judgement which in outward profession not disclaiming the former main foundation of Christianity God manifested in the flesh can in deed and issue more evidently overthrow it more distinctly contradict either those Fundamental precepts of salvation last cited or more fully evacuate the often mentioned promise made unto Saint Peter then the foundation of Romish religion as Romish doth and I will do publick pennance in sack-cloth and asâ—es for laying the imputation of Antichristianism upon it Our Saviour saith whosoever heareth these words and doth them not doth build his house upon the sand They teach the contradictory as an Article of faith that the Pope or a Councel of Bishops assembled by his appointment instructed by his Infallibility confirmed by his plenary power do alwayes build upon the same Rock as Peter did yea that the Pope himself how wicked soever is that very Rock whereupon the Church that is in their language the Bishops thus assembled is built the oecumenical Pastor that must keep them and by them all Christs flock from going astray the supream head that by his vertue and influence must sustain every member of Christs body here on earth from falling into heresie or approaching the territories of hell through any kind of errour or infidelity 27 Our Saviour promised in solemn manner ex Cathedra the gates of hell shall never prevail against his Church What Church the Catholick What Catholick Visible or Invisible Triumphant or Militant Visible and Militant What Catholick visible militant Church The Roman that consists of divers members In it some are Pastors some are sheep whether have better interest in that Promise Pastors Of Pastors some are Prelates some inferiours whether are to be preferred before the other Prelates doubtlesse for of them consists the body of the Church representative which is most properly called the Church and next in reversion unto Peters prerogative Did the gates of hell then never prevail against the greatest Romish Prelates I nominate no particular person I speak onely of them as the Scripture doth of Drunkards Whoremongers Adulterers Dogs Enchanters Many of highest place in that Church have for a long time lived and for ought their followers can or care to say unto the contrary died such as the Spirit of God hath excluded from the Kingdome of Heaven such as Gods Word tels us hell must swallow up with open mouth Are they the Church and may hell gates prevail against them and yet not prevail against the Church 28 But if a woman an whorish woman cannot be taken without an excuse may we think those effeminate sworn creatures of servitude to that great Strumpet can want an answer No this distinction is alwayes at hand Their Popes and Cardinals may as erre so go to hell But how as private Doctors not as oecumenical Pastors not as they speak ex Cathedra so to my remembrance I have read of a proud Romish Prelate that being reproved for his secular pomp made answer he followed these fashions as he was a Duke not as an Archbishop But the reprovers reply hath made the Apologie better then which no Jesuite can make for the Pope most ridiculous ever since If this be so quoth the shepherd such was the Pastor God had appointed to rebuke the madnesse of this false Prophet I pray resolve me what shall become of my Lord Duke if the Archbishop go to the Devil If many sometimes Popes be now in hell as no Jesuite I think will professe any morall hope that all are saved What is become of the Church representative which lodged in their brains Hath the number of glorified Saints been encreased by their departure from earth Were they ever a whit more happie for being heirs to that glorious Promise Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church Or were their Comments upon that place Orthodoxal What was the comfort Saint Peter himself could ever have reaped thence Onely this though Sathan may so fist thee that thy soul may go to hell before thy body descend to the grave yet rest assured of this that thy faith which in Cathedral resolutions shall never sail thee in thy life time shall survive in thy successors when thou art dead but to what purpose if notwithstanding this prerogative all may descend one after another into hell 29 Or if their Doctrine were true to what end did Christ come in the flesh onely to build a Church which like a lamp or candle may gloriously shine whiles there is an uninterrupted succession of Popes to propagate the splendor but whose glorie when that expires for ought that glorious promise addes unto it must be extinguished as the light goes out when the oil is spent Better assurance then every Pope for his time hath Saint Peter by their doctrine had none from those words of our Saviour For whatsoever power or prerogative was in them bequeathed to him doth descend by inheritance to his successours And would the meanest Jesuite now living have gloried much in a life graced with no greater visible Church dignitie then S. Peters was perpetually exposed to like danger without any other solace to support it save onely this that his posterity should enjoy the same priviledges But now that the glory and dignity of the Romish Church is become so great and the Iesuites portion thereby grown so fat they can be well content to sooth up the Pope in this conceit that howsoever his person may go to hell a place it seems not much dreaded because unknown yet hell gates shall never prevail against his faith which hath brought such large possessions to the Church both which he may infallibly entail to his successors untill the worlds end But as I said before what then shall become of that Cathedral faith shall it augment the quire of Gods elect or can they make as many S. Faiths as have been Popes 30 Herein appears the excesse of these dayes impiety in respect of former that this imaginary Idea of Romish faith should be more superstitiously adored then any other Idoll in the World ever was Although that of the Apostle may be more properly said of it then any other nihil est in mundo Other Idols represented either men or beasts some permanent creature or reall quality This is a fancie of a Chimaera a shape of nothing or if by nature and essence ought it is such a conceit or mental quality as may be in devils Existence it hath none but as Eclipses of the Sun by fits or courses when the Pope shall speak ex Cathedra What shall become of it and the colours in the Rainbow after the day of judgement are two questions of like use and consequence and of these two Objects the one as fit to direct mens courses by Sea or Land as the other to conduct us towards heaven The dazled imaginations of these Idolaters that can thus conceit this faith to be spiritual and eternal by succession when it cannot save
though friendly admonished cease henceforth to urge their outworn arguments drawn from antiquity universality from that reverence and allegiance which most Kingdoms of Europe have for these thousand years and more born to the See of Rome or from the bloudy victories over all other inferiour Churches or private spirits that have oppugned her These or like allegations in their judgement abundantly prove their Church to be Christs best beloved the Pope to be his Deputy or rather his corrival here on earth whose words sound as the word of God and not of Man albeit the spirit hath plainly foretold that the beast which had his power from the Dragon and should open his mouth unto blasphemies against God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven should have power given withall to make war with the Saints and to overcome them yea over every kindred tongue and nation so as all that dwell upon the earth should worship hint whose names were not written in the Book of life of the Lamb which was slain from the beginning of the world 5 To the Jesuites brags that no visible Church since the world began did either spread it self so far or flourish so long as theirs hath done I only oppose that of our Saviour Ex tuo ipsius ore judicabere serve nequam Thine own confession shall condemn thee thou bond-slave of Satan For if the Romish Hierarchy be or hath been in the worlds eye the most potent and flourishing that ever was This description of the Beasts power cannot agree so wel to any as unto it Nor doth the Scripture any where intimate the true Church militant should dominere over all Nations or be so triumphantly victorious as they boast theirs hath been To think the Antichrist whom they expect should in three years space subdue as many Nations as have been tributary to the See of Rome is a conceit that justifies the Jew as well in his credulity of things to come which are impossible as in his hypocritical partiality towards his present estate which he never suspects of Apostasie Unto this observation the Reader may adde other like descriptions of this scarlet Whore all so fitly agreeing to the Papacy as he that will not acknowledge it for the Kingdom of great Antichrist hath great reason to suspect his heart that if he had lived with our Saviour he would scarce have taken him for his Messias nor can the Jesuites bring any better reasons why the Pope should not be the Antichrist then the Jews did why Christ should not be the great Prophet Yet this I say not to discourage such as doubt whether the Pope be that Man of sin or to bring them out of love with their belief which may be sound without expresse or actual acknowledgement of this truth not as yet revealed unto them as those two Disciples no doubt were neither hypocrites nor infidels albeit they mistrusted the report of Christs resurrection for they were farther from approving the practises of the Jews against him then from actual acknowledgement of it If any man thus doubt whether the Pope be Antichrist so he do not approve his hatred and war against Gods Saints or his other devilish practises Gods peace be upon him and in good time I trust his eyes shal be enlightned to see the truth in this particular as those two Disciples did in the Article of the resurrection 6 Seeing we have proved the Popes authority so far to exceed Christ it may seem needlesse to compare it with the Apostles Yet lest any Jesuite should except that their authority might be greater after their Masters glorification then his was before let us a while examin what they assumed unto themselves what they gave unto the Scriptures before extant CAP. XXIII That the authority attributed to the present Pope and the Romish rule of faith were altogether unknown unto Saint Peter the opposition betwixt Saint Peters and his pretended Successors doctrine 1 TO begin with S. Peter the first supposed to be enstalled in this See of Rome It may be presumed that this Supremacy over his fellow Apostles were it any was in his life time whiles his miracles were fresh and the extraordinary efficacy of his Ministery daily manifested as wel known amongst the faithful as the Popes now amongst Roman Catholicks If necessary it had been to acknowledge him or his successors as a second Rock or foundation the commendation of this doctrine unto posterity had been most requisite at the time he wrote his second Epistle as knowing then the time was at hand he should lay down his Tabernacle when he endeavoured his auditors might have remembrance of his former doctrine to make their calling and election sure If ever there had been a fit season for notifying the necessity of the See Apostolicks infallibility all the circumstances of this place witnesse this was it If any they to whom he wrote were most bound to obey it Their faith had been planted by him his present intent and purpose was more and more to confirm them in the truth wherein they were in some measure established And being thus mindful wil he not make choice of means most effectual to prevent Heresie or Apostasie What are these then absolute reposal in his and his Successors infallibility Had this been the best rule of faith he knew his fault were inexcusable for not prescribing it to such is most willingly would have used it His personal testimony and authority was I confess as great as any mortal mans could be with his own eyes he had beheld the Majesty of our Lord Christ whom he preached unto them If any trust there be in humane senses this Saint of God could not possibly be deceived If any credence to be given unto miracles or sanctity of life his flock might rest assured he would not deceive his works so witnesse the sincerity of his doctrine or if his eye were not in these his auditors judgements sufficient witnesses of this truth he further assures them when his Lord received of God the Father honour and glory there came such a voice unto him from the excellent glory This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased And this voice saith he we heard when it came from heaven being not a far off but with him in the mount If S. Peters seat or chair had been as the Pole-star whereto our Belief as the Mariners needle should be directed lest we float we know not whither in the Ocean of opinions were the Bosome of the visible Church the safest harbour our souls in all storms of temptation could thrust into this Apostle was either an unskilful Pilot or an uncharitable man that would not before his death instruct them in this course for the eternal safety of their souls whose bodily lives he might have commanded to have saved his own Had perpetual succession in his See or Apostolical tradition never interrupted been such an
Authoritie of some Books it rather ought to confirm his Faith that men disagreeing so much in many opinions so opposite in their affections should so well agree about the number of no fewer then two and twentie Canonical Books of the old Testament Had their authority only been Human or left to the choice of men whether they should be allowed or rejected many that now admit them would reject them because opposite Religions did embrace them That all sorts of Protestants Papists and Jews do receive them is an infallible Argument that he who is Lord of all did commend them to all Nor doth our Church so disclaim all which the Romans above these two and twenty admit as if it were a point of faith to hold there were no more it only admits no more into the same Rank and Order with the former because we have no such warrant of faith or sure Experiments so to do Many of them discover themselves to be Apocryphal and albeit some of them can very hardly or not at all be discerned for such by their Stile Character or dissonancie to Canonical Scriptures yet that none of them indeed are or can be admitted for Canonical without manifest tempting of God is evident from what hath been observed before concerning Gods unspeakable providence in making the Blinded and Perfidious Jews Christ's and our bitterest enemies such trusty Feoffees for making over the Assurances of Life unto us For seeing by them he commended unto us only so many Books of the old Testament as our Church acknowledgeth this is an intallible Argument that His will was we should admit no more Had any more been written before the re-edifying of the Temple by Zerubbabel no doubt the Jews would have admitted them into their Canon For all such as should be written after the Prophet Malachie who is the last of their Canon had left this caveat in the last words of his prophecie for not admitting them Remember the law of Moses my servant which I commanded to him in Horeb in all Israel with the statutes and judgments as if he had said You must content your selves with His Writings such as you have already Consonant to his for any others of equal Authoritie you may not expect until the Expectation of the Gentiles come For no Prophet shall arise untill that time as he intimates in the last words Behold I will send you Eliah the Prophet before the coming of the great and fearful day of the Lord and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers lest 〈◊〉 come and smite the earth with cursing The Ministery of others for converting souls he supposed should be but ordinarie by the Exposition of the Law and Prophets and the Authoritie of such writ they as much as they listed could not be Authentick or Canonical 3 Some others again of reformed Churches in these our times have from the example of Antiquitie doubted of the authoritie of some Books in the new Testament as of Jude of James the second of Peter and some others Which doubt is now diminished by their continuance in the sacred Canon so long time not without manifest documents of GODS providence in preserving â—hem whose pleasure it may seem was to have these Books of whom the Ancients most doubted fenced and guarded on the one side by S. Pauls Epistles and other Canonical Scriptures never called in question by any but absurd and foolish Hereticks whose humorous opinions herein died with themselves and on the other by the Book of the Apocalypse of whose Authoritie â—hough many of the Ancient for the time being doubted yet He that was before all times did fore-see that it should in later times manifest it self to be â—…is work by Events answerable to the Prophecies contained in it And albeit many Apocryphal Books have been stamped with Divine Titles and obâ—…uded upon the Church as Canonical whilest she was in her Infancie and the sacred Canon newly constitute yet the divine Spirit by which it was written hath wrought them out as new wine doth such filth or grossenesse as mingle with it whilest the grapes are troden S. Johns Adjuration in the conclusion of that Book hath not only terrified all for adding unto or diminishing it â—elf but hath been as it were a Seal unto the rest of this Sacred Volume of the new Testament as Malachies prophecie was to the old the whole Canon it self consisting both of the Old and New continues still as the Ark of God and all other Counterfeits as Dagon 4 Were not our Roman adversaries Doctrine concerning the general principles of Faith an Invention devised of purpose by Satan to obliterate all print â—r impression of Gods providence in governing his Church out of mens hearts how were it possible for any man endued with reason to be so far overgrown with Phrensie as not to conceive their own folly madnes in avouchâ—…g we cannot know what books are Canonical what not but by the Infallible Testimony of the present Romish Church But of those impieties at large hereafter I wil now only infer part of their Conclusion which they still labor but never shall be able to prove from Premises which they never dreamt of For 〈◊〉 profess among others this is not the least reason I have to hold the Apocalypse for Canonical Scripture because the Romish Church doth so esteem it Nor could reformed Churches Belief of its Authority be so strong unless that Church had not denied but openly acknowledged it for Canonical Scripture As the same Beams of the Sun reach from heaven to earth and from one end of the world to another so do the same raies of Gods power extend themselves from generation to generation alwaies alike conspicuous to such as are Illuminate by His Spirit for who thus Illuminate can acknowledg his providence in making the Jews so careful to preserve the old Testament and not as clearly discern the same in constraining the Romish Church to give her supposed infallible Testimony of the Apocalypse Doubtlesse if that Book had been the work of man it had been more violently used by that Church of late then ever the new Testrment hath been by the Jewish Synagogue or any Heretick by the Romanists seeing it hath said far more against â—hem then any whom they account for such ever did But God who â—ade Pharaohs Daughter a second mother unto Moses whom he had apâ—…ted to bring destruction afterwards upon her Fathers house and Kingâ—â—m hath made the Romish Church of old a Dry Nurse to preserve this Book whose meaning she knew not that it might bring desolation upon her self 〈◊〉 her children in time to come For by the breath of the Lord shall she be destroyed her doom is already read by S. John the Lord of late hath intangled her in her own snare whilest she was drawing it to catch others Her childrens Brags of their mothers
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
all though different in their particular Natures and peculiar Properties uniform for the transmission of Light But after the dissolution of the Christian Empire and the constitution of several States and Soveraignties throughout Europe all compleat within themselves and different one from another in Laws and Customes the transfusion of such an absolute Ecclesiastick Authoritie through all would be unequal and make Christendom like a Monster compact of many several entire Bodies made up in one or like some uglie living creature that had many Heads and but one Heart or Soul CAP. XXX That the final Trial of this Controversie must be by Scriptures That the Jesuites and modern Papists fierce oppugning all certainty of private Spirits in discerning the Divine Truth of Scriptures or their true Sense hath made the Church their Mother utterly uncapable of any plea by Scriptures for establishing her pretended Infallibility 1 BUt what Christian heart could have suspected that any man acknowledging the infinite Majestie of an Omnipotent God filling every place with his Presence ruling all things by his Power and having every least Creature of the World a world of Witnesses of his inconceivable Wisdome and unspeakable Providence over the Works of his own Hand durst once have presumed to think much lesse have opened his mouth to utter least of all have imployed his pen to proclaim such foul Impietie to the world as that a Power so infinite could not sufficiently provide for his Church in deciding matters of Faith surpassing all reach of Reason unlesse he had ordained some one Supream Tribunal Seat on earth the Judges whereof should be but mortal men whose Bodies can be but in one place at once whose Voices cannot reach without the precincts of their Consistories whereas the Law of this our God unto whose sentence in matters of Faith we appeal is or might be but for these our Antiscripturian Adversares importunitie every where throughout the Christian World dispersed and besides the external helps of an ordinary Ministerie or Magistracie alike common to all Nations the Holy Spirit is every where assistant to all such as seek him in the written Word by him revealed whose live-characters are as the prints or footsteps of his wonted Motions in Gods Prophets or Apostles hearts by which the faithful may discern his approach or Presence in their own Nor wil the Jesuites be so wilful I hope as to denie that this Holy Spirit who did dictate the Word to such as wrote it in these material Tables having first written it in the fleshly Tables of their Hearâ—ts is able now also to write the same immediately in the Hearts of all such as with fear and reverence prepare themselves for his fit and decent entertainment That this was possible to be performed by the Almighty Wisdom of God they would not I know deny were this 〈◊〉 direct and plain termes made the main Controversie betwixt us Albeit as much as we have charged them withall will most necessarily follow from their absurd and lavishly blasphemous Speeches which in the heat of contention have distilled from their pens in this present Controversie But of the Possibilitie of Gods immediate teaching every Christian Heart or rather of the Probabilities which may induce all to relie immediately hereupon we shall have occasion to discourse hereafter Let us now in sobrietie of Spirit rather dispute of Gods Will then his Power As whether there be any sure Argument to perswade us that it was his intent or purpose either to instruct men in the true Sense of Scriptures or to take up all Controversies in matters of Faith by this supposed Infallibilitie of some visible Church All this and somewhat more our Adversaries in this Point seriously avouch and earnestly contend for Let us therefore briefly see whether or no Gods Spirit hath taught thus much That the Sense of Scriptures cannot be had without the Assistance or working of Gods Spirit both jointly acknowledge They must be understood and interpreted saith Bellarmin by the same Spirit which wrote them as he very well gathers out of Saint Peter Whence likewise he well collects that the whole difficultie in this Question about taking up Controversies and finding out the true Sense of Scriptures consists in this where this Spirit is and where the distressed Soul and doubtfull Conscience ought to seek it In the Visible and Catholike Church saith Bellarmin and all the Modern Roman Catholicks that is as they interpret it in the Consistorie of the Pope and Cardinals or in the Assemblie of Bishops or as the Modern Jesuites will have it in the Pope alone speaking ex Cathedra 3 Every man say we ought to seek the Spirit of God in his own Soul and Conscience being directed and ruled by the Sacred Word which was revealed and uttered by the same Spirit This Word directs them in this search and the Spirit once found out or rather finding them thus seeking him establisheth their Assent unto the Word already revealed and written by imprinting the same invisible Word or the true Sense and Meaning of it in their Hearts 4 Why this Spirit should be infallibly present to the Visible Church all our Adversaries uncessantly urge Scripture I will not abuse the Readers patience with allegation of the Places which have been very fully answered by many of our Church That which I intend at this time is First to debar them by their own Grounds of this Plea of Scriptures by shewing their Absurditie and folly in urging any Scripture at all for the proof of their Aâ—lertion And secondly to overthrow the Assertion it self by manifest proofs that either their Churches transcendent Authoritie as it is now taught must fall or Christianitie cannot stand To make way for our dearer passage in the former 5 They generally hold That this Infallibilitie of the Visible Church consists directly in this That the Holy Ghost is infalliblie present to it and gives it the true Sense and Meaning of Scriptures which he doth not give to private persons whom in their judgements he will not vouchsafe immediately to instruct so that his Dictates already revealed cannot be a Rule unto them because they want his infallible Assistance for their Exposition and for the same reason Certain they cannot be without the Churches Authority that they understand the Scripture aright 6 This their Assertion being two-fold for their Churches infallible Expositions and against all private Interpretations is grounded upon these two Principles They are to be Believed in exposition of Scriptures fide divina whom the Holy Ghost infallibly assists They are not so to be Believed whom the Holy Ghost doth not so assist Whence what he said before will follow that no man besides the Pope may believe his own interpretations of Scriptures His or the Churches all must nay all men must believe fide divina that the Church or Pope is in all Determinations infalliblie assisted by the Holy Ghost For if we were not bound to
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
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
partly Lucians partly Jeroms partly Theodotions the Heretick partly anothers he knows not ‖ whose Do we think the Trent Councel did examin every part of that translation or did they know as much as Bellarmin hath confessed that it should call so many Fathers and one Heretick amongst the rest Doubtless this is a miraculous Power of their Holy Church that the Holy Ghost doth but keep men from errour whilest they are living but the Pope and his councels Infallibilitie can keep an Heretick whom they knew not living from having erred after he is dead And whereas the Almighty Creatour of Heaven and Earth did but make Light shine out of Darknesse the incomprehensible Omnipotence of the Popes Infallibilitie can make Darknesse Light and Light Darknesse For otherwise why might not the Pope and the Councel have yielded the assurance of their Omnipotent Spirit unto some then living for authentick Translation Or why did they not admit Franc. Foreriâ—s Correction of the Vulgar for authentick seeing his skil in the Hebrew and good wil to the old Vulgar was so great The Reason sure why they would admit of this hodgepodge Translation before any better was as I have said to shew hereby the Popes Infallibilitie to be more then most Omnipotent and Incomprehensible They contend for the Vulgar under the Title of Hierom and yet where it is evident that Hierom did not translate the Psalmes which they use they wil not admit that Translation of them which is every where extant and without controversie is Hieroms own 7 Yet thus much I perceive by Bellarmines Answer That as an Heretick or unknown Author may erre in a Translation because he is not infallibly assisted by the Holy Ghost but yet it must be Believed that an Heretick did not erre in that Translation which the Pope and Councel hath approved So a Jesuite may perhaps commit a Murder because his order is not so holy as can warrant him from falling into mortal Sin but if it should please the Pope or Clergie of Rome to interpret the sixth Commandment otherwise we must Believe that no Jesuite doth commit any Murder in that man-slaughter or bloud-shed which the Church approves albeit he treacherously stab his Soveraign Lord the Lords anointed If it please the Pope he may antedate his Pardon or legitimate such hellish brood ere it come to light as wel as authenticate an Heretick's Translation a thousand years after his bones be rotten These are the sweet fruits of this supposed infallible Rule of Faith and Manners but of the Villanies included in this Position hereafter I now only give the Reader notice of the ridiculous Use of the same amongst themselves For what a sweet Decision was that concerning Grace and Free-Wil but lately so eagerly controversed in Spain to the publick scandal of that Church First Silence was enjoyned all for four years and afterwards Vasquez set as a brach to hunt a prey for the Romish Lion to take if he could have rouzed any to his liking Is this the Use of your infallible Rule Should Christians trouble the Turk with their Contentions he could decide as wel on this fashion as the Pope The Moscovite already hath far surpassed him in this kind of composing or rather avoiding Controversies For he not many years ago how affected now I cannot tell would have no preaching in his Dominions lest Schismes and Heresies might thereby be occasioned 8 Were not the Consequences of this Opinion so commodious to the Roman Clergie for matters of this life and so prejudicial to all other good Christians Hopes of attaining that other far better life I should have thought that Valentian Bellarmin and other such as have been most copious in this Argument had but sought to set out Commentum aliquo â—… ridiculum some artificial Foolerie to make the World sport For what better merriment could an ingenious Student wish then in his hours of recreation to descant upon their serious pains in setting a shew of Gravity upon idle foolish Arguments as uncapable of Theological as an Ape of Tragick attire But why should we consort with Hell which no doubt makes it self merry at these great Disputers Folly thus unwittingly employed to purchase the miserable solace of infernal Powers by their own eternal Sorrow without Repentance As the Opinion it self is most ridiculous to any unpartial judgement so even for this reason is the Consequence most lamentable to any indued with Humane Affection For what greater or more just Occasion of most grievous Sorrow could be presented to a religious true English Heart then to see so great a part of the Christian World especially so many of his Native Countrey-men for such ridiculous apish Impostures and false pretences of bringing Gods People under such a Government in matters of Faith as is usually in Secular States increase old Israels Rebellion and incur their grievous Curse not yet expired by casting off their Redeemer the Wisdom of God and judge of quick and dead from being their King or Supreme Judge of Controversies in Religion For why should it seem uncouth unto any Christian that Christ himself though sitting in his Throne of majestie in Heaven should be the onely Supreme infallible Judge in all Controversies concerning his own or his Apostles Precepts or Gods Laws in general For who could justly except against us if we should say That to most Physitians thorow Europe Hippocrates or Galen to Lawyers Justinian were the sole Authentick Judge No Physitian in any other Countrey exacts Subscription to his Opinions of any living in this further then upon examination they shall prove consonant either to Galen or Hippocrates or be evidently grounded on Reason Or do we exclude all use or certainty of Juridical Decisions in matters of Right and Wrong though the Judges be but ordinarie because Lawyers have no Authentick living Judge to determine infallibly of such Controversies as may arise amongst themselves in speculative points of their Profession 9 It is supposed that good Students in any Facultie have wit and art with other good means for finding out their classick Authours Sentence alreddie given whose Writings in this respect may be truly said to be their followers Judges though every one of them be a private Judge in matters of Practise Yet is it a Paradox in us to say Gods written Word is the Judge of such Controversies as arise amongst professed Divines or Ecclesiastick Judges themselves What if all of them do not agree about the true Sense and Meaning of that Word whereto all appeal No more do Physitians alwayes in their interpretations of Hippocrates or Galen yet have not their disagreements for ought I have read bred Civil Warres in the Countreys wherein they live nor doth their variance bring any danger to wise-mens Bodies but rather all dangers are by this means discovered and safer choice left others what Opinions or Prâ—… to follow or refuse or in what Cases it is most safe or dangerous to
I can find think themselves bound by the former decrees of the Trent Councel But what if any should dissent from these great Champions in the interpretation of it Who should judge betwixt them or whither were they to repair for resolution To the place which God hath chosen to wit to the Sea Apostolical or in other terms to Rome So saith the Pope that confirmed this Councel As if there were only a translation of the Sea none of the Priesthood sometimes established in Jerusalem where all were to worship And if Rome have that place in Christendom which Jerusalem had in Jewrie the Pope must be such a Lord to all Christians as he that dwelt betwixt the Cherubims was to the Israelites both their Answers of like Authoritie 13 But when we repair to Rome who shall there determin what the Councel meant the Pope alone or with his Cardinals with his Cardinals if he please himself alone without them or any other if he list all after as he shall find himself disposed to use his ordinary or plenarie power by the former of which answerable to Gods working with naturall agents he determines of matters by the usuall course of Lawes provided for that purpose using the advise or counsel of his Assistants by the other correspondent to Gods working in miracles effected by his own immediate peculiar power without the coagencie of any inferiour or created cause he may resolve of himself alone not consulting his Cardinals Bishops or others This power and libertie the Trent Councel it self seems to give unto the Pope as it were for an up-shot to all the fools thunder-bolts they had let flee before And lest any man should think this absolute acknowledgement of the Popes plenarie power to be a Counsel rather then a necessary Precept The Catechisme published by the Trent Councels Authoritie hath inserted amongst the Articles of faith That the present Pope is the sile visible head of the whole Christian Church though Christ the invisible The meaning of which if I mistake not is this That the Pope concerning the points above mentioned hath as absolute power in Christs absence as Christ himself should have were he present or hall have in that day of final judgement wherein if these mens Positions be true he shall have nothing to do in matters of Faith but onely to ratifie what the Pope hath defined who must not be called to any account of his Spiritual as Kings and Monarchs must be for their Temporal Stewardships Nor shall it be said to him as it must be to some of them Well done thou good and faithfull Servant For such men onely by our Adversaries Doctrine do well as might have done ill but the Pope live as he list cannot possibly do amisse in determining matters of Faith which are of all that are of greatest difficulty and consequence 14 When first I read Josephus Acosta I much wondred to see a man otherwise of an ingenuous spirit and of parts so excellent so zealous withall for the Popes Supremacie But now I perceive the reason was all private Catechismes were to be conformed unto that publick one authorized by the Councel and Pope Amongst other Contents of that Article of the Catholick Church almost quite omitted in the former Indian Catechismes Acâ—sta's advise is to have this inserted as an essential part That the Pope is Head of the Catholick Church Christs Vicar on earth indued with his plenary power to whom all other Christians Kings and Princes not excepted ow obedience These allegations may testifie our sincerity in proposing the state of the question and points of difference betwixt us gathered not out of one or two but the general agreemeent of best Romish Wâ—iters and whereunto Valentiaâ— were he alive would willingly subscribe For he as since I have observed proposeth the title of his main Controversie concerning the Churches Authoritie in termes aequivalent to those I used Lib. 2. Sect. 1. Cap. 3. and Lib. 1. Paragr uâ—t SECT II. The first branch of Romish Blasphemie in preferring humane Authoritie before Divine AGainst these late recited and infinite other aequivalent Assertions frequent in their Publick determinations and best private Writers our Writers usually object If the Church be Judge of Scriptures her Authoritie must be above the Scriptures â—f the sense of Scripture without the Church or Popes asseveration or proposal be not Authentick nor apt to beget most firme Belief then the Word of God must receive strength and Authoritie from the word of man Some Romish Writers grant the Inference with this restraint In respect of us and yet wipe their mouthes with the whore in the Proverbs as if they had neither committed Idolatrie nor spoken Blasphemie But Bellarâ—in was too cunning a Baud to expose his mothers foul face to publick view without more artificial painting CAP. II. Bellarmin's Replic to the main Objection joyntly urged by all Reformed Churches against the Romish the Equivocation which he sought in the Objection apparently found in his Replie 1 THe former Argument howsoever much esteemed by such as bring it yet in Bellarmmes judgement is very weak and as he suspects sick of his own desease Totum in aequivocatione versatur The aequivocation he seeketh to unfold with this distinction The former speeches may admit a double sence First their meaning may be That the Church doth judge whether that which the Scriptures teach be true or false Or Secondly This sure foundation of faith being first laid The words of Scripture are most infallible and true The Church doth Judge which is the true Interpretation or meaning of them This distinction he applieth thus The former Objections were pertinent if we held the Pope or Councel to determine of Scriptures in the former sence but taâ—… our right meaning they are meer calumnies For we affirm the Church to judge Scriptures onelie in the later and so to judge them doth not set the Church or Pope above Scriptures but above the judgement of private men Nor doth the Church by this Assertion 〈◊〉 a Judge of Scriptures truth but of private mens understanding Neither will it hence follow that the Word of God receiveth strength from the word of man but private mens knowledge may and doth receive strength and infallibilitie from the Church Finally the Scripture or Word of God as Bellarmine thinks is neither more true or certain because it is expounded by the Church but every mans opinion is more true and stable when it is confirmed by the Churches exposition or decision He hath said as much as the whole Councel of Trent could have said for themselves But let us see if this be enough 2 A private mans opinion saith Bellarmin is truer when it is confirmed by the Church If we had onely an opinion of the truth or sence of Scriptures the consent of others especially men skilful in such matters would indeed much confirm us for all opinions or uncertain
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
Christ said thou art Peter that is say they a Rock an Head a Foundation in my place Unto whom was this said to one of the twelve expressed by name Simon the son of Jona To whom likewise singulalised by the same expresse terms of individual difference and like restraint of present circumstances or occurrences it was said Feed my Lambs feed my sheep If any of Christs speeches as the Popes advocates grant many were personally directed to Saint Peter questionlesse these two By what Analogie of Faith or rule of Grammer can they thâ—â— extend these to every Pope in his generation or if any such there have been or yet may be unto whom the Foeminine title of Petra by right of Sex may better agree then unto Simon Bar-Jona Yet might the Name or Title Infallible draw the supream Dignity after it they are much overseen in not giving the name of Peter to every Pope Christ they confesse is come in the flesh and was in person made head and foundation of the Church and at his departure left Peter in his stead Peter the Scriptures tell us was to follow Christ but as they pretend left Pope Linus in his place so hath every Pope his successor since that time Yet these later mightily fail in not nominating others whiles they themselves are living and visible stones as Christ without question did Saint Peter whiles conversant with the faithful in the flesh and Peter Linus in his life time 20 But howsoever they must of necessity either make Peter Linus and their successors but one joynt permanent Foundation and so the Popes should not be builded upon the foundation of the Prophets and the Apostles but rather Christs other Apostles upon them upon whom likewise all the faithful since the Apostles time should be immediately built Or if they do not make Peter and the Popes one joynt unseparable Foundation they must admit as many several foundations as Popes so as the everlasting Rock whereon the Church is built could not be truly said one and the same but by a perpetual Equivalency of alteration or succession as we say corruptible Elements fire or water or candles remain one and the same because as one part consumes another as good comes in the place This glorious Edisice as hath been observed stands only by Faith or firm adherence to the Foundation and by the Adversaries own confession to disclaim the authority of the pressent Romish Church or Pope in points of faith is an Heresie or Apostasie of the same nature as if a man had renounced Peter for his supream head and this all one as if he had cut himself off from being a member of Christ Wherfore in respect of us that are now to be edisied the authority of this present Pope is equivalent to Christs our adherence to the one in points of faith and manners must be such as it should have been to the other had we lived in the dayes of his visible conversation in the world Finally CHRIST S. Peter and his successors in regiment of the Church militant here on earth differ by the Roman account no otherwise then Romulus Numa Ancus c. Romulus was first Founder of that kingdom but left other of kings of the same rank and order he was only his dignity after his departure was acknowledged greater in another world because as his people were made to believe he ascended alive into heaven as a God Much better might the Romanist derive his Pseudo-catholick-Roman faith from Romulus the first builder of that great City that sometimes ruled 〈◊〉 the Kings of the earth then from Christ who did erect a kingdom indeed but not of this world wherein none was to succeed him becauâ—e he remains Yesterday today The Same for ever Whence the Prophâ—t 〈◊〉 this kingdom shall never be destroyed or given to another people but sâ—… and destroy all former kingdomes and it self stand for ever For any â—… of that 〈◊〉 whose former kings had put this Immortal King to â—… to â—…ile themselves Rocks and â—… or absolute spiritual Monarchies â—… evidently shew they are the Feet of that image most of which have been and shall be broken to pieces by that stone cut out without hands out of the Mountain until it become like the chaffe of the summer flowers carried away with the wind and no place be found for them or as the Apostle interprets the Prophet the Lord shall consume them with the spirit of his mouth and shall abolish them with the brightnesse of his coming 21 Would the Jesuite then know wherein he and his Latian Lord God must take after S. Peter methinks their formal acknowledgement of that general principle Christ manifested in the flesh and made the head stone in the corner compared with their late mentioned Apostacy in seeking to lay another foundation was lively resembled if not mystically prefigured by Saint Peters faith immediately after his glorious confession eclipsed by interposition of such earthly conceits as perpetually darken their minds For upon our Saviours declaration what bodily calamity what ignominy and reproach should at Jerusalem shortly after befal the Rock it self whereupon that Church against which he had now said the gates of hell should never prevail was founded Peter as Saint Matthew saith took his Master aside and friendly checks him as if he had forgotten his former promise Master be good to your self this shall not be unto you As if he had said if the gates of hell shall not prevail against your Church or us your poor Disciples I hope you are able to priviledge your own person from such disgrace and scorn as none but they can intend against you So carnally did this great Apostle upon ignorance conceit Christs spiritual promise as the Papacy upon habitual or affected error doth to this present day For one principal argument most usual in the mouthes and pens of that great Heads chief disciples to prove the Romish the only Church unto which that glorious promise was made or at least hath been perpetually performed is because no temporal or secular power hath ever been able though many wicked Potentates Kings and Emperours such titles they give to all their enemies have attempted either to deface her external pomp state and splendor or so to use the Popes or Cardinals or other of her principal and dearest children as the Jews did our Saviour Christ and his Disciples They are of the world and therefore speak they of the world and the world heareth them But could they unto any child of God more plainly prove themselves heirs to that check given by our Saviour to S. Peter Go behind me Satans ye are an offence because ye understand not the things that are of God but the things that are of men Could they more evidently demonstrate the Pope to be That Man of Sin that must be inducted to the Church of God by Satan ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chief
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
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