this Apostasie of the Iesuites is the most abhominable and contumelious against the blessed Trinitie pag. 300. THE TRIPLICITIE OF ROMISH BLASPHEMIE OR THE THREE DEGREES OF ANTICHRISTS EXALTATION Against all that is called GOD. THE THIRD BOOKE SECT I. Contayning the assertions of the Romish Church whence her threefold blasphemie springs HAuing in the former dispute clearly acquitted as well Gods word from breeding as our Church from nursing contentions schismes and heresies wee may in this by course of common equitie more freely accuse their iniurious calumniators And because our purpose is not to charge them with forgerie of any particular though grossest heresies or blasphemies though most hideous but for erecting an intire frame capacioâ—s of all villanies imaginable farre surpassing the hugest mathematicall forme humane fancie could haue conceiued of such matters but only from inspection of this reall and materiall patterne which by degrees insensible hath growne vp with the mysterie of iniquitie as the barke doth with the tree such inconsiderate passionate speeches as heat of contention in personall quarrells hath exstracted from some one or few of their priuate Writers shall not be produced to giue euidence against the Church their Mother whose triall shall be as farre as may be by her Peeres either by her owne publike determinations in this controuersie or ioynt consent of her authorized best approued Advocates in opening the title or vnfolding the contents of that prerogatiue which they challenge for her 2 Our accusations are grounded vpon their Positions before set downe when wee explicated the differences betwixt vs. The position in briefe is this That the infallible authoritie of the present Church is the most sure most safe vndoubted rule in all doubts or controuersies of faith or in all points concerning the Oracles of God by which we may certainely know both without which wee cannot possibly know either which are the Oracles of God which not or what is the true sense and meaning of such as are receiued for his Oracles whether written or vnwritten 3 The extent of diuine Oracles or number of Canonicall bookes hath beene as our Aduersaries pretend very questionable amongst the ancient though such of the Fathers as for their skill in antiquitie were in all vnpartiall iudgements most competent Iudges in this cause were altogether for vs against the Romanists and such as were for their opinion were but for it vpon an error as thinking the Iewes had acknowledged all those bookes of the old Testament for Canonicall Scripture which the Churches wherin they liued receiued for such or that the Christian Church did acknowledge all for Canonical which they allowed to be publikely read Safe it was our aduersaries cannot denie for the Ancient to dissent one from an other in this question or to suspend their assent till new probabilities might sway them one way or other No reasons haue beene produced since sufficient to moue any ingenious mind vnto more peremptorie resolutions yet doth the Councell of Trent binde all to an absolute acknowledgement of those Bookes for Canonicall which by their owne confession were reiected by S. Hierome and other Fathers If any shall not receiue the whole Bookes with all their parts vsually read in the Church and as they are extent in the old vulgar for sacred and Canonicall let him be accuâ—sed So are all by the same decree that will not acknowledge such vnwritten traditions as the Romish Church pretends to haue come from Christ and his Apostles for diuine and of authoritie equall with the written word 4 So generally is this opinion receiued so fully beleeued in that Church That many of her Sonnes euen whilest they write against vs forgetting with whom they haue to deale take it as granted That the Scriptures cannot be known to be Gods word but by the infallible authoritie of the present Church And from this supposition as from a truth sufficiently knowne though neuer proued they labour in the next place to inferre That without submission of our faith to the Churches publike spirit wee cannot infallibly distinguish the orthodoxall or diuine sense of Gods Oracles whether written or vnwritten from hereticall or humane 5 Should we admit vnwritten Traditions and the Church withall as absolute Iudge to determine which were Apostolicall which not little would it boote vs to question with them about their meaning For when the point should come to triall wee might be sure to haue the very words framed to whatsoeuer sense should bee most fauourable for iustifying Romish practises And euen of Gods written Oracles whose words or characters as hee in his wisedome hath prouided cannot now be altered by an Index Expurgatorius at their pleasure That such a sense as shall bee most seruiceable for their turne may as time shall minister occasion bee more commodiously gathered the Trent Fathers immediately after the former decree for establishing vnwritten Traditions and amplifying the extent of diuine written Oracles haue in great wisedome authorized the old and vulgar translation of the whole Canon Which though it were not purposely framed to maintayne Poperie as some of our writers say they haue as friuolously as maliciously obiected yet certainely aswell the escapes and errors of those vnskilfull or ill-furnished interpretors as the negligence of transcribers or other defects incident to that worke from the simplicitie of most ancient the iniuries or calamities of insuing times were amongst others as the first heads or pettie springs of that raging floud of impietie which had well nigh drowned the whole Christian world in perdition by continually receiuing into it channell once thus wrought the dregs and filth of euery other error vnder heauen with the corrupt remainder of former heresies for these thousand yeares and more And vnto many grosse errors in Romish religion which this imperfect translation did not first occasion it yet affords that countenance which the pure Fountaines of the Greeke and Hebrew doe not but rather would scoure and wipe away were they current in that Church Finally though it yeld not nutriment to enlarge or feed yet it serues as a cloake to hide or couer most parts of the great mysterie of iniquitie 6 Yet besides the fauourable construction that may be made for that religion out of the plaine and literall sense of this erroneous translation the Church will bee absolute Iudge of all controuersies concerning the right interpretation thereof So as not what our consciences vpon diligent search and iust examination shall witnesse to vs but what the Church shall declare to them must be absolutely acknowledged for the true intent and meaning of Gods word as it is rendred by the vulgar interpretor To this purpose is the very next decree 7 Moreouer for brideling petulant dispositions it is decreed That no man in confidence of his owne wisdome or skill in matters of faith and manners making for the edification of Christian doctrine shall dare to interpret Scriptures wresting them to his
many places bee certaine of it vnlesse Tradition be assistant It is an offer worth the taking that here he makes That the sense of Scriptures is the sword of the spirit This is as much as wee contend that the sense of the Scripture is the Scripture Whence the inference is immediately necessary That if the Romish Church binde vs to belieue or absolutely practise ought contrary to the true sense and meaning of Scriptures with the like deuotion we doe Gods expresse vndoubted commandements she preferres her owne authority aboue Gods word and makes vs acknowledge that allegiance vnto her which we owe vnto the spirit For suppose wee had as yet no full assurance of the spirit for the contradictory sense to that giuen by the Church we were in christian duty to expect Gods prouidence and inuoke the spirits assistance for manifestation of the truth from all possibility wherof wee desperately exclude our selues if wee belieue one mans testimony of the spirit as absolutely irreuoucably as we would do the manifest immediate testimony of the spirit yet Sacroboscus acknowledgeth hee beliues the mystery of the Trinity as it is taught by their Church onely for the Churches authority and yet this hee beleeues as absolutely as hee doth yea as hee could belieue any other diuine Reuelation though extraordinarily made vnto himselfe 3 In both parts of beliefe aboue mentioned the causall dependance of our faith vpon the Churches proposals may be imagined three wayes eyther whilest it is in planting or after it is planted or from the first beginning of it to it full growth or from it first entrance into our hearts vntill our departure out of this world How farre and in what sort the Ministery of men in the Church is auaileable for planting faith hath been declared heretofore Eyther for the planting or supporting it the skill or authority of the teachers reaches no further then to quicken or strengthen our internal taste or apprehension of the diuine truth reuealed in Scriptures or to raise or tune our spirites as Musicke did Elishahs the better to perceiue the efficacy of Gods spirit imprinting the stampe of those diuine Reuelations in our hearts whose Characters are in our braines The present Churches proposals in respect of our beliefe is but as the Samaritan womans report was vnto the men of Sichars Many sayth the Euangelist belieued in him for the saying of the woman which testified he hath told mee all things that euer I did But this beliefe was as none in respect of that which they conceiue immediately from his owne words For they saide vnto the woman Now wee belieue not because of thy saying for we haue heard him our selues and know that this is indeede the Christ. The eare sayeth Iob tryeth the words as the mouth tasteth meates Consonant hereto is our Churches doctrine that as our bodily mouthes taste and trie meates immediately without interposition of any other mans sense or iudgement of them so must the eares of our soules trie and discerne diuine truthes without relying on other mens proposals or reports of their rellish No externall meanes whatsoeuer can in eyther case haue any vse but onely eyther for working a right disposition in the Organ whereby triall is made or by occasioning the exercise of the faculty rightly disposed How essentially faith by our aduersaries doctrine dependes vpon the churches authority is euident out of the former discourses that this dependance is perpetuall is as manifest in that they make it the iudge and rule of faith such an indefectible rule and so authentique a Iudge as in all points must be followed and may not be so far examined eyther by Gods written law or rules of nature whether it contradict not it selfe or them 4 It remaines we examine the particular maner of this dependance or what the Churches infallibility doth or can performe eyther to him that belieues or to the obiect of his beleefe whēce a Romane Catholikes faith should become more firme or certaine then another mans It must enlighten eyther his soule that it may see or diuine reuelations that they may be seene more clearely otherwise he can exceed others onely in blinde beleefe The cunningest Sophister in that schoole strictly examined vpon these points will bewray that monstrous blasphemy which some shallow braines haue hitherto hoped to couer Wee haue the same Scriptures they haue and peruse them in all the languages they doe What is it then can hinder eyther them from manifesting or vs from discerning their Truth or true meaning manifested Doe we want the Churches proposall we demand how their present Church it selfe can better discerne them then ours may what testimonie of antiquity haue they which we haue not But it may be we want spectacles to read them our Church hath but the eyes of priuate men which cannot see without a publike light Their Churches eyes are Cat-like able so to illustrate the obiects of Christian faith as to make them cleare and perspicuous to it selfe though darke and inuisible vnto vs. Suppose they could Yet Cats-eyes benefit not by-standers a whit for seeing colours in darknes albeit able themselues to see them without any other light then their owne The visible Church saith the Iesuite is able to discerne all diuine truth by her infallible publique spirit How knowes he this certainly without an infallible publique spirit perhaps as men see Cats-eyes shine in the darke when their owne doe not Let him beleeue so But what doth this beleefe aduantage him or other priuate spirits for the cleare distinct or perfect sight of what the Church proposeth Doth the proposall make diuine Truthes more perspicuous in themselues Why then are they not alike perspicuous to all that heare reade or know the Churches testimonie of them Sacroboscus hath said al that possibly can be said on their behalfe in this difficultie The Sectaries albeit they should vse the authoritie of the true Church yet cannot haue any true beleefe of the truth reuealed If the vse of it be as free to them as to Catholikes what debarres them from this benefit They doe not acknowledge the sufficiencie of the Churches proposall And as a necessary proofe or medium is not sufficient to the attayning of science vnlesse a man vse and acknowledge it formally as necessary so for establishing true faith it sufficeth not that the Church sufficiently proposeth the points to be beleeued or auoweth them by that infallible authoritie wherewith Christ hath enabled her to declare both what bookes containe Doctrines Diuine and what is the true sense of places controuersed in them but it is further necessary that wee formally vse this proposall as sufficient and embrace it as infallible 5 The reason then why a Romane Catholique rightly beleeues the Truth or true meaning of Scriptures when a Protestant that knowes the Churches testimonie as well as he in both points vncertaine is because the Catholique infallibly beleeues the Churches authority to bee
doe First their prerogatiues they giue to Peter are blasphemous Secondly their allegations to proue that their Popes succeede as full heires to all Peters prerogatiues are ridiculous Whence it must needes follow that their faith is but a compost of folly blasphemy This pretended perpetuity of tradition or suspitious tale of succession from Peter is the best warrant they haue the Church doth not erre in expounding the places alleadged for her infallability and their beliefe of their infallibility in such expositions the onely security their soules can haue that obeying the former decree of worshipping the consecrate host of cōmunicating vnder one kind they doe not contemptuously disobey Gods principall lawes mangle Christs last Will and Testament vilifie his pretious body and bloud Seeing then they themselues confesse the places brought by vs against their decrees to be diuine and we haue demonstrated that mens beliefe of that infallible authority in making such decrees to bee merely humane the former conclusion is most firme that whilest men obey these decrees against that naturall sense and meaning which the former passages of scripture suggest so plainly to euery mans conscience that the Churches pretended authority set aside none would euer question whether they could admit any restraint they obey men more then God humane lawes more then diuine and much better belieue the traditions of humane fancy of whose forgery for others worldly gaine there bee strong presumptions then the expresse written testimony of the holy spirit in the especiall points of their owne saluation 12 Or if vnto the testimony of Gods spirit recorded in Scriptures wee adde history tradition Councels or former Popes decrees or whatsoeuer possibly may be pretended to proue the present Popes authority it must still bee supposed greater better knowne then all that can be brought for it or against it as will appeare if we apply our argument vsed before That authority is alwayes greater which may trie all others and must bee tried by none but such is the Popes declaration or determination of all points in controuersie whether about the canon or sence of Scriptures ouer those which are brought for it whether about the truth true meaning or authority or vnwrittē traditions whether about the lawfulnes of councels or their authentique interpretations in one word his determinations are monarchical may not be examined as S. Austen or others of the ancient fathers writings may by any law written or vnwritten So Bellarmine suteable to the Trent Councell expresly auoucheth The Fathers were onely Doctors or expositors the Pope is a iudge What then is the difference betweene a Iudge and an expositor To explane as a Iudge there is required authority to explane as a Doctor or expositor onely learning is requisite For a Doctor doth not propose his sentence as necessary to bee followed but onely so farre as reason shal councell vs but a Iudge proposeth his sentence to bee followed of necessity Whereof then will the Pope bee Iudge Of expounding Scriptures these places of Scripture which make for his pretended authority Must his sentence herein of necessity be followed By Bellarmine it must albeit wee see no reason for it either out of Scripture or nature It is for Doctors to bring reasons for their expositions but the Pope needs not except hee will nor may wee exact it of a Iudge So hee addes more expresly We admit not of Bartolus or Baldus glosses as wee doe of Empecours declarations Austine and other Fathers in their Commentaries supply the places of Teachers but the Councell and Popes exercise the function of Iudges whereunto God hath designed them But how shall we know that God hath committed all iudgement vnto them seeing wee haue beene taught by his word that hee hath committed all iudgement vnto his sonne Because all men should honour the sonne as they honour the father We reade not of any other to whom the like authority is giuen by God or his sonne yet of one whose very name shall import the vsurpation of like authority that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christs Vicar generall vnto whom the Sonne as must bee supposed doth deligate the same iudiciary power the Father deligated vnto him 13. But may a Princes declaration in no case be examined by his subiects Yes though in ciuill matters it may so farre as it concernes their consciences as whether it be consonant to Gods word or no whether it make more for the health of their soules to suffer what it inflicts vpon the refusers or to act what it commands To controle contermaund or hinder the execution of it by opposition of violence or contrary ciuill power subiects may not But for any but man to vsurpe such dominion ouer his fellow creatures soules as earthly Princes haue ouer their subiects goods lands or bodies is more then Monarchicall more then tyrannical the very Idea of Antichristianisme And what I would commend vnto the Reader as a point of especiall consideration this assertion of Bellarmine concerning the Popes absolute authoritie directly proues him as was auouched before to be a supreame head or foundation of the selfe same ranke and order with Christ no way inferiour to him in the intensiue perfection but onely in the extent of absolute soueraigntie For greater soueraignty cannot be conceiued then this That no man may examine the truth or equity of commands or consequences immediately deriued from it though immediatly concerning their eternall ioy or miserie No Prince did euer deligate such soueraigne power to his Vice gerent or deputy nor could he vnlesse for the time being at least he did vtterly relinquish his owne supreame authority or admit a full compere in his kingdome Bellarmines distinctions of a primary and secondary foundation of a ministeriall and principall head of the Church may hence he described to be but meere stales set to catch guls Their conceit of the Popes copartnership with Christ is much better resembled and more truly expressed by the Poets imaginations of Iupiter and Augustus Caesars fraternity Diuisum imperium cum Iove Caesar habet Ioue and Caesar are Kings and Gods But Ioue of heauen that 's the onely ods That Christ should retaine the title of the supreame head ouer the Church militant and the realitie of supremacie ouer the Church triumphant ouer aduersaries are not offended Because there is small hope of raising any new tribute from the Angels and Saints in heauen to the Romish churches vse and as little feare that Christ should take any secular commodity from it which aunciently it hath enioyed 14. But though it were true that we were absolutely bound to obey an absolute Monarchie of whose right none doubts yet may we examine whether euery Potentate that challengeth Monarchicall iurisdiction ouer others or giues forth such insolent edicts in ciuill matters as the Pope doth in spirituall do not goe beyond his authority in these particulars albeit his lawfull prerogatiues in respect of others be
the man Christ Iesus not excepted This conclusion followeth immediately out of three positions generally held and stifly maintained by that Church The first that the Pope liue hee as hee list cannot erre in matters of faith and manners when hee speaketh ex Cathedra that we are bound infallibly to belieue whatsoeuer he so speakes without examination of his doctrine by Gods word or euident externall signe or internall experiment of Gods spirit speaking in him The second that wee cannot assure our selues the Scriptures are the Oracles of God but by the infallible testimony of the Visible Church The third that the true sense and meaning of Scriptures in cases doubtfull or controuersed cannot be vndoubtedly known without the infallible declaration of the same Church CHAP. I. What restraint precepts for obedience vnto the Priests of the Law though seeming most vniuersall for their forme did necessarily admit And how vniuersall Propositions of Scriptures are to be limited 1 SEing wee vndertake to proue that no such authority as the Romish Church doth challenge was euer established on earth The answering of those arguments drawne from the authority of the Priestes in the olde Testament may to the iudicious seeme at the first sight needlesse yet because such as they set the fairest glosses vpon if wee looke into the inside or substance are fullest fraught with their owne disgrace and ignominy It will not be superfluous to acquaint the Reader with some particulars prefixing some generall admonitions to the yonger sort for more commodious answering of all that can be brought of like kind 2 Their common places of consening the world especially smatterers of Logicke or schoole learning with counterfeit proofes of Scripture is either from some vniuersall precept of obedience to the people or generall promises of infallibility made to the Priests in the old Testament Such as come vnto the Scriptures hauing their mind dazled with notions of vniuersale primum or other Logicke rules true in some cases thinke the formerprecepts being for their forme vniuersall may admit no exception limitation or restraint otherwise the holy Ghost might breake the rule of Logicke when as they admit many restraints nor alwayes from one but ofttimes from diuerse reasons from these following especially God sometimes inioynes obedience as wee say in the abstract to set vs a patterne of such true accurate obedience as men should performe vnto authority it selfe or vnto such gouernours as neither in their liues nor in the seat of iudgement would decline either to the right hand or to the left but square all their proceedings to the exact rule of Gods word Vnto such gouernours continuall and compleat obedience was to bee performed because the parties gouerned vpon examination should alwayes finde them iumpe with the law of God vnto which absolute obedience as hath beene shewed is due Nor doth the word of God in setting out such exact obedience lie open to that exception which Polititians take against Philosophers as if it as Philosophers doe did giue instructions onely for happy men of Aristotles making or for the Stoickes wise men who can no where bee found but in Platoes common-wealth whose Metropolis is the Region of Eutopia For the ancient Israel of God had this prerogatiue aboue al the nations of the earth that their Priests lips whilest they themselues were clothed with righteousnesse and bare holinesse vnto the Lord in their breasts should still preserue knowledge and bee able to manifest the will of God vnto the people not onely by interpreting the generall written law but by reuelations concerning particular facts of principall moment as may bee gathered from that law Also thou shalt put in the breast plate of iudgement the Vrim and the Thummim which shall be vpon Aarons heart when hee goeth in before the Lord And Aaron shall beare the iudgement of the children of Israel vpon his heart before the Lord continually 3 To omit the various interpretations and diuers opinions of this brest-plates vse why it was called the breast plate of iudgement Iosephus and Suidas in my mind come neerest the truth That the Reuelation by it was extraordinary that Gods presence or iuridicall approbation of doubts proposed was represented vpon the pretious stones that were set therein is probable partly from the aptnesse of it to allure the Israelites vnto Idolatry partly from that formality which the Egyptians in imitation of the Ephods ancient vse amongst the Iewes retained long after in declaration of the truth in Iudgement For Diodorus tels vs that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or chiefe Iudge in that famous and venerable Egyptian high Court or Parliament did weare about his necke in a golden chaine Insigne a tablet of pretious stone or if the Reader bee disposed to correct the translator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they called as the Septuagint did Aarons breast-plate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on which hee stedfastly looked while matters were debating as Suidas saith the High Priest did on his breast plate whilest they asked counsell of God and whilest hee gaue sentence turned it vnto the beter cause exhibited as the fashion was in that Court in writing in signe the truth it selfe did speake for it that the Vrim or Thummim were more then an Embleme yea an Oracle of iustice and right iudgement is apparant out of Scripture When Ioshua was consecrated to bee Israels chiefe gouernour in Moses stead he was to stand before Eleazar the Priest ordained to aske counsell for him by the iudgement of Vrim before the Lord So did Abiathar certifie Dauid of Sauls malitious resolution against him and the Lords of Keylahs treachery if hee should trust vnto them So againe Dauid is assured of victory by the iudgement of Vrim and I Thummim if he would follow the Amalakites that had burnt Ziglag 4 Such Priestes as these were to bee absolutely obeyed in answeres thus giuen from the mouth of God And it is most probable that the parties whom these answeres did concern had perfect notice of the Reuelation made to the Priests howsoeuer the truths of such answeres being confirmed by experiment in those dayes they were to vndertake what the Priests appointed and to obey his aduice at least by cautelous obedience vntill the euent did proue the truth But neither was this certaine manifestation of Gods will so absolutely promised vnto the Priests but not liuing according vnto the direction of Gods law hee might faile in his Oracles Nor was this peoples prerogatiue aboue others without all limit that if they liued no better then others did they should as often as they asked counsell of God infallibly know whether the answere were from him or no albeit there were no defect in the Priest For this reason the Lord answered not Saul when hee asked counsell of him neither by dreames nor by visions nor by Vrim nor by the Prophets for Saul was now cast off by God not willing to vouchsafe
recordes and declarations written or vnwritten to be most authentique they cannot be certaine whether euer there had beene such an Emperour as they plead succession from or at least how farre his Dominions extended or where they lay This manner of plea in secular controuersies would be a meane to defeate him that made it For albeit the Christian World did acknowledge there had beene such an Emperour and that many parts of Europe of right belonged vnto his lawfull heire Yet if it were otherwise vnknowne what parts these were or who this heire should bee no Iudge would be so mad as finally to determine of eyther vpon such motiues Or if the Plaintiffe could by such courses as the World knowes oft preuaile in iudgement or other gracious respects effect his purpose hee were worse then madde that could thinke the finall resolution of his right were into the Emperours last will and testament which by his owne confession no man knowes besides himselfe and not rather into his owne presumed fidelitie or the Iudges apparant partialitie So in this controuersie whatsoeuer the Pope may pretend from Christ all in the end comes to his owne authority which wee may safely beleeue herein to bee most infallible that it will neuer prooue partiall against it selfe or define ought to his Holinesse disaduantage 10 Here againe it shall not be amisse to admonish yonger Students of another gull which the Iesuite would put vpon vs to make their Churches doctrine seeme lesse abominable in this point lest you should thinke they did aequalize the authority of the Church with diuine reuelations Valentian would perswade you it were no part of the formall obiect of faith It is true indeed that the Churches authority by their doctrine is not comprehended in the obiect of belieefe whilest it onely proposeth other Articles to bee beleeued No more is the Sunne comprehended vnder the obiects of our actuall sight whilest we behold colours or other visibles by the vertue of it But yet as it could not make colours or other things become more visible vnto vs vnlesse it selfe were the first and principall visible that is vnlesse it might bee seene more clearely then those things which wee see by it so wee would direct our sight vnto it so would it bee impossible the Churches infallible proposal could make a Romane Catholikes beliefe of Scriptures or their orthodoxal sense the stronger vnlesse it were the first and principall credible or primary obiect of his beliefe or that which must bee most clearely most certainely and most sted fastly belieued so as all other Articles besides must be belieued by the beliefe or credibility of it This is most euident out of Sacroboscus and Bellarmines resolution or explication of that point how the Churches proposall confirmes a Roman Catholiques beliefe To giue this doctrine of their Churches infallibility the right title according to the truth it is not an Article of Catholike beleefe but a Catholike Axiome of Antichristian vnbeliefe which from the necessary consequences of their assertions more strictly to be examined will easily appeare CHAP. IIII. What maner of causall dependance Romish beleefe hath on the Church that the Romanist truly and properly beleeues the Church onely not God or his word 1 THe 2. main assertions of our aduersaries whence our intended conclusion must be proued are these often mentioned heretofore First that wee cannot be infallibly perswaded of the truth of Scriptures but by the Churches proposall Secondly that without the same wee cannot bee infallibly perswaded of the true sense or meaning of these scriptures which that Church and we both belieue to be Gods word How wee should know the Scriptures to be Gods word is a probleme in Diuinity which in their iudgement cannot be assoiled without admission of Traditions or diuine vnwritten verities of whose extent and meaning the Church must be infallible Iudge It is necessary to saluation saith Bellarmine that wee know there bee some bookes diuine which questionlesse cannot by any meanes be knowne by Scriptures For albeit the Scriptures say that the Books of the Prophets or Apostles are diuine yet this I shall not certainely belieue vnlesse I first belieue that Scripture which saith thus is diuine For so wee may read euery where in Mahomets Alcoran that the Alcoran it selfe was sent from heauen but wee belieue it not Therefore this necessary point that some Scripture is diuine cannot sufficiently be gathered out of Scriptures alone Consequently seeing faith must rely vpon Gods word vnlesse wee haue God word vnwritten we can haue no faith His meaning is wee cannot know the Scriptures to be diuine but by Traditions and what Traditions are diuine what not wee cannot know but by the present visible Church as was expresly taught by the same Author before And the finall resolution of our belieuing what God hath said or not said must bee the Churches authority To this collection Sacroboseus thus farre accords Some Catholiques reiected diuers Canonicall Books without any danger and if they had wanted the Churches proposall for others as well as them they might without sinne haue doubted of the whole Canon This he thinks consonant to that of Saint Austin I would not belieue the Gospell vnlesse the Churches authority did thereto moue me He addes that we of reformed Churches making the visible Churches authority in defining points of faith vnsufficient might disclaime all without any greater sinne or danger to our soules then wee incurre by disobeying some parts of Scripture to wit the Apocryphall books canonized by the Romish church The Reader I hope obserues by these passages How Bellarmine ascribes that to Tradition which is peculiar to Gods prouidence Sacroboscus that to blind beliefe which belongs vnto the holy Spirit working faith vnto the former points by the ordinary obseruation of Gods prouidence and experiments answerable to the rules of Scriptures 2 Consequently to the Trent Councels decree concerning the second assertion Bellarmine thus collects It is necessary not onely to bee able to read Scriptures but to vnderstand them but the Scripture is often so ambiguous and intricate that it cannot bee vnderstood without the exposition of some that cannot erre therefore it alone is not sufficient Examples there be many For the equality of the diuine persons the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne as from one ioint originall Originall sinne Christes descension into Hell nd many like may indeed be deduced out of scriptures but not so plainely as to end controuersies with contentious spirits if we should produce onely testimonies of Scriptures And wee are to note there bee two things in Scripture the Characters or the written words and the sense included in them The Character is as the sheath but the sense is the very sword of the spirite Of the first of these two all are partakers for whosoeuer knowes the Character may reade the Scripture but of the sense all men are not capable nor can wee in
or dissent from Reason Conscience and Religion For these so hee will but vouchsafe his silence or attention ioyntly proclaime aloude that nothing amisse either in matter of doctrine or manners can be so detestable with out this presumptuous groundlesse warrant of absolute infallibilitie as with it that albeit a man would set himselfe to practize all particulars directly contrarie to what God hath commanded or to contradict God and his goodnesse yet his iniquitie without this absolute beliefe of full authoritie deriued from him so to doe would be but as a bodie without a soule in respect of the Romish Churches impieties which makes the holy Ghost the principall Author of Gods written word the abettor of all her fraude vntruths or villanies Briefly as it is not the doing of those materials God commands vs to doe but faithfull submission of our wils to his in doing them which as S. Iames instructs vs makes vs true Christians so is it not the doing or maintayning of what God forbids or hates but the doing of it vpon absolute submission of our soules and consciences to other lawes then he hath left which makes men liue members of Antichrist as being animated informed and moued by the spirit of errour Now this perswasion of absolute infallibilitie and vniuersall warrant from the holy spirit without condition or restraint being peculiar to the Romish Church admitting it to be as faultie in practises and as obnoxious to errours as any other none can be reputed so truly Antichristian as it For albeit Mahomet pretended diuine reuelations yet his Priests challenge no such absolute infallibilitie as doth the Pope they make no second Rocks or foundations no ordinarie Pastor equiualent to their great Prophet Whence although the Turkes hold opinions in themselues or materially considered more grosse and maintayne some practices not much lesse villanous then Iesuites doe yet the grounds or motiues of their beliefe which are as the soule or spirit of Religion are nothing so pestiferous nothing so directly opposite to the holy spirit as is this Iesuiticall rule of faith Nor doe they either professe such beliefe in Christ or acknowledge him for a foundation so elect and precious as brings them within the Temple of God within which vnlesse Antichrist sit his contrarietie vnto Christ could not bee so essentiall so immediate or direct as by the rules of sacred Philosophie we are taught it must be Yet I know not whether the indignitie of this doctrine is more apt to affect Diuines or Men rightly religious and fearing God then the sottishnesse of their arguments to perswade it to prouoke the iust indignation of ingenuous Artists which cannot endure though in matters of indifferencie to captiuate their vnderstandings to positions deuoide of sense To require some probabilitie of reason ciuill or naturall is on their part no insolent demand for exchange of Christian faith or aduenturing their inassurance of life eternall in the seruice of meere forrainers whom they neuer saw Yet vnto peremptorie resolutions no lesse dangerous doe Iesuites solicite vs not only without any tollerable shew of probabilitie but quite contrarie to Gods principall lawes and our naturall notions of good and euill as by these labours euery Academique may in part perceiue but more fully if he would vouchsafe to sift more of their arguments then in these short transcursiue disputes I could Nor would I disswade any Artist well grounded in Aristotle from pervsing the most learned workes any Romanist hath written in this argument In most other controuersies betwixt vs and them it is dangerous I must confesse euen for well grounded Artists to beginne with their writings not so in this for I protest in the sight of God and his holy Angels that as farre as I can remember the inclinations of my youth or by them prognosticate how afterwards I might haue beene affected I neuer was I neuer should haue beene so throughly possessed with such great dislike of Romish Antichristianisme in this point by hearing the most famous Preachers in this Land or reading all the learned Writers in reformed Churches as I was by examining the labours of Bellarmine Valentian and others of best nore amongst them seriously addressed to this purpose comparing them only with the known principles of Christianitie and such passages of sacred Writ as euery Christian Artist should be acquainted with For the principles whereon I proceede I haue beene only beholden to the Canon of Scriptures for deducing of such blasphemous consequences from them as I charge the Aduersarie with only to that small measure of knowledge in Aristotelian Philosophie wherewith my God had blessed mee whiles I was bound by locall statutes to the studie of Artes purposely abstaining from other writings which with their informations of my vnderstanding might haue bred preiudice in my affection Since that time although the yeares of my Ministrie hardly exceede the space of ordinarie apprentiships yet haue I often wished the discussion of these points had beene then imposed vpon mee by some experienced Diuine that would only haue giuen me right hold of their assertions Vpon this consideration I would beseech the flourishing Artists of this famous Academie whom God hath furnished with all store of munition necessarie for this seruice not to neglect opportunities present Let them deferre if so they please the fruits of their labours in other points though this be the fault of our English vntill the Autumne of their age But the marke I now propose vnto them being the euident resolution of Iesuiticall positions into those grosse and palpable blasphemies whereto they tend which they only seeke to hide by Sophismes and artificiall tricks of wit Academicall wits might displume them of these figge-tree leaues and manifest their nakednes to the world much better in the spring whiles their skill in artes were fresh and flourishing whiles the strength and vigour of their inuention would more easily bend this way then in the Autumne when their leaues begin to fade and their sap retire to the root as their pleasant grapes grow ripe Many towardly plants in this nurcerie now able to match the stoutest Iesuite liuing at his owne weapon whilest in his mature age multo iam fractus membra labore more fit to be a Leader then a combatant in these encounters he shall looke back on his former labours or cals to minde his wonted dexteritie in Schoole disputes may take vp old Nestors complaint Tunc ego debueram capienda ad Pergama mitti Tunc poteram magni si non superare morari Hectoris arma meis sed in illo tempore nullus Aut puer Hector erat nunc me mea deficit aetas The schoole Iesuite in these studies is like the Iuy alwaies greene because not set to bring forth fruit vnto saluation but rather to choake and strangle the plants of life And for such instruments of the Romish Church as this Land vsually yeelds this wrangling facultie is all the skill they care for or for the
owne conceipt or sense against that sense or meaning which the holy Church our Mother to whom it belongs to iudge of the true sense and interpretation of sacred writ heretofore hath held or now doth hold albeit hee neuer purpose to publish such interpretations 8 It is further added in the same place because I take it had beene specified a Synode before that no man shall dare to interpret Scriptures against the vnanimous consent of Fathers Which I thinke were impossible for any man to doe though were it possible few or none would attempt besides the Papists For neither can it be knowne what all of them hold in most places wher vpon are grounded controuersies of greatest moment and in such as wee haue best plentie of their interpretations albeit they doe not contentiously dissent yet absolutely agree each with other they doe not Euen one and the same Father oftimes thinkes of many interpretations sundrie alike probable most of them vnwilling by their peremptorie determinations one way or other to preiudice the industrious search of others though their farre inferiours for finding out some more commodious then any they bring oftentimes intimating their doubts or imperfect coniectures in such manner as if they would purposely incourage their successors to seeke out some better resolution then they could finde Whence it is euident that we should not alwayes interprete Scriptures against the ioint consent of Fathers albeit wee went against all the particular interpretations which they haue brought because they were more desirous to haue the truth fully sifted then their coniecturall probabilities infallibly beleeued Nor were it possible more to contradict most of them then by following their interpretations vpon such strict tearmes as the Romanists would binde all men to doe when they seeme to make for their aduantage Not the least surmise or coniecture of any one Father but if it please them must suffice against the ioinct authoritie of all the rest For in all the three points aboue mentioned they admit the Church as may appeare from the decrees cited for a Iudge so absolute That no man may imbrace any opinion vpon what grounds or probabilities soeuer but with humble submission to her censure Whatsoeuer she shall inioyne in all or any of these points albeit we haue reasons many and strong not to hold it to hold not one besides her bare authoritie yet must all beleeue it alone as absolutely as if wee had the apparant vnanimous consent of Fathers yea of Prophets Apostles or Euangelists and all good writers in euery age 9 Hence Bellarmine reiects as dissonant to the former decree this resolution of Luther That albeit the Pope and Councell conclude points of faith yet haue priuate men a free arbitrement so farre as it concernes themselues whether they may safely beleeue their conclusions or no. Luther giues two reasons for his assertion both most forcible The one because the Pope shall not answere for priuate men at the houre of their death The other because none are competent Iudges of false Doctrines but men spiritually minded when as it often fals out that in their Councels there cannot be found one man much lesse a maior part of men without which how many soeuer there were all were as none that hath any the least relish of the Diuine Spirit The like assertion doth the Iesuit condemne in Brentius 10 It is not lawfull saith Brentius for any man in a point of saluation so to relie vpon anothers sentence as to imbrace it without interposition of his owne iudgement The reason is there intimated because euerie man is to be immediately iudged by his own conscience and may for auoiding the iust censure of condemnation by it safely disclaime their opinions the execution of whose sentence or bodily punishment hee may not decline seeing they are as was obserued before publique and lawfull yet fallible Iudges of controuersies in Religion And Bellarmine bewrayes either grosse ignorance or great skill in wrangling when he exclaimes against this position of Brentius as absurd and repugnant to it selfe That the supreme Magistrate or publique Iudges may bee bound to command where the subiect or inferiour is not bound to obey For as well the Prince in commanding as the people in obeying must follow whither their consciences lead them Both may and in case they disagree the one or other cannot but erre in the precedent information of their consciences and herein properly doth their sinne consist not in doing what erroneous conscience vpon so strict tearmes as penaltie of eternall death doth vncessantly vrge them to 11 The people saith Canus did absolutely not vpon condition beleeue God and his seruant Moses and vnlesse men so beleeue the Church they mak it of no authoritie Nor is it enough to beleeue it to be infallible in points of moment or such as might ouerthrow faith vnlesse it bee acknowledged so absolutely inerrable in al as it cannot either beleeue or teach amisse in any question of faith for if in any seeing there is one and the same reason of all it might aswell faile in receiuing some books indeed not such for Canonicall and Diuine Whereupon it would follow that this argument would not follow The Church acknowledgeth Saint Matthewes Gospel for Canonicall therefore it is Canonicall The deniall of which consequence is most impious and absurd in this mans censure fully consonant to Valent. before cited That Scripture which is commended vnto vs and expounded by the authoritie of the Church is now euen in this respect because the Church commends it most authentique 12 Vnto these and farre more grosse conclusions all their moderne Writers for ought I can find thinke themselues bound by the former decrees of the Trent Councell But what if any should dissent from these great Champions in the interpretation of it Who should iudge betwixt them or whither were they to repaire for resolution To the place which God hath chosen to wit to the Sea Apostolicall or in other tearmes to Rome So saith the Pope that confirmed this Councell As if there were onely a translation of the Sea none of the Priesthood sometimes established in Ierusalem where all were to worship And if Rome haue that place in Christendome which Ierusalem had in Iewrie the Pope must be such a Lord to all Christians as Hee that dwelt betwixt the Cherubins was to the Israelites both their answeres of like authoritie 13 But when we repaire to Rome who shall there determine what the Councell meant the Pope alone or with his Cardinals with his Cardinals if he please himselfe alone without them or any other if he list all after as he shall find himselfe disposed to vse his ordinary or plenary power by the former of which answerable to Gods working with natural agēts he determines of matters by the vsuall course of lawes prouided for that purpose vsing the aduise or councell of his assistants by the other correspondent to
some part of Gods Word reuealed for our aduersaries acknowledge all points of faith should bee resolued into the first truth Hence if wee descend to any particular or determinate conclusion of faith it must be gathered in his Syllogisme Whatsoeuer the Church teacheth concerning the determinate and true sence of Scriptures whereon points of Faith are grounded is most true But the Church teacheth thus and thus for example her owne authoritie is infallibly taught by the Holy Ghost in these wordes Peter feede my sheepe Peter I haue prayed for thee that thy faith should not faile goe this sence and meaning of these wordes is most true And as true as it is must the sence likewise of euery proposition or part of Scripture by this Church expounded or declared be accounted 2 The Maior proposition of this Syllogisme is as vndoubted amongst the Roman Catholiques as the maior of the former was vnto all Christians but as yet the minor The Church doth giue this or that sence of this or that determinate place may be as vncertaine indeed as they would make our beleefe vnto the minor proposition in the generall Syllogisme before it bee confirmed by the Churches authoritie For how can we be certain that the Church doth teach all those particulars which the Iesuites propose vnto vs wee haue Bookes indeede which goe vnder the name of the Trent Counsell but how shall wee know that this Counsell was lawfully assembled that some Canons haue not beene foisted in by priuate Spirits that the Councell left not some vnwritten tradition for explicating their decrees after another fashion then the Iesuites doe who shall assure vs in these or like doubtes The present Church All of vs cannot repaire to Rome such as can when they come thither cannot bee sure to heare the true Church speake ex Cathedra If the Pope send his Writs to assure vs what Critcicke so cunning as to assure vs whether they be authentike or counterfeite Finally for all that can bee imagined in this case onely the Maior of the Catholicke syllogisme indefinitely taken is certaine and consequently no particular or definite conclusion of faith can be certaine to a Romanist because there are no possible meanes of ascertaining the Minor What the true Church doth infallibly define vnto his Conscience 3 Or if they wil hold such conclusions as are ordinarily gathered from the Trent Councell or the Popes decisions as infallible points of faith they make their authoritie to be farre greater then the infallibilitie of Gods written word yea more infallible then the Deitie This Collection they would denie vnlesse it followed from their owne premisses These for example That a conclusion of faith cannot be gathered vnlesse the minor God did say this or that determinately be first made certaine But from the Pope or Churches infallibilitie conclusions of faith may be gathered albeit the minor be not certaine de fide For who can make a Iesuites report of the Popes Decrees or an Historicall relation of the Trent Councell certaine de fide as certaine as an Article of faith And yet the Doctrine of the Trent Councell and Popes Decrees must bee held de fide vpon paine of damnation albeit men take them onely from a Priests mouth or vpon a Iesuites faith and credit 4 This is the madnesse of that Antichristian Synagogue that acknowledgeth Gods Word for most infallible and the Scriptures which wee haue for his word if it selfe bee infallible For it tels vs they are such yet will not haue collections or conclusions with equall probabillitie deduced thence so firmely beleeued by priuate men as the collections or conclusions which are gathered from the Churches infallibilitie An implicit faith of particulars grounded vpon the Churches generall infallibilitie so men stedfastly beleeue it may suffice But implicit faith of particulars grounded onely vpon our generall beleefe of Gods infallibilitie prouidence or written word sufficeth not This prooues the authoritie of the Church to be aboue the authoritie of Scriptures or the Deitie absolutely considered not only in respect of vs that is all besides the Pope and his Cardinals For that is of more authoritie absolutely not onely in respect of vs which vpon equall notice or knowledge is to be better beleeued more esteemed or obeyed but such is the authoritie of the Church in respect of the diuine authoritie such is the authoritie of the Popes Decrees in respect of Gods Word For the Minor proposition in both the former Syllogismes being alike vncertaine the conclusion must bee more certaine in that Syllogisme whose maior relies vpon the Popes infallibilitie then in the other whose Maior was grounded vpon the infallibilitie of the Deitie 5 Briefly to collect the summe of all The authoritie of the Church is greater then the authoritie of Scriptures both in respect of faith and Christian obedience In respect of faith because we are bound to beleeue the Churches decisions read or explicated vnto vs by the Popes messenger though à Sir Iohn Lack-lattin without any appeale but no part of Scripture acknowledged by vs and them we may beleeue without appeale or submission of our interpretation to the Church albeit the true sence and meaning of it seeme neuer so plain vnto priuate consciences in whom Gods Spirit worketh faith The same argument is most firme and euident in respect of obedience 6 That authoritie ouer vs is alwayes greatest vnto which wee are to yeeld most immediate most strict and absolute obedience but by the Romish Churches Doctrine wee are to yeelde supreme and most absolute obedience to the Church more supreme and absolute then vnto Gods word therefore the authoritie of the Church is greater ouer vs. The Maior is out of controuersie seeing greatnesse of authoritie is alwayes measured by the manner of obedience due vnto it The Minor is as euident from the former reason Our obedience is more absolute and strict vnto that authoritie from which in no case we may appeale then vnto that from which wee may in many safely appeale but by the Romish Churches doctrine there lies alwayes an appeale from that sence and meaning of Scriptures which Gods spirit and our owne conscience giues vs vnto the Churches authoritie none from the Churches authoritie or meaning vnto the Scriptures or our owne consciences 7 Our Sauiour Christ bids vs search the Scriptures Saint Paul trie all retaine that which is good Saint Iohn trie the Spirits whether they bee of God or no Suppose a Minister of our Church should charge a Romanist vpon his allegiance to our Sauiour Christ and that obedience which he owes vnto Gods Word to search Scriptures trie spirits and examine Doctrines for the ratifying of his faith he will not acknowledge this to be a Commandemēt of Scripture or at least not to be vnderstood in such asense as may bind him to this practise What followes if our Clergie charge him to admit it he appeales vnto the Church And as in Schooles simus
continuall faithfulnesse in that seruice whereunto they knew him appointed Albeit after all the mighty workes before-mentioned wrought in their presence they had beene bound thereunto the meanest handmaid in that multitude had infallible pledges plenty of his extraordinary calling lockt vp in her own vnerring senses But from the strange yet frequent manifestation of Moses power and fauour with God so great as none besides the great Prophet whom hee prefigured might challenge the like the Lord in his all â—acing wisdome tooke fiâ—te occasion to allure his people unto strict obseruance of what he afterwards solemnly enacted as also in theâ— to forwarne all future generations without expresse warrant of his word not absolutely to belieue any gouernour whomsoeuer in all though of â—ried skill and fidelity in many principal points of his seruice That passage of Scripture wherin the manner of this peoples stipulation is registred well deserues an exact 〈◊〉 of all especially of these circumstances How the Lord by rehearsall of his mighty workes forepassed extorts their promise to doe whatsoeuer should by Moses be commanded them yet will not accept it offered vntill hee haue made them eare-witnesses of his familiarity and communication with him First out of the Mount he called Moses vnto him to deliuer this solemn message vnto the house of Iacob Yee haue seene what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you vpon Eagles wings and haue brought you vnto mee Now therefore if you will heare my voice indeed and keepe my couenant then yee shall bee my chiefe â—easure aboue all people though all the earth be mine After Moses had reported vnto God this answere freely vttered with ioint consent of all the people solemnly assembled before their Elders All that the Lord commanded we will doe was the whole businesse betwixt God and them fully transacted by this Agent in their absence No hee is sent backe to sanctifie the people that they might expect Gods glorious appearance in Mount Sinai to ratifie what he had said vpon the returne of their answere Loâ— I come vnto thee in a thicke cloud that the people may heare whilst I talke with thee and that they may also belieue thee for euer They did not belieue that God had reuealed his word to Moses for the wonders hee had wrought but rather that his wonders were from God because they heard God speake to him yea to themselues For their principall and fundamentall lawes were vttered by God himselfe in their hearing as Moses expresseth These words to wit the Decalogue the Lord spake vnto all your multitude in the mount out of the midst of the fire the cloud and the darkenesse with a great voice and added no more And lest the words which they had heard might soone bee smoothered in fleshly hearts or quickly slide out of their brittle memories the Lord wrote them in two Tables of stone and at their â—ranscription not Moses onely but Aaron Nadab and Abihu with the seuenty Elders of Israel are made spectators of the diuine glory rauished with the sweetnesse of his presence They saw saieth the Text the God of Israel and vnder his feet as it were a worke of a Saphire stone and as the very heauen when it is cleare And vpon the Nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand also they saw God and did eate and drinke After these Tables through Moses anger at the peoples folly and impiety were broken God writes the same words againe and renewes his Couenant before all the people promising vndoubted experience of his diuine assistance 8 Doth Moses after all this call fire from heauen vpon all such as distrust his words Aaron and Miriam openly derogate from his authority which the Lord confirmes againe viua voce descending in the pillar of the cloud conuenting these detractors in the dore of the Tabernacle Wherefore were you not afraid to speake against my seruant euen against Moses Thus the Lord was very angry and departed leauing his marke vpon Miriam cured of her leprosie by Moses instant prayers No maruell if Korah Dathan and Abirams iudgements were so grieuous when their sinne against Moses after so many documents of his high calling could not but bee wilfull as their perseuerance in it after so many admonitions to desist most malitious and obstinate Yet was Moses further countenanced by the appearance of Gods glory vnto all the congregation and his authority further ratified by the strange and fearefull end of these chief malefactors foretold by him and by fire issuing from the Lord to consume their confederates in offering incense vngratefull to their God Tantae molis erat Iudaeam condere gentem So long and great a worke it was to edifie Israel in true faith but without any like miracle or prediction such as neuer saw him neuer heard good of him must belieue the Pope as well as Israel did their Law-giuer that could make the sea to grant him passage the cloudes send bread the windes bring flesh and the hard rocke yeeld drink sufficient for him and all his mighty hoast that could thus call the heauens as witnesses to condemne appoint the earth as executioner of his iudgements vpon the obstinate and rebellious yet after all this hee inflicts no such punishments vpon the doubtfull in faith as the Romish Church doth but rather as is euident out of the places before alleadged confirmes them by commemoration of these late cited and like experiments making Gods fauours past the surest pledges of his assistance in greatest difficulties that could beset them To conclude this people belieued Moses for Gods testimony of him wee may not belieue Gods word without the Popes testimony of it Hee must bee to God as Aaron was to Moses his mouth whereby hee onely speakes distinctly or intelligibly to his people CHAP. VII That the Churches authority was no part of the rule of faith vnto the people after Moses death That by experiments answerable to his precepts and predictions the faithfull without relying vpon the Priests infallible proposals were as certaine both of the diuine truth and true meaning of the law as their forefathers had beene that liued with Moses and saw his miracles 1 TO proceed vnto the ages following Moses How did they know Moses law either indeed to bee Gods word or the true sence and meaning of it being indefinitely knowne for such By tradition Yes By tradition onely No But how at all by tradition As by a ioint part of that rule on which they were finally to relie Rather it was a meane to bring them vnto the due consideration or right application of the written rule which Moses had left them So hard were their hearts with whom this great Law-giuer had first to deale that faith could not take roote in them vnlesse first wrought and subacted by extraordinary signes and wonders but once thus created in them