about the seÌ„se or meaning thereof which cannot be knowne but by custome or traditioÌ„ that taketh place of which is said in the law For then the best interpreter of the Lawes is Custome and that our Emperour Seuerus hath written how that in doubts Leg. â—7 ff de legibus which proceed from Lawes either custome or the authority of things iudged alwaies in the same manner ought to haue the force of a law Perchance you wil say what if some controuersy occur which neither Ibid. leg 38. can be defined out of the written law nor out of any custome what then shal be the rule that the iudge ought to follow I answere Then the matter must be taken vp according to that equity which doth proceed out of the law of nature But this especially happeneth when some certaine Case doth occur which is vnderstood according to the wordes of the law but not to the meaning of the law-giuer as before was said For then the Iudge is to giue sentence according to that which he thinketh to be iust and right The very same may happen in Controuersies of faith For if any controuersy should arise which cannot manifestly be decided neither by Scripture nor tradition recourse presently were to be made to the help of the holy Ghost who although he assist the Church in al occasions yet in this especially he doth teach her al truth as Christ himselfe hath promised And this remedy also the Apostles haue vsed in that Councel of Hierusalem where they were assembled about circumcision and the obseruation of legall rites and ceremonies Now these be the argumeÌ„ts by which hitherto hath beene proued that the Scripture cannot be ludge of controuersies in faith but that the Church may Now it remayneth that we diligently weigh and consider the testimonies of Scripture which were propouÌ„ded in the beginning and which are obiected and often repeated by our aduersaries against this doctrine but not in that order as they were propounded but as they are placed in the Scripture of the old and new testament one after another And truly by the examining of these as I did before insinuate it wil be manifest that some of them are nothing to the purpose and the rest rather make for vs then for them But to conclude and speake freely as the matter is indeede I affirme that our aduersaries who alwaies so much boast bragge of Scripture vnderstand nothing lesse then the true sense meaning of the Scripture The Testimonies of Scripture brought against vs heere are examined THE I. TESTIMONY YOVV shal not ad to the word that I speake to you And this also VVhat I commaund Deut. 4. 2. Deut. 12. 32. thee that only do to our Lord neither ad any thing nor diminish Out of which the aduersaries generally gather these two poynts First that all Traditions which Catholikes admit ought to be vtterly reiected But what is their reason Because forsooth nothing is to be added to the written word of God Secondly that no humaÌ„ precepts such as are the commandements of fasting lent abstinence from flesh on Fryday and Saturday of the single life of Priests such like ought to be obserued But wherefore Because say they that only is to be done which Christ hath coÌ„maunded whatsoeuer men commaund is not to be done Thus they but very foolishly as I wil shew two waies First by disprouing their false interpretation And againe by shewing the true sense and meaning of these places of Scripture Now first that their interpretation is false they themselues cannot deny vnlesse they will altogeather be accouÌ„ted foolish and impudent For if all traditions ought to be refused the Apostle himselfe must be reiected who saith Hould the Traditions which you 2. Thes 2. 14. haue learned whether it be by words or by our Epistle Likewise if al human precepts should be contemned and that only should be done which God commaundeth What should we say of the Rechabits who most diligently obserued the precept of their Father Ionadab did they amisse therein This truâ—y were to be sayd according to our Aduersaries but it is far otherwise seing that for so doing they are commended by God himselfe If our Aduersaries know not this let them heere Hieremy the Prophet speaking in these words The word that Iâ—e 35. 1. was made to Ieremy from our Lord in the daies of Ioakim the Sonne of Iosias the King of Iuda saying Go to the house of the Rechabits speake to them and thou shalt bring them into the howse of our Lord into one chamber of the treasuries and thou shalt giue them wyne to drinke And I tooke â—ezonias the sonne of Ieremias the Sonne of Habsamias and his brethren and all his sonnes and the whole howse of the Rechabites And I brought them into the howse of our Lord c. And I set before the sonnes of the howse of the Rechabits gobletts full of wyne and cuppes and I said to them drinke wyne who answered we will not drinke wyne because Ionadab the sonne of Recab our Father commaunded vs saying you shall not drinke wyne you and your Children for euer And yow shall not build howses you shall not sow seede and you shall not plant vineyards nor haue any but yow shall dwell in tabernacles al your dayes that yow may liue many dayes vpon the face of the land wherein yow are strangers we therfore haue obeyed the voice of Ionadab the sonne of Rechab our Father in all things that he commaunded vs so that we drinke not any wine all our dayes we and our wiues our sonnes and our Daughters And we builde not howses to inhabit and vineyard and seild and seede wee haue not had but we haue dwelt in tabernacles and we haue beene obedient according to all things that Ionadab our Father commaunded vs c. And the word of our Lord was to Ieremy saying Thus sayth the Lord of Hosts the God of Israell go and say to the men of Iuda and to the inhabitants of Hierusalem VVhy will you not receaue discipline to obey my words sayth our Lord The words of Ionadab the sonne of Rechab haue preuailed which he commaunded his sonnes not to drinke wyne and they haue not drunke vntill this day because they haue obeyed the commaundement of their Father but I haue spoken to you early rising and speaking and you haue not obeyed me And I haue sent to you all my seruants the Prophets rising earely and sending and saying Returne ye euery one from his most wicked way and make your studies good c. And you haue not enclined your eare nor heard me The Children therefore of Ionadab the sonne of Rechab haue firmely kept the precepts of their Father which he commaunded them But this people haue not obeyed me Therefore thus sayth the Lord of hosts the God of Israell behould I will bring vpon Iuda and vpon all the inhabitants of Hierusalem all the affliction which I haue
the which I will manifestly proue that the scripture only is not sufficient to be the Iudge of all Controuersies The First shal be taken from the office of a Iudge which cà not be giuen to the Scripture The second from the Scripture it selfe in the which two things are to be considered the bare letter and the meaning therof The bare letter doth kill as the Apostle sayth the meaning or sense is obscure and hard to be vnderstood and therefore it necdeth some other Iudge or interpreter The third shal be drawne from the controuersies themselues which are in question for there are some controuersies which cannot be decided by scripture seing there is no mention at all made of them in the scripiture The fourth shal be taken out from the vse and practise of the old testament in the which not the scripture but the high Priest is acknowledged to be Iudge The fift out of the like vse and practise of the new testament The sixt is gathered out of the Analogy or proportion of the Ciuill Iudge concerning the questions and controuersies which fall out in the ciuill gouerment or Common Wealth For the written law is not the Iudge of such controuersies but the Prince or some peculiar Iudge appointed by him or his Counsell Moreouer I will examine the testimonies of the Scripture brought in against vs in the beginning By the examining of the which I will infer three things First that some of them do rather make for the Catholikes then for the Protestants and especially that of the which most of all they bragge and boast Search the scriptures Secondly that others of them belong nothing to the matter of which we speake And lastly that the Protestants who only seeke to obtaine the victory out of the scripture are altogether ignorant of the sense or meaning of it But now I will begin with our owne arguments The Scripture alone is not the Iudge of Controuersies concerning matters of Fayth and Religion I. ARGVMENT Drawne from the Office of a Iudge THE first argumēt which is drawn from the office of the Iudge thus I propound He that is the Iudge betwixt two at variance ought in such manner to pronounce the sentence that both of them may plainly perceiue what the sentence of the Iudge is so that the one may see it is for him and the other that it is against him otherwise the aduersaries will neuer leaue of their contentions but both will still continue defending their cause But the Scripture cannot do this therefore the Scripture cannot be the Iudge of al controuersies The Maiot is cleare The Minor I proue Because the Lutherans and the Caluinists for these many yeares haue iarred and warred concerning all these articles 1. The Baptisme of Children 2. The reall presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist 3. Predestination 4. The person of Christ 5. Exorcismes 6. The number Canon of books of the Scripture And yet notwithstanding the scripture which they would haue to be Iudge could not hitherto nor can decide or put an end to these controuersies Hitherto it hath neuer beene heard that euer sentence was so pronounced by the scripture that eyther the Lutherās or the Caluinists haue confessed that it was pronounced either against the one or the other of them And this is plaine For as yet they both go forward most bitterly striuing contending Which doubtlesse they would neuer do if they did perceiue that the sentence were plainly giuen in their controuersies for then either the parties condemned would cease from contending any longer and submit themselues to the sentence or els they would appeale to some other Iudge pretending themselues to be vniustly condemned But neither of these do neyther Now therefore that the force of this argument may more plainly appeare two things are to be considered The one is that the Lutherans and Caluinists do openly confesse that they acknowledg no other Iudg then scripture only Which they affirme to be plaine mainfest euident and sufficient by it selfe to decide all controuersies whatsoeuer in matters of faith and religion that no falsity or errour can be found in it The other is that although they haue this Iudge yet notwithstanding they obtaine nothing by it but that their contentions still grow greater greater and they themselues become more hatefull to each other Out of which it followes that eyther the scripture hath not hither to pronounced clearly euidently and sufficiently that sentence or if it haue that eyther the Lutherans or the Caluinists are very stubborne and obstinate who will not yield to so manifest and so euident a sentence of which two let them make their choyce II. ARGVMENT Drawne out of the Scripture it selfe IN the Scripture two things are alwaies to be considered to wit the bare letter and the sense euen as in a man the soule and the body Of these two the holy Apostle as some interpret doth speake when he saith the letter killeth but the spirit quickneth as though 21 Cor. 3. 6. he had said if thou follow the true meaning and sense of the Scripture which is like the quickning soule and spirit it will helpe thee to saluation But if thou neglect the true and lawfull sense thereof and sticke only to the plaine bare and outward letter and striue to make that the meaning and sense which the bare letter only seemeth to import without doubt very often thou wilt fall into errour This interpretation S. Augustine doth approue Oftentymes sayth he O my dearely beloued Aug ser 7 de temp brethren I haue admonished your Charity that in the Lessons which these daies are read in the Church we ought not to attend only to that which we are taught by the bare letter but that we must seeke faithfully remouing away the veile of the letter a true quickning spirit for the Apostle saith that the letter killeth but the spirit quickneth For the vnhappy Iewes and the more vnhappy Heretikes whilst they regard the meere sound of the letter as a body without the soule so they remaine dead without the quickning spirit The like he hath in his third booke of Christian doctrine in the 5. Chapter This presupposed two things are to be proued The one is that the scripture if we respect the bare letter cannot possibly be the Iudge of controuersies The other is that albeit we marke also the sense and meaning of it yet neither so it can be the Iudge The former part is certaine for that which leadeth men into errour and heresie cannot be the infallible Iudge of all controuersies but the scripture if we respect the bare letter thereof leadeth men into errour and heresy therefore it cannot be the infallible Iudge of controuersies The Maior is plaine of it selfe because we seeke an infallible Iudge to the end we may not erre therfore that which leadeth vs into errour is not an infallible Iudge The Minor is euident out of the Apostle because the scripture
the sense thereof is obscure and doubtfull which falleth out often as I haue shewed aboue cannot so plainly pronounce sentence that it may be vnderstood of both parties at variance For if it should clearly pronoūce sentence in any such case the sense of the Scripture should not be obscure but plaine and manifest which is contrary to our supposition Therefore in such a case the Scripture cannot be iudge Perchance you will say that although the sense of the Scripture in one place be obscure yet notwithstanding in some other place it is very playne and therefore the Scripture by that place which is cleare may pronounce sentence of that place which is obscure I answere The heretikes harpe on this string but in vaine For first if it be so wherefore by that meanes do they not end all controuersies betwene them wherefore I say do not the Lutherans and the Caluinists seing they so long contend about some obscure place run presently to another which is plaine or if they do so why make they not an end of all their strife Here they are at a non-plus and know not what to say Furthermore that the words of the Scripture are playne is one thing but that the sense is plaine is another For the plainesse of the words dependeth vpon the knowledg of grammer but the sense vpon the intention and counsell of the holy Ghost And doubtlesse oftentymes it may happen that one may be perfect in the knowledg of his grammer and yet very ignorant of the meaning of the holy Ghost So that it may fall out very well that the words of the Scripture may be plaine yet the sense of the words as they be intēded of the holy Ghost may be obscure To shew this to the eye I will declare it with this example The words of Christ in the scripture be these This is my body This is my bloud Which words if they be taken according to their proper signification are so manifest and plaine that they may be well vnderstood of all men whether they be Christians Iewes Turkes or Ethnicks But about the sense of them intended by the holy Ghost almost infinite controuersies are amongst Christians The like is to be found in those words of S. Iohn Mary Magdalen cōmeth earely to the monument when it was yet darke And in those of S. Mark She came to the monument the sunne being risen Then the which wordes nothing could be spoken more plainly yet because the first do seeme to be contrary to the second it may be doubted and that with great reason what the proper sense of them is and how they may agree one with another Moreouer I say that oftentymes it happeneth that the one party thinketh that place cleare and manifest which the other houldeth to be obscure and intricate Now then what is to be done in such a case or what iudge is to be admitted doubtlesse the scripture cannot be the iudge seing the controuersy is about the sense of it when some thinke it plaine others obscure and of some it is construed in this sense of others in another What counsell shall we take therefore must not then another iudge be sought out For example There is contention betwixt vs and the Caluinists as concerning the true descending of Christ into hell which they deny we mantaine and do for our beleife bring a double testimony The one is out of the Creed He descended into hell the other out of the acts Thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell We say that both of these be cleare and euident The Caluinists deny both and with their obscure interpretation they make both places most obscure For they interpret the first in this sense He descended into hell that is say they he suffered vpon the Crosse most cruell and horrible torments of a damned forlorne man that pressed with anguish he was forced to cry out My God why hast thou forsaken me So Caluin But Cal. lib. 2. inst c. 16. §. 10. 11. catechism◠Hidelberg◠quaest 44. they take the latter in this sense Thou shalt not leaue my Carcase in the graue What is to be done here To what iudge shal we appeale If we aske counsell of the Scripture it will say the same that it sayd before It will not ad so much as any one iote to that set downe Now of that which is sayd before is the controuersy which can neuer be ended by that which is sayd before If then after the Controuersie begun the Scripture say no new thing at all but remaine still in the same ancient tearmes truly by it the contention cannot be decided but of necessity we must eyther go to some other Iudge or one of the parties contending must yield voluntarily or els they are forced still to continue in their endlesse strife and contention The other argument is this There are many testimonies of the Scripture which can by no meanes be interpreted according to the true sense but by the authority and tradition of the Church Therefore if a Controuersy should arise about these testimonies the Scripture only cannot be iudge but we ought to fly to the tradition authority of the Church as for exāple Christ sayth Teach ye all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost The true and lawfull sense is that in baptisme we are to pronounce these wordes I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost And that baptisme without such a verball and expresse pronuntiation of those words is no true baptisme We and our aduersaries agree in this But if one should deny this to be the sense and should say that these words were not needfull In the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost but that an inward will and intention of baptizing him in the name of the holy Trinity were sufficient how should he be confuted only out of the words of the Scripture Nothing lesse seing the wordes be these baptizing them in the name of the Father c. where there is not any vocall inuocation of the blessed Trinity insinuated to be of necessity From whence haue we then that it ought to be verily from the practise and tradition of the Church If thou dost reiect this thou shalt not haue helpe against the aduersary who shall deny the pronouncing of these words to be necessary Another example is this Christ sayth Vnlesse a man be borne againe of water and spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God This place according to the true and lawfull sense is vnderstood of the necessity of baptisme with water as the Lutheranes themselues do confesse yet the Caluinists notwithstanding deny it How therefore can they be confuted of the Lutherans Truly not out of the Word alleadged For although water be named there yet it is not so expresly named as though it ought to be vnderstood of true and
testimony And if they speake not according to this word they shall not haue the morning light Where it is plainly spoken against them who aske counsell of the Pythones and Deuiners about future euents and are remitted plainly to the law which forbiddeth it VVhen thou art entred the land which our Deut. 1â— â— Lord thy God shall giue then beware thou be not willing to imitate the abhominations of those nations Neither let there be sound in thee any that consulteth with Pythoâ—s or Deuiners and seeketh the truth of the dead partly to the testimony of the Prophets who where placed of God to foretell future things as in the third of Kings we may see And Iosaphat said is their not heer some Prophet Râ—g â— â—ap 22. v. 7. of our Lord that we may aske by him Therefore the sense of the words to the law and testimony is this If you will be certified of future euents yow ought not to aske Counsell of the Pythons as 1 Reg. 28. 7. Saul did because God hath forbidden this to be done by his law vnto the which I remit you but aske Counsell of the Prophets of our Lord whose office is to pronounce of future euents But what is this to the iudge of the Controuersies Verily nothing at aâ—l Vnlesse our aduersaries will argue in this manner As concerning future euents it is not lawfull to aske Counsell of the Pythones therefore only the Scripture is the iudge of Controuersies Truly most foolishly and yet which is to be admired their very cheife Rabbins of all are not ashamed to vse such manner of arguing of whom Christ himselfe hath forewarned vs sayiâ—g Let such followes alone for they are blind themselues and leaders of them that are blind THE III. TESTIMONY YOV haue made frustrate the commaundment Math. 15. â— Colos 2. â— 1. â—et 1. 18. of God for your owne tradition And the other place in S. Paul Beware least any man deceaue you by Philosophy and vaine fallacy according to the tradition of men And that in S. Peter You are redeemed from your vaine conuersation of your Fathers tradition From hence our aduersaries gather that all traditions are condemned of Christ and his Apostles and that Scripture alone is sufficient But it is not so For these cited places are vnderstood of the Iewes traditions which were obserued of the Pharisies but not of the traditions of Christ and his Apostles which our aduersaries oppugne and we defend But that there were diuers traditions of the Iewes appeareth out of the Scripture The first was that their hands were to be washed before taking of meat as in this place Then came to him from Hierusalem Math 15. Scribes and Pharisees saying why do thy disciples transgresse the traditions of the ancients For they wash not their hands when they eate bread The second is that this washing was often to be vsed whylst they were eating as in S. Mark The Pharisees and all the Iewes vnlesse they often wash their hands Mark 7. 3. eate not holding the traditions of the ancients Also at the marriage in Cana in Galilee six water pots were put according to the purification of the Iewes In the which water potts there was water wherewith they washed their hands at dinner The third was that vnlesse they ware washed they could not take meat coming from the market as S. Marck recordeth And from the market vnlesse they Mar. 7. 4. bee washed they eate not and many other things there be that were deliuered vnto them to obserue as the washing of Cupps and Cruses and of brazen vessells and Bedds The fourth is that meate was not to be taken with sinners as is written in S. Matth And the Pharisies seing this sayd Math. 9. 11. to his Disciples why doth your maister eate with Publicanes and sinners And in S. Luke Luk. 5. 30. The Pharisies and Scribes murmured saying to his Disciples why do you eate and drinke with Publicanes and sinners The fifth was that none should be permitted to be touched of sinners as S. Luke recordeth And the Pharisee that Luk. 7. 39. had bid him seing it spake within himselfe saying this man if were a Prophet would know certes who and what manner of woman she is which toucheth him that she is a sinner Where it manifestly appeareth that the Pharisee wondred that Christ should suffer himselfe to be touched of a woman that was a sinner because it was contrary to the custome and tradition of the Pharisees whose speach was this Depart from me thou shalt not came neere me because Isa 65. 5. thou art vncleane The sixt was that vpon the Sabaoth it was not lawfull to cure the sicke as S. Luke sayth The Scribes and Pharisees Luk. 6. 7. watched if he would cure on the Sabâ—th that they might find how to accuse him And likewise S. Iohn writeth that certaine of the Pharisees Iohn 9. 16. sayd This man is not of God that keepeth not the Saboath Where they spake of Christ who on the Saboath restored sight to a man that was blind from his natiuity The seauenth was that those who were hungry might not gather and eate eares of Corne on the Saboath as it is sayd in S. Matth. Iesus went through Math. 12. 1. the Corne on the Saboath and his disciples being hungry began to pluck the eares and eate And the Pharisies seing them said to him Lo thy Disciples do that which is not lawfull for them to do on the Saboath day The eight was that they should fast and pray often as is recorded in S. Math. VVhy do we and the Pharisees fast often Math. 9. 15. but thy Disciples do not fast And in S. Luke VVhy do the Disciples of Iohn fast often and make Luk 5. 35. obseruations but thine do eate and drinke The ninth was that the tythes of all things euen of the very least should be offered to God as we reade in S. Math. that Christ sayd VVo to you Scribes Math. 23. â—â— and Pharisees Hipocrits because you tith mint and anise and cummin and haue left the weightier things of the law iudgment and mercy and fayth these things you ought to haue done and not omitted those Heere to tyth is taken for to giue tythes and this is the true sense You Pharisees giue tythes of all thinges whatsoeuer euen of the very least of all which you do not as by a precept in the law of Moyses but by your one tradition which is not written and in the meane tyme you omit those things which are commaunded in the law these things you should do and not omit the other Where it is to be noted that there was no precept in the law of Moyses about giuing of tythes of the least things of which mention is here made but only of the tythes of wyne wheat and oyle Notwithstanding Deut. 14. 2â— the Pharisees in this had a peculiar custome and
tradition beyond others of the Iewes because they gaue the tythes of all kynde of hearbes which Luk. 11. 42. others did not For the which cause one of the Pharisees did boast saying I Luk. 18. 11. am not as the rest of men c. I fast twice a weeke and I giue tythes of all that I possesse The tenth was that whosoeuer Vide IaÌ„sen in concord Euan. cap. 84. should sweare by the Temple or by the Altar he was not guilty of any fault But he that should sweare by gould of the temple or sacrifices which were made on the Altar was guilty as in S. Matth is written VVo to you blind guides that say whosoeuer shall sweare by the Math. â—â— 16. Temple it is nothing but he that shall sweare by the gould of the temple is bound Ye foolish and blinde for whether is greater the gould or the temple which sanctifieth the gould And whosoeuer shall sweare by the Altar it is nothing but whosoeuer shall sweare by the guift that is vpon it is bound You foolish and blinde for whether is greater the guift or the Altar that sanctifieth the guift The eleuenth was that Children were not bound to honour their parents or to be beneficial vnto them but that it would suffice aboundantly to offer some guift vnto God as we read in S. Mathew VVhy do you transgresse the commandement of God for your tradition For God sayd honour Father and Mother he that shall curse Father or Mother dying let him dy But you say whosoeuer shall say to the Father or Mother the guift whatsoeuer proceedeth from me shall profit thee and shall not honour his Father or his Mother and you haue made frustrate the Commandement of God for your owne tradition These were the cheife traditions of the Pharisees For as much as we can gather out of the Ghospell And although some of them were good in their kynd others ill certaine doubfull or vnprofitable Yet notwithstanding the Pharisees were reprehended in them all for these cheife causes First because they by the obseruation of then sought vaine glory and to be esteemed holy amongst men when they were nothing lesse then holy and godly as S. Matth. speaketh of them Math. 23. 5 But they do all their workes for to be seene of of men And very often yea and almost euery where in the Ghospell they are called Hypocrites and whited Scpulchers Secondly because out of the obseruing of them they gaped after wealth and riches especially out of long praiers which they recited to that end as is sayd of Christ in S. Matth. Math. 23. 14. VVo to yow Scribes and Pharisees Hipocrits because yow deuour widdowes howses praying long prayers And likewise in S. Marke Take heede of the Scribes who denoure widdowes howses vnder the pretence of long prayer Where to eate and deuour widowes howses is nothing els but to spoyle and exhaust them For the Widowes came to the Pharisees euen as vnto holy men for they fayned sanctity and bought their prayers with money Thirdly because they superstitiously did obserue some things which were to little purpose and did neglect those which were of greater moment as we shewed a little before For they gaue tythes of those things which were least of all and did neglect mercy and iudgment in iudging of those causes which were brought vnto them And that of S. Matth. may be taken in this sense They straine a gnat and swallow a Camell Now out of these it appeareth that all the traditions of the Iewes were not reprehended by Christ although the Pharisees were blamed deseruedly because they made all vse of them For one of their traditions was to tythe mint rue and euery hearbe Which doubtlesse was good of it selfe for it is very good to giue tythes to God not only of some things which we haue but of all things wee possesse And this is confirmed by Christ himselfe who sayth these things yow ought to haue done and not to haue ommitted those that is yow ought to haue kept the precept of iustice and mercy and not omit the tradition of tything mint and all kynd of hearbes From whence it directly followeth that the Lutherans and the Caluinists seing they condemne all Traditions do condemne the very iudgment of Christ who approued some of them For in the iudgement of Christ there be some traditions which are not to be omitted But in their opinion all are to be reiected and the Scripture only to be admited These two opinions are contrary one to the other But which of them must we imbrace Christs doubtlesse if we be wise Out of which I infer againe that the Lutherans and the Caluinists can conclud out of this no otherwise then this Some traditions of the Iewes were euill therefore all the traditions of the Christians are euill Which is no consequence at all But this is much better The Iewes had some traditions besides the Scripture which ought not be omitted therefore also the Christians may haue some although there be great difference betwixt them both For the traditions of the Christians which we now defend were receaued from Christ and his Apostles but so were not these of the Iewes THE IIII. TESTIMONY SEARCH the Scriptures Lo say our aduersaries Christ remitteth Ioan. â— â—â— vs to the Scripture euen as to the iudge of Controuersies This truly they would not say if they vnderstood the meanning of Christ for Christ in that Chapter disputeth with the Iewes who denied him to be the Sonne of God and therefore he proued by foure kynd of testimonies that he was First by the testimony of S. Iohn Baptist You haue sayth he sent to Iohn and he gaue testimony to the truth But this was his testimony Behould the Lambe of God behould Iohn 1. 34. who taketh away the sinnes of the world And againe I haue giuen testimony that this is the Sonne of God Secondly by the testimony of those Miracles which he wrought I haue sayth he testimony greater then Iohns For the Ioan. 3. 36. workes which my Father hath giuen me to persit them the very workes themselues which I do giue testimony of me that the Father hath sent me Thirdly by the testimony of God the Father And the Father that sent me himselfe Ioan. 5 â—7 hath giuen testimony of me As also when he spake out of heauen This is my welbeloued Math 3. 17. sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him Fourthly by the testimony of the old testament Search the Scripturs for you thinke in them to haue life euerlasting and the same are they that giue testimony of me and you will not come to me that you may haue life As yf he should say If you will not receaue the three former testimonies which are most forcible otherwise I would not haue made mention of them at least you cannot reiect the testimonies of Scriptures of the which you brag so much And those if you
which may be declared with two similitudes the one is taken from the proportion of a mans body For if you should aske whether all the members which are in a mans body haue vitall and sensible spiritts in them by the which life in them is preserued I answeare that indeed all haue but with a certaine kynd of dependance from the head and the hart for these spirits are deriued from the head and the hart as from a double origen spring or fountaine into the other members From whence it comes that if those pores and passages be stopped intercepted through the which that distribution of spirits is made it followeth also that the other members are destitute of their spirits and cannot exercise their office at all but if they be patent and open all is well Euen so in the Church all the faythfull who are as members of the Church haue the assistance and direction of the holy Ghost but which a certaine kynd of dependance of the Pope who is as the head of the Church and from the Councells which are as the hart of the Church As long therefore as they remaine vnited to the doctrine of the Pope CouÌ„cells they are pertakers of the assistâ—nce and gouernement of the holy Ghost cannot erre in fayth But if they once depart by obstinacy and stubbornesse then they begin to shut vp all their passages that the diuine assistance and direction caÌ„not be distributed vnto them And so they begin to swarue from the truth and become subiect to errour which happened to Arius Nestorius Macedonius Pelagius and six hundred others And truly least the same happen vnto vs let vs heare the Counsell of the Apostle who in euery place doth exhort vs to the agreement and vnity of doctrine As when he writeth thus to the Romains And I desire you brethren saith he Rom. 16. 17. to marke them that make dissentions scandalls contrary to the doctrine which you haue learned and auoyd them And to the Corinthians I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord 1. Cor. 1. 10. Iesus Christ that you all say one thing and that there be no schisme among you And to the Ephesians Becarefull to vse the spirit of truth in the bond of peace One body and one spirit as Eph. 4. 3. you are called in one hope of your Saluation One Lord one fayth one Baptisme And likewise to the Hebrewes VVith variances strang Heb. 13. 9. doctrines be not led away Another similitude may be borrowed from a flock of sheepe which very well doth represent the Church For as a whole flock being gathered together in one fould or one place hath the continuall assistance of their sheepheard who doth defend them all with his hooke his dogge from the cruelty of wolues eueâ— so the whole Church of the faythfull being collected in one fayth and in one spirit hath the perpetuall assistaÌ„ce of that diuine sheepheard Ioan. 10. 14. Matth. 28. 20. who sayd I am the good Pastour and I know my sheepe And againe Behould I am with you all dayes euen to the consuÌ„matioÌ„ of the world Also euen as the sheep as long as they remayne togeather with the flock and their Pastour they are safe from the biting of wolues euen so all Christians as long as they remaine vnited with the Church that is agreeing with the doctrine of the Church they are safe and secure from all dangers of errour and infidelity And finally as sheepe which stray from the flock are destitute of the protection of their Pastour and so subiect to be deuoured of the rauening wolues euen so Christians who disagree from the common sense and doctrine of the Church are quite destitute of the assistaÌ„ce of the holy Ghost and so in danger to fall certainly into pestiferous damnable errours From the which Christ free vs all FINIS THE CONTENTS OF THIS BOOKE OF the Iudge of Controuersies the Preface Pag. 1. The Scripture alone is not the Iudge of Controuersies concerning matters of Faith and Religion I. ARGVMENT Drawne from the Office of a Iudge Pag. 6. II. ARGVMENT Drawne out of the Scripture it selfe Pag. 9. That the Scripture according to the sense and meaning thereof cannot be Iudge Pag. 19. That the Scripture often tymes according vnto the sense is obscure and hard to be vnderstood Pag. 20. What are the causes why the Scripture is obscure Pag. 33. Wherefore is it Gods will that the Scripture should be obscure Pag. 58. It followes necessarily out of the obscurity of the Scripture that many Controuersies arise amongst Christians Pag. 64. The Scripture cannot be the Iudge of these and the like Controuersies Pag. 71. THE III. ARGVMENT Which is drawne out of the CoÌ„trouersies themselues Pag. 81. THE IIII. ARGVMENT Which is taken out of the vse and practise of the old Testament where not the Scripture but the Bishop was acknowledged for the Iudge Pag. 91. THE V. ARGVMENT Drawne from the custome vse and practise of the new TestameÌ„t Pag. 106. THE VI. ARGVMENT Drawne from the Analogy and proportion of the Ciuill Iudge concerning matters belonging to the common Wealth Pag. 118. The Testimonies of Scripture brought against vs heere are examined THE I. TESTIMONY Pag. 125. THE II. TESTIMONY Pag. 134. THE III. TESTIMONY Pag. 136. THE IIII. TESTIMONY Pag. 145. THE V. TESTIMONY Pag. 149. THE VI. TESTIMONY Pag. 151. THE VII TESTIMONY Pag. 153. THE VIII TESTIMONY Pag. 157. The Conclusion of all that is contained in this Booke Pag. 160. An ObiectioÌ„ of the vulgar people against all that hath beene hitherto sayd Pag. 162. FINIS