pronounce him to bee an Heriticke who after so great a pudder as hath beene kept about Saint Francis shall yet deny him to bee in heauen Secondly Turrecremata in his second booke de Ecclesia and Syluester in his summes do grant that the Pope may so farre as in him lyes endeà uour to establish his owne heresie and obtrude it vpon the Church nor doe Valentia and Bellarmine dissalow their position vnder these two prouiso's the one that if he doe it effectually then the contrary hath beene formerly determined by the Church so that the Church can then receiue no danger thereby of erring the other that if the contrary was neuer before determined then the Pope may indeed attempt it as did Ioh. 22. in a question touching the state of the soule after death but God in his prouidence will take such course as that he neuer shall accomplish it The fifth Gradation BVt fiftly grant for the matters that the Pope be this Church in determining any matter of Faith whatsoeuer yet is it not resolued clearely by them for the person in generall whether the Pope vpon which wee are so to relie bee the present Pope or whether the Popes deceased 1. For the voice of the Iesuites speakes this that it is the present Pope nay Gregorie de Valentia is so confident therein that neque Scriptura sacra saith hee neque etiam sola traditio si ab ea separes praesentem in ecclesia authoritatem est illa authoritas infallibilis magistra fidei c. that is neither the Scriptures nor yet traditions if you separat from the present authoritie in the Church is that infallible mistresse of Faith Iudge of controuersies So Bellarmine omnium conciliorum veterum omnium dogmatum firmitas pendet ab authoritate praesentis Ecclesiae the strength of all ancient Councells and all assertions doth depend vpon the authoritie of the present Church and their reasons alleadgedare for that without the authoritie of the present Church wee neither can be assured of the certainty of Traditions and Councells nor of the sense meaning of them 2. But contrariwise the case being put as you haue heard by Turrecremata and Siluester that the Pope may doe what lyes in him to propose an heresie both Valentia and Bellarmine grant the position not to be impossible vpon condition that the heresie haue beene condemned formerly by the Church for then according to their doctrine the Church is to examin the errors of the present Pope by truthes resolued by precedent Popes So that if in all points necessarie to saluation the truth haue beene already determined by former Popes as in 1600. yeeres space they haue had leasure enough to doe it the present Pope ceaseth to bee a competent Iudge in such matters hee may erre touching them hee may doe his best indeuour to obtrude vpon the Church heresies concerning them nay hee stands himselfe to bee arrained at the barre and Tribunall of his Clergie whether he be Orthodoxe or no and that by the prescripts of his predecessors The sixt Gradation SIxtly graunt for the Person in generall that it bee the present Pope which is the Church in that no danger can accrue from the Popes propounding an heresie if that heresie haue beene formerly condemned because as they say the Church may then know him not to bee their Shepherd but a Wolfe yet is it not agreed or determined sufficiently amongst them for the meanes how the Church may bee able to iudge or truly discerne him to be such an one 1. For they which hold a Generall Councell to be aboue the Pope and that it cannot erre as Gerson Cameracensis and others aboue mentioned doe hold likewise that the Pope so erring may bee iudged both for his person and doctrine by the church in a Generall Councell 2. But they which hold a Generall Councell not to be aboue the Pope but that wanting his companie it may erre euen in matters of faith as Bellarmine Valentia Cajetan Turrecremata and others these disable any for being competent Iudges of the Popes doctrine For howsoeuer they may pretend that the Councell proceeding according to former Popes declarations cannot erre yet because they teach that the certaintie sense of former Decrees depends vpon the iudgement of the present Pope I cannot see what meanes may according to their opinion be affoorded for the triall of the Popes doctrine if he should chance to erre The seuenth Gradation SEauenthly graunt for the meanes that the Church neuer neede to passe verdict vpon the Popes doctrine yet is it not agreed vpon by them for the See whether the Popedome bee necessarily vnited to the See of Rome so that the word Roman for ought they know assuredly is not conuertible with Catholike but that he which brags he is a Roman Catholike to day may if the Pope should chance to die prooue a Geneua Catholike tomorrow 1. For Dominicus a Soto vpon the fourth of the Senten saith that the Apostolicall seate and power of vniuersall Bishop is annext to the Bishoprick of Rome onely jure Ecclesiastico that is not by the Law of God but by the Churches constitution so that by the authoritie of the Church a Bishop of another See may be chosen Pope And Bellarmine graunts that it is no matter of faith that the Apostolicall seate may not bee separated from the Church of Rome forasmuch as neither Scripture nor Tradition doe auouch it 2. But Canus Driedo Turrecremata and Gregorie de Valentia doe hold the contrarie that the Bishop of Rome is Peters successor not onely by the constitution of the Church but also by the institution of Christ though Valentia confesseth varias hac de re doctorum sententias that the opinions of the Doctors be diuers in this point The eighth Gradation EIghtly for I shall not yet leaue them graunt for the See that the Bishop of Rome bee the ordayned Successour of Peter by the institution of Christ not onely in the Popedome but also in the particular See of Rome yet is it not certayne for the particular person of this or any present Pope whether hee bee the true and lawfull Bishop of Rome or no 1. For although Gregorie de Valentia doth thinke that Gods prouidence will alwayes secure the Church of a lawfull Pope 2. Yet hee confesseth that graue Doctors doe admit the case as possible and this according to them may fall out diuers wayes First if the Pope be promoted by Simonie and that this is not impossible Aquinas affirmes it 2a. 2a. q. 100. where hee saith Papa potest incurrere vitium Simoniae sicut quilibet alius the Pope may incurre the sinne of Simonie as well as any other The which opinion Cajetan and others vpon Thomas doe follow and it is moreouer a clause in the Bull of Pope Iulius the second That if any Pope happen to be chosen simoniacally the same
of the priuiledge of trafficke which the King thereof tenders to our countrimen in this case if the Relators credit bee suspitious it were dangerous to build vpon his report because here he is the principall and only cause vpon whose sole affirmation we can finally rest In like manner if two persons onely bee present at the death of a friend and depose that in this or that manner he bestowed legacies in this case if they be of doubtfull repute it will be hard to determine positiuely what is the truth because that here they are the principall and onely witnesses and there are no other authentike proofes whereby their depositions may be examined But where the Propounder is onely the instrument by whose meanes wee are brought to see proofes of an higher nature and by whose ministerie arguments of greater importance doe display themselues as if the Trauailer shall bring letters of Credence vnder the Hand Seale of the Prince confirming his Relation or if the persons present at the death of their friend shall besides their owne testimonie produce a formall will subscribed by the hands of lawfull witnesses and strengthened by an authentike seale here the possibilitie of erring in the Propounder takes not away the certaintie of the things propounded by him because in this case the same may be supplyed by other more sufficient demonstrations vpon which as the principall causes of our beliefe wee may finally rest Now to apply this to the Church I say that if the Church were the principall or onely Cause for whose authoritie our faith doth finally assent to the mysteries propounded by her then and vpon this supposition it were to be acknowledged that if the Church might erre and that her testimonie were not infallible the assured truth of things so assented vnto could not bee attayned by vs. But wee say that in working an vndoubted assent vnto the mysteries propounded and deliuered vnto vs the Church though it bee one cause to wit an inductiue or preparatiue yet is it not the onely no nor the principall or finall vpon which wee lastly depend The principall and finall causes for whose sake we firmely beleeue those truths which the Church propounds vnto vs touching the Scriptures are two The one the Word of God it selfe with the properties notes and characters aboue mentioned imprinted in the letter thereof which serue as the hand-writing and Deed of the great Maker produced by the Church in confirmation of what shee vtters The other the inward testimonie of Gods Spirit enlightning the eyes of our vnderstanding to discerne the Scriptures by those notes and perswading vs what we discerne stedfastly to beleeue seruing as a seale which confirmes to the consciences of the Elect the Deed to bee lawfull and authentike The former which is the Word it selfe and the notes thereof cannot bee denyed by an ingenious Papist to bee there found for howsoeuer some of them by a iust iudgement of God for being iniurious to the Scriptures in branding them with obscuritie imperfection c. haue beene so blinded by the Prince of darknesse that setting aside the iudgement of the Church no reason to them hath appeared wherefore Aesops Fables should not as well as the Scriptures themselues bee thought Canonicall yet others as Bellarmine Greg. de Valentia Gretser c. doe acknowledge these distinguishing notes to be in their kinde argumentatiue and to shine in them as the excellency of the Doctrine concord efficacie and the like whereby may be verified of the whole Booke of God what the Officers sent by the Pharisies and Priests said of our Sauiour Ioh. 7. Neuer man spake like this man Nor is the later which is the inward testimonie of the Spirit denyed by the learneder sort of Papists to possesse another chief place in the discouerie of the Scriptures For although in popular aire they seeme to vent the contrarie yet when they are called to giue a more sober account in writing they vtter the same in effect which we doe The Church saith Stapleton by reason of her ministerie and mastership receiued of God doth make vs to beleeue but yet the formall reason wherefore we beleeue is not the Church but God speaking within vs. Againe The minde of a faithfull beleeuer saith hee doth rest in the iudgement but not by the iudgement of the Church but by the inward grace of the holy Spirit So Gregorie de Valentia The infallible proposition of the Church saith he is as obscure to vs as any other article of faith whatsoeuer alleadging out of Canus That if a man should aske wherefore he beleeues the Trinitie he should answer incommodiously in saying because the Church doth infallibly propose it And Canus giues the reason Because the last resolution of faith saith he is not into the testimonie of the Church but into a more inward efficient cause that is into God inwardly mouing vs to beleeue If therefore addes Becanus you be asked wherefore you beleeue that God reuealed such a thing and you answere that you beleeue it for the authoritie of the Church it is not the assent of a theologicall faith but of some other faith of an inferiour ranke Many more testimonies might bee added it being a firme position amongst the Schoolemen that principles of faith such as the Scriptures are cannot bee beleeued as they ought to bee but by infused faith But I will conclude where I began with our Countriman Stapleton because he layes downe the very fundamentall reason vpon which this Doctrine is grounded There is the same faith saith hee in the rest of the whole Church which is in the Prophets Apostles and all those who are immediately taught of God They haue one and the same formall reason of their act of beleeuing But the faith of the Apostles and Prophets which was by immediate reuelation was lastly resolued into God alone the Reuealer and did end and rest vpon him onely as the supreme and last cause of beleeuing therefore the faith of the rest of the whole Church hath the same formall obiect These foundations being laid it shall not be hard to shape distinct answeres to the seuerall questions aboue propounded To the first if the testimonie of the Church bee not infallible how shall wee vndoubtedly knowe the Scriptures to bee the Word of God I answere that wee may know them to bee so partly by the light of the Word that is the diuine notes and characters therein imprinted and partly by the enlightning and perswading grace of Gods Spirit enabling vs to see and mouing vs to beleeue what wee see Now on the contrarie I demand of them If one cannot bee assured of the certaintie of the Scriptures propounded by the Church vnlesse the proposition of the Church bee infallible how the lay Papists in this Land doe know any article of faith to be infallibly true considering that few or none of them euer heard the voyce of that Church which they
shall please God farther to enlighten one as in the question of the authoritie of the Scriptures the knowing of the Instrument or Pen-man whether it bee Saint Matthew or Saint Paul is not simply so requisite as to know the principall Authour which is God nor to determine punctually of the wordes so oblieging as to beleeue the sense nor againe of the sense of some places and texts as of other all are to striue vnto perfection but as the difference is in the gifts of arte grace and nature so shall the difference be in the measure of the knowledge of all or some The third trick and sleight of theirs which they put vpon the people in this kinde is that bidding them to vrge vs to proue the Scriptures to bee the Word of God or that they are cleare and easie in points necessarie to saluation and knowing that the chiefe proofes vpon which we rest are embowelled in the very body of the Text itselfe first they forbid the lay people to reade the Scriptures vnlesse they obtayne speciall licence from the Bishop or Inquisitor to doe it as appeares by the fourth rule of prohibited bookes which is at the end of the Tridentine Councell And the granting of these licences is now againe taken away by Clement the eighth as may bee seene in his Index of prohibited bookes printed at Paris by Laurentius Sonius and cited also by Iustinianus a Priest of the Congregation of the Oratorie lib. 1. de Scriptura cap. 9. Secondly because they know that some people will bee itching notwithstanding this prohibition to looke into the Scriptures and to see whether matters bee so as wee affirme them to bee therefore they crie downe our Bibles and present a Bible of their owne translation which to argue the obscuritie of the Scriptures they patch vp with such gallimaufrie and inke-horne termes that an ordinarie man may bee confounded with the strangenesse of the wordes As in the old Testament publisht by the Colledge of Doway in stead of Fore-skin they put Prepuce Gen. 17. for Passeouer Phase for vnleauened bread Azims Exod. 12. for high places Excelses 2. King 15. for the holy of holyest Sancta Sanctorum 1. Chr. 6. Nor are they lesse ridiculous in the new Testament set forth by the Colledge of Rhemes where you haue these English wordes piping hot out of the Popes mint Depositum Exinanited Parasceue Didragmes Neophyte Gratis with the spirituals of wickednesse in the Celestials and many more labouring by what meanes they can as our learned Fulke shewes in his Preface to that Testament to suppresse the light of Truth vnder one pretence or another Their fourth stratagem is that after their lay disciples haue giuen so loud a defiance to our Cause as may make simple standers by conceiue so great a crie must needes carrie some wooll with it then if by chance any of the companie vndertake to answere them to fetch them off againe with aduantage by making it knowne afore-hand vnto their Pupils that howsoeuer they may bragge it is forbidden yet vnto a lay man vnder paine of excommunication to dispute of matters of faith which constitution is in the Popes owne Decretals and Emanuel Sa hath it in his Aphorismes voce fides By which meanes they both barre vs after iust prouocation to informe and satisfie their adherents and with all cherish presumption in their followers as not being silenced by the weaknesse of their cause but by the command of their Superiors Their fifth deuice is that if notwithstanding the prohibition to dispute aboue mentioned some of their lay Auditors should be so hardie as to venture a skirmish then to diuert them from reasoning out of the Scriptures least the light thereof should some manner of way or other display it selfe they busie their heads with questions aboue their capacitie as where was our Church before Luther what the exposition of the Doctors in all Ages what the Doctrine of the Fathers Councells and Schoolemen which is the common Theame of this Age hoping that either a few old wiues fables or fragments of antiquitie shall serue to puffe vp their men with conceit of victorie where they finde not equall opponents or where they doe yet they shall not abate thereby any whit of their courage as being for want of artes and languages vnable to see the point of the weapon which is darted at them I meane the truth of those things which are alleaged Their sixt deuice is that if any of their laytie notwithstanding those prohibitions and this diuersion will presume so farre vpon the indulgencie of their ghostly Fathers as to hazard a dispute out of the Bible yet to doe it with aduantage enough on their side they counsell him to make no thrusts but to lie onely vpon the ward and therein to enioyne vs to shew the articles of Faith established in our Church in iust so many wordes and syllables in the Scriptures and as if grace destroyed nature to forbid vs the benefit of Reason or Consequences 1. If we infer any thing by way of consequence they tell vs that wee violate that which wee haue promised to the World which is to proue all our Assertions out of the pure Word of God Whereas according to the grand principle of Logicke De omni de nullo a truth deduced out of another truth is acknowledged to bee contayned therein for otherwise it could not bee drawne from thence So that to bee in the Word of God is to bee the Word of God As Gregorie de Valentia saith of the more distinct conceptions of any obiect that they are contayned implicitly in the more generall as particulars are in vniuersalls And therefore Bellarmine speaking of matters of faith makes those things as well to bee knowne by certaintie of faith which are deduced by necessarie consequences from the Scriptures as those which are immediatly contayned therein 2. If we deduce an article from premises whereof any one proposition is not in the Bible though otherwise it be a principle of nature as for example that a body cannot be in two places at the same time they aske how such a Conclusion can bee of faith or how wee can auerre that our articles of faith are proued out of the pure Word of God considering that a Conclusion takes his efficacie not from one but from both the premises Which argument concludes our Aduersaries as much if not more then it doth vs. For the maynest principle of their to wit That those which professe the faith vnder the Bishop of Rome are the Church of Christ cannot be deduced by Bellarmines logick but search made in the Court Rolls of Nature and by borrowing an Euidence from thence to supply the place of one of the premisses But to speake more punctually we say that those principles of Nature which we imploy in this kinde are also vertually included in the Scriptures though not expresly As hee that faith Socrates is a
Pagnine Caietan Forerius Oleaster Sixtus Senensis Bellarmine and others to bee found in their newest and most approued Bibles Secondly which disparageth the Churches fidelitie and care teaching that it hath lost many bookes of the Old Testament of which Becanus reckons vp particularly no fewer then 18. theol scholast part 2. Thirdly which actually hath lost many articles of faith heretofore defined declared by it as Valentia grants Tom. 3. in Thom. disp 1. All arguing her to bee an incompetent Mistris of other mens purses which hath beene so negligent a guardian of her owne So then let vs cast vp the reckoning and see what small aduantage the Papists haue of vs in these questions of the Scripture Wee runne on thus farre together that to a distinct resolution of them there is required the testimonie of the word speaking outwardly to our eares the testimonie of the spirit speaking inwardly to our hearts and the testimonie of the Church preparing the way by her message for the other two The combate stands chiefely in this that they beleeue the message because they thinke the Messenger cannot lye wee beleeue the message not because wee thinke the Messenger cannot lye but because he which sent him speakes the same by his deede and seale nay farther comes in person along with him and by a double affirmation the one of his word the other of his spirit confirmes the Messengers saying in this particular to bee true so that in fine their lustie brags obtayne but this issue that we beleeue the man for the masters sake they beleeue the master for the mans sake SECT VII The new sleights and deuices which the Iesuites vse in enforcing these arguments touching the Church and the Scriptures BVt see what the Lyons pawes can effect they think to compasse by the Foxes wiles and therefore they haue instilled a method of disputing into the common people which howsoeuer it will not hold water in the schooles yet because it haply passeth the throng in the streets it shall not be amisse to discouer some trickes and deuices of theirs in this kinde that you may see how they detaine the truth in vniustice as the Apostle speakes and that the penurie to which they are driuen is such that now their chiefest warre is but defensiue The first tricke of theirs is to teach the people to require vs to proue and shew by euident demonstration the Scriptures to be the Word of God and that to those which beleeue them not As if one should say Imagine that I gaue no credit to the Scriptures how will you which depend not finally vpon the authoritie of the Church make it appeare by euident conuincing proofes and reasons vnto me that they are the Word of God I could retort and how will you conuince me by the authority of the Church that they are the Word of God if first I beleeue them not to bee so considering that your owne Diuines Bellarmine by name lib. 4. de Eccles cap. 3. confesse that one cannot euidently demonstrate the true Church by any notes to bee the true one but to such an one as first beleeues and receiues the Scriptures because the notes of the Church are from thence to bee taken and deduced But by this question you may perceaue that Poperie is a disease working vpon corrupt humours and cannot domineere but there where the flesh and humane reason weare the breeches First they require one to proue that by such euidence as it is not capable of For principles of faith such as the Scriptures are are apprehended by faith and this faith howsoeuer it bringeth with it certaintie yet it doth not clearnesse Whether you reflect vpon the matter which are things not seene Heb. 11. or the manner it being through a glasse darkely 1. Cor. 13. Againe that certaintie being inward it serues but for the satisfying of ones selfe not for the conuiction of others Secondly they bid vs proue it to one who by Aristotles rule in a like case should bee excluded from being partaker of so high mysteries in that hee is not idoneus auditor that is one that by reason of vnbeliefe is not capable of the right proper proofes which is as much as if one should dispute of colors with a blind man Against which fopperies Thomas Aquinas layes downe two remarkeable propositions 1. part q. â— art 8. The one that Diuinitie is not argumentatiue to proue her principles but onely to proue her conclusions The other that against one which absolutely denies her principles and namely the Scriptures one cannot proceed probando but soluendo that is not by prouing the truth thereof but by dissoluing the reasons brought to the contrarie Their second deuice is to question vs not onely how wee proue the Scriptures in generall to bee the Word of God but also in speciall how wee know the Gospell of Saint Matthew to bee the Gospell of Saint Matthew how we are assured of the sense and interpretation of such a particular verse how wee rest satisfied that this or that syllable is correctly imprinted or that haply not vnderstanding Hebrew and Greeke one may bee confident that our translation accords throughout with the originall This forme of questioning might indeed carry some credit with it if wee either dreamed of a perfection of knowledge in this life or conceiued a paritie of gifts in all men for the discerning of this Word or an equalitie of necessitie in the things therein contayned But forasmuch as we acknowledge neither perfection nor paritie of gifts to be found here nor lastly an equalitie of necessitie in the things to require a distinct answer to all such questions from all men is most vniust and altogether besides the purpose For as touching perfection we confesse with the Apostle that we know but in part and prophesie but in part 1. Cor. 13. 9. And as for equalitie as we ascribe not that degree of iudgement to any one member which we doe to the whole Church so we make the skill of discerning to differ in the members and that in a three-fold respect 1. First in respect of the grace of God enlightning vs which is giuen vnto euery one not equally but according to the measure of the gift of Christ Ephes 4. 7. 2. Secondly in respect of the meanes wherewith the holy Ghost cooperates which are hearing of the Word of God preached meditation studie skill of tongues and the like which are diuers in all For we relye not as I said before vpon speciall and immediate reuelations as the Prophets and Apostles did but on the grace of God concurring with our meditations and the vse of the publike meanes 3. Thirdly in respect of the matters contayned in the Scriptures whereof all display not themselues alike being not all equally and alike necessarie to saluation some imposing an absolute necessitie of beliefe others onely a conditionall that is a preparation of minde to giue fuller credence when it
censure concerning them Whatsoeuer all the Fathers saith hee doe vniformely deliuer that is to bee held for the opinion of the Doctors of all times because the Schoolemen doe follow the holy Fathers as their guides But not on the contrarie whatsoeuer the Schoolemen doe deliuer vniformely is to bee thought to haue beene beleeued by the Doctors in all ages because the Schoolemen haue added many things more explicatly to the doctrine of the Fathers Seeing therefore neither ancient writers will serue their turne no latter may be admitted I demand by what other authoritie they hope now to make good their bragge By what doe the Iesuites answere but by the testimonie of the Church and chiefly the present affirming such a doctrine to haue beene vniuersally beleeued in all ages And this indeed is their last refuge whereby it may plainely appeare that after they haue so lowdly dared vs to shew the perpetuitie of our Church in all ages a posteriori by producing the names of our seuerall Professors they can bee contented quietly to relinquish that title themselues and to flie to the testimonie of the Church which being with them the foundation and principle of their faith is not properly to argue a posteriori but a priori the difference betweene our arguing in that kinde and theirs being but this that we proceed descending downwards from the Scriptures they ascending vpwards from the present Church But I aske now will the Churches testimonie in this case serue their turnes to proue that whatsoeuer is held at this present as an article of faith in the Roman Consistorie was alwayes so beleeued in the Church No doe Bellarmine Valentia and other Iesuites informe vs for some points say they were not heretofore defined by the Church in which to erre was then no heresie which now are and Thomas tells vs that the Pope may make a new Creed But wee aske then how their articles of faith were held in all ages They reply that these new additions of theirs though they were not as then made articles of faith nor beleeued by the Fathers explicitly yet were they implicitly beleeued But this plungeth them then into another gulfe for if implicitly onely then the profession thereof was not visible for an implicit beliefe is like seed buried in the ground and cannot serue for any of those proofes whereby the visibilitie of the Church which is in question may be tried But haply will some say those points which in former times were not mentioned or not expresly beleeued or not defined are but matters of lesse moment and such as the present Church of Rome makes not to be fundamentall No doe the Iesuites answer for they are euen such as are by the Tridentine and other Generall Councells commanded vnder paine of an Aâ—athema to bee beleeued and to denie the which is by their Constitutions made damnable heresie Thus whatsoeuer they pretend they finde no harbour but in their present Church and that like the Sirtes too troublesome and tempestious For our parts God hath affoorded vs a quiet Hauen where in to anchor the holy Scriptures which teach vs that if we cannot discerne the Church Catholike fide oculorum with the faith of our eyes and say videmus wee see it wee should yet apprehend it oculis fidei with the eyes of our faith and say credimus we beleeue it Credo Ecclesiam Catholicam I beleeue the Catholike Church Vnde Zizania THE ORIGINALL AND PROGRESSE of Heresie Handled and applyed before his late MAIESTIE at THEOBALDS An. Dom. 1624. By EDWARD CHALONER Dr. in Diuinitie and Principall of ALBAN Hall in OXFORD LONDON Printed by William Stansby Vnde Zizania The Originall and Progresse of HERESIE MATTH 13. 27. So the Seruants of the Housholder came and said vnto him Sir Didst not thou sowe good Seed in thy field From whence then hath it Tares THe Progeny of Heresies begotten by the Prince of darkenesse and conceiued in the conclaue of Hell cannot be seene by mortall eyes but in aenigmate in a riddle or Parable and therefore most fitly in a Parable is heere set forth the originall and progesse of them First You haue their Antecedent to wit the sowing of good Seed before them For howsoeuer Heresies may be antiqua ancient yet they are not prima the first and most ancient and therefore is Christ the Husbandman first presented in the Narration as seminans sowing good Seed in his field before the Enemie is produced reseminans resowing the same Acres with vnprofitable graine Secondly their Efficient or Authour the Deuill who is pointed out by two remarkable properties his malice in that he is tearmed inimicus the Enemy and his subtiltie which appeared by those aduantages which he took in sowing The first was the opportunitie of the time for he wrought not his mischiefe in the face of the Sunne whilest the Seruants of the Husbandman might beare him witnesse but in the dead of night not whilest the Husbandman himselfe slept for he which keepeth Israel neither slumbreth nor sleepeth but Cum dormirent homines saith the Text whilest men slept that is whilest the Pastors and ouerseers of the flock those to whom the Master had let out his Vineyard were supine and negligent in their charge The second was the nature of the graine which hee sowed sympathising and according with the good Seed in the manner and likenesse of growth that is Heresies bearing the Image and Superscription of Truth Hee tooke not therefore Acornes or Mast or Kernels or Fruit-stones but Tares nor set them with their stalke or bulke but buried them in the Seed that they might appeare with a Copie of old-age being not espied till they had taken roote and then displaying themselues gradatim by little and little The third was the conueniencie of the place for such a purpose beeing free from suspition among the Wheate and the last his hypocriticall couering of his action abijt hee went away id est latuit saith an Interpreter he lay hid vnder the faire penthouse of zeale and seeming deuotion For had either his venome spawn'd in any other soyle then where the Husbandman had bestowed his Wheate or had he beene spied trauersing the field in his proper shape and complexion the seruants of the Housholder could not haue bin so surprized with admiration so soone as the first bud had saluted the light they would haue said behold Tares behold the Enemy now that the field had beene manured and cultiuated with Gods Husbandrie the earth made to trauell with the fruits of his Garner and the Enemies footings vndiscerned these second seedes must spring vp those sproutes become to blade that blade bring forth fruit ere the seruants will beleeue the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or quod as Logicians speake that they are Tares and yet for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or propter quod that is the Authour and Sower of them they are still ignorant they come to the Housholder and say vnto him