22. Ios 5.14 and els where how the holy Prophets adored God in Images or in Angels representing his person prostrating themselues before them and though their intention was directed to God yet their outward worship was directed to those sensible apparitions or Images representing God to their imaginations wherein they conceiued God as represented and these Images representing God morally one obiect in the same manner as it hapneth in the honour of Images and in the worship of the figuratiue Communion or as all Ciuill Nations do when they honour the Chayre of State or Presence Chamber of a King without wrong to Christ or to the King 26. These three arguments do manifestly shew that whether in the Commandment we read Idol or Image by it nothing can be proued against the declared manner of worshiping Images vnlesse we will proue a Contradiction in holy Scripture Moreouer since it is cleerly proued by those examples and practice taken out of holy Scripture that in such worship there is no signe of dishonour to God it is doubtles more secure with the common practice of the world to honour them then by the deniall of it to condemne such manifest authority 27. That in the refusing there is no security it is also manifest since the Scripture brought is not cleere for condemnation of Image-worship therfore not sufficient to cry downe an ancient practice proued by sound Texts of Scripture which can neuer be reconciled with those words of the Law vnlesse where Image is read we reade Idol which word signifieth a Commād that no Creature should be made nor worshiped as God This vse of Images declared is iustified both in respect of making and worshiping by other texts of Scripture without any Contradiction to those words of the Law when the contrary without any necessity compelleth a man to deny cleere reason and Scripture 28. It may be obiected that since Idolatry hath been begun and maintained by Images and since men are prone to forget God and apply themselues wholy to corporall obiects the secure way is to abandon Images at the least in Churches This is spoken without reason or law Without law for there can be none brought since not Images but Idols were the beginning and maintayning of Idolatry Images I haue proued warrātable in holy Scripture Without reason for whereas an Idol representeth nothing besides it selfe and so is worshiped an Image representeth a true thing therefore moueth a man to a reuerence proportionable to the obiect represented Whence in reason an Idol occasioneth Idolatry not representing any further obiect whither our thoghts and honour may be transferred when contrarywise an Image of a true obiect necessarily draweth our minds and reuerence to some thing besides it selfe so that aske any simple Belieuer whether he pray to an Image or put any Confidence in it he will say no aske him againe when he is kneeling before a picture with his eyes fixed on it whither he directs his prayers he will say to Christ or some Saint What hurt is there in this S. Mary Magdelen prostrate kissed and bathed with her teares the feet of Christ what iustified that act but the vnion which those sacred feet had with his diuinity which notwithstanding she saw not but apprehended by fayth Though betweene Christ and his picture there be not so immediate connexion yet a morall Connexion there is such as betweene the King and his Picture Chayre of state Embassadour c. why then may not a Christian apprehend this connexion betweene Christ and his Image representing him and accordingly exhibite due honour without danger of Idolatry Whether is holy Scripture the only Rule of our Faith 29. HIther to I haue shewed that supposing Scripture the only rule beleefe is more secure then deniall for both parties relying vpon the same Scripture can neuer conuince ech others interpretation of falsity as experience sufficiently sheweth and probability at least must be supposed on both parts in which case finding no further euidence prudence compelleth me to choose that part which is most remote from danger of Condemnation Who will not betieue shall be damned 30. Now that there may remayne no doubt at all of the secure Choice of beliefe I will shew it consequent to reason holy Scripture that we must admit of some other rule besides Scripture If then beliefe be grounded not only vpon probable authority of Scripture wherin it is equal at the least with authority of Deniers or Disbelieuers but also vpon an other rule apparently knowne and seene as it is fit for a rule to be there can be no doubt of the security of beleefe 31. And first I suppose it is more then probable or either Physically certaine that there hath euer beene a Church teaching and practizing those points of beliefe aforementioned not sufficiently disproued in point of Continuance incorruption in Doctrine though the gates of Hell haue breathed forth all malice against it 32. Secondly I suppose holy Scripture as inspired by the holy Ghost to be a certaine rule of Christian beliefe yet for that it is certaine that al is not written that was deliuered by Christ neither doth it any where say that it is the infallible and sole word of God and for that it is obscure doth not cleerly explicate it selfe as it is manifest by experience it can not be an infallible rule for the deciding of contradictory opinions drawne from the same though it alone may be a sufficient direction to let vs know what more securely may be belieued 33. The question then is Whether besides the Scripture a Church also as an vnpartiall Interpreter thereof be to be admitted which is as much to say Whether the commō voice of a Church interpreting holy Scripture be a more secure rule then the voice of some particular men whose priuate interpretations as before I shewed are not certaine proofes out of holy Scripture but only probabilityes out of their owne iudgment which notwithstanding some will oblige all to admit as Scripture and contemne the explication of an ancient Church 34. For the negatiue part I find no cleere Scripture but such texts as require hard interpretation and which as much oppose the practice of the first Primitiue Church then admitted as a doubtles rule as it will appeare to any that shall consider them You shall not ad a word Deut. 4.2 Search the Scriptures Ioan. 5.39 These things are written that you may belieue Io. 20.31 All Scripture diuinely inspired is profitable Are not these places of as much force against the Primitiue Church Do they the like say that all truth is written or that what is written is diuine Scripture or that it needs no helpe of interpretatiō no not of a Church but of priuate spirits What ground then doth there remaine for the inforcing of sole Scripture as the only rule of our beliefe 35. For the affirmatiue part we haue first that Article of the Apostles Creed I belieue the holy
in heauen Questionlesse the prime sense of these words import a power giuen to men to forgiue sinnes nothing then is presumptuously assumed by the Belieuers thereof for though it is proper only to God to forgiue sinnes by his owne power and of himselfe yet the light of nature teacheth that man may also forgiue sinnes by Cōmission from him as it is proper to a King only to forgiue Treasons committed against his person yet by Commission his name a Subiect may haue power to do the same without iniury to the King or exceeding the degree of a Subiect Why may not the Minister of God by authority giuē him forgiue sinne in his name without offending or exceeding the limits of a dutifull creature this is at the least probable In opposition I find no Scripture but only admirations of a few dangers in comparison of the Belieuers euidēt reason there can be none Dangerous then is the deniall Beliefe secure Qui non crediderit Who will not belieue shal be damned What of one Church and one Head thereof 14. IN Common Wealths throughout the world I find an Vnity is most sought for and to that end one supreme gouernour and ruler in one house one Maister in one Towne one Maior in one Company one Captaine in one Army one Generall in one Kingdome one King can it beare any colour of offence to belieue that in the most perfect Common-wealth instituted by Christ there is ordained one flock vnder one Pastour Vt fiat vnum ouile vnus pastor We see that in two supreme gouernements there is no mutuall subordination therefore not properly one and where there are two Kings it is sufficient to conclude two Kingdomes If then in Gods Church we admit diuers supreme Gouernours we cannot so perfectly call it one Church as one flock is one vnder one Pastor which Christ promised should be so Whence it seemeth manifest that for the preseruing of vnity in Gods Church one head is necessary and that in the beliefe therof there is no danger though there were no Scripture at all to warrant it For as temporall Kings though they haue no warrant for their ech particular regall power out of holy Scripture yet by law and iustice and conscience we are iustly obliged not to question it So I vnderstand not with what security a man may deny the authority of one supreme Gouernour of a Church so many hundred of yeares prescribed I need not heere heape vp texts of holy Scripture for proofe of the beliefe of one Church vnder one head since in the beliefe thereof there is no shew of impiety but in the deniall as much danger of impiety as in denying any Prince his due Yet that it may appeare that the deniers are not only in danger of iniustice but also of disbelieuing Christs words I lay downe some few Texts to be pondered Matth. 6. Thou art Peter vpon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of Hel shall not preuaile against it Behold one rock one Church that permanent against all assaults Io. 21. to Peter he said feed my sheepe which words imply the full office of a Pastor that is not only to prouide nourishment but also to gouerne and defend without which the office of a Shepheard is not complete That also these words were spoken only to Peter it is manifest by that thrice repeated interrogation of Christ saying Simon Peter louest thou me especially when he addeth more then those wherby he excluded the rest of his Apostles to which when S. Peter had answered that he loued him Christ thereupon replyed feed my sheepe as if he should say the supreme dignity of Pastorship and Vicegerency which I giue you requireth greatioue and charity as you truly loue me so be a true Pastor in my Church because I giue you a dignity aboue the rest whome you are to rule 〈◊〉 my place therfore I require that your loue to me be singular 15. This litle I haue obserued yeildeth such probability at the least that it is manifest it cannot without danger be denied but that God his Church is one vnder one head But grant these places are not cleere in themselues yet the Common voyce of the world so long continued expressed also in the two Creeds may iustly excuse any Belieuer from the least danger of that sentence Who will not belieue c. Securely then with the Apostles creed we cōses to belieue the holy Catholique Church and with the Nicen One holy Catholique and Apostolique Church and not one vnles it haue a supreme visible Gouernour to whom all are subordinate What danger can there be in this beliefe if feare of God Cōscience only be regarded What concerning recommending our selues to the intercession of Saints 16. TO iustify the beliefe and practice of this point it is sufficient that it is conformable to reason and void of iniury to Christ I aske then why may not we commend our selues to the intercession of Saints as well as S. Paul did commend himselfe to the prayers of liuing Christians If it be answered it is an iniury to Christ who biddeth all come to him I see not first how S. Paul can be excused that oft commended himselfe to the intetcession of inferiour Creatures who should haue gone to Christ only and to no body els Looke what must be answered in excuse of S. Paul the same must iustify our praying to Saints Moreouer to iustify S. Paul and those that commend themselues to the intercession of Saints it seemeth euident that both he and we go truly to Christ for we go not to Saints to giue vs this or that but to obtaine their mediation for fauours at God's hand as truly we are said to haue recourse to the King for honour if we desire his Fauorits to intercede for vs as notwithstanding this mediation we are truly said not to wrōg the King but to seeke to him so by our intercession to Saints we wrong not Christ but go to him vnles a man should be conceiued not to seeke to Christ at all but only to pray to Saints which in no good Christian can be imagined 17. If it be answered that Saints in heauen cānot heare vs I aske how can this be knowne not by Scripture since it witnesseth that many Prophets saw obiects not only absent but not existent many hundred yeares after their time only by diuine inspiration nor by reason for though were their hearing by corporal eares there might be some difficulty yet since their hearing is vnderstanding which is indifferent to conceiue obiects as well absent as present this difficulty to any will appeare vaine and impertinent since we know not how our soule vnderstands nor how our eyes see or eares heare 18. Hence I gather that the Belieuers of this Article though they had no expresse Scripture for proofe thereof which for the present I examine not yet since their practice is conformable to reason and
state of his saluation 7. By these grounds cleere inough in themselues euery Christian may easily discerne what Religion is secure in practise to wit that which remoueth him furthest from danger of that sentence Who will not belieue shal be damned According to this Touchstone for the better instruction of the common sort I will examin the chiefe points now in question that by these examples the rest may be easily examined What Choice ought a man to make concerning the Real Presence of Christs body and bloud in the Sacrament of the last Supper 8. TO iustify the beliefe thereof we haue first the words of Christ Ioan. 6. where he amply promiseth his body and bloud My flesh is truly meate and my blood c. he that eateth my flesh c. he that will not belieue this but vnderstand it in a different sense from his predecessors persuaded by those obscure words the spirit giueth life the flesh profiteth nothing exposeth him to danger of disbeliefe with the Iewes and blasphemy since Vers 56. it is said he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him And S Paul to the Col. c. 1. You which were in times past strangers and enemies c. hath he now reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to make you holy how then can those words the flesh profiteth nothing without danger be vnderstood of the flesh of Christ as profiting nothing is it not profit to vs that Christ should dwell in vs and we in him that we are reconciled in the body of his flesh 9. Secondly the words of Christ performing This is my body take and eate do this c. which words if we wrest to a figuratiue sense we must bring cleere Scripture for it else our interpretation is dangerous denying such a cleere mystery vpon human motiues Thirdly we haue the testimony of S. Paul 1. Cor. 11. If these places be obscure we haue besides the Consent of Nations the common voyce of the whole Christian world for a thousand fiue hundred yeares without Contradiction Finally in the beliefe and practise thereof there is no impiety but prayse and honour of Christ who vpon sufficient grounds is supposed present vnder the formes of bread and wine he is receiued with reuerence the soule being first prepared with harty sorrow for sinnes past accompanied with loue thankfulnes and liuely remembrance of his sacred Passion c. For deniall of this beliefe we haue but small authority not one cleere testimony of Scripture that interpreteth those words of Christ as figuratiuely spoken all other arguments can be but probable 10. Now I aske any indifferent mans iudgment what he would do in case a perfect figure of Christ should visibly appeare commonly acknowledged and worshipped by all with sincere intention If furthermore it were deliuered commonly that to suspect the apparition as an illusion of Sathan were a wrong to Christ will he aduenture to spit at it will he not rather forbeare that and iudge it secure to belieue and worship with others since therein he findeth no hurt but inuincible motiues to do so Cleere then it is what we ought to resolue in this point since for the beliefe we haue inuincible motiues in the practise there is no danger of any impiety as certainly there is in the denial if we grant but probability in the beliefe 11. Only it may be obiected that if Christ be not vnder those formes of bread and wine there is danger of Idolatry But this is a manifest mistake for Belieuers adore not bread nor wine nor any Creature but Christ whom vpon good grounds they suppose present sacramentally Know therefore that Adoration consisteth of outward reuerence ioyned with interiour as of body and soule the outward is indifferent to God and Creatures the interiour ioyned with it makes the difference Exteriour reuerence applied by our intention to a temporall Lord is but a Ciuil worship the same applied by our intention to a Saint as a Creature of God highly in his fauour is a higher degree of honour yet within the limits of inferiour worship It is likewise applied by our intention to God our Creatour and Sauiour thus it is perfect adoration and due only to God He then that belieueth Christ is conteyned sacramentally vnder the formes of bread and wine may securely adore since his adoration proceeding from his beliefe transferreth the outward act from all Creatures directeth it to God himselfe euen in case in his immediate beliefe he should be mistaken there remayneth then no dāger in the beliefe but great danger in the deniall He that will not belieue c. What of the Masse 12. MAsse is a compleate performance of that commaund Do this in remembrance of me Luc. 22. Wherin by the Priest prayers are said for the whole Church the holy Scripture is read all the parts and ceremonies therof represent the life passion of Christ who by meanes of those words pronounced in his name Hoc est Corpus meum is dayly offered in sacrifice to the honour of God profit of his Church Whence it cometh to passe that fayth gratitude and loue towards our Redeemer is daily renewed and the knowne prophecy of Malach. c. 1. fulfilled From the rising of the Sun vnto the going downe of the same my Name is great among the Gentiles and in euery place a pure oblation is sacrificed and offered to my name according to the most ancient and common Translation Thus innumerable Belieuers constantly hold and practise vpon sufficient grounds without the least shew of impiety why then may I not securely belieue I see not nor how the denial can be free from danger since vpon Disbelieuers only Damnation is denounced What of Confession Absolution commonly called the Sacrament of Pennance 13. HEre a Christian after due examination of his Conscience with harty sorrow and purpose of amendment which acts are necessarily required confesseth his sinnes expecteth absolution by the ministery of the Priest What danger can there be in this beliefe and practise The Iewes charged Christ of blasphemy saying Who can forgiue sinnes but God Against Christ they sinned because they belieued him to be man only which errour he chastised by miracle Matth. 9. giuing them withall to vnderstand that men also by power receiued from him should forgiue sinnes for in that they conceiued he taught that man had power to forgiue sinnes he checked them not but rather confirmed it And that you may know sayth Christ that the Sonne of Man hath authority in earth to forgiue sinnes c. And the multitude glorifyed God who had giuen such authority to men Moreouer Christ to his Apostles Io. c. 22. sayth Receiue yee the holy Ghost whose sinns yee remit they are remitted vnto them and whose sinnes yee retaine they are retayned Likewise Matth. 18. Whatsoeuer yee shall bind on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer yee shall loose on earth shall be loosed