of all suits causes concerning the law is likewise publique for otherwise there could be no peace nor concord made betweene priuate men if euery one might interprete the law to his owne aduantage so likewise the Catholike Fayth being common and publique propounded to all and all men being commaunded to agree togeather in the same fayth with vnity and concord it must needs follow that the definition and sinall sentence of all controuersyes causes of faith be also publique For otherwise there could be no end of differences euery man obstinatly defending the sense of his owne spirit and presumptuously condemning all those Hier cont Lucif c. 14. that oppose themselues against it If in the Church sayth S. Hierome there be no imminent power there will be so many Schismes as there are Priests And among twelue one was chosen that a head being appointed Idem cont Iouin the occasiō of Schism might be taken away But of this we haue spoken sufficiently els where and haue also shewed by experience that the Protestants for want of this publike authority are infinitly deuided among themselues and censure most terribly and condemne most extremly the seuerall opinions of one another Wherefore to proceed and to omit for breuityes sake that this rule of priuate interpretation being once admitted there would follow nothing els but an infinite confusion of little truth much falsehood in the Church of God And that the mēbers thereof should haue no meanes to discerne with whome they ought to hold communion as sincere and orthodoxall nor whome to auoyd as corrupt and hereticall What can be more contrary to the light of Nature then where all haue equall meanes to know the truth or that some for sundry good respects may be thought to excell the rest euery particuler man though neuer so simple should more cōfide in his owne priuate vnderstanding then in the iudgment of the best and wisest which as it is most absurd in all kind of knowledge so especially in the right vnderstanding interpretation of Scripture being in great part most obscure and euery where subiect to errour as you may easily iudge by the controuersyes decrees and generall Councells of the Church concerning the same by the condemnations of so many excellent wits learned men that haue erred therein and by the explications sermons and cōmentaryes that without end are made vpon them And truely that euery Protestant man woman and child plough-man artificer or of what profession soeuer learned or vnlearned whether they can read or no should take it vpon them and vpon their saluation as they do and as they are bound to do according to the ground of their Religion to iudge infallibly by the Scripture alone which bookes are Scripture and which not and to know euery verse and euery line of the Canonicall from that which is not Canonicall better then the ancient Fathers or Laodicean Councell for example who doubted of many of them and better then that famous Councell of Carthage where at S. Augustine was present is thought to haue been the Secretary and penner of it which decreed many bookes to be Scripture that are now contradicted reiected by the Protestants is so strange a madnes as it seemeth impossible that it should sinke into any mans hart to imagine or that the mind of any sober man could be deluded with it And the same we may say of the interpretation of Scripture For beleeuing as an article of their Fayth that there is no external means wherby they may infallibly know the meaning of Scripture but by the Scripture euery idle companiō preferreth his owne priuate iudgment therin not only before the iudgment of all the Fathers in particuler who haue doubted of many poynts of Fayth and of the meaning of many places in Scripture vntill by a generall Councell their doubts were cleared but also before the sentence of the vniuersall Church which euery Protestant doth imagine to haue grosly erred beleeuing in the meane tyme his owne opinion to be most infallible Which is yet more strang in that the Protestants perswading themselues to be most certaine that they haue the Scripture and the true interpretation of Scripture they confesse notwithstanding the meanes which they vse for the attayning of this certainty to be most vncertayne That is to say the reading of Scripture their conference of places their diligence prayer and the like Whereof the two last alone are common to all and euery one of these meanes being by their owne confession but human endeauours are therefore subiect to the errour of our frayle Nature to the common ouersight of mans infirmity And as all partyes among them condemne ech other so there was neuer any Protestant in the world whom they beleeue or acknowledge notwithstanding the vse of all these meanes not to haue been very much deceiued in the interpretation of the Scripture And therfore as the authority of the Catholicke Church in respect of the clarity and extension therof is fitly expounded by S. Augustine to be that Lightning of the comming of Christ which breaking forth out of heauen is scene from the East to the West Matth. 24.27 and filleth the world inforcing all men to behold it so it is no great mystery to vnderstand that the Protestants shutting their eyes against it haue chosen to themselues such a ground of their fayth as by it self alone is not only most vncertaine vnto them for diuers sundry causes but also in respect of the formality therof is most contrary to Scripture most opposite to reason and most euidently ouerthrowing it selfe as hath beene shewed Whereof because no man that is not willfully blind among you can be ignorant therfore I can blame none of those great numbers of whome your authors do so much cōplaine who preferre the light of sense or naturall reason before the fayth of the Protestants and chuse rather to beleeue nothing then to be so grossly and so manifestly deceiued For such a kind fayth as hath been shewed doth not perfect the light of naturall reason but abuse it nor maketh men spiritually wise but rather diabolically contentious and absurdly foolish And the ground therof being false and friuolous they who rely the most thereupon are the most deceiued And albeit they may hold many things that are true yet speaking properly of diuine faith they haue no faith at all whereof I gaue you the reason in the beginning of this Section because to ayme at the secrets of God or to mooue any dispute about them without some infallible meanes which himselfe hath ordayned for the preseruation tradition and preaching or deliuery of them is no lesse ridiculous then for blind men as I haue sayd to cōtend of colours or as S. Paul affirmeth no better then vayne and idle talking 1. Tim. 1.6.7 not vnderstanding neither what is spoken nor of what to affirme But as the Turkes albeit they are perswaded that there is one
more eminent then any other For she is the seat of glory our sanctifycation And our Sauiour also prouiding an Answere against such doubts of little ones that might be led away from the manifestation of the clarity of the Church sayth A Citty placed vpon a hill cannot be hid for to this end the seat of glory our sanctify cation is so exalted that no eare be giuen to them who would draw others away to certayne remnants or peeces of religions saying Behold heere is Christ behold there for by such speaches behold heere behold there they shew but some parts whereas that Citty standeth vpon a hill what hill but that which according to the Prophet Daniel grew and was made a great mountayne Then (e) cont CresconiuÌ„ l. 1. c. 33. we hold and belieue the truth of Scripture when we do that which is pleasing to the vniuersall Church whome the Scripture recoÌ„mendeth vnto vs whosoeuer is affrayd to be deceiued by the obscurity of this question of not rebaptising Heretikes whereof in Scripture there is no example let him informe himselfe therein of that Church whom whithout any ambiguity the Scripture doth demonstrate But if thou doubt whether the Scripture commend that Church vnto thee which is dilated ouer all Nations with most copious numerosity I will load thee with many most manifest testimonyes out of the same authority (f) Epist. 161. Because we see the Church of God which is called Catholicke dissused through the world me thinkes we should not doubt of the most euident fullfilling of the whole Prophesy therof If (g) De â—nitat Eccl. the Church of Christ be described by the diuine and most certaine testimonyes of Canonicall Scripture to be in al Nations whatsoeuer they say Heretikes whatsoeuer they bring let vs not beleeue them In many Nations where the Church is they are not where they are the Church is which is euery where How (h) Ep. 48. do we trust to haue receiued Christ manifested in Scriptures if from thence we haue not receiued the Church which is also manifested therein As he shall be accursed who sayth that Christ hath not suffered nor risen againe the third day because we haue learned in the Euangelicall truth that Christ ought to suffer and the third day to rise againe from the dead So likewise he shall be accursed who shall teach a Church beside the coÌ„munion of all Nations because it followeth in the same place of truth that pennance and forgiuenes of sinnes shall be preached in his name to al Nations The (i) In psal 30. Con. 2. Prophets haue spoken more obscurely of Christ then of the Church I thinke the reason was because they saw in spirit that men would make partyes against the Church and not striuing so much about Christ would rayse vp great contentions about the Church Therefore that was more plainly foretold and more openly prophesied concerning which the greater strife and contention was after to insue We (k) Ep. 48. indeauour to demonstrate by this name Catholike that the Church is in all Nations according to the promisses of God and so many and manifest or aâ—les of the truth it selfe Who (l) De vnitat Eccles is so deafe who it so beside himselfe who is so blind-mynded as to speake against those most euident tests monyes alleadging in my places for the vniuersality of the Church but he that knoweth not what he speaketh By (m) Quaest Euang. l. 1. quaest 38. the East and by the West our Lord would signify the whole world through the which his Church was to be diffused c. aptly he teaâ—â—…eth the Church lightning which is wont to come forth with brightnes froÌ„ the clouds Therfore the authority of the Church being cleerly and manifestly established he admonisheth all that would beleeue in him not to beleeue Schismatickes and Heretiks That which he sayth his comming should be known from the East to the West is against those who are named to be in some part of the world and say that Christ is with them that which he sayth his comming shall be knowne like vnto lightning is against those that gather secretly and are hidden as it were in secret places and in the desart for the name of lightning doth appertaine to the manifestation and clarity of the Church There (n) cont ep Parm. cap. 5. is no security or assurance of vnity vnlesse according to the promises of God the Church declared to be placed vpon a mountayne cannot be hid Behold (o) In epist IoaÌ„ tract 1. thou hast the Church ouer all the world do not follow false iustifyers true distroyers be in that hill which hath filled the world They 〈…〉 stumble at this mountayne and when you bid them ascend they say there is no mountain and they sooner breake their foreheads against it then seeke to haue their dwelling in it How (p) In psal 47. great is the hill whereupon we should pray to be heard of God so great sayth he as that it filleth the world Vpon (q) In psal 44. that mountaine which hath filled the face of the earth there let him adore that will receaue there let him aske that will be heard there let him confesse that will be forgiuen In (r) Epist. 165. thy seed all Nations shal be blessed wherfore trusting to these promises if an Angell from heauen should say vnto thee leaue the Christianity of the whole world and follow the part of Donatus thou shouldest hold him accursed because he would separate thee from the whole and thrust thee into a part aliene thee from the promises of God Taking (s) In psal 56. a part and loosing the whole they will not communicate with the whole world Oh hereticall madnes thou dost beleeue with me that which thou seest not that which thou seest thou denyest Thou beleeuest with me that Christ is exalted aboue the heauens which we do not see and thou denyest his glory to be ouer all the earth which we see The (t) De vnitat Eccles cap. 2. Church is one whom our Ancestors named Catholike that they might shew out of the very Name how she is euery where (u) de vera relig c. 7. We must keep the Christian Religion and Communion with that Church which is Catholike and which is called Catholike not only by her owne but also by all her enemyes For whether they will or no the heretikes themselues when they speake not with their owne but with strangers they call the Catholike Church by no other name but Catholike For they cannot be vnderstood vnlesse they distingnish her by that name whereby she is knowne of all the world (x) In psal 57. Let not certayne flouds my brethren trouble you which are called torrents their water runs away it makes a noyse for a while and will quickly cease they cannot long contunue Many Heresyes are already dead and gone they ran in their brooks
you see in what sense it may be truly sayd that the spirit of Pride is the spirit of Heresy And as it blindeth the vnderstanding and with-holdeth the same from confessing his owne ignorance and from submitting it selfe to beleeue Gods word as it is taught by others so it exposeth and putteth men forth to teach and to make profession of that which they neuer learned 1. Tim. 1.17 They will be Doctours of the law sayth S. Paul neither vnderstanding what they say nor whereof they affirme In which sense one sayd very well of Heretiks that (a) Fulbertus Carnotensis Epist 1. while they refuse to become disciples or schollers of the truth they make themselues the maisters of errour And that which Optatus wrot of Victor may be also affirmed of other Heretikes (b) Opt. l. 1. That they are sonnes without fathers soldiers without captaines disciples without maisters c. Because they do not acknowledge that any haue the authority to bring them vp to lead and instruct them in such manner as that they are bound to obey and beleeue them No meruaile therfore that the Bishop seeming vnto himselfe to be a man of so great and perfect vnderstanding as not to need the help of others could not penetrate the deuine misteryes conteyned in Scripture For Almighty God is so far from reuealing to such as are proud the secrets of his grace that he is playnely sayd to oppose himselfe against them Iac. 4.6 And our Sauiour thanketh his Father for cōcealing his secrets from them Luc. 10.21 I thanke thee Father sayth he that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent in their one conceit and hast reuealed them to little ones such as wil be content to be instructed Yea though his first comming were in all mercy Ioan. 9.39.40 41. yet against such kind of persons he affirmeth that he came to iudgment saying I came into this world to do iudgment that such as see not confessing their owne ignorance might see and vnderstand and that those who see presuming vpon their owne priuate vnderstanding might be made blind with their owne folly And when the Iewes asked him therupon whether they were blind or no he answered vnto them If you were blind acknowledging your owne blindnes you should haue no sinne because your blyndnes should haue been forgiuen you Apoc. 3.17 But now saying that you see not acknowledging him that he sent to teach you your sinne remayneth By all which it is more then manifest That the spirit of Pryde blinding a mans iudgment from penetrating the sense of Scripture and imboldning him like another Bayard to expound the same to others is most properly the spirit of heresie But now it cannot be denyed that the Fayry which led away your Bishop was the spirit of pryde as appeareth by those effects which it produced in him and especially in telling him that he was rich and neded no body to assist him making him appeare so prudent circumspect and all sufficient in his owne conceyt as that he neded not the aduice of any perswading him to write bookes of those things which no mortall man had euer taught him and to professe himselfe an vniuersall Doctour sent from God to teach the world hauing neuer been any mans Scholler from whome he might receiue his doctrine Therefore the spirit that moued him hereunto could be no other then the spirit of heresy Whereby you see that the vayne man did not try his spirit by the rules of Scripture as he ought to haue done but that he belieued his spirit before he tryed him suffred himselfe very easily to be deluded by him And thus much of my second Argument taken out of himselfe against himself and out of his owne words against his owne conclusion From whence I also drawe my third and last argument and briefly thus I propound it The spirit of true Faith is neuer giuen but by meanes of a Preacher or Teacher Rom. 10.14 which is all one And therefore according to S. Paul no man can truely beleeue without a lawfull Preacher because preaching is the meanes which God hath ordained to cōuert those that shal be saued And so we read that to shew the necessity therof S. Paul himselfe being conuerted by Christ who appeared to him in his way to Damascus was sent for his further instruction to Ananias Act. 9.6 Rise saith the text and go into the Citty and it shal be told thee what thou oughtest to do And the Centurion of the Italian Band albeit he deserued that an Angell should appeare vnto him Act. 10.1.3.5 yet he was commaunded to send for such a man in such a house in such a Citty which man should tell him what he ought to do So likewise the Eunuch of Queene Candaces Act. 8.27 c. could not be conuerted without a Preacher because Almighty God being a louer of order would in no case dispence or breake this ordinance of his owne Decree And therfore S. Philip was sent to instruct this potent Eunuch although he were as it seemeth very wise and very vertuous and wanted neither a Bible which he had in his Coach with him nor Gods holy Angell to assist him Who when S. Philip had done his office rapuit eum saith the text carried him sodainely out of sight thereby to confirme the Eunuch so much the more in that faith which he had receiued But this new Ghospeller as himselfe boasteth neuer conferred with any mortall man nor neuer read any Authour of this his new Religion before he was fully resolued to be a perfect English Protestant from whence it may also be inferred that he neuer came in the ayre nor that any body els was myraculously transported thither to instruct him least any man should imagine the contrary And therfore it is most certayne that he could neuer receiue the spirit of true fayth which cōmeth only by a lawfull Preacher and that he did not obserue the rules set downe for the receiuing of it in holy Scripture which is against the true triall of spirits that he pretendeth and which though he would make you belieue yet he neuer proueth and his owne words as I haue shewed by 3. most manifest and most conuincing reasons do euidently disproue him SECTION II. The three former Arguments inforced by three other Circumstances VVHICH three Arguments haue the more force against him in respect of three other circumstances very worthy your good consideration For first hauing been so long a Religions man as he reporteth he must needs haue learned that there is no vice whereby the Diuell taketh such hold to draw a man headlong on and to bring him perforce to euerlasting ruyne as by perswading him to neglect the counsell of others and to confide in his owne wit and priuate vnderstanding The Diuell is fitly compared to a dishonest louer who as long as the maiden or matrone whom he soliciteth is content to keep his