c. sect 3 c. 7 p. 2 11 13 If yee shall hearken therefore to my cōmandements c. ibid. p. 4. 11 18 Therefore shal you lay vp these my words in your harts and in your soules c. ibid. p. 2. 11 19 And yee shall teach them your children c. ibid. 11 22 For if you keepe diligently all these cōmandements c. ibid. 11 26 Behold I set before you this day a blessing a curse c. ibid. p. 4. 18 15 The Lord thy GOD will raise vp thee a Prophet like vnto me c. sect 3 c. 11 p. 1 18 15 19 Vnto him shall yee hearken according to all that thou desiredst of the Lord c. sec 3. c. 11 p. 21 18 18 I wil raise them vp a Prophet from among their brethren c. sect 3. c. 11. p. 10 18 18 Whosoeuer will not hearken vnto my wordes which he shall speak c. sec 3 c. 11 p. 18 18 19 Whosoeuer will not hearken c. sect c. 11 p. 16 18 14 The Nations which thou shalt possesse hearken vnto those that regard the times ibid. p. 19. 18 20 But the Prophet that shall presume to speake a word in my name ibid. p. 1. 17 8 If there arise a matter to hard for thee in iudgement c. sect c. 2 p. 1 17 19 And it shall bee with him and he shall reade therin all the dayes of his life c. ibid. p. 4 24 10 There arose not a Prophet since in Israel like vnto Moses c. sect 3 c. 11 p. 18 27 11 12 13 14 These shall stand vpon Mount Gerizim to blesse the people c. s 3 c. 7 p. 4 30 1 Nowe when all these things shall come vpon thee c. ibid. p. 11 31 16 That when they went a whooring after the Gods of a strange Land c. sect 3 c. 9 p. 6 31 10 11 12 13 Euery seuēth yeare when the yeare of freedome shall bee c. sect 3 c. 7 p. 4 Ioshua 8 33 34 35 ANd all Israel and their Elders and their Officers stood on this side the Arke c. sect 3 c. 7 p. 4 Iudges 2 7 8 THe people had serued the Lord all the dayes of Ioshua c. sect 3 c. 7 p. 6 6 13 The Lord is with thou valiant man c. ibid. 6 14 And the Lord looked vpon him and said goe in this thy might ibid. p. 7 17 15 When Gideon heard the dreame told c. ibid. p. 8 6 15 Ah my Lord whereby shall I saue Israel c. ibid. 8 33 But when Gideon was dead c. ibid. par 9 Samuel 1 23 9 ANd Dauid hauing knowledge that Saul imagined mischiefe against him said to Abiathar the Priest c. sect 3 c. 1 p. 3 1 30 7 8 And Dauid said to Abiathar the Priest Ahimelechs Son I pray thee bring me the Ephod c. ibid. 1 28 6 Therefore Saul asked counsell of the Lord and the Lord answered him not ibid. p. 4 Kings 1 13 18 ANd hee said vnto him I am a Prophet also as thou art and an Angell spake vnto me c. s 3 c. 8 p. 6 1 22 24 When went the spirit of the Lord from me c. sect 3 c. 9 p. 2 1 18 36 And when they should offer the euening sacrifice Elijah the Prophet came and said c. sect 3 c. 11 p. 7 1 22 28 If thou returne in peace the Lord hath not spoken by me ibid. 2 4 27 Let her alone for her soule is vexed within her c. sec 3 c. 11 p. 11. Chronicles 2 21 20 THus saith GOD why transgresse yee the commandement of the Lord Surely yee shall not prosper c. sect 3 c. 9 p. 6. Nehemiah 1 7 WE haue grieuously sinned against thee c. sect 3 c. 7 p. 11. Psalmes 2 7 THou art my Son this c. sect 3 c. 11 p. 22 50 16 What hast thou to do to declare mine ordinances c. sect 2 c. 7. p. 12 50 25 To him that disposeth his way aright will I shew the saluation of God c. ibid. 78 33 34 When he slue them they sought him c. s 3 c. 7 p. 3. Isaiah 6 1 2 3 I Saw also the Lord sitting vppon an high Throne c. sect 3 c. 10 p. 5 6 9 Goe and say vnto this people yee shal heare indeed but yee shall not vnderstand c. sect 3. c. 5. p. 3. 11 2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest vpon him c. sect 3. c. 10. p. 5. 28 16 Behold I lay in Sion a chiefe corner stone c. sect 2. c. 7 p. 7. 35 5 Then shall the eyes of blind be lightned sect 3. c. 10. p. 5. 40 3 A voice cryeth in the wildernesse prepare yee c. sect 3. c. 11. p. 12. 42 1 Beholde my seruant I will stay vpon him c. sect 3. c. 30. p. 5. 61 1 The Spirit of the Lord is vpon mee therefore the Lord hath anointed me sect 3. c. 10. p. 5 53 8 9 But his generation who shall declare c. sect 3. c. 11. p. 22. 42 8 9 I am the Lord this is my name and my glory I wil not giue vnto another sect 3. c. 11 p. 13. Ieremiah 18 18 COme and let vs imagine some deuise against Ieremiah c. sect 3. c 9. p. 3. 28 6. 7. 8. 9 Euen the Prophet Ieremiah said so be it the Lord so doe c. sect 3. c. 11. p. 7. 26 8. 9. Now when Ieremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commaunded him to speake c. sect 3. c. 9. p. 3. 28. 10. 12. This saith the Lord euen so will I breake the yoke of Nebuchadnezzars sect 3. c. 11. p. 1◠29 26 The Lord hath made thee Priest for Iehoiada the Priest c. sect 3. c. 9. p. 3. 30 13 14 Their is none to judge thy cause or to lay a plaister c. sect 3. c. 7. p. 11. 32 24 Behold the Mounts they are come into the Citie to take it c. ibid. 32 42 43 c. Thus saith the Lord like as I haue brought all this great plague vpon this people so will I bring vpon them al the good I haue promised them c. ibid. Ezekiel 33. 32. 33 ANd loe thou art vnto him as a jesting song of on that hath a pleasant voyce sect 3. c. 11. p. 7. Daniel 2. 44. THis Kingdome shal neuer be destroyed or giuen to another people c. sect 2. c. 7. p. 20. Malachi 2. 12. ANd now O yee Priests this commaundement is for you c. sect 3. c. p. p. 6. Ecclesiasticus 23. 45. 24. 25 BEcause Phineas the sonne of Eleazar had zeale in the feare of the Lord c. sect 3. c. 2. p. 8. Maccabees 1. 2. 36. 37. 38. But the other answered them nothing neither cast any one stone at them c. se 3. c. 1. p. 9.
grace it selfe would rather haue held the Negatiue For if wee beleeue as the Papists generally instruct vs that wee our selues all priuate spirites may erre in euery perswasion of faith but the Church which onely is assisted by a publike spirite cannot possibly teach amisse in any Wee must vpon termes as peremptory and in equall degree beleeue euery particular point of faith because the Church so teacheth vs not because wee certainely apprehend the truth of it in it selfe For wee may erre but this publike spirite cannot And consequently wee must infallibly belieue these propositions Christ is the Redeemer of the world not Mahomet There is a Trinity of persons in the diuine nature for this reason only that the Church commends them vnto vs for diuine reuelations seeing by their arguments brought to disproue the sufficiency of Scriptures or certainety of priuate spirites no other means possible is left vs. Nay were they true wee should be onely certain that without the Churches proposall wee still must be most vncertain in these and all other points because the sonnes are perpetually obnoxious to error from which the mother is euerlastingly priuiledged The same propositions and conclusions we might condicionally belieue to be absolutely authentike vppon supposall they were Gods word but that they are his word or reuelations truly diuine wee cannot firmely belieue but onely by firme adherence to the Churches infallible authority as was in the second Section deduced out of the Aduersaries principles Hence it followes that euery particular proposition of faith hath such a proper causall dependance vpon the Churches proposall as the conclusion hath vpon the premisses or any particular vpon it vniuersall Thus much Sacroboseus grants 3 Suppose God should speake vnto vs face to face what reason had wee absolutely and infallibly to belieue him but because wee know his words to bee infallible his infallibility then should be the proper cause of our beliefe For the same reason seeing he doth not speake vnto vs face to face as hee did to Moses but as our aduersaries say reueales his will obscurely so as the Reuealer is not manifested vnto vs but his meaning is by the visible Church which is to vs in stead of Prophetes Apostles and Christ himselfe and all the seuerall manners God vsed to speake vnto the world before he spake to it by his onely sonne this Pantheas infallibility must bee the true and proper cause of our beliefe And Valentian himselfe thinks that Sara and others of the old world to whom God spake in priuate eyther by the mouth of Angels his sonne or holy spirit or by what meanes soeuer did not sinne against the doctrine of faith or through vnbeliefe when they did not belieue Gods promises They did herein vnaduisedly not vnbelieuingly Why not vnbelieuingly because the visible Church did not propose these promises vnto them 4 If not to belieue the visible Churches proposals be that which makes distrust or diffidence to Gods promises infidelity then to belieue them is the true cause of belieuing Gods promises or if Sara and others did as Valentian sayth vnaduisedly or imprudently in not assenting to diuine truthes proposed by Angels surely they had done only prudently and aduisedly in assenting to them their assent had not beene truely and properly beleefe So that by this assertion the Churches proposall hath the very remonstratiue roote character of the immediat and prime cause whereby wee beleeue and know matters of faith For whatsoeuer else can concurre without this our assent to diuine truthes proposed is not true Catholike beliefe but firmely beleeuing this infallibility we cannot erre in any other point of faith 5 This truth Valentian elsewhere could not dissemble howsoeuer in his professed resolution of faith hee sought to couer it by change of apparrell Inuesting the Churches proposall onely with the title of a condition requisite yet withall so dissonant is falsity to it selfe making it the reason of beleeuing diuine Reuelations If a reason it be why wee should belieue them needs must it sway any reasonable mind to embrace their truth And whatsoeuer inclines our minds to the embracement of any truth is the proper efficient cause of beliefe or assent vnto the same Yea efficiency or causality it selfe doth formally consist in this inclination of the mind Nor is it possible this proposall of the Church should moue our minds to embrace diuine Reuelations by any other meanes then by belieeuing it And beliefe it selfe being an inclination or motion of the mind our minds must first be moued by the Churches proposall ere it can moue them at all to assent vnto other diuine truthes Againe Valentian grants that the orthodoxall or catechisticall answere to this interrogation Why doe you belieue the doctrine of the Trinity to be a diuine reuelation is because the Church proposeth it to me for such Hee that admits this answere for sound and Catholike and yet denies the Churches proposall to bee the true and proper cause of his beliefe in the former point hath smothered doubtlesse the light of nature by admitting too much artificiall subtlety into his braines For if a man should aske why do you belieue there is a fire in yonder house and answere were made Because I see the smoake go out of the Chimney should the party thus answering in good earnest peremptorily deny the sight of the smoake to bee the cause of his beleefe there was a fire hee deserued very well to haue eyther his tongue scorched with the one or his eyes put out with the other Albeit if wee speake of the things themselues not of his beliefe concerning them the fire was the true cause of the smoake not the smoake of the fire But whatsoeuer it be Cause Condition Circumstance or Effect that truly satisficeth this demand Why doe you belieue this or that it is a true and proper cause of our beleefe though not of the thing beleeued If then we admit the Churches proposall to bee but a condition annexed to diuine reuelations yet if it bee an infallible medium or meane or as our aduersaries all agree the only mean infallible whereby we can rightly beleeue this or that to be a diuine reuelation it is the true and only infallible cause of our beleefe That speech of Valentian which to any ordinary mans capacity includes as much as we now say was before alleadged That Scripture which is commended and expounded vnto vs by the Church is eo ipso euen for this reason most authentike and cleare He could not more emphatically haue expressed the Churches proposall to be the true and prime cause why particular or determinate diuine reuelations become so credible vnto vs. His second Sacroboscus hath many speeches to be inserted hereafter to the same effect Amongst others where Doctor Whittaker obiects that the principall cause of faith is by Papists ascribed vnto the Church he denyes it onely thus far What we beleeue
and nasus simus is al one so in their language is the Church and the Church of Rome This Church tels him he may not take vpon him to trie of what spirit the Pope is not examine his determinations decisions or interpretations of any Scripture by other known places of Scripture or the analogie of faith acknowledged by all Vnto this decree or sentence of the Church although hee haue it but at the second hand or after it haue passed through as many Priests and Iesuites mouthes as are Post Townes from London to Edenburgh hee yeeldes absolute obedience without acknowledgement of farther appeale either vnto Scriptures or other authoritie whatsoeuer further manifestation of Gods will hee expects none Let all the reformed Churches in the World or all the Christian World besides exhort threaten or adiure him as he tenders the good of his owne soule as hee will answere his Redeemer in that dreadfull day of finall iudgement to examine the Church or Popes decrees by Gods written Lawes his answere is he may not he cannot doe it without open disobedience to the Church which to disobey is damnation of soule and bodie But O fooles and slow of heart to beleeue and obey from the heart that doctrine whereunto yee were deliuered Know ye not that to whomsoeuer yee giue your selues as seruants to obey his seruants ye are to whom yee obey whether it bee the man of sinne vnto death or obedience vnto righteousnesse Ofall Mankinde are onely Roman Catholiques not bought with a price that they may thus alienate their soules from Christ and become seruants of men that they may consecrate themselues by solemne vow to the perpetuall slauerie of most wicked and sinfull men euen monsters of Mankind CHAP. IIII. That in obeying the Romish Churches decrees wee doe not obey Gods Word as well as them but them alone in contempt of Gods principall Lawes 1 BVt the simple I know are borne in hand by the more subtile ort of this generation That thus obeying sinfull men they obey Christ who hath enioyned them this obedience vnto such That thus beleeuing that sence of Scripture which the Church their mother tenders vnto them they doe not beleeue her better then Scriptures because these two beleefes are not opposite but subordinate that they preferre not her decrees before Christs written Lawes but her interpretation of them before all priuate expositions This is the onely Citie of refuge left them wherein prosecuted by the former arguments they can hope for anie succour but most of whose gates alreadie haue beene all shortly shall bee shut vpon them 2 That they neither beleeue nor obey Gods Word whilest they absolutely beleeue and obey the Church without appeale is euident in that this Church vsually bindes men not vnto positiue points of Religion gathered so much as from any pretended sence of Scripture expounded by it but to beleeue bare negatiues as that this or that place of Scripture either brought by their aduersaries or conceiued by such amongst themselues as desire the knowledge of truth and right information of conscience haue no such meaning as the Spirit of God not flesh and bloud as farre as they can iudge of their owne thoughts hath reuealed vnto them 3 But the Spirit may deceiue priuate men or at least they may deceiue themselues in their triall of Spirits They may indeed and so may men in publique place more grieuously erre in peremptorie iudging priuate men because obnoxious to errour in the generall erroneous in this particular wherein they ground their opinions vpon Gods Word plentifull to euince it at least very probable reasons they bring manie and strong whereunto no reasonable answere is brought by their aduersaries whose vsuall course is to presse them onely with the Churches authoritie which appeares to be of farre greater waight then Gods word vnto all such as yeeld obedience to her negatiue decrees without any euidence or probabilitie either of Scripture or naturall reason to set against that sence and meaning of Gods Lawes wherevnto strength of arguments vnrefuted and probable pledges of Gods Spirit vndisproued haue long tied their soules Doe wee obey God or beleeue his word whilest we yeeld obedience to the Church in such Commandements as to our consciences vpon vnpartiall examination seeme condemned ere made by the very fundamentall Lawes of Religion and all this oftimes without any shew or pretence of Scripture to warrant vs that we doe not disobey God in obeying them 4 But doth the Romish exact absolute obedience in such pointes as if it were possible they could bee false may endanger the very foundation of true Religion without euident demonstration that their daily practise neither doth nor can endanger it Yes For what can more concerne the maine foundation which Christians Iewes and Mahumetans most firmely hold then those precepts in number many all plainely and peremptorily forbiding vs to worship any Gods but One or any thing in the Heauen or Earth but him onely The Romanists themselues grant that cultu latriae God alone is to bee adored that so to adore any other is Idolatrie and Idolatrie by their confession a most grieuous sinne O how much better were it for them to hold it none or Gods Word forbidding it of no authoritie then so lightly to aduenture the hourely practise of it in contempt of such fearefull threatnings as they themselues out of Gods Lawes pronounce against it vpon such broken disioincted surmises as are the best they can pretend for their warrant 5 To beleeue Christs flesh and bloud should bee there present where it cannot be seene or felt yea where we see and feele another bodie as perfectly as wee can doe ought is to reason without warrant of Scripture but a sencelesse blinde beleefe But grant his bodie and bloud were in the Sacrament rightly administred yet that out of the Sacrament either should bee in the consecrated host whilest carried from Towne to Towne for solemne shew more then for Sacramentall vse is to reason ruled by Scripture to say no worse more improbable Now to worship that as God which to our vnerring sences is a Creature vpon such blind supposals that Christs bodie by one miracle may be there by another vnseene is worse then Idolatrie committed vpon delusion of sence So to adore a wayfer onely a wayfer in all appearance without strict examination nay without infallible euidence of Scriptures vrged for the reall presence is more abhominable then to worship euerie appearance of an Angell of light without triall what spirit it were Sathan or some other that so appeared And if we consider the olde Serpents vsuall slight to insinuate himselfe into euery place wherein inveterate custome or corrupt affection may suggest some likelihood of a diuine presence vnto dreaming fancies as he did delude the old World in Oracles and Idols the probabilitie is farre greater his inuisible substance by nature not incompatible with any corporeall quantitie should be annexed to the
such as the Apostle speakes dwelling in Christ and incorporate in his substance this spirite of prophesie if without preiudice so wee may call it did neuer waine was neuer eclipsed alwayes most splendent in him as light in the Moone at the full As hee neuer foretold any thing which came not to passe so could hee at all times when he pleased foretell whatsoeuer at any time should befall his friends or foes with all the circumstances and signes consequent or precedent From this brightnesse of his glory did Iohn Baptist who was sent from God as the morning starre to vsher this Sunne of righteousnesse into his Kingdome become more then a Prophet for distinct illuminations concerning matters to come A Prophet hee was in the wombe and bare witnesse of that light which enlightneth euery man that commeth into the world before hee came into it himselfe or saw this bodily Sunne when he could not speake he daunced for ioy at his presence and at his first approach after Baptisme hee thus salutes him Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world What Prophet did euer so distinctly prophesie of his passion and so fully instruct the people what was foresignified by the sacrifice of the Paschall Lambe yet was Iohn himselfe secured by the former rule that he spake this by the spirit of the Lord not out of fancy not presumptuously For til this Baptisme he knew him not but he that sent him to baptize with water he said vnto him Vpon whom thou shalt see the spirit come down and tarrie still vpon him that is hee which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost And he saw it so come to passe and bare record that this was the sonne of God From this more then Propheticall spirit of Iohn manifested by this and the like testifications of Christ all afterwards approued by the euent did the people gather Christ not Iohn to be that great Prophet mighty in wordes and deed For after hee had escaped the violence offered him at Ierusalem and went againe beyond Iordan into the place where Iohn first baptized Many saith the Euangelist resorted vnto him and said Iohn did no miracle but all things which Iohn spake of this man were true And many belieued in him there For his workes sake not doubt but for these as accompanied with the former circumstances of place and Iohns predictions Iohn had witnessed hee was the sonne of God mighty in deed and word and reason they had to think his works were the works of his father that his priuiledges were the priuiledges of the onely begotten sonne and heire of all things When Iohn though a Prophet and more then a Prophet for his portion of the diuine spirit was yet restrained by reason of his approach that was before him from doing such wonders as meaner Prophets had done To such as rightly obserued this opposition betweene Iohns power in words and his defect in deedes or Christs superabundant power in both the case was plaine Iohn was but the Cryer the other in whose presence his authority decreased the Lord whose wayes hee was sent to prepare 13 If vnto the variety of Christs miracles compared with Iohns predictions and other prophesies wee ioine his arbitrarie vsuall manner either of foretelling future or knowing present matters of euery kind many such as no Prophet durst euer haue professed to belong vnto himselfe our faith may clearely behold the sure foundation whereon it is built That hee euen hee himselfe who had said by the Prophet I am the Lord this is my Name and my glory will I not giue vnto another neither my praise to grauen Images Behold the former things are come to passe and new things do I declare before they come forth I tell you of them did at the fulnesse of time manifest his Glory in our flesh by the practise there mentioned of fortelling things strange and vnheard of to the world Prophesies of former times were fulfilled in his personall appearance and made their period at the beginning of his preaching Whatsoeuer concernes the state of the world chiefly the Gentiles since came from him either as altogether new or was refined and renewed by him For what man among the Nations yea what Master in Israel did from the Law or prophets conceiue aright of the new birth by water and the spirit or of that euerlasting Kingdom whereunto onely men so borne are heires predestinate These were the new things which he only could distinctly declare before they came forth 14 That their Messias was to bee this God here spoken of by Isaiah dwelling and conuersing with them in their nature substance might haue beene manifested to the Iewes had they not beene hood-winked with pride and malice from that common notion euen the most vulgar amongst them had of his diuine spirit in declaring secrets and foretelling things to come What one miracle done by Christ did euer take so good effect with so great speed in best prepared spectators as his discouery of Nathaniels heart in presence and outward cariage in so great distance Rabbi saith Nathaniel thou art the sonne of God thou art the king of Israel Though faith be the true gift of God onely wrought by his spirit yet no question but Nathaniel was more inclined to this confession from the generall notion of the Messias diuine spirit euen by it hee was capable of that promise habenti dabitur And our Sauiour highly approues and so rewards this his docility Because I said vnto thee I saw thee vnder the figge tree belieuest thou thou shalt see greater things then these What were they Miracles Yes for so hee saith to him and the rest of his hearers Verely verely I say vnto you hereafter shall you see heauen open and the Angels of God ascending and descending vpon the sonne of man Then miracles it seems were more effectuall to confirme faith then this experience of his Propheticall spirit not of themselues but ioyned with it or as thus foretold by him and foresignified by Iacobs vision which compared with the euent whether that were at his ascension or no I now dispute not did plainely declare him to be the way and the doore by which all enter into the house of God 15 Vpon the first apprehension of like discouerie made by him did the poore Samaritane woman acknowledge hee was a Prophet and vpon his auouching himselfe to be more then so she takes him indeed for the expected Messtas of whom shee had this conceit before That when hee came he should tell them all things From this preconceiued notion working with her present experience of his diuine spirit able to descrie all the secrets of her hart shee makes this proclamation to her neighbours Come and see a man that hath told mee all things that euer I did is not he the Christ Vpon their like experience fully consonant to the same common notion or conceit
spirit which exempts the Pope from priuatenesse makes his authority oecumenical and infallible Whosoeuer then by participation of this spirit vnderstands the Prophesies eyther immediately or expounded by others whomsoeuer his conceit of them or their right interpretation is not priuate but authentique And Canus though a Papist expresly teacheth that the immediate ground or formall reason of ours and the Apostles beliefe must be the same both so immediately and infallibly depending vpon the testimony of the spirit as if the whole world beside should teach the contrary yet were euery Christian bound to sticke vnto that inward testimony which the spirit hath giuen him Though the Church or Pope should expound them to vs wee could not infallibly belieue his expositions but by that spirit by which hee is supposed to teach so belieuing wee could not infallibly teach others the same for it is the spirit onely that so teacheth all The inference then is as euident as strong that priuate in the forecited place is opposed to that which wants authority not vnto publike or coÌ„mon The Kings promise made to me in priuate is no priuate promise but will warrant mee if I come to pleade before his Maiesty albeit others make question whether I haue it or no. In this sense that interpretation of scriptures which the spirit affordes vs that are priuate men is not priuate but authentique though not for extent or publication of it vnto others yet for the perfection of our warrant in matters of saluation or concerning God For where the spirite is there is perfect liberty yea free accesse of pleading our cause against whomsoeuer before the Tribunall seate of iustice especially being wronged in matters of the life to come To this purpose saith our Apostle But hee that is spirituall discerneth all things yet hee himselfe is iudged of no man In those things wherein hee cannot be iudged by any hee is no priuate man but a Prince and Monarch for the freedome of his conscience But if any man falsly pretend this freedome to nurse contentions or to withdraw his necke from that yoke whereto hee is subject hee must answere before his supreme Iudge and his holy Angels for framing vnto himselfe a counterfeit licence without the assured warrant of his spirit And so shall they likewise that seeke to command mens consciences in those matters wherein the spirite hath set them free This is the height of iniquity that hath no temporall punishment in this life but must bee reserued as the obiect of fiercest wrath in that fearefull day the very Idea of Antichristianisme CHAP. XIIII That Saint Paul submitted his doctrine to examination by the Words before written That his doctrine disposition and practise were quite contrary to the Romanists in this argument 1 SAint Paul as well as other Apostles had the gift of miracles which amongst Barbarians or distressed soules destitute of other comfort likely to bee wonne to grace by wonders hee did not neglect to practise but sought not to enforce beliefe vpon the Iewes by fearefull signes or sudden destruction of the obstinate albeit hee had power to anathematize not onely in word but in deed euen to deliuer men aliue vnto Sathan When hee came to Thessalonica hee went as his maner was into the Synagogue three Sabboth daies disputed with his countrimen by the Scriptures opening and alleadging that Christ must haue suffered and risen againe from the dead and this is Iesus Christ whom I preach to you These Iewes had Moses and the Prophets and if they would not heare them neither would they belieue for any miracles which to haue wrought amongst such had been as the casting of pearles before swine What was the reason they did not belieue because the Scriptures which hee vrged were obscure but Saint Paul did open them Rather they saw the truth as Papists doe but would not see it They rightly belieued whatsoeuer God had said was most true that hee had said what Moses and the Prophetes wrote and yet Saint Paul taught nothing which they had not foretold But that was all one these Iewes had rather belieue Moses and the Prophets meant as the Scribes and Pharisees or other chiefe Rulers of their Synagogues taught then as Paul expounded them albeit his expositions would haue cleared themselues to such as without preiudice would haue examined them But the Beroeans were of a more ingenâ—ous disposition so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports they were not vassals to other mens interpretations or conceites but vsed their liberty to examine their truth They receiued the word with all readinesse and searched the Scriptures whether these things were so or no. If they beleeued in part before their practise confirms the truth of our assertion that they were not to belieue the infallibility of Paul but of his doctrine albeit they were well perswaded of his personall authority If they beleeued neither in part nor wholly before they see the truth of his doctrine confirmed by that scripture which they had formerly acknowledged their ingenuity herein likewise confirmes our doctrine and condemnes the Papists of insolent blasphemy for arrogating that authoritie vnto the Popes decrees which is onely due vnto Gods word already established 2 I would demand of any Papists whether the Beroeans did well or ill in examining Saint Pauls doctrine if ill why hath the spirit of God commended them if well why is it not lawfull and expedient for all true Christians to imitate them Vnlesse the Reader bite his lippe I will not promise for him hee shall not laugh at Bellarmines answere albeit I knew him for another Heraclitus or Crassus Agelastus who neuer laughed in all his life saue once when he saw an Asse feed on thistles Surely he must haue an Asses lippes that can taste and a swines belly that can digest this great Clerks Diuinity in this point I answere saith he albert Paul were an Apostle and could not preach false doctrine thus much notwithstanding was not euident to the Beroeans at the first nor were they bound forthwith to belieue vnlesse they had seene some miracles or other probable inducements to belieue Therefore when Paul proued Christ vnto them out of the Propheticall Oracles they did well to search the Scriptures whether those things were so If Saint Paul had thought miracles a more effectuall meanes then Scriptures for begetting faith in such as acknowledged Moses and the Prophets no doubt hee had vsed miracles rather then their authority Or if the Pope cannot expound the scriptures as effectually and perspicuously as S. Paul did why doth he not at the least work miracles are we bound absolutely to belieue him is he bound to doe neither of these without which the people of Beroea were not bound as Bellarmine acknowledgeth to belieue Saint Paul Wee are if his reason be worth beliefe Christians which know the Church cannot erre in explicating the doctrine of faith are bound to embrace