recordes and declarations written or vnwritten to be most authentique they cannot be certaine whether euer there had beene such an Emperour as they plead succession from or at least how farre his Dominions extended or where they lay This manner of plea in secular controuersies would be a meane to defeate him that made it For albeit the Christian World did acknowledge there had beene such an Emperour and that many parts of Europe of right belonged vnto his lawfull heire Yet if it were otherwise vnknowne what parts these were or who this heire should bee no Iudge would be so mad as finally to determine of eyther vpon such motiues Or if the Plaintiffe could by such courses as the World knowes oft preuaile in iudgement or other gracious respects effect his purpose hee were worse then madde that could thinke the finall resolution of his right were into the Emperours last will and testament which by his owne confession no man knowes besides himselfe and not rather into his owne presumed fidelitie or the Iudges apparant partialitie So in this controuersie whatsoeuer the Pope may pretend from Christ all in the end comes to his owne authority which wee may safely beleeue herein to bee most infallible that it will neuer prooue partiall against it selfe or define ought to his Holinesse disaduantage 10 Here againe it shall not be amisse to admonish yonger Students of another gull which the Iesuite would put vpon vs to make their Churches doctrine seeme lesse abominable in this point lest you should thinke they did aequalize the authority of the Church with diuine reuelations Valentian would perswade you it were no part of the formall obiect of faith It is true indeed that the Churches authority by their doctrine is not comprehended in the obiect of belieefe whilest it onely proposeth other Articles to bee beleeued No more is the Sunne comprehended vnder the obiects of our actuall sight whilest we behold colours or other visibles by the vertue of it But yet as it could not make colours or other things become more visible vnto vs vnlesse it selfe were the first and principall visible that is vnlesse it might bee seene more clearely then those things which wee see by it so wee would direct our sight vnto it so would it bee impossible the Churches infallible proposal could make a Romane Catholikes beliefe of Scriptures or their orthodoxal sense the stronger vnlesse it were the first and principall credible or primary obiect of his beliefe or that which must bee most clearely most certainely and most sted fastly belieued so as all other Articles besides must be belieued by the beliefe or credibility of it This is most euident out of Sacroboscus and Bellarmines resolution or explication of that point how the Churches proposall confirmes a Roman Catholiques beliefe To giue this doctrine of their Churches infallibility the right title according to the truth it is not an Article of Catholike beleefe but a Catholike Axiome of Antichristian vnbeliefe which from the necessary consequences of their assertions more strictly to be examined will easily appeare CHAP. IIII. What maner of causall dependance Romish beleefe hath on the Church that the Romanist truly and properly beleeues the Church onely not God or his word 1 THe 2. main assertions of our aduersaries whence our intended conclusion must be proued are these often mentioned heretofore First that wee cannot be infallibly perswaded of the truth of Scriptures but by the Churches proposall Secondly that without the same wee cannot bee infallibly perswaded of the true sense or meaning of these scriptures which that Church and we both belieue to be Gods word How wee should know the Scriptures to be Gods word is a probleme in Diuinity which in their iudgement cannot be assoiled without admission of Traditions or diuine vnwritten verities of whose extent and meaning the Church must be infallible Iudge It is necessary to saluation saith Bellarmine that wee know there bee some bookes diuine which questionlesse cannot by any meanes be knowne by Scriptures For albeit the Scriptures say that the Books of the Prophets or Apostles are diuine yet this I shall not certainely belieue vnlesse I first belieue that Scripture which saith thus is diuine For so wee may read euery where in Mahomets Alcoran that the Alcoran it selfe was sent from heauen but wee belieue it not Therefore this necessary point that some Scripture is diuine cannot sufficiently be gathered out of Scriptures alone Consequently seeing faith must rely vpon Gods word vnlesse wee haue God word vnwritten we can haue no faith His meaning is wee cannot know the Scriptures to be diuine but by Traditions and what Traditions are diuine what not wee cannot know but by the present visible Church as was expresly taught by the same Author before And the finall resolution of our belieuing what God hath said or not said must bee the Churches authority To this collection Sacroboseus thus farre accords Some Catholiques reiected diuers Canonicall Books without any danger and if they had wanted the Churches proposall for others as well as them they might without sinne haue doubted of the whole Canon This he thinks consonant to that of Saint Austin I would not belieue the Gospell vnlesse the Churches authority did thereto moue me He addes that we of reformed Churches making the visible Churches authority in defining points of faith vnsufficient might disclaime all without any greater sinne or danger to our soules then wee incurre by disobeying some parts of Scripture to wit the Apocryphall books canonized by the Romish church The Reader I hope obserues by these passages How Bellarmine ascribes that to Tradition which is peculiar to Gods prouidence Sacroboscus that to blind beliefe which belongs vnto the holy Spirit working faith vnto the former points by the ordinary obseruation of Gods prouidence and experiments answerable to the rules of Scriptures 2 Consequently to the Trent Councels decree concerning the second assertion Bellarmine thus collects It is necessary not onely to bee able to read Scriptures but to vnderstand them but the Scripture is often so ambiguous and intricate that it cannot bee vnderstood without the exposition of some that cannot erre therefore it alone is not sufficient Examples there be many For the equality of the diuine persons the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne as from one ioint originall Originall sinne Christes descension into Hell nd many like may indeed be deduced out of scriptures but not so plainely as to end controuersies with contentious spirits if we should produce onely testimonies of Scriptures And wee are to note there bee two things in Scripture the Characters or the written words and the sense included in them The Character is as the sheath but the sense is the very sword of the spirite Of the first of these two all are partakers for whosoeuer knowes the Character may reade the Scripture but of the sense all men are not capable nor can wee in
it reall Atheists or Infidels and Christians onely in conceit or vpon condition If the Church whose authority they so highly esteeme be as infallible as is pretended Heretofore I haue much grieued at the Trent Councels impiety but now I wonder at these graue Fathers folly that would trouble themselues with prescribing so many Canons or ouerseeing so large a Catechisme when as the beginning of Protogoras booke one or two words altered might haue comprehended the entire confession of such mens faith as rely vpon their fatherhoods The Atheist thus beganne his booke De dijs non habeo quod dicam vtrum sint necne Concerning the Gods or their being I can say nothing A priuate Romane Catholike might render an entire account of his faith in termes as briefe De Christo Christiana fide non haebeo quod dicam vtrum sint necne Whether there bee a Christ or Christian Religion bee but a politike fable I haue nothing to say peremptorily yea or no the Church or Councell can determine whom in this and all other points wherein God is a party I will absolutely belieue whilest I liue if at my death I finde they teach amisse let the diuell and they if there be a diuell decide the controuersie Yet this conceit or conditionall beliefe of Christ and christianity conceiued from the former serues as a ground colour for disposing mens soules to take the sable dye of Hell wherewith the second maine streame of Romish impiety will deepely infect all such as drinke of it For once belieuing Gods word from the Churches testimony this absolute submission of their consciences to embrace that sense it shall suggest sublimates them from refined Heathenisme of Gentilisme to diabolisme or symbolizing with infernall spirits whose chiefest solace consists in acting greatest villanies or wresting the meaning of Gods written lawes to his dishonour For iust proofe of which imputation wee are to preuent what as wee late intimated might in fauour of their opinion bee replyed to our former instance of light and colours 9 Some perhaps well affected would be resolued why as hee that sees colours by the sunne sees not onely the sunne but colours with it so hee that belieues the Scriptures by relying vpon the Church should not belieue the Church onely but the Scriptures too commended by it The doubt could hardly bee resolued if according to our aduersaries tenent the Churches declarations did confirme our faith by illustrating the Canon of Scriptures or making particular truthes contained in it inherently more perspicuous as if they were in themselues but potentially credible and made actually such by the Churches testimony which is the first and principall credible in such sort as colours become actually visible by illumination of the principall and prime visible But herein the grounds of Romish doctrine and the instance brought by Sacroboscus to illustrate it are quite contrary For the light of the Sunne though most necessary vnto sight is yet necessary onely in respect of the obiect or for making colours actually visible which made such or sufficiently illuminated are instantly perceiued without further intermediation of any other light then the internall light of the Organe in discerning colours alwaies rather hindred then helped by circumfusion of light externall For this reason it is that men in a pitte or caue may at noone day see the starres which are inuisible to such as are in the open aire not that they are more illuminated to the one then the other but because plentie of light doth hinder the organ or eye-sight of the one Generally all obiects eyther actually visible in themselues or sufficiently illuminated are better perceiued in darkenesse then in the light But so our aduersaries will not grant that after the church hath sufficiently proposed the whole Canon to be Gods word the distinct meaning of euery part is more cleare and facile to all priuate spirits by how much they lesse participate of the visible Churches further illustration For quite contrary to the former instance the Churches testimony or declaration is onely necessary or auaileable to right beliefe in respect not of the obiect to be beleeued Scriptures but of the party beleeuing For as hath beene obserued no man in their iudgement can belieue Gods word or the right meaning of it but by beleeuing the Church and all beliefe is inherent in the belieuer Yea this vndoubted beliefe of the Churches authority is that which in Bellarmine and Sacroboscus iudgement makes a Roman Catholicks beleefe of Scriptures or diuine truthes taught by them much better then a Protestants If otherwise the churches declaration or testimony could without the beliefe of it infallibility which is inherent in the subiect belieuing make Scriptures credible as the light doth colours visible in themselues a Protestant that knew their churches meaning might as truely belieue them as a Romane Catholike albeit hee did not absolutely belieue the church but onely vse her helpe for their Orthodoxall interpretation as hee doth ordinary expositors or as many doe the benefite of the Sunne for seeing colours which neuer thinke whether colours may bee seene without it or no. For though it bee certaine that they cannot yet this opinion is meerely accidentall to their sight and if a man should be so wilfull as to maintaine the contrary it would argue onely blindnesse of mind none of his bodily sight Nor should distrust of the Romish churches authority ought diminish our beliefe of any diuine truth were her declarations requisite in respect of the obiect to bee beleeued not in respect of the subiect beleeuing 10 Hence ariseth that difference which plainely resolues the former doubt For seeing the Sunne makes colours actually visible by adding vertue or lustre to them wee may rightly say wee see colours as truely as the light by which wee see them For though without the benefite of it they cannot be seene yet are they not seene by seeing it or by relying vpon it testimony of them Againe because the vse of light is onelie necessary in respect of the obiect or for presenting colours to the eye after once they bee sufficiently illuminated or presented euery creature endued with sight can immediately discern each from other without any further helpe or benefite of externall light than the generall whereby they become all alike actually visible at the fame instant The Sunnes light then is the true cause why colours are seene out no cause of our distinguishing one from another beeing seene or made actually visible by it For of all sensible obiects sufficiently proposed the sensitiue faculty though seated in a priuate person is the sole immediate supreme Iudge and relies not vpon any others more publike verdite of them On the contrary because the Romanists supposed firme beliefe of Scriptures or their true meaning ariseth onely from his vndoubted beliefe of the churches veracity which is in the belieuer as in it subiect not from any increase of inherent credibility or perspicuity
there any thing too hard for me The Lord had stricken Iacob with the wound of an enemy and with a sharpe chastice meÌ„â— for the multitude of his iniquities wherefore hee cryed for his affliction and said My sorrow is incurable not considering who it was had done all this vnto him for because the Lord had killed they must belieue hee would make aliue againe Their present wounds inflicted contrary to the rules of politique defence where the best pledges of their future health beyond all hope of State-Surgeons And this is the very Sâ—ale of Ieremiahs assurance from the Lords own mouth Thus sayeth the Lord like as I haue brought all this great plague vpon this people so will I bring vpon them all the good I haue promised them And the fields shall be possessed in this land whereof ye say It is desolate without man or beast and shall be giuen into the hand of the Caldeans Men shall buy fields for siluer and make writings and seale them and take witnesses in the land of Beniamin and round about Ierusalem So absolute and all-sufficient was Moses law in particular actions much more in generall or doctrinall resolution that God himselfe for confirmation of his Prophets this distrustfull peoples faith in a point by humane estimate most incredible thought it sufficient to be a remembrance to the Law-giuer For the Lord here saith to Ieremiah concerning this particular Moses many generations before had vniuersally foretold Now when all these things shall come vpon thee either the blessing or the curse which I haue set before thee and thou shalt turne into thine hart among all the nations whither the Lord thy God hath driuen thee then the Lord thy God will cause thy Captiues to returne and haue compassion vpon thee and will returne to gather thee out of all the people where the Lord thy God had scattered thee Though thou wâ—rst cast vnto the vttermost part of heauen from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee and from thence will he take thee And the Lord thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed and thou shalt possesse it and he will shew thee fauour and will multiply thee aboue thy fathers By this rule of Moses according to the prediction of Ieremiah doth Nehemiah afterwards frame his prayers to God direct his enterprise for restauration of Ierusalem Wee haue grieuously sinned against thee and haue not kept the commandements nor the statutes nor the iudgements which thou commandest thy seruant Moses I beseech thee remember the word that thou commandest thy seruant Moses saying Ye will transgresse and I will scatter you abroad among the people But if yee turne vnto me and keepe my commandements and doe them though your scattering were to the vttermost part of the heauen yet will I gather you from thence and will bring you vnto the place that I haue chosen to place my Name there Now these are thy seruants and thy people c. O Lord I beseech thee let thine eare now hearken to the praier of thy seruants who desire to feare thy name and I pray thee cause thy seruant to prosper this day and giue him fauour in the presence of this man He saw the truth of Moses diuine predictioÌ„ confirmed by the Kings present grant of his petition speedy restauration of Ierusalem albeit a Prophet by profession had disswaded the enterprise as likely to proue dangerous to his person CHAP. VIII That the societie or visible Company of Prophets had no such absolute authority as the Romish Church vsurpes 1 DId the Records of antiquity afford vs any the least presumption to thinke that absolute beliefe or obedience might safely be tendered by inferiors as due to any visible Company of men without examination of their proposals by Moses writings since they were extant the society of Prophets in all respects the Romanists can pretend had the most probable title to this prerogatiue Their professioÌ„ or calling was publike and lawfull their distinction from all others eminent their persons and places of residence visible and knowne their promises for enioying the extraordinary presence or illuminations of Gods spirit peculiar many of them venerable for their integrity in ciuill dealings and sanctity of priuate life some of them endued with the gift of miracles In all these and many like considerations that fraternity or collegiate society might iustly haue pleaded all the priuiledges a publike spirit can grant to one sort of men before others For if the more or lesse expresse testimony of Gods word for extraordinary assistance of his spirit or the different measure of his illumination or manner of immediate teaching be that which makes som mens spirit more publike then their brethrens this difference was greater betweene the Priests or Prophets and people of old then since God spake vnto the world by his sonne yet what Prophet did once intimate the necessity of his proposall for notifying the truth of Scriptures What one did euer bewray the least desire to haue his interpretations of them vniuersally held authentique or his particular predictions absolutely assented vnto without further triall then his bare assertion without examination of them by Moses doctrine already establisâ—ed 2 Had they beene the infallible Church representatiue had their assertions though giuen by ioinct consent ex Cathedra or in the most solemne manner vsed in those times beene of such authority as the Romanist would perswade vs a Councell of their Prelates lawfully assembled is Gods people had stood bound to embrace whatsoeuer a maior part of that profession had resolued vpon but this inference though necessarily following the supposed premises the Iesuit I know dare not affirme lest Ahabs bloud vntimely shed by confidence in their infallibility cry out against him Yet Bellarmine too well knowing the liquorish temper of this present age for the most part acquainted with none but table-talke Diuinity to bee such as will swallow down any doctrine bee it neuer so idle prophane or poisonous so it bee sauced with pleasant conceit and merriment would put vs of with this iest That as in Saxonie one Catholiques verdict were to be taken bâ—fore sowre hundred Lutherans so should one of the Lords Prophets haue beene followed in those times before fiue hundred of Baals And Ahab no doubt had so done had not the Diuell taught his Diuines then as hee hath done Bellarmine and his fellowes since to take vniuersality as a sure note of the Church traditions and customes of the Elders for the rule of faith and which is the vndoubted Conclusion of such premisses to follow a multitude to any mischiefe So mightily did the opinion of a maior part being all men of the same profession sway with the superstitious people of those times that Ahabs Purseuant conceiued hope of seducing Micaiah whilst they were on the way together by intimating such censures of schisme of heresie of
grace it selfe would rather haue held the Negatiue For if wee beleeue as the Papists generally instruct vs that wee our selues all priuate spirites may erre in euery perswasion of faith but the Church which onely is assisted by a publike spirite cannot possibly teach amisse in any Wee must vpon termes as peremptory and in equall degree beleeue euery particular point of faith because the Church so teacheth vs not because wee certainely apprehend the truth of it in it selfe For wee may erre but this publike spirite cannot And consequently wee must infallibly belieue these propositions Christ is the Redeemer of the world not Mahomet There is a Trinity of persons in the diuine nature for this reason only that the Church commends them vnto vs for diuine reuelations seeing by their arguments brought to disproue the sufficiency of Scriptures or certainety of priuate spirites no other means possible is left vs. Nay were they true wee should be onely certain that without the Churches proposall wee still must be most vncertain in these and all other points because the sonnes are perpetually obnoxious to error from which the mother is euerlastingly priuiledged The same propositions and conclusions we might condicionally belieue to be absolutely authentike vppon supposall they were Gods word but that they are his word or reuelations truly diuine wee cannot firmely belieue but onely by firme adherence to the Churches infallible authority as was in the second Section deduced out of the Aduersaries principles Hence it followes that euery particular proposition of faith hath such a proper causall dependance vpon the Churches proposall as the conclusion hath vpon the premisses or any particular vpon it vniuersall Thus much Sacroboseus grants 3 Suppose God should speake vnto vs face to face what reason had wee absolutely and infallibly to belieue him but because wee know his words to bee infallible his infallibility then should be the proper cause of our beliefe For the same reason seeing he doth not speake vnto vs face to face as hee did to Moses but as our aduersaries say reueales his will obscurely so as the Reuealer is not manifested vnto vs but his meaning is by the visible Church which is to vs in stead of Prophetes Apostles and Christ himselfe and all the seuerall manners God vsed to speake vnto the world before he spake to it by his onely sonne this Pantheas infallibility must bee the true and proper cause of our beliefe And Valentian himselfe thinks that Sara and others of the old world to whom God spake in priuate eyther by the mouth of Angels his sonne or holy spirit or by what meanes soeuer did not sinne against the doctrine of faith or through vnbeliefe when they did not belieue Gods promises They did herein vnaduisedly not vnbelieuingly Why not vnbelieuingly because the visible Church did not propose these promises vnto them 4 If not to belieue the visible Churches proposals be that which makes distrust or diffidence to Gods promises infidelity then to belieue them is the true cause of belieuing Gods promises or if Sara and others did as Valentian sayth vnaduisedly or imprudently in not assenting to diuine truthes proposed by Angels surely they had done only prudently and aduisedly in assenting to them their assent had not beene truely and properly beleefe So that by this assertion the Churches proposall hath the very remonstratiue roote character of the immediat and prime cause whereby wee beleeue and know matters of faith For whatsoeuer else can concurre without this our assent to diuine truthes proposed is not true Catholike beliefe but firmely beleeuing this infallibility we cannot erre in any other point of faith 5 This truth Valentian elsewhere could not dissemble howsoeuer in his professed resolution of faith hee sought to couer it by change of apparrell Inuesting the Churches proposall onely with the title of a condition requisite yet withall so dissonant is falsity to it selfe making it the reason of beleeuing diuine Reuelations If a reason it be why wee should belieue them needs must it sway any reasonable mind to embrace their truth And whatsoeuer inclines our minds to the embracement of any truth is the proper efficient cause of beliefe or assent vnto the same Yea efficiency or causality it selfe doth formally consist in this inclination of the mind Nor is it possible this proposall of the Church should moue our minds to embrace diuine Reuelations by any other meanes then by belieeuing it And beliefe it selfe being an inclination or motion of the mind our minds must first be moued by the Churches proposall ere it can moue them at all to assent vnto other diuine truthes Againe Valentian grants that the orthodoxall or catechisticall answere to this interrogation Why doe you belieue the doctrine of the Trinity to be a diuine reuelation is because the Church proposeth it to me for such Hee that admits this answere for sound and Catholike and yet denies the Churches proposall to bee the true and proper cause of his beliefe in the former point hath smothered doubtlesse the light of nature by admitting too much artificiall subtlety into his braines For if a man should aske why do you belieue there is a fire in yonder house and answere were made Because I see the smoake go out of the Chimney should the party thus answering in good earnest peremptorily deny the sight of the smoake to bee the cause of his beleefe there was a fire hee deserued very well to haue eyther his tongue scorched with the one or his eyes put out with the other Albeit if wee speake of the things themselues not of his beliefe concerning them the fire was the true cause of the smoake not the smoake of the fire But whatsoeuer it be Cause Condition Circumstance or Effect that truly satisficeth this demand Why doe you belieue this or that it is a true and proper cause of our beleefe though not of the thing beleeued If then we admit the Churches proposall to bee but a condition annexed to diuine reuelations yet if it bee an infallible medium or meane or as our aduersaries all agree the only mean infallible whereby we can rightly beleeue this or that to be a diuine reuelation it is the true and only infallible cause of our beleefe That speech of Valentian which to any ordinary mans capacity includes as much as we now say was before alleadged That Scripture which is commended and expounded vnto vs by the Church is eo ipso euen for this reason most authentike and cleare He could not more emphatically haue expressed the Churches proposall to be the true and prime cause why particular or determinate diuine reuelations become so credible vnto vs. His second Sacroboscus hath many speeches to be inserted hereafter to the same effect Amongst others where Doctor Whittaker obiects that the principall cause of faith is by Papists ascribed vnto the Church he denyes it onely thus far What we beleeue
for the Churches proposall we iointly beleeue for God speaking eyther in his written word or by tradition Yet if a man should haue asked him why he did or how possibly hee could infallibly beleeue that God did speake all the words eyther contayned in the Bible or in their traditions he must haue giuen eyther a womans answere because God spâ—ke them or this because our holy mother the Church doth say so For elsewhere he plainly auowes the Bookes of Canonicall Scripture need not be beleeued without the Churches proposall whose infallible authority was sufficiently knowne before one title of the New Testament was written and were to be acknowledged though it had neuer beene hee plainly confesseth withall that hee could not beleeue the Scriptures taught some principall Articles of faith most firmely beleeued by him vnlesse the churches authoritie did thereto moue him against the light of naturall reason Now if for the churches proposall hee beleeue that which otherwise to beleeue he had no reason at al but rather strong inducements to the contrarie as stedfastly as any other truth the Churches infallibilitie must be the true and only cause both why he beleeues the mystery proposed and distrusts the naturall dictates of his conscience to the contrary In fine hee doth not beleeue there is a Trinitie for in that Article is his instance because God hath said it but hee beleeues that God hath said it because his infallible Mother the Church doth teach it This is the misery of miseries that these Apostates should so bewitch the World as to make it thinke they beleeue the Church because God speakes by it when it is euident they doe not beleeue God but for the Churches testimonie well content to pretend his authority that her own may seeme more soueraigne Thus make they their superstitious groundlesse magical faith but as a wrench to wrest that principle of nature Whatsoeuer God saith is true to countenance any villany they can imagine as will better appeare hereafter But first the Reader must be content to be informed that by some of their tenents the same Diuine reuelations may be assented vnto by the Habite either of Theologie or of faith both which are most certaine but herein different That the former is discursiue and resembles science properly so called the latter not so but rather like vnto that habite or faculty by which we perceiue the truth of generall Maximes or vnto our bodily sight which sees diuers visibles all immediately not one after or by another Whilst some of them dispute against the certainty of priuate spirits their aguments suppose Diuine reuelations must be beleeued by the Habite of Theology which is as a sword to offend vs. Whiles we assault them and vrge the vnstabilitie of their resolutions they fly vnto the non discursiue Habite of faith infused as their best buckler to ward such blowes as the Habite of Theologie cannot beare off 6 Not heere to dispute eyther how truly or pertinently they denie faith infused to be a discursiue habite the Logicall Reader need not I hope my admonition to obserue that faith or beleefe whether habituall or actuall vnlesse discursiue cannot possibly bee resolued into any praeexistent Maxime or principle From which grant this emolument will arise vnto our cause that the Churches authoritie cannot be proued by any diuine reuelation or portion of Scripture seeing it is an Article of faith and must be beleeued eodem intuitu with that Scripture or part of Gods word whether written or vnwritten that teacheth it as light and colours are perceiued by one and the same intuition in the same instant And by this assertion we could not so properly say wee beleeue the diuine reuelation because we beleeue the church nor doe we see colours because we see the light but wee may truly say that the obiects of our faith diuine reuelations are therefore actually credible or worthy of beleefe because the infallible Church doth illustrate or propose them as the light doth make colours though invisible by night visible by day This similitude of the light and colours is not mine but Sacroboscus whom in the point in hand I most mention because Doctor Whittakers Obiections against their Churches Doctrine as it hath beene deliuered by Bellarmine and other late controuersers hath enforced him clearely to vnfold what Bellarmine Stapelton and Valentian left vnexpressed but is implicitely included in all their writings But ere we come to examine the ful incoÌ„ueniences of their opinions I must request the Reader to obserue that as oft as they mention resolution of faith they meane the discursiue habite of Theologie For al resolution of beleefe or knowledge essentially includes discourse And Bellarmine directly makes Sacroboscus expressely auoucheth the Churches authority the medius terminus or true cause whence determinate conclusions of faith are gathered From which and other equiualent assertions acknowledged by all the Romanists this day liuing it will appeare that Valentian was eyther very ignorant himselfe or presumed hee had to deale with very ignorant aduersaries when he denyed that the last resolution of Catholique faith was into the Churches authoritie which comes next in place to be examined CHAP. III. Discouering eyther the grosse ignorance or notorious craft of the Iesuite in denying his faith is finally resolued into the Churches veracity or infallibility that possibly it cannot bee resolued into any branch of the first truth 1 IT were a foolish question as Caietan sayeth Valentian hath well obserued if one should aske another why he beleeues the first truth reuealing For the assent of faith is finally resolued into the first truth It may bee Caietan was better minded towardes Truth it selfe first or secondary then this Iesuite was which vsed his authority to colour his former rotten position That the Churches proposall by their doctrine is not the cause of faith but our former distinction betweene belief it selfe it obiect often confounded or between Gods word indefinitely and determinately taken if well obserued will euince this last reason to be as foolish as the former assertion was false No man sayeth he can giue any reason besides the infallibility of the Reuealer why hee beleeues a diuine Reuelation It is true no man can giue nor would any aske why wee beleeue that which wee are fully perswaded as a diuine Reuelation But yet a reason by their positions must bee giuen why we beleeue eyther this or that truth any particular or determinat portion of Scripture to be a diuine reuelation Wherefore seeing Christian faith is alwayes of definite and particular propositions or conclusions and as Bellarmine sayeth and all the Papists must say these cannot be known but by the Church As her infallible proposall is the true and proper cause why wee belieue them to bee infallibly true because the onely cause whereby wee can belieue them to bee diuine reuelations so must it bee the essentiall principle into which our assent or
existence necessary Whatsoeuer is besides is but a shadow or picture borrowed from his infinite being Amongst created entities all essentially depending on Him Accidents haue a kind of existence peculiar to themselues yet cannot so properly bee saide to exist as their subiects on whom they haue such double dependance Nor can the Moone so truely say my beauty is mine owne as may the Sunne which lends light and splendor to this his sister as it were vpon condtion shee neuer vse it but in his sight For the same reason that for which wee belieue another thing is alwayes more truely more really and more properly belieued then that which is belieued for it if the one beliefe necessarily depend vpon the other tam in facto esse quam in fieri from the first beginning to the latter end For of beliefes thus mutually affected the one is reall and radicall the other nominall or at the most by participation onely reall This consequence is vnsound Intellectiue knowledge depends on sensitiue therefore sensitiue is of these two the surer The reason is because intellectiue knowledge depends on sensitiue onely in the acquisition not after it is acquired But this inference is most vndoubted Wee belieue the conclusion for the premisses therefore we belieue the premisses the better because beliefe of the Conclusion absolutely depends vpon the premisses during the whole continuance of it This is the great Philosophers rule and a branch of the former Axiome And some iustly question whether in Scholastique propriety of speech wee can truely say there is a beliefe of the conclusion distinct from the beleefe of the premisses or rather the beliefe of the premisses is by extrinsical denomination attributed vnto the conclusion This latter opinion at least in many Syllogismes is the truer most necessarily true in all wherein the conclusion is a particulall essentialâ—y subordinate to an vniuersall of truth vnquestionable As hee that infallibly belieues euery man is a reasonable creature infallibly belieues Socrates is such Nor can wee say there be two dictint beliefes one of the vniversall another of this particular for he that sayeth All excepteth none If Socrates then make one in the Catalogue of men hee that formerly knew all knew him to bee a reasonable Creature all he had to learne was what was meant by this name Socrates a man or a beast After he knowes him to be a man in knowing him to bee a reasonable creature hee knowes no more then he did before in that vniuersall Euery man is a reasonable Creature The like consequence holdes as firme in our present argument He that beleeues this vniuersall Whatsoeuer the Church proposeth concerning Scriptures is most true hath no more to learne but onely what particulars the church proposeth These being knowne we cannot imagine there should bee two distinct beleefes one of the churches generall infallibility another of the particular Truthes or points of faith contained in the Scripture proposed by it For as in the former case so in this He that from the churches proposall beleeues or knowes this particular The Booke of Reuelations was from God receiues no increase of former beleefe for before hee beleeued all the church did propose and therefore this particular because one of all 4 The truth of this conclusion may againe from a maine pinciple of Romish faith be thus demonstrated Whatsoeuer vnwritten traditions the Church shall propose though yet vnheard of or vnpossible otherwise to be knowne then onely by the Churches asseueration all Romanists are bound as certainly to beleeue as deuoutly to embrace as any truths contayned in the written word acknowledged by vs the Iewes and them for diuine Now if eyther from their owne experience the ioynt consent of sincere antiquitie or testimonie of Gods spirit speaking to them in priuate or what meanes soeuer else possible or imaginable they gaue any absolute credence vnto the written word or matters contained in it besides that they giue vnto the churches generall veracitie the Scriptures by addition of this credence were it great or little arising from these grounds peculiar to them must needs be more firmely beleeued and embraced then such vnwritten traditions as are in themselues suspitious vncapable of other credit then what they borrow from the Church For in respect of the Churches proposall Which is one and the same alike peremptory in both Scriptures and traditions of what kinde soeuer must be equally beleeued And if such traditions as can haue no assurance besides the Churches testimony must be as well beleeued as Scriptures or diuine truthes contained in them the former conclusion is euidently necessary that they neyther beleeue the Scriptures nor the Truthes contained in them but the Churches proposall of them onely For the least beleefe of any Diuine truth added to beleefe of the Churches proposall which equally concernes written and vnwritten verities would dissolue the former equalitie But that by the Trent Councell may not bee dissolued Therefore our aduersaries in deede and verity beleeue no Scriptures nor Diuine written Truth but the Churches proposall onely concerning them And Sacroboscus bewrayes his readinesse to beleeue the Church as absolutely as any Christian can doe God or Christ though no title of the New-testament were extant For that the Church cannot erre was an Oracle reuealed by God proposed by the Church and beleiued by the faithfull before any part of the New testament was written Now hee that without the Gospel of Iesus Christ would beleeue the Doctrines of faith as firmely as with it beleeues not the Gospel which now he hath but their authorities onely vpon which though wee had it not he would as absolute rely for all matters of doctrine supposed to be contained in it 5 Or further to illustrate the truth of our conclusion with this Iesuits former comparison which hath best illustrated the Romish churches tenent That Church in respect of the Canon of Scriptures or any part thereof is as the light is to colours As no colour can be seene of vs but by the light so by his doctrine neyther the Canon of Scriptures or any part thereof can be known without the Churches testimonie Againe as remoueall of light presently makes vs loose the sight of colours so doubt oâ— deniall of the Churches authoritie depriues vs of all true and stedfast beleefe concerning Gods Word or any matter contained in it God as they plead hath reuealed his will obscurely and vnto a distinct or cleare apprehension of what is obscurely reuealed the visible churches declaration is no lesse necessary then light to discernment of colours The reason is one in both and is this As the actuall visibilitie of colours wholly depends vpon the light as well for existence as duration so by Iesuiticall Doctrine true beleefe of Scriptures wholly depends on the visible Churches declaration as well during the whole continuance as the first producing of it By the same reason as we gather that light in it selfe is more
Sancto dictante quasi per manus traditae ad nos vsque peruenerunt orthodoxorum Patrum exempla secuta omnes libros tam veteris quam noui Testamenti cum vtriusque vnus Deus sit auctor nec non traditiones ipsas tùm ad fidem tùm ad mòâ—es perimentes tanquam vel ore tenus à Christo vel à Spiritu Sancto dictatas continua successione in Ecclesia Catholica conseruatas paripietatis affectu ac reuerentia suscipit veneratur Concil Trident. Sess 4. Decret de Canonicis Scripturis And a little after hauing reckoned vp the Apoctyphall Bookes with the Canonicall they thus conclude Si quis autem libros ipsos integros cum omnibus suis partibus prout in Ecclesia Catholica legi consueuerunt in veteri vulgata Latina editione habentur pro Sacris Canonicis non susceperit traditiones praedictas sciens prudens contempserit anathema sit Omnes itaque intelligant quo ordine via ipsa Synodus post iactum fidei confessionis fundamentum sit progressâ—ra quibijs potissinum testimonijs ac praesidijs in confirmandis dogmatibus instaurandis in Ecclesia moribus sit vsura The Councell was very wise in not expressing as well what vnwritten traditions as written bookes they meant to follow * Respondeo orthodoxos omnes certos esse Ecclesiam circa fidem non posse errare proindeque nec dubitare eius sententiae acquiescere Hoc enim inter caetera reuelata tanquam à Deo dictum ab ipsa matre Ecclesia acceperuÌ„t quae quidem veritas ante scriptam vllam noui testamenti parteÌ„ dicta à Deo ab Ecclesia proposita à fidelibus credita fuit hodie quoque crederetur etiamsi noui testamenti ne vnus quidem apex scriptus extaret quemadmodium reuelatae veritates à fidelibus credebaÌ„tur per annos bis mille in statu legis naturae ante exaratuÌ„ à Mose Pentateuchum Sacrob def Decr. Trid. Sent. Bell. C. 6. Par. 1. pa. 109. The two main branches of Romish infidelity springing from her former two positions Math. 4. v. 5. * Luke 12. 48. An obiection which might bee made in fauour of the Romanists answered and retorted Vide Sect. 2. cap. 1. Sect. 4. c. 4. * Nihil igitur efferunt qui Ecclesiae authoritatem non absolute sed ex conditione ponuÌ„t Si namque ad cum modâ— res habet mihi quoque fides habenda est quando pronunciauero secundum Scripturas rectè intellectas Id enim est noÌ„ mihi sed Scripturae credere Canus lib. 4. cap. 4. Vide lib. 4. sec 2. chap. 5. The greater morall or historicall beliefe the Romanist hath of the truth or true meaning of Scriptures the greater his condemnation by subscription to this doctrine of the Churches absolute infallibilitie * This argument holds as we say à fortiori of faith infused for no man can be so fully persuaded that he hath diuine faith infused of any point but must renounce his perswasion wheÌ„ the church defines the coÌ„trary whose definition or asseueration be it a cause or condition of beleeuing wil fully perswade the Romanist that hee nowe hath diuine infused saith of the contrari◠〈◊〉 that hee beleeued before For his divine infused saith his habit of Theologie may not disagree and yet in this case his habit of Theologie may not yeeld vnto the other because it hath the Churches testimonie which it is supposed the other wanteth Sect. 2. Chap. 2â— Porag 9. Annot. That this doctrine emboldens such as embrace it to glory in villany Quotiescunque Romanus Pontifex in sidei quaestionibus definiendis illa qua est praeditus authoritate vtitur ab omnibus fidelibus tanquam doctrina fidei recipi diuino prâ—cepto debet eu sententia quam ille decernâ—t esse sententiam fidei Totiâ—s autem eum ipsa authoritate vti credendum est quoties in controuersia fidei sic alterutram sententiam determinat vt ad eam recipiendam obligare velit vniuersam Ecclesiam Valent. tom 3. in Aquinat Disp 1. Quaest 1. De obiect fidei Punct 7. §. 39. * Distinguendi sunt modi quibus potest contingere Pontificem aliquid asserere Primo enim potest sibi persuadere aut asrere aliquid vt priuata persona quaedam vel doctor alius quispiam vt si nollet Ecclèsiam vniuersam ad recipiendam suam assertionem obligare sed tantum sententiam ipse suam reputaret veram Hoc modo Innocentius 3. nonnulli alij Pontifices opuscula varia ediderunt Ac illa quidem quae sic Pontifex asseuerat communis sententia omnium Theologorum est non oportere esse omnia vera infallibilia quasi à Pontificia authorità te profecta Quin imo à plerisque authoribus conceditur sieri posse vt Pontifex tanquam quaedam priuata persona in haeresim labatur Ibidem * Secundo modo potest Pontifex aliquid asserere obligando vniuersam Ecclesià vt illud recipiat nec quisquam audeat sibi persuadere contrarium Et quaecunque Pontifex aliqua de religione controuersia sic asserit certa side credendum est illum infailibil ter ac preinde ex authoritate Pontificia hoc est ex diuina assisseÌ„tia id asserere Ibidem * Itaque quod ad Canonizati onem Sanctorum attinet amiâ—ino nego id quod communiter doctores Catholici iure optimo negant videâ—â—â—et posse Pontificem hac in parte errare Quamuis enim testimonia quae pro aliâ—uius hominis sanctitate esseruntur siut humana idâ—oque natura sua faltibilia tamen posito quod Pontifex illis inducatiâ— tendem ad pronunciandum quempiam sanctum at que beatum iam essè certa fide credendùm est testimoniâ—â—lla quatenus in genere saltem probant piè atque sanctè quenquaÌ„ ex hac vâ—ta excessesse vera esse et hommeÌ„ eiâ—smodi ex eorum esse numcro quos per revelationes Scripturae generales in communi constat diuinae gratiae beneficio conseqâ—â— aeternae vitae beatitudinem Quae saâ—â— certituÌ„do issdem illis Dei promissionibus nititur ex quibus compertum habemus nunquam esse futurum vt vniuersa Ecclesia in rebus religionis fallatur â—â—â—loretur autem 〈…〉 si sen sum reputaret ac pro tali veneraetur eum qui sanctus non est Hic autem illud quuÌ„d 〈…〉 ab orthodoxis probatum atque defensum est tanquam ex fide certum pono nemperem esse amnino quae ad Ecclesie aedificationem adenque ad off tium Pontificis pertineat vt Sancti quidam aliquando canoniâ—â—ntur ac 〈…〉 Ecclesiam debere vt sanctum venerari illum quem samâ—us Pontifex num no sanctorum adseribit sicut etiam vsus ipse perpetuus atque traditio Ecclesiae confirmat Valent. ibidem § 40. * Psal 14. v. 1. The fearefull manner of Iesuites tempting God in maintaining this argument *
THE THIRD BOOKE OF COMMENTARIES VPON THE APOSTLES CREEDE Contayning the blasphemous Positions of Iesuites and other later Romanists concerning the authoritie of their Church Manifestly prouing that whosoeuer yeelds such absolute Beleefe vnto it as these men exact doth beleeue it better then Gods word his SONNE his PROPHETS EVANGELISTS or APOSTLES or rather truly beeleeues no part of their writings or any article in this CREEDE Continued by THOMAS IACKSON B. of Diuinitie and Fellow of CORPVS CHRISTI College in OXFORD 1. King 18. v. 21. How long halt yee betweene two opinions if the Lord be God follow him but if Baal follow him LONDON Printed by WILLIAM STANSBY and are to be sold by Iohn Budge at the great South doore of Paules and at Brittaines Bursse 1614. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD AND MY HONORABLE LORD WILLIAM BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE L. BISHOP OF DVRHAM Grace and Peace bee multiplied RIght Reuerend Father the sweet refreshing your Honourable fauours did yeeld to such of my labors as hitherto enioy the light when a suddaine vncomfortable blast had sorely nipt them in the very setting makes these last gatherings of that spring seeke that comfortable warmth vnder your benigne protection which the vnconstant frowning season would hardly affoord them in their growth Besides these and other my personall obligements that famous and worthy founder of this Attick Beehiue of whose sweetnesse would God I had beene as capable as I haue beene long partaker had neuer allotted any Cell therein for me or other Countriman of mine but with particular relation to that seat of dignitie which he sometimes did your Lordship now doth and to the encrease of Gods glorie and good of his Church long may enioy Seeing this our great foster Father is now ignorant of his childrens demeanor and knowes not me it shall be my comfort to haue his honourable successors witnesses of my care and industrie to fulfill his godly desire whose religious soule in his life time as his written lawes doe testifie did detest nothing more then idlenesse in the Ministrie specially in his adopted Sonnes The matters I here present vnto your Lordships the worlds view are sometimes in themselues so harsh and hard to be concocted as he that would striue to make them toothsome vnto nice tastes should put himselfe to excessiue paines vnlesse his iudgement be much riper his wit readier his inuention pleasanter his opportunities better and his leisure greater then mine are But it is one and the same point of iudgement not to require exact Mathematicall proofes in discourses of moralitie or a smooth facile Rhetorical stile in Logical or Scholastique conflicts And as by the statutes of that societie wherein I liue I am bound to auoid barbarisme so my particular inclination moues me in controversies especially to approue his choice that said Fortia mallem quam formosa If any professed enemie to the truth we teach will answere me from point to point or attempt not as their custome now is only in scoffing sort but seriously to auert those vnsupportable but deserued imputations I lay vpon the foundation of his Religion I shall I trust be able to answere him the better by continuance of your Lordships wonted fauours whom I still request the Christian Readers as many as reape any profit from my paines on my behalfe to remember with such respect as is due to honorable Patrons of religious studies or cherishers of painefull endeuours in good causes From Corpus Christi College March xxv 1614. Your Lordships in all obseruance THOMAS IACKSON To the indifferent Reader specially to the learned Artists of the two famous VNIVERSITIES CHristian and beloued Reader I haue been detained in this entrie though not longer then the structure of it required yet then I my selfe or thou perhaps could haue wished for speedier dispatch of the maine edifice intended Somewhat notwithstanding to my apprehension I had obserued whereby Artists more accurate but yonger Diuines then my selfe whose furtherance in the like throughout all my meditations I still respect might bee directed for taking sure hold of their slipperie antagonists in this conflict And finding my selfe euery day then other more vnapt more vnwilling at least to bee any Actor in quarrels of this nature because most desirous to spend my mortall spirits in opening the pleasant Fountaines of immortalitie I thought it not altogether vnlawful to dispence with these labours for a while in hope to prosequute them more safely and with better successe hereafter by seconding such as had gone before mee with my small strength for intercepting these despitefull Philistims which continually labour to damme vp these sacred Wells of life Many excellent wits and graue Diuines as well in our English as other reformed Churches I knew had accurately deciphered the speciall characters of the Beast and demonstrated most properties of great Antichrist vpon the Pope But that the fundamentall charter of the Romish Church or the commission pretended by Iesuites for the erection of it should as the manner was to demolish lesser religious houses for building others more magnificent extend to raze the very first foundations of religion as common to Christians Iewes and Turkes that the acknowledgement of such infallibilitie as they Deifie her with should be more incompatible with Christianitie then any Idolatrie of the Heathen that such as absolutely beleeue all her decrees without examination truely beleeue no article of this Creede with the like principall branches of Antichristianisme were points for ought I knew rather touched by the way or proposed as clear in themselues to the indifferent and ingenuous that iudge of the Romish Church by the knowne picture of her misse-shapen limmes then prosequuted at large or with purpose to pull off that artificiall painting wherewith late Iesuites haue so beautified this vgly Monsters face that the world bewitched with gazing too much on it cānot but loue her other deformities though in themselues most loathsome For though the practises enioyned by her bee so vile as would haue caused Rome Heathen to haue blushed at their mention or her other doctrines so palpably grosse that her owne Sonnes heretofore haue derided them and as yet spare to speake ought in particular for their defence yet to salue all this it must suffice that the Church which cannot erre hath now authorized them If any thinke I preiudice the truth of moderate accusations by laying such heauie imputations vpon this doctrine as make it incomparably more detestable then any other hee speakes not inconsequently to his positions if hee hold the Trent Councell was infallibly assisted by the holy Ghost or that the Pope in Cathedrall resolutions cannot erre But he which thinkes foule impieties may bring Romish Prelates out of fauour with the spirit of truth and make them as obnoxious to errors as others are or can perswade himselfe that many practises and opinions by that Church alreadie authorized are in their nature abominable and impious must either accord to me
and the Churches not all in all For vnto that which men cannot know whether it bee true or false they cannot be bound to yeeld absolute or immediate obedience vnto that authoritie which they absolutely beleeue as infallible they are bound to yeeld infallible assent and absolute obedience directly in it selfe and for it selfe But by this supposition men cannot know Scriptures infallibly without the Churches authoritie and yet they must infallibly beleeue the Churches authoritie without Scriptures The Scriptures authoritie therefore is either lesse then the Churches or none at all 6 But be it supposed that priuate mens infallible beleefe of the Churches publike spirit is grouÌ„ded vpon Scriptures acknowledged by vs and vrged by them to this purpose as vpon these it seemeth good to the Holy Ghost vs I haue prayed for thee thy faith should not faile The question whereunto wee demaund an answere is whether this infallible beleefe of the Churches authoritie grounded vpon these places must be wrought in mens heartes by a priuate or publique spirit If by a priuate spirit onely Bellarmine beleeued the Churches publique spirit or those Scriptures truth or true meaning whereon he grounds it Hee and all other Papists such as hee was when hee deliuered this Doctrine neither Bishops nor Cardinals are subiect to the same inconueniences which he hath condemned vs for as Heretiques For all priuate spirits by his positions are obnoxious to errour vnsufficient to plant any infallible perswasion in matters of faith yet such is this article of the Churches authentique spirit of which vnlesse men be so perswaded infallibly perswaded they cannot bee of the minor proposition in any Syllogisme wherein a point of faith is concluded and vncertaine of the minor they cannot be certaine of the conclusion which as Bellarmine rightly obserues alwayes followes the weaker part The infallible conclusion therefore of Bellarmines resolution is vnlesse priuate men may haue publique spirits to warrant the truth of Scriptures and the Churches infallibilitie thereon grounded they cannot truly beleeue any conclusion of faith It remaines then we inquire what inconuenience wil follow if they admit priuate men to be partakers of publike spirits 7 Diuersitie of such spirits they acknowledge not If therefore priuate mens infallible assent vnto the truth or true sence of those particular Scriptures whence they seeke to prooue their Churches infallibilitie must be planted by a publique spirit planted it must be by the same spirit which guides and guiding makes the Church and Pope authentique and infallible both in their proposall of Scriptures and declaration of Scriptures sence Seeing this spirit is one and the same if it can make the Church or Pope infallible in all why may it not make all priuate men by this supposition partakers of it alike infallible at the least in the right vnderstanding of those places which warraÌ„t the Churches infallibilitie or publique spirit For our aduersaries I hope will easily grant that the Churches publique and authentique spirit must be most infallibly beleeued because so expressely taught in those Scriptures cited by Bellarmine to this purpose If this publike or authentique spirit can worke such infallible apprehension of those places true meaning in priuate heartes why not in all others as necessarie for them to know that is in all necessarie to saluation And if thus it doe why are wee bound to beleeue the Pope more then the Pope vs wee being partakers of a publique and infallible spirit aswel as he 8 Or if they hold it no absurditie to say wee must beleeue two or three places It seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and vs Peter feed my sheepe by a pubâ—ique and authentique spirit teaching vs from these to relie vpon the Pope in all other parts of Gods Word because as it must be supposed we haue but a priuate spirit for their assurance by this supposition the Popes authoritie in respect of vs must haue the same excesse of superioritie vnto Scriptures that publike spirit hath vnto a priuate or the Pope who beleeueth all Scriptures by a publike spirit hath vnto a priuate man This publike spirit wherof they vauÌ„t is the same which did inspire the scriptures to Moses the Prophets and Apostles and must by this position be the Pope or Churches immediate ageÌ„t for establishing this inuiolable league of absolute alleagance with mens soules vnto them but of none so absolute to their Creator and Redeemer and the rest of whose written lawes and eternal decrees must be communicated vnto them by a priuate spirit and subscribed vnto with this condition If the Pope shall witnesse them to be his lawes or to haue this or that meaning 9 Nor can our aduersaries dense the truth of this subsequent collection If it were possible for the Pope in matters controuersed to teach contrarie to Gods Word wee were bound to follow him For they themselues argue thus If the Pope could erre in matters of faith faith might perish from the Earth all Christians bound to erre because bound to obey him This prooues that our assent to any Scriptures besides those which teach the Popes authoritie cannot in it selfe be perfect and absolute but subiect to this condition if the Pope be infallible And euen of those places which as they pretend witnesse him to be such there yet remaines a farther difficultie These the Pope beleeues not because they are confirmed to him by his predecessor but directly and immediatly by his publique spirit But may priuate men beleeue them so too No. For these especially and the Churches infallibilitie contained in them are by all our aduesaries consent propositions of faith in respect of vs need by their doctrine the proposall or testimonie of the Church whereon all priuate mens faith must be immediately grounded beleeuing this we shall from it at least conioyned with Scripture beleeue all other parts of Gods Word necessarie to saluation aswell as the Pope doth these former from the testimonie of his publique spirit Wherefore his authoritie must be vnto vs altogether as great as the authoritie of the Godhead is vnto him which is farre greater vnto him then it is or can be to any others for euen that which is acknowledged for Gods Word both by him and vs must be lesse authentique vnto vs then the wordes of this mortall man 10 For though we pardon our aduersaries their former absurdities in seeking to prooue the Churches authoritie by the Scripture and the Scriptures by the Churches though we grant them all they can desire euen what shall appeare in due place to be most false That whiles they beleeue the Popes particular iniunctions or decisions from a presupposal of his vniuersal transcendent authoritie they doe not onely beleeue him or his wordes but those partes of Gods Word vpon which they seeme to ground his infallibilitie yet our former argument holdes still most firme because that absolute assent which priuate men must giue vnto these supposed grounds of their Religion before
that blessed mouth which spake as neuer mans did For it is a worke of great iudgement nay of the spirit ouerruling the flesh to make men rellish their doctrine whose liues conuersations they loath And such as are but schollars though neuer so meane to an excellent master will vsually be puft vp with a conceit of themselues from other mens conceit and commendations of him and in this humor scorne to learne of any more meanely qualified or of lesse estimation in the same profession Againe there is a iealousie in most illiterate minds that their Preacher if hee follow not such lessons in his life as hee giues them doth not teach them as they should bee taught nor instruct them sincerely as hee thinkes but rather in policy inioynes them strictnesse of life that hee himselfe may follow his pleasures without partners 5 Hence vsually are many wholesome spirituall medicines disproued ere proued or tasted because the parties vnto whom they are tendred haue no conceit or rellish of any good but what is pleasant to sense or profitable for secular purposes such as none that truely thinke or call good but will so entertaine it in action and resolution neuer willingly preferring the lesse before the greater both being of the same kind If a man should make choice of that bargaine which he would perswade as lesse commodious vnto others none would belieue hee spake sincerely as hee thought but rather cunningly to preuent others or to effect his owne gaine without a sharer But whilest secular good stands in competition with spirituall albeit wee approue the one as truely good and condemne the other as euill yet euen the best of vs is often enforced to take vp that complaint To will is present with me but I finde no means to performe that which is good for I doe not the good things which I would but the euill which I would not that doe I. Rude and illiterate mindes ignorant of this difference betweene sensitiue and spirituall good as altogether vnacquainted with the one out of their owne custom alwayes to act what they intend suspect their Pastors whilest they commend wholesome food vnto them do not thinke because they do not as they say From this sourse issue these or the like mutterings amongst themselues Tush if our Parson were of the same minde out of the Pulpit as he makes shew for in it why should bee not frame his life accordingly Doth he loue vs trow we better then himselfe nay I warrant him hee is old inough to know what is good for himselfe and if he knew that which he bids vs do to be as good for him as hee would make vs belieue it is for vs what a Gods name hinders him from doing it he hath little else to doe besides much lesse I am sure then any of vs. 6 To meet perhaps with all these but especially with this last temptation our Sauiour giues his auditors this preseruatiue The Scribes and Pharises sit in Moses chaire all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe but after their workes doe not As if hee had said Though their liues bee hypocriticall and bad yet bee not too iealous of their doctrine They deliuer that ordinarily vnto you which Moses did teach your forefathers The doctrine is exceeding good howsoeuer these cursed hypocrites do not follow it But this is Gods iudgement vpon them that they should see the truth with their eyes and not vnderstand it by laying it to their hearts 7 This I taâ—e it is the drift of our Sauiours speech whence the vniuersall noâ—e whatsoeuer must bee restrained to such materiall doctrines as the Scribes and Pharises themselues either expresly deliuered out of Moses or whiles they interpreted him commended to others as good in the generall howsoeuer they shrunk backe or shufled when they came to the practise of such particulars as crossed their humors or vnto these precepts of good life whose truth and equity their auditors might easily haue acknowledged either from their conseruancie with the principles of nature or other vndoubted mandates of Moses law or from the authority of bad yet lawfull teachers whose aduise is alwayes to be followed as good vnlesse there be iust suspition of euill or sinister respects of which their bad liues are then onely iust presumptions when they handle particulars that concerne themselues as making for their gaine credite glory Apologies in bad courses or auertment of deserued disgrace 8 If we take this whole vniuersall affirmatiue Whatsoeuer they bid you that obserue and do in that sense our Sauiour meant it it is but equiualent to this or the like vniuersall negatiue Leaue nothing vndone that either Moses or such as sit in his seat commandes as good or your conscience cannot iustly witnes to bee euill albeit they which commend it to you for good are euill and cannot teach themselues to doe it Few Preachers in any well ordered Church are so vnlearned or bad of life but what they solemnely one time or other deliuer out of Moses and the Prophets might be a sufficient rule for their hearers internall thoughts and outward actions did not the flocke preposterously make their Pastors doings the rule of their thoughts and sayings alwayes suspecting that as not good which they see left vndone and accounting all lawfull for themselues to doe which they see done and practised by their leaders When as not the Pastors liues or doings but their sayings are to bee made rules of other mens liues and actions And our Sauiour enioynes the former obedience vnto the very Pharises who spake as well and did as ill as any could doe very patterns of hypocrisie In expounding Moses hey could not but often inculcate the orthodoxal doctrine of good workes of almes deedes and liberality yet retained they the rootes of auarice in their hearts whose bitternesse would bewray it selfe vpon particular occasions All these things heard the Pharises saith Saint Luke which were couetous and they mocked him They often exhorted others to circumcise the heart to be humble and meeke as Moses was yet remained proud themselues ambitious of highest places in the Synagogues inwardly fully of rauen and wickednesse They often taught others as Moses had done to walk vprightly as in the sight of the Lord their God and yet did all their works to bee seene of men They had often taught their auditors to honour father and mother and learnedly discoursed vpon the equity of this precept in generall yet could vpon priuate respects dispense with it in sundry particulars They said well in the former and did ill in the latter And albeit they iustified their practise by tradition of the elders as the Pontificians doe theirs when they absolute subiects from the bond of duet to their ciuil or children to their naturall parents that they may bee more seruiceable to the Church their mother yet their sayings in these Apologies were but accessary to their doings not
was shall proue true and profitable vnto Christians as instituted by God for the peoples good yea â—hey shall proceed from the holy Ghost for the reason which wee haue learned of the Euangelist to wit because such as giue them are Prelates of Christs Church And this is all I haue to say vnto the second argument 12 It is easie indeed for them thus to answere to whom it is most easie and most vsuall to blaspheme That the Popes aswell as Caiaphas prophecies may in the euent proue true and profitable to Christs Church wee doe not doubt because vnto such as loue God or are beloued of him all things euen Sathans malice that had suborned Caiaphas and his brethren against Christ and his members turne to the best But hee that had taken this High-Priest whilest hee vttered this sentence for an infallible Prophet of the Lord had been bound in conscience to haue done so to our Sauiour at his as the people did to Baals Priests at Elias instigation If our aduersaries will permit vs to interprete the Trent Councels decrees as the faithfull of those times did Caiaphas prophecie wee will subscribe vnto them without delay It is expedient wee grant and profitable withall vnto the Church that there should bee such decrees whereby the faith of others might bee tried But as it was not lawfull for the people to imbrue their hands in Christs bloud though the greatest benefite that euer befell the world was by his death so neither is it safe to admit the Trent Canons though a wonderfull blessing of God they should be set forth because they so clearely testifie the truth of his word concerning Antichrist Canus said more in this then was needfull according to his supposed principles in his answere to the next argument But God who ruled the mouth of Caiaphas and made him speake the trueth when hee intended nothing lesse did also direct Canus penne to vent what vpon better consideration hee would haue concealed Yet herein hee wrote but out of the abundance of his owne and most of his fellowes hearts who hold that the Priests and Pharises did erre onely in a matter of fact not in any point of faith when they condemned Christ Of which in the next Chapter For conclusion of this consider with me Christian Reader how great cause we haue to thanke our gracious God that the sect of Iesuites or rabble of Predicants were not founded in our Sauiours dayes for then doubtlesse the Diuell had picked a traitor out of that crue whose impudent sophisticall Apologies for open blasphemie and vnrelenting perseuerance in traiterous plots might haue outfaced the world that the deliuering of Christ into his enemies hands had beene no such sinne as Iudas testified it was both by his penitent speech and desperate end CHAP. IIII. What it would disaduantage the Romish Church to deny the infallibility of the Synagogue 1. THat any visible company of men before our Sauiour Christs time did challenge such absolute authority ouer mens faith as the Pope doth would bee very hard for them to proue no question but the High-Priest and Rulers amongst the Iewes did oftentimes challenge more then they had If the Romanist should say that they had no such infallible authority in deciding all controuersies as their Church now challengeth the assertion would be as improbable in it selfe as incongruous to their positioâ—s For vnto any indifferent man such infallibility in the Watch-Tower of Sion must needes seem more requisite during the time of the law then since the promulgation of the Gospell Bee it granted the points to be expresly beleeued of the ancient people were but few yet euen such of them as were most necessary to saluation were more enigmatically and mystically set downe then any in the new Testament are and the measure of Gods spirit vpon euery sort of men the vulgar especially in those times much lesse For this cause God raised vp Prophets to instruct them whose authority though it was not such as the Romane Church now challengeth but giuen to supply the ignorance and negligence of the church representatiue in those dayes yet much greater then is ordinarily required in the light of the Gospell by which as the doctrine of saluation is become most conspicuous in it selfe so is the illumination of Gods spirit more plentifull then before it had beene And since the Prophets haue beene so clearely expounded by the Apostles and the harmony of the two Testaments so distinctly heard the ordinary testimony of Iesus is become equiualent to the spirit of Prophesie Allowing then these infinite ods on our parts that enioy the labours of formers ages with the ordinary preaching of the Gospell an infallible oecumenicall authority is much lesse needfull now then it was in the law 2 Or if our aduersaries will bee so wayward as to deny the like infallibility to haue beene requisite in the ancient Iewish Church they shall hereby thwart euidently themselues disanull their chiefe title and vtterly disclaime the maine plea hitherto vsed for their owne infallibility For most of them doe vrge Gods promises made vnto that Church to proue a necessity of admitting a like authority in theirs And if these promises made to the Iewes admit any distinction condition or limitation whereby this most absolute infallibility as they suppose it may bee empaired then may all the promises made or supposed to bee made vnto their Church admit the same or like But besides the weakning of their title by debarring themselues of this plea drawne from the example of the ancient Iewish Church no man that reades their writings can bee ignorant that all their chiefe and principall arguments wherewith they carry away most simple soules and importune such as almost neither feare God nor man to giue sentence for them and their Church against vs are drawn from these or the like tropicks vnlesse God had ordained one supreme Iudge or infallible authority that might decide all controuersies in matters of faith viua voce he had not sufficienly proued for his Church yea which were most absurd hee had left it in worse estate then ciuill Estates are for ordinary matters for they besides their written lawes haue Iudges to determine all cases or controuersies arising And seeing that Monarchicall gouernment is of all others the best and in any wise mans iudgement most auaileable for auoiding all dissention and keeping the vnity of faith there should bee no question but God hath ordained such an authenticall manner of deciding all controuersies If hee haue not it must needes bee either because hee could not establish such an infallible authority and vncontroleable power or else because he would not To say he could not were to deny his omnipotency open blasphemie to say he would not were little better for this were to deny his goodnesse and loue to his Church both which the Scriptures testifie to bee great nay infinite 3 But how great soeuer his loue to his
peeuishnesse or priuacy of spirit as the false Catholike bestowes on vs likely to befall him if he should vary from the rest The best answere I thinke a Romane Catechisme could afford would be to repeat the conclusion which Bellarmine would haue maintained All the rest besides were Baals Prophets They were indeede in such a sence as Iesuites and all seducers are but not by publike profession or solemne subscription to his rites as may partly appeare by Iehosaphats continuing his resolution to goe vp to battell against Micaiahs counsell which questionlesse hee would rather haue died at home then done had hee knowne Michaiah onely to haue belonged vnto the Lord and all his aduersaries vnto Baal partly by that reuerent conceit which euen the chiefe of these seducers entertained at that time of Elias whose vtter disgrace Baals seruants would by all meanes haue sought for his late designes acted vpon their fellowes Yet as Iosephus records the chiefe argument vsed by Zidkiah to diminish Micaiahs credite with both Kings was an appearance of contradiction betwixt his and Eliahs prediction of Ahabs death the accomplishment of both being apprehended as impossible lesse credit as he vrged was to be giuen to Micaâ—ah because so impudent as openly to contradict so great a Prophet of the Lord as Elias at whose threatnings Ahab King of Israel trembled humbling himselfe with fasting cloathed in sackcloth And it is likely hee would so shortly after entertaine the professed seruants of Baal for his Councellors yet seeing the euent hath openly condemned them for seducers and none are left to plead their cause it is an easie matter for the Iesuite or others to say they were Baals Prophets by profession But were not most Priests and Prophets in Iudah Beniamin vsually such yes and as afterward shall appeare did band as strongly with as ioint consent against Ieremy and Ezechiel as these did against Michaiah The point wherein wee desire resolution is by what rule of Romish Catholique Diuinity truth in those times might haue beene discerned from falshood before Gods iudgements did light vpon the City and Temple Hee is more blind then the blindest Iew that euer breathed who cannot see how such as professed themselues Priests and Prophets of the Lord aswell in Iudah as in Israel did bewitch the people with the selfe same spels the Papists boasts of to this day as the best prop of his Catholike faith Yet such is the hypocrisie of these proud Pharises that they can say in their hearts Oh had wee liued in the dayes of Iezabel we would not haue beene her inquisitors against such Prophets as Elias and Micaiah were When as in truth Iezabels impietie towards them was clemency in respect of Romish cruelty against Gods Saints her witchcrafts but as veniall sins if wee compare them with Iesuiticall sorceries But of this error more directly in the Chapter following of their sorceries and impieties hereafter 3 Vnto our former demand whether the society of Prophets were the Church representatiue whether the people were bound without examination to belieue whatsoeuer was by a maior part or such of that profession as were in highest or most publike place determined What answere a learned Papist would giue I cannot tell Then this following better cannot be imagined on their behalfe That this supreme authority which they contend for was in the true Prophets onely that they albeit inspired with diuine illuminations and endued with such authority as the Iesuite makes the Popes humana diuinitas inspirala did notwithstanding permit their declarations for the hardnesse of this peoples heart to be tried by the euent or examined by the law not that they wanted lawfull power would they haue stood vpon their authority to exact beliefe without delay seeing readinesse to belieue the truth proposed is alwayes commended in the sacred Story And no doubt but the people did well in admitting the true Prophets doctrine before the false at the first proposal the sooner the better But were they therefore to belieue the true Prophets absolutely without examination Why should they then belieue one of that profession before another seeing seducers could propose their conceits with as great speed and peremptorinesse as the best Nor did reason onely disswade but the law of God also expresly forbid that people alwayes and in all causes to trust such as vpon triall had beene found to diuine aright of strange euents Yet grant wee must that hardnesse of heart made this people more backeward then otherwise they would haue beene to belieue truthes proposed that oftimes they required signes from their Prophet when obedience was instantly due from them to him that oftimes they sinned in not assenting immediately without interposition of time for triall or respite to resolue vpon what termes beliefe might be tendered Thus much wee may grant with this limitation if we consider them absolutely or so well disposed as they should and might haue beene not as the Prophets found them For in men inwardly ill affected or vnqualified for true faith credulity comes neere the nature of vice then vertue a disposition of disloyalty a degree of heresie or infidelity rather then a preparation to sincere obedience or any sure foundation of true and liuely faith Assent perchance men so affected may more readily then others would vnto sundry diuine truthes yet not truely not as they are diuine and consonant to the rule of goodnesse but by accident in as much as they in part consort with some one or other of their affections And the more forward men are vpon such grounds to belieue some generalities of Christian dueties the more prone they proue when opportunity tempts them to oppugne others more principall and more specially concerning their saluation For credulity if it spring not out of an honest disposition vniformally inning vnto goodnesse as such but from some vnbrideled humor or predominant naturall affection will alwayes sway more vnto some mischiefe then vnto any thing that is good Many belieued in Iesus saith Saint Iohn when they saw his miracles It pleased them well hee had turned water into wine that hee had giuen other proofes of his power in driuing buyers and sellers out of the Temple did minister hope vnto proud hearts hee might proue such a Messias as they expected as elsewhere vpon the like occasion they said This is of a truth the Prophet that should come into the world The ground of this their aptnesse to belieue thus much as is intimated in the words following was their inordinate desire of hauing an earthly King that might rule the nation with an yron rod. When Iesus therefore perceiued by their forwardnesse to professe the former truth that they would come and take him to make him a King he departed againe into a mountaine himselfe alone for the same cause no doubt which the Euangelist specifies in the former place But Iesus did not commit himself vnto them because he knew them all
and had no need that any should testifie of man He knew such as vpon these glimpses of his glory were presently so stifly set to belieue in him vpon hopes of being fed with dainties or mighty protection against the Heathen would bee as violently bent against him euen to crucifie him for a seducer after they had discouered his constant endeuours to bring them both by life and doctrine vnto conformity with his crosse mortification humility contempt of the world patience in affliction with other like qualities despiseable in the worlds eyes yet maine principles in his schoole and elementary grounds of saluation so his countrimen of Nazareth sodainly admiring the gratious words which proceeded out of his mouth after hee begunne to vpbraid them with vnthankefulnes as speedily attempt to throw him headlong from the toppe of the hill wherein their City was built By this it may appeare that of the Iewish people in ancient times some did sinne in beeing backeward others in an immature forwardnesse to belieue propheticall doctrines But the fountaines or first heads whence these swift motions of life were depraued in the one was inordinate affection or intrinsique habitual corruption the roote whence such deadnesse was deriued into the actions of the other was hardnes of heart precedent neglect of Gods word and ignorance of his wayes thence ensuing Which presupposed the parties so affected did not amisse in not beleeuing the true Prophets without examination but in not abandoning such dispositions as disenabled them for belieuing all parts of truth proposed with constancy and vniformity making them fitte instruments to be wrought vpon by seducers Hence saith our Sauiour I come in my fathers name and ye receiue me not if another shall come in his owne name him will yee receiue How can yee belieue which receiue honour one of another and seeke not the honour that commeth of God alone Nor Propheticall nor Apostolicall nor Messiacall much lesse could Papall authority make them belieue the doctrine of life intirely and sincerely whilest their hearts were heardned whose hardnes though might easily haue been mollified by laying Moses law vnto them while they were young and tender 4 It is a rule as profitable for our owne information in many points as for refutation of the aduersarie that the commendation of necessary meanes is alwaies included in the commendation of the end which how good or excellent soeuer it bee our desires of it are preposterous all earnest endeauours to attaine it turbulent vnlesse first addressed with proportionable alacrity to follow the meanes that must produce it sober spirites alwayes bound their hopes of accomplishing the one by perfect suruey of their interest in the other as minds truly liberall determine future expences by exact calculation of their present reuenewes Euen in businesses of greatest importance though requiring speediest expedition a wise man will moderate his pace according to the quality of the ground whereon hee goes otherwise the more haste may cause worse speed The Iewes were as wee are bound to belieue truthes proposed without delay but both for this reason most strictly bound to a continuall vniformity of practising diuine precepts already knowne without dispensing with this or that particular though offensiue to our present disposition without indulgence to this or that special time without all priuiledge sought from the pleasure or displeasure of men both bound so to frame our liues and conuersations as to bee instantly able to discerne the truth proposed not by relying vpon their authority that propose it but for it selfe or from a full and liuely though a quicke and speedy apprehension of immediate homogeneall consonancie betweene the externall and the internall word For if any part of Gods word truly dwell in vs though secret it may bee and silent of it selfe yet will it Eccho in our hearts whilest the like reuerberates in our eares from the liue voice of the Ministery Thus had the Iewes hearts beene truely set to Moses law had their soules delighted in the practise of it as in their food they had resounded to the Prophets call as a string though vntouched and vnable to beginne motion of it selfe will yet raise it selfe to an vnison voice or as the soules of heauen answere with like language to others of their owne kind that haue better occasion to beginne the cry In this sense are Christs sheepe said to heare his voice and follow him not euery one that can counterfeit his or his Prophets call 5 The issue of all that hath beene said is that none within the precincts of these times whereof wee now treat from the Law giuen vnto the Gospell were bound to belieue Gods messengers without examination of their doctrine by the precedent written word Onely this difference there was such as had rightly framed their hearts to it did make this triall of Prophetical doctrines as it were by a present taste which others could not without interposition of time to worke an alteration in their distempered affections For this reason do the Prophets alwayes annex Mosaicall precepts of repentance to their predictions of future euents as knowing that if their hearts to whom they spake were turned to God their sight should forthwith bee restored clearely to discerne the truth For further manifestation of the same conclusion it appeares sufficiently from sundry discourses in the former booke that Israels incredulity vnto their Prophets was finally to bee resolued into their neglect their imperfect or partiall obseruance of Moses precepts Wherefore not the liue voice of them whose words in themselues were most infallible and are by the approbation of time with other conspicuous documents of Gods peculiar prouidence preseruing them in diuine estimation so long become an vndoubted rule of life vnto vs but the written word before confirmed by signes and wonders sealed by the euents of times present and precedent was the infallible rule whereby the propheticall admonitions of euery age were to bee tried and examined 6 The words of the best while they spake them were not of like authority as now written they are vnto vs nor were they admitted into the Canon but vpon iust proofe of their diuine authority That one speech which Esay vttered was an axiome so well knowne as might bring all the rest to bee examined before admission To the Law and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them For Gods will already knowne and manifested to the proples consciences was to ouersway the contrary proposals of knowne Prophets though neuer so peremptory Nor was it impossible for Prophets to auouch their owne conceites vnder the name of diuine Reuelations more immediatly sent from God then the Pope pretends witnesse the man of God that went from Iudah to Bethel seduced by his fellow Prophets fained reuelation from an Angell counselling him to diuert into his house contrary to the Lords commandement giuen before The
that heard him preach was as immediately from those words of eternall life which issued from his mouth as ours is from the Word preached by his messengers To what other vse then could miracles serue saue onely to breed a praeuiall admiration and make entrance for them into his hearers hearts though his bodily presence at all times was not yet were his vsuall workes in themselues truely glorious more then apt to dispell that veile of preiudice commonly taken against the meannesse of his person birth or parentage had it been meerely naturall not occasioned through willfull neglect of extraordinary meanes precedent and stubborne opposition to present grace most plentifully offered His raising others from death to life was more then sufficient to remoue that offence the people tooke at that speech If I were lift vp from the earth I should draw all men vnto me To which they answered Wee haue heard out of the Law that the Christ bideth for euer and how sayest thou that the sonne of man must be lift vp Who is that sonne of man 18 To conclude then his distinct and arbitrary foretelling euents of euery sort any Prophet had mentioned many of them not producible but by extraordinary miracles withall including diuine testifications of farre greater glory ascribed to him then Moses or any Prophet euer challenged was the demonstratiue rule according to Moses prediction whereunto all visible signs and sensible miracles should haue beene resolued by their spectators as knowne effects lead contemplators vnto the first and immediate causes on which their truth and being depends That Encomium This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased Heare him with the like giuen by Iohn Baptist Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world vnto all such as tooke him for a true Prophet did more distinctly point out the similitude peculiar to him with Moses expressed in the forecited place of Deuteronomy literally though not so plainly as most Readers would without direction obserue it seeing euen interpreters most followed either neglect the words themselues in which it is directly contained or wâ—est their meaning Vnto him shall yee hearken according to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly Their request then was Talke thou with vs and we will heart but let not God talke with vs lest we die Here the whole multitude bound themselues to hear the word of the Lord not immediately from his mouth but by Moses For whiles the people stood a farre off he onely drew neere to the darkenesse where God was This their request and resolution elsewhere more fully expressed the Lord highly commended I haue heard the voice of the wordes of this people which they haue spoken vnto thee they haue well saide all that they haue spoken Oh that there were such an heart in them to feare me and to keepe all my commandements alway that it might goe wel with them and with their children for euer If we obserue that increment the literall sense of the same words may receiue by succession of time or as they respect the body not the type both which they iointly signifie the best reason can be giuen of Gods approuing the former petition and Israels peculiar disposition at that time aboue others will bee this That as posterity in reiecting Samuel reiected Christ or God the second person in Trinity so here the Fathers in requesting Moses might bee their spokesman vnto God requested that Great Prophet ordained to bee the author of a better couenant euen that promised womans seed their brother according to the flesh to be Mediator betwixt God and them to secure them from such dreadfull flames as they had seene so they would hearken as then they promised vnto his words as vnto the words of God himselfe esteeming him as the Apostle saith so farre aboue Moses as he that builds the house is aboue the house And in the Emphasis of that speech Whosoeuer will not hearken vnto my words which he shall speake in my name I will require it of him purposely resumed by Moses with these threates annexed as if hee had not sufficiently expressed his mind in the like precedent Vnto him yee shall hearken the same difference betweene Moses and the Great Prophet then meant is included which the Apostle in another place expresseth He that despiseth Moses Law dieth without mercy vnder two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye he shall be worthy which treadeth vnder foot the son of God and counteth the blood of the Testament as an vnholy thing Vntill the soueraignety of the Law and Prophets did determine that EncomiuÌ„ of Moses did beare date There arose not a Prophet since in Israel like vnto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face but vanished vpon the Criers voice when the kingdom of heauen beganne to appeare The Israelites to whom both promises were made did farre exceed all other nations in that they had a law most absolute giuen by Moses yet to bee bettered by an euerlasting Couenant the former being as an earnest penny giuen in hand to assure them of the latter In respect of both the name of a Soothsayer or Sorcerer was not to bee heard in Israel as in the nations which knew not God much lesse expected a Mediator in whom the spirit of life should dwell as plentifully as splendor doth in the body of the Sunne from whose fulnesse ere hee visibly came into the world other Prophets were illuminated as those lights which rule the night are by that great light which God hath appointed to rule the day at whose approch the Prince of darkenesse with his followers were to auoide the Hemisphere wherein they had raigned In the meane time the testimonies of the Law and Prophesies serued as a light or candle to minish the terrors of the night Euen Moses himself and al that followed him were but as messengers sent from God to sollicite his people to reserue their alleageance free from all commerce or compact with familiar spirits vntill the Prince of glory came in person 19 Thus without censure of their opinion that otherwise thinke or teach albeit the continuance of Prophets amongst this people were a meane to preuent all occasions of consulting forcerers or witches yet the chiefe ground of Moses disswasion from such practises acording to the literall connexion of these words The nations which thou shall possesse hearken vnto those that regarde the times and vnto sorcerers as for thee the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so with those following hitherto expounded The Lord thy God will raise vp vnto thee a Prophet was the consideration of their late mighty deliuerance by Moses the excellency of their present law and their expectation of a greater law-giuer when the first couenant should waxe old and Prophesies for a long time faile vnto strict obseruance
to performe what hee had constantly spoken But what was the chiefe matter of their iust reproofe That they had not beleeued his wordes nor giuen due credence to his workes Dull no doubt they had beene in not esteeming better of both vnwise in not learning more of him that taught as neuer man taught but as in them hee teacheth vs most dull and most vnwise euen fooles and slowe of heart in not beleeuing all that the Prophets had spoken Ought not Christ to haue suffered these things as if hee had said Is it possible your ignorance in them should be so grosse as not to knowe that Christ was thus to suffer and so to enter into his glory 2. You will say perchance they did not well in giuing so little attention and credite to the Prophets whose light should haue led them vnto Christ but now that they haue light on him in person without their helpe onely by his seeking them shall not hee who was the end and scope of all propheticall writings teach them all He will but not by relying onely vpon his infallible authoritie This aedifice of faith must bee framed vpon the foundation laide by the Prophets For this reason happily our Sauiour would not bewray himselfe to be their infallible teacher vntill he had made them by euidence of Scripture by true sence and feeling of his spirit beleeue and knowe the truth which he taught to be infallible Hee had opened their hearts by opening the Scriptures vnto them before their eyes were open to discerne his person for he began at Moses and at all the Prophets and interpreted vnto them in all the Scriptures the things which were written of him Stedfast beliefe then of any mans authoritie must spring out of the solide experience of his skill and trueth of his doctrine These two disciples might now resolue their hearts that this was he who Iohn said should baptize with the holy Ghost and with fire when by the working of his spirit their hearts did burne within them whiles hee talked with them and opened the Scriptures vnto them Though before they had receiued Iohn Baptists witnesse of the trueth as a tie or fest to stay their fleeting faith yet now they would not receiue the record of man there is another that beareth witnesse of him the spirit of trueth which hath imprinted his doctrine in their hearts 3. Would the Pope who challengeth Christs place on earth amongst his liuing members and requires we should beleeue his wordes as well as these Disciples did Christs but expound those Scriptures vnto vs which Christ did to them with like euidence and efficacie could hee make our hearts thus burne within by opening the secret mysteries of our saluation wee would take him for Christs Vicar and beleeue indeede hee were infallibly assisted by the holy spirit But seeing hee and his followers inuert our Sauiours methode by calling the certaintie of both Testaments in question telling vs we cannot knowe them to be Gods word vnlesse it shall please this Romane God to giue his word for them or confirme their trueth seeing this his pretended confirmation is not by manifesting the mysteries of our saluation so distinctly and clearely as Christ did vnto these Disciples nor by affoording vs the true sence and feeling of the spirit in such ardent manner as they enioyed it and yet accurseth vs if we beleeue not his words as well as they did their Redeemers wee may hence take a perfect measure of that mouth of blasphemies spoken of by Saint Iohn according to all the three dimensions contained in the three assertions prefixed to the beginning of this Section Nor can the reader imagine either any other forepassed like vnto it or yet to come likely to proue more abominable if it shall but please him to suruay the length and breadth of it but especially the profunditie 4. The length of it I make that assertion The Pope must bee as well beleeued as either Christ was whilest hee liued on earth or his Apostles after his glorification The breadth His absolute authoritie must be for extent as large and ample as Christs should be were he on earth againe or that commission he gaue to his Disciples Goe Preach the Gospell to euery creature his directions must goe foorth throughout all the earth and his wordes vnto the endes of the world The depth is much greater then the space betweene heauen and hell For if you would drawe a line from the Zenith to the Nadir through the Center it would scarce be a gag long enough for this monstrous mouth so wide as hell cannot conceiue a greater The depth I gather partly from the excesse of Christs worth either arising from his personall vnion with the Godhead his sanctitie of life and conuersation or from his hyperpropheticall spirit and aboundant miracles For looke how much he exceedes any but meere man in al these by so much doth the Pope though supposed as not obnoxious to any crime make his authoritie and fauour with God greater then Christs which is the semidiameter of this mouth of blasphemies The other part equall herevnto in quantitie but for the qualitie more tainted with the dregges of Hell ariseth from that opposition the Popes spirit hath vnto Christ or from the luxury and beastly manners of the Papacie erected by Satan as it were of purpose to pollute the world with monstrous sinnes and to derogate as much from mankinde as true Christianitie doth aduance it finally to make the Christian world as much more wicked as Christs Disciples Apostles and faithfull followers are better then the heathen Nor doth the Pope exact beliefe onely without miracles or manifestation of a propheticall spirit but contrary to all notions of good and euill common to Christians and Heathens and as it were in despite of the prophecies that haue deciphered him for Antichrist What heathen Philosopher could with patience haue endured to heare that a dissolute luxurious tyrāt could not though in matters of this life giue wrong sentence out of the seate of Iustice The Iesuites teach it as an Article of faith that the Pope albeit a dissolute and vngracious tyrant Mankinds reproach the disgrace of Christianity cannot possibly giue an erroneous sentence ex cathedra no not in mysteries of religion But as if it were a small thing thus impudently to contradict nature and grieue the soules of ingenuous men vnlesse they also grieue their God seeking as it were to crosse his spirit by holding opiniōs not onely contradictory but most cōtrary to his sacred rules they importune the Christian world with tumultuous clamours to take that which the spirit hath giuen as the demonstratiue character of great Antichrist the olde serpents chiefe confederate for the infallible cognisance of Christs Vicar the very signet of his beloued Spouse Nor will they I know though friendly admonished cease henceforth to vrge their outworn arguments drawne from antiquity vniuersality from that reuerence
spirit which exempts the Pope from priuatenesse makes his authority oecumenical and infallible Whosoeuer then by participation of this spirit vnderstands the Prophesies eyther immediately or expounded by others whomsoeuer his conceit of them or their right interpretation is not priuate but authentique And Canus though a Papist expresly teacheth that the immediate ground or formall reason of ours and the Apostles beliefe must be the same both so immediately and infallibly depending vpon the testimony of the spirit as if the whole world beside should teach the contrary yet were euery Christian bound to sticke vnto that inward testimony which the spirit hath giuen him Though the Church or Pope should expound them to vs wee could not infallibly belieue his expositions but by that spirit by which hee is supposed to teach so belieuing wee could not infallibly teach others the same for it is the spirit onely that so teacheth all The inference then is as euident as strong that priuate in the forecited place is opposed to that which wants authority not vnto publike or coÌ„mon The Kings promise made to me in priuate is no priuate promise but will warrant mee if I come to pleade before his Maiesty albeit others make question whether I haue it or no. In this sense that interpretation of scriptures which the spirit affordes vs that are priuate men is not priuate but authentique though not for extent or publication of it vnto others yet for the perfection of our warrant in matters of saluation or concerning God For where the spirite is there is perfect liberty yea free accesse of pleading our cause against whomsoeuer before the Tribunall seate of iustice especially being wronged in matters of the life to come To this purpose saith our Apostle But hee that is spirituall discerneth all things yet hee himselfe is iudged of no man In those things wherein hee cannot be iudged by any hee is no priuate man but a Prince and Monarch for the freedome of his conscience But if any man falsly pretend this freedome to nurse contentions or to withdraw his necke from that yoke whereto hee is subject hee must answere before his supreme Iudge and his holy Angels for framing vnto himselfe a counterfeit licence without the assured warrant of his spirit And so shall they likewise that seeke to command mens consciences in those matters wherein the spirite hath set them free This is the height of iniquity that hath no temporall punishment in this life but must bee reserued as the obiect of fiercest wrath in that fearefull day the very Idea of Antichristianisme CHAP. XIIII That Saint Paul submitted his doctrine to examination by the Words before written That his doctrine disposition and practise were quite contrary to the Romanists in this argument 1 SAint Paul as well as other Apostles had the gift of miracles which amongst Barbarians or distressed soules destitute of other comfort likely to bee wonne to grace by wonders hee did not neglect to practise but sought not to enforce beliefe vpon the Iewes by fearefull signes or sudden destruction of the obstinate albeit hee had power to anathematize not onely in word but in deed euen to deliuer men aliue vnto Sathan When hee came to Thessalonica hee went as his maner was into the Synagogue three Sabboth daies disputed with his countrimen by the Scriptures opening and alleadging that Christ must haue suffered and risen againe from the dead and this is Iesus Christ whom I preach to you These Iewes had Moses and the Prophets and if they would not heare them neither would they belieue for any miracles which to haue wrought amongst such had been as the casting of pearles before swine What was the reason they did not belieue because the Scriptures which hee vrged were obscure but Saint Paul did open them Rather they saw the truth as Papists doe but would not see it They rightly belieued whatsoeuer God had said was most true that hee had said what Moses and the Prophetes wrote and yet Saint Paul taught nothing which they had not foretold But that was all one these Iewes had rather belieue Moses and the Prophets meant as the Scribes and Pharisees or other chiefe Rulers of their Synagogues taught then as Paul expounded them albeit his expositions would haue cleared themselues to such as without preiudice would haue examined them But the Beroeans were of a more ingenâ—ous disposition so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports they were not vassals to other mens interpretations or conceites but vsed their liberty to examine their truth They receiued the word with all readinesse and searched the Scriptures whether these things were so or no. If they beleeued in part before their practise confirms the truth of our assertion that they were not to belieue the infallibility of Paul but of his doctrine albeit they were well perswaded of his personall authority If they beleeued neither in part nor wholly before they see the truth of his doctrine confirmed by that scripture which they had formerly acknowledged their ingenuity herein likewise confirmes our doctrine and condemnes the Papists of insolent blasphemy for arrogating that authoritie vnto the Popes decrees which is onely due vnto Gods word already established 2 I would demand of any Papists whether the Beroeans did well or ill in examining Saint Pauls doctrine if ill why hath the spirit of God commended them if well why is it not lawfull and expedient for all true Christians to imitate them Vnlesse the Reader bite his lippe I will not promise for him hee shall not laugh at Bellarmines answere albeit I knew him for another Heraclitus or Crassus Agelastus who neuer laughed in all his life saue once when he saw an Asse feed on thistles Surely he must haue an Asses lippes that can taste and a swines belly that can digest this great Clerks Diuinity in this point I answere saith he albert Paul were an Apostle and could not preach false doctrine thus much notwithstanding was not euident to the Beroeans at the first nor were they bound forthwith to belieue vnlesse they had seene some miracles or other probable inducements to belieue Therefore when Paul proued Christ vnto them out of the Propheticall Oracles they did well to search the Scriptures whether those things were so If Saint Paul had thought miracles a more effectuall meanes then Scriptures for begetting faith in such as acknowledged Moses and the Prophets no doubt hee had vsed miracles rather then their authority Or if the Pope cannot expound the scriptures as effectually and perspicuously as S. Paul did why doth he not at the least work miracles are we bound absolutely to belieue him is he bound to doe neither of these without which the people of Beroea were not bound as Bellarmine acknowledgeth to belieue Saint Paul Wee are if his reason be worth beliefe Christians which know the Church cannot erre in explicating the doctrine of faith are bound to embrace
it without questioning whether the places alleadged bee to the purpose or no. Let such Christians as belieue the Pope cannot erre in the name of God belieue what soeuer he shall teach without examination yet remember withall that thus to belieue is to worship the dragon by giuing their names vnto the Beast But vnto what Christians is the Popes infallibility better known then S. Paules was to the Beroeans Not vnto vs whose fathers haue forsaken him for his Apostasie from God taught vs to eschew him as Antichrist to hold his doctrine as the very doctrine of diuels Vnto vs at least his Holines should seeke to manifest his infallibility by such means as S. Paul did his euen vnto such as had seen his miracles and had experience of his power in expounding scriptures Besides Pauls conuersatiō in al places was continually such as did witnes him to be a chosen vessell full of the spirit of grace He did not make marchandise of the word of God as most Popes doe but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God so he spake thorow Christ he did not walk in craftines yet who greater polititians then Popes Nor did he handle the word of God deceitfully but in declaration of the truth he did approue himself to euery mans conscience in the sight of God This one amongst others he acounts as an especiall motiue to perswade men of his heauenly calling in that he did not preach himselfe but Christ Iesus and himselfe their seruant for Iesus sake For so our Sauiour had said He that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glory The Pope that we might know him to be Christs opposite seekes almost nothing else nothing so much as to be absolute Lord ouer all other mens faith If this any Iesuite will deny let him define what Prince amongst the nations what Tyrant in the world did euer challenge greater soueraignty in affaires of this life then the Pope doth in all matters whatsoeuer concerning the life to come 3 But it may be Bellarmine was either afraid or ashamed of this answere wherefore he addes another as wise to keepe it from blushing I adde saith he albeit an Heretike sin in doubting of the Churches authority into which he hath beene regenerate by Baptisme nor is the case the same in an Heretike which hath once made profession of faith and in a Iew or Ethnique which neuer was Christian yet this doubt which is a sin being supposed he doth not amisse in searching and examining whether the places alleadged by the Trent Councell out of scriptures or fathers be true or pertinēt so he do this with an intent to finde the truth not to calumniate A man at the first sight wold deem Bellarmine for his own part at least had giuen vs leaue to examine the Popes doctrine by scripture but that as you heard before hee absolutely denies nor will he I am sure pawne his hat that hee which searcheth the Scriptures and Fathers alleadged cannot find any such meaning in eyther as the Trent Councell would thence infer shal be freed by their Church from heresie although he be not so vnciuill as to calumniate the Pope but onely saluâ reuerentiâ ingenuously professe that he thinks on his conscience the scripture meant no such matter as the Councell intended This none of their church dare promise for dubius infide by their doctrine est haereticus he that doubts after such an authentique determination is condēned for an heretike and yet without such assurance of beeing freed from heresie this permission of reading scriptures is not worth God a mercy seeing he must at length be constrained to belieue the scripture saith iust so as the Pope saith albeit his priuat conscience inform him to the contrary so that by reading them he must either wound his own conscience more then if the vse of thē had bin denied him or els vse thē but as a court fauor or grace bestowed vpō him by the Pope for which he must in good maners yeeld his full assent to his doctrine with infinit thanks for his bounty Howsoeuer if he be doubtful in their tenents he may not reade the Scriptures with Caluin Beza or any of our writers expositions or in any edition saue such as they approue or with the Rhemish animaduersions or gloses or according to the analogy of that faith wherein the Iesuites haue catechized him So that the reading of scriptures if their opinions be erroneous as wee hold the Popes decisions are serues to as good purpose for confirming one of their catechizing in the right faith as the ringing of belles doth to bring a melancholy man out of some foolish conceit which runnes in his mind both of them will belieue their former imaginations though neuer so bad the better because the one thinkes the belles ring the other that the scriptures speake iust so as hee imagines This Bellarmine cannot dissemble in his next words Bound hee is to receiue the Churches doctrine without examination but better hee were prepared vnto the truth by examining then by neglecting it to persist still in his blindnesse His meaning in plain English is this He and his fellowes could wish reformed Churches would all come off at once and belieue as Romanists doe without all examination whether they belieue as Christians or Magicians but if we will not be so forward as they could wish wee were they could in the second place be very wel content to admit vs into their Church again though after a yeere or twoes deliberation rather then loose our company for euer 4 The learned Doctor Whitakers of famous memory out of the former place gathered these two corollaries Euery doctrine is to bee tried by Scripture The Apostle taught nothing but what might haue beene confirmed out of Moses and the Prophets Sacroboscus reply to these Orthodoxall collections confirmes me in that conceit I entertained of Romish Schoolemen when I first began to reade them They seemed to me then much more now to handle matters of greatest moment in diuinity after the same fashion for all the world nimble Artists doe Philosophicall Theorems in the Schooles whiles they are coursed by such as would triumph in their disgrace Bee the argument brought in it selfe neuer so good or forcible to euince the contradictory to their tenents yet if the opponent in his inference of what was last denied chance but to omit some petty terme or clause impertinent to the maine question or make his propositions more improbable by framing them more vniuersall then he needs occasion will quickly be taken to interrupt his progresse and put him off especially if the Answerer bee so well prouided with some shew of instance to the contrary or absurditie likely to follow if all were true his Antagonist would seeme to prooue Nor doe I censure this as fault in youth or whilest we are in Aristotles forge so the fire be out of vs when wee come into
the sanctuary But iust in this manner doth the Mimicall Iesuite reply to the former truth I demaund saith he whether the Doctour would approue this consequence Paul preaching to the Athenians confirmed his Doctrine with the testimonie of the Poet Aratus and the Athenians had done well if they had sought whether Aratus had said so or no therefore all Doctrines must be iudged by Poets But what if the Beraeans practise considered alone or as Iesuites doe Scriptures onely Mathematically doe not necessarily inferre thus much The Learned Doctors charitable minde would not suffer him to suspect any publique professor of Diuinitie as Sacroboscus was could bee so ignorant in Scriptures as not to consider besides the different esteeme of Prophets and Poets amongst the Iewes what Saint Paul had else where expressely said I obtained helpe of God and continue vnto this day witnessing both vnto small and great saying none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Vnlesse he could haue proued Christs resurrection other articles of Christian faith out of Moses and the Prophets the Iewes exceptions against him had beene iust For they were bound to resist al Doctrines dissonant to their ancient ordinances especially the abolishment of Rites and Ceremonies which Paul laboured most as knowing the Lawgiuer meant they should continue no longer then to the alteration of the Priesthood but in whose maintenance his adversaries should haue spent their bloud whiles ignorant they were without default of the Truth Paul taught as not sufficiently prooued from the same authority by which their lawes were established Nor was any Apostle either for his miracles or other pledges of the Spirit that hee could communicate vnto others to bee so absolutely beleeued in all things during his life time as Moses and the Prophets writings For seeing the gift of miracles was bestowed on hypocrites or such as might fall from any gifts or grace of the spirit they had though the spectators might beleeue the particular conclusions to whose confirmation the miracles were fitted yet was it not safe without examination absolutely to rely vpon him in all thinges that had spoken a diuine truth once or twice In that he might be an hypocrite or a dissembler for ought others without euidence of his vpright conuersation and perpetuall consonance to his former Doctrine could know he might abuse his purchased reputation to abet some dangerous errour Nor doe our aduersaries though too too credulous in this kinde thinke themselues bound to beleeue reuelations made to another much lesse to thinke that he which is once partaker of the Spirit should for euer bee infallible Vpon these supporters the forementioned Doctours reason which the Iesuite abuseth to establish the Churches authoritie stands firme and sound I absolutely belieue all to be true that God saith because hee saith it nor doe I seeke any other reason but I dare not ascribe so much vnto man least I make him equall to God for God alone and hee in whom the Godhead dwelleth bodily is immutably iust and holy Many others haue continued holy and righteous according to their measure vntill the end but who could be certaine of this besides themselues no not they themselues alwayes And albeit a man that neuer was in the state of grace may oft times deliuer that Doctrine which is infallible yet were it to say no worse a grieuous tempting of God to rely vpon his Doctrine as absolutely infallible vnlesse we know him besides his skill or learning to be alwayes in such a state Though both his life and death bee most religious his Doctrine must approue it selfe to the present age and Gods prouidence must cōmend it to posterity Nor did our Sauiour though in life immutably holy for doctrine most infallible assume so much vnto himselfe before his ascension as the Iesuits giue to the Pope For he submitted his doctrine to Moses the Prophets writings And seeing the Iesuits make lesse acount of Him then the Iewes did of Moses it is no maruell if they be more violently miscaried with enuious or contemptuous hatred of the Diuine truth it selfe then the Iewes were against our Sauiour or his doctrine These euen whē they could not answere his reasons drawn from scriptures receiued though most offēsiue to their distemperate humor were ashamed to cal Moses the prophets authority in questiō or to demand him how do ye know God spake by thē Must not the Churches infallibility herein assure you and if it teach you to discerne Gods word from mans must it not likewise teach you to distinguish the diuine sense of it from humā This is a straine of Atheisme which could neuer finde harbor in any professing the knowledge of the true God before the brood of Antichrist grew so flush as to seeke the recouery of that battaile against Gods Saints on Earth which Lucifer their Father and his followers lost against Michael and his holy Angels in Heauen CHAP. XV. A briefe taste of our aduersaries blasphemous and Atheisticall assertions in this argument from some instances of two of their greatest Doctours Bellarmine and Valentian That if faith cannot be perfect without the solemne testification of that Church the raritie of such testifications will cause infidelitie 1 FOR a further competent testimonie of blasphemies in this kinde wherewith wee charge the Church of Rome let the Reader iudge by these two instances following whether the Christian world haue not sucked the deadliest poyson that could euaporate from the infernall lake through Bellarmines and Valentians pennes Valentian as if he meant to outflout the Apostle for prohibiting all besides the great pastor Christ Iesus for being Lords ouer mens faith will haue an infallible authoritie which may sit as Iudge and mistresse of all controuersies of faith and this to be not the authoritie of one or two men deceased not peculiar to such as in times past haue vttered the diuine truth either by mouth or pen and commended it vnto posteritie but an authoritie continuing in force and strength amongst the faithfull throughout all ages able perspicuously and openly to giue sentence in all controuersies of faith Yet as these Embassadors of God deceased cannot bee Iudges shall they therefore haue no saye at all in deciding controuersies of faith You may not thinke a Iesuite would take Iesus name in vaine he will neuer for shame exclude his Master for hauing at least a finger in the gouernment of the Church Why what is his office or what is the vse of his authoritie registred by his Apostles and Euangelists Not so little as you would weene For his speeches amōgst others that in their life time haue infallibly taught diuine truthes by mouth or pen may be consulted as a witnesse or written law in cases of faith but after a certaine sort and manner eyther to speake the truth or somewhat thereto not impertinent as shal bee declared in due place The place he
both meanes of accomplishing Natures or rather the God of Naturs purpose in whose will or pleasure the finall cause of any naturall effect alwayes consists And seeing nothing in Nature can preoccupate his will no cause can be precedent to the finall This consideration of natural effects tending as certainly to their proposed end as the arrowe flyes to the marke caused the irreligious Philosopher to acknowledge the direction of an intelligent supernaturall agent in their working the accomplishment of whose will and pleasure as I said must bee the finall cause of their motions as his will or pleasure which bestowes the charges not the Architect vnlesse he be the owner also is the finall cause why the house is built Finally euery end supposeth the last intention of an intelligent agent whereof to giue a reason by the efficient which onely produceth works or meanes thereto proportioned would be as impertinent as if to one demaunding why the bell rings out it should bee answered because a strong fellow puls the rope 7 Now that which in our aduersaries Doctrine answeres vnto the cause indemonstrable whereinto finall resolution of Natures workes or intentions of intelligent agents must be resolued is the churches authoritie Nor can that if wee speake properly be resolued into any branch of the first truth for this reason besids others alleadged before that all resolutions whether of our perswasiōs or intentions or of their obiects works of Art or Nature suppose a stability or certainty in the first links of the chaine which wee vnfolde the latter alwayes depending on the former not the former on the latter As in resolutions of the latter kinde lately mentioned imitating the order of composition actuall continuation of life depends on breathing not breathing on it breathing on the lunges not the lunges mutually on breathing so in resolutions of the other kind which invertes the order of composition the vse or necessitie of lunges dependes vpon the vse or necessitie of breathing the necessity or vse of breathing vpon the necessity or vse of life or vpon his will or pleasure that created one of these for another Thus againe the sensitiue facultie depends vpon the vital that vpon mixtion mixtion vpon the Elements not any of these mutually vpon the sensitiue faculty if wee respect the order of supportance or Natures progresse in their production Whence hee that questions whether some kinds of plants haue sense or some stones or mettals life supposeth as vnquestionable that the former haue life that the second are mixt bodies But if we respect the intent or purpose of him that sets nature a working all the former faculties dpend on the sensitiue the sensitiue not on any of them For God would not haue his creatures indued with sense that they might liue or liue that they might haue mixt bodies but rather to haue such bodies that they might liue to liue that they might enioy the benefit of sense or the more noble faculties 8 Can the Iesuite thus assigne any determinate branch of the first truth as stable and vnquestionable before it be ratified by the Churches authoritie Euident it is by his positions that he cannot and as euident that beliefe of the churches authority cannot depend vpon any determinate branch of the first truth much lesse can it distinctly be thereinto resolued But contrariwise presse him with what Diuine precept soeuer written or vnwritten though in all mens iudgements the churches authoritie set aside most contradictory to their approoued practises for example That the second Commaundement forbids worshipping Images or adoration of the consecrate host he straight inuerts your reason thus Rather the second commandement forbids neyther because the holy Church which I beleeue to bee infallible approueth both Lastly hee is fully resolued to beleeue nothing for true which the Church disproues nothing for false or erroneous which it allowes Or if he would answere directly to this demaund To what end did God cause the Scriptures to be written He could not consonant to his tenents say That wee might infallibly rely vpon them but rather vpon the Churches authoritie which it establisheth For Gods word whether written or vnwritten is by their Doctrine but as the testimonie of some men deceased indefinitely presumed for infallible but whose materiall extent the Church must first determine and after wards iudge without all appeale of their true meaning Thus are all parts of Diuine truthes supposed to be reuealed more essentially subordinate to the Churches authoritie then ordinary witnesses are to royall or supreme iudgment For they are supposed able to deliuer what they know in termes intelligible to other mens capacities without the Prince or Iudges ratification of their sayings or expositions of their meanings and iudgment is not ordained for producing witnesses but production of witnesses for establishing iudgement Thus by our aduersaries Doctrine Gods word must serue to establish the Churches authority not the Churches authority to confirme the immediate soueraigntie of it ouer our soules 9 Much more probably might the Iew or Turke resolue his faith vnto the first truth then the moderne Iesuited Papist can For though their deductions from it be much what alike all aequally sottish yet these admit a stabilitie or certainty of what the first Truth hath said no way dependant vpon their authority that first proposed or commended it vnto them The Turkes would storme to heare any Mufti professe he were as well to be beleeued as was Mahomet in his life time that without his proposall they could not know eyther the olde testament or the Alcoran to bee from God So would the Iewes if one of their Rabbines should make the like comparison betwxit himselfe and Moses as the Iesuite doth betwixt Christ and the Pope who besides that hee must bee as well beleeued as his Master leaues the authority of both testaments vncertaine to vs vnlesse confirmed by his infallibility But to speake properly the pretended deriuation of all three heresies from the first truth hath a liuely resemblance of false petigrees none at all of true doctrine and resolutions Of all the three the Romish is most ridiculous as may appeare by their seuerall representations As imagine there should be three Competitors for the Romane Empire all pleading it were to descend by inheritance not by election all pretending lineall succession from Charles the Great The first like to the Iew alleageth an authentique petigree making him the eldest The second resembling the Turke replyes that the other indeede was of the eldest line but long since disinherited often conquered and enforced to resigne whence the inheritance descended to him as the next in succession The third like the Romanist pleades it was bequeathed him by the Emperours last wil and testament from whose death his Ancestors haue beene intitled to it and produceth a petigree to this purpose without any other confirmation then his owne authority adding withal that vnlesse his competitors and others will beleeue his
in such broiles yet skilfull to bet alwayes on the fairest side saw fittest occasions vntill at length they got both feet on Princes shoulders and being once mounted learned cunning to sit fast and ride them safely For most of that succession being still of seuerall lines and different parentages none of them were disposed to continue any ancient or hereditarie fohood with the posteritie of their predecessors greatest enemies as lineall descents of royall Families out of their personall loue vnto their Ancestors vsually doe vnto the great damage of their state and Countrie It is significantly spoken by the Euangelist That the ten Kings should giue their authoritie vnto the beast thereby instructing vs that Antichrist should grow great by Princes fauours and gracious priuiledges bestowed vpon him not as the Iesuite absurdly imagines by taking authoritie vnto himselfe by strong hand before it was giuen as the Turkes or Saracens or other Barbarians haue done But to proceede not the Infidelitie of Turke of Iew or Saracen not malignant Apostasie is to be compared with this kinde of Idolatrie and blasphemie we now dispute against The Turke calumniates the Crosse the Iew accuseth Christ himselfe as an impostor but neither make him Author or approuer of such impieties as they commit The Iesuite Fathers such prodigious villanies as his soule from Satans suggestion hath conceiued vpon his Sauiour all other Heretikes or Idolaters Turkes Infidels or Apostataes doe then only or principally offer contumelies vnto Christ and Christianitie when they open their mouthes and vent their bitternesse against him But of this Whoore and her attendants that prouerbe is most truely verified Siue scortum benedâ—cat siue malediâ—â—t perinde est The contumelies offered by them to Christ are all one alwaies most grieuous whether they blesse or curse whether they magnifie or blaspheme his holy Name Whilest they professe such absolute allegeance to the Pope the Sonne of perdition Christs greatest enemie in taking our Redeemers praises in their mouthes they doe but adde prophane scurrilitie vnto blasphemie vsing him herein more contemptuously then the Souldiers which bowed their knees vnto him but buffet his face salute him as king and yet wound his head by putting a crowne of thornes vpon it 9 But some out of charitie not to bee blamed will here demand Doe all the Maintayners of this strange doctrine expresly and wittingly conceiue as meanely or despitefully of Christ as these dissolute Roman Souldiers did though willingly for their owne aduantage to cloake their secret scoffes and mockerie of his spirituall Kingdome with outward demeanure more decent and reuerent then the others vsed Doe all the learned of that Religion in heart approue that commonly reported saying of Leo the tenth Quantum profuit nobis fabula Christi and yet resolue as Cardinall Carafa did quoniam populus iste vult decipi decipiatur to nussle the people in their credulitie For mine owne part as yet I cannot thinke so though I haue beene friendly censured for saying the contrarie Many of them I am perswaded thinke they honour Christ as much as the best in reformed Churches doe But doth this their conceipt or imaginarie loue to him lessen their wrong in respect of those contumelies offered him by the Heathen Rather in the learned it is a symptome of that grieuous plague inflicted vpon the Iewes That seeing they should not see that hearing they should not heare nor vnderstand no signe at all of better reall affection towards Christ but rather a token of greater seruilitie vnto Satan or of that strange spirituall drunkennesse spoken of by the Euangelist Their hearts and heads are not acquainted the one endites what Satan suggests and moues their outward members to act what he commands the other interprets all done in honour of Christ as if a man should bee so deeply intoxicated with some pleasant poyson as to enforce it vpon his dearest friend for an extraordinarie daintie Finally that these great Clearkes should thus acknowledge Christ for the Redeemer of the world and yet admit euery Pope for his Compeere and thus deuoutly embrace the doctrine of Deuils is an vndoubted document they are the sworne followers of Him whose comming is by the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders and in all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse amongst them that perish That which especially causeth many of vs to doubt whether the Iesuites doe not equiuocate when they speake well of Christ is because their learning and iudgement are on the one side so great and this imagination on the other so prodigiously absurd and sottish as one cannot possibly better brooke the others companie in the same heart or braine then the most flourishing Prince or Potentate in the world could the beastliest sluttish shee-foole liuing for the only consort of his bed howsoeuer these cunning Panders in pride of their nimble wits may hope to betroth more simple soules into this out-cast of hell And though experience in some sort hath proued it true that no opinion was euer proposed so absurd but found some Philosopher for it Patron yet this imagination of the Popes transcendent authoritie farre exceeds the limits of any experiments or obseruation made in Philosophers answerable to the former axiome Notwithstanding the more their infatuation of whom we speake exceeds the bounds of all folly or vanitie meerely naturall the more it ascertaines to vs the truth of the Apostles prediction in the place late cited Doubtlesse because they receiued not the loue of the truth therefore hath God sent them strong delusions that they should beleeue lyes The fulfilling of which prophecie is most conspicuous in the moderne Iesuites the principall maintayners of this doctrine For were they not men of rare wit and exquisite learning were not this opinion withall of all that are or can bee imagined the most sottishly improbable and preposterously impious the print of Gods finger thus confounding their braine could not be so eminent or discernable The first bait cast out by Satan was but to draw the Romish Cleargie vnto practices so suspicious amongst the people that they could not be iustified but by a conceipt of infallibilitie and not checking their pride being challenged of error in doctrine and impietie in their dealings the Lord gaue them ouer to beleeue this monster of falshood and vntruth a bottomlesse pit of hypocriticall preposterous blasphemies 10 Would to God the daily ambitious practices of many that are or would be in great place amongst vs the pronenesse of most to transgresse the bounds of lawfull authoritie and their vnreadinesse to recall their errors though neuer so grosse their extreme impatience of all impeachment by men as farre their Superiours in spirituall graces as their inferiours in secular dignitie did not plainely shew the passage from that point where these mens resolutions anchor vnto this new Tyre the Rock of honor and seate of pride to be but short and the transportation easie if opportunities of Time
articulerum 〈◊〉 indicium atque desinitio emnium side 〈◊〉 quae vnquam oriri possunt Valent. Tom. 3 in Aquin Disp 1. Quaest 1. Punct 7. in Tit. Puncti The generall obiection of Reformed Churches against the former assertions Respondeo hoc argumentum quod ab haereticis plurimi sit â—otum in aequiuocatione versari nam duobus modis potest intelligi Ecclesiam iudicare de Scripturis Vno modo quod iudicet verumne sit an sassum quod Scripturae docent Alterò modo quod posito vt fundamento certissimo Scripturae verba esse verissima iudicet quae sit vera corum interpretatio Et quidem si primo modo Ecclesia iudicaret verè esset supra Scripturam sed hoc non dicimus quamuis Haeretici calumnientur id nos dicere qui passim vociserantur nos subijcere Scripturam pedibus Papae At secundo modo iudicare Ecclesiam vel Pontificem de Scripturis quod nos asserimus non est Ecclesiam esse supra Scripturam sed supra iudicia priuatorum hominum Non enim iudicat Ecclesia de veritate Scripturae sed de intelligentia tua mea et aliorum Neque hinc sumit verbum Dei abquod robur sed intelligientia nostra Non enim Scriptura est verior aut certior quia sic ab Ecclesia exponitur sed mea seatentia est verior quando ab Ecclesia confirmatur Bellar. de verb. interpret Lib. 3. Cap. 10. Raesp ad 14. Arg. * Vide Chap. 2. Parag. 7. In what sence as impertineÌ„t as true Gods word by Romanists is acknowledged of greater authoritie then the Church * Sacrobos and Valentian both vse the like speeches The Romish racke of conscience Least they might in any doubt goe against their conscience they are taught to beleeue that whatsoeuer the Pope shall command is good and cannot hurt the conscience See the Annotation out of Bellarmine cap. 2. §. 2. * Respondeo verbum Ecclesiae id est Concilij vel Pontificis dâ—centis ex cathedra non esse â—emnino verbum hominis id est verbum errori obnoxium sed aliquo modo verbum Dei id est si prolatum gubernante assistence spiritu sancto imo dico Haereticos esse qui reuera nitantur baculo arundineo Sciendum est enim propositionem fidei concludi tali Syllogismo Quicquid Deus reuelauit in Scripturis est verum hoc dens reuelauit in Scripturis ergo hoc est verum Ex propositionibus huius Syllogismi prima certa est apud omnes secunda apud Cathelicos est etiam firmissima nititur enim testimonio Ecclesiae Concilij vel Pontificis de quibus habemus in Scripturis apertas promissiones quod errare non possint Actorum 15. Visum est spiritui sancto nobis Et Luc. 22. Regaui pro te vt non deficiat fides tua At apud Haereticos nititur solis coniecturis vel iudicio proprij spiritus qui plerumque videtur bonus est malus Et cum conclusio sequatur deteriorem partem sit necessariò vt tota fides Haereticorum sit coniecturalis incerta Bellar. de verb. Dei interpret Lib. 3. Cap. 10. Resp ad 15. aâ—g Bellarmines Catholicke Syllogisme wherein all conclusions of faith must be gathered a Act. 15. v. 28. b Luk. 22. v. 32. * Sect. 1. Parag. 1. Seq The first difficultie in their opinion wheÌ„ce our former coÌ„clâ—sion may be deduced * Si volunt Pontificem in rebus alioqui omnino controuersis id est non satis expressè in Ecclesia compertis ac determinatis defiâ—ire posse vt personam pubâ—cam errorem re ipsa contra fidem errant ipsi in fide grauissiâ—è Posset enim imo teneretur tunc Ecclesia vniuersa Pontificem de re controuersa dicentem ac nondum haeresi manifestê notatum pro Pastore suo agnoscere atque adeo ipsum omnino audire Ita fierat vt si tunc errare possit Ecclesia etiam vniuersa possit immo teneretur errare Valentian Tom. 3. de obiect fid Disp 1. Quaest 1. Punct 7. Paragraph 4â— Bellarmine for the same grounds Collects that the Pope cannot erre in matters of manners * Vide Librum 2. Sect. 4. Cap 5. Paragraph 14. Nam fides Catholica docet omnem virtutem esse bonaÌ„ omne vitium esse malum si autem Papa erraret praecipiendo vi tia vel prohibendo virtutes teneretur Ecclesia credere vitia esse bona virtutes malas nisi vellet contra conscientiam peccare Tenetur enim in rebus dubijs Ecclesia acquiescere iudicio summi Pontificis facere quod ille praecipit non facere quod ille prohibet ac ne sorte contra conscientiam agat tenetur credere bonum esse quod ille praecipit malum quod ille prohibet Bellarmine Lib. 4. de Roman Pont. Cap. 5. Wherein the Papists make the Popes authoritie greater then Gods Iâ—h 5. 7. 1 Thess 5. 21. Ioh. 1. Epist 4. The grosse impietie of the Romish Church in binding men to beleeue negatiues without any tollerable exposition of those Scriptures which seeme to contradict her decrees in matters damnable to aduenture vpon without euidence of truth on her part The fearefull dangers whervnto mens soules are exposed by the Trent Councels decree for worshipping the consecrated hoast For to aduenture on such practizes with any scruple or doubt is damnable because contrarie to the Doctrine of saith And yet to enforce a beleefe vpon our selues that Christ is their present without warrant of Scripture is more damnable for this were to affect ignorance for cloaking Idolatrie V de lib. 2. Sect. 1. cap. 7. * De adorand lib. 3. disp 1. c. 5. * The knowne experiments of such Creatures arising from corruption of their consecrated host haue enforced the Schoolemen to inuent new miracles how they should come there Some thinke per creationem nouae materiae prima others that the quantitie of the late deceased consecrated host Supplet locum materiâ—e primae which is the greatest miracle in the Sacrament as Pererius thinks vide Pere dispu 16. in 6 tom Jobannis Sâ—ares Met. disp 20. § Si quis dixerit in sancto Eucharistiae Sacramento Christum vnigenitum Dei filium non esse cultulatriae etiam externo ad orandum alque ideo nec festiua peculiari celebritate venerandum neque in procâ—ssionibus secuudum laudabilem vniuersalem Ecclesiae sanctae ritum consuetudinem solemniter circumgestandum vel non publicè vt adoretur populo proponendum eius adoratores esse Idololatras anathema sit Concil Trid. Sess 13. Can. 6. * The impious decree of the Trent Councell for communicating in one kind against the expresse Commandement of Christ the practise of his Apostles and the Primitiue Church a Session 21. 20. * Erant autem sub Arriana secta viuentes quia consuetudo eorum est vt ad Altarium venientes de alio calice Reges communicent de alio
nor the Prophets did euer so much as once intimate such absolute power should be acknowledged in that great Prophet of whome they wrote wee suppose the imagination of the like in whomsoeuer cannot bee without reall blasphemie Yet suppose Christs infallibility and the Popes were in respect of the Church Militant the same the Popes authoritie would be greater or were their authoritie but equall his priuiledges with God would bee much more magnificent then Christs That which most condemned the Iewes of infidelity in not acknowledging Christ as sent with power full absolute from God his father were his mightie signes and wondâ—rs his admirable skill in Gods word alreadie established but chiefly his sacred life and conuersation as it were exhibiting vnto the world a visible patterne or coÌ„spicuous modell of that incomprehensible goodnesse which is infallible Now if we compare his powerfulnesse in words and workes with the Popes imperfections in both or his diuine vertues with the others monstrous vices to equalize their infallibilities were to imagine God to bee like man and Christ at the best but as his faithfull seruant the Pope his Minion his Darling or some of his age For such is our partialitie to our owne flesh that oftimes though the Wise man aduise to the contrarie a lewde and naughtie sonne in that hee is a sonne hath greater grace and priuiledges then the most faithfull seruant in the fathers house So would the Iesuites make God dote vpon the Pope whose authoritie bee his life neuer so vngracious if they should denie to bee lesse then Christs in respect of vs their practises enioyned ex Cathedra would confute them For much sooner shall any Christian though otherwise of life vnspotted be cut off from the congregation of the faithfull for denying the Popes authoritie or distrusting his decrees then the Iewes that saw Christs miracles for contradicting him in the dayes of his flesh or oppugning his Apostles after his glorification Nor bootes it ought to say they make the Popes authoritie lesse then Christs in respect they deriue it from his rather because they euidently make it greater then Christs was it cannot bee truly thence deriued or if it could this onely proues it to bee lesse then the other whilest onely compared with it not whilest wee consider both in respect of vs for Christs authoritie as the Sonne of Man in respect of vs is equall to his Fathers whence it is deriued For the Father iudgeth no man but hath committed all iudgement vnto the Sonne 2 But wherein doe they make the Popes authoritie greater then Christs First in not exempting it from triall by Christs and his Apostles doctrine neither of which were to be admitted without all examination of their truth for as you heard before Gods word was first vttered in their audience established by euident signes and wonders in their sight and presence of whom beliefe and obedience vnto particulars was exacted And it is a rule most euident and vnquestionable that Gods word once confirmed and sealed by experience was the only rule whereby all other spirits and doctrines were to bee examined that not Propheticall visions were to bee admitted into the Canon of Faith but vpon their apparent consonancie with the word alreadie written The first Prophets were to be tried by Moses the latter by Moses and their Predecessors Christs and his Apostles by Moses and all the Prophets for vnto him did all the Prophets giue testimonie The manifest experiments of his life and doctrine so fully consonant to their predictions did much confirme euen his Disciples beliefe vnto the former Canon of whose truth they neuer conceiued positue doubt 3 Againe there had beene no Prophet no signes no wonders for a long time in Iudah before our Sauiours birth yet hee neuer made that vse either of his miracles or more then Propheticall spirit which the papists make of their imaginary publike spirit he neuer vsed this or like argument to make the people relie vpon him How know yee the Scriptures are Gods word How know yee that God spake with Moses in the Wildernesse or with your Fathers in Mount Sinai Moses your Fathers and the Prophets are dead and their writings cannot speake Your present Teachers the Scribes and Pharises doe no wonders Must you not then belieue him whome daily you may behold doing such mightie workes as Moses said to haue done that Moses as your fathers haue told you was sent from God that Gods word is contayned in his writings otherwise you cannot infallibly beleeue that there was such a man indeed as you conceiue hee was much lesse that he wrote you this Law least of all can you certainely know the true meaning of what hee wrote Hee that is the onely sure foundation of faith knew that faith grounded vpon such doubts was but built vpon the sand vnable to abide the blasts of ordinarie temptations that thus to erect their hopes was but to prepare a rise to a grieuous downefall the ready way to atheisme presumption or despaire For this cause hee doth not so much as once question how they knew the Scriptures to be Gods word but supposing them knowne and fully acknowledged for such he exhorts his hearers to search them seeking to prepare their hearts by signes and wonders to embrace his admirable expositions of them And because the corruption of particular morall doctrines brought into the Church by humane tradition would not suffer the generality of Moses and the Prophets already belieued to fructifie in his hearers hearts and branch out vniformely into liuely working faith he laboured most to weede out Pharisaisme from among the heauenly seed as euery one may see that compares his sermon vpon the Mount with the Pharises glosses vpon Moses If the particular or principall parts of the law and Prophets had beene as purely taught or as clearely discerned as the generall and common principles His Doctrine that came not to destroy but to fulfill the law in words and works had shined as brightly in his hearers hearts at the first proposall as the sunne did to their eyes at the first rising For all the morall duties required by them were but as dispersed rayes or scattered beams of that diuine light and glory which was incorporate in him as splendor in the body of the sunne Nor was there any possibility the Iewes beliefe in him should prosper vnlesse it grew out of their generall assent vnto Moses doctrine thus pruned and purged at the very roote Had yee belieued Moses saith our Sauiour yee would haue belieued me for he wrote of me but if yee belieue not his writings how shall yee belieue my words For which cause they were in conscience bound to examine his doctrine by Moses and the Prophets otherwise they might haue belieued the sauing truth but falsly and vpon decitfull grounds The stronger or more absolute credence they had giuen vnto his words or workes without such examination the more
they had ensnared their soules and set their consciences vpon the Racke by admitting a possibility of contradiction betwixt two doctrines both firmely belieued without any euidence of their consonancie or bothes conspiring to the same end The speedier and higher this edification in Christ had beene the sooner it might haue ruinated that foundation which God by Moses and the Prophets had reared in Israel vnlesse this new worke had been orderly squared well proportioned closely layed and strongly caemented vnto the former In secular schooles hee is held an vnwise answerer that will admit Socraticall intertogations for albeit there appeare no difficultie in any one proposed apart yet in the processe a respondent may bee easily brought to grant conclusions from which he knowes not what consequences may bee drawne because their consonancy with the probleme whose defence hee vndertakes is not so euident nor immediate as vpon a sodaine may bee fully examined And not examining the consonancy of euery other proposition with the principles of that faculty whereto the probleme belongs the best answerer liuing may bee made either grant what hee should not or deny what should bee granted Now Christs doctrine was to Mosaicall and Propheticall as the conclusion to the premisses or as the corollarie of greatest vse vnto the speculatiue theoreme Suppose then a Iew well skilled in Moses and the Prophets should instantly vpon the first hearing of our Sauiours sermons or sight of his miracles haue admitted him for such an infallible teacher vpon tearmes as absolute and irreuocable as the Iesuite would haue the Pope acknowledged by all Christians a good disputant might easily haue staggered him by these or like Socraticall demands Doe you stedfastly belieue Moses writings for Gods word God forbid I should doubt of this Doe yee belieue this new doctrine confirmed by miracles as firmely What if I doe Doe you know as certainely whether both agree as well as one part of Moses writings with another What if I doe not vntill you bee fully resolued in this your beliefe in both cannot be sound for in case they should disagree the one must needes be false and if choice were giuen you whether in sooth would you disclaime Here a wise man that as the wise King speakes had eyes in his head and would not be led by a blind saith would haue paused a while and thought with himselfe This is a point that should bee looked to for if these new doctrines should proue incompatible as for any iust examination hitherto made they may I cannot see whether deserues more credence Whiles I consider Moses writings call to mind those mighty wonders our fathers told vs with like continuall experiments of their diuine truth nothing can seeme more certaine then they againe whiles I behold these new miracles me thinkes his authority that workes them should bee as great as Moses was yet if they should happen to disagree the one must bee better belieued then the other or else for ought I see there can bee no certainety of either for if this mans possibly may bee why might not Moses doctrine likewise be false or if our fathers were deceiued by his signes and wonders why may not we bee so serued by this mans miracles But if vpon iust trial they shal be found fully to agree in euery point as I trust they doe then doubtlesse both are from God and I shall stedfastly belieue this new doctrine to be diuine if such as Moses had foretold withal more euidently acknowledge then before I could that Moses spake by the spirit of the all seeing euerliuing God if this Iesus of Nazareth be in all points like to him and so qualified as hee foretold the great Prophet should bee But in the interim till the triall bee made it is best to lay sure hold on Moses and the Prophets For prior tempore potior iure their writings doubtlesse were from God because hitherto they could not bee destroyed time and they shall trie whether Iesus and his doctrine be so or no whether he be that great Prophet that should come or we are yet to looke for some other 4 Thus when Iohn Baptist sent his Disciples to our Sauior with this very question Art thou hee that should come or shall we looke for another The answere hee returned againe whether for confirmation of Iohns owne faith or as the most interpreters thinke of his Disciples was this and no more Goe and shew Iohn what things yee haue seene and heard that the blind see the halt goe the leapers are clensed the deafe heare the dead rise againe and the Gospel is preached to the poore and blessed is hee that shall not be offended in mee These or other of their fellow Disciples had enformed their Master Iohn before of Christs healing the Centurions seruant by his word or command though absent of his raising the widows sonne from death to life of the rumors spread abroad of him throughout all Iudea and the regions round about and vpon this report as Saint Luke tels vs did Iohn make the former solemne demand But some will yet demand how could he or his Disciples bee confirmed by the answere giuen them wherein is little more then formerly both had heard for the raising vp of the widdowes sonne which especially occasioned their comming was the greatest of all in this Catalogue and yet as great as this some of the ancient Prophets had done how could it then proue him to be the Messias Had he told them as much in plain terms they might haue beleeued him because this great worke did witnesse him to be a Prophet and therefore one that could not lie But by this answere how could they gather more then the people vpon the astonishment of that accident had said for when the dead man sate vp and spake feare saith the Euangelist came on them all and they glorified God saying A great Prophet is raised vp among vs and God hath visited his people 5 Yet this obiection at least the solution confirms the truth of my former assertion that by his miracles alone considered they were not bound absolutely to belieue hee was the Messias but by comparing them with other circumstances or presupposed truths especially the Scriptures receiued and approued prophesies of the Messias though no one for the greatnesse of power manifested in it could of it selfe yet the frequency of them at that time and the condition of the parties on whom they were wrought might absolutely confirme Iohn and his Disciples because such they were in these and euery respect as the Euangelicall Prophet had foretold Messias should worke for this reason our Sauiour deliuers his answere in the Prophets owne words as elsewhere he himselfe did read them then best interpreted by the signes of the time that Iohn might see by the euent he was in the man of whom Isaiah speakes He whom the Lord had annointed to preach the Gospel to the poore whom