it oblige vs to judge better of a multitude what then the Lord shall not hee keepe his promise and shall not hee bee justified when hee speakes nay let every man be declared a lyer that the Lord may be acknowledged faithfull and true for hee hath promised not to a multitude only but also to two or three the assistance of his spirit in their consultations to wit if they be gathered together in his name if they seeke him in trueth But who canne discerne who are they if not by the holinesse of their constitutions which if it be not found in them wee are not bound to beleeue that they were assembled in the name of Christ nor consequently that they haue beene made pertakers of the benefit of such an excellent promise Saint Augustine well knew this truth when hee affirmed that the Councells even those which are generall may be corrected and reformed To what good then serue the Councels truly oftentimes they are so farre from beeing good that they are pernicious for if the number of those which are good bee the lesse without doubt the multitude will carry it and it will bee as the Councell of the foure hundred Prophets and one holden in the presence of Iehosaphat and Ahab where the 400 evill prophets crushed the one good and carried it notwithstanding all the resistance he could make For which cause the Religious wisdome of holy Athanasius cannot sufficiently be praised opposing himselfe against them who required Synodes vnder pretence of reforming the faith in alleadging vnto them that wee haue the Scripture more proper for this purpose then any other meanes whatsoeuer yea that because hee doubted least the multitude of the worser part might sway the ballance In the time of Gregorie Nazianzen things were come to such a height of corruption that being summoned by Procopius in the Emperours name to come to a Synode hee excused himselfe saying that hee never saw any good issue of a synode But when a Councell may bee held composed of men well red in the Scripture zealous of the glory of God louers of the peace of the Church there is no doubt but such an assembly may bring forth much good because it might cleare that which is difficult not by it's owne authority but by it's sufficiencie Even as when a window is opened by a strong dextrous hand which was shut vp before the more weake and vnable who could not open it do see the sun perceiue the opening not because of any authority of him that opened it but by reason of his strength dexterity manifesting it selfe by a visible and sensible effect But such Councels we may rather wish then looke for The deluge of vices which hath overflowed Christendome having drawne vpon vs this horrible judgement Such was that first Councell of Nice that tooke the Scripture onely for the rule and square of it's judgement and refused not to submit it selfe to the touchstone and triall as S◠Athanasius witnesseth proposing to other Councels or rather conventicles the example of this Councels modesty to make them blush with shame and confound their pride And indeed it was a remarkable thing that the Fathers protested that they would not vse the authority of the Councell of Nice against the Arrians but of the scripture vpon which the Councell of Nice is founded what shall wee then conclude but that wee ought to approue of the good Councells receiue their ordinances with reverence not because they could not erre but if so they haue not erred and argue in this manner against Heretickes when matter of right is called in question The Councell hath so concluded according to the Scripture therefore it is true and not after this manner The Councell hath so concluded therefore it is so But in matter of fact and touching history to judge what is that which is vniversally beleeued and receiued and by the greater part wee may wel conclude from the determination of an Oecumenicall Councell that it is beleeued and receiued generally And therefore the Councells also are good for this purpose to stoppe the mouth of Hereticks who might pretend the consent of the Church and by such a protestation giue some scandall to the weaker which by this meanes may easily be taken away Truly if the Councels had thought that their consultatiōs should be approued because of their authority simply not much more rather for the truth of them and their conformity with the Scriptures they had never inserted in their acts the places of Scripture the reasons on which they grounded themselues they had never framed vs a man may say a verball processe of all that had passed but they would haue contented themselues to haue inserted the Canons only without any further declaration but not proceeding after this manner they would giue vs a reason of their deliberation and recommend themselues famous not by the vsurpation of a soveraigne authority but by a declaration and exposition of the trueth that so our faith might not bee grounded vpon humane authority but vpon that of the living God And truly to what end is the ceremony of laying the bible vpon the table in a Councell is it not to declare that it's authority is ruled by a Law and as a Iudge in a politicke estate who hath the Princes Law for his rule ought to judge according to that law and is accountable for his judgement so are the Councels to determine according to the Scripture and are bound to make apparant vnto the conscience as much as lyes in them that they haue judged according vnto it but some may say Councels at lest are subordinate Iudges Bee it so but wee seeke a Soveraigne Iudge a Iudge from whom it is not lawfull to appeale an infallible Iudge This authority this priviledge cannot bee giuen to Councels Wee seeke a Iudge that is alwaies on bench giving audience a Iudge to whom wee may at all times haue recourse and such Councels cannot bee CHAP. 15. The verifying of the second meanes of Nullity against the eight allegation by declaring the impertinasy thereof THe last point remaineth to be cleared to wit whether the vncertainty of humane iudgement canne cause that God speaking in the Scripture should not bee fit to be our Iudge since a man cannot know neither who hath nor whether he himselfe hath the holy spirit or not And here first of all could wee answere that touching the matter in hand the question is not whether wee canne know immediately or as the Schoole speaketh à priori who hath the holy Ghost but onely who speaketh according to the Scriptures which being resolued by conferring the Scriptures with that which is proposed wee may easily conclude if passion and malice darken not the vnderstanding who proposeth the words of the holy Ghost and by this meanes discerne à posteriori as they say who hath the spirit seeing that in regard of Pastors and Doctors none preach the word of the spirit but
Iudge wee shall conclude the insufficiencie of the Iudge Finally amongst the Doctors who call themselues Catholiques and protest all with one full consent to submit themselues to the judgment of the Church what jarres what contentions are there The Angelicall D S Thomas holds that the Crosse is to be worshiped with a religious worship to this purpose hee brings the authority of the Church and proveth that the image is to bee worshipped with the very same worship which is due to the same thing represented by the Image Bellarmine is not of the same opinion assigning a lower degree of worshippe to the Image then to the thing whereof it is an Image and for strengthening of his opinion hee also alleageth the authority of the Church wherefore then cast they this reproach rather on the sacred word then the Church And whereas in the sixth place they endeavour to prooue that God speaking in the Scripture cannot be judge of our differencies vnder a colour that Hereticks do challenge and attribute to themselues the Scripture by the same reason they conclude also that neither the Church shall bee Iudge for heretiques make vse of the authority of the Church as of a cloake Cite the Fathers the Councels the traditions of the Church But if it bee replyed that this is for shew only and in Sophisticall manner the answer also is easie and at hand to wit they do the like in alleaging the Scripture therefore things stand vpon the very same tearmes were it not that some though they dare not speake yet do thinke that the Scripture indeede favoureth Heretiques which were all one as to imagine that God by his word doth cover as with a cloake the devils lyes which were as impious to thinke as blasphemous to speake CHAP. 8. The verification of the first meanes of Nullity against the 7. and 8. allegation AND concerning that which is demanded in the seauenth place for what serue Councels if Scripture can reconcile vs do not they see they make way to another counterdemaund no lesse vrgent to wit for what serue the Councels if the Church be our Iudge they cannot here replye that the Councels make this Church which is the Iudge that they require for then it may be obiected that the Church is without a judge saue only during the time of a Councell and that once expired or not begunne there shall be no meanes to resolue the doubtes of conscience And who shall call this Councell shall the Emperour and the Kings but their thoughts are otherwise distracted neither do they agree amongst themselues and though they should take the businesse to heart and to that end should agree haue not those of Rome stripped them of their priviledge of calling a Councell as heretofore they haue done Or shall the Pope hee feares too much those assemblies hee knoweth very well what affronts haue been given to his predecessours in them and what hazard they ranne even in the last Councell of Trent notwithstanding all their canvassing and vnderhand dealing and that the holy Ghost was sent thither by post from Rome Furthermore the Councell cannot bee held alwayes neither can every one bee there present to heare it speake viuavoce Amid'st all those difficulties what shall become of doubtes and disputes who shall resolue them who shall determine them in the meane while how shall the conscience by this meanes haue alwaies a Iudge to whom shee may haue recourse to be resolved And now in the Church which tearmeth it selfe Catholique who shall be Iudge in our Controversies shall it bee the Councell of Trent but no Iudge will bee admitted that speakes not viuavoce and henceforth in this respect the Councell of Trent and all other Councels are as dumbe as the Scripture they are cited they are wrested to diverse senses If this question then touching the vse of a Councell to which we shall answere directly hereafter doth force vt to renounce the Iudgment of God speaking in the Scripture it will also force them to renounce the Iudgement of the Church Finally the last allegation touching the vncertainty of humane iudgement when we are to iudge who hath the spirit or whether one hath it himselfe or no amongst so great a number who disagreeing one from another do all notwithstanding equally lay clayme to the gift of the holy spirit If this allegation take place it will also cause that no recourse can bee had to the authority and iudgement of the Church for if it be so that according to the allegation it cannot bee knowne who hath the spirit or who hath it not because of the weakenesse of humaine iudgement and the multitude and discord of pretenders how shall it be known who are those who make the Catholique Church or not Truely every man that cannot assure himselfe that hee hath the spirit which alone inspireth true wisdome ought also to doubt whether he bee not a foole and ignorant when question is made of iudging of such things which belong to the spirit And since it belōgeth not to fooles to iudge who are wise men every one being according to this last allegation bound to doubt that he is a foole as being destitute of the spirit no man by the same reason can iudge which is the assembly of those who are truly wise no man the incertitude of his iudgement considered if this allegation hath place in such a multitude variety and discord of those who vsurpe as propper vnto themselues that title of the Church pretending all that of right it belongs vnto them can make any certaine choyce or cull out those on whom in trueth it is to be conferred CHAP. 9. The verification of the second meanes of nullity against the first allegation IT is then very manyfest that all these allegations are incōpatible with the intent of those who alleaged them but forall this they will darken and weaken the right of the cause against which they are alleaged if wee do not also shew their falsitie and impertinencie which is the second meanes of nullity that wee haue opposed against them To beginne then with the first it is an infinite wrong that the written word of the liuing God is called a dead and dumbe letter that God speaking in this fashion should bee accounted not to speake at all vnder colour that hee vses not a voyce the which cannot be admitted in the diuine nature which is not necessary amongst men but for to carry and conveigh by the eare to the heart the conceptions of the minde and together with them the knowledge of those things whereof they are the image which beeing done by another meanes as by writing the liuely voyce is no word necessary Hee therefore spake very wittily who first called bookes dumbe maisters at once indeavouring to expresse what they were in regard of the sound and what in regard of the vertue and efficacie of expressing and teaching to wit dumbe if wee respect the sound but eloquent and
they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Truely God revealeth not his will the Prophets the Apostles teach it not but by his word wee haue this word what can wee aske more would wee know what the judgement of God is what the testimony of the Prophets and Apostles are concerning that doctrine ought not God himselfe to declare it should not the Prophets and Apostles Publish it Wee haue this declaration wee haue no Christian doubteth thereof the authentique coppy of this publication haue we not then what wee neede what we seeke and aske so earnestly to wit a sentence and a finall decree on our controversies Truely it is not necessary that the King the Secretary the Court the Register bee all present wheresoever it is requisite that the Kings will be knowne if wee haue the order of the Court wee are assured of the Edict and decree Wee stand at this day on these termes wee haue not to do with the Iewes neither with the Turkes who denie the authority the one of a part the other of the whole Scripture Wee are Christians wee beleeue wee all protest that we haue in the Canonicall booke of the Scripture of the old and new Testament the declaration of the will of God We acknowledge on both sides that whatsoever is there contained is the word of God which is able to make vs wise vnto salvation and throughly furnished vnto all good workes Why do we then so earnestly demand the corporall presence of our judge why do wee desire that he should giue vs a Vicar a substitute since wee haue his decree and acknowledge that hee hath pronounced it CHAP. 2. The demand and proposall of those who desire a holy reformation This is the complaint of them who at this day grieue and sigh lamenting the desolation of Israel and Iuda who wish and demand that as good Iosiah caused the book of the Law to be read before him as Esdras and Nehemiah did the like before the congregation when they endeavoured to reforme the Church and restore it to her first integrity so the like may be practised at this day If in Christendome all things be foūd conformable to this law in matters of Religion there will be no neede of changing any thing therein but to punish rather those vnquiet spirits those troublesome and schismaticall heretickes which trouble and marre by their novelties the peace of the Church and repose of the whole world But if this conformitie be not there to bee found but on the contrary a difference disagreeing why should not Gods truth be preferred before humaine inventions the law before there customes and the kingdome of Iesus Christ before the tyranny and dominion of him who hath vsurped both over the living and the dead over soule and body prince and people an authority in effect wholy soueraigne And here let every soule in which there is left any touch of conscience let every man in whom there is found the least sparke of manhood remaining in such a division of the Church in such a disagreeing especially about things of so great importance judge which of the two doth rather practise the craft of Alcibiades in shunning and declining whether they who demand that their proceedings be examined by the rule of this word which we all avouch to be inspired dictated and registred by the spirit of God or else those who shunne nothing more then the censure of this word of this Scripture so farre as to charge it with defects vnsufferable even in humaine writings accusing it of obscurity ambiguity and imperfections which truly are the proprieties of the Oracles of Apollo of the leaues of Sybil's but little agreeable to the the law of the Almighty the which the kingly Prophet so much magnifieth as beeing perfect pure sure and giving wisdome to the simple CHAP. 3. Wherein the objections against the foresaid demand are set downe and that which is framed against the person of those which require it is refuted Since then wee are brought to this poynt that instead of pleading the cause throughly there is a question made whether wee ought to come so farre they stand much vppon the quality of the accuser they conteste against the sufficiencie of the Iudge to whom hee appeales Wee are constrayned first of all to examine the equity or injustice of this manner of proceeding And first as touching the quality of the accusers they terme them new start-vps they aske them what calling they haue thereunto by what authority they haue made so bold an attempt as to protest they desire the reformation of the Church The thing then objected to them is noveltie and rashnesse But both of these objections are but a recrimination the which cannot be verified but that first their accusation be convinced of vntruth and therefore ought not neither can it be receiued before that point of their accusation be cleared They vndertake to proue that the doctrine of our Lord and of the Apostles hath beene altered and changed in that Church which termeth it selfe Catholique they vrge that every other doctrine is to be rejected no other admitted but that alone They protest then not that they will bring in but that their meaning is to banish novelties for which cause Noveltie cannot bee obiected vnto them so long as it cannot be proved that they are innovatours which is the chiefe point of the controversie the question beeing not here of the Nouelty of the persons but of that of faith and doctrine according to which we ought to iudge of the persons and not of it according to the persons As learnedly Tertullian Seing then that the summe of their accusations consist in this that they accuse the Church falsely called Catholique to haue innovated so long as it doth not appeare whether their accusation be true or no novelty cannot be obiected to them As for the rashnesse of the accusation no more can it be obiected vnto them vntill that the accusation bee retorted by a direct and just defence for even as in an estate and commonwealth every man is admitted to accuse in case of high treason and none is reiected but vpon a manifest falsity of his accusation neither is he accounted to accuse rashly who accuseth truly so in the Church whosoeuer accuseth of high treason against God is to bee heard without objecting vnto him rashnesse vntil it be prooued that his accusation is false In an armie in a besieged towne whē there is questiō of treasō no advise whatsoever is neglected but they rather duly weigh consider not so much from whom it proceedeth as the importance of it the accusers are not punished if their accusation be not found false but if it be true they are applauded rewarded advanced and often promoted in the offices and places of the accused In the Church of God in matter of conscience wee ought not to stoppe any mans mouth but to