principles of faith wherein consisteth the summe of all religion These first principles of religion assented vnto by this infused faith as the principles of reason by the light of nature haue taken a deeper impression in the mindes of the faithfull than the voice of the Church or an Angell from heauen could haue made For if we saith Paul the Apostles of Christ nay if an Angell from heauen confirmed in the state of happines should preach any other Gospell that is lay any other principles of religion then be all readie layd let him bee accursed Then somewhat there is of more certaintie to vs then Peter or Paul or any Angell Sinos aut Angelus Thus farre therefore you must of necessitie yeeld vnto vs except you withstand the streame of your owne Doctors that albeit the voice of the Church be a witnesse of this truth without exception yet aboue and beside this the minde of a beleeuing Christian is stroken with a lightning from Heauen inspyred with diuine reuelation enformed with that infused faith which farre surpasseth that former faith gotten by discourse and testimonie of the Church without vs. This is the last resolution of our religion into a principle that standes vpon his own ground to wit into an vndoubted assent of the minde informed by true faith fixed by the holy Ghost vpon the Axioms of Christian religion All that I would say to this point is by your Doctor Stapleton well concluded in one period Fideles enim omnes per vocem ecclesiae inducuntur ad fidem inducti autem lumine inspirationis diuinae illustrati non iam amplius propter Loquelam ecclesiae sed propter Lumen illud diuinum credunt But for more remote conclusions drawen from principles by discourse and tract of consequence because therein to rely vpon speciall reuelation were dangerous we most willingly imbrace the voice of the Church in manner as we haue said to your first motiue alwaies acknowledging Gods spirit to be more fully resident in holy assemblies then priuate braines promising to leade the Church into all truth to be resident where two or three are gathered together in his name which spirit for his part will neuer be wanting if the Church for her part be not defectiue But whether these promises made be absolute or with condition that is suppose the Church will not be led whether the spirit will perforce driue her into all truth Suppose her chieftaines assemble themselues with preiudicate and sinister affections not with that sinceritie which is required whether the spirit will therin assist them Or whether these suppositions be possible that God in regard of our sins will suffer such corruptions to creepe into Synodes as may lead thē into errour in some ages more in some lesse though euermore preseruing life in the principles of religion is the point in question Vpon which issue we denie such a power of not erring to the Church militant as should enforce the mind to giue assent to counsell decrees in the same kind and degree of faith as to the articles of beleefe which remaines more fully to be shewed out of your owne groundes MOTIVE FOr they affirme that the authority of the Church and ministerie of whom their followers receiue the sacred scriptures and their expositours be humane and such as may goe aside into errour and sometimes doe So that of necessitie whosoeuer standeth in the integritie of their opinion either haue no faith at all or else onely humane and errant For they that haue a possible impotencie of erring in one point of faith what assurance can they make of distinction that they doe not erre in all ANSVVERE WE affirme the authoritie of the Church and ministerie to be humane in the same sense as Saint Iohn cals it the testimonie of men If we receiue the testimonie of men the testimonie of God is greater Which testimonie of men was by all consent the testimonie of the Apostles themselues who ioyntly were witnesses of the resurrection of the Lord of life Then if the testimonie of the Apostles be humane I hope in the like sense we may call the authoritie of the Church humane I come at the last to that grand motiue whereupon all the rest depends the omnipotence of not erring Wherein that I may quickly touch the point I spare to proue what is granted for we go along certaine steps together without iarring First it is confessed that any counsell particular or general may erre if it be not confirmed by the Pope Secondly that Pope and counsell may erre in any by matter beside the definitiue sentence principally intended Thirdly that they may errein application of scriptures in illustrations in sequel of argument drawne from scripture to inferre that definitiue sentence Fourthly the definitiue sentence it selfe may be erronious if it be defined onely as a probabilitie not as a point of faith Fiftly though it be concluded as a matter of faith yet there may be errour in the proprietie of speech by superfluitie or want of termes by displacing of wordes or such like Only the verie bare maine sense of the conclusion it selfe is cocke sure from errour Into this narrow straite they confesse themselues to haue been alreadie pursued the consideration of which point me thinkes should cause an indifferent mind to pause a little and thinke it strange at the least that the euident truth of the Church testimonie whereupon all catholike faith must depend that the first principle standing vpon his owne ground into which all religion is to be resolued as into a pure element should be put to so many shiftes and hunted into such a narrow roome But further to vrge you with your owne I demaund from whence a counsels definitiue sentence doth receiue her infallibilitie Either it must be immediately from the spirit of God or else by means of consequence from the text of scripture or article whereupon it groundeth The first is by your selues denied for it is the first and speciall difference Bellarmine putteth twixt counsels Canons and canonicall scripture that the word of God is authorized by immediate reuelation from the spirit but counsels deriue their conclusions by discourse from the word Your champion answered me to this point that indeed God would haue his Church to vse those meanes of discourse and testimonie yet at the vpshot the spirit doth fortifie the conclusion and lets the rest go So I hope Paul did apply his bookes and parchments vsed the meanes of studie and discourse though that which he resolued vpon to put in writing was by the immediate motion of the spirit Therefore still this makes no difference at all Then belike if Bellarmine stand it is the discourse sequele of argument which the conclusion must rely vpon for her certaintie but that also proues a broken staffe euen in your owne iudgements Bellarmine saieth it is erronious and Stapleton resolues vpon it that from erronious arguments counsels doe
whole body This is a marke Saint Paul willeth vs to aime at and indeuour to attain the perfection of it But you as if your Church had alreadie attained it and were perfect in this vnitie of faith haue fansied to your selfe such an vniformitie in religion and such an infallible meanes to enioy the same as doth expell all differences in iudgements and opinions remoue all occasions of doubt and reply and vnto which perfect obedience is tied By this cognisance haue you discerned and noted the onely true catholike Church and thereby cut of al protestants from that body So did Tully describe an oratour who neuer yet was knowen either at Rome or Athens so did Plato imagine a commonwelth collected of the select perfections of all societies and so hath your chymicall phansie conceited a Church in her state here militant which by triall will proue a meere Eutopia not to be found vpon the earth For you might easily conceiue euen in reason that albeit vnitie be essentiall to a bodie and consequently the vnitie of faith to the Church of Christ yet as there be many degrees of perfections in the church so be there likewise of vnitie in faith Concerning the very bodie of religion and more materiall pointes of faith there is in our Church an vniforme accord and agreement though in other branches some differences as amongst your selues how manie iarres betwixt Aquin and Scotus and y e rest of that scoole scarce three of thē saying one thing How many errours cōdemned in your Cardinal Caietan by Melchior Canus and Bellarmin The Iacobins and the Cordelians could neuer agree about the Virgin Mary her conception In a word it cannot bee denyed but so many orders of fryers almost so many sectes in opinions and deadly quarrels euen at this day Wherefore before this your peremptorie conclusion of deposing Churches it had bin a point verie requisite first to haue defined what degree of vnitie were necessarie and what kinde of differences brings the Church of Christ to vtter dissolution so that it remaine noe longer to bee a Church But you taking a course most easie to deceiue your selfe and others discourse aloofe in generalities and take the perfection of vnitie at the highest pitch to make a more glorious shewe So then the weight of this your argument resteth it selfe vpon these two poyntes First that the prouidence of God hath prouided for his Church militant a perpetuall and infallible meanes of vnitie in faith and such a vnity as takes away varietie of iudgments and opinions remoues all occasions of doubt and reply and vnto which absolute obedience is tyed Secondly that this meanes is to be found in the Church of Rome and not els where Let vs briefly examine the first ground which if it proue sandie the whole frame of this your building falles by it owne weight Saint Paul his argument in the fourth to the Ephesians from whence you haue raised this whole discourse in your owne sence makes directly against you For as from vnitie of Gods Church hee buildeth the vnitie of faith so doth he likewise the vnitie of spirit in the bond of peace Then if from the defect of vnitie in faith you will goe backward to deny the Church you must deny it likewise by vertue of the same text vpon any quarrels or contentions ciuill or eccleasticall which doe impeach the vnitie of loue in the bond of peace But I wot you will be better aduised and graunt there may be a visible Church though the vnitie of peace be not in perfectiō And may there not be one also amongst vs in some differences of iudgments yea much more since varietie of opinions rise commonly from ignorance and weaknes of iudgment whereas those other quarrelles proceed rather from malice and enuie and therefore are lesse veniall and more likely to take away the possibilitie of dependance vpon God Let vs then leaue to straine at gnattes and ingenuously acknowledge thus much at the first that all differences doe not take away the nature of the true Church Next that all vnitie doth not proue a Church For there may be aswellconspiracie in errour as vnitie in faith Yea the kingdome of Sathan is at vnitie with it selfe Or els saith our Sauiour it could not possibly endure If this policie be the strength of his kingdome no meruaile if the same be found amongst his instruments as the prophet Nahum speakes of the enimies of Gods people the Assyrians comparing them to a firre bush or heape of thornes twined or folden one within another Your next shift will be that differences of iudgments among catholikes before definitiue sentence giuen bee neither damnable nor concerne matters of faith but after the Church hath giuē her voice vnto which perfect obedience is tyed then such a truth so determined is presently to be imbraced without reply or further enquirie Which conceite seemes to make voide the ende of that diuine dispensation by which you affirme some sediitons and factions to spring in the kingdome of God Which in his wisedome be not onely permitted but disposed and ordered to the exercise and more full triall of the faithfull To which purpose wee are often vrged in the text to search the scriptures trie the spirits proue all things but here is a shorter cut for a catholike Onely these two poynts First in any doubtfull question vndetermined either let him suspend his iudgment or if he lift to take a side it is not daungerous vntill the Church haue defined and then secondly after definitiue sentence let him imbrace it as a matter of faith without further examination Me thinkes this triall is too too easie that a catholike should put himselfe into such complete armour as y e Apostle biddeth as to haue his loines girt with veritie his feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell to take vnto him the shield of faith the sword of the spirit to make such search and examination for the truth of God and when it comes to the point so he keepe himselfe within compasse of the visible Church which is verie spacious he may safely fight on which side he list without daunger and when sentence is past yeelde consent with securitie Which position I must needes confesse hath the aduantage of mans nature farre aboue the other For that which we desire and wish for we are easily induced to beleeue wherefore euery man naturally affecting to enioy securitie with all facilitie and ease that may bee doth willingly perswade himselfe of this and the like plausible conceites euen by the sway of his owne inclination Which thing makes it no whit lesse suspected of errour but rather much more because euery naturall motion and desire arising out of the inferior part of the soule must by the kingdome of Christ be either quite subdued and rooted out or at the least so crossed and qualified as it seldome remaines the same So then to draw this whole poynt to a
principally we appeale to scripture as to the certaine rule and ground of all the rest yet for the true sense and interpretation of scripture we confirme our selues by the consent of the learned in the Church by the analogie of faith and common grounds of beliefe deliuered by the Church and collected by the ancient fathers out of the most plaine vndoubted scriptures by the generall consent of antiquitie by prouinciall and generall counsels which at this day we wish and heartily pray might be called without partialitie but our complaint is the same with Saint Basil and Gregorie Nazianzene in their time that a generall counsell cannot be called with indifferencie in the throng of so many quarrels especially since the head of the strongest faction must needs be possessed with a preiudice in his owne cause These meanes of finding and maintaining the truth of God though taken seuerally they may seeme the weaker yet all or most of them ioyned together are sufficient to rest the consciences of true Catholikes To the perfection where of we labour to attaine forgetting that which is behind and endeuouring to that which is before THE SEVENTH MOTIVE THe diuine prouidence which as a center indifferently extendeth it selfe to the vniuersalitie of things hath allowed euerie creature common strength to preserue his being such is in liuelesse bodies their place or motion or qualities in vegetable their instinct of distinguishing their proper aliment in beastes the iudgement of sense and priuiledge of nature and in man an apprehension censure and proiect from the intelligence of sensible occurrents both in naturall and ciuill bodies The same wisedome and bountie which hath been so enlarged to his seruants cannot be straightned to his children and therefore it is aboue all doubt that he hath set some plaine and certaine direction in his Church both of discerning of heresies when they arise and of auoiding the infection of them neither hath the holy Ghost failed herein for because all the dangers of the Church were chiefly to come from heretikes hee hath drawne in the scripture as in a table the picture of heretikes their apparrell fashion speech and cariage whereby they might be noted vpon the first apparance But among all other Items none is oftener giuen for a marke to discerne them then their difference of doctrine from the former tradition and custome There shall be false teachers which shall bring in heresies 2. Peter 2. 1. If any man come to you and bring not this doctrine Iohn 2. 10. And the contradiction of Corah 1. Tim. 8. If any man teach other wise then that which you haue heard from the beginning Let it abide in you fight for the faith once deliuered keepe the traditions you are taught And if any man would fashion in his wishes a plaine and sensible rule whereby the thickest conceits that are not able to goe betweene truth and errour in the loosest controuersies might determine any question there cannot bee a better fancied then this difference of teaching and innouation of doctrine which he that vnderstandeth not the sense may perceiue by the words the soundes and contradiction of former opinion as men that are skilfull in musicall proportions and being acquainted through vse of song can easily iudge if any chaunge be made therein By this were all heresies apprehended at the first and also arraigned So that Stephanus Bishop of Rome ouerthrew the decree of the councell of Carthage for rebaptising wherein Saint Cyprian was president with his owne rule Ecclesia Dei non habet talem consuetudinem So Luther and Zwinglius and the rest of that crewe were at the first appearing branded by this note for heretikes ANSVVERE THis is the same fallacie with the former applyed another way for as in the last motiue you haue assured the Church of an infallible meanes to define all truth so in this you secure her members likewise of a power with facilitie to discerne heretikes by argument drawen from the generall prouidence of God extending it selfe to all creatures but most of all to his children In which ground there is some truth but entwined with some errours For as in other creatures the diuine prouidence is verie bountifull for the preseruation of their seuerall beings against iniurie and daungers yet for all the power of nature in senceles things or the iudgment of sense in the vnreasonable or the benefit of reason in men they be notwithstanding oftentimes subiect aswell to the pray and violence as to the crafte and deceit of others so is it in the professours of christian faith vnto whom God hath reuealed a meanes to preserue their spirituall being in this state militant more certaine and far more sufficient for them then he hath giuen to any other yet not with such ease facilitie to be enioyed as in this motiue you indeuour to perswade For albeit the Scripture hath not been wanting in describing heretikes so plainly as by way of prophecie could possibly be expressed yet are they not thereby presently knowne vpon the first appearance nor can the thickest conceites so easily iudge of them If you take your markes as you say from their apparell fashion or outward carriage then a sheeps skin drawen ouer a woolfe will easily deceaue you their outward apparance will in euery respect seeme holy and innocent as the sheepe of Christ. Therefore is there neede of a serpents wisedome to discerne them and not that onely but also of diligence and watchfulnesse to espie them For as they come in sheeps skins so come they priuily as Saint Peter noteth in the place by you first mencioned There shalbe false teachers who priuilie shall bring in damnable heresies Which word though it carie the emphasis of the sentence yet is it by you wisely omitted happily because you thought it a note of an heretike not so well beseeming Martin Luther who came not so priuily I wis but open inough and in his owne liknes contrarie to the common fashion of heretikes who first put on a sheepes skin and then creepe into the flock the easier to deceiue Wherefore when that prophecie is fufilled which you haue so fitted vnto these times concerning the doctrine of many false Christs where the bodie is thither will the Eagles resort not owles or bussards but such as haue a quicke eye of faith to discerne the Lord and the swift wing of deuotiō to fly vnto him Nay y e delusions of heresies shal thē grow so strong as nothing shall be able to withstand them but only the eternall election of God For if it were possible the verie elect should be deceiued A small number God knowes in compare of that glorious multitude you so boast of in your fifth motiue yet it seemes these fewe must stand when many great troupes are caried with the doctrine of false Christs Ecce hic ecce illic But these difficulties seeme nothing vnto you who can imagine a direction so plaine against
it is subiect to errour being not able so steadily to looke backe frō euery conclusion to the first ground so the minds of Christian men holding the same commō grounds by them vnfolding difficulties and from them raising conclusiōs according to the variety of iudgements and apprehensions doe shape so many formes of opinions and controuersies of religion Thus farre I hope we haue gone hand in hand without crosse or variance in any poynt at all It remaines them since the vnderstanding euen of a christian man is weake and vnstable in his discourse and apprehension that we seeke the meanes to establish and confirme the same so far forth as may stay the conscience of one studious of truth in matters of religion Your aduise is that notwithstanding all truth in controuersie of faith be grounded chiefely vpon scripture yet the sence of scripture being diuersly taken by diuers therefore to vs vncertaine the question at last must be remoued from the text to the interpretour from the scripture to the men God forbid the question should euer be remoued from the ground of truth which truth is contained in the first principles which principles be euidently expressed in scripture not diuersly taken but agreed vpon of all Churches As that Christ is come in the flesh Christ is the sonne of the liuing God his second comming to iudgement the resurrection and such like the analogie of which truths is an infallible rule for expounding more obscure places and a sure ground to build vpon These principles being not doubtfull in varietie of apprehensions like other places of greater difficultie there is no shew of reason why a christians mans mind should in any controuersie be remoued from them no more then naturall reason will in any case forsake her common grounds notwithstanding any sect of Philosophers whatsoeuer but still labour to trie and examine all opinions by her first rules Thus much I will presume vpon as graunted if any exceptiō be taken I appeale to your own words It is best to goe aside and single out the two grand originals and foundations from the which all the other factions arise that by taking a iust estimat of the strength of either our iudgement may leane to the stronger part I demaund then when your selfe went aside to single out the two grand originals by what rules did you take a iust estimate of the strength of either If religion be to you a matter of conscience you must needes confesse that your rules of reason or religion or both did sway your mind and make your iudgement leane as you thinke to the stronger part So that euen by your own euidence that last remoue of the question from the text to the interpreter from the scripture to the men if it cary any shew of truth it must be interpreted verie tenderly First you meane not frō that plaine scripture wherein the first principles bee euidently authorized but onely from those obscure textes whose sence is doubtfull to vs in such varietie of apprehensions Secondly the remoue is not made from the scripture altogether to the men but so as still we keepe our sure footing vpon the first grounds in the strength and euidence wherof diuine truth both in it selfe and to vs is euermore established Now further to proceede because the Apostle commaunds vs not alwaies to sticke in our first principles we must needes confesse that the vnderstanding of priuat men vnsteedie in discourse and feeble in iudging such high and waightie matters is of it selfe aswell in expounding scripture as setting downe conclusions subiect to manifould errors and heresies And therefore besides those premised groundes from which we take our rise we must be confirmed by such meanes as Christ hath besides prouided for the members of his Church militant here vpon earth Which meanes are braunched into the assistance of Gods spirit within vs and the testimonie of the Church and holie men of God without vs. These speciall helpes God hath prouided for his Church ouer and aboue humane helpes common to Christians with the sonnes of nature The former of these I meane the assistance of Gods spirit for enlightning our vnderstanding and inabling our iudgments is purchased 1. by feruencie of prayer 2. religious exercise 3. holines of life and 4. studious indeuour Yet notwithstanding because both reason and religion ioyned with humilitie will easily perswade that Gods spirit is more fully resident in holy assemblies then priuat mens braines that spirit is to be suspected of singularitie which will not with all reuerence imbrace the testimonie of the Church So then a Christian man studious of truth doth rest his conscience vpon these three witnesses First the euidence of our first principles expressely propounded in scripture and written in the tables of our heartes by the holy Ghost Secondly the assistance of Gods grace and holy spirit promised to euery faithfull soule for confirming his iudgment so far forth as may leade to happines and performe the dueties of that place whereunto he is called Thirdly the testimonie of the Church and holy men of God And these three agree in one But in your last remoue of the question From the text to the interpreter from the scripture vnto the men passing ouer the two former you haue resolued your selfe wholy vpon the worth merit and authoritie of those which are the expositors So that according to your aduise hauing singled out the graund originals and foundations of our two religions and taking as neere as I can a iust estimate of the strength of either I find the odds three to one of our side For although these three witnesses bee so linked togither as rightly taken they be neuer seuered yet least singling them out one from another we should mistake any wee lay fast hold of all three conferring examining and confirming to our selues one by another You contrariwise leane your selfe and rest your conscience onely vpon the third the testimonie of the Church as vpon an infallible ground of all the rest Which if it proue a broken staffe by your mistaking of it either in taking the testimonie of some portion of the visible Church for the whole catholike or secondly an vnsound part for the sound or thirdly misconceauing the churches of former times it will not only deceiue you but the shiuers thereof wound your erronious and naked conscience which easily may befall such a one as is of no longer time or deeper studie then you and I are well knowne to be MOTIVE THe catholike part for the strength of their interpretation alledge the iudgment of the Church the definitions of councels the consent of fathers the harmonie of Churches the practise of all ages and the rule of Apostolicall tradition left by succession as the light through the heauens The Protestantes bring forth the seuerall founders of their sects Luther Caluin Melancthon and others of that straine whose exposition they cleaue vnto Lay this in the ballance and
inferre vndoubted positions from weake and false premisses infallible conclusions Omnipotent power that makes the conclusion stronger then the premisses whereupon it is grounded But I will spare this sore because Doctor Stapleton saith it is a sinne to touch it Thus it is quoth hee but we must not enquire the maner how it is that were curiositie Happily it is a mysterie and it were safe for your Church it were not looked into The consequence of your argument if any impotencie of erring in one then in all is too too weake there is a meane betwixt all and none at all you run altogether vpon extremities all errours be not at once disclosed nor all truthes alike necessarie to be knowne What say you to your Doctor Stapleton who limits the Church with a condition of determining such points onely as be necessary to be beleeued or belong to the verie substance of faith else she may erre both in discourse and definitiue sentence a condition which would be looked vnto if not quite put out of his workes for it shaketh many a decree Nay what say you to Bellarmine who acknowledgeth there be some true catholikes which hold that the Pope in a general counsel may erre when he giueth not all diligence Which generall condition if it be truly obserued in assembling the synod without partialitie in selecting points of moment and necessitie in consulting with all simplicitie with such like included vnder all diligence doubtlesse Gods spirit for his part will neuer be wanting See now if you would be reasonable we might happily shake hands in this point but you presently runne backe to an absolute omnipotencie of not erring in any one point and so shall we neuer meet I aduise you though doe not take it for an article of your creed but remember Bellarmine his rule That is not to be held as a point of faith against which some catholikes do hold being reputed catholikes of the Church and not condemned for heretiks But some catholikes hold the Church may erre quando non adhibet omnem diligentiam therefore resolue not all your faith vpon this point but alas we haue your resolution MOTIVE COntrarie the Catholikes auouching the inflexible truth of the Church as the voice of Christ and direction of the spirit doe stay the mindes of the faithfull from doubt and wauering But the other making an head from the bodie of the Church are rightly punished both with beleefe in errours and vnbeleefe in truth ANSVVERE SEe now your conclusion which buildeth not vpon that point alone we haue alreadie sifted but assumeth with all a farre more slipperie ground that that Church you haue lately plunged your selfe into is the onely Church we haue talked of all this while the onely true vniuersall visible Church vpon the earth Which two vncertainties wel examined and laid together will I feare me make but a sandie foundation to build vpon and an vnstable principle to stand vpon it owne ground and vphold all religion Yet this is your only sanctuary wherin you secure your soules of all sound beliefe which standeth vpon these two main pillers first that the Catholike Church cannot erre which is not so dangerous if rightly conceiued as hath been said Secondly that this Romish Church whereof you professe your selfe a member is that Catholicke Church Which second branch must be yet further resolued into other vncertainties presupposed by you as vndoubted truthes whereupon the frame of your religion doth rest it selfe to wit first that this present Romish Church doth not degenerate from the ancient Catholike but soundly and sincerely professeth that same faith which was established in the primitiue by the Apostles continued in the ancient Romane Church in the time of the Fathers for the space of 600 yeares Secondly this being proued and made manifest you must adde further that this Church of Rome is not so Catholike as was the Church of Corinth Galatia c. that is not as a member communicating in the faith of the whole Catholike but that it selfe is the whole entire Catholike Church thereby excluding all other Churches in Christendome as hereticall which doe not acknowledge themselues subiect to the Bishop of that Sea Which thing you must defend not against protestants onely who proue you rather to be an Italian faction then the Catholike Church which Iohn Hart doth ingenuously acknowledge to be more probable then he was aware of but euen against your owne Doctors and Cardinals must you arme your selues in this point who complaine there is nothing decreed in counsels but what the Italian Nation liketh of as Ludouicus Cardinall of Arle complained at the Councell of Basil and Claudius Espencaeus a Doctor of your owne in Paris witnesseth for Trent Haec est illa Helena qua tridenti nuper obtinuit c. speaking of the Italian Nation Now if any of these pointes faile you which me thinkes be verie tickle then is not the voice of your Church euermore the inflexible truth of Christ and direction of his spirit which you presume to be the first ground of Christian Religion that doth stay the minds of the faithfull from doubt and wauering in all the rest THE THIRD MOTIVE THe infinite waies of errours draw themselues in their originall into two heads opinion and affection which as two cankers breed the one in the vnderstanding the other in the will for our iudgement is easiest deceiued by those things we esteeme truest and our inclination by what we loue best There is nothing of more manifest presumption then the truth of the Scriptures nor fuller of desire then securitie of happinesse therefore these two being left vnlimited the one of Canonitall exposition the other with necessitie of meanes are a direct method of indirect consequence Such is the practise of the later religion they teach that nothing is to be credited but what is warranted in holy bookes and giue not infallible rules of interpretation but such as at last must be ouerruled by priuat opinion for conference of places propriety of phrase acceptations of wordes can make no other conclusion then euery ones conceit will aforde So that of an infallible proposition and arbitrary assumption must needes insue a dangerous conclusion though not euer in the matter which is concluded yet alwaies in the manner of concluding ANSVVERE TO let slip your philosophicall introduction sparing in this short discourse to catch at by matters you haue pitched your motiue vpon the two maine partes of a christian soule The vnderstanding of diuine truth and the desire of true happines assuming to your selues and denying wholly to vs both sound iudgment for the triall of the one and necessarie meanes for the enioying of the other Our iudgment is impeached for resting it selfe wholly vpon the written word being depriued also of the infallible interpretation of the same For the first point we doe indeede maintaine the written word as the most perfect worke of God to
which that ancient writer so approued by you doth auere Solus sufficit ad omnia satis superque all reformations of the Church whatsoeuer haue been since or hereafter shalbe must come vnder the name of meere restitutions without addition not instituting any new doctrine but restoring the ancient not creating a new Church as you fondly imagine but reducing the old vnto the primitiue Therefore in this kind there is no need of miracles or prodigious signes seeing our reformers bring no new reuelations of their owne but only make appeales to the iudgement of the primitiue Church desire credit of others no further then they giue euidence of argument drawne from such grounds as be receiued of all hands Then seeing their proceedings be ordinarie what extraordinarie wonders are to be expected Neither was it their desire motion in this reformatiō that the present visible Church should fly the world and leaue her kingdome royaltie but onely this y t it should be purged because reason telleth vs experience hath proued it that the visible Church is not al spirit but some flesh though she be informed by the holy Ghost in her holy and generall assemblies yet she consisteth likewise of earthly fraile sinful men therfore she must of necessity gather some dust in time grow corrupt if she do not clense refine her selfe Wherupon motion was made to the commanders of the Church for the reformation of certaine abuses which being crept in had gotten a head and were growne to that pitch that they became burdensome to the consciences of religious men This complaint being not harkened vnto they perswaded themselues that the backwardnes of their brethren could not be to them a sufficient excuse not to reforme themselues For this cause they protested a separation from their fellowship and communion in those points vntill such time as it should please God to moue their minds so to refine themselues from those corruptions as there might insue conformitie a thing wished and praied for with sighes not to be expressed So that the strength of this your Motiue which makes Martin Luther his fellowes seeme so odious vnto you is resolued into these two questions First whether in his time there were abuses in the Church that required a reformation Secondly reformation being denied vnhoped for whether they were abuses of that nature degree as did bind the conscience of true catholikes not to cōmunicate with others in them Which two points if they be true they cleer our reformers frō all slander suspitiō either of heresy or schisme vntil you haue proued them false this the like generall motiues to this purpose be mere shadows without substance of no value or force at all THE SIXTH MOTIVE AS the cause is the paterne of the effects vpon which ground Saint Paul from the vnitie of Gods Church buildeth the vnitie of faith so may we go backwards from the defference of effects to denie the affinitie of the cause and from the impossibilitie of vnion in faith take away the possibilitie of dependance vpon God Such is the religion of the protestants which hath no certaine principle of vnitie and therefore lacketh the cognisance whereby true religion is knowne For where there is not an infallible authoritie which doth iudge and decide controuersies by remouing all actions of doubt and reply and vnto which absolute obedience is tied there must needs be varietie of iudgements and opinions which cannot be tied in one knot For all vnitie in particulars proceedeth from the vnitie of some cause wherein all agree But there is no such infallible authoritie the iudge of controuersies besides the voice of the Church which the protestants either put altogether to silence or else obey so farre as they please For the scriptures whom they haue erected to be iudges as rebels that put downe all iudges and pretend to be ruled onely by the law cannot alone supply this place to take away all occasionof controuersies And if there were no other argument their owne irreconcilable quarrels in so manifold differences among themselues might suffice to stop their mouthes herein For as diuers parcels of silke of deeper or lighter ground dipped by the Dyar in the same liquour drink in a seuerall tincture of colour according to their former varietie so they that diue in the letter of the holy scripture according as their iudgements are before stained with preiudice of one or other opinion come forth againe not in vnity of minds but in the same differences as they went in more or lesse Or as in the miracle of tongues giuen to the Apostles when many auditors of diuers languages came to heare them although the same men could speake no more but one idiome at once yet the seuerall auditours comprehended them as if they had spoken in the proprietie of their speech so when many of diuers languages in religion come to heare some one of the Apostles speaking in the scripture although the author vse onely the voice of the truth yet euery sundrie faction doth conceiue him as speaking in the seuerall confusion of their opinions Neither can they comfort themselues with any hope to see these diuerse opinions wound vp in one confession For as the vnitie in conclusion in logick cannot be without the vnitie of the medium so they cannot meete in that middle way which should bring them into peace able cōposition vnlesse they returne to the Church For all grant there is no way to accomplish it without a councell but who shall call it when there is none whom they all obey How many factions shall assemble out of what sect shall the president be chosen what number of suffrages shall there be on euery side what rule shall bee allowed for the interpretation of the scriptures And if all this were by a dreame imagined yet the authoritie of the Canons and conclusions shall not be so authenticall but that any priuate head may refuse it if in his owne singularity he thinke it disagreeing from the scripture so desperate is the possibilitie of vnion among them that hope which imagineth impossible things cannot possibly imagine it ANSVVERE AS euery defect and imperfection tendeth vnto dissolution so the good estate of euery bodie aswell politicke and mistical as natural doth consist in the vnity of the whole harmonie of the parts amongst themselues Therfore seeing the band of vnitie knitting many members into one whole maketh an entire body that societie is of all others conceiued to be most absolute which hath attained to the greatest perfection of vnitie Which kind of reason moued the Philosopher to giue the preeminence to a Monarchy before other simple formes So the Apostle in the place whence you take your rise from the vnitie of Gods Church doth build the vnity of faith as also the vnity of spirit in the bond of peace vrging a preseruation and increase of the same as a thing most perfecting the
Counsell sought into the auncient copies thereof sent for from Constantinople Alexandria and Rome the next yeare conferred examined nothing found Whereupon the Bishops of that Counsell writ to the Pope that in the Nicen Counsell nothing was decreed tending that way but rather the contrarie to wit that he should keepe himselfe within his bounds as other Metropolitans did and therefore aduised him to content himselfe with his owne charge To this subscribed 230. fathers If you come to latter times when his ful and most complet supremacie was defined at the Lateran Counsell vnder Leo the tenth presently vpon it the Vniuersitie of Paris appealed to another Counsell and condemned that former So may ye finde other Vniuersities to haue done in the like cause as Louan Colen Uienna and the rest So in these and the like poynts concerning the externall face of the Church more conspicuous consequently more subiect to gain sayings the repugnance and reiecting of them might easily bee shewen to be ancient as the allowance of them is But there be other questions concerning faith and opinion which be of a far different kinde from the former Much like vnto those tares in the parable scattered by the enemie in the seede time of the Church the better to plead antiquite yet are they not at the first espyed though till they haue sprung vp and laid claime to the ground as well as the most pure wheate Whereof there be many causes concurring one is because they be little seedes at the first and therefore lesse regarded of men De minimis non curat lex aut ratio And not onely from little euils but euen from indifferent beginnings as the deuotions and naturall affections of men doth the enemie take occasion to bring in grosse superstition Whereof the wise man giueth instance in that grat sin of idolatrie among the heathen For when a father mourned grieuously for his sonne that was taken away suddenly he made an image for him that was once dead endeuouring after a sort to preserue him aliue in the eye and memorie of man Which affection in the father had it proceeded no further were not greatly to be misliked but after he worshipped it as a God ordained ceremonies and commaunded his seruants to sacrifice vnto it Thus sayth the text by processe of time this wicked custome preuailed and was kept as a lawe Secondly as the beginnings be small and therefore lesse conspicuous so doe they breed inwardly and take deepe roote first in the minds of men before they bee published in the Church as the seed is first couered with earth before it spring vp To this purpose doth our Sauiour compare the false doctrine of the Pharisies vnto leuen which a woman takes and hides in a barrell of meale So by this meanes a little leuen in time will sower the lumpe Thirdly as the beginnings of errors so likewise their growthes and proceedings are vnsensible because they doe not sprout vp like Ionas Gourd in a moment but like ordinarie plants by little and little Non crescere cernis frutices sed crenisse The same reason which is of the growth of error is likewise to bee applied to the decay of pure religion which being not put downe at once but mouldering away in time is not so easily perceiued For had the Figge-tree which the Disciples saw suddenly withered and flourishing ouer night dryed vp in longer space it had not been so subiect to their obseruation Besides these impediments we must presume that the enemie being wise will take all fit oportunitie y t may be then since all ages haue not been alike furnished with able and vigilant pastors that also addeth some aduaÌ„tage to this purpose For it is obserued that when men slept the enemie sowed tares so the darke nights of ignorance and times of securitie bee fittest to entertaine heresies without resistance But in other ages againe when it pleased almightie God to raise most glorious lights in his Church such as were most of the ancient Fathers they were presently set a worke with some graund heretike or other which so possessed them as they could not so wel intend those lesser enormities which by that meanes gathered strength more and more For they were to gather all their forces and encounter with such heresies as did aime at the soule of religion and maine pillars of christian faith some taking away the diuinitie of Christ some mangling his humanitie some confounding his natures some renting his person thus the Dragon setting vpon the Lorde of life and ready to teare in peeces the very person of our blessed Sauiour it was then no time to stand brushing his garment hauing such huge beames to remoue it was vnseasonable to pecke moates though they also hinder the eye sight and become dangerous in time to the very apple of Gods eye as the Church is called So then to conclude as in diuers questions controuersed the repugnances may be shewed to haue been auncient so there is good reason you should pardon vs for some others Thus haue I briefelie examined these few motiues not any waies extenuating so farre as I can conceiue but rather vrging them with the aduantage which if I haue in any reasonable sort satisfied my next endeuour is humble prayer to almightie God so to moue your heart as this your resolution be no more peremptorie and strong then the Motiues whereupon it buildeth are in reason able to enforce Amen FINIS Heb. 6. 1. 2. Psal. 73. 16. Luke 24. 31. Ioh. 7. 17. Stringe meÌ„tem dabit intellectum Origen D. Whit. against Camp rat 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato in Timaeo Motiue 5. Thom 2. 2â— q. 2. ar 4. Scotus in 3. sent dist 23. Caietan in locum Aquin. Durand in 3. sent dist 22 1. Ioh. 5. 10. Qui credit infillum testimonium habet in se. Thom. 2. 2ae q 2 art 4. in 3. sentent dist 22. de gra libero 〈◊〉 â—6 ca. 2. 〈◊〉 6. can 〈◊〉 Gal. 1. 8. Princ. doct l. 8. cap. 22. 1. Iohn 5 Bel. de consil author lib. 2. ca. 11. ca. 12. Ibid. Bel. Sia princ doc lib. 8. ca. 15. Bel. ibid. Bel. ibid. Bel. de cons. auct lib. 2. ca. 12. Consilia ex co per ratiocinationem deducunt conclusiones De consil autho lib 2. cap. 12. lib. 8. cap. 15. a Quo peccati genere peccant illi qui c. prin lib. 8. ca. 15. infine b Bonus ecclesiae filius docenteÌ„ ecclesiam securus tutus audiet nec solicite laborans an idonea media ad doctrinam suam tradendam ecclesia adhibuerit nec curiose inquirens an in medijs ipsis debitam diligentiam impenderit c Quando de huiusmodi inquam questionibus vel consulitur vel obiter disputat ecclesia aberrare aliquaÌ„do poterit velassereado vel etiaÌ„ concludendo prin l. 8. ca. 15. initio d Ea solum de causa noÌ„ assirraamus hanc propositionem side catholica esse tenendam quod authores qui contrarium sentiunt nondum videamus ab ecclesia damnatos pro Hereticis de cons. auth lib. 2. ca. 5. e ca. 2. Espencaeus in comment in Titum ca. 1. August de Doct. Christiana lib. 2. Cap. 9. Lib. 3. Cap. 27. Cap. 28. Motiue 1. Hier. Epist. 19. inter Aug. Confess Aug. in praefat ad Lect. D. Reinold against Hart. Campian rat 2. Stapl. princ doct l. 10. ca. 11. Confes. August art 20. Caluin Insti l. 3. cap. 16. Cemnitius exa Cons. Trid. ses 6. Luther lib de visit saxoni Brent catechis Bellarm. de iustificat l. 5. ca. 7. propos 3. Stapl. princ lib. 2. cap. 9. Concil Trident. sess 3. Stapl. D. princ 〈◊〉 lib. 2. Cap. 4. Cap. 2. Cap. 49. Luke 18. Vincent Lirin cap. 39. Initio Orationis In 〈…〉 Lib. de Synod aduersus Arrianos ibid. ca. 16. Stapel prin doct lib. 2. ca. 13. Cap. 6. Luke 1. 17. Esa. 40. 3. Luke 1 64. Luke 16. 16. Iohn 3. 30. Gen. 35. 2. 3. Iudg. 2. 10. Chro. 13. 3. Apoc. 22. 18. Vincent Lirin ca. 2. 41. Mark 3. 24. Nahum 1. 10. Motiue 4. Ephes. 6. 15. 16. 17. Ioh. 5. 39. Mat. 16. 18. Mat. 3. 9. Mat. 3. 1. Septa Synod Constantinop Act. 13. 2. Synod Nicaena 2. Act. 7. 3. Synod 80. Constantinop sub Adrian 2. Act. 7. Gal. 3. 7. Iohn 8. 39. Rom. 11. 19. Pasil ep 52. ad Athanas. Nazian 2. Epi. ad Procopium Propter multitudineÌ„ hereticis fauentium infaustum exitum habueruÌ„t omnia consilia illis temporibus qualia fuerint Selâ—usiense Tirense Ariminense Mediolanense Smyrnense c. Mat. 7. 15. 2. Pet. 2. 1. Mat. 24. 28. Vers. 24. Mat. 5. Mat. 19. 8. Motiue 14. Cap. 39. Dilatae inueteratae haereses nequaquam hac via aggrediedae sunt 〈◊〉 quod proâ— temporum tractu longa 〈◊〉 furandae veritatis patuerit occasio Sola scripturunt authoritate Nisi paeucis desperatis perditis minor videtur esse authoritas Episcoporum in Africa c. Cap. 28. 98. 116. 123. Faustinus Philippus Asellus In fascicul rerum expetend fugiend Apeliat vniuers Parisiens à Leone decimo ad futurum consilium Wisd. 14. 14.
more narrow issue our demaund is whether vpon the promise of God made to his Church for her preseruation in the faith of Christ there may not be built ouer much securitie that is as the schoole hath conceaued of theological vertues though on Gods part respecting his promise there can be no excesse of hope or confidence yet in regard of the peruersenes of our nature which may make the generall promise of God lesse effectuall to vs there may grow presumption because those promises be not absolute but conditional so whether the promise of Gods assistance to his Church be of the like nature with some condition to be obserued of the Churches part or whether it be altogither absolute is one point in question That it is in part absolute is a thing graunted of all handes to wit that neither the wickednesse of man nor the gates of hell shall euer so farre preuaile against it as quite to extinguish it but it shal continue a Church till the last dissolution For else wherefore shuld heauen and earth stand to be a cage of vncleane birds or a theater of iddle vanities This cannot agree possibly with diuine prouidence But for those promises which concerne the better being of the Church as the enlarging of her dominions the increase of the number of true and zealous catholikes her more conspicuous and florishing estate her preseruation from the inundations of heresies from the Apostasies of her members and schisines of the whole bodie her deliuerance from the mistes of errors and finally her sound and more sincere profession of the truth concerning these promises of assistance I say though God be faithfull who hath promised yet the Church by reason of her manifold sinnes may make them lesse effectual vnto her But taking all these promises to be most absolute without condition we may grow presumptuous promising to the Church ouermuch securitie Such was the errour of the Iewes in the time of Iohn Baptist who building vpon the promise of God made to their forefathers not regarding any condition on their part to be performed thought themselues secure while they could but say they had Abraham to their father and shew their lineall descent out of his loynes But the answere doth directly ouerthrow that conceit God is able of stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham insinuating that which Saint Paul more fully doth expresse Gala. 3. 7. They which are of faith are the children of Abraham though by propagation no more proceeding out of his loynes then the verie stones in the streete Be it so that the promise of the assistance and residence 〈◊〉 Gods spirit in the Church was made to Peter and his successors as the promise of Gods fauour to Abraham and his seed The seed of Abraham according to promise we haue found not to be those children which proceeded out of his loynes by naturall descent but such as resembled father Abraham in faith godlines I demaund then first of any indifferent man who be principally meant by Peters successours according to the promise I meane that promise made vnto Peter and his followers to the end of the world Whether those Bishops of Rome who can onely say they haue Peter for their predecessour and shew a lineall and locall descent from Peter in that Sea or rather those of speciall note in the Church of Christ at Rome or elswhere who aswel in ability to gouern as soundnes of doctrine and sinceritie of life doe resemble that blessed Apostle Somthing to enlightē my selfe by example Saint Basil Bishop of Caesaerea but neuer of Rome was notwithstanding by Saint Chrysostome iuuested with that glorious title of Peters successour in his second booke de sacerdotibus I demaund whether such a father of the Church renowned for doctrine and life though neuer seated at Rome be not rather to be accounted the Apostle his successor according to promise then either Pope Iohn infamous for life or Pope Honorius the Monothelite for that heresie condemned by three generall councels Secondly to giue you a little more ground suppose the Bishops of Rome be more priuiledged by their local succession and haue greater interest in the promise made to Peter and his successours then Doctours of other seas which I cannot yet find but suppose it though as the seed of Abraham euen according to the flesh in that regard were neerer to the promise then straungers as the Apostle witnesseth For vnto you the promise belongeth my next demaund is whether that promise made to Peter and in him to his successours of Rome be absolutely tyed to them or with some condition by them to be performed Of that old promise made to Abraham we find two conditions required in his seed one of faith set downe by Saint Paul They which are of faith are the children of Abraham and the other of workes mentioned by our Sauiour If ye were Abrahams children you would doe the works of Abraham The breach of these conditions caused those natural braunches the Iewes to be cut off Whereupon the Apostle maketh an admonition to the Church of the Romanes the rest of the Gentiles by their example not to presume since God spared not the naturall braunches least he spare not them Noli altum sapere sed time Which is not so to be conceiued as if there could be a generall Apostasie of the Catholike Church from faith but so as if amongst the Romanes or other Gentiles the current of the visible Church and fountaine of diuine graces might be dried vp and begin to spring afresh amongst the Iewes or other nations Then if this be possible nay if it be as the Apostle speaketh to be feared of vs that the Romanes or any of the Gentiles may fal from faith and be cut off from the promise as your selues doe sentence the Churches of the East at this day to be fallen then much more may there be a possibility of errour in your Church in some braunch of faith For such a fal cannot be in a moment but must needs presuppose some preparations going before So then to wind vp this whole discourse you taking the promise made in Peter to the Sea of Rome absolutely not respecting any condition at al may thereupon build ouermuch securitie and so consequently fancie to your selues a confirmed estate of the Romane Church like the state of Angels imagine therein a meanes of deciding controuersies more certaine and infallible then God in his diuine wisedome thought meet for her state militant here vpon earth Yet albeit we cannot hope for a meanes of vnitie in that degree of certaintie which fansie may easily imagine or mans nature desire Notwithstanding there be excellent means for the certaine finding out of necessarie truth prouided by God in his Church not one but many and amongst many no one so certaine to vs which man by his ignorance or wilfulnes may not peruert to his owne destruction Wherefore though first and