in all Points necessary to salvation without any such infallible Authority For it is a matter of far lesse Difficulty for any man of sense and reason to deduce particular Conclusions from general and evident Principles then to finde out the general and fundamental Principles by natural Notions or other Principles And therefore more easie for any such man to resolve his Conscience in particular Points of Faith or Christian Obedience after he hath found out the Foundation of Christian Faith to wit Chrâ—… Jesus crucified raised from the dead and other general Dictates of Faith in the Apostolical Writings then to come unto the acknowledgement and Belief of these fundamental Points themselves from the broken knowledge such as the Jews have of the Old Testament And thus it evidently follows that if the Old Testament be a Rule unto the Jews for finding out the Truth of the New much more may the New once acknowledged by them and admitted of equal Authority with the Old be a perfect Rule for them in matters of Salvation And if these Scriptures are or may be a Rule to the Jews if they will believe them then must they be a Rule to all Christians that Believe them No Christian I hope wil deny but that the Old Testament is the Rule of the Jews For the unbelieving Jews shal be condemned in what part of the world soever for not following this Rule which God hath commended and made known unto them not for not acknowledging the Popes Infallibility of which many of them never heard And if the Old Testament be such to them much more must the whole Canon be unto us such a Rule and if we die in misbelief or infidelity we shall be judged by this Rule of Gods Law and Gospel which we transgressed not by the Popes Decrees or Expositions of it That many Christians by profession erre in Points of Faith or mistake the true Sense and Meaning of it or pervert it to their Destruction proceeds from their Ingratitude towards God that gave it and for their delight in Falshood Which is the reason why these Jews mistake the true Meaning of the Old Testament 9 If any of our Adversaries here demand how chanceth it so many Jews erre in the Foundation of Faith if the Scripture be such an infallible Rule he must be content to resolve me in the like Question How chanceth it so many Jews live unconverted in Spain and Italy and other places either in the Popes Dominions or where his Authority is established if the Infallibility of his Authority or their Church be such an excellent Rule If they reply the Jews might believe all Points of Roman-Catholick Faith aright so they would admit their Church as Judge or Mistresse of Faith the Jews might with as good reason rejoyn so might the Romans believe all Points of Judaism would they acknowledge this supposed Infallibility of Doctrine to be in their Rabbinical Expositions not in the Popes Determinations But the Romanist I suppose would desire a Sign ere he believed them herein and are we lesse bound by the Rule of Faith to desire some tolerable satisfaction to these reasons following ere we believe them in this Point as prejudicial in our judgement to Religion in general as Subscription to Rabbinical Doctrine is unto Chistian Verity 10 The Jews admit the Old Testaments Authority as undoubtedly as the Jesuites do the Popes yet it enlightens not their hearts What is the Reason Because that Part of Scripture is so obscure So Valentian and such as follow him in all congruity must say yea he hath said it That Veil which Saint Paul saith is put before the hearts of Jews that they cannot behold the Glory of the Gospel as the Apostle there argues is woven for the most part of the Difficulties of Scriptures Nor do the Jews only deny the New Testament to be infallible but bitterly inveigh against it as erroneous and contradictory to the Old What is the Cause Is it not that which Valentian elsewhere assigns The Scripture alone that is in his language without the infallible Avouchment of their Church is so far from ending all Controversies of Faith that it rather occasions Controversies and Dissentions in Doctrines of Faith If to the Jew through his default the Writings of Moses and the Prophets be so obscure adde your infallible Key to open his heart to them or them to it If by this obscurity they minister matter of Contentation or their Sense mistaken exasperate Jewish malice against Christians Interpose your Humane Authority inspired from above to allay the fervency of their distempered Zeal 11 You acknowledge this Obscurity and other objected Insufficiencies disinabling the Scripture for ruling or judging mens Faith to arise from the frailty or viciousnesse of Humane Nature and hence you plead your Churches Infallibility as necessary and al-sufficient to supply these defects incident unto Scripture not in it self but in respect of us Your Churches Authority then at the least adjoyned to Scripture should make men otherwise subject to the former Infirmities or vitious Dispositions capable of Heavenly Doctrine Tell us then distinctly Can it or can it not make all or most or such as the Scriptures do not Believe aright If this it cannot do adjoyning to Scriptures it is by your own Objections against them a Rule as unsufficient as you would make them without it If it can make all or most or such as Scripture alone doth not Believe aright this it must effect either by removing or not removing those Diseases or Infirmities of Humane Nature which Scriptures without it cannot cure 12 First if it could remove that Temper which makes the Jew a more unprofitable Hearer of Scripture then young Gallants are of stoical moral discipline your Church is guilty of wilful malice and murther of souls that will not apply this infallible Key able of it self to open that Veil of Adamant wherewith the Jews hearts are so masked that neither the light of Mosaical Prophetical Apostolical or Evangelical Writings can find entrance unto them Secondly albeit this supposed infallible Authority could remove the former Veil yet were it not in this respect to be acknowledged an infallible Rule of Faith but rather an ordinary necessary Means such as we acknowledge the lawful Magistracy or Ministry to be for squaring or proportioning mens frail or exorbitant Affections the better to parallel with Gods word the most exact inerrable and al-sufficient Rule of Faith even by your consent were it not for this Infirmitie or vitious Disposition of mans Nature which as you likewise acknowledge is the sole Cause why the Scriptures are Obscure and minister matter of Contention 13 But our Adversaries attribute not any such vertue to their infallible Rule as to make a fool wise the lascivious chaste the drunkard sober a knave honest the impudent modest or ambitious lowly for even the Pope himself in whose bosome this Rule lodgeth may harbour these and like vices in his
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
suffice to have waded thus far in these unpleasant passages for discovering the enemies weaknesse in his new Fortifications or Repalliations rather of such breaches as our ancient Worthies have made in their imaginary Rock of strength Now as my soul and conscience in the sight of God and his holy Angels can assure me these imputations of blasphemy sorcerie and preposterous Idolatry I have laid upon this fundamental point of Romish faith aâ—e most true though much lesse exaggerated then it deserves so again I must confesse it hath in some sort over gone against my conscience publickly to discipher or display her abominations For my little experience of this present ages temper too well instructs me what great offence is oft-times hereby given to men as weak in faith as strong in their perswasions of it to flatter themselves in their hypocrisie or make them seem unto themselves men rightly religious or throughly sanctified whilest they measure their love to true religion by their hatred unto this doctrine of Devils or compare themselves with Priests and Jesuites as they are painted out in their native colours by eloquent and learned Pastors But his iniquitie be upon his own head that thus perverts my labours undertaken for his good unto his harm For unto a quite contrary purpose have I set forth this survey of Romish blasphemie in a larger volume then first I meant it even to stir up my self and every Professor of true Religion unto serious amendment of our lives to hold fast our faith by holding up hands pure from bribery and corruption by lifting up hearts and mindes void of all guile and hypocrisie ardently zealous of every good work unto the Lord our God continually lest such swarms of Caterpillars and Locusts as have chosen Beelzebub for their God devour this land Mortis modus morte pejor To think such should be the instruments of our wo will unto most of us I know far surpasse all conceit of any other wo it self or misery that in this life can befall us And yet whilest I consider what God hath done of old to Israel his first-born and Judah his own inheritance the overplus of our ingratitude towards him for all his goodnesse especially our wilfull continual abusing these dayes of peace more and more sweet and gracious then Jerusalem it self the vision of peace did ever see so long together without interruption I am and have been as my publick meditations can testifie for these few yeers of my ministerie possessed with continuall dread lest the Lord in justice enlarge his threatnings denounced against Judah upon this Land Fearfull was that message unto Hierusalem I will bring the most wicked of the Heathen and they shall possesse their houses but more terrible is our doom if this sentence be gone out against us I will plague you by the wickedst amongst the Christians by men more cruel proud and insolent then Babylonian Turk or Infidel or any other enemie of Christs Church hath been or could be unlesse Christians or Jesuites in name or shew they were meer Antichristians or Bariesus in heart and affection Such titles we readily give and willingly hear given unto Loyolaes infamous brood But if our wayes shall continually prove as odious unto our God as these termes impâ—rt that Societie is unto us what have we done Surely tied our bodies to the stake of justice by the wickednesse of our hands and proud imaginations of our polluted hearts whiles our tongues in the mean while have set our cruel executioners hearts on fire more grievously to torment to consume and devour us 11 But though likelihood of their prevailing against us be without our repentance great and their cruelty if they should prevail more then likely to be most violent yet this their hope it cannot be long Tu quoque Crudelis Babylon dabis impia poenas Et rerum instaâ—iles experiâ—re viâ—es The Lord in due time will turn again the captivity of his people and the now living may live to see these sons of Babel rewarded as they have long sought to serve us Their shamelesse Apologies for aequivocation and this old charm of Templum Domini which like unluckie birds alwayes flocking or frogs croaking against ill weather they have resumed of late with joint importunate cries albeit with these they bewitch the simple and choak the worldling or careless liver that accounts all serious thoughts of Religion his greatest trouble sound unto hearts setled in grace or mindes illuminated with the spirit of truth but as the last cracklings of Lucifers candle sometimes shining in the Roman Lanterne as the morning-star or an Angel of light but now so far spent and sunk within the socket that it recovers it wonted brightness but by flashes nor can his nostrils that is able with the least breath of his displeasure from heaven in a moment to blow it out any long time endure the smell Even so O Father for thy Son Christ Jesus sake even so O Christ for thine Elect and Chosens sake impose a period to our grievous sins against thee and our enemies malice against us infatuate their policies enfeeble their strength and prevent them in their Devillish purposes that seek to prevent thee in thy judgements by setting the World in combustion before thy coming Amen The continuation of matters prosecuted in the first BOOK THe ingenious Reader I trust rests fully satisfied that for planting true and lively Faith in every private Christians heart Experiments answerable to the Rules of Scripture without absolute dependanâ—e upon any external Rule thereto equivalent are sufficient the assistance of the Holy Spirit whose necessity for the right apprehension of aivine truths revealed the Romanist nor doth nor dare denie being supposed That Valentians heart did tell him thus much and secretly check him for his ridiculous curiosity to make way unto his Circular resolution of Faith * before refuted his diffident speeches immediately thereto annexed upon consciousnesse no doubt of it insufficiencie will give the Reader though partiall just cause of suspition If a man saith he be yet further questioned seeing as well the divine Revelations as the Churches infallible Proposal are obscure and inevident what should impel him to enter into such a Labyrinth of Obscurities as to imbrace the doctrine of Faith by the former Method to wit Believing the Revelation for the Churches Proposal as for a condition unto Relief requisite and the Churches Proposal again for the Revelation being the cause of his Belief then let him come unto the second processe or method and expound the reasons and clearer motives whereby he was and every discreet man may be induced to imbrace Faith though of it self inevident and obscure Thus do they traduce the Grace of God as if there were no difference betwixt mid-day-light and mid-night-darknesse as if the dawning of that Day-star in our hearts or light of Prophets our Apostle speaks of 2 Pet. 1. 19. were not a mean betwixt that more
and charges Thus from perfection oft-times springs defect whilest judgement too much over-growing fancie and drying up that kind affection whereby the fruit and vertue of one soul is diffused unto another makes men more jealous of diminishing the high estimate of their fore-prized worth then zealous of their inferiours good which many times might be reaped in greatest abundance from such labours as yeeld least contentment to their Authors In this respect alone can I gratulate my imperfections hoping that as my meditations can neither please the delicate for their form nor inform the judicious for their matter so they may prove neither offensive for the one nor unfruitfull for the other unto many of a middle and inferiour rank At the least I trust they will occasion some others whom God hath blessed with better abilitie and opportunitie to hunt that out which in this long range I may chance to start or make full conquest of that goodly field wherein that inestimable pearl lies bid for whose discovery these my travels may happily yeeld some observations not impertinent To this end have I purposely trained my wits to untroden pathes to adventure on new passages unto that true treasure which all of us traffick for oft-times one to anothers hindrance the more because we beat one place too much when as many others might afford us the same or greater commodities better cheap Though the truth be one yet it is not alwayes of one shape whiles we look upon it divers wayes The Mine wherein it lies is inexhaustible oft-times more full of drosse and rubbidge where most have digged and though the inward substance of it be the same yet the refining of it admits variety of inventions Do not prejudice me charitable Reader so much as in thy secret censure as if these premises might seem to argue my dissent in any conclusions which our Church professeth the event I trust shall acquit me and condemn all my accusers if any I have and how I stand affected in points of spiritual obedience to my superiours thou mayest be informed if it please thee but to peruse some few sheets of these my first-fruits which I presume thou wilt surely thou oughtest ere thy censure passe upon me If in the explication of some Points I fully accord not with some well esteemed domestick Writers I trust Sarahs free-born children may enjoy that priviledge amongst themselves which is permitted the sons of Hagar in respect of their brethren though all absolute bondmen to their mother Yet that I do not thus far dissent from any of my mothers children upon emulation or humour of contradiction thou wilt rest satisfied upon my sincere religious protestation That the whole fabrick of this intended work was set and every main conclusion resolved upon before I read any English Writer upon the arguments which I handle From some indeed which had written before me I have since perceived a direct dissent in one or two points of moment but wherein they had in my judgement contradicted the most judicious Writers of our Church and all Antiquitie I am acquainted with more rashlie then I would do the meanest this day living Yet shall they or whosoever of their opinion find the manner of my disputing with them such as shall not I trust exasperate howsoever the dissonance of matter may dislike them For outlandish or forrain Latin Writers I must ingeniously confesse when I first laboured to be instructed in the fundamental principles of faith and manners some points which I much wished I found they had not handled in others wherein I misliked nothing as unsound I could not alwayes find that full satisfaction which me thought a more accurate Artist for a mean one I was then my self would require The greater since hath been my desire either of giving or by my attempt of procuring satisfaction But will not others when I have done my best so think and say of mine as I have done of these much better indeavours It were great arrogance to expect any lesse Notwithstanding if what they shall find defective in my labours move them to no worse patience then what I thought at least was so in theirs that every way go before me hath done me nor I nor they nor the Church of Christ by this means partaker and free to dislike or approve of both our labours shall I trust have any great cause to repent us of our pains For thy better satisfaction I will acquaint thee with the particulars which moved me to write First in unfolding the nature and properties of Christian Faith to omit the errours of the Romish Church wherein it is impossible it should ever come to full growth many in reformed too much followed in particular Sermons did strive to ripen it too fast I have heard complaints immediately from the mouthes of some yet living of others deceased that they had been set too farre in their first Lessons that the hopes they had out of hand directly built upon Gods general promises applied to them by their Instructours were too weighty unlesse the foundations of their faith had first been more deeply and surely planted That certainty of justification and full perswasion of inherent sanctifying grace whereat these Worthies whose footsteps I precisely track not aim is I protest the mark which I propose unto my self but cannot hope at the first shoot to hit if at the second third or fourth as shall please God it must content me In the mean time I hope I shall neither offend him nor any of his as long as I gather ground of what I prosecute and still come neerer and neerer the proposed end The first step me thought that tended most directly to this certain apprehension of saving faith was our undoubted Assent unto the divine truth of Scriptures in general and for the working of this assurance means subordinate I could conceive none better for the kinde particulars others happilie may finde more forcible then such as I have prosecuted at large in the first Book not ignorant that such as moved me more might move others lesse those every man most that were of his own gathering wherein the disposition of the divine providence alwayes concurrent to this search so men would mark it is most conspicuous For this purpose I have proposed such variety of Observations as almost every one able to read the Scriptures or other Authors of what sort or profession soever students especially may be occasioned to make the like themselves well hoping to find a Method as facile and easie for establishing the assent of the simple and altogether illiterate unto those articles whose distinct explicit knowledge is most necessary to salvation But many I know will deem the broken traditions or imperfect relations of heathen men for these I use but weak supporters for so great an edifice nor did I intend them for such service Their ignorance notwithstanding and darkned minds do much commend the light of divine truth so may the experience
doth the Pope challenge to himself the gift of Prophecie but only of legal Decisions which are no otherwise written then many write and contain no deeper nor more Supernatural Matter then many may invent most of them usually penned in a base and barbarous Logick Phrase his Stile at the best is not peculiar his Character easie to be counterfeited by any man that can pen a Proclamation or frame an Instrument in Civil Courts 7 To recollect what hath been said First seeing God is more to be Believed then Men secondly seeing we have better Arguments to perswade the People that these Scriptures daily read in our Church are Gods own Words then the Priests and Jesuites have that the Tidings which they bring from beyond Sea are the Popes or Churches Decrees or Sentence we may and ought Teach them to relie immediately upon Gods Word preached or read unto them as the surest and most Infallible Rule of Faith the most lively most effectual and most forcible Means of their Salvation Or if the Jesuites will teach them to Believe the Popes Decrees given ex Cathedra or the Churches Opinion indefinitely taken Fide divina by Infallible Faith but the Jesuites or Priests Expositions or Translations of them only Conditionally and with this Limitation If so they be the Pope or Churches Decrees we may in like sort with far greater Reason teach the People to Believe the Scriptures or the Word of God absolutely and our Translations or Expositions of it but Conditionally or with Limitation so far as they are Consonant to the Word of God Seeing it is as probable that we may expound Gods Word as rightly and sincerely as the other can the Church or Popes Edicts we have better Reason to exact this conditional Obedience and Assent in the Vertue and Authoritie of Gods Word which we make the Rule of Faith then they can have to exact the like Obedience by Vertue of the Pope or Churches Edict which is to them the Mistresse of Faith For it is more certain to any man living that Gods Word is most Infallibly True then that the Pope cannot Erre Wherefore if the Absolute Belief of the Popes Infallibilitie and Conditional Belief of the Jesuites or Priests his Messengers Fidelitie or Skill be sufficient to Salvation much more may the Absolute Belief or Assent unto the Infallibility of Gods Word and such Conditional and limited Belief of his Ministers Fidelitie be sufficient for the Salvation of his People who as hath been proved cannot be more certain that the Romish Church saith This or That then we can be of Gods Word For they never hear the Church or Pope speak but in Jesuites or Priests Mouthes And although they knew he said just so as those say yet may a man doubt in Modestie whether the Popes Words be alwayes Infallible but of the Infallibilitie of Gods Word can no man doubt 8 And Here I cannot but much wonder at the preposterous courses of these Romanists who holding an Implicite Faith of Believing as the Church Believes in many Points to be sufficient unto Salvation will yet fasten this implicite Faith upon the present Church of Rome and not refer it rather unto that Church as it was under S. Peters Jurisdiction and Government For if Universalitie be as they contend a sure Note of undoubted Truth then must it needs be more undoubtedly True that S. Peter could not Erre in Matters of Faith then that this present Romish Pope and his Cardinals cannot so Erre For all Papists hold this as True of S. Peter as of this present Pope and all Protestants hold it True of S. Peter not in the present Pope and so did all the Fathers without controversie hold it most True that S. Peter did not teach amisse in his Apostolical Writings So that Universalitie is much greater for S. Peter then for this Pope that now is or the next that shall be 9 For these Reasons fully consonant to their own Positions all Papists me-thinks in Reason should make the same Difference in their Estimate of S. Peter and later Popes which a French Cardinal as the Tradition is at Durham once made betwixt S. Cuthbert and venerable Bede Abeit S. Cuthbert was accounted the greater Saint amongst them whose greater Benefactour he had been in which respect they brought the Cardinal first unto S. Cuthberts Tomb yet because he knew him not so well but only by their Report he praies very warily Sancte Cuthberte si Sanctus es or a pro me But afterwards brought unto Bedes Tomb then in the Consistory because he had been Famous in Forrain Nations from the Commendations of lesse partial Antiquitie he fell to his prayers without Ifs and And 's Vener abilis Beda quia tu Sanctus es or a pro me 10 Proprotional to this Caution in this French-mans Prayers should every modern Papist limit his Belief of the present Popes Infallibilitie in respect of S. Peters And say thus in his heart As for S. Peter I know he Believed and Taught aright And I beseech God I may Believe as he Believed and that my Soul may come whither his is gone as for this present Pope if he believe as S. Peter did be likely to follow him in LIfe and Death I pray God I may Believe as he Believes and do as he Teacheth but otherwise believe me I would be very loath to pin my Belief upon his Sleeve lest happily he run Headlong to Hell to that which should have drawn me up to Heaven For in this Life I walk by Faith and by Faith I must ascend Thither if I ever come There and therefore I dare not fasten my Belief upon any Man whom I would be loath to follow in his Course of Life But most surely might this Implicite Faith be fastned upon Gods written Word contained in the Writings of Moses the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists We know O Lord that Thou hast Taught them All Truth that is Necessary for thy Church to know And our Adversaries confess that thy Word uttered by Them rightly understood is the most sure Rule of Faith for by This they seek to establish the Infallibilitie of the Church and Pope They themselves speak aright by their own Confession where they speak consonantly unto it Wherefore the safest Course for us must be to search out the True Sense and Meaning of it which is as easie for us as them to find as in the Processe of these Meditations God willing shall appear 11 Unto the main Objection concerning the Means of knowing Scripture to be Scripture we have partly answered or rather prevented it in the first Treatise and throughout this whole intended discourse we shall God willing explicate the former general Means or Motives as also bring other peculiar Inducements for the establishing of True Faith unto the particular Articles in this Creed contained For the present Difficultie concerning the Rule of Illiterate Lay-mens Faith or such as understand not those Languages in which
hold the Scriptures to be the Rule of Faith 1 WHen we affirm that the Scriptures are the only infallible Rule in matters of Faith and Christian Obedience we understand such a Rule in those matters as Aristotles Organon may be said of Logick supposing it were sound and free from all suspicion of Errour in every point and contained in it all the general and undoubted Principles from which all true Forms of Argumentation must be deduced and into which all must be finally Resolved To illustrate this Truth by a known Practise Our younger Students are bound to yield their absolute Assent unto Aristotles Authoritie in matters of Logick but not unto any Interpreter that shall pretend it save only when he shall make evident unto them that this was Aristotles Meaning And while they so only and no otherwise yield their Assent they yield it wholly and immediately unto Aristotle not to the Interpreter although by his Means they came to know Aristotles Meaning which once known without any further confirmation of other Testimonie or Authoritie commands their Obedience and Assent But ere they can fully Assent unto this great Master or throughly perceive his Meaning they must conditionally Assent unto their private Tutors or other Expositors and take his Sense and Meaning upon their Trust and Credit In like manner say we in all Matters Doctrines or Controversies of Faith and Christian Obedience we are bound to yield our Assent directly absolutely and finally unto the Authoritie of Scriptures only not unto any Doctor Expositor or other whosoever he be that shall pretend Authoritie out of Scripture over our Faith save only when he shall make it clear and evident unto us that his Opinion is the true Meaning of the Scripture And thus yielding our absolute Assent unto the Truth explained by him we yield it not to him but unto the Author of Truth whose Words we hold to be Infallible in whose Mouthes soever and once known to be His words they need not the Testimonie or Authority of him that did bring us to the true Knowledge of them And before we be brought to see their Truth with our own eyes and feel it by our sense by the effects or experiments of it upon our own Souls we are to limit our Assent and Obedience as it is set down before according to the Probabilities or unpartial Inducements which we have of the Expositors Skill and Sincerity in dispensing Divine Mysteries And these Motives or Inducements which we have of his Skill and Sincerity must be framed according to the Rules or Precepts of Scripture not according to our Affections or Humours we may not think him most to be Believed that is in highest Place or hath the greatest stroke in other Affairs For as the Faith of Christ so must our Perswasion of the faithful Dispensers or skilful Seeds-men of Faith be had without respect of persons 2 If we yield Assent or Obedience unto any Expositor or other otherwise then upon these Conditions and Limitations then as we said before whilest we yielded absolute Obedience unto his doctrine that perswaded us to true Belief because we perceived that which he spake to be the Word of God we did not yield it unto him but unto Gods Word delivered and made known unto us by him so here again by the same Reason only inverted it will evidently follow that if we Believe any mans Doctrines or Decisions to be the Word of God because he speaks it or because we hold his Words to be infallible we do not truly and properly Believe the Word of God suppose his doctrine were the Word of God but his Words and Infallibilitie onely Hence again it follows that if we yield the same absolute and undoubted Assent unto his Authoritie which we would do unto Gods Word immediately known in it self and for it self or relie upon his Infallibility in expounding Gods Word as fully as he doth upon the Word which it is supposed he knows immediately in it self and for it self by doing thus we rob God of his Honour giving that unto Man which is only due to Him For the Infallibility of this Teacher hath the same Proportion to all that thus absolutely Believe him as the Infallibilitie of the Godhead hath unto him his Words the same Proportion to all other mens Faith that Gods Word hath unto his Gods Word is the Rule of his and his Words must be the Rule of all other mens Faith Or to speak more properly God must be a God only to him and he a God to all other men 3 Here it will be demanded how men altogether Illiterate can examin any Doctrine by Scriptures If they cannot Read them how shall they Examin any thing by them not examining the Points of Faith by them how can they be said to be the Rule of their Faith In such a Sense as Aristotles Works supposing them only Authentick and all his Opposites counterfeits or new-fangles may be said to be the Rule of Blind-mens Logick for albeit they cannot read his works yet are they capable of his general and undoubted rules seeing they have as well as other men a natural faculty of discerning Truth from Falshood and can distinguish betwixt rules derived from the pure Fountain of Truth in that kind and Precepts drawn from conjectural erroneous and corrupt Surmises of shallow Brains if both be distinctly proposed unto them And the rules of Truth once fully apprehended and embraced serve as a Touchstone to discern all Consequences and Conclusions which shall be suggested unto them by others so as they wil admit of nothing for sound true Logick but what may be resolved into the former or some other Principles which they can perspicuously and immediately discern to have been drawn from the Fountain of Truth by the same natural Facultie or Ability by which they did discern the former for the faculty will still be like affected with all Principles of like Nature Use and Perspicuity In like sort must the first and general Principles of Faith be derived from Scriptures the only pure fountain of Supernatural Truths unto all illiterate hearts by the Ministery of the learned For Hearts though Illiterate once illuminated by Gods Spirit are as apt to discern Spiritual Principles from falshood or carnal Conjectures as the natural Man is to discern natural Truths from Errours of the same kind And these general and fundamental Principles of Faith engrafted in their hearts serve as infallible rules for discerning the Consonancie or Dissonancie of such Particulars as shal be suggested unto them as shal God willing hereafter be declared nor may they without Injury to Gods Spirit or inward Grace admit any other precepts into the same rank or society with these but either upon evident and distinct deduction from them or sure Experiments of their like Spiritual fruit and Use for the amendment of Life and procuring that peace of Conscience which no Natural Man can conceive much lesse can it be caused
but like Lessons got by rote It must be quite forgotten at least utterly renounced and laid aside before we can be admitted into the School of Christ in which all in this life are but parvuli petties or children for their simplicity and harmlesse minds for Lowlinesse and Nullity of self-conceit Hence saith our Apostle If any man think himself wise let him become a fool that he may may learn wisdom aright And our Saviour Christ saith unto his disciples except ye be converted and become like litle children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of heaven that is they cannot be capable of this Heavenly Doctrine For true and sanctifying Grace must be ingrafted in this harmlesse simplicity and child-like Disposition 9 It is the Nature and Property of Gods Word to be plain and facile unto such as are of Disposition semblable to it as to the sincere of heart single in life and plain in dealing but obscure and difficult unto the worldly-wise The simplicity of It and the subtilty of the Politician or secular Artist parallel as ill as a straight Rule or Square with a distorted crooked stick The testimony of the Lord saith the Psalmist is sure and giveth wisdom to the Simple The word in the Original silly or credulous such as in worldly affairs are more easie to be deceived then apt to deceive and is rendred by the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 parvuli which word it pleased our Saviour to use when he intimates this Perspicuity of Gods Word unto such little ones I thank thee O father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of understanding and hast opened them unto Babes It is so O father because thy good pleasure was Such Such as in this whole discourse we have supposed and this place doth prove that is Such as had decreed that the Doctrine of Life should be most difficult and hard to proud disobedient or craftily-minded men but most perspicuous because to be revealed by God unto such little ones And again lest any man should presume upon his Wisdom or Dexterity of Wit he tels us expresly no man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him And his Will is to reveal himself and his Word unto all and only such as we have said to little Ones or such as become little Children casting off the burthen of Age which hath brought such Faintnesse and wearinesse upon their Souls that they cannot hope for any good successe in the Course which tends to everlasting Life until they be disburthened of all former Cares And hence in the next verse his words are general Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden So they will take up his Yoak which is easie and his Burthen which is light he wil free them from all the grievances and discommodities of their former Yoak learning but this one Lesson of Humility and Meeknesse of him it wil teach them all the rest for by it they shal find rest unto their Souls which Christ wil refresh not as the Pope doth with Anathema's binding unto Negatives but with the true taste of this Water of Life 10 Nor wil any of our Adversaries I hope be so perverse as to say our Saviours Doctrine in this place did hold true only for that time wherein the Knowledge of Christ and Doctrine of his Gospel was to be first published For such perversity would bewray so great ignorance in Scriptures and little experience in the course of Christianity as they would be ashamed to be suspected of For who sees not this Opposition between worldly wisdom and heavenly knowledge to continue stil in their several Professours throughout all Ages Nor can any man be sure his Faith is not humorous or Hypocritical unlesse he be transformed into such a little One as Christ here speaks of and have true Humility surely planted in his heart This is the Fundamental or first Principle whereinto Faith must be resolved even all those Graces or Pledges of Gods favour whereon most rely in trial of their Spiritual Estate must be apparantly seated in this Lowlinesse and Simplicity or else eveâ—y man through the Multiplicity and Subtilty of his own heart shal be over-seen in his perswasions 11 A lively Experiment of our Saviours Doctrine and our Assertion in this point we have in S. Austin as himself witnesseth I purposed to look into the sacred Scriptures that I might see what manner of Writings they were And â—o 〈◊〉 light on a matter altogether hid from the proud and yet not laid open unto children in progresse lowly in processe or issue stately and wrapped in mysteries Finally such as my quality made me uncapable of entrance unto it For the property of it was to grow up with little ones but I disdained to be a little one and swolne with fastuous conceit in mine own eyes I seemed a great one Here Valentian â—ucking poyson out of this reverend Fathers Hony demands importunatly whether it be a matter of no difficulty to procure our freedom from this tumour of viciousnesse To have our hearts purged from that Soot which is as the Jewish veil unto them And finally whether it be so easie a matter as we to his seeming make it to become Humble and meek without which vertues the Scriptures were obscure and difficult unto Austin himself otherwise A man of excellent wit 12 Me thinks this cumbersom Jesuites cholerick strain and Fool-hardy passionate carriage in this whole Controversie doth lively resemble a Strong Sturdy Lubber that had thrust himself unawares into a Quarrel which he is no way able to make good yet so stubborn that he wil not give over but fights and winks and cries and hit he misse he laies about him For can any man think he sees where these fierce Blows would light As much as we have said is most clear out of this very place of Austin which he would throw upon us Most clear it is that unto such as follow our Saviours Method set down before that is unto such as wil become like little Children and begin as it were anew again the Scripture which for the present seems hard to all far entred into the Worlds School is perspicuous clear and easie to be learned â—ut whether it 〈◊〉 hard to become Such a One or whether it be a difficult matter to lay aside all Pride and Self-conceit is no part of the Point now in question nothing at all to this intended Purpose To Man no doubt it is most Hard or rather altogether Impossible But what it is to man once made partaker of the Grace of God and Power of his Spirit let Christ Jesus the Fountain of Grace be Judge He hath told us that his Yoak is easie and his Furthen light Or wil they reply that his Yoak is easie indeed to bear when it is taken up but hard to
was the Church unto which all must from which none may appeal Or if Peter the Pope if he wil be Peters successor must in cases of controversie appeal unto the Church How is he then as our adversaries contend the Church or such a part of it unto whom all even Peter himself were he alive must appeal Must others appeal to him as Judge in his own cause or he unto himself alone Not as alone but so a late Papists to my remembrance answers Gerson as accompanied with his fellow Consul his Chaire which is to him as Caesar was to Julius and so shal Gods word be to both as Bibulus was to Julius Caesar a meer pretence or bare name of authority nothing else Yet if that word avouch that neither S. Peters or his successors Faith could ever fail in determining controversies we contradict it not the Popes decisions only if we do not in all doubtful doctrines fully rely upon them CAP. VII That neither our Saviours prayers for the not failing of Peters faith Luke 22. 32. nor his commending his sheep unto his feeding John 21. 15. prove any supremacy in Peter over the Church from which the authority of the Pope cannot with probability be derived 1 IS it then probable our Saviours prayers for S. Peter did collate any authority upon him either oecumenical for extent or soveraign for others dependence on it or absolutely and perpetually infallible for time without integrity of life or other condition besides such Cathedral consultation as is required in the Pope to support it Rather the proper effect they aimed at was an extraordinary assistance in the practise of such points as already had been or afterwards should be revealed unto him Our Saviour while he uttered them did clearly foresee all his followers should be sifted by Satan he that professed greatest love and resolution more then all the rest in such fearful sort that without this promised supportance his faith had utterly failed which though afterwards it proved much stronger by this shaking yet whether stronger then was any of his fellows is uncertain most unfit to be disputed Howsoever no circumstance in that place prognosticates or aboads such extraordinary future strength rather all suppose for the present a peculiar necessity of his Masters prayers for him as foreseeing his tripping to use the mildest censure would be so dangerous as the memorial of his recovery might be a perpetual incouragement to all back-sliders against distrust of Gods mercies No man so fit to raise up such as are fallen or wallow in the filth of sin as he that hath firmly apprehended grace from above or rather is so apprehended by it and yet can withall out of a sincere and humble acknowledgement of his relapses stoop lower then others in spiritual graces his inferiours and as it were let himself into the pit of despair wherein sinners lie linking their present frailty in his own forepassed infirmities It much disagrees with my temper ever to exaggerate the sins of Gods Saints yea I think the denial of Christ was lesse sinful in Saint Peter then the like would be in many others that have received lesse grace because the temptation was above measure extraordinary permitted no doubt to this end that he might be a more faithful comforter of his brethren whose faith was feeble crazed or decayed He that hopes with fruit to reprehend or exhort men much daunted or ashamed at the foulnesse of their offences must as far as truth will suffer him acknowledge himself to be a sharer in his own reproofs to have been sometimes tainted with the original of their present grief for so the parties grieved will be lesse jealous and conceit the medicine better Thus the royal host in the Poet cheers up his Princely guest amated at the mention of his infamous ancestors Ne perge queri casusque priorum Annumerare tibi Nostro quoque sanguine multum Erravit pietas nec culpa nepotibus obstat Tu modo dissimilis rebus mereare secundis Excusare tuas Did Parents shame their children stain sweet Prince thy case were mine For Piety sometimes her course did alter from our line The bleminsh though did not descend Let vertue be thy guide So shall thy fame thy Parents faults though Foul and Monstrous Hide 2. By these and like circumstances may our Saviours words But I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not Therefore when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren be construed most appositely to his meaning What was it then Peter was to strengthen in others That which had been defective in in himself Was that his charity his faith or both We read saith Bellarmin Peters charity did fail that his faith did fail we never read In vain then doth Bellarmin in vain do all his fellows labour to prove our Saviour should in these words ratifie a perpetually indeficient purity of Roman faith for Peter was to repair in others what had been impaired in himself to prevent if it were possible the like fall in such as did or to themselves did seen to stand to convert restore and strengthen such as in like or worse sort had denied their Redeemer With much greater probability might the Romanists seek to establish a perpetual indeficient Christian charity in Peters successors had Peters love or charity only failed But the bad lives and manners of the Roman Clergie would give too manifest evidence against them in this attemp In this respect have these stout challengers taken upon them the defence of a never-failing faith because not so easily confuted For it is a matter very hard I must confesse to prove That faith can never fail which may deny Christ so formally and constantly as Peters did without defect The best is that by their own confession this place can prove the acts or exercises of Roman faith to be no better then S. Peters was in this denial of Christ His offence they grant was foul but his faith without defect So may Popes be monstrously luxurious in their lives but alwayes infallible in their Doctrine Reader consult with thine own heart and give sentence as in the sight of God of the whole frame of their Religion by the foundation and of the foundation such as they willingly acknowledge faith to be of all true Religion and every Christian vertue by Bellarmins testimony If Peter became as they pretend the Fundamental Rock by confessing that Religion doubtlesse which hath no better ground of infallibility then Peters Faith not secured from a threefold denial of Christ was first planted by the Spirit of Error and of Antichrist 3 Not to dispute any longer what it was but who they were S. Peter was to strengthen all without exception This justly may seem impossible seeing the exercise of his Ministery could not extend to all Nations much lesse unto all ages Yet these words bequeath no hereditary royal jurisdiction over all persons but rather injoyn personal acts
as shall be declared in due place The place he means is where he disputes whether the Pope be bound to consult other authority besides his own or use any means to search the truth before he passe sentence ex cathâ—dra that is before he charge the whole Christian World to believe his decision This he thinks expedient but so far forth onely as if it please his Holinesse to enjoyn the belief of some particular point upon the whole World all must believe that he hath consulted Scripture and Antiquity as far as was requisit for that point as you shall after hear 2 That in such Controversies he includes The means of knowing Scriptures to be the Word of God is evident out of his own words in the fore-cited place For the knowledge of Scriptures he would have to be an especial point of faith yet such as cannot be proved by Scripture but by this living and speaking authority as he expressely contends in the eleventh paragraph of the same question His conclusion is If it be necessary there should be some authority though humane yet by divine assistance infallible to sit as Mistresse and Judge in all controversies of faith and not to be appropriated to any deceased as is already proved it remains that it be alwayes living in the Church alwayes present amongst the faithfull by succession he means of Popes Thus you see the present Pope must be Judge and Christ and his Apostles must be brought in as witnesses And yet whether there were such a Christ as Saint Matthew Mark Luke and John tell us there was or whether the Gospels which go under their names be Apocryphal and that of Bartholomews onely Canonical we cannot know but by the Popes testimony so that in the end he is the onely Judge and onely witnesse both of Christ the Apostles and their writings yea of all divine truths at least assisted with his Bishops and Cardinals Which Bellarmine though otherwise a great deal more wary then Valentian hath plainly uttered Unlesse saith he it were for the authority of the present Church of Rome he means the Trent Councel the whole Christian faith might be called in question so might all the Acts and Decrees of former Councels his reason was because we cannot know these Antiquities but onely by Tradition and historical relation which are not able to produce divine firme infallible faith 3 Thus whilest this great Clerk would dig a pit for the blind for he could not hope I think this block should stumble any that hath eyes in his head he is fallen into the middest of it himself by seeking to undermine us he hath smothered himself and buried the cause he was to maintain For if without the Trent Councels testification we cannot by divine faith believe the Scriptures or former Councels to be of Divine authority How can such as were born within these thirty yeers believe that Councel it seâ—t which ended above fourty years ago Few this day living were Auditors of the Cardinals and Bishops decisions there assembled not hearing them their saith must needs be grounded upon hear-sayes Again if it be true the Scriptures cannot be known to be divine but by the Authority of the present viâ—ible Church If this Church do not viva voâ—â— confirme all Christians in this fundamental truth their faith cannot be divine but hu mane What the Pope or his Cardinals think of these points is more then any living knows unlesâ—e they hear them speak and then it may be a great question whether they speak as they think Pope Alexander the sixths decisions should have been negative like the fools bolt in the Psalm Tâ—erâ— is no God No Christ No Gospel for so his meaning might have been interpreted as they say dreams are by contraries seeing he never spake as he thought Lastly if the Trent Councel were so necessary for the confirmation of Scriptures and other Orthodoxal writings how detestable was your Clergies backwardnesse to affoord the Christian World this spiritual comfort For whether fear it were the Popes Authority should be curbed on meer sloth and neglect of matters divine that did detain them their shifts to put the Emperour off the Reader may sufficiently conjecture from Sepul veda at that time Chronicler to the Emperour in his Epistle to Cardinal Contâ—râ—â— one of the Popes Legates in that Councel That my intermissâ—â—n of writing and silence in that question concerning the Correction of the â—ear hath 〈◊〉 so long I wish the fault had laid in my slouth or forgetfulneâ—â— that I might have been hence ocâ—asioned to acknowledge and depreccate the blanâ—â— rather then as noâ— I freely must impute the true cause to the negligence of your Romanâ— Priests whom I perceive to wax cold and to think of nothing lesse then of calling the Councel with hopâ— whereof as heretâ—fore I was excited so now â—â—spair hath made me dull For I see well that such as are most bound to have a â—â—gilant care oâ— the Churches publick welfare and not to foreslow any opportunity of increasing her dignity never so much as mention the Councel at this time as necâ—ssary as alwayes usefull but when Christians either are alâ—caay or are likâ—… be at viriance In one word never but then when there is sure hope it may bâ—… hindeâ—ed by their discord For when peace gets it turn and all is quiet not 〈◊〉 word of the Councel So as what they aime at by these unseasonable 〈◊〉 is so manifest as will not suffer the slon est capacity to live in doubt or sâ—â—pition 4 This great Learned Antiquaries Learned advice in â—…â—ile sent to the same Cardinall then imployed by the â—… cel was not to suffer matters Decreed in any former â—… assembled together to be disputed or called in question Sufferance hereof was in his judgement no lesle prejudicial to the State Ecclesiastick then unto the temporal it would be to permit malefactors traverse the equity of publick Lawes established and known after sufficient proof or confession made of Capital offences committed against them The marginal quotations of the Trent Councel compared with this grave admonition which had antiquitie-customes Canonical as the Authour urgeth to give it Countenance may serve as a perfect Index for our instruction with what prejudice the Bishops there assembled came to determine by whose manuduction or set rules they drew their supposed inerrable lines of life Now it is impossible any determination that takes it force from multitude of voyces should be either in it self more certain or more forcible to perswade others then are the motives or inducements that swayed the suffragants so to determine and these in this case could by Bellarmines reason be but historical perswasions or presumptions For no Jesuite I think will say these Bishops had the Popes sentence ex Cathedra to assure them before-hand what Councels had been lawfully called and fully confirmed or whether all the ancient Canons they afterwards reestablished were already as authentick and
labouring in vain to see the Truth of Divine revelations without it as much in vain as if a man should strive to see colours without light For this is Sacroboscus instance Besides the habit of faith seated in the understanding and the supernatural concourse of the Holy Spirit due to all endued with the babit of faith but necessary in respect of the subject or party two things more are requisite on the behalf of the object of which if either be wanting the facultie can never perform it proper function Of these two the one is that the proposition to be believed be revealed by God the other that there be a sufficient proposal made to us that God hath revealed it For an unsufficient proposal of any object is as none as may appear by the example of light which proposeth colours to be seen For when the light is weak or scant we cannot discern Colours not that we want a visible object but because we want light sufficient to illuminate the object or the space betwixt us and it He adds withall such as disclaim the Churches Authority and are content with this That Truths of faith are revealed by God in his Word and hence promise themselves the supernatural concourse of the Holy Ghost for producing acts of faith are destitute of a sufficient proposer and their presumption such as if a man should perswade himself because he hath Colours before his eyes and God ready to afford his ordinary concourse as oft as he is disposed to exercise his visive faculty he should be able to see them without light For saith this Jesuite the Prophets are dead Apostles dead Christ gone to heaven and instead of all Prophets Apostles or himself hath left us his Church Nor is it to be expected that God will every where upon all occasions supply the want of the external proposals by the abundance of internal illuminations as he did to our first parent or Saint Paul who had his Gospel neither from man nor by man but by the revelation of Jesus Christ For those are priviledges 6 The calumnie intended in this last instance hath often heretofore been prevented We never denied either the necessity or suffâ—iciencie of the Churches proposal as an external mean we account no other of that rank and nature is or could be either more necessary or more sufficient Saint Paul we grant had an extraordinary priviledge and yet for his private information had the truth proposed unto him by Ananias though the gifts of his publick Ministery were immediately from God Both the measure of his faith and manner of attaining it were unusual but his faith it self once attained no otherwise independent of any external proposal then ours is and all Christians must be We should have been more beholden to this professor had he distinctly told us what it is in their language to have a sufficient proposer albeit this we may gather from his words late cited and these following The Sectaries take upon them to correct the Churches sentence as oft as they list and then they oppose Christ to the Church as if the Church did propose one thing and Christ teach another If they admitted any Church as a sufficient proposer they were bound to conforme their opinions to it in all things As you heard before out of Bellarmine That the Popes Decrees may not be examined whether consonant or contrary to Gods Word or the foundations of faith already laid in our hearts and out of Canus That we must believe the Church absolutely without its or ands Thus believing we have Gods Word sufficiently proposed without this belief or acknowledgement of such authority in the Church we have no sufficient proposal of it but strive as foolishly to hear God speak as if we sought to see Colours without the light 7 It appears I hope as clearly to the Reader as to me that the Churches testimony or authority by our Adversaries Doctrine benefits none but such as stedfastly and absolutely believe it in all things But he that so believes it may by it easily believe all other points as he that can perfectly see the light may see Colours by it Want of this radical belief in us makes our faith in their opinion so unstable or rather blind and dead Yet can I hardly perswadâ— my self all of them will grant the Church addes any inherent or participated splendor to divine revelations whereby they become perspicuous in themselves as Colours are made visible by irradiation of the Sun Thus much notwithstanding all of them I know willingly would subscribe unto A Protestant can neither of himself be infallibly perswaded of the Truth of Scriptures or other conclusions of faith nor doth he absolutely believe any others that are infallible in their determinations but a Roman Catholick albeit by his private spirit he cannot infallibly believe them yet he infalliby believes the Church which cannot erre in belief All then that a Papist hath more then a Protestant is this his Belief of the Church if once he doubt of this he is where he was Which in plain termes is as much as to say ‖ He believes the Church concerning Scriptures not Scriptures That this is the true interpretation of their Tenent may easily be gathered from their own writings For Bellarmine expressely contends and all of them suppose that saying of Saint Austin Non crederem Evangelio nisime commoveret Ecclesiae authoritas I would not believe the Gospel unlesse the Churches authority did thereto move me to be true as well after faith is produced whilest it continues as whiles it is in planting Now if a man should say Non crederem Francisco nisi me commoveret Petri fiâ—elitas I would not trust Frances but for Peters word this speech resolved into it natural or proper sence is aequivalent unto this I do not trust Frances but Peter that gives his word for him And in case Peter should prove false or be distrusted by him that took his word for Frances as yet not believed but for Peters sake the creditor could have no hold of either Thus if Bellarmine and his fellows be as they would seem to make S. Austin minded not to believe the Gospel but for the Churches authority or proposal of it let them speak plainly and properly not in parables or metaphors and so we shall know their meaning to be That they indeed believe not the Scriptures but the Church or the Church truly and really the Scriptures onely by extrinsecal denomination 8 Nor can they reply either consequently to Sacrobos us instance or their general Tenents that as he which sees colours by the light truly sees colours not the light onely so he that believes Scriptures by the Churches infallible proposal believes not the Churches proposal onely but Scriptures as truely and properly The diversity of reason in these two consequences ariseth from the diverse manner of seeing colours by the Suns light and believing
c. He hath not God for his Father that hath not the Church his Mother 465 Churches proposal the Cause of Romish faith 467 The Church the Church see Templum Domini Church see Infallibility Belief The Enthusiasts Circle 150 Circle dolus circulatorius 291 to 293 508 Sacrebosco in a Circle 294 297. see Valentian Coaliers Circle 242 Coaliers Catechisme 292 Conditional see Assent faith belief obedience Cassius his sacriledge at Jerusalem and pilling the Jews punished 67 Crassus his sacriledge at Jerusalem the cause of his destruction 65 66 Crassus his overthrow and sin misapplied ib. Crassus his sinne pointed out in his punishment 66 67 Young Crassus and Old their Ominous stumble as they came out of the Temple at Hierapolis 65. c. St. Cyprian sinned not deadly in contradicting Pope Stephen sayes Bellarmin 313 m. Cup confessed by the Trent Council usuall of old yet forbid by it 330 c. and that upon a Text fore strained 332 c. Cup essentiall 335. Pope may grant it 338 m. A Queen poisoned in the Cup Greg. Tours 330 Council of Trent cited D DAlilah by Poets made Scylla 48 Day of the Lord not limited to one day 100 102 Deliverance from Popery like that from Egypt 138 Divine Authority ground of faith 7 Dialogue of Protestant and Papist 485 Dialogue of Catech. and Consistory 489 Differences dissensions amongst Learned See Scripture Disobedience see Obedience Deucalions flood 50 c. Divels believe how 3 Doctrine Christs doctr tried by Moses his and the Prophets Popes must not be so no not by Christs 428 Belief of Christs Doctrine without triall by Moses c. had been not belief but blindness 429 Christs Doctrine is to Moses his c. as the Conclusion is to the premisses 430 S. Peter proves his doctrine by Moses and the Prophets 453 S. Paul lets his doctrine be examined 456 So doth Christ 428 All doctrine to be tried by scripture 458 Doctrine of Infallibility dangerous to States 499 507 worst of all errors heresies blasphemies ib. in Canonizing Saints dangerous 501 danger from Gods wrath 502 more of the danger of that doctrine 503 This doctrine inverts the Frame of Christian Religion ib. Doubts may arise from extending unduly the meaning of scripture 179 One may in some Case obey or disobey not without doubt yet without sin 180 Every doubt is not sufficient to deny obedience 186 The Text He that doubts c. expounded 179 180 Adam condemned for eating though he doubted not about it 185 One may sin doubting of the Popes or Churches power yet not sin in examining it whilest he doubts says Bell. 313 m. 458 m. 420 Dreams of them in particular 27 c. Wickedness worldliness policie caused defect of Gods warning men by Dreams 29 Bassinas Dream 41 Dreams usual amongst the Patriarchs c. 28 yea to eminent persons and others perhaps that knew not the true God 29 Strabo says Moses taught chastity requisite in those that expected direction from God in Dreams 29 E EDition vulgar part Lucians part S. Jeroms part Theodotions the heretick saies Bellarmine 300 See translation Ecclesiastick writers of the first age why so silent of the wonders of that age 98 99 End he that commends the end commends the necessary means is a rule 420 Eleazar presents a Golden beam to Crassus 66 Emicho wastes the Jews and kils twelve thousand of them 116 Enthusiasme dangerous 150 c. England Jews calamities there 120 c. See Jews Euphrates compounded of Hu prath 56 Evidence excluded from belief 2 Evidence drowns belief 2 Evidence excluded from the thing directly believed not from things united to it 2 Exceptions See objections and universal Experiments of Scripture-truth in our selves how to be found 140 to 145 how to be framed in our selves 144 Experience confirmed S. Peter in the truth of a known Oracle 140 Experiments fruitful and powerful in hearts prepared 142 c. Experiments uneffectual in hearts indisposed why 143 c. Experiments of scripture truth small in our dayes and why so 145 Script as rule of dyet Experiments as nutriment Gods spirit as the digestive 150 c. Experiments confirm faith 408 411 428 433 508 Experience of evil threatned begets hope of good promised 415 F FAbius Ursinus his Oration 50â— Fables resembling truths Helicon Bâ—â—r Cadmus Moses Scylla Dâ—lâ—la Nâ—obe Lots wâ—… 47 c. 59 Fathers how they used the authority of the Church 243 Faith to beget it in children parents instructions be necessary 411 412 413 Faith confirmed how See experiments Jeremies Faith confirmed by seeing Gods threats fulfilled 416 Gideons Faith confirmed 414 To settle and ripen Faith a rule 421 See rule Christ risen revived his disciples Faith by what Moses and Prophets had foretold of him 449 Not of Faith three meanings of that text or phrase 177 to 184 The universality of it limited 178 See Actions see doubts The doubt and disobeying may be not of Faith as well as the positive action 179 Omission may be not of faith as well as commission 185 Implicate Faith Romish differs from conditional Belief 196 Popish writers make the Church mistress of mâ—ns Faith 197 Roman rule of Faith unsufficient 297 to 305 Of Romish Faith the first main ground â—…ds to Atheism second to Heathenism c. 484 c. Resolution of Faith by Valentian 292 464 c. He resolves Faith into the Churches authority not into the first verity 471 472 c. Not into Gods veracity or truth of his word 478 c. Resolution of Faith two fold 472 Foundation what a Foundation the Papists make Christ 356 G GIdeons faith confirmed 414 Gersons caveat to the Pope about Canonizing of Saints 501 Godesaealchus a dutch priest perswades the King of Hungary to kill the Jews 117 Greek letters and inventions taken from the Hebrew 57 Great day of the Lord not to be limited to one day 100 102 Gyants frequent in Moses's daies 35 c. Gyants about mount Vesuvius 101 Gods patience to the Iews a mercy to the Gentiles 80 c. Gods mercy and justice exemplified in the Iews 91 Gods justice and wisdom in the Iews calamity 133 His proceedings against them even to this day most just and most wise ib. Gods favours to Ancient Iews paralleld with the the like to the Gentiles 135 c Gods judgements why not so signal now as in former times 137 Gods providence in the reformation from Popery remarkable 138 c Gods providence how little observed 143 c Gods providence in making the Papists to acknowledge the Apocalyps for Canonical 148 Gods providence in preserving clauses of scripture 149 Gods Spirit not to be discerned but by his fruits 150 H HAnnahs faith confirmed by experiment 142 c Of Hannah more 143 Harmony of sacred Writers 17 c Henry 3. cruel to the Iews 123 Henry 8. by prosopopaeia brought in 372 Heathen objections against the Iews all prevented by Iewish Writers 78 c Hereticks urge scripture 235