that altogether follows his own advice albeit better able to counsel others then the former Prot. Then I perceive your onely hold-fast in all temptations your onely anchor when any blasts of vain doctrine arise is this The present Romish Church canndt erre for if you doubt of any doctrine taught to the contrary ask her and she will resolve you or if you cannot see the Truth in it self yet believe without all wavering as she believes that sees it and you shall be as safe as if you rode in the harbour in a storm Catech. Ah yes Gods holy name be praised who hath so well provided for his Church for otherwise hereticks and schismaticks would shake and toss her even in this main point or ground of faith as evil spirits do ships in tempests we must either hold this Test sure or else all is gone God hath left off speaking unto men and wee cannot tell whether ever he spake to them or no but as the present Church which speaks viva voce tels us 3 But the Reader perhaps expects what inconvenience will hence follow First hereby it is apparent that Belief of Scriptures divine Truth and their true sense absolutely and immediately depends upon the Churches proposal or rather upon their Belief of what it proposeth as well after they are confirmed in that general point That they are Gods words as in the instant of their confirmation in it The first necessary consequence of which opinion is That the Church must be more truely and properly believed then any part of Scriptures or matter contained in it For in this matter of dependance that transcendent rule of Nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath it proper force whether we speak of the Essence Existence or Quality of things being or existing that upon which any other thing thus absolutely and continually depends doth more properly and really exist and hath much firmer interest in it essence and existence then ought can have which depends upon it One there is and no more that can truely say My Essence is Mine own and my Existence necessary Whatsoever is besides is but a shadow or picture borrowed from his infinite being Amongst created Entities all essentially depending
on Him Accidents have a kind of existence peculiar to themselves yet cannot so properly be said to exist as their subjects on whom they have such double dependance Nor can the Moon so truely say my beauty is my own as may the Sun which lends light and splendor to this his sister as it were upon condition she never use it but in his sight For the same reason That for which we believe another thing is alwaies more truely more really and more properly believed then that which is believed for it if the one belief necessarily depend upon the other Tam in facto esse quam in sieri from the first beginning to the latter end For of beliefs thus mutually affected the one is real and radical the other nominal or at the most by participation only real This consequence is unsound Intellective knowledge depends on sensitive therfore sensitive is of these two the surer The reason is because intellective knowledge depends on sensitive onely in the acquisition not after it is acquired But this inference is most undoubted We believe the conclusion for the premisses therefore we believe the premisses the better because belief of the conclusion absolutely depends upon the premisses during the whole continuance of it This is the great Philosophers Rule and a branch of the former Axiom And some justly question whether in Scholastick proprietie of speech we can truely say there is a belief of the conclusion distinct from the belief of the premisses or rather the belief of the premisses is by extrinsical denomination attributed unto the conclusion This latter opinion at least in many Syllogismes is the truer most necessarily true in all wherein the conclusion is a particular essentially subordinate to an universal of truth unquestionable As be that infallibly believes every man is a reasonable creature infallibly believes Socrates is such Nor can we say there be two distinct beliefs one of the universal another of this particular for he that sayeth All excepteth â—one If Socrates then make one in the Catalogue of men he that formerly knew all knew him to be a reasonable Creature all he had to learn was what was meant by this name Socrates a man or a beast After he knows him to be a man in knowing him to be a reasonable creature he knows no more then he did before in that uniuersal Every man is a reasonable creature The like consequence holds as firm in our present argument He that believes this universal Whatsoever the Church proposeth concerning Scriptures is most true hath no more to learn but onely what particulars the Church proposeth These being known we cannot imagine there should be two distinct Beliefs one of the Churches general infallibilitie another of the particular truths or points of faith contained in the Scripture proposed by it For as in the former case so in this He that from the Churches proposal believes or knowes this particular The Book of Revelations was from God receives no increase of former belief For before he believed all the Church did propose and therefore this particular Because one of all 4 The truth of this Conclusion may again from a main principle of Romish Faith be thus demonstrated Whatsoever unwritten traditions the Church shall propose though yet unheard of or unpossible otherwise to be known then onely by the Churches asseveration all Romanists are bound as certainly to believe as devoutly to embrace as any truths contained in the written word acknowledged by us the Jews and them for divine Now if either from their own experience the joynt consent of sincere antiquitie or testimony of Gods spirit speaking to thâ—m in private or what means soever else possible or imaginable they gave any absolute credence unto the written word or matters containd in it besides that they give unto the Churches general veracitie the Scriptures by addition of this credence were it great or little arising from these grounds peculiâ—r to them must needs be morefirmly believed and embraced then such unwritten traditions as are in themselves suspicious uncapable of other Credit then what they borrow from the Church For in respect of the Churches proposal which is one and the same alike peremptory in both Scriptures and traditions of what kind soever must be equally believed And if such traditions as can have no assurance besides the Churches testimony must be as well believed as Scriptures or Divine truths contained in them the former conclusion is evidently necessary That they neither believe the Scriptures nor the truths contained in them but the Churches proposal of them onely For the least belief of any Divine Truth added to belief of the Churches proposal which equally concerns written and unwritten verities would dissolve the former equality But that by the Trent Councel may not be dissolved Therefore our adversaries in deed and verity believe no Scriptures nor Divine written Truth but the Churches proposal onely concerning them And Sacrobosous bewrays his readâ—ness to believe the Church as absolutely as my Châ—istian can do God or Christ though no 〈◊〉 of the New-Testament were extant Foâ— â—hat the Church cannot erre was an â—…led by God proposed by the Church â—… by the thâ— faithful before any part of the New â—estament was written Now he that without 〈◊〉 Dâ—ctrines of Jesus Christ would believe the Doctrines of faith as sirmly as with it believes not the Gospel which now he hath but their authorities onely upon which though we had it not he would as absolute rely for all matters of Doctrine supposed to be contained in it 5 Of further to illustrate the truth of our conclusion with this Jesuites former comparison which hath best illustrated the Romish Churches Tenent That Church in respect of the Canon of Scriptures or any part thereof is as the light is to colours As no colour can be seen of us but by the light so by his Doctrine neither the Canon of Scriptures or any part thereof can be known without the Churches testimony Again as removal of light presently makes us lose the sight of colours so doubt or denial of the Churches authority dâ—prives us of all true and stedfast belief concerning Gods Word or any matter contained in it God as they plead hath revealed his will obseurely and unto a distinct or clear apprehension of what is obscurely revealed the visible Churches declaration is no less necessary then light to discernment of colours The Reason is one in both and is this As the actual visibility of colours wholly depends upon the light as well for existence as duration so by Jesuitical Doctrine True belief of Scriptures wholly depends on the visible Churches Declaration as well during the whole continuance as the first producing of it By the same reason as we gather that light in it self is more visible then colours seeing by it alone colours become actually visible so will it necessarily follow that the Churches Declaration that is the Popes priviledge for not
much grieved at the Trent Councels impietie but now I wonder at these grave Fathers folly that would trouble themselves with prescribing so many Canons or overseeing so large a Catechisme when as the beginning of Protagoras Book one or two words altered might have comprehended the entire confession of such mens faith as rely upon their Fatherhoods The Atheist thus began his Book De dijs non haâ—â—o quod decam utrum sint necne Concerning the Gods or their being I can say nothing A private Roman Catholick might render an entire account of his faith in termes as brief De Christo Christiana fide non habeo quod dicam utrum sint necne Whether there be a Christ or Christian Religion be but a Politick Fable I have nothing to say peremptorily yea or no the Church or Councel can determine whom in this and all other points wherin God is a party I will absolutely believe whilest I live if at my death I find they teach amâ—e let the devil and they if there be a devil decide the controversie Yet this conceit or conditional Belief of Christ and Christianity conceived from the former serves as a ground colour for disposing mens souls to take the sable dye of Hell wherewith the second main stream of Romish impietie will deeply infect all such as drink of it For once believing Gods Word from the Churches testimony this absolute submission of their consciences to embrace that sence it shall suggest sublimates them from refined Heathinisme or Gentilisme to diabolisme or symbolizing with infernal spirits whose chiefest solace consists in acting greatest villanies or wresting the meaning of Gods written Lawes to his dishonour For just proof of which imputation we are to prevent what as we late intimated might in favour of their opinion be replied to our former instance of light and colours 9 Some perhaps well affected would be resolved why as he that sees colours by the sun sees not only the sun but colours with it so he that believes the Scriptures by relying upon the Church should not believe the Church onely but the Scriptures too commended by it The doubt could hardly be resolved if according to our adversaries Tenent the Churches declarations did confirm our faith by illustrating the Canon of Scriptures or making particular truths contained in it inherently more perspicuous as if they were in themselves but potentially credible and made actually such by the Churches Testimony which is the first and Principal Credible in such sort as colours become actually visible by illumination of the principal and prime visible But herein the grounds of Romish doctrine and the instance brought by Sacroboscus to illustrate it are quite contrary For the light of the Sun though most necessary unto sight is yet necessary onely in respect of the object or for making colours actually visible which made such or sufficiently illuminated are instantly perceived without further intermediation of any other light then the internal light of the Organ in discerning colours alwayes rather hindered then helped by circumfusion of light external For this reason it is that men in a pit or cave may at noon day see the starres which are invisible to such as are in the open air not that they are more illuminated to the one then the other but because plentie of light doth hinder the Organ or eye-sight of the one Generally all objects either actually visible in themselves or sufficiently illuminated are better perceived in darknesse then in the light But so our Adversaries will not grant that after the Church hath sufficiently proposed the whole Canon to be Gods Word the distinct meaning of every part is more clear and facile to all private spirits by how much they lesse participate of the visible Churches further illustration For quite contrary to the former instance the Churches testimony or declaration is onely necessary or available to right belief in respect not of the object to be believed Scriptures but of the party believing For as hath been observed no man in their judgement can believe Gods Word or the right meaning of it but by believing the Church and all belief is inherent in the believer Yea this undoubted Belief of the Churches authority is that which in Bellarmine and Sacroboscus's judgement makes a Roman Catholicks belief of Scriptures or divine truths taught by them much better then a Protestants If otherwise the Churches declaration or testimony could without the belief of it infallibility which is inherent in the subject believing make Scriptures credible as the light doth colours visible in themselves a Protestant that knew their Churches meaning might as truely believe them as a Roman Catholick albeit he did not absolutely believe the Church but onely use her help for their Orthodoxal interpretation as he doth ordinary Expositors or as many do the benefit of the Sun for seeing colours which never think whether colours may be seen without it or no. For though it be certain that they cannot yet this opinion is meerly accidental to their sight and if a man should be so wilfull as to maintain the contrary it would argue only blindness of mind none of his bodily sight Nor should distrust of the Romish Churches authority ought diminish our Belief of any divine Truth were her declarations requisite in respect of the object to be believed not in respect of the subject believing 10 Hence ariseth that difference which plainly resolves the former doubt For seeing the Sun makes colours actually visible by adding vertue or lustre to them we may rightly say we see colours as truely as the light by which we see them For though without the benefit of it they cannot be seen yet are they not seen by seeing it or by relying upon it testimony of them Again because the use of light is onely necessarie in respect of the object or for presenting colours to the eye after once they be sufficiently illuminated or presented every creature endued with sight can immediately discern each from other without any further help or benefit of external light then the general whereby they become all alike actually visible at the same instant The Suns light then is the true cause why colours are seen but no cause of our distinguishing one from another being seen or made actuallie visible by it For of all sensible objects sufficiently proposed the sensitive faculty though seated in a private person is the sole immediat supreme Judge and relies not upon any others more publick verdict of them On the contrary because the Romanists supposed firm belief of Scriptures or their true meaning ariseth only from his undoubted belief of the Churches veracicie which is in the believer as in it subject not from any increase of inherent credibilitie or perspicuitie thence propagated to the Scriptures Hence it is that consequently to his positions most repugnant to all truth he thinks after the Church hath sufficiently avouched the Scriptures divine truth in general we
cannot infalliblie distinguish the true sence and meaning of one place from another but must herein also rely upon the Churches testimony and onely believe that sence to be repugnant that consonant to the analogie of faith which she shall tender albeit our private consciences be never so well informed by other Scriptures to the contrary The truth then of our former conclusion is hence easily manifested For seeing they hold both the Scriptures and their distinct sence to be obscure and unable to ascertain themselves unlesse the Church adde perspicuitie or facilitie of communicating their meaning to private spirits such after the Churches proposal cannot possibly discern them any better or more directly in themselves then they did before but must wholy rely upon their Prelates as if these were the onely watchmen in the Tower of Gods Church that could by vertue of their place discern all divine truth Others must believe there is an omnipotent God which hath given his Law a Mediator of the new Testament but what the meaning either of Law or Gospel is they may not presume otherwise to determine then weak sights do of things they see confusedly a farre off whose particular distance or difference they must take onely upon other mens report that have seen them distinctly and at hand 11 To illustrate these deductions with the former similitude of the prime and secondary visibles Let us suppose for disputations sake that the Sun which illuminates colours by its light were further indued as we are with sense and reason able to judge of all the differences between them which it can manifest to us and hence challenge to be a Pope or infallible proposer of colours This supposition the Canonist hath made lesse improbable For Deus fecit duo luminaria God made two lights that is by his interpretation the Pope and the Emperour Or if you please to mitigate the harshnesse of it let the Man in the Moon whom we may not imagine speechlesse be supposed the Sun or Pope of colours his Mercurie or Nuncio As the Papists say we cannot know Scriptures to be Scriptures but by the infallible proposal of the Church so it is evident we cannot see any colour at all unlesse illuminated or proposed by the Suns light But after by it we see them suppose we should take upon us to discourse of their nature or determine of their distinct properties as now we do and the Sun or Pope of colours by himself or his Nuncio should take us up as Duke Humphrey did the blind man restored to sight which he never had lost Yea who taught you to distinguish colours were you not quite blind but now as yet you cannot discern any colours without my publick light and yet will you presume to define their properties and distinguish their natures against my definitive sentence known Must not he that enables you to see them enable you to distinguish them seen Must you not wholly rely upon my authority whether this be white or that black If a man upon these Motives should absolutely believe the Suns determinations renouncing the judgement of his private senses could he truely say that he either knew this colour to be white or that black or another green Rather were he not bound to say I neither know white from black nor black from blew nor blew from green but I know that to be white which the Sun the onely infallible Judge of colours saith is white that onely to be black that blew and that green which he shall determine so to be I may think indeed that the snow is white or coals black but with submission to the Suns determination 12 And yet as you have heard at large out of the Trent Councel and best Apologies can be made for it the Church must be the infallible Judge of all Scripture sence and must absolutely be believed without all appeal to Scriptures not conditionally as she shall accord with them The conclusion hence issuing is most infallible and on their parts most inevitable Whosoever absolutely acknowledgeth this authority in the Church or Consistory and yeelds such obedience unto it in all determinations concerning the Canon of Scriptures doth not believe either this or that determinate proposition of faith or any definite meaning of Gods Word The best resolution he can make of his faith is this I believe that to be the meaning of every place which the Church shall define to be the meaning which is all one as if he had said I do not believe the Scriptures or their meaning but I believe the Churches decision and sentence concerning them He that believes not the Church saith Canus but with this limitation if it give sentence according unto Scriptures doth not believe the Church but the Scriptures By the same reason it followes most directly he that believes not the true sence and meaning of Scriptures but with this reservation if the Church so think or determine doth not believe them but the Church onely For as the Schoolmen say Ubi unum propter aliud ibi unum tantum He that serves God onely because he would be rich doth not serve God but his riches albeit he performe the outward acts of obedience Or if we love a man onely for his affinity with another whom we dearly love we truely and properly love but the one the other onely by way of reflexion or denomination in such a sence as we say a man appears by his proxie that is his proxie appears not he In like sort believing the sence of Scriptures onely from the supposed authentick declaration of the Church or because we believe it we infalliblie believe the Church alone not the Scriptures but onely by an extrinsecal denomination 13 Yet as a man may from some reasons lesse probable have an opinion of what he certainly knowes by motives more sound or as we may love one in some competent measure for his owne sake and yet affect him more entirely for anothers whom we most dearly love so may an absolute Papist in some moral sort believe the Scriptures for themselves or hold their authodoxal sence as probable to his private judgement albeit he believe them most for the Churches sake and that sence best which it commends But this his belief of the Church being by their doctrine more then moral or conditional doth quite overthrow all moral or probable belief he can possiblie have from what ground soever of Scriptures themselves For as I said before the Church shall determine ought contrary to his preconceived opinion the more probable or strong it was the more it encreaseth his doubt and makes his contrary resolution more desperate yea more damnable if habitual because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extreamly contrary to the doctrine of faith Bellarmins prescription in this case is just as if a Physitian or Surgeon should seek to case the pain by ending of the Patients dayes Lest a man should sin against his conscience this
Doctor adviseth him to believe the Church cannot teach anusse 14 To conclude then He that absolutely believes the Pope as Christs Vicar general in all things without examination of his Decrees by Evangelical precepts neither believes Christ nor his Gospel no not when this pretended Vicar teacheth no otherwise then his Masters lawes prescribe For thus believing a divine truth onely from this mans authority he commits such Idolatry with him for the kind or essence as the Heathen did with Mercurie their false Gods supposed messenger though so much more hainous in degree as his general notion of the true God is better whose infinite goodnesse cannot entertain an interpreter no better qualified then most Popes are did his wisdom stand in need of any But if when the Pope shall teach the doctrine of Devils men absolutely believe it to be Christs because his pretended Vicar commends it to them in thus believing they commit such preposterous Idolatrie as those of Calecut which adore the Devil upon conceit doubtlesse of some celestial or divine power in him as the absolute Papist doth not adore the Pope but upon perswasion he is Christs Vicar and teaches as Christ would do viva voce were he again on earth And lesse it were to be lamented did these Pseudo-Catholicks professe their allegiance to Sathans incarnate Agent as to their supreme Lord by such solemne sacrisices onely as the inhabitants of Calient performe to wicked spirits But this their blind belief of whatsoever he shall determine upon a proud and foolish imagination he is Christs Vicar emboldens them to invert the whole Law of God and nature to glory in villany and triumph in mischief even to seek praise and honour eternal from acts so foul and hideous as the light of nature would make the Calecutians or other Idolaters blush at their very mention It is a sure token he hath not yet learned the Alphabet of their religion that doubts whether Jesuitical doctrine concerning this absolute belief extend not to all matters of fact And if out of simplicity rather then policie so they speak I cannot but much pity their folly that would perswade us it were not the fault of Romish Religion but of the men that profess it which hath inticed so many unto such devilish practises of late I would the Jesuite were but put to instance what kind of villany either hath been already acted on earth or can yet possibly be hatched in the region under the earth so hideous and ugly as would seem deformed or odious to such as are wholly led by this blind faith if it should but please the Romish Clergie to give a mild or favorable censure of it No brat of hell but would seem as beautifull to their eyes as young todes are to their dammes if their mother once commend the feature of it or acknowledge it for her darling Did not some of the Powder-plot after Gods powerfull hand had overtaken them and sentence of death had passed upon them even when the Executioner was ready to do his last office to them make a question whether their plot were sinfull or no So modest were some of them and so obedient sonnes to the Church of Rome that they would not take upon them to say either the one or other but referred the matter to their mothers determinations hereby testifying unto the world that if the Church would say they would believe so great an offence against their Countrey were none against God One of them was so obstinate as to sollicit his fellow whilest both were drawn upon one hurdle to the gallowes not to acknowledge it for any sin Or if these must be reputed but private men not well acquainted with their Churches Tenents and therefore no fit instances to disapprove her doctrine let the ingenious Reader but peruse their best Writers answers to the objections usually made against the Popes transcendent authority and he shall easily perceive how matters of fact are included in the Belief of it how by it all power is given him in heaven and earth to pervert the use and end of all Lawes humane or divine I will content my self for this present with some few instances out of Valentian CAP. XXXI Proving the last Assertion or generally the imputations hitherto laid upon the Papacie by that authority the Jesuites expresly give unto the Pope in matters of particular Fact as in the canonizing of Saints 1 HOw oft soever the Pope in defining questions of faith shall use his authority that opinion which he shall determine to be a point of faith must be received as a point of faith by all Christian people If you further demand how shall we know when the Pope useth this his absolute authority this Doctor in the same place thus resolves you It must be believed that he useth this his authority as often as in controversies of faith he so determines for the one part that he will binde the whole Church to receive his decision Lest stubborn spirits might take occasion to calumniate the Pope for taking or the Jesuites for attributing tyrannical authority unto him this Jesuite would have you to understand that the Pope may avouch some things which all men are not bound to hold as Gospel nay he may erre though not when he speaks ex Cathedra as Head of the Church yet when he speaks or writes as a private Doctor or Expositor and onely sets down his own opinion without binding others to think as he doth Thus did Innocent the third and other Popes write divers books which are not in every part true and infallible as if they had proceeded from their Pontificial authority Yea but what if this present Pope or any of his Successors should bind all Christians to believe that Pope Innocents Books were in every part infalliblie true Whether must we in this case believe Valentian or the Pope thus determining better If Valentian in the words immediately following deserve any credit we must believe the Pope better then himself yea he himself must recant his censure of Pope Innocents works For so in the other part of his distinction he addes Secundo potest Pontifex asserere The Pope again may avouch something so as to bind the whole Church to receive his opinion and that no man shall dare to perswade himself to the contrary And whatsoever he shall thus avouch in any controversie of Religion we must assuredly believe he did avouch it without possibilitie of Error and therefore by his Pontificial authoritie His proof is most consonant to his assertion I will not recite it in English lest the meer English Reader should suspect any able to understand Latin could be possibly so ridiculous 2 These lavish prerogatives of the Popes authoritie the Jesuites see wel to be obnoxious to this exception When the Pope doth Canonize a Saint he bindes all men to take him for a Saint Can he not herein erre As for Canonizing of Saints saith
suffice to have waded thus far in these unpleasant passages for discovering the enemies weaknesse in his new Fortifications or Repalliations rather of such breaches as our ancient Worthies have made in their imaginary Rock of strength Now as my soul and conscience in the sight of God and his holy Angels can assure me these imputations of blasphemy sorcerie and preposterous Idolatry I have laid upon this fundamental point of Romish faith aâ—e most true though much lesse exaggerated then it deserves so again I must confesse it hath in some sort over gone against my conscience publickly to discipher or display her abominations For my little experience of this present ages temper too well instructs me what great offence is oft-times hereby given to men as weak in faith as strong in their perswasions of it to flatter themselves in their hypocrisie or make them seem unto themselves men rightly religious or throughly sanctified whilest they measure their love to true religion by their hatred unto this doctrine of Devils or compare themselves with Priests and Jesuites as they are painted out in their native colours by eloquent and learned Pastors But his iniquitie be upon his own head that thus perverts my labours undertaken for his good unto his harm For unto a quite contrary purpose have I set forth this survey of Romish blasphemie in a larger volume then first I meant it even to stir up my self and every Professor of true Religion unto serious amendment of our lives to hold fast our faith by holding up hands pure from bribery and corruption by lifting up hearts and mindes void of all guile and hypocrisie ardently zealous of every good work unto the Lord our God continually lest such swarms of Caterpillars and Locusts as have chosen Beelzebub for their God devour this land Mortis modus morte pejor To think such should be the instruments of our wo will unto most of us I know far surpasse all conceit of any other wo it self or misery that in this life can befall us And yet whilest I consider what God hath done of old to Israel his first-born and Judah his own inheritance the overplus of our ingratitude towards him for all his goodnesse especially our wilfull continual abusing these dayes of peace more and more sweet and gracious then Jerusalem it self the vision of peace did ever see so long together without interruption I am and have been as my publick meditations can testifie for these few yeers of my ministerie possessed with continuall dread lest the Lord in justice enlarge his threatnings denounced against Judah upon this Land Fearfull was that message unto Hierusalem I will bring the most wicked of the Heathen and they shall possesse their houses but more terrible is our doom if this sentence be gone out against us I will plague you by the wickedst amongst the Christians by men more cruel proud and insolent then Babylonian Turk or Infidel or any other enemie of Christs Church hath been or could be unlesse Christians or Jesuites in name or shew they were meer Antichristians or Bariesus in heart and affection Such titles we readily give and willingly hear given unto Loyolaes infamous brood But if our wayes shall continually prove as odious unto our God as these termes impâ—rt that Societie is unto us what have we done Surely tied our bodies to the stake of justice by the wickednesse of our hands and proud imaginations of our polluted hearts whiles our tongues in the mean while have set our cruel executioners hearts on fire more grievously to torment to consume and devour us 11 But though likelihood of their prevailing against us be without our repentance great and their cruelty if they should prevail more then likely to be most violent yet this their hope it cannot be long Tu quoque Crudelis Babylon dabis impia poenas Et rerum instaâ—iles experiâ—re viâ—es The Lord in due time will turn again the captivity of his people and the now living may live to see these sons of Babel rewarded as they have long sought to serve us Their shamelesse Apologies for aequivocation and this old charm of Templum Domini which like unluckie birds alwayes flocking or frogs croaking against ill weather they have resumed of late with joint importunate cries albeit with these they bewitch the simple and choak the worldling or careless liver that accounts all serious thoughts of Religion his greatest trouble sound unto hearts setled in grace or mindes illuminated with the spirit of truth but as the last cracklings of Lucifers candle sometimes shining in the Roman Lanterne as the morning-star or an Angel of light but now so far spent and sunk within the socket that it recovers it wonted brightness but by flashes nor can his nostrils that is able with the least breath of his displeasure from heaven in a moment to blow it out any long time endure the smell Even so O Father for thy Son Christ Jesus sake even so O Christ for thine Elect and Chosens sake impose a period to our grievous sins against thee and our enemies malice against us infatuate their policies enfeeble their strength and prevent them in their Devillish purposes that seek to prevent thee in thy judgements by setting the World in combustion before thy coming Amen The continuation of matters prosecuted in the first BOOK THe ingenious Reader I trust rests fully satisfied that for planting true and lively Faith in every private Christians heart Experiments answerable to the Rules of Scripture without absolute dependanâ—e upon any external Rule thereto equivalent are sufficient the assistance of the Holy Spirit whose necessity for the right apprehension of aivine truths revealed the Romanist nor doth nor dare denie being supposed That Valentians heart did tell him thus much and secretly check him for his ridiculous curiosity to make way unto his Circular resolution of Faith * before refuted his diffident speeches immediately thereto annexed upon consciousnesse no doubt of it insufficiencie will give the Reader though partiall just cause of suspition If a man saith he be yet further questioned seeing as well the divine Revelations as the Churches infallible Proposal are obscure and inevident what should impel him to enter into such a Labyrinth of Obscurities as to imbrace the doctrine of Faith by the former Method to wit Believing the Revelation for the Churches Proposal as for a condition unto Relief requisite and the Churches Proposal again for the Revelation being the cause of his Belief then let him come unto the second processe or method and expound the reasons and clearer motives whereby he was and every discreet man may be induced to imbrace Faith though of it self inevident and obscure Thus do they traduce the Grace of God as if there were no difference betwixt mid-day-light and mid-night-darknesse as if the dawning of that Day-star in our hearts or light of Prophets our Apostle speaks of 2 Pet. 1. 19. were not a mean betwixt that more
c Some hereticks refuse triall by scripture 239 Orthodox do not so ib. Hereticks likely to balk scripture when it will not bestead them 244 Worms in the Hoast how or whence they breed Doctors opinions 329 m. Hoast see Adoration Hâ—â—d see Monk Hosius's Coalier 242 Hypocrites their curiosity 435 Hypocrisie 507 Hypocrisie see posterity I IAnnes and Iambres magicians 38 Jealousies their original in the people against their Teachers 393 Ieremies Lamentation a prophecy as well as at Elegy 90 Ierusalems destruction by the Romans a Map of the day of judgement 92 93 Iesuites medley 250 King Iohn cruel to the Iews 122 c Iris Thaumantis filia 54 See Rainbow Jews favoured by their Conquerors beyond all po litick observation 62 63 68 Jews strange thriving under their Conquerors testified by Heathens 68 69 Jews strange powerfulness in winning Gentiles to Iudaisme ib. Jews wronged by Tacitus and why 70 71 72 Jews thriving in captivity to be attributed to their Law 73 Jews more favoured by God then any other Nation 73 to 75 Jews a mightier Nation then any other 74 75 Jews strange continuance in the midst of miseries ib. Jews had better security of their prosperity then any others 75 Their increase and decay not measurable by human policie 76 77 Jews why said by Diogenes Laertius to be descended from the Magi. 77 Jews and their Religion despised by Heathens on false grounds 78 to 82 All heathen objections against the Iews prevented by Iewish Writers 78 c. Iews calamities and prosperities with their causes foretold in Scriptures ib. Their enemies untill Christ was rejected how punished by God 75 Their enemies after Christ was rejected how favoured by God 83 Iews destruction the cause of Gods exalting Vespasian 83 to 86 Iews a Nation set apart to exemplifie Gods justice and mercy 91 Iews blind madnesse in Cyrene and Cyprus according to Deut. 28. 28. 111 Iews continuance in misery according to Deut. 28. 59. 111 Iews mighty desolation under Adrian 112 Iews prohibited to come within the view of Jewry Deut. 28. 62. ib. Iews why not mentioned from Adrians time till Romes captivity 113 Iews misery in Spain and France 114 115 Iewry a Marl-pit for Gods vineyard 115 Iews bereaved of their children according to deut 28. 32. 115 Iews calamities in Hungary 116 Iews calamities in Germany 117 Iews why not utterly destroyed ib. Iews meannesse in the Eastern parts 118 119 Jews rejection of Samuel a type of their rejection of Christ 118 Iews punished according to Deut. 28. ad 33. 120 Iews miseries in all times and places according to Deut. 28. 33 ib. Iews calamities in England 120 to 123 Iews bruitish stupidity 121 Iews massacre in Linne on a small occasion 121 Iews madnesse and self murder in York 122 Iews may not come on Horseback nor in Constantinople but upon Termes 117 Iews grievous oppressions under King Iohn Henry 3. and Edward 1. 122 123 Aaron the Iew paid Henry 3. a Ransome of 30200 marks 123 Iews banishment out of England purchased by Parliament 123 The Iew of Bristow paid 10000 marks after he had lost 7. teeth 123 Iews for murthering a Christian childe are massacred at Munchin 129 Iews poison Fountains and offer indignities to the B. Eucharist 124 to 126 Iews for so doing are much afflicted in France and Germany ib. Iews cannot be saved from the peoples rage by King and Governours 125 Iews banished out of Spain and Portugal 126 Iews bereaved of their children again 127 Iewes urged to serve such gods as their fathers knew not 128 Iews miseries according to Deut. 28. 65 ad 67. 129 Iews become a Proverb and by-word to all Nations 130 Iews banished by the father bought and brought in of the son Banished by Pius Quintus recalled by Sixtus Quintus 129 Iews scattered from the one end of the world to the other 131 Iews infidelity a strong argument for Christians faith 132 Iews stubbornness an argument that they are Abrahams posterity 132 Iews the cause of their own misery 133 134 Iews thirst of crucifying Christian children proves their forefathers crucifying of Christ 133 Iews make their fathers sins their own 133 Iews cariage and temper the Lees of their forefathers excellency 134. Iews present depression proves their former exaltation 134 Iews blindness a light to the Gentiles 136 Iews desolation the most effectuall proof of Christian saith 137 Iews misery a type of unbeleevers eternal misery 137 From the history of these Iews general and useful Collections 129 to 139 Iews conveâ—sion as likely to be sudden as at all 138 Best method to convert the Iews 251 Church of the Iews see Infallibility Sanâ—drim Christian Ishmaelits the same with Saracens and Hagarens 103 to 107 Iews and Ishmaelites continuall signes to the Nations 1â—3 Ishmaels description by Moses a prophesie of his posterity 105 Ishmaelits why called by themselves Saracens 109 Ishmaelites or Saracâ—ns how like Ishmael 106 107 Ishmaelites a mighty Nation 108 109 Image worship the effects of it in Monks 128 Indulgences caused a breach in the Church 270 S. Iohn in some points above S. Paul S Peter 3â—â— Infallibility He that is taken or takes upon him to have absolute Infallibility is made and makes himself God 198 199 Infallibility granted is no such means to end controversies as is pretended 243 248 Infall a means to harden a Mahumetan 250 Infallibility as dangerous to the soul as Empericks practise to the body 257 The differences amongst Ancients an Argument against any one mans infallib 268 Popes Infallibility pretends to decision of Controversies brought to him not to praediction or prevention of them ere they arise to censure the opinion not punish the Author 274 Popes challenge of infall cause of Dissensions 277 Infallibility is not de facto a means to end Controversies 279 298 Nor would infallib end them aright if all granted it 280 Imperfections in the Popes Infallibleship 284 Infallibility wherein it consists 287 289 Churches or scriptures infallibility which first to be beleeved or are both together to be beleeved 289 c. Infallibility of the Iewish priests depended upon their continencie 378 Infallibility of the King defensible by scripture as probably as that of the priest 387 Some Iews brag that Iudah's scepter still flourish in Media 339. Iews Church erred fundamentally in Christs time ergo not infallible at any time 400 Infallib more necessary under the Law 3â—8 Disadvantage to Rome not to hold the synagogue Infallible 399. Iews after Moses death made not Churches infallibility the Rule of faith but experiments answerable to Gods word 411 What does infal perform to the Believer what to the object beleeved 481 Pope infall in canonizing Saints sayes Valent. 496 Jesuites doctrine of Popes infallib dangerous to states and the worst of errors 499 505 Infallibility a device to cover practises not justifiable by Romish Clerks 506 Infallibility the doctrine of it inverts the whole frame of Religion 5â—â— K POwer of the Keyes 395. see
quam à Deo homines avocare ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sui ab intellectu verae religionis avertere cum sint ipsi poenales quaerere quas ad 〈◊〉 comiâ—es quâ—â—â—… en soul fecerint errore participes Hi tamen adjurati per Deum verum à nobis statim cedunt fatentur de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extre coguntur These were the effects of Christs triumph over Satan sure pledges that the strong man was 〈◊〉 cast cut And the like power had not been so manifest before among the Sons of men * * 1 Kings 22. 24. †〈◊〉 5. 15. ‖ 〈◊〉 1◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a â—… * This Law of Deuteronomie holds true in proportion throughout al Ages If there arise among you a Prophet or a Dreamer of dreams and give thee a sign or wonder And the sign and the wonder which he hath told thee come to Passe saying Let us 〈◊〉 after other Gods which thâ—u hast not known and let us serve them Thâ—u shalt not â—eaâ—ken to the words of that Prophet or unto that Dreamer of dreams for the Lord your God proveth you to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul Deut. 13. 1. †1. Cor. 1. 26. * Phil. 2. 3. †1 Cor. 14. 32. That this 〈◊〉 â—… the 〈◊〉 should rather move all 〈◊〉 Christians to 〈◊〉 all in â—… 〈◊〉 of men then to rely upon any â—… 14. â—… Psal 119. 99. Heb. 3. 5. Psal 119. 100 * That our means for â—iscerning the â—â—â—ginal Causes oâ— O◠〈◊〉 of Conâ—…ns are fully â—â—ui â—aâ—â—nt to the Romish Churches †â—â—llaâ—miâ— lib. 3. de justif cap 3 4. c. disputes so eagerly against this Bishop as might have 〈◊〉 a Censurâ—â—f Irregulâ—…ty had â—e liâ—â—â— in his Diâ—â—esse ‖ Apostolica authoritate inhibemus omnibus tam Ecclesiasticis personis cujuscunque sint ordinis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qâ—â—m â—aiâ— is quocunque honore ac potestate praeditis Praelatis quidem sub interdicti ingressus Eccâ—… que â—uâ—rint sub eâ—communicationis latae sententiae poenis ne quis sine authoritate nostra audeat ullos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glosâ—â—s annotationes scholia ullumve omnino interpretationis genus super ipsius conciliâ— decretis quoâ—… aâ—â— quidquam quocunque nomine etiam sub praetextu majoris decretorum corroborationis aut executiâ—… â—… colore statuere Bullae Pij quarti super confirmatione oecum gener Concil Trident. * Maldoâ—atus censuâ—e of thâ—se men for dissenting as he thinks from their Church is so sharp and peâ—â—â—pâ—oâ—y as might well have caused Contention should his writings have come into their hands Impediunt nos quo â—inus acriter vehemeâ—ter invehamur in haereticos Catholici quidam qui nescio qua imprudentia hereticis se junxerunt Neminem nomino nâ—minem viâ—latae accuso religionis scio Catholicos scio doctos scio religiosos ac probos viros esse sed minimè profecto utilâ—m atque fidelem in hac re operam Ecclesiae navaverunt Quod contra Scripturae sensum contra Patrum omnium inter pretationem contra tacitum iâ—o minime tacitum sed satis superque explicatum consensum Ecclesiae dixerint atque contendeâ—int hoc loco de Sacramento non agi quod ut Benignissimè dicam est Temerarium gravioribus condemnarem verbis nisi crederem viros bene Catholicos Errore magis animi quam vitio in Haereticorum sententiam impegisse Maldonat Comment in sext Johan In this sense Christ is said to have come not to send Peace but a Sword unto the World That this very challenge of this insallible Authority of the Râ—mish Church for ending all Controversies â—â—th necessarily 〈◊〉 the greatest Diâ—…tion from it that can be in all relâ—giâ—us minds * â—… whether from the known or possible fruits of the Romish Churches Means so excellent as is pretended â—… Argument can be drawn to work a prejudicial conceipt in mens minds That it were â—… Authority to their Church before they come to direct examination of the main point what â—… Scriptures * See 〈◊〉 14 â—… 5 c. * Non ignoraâ—at dens multas in Ecclesia exorituras disâ—iculâ—ates circa fidem debuit igitur ju dicem aliqueÌ„ 〈◊〉 a providâ—◠〈◊〉 iste 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non potest elle Scriptura neque Spirâ—aus revelans privatus neque princeps saecularis igâ—tur princeps Ecclesiasticus aut solus aut cerâ—e cum coÌ„silio coÌ„sensu Coepiscoporum Neque enim singitur neque singi potest aliquid aliud ad quod hoc judicium pertinere posse videatur Bellarm. lib. 3. de verbo Dei cap. 9. * Christs Church having by our Doctrine a most infallable written Law and living though but fallible Ecclesiastick Judges is much better provided 〈◊〉 in all matters Spiritual then Politick â—…ties whose Laws as wel as Judges are faluble in matters Câ—vil †The utmost Bounds of all Christian Obedience unto any Authority on earth is only to abide a peaceable â—ial before the lawful Judges patiently to imbrace the Penalty inslicted but not to think about Penalties soever they shall 〈…〉 cause for which 〈…〉 be just or such as shal staâ—â— for good in the day of final Judgement for so earthly Powers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absâ—lute Authority over our Souls which is Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Adversaries go in t that a Prâ—viâ—cial Councel conjirmed by the Pope is as authentick as a General wherein be were presâ—â—t thâ—ugh a sâ—nt in the other 〈◊〉 acâ—quainted with particular Circumstances or carâ—â—ag of the Connoversie Much more availeable should a Popes Confirmation of such Councels be who were present and uel acquainted with all Occasions or other Circumstances of the Conâ—orersie or the Division Wherefore if Reason without Scripture might divide this Comrover sie it were more 〈◊〉 to have a many Popes as sâ—â—eralyâ—ce Statâ—â—o or Monarchies * Convenit etiam inter nos adversaries Sâ—… intelligâ— debere to Spiritu quo factae sunt id est Spiritu sancto Quod Apostolus Peâ—… Epist 2. cap. 1. doe et cum ait Ho◠〈◊〉 intelligentes quod omnis Prophetia Scripturae propria interpretatione non sit Non enim humana voluntate allata est aliquando Peopheâ—a sed Spirtu Sancto inspirati loquuti sunt Sancti Dei homines Ubi B. Petrus probat non debere exponi Scriptur as ex proptio ingenio sed secundum dictamen Spiritus Sancti quia non sunt scriptae humano ingenio sed ex inspiratione Spiritus Sancti Bel. lib. 3. de verb. Dei cap. 3. †2 Pet. cap. 1. vers 20. 21. ‖ Tota igitur quaestio in â—o posita est ubi sit iste Spiritus Nos enim existimamus hunc Spiritum etsi multis privatis hominibus saepe conceditur tamen cetto inveniri in Ecclesia id est in Concilio Episcoporum confirmato à summo Ecclesiae totius Pastore sive in sun mo Pastere cum Concilio aliotum Pastorum Bellarmin ibid. In this place as he professeth he will not dispute
〈◊〉 and Valenrian hath use the like speeches The Romish rack of conscience Lest they might in any doubt go against their conscience they are taught to Believe That whatsoever the Pope shall command is good and cannot hurt the Conscience See the next Annotation out of Bellaâ—…in * Respoundeo verbum Ecclesiae id est Conciliâ— vel Pontificis docentis ex Cathedia non esse omnino verbum hominis id est verbum errori obnoxium sed aliquo modo verbum Dei id est prolatum gubeâ—nante assistente spiritu sancto imo dico Haereticos esse qui revera nitantur baculo arundineo Sciendum est enim propositionem fidei concludi tali Syllogismo Quicquid Deus revelavit in Scripturis est verum hoc Deus revelavit in Scripturis ergo hoc est verum Ex propositionibus hujus Syllogismi prima certa est apud omnes secunda apud Catholicos est etiam â—…ima nititur enim testimonio Ecclesiae Concilij vel Pontificis de quibus habemus in Scripturis apertas promissiones â—â—od errare non possint Actorum 15. Visum est Spiritui Sancto nobis Et Luc. 22. Rogavi pro te ut non deficiat fides 〈◊〉 At apud Haereticos nititur solis conjecturis vel judicio proprij spiritus qui plerumque videtur bonus est malus Et cum conclusio sequatur debiliorem partem sit necessariò ut tota fides Haereticoâ—um sit conjecturalis incerta Bellar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dei interpret lib. 3. cap. 10. resp ad 15. arg a Bellarmins Catholick Syllogisine wherein all Conclusions of Faith must be gathered †Acts 15. ver 28. ‖ Luke 22. ver 32. †Cap. 1. The 〈◊〉 â—…ulty in then opinion whence our our former conclusion may be deduced * Sâ— volunt Pontishcem in rebus alioqui omnino controversis id est non satis expresse in Ecclesia compertis ac determinatis definite posse ut personam publicam errorem re ipsa contra fidem erraut ipsi in side gravissimè Posset enim into teneretur tunc Ecclesia universa Pontificem de re controversa docentem ac nondum haeresi manifestè notatum pro Pastore suo agnolcere atque adeo ipsum omnino audite 〈◊〉 sieret ut si tunc errare possit Ecclesia etiam universa possit immo teneretur erraâ—e Valeitiam Tem. 3. de object Fid. Disp 1. Quaest 1. Puâ—ct 〈◊〉 Paragraph 41. Bellarmin from the same grounds Collects that the Pope cannot err in matters of manners †Vide Librum 2. Cap. 30. Paragraph 14. Nam sides Catholica docet omnem virtutem esse bonam omne vitium esse malum si autem Papa erraâ—et pracipiendo vitia vel prohibendo virtutes teneretur Fedesia credere vitia essa bona 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 virtutes malas nisi vellet contra conscientiam peccare Tenetur enim â—…bus dubiis Ecclesia acquiescerè judicio sumâ—… sacere quod ille praecipit non sacere quod ille prohibet ac ne forte contra conscientiam â—… bonum esse quod ille praecipit 〈◊〉 quod ille prohibet Bellarmin Lib. 4. de Roman Pâ—… Cap. 5. Wherein the Papists make the Popes authority greater then Gods Jâ—… 39. 〈◊〉 â—hâ—s 5. 21 1 Jâ—hn 4. 1. The grosse impiety of the Romish Church in binding men to believe negatives without any tolerable exposition of those Scriptures which seem to contradict her decrees in matters damnable to adventure upon without Evidence of truth on her part â—… whereâ—… mens â—… fâ—r â—… with 〈◊〉 â—…damnable because contrary to the Doctrine of Faith And yet to enforce a Belief upon our selves that Christ 〈◊〉 there present without warrant of Scripture is more damnable for this were to affect ignorance for cloaking Idolatry See l. 2. 〈◊〉 7. * Vasquez in part 3. Thomae Tom. 1 Disput â—… Cap. 5. Num. 33. Tom. 2. disp 209. cap. 4. Num. 41. †The known Experiments of such Creatures arising from corruption of their consecrated Hoast have enforced the School-men to invent new Miracles how they should come there Some think per creationem novae materiae primae others that the quantity of the late deceased consecrated hoast Supplet locum materiae primae which as Pererius thinks is the greatest of all the nine miracles about Transubstantiation See Pererius disput 16. in 6. Chap. John Suarez Metaphys Disput 20. Sect 5. Num. 13. § Siquis dixerit in sancto Eucharistiae Sacramento Christum unigenitum Dei filium non esse cultu â—… externo adorandum atque ideo nec 〈◊〉 peculiari Celebritate venerandum neque in processionibus â—… laudabilem universalem Ecclesiae sanctae ritum consuetudinem solemniter circumgestandum vel non pubâ—… populo proponendum 〈◊〉 adoratores esse Idololatias Anathemâ— sit Concil Tâ—… Sess 13. Can. 6. â—… decree of the Trent Councel for communicating in one kind against the expresse Commandment of Christ the practise â—… and the Primitive Church †Sâ—… 21. cap. 2. ‖ â—… autem sub Aâ—… secta vivenâ—â—â— quia â—… st ut ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vâ—… dâ— alio 〈◊〉 Reges comâ—… de alio populus â—iâ—or vâ—renâ—m in calice illo posâ—it de quo â—… communicatura erat Quo illa 〈◊〉 â—… de parte Diaboli Quid câ—ntraâ— aâ—… Haeretici respondebunt â—… Nos vero Trinitatem in una aequalitate paâ—iter omnipotentia â—… bi◠〈◊〉 in nomine Patris Filij Spiritus Sancti veri incorruptibilis Dei nihil nos nocâ—â—iâ— Greg. Tuâ—â—n Hist Lab. 〈◊〉 Num. 31. * Concil 〈◊〉 Sâ—â—â— 21. Cap. 1. Itaque sancta ipsa Synodus 〈◊〉 Spiritus Sanctâ—… qui spiritus est sapientiâ—… intellectus spiritus 〈◊〉 pictatis edocta atque ipsius Ecclesiae judicium coâ—suâ—tudinem secuta declarat ac docet Nullo divino praecepto Laicos Clericos non conficientes obligati ad Euchaâ—… entum sub utraque specie sumendum neque ullo pactò salva fide dubitari posse quin illis alterius 〈◊〉 â—… ad â—… ad salutem sufficiat Nam etsi Christus Dominus in ultima caena venerabile hoc Sacramentum in panis vici speciebus instituit Apostolis tradidit non tamen illa institutio traditio eò tendunt ut omnes Christi fideles statuâ—o 〈◊〉 ad utâ—â—â— que speciem accipiendam astringantur Sed neque ex sermone illo apud Johan 6. recte colligitur utriâ—… Domino praeceptum esse utcunque juxta varias sanctorum Patrum Doctorum interpretationes Nan que qui dixit Nisi manducaveritis carnem â—ilij hominis biberitis ejus sanguinem non habebiâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—n vobis dixit quoque Siquis manducaverit ex hoc pane vivet in aeternum Et qui dixit Qui manducat â—â—am â—… habet vitam aeternam dixit etiam Panis quem ego dabo â—aro mea est proâ—… Qui manducat meam carnem bibit meum sanguinem in me maner ego in illo dixit â—…
veâ—â—â—is qâ—am novi Testamenti câ—… urinâ—que â—… Deâ—…ctor neâ— non traditiones ipsas tùm ad sidem â—… res pertinentes tanquam vel ore 〈◊〉 Châ—… Vâ—l à Spiâ—itâ— Sancto dâ—ctatas â—… Ecclesia Cathâ—…a conservaras paâ—i 〈◊〉 aâ—â—â—ctâ— aâ—â—e verenâ—ia suscâ—â—it venetaâ—â—r Coâ—cil Tâ—â—dent Sâ—iâ— 4. Decretâ— de Canonicis Scripturis And a liâ—tle after having reckoned up the Apocryphal Books with the Caâ—…ical they thus conclude Si quis aâ—tem libros ipsos integros cum omnibus suis partibus prout in Ecclâ—sâ—a Catholica legi consueveâ—unt in veten vulgata Latina editione habentur pro Sacris Canouâ—â—â—s non susceperit traditiones praedictas sciens pâ—udens contempserit anaâ—hema sit Oâ—… inâ—â—lligaâ—t quo ordiâ—e via ipsa Synodus â—… fâ—dâ—â— confâ—ssionis fundamentum sit progrâ—… â—…mum testimoniis ac praesidiis in coâ—… dâ—gâ—â—atibus instaurandis in Ecclesia 〈◊〉 â—â—t usura The Councel was very wise in not expressing as well what unwritten traditions as written Books they meant to follow ‖ Râ—spondeâ— â—…â—â—nâ—s câ—â—â—â—s essâ— Ecclâ—sâ—â—m â—… â—… dubitare â—… Hâ—… caâ—eâ—a revâ—â—â—â—… ab ipâ—a mâ—â—â—e Eccleâ—â—a â—… â—… â—… ullâ—â— Noâ—… à Dâ—o 〈◊〉 â—… à â—… â—odi◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Novâ—… unus quidâ—â— aâ—… quâ— madmodumâ—evâ—lâ—tae 〈◊〉 â—… 〈◊〉 Aâ—… his mâ—llâ— iâ—… Moâ—e Pâ—… Sa â—… Senâ— Bell. â—… 〈◊〉 p. 109. The two maiâ— bâ—aâ—â—hes 〈◊〉 Râ—â—ish â—… â—… v. 5. * An objection which might be made in favour of the Romanists answered and retorted See Cap. 2. Cap. 29. * Nihil igitur afferunt qui Ecclesiae authoritatem non absolute sed ex conditione ponunt Si namque ad eum modum res habet mihi quoque fides habenda est quando pronunciavero secundum Scripturas rectè intellectas Id enim est non mihi sed Scripturae credere Caenus lib. 4. ca. 4. See cap. 1. parag 11. The greater Moral or Historical Belief the Romanist hath of the truth or true meaning of Scriptures the greater his condemnation by subscription to this doctrine of the Churches absolute infallibilitie * This argument holds as we say 〈◊〉 fortiori of saith insased 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can be so fully perswaded that be bath 〈◊〉 saith 〈◊〉 of any point but must renounce his perswasion when the Church defines the contrary whose definition or asseaeration be it a cause or condition of beleeving will fully perswadeâ—â— Romanist that he now hath divine iâ—sâ—â—â—d faith of the câ—ntrary to that be believed before For his divine inâ—â—ted saith and his habit of Theologie may not disagree and yet in this case his habit of Theologie may not yeeld unto the other because it hath the Churches testimony which it is supposed the other wanteth †See the notes out of Bellarmin Cap. 3. parag 9. That this doctrine 〈◊〉 â—dens such as eâ—brace it to glory in villany Quotiescunque Romanus Pontifex in fidei quaestionibus definiendis illa qua est praeditus authoritate utitur ab omnibus fidelibus tanquam doctrina fidei recipi divino praecepto debet ea sentententia quam ille decernit esse sententiam fidei Toties autem cum illa ipsa authoritate uti credendum est quoties in controversia fidei sic alterutram sententiam determinat ut ad eam recipiendam obligare velit universam Ecclesiam Valent. tom 3. in Aquin. Disp 1. Quaest 1. De object fidei Punct 7. parag 10. * Distinguendi sunt modi quibus potest contingere Pontificem aliquid asserere Primo enim potest sibi persuadere aut asserere aliquid ut privata persona quaedam vel doctor alius quispiam ut si nollet Ecclesiam universam ad recipiendam suam assertionem obligare sed tantum sententiam ipse suam reputaret veram Hoc modo Innocentius 3. nonnulli alij Pontifices opuscula varia ediderunt Ac illa quidem quae sic Pontisex asseverat communis sententia omnium Theologorum est non oportere esse onmia â—era infallibilia quasi à Pontificia authoritate profecta Quin imo à plerisque authoribus conceditur fieri posse ut Ponâ—sex tanquam quaedam privata persona in haeresim labatur Idem Ibidem Secundo modo potest Pontifex aliquid asserere obligando universaÌ„ EcclesiaÌ„ ut illud recipiat nec quisquaÌ„ audeat sibi persuadere contrariuÌ„ Et quaecunque Pontisex in aliqua de religione controversia sic asserit certa side credenduÌ„ est illum infallibiliter ac proinde ex authoritare Pontificia hoc est ex divina assistentia id asserere Ib. †Itaque quod ad Canonizationem Sanctorum attinet omnino nego id quod communiter doctores Catholici jure optimo negant videlicet posse Pontificem 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qâ—amvis enim testimonia quae pro 〈◊〉 hominis sanctitare asseruntur sint humana ideâ—que natura sua fallibilia tameÌ„ posito quod Pontifexillis inducatur tandeÌ„ ad pronuncianduÌ„ quem piam sanctum atque beatuÌ„ jam esse certa fide credenduÌ„ est testimonia iâ—â—a quaâ—â—nus in genere salteÌ„ probant piè atque sanctè quenquaÌ„ ex hac vira excessisse vera esse homineÌ„ eju modi ex cotuÌ„ esse numero quos per revelationes scripturae generales in coÌ„muni coÌ„stat divinae gratiae beneficio coÌ„sequi aeternae vitae heatitudineÌ„ Quae sanè certitudo iisdeÌ„ illis Dei promissionibus nititur ex quibus coÌ„pertuÌ„ habemus nimquaÌ„ esse futuruÌ„ ut universa Eoclesia in rebus religionis fallatur Falleretur auteÌ„ graviter in negotio religionis si sanctuÌ„ reputaret ac pro tall veneraretur eum qui sanctus non est Hic auteÌ„ illud quod alias ab orthodoxis probatum atque defensum est tanquam ex fide certum pono nempe rem esse omnino quae ad Ecclesiae aedisicationem adeoque ad ossicium Pontisicis pertineat ut Sancti quidam aliquando Canonizentur ac proinde universam Ecclesiam debere ut sanctum venerari illum quem summus Pontifex nunâ—ero Sanctorum adscribit sicut etiam usus ipse perpetuus atque traditio Ecclesiae confirmat Valent. ibid. Parag. 41. * Psal 14. v. 1. The fearful manner of Jesuites tempting God in maintaining this argument * Lib. 2 c. 31. Parag. 6. †His words be cited Parag. 2. * Objicâ— potest quod ut postea dicturi sumus ut Pontifex in definiendo authoritate sua rectè utatur studio diligentia in inquirenda veritate opus habet Nihil autem obstâ—râ— videtur quo minus possit interduÌ„ ille ejusmodi diligentia praetermissa controversiam definite Poterit igitur tunc saltem errare Respondâ—o five Pontifex in definiendo studium adhibeat sive non adhibeat modo tamen controversiam definiat infallibiliter cerâ—è definiet atque adeo reipsa utetur authoritate sibi à Christo concessa Quod ex promissionibus divinis de veritate per magisteâ—…um unius pastoris Ecclesiae fact is
be so authentick in his doctrine Is it not the pretended priviledge of the same spirit which exempts the Pope from privatenesse and makes his authority oecumenical and infallible Whosoever then by participation of this spirit understands the Prophesies either immediately or expounded by others whomsoever his conceit of them or their right interpretation is not private but authentick And Canus though a Papist expresly Teacheth That the immediate ground or Formal Reason of ours and the Apostles Belief must be the same both so immediately and infallibly depending upon the testimony of the spirit as if the whole world beside should teach the contrary yet were every Christian bound to stick unto that inward testimony which the spirit hath given him Though the Church or Pope should expound them to us we could not infallibly believe his expositions but by that spirit by which he is supposed to teach so believing we could not infallibly teach others the same for it is the spirit only that so teacheth all The inference then is as evident as strong that private in the fore-cited place is opposed to that which wants authority not unto publick or common The Kings promise made to me in private is no private promise but wil warrant me if I come to plead before his Majesty albeit others make question whether I have it or no. In this sense that interpretation of scriptures which the spirit affords us that are private men is not private but authentick though not for extent or publication of it unto others yet for the perfection of our warrant in matters of salvation or concerning God For where the spirit is there is perfect liberty yea free accesse of pleading our cause against whomsoever before the Tribunal seat of justice especially being wronged in matters of the life to come To this purpose saith our Apostle But â—e that is spiritual discerneth all things yet he himself is judged of no man In those things wherein he cannot be judged by any he is no private man but a Prince and Monarch for the freedom of his conscience But if any man falsly pretend this freedom to nurse contentions or to withdraw his neck from that yoak whereto he is subject he must answer before his supream Judge and his holy Angels for framing unto himself a counterfeit licence without the assured warrant of his spirit And so shal they likewise that seek to command mens consciences in those matters wherein the spirit hath set them free This is the height of iniquity that hath no temporal punishment in this life but must be reserved as the object of fiercest wrath in that fearful day the very Idea of Antichristianism CAP. XXIV That S. Paul submitted his doctrine to examination by the Words before written That his doctrine disposition and practise were quite contrary to the Romanists in this argument 1 SAint Paul as wel as other Apostles had the gift of miracles which amongst Barbarians or distressed souls destitute of other comfort likely to be won to grace by wonders he did not neglect to practise but sought not to enforce belief upon the Jews by fearful signs or sudden destruction of the obstinate albeit he had power to anathematize not only in word but in deed even to deliver men alive unto Satan When he came to Thessalonica he went as his manner was into the Synagogue and three Sabbath dayes disputed with his country-men by the Scriptures opening and alledging that Christ must have suffered and risen again from the dead and this is Jesus Christ whom I preach to you These Jews had Moses and the Prophets and if they would not hear them neither would they believe for any miracles which to have wrought amongst such had been as the casting of pearls before swine What was the reason they did not believe because the Scriptures which he urged were obscure but Saint Paul did open them Rather they saw the truth as Papists do but would not see it They rightly believed whatsoever God had said was most true that he had said what Moses and the Prophets wrote and yet Saint Paul taught nothing which they had not foretold But that was all one these Jews had rather believe Moses and the Prophets meant as the Scribes and Pharisees or other chief Rulers of their Synagogues taught then as Paul expounded them albeit his expositions would have cleared themselves to such as without prejudice would have examined them But the Beroeans were of a more ingenuous disposition so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports they were not vassals to other mens interpretations or conceits but used their liberty to examin their truth They received the word with all readinesse and searched the Scriptures whether these things were so or no. If they believed in part before their practise confirms the truth of our assertion that they were not to believe the infallibility of Paul but of his doctrine albeit they were wel perswaded of his personal authority If they believed neither in part nor wholly before they saw the truth of his doctrine confirmed by that Scripture which they had formerly acknowledged their ingenuity herein likewise confirms our doctrine and condemns the Papists of insolent blasphemy for arrogating that authority unto the Popes decrees which is only due unto Gods word already established 2 I would demand of any Papists whether the Beroeans did wel or ill in examining Saint Pauls doctrine if ill why hath the Spirit of God commended them if well why is it not lawfull and expedient for all true Christians to imitate them Unlesse the Reader bite his lip I will not promise for him he shall not laugh at Bellarmines answer albeit I knew him for another Heraclitus or Crassus Agelastus who never laughed in all his life save once when he saw an Asse feed on thistles Surely he must have an Asses lips that can taste and a swines belly that can digest this great Clerks Divinity in this point I answer saith he albeit Paul were an Apostle and could not preach false doctrine thus much notwithstanding was not evident to the Beroeans at the first nor wore they bound forthwith to believe unlesse they had seen some miracles or other probable inducements to believe Therefore when Paul proved Christ unto them out of the Prophetical Oracles they did well to search the Scriptures whether those things were so If Saint Paul had thought miracles a more effectuall means then Scriptures for begetting faith in such as acknowledged Moses and the Prophets no doubt he had used miracles rather then their authority Or if the Pope cannot expound the Scriptures as effectually and perspicuously as Saint Paul did why doth he not at the least work miracles are we bound absolutely to believe him and is he bound to do neither of these without which the people of Beroea were not bound as Bellarmine acknowledgeth to believe Saint Paul But if his reason be worth belief Christians which know the Church