certaine external meanes and helpes are required yet those moue vs nothing without the working of Gods holy spirit And he much misliketh of them that teach that our faith must rest vpon that point That we beleue that the church is true or cannot erre For therevpon he gathereth this absurditie that our faith should be grounded vpon the truth not of God but of man He also plainly affirmeth that if a man should aske how the faithfull do know that God hath reuealed that which they beleeue they cannot answere by the authoritie of the Church but it is by the inward light of Gods spirit that they know the same If now thou aske me how I know the Scriptures to be the Scriptures I answere out of Canus not by the authority of the Church but by the motion of Gods spirit and witnesse thereof If thou vrge that place of Augustine Canus telleth thee that they who are become Christians are not so brought to beleeue the Scriptures but onely Infidels and Nouices in religion So that this place serueth nothing to obiect against vs who professe Christianitie alreadie and beleeue the worde which the Manichies did not of whom and to whom Saint Augustine there writeth But we had neede out of that place to admonish you that in respect of that reuerence which with one consent al that professe Christianitie doe yeeld vnto the scriptures you would be ashamed so to depraue and despise them so to abuse and reiect them at your owne pleasure as you alwayes haue done You make vnlawfull that which God hath mad lawfull as for example It was lawfull in the Apostles time for euerie Priest Dion Carth. 1. Tim. 3. Bishop and Deacon to haue one wife but now by the appointment of the Pope they may not haue a wife sayth a friend of your owne a bird of your owne nest So that not the scripture or the will of God but the worde of the Pope must be the rule of our life so that whereas Augustine for the Church beleeued the scriptures you for your Churches sake controll the scriptures and disobey them And for the establishing of that vndue honour which they would bestow vpon the most happie mother of Christ the virgin Mary Marke the boldnesse of Durand a great piller in the Popish Church Rathon◠di◠li. 4. rub 6. who writeth thus Although it is said in the Scriptures that Christ rising did first appeare to Marie Magdalen yet it is more truly beleeued that first of all he appeared to his mother Is it not plaine how that to establish their foolish toyes he giueth the lie to that word that is onely true O grosse boldnesse Seeing therefore this worde hath not onely testimonie within vs which is the strongest witnesse but also with so great consent is knowne to be Gods worde be ashamed now to call it into question or to put it to the triall of the Church by which the Papists alwaies vnderstand the Romish Church whether it shal be allowed for currant or not For in deede this blasphemous sense which as I haue shewed euen their owne friends can in no wise like of is now the cōmon exposition of those words of S. Aug. I will not beleeue the scriptures vnlesse the Church of Rome do allow the Bookes for Canonicall and expound them as she shall thinke good And thus much to answer this their common obiection What the Catholike Church is that is mentioned in the Creede CHAP. 6 THE PROTESTANTS VVE say with the Apostle Saint Paul that the catholike church which is spoken of in the Creede s. Tim. 3. Is the house of God the pillar and ground of truth And with the fathers that it is the companie of all the faithfull of all times and of all places And with Saint Iohn The Bride of the Lambe Apoc. 21 9. and the bodie of Christ And therefore that the wicked and faithlesse are not of this Church nor can be counted of this companie THE PAPISTS BVt the Church of Rome to get a Catholike Church admit good and bad to be of their Church namely reprobates wicked Bellar. de Eccle. li. 3. cap. 2. and vngodly ones Neither do thinke that they neede any inward vertue to bee of their Church but onely that they professe religion and be vnder the Pope Well may they in some sort seeme to haue a Catholike Church because all is fish that comes into their net but holy apostolike it shal not be nor Catholike as in the Creed is meant Wherein this is worthie to be reproued in them that whereas they crie out in worde and writing The Catholike church of Rome and vnlesse you beleeue the Catholike Church you cannot be saued And for proofe hereof they alledge this article I beleeue the Catholike church yet when they should tell vs what this Catholike church is wherevnto we must so necessarily be subiect they onely paint vnto vs I know not what Romish Church The catholike church in the Creed and the Romish contrary which is no more like the true Catholike church than that church of Israel when it was started aside from the true worship of God was like to the true church of God that remained amongest the people of the Iewes as by these few reasons may appeare The catholike church is One One that is to say one companie and vnited and knit togither by one spirite and the selfe same graces but the reprobate and vngodly who fill vp a place in the Romish catholike church neither are one company with the Saints nor vnited to them by the same spirit and graces to be partakers of the communion of Saints Therefore that catholike and the Romish catholike Church are not all one Secondly that Church is Holy Holy and that not in part but perfectly euen without spot or wrinckle Ephe. 5.26.27 For in our Creed we doe not speake of the church that is but that shal be not that which we see with our eye but by faith not that which is perfected but hoped for which we shall not in deede behold with our eyes Reuel 21 vntill it come downe from heauen as saint Iohn speaketh of the heauenly Ierusalem Apoc. 11 which as witnesseth saint Ambrose doth represent the Church that shall bee after the ende of the world Apoc. 21 Of which minde is also saint Augustine But the Romish catholike church is of omnigatheroms as people goe to faires or markets of all sorts and qualities And although a man haue not one good thing in him not one crum of honestie hee is good enough to make vp a number in the Church of Rome but such a church is not holy and therefore not that that is mentioned in the Creede Thirdly that church is catholike Catholike that is as all the godly haue acknoledged it the mother of all Christians the companie of all the saints both in heauen and vpon earth But the Romish catholike church
down so many fathers and reasons as partly I haue alleaged to the contrary and might haue alledged many mo But their meaning is plaine enough For although S. Augustine and that Councel of Carthage and others say that all those bookes are canonicall yet wee must vnderstand them according to their meaning They diuided all the scripturs that went in the name of scriptures but into two parts Those which they called Apocrypha De ciuit Dei lib. 15. ca. 23 lâ— b. 3. cap. 25 Euseb had many fables as may appeare by saint Augustine now all the rest they called Canonicall so that they comprehend vnder that name all that Eusebius and others do vnderstand both by such bookes as were without all controuersie receiued of al men and such as were not generally receiued of all but well liked of many And they comprehend all these in one name not only because that in comparison of the other that were fabulous these were good but also because they were read commonly of them although not for establishing of anie doctrine as before I haue shewed yet for reformation of manners And that S. Augustines meaning was not to make like account of all appeareth not onely by that rule which himselfe setteth downe in that very chapter after he hath reckoned vp those Bookes canonicall Those canonicall bookes which are generally saith he receiued by the common consent of all Churches De doctrinâ— christiana li. 2. cap. 8. 30 are to bee preferred before them that are reiected of many but of those whom we call Apocrypha Origen Athanasius Epiphanius Melito Hierome Ruffinus and many other haue doubted but also by his practise For it will appeare how that somtime himself doubteth of some of them which we deny to be canonicall namely of the Machabees hee writeth thus against the second Epistle of Gaudentius the Donatist Lib. 2. cap. 23 This peece of Scripture of the Machabees the Iewes do not so account of as of the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes vnto the which the Lord giueth testimony as vnto his own witnesses saying Al things must be fulfilled which are written in the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes of me but it is receiued of the Church not without profite if it bee read or heard soberly Wherin first I note that the Iewes with whom the word of God was kept before it came to vs did not account it canonicall Secondly note how he magnifieth the witnes of the scriptures which are indeede canonical calling them the Lords owne witnesses And thirdly how coldly hee intertaineth the bookes of Machabees saying the church readeth them and that with profit if they be read soberly by reason of some good examples in them But yet more plainely in his Bookes of the citie of God Lib. 18. c. 36. The reckoning of time from the restoring of the Temple is not found in the holy Scriptures that are called Canonicall but in other writings amongst which are the Bookes of the Machabees which the Iewes reckon not canonicall but the church doth bicause of the extreame strange sufferings of some Martires Wherein wee see how that S. Augustine saith that wee knowe not the story of those times after the temple was built by any canonicall writer but yet by the Machabees wee know it therefore the Machabees are not canonicall And yet the church accounteth them saith he canonicall because of the examples of the Martyres in them As if he would haue saide Although those Bookes be not indeede such as you may build your faith vpon yet they are for some things worth the reading Which two places I stoode vpon the rather because Bellarmine alledgeth them De verbo de lib. 1. cap. 15. especially this latter as a speciall pillar to hold vp those Bookes of Machabees But howe truely let the Reader iudge Arg. 3 Their third and last argument is taken from that authority which they imagine the Church hath to approoue or disprooue Gods word And therefore is it so often repeated by Bellarmine handling this point That the Councell of Trent hath allowed such Bookes De verbo dei lib. 1. De ecclesia So that hee iumpeth right with that which most blasphemously Eckius hath set downe that twice within few lines he liked so well of it That the Scriptures are not authenticall or canonicall without the authoritie of the church And Canus setteth himselfe to make a full discourse against them that say Lib 2. de locis Theol. ca. 6 That the Scripture needeth not the approbation of the church And thus they must reason The church hath allowed those bookes to be canonicall which you call Apocrypha according as did also the ancient fathers therefore they are canonicall Answere That the weakenesse and wickednesse of this argument may appeare let vs first consider who is the Author of the holy scriptures which the Apostle declareth as plainly as can be when he saith 2. Tim. 3.16 The whole scripture is giuen by inspiration from God Therefore the scripture is the word not of man but of God Secondly let vs see how this word came to vs whether by tradition of the church or by special reuelation Which also is plainly answered by saint Peter saying 2. Pet. 1.21 that prophecie came not in olde time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the holy Ghost What will we then say shall we imagin that God would direct by his holy Spirite the mouthes of his seruants to speake but not their pennes to write God forbid Thirdly the men whome it pleased God to vse as his meanes in setting downe this word were knowen vnto the church of that time wherein they flourished and their calling so confirmed vnto the godly that without all doubt or wauering they receiued those writings as Gods word because they knew the authors thereof to be directed by Gods spirit And this is the difference that the ancient fathers doe make betweene those Bookes of scripture whose authors were knowen and their bookes alwayes receiued and therefore called Canonicall that is such as deliuer rules for life and doctrine that are infallible and those other that are called Apocrypha because either it was not knowen who wrote them or else it was not knowen that they were indued with such a spirite as they could not erre in any thing And therefore their Bookes were not receiued of the church then Is it not then intollerable pride in the church of Rome to commaund silence vnto God himselfe and not to suffer him to speake but when they giue him leaue and to proclame it vnto the world that euen his word is not of credite vnlesse it be by their approbation and allowance of the same And yet thus doe they say when they affirme that the Scriptures are not Canonicall but by the approbation of the Church Yea some make them no better than Esopes Fables if the Church allowe not
of them O blasphemie intollerable if this their argument might bee allowed then the church of Rome which falsely challengeth to bee the church Caus 15. Quaest 6. ca. Autoritatem Dâ— st 34. c. sector dist 82. presbyt would soone prooue their abhominable Idolatries and heresies to be true religion And therefore doe they challenge this authoritie and striue for it And the Pope sometimes dispenseth against the Apostle as their Canonists doe note and sometimes a Councell dispenseth against the apostle and all this is to challenge vnto their church this prerogatiue that it may deale with Gods word as it will When Gregorie the thirteenth pope of that name confirmed the order of the fellowship of the blessed virgine Marie a new deuised order and come vp since the order of Iesuites in his Bull hee confirmeth and ratifieth all such priuileges as they haue or shall haue Notwithstanding anie Constitutions or Ordinances Apostolike or whatsoeuer may be against it Did you euer reade or heare any speake more like the beast mentioned in the Apocalips Apoc. 13.5 6 who had a mouth giuen vnto him that spake blasphemies But to be short I will against their argument oppose this Whatsoeuer scriptures are not giuen by inspiration of God spirit and by the godly receiued into the canon of the scripturs those are not the word of God though they haue the approbation of the latter churches but such are the Bookes which wee call Apocrypha which the councell of Trent would make of like authoritie with the canonicall Scriptures therefore those Bookes are not the vndoubted word of God And howe can any body imagine that that which once hath beene not canonicall can by continuaunce of time and confirmation of men become canonicall or that which God hath not vouched woorthy to bee his word in times past that nowe at the last he should acknowledge the same as though hee were nowe chaunged or had repented him of his former opinion Admit once this doctrine of theirs and farewell all certaintie in religion For men will wander from one thing to an other as wee see in the kingdome of darkenesse and Poperie where there is no ende of deuotions deuised and inuentions of men So that that which was good christianitie in the dayes of Christ and of his Apostles is nowe holden to be farre from the perfection of a godly life vnlesse wee doe helpe it with our will-worshippings and by the obeying the preceptes of the church Nay graunt them this and then that worde written that wee haue it shall speake nothing but Romish so that whatsoeuer is the meaning and true sense of the scriptures yet God must be taught to speake as the church of Rome will haue him De verbo dei lib. 4. cap. 11. To this ende tendeth that common axiome receiued of them all and vsed by Bellarmine The true sense of the Scripture hangeth of vnwritten traditions So that beleeue them and they will easily confute any aduersaries For first they alow for scripture what they will Secondly that which they must needes confesse to bee Scripture must bee expounded by their vnwritten Traditions That I say that is written by that which is vnwritten the certaine by the vncertaine Like to Procustes his bed which who so lay in it if he were too long he was cut shorter if he were too short he was stretched out longer So must all be made fit to their traditions Seeing therefore the Canonical Bookes haue so manifest a testimonie not onely of the godly but euen of the aduersaries themselues and the credite of the Apocrypha by so great authorities is suspect I will conclude with belâ— armines words That he is not well in his wit that not regardâ— ng â—â— e Scripture the surest and safest rule wâ— ll refeâ— re hâ— mself to the iudgement of the inward spirâ— t which is often deceitfull and alwayes vncertaine as in truth the Papists do For they will make you beleeue that because they are guided by the holy Ghost they cannot erre in their traditions This rule then of Gods written word in the Canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament being set downe as a rule most sure to trâ— e all doctrines with let vs now proceed to examine other matters in controuersy among vs when I shal first haue answered a common obiection wherein all the most ignorant sort especially of Papists doe maruellously trust and triumph and doe therewith deceiue others such as them selues are How shal I know the scriptures say they to be the scriptures but by the authoritie of the Church I will not answer although I might very well that absurdly they call that in question whereof there is no doubt among vs. For neither we nor they denie Gods word It is knowne of all it is receiued of vs all Therfore they put case of that there is not neither is likely to be amongs vs. But for their sakes that are ignorant I answer plainely and shortly out of Saint Augustine Coâ— feâ— li. 6. cap. 5. Thou Lord hast perswaded me that they are blame worthie not who haue beleeued thy bookes which thou hast so setled almost in all nations but they that haue not beleeued them And that I should not heare them if perchance any would say to me How knowest thou that those bookes the scripture are giuen to mankinde by the spirite of one very and most true God Yea Saint Augustine there confesseth that when he was but a nouice in religion yet was he perswaded that God would neuer haue made the whole world so to reuerence the Scriptures but that he meant to be beleeued in them and to be sought out by them We see then by saint Augustine that not onely that common account that the whole world not the Church onely maketh of the Scriptures should be sufficient to stop our mouths for asking that question but also that he flatly telleth vs that God would not haue vs to heare such faithles and fruitles obiections But I know they will by and by come vpon me with that place of Augustine Cont. epist 〈◊〉 c. 5. I would not beleeue the Gospel vnlesse the authoritie of the Church should moue me thereto Out of which they will perchance conclude as grosly as you heard Eckius hath done That the Scripture it selfe hath no credite but as the Church will bestow it vpon the same But Melchior Canus a learned Papist doth gather otherwise out of that place and doth in deed truely answere this common obiection for vs out of the said words of S. Augustine concluding thus Therefore it teacheth not Locor Theo lib. 1. cap. â— that beleeuing the Gospel is grounded vpon the authoritie of the Church but onely that there is no sure way whereby either Infidels or Nouices in faith may come to the holy Scriptures but the consent of the Catholike Church Yea he hath taught a little before in that Chapter that although to haue faith
how to iudge betweene truth and falshode in the holie Scriptures Interpreting scripture euen by interpreting the same according to the traditions of the vniuersall church and the rules of the catholike doctrine and the consent that hath beene at all times and in all places amongst the teachers And yet not euery question must be thus decided This way is to be vsed onely in the greatest matters but only matters of faith such as the very foundation of catholike doctrine resteth vpon for so he saith after fol. 50. neither are al heresies thus to be confuted and at al times but only new heresies euen at their first beginning And lately sprung vp heresies Before they haue falsified the rules of the ancient faith and the writings of the fathers But old heresies which haue had long time to steale away the truth must be coÌ„uinced if need be Stealing the truth such thenâ—â— are the papistes as their coorupting the fathers proueth When the fathers must be heard by the only authority of scripture or must be shuÌ„ned as being condeÌ„ned in the old councels As for heresies newly sprung vp they by the iudgements of the fathers are to be reiected of those fathers I say that continued in the faith so that al or most of them haue set it down in one and the self same meaning plainly often continuing in it as it were in a councell of such masters agreeing in one And such a ful consent must not be despised Then he maketh a recapitulation of that which he hath said in these two caueats and induceth the example of the councel of Ephesus wherein the iudgement of the ancient fathers being examined Nestorius was found to be against the catholike old faith and Cyril to agree with holy antiquitie And to make the matter more plaine he setteth downe the names of those holy fathers by whose vniforme consent and iudgement both the testimonies of Gods lawe were expounded and also the rule of the holy doctrine was established And so reckoneth vp sundry of the Greeke church then also of the Latine and west churches wherein he maketh mention of certaine leters written vnto some from Foelix and Iulius two bishops of Rome And Bellarm. de Roman pontif lib. 2. cap. 16. endeuoureth by this testimonie to prooue the Pope to be head of the church But consider I pray you how negligeÌ„tly he performeth it Vincentius saith that the city of Rome was the head of the world and we confesse whilest the empire flourished it was so called as by the stories appeareth Now he proueth by this that the pope is head of the church by a strange Metamorphosis changing the citie into the Pope and the world into the church contrary to the Author his words or meaning that not only The head of the worlde but the sides also might yeelde their testimonie to that iudgement Cyprian and Ambrose consented thervnto And lastly he confirmeth this by the iudgment of Capreolus bishop of Carthage who endeuoured to ouerthrow newnes and to defend antiquitie Which was also approued by Cyrils testimonie who would haue the doctrines of the ancient faith confirmed New doctrine condemned and that which is new and superfluously inuented and wickedly published to be reiected and condemned wherunto the whole councell agreed And though there were many in that Councell The councell of Ephesus â—â— rst deuise no new doctrine men of singular great learning in such sort gathered togither which might haue imboldned theÌ„ to decree somwhat of their owne yet would they alter nothing but tooke all heede possible that they deliuered nothing to their posteritie but that they had receyued of their predecessours leauing also to them that example Ancient faith the onely good faith He inueigheth against the pride of Nestorius in defence of antiquitie alledging that of Xistus bishop of Rome Let not newnesse doe any thing because it is not fit any thing should bee added vnto antiquitie And that of Caelestinus who would not haue Newnesse to trouble antiquitie Whose meaning is not that antiquitie should cease to ouerthrow newnesse but that newnesse should cease to molest antiquitie Which thing whosoeuer will not yeeld vnto he must despise the authoritie of Celestinus Xistus Cyril Capreolus the councell of Ephesus who all had learned of God to decree that not any thing should bee deliuered to their posteritie but that onely that sacred antiquitie of the holie fathers and agreing with it selfe in Christ did holde yea not to yeeld vnto this is to iustifie Nestorius by them condemned and to despise the whole Church of Christ The praise of the church to keepe the faith deliuâ— red to her not to inuent a new and the teachers therein the Apostles and Prophets but especially the Apostle saint Paul The Church of Christ I say that neuer yet departed from a religious reuerencing and adorning of the faith deliuered to her by saint Paul who said O Timothie keepe that which was committed to thee auoyding newnesse of wordes And Ifanie preach to you any other thing than that you haue heard let him be accursed And if neither the lawes of the apostles nor decrees of the church are to be broken according to which heretikes are worthily condemned it behoueth all men that will bee accounted the true children of their mother the church to sticke euen to the death True children of holy church vnto the sacred faith of their holy fathers and to hate that that is newe Thus haue I set downe I trust truly and faithfully the summe of this whole treatise of Vincentius Lyrmensis especially whatsouer may be thought pertinent to the matter for which the Papists so triumphingly alledge him And as I endeuoured to be short yet so that I omit not any materiall poynt by him touched so that his meaning may the better appeare I haue as neare as I could kept his owne wordes yea I haue set downe euen his most materiall sentences that his whole minde and intent may the better bee knowne vnto the Reader Iudge nowe I pray thee Christian Reader what Catholike and auncient faith it is that the Church of Rome so much braggeth of Compare it with this that Vincentius commendeth If they bee any thing like I desire no credite I will but giue thee a taste hereof euen out of one of their chiefe poyntes of their Religion Cap. 2. I haue shewed before euen by their owne confession that traditions must needes bee admitted or else the Church of Rome must needes faile in proofe in many articles of their Religion Their Religion therefore in such poynts cannot be Catholike It cannot be that which was Committed to Timothie which was Once deliuered as Vincentius speaketh often whose growing is without change whose perfection is without addition so that their doctrine of traditions is a strong argument to proue that their faith is not Catholike according to Vincentius rules Then also we see how plainly he
works may finde In Matth Hom. 5. God saith he wil giue to vs saluation not so much at others intreaty as at our own And this he proueth by the examples of the woman of Canaan Mat. 15.23.24 25 26 27 28. Luk. 7 Luk. 23 4â— .43 the sinnefull woman and the theefe that was put to death with Christ and at his owne suite obtained paradise And Chrysostome seemeth in that place to yeeld a good reason why we should sue for our selues Because it will make vs more carefull to amende our liues to the ende wee maie the better please God So that hereby wee maie gather that they who teach vs that wee maie haue other aduocates or mediatours to God teach vs to bee carelesse of our owne conuersation howe wee doe liue Whereas if our selues onely must of necessitie intreate God for his sonne Christes sake wee will be more carefull to serue him that with greater confidence wee may come to intreate him This good seede of Inuocating and calling vppon God continued about some two hundred yeares in the church vntill that enuious man at the last whilest Gods seruants were asleepe did sowe that euill seede of praying to the creatures And although some did like well of it yet was it misliked also by some of the godly as most notably appeareth in Epiphanius against the heretikes called Collyridiani Haeres 79 who offered a bunne or cake to the virgin Mary or for her sake and of that they had their name And so the Papists do offer their waxe candles yea many times very pretious thinges vnto their saints But Epiphanius compareth such to a common harlot that runne a whooring from one onely God and saieth this olde errour shall not preuaile to leaue him that liueth and to worship the creature He will not haue her worshipped neither yet that they should offer in her name Bellarmine indeuouring to answere this place De beatitud sanct li. 1. ca. 15 saith that Epiphanius reprooueth that heresie because they woulde make a god of her But the place is maruellous strong against the Popish ceremonies in their superstitious seruices For Epiphanius gathereth of this that they did to the virgin Mary that they made her a god not that they esteemed or called her a god for they neuer denied the one God but that they did to her that which the Gentiles doe to their gods And I pray you did they any more to the virgine Mary than our Papistes doe Let it be examined They offered bunnes or takes in her name the Papists do offer sundrie sorts of things and the more and the costlier the Priests thinke the better of it At a certaine day in the yeere some women vsed to trimme some Waggon and couer it ouer with a sheete and for certaine dayes woulde set there some breade and offer it in her name being assembled together The Papists make many as pretie shewes as this could be for the worship of their Saints haue their dayes set downe for it The women also doe with those heretikes celebrate those holie mysteries Howe many religious orders the Popish church hath to celebrate the mysteries in honour of their Lady as they doe terme her let the worlde iudge But our Papists being compared with those heretikes goe as neere I warrant you to make their saints gods as euer did the Collyridians to make a God of the Virgine Mary And howe doeth Epiphanius confute this heresie What Scripture saith hee hath taught vs this which of the Prophets commaunded a man much lesse a woman to bee adored If then the Scriptures must teach vs and the Prophets must direct vs in our religion because this inuocation of the creature hath no warrant in the worde wee may safely reiect it And that our prayers whether they bee priuate or publike Prayers must be in a tongue that wee know Orat. in sulitt In Genes hom 29. De Orthod fide li. 3. c. 24 must bee in a tongue that wee vnderstand it is by many reasons to be prooued For if that prayer bee as Saint Basil defineth it A requesting of some good thing of God powred out to God of the godlie or as Chrysostome saieth It is a talke with God or as Damascene doeth write The ascending of the minde vnto God or the crauing of thinges fit to be asked of God then is it most necessary that whether we pray in publike or priuatly we should vnderstand what we say lest in steed of good wee aske that which is euill and our talke shoulde not be seemely or agreeable to the maiestie of God with whom wee talke neither can our minde ascend in prayer if the vnderstanding of our words be not as it were a wing to helpe it vp Therefore Chrysostome exhorteth vnto sobrietie especially when we should pray and woulde haue vs in prayer to gather together the powers of our minde In Genes hom 29. That our minde may accompany our wordes to God for feare least our prayer turne to our condemnation And most plaine is that that the Apostle saieth If I pray in a strange tongue 1. Cor. 14 14 my spirit praieth but mine vnderstanding is without fruit 1. Cor. 14.26 Thus then I reason All thinges ought to be doone to edifying But the praiers that are made in a strange tongue that the people vnderstand not are not done to edifying therfore they are not such as they ought to be This whole argument is saint Paules For the first proposition is his very wordes The second is necessarie to be gathered out of his words For if such praiers are without fruit as the apostle saith they are Regal breuiores quaest 278. then they doe not edifye For when saieth Basil the words of the praier are vnknowen to them that are present then the minde of him that praieth is doubtlesse without fruit because none is the better for it For as the same father in his answer to the next question saieth of the vnderstanding of scripture Quaest 278. so may we say of praier he compareth the vnderstanding of the scriptures vnto the taste of our meate And saieth that men heare profitably when the vnderstanding of the word is vnto their minde as the taste of the meate is vnto the body And so may we likewise say that then we praie with fruit when in our minde we vnderstand what we praie for as well as our mouth tasteth our meat what it is that we eat Which place of saint Paul troubleth master Bellarmine so that after that he hath seen and vewed many answers scarce anie can please him De verbo dei lib. 2. cap. 16 But at the length hee resolueth vpon this that the apostle speaketh not of their common prayers but of such spirituall songs as themselues made But that answere will not serue the turne For hee that commaunded that all things that are done in such meetings should bee done to edifying would not onelie that such spirituall