rrror then did it not rely vpon the truth of God and then it were no diuine Faith Againe if in that Faith by which we are saued we might be seduced to falshood See William Perkins pro. de fide n. 6. then by falshood we might be saued and by vntruth attaine to truth which parradoxe is both blasphemous hnd ridiculous Authorities of holy Scriptures consent of venerable antiquity and the vnanimous approbation of the vniuersall Church I could produce for the truth of these properties but I holde them needlesse for that in themselues they doe appeare most perspicuous and by no Protestants which I can reade of are they denyed as by all Catholicks is confessed I hauing thus farre waded at the length I began to obserue where this rule and direction is to be found that by consent therof I might be conuayed to that knowledge which so much importeth me and therefore I doe here inquire of the Protestant and he telleth me readily that true it is such a rule must guide all Christians and is to be found in their Church contained in their Bible and by them tearmed the word of the Lord and diuine Scriptures this they say is easie plaine and an infallible direction to all who seeke after Heauen and heauenly knowledge 5 But heere I am intangled with so many difficulties so that I am rather pusled clouded and encombred then any way freed cleared or ascertained of any truth First how can it appeare vnto mee that I may be assured that this Booke is the word of God and of that continuance and authority whereof I speake Wee see many workes beare Saint Augustines name and others of other Fathers which Protestants stoutly deny to bee theirs yet not so auncient as their Booke of Scripture must be if it be true Scripture indeed Heere I inquire so certaine knowledge of the Truth that in it selfe it be plaine for all men to perceiue it and so certaine that it should be impossible how it could be otherwise else as I haue before said it cannot guide or warrantise Diuine and infallible Faith But I haue euer found Protestants so extreamely pusled in this point that they know not how to extricate themselues their Answers were so weake different disjoynted and vncertaine that at the last they haue no refuge but to depend vpon the tradition of the Roman Church from whence they haue their Scriptures yea and those traditions also they must grant to be of infallible truth and Faith otherwise their Scriptures will not carry credite sufficient whereupon to build an infallible Faith and yet if they graunt this they suffocate and choake their owne cause in many essentiall and important points of difference twixt them and Catholicks so as this Rule ought to be cleare easie and infallible is no sooner looked vpon but it is presently lost in ambiguities doubts and vncertainties 6 And admit that they were able in the grounds of their Doctrine to produce any one infallible plaine certaine rule assuring me that the Booke they shew me is the word of God or written by such sacred Authors as they tell of which they are neuer able to doe See Iohn Cal in Praesat in no test Zanch. lib. de Sanctis fol. 412. tom 2. Beza in resp ad defen Cast Ite Beza in praefat no. test 1556. Car. moli in transla no. cest par 11. fol. 110. Ite parte 64. 65. 66. 74. 99. See confe at Hampton Court pag. 46. yet are they presently encumbred with another difficulty which maketh all vncertaine which is contained in it For in former times of a great part of this volume the Greeke translations were many the Latine more of late since Luther began from him his complices and Of-spring the translations haue bin diuers and so different that one condemneth another to Hell for corrupting falsifying and abusing of holy Scriptures yea Luther himselfe differeth in aboue 30. places as I can easily shew from himselfe in seuerall translations of St. Mathewes Gospell out of these into English we haue at the least 7. or eight seuarall versions of all which his Maiesty pronounceth there is neuer a good and the Geneua be the worst of all Heere I would see how the ignorant or learned amid such diuersity of opinions in men of knowledge in all sacred languages can with assurance and certainty select the true Translations from the false that it be impossible to erre herein for if in this case there can be no infallible rule and direction plaine and easie for all men to vnderstand as I haue before deliuered it is impossible that any man can be able to settle an infallible and neuer erring Faith vpon any thing contained in it when as he is not certaine what is the true word of God and what by Ignorance Error or wilfulnes is thrust in by humaine inuention and subiect to falshood 7 Heere not onely the Ignorant is so intangled with the Brackes and Toyles of vncertainty and instability so as he knoweth not which way to get out yea findeth impossibility by his owne industry euer whilest he shall liue to cleare himselfe But the Learned also are no lesse clouded with endlesse variety and difference among such as are no lesse yea more learned then themselues hauing no reason whereupon to relye their owne Iudgements before others and bee so assured thereof as that it is impossible they should be deceiued and consequently to frame an Article of Diuine Faith vpon the assurance thereof So as out of this head this rule of onely Scriptures hath lost not onely certainety but perspicuity also both which are very much behoofefull in the direction whereof I speake 8 And heere in my vnderstanding it cannot be answered as in the Proeme of the new Bible See Calu. vbi supra those Translations say to wit that this diuersity is not in matters appertaining vnto Faith Iosias Symlerus in vita Bullinger but in other pointes of lesse consequence First that is not true as by the inuectiues some of the Translations make against the rest doth appeare Againe in most pointes of Controuersies betwixt them and Catholicks they translate places concerning those points differently from the olde Latine receiued aboue 1000. yeares agoe in Gods Church onely in fauour of their owne herisies and opinions being matters of Faith As for example they translate for Priests Elders for Idols Images c. I say yet further that in so much as all matters there is the true Word of God and I partly finde that some part thereof is mistranslated and that is proued by the diuersities of those Translations dissonant each to other Therefore cannot all bee true in regard hereof I say I must require a sure certaine and infallible Rule by the which it may remaine vndoubted that those errors or mistakings were in matters of Faith as well as lesse matters sithence I could neuer heare of any Warranty out of Heauen assuring these translations
so difficill that I can assure my selfe of nothing which by mine owne industry I am able to attaine vnto much lesse find it so easie and plaine as to haue infallible assurance of what I conceiue wherefore I must of necessity seeke that assurance else where and take direction froÌ„ surer knowledge then mine owne or any my selfe can gather out of holy Scriptures otherwise I shall fashion molde out a very feeble and fickle Faith voide of all certainty Putasne intelligis quae legis saith St. Philip to the Eunuch Act. 8. Thinkest thou that thou vnderstandest what thou readest hauing the olde Testament in his hands Quomodo possum si non aliquis ostenderit mihi How can I saith the Eunuch In Apoc 2.5 vnlesse some body shall shew me Ego saith St. Hierome nec saÌ„ctior sum hoc Eunucho nec studiosior c. I am not holyer nor better studyed then this Eunuch and concludeth in these wordes These things I haue briefly mentioned to the end you may vnderstand that you caÌ„not enter the holy Scriptures without a guide and one who shall shew thee the way This I finding to be most true by all reason and experience in my selfe and diligent obseruation in others I bent my labours and study to finde out this happy guide which infallibly and without danger of erring would instruct me with the true meaning of holy Scriptures Perceiuing plainly therefore that the Protestants rule of Scriptures could not serue for this purpose I begin to examine what assuraÌ„ce Catholicks had for their beliefe or expositions whereupon they relyed 14 They confesse a plaine easie and infallible rule must guide in matters of Faith they say moreouer that cannot be any dead or dumbe writing be it neuer so Sacred for nothing can be written so plaine but in many clawses or passages it will beare seuerall constructions where seuerall constructions are there is ambiguity and doubt and consequently no such plainnesse and certainty as our Faith requireth neither can that writing when it is wrested against true meaning expound it selfe or determine any controuersie that about the Letter or sence thereof shall fortune to arise 15 This rule then must be a liuing rule able to expound it selfe and vnfold such doubts which in matters of Faith shall fall out And this I easily beleeued for my owne reason doth dictate that Almighty God would not vnder paine of Hell binde all men to beleeue aright and with a Diuine infallible beliefe and leaue no rule no meane no ground open to euery one and in it selfe infallible to establish his beliefe vpon and resolue the doubts thereto appertaining 16 This liuing Iudge can be no priuate man for warranty in such we haue none neither is there cause to expect more in one then in another moreouer that must needes dye and faile and so the rule of saluation perish and then the world to be left without meanes of accesse vnto Almighty God 17 A temporall or ciuill Common-wealth it cannot be for no one CoÌ„mon-wealth or temporall Congregation hath any colour of Authority out of Heauen to chalenge that priuiledge Againe no one Common-wealth hath continued since Christ but hath sufferd Change in the whole forme yea Religion and all and there is no cause to ascribe this security more to one CoÌ„mon-wealth then to another There remaineth only an Ecclesiasticall coÌ„munity to wit the Church of Christ whereupon Catholicks doe rely and assigne for this rule wherein as I doe confidently beleeue they are not deceiued whereunto I am induced by euident reason by manifest and apparant authority continuance of experience For the infallible Authority left in this Community we haue the expresse Promise of Almighty God in many places of holy Scripture for of this Church our most Blessed Sauiour saith St. Math. 16 Portae inferi non praeualebunt aduersus eam The Gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it Vitia saith St. Hierome peccatum c. In St. Math 16. St. Amb. lib. de bono mortis cap. 12. Epiâ—h in An. He meant by these Gates the vices sinnes and Doctrine of heretiques and the same in effect say the rest of the holy Fathers And St. Paul saith that Ecclesia Dei viui est columna firmamentuÌ„ veritatis quod manifestum est in Carne iustificatum est in spiritu apparuit Angelis predicatuÌ„ est gentibus creditum est in mundo assumptuÌ„ est in Gloria 1. Tim. 3. The Church of the liuing God the piller and ground of Truth and manifestly it is a great Sacrament of piety which was manifested in Flesh was iustified in Spirit appeared to Angels hath bin preached to Gentiles is beleeued in the world is assumed in Glory Quia ab illa In 1. Ti. 3. saith St. Ambrose firmantur in veritate omnes credentes For asmuch as from the Church all true Beleeuers are established in the Truth Ego vobiscum sum saith our Sauiour S. Math. 28. vlt. omnibus diebus vsque ad consummationeÌ„ seculi I am with you all dayes euen to the consummation of the world Qui In Mat. 28. saith St. Hierome vsque ad consummationem mundi suam praesentia pollicetur illos ostendit semper esse victuros se nunquaÌ„ a credentibus esse recessurum Who promiseth his presence vnto the end of the world sheweth that they shall euer liue that himselfe will neuer depart from the faithfull St. Ioh. 14. And in another place he saith I meane Christ our most blessed Sauiour S. Chris hom 74. in Ioh. Ego rogabo PatreÌ„ c. I will aske the Father and he will giue you another Paraclete the spirit of Truth that he may remaine with you for euer which could not be meant of the Apostles only to whom it was spokeÌ„ St. Ciprian lib. 9. in Ioh. but of the succeeding Church whose person they beare and was to indure to the worlds end Non pro eis rogo tantum saith our Sauiour St. Ioh. 17. I doe not onely pray for them meaning his Disciples but for them also that by their word shall beleeue in mee that they all may be one as the Father in mee and I in thee that they also in vs may bee one as wee also are one And herein all holy Fathers doe assent and plainely thus vnderstand it 18 This promise of the holy Ghost St. Paul doth plainely testifie to be fulfilled when he saith thus Ephes 4. Christus ascendens in altum captiuaÌ„ duxit captiuitate dedit dona hominibus Christ ascending on high hee led captiuity captiue he gaue guifts vnto men where after a few wordes he addeth Ipse dedit quosdam quidem Apostolos c. he gaue some Apostles and some Prophets and other some Euangelists and other some Pastors and Doctors to the consummation of the Saints vnto the worke of the Ministry vnto the edifying of the body of Christ vntill wee meete all into
done what I haue beene able I am Seruus inutilis Luk. 17. au vnprofitable Seruant and Indignus vocari filius euis vnworthy to be called his Sonne The consideration whereof was long before it came into my minde for that I must not deny but that I spent much time in a most exorbitant course of life which I doe now from my heart repent and desire that Gods grace may neuer more depart from me so as I may for euer hereafter liue as an obedient not as a rebellious Child hauing so deare louing and tender and a Father who saith daily vnto me Psal 102. Qui propitiatur omnibus iniquitatibus tuis qui sanat omnes imfirmitates tuas quired mi de interitu vtam tuam qui coronat te in miserecordia miserationibus qui replet in bonis desidereum tuum c. That is Who is mercifull to all thy iniquities and who cureth all thy infirmities who redeemed thy life from Death who Crowneth thee in mercies and compassions who replenisheth thy desire in good thinges c. The remembrance of these thus skirmishing within me haue bin impregnable and irresistable motiues which pressed mee to determine vppon a more morrall worme wherby to measure the square of my life and these determinations made me thinke vpon Religion and Religion begat Deuotion and Deuotion brought with it a firme Resolution which Resolution being assisted by Almighty Gods grace hath wonne me to stand against all terrors temptations and which haue occasioned me to addresse these Lines vnto you whereby I doe intend to giue you a taste from what motiues and grounds I doe build my Faith which if you be able to refell I shall be very willing to belieue that a man may be saued in the Protestants Church which neither Scriptures Fathers Counsels or reason was euer able to make me vnderstand 1 Hauing therefore thus mispent my time and Quasi seruus nequam like to an euill seruant S. Math. 18. consumed my younger yeares yea the prime of my daies in vanity and irregularity It hath pleased Almighty God at the length to touch my heart with a due consideration of my mortality and with some care of eternity Insomuch as the more I seriously obserued the frailty and absurdity of the one the more inwardly I affected the loue and contentment of the other that finally I resolued to hunt after it albeit the passages and difficulties of my life were neuer so many resting now well perswaded That Nil prodest homini si vniuersum mundum lucreter animae vero suae detrimentum patiatur It auaileth nothing to gaine the whole world if a man make shipwracke of his owne Soule Ibidem 16. which to saue hereafter we are taught to saue heere That is to expose it to all afflictions contradictions which the world the Diuell or our owne sensuall appetite doe continually stirre vp against vs For much better it is for a man to enter into life euerlasting lame blinde or dismembred then to be plunged into the bottomlesse Pet of inquenchable sulphurous Hell with all our sences and members Ibidem 5. 2 These therefore and the like considerations incouraged me sincerely to seeke after Truth swayed neither with feare nor fauour but onely guided with that vnmouing Pole whose influence had touched my heart like vnto another Loadstone that howsoeuer these mortall waues tossed my vnsteddy barke the proofe of my affections euer bent that way I could very well haue contented my selfe to follow my appetite still But durum est contra stimulum calcitrare It is hard striuing against Almighty God and dangerous to harden our hearts against his calles Act. 9. Wherefore I yeeld my selfe saying Domine quid me vis facere What O Lord is thy pleasure I shall doe And herewith me thought I heard this comfortable answer viz. Dicitur tibi quid te oporteat facere Thou must be taught what thou must doe and taught I must be sithence the knowledge I sought after was aboue humane reach to comprehend and finde For these tidings came out of Heauen Vnigenitus qui est in suum Patris ipse enarrabit The onely begotten Son who is in the bosome of the Father hee will deliuer them Ioh. 1. and they onely can haue them S. Math. 11. Cui filius voluerit reuelare to whom it shall please the Sonne to reueale it Nobis autem reuelauit Deus pro spiritum suum Spiritus enim omnia scrutatur etiam profunda Dei But vnto vs hath God reuealed it by his Spirit for the Spirit tryeth all thinges yea the profundities of God 1. Cor. 2. Shewing that this knowledge could come from none other but only frō him alone 3 Thus then being desirous of this knowledge and perceiuing it not to be humane but Diuine Quemadmodum desiderat ceruus ad fontes aquarum Looke how the heart hasteth to the Fountaines of water Psal 41. Euen so earnestly did I thirst after some certaine rule guidance or direction whereby to be led or conducted by which meanes I might attaine vnto what soeuer humane industry could not aspire and this needeth no further proofe as being in it selfe manifest and by the joint and mutuall consent aswell of Catholicks as of Protestants receiued But of this Doctrine I collected further that this rule or direction we speake of must containe two seueral properties to make it auaileable for the end for which it is required First it must be plaine easie indifferently open or manifest to all the reason good for it must be a direction as well to the wise as to the simple to the Learned as to the ignorant sithence all these must before they can be saued be instructed in this supernaturall Science without which can be no accesse to grace Heb. 9. entrance into Heauen or possibility to please that Diuine Maiesty according as the holy Apostle teacheth vs and therefore the Prophet foretelleth of this way saying Esay 35. Et erit ibi semita via via sancta vocabitur c. And concludeth Haec erit vobis directa via ita vt stulti non errent per eam That is And there shall be in that place a path and a way that shall be your direct way so that fooles shall not erre in it The second property of this rule is that it must be certaine and infallible and the reason is for that the knowlege of our Faith depending thereupon must be certaine and infallible so as it may be no more subiect to error then truth it selfe is to falshood the credit thereof must be greater then of an Angell of Heauen Gal. 1. Licet nos saith St. Paul aut Angelus de Coelo euangelizet preterquam quod euangelizauimus vobis anathema sit If our selues or an Angell from Heauen shall Euangelize or Preach to you otherwise then wee haue Preached accursed let him be For if our Faith might be subiect to