Melody and joy at their Destructions yet we assure our selves and ye might dread Gods further Judgement by the event it was the Cry of their innocent Bloud which fill'd the Court of Heaven and in a just revenge of their Oppression procured Luthers Commission for Germanies Revolt And yet say you Luther was the Cause of Dissention in Christs Church why so Because he burst your former Unity whose only Bond was Hellish Tyrannie Of such a dissention and of the breach of such an Unity we grant he was the Cause and you have no just cause to accuse him of dissention or disobedience for it For all kind of Unity is not to be preferred before all kind of Dissention or Revolt He that will not dissent from any man or society of men upon any Occasion whatsoever must live at perpetual Enmity with his God and War continually against his own Soul For there is an Unity in Rebellion a Brotherhood in Mischief a Society in Murther both of Body and Soul Wherefore unlesse you can prove your Cause or Title for exacting such absolute submission of mens souls and spirits unto your Church or Popes Decrees to be most just and warrantable by Commission from the Highest Power in Heaven Luther and all that followed him did well in preferring a most just most necessary and sacred War before a most unjust and shamefully-execrable Peace A Peace no Peace but a banding in open Rebellion against the Supream Lord of Heaven and Earth and his Sacred Laws given for the perpetual Government of Mankind throughout their generations 4 To presse you a little with your Objections against us and our Doctrine for nourishing dissention Our Church say you hath no Means of taking up Controversies aright If this were true yet God be praised it ministreth no just occasion of any dangerous Quarrel But be ours as it may be hath your Church any better Means for composing Controversies of greatest moment that raign this day throughout the Christian World Or doth it not by this insolent proud tyrannical claim of Soveraigntie and imperial Umpiership over all other Churches in all Controversies give just cause of the greatest dissention and extremest Opposition that can be imagined could be given in the Church of Christ The whole world besides cannot minister any like it Nature and common Reason teach us that a man may with far safer Conscience take arms in defence of his Life and Liberty then in hope to avoid some pettie loss or grievance or to revenge some ordinary cause of private discontent the Quarrel in the one though with resistance unto our Adversaries bloud may be justifiable which in the other albeit within the compasse of lesse danger were detestable But Grace doth teach us this Equitie Skin for Skin all that ever a man hath the whole world and more if he had it is to be spent in the defence of Faith the only seat of our Spiritual Life or for the Libertie of our Conscience You alone teach that all men should submit their Faith to your Decrees without examination of them or appeal from them we usurp no such Authoritie either over yours or any mens Consciences You challenge our Soveraign Lord and all his People to be your ghosily Slaves we only stand in our own defence we exact to such absolute Service or Allegeance either of you or any other the meanest Christian Church no nor our Prince and Clergie of the natural members of our own They only seek would God they sought aright in time to keep them short at home whose long reach might hale over Sea your long-sought Tyrannie over this People of Brittany happily now divided Lord ever continue this happy Division from the Romish world Unlesse your Means of taking up so great Contentions as hence in equitie ought to arise be so superexcellent that it can make amends where all is marred for which I cannot see what Means can be sufficient unlesse you either let your Suit fall or prove your Title to be most just by Arguments most Authentick and strong you evidently impose a necessitie of the greatest Contentions and extremest Opposition that any abuse or wrong losse or danger possibly to befall a Christian man either as a Man or Christian either in things of this life or that other to come either concerning his very Life and Libertie whether Temporal or Spiritual or whatsoever else is more dear unto him can occasion of breed 5 That which ye usually premise to work such a prejudice in credulous and unsetled minds as may make your sleight pretences of Reason or Scripture to be sifted anone seem most firm and solid to ground you Infallibility upon is the supposed Excellency of it for taking up all Controversies in Religion and so of retaining Unitie of Holy Catholick Faith in the Bond of Love If indeed it were so excellent for this purpose you might rest contented with it and heartily thank God for it Yea but because you have this excellent Means which we have not nor any like unto it yours is the true Catholick Church and ours a congregation of Schismaticks What if we would invent the like would that serve to make ours a true Church Or tell us what Warrant have you for inventing or establishing your supposed most excellent Order for taking up Controversies Was it from Heaven or was it from Men If from Heaven we will obey it if from Men we will imitate you in it if we like it But first let us a little further examin it CAP. XXVIII That of two Senses in which the Excellency of the Romish Churches pretended Means for retaining the Unity of Faith can only possibly be defended The one from the former discourse proved apparently False The other â—… self as palpably Ridiculous 1 WHen you affirm the Infallibility of your Church to be so excellent a Means for taking up all Controversies in Religion you have no choice of any other but one of these two Meanings Either you mean It is so excellent a means de facto and doth take up all Controversies or else it would be such as might take up all if all men would subscribe unto It. 2 If you take the former Sense or meaning we can evidently take you as we say with the very manner of Falshood For this claim of such Authoritie as we partly shewed before is the greatest eye-sore to all faithful eyes that can be imagined and makes your Religion more irreconcilable to the Truth And for this Church of England as in it some dissent from you in many Points others in fewer some more in one some more in another so in this of your Churches Infallibility all of us dissent from you most evidently most eagerly without all hope of Reconcilement or agreement unlesse you utterly disclaim the Title in as plain terms as hitherto you have challenged it Your dealing herein is as absurdly impious and impiously insolent as if any Christian Prince or State should
in Secular For as we shewed before he moved Holy men to write the Scriptures that we by them might attain eternal life Secondly besides this most infallible Rule or Law we admit an equal Necessity of Ecclesiastical and Temporal Judges an equal Authority in both to give Sentence viva voce And albeit we deny any absolute Infallibility in either yet the Possibility of not erring we acknowledge so much greater in the Judge Ecclesiastick as his Directory Rule is more certain and Authentical But here I must request these great Disputers of Rome if their Frenzie ome but by fits and admit Lucida intervalla one time or other upon their good dayes or in their sober hours if God send them any to bethink themselves wel what manner of Judge they require in matters Civil or meerly Secular such an one as cannot possibly erre in judgement one whom neither Ignorance lewd Desires nor exorbitant Affections can cause to swerve either from the undoubted Rules of Natural or Civil Equity the fundamental Laws of his Country or the chief Law-givers true intent and meaning If they willingly grant that our Civil Magistracie which they acknowledge lawful and necessary in its kind may sometimes judge wrongfully in Causes by nature most determinable by ordinary course of Civil Justice as for example in condemning Priests and Jesuites or generally in matters of Life and Death with what foreheads can they demand we should Believe the Pope or other Ecclesiastick Judge cannot possibly give erroneous sentence in any matters of Religion many of which are of that nature as can admit no other use of external or coactive Power save only severe restraint of all precise Determinations or curious search one way or other And to admit though in Cases meerly Civil such an absolute inerrable Tribunal from whose censure no man though ready with patience to brook the execution of heaviest bodily doom it could inflict may so much as in the secrets of his Heart or Conscience so far appeal as to examin whether the determination be right or wrong were either secretly to deny or openly to praeoccupate or prevent Christs Final Judgement wherein even Supream Judges shal be judged and all forepast decisions examined by the written Word which these men disclaim for any Authentick Rule of Faith the Right approved the Wrong reversed by Him whose peculiar Prerogative it is though now usurped by the Pope to put a Final End to all controversies viva voce 4 Notwithstanding be it supposed for disputations sake that God had appointed such an Authentick Tribunal as these Drunkards dream of for deciding matters of Religion yet were it most grosse to think might Reason alone without Scripture be admitted Judge there should be but one Supream Tribunal for the whole Christian World Even common Sense were Reason silenced might instruct us that it were much more convenient for every several Kingdom every free State or Societie of men to have such a Consistorie or Supream Tribunal amongst themselves For by the means might all differences in Opinions be far sooner known more narrowly sifted and present notice taken of every Circumstance concerning their Occasions Progresse or Favourers the controversie it self quicklier decided the Offenders more speedily punished and the like occasions better avoided Whereas for every Nation to resort to Rome or for the Pope to send his Legates into every corner of the Christian World would procure great toil and long labour with little successe The causers of contentions or maintainers of Heresies might often die in their Sins before the controversie were examined or the Truth so manifested as might move their to Repentance or recantation of their Errours the Information might be impertinent partial imperfect or false the Opinion or supposed Herenr being happily first set abroach in the presumed Hereticks Countrie Dâ—aleci would be worse understood of the Pope whose Instruction in many principal circumstances must oft-times depend upon disagreeing hear-sayes for his Holiness sees no better his Infallible-ship hears no farther in matters de facto then meaner men his plenarie Power even while he gives Sentence ex cathedra is not able to understand more Tongues then many Linguists may in a meaner seat his Fatherhood understands none besides his mother-Tongue so wel as the natural inhabitants of every Countrie do their own proper native Language Many such Inconveniences might be alledged for which might we chuse what manner of Ecclesiastick Government God should appoint us we should make choice of a Supream Judge in all causes Ecclesiastical at home rather then go to Rome to have them heard If the Controversers were to go from Norway the Seas might be frozen and the enemies possesse the Land The passages from sundrie other places might all be so stopt as we should have greater controversie in going to Rome then that for which we were to go Or if the Election of men for by man is the Pope elected could give such Infallibility to any the manner of such Elections would be much more agreeable to the Rules of Gods Providence and the example of Christs Apostles if all the Congregation which was to relie upon his Infallibility should first make choice of some few most excellent and famous men renowned for Learning and Integritie afterwards all with one mind and one heart pray unto the Lord to shew by lot which was the man to whom he would undoubtedly vouchsafe this infallible Assistance of his Holy Spirit Thus might Reason or common Sense without Scripture be Judge what manner of Government were fittest for Christs Church we could bring far greater Reasons for a multitude of Popes or Ecclesiastical Monarches for one at least in every Nation then either our Adversaries bring or can be brought for one general Monarch over the Universal Church Militant 5 And albeit this challenged large extent of the Romish Churches Authoritie over others were the Authoritie it self otherwise for the Qualitie moderate had been in former times not altogether so unreasonable yet were it at this day to be abandoned as a turbulent device apt for nothing so much as perpetual disturbation of publick Peace throughout Christendom now divided into so many several Soveraignties and governed by so many absolute Princes or States no way dependent one of another And Bellarmin's Reasons brought for to prove the Monarchical government of the Church would with far greater Probabilities infer a conveniencie for a several Monarchical Government in every particular State then for one general Monoâ—rch over all While the Christian World was governed by one absolute Monarch or Emperour and all the peculiar customes or priviledges of several Nations like divers members of the same Bodie conformable one to another by their common subordination to one supream Imperial Law the Vertue of a like Ecclesiastical Authoritie might have been equally diffused throughout the whole Bodie thereof as the splendor of the Sun throughout the whole Hemisphere of the Air and other aetherial and coelestial Bodies
is essentially subordinate CAP. IV. Containing a further Resolution of Romish faith necessarily inferring the authority of the Romish Church to be of greater authority then Gods Word absolutely not only in respect of us IF we rack the former syllogism a little farther and stretch it out in every joynt to its ful length we may quickly make it confesse our proposed conclusion and somewhat more The Syllogism was thus What soever God hath spoken is most true But God hath spoken and caused to be written all those words contained in the Canon of Scriptures acknowledged by opposite religions of these times Therefore these words are most true The certainty of the Minor depends as our adversaries wil have it upon the present Romish Churches Insallibility which hath commended unto us these Books for Gods Word Be it then granted for disputations sake that we cannot know any part of Gods Word much lesse the just bounds extent or limits of all his words supposed to be revealed for our good but by the Romish Church The Spiritual Sense or true meaning of al most or many parts of these determinate Volums and visible Characters as yet is undeterminate and uncertain whereas all ponts of belief must be grounded on the determinate and certain sence of some part of Gods Word revealed for our adversaries acknowledg all points of Faith should be resolved into the First Truth Hence if we descend to any particular or determinate conclusion of Faith it must be gathered in his Syllogism Whatsoever the Church teacheth concerning the determinate and true sence of Scriptures whereon points of Faith are grounded is most trâ—â— But the Church teacheth thus and thus for example That her own authority is infallibly taught by the Holy Ghost in these words Peter feed my sheep Peter I have prayed for thee that thy faith should not fail ergo this sence and meaning of these words is most true And as true as it is must the sence likewise of every proposition or part of Scripture by this Church expounded or declared be accounted 2 The Major proposition of this Syllogism is as undoubted amongst the Roman Catholicks as the Major of the former was unto all Christians but as yet the Minor The Church doth give this or that sence of this or that determinate place may be as uncertain indeed as they would make our belief unto the Minor proposition in the general Syllogism before it be confirmed by the Churches authority For how can we be certain that the Church doth teach al those particulars which the Jesuites propose unto us we have Books indeed which go under the name of the Trent Councel but how shall we know that this Councel was lawfully assembled that some Canons have not been foisted in by private Spirits that the Councel left not some unwritten tradition for explicating their decrees after another fashion then the Jesuites do who shall assure us in these or like doubts The present Church All of us cannot repair to Rome such as can when they come thither cannot be sure to hear the true Church speak ex Cathedra If the Pope send his Writs to assure us what Critick so cunning as to assure us whether they be authentick or counterfeit Finally for all that can be imagined in this case only the Major of the Catholick syllogism indefinitely taken is certain and consequently no particular or definite conclusion of Faith can be certain to a Romanist because there are no possible means of ascertaining the Minor What the true Church doth infallibly define unto his Conscience 3 Or if they wil hold such conclusions as are ordinarily gathered from the Trent Councel or the Popes decisions as infallible points of faith they make their authority to be far greater then the infallibility of Gods written word yea more infallible then the Deity This Collection they would deny unlesse it followed from their own premisses These for example That a conclusion of faith cannot be gathered unless the minor God did say this or that determinately be first made certain But from the Pope or Churches infallibility conclusions of faith may be gathered albeit the minor be not certain de Fide For who can make a Jesuites report of the Popes Decrees or an Historical relation of the Trent Councel certain de fide as certain as an Article of faith And yet the Doctrine of the Trent Councel and Popes Decrees must be held de fide upon pain of damnation albeit men take them only from a Priests mouth or upon a Jesuites faith and credit 4 This is the madnesse of that Antichristian Synagogue that acknowledgeth Gods Word for most infallible and the Scriptures which we have for his word if it self be infallible For it tels us they are such yet wil not have collections or conclusions with equal probability deduced thence so firmly believed by private men as the collections or conclusions which are gathered from the Churches Infallibility An implicit faith of particulars grounded upon the Churches general infallibility so men stedfastly believe it may suffice But implicit faith of particulars grounded only upon our general Belief of Gods infallibility providence or written word sufficeth not This proves the authority of the Church to be above the athority of Scriptures or the Deity absolutely considered not only in respect of us that is all besides the Pope and his Cardinals For that is of more authority absolutely not only in respect of us which upon equal notice or knowledge is to be better believed more esteemed or obeyed but such is the authority of the Church in respect of the divine authority such is the authority of the Popes Decrees in respect of Gods Word For the Minor proposition in both the former Syllogisms being alike uncertain the conclusion must be more certain in that Syllogism whose major relies upon the Popes infallibility then in the other whose Major was grounded upon the infallibility of the Deity 6 Briefly to collect the sum of all The authority of the Church is greater then the authority of Scriptures both in respect of Faith and Christian Obedience In respect of Faith because we are bound to believe the Churches decisions read or explicated unto us by the Popes messenger though a Sir John Lack-latin without any appeal but no part of Scripture acknowledged by us and them we may believe without appeal or submission of our interpretation to the Church albeit the true sence and meaning of it seem never so plain unto private consciences in whom Gods Spirit worketh Faith The same argument is most firm and evident in respect of Obedience 6 That authority over us is alwayes greatest unto which we are to yield most immediate most strict and absolute obedience but by the Romish Churches Doctrine we are to yield supream and most absolute obedience to the Church more supream and absolute then unto Gods word therefore the authority of the Church is greater over us The Major is out of controversie seeing
his Apostles was THat the Church of Rome doth advance her decrees above the laws and ordinances of the Almighty her words that in this kind is called Gods above all divine Oracles written and unwritten is apparant out of their own positions hitherto discussed yet is this but the first degree of great Antichrists Exaltation 〈◊〉 second is the exalâ—â—ng the Popes above any personal authority that ever was either practised or established on earth This in brief is the assertion which by Gods assistance we are in this present section to maâ—e evident The authority which the Jesuites and Jesuited Priests give and would bind others upon pain of damnation to give unto the present Church or Pope throu 〈◊〉 every age is greater then any authority that ever was challenged since the world began by any man or visible company of men the man Christ Jesus not excepted This conclusion followeth immediately out of three Positions generally held and stifly maintained by that Church The first that the Pope live he as he list cannot erre in matters of faith and manners when he speaketh ex Cathedra that we are bound infallibly to believe whatsoever he so speaks without examination of his doctrine by Gods word or evident external sign or internal Experiment of Gods spirit speaking in him The second that we cannot assure our selves the Scriptures are the Oracles of God but by the infallible testimony of the Visible Church The third that the true sense and meaning of Scriptures in cases doubtful or controversed cannot be undoubtedly known without the infallible declaration of the same Church CAP. XI What restraint precepts for obedience unto the Priests of the Law though 〈◊〉 ing most universal for their Form did necessarily admit And how universal Propositions of Scriptures are to be limited 1 SEing we undertake to prove that no such authority as the Romish Church doth callenge was ever established on earth The answering of those arguments drawn from the authority of the Priests in the old Testament may to the judicious seem at the first sight needlesse yet because such as they set the fairest glosses upon if we look into the inside or substance are fullest fraught with their own disgrace and ignominy It wil not be superfluous to acquaint the Reader with some particulars prefixing some general admonitions to the younger sort for more commodious answering of all that can be brought of like kind 2 Their common places of cozening the world especially smatterers of Logick or school learning with counterfeit proofs of Scripture is either from some universal precept of obedience given to the people or general promises of infallibility made to the Priests in the old Testament Such as come unto the Scriptures having their mind dazled with notionâ— of universale primum or other Logick rules true in some cases think the former precepts being for their form universal may admit no exception limitation or restraint otherwise the holy Ghost might break the rule of Logick when as they admit many restraints not alwayes from one but oft-times from divers reasons from these following especially God sometimes injoyns obedience as we say in the Abstract to set us a pattern of such true accurate obedience as men should perform unto authority it self or unto such governours as neither in their lives nor in the Seat of judgement would decline either to the right hand or to the left but square all their proceedings to the exact rule of Gods word Unto such governours continual and compleat obedience was to be performed because the 〈◊〉 governed upon examination should alwayes find them jump with the law of God unto which absolute obedience as hath been shewed is due Nor doth the word of God in setting out such exact obedienc lie open to that exception which Politicians take against Philosophers as if it as Philosophers do did give instructions only for happy men of Aristotles making or for the Stoicks wise men who can no where be found but in Plato's common-wealth whose Metropolis is in the Region of Eutopia For the ancient Israel of God had this prerogative above all the nations of the earth that their Priests lips whilest they themselves were clothed with righteousness and bare holinesse unto the Lord in their breasts should still preserve knowledge and be able to manifest the wil of God unto the people not only by interpreting the general written law but by revelations concerning particular facts of principal moment as may be gathered from that law Also thou shalt put in the breast-plate of judgement the Urim and the Thummim which shall be upon Aarons heart when he goeth in before the Lord And Aaron shall bear the judgement of the children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually 3 To omit the various interpretations and divers opinions of this Brest-plates use why it was called the Breast-plate of Judgement Josephus and Suidas in my mind come nearest the truth That the Revelation by it was Extraordinary that Gods presence or Juridical approbation of doubts proposed was represented upon the pretious stones that were set therein is probable partly from the aptnesse of it to allure the Israelites unto Idolatry partly from that formality which the Egyptians in imitation of the Ephods ancient use amongst the Jews retained long after in declaration of the truth in Judgement For Diodorus tels us that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or chief Judg in that Famous and venerable Egyptian high Court or Parliament did wear about his neck in a golden chain Insigne a Tablet of pretious stone or if the Reader be disposed to correct the Translator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they called as the Septuagint did Aarons Breast-plate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on which he stedfastly looked while matters were debating as Suidas saith the High Priest did on his Breast-plate whilest they asked counsel of God and whilest he gave Sentence turned it unto the better cause exhibited as the fashion was in that Court in writing iâ— sign the Truth it self did speak for it That the Urim or Thummim were more then an Emblem yea an Oracle of Justice and right Judgement is apparant out of Scripture When Josâ—… was consecrated to be Israels chief Governour in Moses stead he was to stand before Fleazar the Priest ordained to ask counsel for him by the Judgement of Urim before the Lord So did Abiathar certisie David of Sauls malitious resolution against him and the Lords of â—eilahs treachery if he should trust unto them So again David is assured of victory by the judgement of Urim and Thummim if he would follow the Amalekites that had burnt Zâ—klâ—g 4 Such Priests as these were to be absolutely obeyed in answers thus given from the mouth of God And it is most probable that the parties whom these answers did concern had perfect notice of the Revelation made to the Priests howsoever the truths of such answers being confirmed by Experiment in those
be certaine whether ever there had been such an Emperour as they plead succession from or at least how far his Dominions extended or where they lay This manner of plea in secular controversies would be a mean to defeat him that made it For albeit the Christian World did acknowledge there had been such an Emperour and that many parts of Europe of right belonged unto his lawfull heir Yet if it were otherwise unknown what parts these were or who this heir should be no Judge would be so mad as finally to determine of either upon such motives Or if the Plaintiffe could by such courses as the World knows oft prevail in judgement or other gracious respects effect his purpose he were worse then mad that could think the finall resolution of his right were into the Emperours last Will and Testament which by his own confession no man knows besides himself and not rather into his own presumed fidelitie or the Judges apparant partiality So in this Controversie whatsoever the Pope may pretend from Christ all in the end comes to his own authority which we may safely believe herein to be most infallible that it will never prove partiall against it self or define ought to his Holinesse disadvantage 10 Here again it shall not be amisse to admonish younger Students of another gull which the Jesuite would put upon us to make their Churches Doctrin seem lesse abominable in this point lest you should think they did equalize the authority of the Church with divine revelations Valentian would perswade you it were no part of the formal object of faith It is true indeed that the Churches authority by their Doctrine is not comprehended in the object of Belief whilest it onely proposeth other Articles to be believed No more is the Sun comprehended under the objects of our actual sight whilest we behold colours or other visibles by the vertue of it But yet as it could not make colours or other things become more visible unto us unlesse it self were the first and principal visible that is unlesse it might be seen more clearly then those things which we see by it so we would direct our sight unto it so would it be impossible the Churches infallible proposal could make a Roman Catholicks Belief of Scriptures or their Orthodoxal sence the stronger unlesse it were the first and principal credible or primary object of his Beliefe or that which must be most clearly most certainly and more stedfastly believed so as all other Articles besides must be believed by the belief or credibility of it This is most evident out of Sacroboscus and Bellarmines resolution or explication of that point how the Churches proposal confirmes a Roman Catholicks belief To give this Doctrine of their Churches infallibility the right title according to the truth it is not an Article of Catholick Belief but a Catholick Axiom of Antichristian unbelief which from the necessary consequences of their assertions more strictly to be examined will easily appear CAP. XXIX What manner of casual dependance Romish Belief hath on the Church that the Romanist truely and properly believes the Church onely not God or his Word 1 THe two main assertions of our Adversaries whence our intended conclusion must be proved are these often mentioned heretofore First that we cannot be infallibly perswaded of the truth of Scriptures but by the Churches proposal Secondly that without the same we cannot be infallibly perswaded of the true sence or meaning of these Scriptures which that Church and we both believe to be Gods Word How we should know the Scriptures to be Gods Word is a Probleme in Divinity which in their judgement cannot be assoiled without admission of Traditions or divine unwritten verities of whose extent and meaning the Church must be infallible Judge It is necessary to salvation saith Bellarmine that we know there be some books divine which questionlesse cannot by any means be known by Scriptures For albeit the Scripture say that the Books of the Prophets or Apostles are divine yet this I shall not certainly believe unlesse I first believe that Scripture which saith thus is divine For so we may read every where in Mahomets Alcoran that the Alcoran it self was sent from heaven but we beliefe it not Therefore this necessary point that some Scripture is divine cannot sufficiently be gathered out of Scriptures alone Consequently seeing faith must rely upon Gods Word unlesse we have Gods word unwritten we can have no faith His meaning is we cannot know the Scriptures to be divine but by Traditions and what Traditions are divine what not we cannot know but by the present visible Church as was expresly taught by the same Authour before And the final resolution of our believing what God hath said or not said must be the Churches Authority To this collection Sacroboscus thus farre accords Some Catholicks rejected divers Canonical Books without any danger and if they had wanted the Churches proposal for others as well as them they might without sin have doubted of the whole Canon This he thinks consonant to that of Saint Austin I would not believe the Gospel unlesse the Churches authority did thereto move me He addes that we of reformed Churches making the visible Churches authority in defining points of faith unsufficient might disclaim all without any greater sin or danger to our souls then we incurre by disobeying some parts of Scripture to wit the Apocryphal books canonized by the Romish Church The Reader I hope observes by these passages How Bellarmine ascribes that to Tradition which is peculiar to Gods providence Sacroboscus that to blind belief which belongs unto the holy Spirit working faith unto the former points by the ordinary observation of Gods Providence and Experiments answerable to the rules of Scriptures 2 Consequently to the Trent Councels Decree concerning the second assertion Bellarmine thus collects It is necessary not onely to be able to read Scriptures but to understand them but the Scripture is often so ambiguous and intruate that it cannot be understood without the exposition of some that cannot erre therefore it alone is not sufficient Examples there be many For the equality of the divine persons the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son as from one joynt original Original sin Christs descension into Hel and many like may indeed be deduced out of Scriptures but not so plainly as to end Controversies with contentious spirits if we should produce onely testimonies of Scriptures And we are to note there be two things in Scripture the Characters or the written words and the sence included in them The Character is as the sheath but the sence is the very sword of the spirit Of the first of these two all are partakers for whosoever knowes the Character may read the Scripture but of the sence all men are not capable nor can we in many places be certain of it unlesse Tradition be assistant It is an offer worth the taking
erring is more stedfastly to be believed as more credible in it self then either the Canon of Scriptures or any thing therein contained because these become actually credible unto us onely by the Churches Declaration which cannot possibly ought avail for their belief unless it were better believed 6 Perhaps the Reader will here challenge me that this last instance proves not all that I proposed in the Title of this chapter For it onely proves the Popes supremacie is better to be believed then that Christ is come in the flesh that God did ever speak to men in former ages by his Prophets and â—…tter by his Son But this infers no absolute alienation of our belief from Christ seeing even in this respect that we believe the Church or Pope so well we must needs â—elieve that Christ is come in the flesh and that God hath spoken to us sundry ways for thus much the Pope avouâ—â—eth Yea but what if the Church teach us that Christ is our Lord and Redeemer and â—et urge us to do that which is contumelious to his Majesty What if it teach us that these Scriptures are Gods Word and yet binde us by her infallible dâ—â—â—â—es to break his Laws and give his spirit the lye Should we make profession of believing as the Pope teacheth and yet take his meaning to be only such as Marnixius whom we better believe would make it His Holiness would quickly pronounce us Apostat's from the Catholick faith Or if this suffice not the indifferent Reader for satisfying my former promise let him have patience but for a while and I will pay him all 7 Their first main position That no private man can certainly know the Canon of Scriptures to be Gods Word but by relying upon the present Church infers as much as hath been said much more will follow from their second That no man can certainly be perswaded of the true sense and meaning of particular propositions contained in the general Canon without the same Churches testimony unto whom the authentick interpretation or dijudication of Scriptures â—holly belongs Imagine the former parties now fully perswaded of the Scriptures divine truth in general should by the Consistory which late Câ—â—â—chized them be questioned about the meaning of some particular plaâ—â—â— Consist We hope you adore the consecrated host with Divine worship as oft as you meet it in procession Cat. Desirous we are to do any thing that becomes good Christians and obedient Sons unto our holy mother the Church but we cannot satisfie our consciences how this may stand with the principles of Christianity Your Holinesses for which we rest yours unto death have assured us these sacred volumes are the very words of God and his words we know must be obeyed Now since we know these to be his words we have found it written in them Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve It is we doubt our simplicity that will not suffer us to conceive how the consecrated Host can be adored as God without open breach of his commandement For to our shallow understanding there is no necessity to perswade us Christ God and man should be hid in it These words Hoc est corpus meâ—m may bear many interpretations no way pregnant to this purpose And it is doubtful whether Christs Body though really present in the Sacrament should retain the same presence in procession whereas the former commandement is plain We must worship the Lord our God and him only must we serve Consist Ye think this Text is plain to your late purpose we think otherwise Whether is more meet ye to submit your private opinions to our publick spirits or us that are Pastors to learn of you silly sheep Cat. Therefore are your servants come unto you that they may learn how to obey you in this decree without Idolatry well hoping that as ye enjoyn us absolutely to obey you in it so ye can give us full assurance we shall not disobey the Spirit of God in the former great commandement whose exposition we most desire 8 Would these or like supplications though conceived in Christian modesty though proposed with religious fear and awfull regard of their persons though presented with tears and sighes or other more evident signes of inward sorrow find any entrance into Romish Prelates ears or move the Masters of the Inquisition house to forbear exaction of obedience to the forâ—er or other Decree of the Trent Councel Were the Form of the Decree it self unto private judgements never so contradictory to Gods expresse written lawes or the consequence of practizing as it prescribes never so dreadful to the doubtful conscience How much better then were it for such silly souls had they never known the Books of Moses to have been from God for so committing idolatrie with stocks and stones or other creatures they had done what was displeasing to their Master and justly punishable yet with fewer stripes because his will was not made known unto them But now they know it and acknowledge the truth of this Commandement To what end That they may be left without all excuse for not doing it They see the general truth of Gods Oracles that they may be more desperately blinded in wilfull perverting the particulars For what glory could the allurement of silly ignorant men to simple idolatry be unto great Antichrist Let them first subscribe to the written Lawes of the everliving God and afterwards wholly submit themselves to his determinations for their practise and so the opposition betwixt him and the Deity betwixt his injunctions and the Decrees of the Almighty may be more positive more directly contrary The Heathen or others not acknowledging Gods Word at all are rightly termed unbelievers men thus believing the Scriptures in general to be Gods Word from the testimony of the Church and yet absolutely relying upon her judgement for the meaning of particular places are transported from unbelief to misbelief from grosse ignorance to wilfull defiance of God and his Lawes Finally they are brought to know Gods Word that they may doubt in this and like fearful practises enjoyned that so first doubting and afterwards desperately resolving absolutely to follow the Churches injunction against that sence and meaning of the divine decrees which the holy Spirit doth dictate to their private consciences they may without doubt be damned for not abiding in the truth Like their first parents they hear Gods sentence but prefer the interpretations of Sathans first-born before their own because it must be presumed he is more subtle then they Or to referre the two main streames of thâ—s iniquity to their proper heads The first That we cannot know the old or new Testament to be Gods Word but by relying upon the Church makes all subscribers to it real Atheists or Infidels and Christians onely in conceit or upon condition If the Church whose authority they so highly esteem be as infallible as is pretende Heretofore I have
III. That The continual practise of Hereticks in urging Scriptures to establish Heresie and the diversity of opinions amongst the Learned about the Sense of Them is no just Exception why They should not be acknowledged as the Sole Entire and Compleat Rule of Faith OUt of the former Discourse their other Objections are almost answered already and they be especially Two The first If the Scriptures be plain and easie how comes it to passe that there should be such Contentions amongst the Learned about them Or whence is it that every Heretick is so forward to urge Scriptures for his Opinion even to the Death The Second lies as it were in the womb of this as this did in the former's and drawn out in its proper shape is thus There can be no certain Means of taking up controversies or contentions in the Church but only by admitting an Infallible Authority for deciding all controversies viva voce seeing the Scripture is alwayes made a party on all sides in such contentions 2 In the former Objection they indict the Scriptures as the Principal in the later our Church as an Abetter of such Quarrels and Contentions as it breeds For our Church we shall answer in the next for Gods Word in this present Section CAP. XIX Containing the true State of the Question with the Adversaries General Objections against the Truth 1 IT cannot be denied that alwayes there have been and alwayes will continue Contentions amongst learned men in Points of Faith or Doctrine or about the true Sence or Meaning of Scriptures in these other Cases For thus much these Scriptures themselves do plainly witnesse Oporâ—… esse haereses For there must be Heresies even among you that they which are approved among you might be known But the Question is not whether there have been now are or alwayes shall continue many Contentions about the Sense of Scripture but First Whether the Scriptures have not plainly set down the original Causes and nurses of such Contentions and the Means how to avoid them so men will be ruled by them most plain for this purpose or Secondly Whether not submitting their wils desires and affections unto these plain and perspicuous Rules of life this supposed Infallible Rule of the Romish Church can prevent remove or compose all such Contentions according to the Truth and cause men stedfastly hold the Unity of Faith in the Bond of Peace 3 The Causes of Contentions about the Sence of Scriptures are the very same with the fore-mentioned which made the Scriptures unto sundry seem Obscure or the same which make men to mistake their true Sence and Meaning For even these Wars and Contentions whereof we speak specially these arise from Lusts which sight in our members †we lust and have not we envy and have indignation and cannot obtain we fight and war and got nothing not the Truth which we seek because we ask it not Do not such as contends most about the true Sence ask it most doth not every Heretick the earnester he is professe that he prayes for the Truth so much the more servently yea but such men receive not that which they so earnestly ask because they ask it amisse They desire skill in Scripture to advance their own Conceits and maintain their foolish and carnal Affections otherwise asking they should have and seeking they should find especially the true Sence and Meaning of Gods Word which must instruct us how to frame all our other Petitions unto God aright 4 These and infinite like places we acknowledge plainly declaring the Causes of Contentions and as many more some of which shall be here and there inserted directing us how to avoid all occasions of striâ—e and debate Both which if we observe Contentions will quickly cease Which those not observed must increase as a just punishment of Truth neglected coâ—…icted or low esteemed notwithstanding the best indeavours of any Authority upon earth imaginable to the contrary 5 But some perhaps will demand Is there no use of Humane Authority in this Case yes As for the begetting of true and lively Faith we supose the live-voice of an Ordinary Ministery as the Organ whereby the written Word must be conveyed to our Spirits so for retaining the Unity of this Faith in the Bond of Peace for suppressing or preventing all Occasions of Schismes Heresies or Contentions we acknowledge the necessary Use of a Lawfull Magistracie yet no infallibilitie in either The proper end and use of Both is to espouse mens Souls with an indissoluble knot of Love and Loyaltie unto the written Word the only Infallible Rule of that Faith whereby they live The One by unfolding the generall Points or Maximes of Christian Faith The other by constraining them at least to a civil Practise of undoubted Principles acknowledged by all and inhibiting such Courses as the Moral Precepts of this Canon have defected for Causes and Nurses of Contention Our Adversaries whether out of wilfull malice or oversight or out of both according to the diversities of their tempers have taken occasion to traduce our Churches Doctrine as if it admitted no Means for preventing or composing Contentions but onely the bare letter of Scripture Whereas we all teach that the written Word is the onely Means Infallible not the onely Means Simplie for effecting Both. Nor doth it skill how necessary either Ministerial Expositions or Juridical Decisions be for bringing us unto or retaining us in the Unitie of the Truth professed for not Necessity of Means but Infallibility of Direction is the proper unseparable Condition of the Rule of Faith And seeing Gods Word only endures for ever and therefore onely is Infallible it must be the Sole Rule of Faith how many or how necessary soever the Means be that must bring us to the true Knowledge of it 6 Valentian and Saero-boscus think it all One to acknowledge no Ecclesiasticall Authority or use of Ministerie and not to acknowledge an Infallibility in Both. But this is a Position devoid both of Sense and Reason For As our Senses though of themselves onely capable of particular and Material Objects subject to change and contingencie are the necessary and onely ordinary Means whereby our Intellective Facultie is brought to apprehend Universal and immaterial Principles whose Truth is necessary everlasting and immutable So may the Ministery and Magistracie though both in themselves fallible and obnoxious to Errors be the necessary and onely ordinary Means whereby we are brought as it were by a sensible Induction to the infallible Acknowledgement of the supernatural divine eternal Truths which are the proper Object of the illuminated or spiritual as immaterial and universal Principles are of the natural understanding which shall God willing be declared hereafter In this place I onely thought good to forewarn the Reader of this Hiatus in our Adversaries Collections whereunto the blind and ignorant English Papist led by such blinded forraign Guides as Valentian and Sacro-â—osâ—â—â— who either
their Churches absolute priviledge from all error and That other of Christs real presence in the Sacrament by Transubstantiation It cannot again but add much to our grief and indignation if we call to mind how when the chief Governor and publick authority of this land were for them subscription was not urged upon such violent and bloudy terms unto any articles of their Religion as unto that of Real presence The mystery of which iniquity cannot better be resolved then into the powerful and deceitful working of Satan thus delighting to despight our Lord and Saviour by seducing his professed subjects unto the highest and most desperate kind of rebellion he could imagine upon the least occasions and shallowest reasons For such is their madness in that other point as hath been shewed in this Not one inconvenience they can object to our opinion but may be demonstrated against theirs not any fruits of Godliness they can pretend but our doctrine more directly brings forth then theirs could though we did admit it for true For to what other purpose such a Presence as they imagin should serve them save only to countenance those desperate idolatrous practices and Litourgies of Satan touched by the way in some parts of these discourses is inexplicable as shall be shewed more at large without depriving that heavenly mystery of any solemnity or devotion due unto it in the unfolding of that controversie Yours in Christ Jesus THOMAS JACKSON A Table of the Several Sections and Chapters in the Book following SECTION I. CAP. I. Containing the Assertions of the Romish Church whence her three-fold Blaspemie springs Page 309 SECT II. The first branch of Romish Blasphemie in preferring Human authority before Divine 315 2. Bellarmines replie to the main Objection joyntly urged by all Reformed Churches against the Romish the Equivocation which he sought in the Objection apparently found in his Replie 316 3. Inferring the general conclusion proposed in the Title of this Section from Bellarmins resolution of faith 319 4 Containing a further resolution of the Romish faith necessarily inferring the authority of the Roman Church to be of greater authority then Gods word absolutely not only in respect of us 324 5 That in obeying the Romish Churches Decrees we do not obey Gods word as well as them but them alone in contempt of Gods principal Lawes 327 6 Propounding what possibly can be said on our adversaries behalf for avoiding the force of the former Arguments shewing withall the special points that lie upon them to prove as principally whether their Belief of the Churches authority can be resolved into any Divine testimony 339 7 That neither our Saviours Prayers for the not failing of Peters faith Luke 22. 32. nor his commending his sheep unto his feeding Joh. 21. 15. prove any Supremacy in Peter over the Church from which the authority of the Pope can with probability be derived 31 8 That Christ not S. Peter is the Rock spoken of Matth. 16. 18. That the Jesuites exposition of that place demonstrateth the Pope to be The great Antichrist 347 9 That the Romanists Belief of the Churches infallible authority cannot be resolved into any Testimony better then Human whence the main Conclusion immediately follows That the Romanist in obeying the Church-decrees without examination of them by Gods word prefers mans Lawes before Gods 365 10 In what sence the Jesuites may truly denie They Believe the words of man better then the words of God In what sence again our Writers truly charge them with this Blasphemie 373 SECT III. 11 What restraint precepts for obedience unto the Priests of the Law though seeming most universal for their form did necessarily admit How universal Propositions of Scriptures are to be limited 376 12 The authority of the Sanhedrim not so universal or absolute amongst the Jewes as the Papists make it but was to be limited by the former Rules 385 13 That our Saviours injunction of obedience to the Scribes and Pharisees though most universal for the form is to be limited by the former Rules that without open blasphemie it cannot be extended to countenance the Romish cause that by it we may limit other places brought by them for the Popes transcendent universal authority 391 14 What it would disadvantage the Romish Church to denie the infallibility of the Synagogue 398 15 That justly it may be presumed the Iewish Church never had any absolute infallibility in proposing or determining Articles of Faith because in our Saviours time it did so grievously erre in the Fundamental point of salvation 400 16 That Moses had no such absolute authority as is now ascribed unto the Pope that the manner of his attaining to such as he had excludes all besides our Saviour from just challenge of the like 405 CAP. 17. That the Churches authority was no part of the rule of Faith unto the people after Moses death That by Experiments answerable unto the precepts and predictions the faithful without relying upon the Priests infallible proposals were as certain both of the divine truth and true meaning of the law as their forefathers had been that lived with Moses and saw his miracles Page 411 18 That the societie or visible company of Prophets had no such absolute authority as the Romish Church usurps 417 19 That the Church representative amongst the Jews was for the most part the most corrupt judge of matters belonging to God and the reason why it was so 422 20 That the Soveraignty given by Jesuites to the Pope is greater then our Saviours was 427 21 Confirming the truth delivered in the former Chapter from the very Law given by Moses for discerning the great Prophet further exemplifying the use and force of miracles for begetting faith The manner of trying prophesies Of the similitude betwixt Christ and Moses 434 22 That the method used by the great Prophet himself after his resurrection for planting faith was such as we teach The excesse of Antichrists exaltation above Christ The Diametral opposition betwixt the Spirit of God and the spirit of the Papacie 449 23 That the authority attributed to the present Pope and the Romish rule of faith were altogether unknown unto S. Peter the opposition betwixt S. Peters and his pretended successors doctrine 452 24 That S. Paul submitted his doctrine to examination by the Word before written That his doctrine dissposition and practise were quite contrary to the Romanists in this argument 456 25 A brief tast of our Adversaries blasphemous and Atheistical assertions in this argument from some instances of two of their greatest Doctors Bellarmin and Valentian That if faith cannot be perfect without the solemn testification of that Church the raritie of such testifications will cause infidelitie 460 SECT IIII. Containing the third branch of Romish Blasphemie or the last degree of great Antichrists exaltation utterly overthrowing the whole foundation of Christian Religion preposterously inverting both Law and Gospel to Gods dishonour and advancement of Sathans Kingdom 464 26
senselesse blind Belief But grant his body and bloud were in the Sacrament rightly administred yet that out of the Sacrament either should be in the consecrated Hoast whilest carried from Town to Town for solemn shew more then for Sacramental use is to reason ruled by Scripture to say no worse more improbable Now to worship that as God which to our unerring senses is a Creature upon such blind supposals that Christs body by one miracle may be there by another unseen is worse then Idolatry committed upon delusion of sense So to adore a wafer only a wafer in all appearance without strict examination nay without infallible evidence of Scriptures urged for the real presence is more abominable then to worship every appearance of an Angel of light without trial what spirit it were Satan or some other that so appeared And if we consider the old Serpents usual slight to insinuate himself into every place wherein inveterate custom or corrupt affection may suggest some likelihood of a divine presence unto dreaming fancies as he did delude the old World in Oracles and Idols the probability is far greater his invisible substance by nature not incompatible with any corporeal quantity should be annexed to the supposed Hoast then Christs real body uncapable for any thing we know of joynt exisrence in the same place with any other howsoever most disproportionable to such base effects as must proceed from the substance contained under the visible shape of bread such as no accident could either breed or support 6 This is a point as is elsewhere observed wherein Satan seemeth to triumph over the modern Papists more then over all the Heathens of the old World whose senses only he deluded or bewitched their reason but quite inverts all use of these mens sense faith and reason making them believe Christs body to be present in the Sacrament after a supposed miraculous manner quite contrary to the known nature of bodies and yet more preposterously contrary to the very end and essence of miracles For what miracles were ever wrought to other purpose then to convince the imperfect collections of human reason by evidence of sense God using this inferior or brutish part thus astonished by his presence to confute the curious folly of the superiour or divine faculty of the soul as he did sometimes the dumb Asse to rebuke the iniquity of the Prophet her Master But so preposterously doth Satan ride the modern Papist that he is brought to believe a multitude of miracles against the evidence of sense or reason contrary to the rule of faith all offered up in sacrifice unto the Prince of darknesse that he having put out the eyes of sense reason and spirit at once may ever after lead them what way he list And as unhappy wags or lewd companions may perswade blind men to beg an Alms as if some great personage did when as a troop of more needy beggers then themselves passe by so is it much to be dreaded lest the Devil perswade the blinded besotted Papist that Christ is present where he himself lies hid that he may with heart and soul offer up those prayers and duties unto him which belong properly unto God and worship in such manner before the Boxes whereinto he hath secretly convaid himself as the Israelites did before the ark of the Covenant 7 Vasquez thinks we may without offence adore that Body wherein the Devil lurks so we direct not our worship unto him but to the inanimate Creature as representing the Creator Suppose this might be granted upon some rare accident or extraordinary manifestation of Gods power in some particular place in case men were ignorant or had no just presumptions of any malignant spirits presence therein Yet were it damnable Idolatry daily to practice the like especially where great probabilitie were of diabolical imposture which the solemn worship of any Creature without expresse warrant of Scripture wil invite Yet sense doth witnesse that Christ is not no Scripture doth warrant us that he or any other living Creature unlesse perhaps worms or such as spring of putrifaction is present in their processions Notwithstanding all the expresse Commandments of God brought by us against their practise the Trent Councel accurseth all that deny Christs real presence in procession or condemn the proposal of that consecrated substance to be publikely adored as God not so much as intimating any tolerable exposition of that Commandment which forbids us to have any Gods but one 8 〈◊〉 To omit many more another instance sutable to the former and our present purpose we have in the decree of communicating under one kind Our Saviour at his institution of this Sacrament gave the cup as wel as the bread and with the cup alone this expresse injunction Bibite ex hoc omnes Drink all of this albeit none of his Disciples were Conficients or such as did consecrate Saint Paul recites the same Institution in like words and continued the practise in such Churches as he planted The Trent Councel acknowledgeth that the use of the Cup was not infrequent or unusuall in the Primitive Church indeed altogether usuall and the want of it for many hundred yeers after Christ unknown The onely instance that can from Antiquitie be pretended to prove it lawfull and which in all likeli-hood did partly occasion it argues the Ancients use of it in solemne Assemblies to have been held as necessary For even in cases of greatest necessity when the Cup could not be carried to parties sick or otherwise detained from publick Communions they had the consecrated Bread dipped in it And Gregorie of Towres relates the poysoning of King Clouis his Sister Queen to Theodorick by her own daughter in the Chalice so as he intimates withall the ordinary use of the Cup at that time as well amongst French Catholicks as Italian Arrians Onely this was the difference The Arrians did not as the Catholicks drink of the same Cup with their Princes 9 It may be fear conceived upon this or like example lest the Priests should in a more proper sence prove Conficients not of Christs but of Lay Princes Bodies made them afterwards more willing to forbear the Cup and the people either in manners would not or otherwise could not be advanced above them at this Heavenly banquet Turonensis reason against these Hereticks I think did hold no longer then his life few Princes afterwards durst have adventured to trie the truth of his conclusion Whether poison drunk in the Sacrament administred by the supposed true Church would have wrought For unlesse my memorie fail me Ecclesiastick Princes Popes themselves have been as surely poisoned in Catholick Chalices as the forementioned Queen was in the Arrian Cup. 10 But what occasions soever either moved the Laity of themselves to imbrace or the Clergie to enjoyn this Communion under one kind the Trent Councel specifies none and yet accurseth all that will not believe the Church had just
Maldonat unto whose answer we may adjoyn that our Saviour Christ as Maldonat also well hath noted did speak these words unto such as had seen his miracles and heard his doctrine and yet could not be his daily auditors with his other Disciples but were to repair to the Scribes and Pharisees as unto their ordinary teachers and instructers in the Law Here if we consider the humour of rude and ignorant people for such may we suppose most of his auditors were as yet it was very likely they would either be slow to hear or ready to distast any doctrine that should proceed from the Scribes and Pharisees mouthes whom they had heard so much discommended by that blessed mouth which spake as never mans did For it is a work of great judgement nay of the spirit over-ruling the flesh to make men relish their doctrine whose lives and conversations they loath And such as are but schollars though never so mean to an excellent master will usually be puft up with a conceit of themselves from other mens conceit and commendations of him and in this humour scorn to learn of any more meanly qualified or of lesse estimation in the same profession Again there is a jealousie in most illiterate minds that their Preacher if he follow not such lessons in his life as he gives them doth not teach them as they should be taught nor instruct them sincerely as he thinks but rather in policy injoyns them strictnesâ—e of life that he himself may follow his pleasures without partners 5 Hence usually are many wholesome spiritual medicines disproved ere proved or tasted because the parties unto whom they are tendred have no conceit or rellish of any Good but what is pleasant to sense or profitable for secular purposes such as none that truly think or call Good but will so entertain it in action and resolution never willingly preferring the lesse before the greater both being of the same kind If a man should make choice of that bargain which he would perswade as lesse commodious unto others none would believe he spake sincerely as he thought but rather cunningly to prevent others or to effect his own gain without a sharer But whilest secular good stands in competition with spiritual albeit we approve the one as truely good and condemne the other as evil yet even the best of us is often enforced to take up that complaint To will is present with me but I find no means to perform that which is good for I do not the good things which I would but the evil which I would not that do I. Rude and illiterate mindes ignorant of this difference between sensitive and spiritual good as altogether unacquainted with the one out of their own custome alwayes to act what they intend suspect their Pastors whilest they commend wholesome food unto them do not Think because they Do not as they Say From this sourseiâ—ue these or the like mutterings amongst themselves Tush if our Parson were of the same mind out of the Pulpit as he makes shew for in it why should he not frame his life accordingly Doth he love us trow we better then himself nay I warrant him He is old enough to know what is good for himself and if he knew that which he bids us do to be as good for him as he would make us believe it is for us what a Gods name hinders him from doing it he hath little else to do besides much lesse I am sure then any of us 6 To meet perhaps with all these but especially with this last temptation our Saviour gives his Auditors this preservative The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses chair all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and do but after their works do not As if he had said Though their lives be hypocritical and bad yet be not too jealous of their Doctrine They deliver that ordinarily vnto you which Moses did teach your forefathers The Doctrine is exceeding good howsoever these cursed hypocrites do not follow it But this is Gods judgement upon them that they should see the truth with their eyes and not understand it by laying it to their hearts 7 This I take it is the drift of our Saviours speech whence the universall note whatsoever must be restrained to such material doctrines as the Scribes and Pharisees themselves either expresly delivered out of Moses or whiles they interpreted him commended to others as good in the generall howsoever they shrunk back or shufled when they came to the practise of such particulars as crossed their humours or unto these precepts of good life whose truth and equity their Auditors might easily have acknowledged either from their consonancie with the principles of nature or other undoubted mandates of Moses law or from the authority of bad yet lawfull teachers whose advise is alwayes to be followed as good unlesse there be just suspition of evil or sinister respects of which their bad lives are then onely just presumptions when they handle particulars that concern themselves as making for their gain credit glory Apologies in bad courses or avertment of deserved disgrace 8 If we take this whole universal affirmative whatsoever they bid you that observe and do in that sense our Saviour meant it it is but equivalent to this or the like universall negative Leave nothing undone that either Moses or such as sit in his seat commands as good or your conscience cannot justly witnesse to be evil albeit they which commend it to you for good are evil and cannot teach themselves to do it Few Preachers in any well ordered Church are so unlearned or bad of life but what they solemnly one time or other deliver out of Moses and the Prophets might be a sufficient rule for their hearers internal thoughts and outward actions did not the slock preposterously make their Pastors doings the rule of their thoughts and sayings alwayes suspecting that as not good which they see left undone and accounting all lawfull for themselves to do which they see done and practised by their leaders When as not the Pastors lives or doings but their sayings are to be made rules of other mens lives and actions And our Saviour enjoyns the former obedience unto the very Pharisees who spake as well and did as ill as any could do very Paterns of hypocrisie In expounding Moses They could not but often inculcate the orthodoxal doctrine of good works of almes deeds and liberality yet retained they the roots of avarice in their hearts whose bitternesse would bewray it self upon particular occasions All these things heard the Pharisces saith S. Luke which were cavetous and they mocked him They often exhorted others to circumcise the heart to be humble and meek as Moses was yet remained proud them selves ambitious of highest places in the Synagogues inwardly full of rapine and wickednesse They often taught others as Moses had done to walk uprightly as in the sight of the
since to take universality as a sure note of the Church traditions and customs of the Elders for the rule of faith and which is the undoubted Conclusion of such premisses to follow a multitude to any mischief So mightily did the opinion of a major part being all men of the same profession sway with the superstitious people of those times that Ahabs Pursevant conceived hope of seducing Micaiah whilst they were on the way together by intimating such censures of schisme of heresie of peevishneâ—â—e or privacy of spirit as the false Catholick bestows on us likely to befal him if he should vary from the rest The best answer I think a Roman Catechism could affoord would be to repeat the conclusion which Bellarmin would have maintained All the rest besides were Baals Prophets They were indeed in such a sense as Jesuites and all seducers are but 〈◊〉 not by publick profession or solemn subscription to his rites as may partly appear by jehosaphats continuing his resolution to go up to battel against Micaiahs counsel which questionlesse he would rather have died at home then done had he known Micaiah only to have belonged unto the Lord and all his adversaries unto Baal partly by that reverent conceit which even the chief of these seducers entertained at that time of Elias whose utter disgrace Baals servants would by all means have sought for his late designs acted upon their fellows Yet as Josephus records the chief argument used by Zidkiah to diminish Micaiahs credit with both Kings was an appearance of contradiction betwixt his and Eliahs prediction of Ahabs death the accomplishment of both being apprehended as impossible lesse credit as he urged was to be given to Micaiah because so impudent as openly to contradict â—o great a Prophet of the Lord as Elias at whose threatnings Ahab King of Israel trembled humbling himself with fasting cloathed in sackcloth And is it likely he would so shortly after entertain the professed servants of Baal for his Councellors yet seeing the event hath openly condemned them for seducers and none are left to plead their cause it is an easie matter for the Jesuite or others to say they were Baals Prophets by profession But were not most Prieâ—… and Prophets in Judah and Benjamin usually such yes and as afterward shall appear did band as strongly with as joynt consent against Jeremy and Ezechiel as these did against Micaiah The point wherein we desire resolution is by what rule of Romish Catholick Divinity truth in those times might have been discerned from falshood before Gods judgements did light upon the City and Temple He is more blind then the blindest Jew that ever breathed who cannot see how such as professed themselves Priests and Prophets of the Lord as wel in Judah as in Israel did bewitch the people with the self same spels the Papist boasts of to this day as the best prop of his Catholick faith Yet such is the hypocrisie of these proud Pharisees that they can say in their hearts Oh had we lived in the dayes of Jezabel we would not have been her inquisitors against such Prophets as Elias and Micaiah were When as in truth Jezabels impiety towards them was clemency in respect of Romish crueltie against Gods Saints her witchcrafts but as venial sins if we compare them with Jesuitical sorceries But of this errour more directly in the Chapter following of their sorceries and impieties hereafter 3 Unto our former demand whether the society of Prophets were the Church representative whether the people were bound without examination to believe whatsoever was by a major part or such of that profession as â—â—re in highest or most publick place determined What answer a learned Papist would give I cannot tel Then this following better cannot be imagined on their behalf That this supream authority which they contend for was in the true Prophets only that they albeit inspired with divine illuminations and endued with such authority as the Jesuite makes the Popes â—mana divinitas inspirata did notwithstanding permit their declarations for the hardnesse of this peoples heart to be tried by the event or examined by the law not that they wanted lawful power would they have stood upon their authority to exact belief without delay seeing readinesse to believe the truth proposed is alwayes commended in the sacred Story And no doubt but the people did wel in admitting the true Prophets doctrine before the false at the first proposal the sooner the better But were they therefore to believe the true Prophets absolutely without examination Why should they then believe one of that profession before another seeing seducers could propose their conceits with as great speed and peremptorinesse as the best Nor did reason only disswade but the law of God also expresly forbid that people alwayes and in all causes to trust such as upon trial had been found to divine aright of strange events Yet grant we must that hardnesse of heart made this people more backward then otherwise they would have been to believe truths proposed that oft-times they required signs from their Prophet when obedience was instantly due from them to him that oft-times they sinned in not assenting immediately without interposition of time for trial or respite to resolve upon what terms belief might be tendered Thus much we may grant with this limitation if we consider them absolutely or so wel disposed as they should and might have been not as the Prophets found them For in men inwardly ill affected or unqualified for true faith credulity comes nearer the nature of vice then vertue a disposition of disloyalty a degree of heresie or infidelity rather then a preparation to sincere obedience or any sure foundation of true and lively faith Assent perchance men so affected may more readily then others would unto sundry divine truths yet not truly not as they are divine and consonant to the rule of goodnesse but by accident in as much as they in part confort with some one or other of their affections And the more forward men are upon such grounds to believe some generalities of Christian duties the more prone they prove when opportunity tempts them to oppugn others more principal and more specially concerning their salvation For credulity if it spring not out of an honest disposition uniformly inclining unto goodnesse as Sucâ—… from some unbridled humor or predominant natural affection will alwayeâ— sway more unto some mischief then unto any thing that is good Many 〈◊〉 in Jesus saith Saint John when they saw his miracles It pleased them weâ—… had turned water into wine That he had given other proofs of his power 〈◊〉 driving buyers and sellers out of the Temple did minister hope unto proud hearts he might prove such a Messias as they expected as elsewhere upon the like occasion they said †This is of a truth the Prophet that should come intâ— the world The ground of this their aptnesse to believe thus