worketh outwardly the things that are good but by a reciprocall aspect it seeth it selfe and yeeldeth assurance to the subiect In which sence Saint Austin o De trinit l. 13 c. 1. saith Euery man if he haue faith seeth it in his heart or seeth it not if he haue none And again p Lib. 8. c. 8. He that loueth his brother knoweth the charitie wherewith he loueth him better then he knoweth his brother whom he loueth 8 This is proued by the saying of Saint Paul q Rom. 8.15 We haue receiued not the spirit of bondage to feare any more but the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father and the same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Whereunto it is ridiculous to answer that this testimonie which God giueth vnto vs by his spirit is but coniecturall that is to say such as stirreth vp our vnderstanding onely vpon probable coniectures to beleeue which yet are subiect to error For so Gods spirit should manifestly deceiue vs and the spirit of bondage to feare should remaine still and his spirit should teach vs to cry Father when we are not his children and finally in giuing testimony be subiect to the same fallibilitie that ours is The same Apostle r 2. Cor. 13.5 saith Proue your selues whether you are in the faith examine your selues know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be reprobates To what purpose should men examine themselues if they can find no infallible certaintie for they might reply againe we haue tried our selues and find Christ to be in vs by faith and charitie but we are neuer the neare we may be reprobates for all this and thy preaching hath done vs no good for the Papists tell vs our knowledge is but coniecturall and our examination cannot secure vs from feare or error which were absurd Againe he saith Å¿ Eph. 1.13 After ye beleeued the Gospell ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise and Saint Iohn t 1. Ioh. 3.19 We know that we are of the truth and before him we shal make our hearts confident u 4.13 Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his spirit x 5.13 I haue written vnto you that beleeue that ye may know ye haue eternal life This sealing sheweth that the elect haue the very marke of God vpon them whereby they are infallibly distinguished from the world and the knowledge thereof which is attributed to them declareth that they see the seale and so consequently cannot be deceiued as he that seeth his seale vpon his goods thereby infallibly and not by coniecture onely knoweth them to be his owne But saying we know we haue the truth we dwell in him we haue eternall life we make our hearts confident he sheweth plainly how false it is that faith and loue cannot be knowne to be present without reuelation For all this he saith we know by that which is written and if we knew it but morally and probably without full assurance then we should be confident euen by Gods owne appointment in that which might deceiue vs. Againe Stapleton y De Iustificat l. 9. c. 13. in marg confesseth that Saint Paul pronounceth the same certaintie of other mens saluation that he doth of his owne and therefore we may haue assurance of grace and perseuerance as well as he had for z 1. Cor. 7.40 Rom. 8.38 2. Tim. 4.8 in diuers places he sheweth that he was assured of Gods spirit and grace and eternall life 9 You shall heare what the ancient Fathers say touching this matter a Hom. 17. pag. 248. Macarius saith Although they are not as yet entred into the whole inheritance prepared for them in the world to come yet through the earnest which they now receiue they are as certaine of it as if they were already crowned and raigning Neither do they thinke it strange that they shal thus raigne together with Christ by reason of the abundance and confidence of the spirit And why so Euen because being yet in the flesh they haue the tast of the sweetnes and the efficacie of the power thereof The diuell couered the soule of man with a darke veile but afterward cometh grace and putteth off that veile wholly whereby hereafter the soule is purified and made able with purenesse to behold the glory of true light and the true Sunne of righteousnesse as it were lightening in his heart Saint Austine b In Psal 149. post med saith There is a kind of glorying in the conscience when thou knowest thy faith is sincere thy hope certaine thy loue without dissembling Saint Austine therefore tooke it for granted that these things might be knowne Hierome not the ordinary doctor of that name but a Greeke writer c De baptism pag. 3. saith that as a woman with child feeleth the springing thereof in her wombe within her so the baptized by the ioy and comfort and reioycing which is wrought in the heart know that the spirit of God dwelleth in them the which they receiued in their baptisme Gregorie the Bishop of Rome d Dial l. 1. c. 1. saith The minde filled with Gods spirit hath her most euident signes euen vertue and humilitie the which if they perfectly meete in the mind then it is plaine they giue testimony that the holy Ghost is present Bernard e Epist 107. saith Who is iust but he that returneth loue to God who hath loued him The which is done when the spirit by faith reuealeth to a man the eternall purpose of God concerning his future saluation Which reuelation is nothing else but the infusion of spirituall grace whereby the deeds of the flesh are mortified and the man prepared to the kingdome of heauen Let these speeches of the ancient be well looked into and it will appeare they contain all that I haue affirmed touching the certainty of grace and saluation 10 And to what purpose do our aduersaries take such paines and deuise such shifts to answer them They say these and such like places proue there is a certaintie on Gods behalfe but not on ours as if God reuealing his certaintie to vs did not thereby create in vs the like as when a man looketh his face in a glasse he imprinteth in the glasse the same forme that is in his face They say we haue an experimentall or morall knowledge but not an infallible certaintie not assurance of faith and such like This they answer and their friends sit down contented with it whereas notwithstanding when they haue wrangled what they can they say the very same that I haue layd downe and if their words shew it not I am content you beleeue me no more For first touching the discerning of our selues whether we be in grace f Altisiod sum l. 3. pag. 165. Alexan. 3. part pag. 254. the eldest and best learned Schoolmen that I
without testimonie of miracle giue assurance to others that he is thus taught especially in such sort to make them forsake the teaching of the catholike Church which by plaine proofes and testimonies of Scripture they do know to be taught of God Nay they ought not in anie sort to beleeue him but rather to esteeme him as one of those of whom it is said Ezech. 13. Vae Prophetis insipientibus qui sequuntur spiritum suum nihil vident dicunt ait Dominus cum ego non sum locutus Neither is it sufficient that these men alledge words of Scripture for that which they say because euery sect-maister alledgeth Scripture for his opinion yea the diuell himselfe for his purpose bringeth words of Scripture Math. 4. The Answer 1 These two conclusions might easily be granted without further examinatiō if the Iesuit had not a further reach in them thē the words pretend For what Protestant thinketh that any priuate mā or any company of men how learned soeuer or any mans naturall wit and learning is the rule of faith which honour we giue to the spirit of God in the Scriptures only But the Iesuit aimeth at those which in cōparison of the rest of the world being but priuate men particular Churches haue examined refused the Romane faith as Wicklieffe Hus Luther and the Churches of England Scotland and Germany haue done that so hauing in his former conclusion pluckt the Scriptures from you he might also in these two bereaue you of such faithfull Pastors as God hath stirred vp from time to time to instruct you and when he hath done in his last conclusion obtrude vpon you his Papall consistorie If he meant Priuate men wits learning and companies as they are opposed to diuine and spirituall he said well for no such priuate men wits learning or companies may be heard against the present doctrine and this is well proued in the Iesuits discourse but vsing it in that sence as it is opposed to common and vsuall a Priuatum accipio vt opponitur communi spiritui Mart. Peres de Tradit part 2 assert 4. pag. 48. which the Papists alway do his conclusions are vntrue viz. that nothing may be receiued which priuate men or particular companies teach against that which is surmized to be the Catholicke Church For in matters of religion it maketh no matter whether the teachers be many or few publicke or priuate persons as long as they teach the faith and expound the Scriptures truly For a true exposition is publicke though the companie that giue it be priuate and a false exposition is priuate though the Church that vrge it be neuer so publick yea though it came from a generall Councell And so this is to be holden concerning priuate men and companies that they may sometime be infallibly assured of the truth against a publicke multitude as the Romane Church for example and hauing the Scripture for their foundation may teach and beleeue against it in which case though their persons and wit and naturall learning be not the rule yet as long as they follow the Scripture which is the rule we are bound to heare them This being all that we hold and that which the Iesuite in these conclusions girdeth at now I come to examine his arguments against it 2 First he saith all mens wit and learning is humane natural and fallible therfore no mans wit or learning can be the rule which must sustaine our faith diuine supernaturall and infallible Wherto I answer granting the whole argument for we say not any mans learning is the rule or any companie of men the foundation of our faith but the contrary as I haue said onely we hold they may be so assisted by the holy Ghost that they may interprete the Scriptures truly and infallibly against a company as big as the Romane Church And this is a full answer to the second conclusion 3 Next in his third conclusion he saith No priuate man can be this rule at least when he teacheth contrary to the receiued doctrine of the Catholicke Church because Saint Paul saith If any preach any other Gospell then then which we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed This text is b Rhem. vpon Gal. 1.8 commonly vrged against Luther and Caluin for preaching otherwise then the Romish Church beleeueth whereby you may see what the Iesuite driueth at in these two conclusions But I answer though this text proue that no priuate man is the rule of faith and that no teaching may be receiued against the Scriptures yet there is nothing in it against such as resist a false Church though they be men neuer so priuate For Saint Paul speaketh of the doctrine which he had taught not which euery Church calling it selfe Catholicke may possible hold and of it he saith Let him be accursed that preacheth otherwise Now c Phil. 3.1 Iren. l. 3. ca. 1. Niceph. Callist l. 2. c. 34. all that the Apostle preached is written in the Scriptures and so he accurseth none but such as teach against them forbidding all men to preach against the Churches doctrine consenting with the word But when any thing deflecteth from that it may and must be excepted against euen by priuate men else this very text accurseth them for consenting to it Thus d Contra lit Petiliā Donat. l. 3. c. 6. de Vnitate Eccles cap. 11. Austin expoundeth the place If we or an Angell from heauen declare vnto you either concerning Christ or his Church or any other matter belonging to our faith or life any thing but that which you haue receiued in the writings of the Law and the Gospell let him be accursed See Austine preferring the Scripture aboue all things expoundeth the place against such as teach any thing concerning faith and manners let the Iesuit mark this but that which is contained in the Scripture and the Iesuite begging the question talketh idlely of his Romane Church 4 His second argument to proue his third conclusion is that the priuate spirit is not infallible and plainly knowne Whereto I answer that this is false meaning priuate as the Iesuite doth I haue distinguished it for a smal company holding against a multitude as e 1. Reg. 22. 23. Michaiah did against 400. Prophets may be directed by the spirit of God in the Scriptures which are infallible plainly knowne But neither thēselues nor any other can be sure they are thus taught I answer this is vntrue for the Scripture is a light and knowne by the sons of light and by it they may be assured Now they that be thus assured are infallibly sure they are taught by the holy Ghost for f 2. Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is inspired of God and containeth the teaching of the holy Ghost But there is no promise in the Scripture to assure him he is thus taught Yes for the Scripture promiseth that euery doctrine is of God that consenteth with it and
meant by those importunate bragges of the Catholicke Church and why the Papists rely so much vpon it x Audito Ecclesiae nominâ— hostis expalluit Campian tat 3. apud Posseu bibl select lib. 7. c. 19. they make their vaunts that the very name of the Church appalleth vs and good reason if the Pope be it Gods enemie and ours But in the meane time themselues might blush thus to tell the ignorant a tale of the Church and will the foolish Protestants be wiser then the Catholicke Church y Nomen callide retinuit tem ipsam funditus desiniâ—ndo fustulit Camp vbi supra and yet this Church when things come to the reckoning is nothing else but the Pope § 14. And first that the doctrine of the vniuersall Church in all points is infallible thus I reason If our Sauiour Christ haue promised to any company of men the assistance of himselfe and of his holy Spirit for this speciall purpose to teach and instruct them in euery truth giuing withall peculiar commission to them to teach all nations and warrant and commandement to all to heare them and to do in all things according to their saying and further threatning that he that will not heare them and do in all things according to their saying should be accounted as an Ethnicke and Publican then certainly the doctrine and the teaching of this companie of men is in all points infallible and most true For looke what he promiseth must needs be performed and whatsoeuer he warranteth or commandeth to be done may safely and without danger of error be done nay must of necessitie be done especially when he threateneth those that will not do it and consequently if he promise to send his holy Spirit to teach anie companie of men all truth it is not to be doubted but that he sendeth this his Spirit and by him teacheth them all truth And since the teaching of this Spirit is infallible we haue not to doubt but that this companie to which this promise should be made should in all points be infallibly taught the truth If also the same our Sauior gaue warrant and commandement that we should heare and do in all points according to the saying of this companie of men being thus infallibly taught and hauing commission to teach we may not likewise doubt but that they shall infallibly teach vs the truth in all points For otherwise by this his commandement we should sometimes be bound to heare and beleeue that which were not true and to do that which were not right and good which without blasphemie to Christs veritie and goodnesse can no way be taught But so it is that Christ our Sauiour hath in holy Scripture promised giuen commission warranted commanded and threatened in maner aforesaid therefore we haue not to doubt but that a certaine companie of men there be to wit that companie which is called the true catholike Church which both is in all points taught infallibly by the holy Spirit and is in like maner to teach vs all truth The promise we haue Mat. vltim Ego vobiscum sum omnibus diebus vsque ad consummationem seculi I am with you all the dayes vnto the end of the world In which words is promised the continuall presence of Christ himselfe the maister of truth with his holy Church not for a while then nor for a while now but all the dayes vnto the end of the world Also we haue another promise Ioh. 14. Ego rogabo Patrem meum alium paracletum dabit vobis Spiritum veritatis vt maneat vobiscum in aeternum I will aske my Father and he will giue you another paraclete that he may remaine with you not onely for sixe hundred yeares but for euer And to shew vs for what purpose he would haue his holy Spirit to remaine with vs for euer he saith againe Cum autem venerit ille Spiritus veritatis docebit vos omnem veritatem Iob. 16. And when the Spirit of truth shall come he shall teach you all truth The commission we haue Mat. vltim Euntes docete omnes gentes The warrant also we haue Luc. 10. Qui vos audit me audit By which words appeareth plainely that our Sauiour Christ would haue vs to heare and giue credit to his Church no lesse then to himselfe The commandement we haue Mat. 23. Super cathedram Mosis sedent Scribae Pharisaei omnia ergo quaecunque dixerint vobis seruate facite Out of which words we may gather that we are commanded in all points to do according to the doctrine of the Prelates of the catholike Church though it should happen that their liues should not be coÌ„mendable or good For though in this place our Sauiour do onely speake of the chaire of Moses in which the priests of the old law did sit yet it must be vnderstood à fortiori of the chaire of S. Peter in which the Priests of the new law do succeed So did the ancient Fathers vnderstand and especially S Austin Epist 165. who saith thus In illum ordinem Episcoporum qui ducitur ab ipso Petro ad Anastasium qui nunc in eadem cathedra sedet etiamsi quisquam traditor per illa tempora subrepsisset nihil praeiudicaret Ecclesiae innocentibus Christianis quibus Dominus prouidens ait de praepositis malis quae dicunt facite quae faciunt facere nolite Into the order of Bishops which is deriued from S. Peter himself vnto Anastasius who now sitteth vpon the same chaire although some traitor had crept in for the time he should nothing hurt or preiudice the Church of the innocent Christians vnto whom our Lord prouiding saith of euill Prelates what they say do what they do do not The threats we may gather out of Luc. 10. where our Sauiour saith Qui vos spernit me spernit He that despiseth you despiseth me signifying what sinne it were not to heare but to despise the preaching of our Sauiour Christ himselfe that we should account it the same sinne to despise and not to giue heed and credite to his catholike Church insinuating thereby a threat of like punishment for the said contempt Also Mat. 18. the same our Sauiour saith Si Ecclesiam non audierit sit tibi sicut Ethnicus Publicanus Thus you see our Sauiour Christ hath promised vnto his Church the continuall assistance of himselfe and of his holy Spirit to teach vs all truth Moreouer that he hath giuen commission to it to teach vs yea and hath warranted and commanded vs in all points to heare and to do according to the saying of his Church and hath threatened greatly those that will not heare the Church which proueth that it pertaineth to this Church to instruct vs in all points of faith that we ought to learne of it in all matters of religion the infallible truth The Answer 1 The drift of all this section is to proue that the doctrine of the vniuersal Church in
all things is infallible which if it were granted yet were it too short to proue that therefore this Church were the rule of faith For euery infallible thing whose teaching is most true is not yet in the ordinance of God set apart to instruct vs. As the Angels of heauen for example are not the rule of our faith though a Fr. Suarez in Tho. to 1. disp 42. sect 1. they haue all the graces and glorie that a creature can haue and consequently the grace of infallibilitie Let this be noted in the first place 2 But yet the doctrine and teaching of the Church is not in all points infallible and most true neither meaning this doctrine not of the Scriptures but of the Churches ministery in propounding and following the same for in her ministery and manners she may and doth erre as shall appeare in my answer to the Iesuites reasons throughout this section But first the question must be made plaine For to say as he doth here and euery where in this question that the teaching of the vniuersall Catholick Church is infallible not subiect to error is an improper speech not incideÌ„t to the question because that Church comprehendeth all the triumphant Church in heauen which neither can be vsed neither do we charge it with error but confesse it to be b Ephes 5.27 glorious not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing All the question is of that part of the Catholick Church which dwelleth here on earth professing the name of Christ and liuing in warfare against the world and Satan called the Church militant Which so distinguished we hold to be subiect to error both in manners and doctrine And the Iesuite of necessitie by the vniuersall Church must vnderstand onely this part thereof because this part onely is apt to teach vs and hath ministerie in her hands or else he disputeth confusedly not distinguishing the termes of the question 3 This being noted now I come to the discourse which may all be concluded in this syllogisme that we may the better iudge of it That 1. vnto which Christ hath promised his owne presence and the presence of his spirit for euer to the worlds end 2. which hath commission from God to teach all nations 3. which all men are commaunded to heare in all things 4. they that heare it are warranted as if they heard Christ himselfe 5. they that heare it not are threatned as if they despised Christ himselfe that is free from error and the doctrine thereof in all things is infallible But such is the Church that concerning it Christ hath 1. promised 2. giuen commission 3. commanded 4. warranted and 5. threatned as is aforesaid Therefore the Church is free from error and the doctrine thereof in all things is infallible This is the summe of all this section whereto I answer by denying both propositions and the reason is for that they consist of Scripture falsly expounded and applyed and this my answer I set downe more particularly in that which followeth wherein I will examine euery text as it is alledged and make it plain that neuer a one of them proueth the conclusion 4 The first place is Mat. 28.20 Lo I am with you alway to the worlds end But I answer 1. this was a personall promise made onely to the Apostles and so cannot be extended to all the Church if we will speake of the words properly according to their immediate sence 2. To whomsoeuer it belongeth the meaning is c Iansen concord Eâ—ang cap. 149. that howsoeuer his bodily presence ceassed yet his prouidence should neuer faile to preserue comfort them in all their troubles and helpe them in all their actions and by degrees so enlighten them also that they should not perish in their ignorance but be led forward to more perfection This must needes be granted to be all that is meant First because Christ is not absent from his people euery time they fall into an error but remaineth with them still for all that either forgiuing it or reforming it Secondly this promise notwithstanding yet afterward d Gal 2.11 vide August de Baptism cont Donat. l. 2. c. 1. de agon Christian c. 30. Thom. in ep ad Gal. c. 3. lect 3. Peter one to whom the promise was made erred against the truth of the Gospell and was therefore by Paul rebuked and resisted to his face which thing could not haue fallen out if this promise had exempted the Church from all error Thirdly if it priuiledge the whole Church from error because it is made to it then consequently it priuiledgeth the particular Churches Pastors and beleeuers therein because it is made to them likewise but experience sheweth these latter may erre and therefore the meaning must needs be as I haue said Fourthly e See §. it is a ruled case among the Papists that the Pope may erre which could not be if these words of Christ meant the Church of Rome and that infallible iudgment which the Iesuite talketh of As for his glosse vpon the words that Christ in them should promise his continuall presence not for a while then nor for a while now but for euer it is altogether either idle and inept For he can name no Protestant that euer thought Christ was at any time absent but we all constantly beleeue he alway was is and shall be with his Church to the end 5 The second and third places are much like the first Iohn 14.16 I will pray the Father saith Christ and he shall giue you another comforter that he may abide with you for euer And Iohn 16.13 When he is come which is the Spirit of truth he will leade you into all truth But I answer two things First these words are properly extended to the Apostles promising f Act. 2.4 that which was performed immediatly after Christs ascention and ought not to be stretched any further Which being so they conclude somewhat for them but little for the Church because euerie grace belongeth not to the Church in all ages that was giuen the Apostles Secondly applying them to the Church also the meaning is that the holy Ghost should neuer forsake it but perseuere in teaching it all truh which is simply necessary to saue it according as the Church is able to learne it which he doth by meanes of the Scripture though not at all times alike perfectly but so as he endueth it with all holines and yet many sins are found in it This interpretation must needs be allowed for three causes first the Apostle saith of himselfe and the Church g 1. Cor. 13.9 Now we know but in part and prophesie in part Which were not true if these words of Christ had secured the Church in all things and in euery truth for the part cometh short of the whole Secondly this promise belongeth as well to one Apostle as another yea h 1. Ioh 2.20 to all the faithfull as wel as to the
haue him say so For t Ioh. 5.39 our Sauiour himselfe refused not to haue his doctrine tried though he were better then the Church neither is it vnpossible for a priuate man to espy an error in the teaching of the best Church that is in which case he may iudge the Church and his iudgement is to be preferred as u Panormit Gerson whose words you haue Digress 15. nu 10. some Papists themselues deny not And out of question I thinke the most learned and discreet Papists to be wholly of this mind in that many of them haue called in question againe things already determined by their Church thinking the same that we do that it is not sufficient to make an end of questiōs vnlesse we be also sure the end is good For it is an ordinarie thing with the Iesuites and schoolemen of these dayes to expound the decrees of their Councels cleane against the originall meaning thereof which sheweth they mislike that which was decreed and helpe themselues with the fauour of the glosse against the text So the Councels of Lateran and Trent haue determined against the communion in both kinds forbidding the cup yet Ouandus a late Frier x Breuiloqu in 4. d. 9. prop. 6. pag. 221. writeth that all things duely considered that may fall out it were better to permit the cup then deny it and more grace is giuen in both kinds then in one And y Refert Bel de iustifica l. 3. c. 3. Catharinus the Bishop of Compsa maintaineth against the Trent Councell that a man by faith may be assured of the pardon of his sinnes whereas that Councell z Sess 6. cap. 9. determined the contrary And Sixtus Senensis a great clearke a Bibl. l. 1. p. 33. hath reiected as Apocrypha the seuen last chapters of Hester b Sess 4. which the Councell of Trent approued for canonicall Which these men would neuer haue done if they had thought it any iniurie to their Church to examine her teaching 5 And whereas he obiecteth further that the Church is a company of men wise learned vertuous and guided by the spirit of God and therefore it is rashnesse to iudge of their teaching I answer that this ill befits him and his cause for c Digress 16. nu 4. I haue shewed that his Church consisteth rather in the Popes sole person thē in any great company and the definitions thereof follow not the learning or vertue of any company but the Popes bare will who by the confession of all learned Papists may both erre and be as vitious foolish and vnlearned as any other And therefore the Church with her prerogatiues can do a Papist no good vntill they be taken from the Pope and giuen the Church againe Next though the company which is the Church be wise and learned c. yet are they no wiser then Christ and his Apostles whose teaching was examined neither can we know them for such till we haue tryed their teaching For d Iob 32 6.9 wise men see not all things at all times and the child with reuerence may admonish euen his father And though our Sauiour haue promised the assistance of his spirit to his Church to leade it into all truth yet in what sence that is e §. 14. nu 4. 5. I haue declared alreadie and the Iesuite may know it is not in his sence by this signe that the very persons and particular Churches to whom Christ meant those words had their errors for all that But supposing the Churches doctrine by vertue of some such promise be indeed absolutely exempted from all error yet may the same be examined and iudged of because till that be done it cannot of vs be knowne to be so For no man saith we must proue things already certaine but that we must not beleeue them to be certaine till we haue proued them And if the true Church cannot erre in any point then it standeth all men in hand to examine which is the true Church that so they may betake themselues vnto it and let him giue you a sound distinction and say directly what presumption it is against the Church and why an iniury to examine her doctrine more then it is to trie her vnitie sanctitie antiquity and succession Or if it be no wrong to make triall of these things which yet she hath by vertue of Christs promises why should it be amisse to make triall of the former which he dareth not for his life say is hers any properlier or fullier then they § 31. But you may perhaps obiect that in Scripture we are willed not to beleeue euery spirit but to examine and trie the spirits whether they be of God or no and that therefore we must examine and trie the spirit of the Church I answer that S. Iohn doth not meane that it appertaineth to euerie man to trie all spirits but in generall would not haue the Church to accept of euery one that boasteth himselfe to haue the Spirit but willeth that they should trie those spirits not that euery simple man should take vpon him thus to trie them but that those of the Church should trie them to whom the office of trying the spirits doth appertaine to wit the Doctors and Pastors of the Church which almightie God hath put of purpose in the Church Vt non circumferamur omni vent◠doctrinae Ephes 4. and that we may not like little ones wauer with euery blast of those that boast they haue the Spirit So that this trying of spirits is onely meant of those spirits which men may doubt whether they be of God or no and then also this triall belongeth to the Pastors of the Church But when it is once certaine that the spirit is of God we neither neede nor ought doubtfully to examine nor presumptuously iudge or it any more but obediently submitting the iudgement of our owne sense and reason we must beleeue the teaching of it in euery point Now it is most certaine that the spirit of the true Church is of God as out of holy Scripture hath bene most euidently declared and therefore our onely care should be to seeke out those markes and properties by which all men may easily know which particular companie of men is the true Church which we ought not to examine and trie but in all points obediently beleeue The Answer 1 The words of the Apostle are Dearly beloued beleeue not euery spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God 1. Ioh. 4.1 Whence we gather that it is the dutie of euery man to examine the doctrine that is taught him But the Iesuite answereth two things first that Saint Iohn biddeth not euery man do this but onely the Pastors Whereto I answer the words are plaine enough that he speaketh indifferently to all men that euery man for himselfe though not by himselfe but by the rule of Gods word should try the spirits For he directeth his Epistle
it is agreed between vs u Bell. vbi sup c. 12. §. Thomas Caietanus that the whole power of the keyes is contained in binding and loosing x Alexand. 4. q. 79. p. 316. 317. Mag. 4. d. 18. Dura 4. d. 18 q. 1. Ouand breuilo qu. in 4. d. 18 pro 16. Sylu. verbo clauis nu 1. Rosell verbo clauis nu 1. and defined thereby so that to be the rocke or to haue the keyes supposeth or includeth no more then to haue authoritie to bind and loose which authoritie is expresly giuen in the 18. of Math. verse 18. to all the Apostles and the selfe same words touching binding and loosing are there vsed that Christ vsed before to Peter yea y Iansen concord c. 72. RheÌ„ vpon Mat. 18.18 the Papists themselues confesse that all the fathers of the Church thinke that as before to Peter so in these words to the other Apostles and their successours our Lord gaue the power of Binding and loosing Again in Ioh 20.21 our Sauiour after his resurrection breathed vpon his disciples and said to them all As my Father sent me so I send you receiue the holy Ghost whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained where the ceremony of breathing vpon them seemeth to giue them all a like portion and power of the spirit and his words As my Father sent me so I send you to imply that he sent all with equall authoritie no mans iurisdiction flowing from Peter to him but euery mans coming immediatly and alike from Christ that sent them But the last words whose sinnes ye remit or retaine they are remitted and retained signifie the same that he had said before of binding and loosing and so consequently giue them all the power included in the rocke or keyes for z Ema Sa. Iansen vpon Io. 20.21 Bella. de Ro. Pont. l. 1. c. 12. §. Dices si non in this place is giuen what Mat. 18 was promised Thus all the power of the rocke and keyes is included in binding loosing remitting and retaining and authoritie to do this is giuen to all the Apostles as much as to Peter and yet the Iesuite by meanes of the rocke and keyes thinketh Peter is made chiefe aboue them all Let him and his partakers vntie this knot say directly what they thinke at the argument Peter had no more power giuen him a Planus sensus illorum verborum tibi dabo claues quodcunque solueris c. iste est vt primò promittatur authoritas seu potestas de signata per claues deinde actiones siue officiuÌ„ explicetur per illa vocabula Soluere Ligare ita vt omnino sit idem Soluere aperire ligare claudere Bell. vbi supra §. verùm haec then that which is contained in the keyes mentioned Mat. 16. But all the Apostles had this power giuen them for binding and loosing remitting and retaining include the whole function of the keyes therefore Peter had no more then the rest of the Apostles And if they answer that Peters iurisdiction ouer them was giuen Iohn 20. when Christ bad him feed his sheepe let the zealousest Papist that is lay aside wrangling and say bona fide why is the text of Matthew 16. touching the keyes and rocke vsed then to proue his Primacy if it giue him nothing beyond his fellowes and why go they not directly to worke vrging the 20. of Iohn and letting the rocke and keyes alone as making nothing for them 13 This that I haue answered is also the iudgement of ancient Doctors in that with one consent they all expound the rocke whereupon Christ said he would build his Church b August de verb. Dom. Ser. 13. in Ioan. tract 120. Hilar de trin l. 2. 6. Ambr coÌ„ment in Eph 2. v. 20. Chrys hom 55. in Mat. Basil homil de poenit Emissen hom in natal Pet. Andotâ—ers either of Christ himselfe or of the faith and confession that Peter held whereupon it followeth that they could not thinke those words gaue Peter any more then the rest c De vnit Eccl. Cyprian saith Verily the rest of the Apostles were the same that Peter was indued with equall fellowship both of honour and authoritie but the beginning proceedeth from vnity that the Church might be shewed to be one d Aduers Iouin l. 1. Hierome saith All the Apostles receiued the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and the strength of the Church was stablished equally vpon them all e In Math. 16. Theophylact saith Although it was said to Peter onely I will giue the keyes to thee yet were they also granted all the Apostles When Where he said whose sins ye remit they are remitted f In Math. 16. Anselm saith It is to be noted that this power was not giuen alone to Peter but as Peter answered one for all so in Peter be gaue this power to all My purpose is not to heape much together out of the fathers but by a few places to shew the reader how and in what maner they vsed to speak concerning this matter There are diuers great Papists also who confesse the same whose names I haue set downe in g Digress 30. nu 41. another place 14 The next place of Luc. 22. I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not therfore when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren I confes was spoken to Peter in regard of the sin whereinto more weake then all his brethren he fell shortly after yet notwithstanding it coÌ„taineth nothing which our Sauior meant not to the rest For as he prayed for him so he prayed for all Iohn 17.11.15.17.20 and the contents of his prayer was that their faith should not faile and the very office of Apostleship whereto he called them bound them to strengthen their brethren as h Gal. 2.11 Paul did Peter by reprouing him and made them i Gal. 2.9 pillars and k Eph. 2.20 Apoc. 21.14 foundations wherupon the world being built should recouer strength in which regard our Sauior telleth them they must be l Mat. 5.13.14 the salt and light of the earth m Mat. 28.19 and biddeth them go teach all nations which is as much as he saith to Peter in this place touching the strengthening of his brethren Besides n Plerique patres rectè intelliguÌ„t hanc Christi orationeÌ„ etiam pertinere ad totam Ecclesiam Iansen coÌ„cord c. 133. the Papists cannot deny but this prayer of Christ belongeth to all the Church which it could not if it had bene meant for the making of Peter Prince and head of his brethren whose prerogatiues I hope they vse not so liberally to impart to the whole Church and indeed the ancient writers vse this text indifferently to proue the perseuerance of the elect in faith which were no good kind of reasoning if Christ therein had meant none but Peter 15 The
death for vs which obedience both merited the remission of our sins and effectually wrought the righteousnes of the law For the deriuing whereof vnto vs two things must be done one on Gods behalfe another on our owne That which God doth is called imputation of Christs obedience to vs for the pardon of our sins and the making of our persons acceptable as if our selues had neuer sinned That which we do is beleeuing in Christ and so receiuing that which God offereth both which actions when they meet Gods offering Christ and our receiuing him the iustification of a sinner is then formally accomplished 39 The next terme is faith whereby we do not meane either a fleeting opinion of Gods fauour standing onely in imagination nor yet as our aduersaries define it onely an assent vnto all those things which God hath reuealed beleeuing them to be true but we hold it to be ouer and besides this * Nec fides excludit omnem dubitationem sed dubitationeÌ„ vincentem trahentem in oppositum credibilis Scot. 3. d. 23. an infallible knowledge and apprehension of Gods good will towards vs in particular whereby we apply the speciall promises of the Gospell to our owne selues the which knowledge we hold is obtained two wayes one is by the inward testimonie of Gods spirit witnessing with our spirit that God doth now accept vs for his sons in Christ the other leading hereunto is by the reuelation of the Gospell promising iustification to all that do the things required therein whereto when we by the grace of God and a liuing faith performe them our conscience enlightened with the truth answereth We haue done them By this meanes we say a man may be able to beleeue Christ to be his Sauiour and so beleeuing he apprehendeth the promise and is iustified by his faith as by an instrument that is to say this his consent and obedient yeelding himselfe to beleeue Christ Iesus his Sauiour and his speciall promises is as it were the hand whereby a sinner must receiue Christs obedience for his iustification And if it be obicted that no man can thus beleeue because he knoweth not the wil of God or if he do beleeue thus he may deceiue himselfe I answer that it is in no mans power to attain to this knowledge of himself but as God reuealeth it and worketh it in vs by his word and Spirit infusing it secretly into our consciences by the preaching of the Gospell and our faith and obedience thereunto as a man heareth his friend telling him a secret in his eare wherein if one be diligent and faithfull it will worke three effects in him First it will humble him and shew him his misery and so driue him to Christ for helpe Secondly it will conuert his life and of a profane person make him a godly man Thirdly it will infuse and drop into him by degrees the feeling of Gods good will toward him and so inspire him with comfort from all which he may as infallibly by faith conclude his redemption as if his name were written in the Bible Which I declare by a similitude of a King who sending a pardon to fortie thousand rebels setteth not downe their names in particular but putteth in a condition that all they shall be pardoned that wil lay by their weapons and come to him the which he sendeth a herald to proclaime and the people hearing it do accordingly and thereby know infallibly they are pardoned and if any man would molest them because their name is not expresly written in the pardon they might contemne him and securely conclude their deliuerance from the condition that is expressed In the same maner do we apprehend our iustification by faith For all men being sinners against God he hath sent out the pardon of his Gospell not writing any mans name therein particularly but putting in a condition that so many as will be saued by Christ repent beleeue and obey him the which being published by preaching as soone as the elect heare they receiue and so know infallibly they are pardoned And if any man would molest them as the Papists for example do because their name is not expresly written in the Creed they might despise them and both against theirs and the diuels accusations securely conclude their saluation from the condition expressed thus He that repenteth and forsaketh his sinnes and beleeueth and obeyeth the Gospell vnfainedly shall be saued But I repent and forsake my sinnes I beleeue and obey vnfainedly Therefore I shal be saued The first proposition is expresly contained in the Scripture the second is the perpetuall and constant testimonie of the conscience in such as are called * The Schoolmen confesse they are conclusions of faith which arise from two premises the one wherof is immediatly reuealed in the Scripture the other deduâ—ed by good consequeÌ„ce or naturally knowne and added to that which is reuealed Greg. de Val. tom 3. pa 34. A. B. Medin in 1. 2. q 112. art 5. pag 627. The conclusion therefore must needs be true and cannot deceiue because it is extracted out of the word of God and perfected by the worke of his owne spirit in the conscience where all the generall propositions of the law and Gospel are applied If the second proposition be false as it is in all that abide in their wicked life and impenitencie and infidelitie there is no way but to amend and vse the meanes of reformation vntill the conscience may without error assume it This conclusion thus grounded is that faith that we meane when we say we are iustified by faith and it is so farre from giuing libertie to sinne and excluding a good life that you see a good life and the promise made thereunto are the premises that beget it yea of absolute necessitie they must reform themselues afore they haue it and perseuere in all good workes if they will maintaine it 40 The third terme is Onely whereby the meaning is not to debarre repentance and good workes but to exclude them from being either the righteousnesse that maketh vs accepted to eternall life or the meanes whereby that righteousnesse is applied to vs though they haue their vse and absolute necessitie otherwise repentance in preparing and making vs fit to be iustified by faith and afterward the same with good workes in the life of man For the elect are brought to glorie not by iustification alone but by vocation and sanctification also In the former we say our workes haue no roome at all in as much as it standeth in the clearing of a sinner from the law and the making of him perfectly iust in the sight of Gods iudgement which no mans works can do but only the obedience of Christ communicated to vs by faith In the two other they are required because it is the ordinance of God that if any man come and be in Christ he should repent and be a new creature walking not according to the flesh but
haue seen affirme we may know it by our good desire comfort of minde and good workes Scotus g 3 d. 23. pag. 46 saith As I beleeue God is three in person and one in essence so do I also beleeue my selfe to haue faith infused whereby I beleeue this Dominicus Bannes h In Tho. 22. p. 359. c. saith Euery one that beleeueth seeth that he doth beleeue And i 1. 2. q. 112. art 5. Medina with whō he and k Caiet ib. Ban. vbi supra others consent saith A Christian man by the infallible certaintie of faith which cannot be deceiued certainly knoweth himselfe to haue supernaturall faith Vega l Refert Greg. de Valent to 2. pag. 957. saith Some spirituall men may be so certaine that they are in grace that this their assurance shal be free frō all feare and staggering m Dom. Soto apol c. 2. Others hold that a man may attaine to that certaintie of his owne grace that he may without all doubting be as sure thereof as he is that there is a citie called Rome And some hold n Catharin assert apolog the very certaintie of faith as we teach and define it Next touching the remission of sinnes and eternall life they say o Medin vbi supra pag. 630. I would haue euery beleeuer certainly to hope he shal obtaine eternall life Doctor Stapleton p De iustifie pag. 341. saith We leaue not a sinner hanging in the middest of wauering doubtfulnesse but we place him in good and firme hope when once his conscience witnesseth with him that he hath truly repented I grant indeed that some of these disallow the certaintie of faith in this case and admit a man onely to hope but this is but contention about words and they had as good haue said Faith confidence or trust as hope but for the preiudice of their stomacks For q Stapl. l. 9. c. 11 de iustif Dom. Ban. 22. q 18. art 4. they confesse the certaintie of hope is not any doubtfulnesse wauering one while to this side another while to that as a man thinketh himselfe sometime accepted of God and sometime not but it is a certaintie in the will of him that hopeth both firme and assured excluding all doubtfulnesse touching remission of sinnes The which in effect is as much as we say and full opposite to the Iesuites assertion Againe seeing r Medin p. 627. themselues grant that all conclusions are the conclusions of faith which arise from one proposition contained in the Scripture and another by good consequence added vnto it why should they denie this to be a conclusion of faith My sinnes are forgiuen me For the first proposition is expresse Scripture He that repenteth is pardoned The next assumed to it is euidently knowne in the conscience But I repent The conclusion therefore is of faith Therefore I am forgiuen or such like For no man knoweth he hath faith or any grace but by such and the same discourse that this is The euidence of which reasons haue driuen some Papists to allow vs the name also as wel as the thing For I shewed euen now that Catharinus at the Councell of Trent defended our very assertion that the child of God by the certaintie of faith knoweth himselfe to be in the state of grace The like is written by the ſ Enchirid. Christian instit in Concil Colon pag. 139. Diuines of Colen It is true and required for a mans iustification that he certainly beleeue not onely in generall that such as are truly penitent shal obtaine forgiuenes by Christ but also that the man himselfe which beleeueth shall be forgiuen through faith in Christ And againe This is true that no mans sins are forgiuen him vnlesse he beleeue that he hath obtained forgiuenes through Christ And a Frier in the time of the Councell of Trent u Refert Innocent Gentill exam Concil Trident. preached thus before the Councell Let man saith he abhorring the vaine confidence of his own worthines depend wholly on Gods mercy Let him make account that God as a most louing father is present with him frō whom let him alway expect things ioyfull and happie and let him neuer suffer that perswasion to be striken out of his minde though the difficulties be infinite which the world the flesh and the diuell procure thereby to leade vs from the confidence of God and his most religious seruice Wherefore they do not wander in the maze of doubtfulnesse which through Christ haue obtained righteousnesse but in the securitie of their minde and peace of their conscience and ioy of their heart being taught by the Spirit which testifieth with them that they are the sonnes of God they crie Abba Father 11 Why striue they then so bitterly against vs in this title and why do they racke torment the consciences of men by telling them that without miracle it cannot be known who standeth in grace when vanquisht by the truth they are forced in the end to eare their owne words and confesse it may be knowne by the testimonie of Gods Spirit within vs You shall see the peeuishnesse that is among them I will x Bart. Medina vbi supra pag. 630. saith one of them allow euery faithfull man to hope certenly that he shall obtaine eternall life but to be confident therein with the Lutheran confidence I vtterly forbid him Marke the vanitie and stomacke of our aduersaries they will allow vs to be certaine and confident and we require no more but not with the Lutheran confidence they will communicate with the doctrine vpon a little parly but they wil first giue it a new name to make it Roman-Catholike Luther belike did them some shrewd turne that they would endure his termes no longer in their church They seeme to be in the same taking with him u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the man in y Suidas was toward his Cat for eating vp his Partridge he loued his bird well as the Pope did his crowne and therefore the Cat that deuoured it must looke to dwell no longer in his house but be packing § 42. But hitherto it was neuer heard that almightie God did by miracle or any such certaine way giue testimonie that either Luther or Caluin or anie of their fellowes had this true holinesse or that they were Saints Whereas it hath pleased him to giue testimonie by miracles of the holinesse of diuerse that professed the Romane faith as of S. Benedict S. Anthonie S. Greg. Thaumaturgus S. Bernard S. Francis diuers others who all professed the Romane faith and diuerse of them were religious men and founders of religious orders which Protestants reiect and seeke by all means to disgrace The Answer 1 The first part of this is answered before sect 39. num 1. where I haue shewed how and in what maner God giueth testimonie that we are his Saints and our workes holy whither I referre the Reader The