of the priuiledge of trafficke which the King thereof tenders to our countrimen in this case if the Relators credit bee suspitious it were dangerous to build vpon his report because here he is the principall and only cause vpon whose sole affirmation we can finally rest In like manner if two persons onely bee present at the death of a friend and depose that in this or that manner he bestowed legacies in this case if they be of doubtfull repute it will be hard to determine positiuely what is the truth because that here they are the principall and onely witnesses and there are no other authentike proofes whereby their depositions may be examined But where the Propounder is onely the instrument by whose meanes wee are brought to see proofes of an higher nature and by whose ministerie arguments of greater importance doe display themselues as if the Trauailer shall bring letters of Credence vnder the Hand Seale of the Prince confirming his Relation or if the persons present at the death of their friend shall besides their owne testimonie produce a formall will subscribed by the hands of lawfull witnesses and strengthened by an authentike seale here the possibilitie of erring in the Propounder takes not away the certaintie of the things propounded by him because in this case the same may be supplyed by other more sufficient demonstrations vpon which as the principall causes of our beliefe wee may finally rest Now to apply this to the Church I say that if the Church were the principall or onely Cause for whose authoritie our faith doth finally assent to the mysteries propounded by her then and vpon this supposition it were to be acknowledged that if the Church might erre and that her testimonie were not infallible the assured truth of things so assented vnto could not bee attayned by vs. But wee say that in working an vndoubted assent vnto the mysteries propounded and deliuered vnto vs the Church though it bee one cause to wit an inductiue or preparatiue yet is it not the onely no nor the principall or finall vpon which wee lastly depend The principall and finall causes for whose sake we firmely beleeue those truths which the Church propounds vnto vs touching the Scriptures are two The one the Word of God it selfe with the properties notes and characters aboue mentioned imprinted in the letter thereof which serue as the hand-writing and Deed of the great Maker produced by the Church in confirmation of what shee vtters The other the inward testimonie of Gods Spirit enlightning the eyes of our vnderstanding to discerne the Scriptures by those notes and perswading vs what we discerne stedfastly to beleeue seruing as a seale which confirmes to the consciences of the Elect the Deed to bee lawfull and authentike The former which is the Word it selfe and the notes thereof cannot bee denyed by an ingenious Papist to bee there found for howsoeuer some of them by a iust iudgement of God for being iniurious to the Scriptures in branding them with obscuritie imperfection c. haue beene so blinded by the Prince of darknesse that setting aside the iudgement of the Church no reason to them hath appeared wherefore Aesops Fables should not as well as the Scriptures themselues bee thought Canonicall yet others as Bellarmine Greg. de Valentia Gretser c. doe acknowledge these distinguishing notes to be in their kinde argumentatiue and to shine in them as the excellency of the Doctrine concord efficacie and the like whereby may be verified of the whole Booke of God what the Officers sent by the Pharisies and Priests said of our Sauiour Ioh. 7. Neuer man spake like this man Nor is the later which is the inward testimonie of the Spirit denyed by the learneder sort of Papists to possesse another chief place in the discouerie of the Scriptures For although in popular aire they seeme to vent the contrarie yet when they are called to giue a more sober account in writing they vtter the same in effect which we doe The Church saith Stapleton by reason of her ministerie and mastership receiued of God doth make vs to beleeue but yet the formall reason wherefore we beleeue is not the Church but God speaking within vs. Againe The minde of a faithfull beleeuer saith hee doth rest in the iudgement but not by the iudgement of the Church but by the inward grace of the holy Spirit So Gregorie de Valentia The infallible proposition of the Church saith he is as obscure to vs as any other article of faith whatsoeuer alleadging out of Canus That if a man should aske wherefore he beleeues the Trinitie he should answer incommodiously in saying because the Church doth infallibly propose it And Canus giues the reason Because the last resolution of faith saith he is not into the testimonie of the Church but into a more inward efficient cause that is into God inwardly mouing vs to beleeue If therefore addes Becanus you be asked wherefore you beleeue that God reuealed such a thing and you answere that you beleeue it for the authoritie of the Church it is not the assent of a theologicall faith but of some other faith of an inferiour ranke Many more testimonies might bee added it being a firme position amongst the Schoolemen that principles of faith such as the Scriptures are cannot bee beleeued as they ought to bee but by infused faith But I will conclude where I began with our Countriman Stapleton because he layes downe the very fundamentall reason vpon which this Doctrine is grounded There is the same faith saith hee in the rest of the whole Church which is in the Prophets Apostles and all those who are immediately taught of God They haue one and the same formall reason of their act of beleeuing But the faith of the Apostles and Prophets which was by immediate reuelation was lastly resolued into God alone the Reuealer and did end and rest vpon him onely as the supreme and last cause of beleeuing therefore the faith of the rest of the whole Church hath the same formall obiect These foundations being laid it shall not be hard to shape distinct answeres to the seuerall questions aboue propounded To the first if the testimonie of the Church bee not infallible how shall wee vndoubtedly knowe the Scriptures to bee the Word of God I answere that wee may know them to bee so partly by the light of the Word that is the diuine notes and characters therein imprinted and partly by the enlightning and perswading grace of Gods Spirit enabling vs to see and mouing vs to beleeue what wee see Now on the contrarie I demand of them If one cannot bee assured of the certaintie of the Scriptures propounded by the Church vnlesse the proposition of the Church bee infallible how the lay Papists in this Land doe know any article of faith to be infallibly true considering that few or none of them euer heard the voyce of that Church which they
adhering and yet not promised to bee petra virtute a rocke for vertue in sustayning So that to conclude there may be as you see in many things a likenesse betweene petrus petra this rocke and that stone yet not so much as that a reasonable lapidarie may not distinguish them SECT VI. The obiection drawne from the question how wee may know the authoritie sense puritie and perfection of the Scriptures handled and resolued THe last forme of argumentation which they vse is drawne from the dependancy which they say the Scriptures haue vpon the Church though not absolutely in themselues yet in respect of vs our discerning of them Whence they thus argue if the testimonie of the Church be not infallible how shall we be resolued in these three interrogatiues The first is touching the Scriptures authoritie whether they be the vndoubted Word of God or no The second touching their interpretation what their sense and meaning is The third concerning their puritie and perfection whether they be perfect and entire or maymed and corrupted To prepare the way for the resoluing of these questions we are to note that as to the right apprehension of an obiect by the sense so to the due comprehension of the Scriptures by the soule three things are ordinarily required Viz. 1. First that the Scriptures bee an obiect capable to be apprehended and discerned 2. Secondly that there bee organs and faculties as those of the bodie so these of the soule fitly disposed and qualified to receiue and discerne that obiect 3. Thirdly that there bee a medium that is a middle instrument or meanes to conuey present and vnite the obiect to the organ 1. For the first wee agree that to the end the Scriptures should bee an obiect capable to bee seene and discerned it is requisite that they should be endowed with such remarkable properties and notes as may distinguish them from other writings For we take not to taske to teach vnreasonable creatures as did Saint Francis neither doe we dreame of fanaticall inspirations imagining that God reueales things vnto vs ouer and besides the Word but wee inuite you to looke vpon the markes and characters of the Word and we say as Philip did to Nathaniel Ioh. 1. Come and see Now these properties notes and Characters by which the Word of God becomes an obiect distinct and capable to be knowne by vs are Either 1. Outwardly accompanying it as antiquitie miracles fulfilling of prophesies testimonies of Martyrs and the like which doe onely procure attention and prepare men to beleeue probably and with lesse difficultie 2. Inwardly imprinted in it as first the diuine and spirituall matters therein contayned surpassing all humane wisedom being things which neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard neither haue entred into the heart of man Secondly The forme of the stile void of affectation yet transcending in quicknesse maiestie and fulnesse the Master-peeces of the most polite and elaborat Orators Thirdly The sweet harmonie and consent of parts with parts Lastly The efficacy and vertue which it hath to produce the loue of God and our Enemies to procure the peace of our Consciences to alienate a man from the delights of the Flesh and the World to make him reioyce in afflictions to triumph ouer Death all which doe necessarily conclude the diuine authoritie of the Scriptures seeing nature it selfe is thereby vanquisht and a strong man cannot be bound but by a stronger than himselfe 2. For the second wee agree that seeing wee are not able to discerne the Scriptures by any naturall habit or inbred qualitie of our owne For the naturall man as the Apostle speakes receiueth not the things of the Spirit of God because they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them for that they are spiritually discerned 1. Cor. 2. that therefore wee are enabled thereunto by faith and by the inward enlightning and perswasion of Gods Spirit But I neede not insist vpon a point which Bellarmine himselfe labours so to proue in his 6. lib. de Grat. lib. Arbit cap. 1. 2. and is confirmed by the Tridentine Councell in the 6. Sess 3. Can. 3. For the third which is the medium wee are not of Democritus opinion who thought that if the aire which conueyes the beames of the Starres vnto vs were away one should bee able to spie a pismire in heauen but rather with Aristotle we thinke wee should then see nothing according to that axiome in philosophie In vacuo per vacuum nulla fit visio wee conseut therefore that God hath appointed an ordinarie meanes to conuey and present such celestiall obiects as the Word of God to our view and this ordinarie meanes wee say is the Church to which wee willingly attribute these two ordinarie vses in that imployment Viz. 1. First of a witnesse testifying the authoritie and sense of the Scriptures vnto vs wherein for the effect the papist and wee differ but this that wee say it produceth a faith no more than humane they lesse than diuine 2. Secondly of Gods instrument by whose ministerie in preaching expounding the Scriptures the holy Ghost begets a diuine Faith and other spirituall graces within vs. So that the question betweene vs is not whether we are to exclude the ordinarie ministerie of the Church testifying and propounding the Scriptures vnto vs for this wee doe not Nor on the other side Whether the authoritie of the Church be a sufficient argument of it selfe to produce a diuine assent vnto the same for this the learneder sort of them as anon you shal heare will not affirme But this Whether to the end that we may by the assistance of Gods Spirit and those inward notes and properties found in the Scriptures discerne the Word propounded by the Church vnto vs to be the Word of God infallibilitie be a requisite condition in the Propounder As if in playner termes one should say whether to the end that I may by the visage gesture and garments discerne my friend approaching towards me to bee such an one it bee needfull that the aire which conueyes those formes to my eye bee neuer and at no time capable by reason of mists or other accidents to represent false and deceitfull formes Or this whether to the end that a Gold-smith may by his touch-stone discerne a piece of gold deliuered him to bee good and currant it bee required that the parties credit which sells it him should bee vnquestionable This is that which in effect they affirme and this we denie To resolue therefore the difficultie We graunt that where the Propounder is the principall finall and onely cause for whose sake we beleeue a thing there if the Propounder bee liable to error and deceit a firme and vndoubted beliefe of such a thing cannot be had As for example if one onely Trauailer haue beene in the Indies and brings relation by word of mouth touching the commodities of the Countrie and
Pagnine Caietan Forerius Oleaster Sixtus Senensis Bellarmine and others to bee found in their newest and most approued Bibles Secondly which disparageth the Churches fidelitie and care teaching that it hath lost many bookes of the Old Testament of which Becanus reckons vp particularly no fewer then 18. theol scholast part 2. Thirdly which actually hath lost many articles of faith heretofore defined declared by it as Valentia grants Tom. 3. in Thom. disp 1. All arguing her to bee an incompetent Mistris of other mens purses which hath beene so negligent a guardian of her owne So then let vs cast vp the reckoning and see what small aduantage the Papists haue of vs in these questions of the Scripture Wee runne on thus farre together that to a distinct resolution of them there is required the testimonie of the word speaking outwardly to our eares the testimonie of the spirit speaking inwardly to our hearts and the testimonie of the Church preparing the way by her message for the other two The combate stands chiefely in this that they beleeue the message because they thinke the Messenger cannot lye wee beleeue the message not because wee thinke the Messenger cannot lye but because he which sent him speakes the same by his deede and seale nay farther comes in person along with him and by a double affirmation the one of his word the other of his spirit confirmes the Messengers saying in this particular to bee true so that in fine their lustie brags obtayne but this issue that we beleeue the man for the masters sake they beleeue the master for the mans sake SECT VII The new sleights and deuices which the Iesuites vse in enforcing these arguments touching the Church and the Scriptures BVt see what the Lyons pawes can effect they think to compasse by the Foxes wiles and therefore they haue instilled a method of disputing into the common people which howsoeuer it will not hold water in the schooles yet because it haply passeth the throng in the streets it shall not be amisse to discouer some trickes and deuices of theirs in this kinde that you may see how they detaine the truth in vniustice as the Apostle speakes and that the penurie to which they are driuen is such that now their chiefest warre is but defensiue The first tricke of theirs is to teach the people to require vs to proue and shew by euident demonstration the Scriptures to be the Word of God and that to those which beleeue them not As if one should say Imagine that I gaue no credit to the Scriptures how will you which depend not finally vpon the authoritie of the Church make it appeare by euident conuincing proofes and reasons vnto me that they are the Word of God I could retort and how will you conuince me by the authority of the Church that they are the Word of God if first I beleeue them not to bee so considering that your owne Diuines Bellarmine by name lib. 4. de Eccles cap. 3. confesse that one cannot euidently demonstrate the true Church by any notes to bee the true one but to such an one as first beleeues and receiues the Scriptures because the notes of the Church are from thence to bee taken and deduced But by this question you may perceaue that Poperie is a disease working vpon corrupt humours and cannot domineere but there where the flesh and humane reason weare the breeches First they require one to proue that by such euidence as it is not capable of For principles of faith such as the Scriptures are are apprehended by faith and this faith howsoeuer it bringeth with it certaintie yet it doth not clearnesse Whether you reflect vpon the matter which are things not seene Heb. 11. or the manner it being through a glasse darkely 1. Cor. 13. Againe that certaintie being inward it serues but for the satisfying of ones selfe not for the conuiction of others Secondly they bid vs proue it to one who by Aristotles rule in a like case should bee excluded from being partaker of so high mysteries in that hee is not idoneus auditor that is one that by reason of vnbeliefe is not capable of the right proper proofes which is as much as if one should dispute of colors with a blind man Against which fopperies Thomas Aquinas layes downe two remarkeable propositions 1. part q. â— art 8. The one that Diuinitie is not argumentatiue to proue her principles but onely to proue her conclusions The other that against one which absolutely denies her principles and namely the Scriptures one cannot proceed probando but soluendo that is not by prouing the truth thereof but by dissoluing the reasons brought to the contrarie Their second deuice is to question vs not onely how wee proue the Scriptures in generall to bee the Word of God but also in speciall how wee know the Gospell of Saint Matthew to bee the Gospell of Saint Matthew how we are assured of the sense and interpretation of such a particular verse how wee rest satisfied that this or that syllable is correctly imprinted or that haply not vnderstanding Hebrew and Greeke one may bee confident that our translation accords throughout with the originall This forme of questioning might indeed carry some credit with it if wee either dreamed of a perfection of knowledge in this life or conceiued a paritie of gifts in all men for the discerning of this Word or an equalitie of necessitie in the things therein contayned But forasmuch as we acknowledge neither perfection nor paritie of gifts to be found here nor lastly an equalitie of necessitie in the things to require a distinct answer to all such questions from all men is most vniust and altogether besides the purpose For as touching perfection we confesse with the Apostle that we know but in part and prophesie but in part 1. Cor. 13. 9. And as for equalitie as we ascribe not that degree of iudgement to any one member which we doe to the whole Church so we make the skill of discerning to differ in the members and that in a three-fold respect 1. First in respect of the grace of God enlightning vs which is giuen vnto euery one not equally but according to the measure of the gift of Christ Ephes 4. 7. 2. Secondly in respect of the meanes wherewith the holy Ghost cooperates which are hearing of the Word of God preached meditation studie skill of tongues and the like which are diuers in all For we relye not as I said before vpon speciall and immediate reuelations as the Prophets and Apostles did but on the grace of God concurring with our meditations and the vse of the publike meanes 3. Thirdly in respect of the matters contayned in the Scriptures whereof all display not themselues alike being not all equally and alike necessarie to saluation some imposing an absolute necessitie of beliefe others onely a conditionall that is a preparation of minde to giue fuller credence when it
man faith also by consequence that Socrates is a substance that he is a liuing creature and that hee is reasonable because Man contaynes all these things in his nature So the Scripture saying that Christ hath a body saith by consequence that according to his humane condition he is finite and being finite hath a limited and bounded existencie and therefore cannot bee in many places at the same instant For arte in this is grounded vpon nature and in nature the immediate cause implyes the effect the species the genus the subject the properties the whole the parts one contrarie remooues the other so that these Maximes of Philosophie are but dilated verities being before contractedly contayned in the Letter and adde not any thing to the Scriptures fulnesse but onely are displayed by the vnderstanding facultie as the species and formes of an obiect are by a perspectiue glasse multiplyed and made more visible 3. If we presse them with the force and necessitie of our consequence they bid them demand of vs whether we cannot erre in the deducing of a Consequence if we say we cannot then to tell vs that we oppugne a doctrine of our owne which determineth that the Church may erre and if wee say wee may then they will them to aske vs how wee can build an article of faith vpon a Consequence which by our owne confession is fallible To which wee say first that a posse ad esse non valet argumentum from a possibilitie of erring to an actuall erring an argument will not follow Againe the necessitie of a Consequence depends not vpon the person of him which deduceth it but vpon the intrinsecall vnion and reall affinitie betweene the termes of the Antecedent and Consequent But lastly because they presse vs to shew how we can assure our selues that in this or that particular Consequence we doe not erre considering that there is no subiect wherein we do not acknowledge that we may erre Let me aske them againe how any of them can assure themselues that they know the meaning of the Church in any one article of faith considering that there is none of them in particular the Pope in his chaire excepted which may not by their owne Tenets mistake a word or misse-conceiue the Churches meaning Sure if this reason were of force wee should for the same Cause take away all certaintie of knowledge which comes by the sense which was the error of the Academikes and Pirrhonians For what sense is there which at sometimes by reason of the Medium Organ or Object is not lyable to erre and be deceiued But as Nature which Philosophers say is not defectiue in things necessarie hath for the remedying of these inconueniences endowed man with reason common notions and principles whereby hee is able to iudge of the due site habitude and disposition of things so the God of Nature which is also the God of Grace and knowes the necessitie of his children giues vnto them besides that portion of reason common notions and principles aboue-mentioned the spirit also of discretion for the spirituall man iudgeth all things 1. Cor. 2. So Saint Iohn These things haue I written vnto you concerning them that seduce you but the anointing which you haue receiued of him teacheth you all things 1. Ioh. 2. 26. 4. If the Consequence bee so euident that they cannot for shame denie it then they counsell them to aske vs where the Scripture saith in expresse termes that whatsoeuer followeth by euident and necessarie consequence from her Pages is an article of faith Where they hope to choake vs with an equiuocall acception of the word article For an article of faith is sometimes taken strictly for one of those verities which so neerly touch the foundation of faith that a man cannot be saued vnlesse he expresly know and beleeue it sometimes largely for any Catholike truth whatsoeuer If they take it in the former sense they fight with their owne shadowes for which of our men euer said that whatsoeuer followeth from the Scriptures by euident and necessarie consequence is in such manner and sense an article of faith But if they take it in the latter sense wee need not runne farre for Texts to proue that such consequences are articles of faith and require according to the nature of the subiect and euidence of the deduction a beliefe either explicit or implicit of them because that conclusions as I shewed before lye hid in their principles as a kernell in the shell and that consequences are materially in their premises and being in them are to be esteemed part of them and therefore he which is bound to an absolute beliefe of the one is bound also at least conditionally that is vpon the appearance of the euidence of the consequence to beleeue the other 5. If wee dispute syllogistically they bid them tell vs that not the Scriptures but Aristotle prescribes rules for syllogismes and that Aristotles rules cannot binde the faith As though syllogisticke formes were principall causes of the truth of things and not onely instruments whereby the Truth which was before and might otherwise by naturall Logick and the strength of the common apprehension be perceiued is made somewhat the more easie and apparant For many Conclusions follow necessarily in regard of the matter which are vicious in regard of the forme Galen inuented a fourth figure which others reiect And therefore wee build no more vpon Aristotle in matters of faith then an house is built vpon the Carpenters Hammer Square or Rule which are neither whole nor part of the building though otherwise they conduce thereunto as instruments 6. If wee stop their mouthes either with manifest Texts of Scripture or pregnant consequences then they bid them demand of vs Who shal be iudge Which is a peece of Sophistrie beyond the Deuils who being taken tardie by our Sauiour in misse-quoting places of Scripture forgot to aske the question Who shal be iudge This cauill is squint-eyed and lookes three wayes at once If we say the Holy Ghost then they vpbraid vs with flying to priuate spirits and making our selues Iudges in our owne cause If we say the Scriptures they reply that the Scriptures are not sufficient to execute the place being mute and wanting a voyce to declare which amongst many senses is their owne and if we say the Church then they conceiue the victorie to runne on their side and think we haue granted them their Conclusion But what if we make neither the one nor the other sitting alone to be this Iudge but acknowledge a Concurrency though not equall in all of them and that Concurrency though not to the enacting of the sentence as it is considered in se in it selfe yet to the publication of it quoad nos as it hath reference to vs What then shall become of these sequells And so it is indeed For howsoeuer we make one supreme Iudge in this high Court of Veritie yet wee doe not imagine
him to speake but by writing nor that writing to bee ordinarily read and declared without an Herald The principall Iudge wee say is God himselfe from whom proceedes the knowledge of all supernaturall truths whatsoeuer The instruments whereby hee communicates them vnto vs are threefold first his Spirit whereby he speakes inwardly vnto vs both enlightning vs to behold and perswading vs to beleeue the sense and meaning of his mysteries Yet is not this a priuate spirit because it reueales not ought vnto vs besides the publicke writing nor ordinarily without the ministerie of the Church For to speake more clearely a spirit may be termed priuate Either 1. Ratione Principij in regard of the author and efficient from whence it comes 2. Ratione Subiecti in regard of the subiect or person in which it dwells 3. Ratione Medij in regard of the meanes which it vseth Now the spirit wherby we iudge of diuine truths howsoeuer it may bee termed priuate in regard of the Subiect or Person wherin it inhabites hee being haply as most men are of a priuat condition yet we allow it not to bee priuate either in regard of the meanes which it vseth which are the reading of the Scriptures publike ministerie of the Church Councells Fathers c. or in respect of the Author efficient thereof which is the Holy Ghost the common father of light and grace at which kind of spirit Saint Peter specially aymes when hee saith no Scripture is of priuate interpretation 2. Pet. 1. The second instrument whereby God declares his sentence is the Scripture which is the only outward infallible rule whereby Controuersies may be resolued and decided and is not to be accounted imperfect or vnsufficient for this purpose because all men are not able to pry forth with into the meaning thereof throughout or for that it wants vocall organs to expresse which amidst varietie of senses attributed vnto it is his owne For it promiseth not to doe this but to those who are enlightned with the spirit and which make right vse of the publike meanes as the ministerie of the Church reading of Authors comparing of places and the like Logicians telling vs that an instrument is then sayd to be sufficient not when it serues for all vses and in all manners whatsoeuer but when it serues to such an end and in such sort applyed as the principall efficient hath ordainedit as a writing is then sufficiently legeable if those which haue eyes and a will therunto can read it though to the blind and negligent it seeme otherwise The third instrument whereby God publisheth his decrees is the Church and in it the Bishops and Pastors thereof whether assembled in Councels or otherwise considered in their ordinarie ministerie This holds the place of an Herald and howsoeuer it stands not in equipage with the two former yet God hath commanded vs to heare it and promised that it shall neuer erre in fundamentall points either totally or finally So that in summe the totall and plenary indicature of matters of Faith belongs to the Holy Ghost whereby the Iudge of these things properly taken is he alone the gift of his spirit the Scriptures and the Church are but partiall instruments of promulgation seruing onely as seuerall trunkes and pipes whereby his decree arriues at the eares of our vnderstanding yet if any shall compare the outward instruments together the Church and the Scriptures and demand by which of the two it is that the Holy Ghost speakes properly as hee is iudge of Controuersies and on which wee are finally to rest for his infallible sentence I answer not the Church but the Scriptures First in respect of their dignity because the Scriptures are the immediate worke of God dictated by his Spirit Whereas the expositions of the Church proceed not immediately from God but mediating the voice of the Scriptures Secondly in respect of their certainty for the church is subiect to error the Scriptures are not Againe the truth in regard of the Scriptures is fixt and therefore easie to be there found shee being alwayes lodged in the same bookes but in regard of the Church it is Ambulatorie and therefore needes more search to discouer it there as not being entayled either to chaire place or person Thirdly in respect of the order and manner of knowing them for howsoeuer by a confused knowledge the Church may bee notior Scripturis knowen better then the Scriptures and-before them yet according to a distinct knowledge are the Scriptures notiores Ecclesia knowne better and sooner then the Church for the true Scriptures are knowne by their owne light but the true Church is not knowne but by the light of the Scriptures The conceit that the Church must be accompanied with infallibilitie if to no other end yet to make a finall end of Controuersies vpon earth is ridiculous for if they suppose a finall end of Controuersies amongst all men whatsoeuer first they suppose that which shall neuer be whilest the Church is militant vpon earth for the Apostle tells vs that there must be heresies 1. Cor. 11. Secondly they present a meanes vncompetent to compasse that which they designe by naming the Church of Rome to that office both in that she is a partie and hath not as yet cleared her title to that dignitie and in that infallibilitie in the Iudge is not sufficient to compose differences in supernaturall matters without grace in the hearer which is no coyne that comes out of the Popes treasurie nor hear be that growes in his Garden but raines from heauen where and what measure God pleaseth On the other side if more particularlie they require an end of Controuersies amongst those whom God hath elected and that so farre as is necessarie for the saluation of their soules it is needlesse to attribute infallibilitie to the Church for the seruing of this Cure because to them God supplyes the infallible assurance of his truth by meanes more excellent and agreeable to the nature of his spirituall Kingdome to wit by his Wisedome in furnishing them with a rule both able to bee knowne by its notes and characters and also sufficient to decide all necessarie questions that may at any time be incident by his Grace enabling them to see the truth and demonstrating the certaintie thereof to their consciences and by his Prouidence raising vp faithfull Pastors in one place or other to prepare open and display those verities and decisions to the flocke Many like cratchets to these and answered by the same grounds doe issue daily out of the Iesuits warehouse as for example if wee produce one place of Scripture to proue the meaning of another they bid them call vpon vs to alleadge a third place which shall say that this place ought to bee expounded by that as if wee needed a Text to proue God no lyar or that he doth not contradict himselfe If in disputing vpon any subiect we goe about to destroy their Assertion they will them
sufficient meanes of Calling besides to supply the Pastors negligence and default as first profitable parcells of Gods Word read in the Church and the whole bodie of the Scriptures at hand which though it were in Latine yet many might vnderstand it and this our Sauiour pointed at when hee brings in Abraham in the Parable thus speaking to the rich man touching his brethren habent Mosen Prophetas they haue Moses and the Prophets Secondly The Writings and Commentaries of the Fathers to whose interpretations their Councells binde them to adhere and out of whom diuers of the Papists both ancient and moderne doe confesse as you haue heard that many of the chiefe articles of Poperie were not for a long time brought into the Church nor beleeued Thirdly Schoolemen and others of their owne side which taught publikely in their Vniuersities our very doctrine not I confesse so entirely as they should but some in one point others in another whereby there was both pregnant meanes to know the truth and strong reasons to thinke at least the doctrines so controuerted and diuersly resolued to be in the Popish sense at most no article of faith Lastly there were no Councells generally receaued by all and not excepted at by some which so expresly deliuered the grounds and Tenets of Poperie as now they are vntill the Councell of Trent So then who can denie that they were ours by Calling ours by Ordination by institution and admission ours and why should any doubt but that some were by practice and obedience ours surely God which called Iob amongst the Heathen and the Queene of the South by the bare report of Solomon would not suffer this Calling to be stil in vaine the Ordination to be wholly vnprofitable or that Admission in baptisme to be alwayes frustrate that is to be the sauour of death vnto death and in none the sauour of life vnto life For if sheepe in a pasture where venemous herbes are mixt with wholsome can by the instinct of nature make choise of that which is proper for them and abstaine from the contrarie what maruaile is it if the flocke of Christ who know the voyce of the true Shepheard from the voyce of strangers should by the guidance of Gods assisting Spirit doe the same Who can denie that God hath his Temple where Antichrist hath his Throne seeing Antichrist as the Apostle tells vs is to sit in it or that some of Gods people may bee in Babylon seeing such are warned by the Spirit to come out of her and it were in vaine to command a man to depart a place if he were not there Now if any shall thinke these motiues and considerations of ours especially touching the last sixe hundred yeeres not to be altogether so exact as the Papists require who challenge vs to produce the names of such visible Protestants in all ages as professed the same entire doctrine in all respects that we doe I answere first that it is not our hold that the Church neuer erreth or discordeth from it selfe in minoribus in matters of lesse moment and therefore it is sufficient for vs to shew who professed our faith entirely in majoribus that is such points as of themselues are fundamentall Secondly we say that whereas wee finde a twofold state of the Church in the Apocalypse the one before the loosing of Satan whilest the old Dragon was shut vp in the bottomlesse pit for a thousand yeeres the other after his loosing when the Deuill was to be let free to goe and deceiue the Nations not in one pettie Hamlet but in the foure quarters of the earth that is as Saint Austen expounds it vnder the reigne and tyrannie of Antichrist We are not bound to giue so strict a reckoning and account of our Professors vnder the second state of the Church as vnder the first The reason is because the Church in her first estate was glorious to behold appearing like a Woman clothed with the Sunne But in the latter shee was to be vnder the thraldome of Antichrist and our Aduersaries themselues tell vs that then wee are not to enquire for visible Professors of the true faith or for the publike exercise of Religion so Suarez Bellarmine and others In a word then was the time that the Church was to flee into the wildernesse as was foretold Reuel 12. Now to expect multitudes of people frequent cities pompous splendor affluence of foode and prouision in a wildernesse were extreame madnesse this were to suppose a wildernesse to be no wildernesse In Deserts there may be assemblies of men but they are rare there may be foode but we know it is but little and such happily as is but absolutely necessarie for the life of man and there may be buildings edifices but through the thickets of trees and shades of leaues hardly to bee discerned And so did it fare with the Church vnder the tyrannie of Antichrist There were some alwayes of it but few there were assemblies but not so euident to the eye of the world and there was the foode of the Word and Sacraments but not so plentifull nor euery where so pure as before times But who would thinke that the Iesuites were all this while but in iest and that they are conscious to themselues that the taske which they require to bee performed on our part is not fesable on their owne For let mee but question them from their owne grounds whether the entire articles of faith which the Church of Rome now holds are found mentioned by Writers in all ages The Cardinall and others of the Iesuites ingeniously confesse they were not and namely Indulgences the Churches treasurie the Popes canonizing of Saints c. onely they answer that it followes not that they were not beleeued because they are not mentioned Bee it so but if their articles of faith be not mentioned how will they make it appeare by the testimonies of writers in all ages as they vndertake to doe that such Tenets were from the time of the blessed Apostles held without interruption Bellarmine therefore answeres that the concurrent testimonies of some Writers of greatest note affirming such a Doctrine to haue beene professed beleeued by the Church in all ages none gaine-saying it will serue the turne But here besides that they stand not to their first bargaine which was to produce the testimonies of Writers in all ages I demand of what ages they meane that their writers shall bee to whose concurrent iudgement they will adhere if of the primatiue Church we accept the offer but this will little aduantage them for neither are many points of difference betweene vs and them mentioned by those writers as aboue was specified much lesse affirmed to bee Apostolicall Traditions neither are those which are mentioned allowed of in that sense which they deliuer If the writers of the after Church and namely the Schoolemen let them heare Gregorie de Valentia's owne