vp of our prayers to God i Apoc. 8.3 it is said that an Angell came and stood before the altar hauing a golden Censer and much odours was giuen vnto him * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he should offer with the prayers of all Saints vpon the golden Altar which is before the Throne And the smoke of the odours with the prayers of the Saints went vp before God out of the Angels hand The Angell that thus offers the prayers to God is k August hom 6. in Apoc. tom 9. pag. 670. Pri mas in hunc locum Beda in apoc tom 5 pag. 1085. Ambr. Ausbert in apoc vis 3. p. 53. Hunc multi Christum esse existimant Riber in apoc c. 8 3. Christus Angelus est habens thuribulum Viega ib. Iesus Christ the Angell of the couenant and it is affirmed of our prayers that he stands for that purpose to receiue them and offer them and that out of this Angels hand they go vp before the Lord. Nothing can be plainer then that of S. Paul l 2 Tim. 2.5 There is one God and one Mediatour betweene God and man the man Christ In which words he affirms as well that there is but one Mediatour of intercession as that there is but on redeemer for they containe a reason why we should pray for all men because there is one mediatour that would all men should be saued by whom we haue accesse to God by praier Therefore he sayes but one Mediator to intercede for vs the which S. Austine resolutely concludes out of this place m Cont. epist Parmen l. 2. c. 8. p. 32. tom 7. saying If Paul were a Mediator his other fellow Apostles should be Mediators also and so there should be many mediatours and Paule should be against himselfe where he saies There is one Mediatour of God and men the man Christ not onely affirming him to be one Mediatour but so to be one that he alone makes intercession immediatly from our selues to his Father no other interceding betweene either God and vs or himselfe and vs. 4 Against this he replies 2. things The first is n Reply pag. 14 his answer to M. Wotton whither he referres me also that the making of Saints to be Mediatours of intercession robbes Christ of his office no more then the making liuing men in like manner Mediatours of intercession But this latter to make liuing men Mediatours of intercession robs not Christ of his office Iac. 5. v. 16. Rom. 15. v. 30. because S. Paule and S. Iames make liuing men Mediatours of intercession one of them bidding vs pray one for another and the other intreating men to pray for him ergo neither the former when we make Saints departed our Mediatours of intercession The Proposition he prooues Because there cannot any substantiall reason of difference be assigned why those that pray to Saints to pray or make intercession to God for them do more rob Iesus Christ of his office then those that pray liuing men to pray or make intercession to God for them To this I answer there are 3. reasons assigned why it is lawfull to vse the praiers of the liuing rather then the inuocation of the dead First it is an vnchangeable rule that no man in Gods worship exceede the limits of his commandements o Deut. 12.8 vlt. Ye shall not do euerie man what seemes him good in his owne eies but whatsoeuer I command you take heed you do it thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought therefrom p 1. Co 4 6. That no man presume aboue that which is writteÌ„ Now that we may intreate and vse the praiers one of another so long as we liue it is q Gen. 20.17 Eoxd 32.11 Numb 16.48 1. Sam. 12.23 Mat. 5.44 2. Cor. 1.11 Ephes 6.18 1 Tim. 2.1 Iac. 5.14 written and r Rom 15.30 Iac. 5.16 the texts alleadged by the Iesuit will shew in which regard by an improprietie of speech and equiuocally the Saints liuing in this world Å¿ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianz. pag. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nicet pag. 536. Multi enim Sanctorâ—â— mediationis ministerio vsi sunt Cyrill Alexand thesaur pag 156. are called Mediatours the which commandement or allowance concerning the dead can no where be shewed in all the Scripture The Censure of Collen t Pag. 230. saies The Scripture no where teaches the inuocation of Saints though notwithstanding for all that it be to be receiued and beleeued and in u Antidid g. pag. 43. another booke the same Diuines say the Gospell indeed hath giuen no peculiar commandement touching this matter though it may euidently enough be gathered out of it but with such gatherings we are well enough acquainted when the same Diuines in that place are faine to gather it from Christs words vpon the crosse Eli Eli Lammasabacthani Eckius though according to his fashion he brag there are innumerable passages of the old and new Testament making for it * Enchirid. c. 15. ad 8. yet confesses there is nothing expressely to be found in the Scripture that Saints must be inuocated and he addes that this inuocation of Saints ought not to be expresly deliuered either in the old or new testament for 2. reasons Which he shewes at large and they plainely declare he thought there is no commandement for it in all the Bible Suarez the Iesuit x Tom. 2 in Tho disp 42. sect 1 pag. 434. puts the question Whether the Saints departed before Christ did pray for others and answers that in particular they could not whence it followed that in that time praiers could not regularly be made to soules in that state and that any man in that time directly praied to the Saints departed that they would helpe them or pray for them we no where reade y De Sanct. beatit c. 19. §. item exod c. 20. §. Atque ex his Bellarmine agrees with him that the Saints in the time of the old Testament were not inuocated because they were not yet in heauen Salmeron another Iesuit z In 1. Tim 2. disp 2. ar 7. §. primum saies there is nothing touching this matter to be found in any of the Epistles Seeing therefore the Scriptures teach us to desire the praiers one of another so long as we liue together in this world but not afterwards this is one sufficient reason why the praies of the liuing one for another are allowed and not the inuocation of the dead 5 Another difference is that the inuocation of the dead vsed in the Church of Rome wherewith my words charge it is not like the praying of the liuing one for another For a Eorum qui sunt in hoc muÌ„do aut in Purgatorio suffragia non imploramus orando sed à viuis petimus colloquendo Tho. 22. qu. 83. art 4. ad 3. who inuocates the liuing who praies God by their merits to saue
in the point They haue raked together a See them in Serrar LitaneÌ„t p. 141. inde Bellar. de Sanct. beat â— c. 20. a number of waies whereby they thinke to expound themselues but still they are vncertaine And their waies vnsufficient to stablish their owne conscience as appeares by the multiplying of their questions b The knowledge of our prayers supposed to be brought them by Angels and other Saints is disclaimed by Bellar. vbi sup yet Serrar allowes it Horum decem moderum nullus omnino est qui adhiberi aliquando non possit pag. 154. Whether the soules of those that are prayed to be present or not If they be present then whether it be really so that they be in the place where the party praying to them is or virtually onely by I know not what vnderstanding the things vttered to them in our prayers Or whether they haue the vnderstanding of our prayers from others that giue them knowledge If this way then who they be that giue them this knowledge whether the Angels that are about vs know our actions or God If it be God that giues them this knowledge then how he doth it whether immediatly by himselfe or by the ministry of others if by others then who they be whether Angels that are about vs or the spirits of holy and iust men that go from hence and tells the Saints in heauen what our prayers are If immediatly by himselfe then how whether directly formally c Oratio relucet in diuina essentia Tho. Argentin p. 178. ad 2. Beati vident in verbo deuotiones mentales Aquar in Capreol 4. d. 45. concl 2. Beati in coelo cognoscunt orationes nostras in verbo Ouand 4. d. 45. pag. 94. see Mag. 4. d. 45. ibi scolast communiter Tho. 22 q. 83. art 4. ad 2. 3. qu. 10. art 2. This seeing of things in the word as in a glasse is denied by many Schoolemen Deus est speculum voluntarium Occham 4. q. 13. art 3. Si quaeratur an beati cognitione beata cognoscunt orationes nostras dicendum quod non Duran 4. d. 45. qu. 4. p. 463. Intellectus creatus videndo diuinam essentiam non videt in ipso omnia quae facit deus vel facere potest Tho. 1. q. 12. art 4. Nostra sententia affirmat nihil ex vi visionis sed aliqua peculiari reuelatione cognosci Vasqu disp 50. n. 51. tom 1. idem Aureol quodl Alliac 1. qu. 12. art 3. so that they see in him as in a glasse by reason of the Beatificall vision what is in the creature and so consequently the prayers of the creatures if they see them in God as in a glasse then whether it be d Beati qui vident in verbo vident à principio Pezant 1. Tho. pag. 72. concl 2. Caâ—et 3. q. 10. art 2. from the beginning of their blessednesse so that instantly vpon their glorification and so soone as they come into heauen and see God they see all things that we doe in him or e Serrar sayes this is the most vsuall and certaine opinion p. 155. successiuely one thing after another But if God reueale the knowledge of our prayers to his Saints not formally in this manner by force and vertue of his vision but onely accidentally then whether it be not by f Dicendum quod essentia diuina non est necessarium speculum in repraesentando creaturas imo voluntarium Communicat enim effectiue notitiam matutinam Deus autem est agens liberuÌ„ respectu omnis actionis ad extra Aureol quodli 10. in sine p. 107 Non est imagi nandum sicut multi credunt quod causa videndi creaturam in verbo sit quia verbum est imago vel idea ipsius eodem actu quo videtur idea videatur ideatum sed quia voluntariè causat visionem creaturae Alliac 1. q. 12. pag. 184. This is followed by Vasqu vbi sup and it necessarily destroyes the â—lasse See Albertin Corol. qu. 4. 5. ex primo princip immediate reuelation so far foorth as it please him by his peculiar will to let them see what we pray as in this life he reueals sometime things that are secret to his Prophets It is incredible such as cannot be presented in any reasonable compasse of words how the Diuines of the Church of Rome labour to shew these things and to make euery man his owne opinion seeme most reasonable But to no purpose for albeit we acknowledge nothing to be impossible to God yet it is not lawfull to beleeue any thing as his will which he hath not reuealed For we must iudge of his will by the Scriptures which touching these speculations sayes neuer a word and being in manifest places appointed to pray in Faith how shall we pray to them of whose hearing vs wee can haue no Faith For these things thus taught by the Schoolemen relish well of mans wit and learning but what is there in the word of God to assure g Note the words of a Iesuite Notandum est quod est de fide beatos cognoscere orationes quas ad eos fundimus sed quod illaâ— videant in verbo non est certum de fide sed credo tamen esse probabile Pesant 1. part qu. 12. pag. 77. my conscience they be true 9 And were not the Church of Rome disposed to subuert the whole order of Gods worship and to rob our most gracious Sauiour of the Glory which for his boundles mercy belongs vnto him they would neuer maintaine this inuocation and mediation of Saints There being by their owne confession no Scripture for it and the Scripture speaking so graciously of Christ himselfe that it could proceede from none but the Diuell and Antichrist thus to make Saint-mediators when no creature in heauen or earth is so propense to mercy as himselfe See what the Scripture h Es 54.6 sayes The Lord hath called thee being as a woman forsaken and afflicted in spirit and as a yoong wife when thou wast refused saith thy Ged For a little while haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee For a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a little season but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer For this is vnto me as the waters of Noah for as I haue sworne that the waters of Noah should no more go ouer the earth so haue I sworne that I would not be angry with thee nor rebuke thee For the mountaines shall remooue and the hils shall fall downe but my mercy shall not depart from thee neither shall the couenant of my peace fall away saith the Lord that hath compassion on thee i Es 65.24 Yea before they call I will answer and whiles they spake I will heare And our Sauiour himselfe hath told vs k Ioh. 16.23 Verily verily
Baronius takes him vp b An. 60. n. 20. You may see for it must necessarily be spoken his words are so full against our inuocation of Angels Theodoret by his leaue hath nothing happily attained the sence of Pauls wordes when in his Commentaries vpon this Epistle he sayes these things were written by Paule because heretickes then came in who boasted that Angels should be worshipped For who these heretickes were let him say himselfe and being once fallen into an error he stumbled presently vpon a worse that he sayes the Canon of the Laodicen Councell is to be vnderstood of such hererickes as taught the worship of Angels and erected an oratory to Michael the Archangel too inconsiderately attributing that to heretickes which of ancient time was done by Catholikes 11 This opinion of vsing the mediation of Angels and Saints departed arose from the Gentiles and specially the followers of Plato c Alcino de doctri Platon c. 15. pag. 79. Porphyr de abstinent animal l. 2. pag. 40. Apul. de deo Socrat. pag. 91. August De ciuit l. 8. c. 18. 19. l. 9. c. 9. whose doctrine it was that the spirits of men departed and Angels imploy themselues in carrying our prayers to God and therefore it is a good way to inuocate them Eusebius d Praeparat Euang l. 12. c. 3. p. 338. graec reports the wordes of Plato Certainely the soules of the Dead departed haue a certaine power and are carefull about the businesse of men These things are true but the reasons containing them are long it is the best way therefore to credite that which others haue reported concerning them the reports being so manifold and ancient The which words of Plato e lac Ziglir quem refert Chemnit Iesuitism pag. 100. cited sometime by a Papist as Eusebius owne to proue the inuocation of the dead shew not onely the affinity of the opinions of the Papists and Gentiles touching this point but also the foundation whereupon they both stand the ancient tradition of their elders Afore I leaue the point I must according to my professed method shew the confession of some Papists touching this matter f In 2. Tim. digr 17. pag. 118. Espenceus a Sorbonist Are they well and godly brought vp which being children almost a hundred yeares old that is to say old and ancient Christians do no lesse attribute to the Saints and trust in them then to God himselfe and thinke God himselfe harder to be pleased and intreated then they Would God I lied and there were no such g Consult pag. 154. George Cassander This false and pernitious opinion is too well knowne to haue preuailed among the vulgar while wicked men perseuering in their naughtinesse are perswaded that onely by the intercession of the Saints whom they haue chose to be their patrons and worship with cold and prophane ceremonies they haue pardon and grace prepared them with God which pernitious opinion hath bene confirmed in them as much as was possible with lying miracles And there is another error that men not euill of themselues haue chosen certaine Saints to be their patrones and keepers and put confidence in their merits and intercession more then in the merite of Christ so farre that the onely office of Christs intercession being obscured they haue substituted into his place the Saints and specially the Virgine his mother c. h In Augu. De ciuit l. 8. c. 27. pag. 494. Lodouicus Viues There are many Christians which most an end sinne in a good matter when they worship Saints both men and women no otherwise then they worship God and I cannot see in many that there is any difference betweene the opinion they haue of the Saints and that which the Gentiles had of their gods A. D. The which is more easily seene Page 4â— when as all the intercession which we craue Saints departed or liuing men to make for vs doth depend wholy vpon Christs merits and mediation and so to depend as acknowledged by vs when in the ordinary Collects of the blessed Virgine and other Saints vsed by our Church there is added per Christum Dominum nostrum through Christ our Lord. So that for this part of M. Whites accusation I need say no more 12 This is his second reason whereby he excuses praying to Saints and would make it seeme to be nothing against the Mediatorship of our Sauiour because they acknowledge the intercession of Saints to depend vpon the merites and mediation of Christ and therefore in their praiers and Collects to them there is added Per Christum Dominum nostruÌ„ Through Iesus Christ our Lord so that for this part of M. Whites accusation he need say no more but this answer is vnsufficient For first per Christum Dominum nostrum is added in none of their praiers vsed by their Church that I alledged nor in any of that sort as wil appeare to him that will take the paines to searâ—h their Primers and Portuisses That clause being added to praiers made to God where the merits and mediation of a Saint are mentioned therein but not in such praiers as are directed to the Saints themselues for then the abomination were greater to make Christ their mediator to a creature Next the adding of per Christum Dominum nostrum hath no place in their idolatrous protestations touching the merits and excellency of Friar Frauncis Friar Dominicke the holy Virgine and others to whom I shewed what monsters of merits they attribute making them equall to Christ himselfe The which may yet more fully be seene in their doctrine touching Friar Frauncis wherein Christ in all things that are written in the Gospell of him is paralleled with him in his Birth in the Prophecies forerunning him in his life temptations Disciples doctrine Miracles Transfiguration Passion Ascension and what not as may be seene in the Booke of his Conformities a An. 1590. at Bonony lately printed that we may know the present Church of Rome and the Pastors thereof at this day stand in the same damnable idolatrie which we hoped had bene but the priuate superstitioÌ„ of some paltry Friars That booke doth containe the most blasphemies against Christ that euer did any since Iulian and Porphyry gaue ouer writing and I do verily thinke that as the Diuell stirred vp of old b Philostrat vita Apolon Tyanae him that writ the like of Apollonius Tyanaeus thereby to ouerthrow the Gospell by writing a story of a damned Necromancer that should in all things match Christ the Sonne of Marie so the same Diuell set the Friar a worke to write this Conformity that the merits of Christ might be suppressed and a stinking idoll set vp in his steed and yet the same is newly set foorth and at this day by open c Henr. Sedul apologet pro li. conform Antuerp 1607. Apologies iustified But to leaue this Romane Alcoran what do they talke of the Virgine Maries intercession depending on
they do to God I answer two things first granting that words and outward gestures are qualified and conditioned by the meaning of him that vses them as he that called the Prophet h 2. Reg. 2.12 13.14 my Father my Father meant not that hie degree of Honor that he did when he called God his Father and therefore I will not deny but Papists vsing these inuocations mentioned to the Saints may meane them otherwise then they do to God as for example calling the virgin Mary their Aduocate their Hope their Sauiour they may meane she is so not of her selfe but vnder Christ and not principally by her owne merits but subordinarily by the merits and grace of her Sonne This I will easily grant may be the meaning of their wordes but then I answer secondly that it doth not follow that therefore we may with such reseruation of our meaning in the same wordes inuocate and worship the Saints departed first because the said inuocation is diuine honour from what minde soeuer it proceed whether the Saint be called vpon as the supreme and eternal beginning or whether onely as the friend of God that by reason of his nearnesse to him can sooner intreate him then my selfe If he be inuocated with the titles of Aduocate Sauiour Redeemer though the intent be but onely to vse him as a friend to intreate yet this is diuine honour belonging to Iesus Christ For all prayer is diuine honour and such titles as are giuen them in their worship Mediator Hope Aduocate Confidence Sauiour Redeemer Ladie Queene of heauen c. exceed the measure of all ciuill reuerence and adoration whatsoeuer and therefore are not like the calling of our earthly parent father or kneeling to him Secondly the worshipping of a creature is idolatrie though he that worship it acknowledge it to be but a creature subordinate to God a thousand times because the commandement is i Mat. 4.10 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely thou shalt serue When the diuell tempted our Sauiour to fall downe before him he did not require him to perswade himselfe that he was Iehouah or that he had those things of himselfe for he confessed vnto him k Luc. 4.6 he had receiued them but onely that he would kneele vnto him and accept those things at his hands And our Sauiour refused it not onely because he was the diuell but also because the commandement forbids the giuing diuine honour to a creature with any opinion estimation or iudgement whatsoeuer l Apoc. 19.10 22.8 When S. Iohn would haue fallen downe and worshipped the Angell he was not so ignorant or stupid as to thinke he was God or to intend him that highest honour that belongs to God but onely by that office he wold present his loue to the Angell and possible procure some fauour at his hand yet the Angell forbad him by a reason that proceeds vnanswerably against the inuocation of all Saints See thou do it not for I am thy fellow seruant and one of thy brethren which haue the testimonie of Iesus Worship God For it is a generall rule in the Scripture that no creature may with any estimation be worshipped with diuine honour A.D. If M. White insist and vrge Pag. 43. that outward words and actions are signes of inward meaning therefore where words and outward actions are the same towards Christ and towards his Saints at least ignorant people haue cause giuen them to thinke we haue the same inward meaning and so by our example are encouraged to commit formall idolatrie I answer that inward meaning is indeed gathered by outward words and actions ordinarily but not alwayes nor ordinarily by the bare outward shew of the action or by that precise sound of one or other word or sentence but by the whole connexion and circumstance of the matter and person about which the speech and action is and by the presupposed and knowne conceit of the partie which speaketh the said words or doth the action Now although in some of our prayers one or other word or sentence may seeme harsh as it is considered precisely in the outward sound especially to those that are not acquainted with the like as also to those who neuer had seen men kneele to any but to God himselfe nor to call any Father besides him it would seeme very harsh to see one kneele to his earthly parent and to call him Father yet when we consider the whole connexion of the words of our prayers hauing respect also to the different circumstances of the persons and matters spoken of and to the commonly knowne conceit of the speaker the sense of our prayers are found neither to be idolatrous nor superstitious nor scandalous none being ordinarily among vs so simple or ill instructed but they know that there is a different inward conceit and more estimation had reuerence done when the words are applied to our Sauiour Christ being God and man then when they are applied to Saints who are knowne to be not Gods but onely men 5 That which the Iesuite still assumes for his defence is still false He presumes that intending their prayers to the Saints no otherwise then they do they are lawfull And as long as God is confessed to be the first beginning of mercie and goodnesse and Christ the Mediator of redemption and the Saints no more but aduocates and friends to present our prayers all is well and those Saints may be inuocated as they are but the answer is that euen this kind of inuocation with no further opinion touching them is vnlawfull as I haue shewed And let the Reader alwayes remember that it is m Mat 6.9 Luc 11.1 Nam quaÌ„libet alia veil a dicamus nihil aliud dicimus quaÌ„ quod in ista Dominica oratione positum est si rectè congruenter oramus Quisquis auteÌ„ id dicit quod ad istam preceÌ„pertinere non possit etiamsi non illicitè orat carnaliter orat c. Aug. op 121. c. 12. Neque ensm propria tantuÌ„ orationis officia complexa cit venerationem Dei aut hominis petitionem sed om nem pene sermoneÌ„ Domini omnem commemorationeÌ„ disciplinae â—t â—â—â—era in oratione Breuiarium totius Euangelij comprehendatur Tertul. de orat c 1. no lawfull prayer that is not according to Christs rule When ye pray do it after this maner Our Father which art in heaueÌ„ c. Let your praiers be made to him that you may say is your Father that is in heauen who forgiues vs our sinnes and to whom belongs the kingdome and power and glorie for euer 6 But that which he chiefly intends in this place is to excuse the harshnesse and scandalousnesse of the words of their prayers albeit if a man should view them well he might maruell what excuse could be deuised for them Yet the Reply not onely excuses them that they must not be measured by their sound and outward
all the gates of hell not onely ouer the sayings of men though holy men or deceitful custom Gods word is ouer all The diuine Maiestie is of my side that I care not if a thousand Austins a thousand Cyprians a thousand King Harry-churches stood against me God can neither deceiue nor be deceiued Austin and Cyprian as all the elect may erre and haue erred In all these words there is nothing spoken simply against the Fathers but comparatiuely if a thousand Fathers were against the Scriptures he would rather stand to the Scripture wherein he speakes most godly and honestly that d Gal. 1. if an Apostle or an Angell from heauen farre greater then a thousand Austins and Cyprians should preach otherwise let him be accursed Neither Saint Paul nor Luther granted the Angels or Doctors of the Church to preach otherwise then they did but if any man would pretend and oppose their names and preaching against the Scripture let them be accursed the word of God is aboue all that I care not if a thousand Austins and a thousand Cyprians stood against me which is the truth and our aduersaries say as much themselues Baronius e An. 31. n. 213. Though the Fathers whom for their high learning we worthily call the Doctors of the Church were endued with the grace of the holy Ghost aboue others yet in expounding the Scripture the Catholicke Church doth not alway and in all things follow them D. Marta f De iurisdict part 1. pag. 273. The common opinion of the Doctors is not to be regarded when the contrary opinion fauours the power of the Popes keyes or a pious cause And I haue shewed g THE WAY digr 47. elsewhere that this is the common practise of our aduersaries They speake not alway so zealously and plainly as Luther doth but for substance they say the same that he doth h Yesterday Ecchius brought against me Gregory Ambrose Chrysostome to whom I then answered nothing I will therefore now say what I then forgot opposing the rule of diuine Augustine that the savings of all writers must be iudged by the sacred Scripture whose authoritie is greater then the authoritie of all men Not that I condemne the iudgement of the most illustrious Fathers but I imitate those that come nearest to the Scriptures and if the Scripture be plaine I embrace it before them all Tom. 1. disput Lips cum Ecch. pag 263. Wittemb I mention the opinion of Austin not to defame or detract froÌ„ that holy man but because it is good necessary that these holy Fathers be sometime found like our selues men that the glorie of God may stand firme c. Jâ— Genesc 21 pag. 255. tom 6. Wittemb who thought also as reuerently of the Fathers as any man is bound to do 3 But it was not Luthers going against the Fathers that discontented our aduersaries it was his resisting the Popes Canons and the faith of the Church of Rome which they shrowded vnder the name of the Fathers wherein by their owne diuinitie he might be guiltlesse Peraduenture i Dialog tract 2. part 2. c. vult pag. 180. col 3. edit Lugdun per Ioh. â—rech an 1494. saith Occham one might say that simple men ought to beleeue nothing but what the Pope and Cardinals deliuer to be beleeued explicately and should be content with things common not presuming vpon their owne vnderstanding to beleeue any thing explicitely but what the Pope and Cardinals deliuer vnto them but HE THAT SHOVLD AFFIRME THESE THINGS WERE AN INVENTOR OF NEW ERRORS For though simple men be not ordinarily tied to beleeue explicitely but onely those things which are by the Cleargie declared to be so beleeued yet SIMPLE MEN READING THE DIVINE SCRIPTVRE BY THE SHARPNES OF REASON MAY SEE SOME THING THAT THE POPE AND CARDINALS HAVE NOT DECLARED EVIDENTLY TO FOLLOW OF THE SCRIPTVRE in which case they can and must explicitely beleeue and ARE NOT BOVND TO CONSVLT WITH THE POPE AND CARDINALS FORASMVCH AS THEY ARE BOVND TO PREFERRE THE HOLY SCRIPTVRE BEFORE THEM ALL. If all the Papists in the world can shew Luther did any more then Occham here allowes euery simple man to do I am much deceiued And if he did no more then by their owne iudgements he might doe then away with these friuolous and emptie exclamations against Luther and let vs heare no more of them A. D. But saith M. White Scripture promiseth Pag 201. that euery doctrine is of God which consenteth to it and this consent a man may know infallibly or else in vaine had the Bereans searched c. I answer that I do not denie but a man may know doctrine to consent to Scripture but I aske how he may know this by onely Scripture interpreted by ones owne iudgment or priuate spirit I hope I haue shewed the contrary neither will M. White be euer able to proue that the 1 Act. 17.11 Beraeans had infallible certaintie onely by the Scripture interpreted by their owne priuate iudgement or that 2 Es 8.20 the Prophet sent any for infallible certaintie to the law and testimonie expounded onely by priuate iudgement or that 3 Luc 1 4. Saint Luke or f Col. 2.2 Saint Paul whom he alledgeth meant that men should haue infallible assurance by onely Scripture interpreted by priuate iudgement or spirit 4 I neuer intended that any man could haue infallible assurance of that he beleeues onely by Scripture interpreted by his owne priuate iudgement all that I affirme is that priuate men may examine any doctrine that is publickly taught by whosoeuer and by Scripture alone as by a certaine rule they may be assured of the truth This is plainly euinced by the texts alledged For the Beraeans hearing the Apostles preach yet searched the Scripture dayly whether those things were so and therefore beleeued In which example the matter examined is the things that the Apostles preached The rule whereby this was examined is the Scripture alone which in the text is distinguished from the Apostles preaching and ministery and authoritie and opposed against them for by it the Beraeans examined them The persons that did this were a priuate people subiect to the Pastors of the Church as much as any can be The end why they did thus examine the doctrine was to see if it consented with the Scripture The euent and issue of their examining was Therefore many of them beleeued Whereby it is cleare that a priuate man by the Scripture alone may be able to iudge of any thing that is publickly taught and by the Scripture alone be infallibly assured if he hold the truth Not the Scripture alone excluding the condition of the meanes whereby God makes the sense thereof knowne but the Scripture alone as the rule of faith excluding all authoritie of the Church and Pastors Nor the Scripture interpreted by a mans owne iudgement and priuate spirit but by it selfe truly according to the manifest rule