were very iniurious the purpose of his hart was religious and godly the act most worthy of honour and renowne neither could Nathan choose but admire his vertuous intent exhort him to go forward and beseech God to prosper him therein But God saw the endlesse troubles which Dauid should be subiect vnto during the whole time of his regiment and therefore gaue charge to differre so good a worke till the dayes of tranquilitie and peace wherein it might without interruption be performed Dauid supposed that it could not stand with the duty which he owed vnto God to set himselfe in an house of Cedar trees and to behold the Arke of the Lords Couenant vnsetled This opinion the Lord abateth by causing Nathan to shew him plainely that it should be no more imputed vnto him for a fault then it had bene vnto the Iudges of Israell before him his case being the same which theirs was their times not more vnquiet then his nor more vnfit for such an action Wherefore concerning the force of negatiue arguments so taken from the authority of Scripture as by vs they are denied there is in all this lesse then nothing And touching that which vnto this purpose is borrowed froÌ„ the controuersies sometime handled betweene M. Harding and the worthiest Diuine that Christendome hath bred for the space of some huÌ„dreds of yeres who being brought vp together in one Vniuersitie it fell out in them which was spoken of two others They learned in the same that which in contrary CaÌ„ps they did practise Of these two the one obiecting that with vs arguments taken from authority negatiuely are ouer common the Bishops answer hereunto is that This kind of argument is thought to be good whensoeuer proofe is taken of Gods word and is vsed not only by vs but also by Saint Paul and by many of the Catholique Fathers Saint Paule saith God said not vnto Abraham In thy seeds all the nations of the earth shall be blessed but in thy seed which is Christ and thereof he thought he made a good argument Likewise sayth Origen The bread which the Lord gaue vnto his disciples saying vnto them Take and eate he differred not nor commanded to be reserued till the next day Such arguments Origen and other learned Fathers thought to stand for good whatsoeuer misliking Maister Harding hath found in theÌ„ This kind of proofe is thought to hold in Gods commaundements for that they be full and perfect and God hath specially charged vs that we should neither put to them nor take fro them and therefore it seemeth good vnto them that haue learned of Christ Vnus est magister vester Christus haue heard the voyce of God the Father from heauen Ipsum auâ—ite But vnto them that adde to the word of God what them listeth and make Gods will subiect vnto their will and breake Gods commaundements for their owne traditions sake vnto them is seemeth not good Againe the English Apologie alleaging the example of the Greekes how they haue neither priuate Masses nor mangled Sacraments nor Purgatories nor pardons it pleaseth Maister Harding to iest out the matter to vse the helpe of his wits where strength of truth failed him to answer with scoffing at negatiues The Bishops defence in this case is The auncient learned Fathers hauing to deale with impudent heretiques that in defence of their errors auouched the iudgement of all the old Bishops and Doctors that had bene before them and the generall consent of the primitiue and whole vniuersall Church and that with as good regard of truth and as faithfully as you do now the better to discouer the shamelesse boldnes nakednes of their doctrine were oftentimes likewise forced to vse the negatiue so to driue the same heretiques as we do you to proue their affirmatiues which thing to do it was neuer possible The ancient father Irenaeus thus stayed himselfe as we do by the negatiue Hoc neque Prophetae praedicauerunt néque Dominus docuit néque Apostoli tradiderunt This thing neither did the Prophets publish nor our Lord teach nor the Apostles deliuer By a like negatiue Chrysostome saith This tree neither Paule planted nor Apollo watered nor God increased In like sort Leo saith What needeth it to beleeue that thing that neither the Lawe hath taught nor the Prophets haue spoken nor the Gospell hath preached nor the Apostles haue deliuered And againe How are the new deuises brought in that our Fathers neuer knew S. Augustine hauing reekoned vp a great number of the Bishops of Rome by a generall negatiue saith thus In all this order of succession of Bishops there is not one Bishop found that was a Donatist Saint Gregory being himselfe a Bishop of Rome and writing against the title of vniuersall Bishop saith thus None of all my predecessors euer consented to vse this vngodly title No Bishop of Rome euer tooke vpon him this name of Singularity By such negatiues M. Harding we reproue the vanity and nouelty of your religion we tell you none of the catholique ancient learned Fathers either Greeke or Latine euer vsed either your priuate Masse or your halfe communion or your barbarous vnknowne prayers Paule neuer planted them Apollo neuer watered them God neuer increased them they are of your selues they are not of God In all this there is not a syllable which any way crosseth vs. For coÌ„cerning arguments negatiue euen taken from humane authorityâ— they are here proued to be in some cases very strong and forcible They are not in our estimation idle reproofes when the authors of needlesse innouations are opposed with such negatiues as that of Leo How are these new deuises brought in which our fathers neuer knew When their graue and reuerend superiours do recken vp vnto them as Augustine did vnto the Donatists large Catalogues of Fathers wondered at for their wisdome piety and learning amongst whom for so many ages before vs no one did euer so thinke of the Churches affaires as now the world doth begin to be perswaded surely by vs they are not taught to take exception hereat because such arguments are negatiue Much lesse when the like are taken from the sacred authority of Scripture if the matter it selfe do beare them For in truth the question is not whether an argument from scripture negatiuely may be good but whether it be so generally good that in all actions men may vrge it The fathers I graunt do vse very generall and large tearmes euen as Hiero the King did in speaking of Archimedes From henceforward whatsoeuer Archimedes speaketh it must be belieued His meaning was not that Archimedes could simply in nothing be deceiued but that he had in such sort approued his skill that he seemed worthy of credit for euer after in matters appertaining vnto the science he was skilfull in In speaking thus largely it is presumed that mens speeches will be taken according to the
was with him in the Gospell but seruants being commaunded to goe shall stand still till they haue their errand warranted vnto them by scripture Which as it standeth with Christian dutie in some cases so in common affaires to require it were most vnfit Two opinions therefore there are concerning sufficiencie of holy scripture each extreamly opposite vnto the other bothe repugnant vnto truth The schooles of Rome teach scripture to be so vnsufficient as if except traditions were added it did not conteine all reuealed and supernaturall truth which absolutely is necessary for the children of men in this life to know that they may in the next be saued Others iustly condemning this opinion growe likewise vnto a dangerous extremitie as if scripture did not only containe all thinges in that kinde necessary but all thinges simply and in such sorte that to doe any thing according to any other lawe were not onely vnnecessary but euen opposite vnto saluation vnlawfull and sinfull Whatsoeuer is spoken of God or thinges appertaining to God otherwise then as the truth is though it seeme an honour it is an iniurie And as incredible praises giuen vnto men doe often abate and impaire the credit of their deserued commendation so we must likewise take great heed least in attributing vnto scripture more then it can haue the incredibilitie of that do cause euen those thinges which indeed it hath most aboundantly to be lesse reuerendly esteemed I therefore leaue it to themselues to consider whether they haue in this first point or not ouershot themselues which God doth knowe is quickly done euen when our meaning is most sincere as I am verily perswaded theirs in this case was The third Booke Concerning their second assertion that in Scripture there must be of necessitie contained a forme of Church-politie the lawes whereof may in no wise be altered The matter conteined in this third Booke 1 What the Church is and in what respect lawes of politie are thereunto necessarily required 2 Whether it be necessary that some particular forme of Church-politie be set downe in scripture sith the thinges that belong particularly to any such forme are not of necessitie to saluation 3 That matters of Church-politie are different from matters of faith and saluation and that they themselues so teach which are our reprouers for so teaching 4 That hereby we take not from Scripture any thing which thereunto with soundnesse of truth may be giuen 5 Their meaning who first vrged against the politie of the Church of England that nothing ought to be established in the Church more then is commaunded by the worde of God 6 How great iniurie men by so thinking should offer vnto all the Churches of God 7 A shift notwithstanding to maintaine it by interpreting Commaunded as though it were meant that greater thinges only ought to be found set downe in Scripture particularly and lesser framed by the generall rules of Scripture 8 An other deuise to defend the same by expounding Commaunded as if it did signifie grounded on Scripture and were opposed to things found out by light of naturall reason onely 9 How lawes for the politie of the Church may be made by the aduise of men and how those lawes being not repugnant to the word of God are approued in his sight 10 That neither Gods being the author of laws nor yet his committing of them to Scripture is any reason sufficient to proue that they admit no addition or change 11 Whether Christ must needs intend lawes vnchangeable altogether or haue forbidden any where to make any other law then himselfe did deliuer ALbeit the substance of those controuersies whereinto wee haue begun to wade be rather of outward things appertaining to the Church of Christ then of any thing wherein the nature and being of the Church consisteth yet because the subiect or matter which this position concerneth is A forme of Church-gouernment or Church-politie it therefore behoueth vs so far forth to consider the nature of the Church as is requisite for mens more cleare and plaine vnderstanding in what respect lawes of politie or gouernment are necessary therunto That Church of Christ which we properly terme his body mysticall can be but one neither can that one be sensibly discerned by any man in as much as the parts thereof are some in heauen alreadie with Christ and the rest that are on earth albeit their naturall persons be visible we do not discerne vnder this propertie whereby they are truly and infallibly of that body Onely our mindes by intellectuall conceipt are able to apprehend that such a reall body there is a body collectiue because it cōtaineth an huge multitude a body mistical because the mysterie of their coniunction is remoued altogether from sense Whatsoeuer we read in scripture concerning the endlesse loue and the sauing mercie which God sheweth towards his Church the onely proper subiect thereof is this Church Concerning this flocke it is that our Lord and Sauiour hath promised I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hands They who are of this society haue such markes and notes of distinction from all others as are not obiect vnto our sense onely vnto God who seeth their hearts and vnderstandeth all their secret cogitations vnto him they are cleare and manifest All men knew Nathaniel to be an Israelite But our Sauiour pearcing deeper giueth further testimony of him then men could haue done with such certaintie as he did Beholde indeede an Israelite in whom is no guile If we professe as Peter did that we loue the Lorde and professe it in the hearing of men charitie is prone to beleeue all thinges and therefore charitable men are likely to thinke we do so as long as they see no proofe to the contrary But that our loue is sound and sincere that it commeth from a Pure heart and a good conscience a faith vnfained who can pronounce sauing onely the searcher of all mens hearts who alone intuitiuely doth knowe in this kinde who are his And as those euerlasting promises of loue mercy blessednes belong to the mysticall church euen so on the other side when we reade of any dutie which the Church of God is bound vnto the Church whom this doth concerne is a sensibly knowne company And this visible Church in like sorte is but one continued from the first beginning of the world to the last end Which company being deuided into two moieties the one before the other since the comming of Christ that part which since the comming of Christ partly hath embraced and partly shall hereafter embrace the Christian Religion wee terme as by a more proper name the Church of Christ. And therefore the Apostle affirmeth plainely of all men Christian that be they Iewes or Gentiles bond or free they are al incorporated into one cōpany they al make but one body The vnitie of which visible
Agrippa beleeuest thou the Prophets I know thou dost The questiō is how the bookes of the Prophets came to be credited of king Agrippa For what with him did authorize the Prophets the like with vs doth cause the rest of the scripture of God to be of credit Because we maintain that in scripture we are taught all things necessary vnto saluation hereupon very childishly it is by some demanded what scripture can teach vs the sacred authoritie of the scripture vpō the knowledge wherof our whole faith saluation dependeth As though there were any kind of science in the world which leadeth men into knowledge without presupposing a number of thinges alreadie knowne No science doth make knowne the first principles whereon it buildeth but they are alwaies either taken as plaine and manifest in themselues or as proued and granted already some former knowledge hauing made them euident Scripture teacheth al supernaturally reuealed truth without the knowledge wherof saluatiō cannot be attained The maine principle wherupon our beliefe of al things therin contained dependeth is that the scriptures are the oracles of God himselfe This in it selfe wee cannot say is euident For thē all men that heare it would acknowledge it in hart as they do when they heare that euery whole is more then any part of that whole because this in it selfe is euident The other we know that all do not acknowledge when they heare it There must be therefore some former knowledge presupposed which doth herein assure the hearts of all beleeuers Scripture teacheth vs that sauing truth which God hath discouered vnto the world by reuelation it presumeth vs taught otherwise that it self is diuine sacred The questiō thē being by what meanes we are taught this some answere that to learne it we haue no other way then only traditiō as namely that so we beleeue because both we from our predecessors they from theirs haue so receiued But is this inough That which al mens experience teacheth them may not in any wise be denied And by experience we all know that the first outward motiue leading men so to esteeme of the scripture is the authority of Gods church For whē we know the whole church of God hath that opiniō of the scripture we iudge it euen at the first an impudēt thing for any man bredde and brought vp in the Church to bee of a contrary mind without cause Afterwards the more we bestow our labor in reading or hearing the misteries thereof the more we find that the thing it selfe doth answer our receiued opinion concerning it So that the former inducement preuailing somwhat with vs before doth now much more preuaile when the very thing hath ministred farther reason If Infidels or Atheists chance at any time to call it in question this giueth vs occasion to sift what reason there is whereby the testimony of the church cōcerning scripture our own perswasiō which scripture it selfe hath confirmed may be proued a truth infallible In which case the ancient fathers being often constrained to shew what warrant they had so much to relie vpō the scriptures endeuored still to maintain the authority of the books of God by arguments such as vnbeleeuers thēselues must needs think reasonable if they iudged therof as they shuld Neither is it a thing impossible or greatly hard euen by such kind of proofes so to manifest cleere that point that no mā liuing shal be able to deny it without denying some apparent principle such as al men acknowledge to be true Wherefore if I beleeue the gospell yet is reason of singular vse for that it confirmeth me in this my beleefe the more If I do not as yet beleeue neuertheles to bring me to the number of beleeuers except reasō did somwhat helpe were an instrument which God doth vse vnto such purposes what should it boote to dispute with Infidels or godles persons for their conuersion perswasion in that point Neither can I thinke that when graue learned men do sometime hold that of this principle there is no proofe but by the testimony of the spirit which assureth our harts therin it is their meaning to exclude vtterly all force which any kind of reason may haue in that behalfe but I rather iucline to interpret such their speeches as if they had more expresly set downe that other motiues inducemēts be they neuer so strong consonāt vnto reason are notwithstanding vneffectual of thēselues to worke faith concerning this principle if the special grace of the holy ghost concur not to the inlightning of our minds For otherwise I doubt not but mē of wisdom iudgemēt wil grant that the Church in this point especially is furnished with reason to stop the mouthes of her impious aduersaries and that as it were altogether bootles to alleage against thē what the spirit hath taught vs so likewise that euen to our owne selues it needeth caution and explicatiō how the testimony of the spirit may be discerned by what meanes it may be known least mē think that the spirit of God doth testifie those things which the spirit of error suggesteth The operations of the spirit especially these ordinary which be cōmon vnto all true christian men are as we know things secret vndiscernable euen to the very soule where they are because their nature is of an other an higher kind thē that they cā be by vs perceiued in this life Wherfore albeit the spirit lead vs into all truth direct vs in all goodnes yet because these workings of the spirit in vs are so priuy secret we therfore stand on a plainer ground when we gather by reason frō the quality of things beleeued or done that the spirit of God hath directed vs in both then if we settle our selues to beleeue or to do any certaine particular thing as being moued thereto by the spirit But of this enough To go frō the books of scripture to the sense meaning therof because the sentēces which are by the Apostles recited out of the Psalms to proue the resurrectiō of Iesus Christ did not proue it if so be the prophet Dauid meant thē of himsef this expositiō therfore they plainly disproue shew by manifest reason that of Dauid the words of Dauid could not possibly be meant Exclude the vse of naturall reasoning about the sense of holy scripture concerning the articles of our faith then that the scripture doth concerne the articles of our faith who can assure vs That which by right exposition buildeth vp Christian faith being misconstrued breedeth error between true and false construction the difference reason must shew Can Christian men perform that which Peter requireth at their hands is it possible they should both beleeue be able without the vse of reason to render a reason of their beleefe a reason sound and sufficient to answer them that demaund it be they of the same faith with vs or enemies
change is requisite had bin worse when that which now is changed was instituted Otherwise God had not then left this to choose that neither would now reiect that to choose this were it not for some new grown occasion making that which hath bene better worse In this case therefore 〈…〉 not presume to change Gods ordinance but they yeeld thereunto requiring it selfe to be chaunged Against this it is obiected that to abrogate or innouate the gospel of Christ if mē do Angels should attempt it were most heynous and cursed sacriledge And the Gospell as they say containeth not only doctrine instructing men how they should beleeue but also precepts concerning the regiment of the Church Discipline therefore is a part of the Gospell and God being the author of the whole Gospel as well of discipline as of doctrine it cānot be but that both of them haue a common cause So that as we are to beleeue for euer the articles of euangelicall doctrine so the precepts of discipline we are in like sort bound for euer to obserue Touching points of doctrine as for example the vnity of God the trinitie of persons saluation by Christ the resurrection of the body life euerlasting the iudgement to come and such like they haue bene since the first houre that there was a Church in the world and till the last they must be beleeued But as for matters of regiment they are for the most part of another nature To make new articles of faith and doctrine no man thinketh it lawfull new lawes of gouernment what common wealth or Church is there which maketh not either at one time or another The rule of faith saith Tertullian is but one and that alone immoueable and impossible to be framed or cast anew The law of outward order polity not so There is no reason in the world wherfore we should esteeme it as necessary alwayes to do as alwayes to beleeue the same things seeing euery man knoweth that the matter of faith is constant the matter contrariwise of action daily changeable especially the matter of action belonging vnto Church polity Neither than I find that men of soundest iudgement haue any otherwise taught then that articles of beliefe and things which all men must of necessity do to the end they may be saued are either expresly set downe in Scripture or else plainly thereby to be gathered But touching things which belong to discipline outward politie the Church hath authority to make canons laws decrees euen as we reade that in the Apostles times it did Which kind of lawes for as much as they are not in themselues necessary to saluation may after they are made be also changed as the difference of times or places shall require Yea it is not denied I am sure by themselues that certaine things in discipline are of that nature as they may be varied by times places persons and other the like circumstances Whereupon I demaund are those changeable points of discipline commaunded in the word of God or no If they be not commanded and yet may be receiued in the Church how can their former position stand cōdemning all things in the Church which in the word are not commanded If they be commaunded and yet may suffer change how can this later stand affirming all things immutable which are commanded of God Their distinction touching matters of substance and of circumstance though true will not serue For be they great things or be they small if God haue commaunded them in the Gospell and his commanding them in the Gospell do make them vnchangeable there is no reason we should more change the one then we may the other If the authority of the maker do proue vnchangeablenesse in the lawes which God hath made then must al laws which he hath made be necessarily for euer permanēt though they be but of circumstance only and not of substance I therfore conclude that neither Gods being author of lawes for gouernment of his Church nor his cōmitting them vnto Scripture is any reason sufficient wherefore all Churches should for euer be bound to keepe them without chaunge But of one thing we are here to giue them warning by the way For whereas in this discourse we haue oftentimes profest that many parts of discipline or Church politie are deliuered in Scripture they may perhaps imagine that we are driuē to cōfesse their discipline to be deliuered in scripture and that hauing no other meanes to auoid it we are faine to argue for the changeablenesse of lawes ordained euen by God himselfe as if otherwise theirs of necessitie should take place and that vnder which we liue be abandoned There is no remedie therefore but to abate this error in them and directly to let them know that if they fall into any such conceit they do but a little flatter their owne cause As for vs we thinke in no respect so highly of it Our perswasion is that no age euer had knowledged of it but onely ours that they which defend it deuised it that neither Christ nor his Apostles at any time taught it but the contrary If therefore we did seeke to maintaine that which most aduantageth our owne cause the very best way for vs and the strongest against them were to hold euen as they do that in Scripture there must needs be foūd some particular forme of Church-polity which God hath instituted and which for that very cause belongeth to all Churches to all times But with any such partiall eye to respect our selues and by cunning to make those things seeme the truest which are the fittest to serue our purpose is a thing which we neither like nor meane to follow Wherefore that which we take to be generally true concerning the mutability of lawes the same we haue plainely deliuered as being perswaded of nothing more then we are of this that whether it be in matter of speculation or of practise no vntruth can possibly auaile the patrone and defendor long and that things most truly are likewise most behoouefully spoken 11. This we hold and graunt for truth that those very lawes which of their own nature are changeable be notwithstāding vncapable of change if he which gaue them being of authority so to do forbid absolutely to change thē neither may they admit alteratiō against the will of such a law maker Albeit therfore we do not find any cause why of right there should be necessarily an immutable forme set downe in holy scripture neuerthelesse if indeed there haue bene at any time a Church-politie so set downe the change whereof the sacred scripture doth forbid surely for mē to alter those lawes which God for perpetuity hath established were presumption most intollerable To proue therfore that the wil of Christ was to establish laws so permanent and immutable that in any sort to alter them cannot but highly offend God thus they reason First if Moses being but a seruant in
nor any thing in such wise aboundeth that as being superfluous vnfruitfull and altogether needlesse we should thinke it no losse or danger at all if we did want it 14 Although the scripture of God therefore be stored with infinite varietie of matter in all kinds although it abound with all sorts of lawes yet the principal intent of scripture is to deliuer the lawes of duties supernaturall Oftentimes it hath bene in very solemne maner disputed whether all things necessary vnto saluation be necessarily set downe in the holy Scriptures or no. If we define that necessary vnto saluation whereby the way to saluation is in any sort made more plaine apparent and easie to be knowne then is there no part of true Philosophie no art of account no kind of science rightly so called but the Scripture must conteine it If onely those things be necessary as surely none else are without the knowledge and practise whereof it is not the will and pleasure of God to make any ordinary graunt of saluation it may be notwithstanding and oftentimes hath bene demanded how the bookes of holy Scripture conteine in them all necessary things when of things necessary the very chiefest is to knowe what bookes we are bound to esteeme holy which point is confest impossible for the Scripture it selfe to teach Whereunto wee may aunswere with truth that there is not in the world any Arte or Science which proposing vnto it selfe an ende as euery one doth some ende or other hath bene therefore thought defectiue if it haue not deliuered simply whatsoeuer is needfull to the same ende but all kinds of knowledge haue their certaine bounds and limits each of them presupposeth many necessary things learned in other sciences and knowne before hand He that should take vpon him to teach men how to be eloquent in pleading causes must needes deliuer vnto them whatsoeuer precepts are requisite vnto that end otherwise he doth no◠the thing which he taketh vpon him Seeing then no man can pleade eloquently vnlesse he be able first to speake it followeth that habilitie of speech is in this case a thing most necessary Notwithstanding euery man would thinke it ridiculous that he which vndertaketh by writing to instruct an Orator should therfore deliuer all the precepts of Grammar because his profession is to deliuer precepts necessarie vnto eloquent speech yet so that they which are to receiue them bee taugt before hand so much of that which is thereunto necessarie as comprehendeth the skill of speaking In like sort albeit Scripture do professe to conteine in it all thinges which are necessarie vnto saluation yet the meaning cannot bee simply of all things which are necessarie but all things that are necessary in some certaine kind or forme as all things that are necessarie and either could not at all or could not easilie be knowne by the light of naturall discourse all things which are necessarie to be knowne that we may be saued but knowne with presupposall of knowledge cōcerning certaine principles wherof it receaueth vs already perswaded and then instructeth vs in all the residue that are necessary In the number of these principles one is the sacred authority of Scripture Being therefore perswaded by other meanes that these Scriptures are the oracles of God themselues do then teach vs the rest and lay before vs all the duties which God requireth at our hands as necessary vnto saluation Further there hath bene some doubt likewise whether conteining in scripture do import expresse setting downe in plaine tearmes or else comprehending in such sort that by reason we may frō thence conclude all things which are necessary Against the former of these two constructions instance hath sundrie wayes bene geuen For our beliefe in the Trinity the Coeternity of the Sonne of God with his Father the proceeding of the Spirite from the Father and the Sonne the duty of baptizing infants these with such other principall points the necessity wherof is by none denied are notwithstanding in Scripture no where to be found by expresse literall mention only deduced they are out of scripture by collection This kind of cōprehension in scripture being therefore receiued still there is no doubt how far we are to proceed by collection before the full and complete measure of things necessary be made vp For let vs not thinke that as long as the world doth endure the wit of man shal be able to found the bottome of that which may be concluded out of the scripture especially if things conteined by collection do so far extend as to draw in whatsoeuer may be at any time out of scripture but probably and coniecturally surmised But let necessary collection be made requisite and we may boldly deny that of all those things which at this day are with so great necessitie vrged vpon this Church vnder the name of reformed Church discipline there is any one which their bookes hetherto haue made manifest to be conteined in the Scripture Let them if they can alleage but one properly belonging to their cause and not common to them and vs and shew the deduction thereof out of scripture to be necessarie It hath beene already shewed how all things necessarie vnto saluation in such sort as before we haue maintained must needes be possible for men to knowe and that many things are in such sort necessarie the knowledge whereof is by the light of nature impossible to be attained Whereupon it followeth that either all flesh is excluded from possibility of saluation which to thinke were most barbarous or else that God hath by supernaturall meanes reuealed the way of life so far forth as doth suffice For this cause God hath so many times and waies spoken to the sonnes of men Neither hath he by speech only but by wilting also instructed and taught his Church The cause of writing hath bene to the end that things by him reuealed vnto the world might haue the longer cōtinuance and the greater certainty of assurance by how much that which standeth on record hath in both those respects preeminence aboue that which passeth from hand to hand and hath no pennes but the toongs no bookes but the eares of men to record it The seueral bookes of scripture hauing had each some seuerall occasion and particular purpose which caused them to be written the contents thereof are according to the exigence of that speciall end whereunto they are intended Hereupon it groweth that euery booke of holy scripture doth take out of all kinds of truth naturall historicall forreine supernaturall so much as the matter handled requireth Now for as much as there hath bene reason alleaged sufficient to conclude that all things necessary vnto saluation must be made knowne and that God himselfe hath therefore reuealed his will because otherwise men could not haue knowne so much as i◠necessary his surceasing to speake to the world since the publishing of the Gospell of Iesus Christ and the
vnto whom wee associate our selues in the one are men simply considered as men but they to whom we bee ioyned in the other are God Angels and holy men Againe the Church being both a society and a society supernaturall although as it is a society it haue the selfe same originall grounds which other politique societes haue namely the naturall inclination which all men haue vnto sociable life and consent to some certaine bond of association which bond is the law that appointeth what kind of order they shall be associated in yet vnto the Church as it is a societie supernaturall this is peculiar that part of the bond of their association which belong to the Church of God must be a lawe supernaturall which God himselfe hath reuealed concerning that kind of worship which his people shall do vnto him The substance of the seruice of God therefore so farre forth as it hath in it any thing more then the lawe of reason doth teach may not be inuented of men as it is amongst the Heathens but must be receiued from God himselfe as alwaies it hath bene in the Church sauing only when the Church hath bene forgetfull of her dutie Wherefore to end with a generall rule concerning all the lawes which God hath tyed men vnto those lawes diuine that belong whether naturally or supernaturally either to men as men or to men as they liue in politique societie or to men as they are of that politique societie which is the Church without any further respect had vnto any such variable accident as the state of men and of societies of men and of the Church it selfe in this world is subiect vnto all lawes that so belong vnto men they belong for euer yea although they be positiue lawes vnlesse being positiue God himselfe which made them alter them The reason is because the subiect or matter of lawes in generall is thus farre foorth constant which matter is that for the ordering whereof lawes were instituted and being instituted are not chaungeable without cause neither can they haue cause of chaunge when that which gaue them their first institution remaineth for euer one and the same On the other side lawes that were made for men or societies or Churches in regard of their being such as they doe not alwayes continue but may perhaps bee cleane otherwise a whil◠after and so may require to bee otherwise ordered then before the lawes of God himselfe which are of this nature no man indued with common sense will euer denie to bee of a different constitution from the former in respect of the ones constancie and the mutabilitie of the other And this doth seeme to haue beene the very cause why Saint Iohn doth so peculiarly tearme the doctrine that teacheth saluation by Iesus Christ Euangelium aeternum an eternall Gospell because there can be no reason wherefore the publishing thereof should be taken away and any other in stead of it proclaimed as long as the world doth continue where as the whole lawe of rites and Ceremonies although deliuered with so great solemnitie is notwithstanding cleane abrogated in as much as it had but temporary cause of Gods ordeining it But that we may at the length conclude this first generall introduction vnto the nature and originall birth as of all other lawes so likewise of those which the sacred Scripture conteineth concerning the author wherof euen infidels haue confessed that he can neither erre nor deceiue albeit about things easie and manifest vnto all men by common sense there needeth no higher consultation because as a man whose wisedome is in waighty affaires admired would take it in some disdaine to haue his counsell solemnely asked about a toye so the meannesse of some things is such that to search the Scripture of God for the ordering of them were to derogate from the reuerend authoritie and dignitie of the Scripture no lesse then they do by whom Scriptures are in ordinarie talke very idly applyed vnto vaine and childish trifles yet better it were to bee superstitious then prophane to take from thence our direction euen in all things great or small then to wade through matters of principall waight and moment without euer caring what the lawe of God hath either for or against our disseignes Concerning the custome of the very Paynimes thus much Strab◠witnesseth Men that are ciuill do leade their liues after one common lawe appointing them what to do For that otherwise a multitude should with harmony amongest themselues concurre in the doing of one thing for this is ciuilly to liue or that they should in any sort menage communitie of life it is not possible Nowe lawes or statutes are of two sorts For they are either receiued from Gods or else from men And our auncient predecessors did surely most honor and reuerēce that which was from the Gods for which cause consultation with Oracles was a thing very vsuall and frequent in their times Did they make so much account of the voyce of their Gods which in truth were no Gods and shall we neglect the pretious benefite of conference with those Oracles of the true and liuing God whereof so great store is left to the Church and wherunto there is so free so plaine and so easie accesse for al men By the Commandements this was Dauids confession vnto God thou hast made me wiser then mine enemies Againe I haue had more vnderstanding then all my teachers because thy testimonies are my meditations What paynes would not they haue bestowed in the study of these bookes who trauailed sea and land to gaine the treasure of some fewe dayes talke with men whose wisedome the world did make any reckoning of That litle which some of the Heathens did chance to heare concerning such matter as the sacred Scripture plentifully conteineth they did in wonderfull sort affect their speeches as oft as they make mention thereof are strange and such as themselues could not vtter as they did other things but still acknowledged that their wits which did euery where else conquer hardnesse were with profoundnesse here ouer-matched Wherfore seeing that God hath indued vs with sense to the end that we might perceiue such things as this present life doth need and with reason least that which sense cannot reach vnto being both now and also in regard of a future estate hereafter necessary to be knowne should lye obscure finally with the heauenly support of d propheticall reuelation which doth open those hidden mysteries that reason could neuer haue bene able to find out or to haue knowne the necessitie of them vnto our euerlasting good vse we the pretious gifts of God vnto his glory and honour that gaue them seeking by all meanes to know what the will of our God is what righteous before him in his fight what holy perfect and good that we may truly and faithfully do it 16 Thus farre therefore we haue endeuoured in part to open of
which is meere we owe in this case obedience to that law of reason which teacheth mediocritie in meates and drinkes The same things diuine lawe teacheth also as at large we haue shewed it doth all partes of morall dutie whereunto we all of necessitie stand bound in regard of the life to come But of certaine kindes of foode the Iewes sometime had and we our selues likewise haue a mysticall reliâ—ious and supernaturall vse they of their Pasâ— all lambe and oblations wee of our bread and wine in the Eucharist which vse none but diuine law could institute Now as we liue in ciuill societie the state of the common wealth wherein we liue both may and doth require certaine lawes concerning foode which lawes sauing onely that we are members of the common wealth where they are of force we should not neede to respect aâ— rules of action whereas now in their place and kinde they must be respected and obeyed Yea the selfe same matter is also a subiect wherein sometime Ecclesiasticall lawes haue place so that vnlesse wee will bee authors of confusion in the Church our priuate discretion which otherwise might guide vs a contrary way must here submit it selfe to bee that way guided which the publike iudgement of the Church hath thought better In which case that of Zonaras concerning fâ—stes may be remembred Fastinges are good but let good things be done in good and conueniâ—nt maner He that transgresseth in his fasting the orders of the holy fathers the positiue lawes of the Church of Christ must be plainely tolde that good thinges doe loose the grace of their goodnesse when in good sort they are not performed And as here mens priuate phansies must giue place to the higher iudgement of that Church which is in authoritie a mother ouer them so the very actions of whole Churches haue in regard of commerce and fellowship with other Churches bene subiect to lawes concerning foode the contrarie vnto which lawes had else bene thought more conuenient for them to obserue as by that order of abstinence from strangled and bloud may appeare an order grounded vpon that fellowship which the Churches of the Gentiles had with the Iewes Thus we see how euen one and the selfe same thing is vnder diuers considerations conueyed through many lawes and that to measure by any one kind of law all the action of men were to confound the admirable order wherein God hath disposed all lawes each as in nature so in degree distinct from other Wherefore that here we may briefly ende of lawe there can be no lesse acknowledged then that her seate is the bosome of God her voyce the harmony of the world all things in heauen and earth doe her homage the very least as feeling her care and the greatest as not exempted from her power both Angels and men and creatures of what condition so euer though each in different sort and manner yet all with vniforme consent admiring her as the mother of their peace and ioy The second Booke Concerning their first position who vrge reformation in the Church of England Namely That Scripture is the onely rule of all things which in this life may be done by men The matter contained in this second Boooke 1 AN answere to their first proofe brought out of scripture Prou. 2.9 2 To their second 1 Cor. 10.31 3 To their third 1. Tim. 4.5 4 To their fourth Rom. 14.23 5 To their proofes out of Fathers who dispute negatiuely from the authoritie of holy scripture 6 To their proofe by the scriptures custome of disputing from diuine authoritie negatiuely 7 An examination of their opinion concerning the force of arguments taken from humane authoritie for the ordering of mens actions and perswasions 8 A declaration what the truth is in this matter AS that which in the title hath bene proposed for the matter whereof we treat is onely the Ecclesiasticall lawe whereby we are gouerned So neither is it my purpose to maintaine any other thing then that which therein truth and reason shall approue For concerning the dealings of men who administer gouernment and vnto whom the execution of that law belongeth they haue their iudge who sitteth in heauen and before whose tribunall seate they are accomptable for whatsoeuer abuse or corruption which being worthily misliked in this Church the want eyther of care or of conscience in them hath bred We are no Patrones of those things therfore the best defence whereof is speedie redresse amendment That which is of God we defend to the vttermost of that habilitie which he hath giuen that which is otherwise let it wither euen in the roote from whence it hath sprung Wherefore all these abuses being seuered and set apart which rise from the corruption of men and not from the lawes themselues come we to those things which in the very whole intier forme of our Church-politie haue bene as wee perswade our selues iniuriously blamed by them who endeuour to ouerthrow the same and in stead therof to establish a much worse onely through a strong misconceipt they haue that the same is grounded on diuine authoritie Now whether it be that through an earnest longing desire to see things brought to a peaceable end I do but imagine the matters whereof we contend to be fewer then indeed they are or else for that in truth they are fewer when they come to be discust by reason then otherwise they seeme when by heate of contention they are deuided into many slippes and of euery branch an heape is made surely as now wee haue drawne them together choosing out those things which are requisite to bee seuerally all discust and omitting such meane specialties as are likely without any great labour to fall afterwardes of themselues I knowe no cause why either the number or the length of these controuersies should diminish our hope of seeing them end with concord and loue on all sides which of his infinite loue and goodnes the father of all peace and vnitie graunt Vnto which scope that our endeuour may the more directly tend it seemeth fittest that first those thinges be examined which are as seedes from whence the rest that ensue haue growne And of such the most generall is that wherewith we are here to make our entrance a question not mooued I thinke any where in other Churches and therefore in ours the more likely to be soone I trust determined The rather for that it hath grown from no other roote then only a desire to enlarge the necessarie vse of the word of God which desire hath begotten an error enlarging it further then as we are perswaded soundnesse of truth will beare For whereas God hath left sundry kindes of lawes vnto men and by all those lawes the actions of men are in some sort directed they hold that one onely lawe the scripture must be the rule to direct in all thinges euen so farre as to the taking vp of a rush or strawe About which
with them especially as far as equitie requireth farther we maintain it not For men to be tyed led by authoritie as it were with a kind of captiuity of iudgement and though there be reason to the contrary not to listen vnto it but to follow like beastes the first in the heard they know not nor care not whether this were brutish Againe that authoritie of men should preuaile with men either against or aboue reason is no part of our beliefe Companies of learned men be they neuer so great and reuerend are to yeeld vnto reason the waight whereof is no whit preiudiced by the simplicitie of his person which doth alleage it but being found to be sound and good the bare opinion of men to the contrary must of necessitie stoope and giue place Irenaeus writing against Marcion which held one God author of the old Testament and another of the new to proue that the Apostles preached the same God which was knowne before to the Iewes hee copiously alleageth sundry their sermons and speeches vttered concerning that matter and recorded in Scripture And least any should be wearied with such store of allegations in the ende hee concludeth While we labour for these demonstrations out of Scripture and doe summarily declare the thinges which many wayes haue beene spoken bee contented quietly to heare and doe not thinke my speech tedious Quoniam ostensiones quae sunt in scripturis non possunt ostendi nisi ex ipsis scripturis Because demonstrations that are in scripture may not otherwise be shewed then by citing them out of the scriptures themselues where they are Which wordes make so little vnto the purpose that they seeme as it were offended at him which hath called them thus solemnely foorth to say nothing And concerning the verdict of Ierome If no man be he neuer so well learned haue after the Apostles any authoritie to publish new doctrine as from heauen and to require the worldes assent as vnto truth receiued by propheticall reuelation doth this preiudice the credite of learned mens iudgements in opening that truth which by being conuersant in the Apostles writinges they haue themselues from thence learned Saint Augustine exhorteth not to heare men but to hearken what God speaketh His purpose is not I thinke that wee should stop our eares against his owne exhortation and therefore hee cannot meane simply that audience should altogether bee denied vnto men but eyther that if men speake one thing and God himselfe teach an other then hee not they to bee obeyed or if they both speake the same thing yet then also mans speech vnworthy of hearing not simply but in comparison of that which proceedeth from the mouth of God Yea but wee doubt what the will of God is Are wee in this case forbidden to heare what men of iudgement thinke it to be If not then this allegation also might very well haue beene spared In that auncient strife which was betweene the Catholique fathers and Arrians Donatistes and others of like peruerse and frowarde disposition as long as to fathers or Councells alleaged on the one side the like by the contrarie side were opposed impossible it was that euer the question should by this meane growe vnto any issue or ende The scripture they both beleeued the scripture they knew could not giue sentence on both sides by scripture the controuersie betweene them was such as might be determined In this case what madnesse was it with such kindes of proofes to nourish their contention when there were such effectuall meanes to end all controuersie that was betweene them Hereby therefore it doth not as yet appeare that an argument of authoritie of man affirmatiuely is in matters diuine nothing worth Which opinion being once inserted into the mindes of the vulgar sort what it may growe vnto God knoweth Thus much wee see it hath alreadie made thousandes so headstrong euen in grosse and palpable errors that a man whose capacitie will scarce serue him to vtter fiue wordes in sensible manner blusheth not in any doubt concerning matter of scripture to think his owne bare Yea as good as the Nay of all the wise graue and learned iudgements that are in the whole world Which insolencie must be represt or it will be the very bane of Christian religion Our Lordes Disciples marking what speech hee vttered vnto them and at the same time calling to minde a common opinion held by the Scribes betweene which opinion and the wordes of their Maister it seemed vnto them that there was some contradiction which they could not themselues aunswere with full satisfaction of their owne mindes the doubt they propose to our Sauiour saying Why then say the Scribes that Elias must first come They knew that the Scribes did erre greatly and that many waies euen in matters of their owne profession They notwithstanding thought the iudgement of the very Scribes in matters diuine to bee of some value some probabilitie they thought there was that Elias should come in as much as the Scribes said it Now no truth can contradict any truth desirous therefore they were to be taught how bothe might stand together that which they knew could not be false because Christ spake it and this which to them did seeme true onely because the Scribes had said it For the scripture from whence the Scribes did gather it was not then in their heads Wee doe not finde that our Sauiour reprooued them of error for thinking the iudgement of Scribes to be worth the obiecting for esteeming it to be of any moment or value in matters concerning God We cannot therefore be perswaded that the will of God is we should so farre reiect the authoritie of men as to recken it nothing No it may be a question whether they that vrge vs vnto this be themselues so perswaded indeede Men do sometimes bewray that by deedes which to confesse they are hardly drawne Marke then if this be not generall with all men for the most part When the iudgements of learned men are alleaged against them what do they but eyther eleuate their credite or oppose vnto them the iudgements of others as learned Which thing doth argue that all men acknowledge in them some force and waight for which they are loath the cause they maintaine should be so much weakened as their testimony is auaileable Againe what reason is there why alleaging testimonies as proofes men giue them some title of credite honour and estimation whom they alleage vnlesse before hand it be sufficiently knowne who they are what reason hereof but only a common in grafted perswasion that in some men there may be found such qualities as are able to counteruaile those exceptions which might be taken against them and that such mens authoritie is not lightly to be shaken off Shall I adde further that the force of arguments drawne from the authoritie of scripture it selfe as scriptures commonly are alleaged shall being sifted be found to depende vpon the
strength of this so much despised and debased authoritie of man Surely it doth and that oftner then we are aware of For although scripture be of God and therefore the proofe which is taken from thence must needes be of all other most inuincible yet this strength it hath not vnlesse it auouch the selfe same thing for which it is brought If there be eyther vndeniable apparance that so it doth or reason such as cannot deceiue then scripture-proofe no doubt in strength and value exceedeth all But for the most part euen such as are readiest to cite for one thing fiue hundred sentences of holy scripture what warrant haue they that any one of them doth meane the thing for which it is alleaged Is not their surest ground most commonly eyther some probable coniecture of their owne or the iudgement of others taking those Scriptures as they doe Which notwithstanding to meane otherwise then they take them it is not still altogether imposible So that now and then they ground themselues on humane authoritie euen when they most pretend diuine Thus it fareth euen cleane throughout the whole controuersie about that discipline which is so earnestly vrged and laboured for Scriptures are plentifully alleaged to proue that the whole Christian worlde for euer ought to embrace it Hereupon men terme it The discipline of God Howbeit examine sift and resolue their alleaged proofes till you come to the very roote from whence they spring the heart wherein their strength lyeth and it shall clearely appeare vnto any man of iudgement that the most which can be inferred vpon such plentie of diuine testimonies is onely this That some thinges which they maintaine as far as some men can probably coniecture doe seeme to haue bene out of scripture not absurdly gathered Is this a warrant sufficient for any mans conscience to builde such proceedinges vpon as haue beene and are put in vre for the stablishment of that cause But to conclude I would gladly vnderstand how it commeth to passe that they which so peremptorily doe maintaine that humane authoritie is nothing worth are in the cause which they fauour so carefull to haue the common sort of men perswaded that the wisest the godliest and the best learned in all Christendome are that way giuen seeing they iudge this to make nothing in the world for them Againe how commeth it to passe they cannot abide that authoritie should be alleaged on the other side if there be no force at all in authorities on one side or other Wherefore labour they to strip their aduersaries of such furniture as doth not helpe Why take they such needlesse paines to furnish also their owne cause with the like If it be voyd and to no purpose that the names of men are so frequent in their bookes what did moue them to bring them in or doth to suffer them there remaining Ignorant I am not how this is salued They do it not but after the truth made manifest first by reason or by scripture they doe it not but to controule the enemies of the truth who beare themselues bold vpon humane authority making not for them but against them rather Which answeres are nothing For in what place or vpon what consideration soeuer it be they doe it were it in their owne opinion of no force being done they would vndoubtedly refraine to doe it 8 But to the end it may more plainely appeare what we are to iudge of their sentences and of the cause it selfe wherein they are alleaged first it may not well be denied that all actions of men endued with the vse of reason are generally eyther good or euill For although it be granted that no action is properly tearmed good or euill vnlesse it be voluntarie yet this can be no let to our former assertion that all actions of men indued with the vse of reason are generally either good or euill because euen those thinges are done voluntarily by vs which other creatures do naturally in as much as wee might stay our doing of them if wee would Beastes naturally doe take their foode and rest when it offereth it selfe vnto them If men did so too and could not do otherwise of themselues there were no place for any such reproofe as that of our Sauiour Christ vnto his disciples could ye not watch with me one houre That which is voluntarily performed in things tending to the end if it be well done must needes be done with deliberate consideration of some reasonable cause wherefore wee rather should do it thē not Wherupō it seemeth that in such actions only those are said to be good or euil which are capable of deliberatiō so that many things being hourely done by men wherein they need not vse with themselues any manner of consultation at all it may perhaps hereby seeme that well or ill doing belongeth onely to our waightier affaires and to those deeds which are of so great importance that they require aduise But thus to determine were perilous and peraduenture vnsound also I do rather incline to thinke that seeing all the vnforced actiōs of mē are volūtary al volūtary actiōs tēding to the end haue choice al choise presupposeth the knowledge of some cause wherfore we make it wher the reasonable cause of such actiōs so readily offereth it self that it needeth not to be sought for in those things though we do not deliberat yet they are of their nature apt to be deliberated on in regard of the wil which may encline either way and would not any one way bend it self if there were not some apparent motiue to lead it Deliberatiō actuall we vse when there is doubt what we should incline our willes vnto Where no doubt is deliberation is not excluded as impertinent vnto the thing but as needlesse in regard of the agent which seeth already what to resolue vpon It hath no apparent absurditie therefore in it to thinke that all actions of men indued with the vse of reason are generally either good or euill Whatsoeuer is good the same is also approued of God and according vnto the sundrie degrees of goodnesse the kindes of diuine approbation are in like sort multiplyed Some things are good yet in so meane a degree of goodnesse that men are only nor disproued nor disalowed of God for them No man hateth his owne flesh If ye doe good vnto them that doe so to you the very Publicans themselues doe as much They are worse then Infidels that haue no care to prouide for their owne In actions of this sorte the very light of nature alone may discouer that which is so farre forth in the sight of God allowable Some thinges in such sorte are allowed that they be also required as necessary vnto saluation by way of direct immediate and proper necessitie finall so that without performance of them we cannot by ordinary course be saued not by any means be excluded from life obseruing them In actions of this kind
continuance of it must then of necessitie appeare superfluous And of this we cannot be ignorant how sometimes that hath done great good which afterwardes when time hath chaunged the auncient course of thinges doth growe to be either very hurtfull or not so greatly profitable and necessary If therefore the end for which a lawe prouideth be perpetually necessary the way whereby it prouideth perpetually also most apt no doubt but that euery such law ought for euer to remain vnchangeable Whether God be the author of lawes by authorizing that power of men wherby they are made or by deliuering them made immediately from himselfe by word only or in writing also or howsoeuer notwithstaÌ„ding the authority of their maker the mutabilitie of that end for which they are made doth also make them changeable The law of ceremonies came from God Moses had commandement to commit it vnto the sacred records of scripture where it continueth euen vnto this very day and houre in force still as the Iewe surmiseth because God himselfe was author of it and for vs to abolish what hee hath established were presumptioÌ„ most intollerable But that which they in the blindnes of their obdurate hearts are not able to discerne sith the end for which that lawe was ordained is now fulfilled past and gone how should it but cease any longer to bee which hath no longer any cause of being in force as before That which necessitie of some speciall time doth cause to be inioyned bindeth no longer theÌ„ during that time but doth afterwards become free Which thing is also plain euen by that law which the Apostles assembled at the counsell of Ierusalem did froÌ„ thence deliuer vnto the Church of Christ the preface whereof to authorize it was To the holy Ghost and to vs it hath seemed good which stile they did not vse as matching theÌ„selues in power with the holy Ghost but as testifying the holy Ghost to be the author and themselues but onely vtterers of that decree This lawe therefore to haue proceeded from God as the author therof no faithful man wil denie It was of God not only because God gaue theÌ„ the power wherby they might make lawes but for that it proceeded euen froÌ„ the holy motion suggestion of that secret diuine spirit whose sentence they did but only pronounce Notwithstanding as the law of ceremonies deliuered vnto the Iews so this very law which the Gentiles receiued from the mouth of the holy Ghost is in like respect abrogated by decease of the end for which it was giuen But such as do not sticke at this point such as graunt that what hath bene instituted vpon any special cause needeth not to be obserued that cause ceasing do notwithstanding herein faile they iudge the lawes of God onely by the author and maine end for which they were made so that for vs to change that which he hath established they hold it execrable pride presumption if so be the end and purpose for which God by that meane prouideth bee permanent And vpon this they ground those ample disputes coÌ„cerning orders and offices which being by him appointed for the gouernment of his Church if it be necessary alwaies that the Church of Christ be gouerned then doth the end for which God prouided remaine still and therefore in those means which he by law did establish as being fittest vnto that end for vs to alter any thing is to lift vp our selues against God and as it were to countermaund him Wherin they marke not that laws are instruments to rule by and that instruments are not only to be framed according vnto the generall ende for which they are prouided but eueÌ„ according vnto that very particular which riseth out of the matter wheron they haue to worke The end wherefore lawes were made may be permanent and those lawes neuerthelesse require some alteration if there be any vnfitnes in the meanes which they prescribe as tending vnto that end purpose As for exaÌ„ple a law that to bridle theâ—â— doth punish the ones with a quadruple â—estitution hath an end which wil coÌ„tinue as long as the world it self coÌ„tinueth Theft will be alwayes and will alwayes need to be bridled But that the meane which this law prouideth for that end namely the punishment of quadruple restitution that this will be alwaies sufficient to bridle and restraine that kind of enormity no man can warrant Insufficiency of lawes doth somtimes come by want of iudgement in the makers Which cause cannot fall into any law termed properly and immediatly diuine as it may and doth into humaine lawes often But that which hath bene once most sufficient may wax otherwise by alteratioÌ„ of time place that punishment which hath bene somtimes forcible to bridle sinne may grow afterwards too weake and feeble In a word we plainely perceiue by the difference of those three lawes which the Iewes receiued at the hands of God the morall ceremoniall iudiciall that if the end for which and the matter according whereunto God maketh his lawes continue alwaies one and the same his laws also do the like for which cause the morall law cannot be altered secondly that whether the matter wheron lawes are made continue or coÌ„tinue not if their end haue once ceased they cease also to be of force as in the law ceremonial it fareth finally that albeit the end coÌ„tinue as in that law of theft specified and in a great part of those ancient iudicials it doth yet for as mush as there is not in all respects the same subiect or matter remaining for which they were first instituted euen this is sufficient cause of change And therefore lawes though both ordeined of God himselfe and the end for which they were ordeined continuing may notwithstanding cease if by alteration of persons or times they be fouÌ„d vnsufficieÌ„t to attain vnto that end In which respect why may we not presume that God doth eueÌ„ call for such change or alteratioÌ„ as the very coÌ„dition of things theÌ„selues doth make necessary They which do therfore plead the authority of the law-maker as an argument wherefore it should not be lawfull to change that which he hath instituted and will haue this the cause why all the ordinances of our Sauiour are immutable they which vrge the wisdome of God as a proofe that whatsoeuer laws he hath made they ought to stand â—nlesse himselfe from heauen proclaime them disanuld because it is not in man to correct the ordinaÌ„ce of God may know if it please theÌ„ to take notice therof that we are far froÌ„ presuming to think that meÌ„ can better any thing which God hath done eueÌ„ as we are from thinking that meÌ„ should presume to vndo some things of men which God doth know they cannot better God neuer ordeined any thing that could be bettered Yet many things he hath that haue bene changed and that for the better That which succeedeth as better now wheÌ„
it hath taught become vnrequisite sometime because we neede not vse it sometime also because wee cannot In which respect for mine owne part although I see that certaine reformed Churches the Scottish especially and French haue not that which best agreeth with the sacred scripture I meane the gouernment that is by Bishops in as much as both those churches are fallen vnder a different kinde of regiment which to remedie it is for the one altogether too late and too soone for the other during their present affliction and trouble this their defect and imperfection I had rather lament in such case then exagitate considering that men oftentimes without any fault of their owne may be driuen to want that kinde of politie or regiment which is best and to content themselues with that which either the irremediable error of former times or the necessitie of the present hath cast vpon them 5. Now because that position first mentioned which holdeth it necessarie that all thinges which the Church may lawfully doe in her owne regiment be commaunded in holy scripture hath by the latter defendors thereof beene greatly qualified who though perceiuing it to be ouer extreame are notwithstanding loth to acknowledge any ouersight therein and therefore labour what they may to salue it by construction we haue for the more perspicuitie deliuered what was thereby meant at the first 6. how iniurious a thing it were vnto all the Churches of God for men to hold it in that meaning 7. and how vnperfect their interpretations are who so much labour to helpe it eyther by diuiding commaundements of scripture into two kindes and so defending that all thinges must be commaunded if not in speciall yet in generall precepts 8. or by taking it as meant that in case the Church doe deuise any new order shee ought therein to follow the direction of scripture onely and not any starlight of mans reason 9. Bothe which euasions being cut off wee haue in the next place declared after what sort the Church may lawfully frame to her selfe lawes of politie and in what reckoning such positiue lawes both are with God and should be with men 10. Furthermore because to abridge the libertie of the Church in this behalfe it hath bene made a thing very odious that when God himselfe hath deuised some certaine lawes and committed them to sacred scripture man by abrogation addition or any way should presume to alter and change them it was of necessitie to be examined whether the authoritie of God in making or his care in committing those his lawes vnto scripture be sufficient arguments to proue that God doth in no case allow they should suffer any such kind of change 11. The last refuge for proofe that diuine lawes of Christian Church-politie may not be altered by extinguishment of any olde or addition of new in that kinde is partly a marueilous strange discourse that Christ vnlesse he would show himselfe not so faithfull as Moses or not so wise as Lycurgus and Solon must needes haue set downe in holy scripture some certaine complete and vnchangeable forme of politie and partly a coloured shewe of some euidence where change of that sort of lawes may seeme expressely forbidden although in truth nothing lesse be done I might haue added hereunto their more familiar and popular disputes as The Church is a Citie yea the Citie of the great king and the life of a Citie is politie The Church is the house of the liuing God and what house can there be without some order for the gouernment of it In the royall house of a Prince there must be officers for gouernment such as not any seruant in the house but the Prince whose the house is shall iudge cōuenient So the house of God must haue orders for the gouernment of it such as not any of the household but God himselfe hath appointed It cannot stand with the loue and wisedome of God to leaue such order vntaken as is necessary for the due gouernment of his Church The numbers degrees orders and attire of Salomons seruants did shewe his wisedome therefore he which is greater then Salomon hath not failed to leaue in his house such orders for gouernment thereof as may serue to be as a looking glasse for his prouidence care and wisedome to be seene in That little sparke of the light of nature which remaineth in vs may serue vs for the affaires of this life But as in all other matters concerning the kingdome of heauen so principally in this which concerneth the very gouernment of that kingdome needfull it is wee should be taught of God As long as men are perswaded of any order that it is only of men they presume of their owne vnderstanding and they thinke to deuise an other not only as good but better then that which they haue receiued By seueritie of punishment this presumption and curiositie may be restrained But that cannot worke such chearefull obedience as is yeelded where the conscience hath respect to God as the author of lawes and orders This was it which countenanced the laws of Moses made concerning outward politie for the administration of holy things The like some law giuers of the Heathens did pretend but falsely yet wisely discerning the vse of this perswasion For the better obedience sake therfore it was expediēt that God should be author of the politie of his church But to what issue doth all this come A man would thinke that they which hold out with such discourses were of nothing more fully perswaded thē of this that the scripture hath set downe a complete forme of Church-politie vniuersall perpetuall altogether vnchangeable For so it would follow if the premises were sound and strong to such effect as is pretended Notwithstanding they which haue thus formally maintained argument in defence of the first ouersight are by the very euidence of truth themselues constrained to make this in effect their conclusion that the Scripture of God hath many thinges concerning Church-politie that of those many some are of greater waight some of lesse that what hath beene vrged as touching immutabilitie of lawes it extendeth in truth no further then onely to lawes wherein thinges of greater moment are prescribed Now those things of greater moment what are they Forsooth Doctors Pastors Layelders Elderships compounded of these three Synods consisting of many Elderships Deacons women-church-seruants or widowes free consent of the people vnto actiōs of greatest moment after they be by Churches or Synodes orderly resolued All this forme of politie if yet wee may terme that a forme of building when men haue laide a fewe rafters together and those not all of the soundest neither but howsoeuer all this forme they conclude is prescribed in such sort that to adde to it any thing as of like importance for so I thinke they meane or to abrogate of it any thing at all is vnlawfull In which resolution if they will firmely and constantly persist I see not
1. p. 20. I say that the word of God containeth whatsoeuer things can fall into any part of mans life For so Salomon saith in the 2. chapter of the Prouerbes My sonne if thou receiue my words c. then thou shalt vnderstand iustice and iudgement equitie and euery goodway Psal. 119.95 a 2. Tim. 3 16. The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improue to correct and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good works He meaneth all and only those good workes which belong vnto vs as we are men of God and which vnto saluation are necessary Or if we vnderstand by men of God Gods Ministers there is not required in them an vniuersall skill of euery good worke or way but an habilitie to teach whatsoeuer men are bound to doe that they may be saued And with this kinde of knowledge the scripture sufficeth to furnish them as touching matter The second proofe out of Scripture 1. Cor. 10.31 T.C. l. 1. p. 16. S. Paul saith that whether we eat or drink or whatsoeuer we do we must do it to the glory of God But no man can glorifie God in any thing but by obedience and there is no obedience but in respect of the commaundement and word of God Therefore is followeth that the word of God directeth a man in all his actions 1. Pet. 2.12 Rom. 2.34 1. Cor. 10.32 Rom. 2.23 The third scripture prof 1. Tim. 4.5 And that which S. Paul said of meats drinkâ— that they are sanctified vnto vs by the word of God the same is to bâ— vnderstanded of all things els whatsoeuer we haue the vse of T.C. l. 1. p. 20. 1. Tim. 4. The fourth Scripture-proofe Rom. 14.23 T.C. lib. 1 p. 27. Psal. 19.8 Apoc. 3.14 2. Cor. 1.18 Ioh. 10.38 Ioh. 20.25 a And if any will say that S. Paule meaneth there a full 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and perswasion that that which hee doth is well done I graunt it But from whence can that spring but from faith how can wee perswade and assure our selues that wee doe well but whereas we haue the word of God for our warrant T.C. lib. 1. cap. 27. b What also that some euen of those Heathen men haue taught that nothing ought to be done whereof thou doubtest whether it be right or wrong Whereby it appeareth that euen those which had no knowledge of the worde of God did see much of the equitie of this which the Apostle requireth of a Christian man and that the chiefest difference is that where they sent men for the difference of good and euill to the light of reason in such things the Apostle sendeth them to the Schoole of Christ in his worde which onely is able through faith to giue them assurance and resolution in their doings T.C. lib. 1. pag. 60. Ioh. 20.29 T.C. li. 2. p. 5â— Act. 5. Exod 28.4.43 Leuit. 11. 1. Cor. 6.12 Iob. 4.19 Arist. Pol. 1. August Ep. 18. The first assertion indeuoured to be proued by the vse of taking arguments negatiuely from the authority of Scripture which kind of disputing is vsuall in the Fathers August-contr liter Petil. li. 3. cap. 6. Tertull. de prescrip aduers T.C. l. 2. p. 8â— Augustine sayth Whether it be question of Christ or whether it be question of his Church c. And least the answerer should restraine the generall saying of Augustineâ—nto â—nto the doctrine of the Gospell so that he would thereby shut out the discipline euen Tertullian himselfâ— before he was embrued with the Heresie of Montanus gâ—ueth testimony vnto the discipline in these words VVe may not giue our selues c. Hieron contra Heluid Hilar. in Psal. 132. T.C. l. 2. p. 8. Let him heare what Cyprian sayth The Christian Religion sayth he shall find that c. Verâ— hoc mandatum legem complectitur Prophetas in hoc verbo omnium scripturarum volumina coarctaâ—iur Hoc natura hoc ratio hoc Dominâ— verbi tui clamat authoritas hoc ex ere tuo Iudiuimuâ— hâ—c inuenit consummationem omnis religio Primum est hoc mandatum vltimum hoc in libro vitae conscriptum indeficientem hominibus Angelis exhibet lectionem Legat hoc vnum verbum in hoc mandato meditetur christiana religâ—o inueniet ex H AC scriptura omnium doctrinarum regulas emanasse hinc nasci huc reuerti quicquid ecclesiastica continet disciplina in omnibus irritum esse friuolum quicquid dilectio non confirmat Tertul. lib de Monog T. C. l. 2. p. 81. And in another place Tertullian sayth that the scripture denieth that which it noteth not T. C. l. â— p. 80. And that in indifferent things it is not enough that they be not against the word but that they be according to the word it may appeare by other places where he sayth that whatsoeuer pleaseth not the Lord displeaseth him and with hurt is receiued lib. 2. ad vxorem Qua domino non placent vtique Dominum offendunt vtique Malo se inferunt T. C. l. 2. p. 81. And to come yet neerer Where he disputeth against the wearing of crowne or garland which is indifferent of it selfe to those which obiecting asked where the scripture saith that a man might not weare a crowne he answereth by asking where the scripture sayth that they may weare And vnto them replying that it is permitted which is not forbidden he answereth that it is forbidden which is not permitted Whereby appeareth that the argument of the scriptures negatiuely holdeth not onely in the doctrine and ecclesiasticall discipline but euen in matters arbitrary and variable by the aduise of the Church Where it is not inough that they be not forbidden vnlesse there be some word which doth permit the vse of them it is not enough that the scripture speaketh not against them vnlesse it speake for them and finally where it displeaseth the Lord which pleaseth him not we must of necessitie haue the word of his mouth to declare his pleasure Tert. de corona militis The first assertion endeuoured to be confirmed by the scriptures custome of disputing froÌ„ diuine authority negatiuely 1. Iohn 2.5 God is light and there is in him no darknesse at all Hebr. 6.18 It is imposble that God should lye Num. 23.19 God is not as man that he should lye T. C. l. 2. p. 48 It is â—er hard to shew that the Prophets haue reasoned negatiuely Aâ— wheâ— in the person of the Lord the Prophet sayth Whereof I haue not spoken Ieremie 19.5 and Whâ—ch neuer entered into my heart Ierâ—mie 7.31.32 and where he condemneâ—h them because They haue not asked counsell at the mouth of the Lord Esay 30 2. And it may be shewed that the same kind of argument hath bene vsed in things which are not of the substance of saluation or damnation and whereof there was no commaundâ—ment
to the contrary as in the former there was Leuit. 18.21 20.3 Deut. 17.16 In Iosua the children of Israel are charged by the Prophet that they asked not counsell of theâ— mouth of the Lord when they entered into couenant with the Gabeonites Iosh. 9.14 And yet that couenant was not made contrarie vnto anie commaundement of God Moreouer we reade that when Dauid had taken this counsell to build a temple vnto the Lord albeit the Lord had reuealed before in his word that there should be such a standing place where the Arke of the couenant and the seruice should haue a certaine abiding and albeit there was no word of God which â—orbad Dauid to build the Temple yet the Lord with commendation of his good affection and zeale hee had to the aduancement of his glorie concludeth against Dauidâ— resolution to build the Temple with this reason namely that he had giuen no commandement of this who should build it 1. Chr. 17.6 Leuit. 18.21 20.3 Deut. 28.10 1. Chro. 17 â— Esay 30.1 Iosh. 9.14 Num. 27.21 1. Chron. 17. T. C. l. â— p. 50. M. Harding reprocheth the B. of Salisbury with this kind of reasoning vnto whom the B. answereth The argument of authority negatiuely is taken to be good whensoeuer proofe is taken of Gods word and is vsed not onely by vs but also by many of the Catholique Fathers A litle after he sheweth the reason why the argument of authority of the scripture negatiuely is good namely for that the word of God is perfect In another place vnto M. Harding casting him in the teeth with negatiue arguments be alleageth places out of Irenâ—â—us Chrysostom Leo which reasoned negatiuely of the authoritie of the Scriptures The places which he alleageth be very full and plaine in generality without any such restraint as the Answerer imagineth as they are there to be seene â— Vell. Patere Iugurtha as Marius sub codem Africano militantes in ijsdem castris didicere qua postea in contrarijs facereâ—t Art 1. Diuis 29. Gal. 3. Orig. in Leuitho 5. Math. 23. Math. 17. Desen par 5. ca. 15. diuis â— Lib. 1. cap. 1â— De incomp nat Dei hom 3. Epist. 9â— ca. 12 Epist. 97. ca. 3. Epist. 16â— Lib. 4. ep 32. Their opinion coÌ„cerning the force of arguments taken from humane authority for the ordering of mens actioÌ„â— or perswasioÌ„s T. C. l. 1. p. 25. When the question is of the authority of a man it holdeth neither affirmatiuely nor negatiuely The reason is because the infirmitie of man can neither attaine to the perfection of any thing whereby he might speake all things that are to be spoken of it neither yet be free from error in those things which he speaketh or giueth out And therefore this argument neither affirmatiuely nor negatiuely compelleth the hearer but only induceth him to some liking or disliking of that for which it is brought and is rather for an Orator to perswade the simpler sort then for a disputer to enforce him that is learned 1. Cor. 1.11 Iohn 4.35 Deut. 19.15 Mat. 18.16 T. C. l. 1. p. 10. Although that kind of argument of authoritie of men is good neither in humaine nor diuine sciences yet it hath some small force in humaine sciences for as much as naturally in that he is a man he may come to some ripenes of iudgement in those sciences which in diuine matters hath no force at all as of him which naturally and as he is a man can no more iudge of them shew a blind man of colours Yea so farre is it from drawing credit if it be barely spoken without reason and testimony of scripture that it carieth also a suspition of vntruth whatsoeuer proceedeth from him which the Apostle did well note when to signifie a thing corruptly spoken and against the truth he saith that it is spoken according vnto man Rom. 3. He saith not as a wicked and lying man but simply as a man And although this corruption be reformed in many yet for so much as in whome the knowledge of the truth is most aduanced there remaineth both ignorance and disordered affections whereof either of them turneth him from speaking of the truth no mans authority with the Church especially and those that are called and perswaded of the authority of the word of God can bring any assurance vnto the conscience T. C. l. 2. p. 21. Of diuers sentences of the fathers themselues wherby some haue likened them to brute beastes without reason which suffer themselues to be led by the iudgement and authority of others some haue preferred the iudgemeÌ„t of ouâ— simple rude man alleaging reason vnto companies of learned men I will content my selfe at this time with two or three sentences Irenaeus saith whatsoeuer is to be shewed in the scripture canne bee shewed but out of the scriptures themselues lib. 3â— cap. 12. Ierome saith No man be he neuer so holy or eloquent hath any authoritie after the Apostles in Ps. 86. Augustine saith that he will beleeue none how godly and learned soeuer he be vnlesse he confirme his sentence by the scriptures or by some reason not contrary to them Epist. 18. And in another place Heare this the Lord saith heare not this Donatus saith Rogatus saith Vincentius saith Hylarius saith Ambrose saith Augustine saith but hearken to this the Lord saith Epist. 48. And againe hauing to do with an Arrian he affirmeth that neither he ought to bring forth the councell of Nice nor the other the councell of Arimine thereby to bring preiudice each to other neither ought the Arrian to be holden by the authoritie of the one nor himselfe by the authoritie of the other but by the scriptures which are witnesses proper to neither but common to both matter with matter cause with cause reason with reason ought to be debated contra Maxim Arian 3.14 ca. And in an other place against Petilian the Donatist he saith Let not these wordes be heard betweene vs I say you say let vs heare this Thus saith the Lord. And by and by speaking of the scriptures he saith There let vs seeke the Church there let vs try the cause De vnita Eccles. cap. 3. Hereby it is manifest that the argument of the authoritie of man affirmatiuely is nothing worth Matth. 17.10 T. C. l. 2.21 If at any time it happened vnto Augustine as it did against the Donatists and others to alleage the authority of the auncient Fathers which had bin before him yet this was not done before he had laid a sure foundation of his cause in the scriptures and that also being prouoked by the aduersaries of the truth who bare themselues high of some counsell or of some man of name that had fauoured that part A declaration what the truth is in this maâ—ter Math. 26.40 Ephes. 5.29 Matth. 5.46 1. Tim. 5.8 Matth. 10.42 Act. 4.31 1. Thes. 2.7.9 T. C. l. 2. p. 6. Where this doctrine is accused of bringing men to despaire it
matter whereof they speake Let any man therefore that carieth indifferency of iudgement peruse the Bishops speeches and consider well of those negatiues concerning scripture which he produceth out of Irenaeus Chrysostome Leo which three are chosen from amongst the residue because the sentences of the others euen as one of theirs also do make for defence of negatiue arguments taken from humane authority and not from diuine onely They mention no more restraint in the one then in the other yet I thinke themselues will not hereby iudge that the Fathers tooke both to be strong without restraint vnto any speciall kind of matter wherein they held such arguments forcible Nor doth the Bishop either say or proue any more then that an argument in some kinds of matter may be good although taken negatiuely from Scripture 7 An earnest desire to draw all things vnto the determination of bare and naked Scripture hath caused here much paines to be taken in abating the estimation and credite of man Which if we labour to maintaine as farre as truth and reason will beare let not any thinke that we trauaile about a matter not greatly needful For the scope of all their pleading against mans authoritie is to ouerthrowe such orders lawes and constitutions in the Church as depending thereupon if they should therefore be taken away would peradueture leaue neither face nor memory of Church to continue long in the world the world especially being such as now it is That which they haue in this case spoken I would for breuities sake let passe but that the drift of their speech being so dangerous their words are not to be neglected Wherefore to say that simply an argument taken from mans authority doth hold no way neither affirmatiuely nor negatiuely is hard By a mans authority we here vnderstaÌ„d the force which his word hath for the assurance of anothers mind that buildeth vpon it as the Apostle somewhat did vpon their report of the house of Cloe and the Samaritanes in a matter of farre greater moment vpon the report of a simple woman For so it is sayd in Saint Iohns Gospell Many of the Samaritans of that City belieued in him for the saying of the woman which testified He hath told me all things that euer I did The strength of mans authority is affirmatiuely such that the waightiest affaires in the world depend therâ—on In iudgement and iustice are not herevpon proceedings grounded Sayth not the law that in the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word shal be confirmed This the law of God would not say if there were in a mans testimony no force at all to prooue any thing And if it be admitted that in matter of fact there is some credite to be giuen to the testimonie of man but not in matter of opinion and iudgement we see the contrary both acknowledged and vniuersally practised also throughout the world The sentences of wise and expert men were neuer but highly esteemed Let the title of a mans right be called in question are we not bold to relie and build vpon the iudgement of such as are famous for their skill in the lawes of this land In matter of state the waight many times of some one mans authority is thought reason sufficient euen to sway ouer whole nations And this not onely with the simpler sort but the learneder and wiser we are the more such arguments in some cases preuaile with vs. The reason why the simpler sort are mooued with authority is the conscience of their owne ignorance whereby it commeth to passe that hauing learned men in admiration they rather feare to dislike them then know wherefore they should allow and follow their iudgements Contrariwise with them that are skilfull authority is much more strong and forcible because they only are able to discerne how iust cause there is why to some mens authority so much should be attributed For which cause the name of Hippocrates no doubt were more effectuall to perswade euen such men as Galen himselfe then to moue a silly Empiricke So that the very selfe same argument in this kind which doth but induce the vulgaâ— sort to like may constraine the wiser to yeeld And therefore not Orators only with the people but euen the very profoundest disputers in all faculties haue hereby often with the best learned preuailed most As for arguments taken from humaine authority and that negatiuely for example sake if we should thinke the assembling of the people of God together by the sound of a bell the presenting of infants at the holy font by such as commonly we call their Godfathers or any other the like receiued custome to be impious because some men of whom we thinke very reuerendly haue in their bookes and writings no where mentioned nor taught that such things should be in the Church this reasoning were subiect vnto iust reproofe it were but feeble weake and vnsound Notwithstanding euen negatiuely an argument from humaine authority may be strong as namely thus The Chronicles of England mention no moe then onely sixe kings bearing the name of Edward since the time of the last conquest therefore it cannot be there should be moe So that if the question be of the authority of a mans testimony we cannot simply auouch either that affirmatiuely it doth not any way hold or that it hath only force to induce the simpler sort and not to constraine men of vnderstanding and ripe iudgement to yeeld assent or that negatiuely it hath in it no strength at all For vnto eâ—uery of these the contrary is most plaine Neither doth that which is alleaged concerning the infirmitie of men ouerthrow or disproue this Men are blinded with ignorance and errour many things may escape them and in many things they may bee deceiued yea those things which they do knowe they may either forget or vpon sundry indirect considerations let passe and although themselues do not erre yet may they through malice or vanity euen of purpose deceiue others Howbeit infinite cases there are wherein all these impediments and lets are so manifestly excluded that there is no shew or colour whereby any such exception may be taken but that the testimony of man will stand as a ground of infallible assurance That there is a City of Rome that Pius Quintus and Gregory the 13. and others haue beene Popes of Rome I suppose we are certainely enough perswaded The ground of our perswasion who neuer saw the place nor persons before named can be nothing but mans testimony Will any man here notwithstanding alleage those mentioned humaine infirmities as reasons why these things should be mistrusted or doubted of Yea that which is more vtterly to infringe the force and strength of mans testimony were to shake the very fortresse of Gods truth For whatsoeuer we beleeue concerning saluation by Christ although the scripture be therein the ground of our beliefe yet the authority of man is if we
marke it the key which openeth the dore of entrance into the knowledge of the scripture The scripture could not teach vs the things that are of God vnlesse we did credite men who haue taught vs that the words of Scripture do signifie those things Some way therefore notwithstanding mans infirmitie yet his authority may enforce assent Vpon better aduise and deliberation so much is perceiued and at the length confest that arguments taken from the authority of men may not onely so farre forth as hath bene declared but further also be of some force in humaine sciences which force be it neuer so smal doth shew that they are not vtterly naught But in matters diuine it is still maintained stifly that they haue no manner force at all Howbeit the very selfe same reasoÌ„ which causeth to yeeld that they are of some force in the one will at the length constraine also to acknowledge that they are not in the other altogether vnforcible For if the naturall strength of mans wit may by experience and study attaine vnto such ripenes in the knowledge of things humaine that men in this respect may presume to build somewhat vpon their iudgement what reason haue we to thinke but that euen in matters diuine the like wits furnisht with necessary helpes exercised in scripture with like diligence and assisted with the grace of almighty God may growe vnto so much perfection of knowledge that men shall haue iust cause when any thing pertinent vnto faith and religion is doubted of the more willingly to incline their mindes towards that which the sentence of so graue wise and learned in that faculty shal iudge most sound For the controuersie is of the waight of such mens iudgements Let it therefore be suspected let it be taken as grosse corrupt repugnant vnto the truth whatsoeuer concerning things diuine aboue nature shall at any time be spoken as out of the mouthes of meere naturall men which haue not the eyes wherwith heauenly thinges are discerned For this we contend not But whom God hath indued with principall giftes to aspire vnto knowledge by whose exercises labours and diuine studies he hath so blesâ— that the world for their great and rare skill that way hath them in singular admiration may wee reiect euen their iudgement likewise as being vtterly of no moment For mine owne part I dare not so lightly esteeme of the Church and of the principall pillars therein The truth is that the minde of man desireth euermore to knowe the truth according to the most infallible certaintie which the nature of thinges can yeeld The greatest assurance generally with all men is that which we haue by plaine aspect and intuitiue beholding Where we cannot attaine vnto this there what appeareth to bee true by strong and inuincible demonstration such as wherein it is not by any way possible to be deceiued thereunto the minde doth necessarily assent neither is it in the choice thereof to do otherwise And in case these bothe do faile then which way greatest probabilitie leadeth thither the mind doth euermore incline Scripture with ChristiaÌ„ men being receiued as the word of God that for which we haue probable yea that which we haue necessary reason for yea that which wee see with our eyes is not thought so sure as that which the scripture of God teacheth because wee hold that his speech reuealeth there what himselfe seeth therefore the strongest proofe of all and the most necessarily assented vnto by vs which do thus receiue the scripture is the scripture Now it is not required or can bee exacted at our handes that we should yeeld vnto any thing other assent then such as doth answere the euidence which is to be had of that we assent vnto For which cause euen in matters diuine concerning some thinges we may lawfully doubt and suspend our iudgement inclining neither to one side or other as namely touching the time of the fall both of man and Angels of some thinges we may very well retaine an opinion that they are probable not vnlikely to be true as wheÌ„ we hold that men haue their soules rather by creation then propagation or that the mother of our Lord liued alwaies in the state of virginitie as well after his birth as before for of these two the one her virginitie before is a thing which of necessitie we must belieue the other her continuance in the same state alwaies hath more likelihood of truth then the contrary finally in all things then are our consciences best resolued and in most agreeable sort vnto God and nature feâ—ed when they are so farre perswaded as those groundes of perswasion which are to be had will beare Which thing I doe so much the rather set downe for that I see how a number of soules are for want of right informatioÌ„ in this point oftentimes grieuously vexed When bare and vnbuilded conclusions are put into their mindes they finding not themselues to haue therof any great certaintie imagine that this proceedeth only from lacke of faith and that the spirite of God doth not worke in them as it doth in true beleeuers by this meanes their hearts are much troubled they fall into anguish perplexitie wheras the truth is that how bold and confident soeuer we may be in words when it commeth to the point of triall such as the euidence is which the truth hath eyther in it selfe or through proofe such is the hearts assent thereunto neither can it bee stronger being grounded as it should be I grant that proofe deriued froÌ„ the authoritie of mans iudgement is not able to worke that assurance which doth grow by a stronger proofe and therfore although ten thousand generall Councels would set downe one the same definitiue sentence concerning any point of religion whatsoeuer yet one demonstratiue reason alleaged or one manifest testimonie cited from the mouth of God himself to the contrary could not choose but ouerweigh them all in as much as for them to haue bene deceiued it is not impossible it is that demonstratiue reason or testimonie diuine should deceiue Howbeit in defect of proofe infallible because the minde doth rather follow probable perswasions then approue the things that haue in them no likelihood of truth at all surely if a question coÌ„cerning matter of doctrine were proposed and on the one side no kind of proofe appearing there should on the other be alleaged and shewed that so a number of the learnedest diuines in the world haue euer thought although it did not appeare what reason or what scripture led them to be of that iudgement yet to their very bare iudgement somewhat a reasonable man would attribute notwithstanding the common imbecilities which are incident into our nature And whereas it is thought that especially with the Church and those that are called perswaded of thauthority of the word of God mans authoritie with them especially should not preuaile it must doth preuaile euen with them yea