hoc feratâ— pag 440. Tho. Bozius de signis Ecc. tom 2. l. 16. c. vlt. such as the Iesuite is can ill digest this saying 3 And to set on foote the question of the visiblenesse of the Church for the prouing hereof me thinketh is game faire and farre off For when he hath assigned a state of the Church perpetuall visible which he can neuer do yet will there remaine a doubt whether all the teaching thereof haue the conditions mentioned For this visible coÌ„pany though liuing men that can conforme their teaching to the capacity of al sorts may yet be subiect to error or want immediate authority to assure mens consciences but what it borroweth froÌ„ the Scriptures or may haue commssion to teach no further then is written or may ouer see now and then some points of faith which the holy Ghost teacheth as well as it doth some points of manners in which cases who seeth not that it may both faile in teaching some truths sometime and the best teaching will not be so easie or certaine to vnderstand and beleeue as the Iesuite pretendeth So that the visibilitie of the Church argueth the easinesse and vniuersalitie thereof in teaching but sortly and were a question not greatly needfull for this place but that Papists haue a humor to be discoursing thereof and loue to make their people beleeue it troubleth vs ill as d Vpon 1. Tom. 3 15. the Rhemists say This place pincheth all heretickes wonderfully and e Gregory of Valence f Comment Theolog. Tom. 3. pag. 142. The propertie of the Church to be alway visible maketh heretickes in ill case And therefore let him go on and see what he will make of it and alway marke his reach that still he pleadeth for the Romane Church shewing hereby the vnhappie condition wherin it standeth that at euerie triall passing betweene vs her miserable children are enforced to beg from doore to doore Of your charitie giue our mother leaue to be iudge herselfe in the triall that she be not ouerthrowne § 17. This question I decide by this onely conclusion that the Church of Christ must needs alwayes be from Christ his time to the end of the world and being it must needs be alwayes visible This conclusion hath two parts The first whereof to wit that Christ his true Church must be alwayes without interruption to the end of the world needeth no other proofe then those promises of our Sauiour before mentioned wherein is declared that Christ and his holy Spirit shall be with his Church continually vnto the worlds end Matth. vlt. Omnibus diebus vsque ad consummationem seculi which promise is not fulfilled vnlesse the Church without interruption be continually all the dayes vntill the end of the world For if the Church for anie time dayes or moneths or yeares do ceasse to be for those yeares moneths and dayes Christ cannot be said to be with the Church consequently cannot be truly said to haue fulfilled the promise wherein he said he will be with the Church all the dayes vnto the end of the world The Answer 1 The first part of this conclusion with the confirmation thereof might well haue bene spared For we confesse the Church neuer ceasseth to be but continueth alwayes without interruption to the worlds end and against all Papists whatsoeuer we make it good that the very faith we now professe hath successiuely continued in all ages since Christ and was neuer interrupted so much as one yeare moneth or day and confesse a Dan. 7.27 Psal 102.26 Mat. 16.18 Luc. 1.33 the contrary were sufficient to proue vs no part of the Church of God yet the Iesuite you see very soberly standeth vpon the matter shewing that the Church cannot be extinguished which is a tricke of his owne thereby to make his friend beleeue that we thinke it may So b Ann. vpon 1. Tim. 3 15. Ap. 12 6. the Rhemists write as if we held it is fallen from Christ these many ages being knowne neither to friend nor foe And Reinolds c Caluinoture l. 1. c. 10. p. 106. 107 Lutheranide toto orbe terrarum EcclesiaÌ„ periisse mentiuntur Posseu bibl select l. 6. c. 4. p. 445. reports we should say The Church of Christ was vtterly fallen for a thousand yeares together yea all that time there was no Church at all whereas we hold the very contrary And if our testy aduersaries will not be satisfied with this our profession but continue their ordinarie practise in charging vs with opinions which we neuer held then let them hearken what d Bellarmin de Eccl. mil. lib. 3. cap. 13. a friend of their own telleth them They do but trifle away the time which stand prouing that the Church cannot absolutely faile because the Protestants grant it cannot The question therefore is onely of the outward state of the Church whether it be alway visible to the world or not that in euery age those congregations may euidently be discerned and pointed to which are the true Church for we say not Wherein though the Iesuite will reason against vs in the sections following and the Papists generally censure vs yet the truth is themselues when the matter cometh to a iust triall in effect say as much as we and the very same of their Church that we do of ours but that of verie frowardnesse they will not receiue the word inuisible Digression 17. Wherein it is shewed in what manner the Church is said to be inuisible and that the Papists say no lesse concerning this matter then we do 2 Indeed they set downe enough in the question e Bellar. de Eccl l. 3. c. 13. that God hath at all times a Church consisting not of a few people but a great multitude as conspicuous as any earthly kingdome f Idem de Ro. Pout l. 4. c. 4. part whereof and alwaies the head shall be visible at Rome and the rest of it wheresoeuer is visibly subiect to the Bishop of Rome and g Greg. de Valent tom 3. p. 142. Câ—ster Enchitid c. 2. Bell. de Eccl. l. 3 c. 2. § Atque hoc interest that this company perpetually holdeth a visible succession of Pastors and people as sensibly as any other societie of men so that at any time one may point with his finger and say this is the Church h Rhem. vpon Act. 11.24 of the Protestants inuisible Church they heare not one word Thus they enlarge their sence when they will set forth their wealth to beguile the poore widow whereas at other times they are content to let downe a great deale of this reckoning and to confesse as much of their owne Church as we say of ours 3 For when we say the Church is sometime inuisible the meaning is not that it is extinguished or that it is alway inuisible or that none of the faithfull can see any part thereof or that it is as much hidden from the faithfull as
Sunne which yeeldeth light to others that haue eyes to see And that Chrysostome thought the Church might sometime be inuisible appeareth by the 49. homily vpon Matthew where he saith That since the time that heresies haue inuaded the Church it can no way be knowne which is the true Church of Christ but by the Scriptures onely In this confusion it can no wayes else be knowne Austin saith There is no certaintie of vnitie but through the promises of God declared to his Church which being set vpon a hill cannot be hidde My brethren shall I shew you the Church with my finger is it not manifest what shall I say more but that they are blind which see not so great a hill which shut their eyes against a light set vpon a candlesticke In which words he speaketh against a conceit of the Donatists who boasted as the Papists now do that the Church was no where but among them affirming them to be blind that could not see it all ouer Affricke seeing it was at that time as plaine as a mountain or a candle lighted which we grant and against the Papists affirme of our owne Church at this day But his words implie not that this visible estate thereof so manifest in his time could no time be hid For cities built vpon a hil are not visible at euery time as in a great mist or in the night neither is the Sunne alway alike cleare or in one horizon neither could i 2. Reg. 6.16 the Aramites see the hill it selfe where the Prophet of God was and horses and chariots of fire round about him Therefore Austins words must be vnderstood of that particular time and not stretched to all times alike For he is blinde which at noone dayes cannot see the Sunne light but the Sun may set or be eclipsed and then they are not all blind that see it not as himselfe speaketh plainly in other places which being compared with these will giue vs their true meaning k Epist 48. ad Vincent The Church saith he shall be obscured sometimes and the cloudes of offences may shadow it l Ep. 80. ad Hesych it shall not appeare by reason of the vnmeasurable rage of vngodly persecutors m Enâ—rrat in Psal 10. It is like the Moone and may be hidde Yea n De Baptism contra Donat. lib. 6. c. 4. so obscured that the members thereof shall not know one another This he thought might befall the Church sometime whatsoeuer the light or greatnesse of it were when he wrote thus against the Donatists in which distresse she abideth not alwayes but findeth deliuerance againe when the time of her libertie is come as her self speaketh in the Prophet o Cap. 7. v. 8. Michaiah Reioyce not ô mine enimie that I am fallen for I shall rise again and though I sit in darknes yet the Lord will be my light § 24. Now it remaineth that we enquire how we should know which companie in particular of those diuerse sorts of men that visibly professe the faith of Christ is the true Church of which as hath bene said in all points we must learne the true faith To this question I answer First that it is not a good marke to know which is the true Church to say that is the true Church which teacheth the true faith The Answer 1 The question propounded in this place concerning the markes or notes of the Church is not onely exceeding profitable but euen necessary for all those that desire to be satisfied whether we or the Papists haue the right Church Therefore we for our parts answer it thus that the true doctrine of faith and lawfull vse of the sacraments are the proper and infallible markes whereby it must be iudged which is the true Church This the Iesuite misliketh and reasoneth against in the seuen next sections but marke his drift a Quis erit sinis contendeÌ„di nisi authorâ—tas Ecclesiae a iundè cognita taÌ„ quam iudex in doctrinae quaestionibus interponatur Greg. Valent. tom 3. p. 149. lit D. that the Romane Church being set at liberty from the triall of the Scriptures and her authoritie aduanced by other meanes she might be receiued as chiefe iudge in all questions of faith and doctrine This is the reach that Papists haue in denying the true faith and doctrine of the Scriptures to be a sufficient marke of the Church and I blame them not if they venter hard for it the bootie would recompence the charges if they could bring it in Digression 18. Prouing the true faith or doctrine contained in the Scriptures to be a good mark to know the true Church by 2 The which whiles the Iesuite denyeth me thinkes he dealeth exceeding rashly for first he should haue consulted with his fellowes to see whether they also had bene of his minde herein that so the vnitie so much commended in his discourse might appeare the better Which if he had done he should haue found some of his seniors against him who thinke true doctrine to be a note of the Church and a good note too The Diuines of Collen b Enchir. Christianae institut in Synod Col. p 22. §. Tertio haec nosce in a prouinciall Councell determined that no man denyeth but there ought to be sincere Euangelicall and Apostolicke doctrine in the Church and this is the chiefe note of the Church according to that of Christ My sheep heare my voyce and that in Saint Paul if any maÌ„ preach any other Gospel let him be accursed And c Antididagm cap. de Cathol Eccl. p. 34. in another booke they write The sacraments are certaine markes and signes whereby the Catholicke Church is discerned There are foure markes whereby the true Church is certainly known which are gathered out of the scripture The first is the wholesome doctrine of Christ according to the generall sence of Apostolicke and Catholicke tradition The next is the right and vniforme vse of the sacraments Villauincentius d De rat stud Theol. praefat saith It is confessed that the Church as being a thing visible is specially knowne and seene by the ministery of the word and the right dispensation of the sacraments and by the open confession of the faith and communion of charitie as it were by signes ingrauen and perpetually cleaning to it Hosius e Confess Petrico c. 20. p 26. saith There are which will haue no more notes of the Church but two viz. sincere doctrine and the right vse of the sacraments and it cannot be denyed but they are notes of the Church indeed Stapleton f Princip doct l. 1. c. 22. saith the preaching of the Gospell is the proper and a very cleare note of the Catholicke Church so it be done by lawfull ministers These men thinke and others more may be added to them the teaching of the true faith is not possible all the markes of the Church but none of them saith as the Iesuite
THE WAY TO THE TRVE CHVRCH wherein The principall Motiues perswading to Romanisme and Questions touching the nature and authoritie of the Church and Scriptures are familiarly disputed and driuen to their issues where this day they sticke betweene the Papists and vs Contriued into an Answer to a Popish Discourse concerning the Rule of Faith and the marks of the Church And published to admonish such as decline to Papistrie of the weake and vncertaine grounds whereupon they haue ventured their soules Directed to all that seeke for resolution and especially to his louing countrimen of Lancashire By IOHN WHITE Minister of Gods word at Eccles. For the finding out of the matter and questions handled there are three Tables two in the beginning and one in the end of the Booke ¶ De hoc inter nos Quaestio versatur vtrum apud Nos an apud Illos vera Ecclesia sit August de vnit Eccles cap. 2. LONDON Printed for IOHN BILL and WILLIAM BARRET 1608. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHERS IN GOD TOBIE THE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF YORKE HIS GRACE Primate and Metropolitane of England and to GEORGE Lord Bishop of Chester his very good Lords WHen I first peÌ„ned this Treatise which now I offer to your Lordships I did it for mine owne priuate exercise and the satisfying of certaine friends that desired it Afterward seeing some hope that it might doe good abroad principally in the countrey where I dwell and desirous if it were possible to do any thing that might helpe the seduced out of their errors and confirme the rest in the truth I was easily perswaded to put it forth and the rather for that the questions handled touching THE AVTHORITIE AND SENCE OF THE SCRIPTVRE and SIGNES OF THE CHVRCH are the profitablest that can be stood vpon and such as I haue alway obserued our people commonliest vse and most desire to looke into not being able to apprehend the difference or iudge of the reasons in other questions but presuming that if by certain marks they could find which is the true Church there would remaine litle difficultie in the rest forsomuch as therein they should find the truth in euery controuersie 2 The proper cause why our aduersaries put this deuice into the peoples heads was to dazle their eyes and delude their sences with the name of THE CHVRCH that when they should find the word of God and all discourse against their opinions yet that name should amaze them while they might beleeue nothing vntill they were perswaded by other marks that it came from the CHVRCH And no doubt this is the a Apollodor Bibliothec. li. 2. Gorgons head that inchanteth and oppresseth them euen the learnedst of them all and holdeth them in bondage to their errors hauing a conceit that they wil heare nothing against the Church which they presuming to be the Papacy though it be but AN IMPOSTVME BRED IN THE CHVRCH or A DISEASE GROWING TO IT will go no further All their speech is of the Church no mention of the Scriptures or God their Father but their MOTHER THE CHVRCH Much like as b Solin poly hist c. 33. they write of certaine Aethiopians that by reason they vse no mariage but promiscuously companie together it cometh that the children onely follow the mother the fathers name is in no request but the mother goeth away with all the reputation Let their talke be listened and their bookes perused and it will appeare this authoritie of their Church is at the end of euery question and striketh the stroke as c Philostrat in imaginib one saith pleasantly of Aesops Fables that therein the Foxe is the chiefe stickler of all the company The beasts seldom meet but he is among them and beareth his part with the busiest 3 This matter is handled in this Booke betweene my aduersarie and me For though others haue done the same before me yet I haue done it in mine owne method The water is all one but the vessell wherein I haue brought it is my owne And it was the iudgement of d Trinit l. 1. c. 3. de Mendacio c. 6. Saint Austine that In places infected with heresie all men should write that had any facultie therein though it were but the same things in other words that all sorts of people among many bookes might light vpon some and the enemie in all places might find some to encounter him The Iesuites which are the Popes Ianizaries that guard his person and were brought in now at the last cast when the state of the Papacie was at a dead lift to support the waight of the maine battell haue pestered the land with their writings and filled the hands and pockets of all sorts of people with their papers yea fannes and feathers are lapped vp in them wherein it is admirable to see how presumptuously they take vpon them in disgracing our persons belying our doctrine and coining and defending strange opinions of their owne neuer heard of afore as if Chrysippus schoole had bred them e Diog. Laert. in Chrysip who vsed to make his boast that many times he wanted opinions to aduance but if once he had the opinion he neuer wanted arguments to defend it whose writings seeing they cannot be suppressed pitie but they were effectually answered The applause that ignorant and vnsetled minds giue them and the conquest that of late yeares they haue made of a few Libertines and discontented persons hath so fleshed them that it is incredible how they brag and sing like f Auentin Annal lib. 2. the clownes of Germany when they had expelled the Franks Mille Francos mille Sarmatas semel occidimus Mille mille mille mille mille Persas quaerimus But I dare boldly say it that if the maner how they haue preuailed be looked into g Praescript Tertullians speech will fall out to be true It is the weaknesse of some that giueth them the victory being able to do nothing when they encounter an able faith Discontent and vanitie of mind voide of the knowledge and faithfull practise of religion are good dispositions to heresie They liue Gentiles saith Cyprian and die heretickes h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dioâ— Laerâ— in Epicur Epicurus in his time with teaching pleasure and libertie filled the most houses and cities with his friends But if we looke what the motiues were that led them away and what the Iesuites said against vs I presume three verses in i Pâ—â—â—â—ol Plautus will answer them Quid ait quid narrat quaeso quid dicit tibi Nugas theatri verba quae in comoedijs Solent lenoni dici quae pueri sciunt 4 A singular misery no doubt and aboue all other to be lamented that mans mind so free so ready so able with those helpes that God hath left him to search out the truth yet should not be satisfied nor rest contented with heauen and earth or any other thing that God hath reuealed for the finding
forma iuramenti professionis fidei Bull which calleth it THE PVBLICKE PROFESSION OF THE ORTHODOXAL FAITH TO BE VNIFORMLY OBSERVED AND PROFESSED z THE NEW CREED OF THE CHVRCH OF ROME I. N. do with firme faith beleeue and professe all and singular things contained in the Creed which the Romane Church vseth namely I beleeue in one God the Father almightie maker of heauen and earth and of all things visible and inuisible And in one Lord Iesus Christ the onely begotten Sonne of God borne of his Father before all worlds God of God light of light very God of very God begotten not made being consubstantiall with the Father by whom all things were made who for vs men and for our saluation came downe from heauen and was incarnate by the holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and was made man crucified also for vs vnder Pontius Pilate suffered and was buried and rose againe the third day according to the Scriptures and ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of his Father and shall come againe with glory to iudge the quicke and the dead whose kingdome shall haue no end and in the holy Ghost the Lord and giuer of life who proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne who with the Father and the Sonne is worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophets And I beleeue one Holy Catholick and Apostolicke Church J beleeue one Baptisme for the remission of sinnes and I looke for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come Amen The Apostolick and Ecclesiasticall TRADITIONS and other obseruances and constitutions of that Church do I firmly admit and embrace Also the sacred Scripture according to THAT SENCE WHICH OVR MOTHER THE CHVRCH HATH HOLDEN AND DOTH HOLD whose right it is to iudge of the true sence and interpretation of holy Scriptures do I admit Neither will I euer receiue and expound it but according to the vniforme consent of the Fathers I do also confesse that there be truly and properly SEVEN SACRAMENTS of the new law instituted by our Lord Iesus Christ and necessary to the saluation of mankind though all be not for euery man that is to say Baptisme Confirmation the Eucharist Penance extreme Vnction Order and Mariage and that they confer grace and that among these Baptisme Confirmation and Order cannot be reiterated without sacriledge Also the receiued and approued rites of the Catholicke Church vsed in the solemne administration of all the aforesaid Sacraments I receiue and admit All and euery the things which concerning ORIGINALL SIN and IVSTIFICATION were defined and declared in the holy Councell of Trent I embrace and receiue Also I confesse that in the MASSE is offered to God a true proper and propitiatory sacrifice for the quicke and the dead and that in the holy EVCHARIST is truly really and substantially the body and blood with the soule and Diuinitie of our Lord Iesu Christ and that there is made a conuersion of the whole substance of the bread into his body and of the whole substance of the wine into his bloud which conuersion the Catholick Church calleth TRANSVBSTANTIATION I confesse also that vnder ONE KIND ONLY all whole Christ and the true Sacrament is receiued I do constantly hold there is a PVRGATORY and the soules detained there are holpe by the suffrages of the faithful And likewise that the SAINTS raigning with Christ are to be worshipped and prayed vnto And that they offer their prayers to God for vs and that their RELICKS are to be worshipped And most firmly I auouch that the IMAGES of Christ and the Mother of God alwayes a Virgin and other Saints are to be had and retained and that to them due honor and veneration is to be giuen Also that the power of INDVLGENCES was left by Christ in the Church and I affirme the vse thereof to be most wholsome to Christs people That the Holy Catholicke and Apostolicke ROMANE CHVRCH is the mother and mistris of all Churches I acknowledge and I vow and sweare true obedience to the Bishop of Rome the successor of S. Peter the Prince of the Apostles and the Vicar of Iesus Christ And AL OTHER things likewise do I vndoubtingly receiue and confesse which are deliuered defined and declared by the sacred canons and generall Councels and especially the holy Councel of Trident and withal I condemne reiect and accurse all things that are contrary hereunto and all heresies whatsoeuer condemned reiected and accursed by the Church and that I will be carefull this true Catholicke faith out of the which no man can be saued which at this time I willingly professe and truly hold be constantly with Gods helpe retained and confessed whole and inuiolate to the last gaspe and by those that are vnder me or such as I shall haue charge ouer in my calling holden taught and preached to the vttermost of my power I the said N. promise vow sweare so God me help and his holy Gospels The Schoolmen Lawyers were long ago in hand with this question whether the Pope had authoritie to make a new Creed And because they were long tempering with it and the affirmatiue seemed a strange position we maruelled what they would make of it But now we see they meant in good earnest indeed and this belike was the Creed whereof the Pope was with child and all his Church must receiue it This is a strange presumption that taking vpon them to bring new matter of faith into the Church and to make that necessary to be beleeued for saluatiō which before was not so yet their people should be so blind as not obserue it Suarez the Iesuit a Tom. 2. p. 30. The matter may come to that passe that without any new explicate reuelation the Church may haue sufficient motiues for the defining of this or that veritie by the infolded and still reuelation of God for this manner of defining whereby that which was not before is now made an article of faith it is sufficient that any supernaturall veritie be infoldedly contained in tradition or Scripture that the common consent of the Church by which the holy Ghost often explicates traditions and declares Scripture increasing the Church at the length may bring in her determination which hath the force of a certaine diuine reuelation in respect of vs. This consent of the Church may so increase that at the length she may simply and absolutely define it This sheweth plainly that they thinke the Pope hath power to make a new Creed and hereby the world may see that vnder pretence of things lying hidden in the Church and the common consent of the Church increasing the Pope may multiply the matters of faith and so fit in the conscience as he pleaseth 16 It is no small griefe to all that are well minded to see this more then Egyptian bondage whererein so many people liue but yet if any man looke attentiuely vpon it the matter will not seeme
thought this a fit course Dionysius Alexandrinus h Niceph. l. 6. c. 8. said of himselfe that he vsed somtime to be occupied in reading the writings and treatises of heretickes though it something polluted his mind with touching their vncleane opinions because he reaped this profit therby that he might the easilier refell them and the more execrate detest them If any will take vpon him to confute me the lawes of Christian conference specially in the points of faith bind him 1. to do it temperately abstaining from railing and reproaching 2. perspicuously that I may certainly know his meaning 3. honestly that what I say be faithfully set downe and what I proue my sayings by be not dissembled For I affirm nothing that concerneth the cause but I proue it either in the text by reason or in the margent by authoritie which I would not haue dissembled or according to an vsuall trade taken vp of late among them traduced with taunts and outcries as if it were false alledged vntill it appeare to be so indeed Which if he performe I shall thinke my lot the better to haue met with so profitable an aduersarie And so wishing the good Reader that with loue to all men and reuerence to Gods truth and care to leade a sanctified life he would pursue the cause of religion I take my leaue beseeching our Lord Christ by the power of his spirit to make way for the truth in all our hearts Amen A Table of the seuerall matters and questions handled and disputed in this Booke The first number signifieth the Section noted with this marke §. The other following the first signifieth the numbers of that Section VVhere the number is but one there the whole Section is meant THe true faith is absolutely necessarie to saluation 1. 1. No part of our faith stands vpon tradition 1. 2. Infolded faith is not sufficient without knowledge 2. 1. 7. There is a Rule whereby the true faith may be knowne 3. 1. This Rule is not visible and knowne to all men without exception 3. 2. The properties belonging to the rule of faith 4. The Scriptures translated into English are the rule of faith and how 5. The true reason why Papists deny the Scriptures to be the rule 5. 7. 8. The Scripture ought to be translated into the mother tongue that the people may reade it 5. 9. Touching the certaintie and truth of our translations and how we know it 6. The last resolution of our faith is into the authoritie of the Scripture 6. 9. 10. Our English translation is purer then that which the Papists vse 6. 11. The obscuritie of the Scripture disableth it not from being the rule 7. 1. All matters needfull are plainly laid downe in the Scripture 7. 3. Why the Papists pretend the obscuritie of the Scripture 7. 7. Whence it is that the Scripture is obscure 8. 1. The Scripture is vnderstood by it selfe and how 8. 1 2 3. How we are assured of the true sence of the Scripture which is it among many sences 8. 7 8. The true cause why men erre in expounding the Scripture 8. 13. Our faith is built on the Scripture not on the Church 8. 17. The Scripture is perfect containing all things 9. How I know this Scripture to be the very word of God 9. 5. All things needfull are fully comprehended in the Scripture 9. 9. The Papists hold that the sence of the Scripture varieth with the time 9. 11. Againe touching the errors of men in expounding the Scripture 10. The place of 2. Tim. 3.16 proueth the all-sufficiencie of the Scripture 11. How priuat men priuat cōpanies may see the truth against a multitude 12. By the Church the Papists meane nothing but the Pope 13. 2. Whether and how the Church of God may erre 14. 1. Tim. 3.15 expounded how the Church is the pillar of truth 15. The Protestants do not say that the true Church at any time failed was not 17. 1. The state of the question touching the visiblenesse of the Church 17. 2. The Protestants say no more touching the inuisiblenesse of the Church then the Papists themselues in effect do 17. 3. The arguments are answered whereby the Church is proued to be alway visible 18. inde The true faith is a sufficient marke of the Church 24. 2. The arguments against this are answered 26. to 31. 1. Ioh. 4.1 proueth that it is lawfull to examine the teaching of the Church 31. One Holy Catholicke and Apostolicke are not the marks of the Church 32. What the vnitie of the Church properly is 33. 1. The Protestant Churches want not true vnitie 33. 2. Gods true Church in all ages hath had some contentions 33. 4. inde The Protestant Churches haue the true meanes of vnitie 34. 1. What kind of vnitie the Papists haue 34. 1. 2. The Church of Rome vseth the Scriptures most despitefully fiue wayes 35. 3. The present Roman Church is departed frō the ancient primitiue faith 35. 9. The Church of Rome wanteth vnitie and liueth in manifest contention demonstrated 35. 16. The Popes authority was not receiued of old as the foundation of vnity 36. 2. The very Papists themselues do not yeeld to the Popes determinations 36. 5. The Popes supremacie is no sufficient meanes to preserue vnitie 36. 10. The places of Mat. 16.18 Luk. 22.32 Ioh. 21.15 handled at large shewed to make nothing toward the Popes authoritie ouer the Church 36. 11. inde The Primitiue Church acknowledged not the Popes supremacy foure experiences 36. 26. The Pope may erre euen iudicially and be an hereticke 36. 32. It is vnpossible to proue that the hope is S. Peters true successor 36. 36. No certainty among the Papists how the Popes supremacy is proued 36. 39. A place of Cyprian alledged for the supremacie answered 37. 1 2. The Protestants Church is truly holy and how 38. 1. Certaine words of M. Luther expounded 38. 2. Outward holinesse no proper and essentiall marke of the Church 38. 3. The vnholines wickednes of the Roman Church demōstrated 38. 4. inde What Saints the Protestants haue in their Church 39. 1. Canonization of Saints by the Pope a ridiculous conceit 39. 2. 3. The doctrine of the Protestants induceth not to libertie 40. 1. inde Fasting how the Protestants and how the Papists vse it 40. 2. Auricular confession or shrift iustly reiected 40. 6. Necessitie of good workes taught and defended by the Protestants 40. 11. Touching the merit of workes 40. 12. Touching mans power in keeping the commandements 40. 18. Whether all the good workes we do be sinne 40. 22. The distinction of sinne into mortall and veniall 40. 26. Satisfaction how taught by the Protestants and how by the Papists 40. 28. A short view of long Pardons 40. 35. The doctrine of Iustification by Faith only expounded and defended 40. 37. Predestination how holden by the Protestants 40. 43. What is the roote of Contingencie 40. 44. Freewill and Gods
secreti regula Pastor erit Roma suis magna suis Brittannia normam Pandit in incertum ne rapiare caue Consilium Medici Pastoris consule vocem Iudicium certum PAGINA SACRA dabit Le. Asshaw ar A BRIEFE DISCOVRSE CONCERNING FAITH BY WHICH IS euidently declared how euery one that hath a desire to please God and a care to saue his soule the which should be the chiefe desire and care of euery Christian man ought to resolue and settle himselfe in all points questions and controuersies of faith The Answer IF the Discourse had performed what the Title promiseth you had bene beholding to the man that bestowed it on you the rather because the coÌ„trouersies of the present time haue changed the sweet Spring of our Church into a stormy Winter But seeing the author thereof vnder colour of directing you in the controuersies goeth about to make another Eue of you by seducing your minde from the simplicitie that is in Christ you haue little cause to thanke him and a Deut. 27.18 he lesse to reioyce in his labour For his reasons whereby he thinketh to declare his matter so euidently all tend to perswade you that the Pope of Rome b Gregorius decimus tertius filiorum ecclesiae pater amantissimus Camp rat 5. apud Posseu bibl l. 7. c. 21. his fast frieÌ„d c Nomine Ecclesiae intelligimus eius caput id est Romanum PontificeÌ„ Gregor de Valent. in Thom. tom 3. pag. 24. Venet. is this verie Rule that must resolue you in these points questions and controuersies of faith An vnreasonable position voyd of all indifferencie when common sense teacheth that he which is a partie cannot be iudge and d Niceph. Gregor hist lib 10. cap. vlt. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which it selfe is a thing wauering and inconstant cannot be the Rule to discerne the right by What father e Luc. 11.11 saith Christ if his sonne aske him bread will giue him a stone or if he aske a fish will giue him a serpent yet thus the Iesuite hath dealt with you But f Epicharm the heathen mans counsell is good Be sober and suspicious and g 1. Thes 5.21 the Apostles better Trie all things and sticke to that which is good Neither must you hope to learne truth in the schoole of lies for they that seeke Christ among heretickes shall lose him § 1. First it is to be suppoâ—ed and set downe for a certaine ground that there is but one faith which whosoeuer wanteth cannot possibly please God nor consequently be saued since none are saued which do not please God This is proued out of S. Paule who in one place saith Vna fides Ethes 4 and in another Sine fide impossibile est placere Deo Heb 11. The which two places make this sence in English Faith is but one and without faith it is impossible to please God Secondly this one faith without which we cannot please God must be infallible and most certaine because faith is the credite and inward assent of mind which we giue to the word of God the prime and first veritie which neither can deceiue nor be deceiued Fides saith the same S. Paule Rom. 10 ex auditu auditus per verbum Dei The sence of which words be that faith is bred in vs by hearing and yeelding assent to the word of Christ who is of God The Answer 1 Both these conclusions be true and you shall graunt them to be as himselfe calleth them certaine grounds wherein we all agree that there is but one faith wherein we can be saued and this faith must be infallible or certaine that is free from error and such as cannot deceiue vs beleeuing nothing that false is And this later is well proued Because faith is the assent of the mind that we giue to the word of God which word being the first truth neither can deceiue vs nor be deceiued it selfe This confirmation I say will serue meaning by the word of God the holy Scriptures for h Cyrill Hiero. fol. cat 4. the securitie of our faith ariseth from the demonstration of the diuine Scriptures i 1. Cor. 4.6 that no man presume aboue that which is written 2 But if by the word of God which cannot deceiue nor be deceiued he meane also the Constitutions of his Church and the Popes Decrees which they call Traditions then his confirmation is naught and we reiect it because the words thereof will be resolued into this sence That our faith or religion to this end that it may be infallible must be grounded partly on Traditions and partly on the Scriptures and the certaintie thereof dependeth no lesse on the former then on the later a point which no wise man will graunt considering that such Traditions are so farre from securing our faith that directly they leade it into a verie sea of errors and vncertainties and being once admitted euery Friers dreame and base custome of the Romish Church shall be thrust vpon you for an article of religion necessarie to eternall life And I dare vndertake the Iesuit in this place by the word of God of Christ meaneth these verie Traditions so farre that put him to it and before he wil forgo them or hazard the least of his Papall Decrees you shall see him k Vide as quaÌ„ti ponderis sit ipsa traditio vt ex ipsa noui testamenti scripta omnia authoritatem acceperint quam qui non admiâ—tunt ab ipsis etiam canonicis scriptis excidat necesse est Traditio est scripturarum fundamentum In eo scripturas excellunt quod illae nisi traditione firmentur non subsistant hae vero etiam sine scriptis suaÌ„ obtineant firmitatem Caes Baron annal tom 1. an 53. nu 11. verie strangely speake of the Scriptures as the l Demades Eras apop man of Athens that thought his countreymen should not by striuing for heauen in the meane time venter to lose the earth Digression 1. Prouing that the Papists grounding the doctrine of faith on Traditions make them equall to the written word 3 For the Trent Councell m Sess 4. decret 1. decreed they should be receiued with the same reuerence and affection wherewith we receiue the Scripture it selfe Canus n Loc. l. 3. c. 3. saith Many things belong to Christian faith which are contained in the Scripture neither openly nor obscurely o Confess Petric c. 92. Hosius saith the greatest part of the Gospell is come to vs by tradition very little of it is committed to writing p De Purgat cap. 11. Peltanus that many verities lye hidden in the Church which if she would reueale we were bound to beleeue with the same faith wherwith we beleeue the things reuealed in the Scriptures q Vaux Canisius English catech c. 1. The Popish Catechismes teach that Faith is a certaine light wherwith whosoeuer is enlightened he firmely agreeth to all such things as
informe vs to euerie good work to teach vs Christ crucified g 1. Cor. 2.2 and Paul desired to know no more to giue vs light in darknesse to beget our faith Shall we be reuoked from al other teachers to theÌ„ and finally is there no councell no comfort no doctrine no resolution needfull for vs but there it may be found and yet it cannot be the rule it is impious to thinke it blasphemous to say it The primitiue Church spake farre otherwise 4 And consider how the Iesuit can answer the places without tergiuersatioÌ„ h Ep. 80. â—d Eustat medicuÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 334 Basil saith Let the holy Scripture be arbitrator betweene vs and whosoeuer hold opinions consonant to those heauenly oracles let the truth be adiudged on their side Optatus disputing against a Donatist thus presseth him i Cont. ParmeÌ„ lib 5. We are saith he to enquire out some to be iudges betweene vs in these controuersies the Christians cannot because both sides cannot yeeld them and by parts taking the truth shal be hindred The iudge must be had from without our selues If a Pagan he knowes not the mysteries of Christianitie if a Iew he is an enemie to baptisme therefore vpon the earth no iudgement concerning this matter can be found * De coelo quaerendus est iudex et qui in tumulo quiescit tacitis de tabulis loquitur viuus voluÌ„tas eius velut in testamento sic in Euangelio inquiratur the iudge must be had from heauen but to what end should we knocke at heauen when here we haue one in the Gospell k Contra Hermog TertulliaÌ„ calleth the Scriptures the rule of faith And l Hom. 13. in 2. Cor. Chrysostome a most exquisite rule and exact squire and ballance to try all things by And m Orat. de iis qui adeuÌ„t Hicrosol 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gregory Nyssen a straite and inflexible rule Austin n De bono viduit c. 1. tom 4. saith the Scripture pitcheth downe the rule of our faith And againe he o De. Nupt. concup ad Valer l 2. c. 33. saith This controuersie depending betweene vs requires a iudge let Christ therefore iudge and let the Apostle Paul iudge with him because Christ also speaketh in his Apostle And p Ep. 112. ad Paulin. againe If a matter be grounded on the cleare authority of the holy Scripture such I meane as the Church calleth canoniall it is to be beleeued without all doubt but as for other witnesses and testimonies vpoÌ„ whose credit any thing may be vrged vnto vs to beleeue it it is lawfull for thee either to credit or not to credit them according as thou shalt perceiue them of weight to deserue or not to deserue credit q De Error profan relig Arcana ProphetaruÌ„ veneranda paÌ„dantur ad sistat nobis sanctorum oraculorum fides pag. 61 Iulius Firmicus Let the mysteries of the Prophets be opened let the credit of the holy oracles stand by vs. r Ho. 1. in Ier. Origen We must of necessitie call the Scriptures to witnesse for our sences and interpretations without them are of no credit Å¿ De doctr Christ lib. 2. c. 9 Austin All points which concerne faith and good life are found in those things which are plainly set downe in Scripture t Ibid. c. 42. And whatsoeuer thing it be that a man learne out of the Scripture if it be hurtfull there it is condemned if it be profitable there it is found u Catech. 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag 15. Cyril the Bishop of Ierusalem Concerning the holy and heauenly mysteries of faith we must not deliuer any thing though neuer so small without the holy Scripture neither may we be led away with probabilities and shew of words neither yet beleeue me barely saying these things vnto you vnlesse thou also receiue the demonstration thereof from the Scripture For the security of our faith ariseth from the demostration of the holy Scripture x Theod. â—â—it lib. 1. c. 7. pag. 2â—4 The Empereur Constantine in his speech to the Bishops of the Nicen Councel hath this memorable saying y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We haue the teaching of the holy Ghost written For the Euangelicall and Apostolicke bookes and the decrees of the old Prophets do euidently teach vs the things that are needfull to be knowne concerning God Therefore lâ—ying aside all contention let vs out of the diuine-inspired Scripture take the resolution of those things we seeke for Thus the ancient Church would neuer haue spoken if it had bene of the Iesuites mind that the Scriptures alone cannot be the rule to direct our faith 5 And very common sense may confirme their iudgement For if the written word be granted to be the rule in one point as z August de Trinit lib. 15. cap. vltim in the Trinitie for example who may deny it to be the rule in another seeing the rule is but one for all and the nature thereof is to be perfect as the Iesuit himselfe requireth Again what father what councell or Churches iudgement is so absolute what doctrine or exposition so likely a Act 17.11 Ioh. 5.39 but it is examined by the Scriptures And when the Papists haue said what they can they are constrayned to grant that all other authority is finally resolued into the authoritie of the Scripture these are the words of Gregory of Valence b Comment Theolog. in Thom. tom 3. disp 1 qu. 1. punct 1. pag. 31. If a man be asked why he beleeues for example that God is one in nature and three in person let him answer because God hath reuealed it If againe he be demanded how he knoweth that God hath reuealed it let him answer that indeed he knoweth it not euideÌ„tly but beleeueth it infallibly by faith and that vpon no other reuelatioÌ„ c bene tamen ob insallibâ—lem propositionem Ecclesiae tanquam conditionem but yet the infallible proposition of the Church as a condition requisite for the beleeuing it doth wel moue him theruÌ„to d Sirursus vnde cognoscat propositionem Ecclesiae esse infallibilems fimiliter dicat se clarè noÌ„ nosse credere tamen fide infallibili ob reuelationeÌ„ Scripturae testimonio perhibentis Ecclesiae cui reuelationi noÌ„ credit ob aliam reuelationem sed ob seipsam If again you aske And how doth he know the proposition of the Church to be infallible let him likewise say he knoweth it not euidently but beleeueth it infallibly because the Scripture hath reuealed it giuing testimony to the Church which reuelation he beleeues not vpon the credit of any other reuelation but for it selfe though hereunto the proposition of the Church as a requisite condition be needfull Let this speech of the Iesuite be well noted 6 Finally the euidence of this truth is such that it conuinceth the Papists themselues many
ye need nothing else but to reade A truth so manifest that the Iesuits themselues are constrayned to yeeld it For e Anal. fid pag. 100. Gregory of Valence writeth that such verities concerning our faith as are absolutely and necessarily to be known beleeued of all men are f Perspicuè ferè plainely taught in the Scriptures themselues And g Dist 37. Relatum the Canon law saith When the law of God is read it must not be read or taught according to the power and knowledge of our owne wit For many words there be in the Scripture which may be drawn to that sense which euery one for the nonce will frame to himselfe But it should not be so For h Non enim sensum extrin secus alienum extraneum sed ex ipsis Scripturis sensum capere veritatis oportet you must not from without them seeke a forren and strange sence that so you may as you can confirme it with the authoritie of the text but we must out of the Scriptures themselues receiue the meaning of the truth For the diuine Scriptures containe i Integram sumam regulā veritatis the whole and firme rule of faith 4 Against this that I haue answered the Iesuite hath couched together diuers obiections And first that learned men many times mistake the sence of places expounding that one way which is meant another as for example that figuratiuely which is meant literally whereto I answer three things First this proueth not the pretended difficulty of the Scripture but only the weaknesse and ignorance or possible the frowardnesse and preiudice of some men And so a wrong cause is assigned for the Scripture is not the cause of these mens erronious expositions as I will shew in the tenth Digression 5 Next this argument conuinceth not all the Scripture of obscuritie but only some of it which we grant But then what gaineth the Iesuite For he must proue that all the Scripture and specially that which containeth the principles of our faith which we call the rule to be obscure and intricate which he can neuer do For k Aug. de doctr Christ li. 2. c. 9. Chrys hom 3. in 2. Thess those things which concerne our faith and conuersation yea all things necessary are plainely and manifestly set downe the which cannot be made vncertaine by the obscuritie of other places Therefore the diuersitie of mens iudgements sheweth the learnedst men that are l 1. Cor. 13.11 to know but in part and the Scripture in some part to be obscure but not that all is obscure or that which is so is too obscure to be the rule See Digression 10. 6 Thirdly though the proper interpretation be sometime mistaken yet the truth is not alway thereby obscured For heare what m De doct l. 2. cap. 36. Austin saith He erres not perniciously neither doth he altogether say vntruly who sometime expoundeth otherwise then the text meaneth if so his exposition further charity the end of the commandement He is indeed deceiued but yet so as when a man losing his way through a by-field cometh whither the way leadeth His meaning is that in many cases wrong expositions hinder not the determinate and plaine iudgement of the text 7 But seeing experience sheweth that diuers expound diuersly yea one contrary to another how may one be infallibly sure that he only expoūdeth right hauing nothing to assure him but the seeming of his owne reason which reason others thinke they haue as well as he Wherto I answer three things First this infallible certaintie befalleth not all men For God in his iudgment leaueth many to be seduced by their own seeming sense and reason and deceiued in their owne opinions as n Psal 119.18 Ioh. 7.17 8.43.47 14 16.17 1. Cor. 2.14 2 Th 2.11 2. Pet. 3.16 the Scripture teacheth manifestly neither is there any externall meanes left by God in the world effectuall to conuince those whom he hath giuen ouer and which want his spirit as already o §. 4. nu 2. I haue shewed For though the Spirit speake euidently in the text and plentifully to meet with all doubts and cases as p Part. 3. Tit. 18. c. 3. §. 3. Antoninus speaketh yet the wicked haue no eares to heare it their owne preiudice hindereth them For what can be playner then this that Iesus is the Messias the sacrifice of Aaron is ceased the blood of Christ doth away our sins yet the Iew beleeueth it not and the reason is giuen by Saint Paul q 2. Cor. 3.14 because the vaile of Moses is laid ouer his heart therefore Austin prayeth r Cons l. 11. c. 3. Thee ô my God I beseech pardon my sinne and which causedst thy seruant Moses to speake the truth cause me also to vnderstand it If this be a defect in our rule they which make the determination of the Roman Church the rule incurre the same inconuenience For ſ Princip Doctrin fid lib. 8. c. 1. 2. Triplic inchoat in admonit ad Guil. Whytak Doctor Stapleton acknowledgeth The inward perswasion of the spirit is so necessary that without it no man can beleeue any thing though the Church giue testimony a thousand times And t Relect. controu 4. again he complaineth This is the beginning of our calamitie that an hereticke heareth not the Churches voyce The same say we this is the spring of an heretickes confusion that he heareth not the voyce and definitiue sentence of the Scripture 8 Secondly to the point of his demand the truth contained in the Scripture is a light and is discerned by the sonnes of light u 1. Ioh. 2.20 Ioh. 8.31.32 the inward witnesse to assure them is the annointing of the holy Ghost x Luc. 1.4 Act. 17.11 2. Pet. 1.19 the outward witnesse is the Scripture it self which by it own light perswadeth vs in all cases doubts questions and controuersies clearly testifieth with vs or against vs. Which light is ordinarily attained to by vsing the meanes some priuate as reading prayer conference of places consent of the godly helps of learning and reason sanctified some publick as the ministery of the Church which ministery as all other meanes is founded on the authoritie of the Scripture it selfe And this is something to assure vs more then the seeming of our owne sense and reason 9 Thirdly the Churches word and authoritie neither doth nor can assure vs that is to say we are not infallibly certaine this or that is the right meaning of the text because the Church hath decreed it so to be but by the Churches ministery ordinarily we are instructed as I shew more at large in the 11. Digression and haue touched already in the sixth 10 But many things are required for the perfect vnderstanding of the Scripture which are but in few they which haue thē be not sure either that they haue them or that they erre not in vsing
the holy Ghost Now to be inspired of God and to be the true word of God is all one The former is written we see expresly of all Scripture therefore of euery booke and therefore the latter is also written 4 If the Iesuite reply but where is it written that these bookes which we haue be the same of whom it is said they are inspired of God or how know you the Scripture that telleth you so is the word of God I answer this is nothing to the purpose for he desireth onely to know where it is written that these bookes be the word of God and I answer him by naming the places out of the bookes themselues Digression 12. Wherein it is shewed that the Scripture proueth it selfe to be the very word of God and receiueth not authority from the Church 5 It is another question how I know this Scripture that saith so of it selfe to be the word of God for this is knowne first and principally by the illumination of Gods spirit as by the inward meanes f 1. Cor. 12.7.11 and is giuen to euery man to profit withall which worketh all things in all men and then by the testimonie of the scriptures themselues which is the outward meanes which openeth the eyes of the godly the testimonie of the Apostles and Prophets that penned them as Gods secretaries and the ministery of the Church inducing vs to assent These three latter being onely the instruments euery one in his owne order whereby God doth enlighten vs. 6 So that the certaintie of the Scripture is not written indeed with letters in any particular place or booke thereof but g See Scot. prolog in sent q. 2. Cameracens 1. q. 1. art 2. part 2. concil 1. the vertue and power that sheweth it selfe in euery line and leafe of the Bible proclaimeth it to be the word of the eternall God and the sheepe of Christ discerne the voice and light thereof as men discerne light from darknes sweet from sowre h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil epist 1. ad Naz. and know children by their fauour resembling the parents the puritie and perfection of the matter the maiesty of the dispensation i Non mouent non persuadeÌ„t sacrae literae sed cogunt agitant vim inferunt Legis rudia verba agrestia sed viua sed animata flammea aculeata ad imum spiritum penetrantia hominem totum potestate mirabili transformaÌ„tia Ioan. fr. Pic. Mirand exam van doctr gent. li. 2. cap. 2. Which speech of Picus is reported and commended by Posseuinus in Ciceron c. 11. the maiestie of the speech the power that it hath ouer the conscience the certaine prophecies the strange miracles contained in it the great antiquitie beyond all bookes the admirable preseruation of it against time and tyrants the sweete harmony of euery part with other the diuels rage against them that follow it the vengeance that hath pursued all such as haue not obeyed it the successe of the faith contained in it the readinesse of so many millions of men to confirme it with their bloud the testimony of aduersaries and strangers for it the simplicitie of the writers all this and much more shining to vs out of the Scripture it selfe I hope is another maner of assurance then the Church of Romes lying traditions 7 Therefore the Iesuites collection is idle if we must needs admit some other rule beside the Scripture to assure vs that there is any Scripture at all why should we not admit the same to assure vs which is the true sence for we admit both alike that is to say as we reiect the Church froÌ„ being the rule of exposition so do we also disclaime the authoritie thereof in canonization But the Iesuite is of another mind holding possible that vnlesse the authoritie of the Church did teach vs that this Scripture is canonical it should be of small credit with him as k Lib. 3. de authorit Scripturae Hosius speaketh or All the authoritie which the Scripture hath with vs dependeth of necessitie on the Churches as saith l Hier. l. 1. c. 2. Pighius or as m Epist Synod respons de authoritate Concilij pag. 700. Crab. the Councell of Basil saith That is called the holy Scripture which the Church declareth to be holy not onely the decrees and opinions of the Church be authenâ—icke and such as we must without contradiction stand vnto but also her deeds and customes must be vnto vs * Instar habeaÌ„t sanctarum scripturarum in steed of the Scriptures for the Scripture and the Churches custome both require the same affection and fashion or as Wolfangus Hermannus said and n Vbi supra Hosius defendeth his saying as good The Scripture is of no more authoritie then Aesops Fables but that the Church and Popes approue it All which if the Iesuite hold too then you may see what he requireth when he saith we must put some other rule then the Scriptures to assure vs both of the Scripture and of the true sence 8 But in what a miserable case are these men thus presumptuously to tell their followers that which at another time when they are out of the heate of their disputations they dare not stand to but vtterly renounce for o Catech. cap. de praecep eccl nu 16. Canisius saith We beleeue adhere and giue the greatest authoritie to the Scripture for the testimonies sake of the holy Ghost speaking in it p De verb. Dei lib. 1. cap. 2. Bellarmine saith Other meanes may deceiue me but nothing is more knowne nothing more certaine then the Scripture that it were the greatest madnesse in the world not to beleeue them the Christian world and consent of all nations with whom they haue bene in credit so many ages can witnesse they containe not mens inuentions but heauenly oracles q 3. dist 25. dub 3. Biel saith The Catholicke verities without any approofe of the Church of their owne nature are vnchangeable and vnchangeably true and so are to be reputed vnchangeably Catholicke r Comment in Tho. tom 3. p 2. 31. Venet. Gregory of Valence saith The reuelation of the Scripture is beleeued not vpon the credit of any other reuelation but for it selfe D. Stapleton confesseth two things concerning this matter which bewray the weaknesse of the Iesuites assertion Å¿ Defens Eccl. authorit aduer Whitak l. 1. c. 9 first that all the former writings of the Bible may be assured to vs by the latter as for example the old Testament by the authoritie of the new t Triplicat inchoat aduers Whitak in admonit Secondly that the inward testimonie of the spirit is so effectuall for the beleeuing of any point of faith that by it alone any matter may be beleeued though the Church hold her peace or neuer be heard Now if the former may receiue authoritie from the latter then we may be assured of them otherwise then by
the Church and those latter also are certaine to vs else could they not make the other so and why is the Churches authority so absolutely vrged here by the Iesuit when yet in so many cases it may be spared That is not the sole thing that must assure vs without which we may otherwise be secured Digression 13. Shewing against the Iesuits assumption that all substantiall points of our faith are sufficiently determined in the Scripture and the reason why the Papists call for the Churches authoritie 9 Whereas the Iesuite obiecteth against the Scripture that many substantiall points of faith are not expresly contained in the Scriptures this is true of his Popish faith which is in them neither expresly nor by analogie saue that they haue an answer ready t Hosius de express Dei verb. pag. 38. That which pleaseth the Church of Rome is Gods expresse word But of the true faith of Christ u De doctrin Christ l. 2. c. 42. Austin saith Whatsoeuer a man learneth from without the Bible if it be hurtfull there it is condemned if it be profitable there it is found all things which may be learned elsewhere are found there more abundantly x Regul contract q. 95. Basil saith It is necessary and consonant to reason that euery man learne that which is needfull out of the holy Scripture both for the fulnesse of godlinesse and lest they inure themselues to humane traditions which words saith y Non videtur author harum quaestionum admittere traditiones non scriptas Bellar. de amiss grat lib. 1. c. 13 a Iesuite seeme to debarre traditions and the Church of Rome authorizeth the scripture but by traditioÌ„ z In Mat. hom 41. Chrysostome saith Whatsoeuer is required to saluation is all accomplished in the Scripture neither is there any thing wanting there that is needfull for mans saluation Isidorus Pelusiota his scholler a Lib. 1. epi. 369. biddeth we should refuse whatsoeuer is taught vnlesse it be contained in the volume of the Bible b Lib. 12. in Ioh. in illud â—â—ec auteÌ„ scripta sunt vt credatis Cyril Such things as the Apostles saw sufficient for our faith and manners are written that shining in true faith and good manners we might come to heauen by Christ c Comment in Hagg. c. 2. Hierome Whatsoeuer things man find and faine without the authoritie and testimonie of the Scripture as if they were from Apostolicall tradition are smitten by the sword of God d Lib. 3. c. 1. Irenaeus We haue not knowne the order of our saluation by meanes of any but those through whom the Gospell is come to vs the which Gospell they then preached and afterwards by the will of God deliuered to vs in the Scripture to be the foundation and pillar of our faith These places of the Fathers e Bellarm. de verb. Dei lib. 4. cap. 11. Gregor de Valent. anal fid by the confession of the Iesuits themselues shew that all things are written which be necessary for the saluation of all men And so you see the Iesuites rashnesse For if many substantiall points of faith be not set downe then some things necessary are wanting for euery substantiall point is necessary for all men 10 But yeeld the Iesuite that the Church shall be the rule we speake of to assure our conscience and then aske him who shall be this Church whereto he wil answer none but the Pope and his crew of Cardinals nay none but the Pope himself as I haue shewed alreadie and shall declare hereafter who if he leade thousands of people by troupes to hell eternally to be damned with himselfe there yet no man might presume to reproue him because he is iudged of no man f Dist 40. c. Si Papa saith the Canon law which the Iesuit will kindly take too if ye put him to it 11 And how will this Church expound the Scripture when you haue yeelded your self vnto her for no doubt she will discharge the office faithfully which she laboureth for so eagerly Let Cusanus the Cardinall tell you how for I hope he neuer recanted this point as g Stapl. counterbl l. 3. c. 36. pag. 358. they say he did another of greater truth thus he writeth h Epist 2 pag. 833. The Scripture is fitted to the time and variably vnderstood so that at one time it is expounded according to the fashion of the Church and when that fashioÌ„ is changed the sence of the Scripture is also changed i Epist 3 pag. 838. Againe when the Church changeth her iudgement God also changeth his k Epist 7. pag. 857. And no maruell seeing the letter of the Scripture is not of the essence of the Church if the practise of the Church at one time interprete the Scripture of this fashion and another time on that And let the Popes lawyers tell you that say l De translat episcopi c. Quanto in Gloss § Puâ—i The Pope hath a heauenly iudgement and maketh that to be the meaning which is none because in those things that he pleaseth to haue go forward his will is a law neither may any man say why do you so for he may dispense aboue all law So that this is the plaine English wherinto all the Iesuites doctrine concerning the authoritie of the Church is resolued and whatsoeuer any of them say yet their halting in the end cometh all to it and good reason for the Pope is a fast friend to the Romane Church c. § 10. Fourthly this rule of faith which we seeke for must be such that whosoeuer do find it and hauing found it will diligently attend vnto it obediently in all that it teacheth yeeld assent vnto it shall sufficiently in all points be instructed as touching matters of faith in such sort that none that yeeldeth this obedient assent in all points to the teaching thereof can fall into errour of faith But there be many that hauing found the Scripture do with an obedient mind diligently reade it and yeeld assent to euery sentence and word written in it acknowledging whatsoeuer it saith to be the word of God and yet are not sufficiently instructed but may and do sometimes grosly and obstinately erre in matters of faith as it is most euident since men of contrarie minds in religion do in maner aforesaid reade the Scriptures acknowledging them to be the word of God and yet continue opposite in opinion and so one of them in errour Therefore the Scripture alone is not that rule sufficient of it selfe to instruct euerie one in all points of faith The Answer 1 This is the Iesuites third argument against the scriptures and it is thus framed That which doth not instruct such as find it and obey it in all points of faith and preserue them from error is not the rule But the Scripture doth not instruct such as find it and obey it in all points of faith and
Romish multitude and though their persons were not the rule yet when they followed that which is the rule we beleeued them § 13. The fourth and last conclusion of this question is that this infallible rule which we ought obediently to follow in all points of faith is the doctrine and teaching faith and beliefe of the true Church This I proue Because to this agree all the conditions which I said to be requisite in the rule of faith First this is a thing infallible as shal be proued Secondly it is a thing easie to be knowne Thirdly it is such a thing as may vniuersally resolue and determine vs in all questions and doubts and instruct all sorts of men in all points of faith And consequently whosoeuer will obediently yeeld assent to this rule in all points as we all professe in our Creed saying Credo Ecclesiam catholicam shall not erre in anie point That these three conditions of the rule of faith agree to the doctrine and teaching of the vniuersall or catholike Church I proue The Answer 1 We would not stand with the Iesuite about this conclusion but freely grant it if no more were meant thereby then the words make shew of that the doctrine and faith of the vniuersall Church is the rule of faith For that doctrine is onely the contents of the Scripture which we yeeld to be the rule For a In 1. Ep. Ioh. tract 3. Austin saith Our mother the Church giueth her children milk out of her two brests the old and new Testament But he hath a further reach and meaneth a higher matter First that the Churches word and authoritie is the rule without referring the same to the Scripture Secondly that the Church of Rome is this true and vniuersall Church Thirdly that all the authoritie and efficacy therof is in the Pope alone This is the plaine English of the conclusion howsoeuer the words be faire and cleanely and the Iesuite defending it must shew all the properties of the rule to appertaine to the present Church and Pope of Rome or else he doth but trifle and spend time Digression 16. Shewing how the Papists pretending at euerie word the Catholicke Church meane nothing thereby but the Popes determination 2 First howsoeuer these words be tollerable the doctrine teaching faith and beliefe of the true Church is the infallible rule in all points to be followed yet the Popish meaning is absurd that whatsoeuer the Church teacheth though it be not contained in the Bible must be accepted as matter of faith and that vpon her owne authoritie Yet thus they hold as I haue b Digress 1. c. 6.9 shewed and may further be perceiued by the Iesuites words in this section Whosoeuer will yeeld assent to the Church in all points as we professe in our Creed saying I beleeue the Catholicke Church shall not erre in any point Which words of the Creed meaning no more but c Ruffin expos Symbo that we beleeue there is one holy Catholicke Church whereof our selues are members he expoundeth of yeelding assent in all points to it which exposition may be further vnderstood by that which d Staplet def eccles potest adu Whitak l. 1. cap 9. Rhem. annot 1. Tim. 3.15 Bristo dem 44. other Papists say more fully I beleeue the Catholicke Church the literall sence whereof is that thou beleeuest whatsoeuer the Catholicke Church holdeth and teacheth are to be beleeued Which exposition is a glosse beside the text And yet this is tollerable in comparison of the next 3 For hauing deuolued all power ouer to the Church in the next place they define this Church to be the Romane company For e Mot. 12. in marg Bristo saith The Romane Church is the Catholicke Church and f Annot. Rom. 1 8. idem B. roÌ„ Annal. tom 1. an 58. nu 49. See Posseu bibl select lib. 4. c. 13. â— Interdum quoqueâ—aud sâ—â—iâ— the Rhemists The Catholicke and Romane faith is all one Wherein their meaning is to win authoritie to the Romish faction perswading men there is no saluation but in that religion and making roome for themselues in all those places of Scripture which commend vnto vs the Catholicke Church of Christ Which is a iest so grosse that it deserueth to be smiled at rather then confuted And yet it stayeth not here neither but goeth a degree further which me thinketh is a note aboue éla 4 For as they take all authoritie and sufficiency from the Scripture and giue it the Church so all the Churches authoritie they giue to the Pope So saith Gregory of Valence g Dispuâ— theo tom 3 â—isp 1. â—u 1. punct 1. p. 24. Item Cater 22 q. 1. art 9. 10. Dom. Ban ibid. apud D. Tho nam Pro eodem omnino reputatur authoritas Ecclesiae vniuersalis authoritas concilij authoritas sum mi pontificis By the Church we meane her head that is to say the Romane Bishop h Analys fidei pag. 136. In whom resideth that full authoritie of the Church when he pleaseth to determine matters of faith whether he do it with a Councell or without Thomas saith i 22. q 1. art 10. The making of a new Creed belongeth to the Pope as all other things do which belong to the whole Church k 22. qu 1 â— art 2.3 Yea the whole authoritie of the vniuersall Church abideth in him l Defens fid Triâ—ent lib. 2. Andradius saith All power to interpret the Scripture and reueale the hidden mysteries of our religioÌ„ is giuen from heauen to the Popes and their Councels Yea m Decis aur cas part 2 l. 2. c 7 nu 40 saith Graffius The common opinion is he may do it without them And so n De Christ l. 2 c. 28. saith Bellarmine Himselfe without any Councell may decree matters of faith And o Sum Syluest verbo fides nu 2. Syluester The power of the Catholicke Church remaineth all in him And p De Planctu Eccl. lib. 1. artic 6. Aluarus Pelagius We are bound to stand to his iudgement alone rather then to the iudgement of all the world beside And the canon Law saith q In Sext. extt. Ioh. 22 tit 14 c. cum inter in gloss It were heresie to thinke our Lord God the Pope might not decree as he doth r Dist 19. in Canonicis glos ibid. Yea his rescripts and decretall Epistles are canonicall Scripture Stapleton Å¿ Praefat. Princip fidei doctrinal saith The foundation of our religion is of necessitie placed vpon the authoritie of this mans teaching in which we heare God himselfe speaking And finally the Iesuite himselfe t §. hereafter saith All Catholicke men must necessarily submit their iudgement and opinions either in expounding the Scripture or otherwise to the censure of the Apostolicke seate and God hath bound his Church to heare the chiefe Pastor in all points By all which we see what is
all things is infallible which if it were granted yet were it too short to proue that therefore this Church were the rule of faith For euery infallible thing whose teaching is most true is not yet in the ordinance of God set apart to instruct vs. As the Angels of heauen for example are not the rule of our faith though a Fr. Suarez in Tho. to 1. disp 42. sect 1. they haue all the graces and glorie that a creature can haue and consequently the grace of infallibilitie Let this be noted in the first place 2 But yet the doctrine and teaching of the Church is not in all points infallible and most true neither meaning this doctrine not of the Scriptures but of the Churches ministery in propounding and following the same for in her ministery and manners she may and doth erre as shall appeare in my answer to the Iesuites reasons throughout this section But first the question must be made plaine For to say as he doth here and euery where in this question that the teaching of the vniuersall Catholick Church is infallible not subiect to error is an improper speech not incideÌ„t to the question because that Church comprehendeth all the triumphant Church in heauen which neither can be vsed neither do we charge it with error but confesse it to be b Ephes 5.27 glorious not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing All the question is of that part of the Catholick Church which dwelleth here on earth professing the name of Christ and liuing in warfare against the world and Satan called the Church militant Which so distinguished we hold to be subiect to error both in manners and doctrine And the Iesuite of necessitie by the vniuersall Church must vnderstand onely this part thereof because this part onely is apt to teach vs and hath ministerie in her hands or else he disputeth confusedly not distinguishing the termes of the question 3 This being noted now I come to the discourse which may all be concluded in this syllogisme that we may the better iudge of it That 1. vnto which Christ hath promised his owne presence and the presence of his spirit for euer to the worlds end 2. which hath commission from God to teach all nations 3. which all men are commaunded to heare in all things 4. they that heare it are warranted as if they heard Christ himselfe 5. they that heare it not are threatned as if they despised Christ himselfe that is free from error and the doctrine thereof in all things is infallible But such is the Church that concerning it Christ hath 1. promised 2. giuen commission 3. commanded 4. warranted and 5. threatned as is aforesaid Therefore the Church is free from error and the doctrine thereof in all things is infallible This is the summe of all this section whereto I answer by denying both propositions and the reason is for that they consist of Scripture falsly expounded and applyed and this my answer I set downe more particularly in that which followeth wherein I will examine euery text as it is alledged and make it plain that neuer a one of them proueth the conclusion 4 The first place is Mat. 28.20 Lo I am with you alway to the worlds end But I answer 1. this was a personall promise made onely to the Apostles and so cannot be extended to all the Church if we will speake of the words properly according to their immediate sence 2. To whomsoeuer it belongeth the meaning is c Iansen concord Eâ—ang cap. 149. that howsoeuer his bodily presence ceassed yet his prouidence should neuer faile to preserue comfort them in all their troubles and helpe them in all their actions and by degrees so enlighten them also that they should not perish in their ignorance but be led forward to more perfection This must needes be granted to be all that is meant First because Christ is not absent from his people euery time they fall into an error but remaineth with them still for all that either forgiuing it or reforming it Secondly this promise notwithstanding yet afterward d Gal 2.11 vide August de Baptism cont Donat. l. 2. c. 1. de agon Christian c. 30. Thom. in ep ad Gal. c. 3. lect 3. Peter one to whom the promise was made erred against the truth of the Gospell and was therefore by Paul rebuked and resisted to his face which thing could not haue fallen out if this promise had exempted the Church from all error Thirdly if it priuiledge the whole Church from error because it is made to it then consequently it priuiledgeth the particular Churches Pastors and beleeuers therein because it is made to them likewise but experience sheweth these latter may erre and therefore the meaning must needs be as I haue said Fourthly e See §. it is a ruled case among the Papists that the Pope may erre which could not be if these words of Christ meant the Church of Rome and that infallible iudgment which the Iesuite talketh of As for his glosse vpon the words that Christ in them should promise his continuall presence not for a while then nor for a while now but for euer it is altogether either idle and inept For he can name no Protestant that euer thought Christ was at any time absent but we all constantly beleeue he alway was is and shall be with his Church to the end 5 The second and third places are much like the first Iohn 14.16 I will pray the Father saith Christ and he shall giue you another comforter that he may abide with you for euer And Iohn 16.13 When he is come which is the Spirit of truth he will leade you into all truth But I answer two things First these words are properly extended to the Apostles promising f Act. 2.4 that which was performed immediatly after Christs ascention and ought not to be stretched any further Which being so they conclude somewhat for them but little for the Church because euerie grace belongeth not to the Church in all ages that was giuen the Apostles Secondly applying them to the Church also the meaning is that the holy Ghost should neuer forsake it but perseuere in teaching it all truh which is simply necessary to saue it according as the Church is able to learne it which he doth by meanes of the Scripture though not at all times alike perfectly but so as he endueth it with all holines and yet many sins are found in it This interpretation must needs be allowed for three causes first the Apostle saith of himselfe and the Church g 1. Cor. 13.9 Now we know but in part and prophesie in part Which were not true if these words of Christ had secured the Church in all things and in euery truth for the part cometh short of the whole Secondly this promise belongeth as well to one Apostle as another yea h 1. Ioh 2.20 to all the faithfull as wel as to the
Apostles if it reach to the Church so that if that be the sence which the Iesuite setteth downe then all the Apostles had equall priuiledges from error with Peter and particular Churches and men should be as infallible as the whole Church it selfe which I am sure the Iesuite will not grant Thirdly Saint Austine i Tract 96. in Ioh. tom 9. expoundeth the words as I do He shall teach or leade you into all truth this I think cannot be fulfilled in any mans mind in this life for who is he liuing in this bodie so corrupt and loading the soule that can know all truth when the Apostle saith we know but in part But forasmuch as by the holy Ghost it cometh to passe whose earnest we haue receiued that hereafter we may come to the fulnesse it self whereof the same Apostle saith then shall we see him face to face and now I know but in part but then I shall know as I am knowne not that which shall be in this lâ—fe onely but all that which shall befall vs till the perfection come the Lord by the loue of his spirit hath promised saying He shall teach you all truth As for the Iesuites exposition that he may remaine with you for euer not onely for sixe hundred yeares it smelleth either of his malice or ignorance For which of vs euer yet said the holy Ghost departed from the Church after sixe hundred yeares Let the Papists deale sincerely and leaue their coyning 6 The fourth place is Math. 28.19 Go teach all nations Whereto I answer first these words were spoken to the Apostles onely and not to that which the Iesuite calleth the Catholike Church Now I grant their teaching was infallible and all men were bound to heare it for they taught that which afterward they writ in the Scripture yet so they taught and with such commission that k Act 17.11 the people are commended which examined their teaching by the Scriptures Secondly we grant the Pastors of the Church in all ages haue commission to teach likewise but that proueth not all their teaching to be alway infallible because naturall corruption hanging on them they may faile in that which is committed to them Neither is this any inconuenience binding vs sometime to beleeue that which is false for the bond hath a limitatioÌ„ that we heare them so farre as they teach agreeable with the scriptures and no further and by those scriptures we may relieue our selues if they chance to teach falsly 7 The fift place is Luk. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me Which words were spoken to the Apostles all whose teaching and writing was true infallibly and therefore were sufficient warrant to the hearers to accept it But being applied to the Church and ordinary Pastors therein l Ferus lib. 3 in Math. cap. 23. they must be vnderstood with this caution if they hold them to the instructions that Christ giueth them if they come in the name of Christ deliuering his words truly and consonant to the scripture for such are to be heard as Christ himselfe else m 1. Ioh. 4.1 1. Cor. 14.32 we must trie the spirits and iudge of the Prophets This place therefore being to be vnderstood conditionally proueth not that which the Iesuite concludeth absolutely and vniuersally 8 The sixt place is Math. 23.2 The Scribes and Pharises sit in Moses chaire all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and do Which words I grant must be vnderstood of the Ministers of the Gospel that succeed the Apostles as wel as of the Pharises that sate in Moses chaire therefore I answer three things 1. I mislike it not that he compareth the Priests and Bishops of his Church to the Scribes and Pharises 2. By Moses chaire is meant neither outward succession nor iudiciall authoritie but the profession of Moses law 3. n Si quae cuÌ„que dixerint nobis ea facere iubemur cur alio loco Christus cauere voluit à feâ—mento Pharisaeorum cur rursum eorum traditiones exemplo etiam proprio coÌ„temnere docuit aliquid ergo doctrinae propriae puritati euangelij admiscere possunt in quo non solùm non sunt audiendi sed sunt etiam refutandi Id ergo prae cauit Christus ne plebs malis docentium exemplis ad contemptionem verae doctrinae inducatur Nunc ergo quae dixetint nobis Pharisaei eadem facere iubet Christus cum super Cathediam Mosis federint hoc est legem enarrauerint docucrint proposuerint Can. loc l. 5. c. 4. Our Sauior doth not simply commaund the people to obey the Pharisees in all points of their doctrine or teach them that their locall succession did priuiledge them from error but onely that they should not for their euill life be offended at that which they might at any time teach well because though their life were wicked yet that which they taught out of Moses chaire that is to say according to Moses law must be followed Now this was far from enioyning them in all points to do according to the doctrine of the Scribes and Pharises as I proue by foure reasons first o Iansen concord euang cap. 120. Em. Sa. notat in Math. 23. v. 3. the Popish expositors say this place bindeth vs not to obey them if they teach that which is euill for that is to teach against the chaire Which exposition granteth we are not bound to heare them in all points without limitation as p Ecce sine limitatione aliqua Martin Peres de tradit part 3. pag. 328. a Popish Bishop speaketh with the Iesuite and supposeth they may teach vntruly in some points Secondly if I may refuse them in some points then hence it followeth vnanswerably that there is another rule whereby I may be directed in hearing for else how should a man be able to distinguish those points wherein he must follow his teachers from those wherein he must not Thirdly the Pharisees taught many errors and blasphemies both q Math. 5.20 25.3 23.13 against the law of Moses and r Marc. 14.64 Ioh 7.48 8 13. 9.22.24 19.7.15 against the diuinitie of Christ in which regard our Sauiour bad his disciples Å¿ Mat. 26.6.12 to beware of the leauen of the Pharises which was their doctrine Wherein he had gainsaid himselfe if by Moses chaire he had meant any thing but the prescript of the law or by those words had commaunded vs in all points to do according to the Prelates doctrine for then the Iewes must not haue honored parents nor loued their enemies nor beleeued in Christ because the Pharises taught against these things Lastly t Gloss in Mat. 23.2 Nicol. Gorr ibid. Arias Mâ—ntâ—n elucid ibid. the Papists themselues expounding the place write that to sit in Moses chaire is to teach according to the doctrine and rule of Moses law and to commaund things agreeable thereunto that is to say true doctrine and the same
whereby all men at all times may come to the true faith must be alway visible to all sorts of men But Christ appointed the Church to be the rule whereby all men at all times may come to the true faith Ergo the Church must be alway visible to all sorts of men This argument is faultie two wayes first in the assumption for the Church is not this rule as l Digr 3. § 14 per totum I haue shewed at large neither hath the Iesuite alreadie proued it but onely said it as here he beggeth it to proue that which before he brought to proue this 5 But yet it is a subordinate meanes for the bringing men to saluation in that God teacheth his elect by the ministerie thereof m Ad ipsam salutem ac aeternam vitam nemo peruenit nisi qui habet caput Christū habere autem caput Christū nemo poterit nisi qui in eius corpore fuerit quod est ecclesia Aug. de vnit eccl c. 16. neither can any man be made the child of God except first he be conceiued in the wombe of the Church But hence it followeth not that the Church is therefore visible or knowne to all sorts of men because visiblenesse and inuisiblenesse are but differences of the Catholicke Churches outward state here vpon earth and the elect may partake her ministery in either of these estates that is to say he may be effectually ioyned to the Catholicke Church though it do not visibly appeare in outward shew by the ditection of Gods word and spirit and by the teaching of a few faithful Christians that lie hid in the world as wheate doth in his chaffe and so consequently Gods elect neuer want necessary meanes of knowledge saluation because some part of the Church or other first or last though hidden from the world is manifested to them 6 As for the reprobate I grant that many times the Church is neither knowne to them nor yeeldeth them any meanes whereby the faith may be knowne And I adde further that this is Gods very ordinance whereby he vseth to punish their obstinacie For as sometime n Esa 6.9 Ioh. 12.40 he taketh away their heart and sometime o 2. Thess 2.11 giueth them ouer to strong delusions to beleeue lies so sometime he sends p Amos 8.12 a famine of the word of God that they shall wander from sea to sea and from the North to the East they shall runne to and fro to seeke the word of the Lord and shall not find it and sometime q Apoca. 2.5 compared with 1.20 taketh away the candlesticke which is the visible Church as I haue touched r § 3. nu 2. before All which notwithstanding it is true that God would haue all men saued and come to the knowledge of the true faith This I say is true not vniuersally in euery sence but as the Apostle meant it whose sence is declared by ſ Enchir. c. 103. cont Iulian. l. 4. c 8. de praedest sanct c. 8. de corrept grat c. 14 Austine thus No man is saued but whom he will saue not that there is no man whom he would not haue saued but that none is saued but whom he willeth and therefore is to be intreated that he would because what he willeth of necessitie must be done And by t De incarnat grat c. 31. Fulgentius thus By all these men whom God would haue come to saluation is meant not altogether all mankind but the vniuersitie of all that shal be saued who therefore are called All men because them all the goodnesse of God saueth out of the number of All and that out of euery nation condition age language and prouince The same exposition is also giuen by u Aug. vbi supra Haymo Anselm in 1. Tim. 2 Mag. 1. d. 46. others and commended by x Alliac c. 1. q. 14. art 1. ad 1. pag. 206. Durand 1. d. 46. qu. 1. ad 2. p. 134. Greg. de Valent. tom 1. p. 325. tom 2 p. 894 Biel. lect 68. lit f. pa. 189. Vocabul theol verbo voluntas Dei anteced Greg. Arimin 1. d. 40. art 2. ad 4. learned Papists But Thomas preferreth it before all others and y Lect. 1. in 2. c. 1. ep ad Timot. saith it agreeth best with the Apostles intent And Emmanuel Sa is of the same mind God saith z Notat in 1. Tim. 2 4 he would all men be saued he would All men that is All kind of men not euery man for if he would absolutely then he would do it Which being so the Iesuite may see there is no such necessitie that God should prouide the meanes of a visible Church to instruct all men vniuersally forasmuch as he neuer willed absolutely that all men vniuersally should be saued but as Saint Austine a Ep. 107. ad Vital post mediū speaketh It is euen by children manifest that many be not saued not because themselues but because God will not confuting the contrary as Pelagianisme And it is no absurditie to say of such that they wanted b Mat. 10.5 Act. 14.16 16.6 17.30 through Gods iudgement many times secret but alway iust c Rom. 1.16 1. Cor. 1.21 Rom. 10.14 Act. 2.47 necessarie meanes whereby they should attaine to faith and saluation God willing the meanes no otherwise then he doth the end that is by no absolute will formally abiding in himselfe but onely conditionally Whereas his will concerning the elect being his absolute purpose to giue them eternall life is alway ioyned with such works as make it not onely possible or conditionall but also certaine to be effected And if nothing else can teach the Iesuite thus much yet he might haue learned it of his owne words For if God will nothing which he knoweth impossible then doth he not will the saluation of such as he knoweth to be d Rom. 9.22 1. Pet. 2.8 Iude vers 4. the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction And if the Iesuite thinke yet to answer and vnfold the matter by applying e Magist 1. d. 46 47. ibi Scolast communiter omnes Damascen l. 2. orthod fid c. 29. the schoole distinction of will antecedent and consequent then let him open his eyes and consider that this Antecedent will taking it as f Voluntas Dei antecedens est qua dat alicui naturalia vel aliqua bona antecedentia quibus potest aliquid consequi Ockā Camerac 1. q. 14. art 1. and so the rest it is described g Quod vult Deus voluntate antecedente solùm non simpliciter vult Dur. 1.46.1.2 neither is any will simply properly and formally as the Apostle saith God willeth in the place alledged neither doth it necessarily include the certaine publishing of the Gospell or reuelation of the Church But h Interna vocatio Gentibus nunquā defuit nam iuxta opinionem Scoti
be as ready to obey is one thing but neither to be willing to learne nor when you heare the truth to be satisfied therewith is another The first of these may befall the particular Church c. § 26. Because a marke whereby a thing may and must be knowne must be more apparent and easie to be knowne to all those men which should by that marke seeke out and find that thing then the thing it selfe otherwise there should come no helpe by the marke to the knowledge of the thing But to know which is the true faith in all points at least to some sorts of men to wit the vnlearned is more hard then to know and assigne which companie of men be the true Church For to know which is the true faith in all particular points requireth learning whereby one may vnderstand the termes and state of the question besides iudgement to discusse and weigh prudently the sufficiencie of the authorities and reasons oâ— both parts that vpon this pondering of reasons they may prudently conclude which is the better part Moreouer they must haue a supernaturall light of God his Spirit whereby they may discerne and see those things which be aboue all naturall rules and reasons Ad haec quis idoneus Who can say that he is sufficiently furnished with these helpes or who can be infallibly sure that he hath all these in such sort as is requisite for obtaining by his owne industrie an infallible faith in al points And as for the vnlearned they must needes confesse that in diuerse mysteries of faith they do not so much as vnderstand the termes and state of the question and much lesse are they able sufficiently to examine the worth of euery reason neither are all such as can perswade themselues that they are singularly illuminated immediatly taught of God his Spirit neither if they did thus perswade themselues could they be infallibly sure that in this their perswasion they were not deceiued since it is certaine that some that most strongly in their owne conceit perswade themselues to be thus enlightened are in this their perswasion deceiued Now for to know which is the true Church and by giuing credite to it consequently which is the true faith there are not so many things required nor anie great difficultie as shall be declared For this is the direct way which Esay as did foretell cap. 35. should be in the time of Messias which he said should be so direct that euen fooles to wit simple and vnlearned men should not erre in it Haec erit vobis directa via saith he ita vt stulti non errent per eam The Answer 1 This is his first argument the summe whereof is concluded in this Syllogisme That which is the marke whereby to know a thing must be more apparent and easier to be knowne then the thing it selfe otherwise it helpeth vs not in finding out the thing But the true faith is not more apparent or easier to be knowne then the Church but contrary the Church is easier to be knowne then the true faith for to know the true faith there is required learning iudgement and supernaturall illumination which no man sufficiently hath but to know which is the true Church these things are not required for the Church is the direct way Esa 35.8 Therefore the true faith is not the marke of the Church To this I answer denying the second proposition and the confirmation thereof that it is harder to know which is the true faith then to assigne which company of men be the Church For faith is the cause of the Church that is to say this is the thing that maketh a people to be the Church of God when they beleeue the word of God and euery cause as it goeth before his effect so is it more apparent to our vnderstanding and better knowne to our iudgement then the effect Aristotle saith a Analy Poste cap. 2. Causes are both before their effects and better knowne and b Ibid. Metaph l. 1. c. 2. l. 2. c. 2. Plato in Thraet the true knowledge of things ariseth from the knowledge of their causes yea those things are simply first and best knowne which are furthest from our sence and nearest our vnderstanding and so the doctrine and beliefe of the Church must needes be easier to know then the Church it selfe because it cometh first to my vnderstanding and of necessitie I must see it afore I can tell whether the Church be there or not For though that company which is offered to me as the Church be more apparent to my sence yet haue I no certaintie that it is the Church or a companie so qualified vntil I know the faith thereof to be true I see indeed a company of men and heare much of their greatnesse but I am not sure they are the Church vnlesse I know they hold the true faith and so the knowledge of this leadeth me to the knowledge of that and the faith is easilier discerned then the Church 2 The Papists themselues haue a saying which if this Iesuite would receiue might determine this matter We see indeed that companie of men which is the Church c Lib. 3. de eccl c. 15. saith Bellarmine but we do not see that this companie is the true Church of Christ we beleeue it For that is the true Church which prâ—fesseth the faith of Christ but who doth euidently know this faith to be the faith of Christ we rather beleeue this by a firme and most assured faith In which words this Iesuites assumption is thus disproued That whereupon I beleeue the Church so to be is more apparent and easier to be knowne sooner to be seene then the church it selfe But vpon knowledge of the Churches faith I beleeue it to be the Church therefore the Churches faith is more apparent and sooner knowne then the Church it selfe Againe By faith we beleeue this to be the true Church and the profession thereof to be the truth but d Rom. 10.17 all faith cometh by hearing the word of God therefore by the meanes of hearing Gods word I beleeue this to be the true Church and so consequently the knowledge of Gods word cometh sooner and easilier to my vnderstanding then the knowledge of the Church 3 And though it were granted that in some cases the Church were easier to know then the faith yet as things depend betweene the Papists and vs the faith is easier to know then the Church for the question betweene them and vs is who hath the true Church In which triall it is the greatest folly in the world for either of vs to offer our selues to the world as the true Churches of Christ till first we haue proued our selues so to be by the doctrine that we professe and in vaine shall we attempt this if as the case standeth this doctrine be not easier and plainer then the Church This is the confession of the Iesuites
the Iesuite so confidently beareth his friend in hand that the Gospels of the foure Euangelists cannot be knowne to be true Scripture more then those of Thomas and Nicodemus but by the authoritie of his Church Wherein possible he hath also the same meaning that Doctor Standish vttereth in the place alledged x In the letter b. a little before that those counterfeit Gospels bearing the titles of Thomas Nicodemus and Bartholomew were written by them in deed but his Church to shew her authoritie that this she can do hath repealed them A fat conceit yet some mens stomackes belike can digest it But if the Iesuite cannot conceiue how the Scripture may be discerned from other writings vnlesse we allow him the Churches authoritie let him hearken and learne of a rare man of his owne side Picus of Mirandula who speaking of the Scriptures y Refert Posseu bibl in Cicero c. 11. hath this memorable saying They do not moue they do not perswade but they enforce vs they driue vs forward they violently constraine vs. Thou readest words rude and homely but such as are quicke liuely flaming stinging piercing to the bottome of the spirit and by their admirable power transforming the whole man This admirable light shining in the Scripture it selfe shall assure vs it is the word of God better I hope then that Church whose tongue is sold to speake nothing but the Popes will § 29. Fourthly if to haue an entire faith in all particular points must be foreknowne as a marke whereby to know the true Church then contrary to that which hath bene alreadie proued the authoritie of the Church should not be a necessarie meanes whereby men must come to the infallible knowledge of true faith for if before we come to know which is the true Church we might by other meanes haue knowne which is the true faith in all points what need then is there for getting the true faith alreadie had to vse or bring the authoritie of the Church The Answer 1 Because this reason is the same with that which goeth before therefore it shall receiue the same answer That although we need the ministerie of the Church to teach vs the faith and this faith is not ordinarily knowne till the Church or some member thereof reueale it to vs yet may it be a marke whereby to know the Church as the effect is a marke of the cause that produceth it the fruite of the tree the teaching of the schoolemaister In which case the reuelation of the true faith whereby we come to know it is an effect or worke of the Church and so able and fit to assure vs that it is the Church Neither doth this suppose or imply that the faith is already had and knowne by other meanes before we vse the Church but onely that when the Church teacheth the faith thereof in the order of my vnderstanding is first knowne that is to say the Church and the faith being inseparably ioyned together yet the faith first cometh to my knowledge This I further explicate by a similitude For musick is the marke of a Musitian whereby to know him and to distinguish him from all other professions And though I must first be assured it is good musicke that he sheweth before I can be certaine he is a Musitian yet were it folly to reason as the Iesuite doth what need then is there for the getting of the musicke already had to vse the ministerie of the Musitian for the musicke is not already had but onely by his playing it cometh in order before himselfe into my vnderstanding and then I know him thereby So a 1. Reg. 3.16 two women laid claime both to one child and both pretended themselues to be true mother thereunto as the Church of Rome this day striueth with vs pleading for her selfe that she is our holy mother the Church and the child is hers in this contention we must find out the Church by the same markes that Salomon found out the true mother which was her tender compassion inclosed in her bowels and discouered by her words that she had rather part with her child then haue it cut in sunder And if the Iesuite should reason against Salomons iudgement that he had followed a wrong marke which was inclosed in the woman heart and needed great iudgement yea diuine illumination to find it the woman her selfe by her speech and behauiour made it knowne to him and if pietie and pitie were the note of a true mother whereby to know her then contrary to that which hath bene already proued the speech and behauiour of the mother should not be a necessary meanes whereby Salomon must come to the knowledge of this pietie c. If I say he should thus argue against Salomon he might do it with the same reason that he vseth against vs and possible with as good successe * V. vltim the spirit of God and the iudgement of all Israel in both alike equally condemning his sophistry For was not the womans pitie toward the child knowne to Salomons wisedome before he knew her to be the mother and yet her selfe was the instrument that made it knowne So true faith is the mark of the Church and known to me before the Church but yet by no other meanes but by the Church whose ministery is needful for the getting it as the cause is needfull for the obtaining of the effect and afterward it selfe is proued by the same effect Now the teaching of the truth is an effect of the true Church § 30. Fiftly if before we giue absolute infallible and vndoubted credit to the true Church we must examine and iudge whether euery particular point which it teacheth be the truth with authoritie to accept that which we like or which in our conceit seemeth right and conformable to Gods word and to reiect whatsoeuer we dislike or which in our priuate iudgement seemeth not so right or conformable then we make our selues examiners and iudges ouer the Church and consequently preferre our liking or disliking our iudgement and censure of the sence of Scripture before the iudgement definition and censure of the true Church But it is absurd both in reason and religion to preferre the iudgement of anie priuate man be he neuer so wittie or learned or neuer so strongly perswaded in his owne conceit that he is taught by the Spirit before the sentence of Gods Catholike Church which is a companie of men many of which both are and haue bin most vertuous wise and learned and which is chiefe is such a companie as according to the absolute and infallible promises of Scripture hath Christ himselfe and his holy Spirit continually among them guiding them and teaching them all truth and not permitting them to erre Matth. vlt. 10.14 16. vt supra The Answer 1 This is his last argument wherein he reasoneth thus that if the faith be a note of the Church then it must first be examined
haue him say so For t Ioh. 5.39 our Sauiour himselfe refused not to haue his doctrine tried though he were better then the Church neither is it vnpossible for a priuate man to espy an error in the teaching of the best Church that is in which case he may iudge the Church and his iudgement is to be preferred as u Panormit Gerson whose words you haue Digress 15. nu 10. some Papists themselues deny not And out of question I thinke the most learned and discreet Papists to be wholly of this mind in that many of them haue called in question againe things already determined by their Church thinking the same that we do that it is not sufficient to make an end of questiōs vnlesse we be also sure the end is good For it is an ordinarie thing with the Iesuites and schoolemen of these dayes to expound the decrees of their Councels cleane against the originall meaning thereof which sheweth they mislike that which was decreed and helpe themselues with the fauour of the glosse against the text So the Councels of Lateran and Trent haue determined against the communion in both kinds forbidding the cup yet Ouandus a late Frier x Breuiloqu in 4. d. 9. prop. 6. pag. 221. writeth that all things duely considered that may fall out it were better to permit the cup then deny it and more grace is giuen in both kinds then in one And y Refert Bel de iustifica l. 3. c. 3. Catharinus the Bishop of Compsa maintaineth against the Trent Councell that a man by faith may be assured of the pardon of his sinnes whereas that Councell z Sess 6. cap. 9. determined the contrary And Sixtus Senensis a great clearke a Bibl. l. 1. p. 33. hath reiected as Apocrypha the seuen last chapters of Hester b Sess 4. which the Councell of Trent approued for canonicall Which these men would neuer haue done if they had thought it any iniurie to their Church to examine her teaching 5 And whereas he obiecteth further that the Church is a company of men wise learned vertuous and guided by the spirit of God and therefore it is rashnesse to iudge of their teaching I answer that this ill befits him and his cause for c Digress 16. nu 4. I haue shewed that his Church consisteth rather in the Popes sole person thē in any great company and the definitions thereof follow not the learning or vertue of any company but the Popes bare will who by the confession of all learned Papists may both erre and be as vitious foolish and vnlearned as any other And therefore the Church with her prerogatiues can do a Papist no good vntill they be taken from the Pope and giuen the Church againe Next though the company which is the Church be wise and learned c. yet are they no wiser then Christ and his Apostles whose teaching was examined neither can we know them for such till we haue tryed their teaching For d Iob 32 6.9 wise men see not all things at all times and the child with reuerence may admonish euen his father And though our Sauiour haue promised the assistance of his spirit to his Church to leade it into all truth yet in what sence that is e §. 14. nu 4. 5. I haue declared alreadie and the Iesuite may know it is not in his sence by this signe that the very persons and particular Churches to whom Christ meant those words had their errors for all that But supposing the Churches doctrine by vertue of some such promise be indeed absolutely exempted from all error yet may the same be examined and iudged of because till that be done it cannot of vs be knowne to be so For no man saith we must proue things already certaine but that we must not beleeue them to be certaine till we haue proued them And if the true Church cannot erre in any point then it standeth all men in hand to examine which is the true Church that so they may betake themselues vnto it and let him giue you a sound distinction and say directly what presumption it is against the Church and why an iniury to examine her doctrine more then it is to trie her vnitie sanctitie antiquity and succession Or if it be no wrong to make triall of these things which yet she hath by vertue of Christs promises why should it be amisse to make triall of the former which he dareth not for his life say is hers any properlier or fullier then they § 31. But you may perhaps obiect that in Scripture we are willed not to beleeue euery spirit but to examine and trie the spirits whether they be of God or no and that therefore we must examine and trie the spirit of the Church I answer that S. Iohn doth not meane that it appertaineth to euerie man to trie all spirits but in generall would not haue the Church to accept of euery one that boasteth himselfe to haue the Spirit but willeth that they should trie those spirits not that euery simple man should take vpon him thus to trie them but that those of the Church should trie them to whom the office of trying the spirits doth appertaine to wit the Doctors and Pastors of the Church which almightie God hath put of purpose in the Church Vt non circumferamur omni vent◠doctrinae Ephes 4. and that we may not like little ones wauer with euery blast of those that boast they haue the Spirit So that this trying of spirits is onely meant of those spirits which men may doubt whether they be of God or no and then also this triall belongeth to the Pastors of the Church But when it is once certaine that the spirit is of God we neither neede nor ought doubtfully to examine nor presumptuously iudge or it any more but obediently submitting the iudgement of our owne sense and reason we must beleeue the teaching of it in euery point Now it is most certaine that the spirit of the true Church is of God as out of holy Scripture hath bene most euidently declared and therefore our onely care should be to seeke out those markes and properties by which all men may easily know which particular companie of men is the true Church which we ought not to examine and trie but in all points obediently beleeue The Answer 1 The words of the Apostle are Dearly beloued beleeue not euery spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God 1. Ioh. 4.1 Whence we gather that it is the dutie of euery man to examine the doctrine that is taught him But the Iesuite answereth two things first that Saint Iohn biddeth not euery man do this but onely the Pastors Whereto I answer the words are plaine enough that he speaketh indifferently to all men that euery man for himselfe though not by himselfe but by the rule of Gods word should try the spirits For he directeth his Epistle
Iesuite now beginneth to auouch concerning the vnitie of his Romane Church is all vntrue as I will sufficiently shew in the three next Digressions and shall haue occasion further to manifest a Digress when I come to handle the note of Vniuersalitie This is the truth and all that can be said for it b Isid Pelus ep 408 lib. 3. which Pelusiota noteth in all heretickes that the name of peace is indeed euery where but the thing it selfe no where and as c Aug. epist 162 contra pertin Donatist it was among the Donatists They sacrifice in schisme and dissention and greet the world with the name of peace whom they driue from the peace of their saluation This their vnitie is of seuen sorts d Illyric de sect Whitak controu 2. de eccle q. 5. c. 8. as some learned men among vs haue sent them word and we thinke our iarres such as they be are better then it 2 The first is the vnitie of darknesse in that they are prouident to maintaine outward peace lest their kingdom should come to nought e Mat. 12.16 such an vnitie there is in hell and one Beare they say will lie with another f Petr. Martyr decad l. 3. c. 5. and the very Cannibals vse not to eate them of their owne countrey The second is a heathenish vnitie when men for their credite wiâ—l not seeme contentious as it is very certaine they see innumerable abuses in their Church and doctrine and yet may be content to agree in all lest the world should despise them The third is brutish vnitie when their people consent because they are beastly ignorant and know not their ownâ— abominations so g Staphyl apol part 1. the Colliar said he was of the same beleefe the Church is and yet he knew neither the Churches nor hâ—s owne beleefe The fourth is Iudas his vnitie who kept companie with the other Apostles because he gained by it as many cleaue to the Romane Church and agree thereiâ— because it enricheth them and now then as a sanctuary freeth them from the danger of their sensualitie The fift is tyrannicall vnitie when men by feare are constrained to agree the Popes Consistory and Spanish Inquisition preuaile more with their people then the conscience of religion as would soone appeare if they were taken away The sixt is Herods vnitie for as he and Pilate which were secretly foes yet agreed together to crucifie Christ so these men consent in one against the truth and conspire together more to suppresse vs then to establish any sinceritie among themselues The last is the vnitie of h Iudg. 15.4 Sampsons foxes which were tied together by the tailes but all their heads were loose and euery one looked a sundry way so these men sticke together by the tailes in their religion all embracing one conceit of Poperie but in the maintenance and exposition of the same looking and thinking as many wayes as there be heads among them onely the Pope and his gouernement they all professe because it is their vantage and in him all their tailes meete together This is the vnitie of the Iesuites Church and the true genealogie thereof which we are content to acknowledge vnto them Digression 22. Obiecting the behauiour of the Papists toward the diuine Scriptures thereby to proue their varying from that which in former times the Primitiue Church of Rome beleeued 3 But whereas he saith the Romane Church hath not swarued from any point which formerly it held this is vntrue because it is declined from the doctrine of the Scriptures which the old Romane Church till Antichrist brake into it held inuiolably and for proofe hereof I will not now stand to compare the present Romane faith with the Scriptures but onely touch certaine practises of the Papists about the Scriptures which are euident signes and cleare demonstrations of that I say And first their canonizing now after 1500. years of the vulgar Latine against the Hebrew and Greeke originals for i Sess 4. the Trent Councell chargeth all men to vse it as the authenticall text in all their readings disputations sermons and expositions and that they do not reiect it vnder any pretence whatsoeuer Yea k Galatin de Arcun l. 1. c. 8. Leo Castrens apologet lib. 2. and others the learned men among them accuse the Hebrew and Greeke of corruptions manifold and their generall opinion thereof may be discouered by the Bishop of â—oledoes conceit l F. Simen bibl Complut in prolog who putting forth the Bible in diuers languages and therein printing his Latine in the middest betweene the Hebrew and Greek saith he hath placed them as the two theeues on either side but the Romane or Latin Church he hath put in the middest betweene them as Iesus Christ And yet this their Latine so swarmeth with monstrous corruptions that m Lin la. de opt gen interp l. 3. ca. 4. Reg. bibl tom 6. in var. lect lat bibl edit vulg themselues complaine of it as well as we and n Molina in 1. Tho. pag. 399. Andrad defens Trid. lib. 4. Alph. Mendoz. controu theol q. 7 pag. 514. diuers of them iustifie with vs against their fellowes the Hebrew and Greek and some that mislike it yet confesse o Posseuin bibl select l. 2. c. 6. Sixt. Sen. bibl sanct l 8. pag. 318. b. the errors supposed to be therein are not of such weight as that they touch the perfection of the Scripture in things pertaining to faith and good manners Now it is vnlikely they would striue thus about an edition against all antiquitie and probabilitie but that they see some euidence in the originals which by their Latin they hope they can auoide 4 Next p See Digr 1.9 they complaine against the Scriptures that they containe not all things needfull to saluation but the best part of true religion is made knowne to vs by vnwritten tradition which if you take away many points of the faith will reele and totter which they might neuer say for shame if they were not declined from the Scripture and had not deuised this shift of tradition to flie vnto when the Scripture is pressed against them 5 Thirdly q See Digr 2. 3. they forbid the people to reade the Scripture and will not haue it translated into the mother tongue which is a signe they mistrust their faith and doubt lest the people by reading should find it departed from the Scripture 6 Fourthly r See Digr 16. they make the Pope iudge ouer the sence of the Scripture Å¿ Concil Trid. sess 4. forbidding all other sences then such as agree with the Church of Rome and that which is prodigious they blush not to say t Cusan ep 2.3.7 The Scripture is fitted to the time and variably vnderstood the sence thereof being one while this and againe another while that according as it pleaseth the Church to change her iudgement
c Caiet 22. pag 144. Tolet. Sum p. 700. Graff part 1. p. 349. As that prisoners may breake the iayle and vse what meanes they can to escape though they be lawfully committed A point well practised by Priests in England That d Tolet. Sum. pag. 548. children may marry without consent of parents e Greg. à Val. tom 3. p. 1090. That parents cursing or banning their owne children sinne but venially as long as they do it without deliberation f Tolet. p. 583. That women or seruants scolding or rayling one at another sinne not g Tolet. p. 540. That it is lawfull on the Sabboth day to follow fuites trauell hunt dance keepe faires and such like This is it that hath made Papists the most notorious Sabboth breakers that liue Infinite other doctrines of this sort might be added but I will end with that which a h Coâ—nel Agripp de van c. 64. Papist himselfe saith of Shrift because the Iesuite standeth so confidently for the holinesse of it and offereth it for so soueraigne a medicine I could saith he by many examples fresh in memorie shew how fit this shriuing is for baudry for Priests Monkes and Nunnes haue this speciall prerogatiue that vnder pretence of religion they may go vp and downe when and whither they will vnder colour of confession talke with any woman whom they oftentimes entertaine but homely And thus closely they go to the Stewes rauish virgins and widowes yea many times which my selfe haue seene and knowne runne away with mens wiues and carrie them to their fellowes And thus whose soules they should win to God their bodies they sacrifice to the diuell 7 By this you may see what doctrine lieth in the Church of Rome veiled with the title of the Catholicke faith whereby their hypocrisie is noted that so blasphemously haue charged the truth of Christ which we professe with libertie And whosoeuer shall attentiuely consider the whole course of Papistry I meane the doctrine and gouernment both in the Church of Rome with the rising and progresse thereof and the manner of aduancing it forward shall finde it to be nothing else but a very iest wittily deuised to delude the world and in euery point prouiding for the satisfying of the ambition couetousnesse and sensualitie of such as should haue the greatest stroke in that Church And let any man make the triall compare one part of the religion with another marking the coherence and how one point issueth out of another and the policies whereby the world is inhibited to listen to it and they shall easily perceiue it driueth all at this to make the Pope and his clergy absolute Lords of the world and of all the greatnesse and pleasures therein For the effecting whereof it was an easie matter for them to set learned men aworke and with faire rewards to make them shew their wit in perswading men which they haue done in all ages accordingly but neuer better then now of late by the Iesuites Hence it is that in the course of Poperie you see the Pope himselfe Lord of all his clergie aboue the temporalty his Bishops the peers of Princes i See Palmer Floren. Chron. ann 1334. touching the wealth of Iohn 22. his treasurie richer then any in the world beside the consciences of men at his deuotion their substance obedience and very lookes at his command and to effect this first he slideth into the consciences of men vnder the faire pretence of being Saint Peters successor then he blindeth their eyes by taking away the Scriptures and preaching and stoppeth their eares by disswading them from hearing any but himselfe Then he plotteth them a religion fitting mens carnall affection euery way the greatest part whereof standeth in easing them from taking any pains in spiritual things which of all other are most burthensome to flesh and blood They must indeed serue God if they should say otherwise no man would beleeue them but there be wayes to dispense and to turne the spirituall seruice into corporall which is easier And sinners must haue Gods pardon or they cannot be saued but the dispensation thereof is committed with the keyes to Christs vicar who hath power to release them by applying the sacraments of the Altar and Penance to their sinnes Nothing in all the religion but it standeth them in good stead Their Latin seruice and praiers to blindfold men for seeing the fraude The massing pompe and Church musicke to delite the senses the images and relickes and Pilgrimages to bring in their offerings the shrift to discouer the secret inclinations of people which would serue theÌ„ for a thousand purposes whereof this was one that therby the Pope knew the counsels of kings and secrets of euery state and wrought vpon them Their fasting dayes and prohibition of mariage to some persons to draw mony for dispensations Their merits to make men franke toward religious houses their purgatory to supply the Popes kitchin Their holidaies to please youth and renew their offerings their pardons to deliuer men from the feare of sinne and to draw money when they would And the stirre they keepe with writing and pleading in their schooles and abroade about religion is lest the world should thinke they haue no religion § 44. Thirdly the Protestants Church is not Catholicke that is to say vniuersall neither in Time nor in Place for it came vp but of late and is but in few places of Christendome Neither in points of doctrine for it consisteth chiefly of Negatiues that is to say in denying of diuerse points of doctrine which haue bene held for truth in all former ages by the ancient Fathers as appeareth by the Chronicles made by the Magdeburgenses the Protestants owne Doctors who confesse in their Centuries that the Fathers held this and that which they denie The Answer 1 That our Church came vp of late the Iesuite saith but sheweth not as the Iewes a Ioh 8.57 said to Christ Thou art not yet fiftie yeares old and hast thou seene Abraham And b Nunc dogma nobis Christianum nascitur post euolutos mille demum consules Prud. Peristep hym 10. the Gentiles to the Christians that Now after I know not how many thousand yeares their religion was sprong vp But against his speech I reply two things First that our faith is in all points the same that is contained in the Scripture and so consequently of the same antiquitie and therfore all they that say it came vp but of late should first proue it contrary to the word of God or else hold their peace SecoÌ„dly as it agreeth with the Scriptures so hath it had in all ages those which haue professed it as I haue shewed c Sect. 17. digr 17. already and more distinctly will shew in the fiftieth section In the meane time let it suffice for this place which our aduersaries themselues vnawares haue written The first is Bristo who d Mot. pref
might be here in the sacrament yet it was not in the beginning so manifestly beleeued as concerning this conuersion o D. 11. q. 3. §. Quantum ergo ad istum But principally this seemeth to moue vs to hold transubstantiation because concerning the sacramēts we are to hold as the Church of Rome doth where in the margin it is noted that our faith as concerning this sacrament is onely by reason of the Churches determination And he p §. Ad argumenta pro prima addeth We must say the Church in the Creed of the Lateran Councell vnder Innocent the third which beginneth with these words FIRMITER CREDIMVS declared this sence concerning transubstantiation to belong to the veritie of our faith And if you demand why would the Church make choise of so difficult a sence of this article whē the words of the Scripture This is my body might be vpholden after an easie sence and in appearance more true I say the Scriptures were expounded by the same spirit that made them and so it is to be supposed that the Catholicke Church expounded them by the same spirit whereby the faith was deliuered vs namely being taught by the spirit of truth and therefore it chose this sence because it was true q Canon lect 41. Biels words are to the same effect Which sheweth the point was neither holden nor knowne vniuersally in the Church before the Lateran Councell and that then it began to be receiued as a matter of our faith And yet since that time these men enquiring so boldly into the congruēcie of the opinion and casting so many dangers about it they shew plainly that they mistrust the proceeding of the Councell though they may not disclaime it Durand r 4. d. 11. q. 1. saith It is great rashnesse to thinke the body of Christ by his diuine power cannot be in the sacrament vnlesse the bread be conuerted into it But if this way which supposeth the bread to remaine still were true de facto many doubts which meet vs about the sacrament holding that the substance of bread remaineth not were dissolued But forsomuch as this way must not de facto be holden since the Church hath determined the contrary which is presumed not to erre in such matters therefore I answer the arguments made to the contrary holding the other part which saith the bread is changed Would our aduersaries thus backwardly come into the opinion if they had seene it to haue bene holden in all ages before in the Church or is it not rather an infallible signe that it was brought into the Church by the strength of some mens conceits without all warrant either of Scripture or fathers the want whereof so dazled those that imbraced it that they could see no reason for it but are all glad to lay it vpon the necke of a silly Pope in his Lateran Coūcell Besides ſ Scot. 4. d 11. q. 3. Bell Euchar. l. 3. c. 23. they confesse There is no Scriptare to inforce it vnlesse ye bring the Church of Romes exposition that is to say the Popes authoritie in whom t Turrect tract 73. quest q. 49. they thinke the power of the vniuersall Church in determining matters of faith principally resides if not alone u 3. part q. 75. art 1. p. 153. Caietan laieth downe diuers opinions holden among the Schoolemen touching the conuersion neuer a one whereof reacheth the transubstantiation and disallowing such as expounded Christs words This is my body metaphorically he saith his reason is because the Church hath vnderstood them properly I say the Church saith he because in the Gospell there is nothing that compelleth vs to vnderstand them properly headdeth that the conuersion of the bread into Christs body we haue receiued of the Church Now put all this together that we beleeue transubstantiation vpon the authoritie of the Church and this Church was Pope Innocent in the Councell of Lateran before which time there was no certaintie nor necessitie of beleeuing it and the Councell might haue chosen another sence of Christs words more easie and in all appearance more true for there is no Scripture sufficient to conuince it and the contrary were liable to fewer difficulties let this I say be put together and it will plainly shew that this point came in contrary to that which was vniuersally holden in the ancient Church because things vniuersally holden were certainly knowne and expresly beleeued without all this ado § 48. Let him shew also what countrey there is or hath bene where Christian faith either was first planted or continued where some at least haue not holden the Romane faith as we can shew them diuerse places especially in the Indies Iaponia and China countreys where theirs is scarce heard of The Answer 1 This is answered before sect 46. nu 2. where I shewed that when countries were first conuerted frō Paganism which was for the most part in the Primitiue Church the present Romane faith was not knowne but the Church of Rome in those daies professed the same that we do and consequently the nations conuerted by it and professing the faith thereof were conuerted to our religion and professed it For the Iesuite deceiueth himselfe with the name of Romane faith wherewith in the beginning all nations indeed vnder heauen communicated but then it was not the same that now it is as I haue plainly demonstrated in the former sect digress 49. And although since the change many nations haue still retained the same faith with it yet that iustifieth not the faith because the said faith growing on by steps and peecemeale was a generall apostasie and the mysterie of iniquitie working throughout the whole Church so that of necessitie there must be some in all places to follow it As when a generall rebellion groweth throughout a kingdome the rebels haue partakers in euerie towne and yet the possession is not proued theirs by that but onely the greatnesse and strength of the rebelling faction is shewed The Papacy that is to say the Roman faith in as much as it differeth from vs is not imagined by vs to be in another Church distinct in place and countries from the true Church of Christ but we affirme it to be a contagion raigning in the middest of the Church of Christ it self and spreading throughout the parts therof wheresoeuer and annoying the whole body like a leprosie in which disease though all the parts be affected yet the inward and vitall parts retaine their operation and still worke to expell the leprosie which at the length they do In this case the man is possessed indeed with a vile contagion but yet the man remaineth there still though the contagion be not the man And the contagion possesseth euery part of him some more some lesse being vniuersally spread ouer the body and yet hereby it is not proued to be the true nature and sound constitution of the bodie but a preuailing humor and when
integritie of the text This distinction is a Relect. princip doctrin contriou 5. q. 3. art 3. pag. 525. D. Stapletons and therefore the Iesuite must admit it and it is the truth for no translation can fully expresse the idiom or propertie of the originall language and words and phrases may be defectiue and all secondary causes haue their impediments all which may in their kind be truly called errors and we deny not but our English translation and the Latin vulgar too is subiect to them but this hindereth not the truth of the matter nor the perfection of the text saith D. Stapleton 3 And therefore that which the Iesuite vrgeth against our translations is of no force because it proueth no error in matter but inwards onely as I haue said before for we graunt as he saith the Scripture was not written immediatly in English neither was the translator assisted by the holy Ghost in such sort that he could not erre in any point but being a man be might erre for he might erre in his owne worke which he did himselfe viz. in words and proprieties but in the matter contained which is Gods work he could not holding him to the originall Hebrew and Greeke which our translator did or at the least it was not vnpossible but he might truly and faithfully translate without any new inspiration though he were a man otherwise subiect to error because the originall might leade him and many other meanes might direct and admonish him and discouer his error else what will the Iesuit say when an ordinarie Pastor preacheth Gods word to the people For that which he deliuereth may be free from error and yet his voice is a humane worke and himselfe hath no immediate or infallible inspiration The very same reason is there of translations for a diuine work propounded by a humane meanes may be free from error which I further proue by Bellarmines owne confession who speaking of the vulgar Latin b Admittimus enim interpretem non esse prophetam errare potuisse tamen dicimus eum noÌ„ errasse in illa versione quam ecclesia probaâ—it De verbo Dei l. 2. c. 11. saith He admitteth the translator was no Prophet but subiect to error yet he could not erre in that translation which the Church allowed where he granteth that some translatioÌ„s done by a man subiect to error may yet be free if the Church allow it Now the Church hath allowed our English and we say ours is the true Church and therefore the translator though he were but a man did not erre Againe thus I reason if the Latin translator were freed from erring that is to say might erre but yet did not then our English translator may be freed likewise because he hath the same meanes for if the approbatioÌ„ of the church exempted him ours also hath the same approbation but that could not exempt him for it was extant and therefore was free from error if euer it were so at al c It began to be receiued about the time of Gregory the great who entred his Papacy in the yeare 590 saith Baron annal toÌ„ 2. an 231. nu 47. but was neuer declared to be authenticall till the Councell of Trent Sess 4. anno 1546. a thousand yeares or at the least some time afore the Church either allowed it for authenticall or could take notice of it And when the Councel of Trent did approue it it put no other truth into it then was there before but onely declared it to be true It followeth therefore that the translator was preserued from error by no other meanes and why might not the same direct ours also as namely the infallible and perpetuall veritie of the doctrine it selfe translated the direction of Gods spirit his owne diligence meanes skill faithfulnesse and the Churches carefull ouersight 4 The summe of all is this that our English Bible containeth two things the Doctrine and the Translation d 1. Tim 3.16 2. Pet. 2.20 The Doctrine was inspired of God written by men infallibly assisted by the holy Ghost and therefore is free from error and so coÌ„sequently the Scripture translated into English in respect of the matter is infallibly true because it was done by the immediate inspiration of the spirit of God The translation was done by the ministerie of the Church and industrie of certaine men who though they had no supernaturall inspiration or priuiledge from error yet we know infallibly they haue not erred in the matter by the same meanes whereby we know other truths and discerne other articles of Christian faith namely by the light of the doctrine translated the testimony of the spirit the ministery of the word the rules of art the knowledge of the tongues and such like 5 To that which the Iesuite faith out of Gregory Martin I answer that Martin hath said something against our translations but proued nothing Doctor Fulkes confutation of his discouery lieth yet vnanswered and long must do Martin cannot giue one instance of the sence corrupted his exceptions are childish if you reade his booke But as e De opt gen interpret ad Pammach Ierome said of some that vnskillfully reproued his translations so I may answer Martin and the Iesuite These and such like toyes are scored vp for our hainous faults Martin missed it farre as f Treatise of Renuntiat p. 156. some of his fellowes charge him producing the Councell of Trent against him when he allowed Recusants to go to Church with a Protestation He that was so short in his proofes at home might be as wide in his discoueries abroad And if the g Palaephat de Fabul non credent Lamia would haue pluckt his eyes out of his boxe and vsed them at home as well as he did abroad he might haue seene some errors also in his owne vulgar Latin whereof I will say something in the seuenth digression 6 His next reason is that the often change and variable translations do shew that some haue erred Whereto I answer two things First though it be granted that some haue erred yet hence it followeth not that all haue which is the point he must proue else he were as gond say nothing For we defend the Scriptures well and faithfully translated not this or that mans edition whereof our Church taketh no notice whether it be pure or no. It is sufficient for the veritie of our assertion that in the Church there be some translations faithfull and agreeing with the originall 7 Secondly we do not deny but our translations varie and haue bene altered according to h Posseuin biblioth select l. 2. cap. 8. inde Sixt. Senens biblioth Sanct. lib. 8. haeres 13. Bellar. de verb. Dei l. 2. cap. 8. Caesar Baron tom 2. an 231. Aug. de doctr Christ lib. 2. cap. 11. the example of the primitiue Church before vs. But this variety hath bin in the words and style and not in any materiall
point of the sence For we know the diuine doctrine to be one and the same in all translations immediatly in the originall and more obscurely in the translations and therefore we so vse them as that we examine all by the originall approuing the best and not hindering the mending of it if need require But this change implies no such error in the matter For one true sence may be vttered diuersly and though things be alwayes one and the same yet words be diuers In which sence our translations are of differeÌ„t sort and yet no materiall error As for example some playner or in phrase liker the original then othersome One translation is in verse another in prose one word for word another sence for sence one hath a higher obscurer phrase another a lower and playner yet how can it be inferred hereupon that therfore they be erronious when they all yeeld the same diuine sence Therefore Austins iudgement is more to be preferred who saith i De doctrin Christ lib. 2. c. 12. 14. the variety and multitude of translations doth not hinder vs from vnderstanding the text but very much helpe vs specially if we shall diligently compare them one with another And what shal become of the popish Authenticall vulgar if change and varietie be a signe of error which so often was changed before it came to that it is and since the Trent approbation hath so many different copies Yea what shall become of their Missals Portesses and Seruice bookes that so many times haue bin reformed and more should be but that the Seruice of the Church would be altered so farre that scarce any shew of the ancient Religion would be remaining in it k Loc. lib. 11. cap. 5. saith Canus a Popish Doctor 8 But the Iesuite obiecteth further that seeing the translatour being but a man may erre how shall an vnlearned man be infallibly sure that this or that translation erreth not or if it erre in on point that it doth not in another vnlesse the Churches authoritie be admitted to assure vs Whereto I answer l Psal 119 105. Prou. 6.23 2. Pet. 1.19 that the doctrine conteyned in the Scripture is a light and so abideth into what language soeuer it be translated and therefore the children of light know it and discerne it For m Ioh. 10.4 1. Cor. 2.15 1. Ioh. 2 20. Ioh. 7.17 14.16.17 God directeth them by the holy Ghost who openeth their hearts that they know his voice from all others and that the light of his truth may shine vnto theÌ„ Which light is of this nature that it giueth testimonie to it selfe and receiueth authoritie from no other as the Sunne is not seene by any light but his owne and we discerne sweet from sowre by it owne tast And for the opening of our eyes to see this light whereby our conscience may be assured we haue diuers meanes some priuate as skill in the tongues learning labour prayer conference c. Some publicke as the ministery of the word which is the ordinance of God to beget this assurance which act of the Church is not authoritie to secure me but ministery to shew me that which shall secure me which ministery is founded on the Scripture it selfe in that from thence it fetcheth the reasons that may perswade me and sheweth the light that doth infallibly assure me And thus we know our translations to be true Digression 6. Declaring how the assurance of our faith is not built on the Churches authoritie but on the illumination of Gods spirit shining in the Scripture it selfe 9 So then the vnlearned man is secured not vpon the Churches credit and authoritie but by her ministery which teacheth him he is directed to the light it selfe and this ministery we haue and vse for our translations but they that obey it know the translation and so proportionably all other articles of faith to be infallible because the matter therof appeares vnto them as a candle in a lanterne shewing it selfe in it owne light And that you may see the difference betweene these two the Churches teaching and the illumination of the spirit in assuring vs the spirit of God is an inward meanes the teaching of the Church an outward the spirit secureth vs by his owne authoritie the Church directeth vs by her ministery the spirit hath light in it selfe the Church borroweth hers from the Scriptures the spirit can secure vs alone the Church neuer can without the spirit But nothing can be playner to this purpose then the saying of Constantine the great in his epistle to the Persian n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod. hist lib. 1. cap. 25. Marking the diuine faith I obtaine the light of truth and following the light of truth I acknowledge the diuine faith We need then a more certain authoritie then the voyce of the Church that may prostrate our mind with a lightning froÌ„ heauen and stand vpon his owne ground not drawing his resolution from any thing out of it selfe 10 This is not far from that which the learnedst of the Papists be driuen to acknowledge through the necessitie of the truth For thus writeth o Princip doctrinal lib. 8. cap. 22. Stapleton in that booke where he most defends the Churches authoritie The godly are brought to faith by the voyce of the Church but being once brought and enlightened with the light of diuine inspiration then they beleeue no more for the Churches voyce but because of the heauenly light And yet more plainely in p Triplicat inchoata aduers Gulielm Whittak in admonit ad Whitak the last booke that euer he wrote that one would wonder the Iesuite should see no authoritie to secure vs but the Churches The inward perswasioÌ„ of the holy Ghost is so necessary and effectuall for the beleeuing of euery obiect of faith q Nec absque illa quicquam à quoquam credi possit etsi millies Ecclesia attestetur per illam solam persuasiâ—nem quodlibet credenduÌ„ credi queat tâ—cente prorsus vel noÌ„ audita Ecclesia that without it neither can any thing by any man be beleeued though the Church testified with it a thousand times and by it alone any matter may be beleeued though the Church held her peace or neuer were heard Where is he then that saith we cannot be infallibly sure that this or that is doctrine of faith free from error vnlesse we admit an infallible authoritie in the Church to assure vs Digression 7. Wherein the Trent vulgar Latin and our English translation are briefly compared together 11 Which authoritie if we did admit supposing the Church were like theirs might we not speed possible as the Papists haue done in their authenticall vulgar and be assured of that which were starke naught For I thinke the Sun neuer saw any thing more defectiue maimed then the vulgar Latin yet r Concil Trid. sess 4. their Church hath canonized it for good