he loued 11 As wee haue shewed from Saint Peter and Saint Paul and the generall analogie of faith that Simon the sonne of Ionah had his name of Cephas or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his affinity with the Rocke of saluation or chiefe corner stone hee being as the first wrought stone in that aedifice so doth Saint Iohn whose doctrine pregnaÌ„tly confirmes our former exposition of these words Thou art Peter c. make that very confession which Peter vttered as the surest square or line the perfect Index whereby to try and examine all other stones whether fitting or rightly proportioned to this euerlasting structure Dearely beloued saith he belieue not euery spirit but trie the spirits whether they are of God for many false Prophets are gone out into the world How should they know true Prophets from false such as were true were of God such as were false of Antichrist how should they know such as were of God from such as were of Antichrist Hereby shall yee know the spirite of God euery spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the â—lesh is of God 12 But is euery spirit of God that can frame an orthodoxall conceit of this great mystery and outwardly confesse what they inwardly assent vnto as vndoubtedly true So should the wicked spirits be of God for a spirit of an vncleane Diuell openly said as much in effect as Peter did what he knew by arguments more sure then most Popes doe I know who thou art euen the holy one of God yea many came out of the possessed crying what Peter afterwards confessed Thou art the Christ the sonne of God The mystery it seemes they had conceiued aright because our Sauiour giues them the like iniunctions his Disciples had vpon Peters confession the one he rebuked and would not suffer to say the other hee charged they should tell no man that he was Iesus the Christ because this Rocke was not as yet to be plainely manifested to the world Although it is most probable hee would not haue the vncleane spirits at any time to be proclamers of this mystery for vnto the wicked said God What hast thou to do to declare mine ordinances that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my words behind thee c. If vncleane spirits may not be permitted to promulge this or like diuine mysteries by the mouthes of men whose bodily members they so possesse as to cause them vtter they know not what may wee without exception safely admit all their cathedrall decisions whose soules and minds they haue wholly transformed into the similitude of their vncleannesse for heauenly oracles for embassages of saluation immediately sent from God for foundations of faith and manners Christ by the same Psalmist hath said To him that disposeth his way aright will I shew the saluation of God 13 But to proceed by our Apostles former rule from which and others of his fully paralell thereunto it is euident that for a iust triall of a spirit speaking by God there must bee both a platforme of doctrine rightly proportioned to the former foundation Christ come in the flesh and a correspondent edification not of verball or schoole consequences but of reall and materiall workes proceeding from liuely faith and inward sanctititie so testifying the habitation of Christ the liuing stone in the confessors heart as Christs owne workes and doctrine did the Godheads bodily dwelling in him the Apostle addes Euery spirit which confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God that is is opposite vnto the spirit of God but this is the spirit of Antichrist of whom yee haue heard how that he should come and now already hee is in the world A spirit of Antichrist then is manifested by a contrariety in the forme of doctrine or by an hostility between the very foundations which hee and the spirit of God endeavour to lay so as the edification of the one doth in the issue menace the demolition of the other And as this opposition vnto Gods spirit is greater or lesse so doth it argue the partie in whom it is to participate more or lesse of the spirit of Antichrist In both these respects of opposition or hostility in the foundation or in the issue or consequences of all hereticall temples or congregations that hetherto haue beene or can bee imagined as possibly future the structure of the Romish Church doth most fully answere to the Idea or platforme of that edifice which the Apostle hath foretold great Antichrist should erect 14 For demonstrating which conclusion wee onely suppose what euery one must grant that if the spirit of vncleane diuels hee whose comming is by the power of Sathan in guile and deceit may without preiudice to his grand hostility against Christ in formall tearmes confesse the great mystery of saluation Christ manifested in the flesh for seeing hee must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposite vnto Christ not by way of negation or contradiction but by a positiue contrariety or hostility Christian Religion and Antichristianisme must as all other contraries agree in some one kind or matter and the kind or matter in matters of Religion must bee the obiect If wee here onely set aside an agreement with true professors in that generall transcendent obiect that Christ is the sonne of the liuing God the very first principle of Romish Religion eueÌ„ the specifical difference which makes it Romish is as contrary with the first Element of true orthodoxall christian Religion as fire to water heate to cold For if to confesse Christ come in the flesh put to death and raised againe be as is proued all one as to acknowledge him the chiefe corner stone reiected of men but aduanced by God if this bee the maine foundation of Christianity so all-sufficient that without it no other must bee laid How were it possible more to deny this truth in effect or consequence more to oppugne the whole edifice of our faith then by planting another Rocke another foundation without communication wherewith none can bee supported by the former against the gates of hell 15 But perhaps wee mistake oâ— maligne the Romanist in charging him with shufling in another foundation besides Christ in that sense the Apostle denies any other foundation can be laid Wee rather by too much pressing them with that axiome of his make him contradict himselfe for elsewhere hee saith Wee are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets I will not here dispute whether Saint Paul in that place mean wee are built vpon the persons of the Prophets and Apostles they being placed nearer the rocke or maine foundation it selfe then wee or rather vpon the maine foundation which both the Prophets and the Apostles iointly had laid besides which no other can bee laid Christ crucified and glorifiea For he is both the foundation which wholly supporteth and the
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.
his steed Peter the Scriptures tell vs was to follow Christ but as they pretend left Pope Linus in his place so hath euery Pope his successor since that time Yet these latter mightily faile in not nominating others whiles they themselues are liuing and visible stones as Christ without question did Saint Peter whiles conuersant with the faithfull in the flesh and Peter Linus in his lifetime 20. But howsoeuer they must of necessitie either make Peter Linus and their successors but one ioint permanent foundation and so the Popes should not bee builded vppon the foundation of the Prophets and the Apostles but rather Christs other Apostles vpon them vpon whom likewise all the faithfull since the Apostles time should be immediatly built Or if they doe not make Peter and the Popes one ioint vnseparable foundation they must admit as many seuerall foundations as Popes so as the euerlasting Rocke whereon the Church is built could not be truly said one and the same but by a perpetuall equiualency of alteration or succession as we say corruptible elements fire or water or candles remaine one and the same because as one part consumes another as good comes in the place This glorious aedifice as hath been obserued stands only by faith or firme adherence to the foundation and by the Aduersaries owne confession to disclaime the authority of the present Romish Church or Pope in points of faith is an heresie or Apostasie of the same nature as if a man had renounced Peter for his supreame head and this all one as if he had cut himselfe of from being a member of Christ Wherefore in respect of vs that are now to be edified the authority of this present Pope is equiuale â—t to Christs our adherence to the one in points of faith and manners must be such as it should haue been to the other had we liued in the dayes of his visible conuersation in the world Finally CHRIST Saint Peter and his successors in regiment of the Church militant here on earth differ by the Roman account no otherwise then Romulus Numa Ancus c. Romulus was first Founder of that kingdome but least other of kings of the same ranke and order he was onely his dignity after his departure was acknowledged greater in another world because as his people were made to beleeue be ascended aliue into heauen as a God Much better might the Romanist deriue his Psewdocatholique Romane faith from Romulus the first builder of that great City that sometimes ruleà ouer the Kings of the earth then from Christ who did erect a kingdome indeed but not of this world wherein none was to succeed him because he remaines Yeasterday to day the same for euer Whence the Prophet sayth this kingdome shall neuer be destroied or giuen to another people but shall breake and destroy all former kingdomes and it selfe stand for euer For any especially of that nation whose former kings had put this immortall King to death concerning the flesh to enstile themselues Rockes and foundation of this euerlasting Empire or absolute spirituall Monarchies in this place doth euidently shew they are the feete of that image most of which hath been as shall be broken to peeces by that stone cut without hands out of the Mountaine vntill it become like the chaffe of the summer flowers carried away with the winde and no place bee found for them or as the Apostle interprets the Prophet the Lord shall consume them with the spirit of his mouth and shall abolish them with the brightnesse of his comming 21. Would the Iesuite then know wherein he and his Latian Lord God must take after Saint Peter Me thinks their formal acknowledgement of that generall principle Christ manifested in the flesh made the headstone in the corner compared with their late mentioned Apostacy in seeking to lay another foundation was liuely resembled if not mystically prefigured by Saint Peter faith immediatly after his glorious confession eclipsed by interposition of such earthly conceits as perpetually darken their mindes For vpon our Sauiours declaration what bodily calamity what ignominy reproach should at Ierusalem shortly after befall the Rocke it selfe whereupon that Church against which hee had now sayd the gates of hell should neuer preuaile was founded Peter as Saint Mathew sayth tooke his Master aside and friendly checks him as if he had forgotten his former promise Maister be good to your selfe this shall not be vnto you As if he had sayd if the gates of hell shall not preuaile against your Church or vs your poore Disciples I hope you are able to priuiledge your owne person from such disgrace and scorne as none but they can intend against you So carnally did this great Apostle vpon ignorance conceit Christs spirituall promise as the papacy vpon habituall or affected error doth to this present day For one principall argument most vsuall in the mouthes and pennes of that great Heads chiefe disciples to proue the Romish the only Church vnto which that glorious promise was made or at least hath been perpetually performed is because no temporall or secular power hath euer beene able though many wicked Potentates Kings and Emperors such titles they giue to all their enemies haue attempted either to deface her externall pompe state and splendor or so to vse the Popes or Cardinalls or other of her principall and dearest children as the Iewes did our Sauiour Christ and his Disciples They are of the world and therefore speake they of the world and the world heareth them But could they vnto any child of God more plainly proue themselues heires to that checke giuen by our Sauiour to Saint Peter Goe behinde me Satans ye are an offence because ye vnderstand not the things that are of God but the things that are of men Could they more euidently demonstrate the Pope to be that man of sin that must be inducted to the Church of God by Satan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe aduersary or accuser he himself bearing the name of aduersary likewise in his title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a second foundation in shew subordinate in deede and consequence quite contrary to that which the Prophets and Apostles haue laide eternally priuiledged if wee may beleeue his followers from those spurnings of men from which the pretious stone of Syon was not exempted 22. To collect the summe of late Romanists comments vpon their Churches supposed fundamentall Charter Their confession of Christ come in the flesh and made head stone in the corner though conceiued in forme of words orthodoxal enough proues only this but disabundantly to all the world that the Pope their supreame head sits in the Temple of God whose circumference in respect of men who cannot search other mens hearts is defined by this confession Their attributing the title of Rocks or fun damentall supportance of that spirituall house vnto this head proclaimes vnto all the world that hee
Pope ouer his own family then why the Pope of Rome should bee a father of all christian congregations an absolute Iudge of Scripture or master ouer mens faith Saint Paul commands children to obey their fathers in all things for that is well pleasing vnto the Lord which is as much as if he had said in obeying them you obey the Lord. Again he commands seruants to bee obedient vnto them that are their masters according to the flesh in all things not with eye-seruice as men pleasers but with singlenesse of heart fearing God Both these precepts are conceiued in tearms as generall as any precept for obedience to spirituall gouernours In the precept concerning wiues obedience to their husbands the note of vniuersality is omitted for he saith wiues submit your selues vnto your husbands as it is comely in the Lord not in all things had the Apostle made any mention of obedience vnto spirituall gouernours or were there any hope to comprehend Pastors vnder the name of fathers or masters it would quickely bee inferred the note of vniuersality was purposely added by our Apostle in these latter precepts that men might know absolute obedience without limitation or examination was due vnto the Pope 17 But the holy men of God whose mouthes alwayes spake out of the abundance of their hearts as the spirit gaue them vtterance and were not curious to cast their words in such exact scholastique mouldes as men addicted to artificiall meditations hauing their braines more exercised then their hearts in Gods word vsually doe euen where they seeme to speake most vniuersally for the former are to bee vniuersally vnderstood onely in that subiect or matter which for the present they mind most As when our Apostle commands seruants and children to obey the one their masters the other their parents in all thinges the meaning is as if hee had said yee that are christian seruants be ye most willing to yeeld all obedience that is due vnto masters yee that are Christian children to yeeld all obedience vnto your parents which is conuenient for any children to yeelde to theirs So that the vniuersall note doth rather inioine a totality of heartinesse and cheerefulnesse a perfection of sincerity in performing that obedience which other children ought to their fathers or seruants to their masters then any way extend the obiect of christian childrens or seruants obedience to more particulars then others were bound vnto at the least hee doth not extend the obiect of their obedience to any particulars which might preiudice the sincerity of their obedience due vnto other commanders whilest hee enioyneth seruants to obey their masters in all things he reserues their allegiance intire vnto Princes and higher powers Such must bee obeyed both by masters and seruants by fathers and sonnes Much more doth God when hee inioynes obedience in most ample forme vnto Kings or spirituall gouernors reserue obedience due to himselfe most intire and absolute 18 Yet intire and absolute it cannot be vnlesse it depend immediatly absolutely vpon his lawes vnlesse it be exempt from the vncontrolleable disposall or infallible direction of other authorities Nor can Christ be said our supreme Lord vnlesse our obedience to him and those lawes which hee hath left vs doe limit and restrain all other obedience due vnto any authority deriued from him or his lawes more then a Prince could bee said to bee that seruants supreame Lord or Soueraigne which were bound absolutely to obey his Master in all points without examination whether his designements were not contrary to the publike lawes and statutes of his Prince and Country Wherfore as the oath of Allegeance vnto Princes doth restraine the former precepts Seruants obey your Masters in all things that is in all things that are not repugnant to publike lawes nor preiudiciall to the Crowne and dignity of your Soueraigne so must that solemne vow of fidelity made vnto Christ in Baptisme and our dayly acknowledgement of him for our Soueraigne Lord restraine all precepts in ioyning performance of obedience to any power on earth and set these immoueable bounds and limits to them Obey thy King and Gouernour in all things that is in all things that are not repugnant to the lawes and ordinances of the Great King thy supreame Lord and Gouernour Whilest thou obeyest him thou doest well in disobeying them as well as that seruant that takes Armes against his Master in the Kings defence whilest thou disobeyest him all other obedience is rebellion Yee are bought with a price saith our Apostle bee not yee the seruants of men Seruice according to the flesh hee elsewhere approues he strictly inioynes for that is freedome in respect of this seruitude of minde and conscience in being wholly at any other mans disposition 19 Nor is it more difficult for Christs seruants to discern when gouernours sollicite them to disloyalty against him then for seruants according to the flesh to know when their masters seduce them vnto rebellion so Christian men would feare God as much as naturall men doe earthly Princes Such as feare God are sure of a better expositor of his lawes for fundamental points then seruants can haue for their Princes The transgression of both are easie to discern in the beginning of reuolts or apostasies but the latter more difficult when traitors or vsurpers are grown strong and can pretend faire titles vnto soueraigneties or coine false pedegrees yet is it not impossible for sober and obseruant spirits in such a case to foresee what party to follow vnto such the signes of the time and carriage of the seuerall causes will bewray who haue the true title But this difficulty is none in our spirituall obedience challenged by the Church of Rome for that Church in words confesseth Christ to be the true King and supreame Lord no vsurper which is as much as to say the Pope is an vsurper and a rebell that dares in deeds and substance chalenge the soueraignety from him as you heard in the former dispute by making claime to this vnlimited vnreserued obedience Vpon what grounds especially wee are now to examine by these rules hitherto discussed CHAP. II. The authority of the Sanhedrim not so vniuersall or absolute amongst the Iewes as the Papists make it but was to bee limited by the former Rules 1 ONe especiall place on which they stand is from that Law in Deuteronomy If there arise a matter too hard for thee in iudgement betweene bloud bloud betweene plea and plea betweene plague and plague in the matters of controuersie within thy gates then shalt thou arise and goe vp vnto the place which the Lord thy God shall chuse And thou shalt come vnto the Priestes of the Leuites and to the Iudge that shall be in those daies and aske and they shall shew thee the sentence of iudgement and thou shalt do according to that thing which they of that place which the Lord hath chosen shew thee and thou shalt obserue
was shall proue true and profitable vnto Christians as instituted by God for the peoples good yea â—hey shall proceed from the holy Ghost for the reason which wee haue learned of the Euangelist to wit because such as giue them are Prelates of Christs Church And this is all I haue to say vnto the second argument 12 It is easie indeed for them thus to answere to whom it is most easie and most vsuall to blaspheme That the Popes aswell as Caiaphas prophecies may in the euent proue true and profitable to Christs Church wee doe not doubt because vnto such as loue God or are beloued of him all things euen Sathans malice that had suborned Caiaphas and his brethren against Christ and his members turne to the best But hee that had taken this High-Priest whilest hee vttered this sentence for an infallible Prophet of the Lord had been bound in conscience to haue done so to our Sauiour at his as the people did to Baals Priests at Elias instigation If our aduersaries will permit vs to interprete the Trent Councels decrees as the faithfull of those times did Caiaphas prophecie wee will subscribe vnto them without delay It is expedient wee grant and profitable withall vnto the Church that there should bee such decrees whereby the faith of others might bee tried But as it was not lawfull for the people to imbrue their hands in Christs bloud though the greatest benefite that euer befell the world was by his death so neither is it safe to admit the Trent Canons though a wonderfull blessing of God they should be set forth because they so clearely testifie the truth of his word concerning Antichrist Canus said more in this then was needfull according to his supposed principles in his answere to the next argument But God who ruled the mouth of Caiaphas and made him speake the trueth when hee intended nothing lesse did also direct Canus penne to vent what vpon better consideration hee would haue concealed Yet herein hee wrote but out of the abundance of his owne and most of his fellowes hearts who hold that the Priests and Pharises did erre onely in a matter of fact not in any point of faith when they condemned Christ Of which in the next Chapter For conclusion of this consider with me Christian Reader how great cause we haue to thanke our gracious God that the sect of Iesuites or rabble of Predicants were not founded in our Sauiours dayes for then doubtlesse the Diuell had picked a traitor out of that crue whose impudent sophisticall Apologies for open blasphemie and vnrelenting perseuerance in traiterous plots might haue outfaced the world that the deliuering of Christ into his enemies hands had beene no such sinne as Iudas testified it was both by his penitent speech and desperate end CHAP. IIII. What it would disaduantage the Romish Church to deny the infallibility of the Synagogue 1. THat any visible company of men before our Sauiour Christs time did challenge such absolute authority ouer mens faith as the Pope doth would bee very hard for them to proue no question but the High-Priest and Rulers amongst the Iewes did oftentimes challenge more then they had If the Romanist should say that they had no such infallible authority in deciding all controuersies as their Church now challengeth the assertion would be as improbable in it selfe as incongruous to their positioâ—s For vnto any indifferent man such infallibility in the Watch-Tower of Sion must needes seem more requisite during the time of the law then since the promulgation of the Gospell Bee it granted the points to be expresly beleeued of the ancient people were but few yet euen such of them as were most necessary to saluation were more enigmatically and mystically set downe then any in the new Testament are and the measure of Gods spirit vpon euery sort of men the vulgar especially in those times much lesse For this cause God raised vp Prophets to instruct them whose authority though it was not such as the Romane Church now challengeth but giuen to supply the ignorance and negligence of the church representatiue in those dayes yet much greater then is ordinarily required in the light of the Gospell by which as the doctrine of saluation is become most conspicuous in it selfe so is the illumination of Gods spirit more plentifull then before it had beene And since the Prophets haue beene so clearely expounded by the Apostles and the harmony of the two Testaments so distinctly heard the ordinary testimony of Iesus is become equiualent to the spirit of Prophesie Allowing then these infinite ods on our parts that enioy the labours of formers ages with the ordinary preaching of the Gospell an infallible oecumenicall authority is much lesse needfull now then it was in the law 2 Or if our aduersaries will bee so wayward as to deny the like infallibility to haue beene requisite in the ancient Iewish Church they shall hereby thwart euidently themselues disanull their chiefe title and vtterly disclaime the maine plea hitherto vsed for their owne infallibility For most of them doe vrge Gods promises made vnto that Church to proue a necessity of admitting a like authority in theirs And if these promises made to the Iewes admit any distinction condition or limitation whereby this most absolute infallibility as they suppose it may bee empaired then may all the promises made or supposed to bee made vnto their Church admit the same or like But besides the weakning of their title by debarring themselues of this plea drawne from the example of the ancient Iewish Church no man that reades their writings can bee ignorant that all their chiefe and principall arguments wherewith they carry away most simple soules and importune such as almost neither feare God nor man to giue sentence for them and their Church against vs are drawn from these or the like tropicks vnlesse God had ordained one supreme Iudge or infallible authority that might decide all controuersies in matters of faith viua voce he had not sufficienly proued for his Church yea which were most absurd hee had left it in worse estate then ciuill Estates are for ordinary matters for they besides their written lawes haue Iudges to determine all cases or controuersies arising And seeing that Monarchicall gouernment is of all others the best and in any wise mans iudgement most auaileable for auoiding all dissention and keeping the vnity of faith there should bee no question but God hath ordained such an authenticall manner of deciding all controuersies If hee haue not it must needes bee either because hee could not establish such an infallible authority and vncontroleable power or else because he would not To say he could not were to deny his omnipotency open blasphemie to say he would not were little better for this were to deny his goodnesse and loue to his Church both which the Scriptures testifie to bee great nay infinite 3 But how great soeuer his loue to his
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
to performe what hee had constantly spoken But what was the chiefe matter of their iust reproofe That they had not beleeued his wordes nor giuen due credence to his workes Dull no doubt they had beene in not esteeming better of both vnwise in not learning more of him that taught as neuer man taught but as in them hee teacheth vs most dull and most vnwise euen fooles and slowe of heart in not beleeuing all that the Prophets had spoken Ought not Christ to haue suffered these things as if hee had said Is it possible your ignorance in them should be so grosse as not to knowe that Christ was thus to suffer and so to enter into his glory 2. You will say perchance they did not well in giuing so little attention and credite to the Prophets whose light should haue led them vnto Christ but now that they haue light on him in person without their helpe onely by his seeking them shall not hee who was the end and scope of all propheticall writings teach them all He will but not by relying onely vpon his infallible authoritie This aedifice of faith must bee framed vpon the foundation laide by the Prophets For this reason happily our Sauiour would not bewray himselfe to be their infallible teacher vntill he had made them by euidence of Scripture by true sence and feeling of his spirit beleeue and knowe the truth which he taught to be infallible Hee had opened their hearts by opening the Scriptures vnto them before their eyes were open to discerne his person for he began at Moses and at all the Prophets and interpreted vnto them in all the Scriptures the things which were written of him Stedfast beliefe then of any mans authoritie must spring out of the solide experience of his skill and trueth of his doctrine These two disciples might now resolue their hearts that this was he who Iohn said should baptize with the holy Ghost and with fire when by the working of his spirit their hearts did burne within them whiles hee talked with them and opened the Scriptures vnto them Though before they had receiued Iohn Baptists witnesse of the trueth as a tie or fest to stay their fleeting faith yet now they would not receiue the record of man there is another that beareth witnesse of him the spirit of trueth which hath imprinted his doctrine in their hearts 3. Would the Pope who challengeth Christs place on earth amongst his liuing members and requires we should beleeue his wordes as well as these Disciples did Christs but expound those Scriptures vnto vs which Christ did to them with like euidence and efficacie could hee make our hearts thus burne within by opening the secret mysteries of our saluation wee would take him for Christs Vicar and beleeue indeede hee were infallibly assisted by the holy spirit But seeing hee and his followers inuert our Sauiours methode by calling the certaintie of both Testaments in question telling vs we cannot knowe them to be Gods word vnlesse it shall please this Romane God to giue his word for them or confirme their trueth seeing this his pretended confirmation is not by manifesting the mysteries of our saluation so distinctly and clearely as Christ did vnto these Disciples nor by affoording vs the true sence and feeling of the spirit in such ardent manner as they enioyed it and yet accurseth vs if we beleeue not his words as well as they did their Redeemers wee may hence take a perfect measure of that mouth of blasphemies spoken of by Saint Iohn according to all the three dimensions contained in the three assertions prefixed to the beginning of this Section Nor can the reader imagine either any other forepassed like vnto it or yet to come likely to proue more abominable if it shall but please him to suruay the length and breadth of it but especially the profunditie 4. The length of it I make that assertion The Pope must bee as well beleeued as either Christ was whilest hee liued on earth or his Apostles after his glorification The breadth His absolute authoritie must be for extent as large and ample as Christs should be were he on earth againe or that commission he gaue to his Disciples Goe Preach the Gospell to euery creature his directions must goe foorth throughout all the earth and his wordes vnto the endes of the world The depth is much greater then the space betweene heauen and hell For if you would drawe a line from the Zenith to the Nadir through the Center it would scarce be a gag long enough for this monstrous mouth so wide as hell cannot conceiue a greater The depth I gather partly from the excesse of Christs worth either arising from his personall vnion with the Godhead his sanctitie of life and conuersation or from his hyperpropheticall spirit and aboundant miracles For looke how much he exceedes any but meere man in al these by so much doth the Pope though supposed as not obnoxious to any crime make his authoritie and fauour with God greater then Christs which is the semidiameter of this mouth of blasphemies The other part equall herevnto in quantitie but for the qualitie more tainted with the dregges of Hell ariseth from that opposition the Popes spirit hath vnto Christ or from the luxury and beastly manners of the Papacie erected by Satan as it were of purpose to pollute the world with monstrous sinnes and to derogate as much from mankinde as true Christianitie doth aduance it finally to make the Christian world as much more wicked as Christs Disciples Apostles and faithfull followers are better then the heathen Nor doth the Pope exact beliefe onely without miracles or manifestation of a propheticall spirit but contrary to all notions of good and euill common to Christians and Heathens and as it were in despite of the prophecies that haue deciphered him for Antichrist What heathen Philosopher could with patience haue endured to heare that a dissolute luxurious tyrāt could not though in matters of this life giue wrong sentence out of the seate of Iustice The Iesuites teach it as an Article of faith that the Pope albeit a dissolute and vngracious tyrant Mankinds reproach the disgrace of Christianity cannot possibly giue an erroneous sentence ex cathedra no not in mysteries of religion But as if it were a small thing thus impudently to contradict nature and grieue the soules of ingenuous men vnlesse they also grieue their God seeking as it were to crosse his spirit by holding opiniōs not onely contradictory but most cōtrary to his sacred rules they importune the Christian world with tumultuous clamours to take that which the spirit hath giuen as the demonstratiue character of great Antichrist the olde serpents chiefe confederate for the infallible cognisance of Christs Vicar the very signet of his beloued Spouse Nor will they I know though friendly admonished cease henceforth to vrge their outworn arguments drawne from antiquity vniuersality from that reuerence
Saint Peters loue to truth that hee would haue so fastned it to all faithfull hearts as none should euer haue failed to follow it in following which hee could not erre Doubtlesse had any such conceit lodged in his breast this discourse had drawne it out his vsuall form of exhortation had been too mild his ordinarie stile too low This doctrine had beene proclaimed to all the world with Anathemaes as loud and terrible as the Canons of any Papisticall Councell report 2 But hee followed no such deceitfull fables when hee opened vnto them the power and comming of Christ whose Maiesty as hee had seene with his owne eyes so would hee haue others to see him too But by what light By Scriptures What Scriptures Peter feede my sheepe Nay but by the light of Prophesie That is a light indeed in it selfe but vnto priuate spirites it is no better saith Valentian then a light put vnder a bushel vnlesse the visible Church doe hold it out Where did the visible Church keep residence in those dayes In Saint Peter I trow How chances it then hee saith not fixe your eyes on mine that haue seene the glory of the Lord and the Prophets light shall shine vnto you If by his commendation and proposall it were to shine hee had said better thus Ye do well in that you giue heede vnto me as to your onely infallible teacher that must confirme you in the truth of Propheticall Writings and cause them shine in your hearts but now he saith Yee doe well in that yee take heede vnto the Prophets as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place vntill the day-starre arise in your hearts This light of Prophets illuminated the eyes of Peters faith albeit with his bodily eyes hee had seene Christs glory For speaking comparatiuely of that testimony which he had heard in the Mount hee addes Wee haue also asurer word of the Prophets That the Lord had beene glorified in the Mount his Auditors were to take vpon his credite and authority nor could hee make them to see this particular as hee himselfe had done but that Christ Iesus whom he saw glorified in the Mount was the Lord of Glory he had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a surer testimony then his bodily sense the light of Prophets This then was the commendations of his flocke that they looked vpon it which shined as well vnto them as him to all without respect of persons that take heed vnto it able to bring them not to acknowledge Peters infallibility but to the day-starre it selfe whose light would further ascertaine them euen of the truth the Prophets and the Apostles taught For Christ is in a peculiar manner the first and the last in the edifice of faith the lowest the highest stone in the corner refused by the master builders or visible pillars of the Iewish Church their faith was not grounded vpon the Prophets whose words they knew not and not knowing them they knew not him but vnto such as rayse their faith by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the true square and line Christ is both the fundamentall Rocke which supporteth and the chiefe corner stone that bindes the whole house of God and preserues it from clifts and ruptures 3. But least his followers might looke amisse vpon this prophetical light rightly esteemed in the general Saint Peter thought it necessarie to advertise them not to content themselues with euerie interpretation or accustomarie acknowledgement of their truth grounded on others relations reports or skill in expounding them or multitude of voyces that way swaying This had beene as if a man that hath eyes of his owne should belieue there was a Moone or starres because a great many of his honest neighbours had tolde him so A thousand witnesses in such a case as this were but priuate testimonies in respect of that distinct knowledge which euery one may haue that list That the Lord should preserue light in Goshen when darkenesse had couered the whole face of Egypt besides seems vnto me lesse strange but more sensibly true then before whilest I consider how in this age wherein the light of his countenance hath so clearely shined throughout those parts of Europe whence the Gospell came to vs Ingolstade should still sit in darknesse enuironed with the shadow of death That her great professor Valentian borne I take it within these fourescore yeeres should grope at noone day as if he had been brought forth in the very midnight of Popery or died well nigh three hundred yeeres ago Scarse Scotus himselfe not Ockam questionlesse though shut vp in a prison where no light of any expositor had euer come could haue made a more dunsticall collection of the Apostles wordes then he hath done Saint Peter meant one of these Three First that there can bee no certaine or probable way of expounding Scriptures by our proper wit or industry or Secondly that one or other place of Scripture cannot be rightly expounded by humane wit or industry but so compared they rightly may or Thirdly that the Scriptures cannot certainely and infallibly be expounded euery where without the sentence of some other common infallible authority which in this respect is to be held as iudge of faith in the Church The Apostle hee inferres did not meane the first or second ergò the third So as the force and wisdome of the Apostolicall admonition is this No man by his priuate industry or study howsoeuer imployed eyther hee thougt not of the holy Ghosts direction or assistance or did not except it no not by any search of Scripture it selfe can certainely and infallibly vnderstand the doctrine of Scriptures in controuersies of which Saint Peter in that place speakes not one word but it is necessary he learne this of some other publike authority in the church by which the Holy Ghost speakes publikely and teacheth all His reason followes more duncticall then the collection it selfe For the Apostle straight subions As the holy men of God did speake in Scriptures not by humane authority but diuine so likewise cannot the Scriptures bee possibly vnderstood by any humane or priuate industry of this or that man but by some other authority likewise diuine by which the holy spirite which is the Author of Scriptures may be likewise the most certain interpreter of Scriptures 4 Had another read thus much vnto me and bid me read the Author or his workes wherein it was found I should presently haue named eyther Erasmus Moriae Encomium Frishlins Priscianus Vapulans or some such like Comedian disposed in meriment to pen some olde Dunces part Cannot the Sun of righteousnesse infuse his heauenly influence by the immediate operation of his spirit or doth his influence want force without coniunction with this blasing Comet or falling starre Was it not the authority of this spirit which made Saint Peter himselfe to be so authentique in his doctrine Is it not the pretended priuiledge of the same
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
the sanctuary But iust in this manner doth the Mimicall Iesuite reply to the former truth I demaund saith he whether the Doctour would approue this consequence Paul preaching to the Athenians confirmed his Doctrine with the testimonie of the Poet Aratus and the Athenians had done well if they had sought whether Aratus had said so or no therefore all Doctrines must be iudged by Poets But what if the Beraeans practise considered alone or as Iesuites doe Scriptures onely Mathematically doe not necessarily inferre thus much The Learned Doctors charitable minde would not suffer him to suspect any publique professor of Diuinitie as Sacroboscus was could bee so ignorant in Scriptures as not to consider besides the different esteeme of Prophets and Poets amongst the Iewes what Saint Paul had else where expressely said I obtained helpe of God and continue vnto this day witnessing both vnto small and great saying none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Vnlesse he could haue proued Christs resurrection other articles of Christian faith out of Moses and the Prophets the Iewes exceptions against him had beene iust For they were bound to resist al Doctrines dissonant to their ancient ordinances especially the abolishment of Rites and Ceremonies which Paul laboured most as knowing the Lawgiuer meant they should continue no longer then to the alteration of the Priesthood but in whose maintenance his adversaries should haue spent their bloud whiles ignorant they were without default of the Truth Paul taught as not sufficiently prooued from the same authority by which their lawes were established Nor was any Apostle either for his miracles or other pledges of the Spirit that hee could communicate vnto others to bee so absolutely beleeued in all things during his life time as Moses and the Prophets writings For seeing the gift of miracles was bestowed on hypocrites or such as might fall from any gifts or grace of the spirit they had though the spectators might beleeue the particular conclusions to whose confirmation the miracles were fitted yet was it not safe without examination absolutely to rely vpon him in all thinges that had spoken a diuine truth once or twice In that he might be an hypocrite or a dissembler for ought others without euidence of his vpright conuersation and perpetuall consonance to his former Doctrine could know he might abuse his purchased reputation to abet some dangerous errour Nor doe our aduersaries though too too credulous in this kinde thinke themselues bound to beleeue reuelations made to another much lesse to thinke that he which is once partaker of the Spirit should for euer bee infallible Vpon these supporters the forementioned Doctours reason which the Iesuite abuseth to establish the Churches authoritie stands firme and sound I absolutely belieue all to be true that God saith because hee saith it nor doe I seeke any other reason but I dare not ascribe so much vnto man least I make him equall to God for God alone and hee in whom the Godhead dwelleth bodily is immutably iust and holy Many others haue continued holy and righteous according to their measure vntill the end but who could be certaine of this besides themselues no not they themselues alwayes And albeit a man that neuer was in the state of grace may oft times deliuer that Doctrine which is infallible yet were it to say no worse a grieuous tempting of God to rely vpon his Doctrine as absolutely infallible vnlesse we know him besides his skill or learning to be alwayes in such a state Though both his life and death bee most religious his Doctrine must approue it selfe to the present age and Gods prouidence must cōmend it to posterity Nor did our Sauiour though in life immutably holy for doctrine most infallible assume so much vnto himselfe before his ascension as the Iesuits giue to the Pope For he submitted his doctrine to Moses the Prophets writings And seeing the Iesuits make lesse acount of Him then the Iewes did of Moses it is no maruell if they be more violently miscaried with enuious or contemptuous hatred of the Diuine truth it selfe then the Iewes were against our Sauiour or his doctrine These euen whē they could not answere his reasons drawn from scriptures receiued though most offēsiue to their distemperate humor were ashamed to cal Moses the prophets authority in questiō or to demand him how do ye know God spake by thē Must not the Churches infallibility herein assure you and if it teach you to discerne Gods word from mans must it not likewise teach you to distinguish the diuine sense of it from humā This is a straine of Atheisme which could neuer finde harbor in any professing the knowledge of the true God before the brood of Antichrist grew so flush as to seeke the recouery of that battaile against Gods Saints on Earth which Lucifer their Father and his followers lost against Michael and his holy Angels in Heauen CHAP. XV. A briefe taste of our aduersaries blasphemous and Atheisticall assertions in this argument from some instances of two of their greatest Doctours Bellarmine and Valentian That if faith cannot be perfect without the solemne testification of that Church the raritie of such testifications will cause infidelitie 1 FOR a further competent testimonie of blasphemies in this kinde wherewith wee charge the Church of Rome let the Reader iudge by these two instances following whether the Christian world haue not sucked the deadliest poyson that could euaporate from the infernall lake through Bellarmines and Valentians pennes Valentian as if he meant to outflout the Apostle for prohibiting all besides the great pastor Christ Iesus for being Lords ouer mens faith will haue an infallible authoritie which may sit as Iudge and mistresse of all controuersies of faith and this to be not the authoritie of one or two men deceased not peculiar to such as in times past haue vttered the diuine truth either by mouth or pen and commended it vnto posteritie but an authoritie continuing in force and strength amongst the faithfull throughout all ages able perspicuously and openly to giue sentence in all controuersies of faith Yet as these Embassadors of God deceased cannot bee Iudges shall they therefore haue no saye at all in deciding controuersies of faith You may not thinke a Iesuite would take Iesus name in vaine he will neuer for shame exclude his Master for hauing at least a finger in the gouernment of the Church Why what is his office or what is the vse of his authoritie registred by his Apostles and Euangelists Not so little as you would weene For his speeches amōgst others that in their life time haue infallibly taught diuine truthes by mouth or pen may be consulted as a witnesse or written law in cases of faith but after a certaine sort and manner eyther to speake the truth or somewhat thereto not impertinent as shal bee declared in due place The place he
imbrace faith though of it selfe ineuident and obscure Thus doe they traduce the grace of God as if there were no difference betwixt mid-day-light and mid-night-darkenesse as if the dawning of that day starre in our hearts or light of Prophets our Apostle speakes of were not a meane betwixt that more then demonstratiue euidence of diuine Truthes which glorified Saints enioy and obscuritie or Iewish blindnesse The particular manner how Gods spirit workes liuely faith by such experiments as partly I did and hereafter must acquaint him withall the Reader I hope will gather of his owne accord out of the discourses following concerning the nature of Christian faith and the principall obiects thereof whereunto my meditations are now addressed my long durance in this vnpleasant subiect hauing bred in my soule a more eager thirst after these well springs of life FINIS Errata In the Preface page 3 line 3 for Author of read Author pag. 7 lin 2 for Damnable Idolaters reade damnably Idalatrous Page 13 line 31 ther reade their p. 14 l. 30 should if any should p. 24 l 27 goe ergo p. 28 l. 17 ort sort p. 48 l 17 lest left ibid. l. 31 such 0. p. 50 l. 9 fuutre future p. 52 l. 13 our confession 0. ibid. l. 16 exceptions exception p. 53 l. 5 of or of ibid l. 18 cause can p. 54 l. 11 no 0. p. 56 l. 8 his and and his p. 57 l 6 same omit p. 60 l. 11 or super super p. 62 l. 12 therto though p. 63 l. 32 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 70 l. 14 offence of offence p. 73 l. 22 so doe p 75 l. 21 it is it is euident p. 77 l. 19 least left p. 79 l. 17 disabundantly this abundantly p. 80 l. 20 be can be p. 83 l 34 representiue representatiue p. 84 l. 11 interrupted vninterrupted ibid. 25 his this p. 85 l. 29 that they p. 86 l. 6 continue all things continue ibid. l. 14 approued an approued ibid. l. 23 they omit ibid. l. 33 with them within them p 90 l 25 cords records p 93 l. 14 thy they p. 109 l. 10 vntruthes truthes p. 110 l. 18 skill still ibid. l. 24 only om p. 112 l. 27 sinnes such p. 113. l. 22 of or p. 116 l. 13 Minister Master p. 117 l. 21 former forme p. 122 l. 3 would haue had p. 127 l. 7 mes mens ibid. l. 11 death to death p. 133 l. 28 conseruancie consonancie p. 140 l. 32 tropickes topickes p. 141 l. 22 the om p. 144 l. 15 reuiue reuiew p. 151 l. 18 of om ibid l. 19 the of the. p. 153 l 11 this they p. 155 l. 37 matters meates p 156 l. 13 thy they ibid. l. 19 mine wine p. 168 l. 26 remembrance Remembrancer p. 173 l. 34 vniformally vniformely pag. 183 l. 15 mist King mistaking p. 192 l. 26 in om p. 204 l 4 irriation irritation ibid. l. 7. former formall p. 205 l. 2 dele hebraica aut suppone vera ex Deut. c. p. 207. l. 22 ruled could p. 251 l. 33 roote note p. 258 l. 3 best last p. 279 l. 20 fast fest Lib 2 Sect. 1. c. 3 They acknowledges S. Hierom as the Oracle of Antiquitie and yet directly contradict him in this decree concerning the number of Canonicall bookes * Si quis autem libros ipsos integros cum omnibus suis partibus provt in Ecclesia Catholica legi consuâ—uerunt inveteri vulgata Latina editione habentur pro sacris canonicis no sasceperit traditiones praedictas sciens prudens contempserit and thema sit Conc. Trid. Sess 4. decret de Canonicis Scripturis The decree of the Trâ—t councell authorizing the latine vulgar editioÌ„ * Insuper eadem Sacrosancta Synodus consideraÌ„s noÌ„ paruÌ„ vtilitatis accedere posse Ecclesiae Dei si ex omnibus latinis editionibus quae circuÌ„feruntur sacrorum librorum quaenam pro Authâ—ntica habenda sit innotesâ—at Statuit declarat vt haec ipsa vetus vulgata Editio quae longo tot saeculorum vsis in ipsa Ecclesia probata est in publicis lectionibus disputationibus praedicationibus expositionibus pro authentica habeatur vt nemo illam reijcere quovis praetextu audeat vel praesumat Conc. Trident. Sess 4. Decret De editione vsu sacroâ—uÌ„ libroruÌ„ * Praeterea ad coercenda petulantia ingenia decernit vt nemo suae prudentiae innixus in rebus fidei morum ad aedificationem Doctrinae Christianae pertineÌ„tium sacram Scripturam ad suos sensus contorquens contra eum sensum quem tenuit tenet sancta Mater Ecclesia cuius est iudicare de vero sensu interpretatione Scripturarum sanctarum aut etiam contra vnanimem consensam Patrum ipsam Scripturam sacram interpretari audeat etiamsi huiusmodi interpretationes nullo vnquam tempore in lucem edendae forent Qui contraueuerint per Ordinarios declarentur poenis à iure statutis puniantur Concil Trident. Ibidem The Trent Councells decree for interpretation of Scriptures * Bellarmines assertion concerning the Churches authority grounded vpon the former decree * In articul 155 ex illis quingentis quos Cochâ—eus colligit ex libris Lutheri sic ait Capite hoc Euangelium quiae neque Papae neque concilijs neque vlli haminuÌ„ commissum est vt constituat concludat quid sit sides Ideo dâ—ben dicere Papa tu conclusisti cum concilijs nunc habeo ego iudicium an acceptare quâ—am neene 〈◊〉 quia non 〈◊〉 pro me 〈◊〉 respondebis pro â—e quando del co â—ori Et falsam doctrinam nemo iudicare potest nisi spiritualis homo Ideo res est insana quod Concilia concludere statuere volunt quid credendum sit cum saepe nullus vir sit ibi qui diuinum spiritum vel modicum olsecerit Idem confirmat in assertionibus art 27. 28. 29. Bellarm. de verb. Dei Lib. 3. Cap. 3. * Similiter Brentius docet in Confessime Wirteâ—â—â—rgica cap. de sacra script erat coplesias in Pralegrâ—â—â— contra 〈…〉 Primo 〈◊〉 licet inquit in causa 〈…〉 ita inhaerere vt eam sine nostâ—o ipsorum iudicio amplâ—ctâ—mur Secundâ— addit Ad 〈◊〉 quemque hominum priuatâ—m pertiâ—et de doctrina relâ—gionis iudâ—â—are 〈…〉 internoscere Sed hoc interest inter priuatum principâ—m quòd vt priuatus priuaâ—â—◠〈…〉 habet de doctrina religionis potestatem iudicandi decidendi c. Nec illud aduertâ—t si 〈◊〉 sententia vera sit rectè 〈…〉 alios Catholicos Germaniae principes si etiam mortis suppliâ—o 〈…〉 ad sidem Catholicam Bellar. de verb. Dei lib. 1. cap. 3. * So Bellarmine grants that Saint 〈◊〉 did not commit any mortall sinne in contradicting Pope Stephens decree whom out of ignorance hee oppugned his reason is good because this perswasion remaining in full strength he had sinned against his conscience in obeying