use and we also do expound Parables without an Allegory nor a parabolicall and literall sense which we use when in a fable or parable we do not intend to signifie that which is couched under the bare notion of the words but onely that which is raised in our conceits by those words and hath a further sense But an Allegoricall sense we call that which contains three things first that without all fiction according to the proper signification of the words the history both concerning the words actions and relations be plainly and sincerely recounted Secondly that there be some future thing signified by that thing which is done at present Thirdly that those things which are done be so fitly disposed and ordered that when they are put in execution there appear in them an insinuation of their future correlatives whence it is manisest that no created industry could ever couch such a confirmation of things in this sense but onely the divine Providence which had an infallibility of all future contingencies Also the manner of speech and context of holy Scripture is so singular that it could not have been used by any the most excellent and skilfull of all Christians although they were most exercised in all kind of knowledge for this manner of order and expression was onely granted unto them unto whom the holy Ghost vouchsafed to dictate and inspire it because although there interceded severall distances of times between those Hagiographers or holy Writers and also some of them used more elegance of writing yet the substance of the expression was alwayes the same in all which is a manifest sign that it was not Humane but Divine The same is also approved by the effects by which we gather the virtue of the cause for as I have already shewed both in this book and in another of the simplicity of a Christian life there is no nobler effect then a Christian life which cannot proceed out of any inferiour and created cause but onely from the free gift and liberall hand of Almighty God seeing therefore that that Doctrine is the chief instrument of a Christian life in which the whole form of Christian Religion doth consist it clearly appears that the same and even the manner of speech could not be Humane but Divine for experience teaches that humane learning little avails mankind to a happy and blessed life because before this light appeared to the world it was wholly drowned in a dark night of vices and confusion but after the rayes of Apostolicall Doctrine displayed themselves and the sound of Evangelicall Preachers was heard all those clouds and mists were disperst and the minds of men replenished with those beams became resplendent with a most shining serenity of truth and virtue But in case that some should deny things so long since past I will relate some domesticall examples of my own experience for I have experienced that men have been by this divine Doctrine and the manner of it more illuminated delighted and converted then by any other wherefore since the Preachers of our times neglecting this sacred Doctrine have betaken themselves to Philosophical proportions and Rhetoricall ornaments they have profited their Auditours very little or nothing at all whereas heretofore making use in their Sermons of a plain manner of speech and content onely with the instruction and textuall frequence of holy Scripture they have wonderfully inflam'd the minds of their hearers who were so mutually delighted that both in prosperity and adversity they did expresse their jubilee of mind whence they were wonderfully stirr'd up to leade most blessed and virtuous lives I call God to witnesse that I have been oftentimes preaching unto the people when I have made digressions to prove the profundity of the sacred Text unto the wits of this age to the learneder sort by Philosophicall subtilties and humane learning I have plainly perceived out of a certain impatience and aversion of my Auditory very little attention in them and this not onely of the moâ—e ignorant but even of the learned sort but as soon as I turned my self again unto the Majesty of sacred Writ either in the Interpretation of divers senses or in the relation of the histories I have seen an admirable attention in every one all fixing their eyes upon me as if they had not been living creatures but meer statues Yea I have experienced that when omitting other questions I have insisted upon the Exposition of sacred Scripture my Auditory hath been so delighted so illustrated and verity appearing so touched to the quick by Divine influence that they have immediately reform'd their lives insomuch that being delighted with no other reading or hearing any other thing renouâ—cing all terrene delights and appetites and stirring themselves up daily more and more they have lived lives more divine then humane And what I now affirm happen'd farre more frequently in those Primitive Ages when Christian Religion was but newly planted This is that Doctrine which is more piercing then the two-edged sword which imbelished the whole with virtues which defaced the worship of the devils and demolished the profane Oracles of their Idols this is that which hath dispersed a world of errours and hath been so fruitfull of all sorts of wonders as I will hereafter declare Our understanding the more purified it is the more capable it is of Verity and hence it is that so many most excellent and elevated wits have not onely extolled the praises of this Doctrine by their writings but giving testimony of it by their preaching life and manners have not doubted to spend their lives in its defence which certainly they would no way have done had they not seen almost a sensible and ocular evidence of its verity Further truth gives testimony of truth and falsity is the cause of division other disciplines arts and faculties are not contrary but as servants unto this whence most learned and skilfull Doctours who are most versed and exercised in all Sciences do most constantly maintain that there is no part of Philosophy which is repugnant or inconsistant nay which is not most fitly coherent with it and therefore it is permitted all Christians to imploy their indeavours in the gaining of all Sciences which would no way be tolerated if it were detrimentary unto the Catholique Faith there are onely some few subject to superstition which are forbidden as that of Divination being no lesse pernicious then unprofitable which by the learnedst even of the Philosophers are hissed at derided and condemned as not to be accounted amongst the Arts and Sciences And if at any time there appear any contradiction between Philosophicall and Christian Principles they are so apparantly reconciled by our Doctours that it clearly appears that all Philosophy is but the servant and hand-maid of the sacred Doctrine for the easie dissolving of objections is the certain sign of Verity It is the nature of Verity that the more it is impugned the more if it have a fit
same entity Then he commands himself to be believed as God the Sonne being the same with the Father and the holy Ghost and that he is at the same time true man the sonne of the Virgin Mary whom he also commands to be adored as the true Mother of God that the Crosse also which was alwayes esteemed as the instrument of equivalent ignominy should be held in most supreme honour and veneration as the chief sign of our salvation In his last supper he commanded by his last Will and Testament that we believe that Bread and Wine by virtue of a few words of Consecration were really and substantially changed and transubstantiated into his Body and Bloud notwithstanding that the wonted accidents of Bread and Wine persisted and that we should under those signes of Bread and Wine adore him and receive him as nourishment and a celestiall viaticum by which he promised us eternall life and that no body could enter into the kingdome of Heaven unlesse they were born again of water and the holy Ghost Moreover he commanded that all his Scriptures should be believed to a tittle without hesitation doubt or derogation notwithstanding they contain things most difficult to humane understanding without the belief of all which there was no salvation Nor is this constant and firm veneration of those things sufficient unlesse contemning visible things and loving the invisible we do patiently undergo all kind of persecutions In patientia enim vestra possidebitis inquit animas vestras In your patience you shall saith he possesse your souls He promised his followers and servants in this life not riches honours and dignities but the clean contrary to wit poverty ignominy oppression and what is more outrages blows banishment gaols conflicts and torments by suffering which for his sake he promises us an unspeakable beatitude promising things unto us which exceed the understanding of man as Glory for example in heaven with the Angels the Resurrection of the bodies and that which neither eye hath seen nor ear hath heard nor hath ascended into the heart of man These things notwithstanding being so he brought to passe whatever he pleased although the world fought against him For innumerable men of all sorts and conditions have so received and maintained this Doctrine that they chose rather to leave their lives then to forsake their Faith Kings also and Princes as we see at present humbly inclining themselves under the yoke of Faith are obedient to his inferiour Ministers Let us set therefore before our eyes Christ as a poor man accounted formerly and esteemed the sonne of a Carpenter and contemned by those that knew him and let us ask him what he thinks Now let him answer I though a poor man and a stranger to the world do intend to bring the whole world under my Laws and do intend that men do adore me as a true God together with my Father and the holy Ghost and that they also worship the Crosse on which being nail'd I shall die a most ignominious and cruel death between two theeves and after this cruel death that they do most devoutly and honourably reverence the Instruments and Reliques of my torments and preserve and place them amongst their chief and precious jewels and treasures And that above all things with Faith and their best Devotions they adore this Sacrifice of Bread and Wine as the true substance of my Body and Bloud and that by the Water of holy Baptisme they believe their souls to be cleansed from all spot of sinne and that they are sanctified by the anointing of Oyl and Balm and lastly that receiving and observing my whole Doctrine entirely they esteem it as a great wickednesse to derogate ought from it even to the last tittle and that they honour and make their addresses unto my Mother being sanctified with an uncorrupted and perpetuall Virginity and esteem her next unto God as Lady and Queen of the Universe by a speciall prerogative exalted above all the quire of Angels and that they make their supplications to those whieh from being Fishermen I have chosen to be my Disciples and that they adore their very bones ashes and other reliques wouldst thou not judge this poor man thinking and speaking such things of himself to be a sot fool and worthy onely to be laughed at If further whilst thou laugh'st at him he should go on and say it is my will that they not onely do most firmly beleeve all those things but that for this reason they lead their lives most continently and uprightly and for my promise given them of an invisible happinesse they despise all terrene and sensible things and to shew their most ardent affection towards me they do most willingly undergo poverty thirst famine toils miseries torments and most cruel deaths and that they choose rather all these things then deny the least tittle of my Doctrine Wouldst thou not think this man wholly mad and out of his wits If he should adde to this it is my pleasure that all this be brought to passe against the resistance of the whole world against Kings and Princes against all the Religions and sects of Gods and men I intend to fight against infernal powers to gain the victory and triumph over them questionlesse thou wouldst burst into a louder laughter But if being asked by what confidence or arms he meant to effect those things he should answer by no other then by the preaching of himself and his Disciples and because eloquence hath a great force to perswade the minds of men lest any of his victories should be attributed unto it that he should affirm that faculty no way to fit his purpose and that his Ministers should bring those things to effect without all art by a sober modest and simple narration of those things thou wouldst ascribe this to a higher degree of madnesse If he should go on I know that for my sake an infinite multitude of men would perish that the more there die the more the number of the faithful shall increase and my Faith shall be propagated to the farthest ends of the world for the bloud of my Martyrs shall as the Seed of the Church yield a fruitfull harvest of my Believers and I will deliver unto one of those my Fishermen and to his Ministers which shall never fail by a continuall inheritance the perpetuall Sceptre of the Kingdome of Heaven and I will make to stoop the supreme City and Lady of the world and the Emperour himself to kisse the feet of my Substitutes Oh! if thou shouldst hear him say so with what furies I will not say madnesse wouldst thou think him to be agitated what peals of laughter wouldst thou not bestow upon him Hearken to him a little further there shall be infinite Books written of me by most excellent and learned men which shall praise and magnifie both me and my Doctrine and extolling it above all others shall defend it with their whole forces my
that there is one body and one spirit one hope of their calling one Lord one Faith one Baptisme and the Scripture testifieth that in the Apostles dayes the multitude of Believers were of one heart and of one soul Acts 4.32 The Universality of the Church is also twofold in time and in place this later was foretold by the Prophet Moses relating Gods promise made to Abraham of an ample posterity and that all the nations of the earth should be blessed in his seed Gen. 22.18 Gal. 3.8 by the Royall Psalmist declaring that God the Father would give unto his Son the heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost part of the earth for his possession Psal 2.8 and that he should have dominion from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth Psal 72.8 and by the Prophet Isaiah affirming that all nations shall flow to the mountain of the Lords house Isa 2. v. 2. For the accomplishment of these Prophecies our Blessed Saviour declared Luke 24. v. 44. that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses aend in the Prophets and in the Psalmes concerning him and v. 47. that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his name among all uations beginning at Jerusalem and for the performance hereof he gave a commission unto his Apostles to teach all nations Matth. 28.19 and to preach the Gospel to every creature Mar. 19. v. 15. That the Church of Christ should be universall for time and continue perpetually unto the worlds end it was plainly foretold by the Prophet Isaiah who speaking of our B. Saviour saith that of the encrease of his government and peace there shall be no end Vpon the throne of David and upon his kingdome shall he sit to order it and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even for ever and that no doubt may be made of the performance hereof the Prophet addes the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this And by the Prophet Daniel affirming that in the dayes of those Kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdome which shall not be left to other people but it shall break in pieces and consume all those kingdomes and it shall stand for ever Dan. 2.44 All which was confirmed by the Angel Gabriel saying The Lord shall give unto Christ the throne of his Father David and he shall reign over the house of Jacob and of his kingdome there shall be no end Luke 1. ver 32 33. For the perpetuall settlement and establishing of this Church Christ said unto S. Peter Vpon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Matth. 16.18 Touching the sanctity of the Church of Christ God by the Prophet Ezekiel saith I will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore and the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctifie Israel when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore Ezek 37. v. 26 28. and by the Prophet Malachi Mal. 1.11 From the rising of the sunne even to the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name and a peace-offering Unto this sanctity our Blessed Saviour exhorts us saying Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Matth. 5.16 and Mark 7. v. 13 14. Enter ye in at the strait gate for strait is the gate and narrow the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it And teaching how to distinguish the good from the bad he saith v. 20. By their fruits ye shall know them As for Apostolicall succession S. Paul saith Ephes 4. v. 11 12 13. that Christ gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come into the unity of faith and of the unity of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ that is as Doctour Fulk against the Rhem. Test in Ephes 4. sect 4. fol. 335. and Mr. Calvin in his Instit cap. 8. de fide sect 37 38. pag. 233. 234. do expound for ever As for the second point whether the Church of Christ can erre or no S Augustine saith that neither the violence of heathens nor the subtilty of hereticks can overthrow it which agrees with our Savionrs promise Matth. 16.18 that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it and to preserve her from all errour and heresie Christ promised to be alwayes with her even to the worlds end Matth. 28.20 and God made this covenant with her Isa 59.21 My spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever by which words saith Mr. Calvin in Comment hujus loci God promiseth that the Church shall never be deprived of this inestimable benefit to be governed by the Holy Ghost and to be suported by heavenly doctrine and to this effect he sent down the Holy Ghost to teach the Church all truth and to remain with her for ever Joh. 16.13 Joh. 14.16 Thus thou seest how S. Augustines instructions for finding out the truth are grounded in Scripture but more expressely in S. Pauls doctrine who tells us Rom. 10.17 that faith cometh by hearing and hearing is by the word of God if we ask him how men may come to heare the word of God he answers v. 14 15. How shall they hear without a preacher and how shall they preach unlesse they be sent So that faith is bred in men by hearing and believing the word of God made known unto them by preachers lawfully sent which preachers as he saith to the Ephesians Ephes 4. v. 11 12 13. are alwayes to be found in the Church of Christ and are placed there ver 14. that from henceforth we be no more children tossed to fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleighs of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in wait to deceive which is an office that cannot be performed by men that are frail and subject to errour unles the Lord by his divine assistance doth preserve them from erring Doctour Field having considered the facility and solidity of this method doth advise all those to practise it that desire to be satisfied in matters of Religion in these terms Epist dedic of the Church Seeing the controversies in our time are grown in number so many and in nature so intricate that few have time and leisure fewer strength of understanding to examine them what remaineth for men desirous