number gaue essence and being to the workes of nature A thing in reason impossible which notwithstanding through their misfashioned preconceipt appeared vnto them no lesse certaine then if nature had written it in the very foreheads of all the creatures of God When they of the family of loue haue it once in their heads that Christ doth not signifie any one person but a qualitie whereof many are partakers that to be raised is nothing else but to be regenerated or indued with the said quality and that when separation of them which haue it from them which haue it not is here made this is iudgement how plainely do they imagine that the Scripture euery where speaketh in the fauour of that sect And assuredly the very cause which maketh the simple and ignorant to thinke they euen see how the word of God runneth currantly on your side is that their minds are forestalled and their conceits peruerted before hand by being taught that an Elder doth signifie a lay man admitted onely to the office of rule or gouernement in the Church a Doctor one which may only teach and neither preach nor administer the Sacraments a Deacon one which hath charge of the almes boxe and of nothing else that the Scepter the rod the throne kingdome of Christ are a forme of regiment onely by Pastors Elders Doctors and Deacons that by mysticall resemblance mount Sion and Jerusalem are the Churches which admit Samaria and Babylon the Churches which oppugne the said forme of regimeÌ„t And in like sort they are taught to apply al things spoken of repairing the wals and decayed parts of the city temple of God by Esdras Nehemias the rest as if purposely the holy Ghost had therein ment to foresignifie what the authors of admonitions to the Parliament of supplications to the Councell of petitions to her Maiesty and of such other like writs should either do or suffer in behalfe of this their cause From hence they proceed to an higher point which is the perswading of men credulous ouer capable of such pleasing errors that it is the speciall illumination of the holy Ghost whereby they discerne those things in the word which others reading yet discerne them not Dearly beloued saith S. Iohn Giue not credit vnto euery Spirit There are but two wayes whereby the spirit leadeth men into 〈◊〉 truth the one extraordinarie the other common the one belonging but vnto some few the other extending it selfe vnto all that are of God the one that which we call by a speciall diuine excellency Reuelation the other Reason If the Spirit by such reuelation haue discouered vnto theÌ„ the secrets of that discipline out of Scripture they must professe themselues to be all euen men women and children Prophets Or if reason be the hand which the Spirit hath led them by for as much as perswasions grounded vpon reason are either weaker or stronger according to the force of those reasons whereupon the same are grounded they must euery of them from the greatest to the least be able for euery seuerall article to shewe some special reason as strong as their perswasion therin is earnest Otherwise how can it be but that some other sinewes there are from which that ouerplus of strength in perswasion doth arise Most sure it is that when mens affections do frame their opinions they are in defence of error more earnest a great deale then for the most part sound belieuers in the maintenance of truth apprehended according to the nature of that euidence which Scripture yeeldeth which being in some things plaine as in the principles of Christian doctrine in some things as in these matters of discipline more darke and doubtfull frameth correspondently that inward assent which Gods most gracious Spirit worketh by it as by his effectuall instrument It is not therefore the feruent earnestnes of their perswasion but the soundnes of those reasons whereupon the same is built which must declare their opinions in these things to haue bene wrought by the holy Ghost and not by the fraud of that euill Spirit which is euen in his illusions strong After that the phancie of the common sort hath once throughly apprehended the Spirit to be author of their perswasion concerning discipline then is instilled into their hearts that the same Spirit leading men into this opinion doth thereby seale them to be Gods children and that as the state of the times now standeth the most speciall token to know them that are Gods owne from others is an earnest affection that way This hath bred high termes of separation betweene such and the rest of the world whereby the one sort are named Theâ—rethren â—rethren The godly and so forth the other worldlings timeseruers pleasers of men not of God with such like From hence they are easily drawne on to thinke it exceeding necessarie for feare of quenching that good Spirit to vse all meanes whereby the same may be both strengthned in themselues and made manifest vnto others This maketh them diligent hearers of such as are knowne that way to incline this maketh them eager to take and to seeke all occasions of secret conference with such this maketh them glad to vse such as Counsellors and directors in all their dealings which are of waight as contracts testaments and the like this maketh them through an vnweariable desire of receiuing instruction from the maisters of that companie to cast off the care of those verie affaires which do most concerne their estate and to thinke that then they are like vnto Marie commendable for making choyce of the better part Finally this is it which maketh them willing to charge yea oftentimes euen to ouercharge themselues for such mens sustenance and reliefe least their zeale to the cause should any way be vnwitnessed For what is it which poore beguiled soules will not do through so powerfull incitements In which respect it is also noted that most labour hath bene bestowed to win and retaine towards this cause them whose iudgements are commonly weakest by reason of their sex And although not women loden with sinnes as the Apostle S. Paul speaketh but as we verily esteeme of them for the most part women propense and inclinable to holines be otherwise edified in good things rather then caried away as captiues into any kind of sinne and euill by such as enter into their houses with purpose to plant there a zeale and a loue towards this kind of discipline yet some occasion is hereby ministred for men to thinke that if the cause which is thus furthered did gaine by the soundnes of proofe wherupon it doth build it selfe it would not most busily endeuor to preuaile where least hability of iudgement is and therefore that this so eminent industry in making proselytes more of that sex then of the other groweth for that they are deemed apter to serue as instruments and helps in the cause Apter they are through the eagernes of their affection
nor any thing in such wise aboundeth that as being superfluous vnfruitfull and altogether needlesse we should thinke it no losse or danger at all if we did want it 14 Although the scripture of God therefore be stored with infinite varietie of matter in all kinds although it abound with all sorts of lawes yet the principal intent of scripture is to deliuer the lawes of duties supernaturall Oftentimes it hath bene in very solemne maner disputed whether all things necessary vnto saluation be necessarily set downe in the holy Scriptures or no. If we define that necessary vnto saluation whereby the way to saluation is in any sort made more plaine apparent and easie to be knowne then is there no part of true Philosophie no art of account no kind of science rightly so called but the Scripture must conteine it If onely those things be necessary as surely none else are without the knowledge and practise whereof it is not the will and pleasure of God to make any ordinary graunt of saluation it may be notwithstanding and oftentimes hath bene demanded how the bookes of holy Scripture conteine in them all necessary things when of things necessary the very chiefest is to knowe what bookes we are bound to esteeme holy which point is confest impossible for the Scripture it selfe to teach Whereunto wee may aunswere with truth that there is not in the world any Arte or Science which proposing vnto it selfe an ende as euery one doth some ende or other hath bene therefore thought defectiue if it haue not deliuered simply whatsoeuer is needfull to the same ende but all kinds of knowledge haue their certaine bounds and limits each of them presupposeth many necessary things learned in other sciences and knowne before hand He that should take vpon him to teach men how to be eloquent in pleading causes must needes deliuer vnto them whatsoeuer precepts are requisite vnto that end otherwise he doth no◠the thing which he taketh vpon him Seeing then no man can pleade eloquently vnlesse he be able first to speake it followeth that habilitie of speech is in this case a thing most necessary Notwithstanding euery man would thinke it ridiculous that he which vndertaketh by writing to instruct an Orator should therfore deliuer all the precepts of Grammar because his profession is to deliuer precepts necessarie vnto eloquent speech yet so that they which are to receiue them bee taugt before hand so much of that which is thereunto necessarie as comprehendeth the skill of speaking In like sort albeit Scripture do professe to conteine in it all thinges which are necessarie vnto saluation yet the meaning cannot bee simply of all things which are necessarie but all things that are necessary in some certaine kind or forme as all things that are necessarie and either could not at all or could not easilie be knowne by the light of naturall discourse all things which are necessarie to be knowne that we may be saued but knowne with presupposall of knowledge cōcerning certaine principles wherof it receaueth vs already perswaded and then instructeth vs in all the residue that are necessary In the number of these principles one is the sacred authority of Scripture Being therefore perswaded by other meanes that these Scriptures are the oracles of God themselues do then teach vs the rest and lay before vs all the duties which God requireth at our hands as necessary vnto saluation Further there hath bene some doubt likewise whether conteining in scripture do import expresse setting downe in plaine tearmes or else comprehending in such sort that by reason we may frō thence conclude all things which are necessary Against the former of these two constructions instance hath sundrie wayes bene geuen For our beliefe in the Trinity the Coeternity of the Sonne of God with his Father the proceeding of the Spirite from the Father and the Sonne the duty of baptizing infants these with such other principall points the necessity wherof is by none denied are notwithstanding in Scripture no where to be found by expresse literall mention only deduced they are out of scripture by collection This kind of cōprehension in scripture being therefore receiued still there is no doubt how far we are to proceed by collection before the full and complete measure of things necessary be made vp For let vs not thinke that as long as the world doth endure the wit of man shal be able to found the bottome of that which may be concluded out of the scripture especially if things conteined by collection do so far extend as to draw in whatsoeuer may be at any time out of scripture but probably and coniecturally surmised But let necessary collection be made requisite and we may boldly deny that of all those things which at this day are with so great necessitie vrged vpon this Church vnder the name of reformed Church discipline there is any one which their bookes hetherto haue made manifest to be conteined in the Scripture Let them if they can alleage but one properly belonging to their cause and not common to them and vs and shew the deduction thereof out of scripture to be necessarie It hath beene already shewed how all things necessarie vnto saluation in such sort as before we haue maintained must needes be possible for men to knowe and that many things are in such sort necessarie the knowledge whereof is by the light of nature impossible to be attained Whereupon it followeth that either all flesh is excluded from possibility of saluation which to thinke were most barbarous or else that God hath by supernaturall meanes reuealed the way of life so far forth as doth suffice For this cause God hath so many times and waies spoken to the sonnes of men Neither hath he by speech only but by wilting also instructed and taught his Church The cause of writing hath bene to the end that things by him reuealed vnto the world might haue the longer cōtinuance and the greater certainty of assurance by how much that which standeth on record hath in both those respects preeminence aboue that which passeth from hand to hand and hath no pennes but the toongs no bookes but the eares of men to record it The seueral bookes of scripture hauing had each some seuerall occasion and particular purpose which caused them to be written the contents thereof are according to the exigence of that speciall end whereunto they are intended Hereupon it groweth that euery booke of holy scripture doth take out of all kinds of truth naturall historicall forreine supernaturall so much as the matter handled requireth Now for as much as there hath bene reason alleaged sufficient to conclude that all things necessary vnto saluation must be made knowne and that God himselfe hath therefore reuealed his will because otherwise men could not haue knowne so much as i◠necessary his surceasing to speake to the world since the publishing of the Gospell of Iesus Christ and the
point there should not neede any question to growe and that which is growne might presently ende if they did yeelde but to these two restraints the first is not to extend the actions whereof they speake so lowe as that instance doth import of taking vp a strawe but rather keepe themselues at the least within the compasse of morall actions actions which haue in them vice or vertue the second not to exact at our hands for euery action the knowledge of some place of scripture out of which we stand bound to deduce it as by diuerse testimonies they seeke to enforce but rather as the truth is so to acknowledge that it sufficeth if such actions be framed according to the lawe of reason the generall axiomes rules and principles of which lawe being so frequent in holy scripture there is no let but in that regard euen out of scripture such duties may be deduced by some kinde of consequence as by long circuite of deduction it may be that euen all truth out of any truth may be concluded howbeit no man bound in such sort to deduce all his actions out of scripture as if eyther the place be to him vnknowne whereon they may be concluded or the reference vnto that place not presently considered of the action shall in that respect be condemned as vnlawfull In this we dissent and this we are presently to examine 1 In all parts of knowledge rightly so termed thinges most generall are most strong Thus it must be in as much as the certaintie of our perswasion touching particulars dependeth altogether vpon the credite of those generalities out of which they growe Albeit therefore euery cause admit not such infallible euidence of proofe as leaueth no possibilitie of doubt or scruple behind it yet they who claime the generall assent of the whole world vnto that which they teach and doe not feare to giue very hard and heauie sentence vpon as many as refuse to embrace the same must haue speciall regard that their first foundations and grounds be more then slender probabilities This whole question which hath bene mooued about the kinde of Church regiment we could not but for our owne resolutions sake endeuour to vnrip and sift following therein as neare as we might the conduct of that iudiciall method which serueth best for inuention of truth By meanes whereof hauing found this the head theoreme of all their discourses who pleade for the chaunge of Ecclesiasticall gouernment in England namely That the Scripture of God is in such sort the rule of humane actions that simply whatsoeuer we doe and are not by it directed thereunto the same is sinne wee hold it necessarie that the proofes hereof be waighed be they of waight sufficient or otherwise it is not ours to iudge and determine onely what difficulties there are which as yet withhold our assent till we be further and better satisfied I hope no indifferent amongst them will scorne or refuse to heare First therefore whereas they alleage that wisedome doth teach men euery good way and haue thereupon inferred that no way is good in any kind of action vnlesse wisedome do by scripture leade vnto it see they not plainely how they restraine the manifold wayes which wisedome hath to teach men by vnto one only way of teaching which is by scripture The boundes of wisedome are large and within them much is contayned Wisdome was Adams instructor in Paradise wisdome indued the fathers who liued before the law with the knowledge of holy things by the wisedome of the lawe of God Dauid attained to excell others in vnderstanding Salomon likewise to excell Dauid by the selfe same wisdome of God teaching him many things besides the law The waies of well-doing are in number euen as many as are the kindes of voluntarie actions so that whatsoeuer we do in this world and may do it ill we shew our selues therein by well doing to be wise Now if wisedome did teach men by scripture not onely all the wayes that are right and good in some certaine kind according to that of S. Paule concerning the vse of scripture but did simply without any maner of exception restraint or distinction teach euery way of doing well there is no art but scripture should teach it because euery art doth teach the way how to do some thing or other well To teach men therefore wisedome professeth and to teach them euery good way but not euery good way by one way of teaching Whatsoeuer either men on earth or the Angels of heauen do know it is as a drop of that vnemptiable fountaine of wisdom which wisdom hath diuersly imparted her treasures vnto the world As her waies are of sundry kindes so her maner of teaching is not meerely one and the same Some thinges she openeth by the sacred bookes of Scripture some things by the glorious works of nature with some things she inspireth them frō aboue by spirituall influence in some things she leadeth and traineth them onely by worldly experience and practise We may not so in any one speciall kinde admire her that we disgrace her in any other but let all her wayes be according vnto their place and degree adored 2 That all things be done to the glory of God the blessed Apostle it is true exhorteth The glory of God is the admirable excellencie of that vertue diuine which being made manifest causeth men and Angels to extoll his greatnes and in regard thereof to feare him By beeing glorified it is not meant that he doth receiue any augmentation of glory at our hands but his name we glorifie when we testifie our acknowledgement of his glorie Which albeit we most effectually do by the vertue of obedience neuerthelesse it may be perhaps a question whether S. Paule did meane that wee sinne as oft as euer wee goe about any thing without an expresse intent and purpose to obey God therein He saith of himselfe I do in all things please all men seeking not mine owne commoditie but rather the good of many that they may be saued Shall it hereupon be thought that S. Paule did not moue eyther hand or foote but with expresse intent euen thereby to further the common saluation of men We moue we sleepe wee take the cuppe at the hand of our friend a number of thinges we oftentimes doe onely to satisfie some naturall desire without present expresse and actuall reference vnto any commaundement of God Vnto his glory euen these thinges are done which we naturally performe and not onely that which morally and spiritually we doe For by euery effect proceeding from the most concealed instincts of nature his power is made manifest But it doth not therefore follow that of necessitie we shall sinne vnlesse we expressely intend this in euery such particular But be it a thing which requireth no more then onely our generall presupposed willingnesse to please God in all things or be it a matter wherein wee cannot so glorifie
theÌ„selues receiue externally some perfection froÌ„ other things as hath bene shewed In so much as there is in the whole world no one thing great or small but either in respect of knowledge or of vse it may vnto out perfectioÌ„ adde somewhat And whatsoeuer such perfection there is which our nature may acquire the same we properly terme our good our soueraign good or blessednes that wherin the highest degree of all our perfectioÌ„ consisteth that which being once attained vnto there caÌ„ rest nothing further to be desired therfore with it our soules are fully coÌ„tent satisfied in that they haue they reioyce thirst for no more wherfore of gooâ— things desired some are such that for themselues we couet them not but only because they serue as instruments vnto that for which we are to seeke of this sorte are riches an other kind there is which although we desire for it selfe as health vertue knowledge neuerthelesse they are not the last marke whereat we aime but haue their further end whereunto they are referred so as in them we are not satisfied as hauing attained the vtmost we may but our desires doe still proceede These things are linked and as it were chained one to another we labour to eate and we eate to liue and we liue to do good the good which we do is as seede sowne with reference vnto a future haruest But we must come at the length to some pause For if euery thing were to bee desired for some other without any stint there could be no certaine end proposed vnto our actions we should go on we know not whether yea whatsoeuer we do were in vaine or rather nothing at all were possible to be done For as to take away the first efficient of our being were â—o annihilate vtterly our persons so we cannot remoue the last finall cause of our working but we shall cause whatsoeuer we worke to cease Therfore some thing there must be desired for it selfe simply and for no other That is simply for it selfe desirable vnto the nature wherof it is opposite repugnant to be desired with relation vnto any other The oxe and the asse desire their food neither propose they vnto themselues any end wherfore so that of them this is desired for it selfe but why By reason of their imperfection which cannot otherwise desire it whereas that which is desired simply for it selfe the excellencie thereof is such as permitteth it not in any sort to be referred to a further end Now that which man doth desire with reference to a further end the same he desireth in such measure as is vnto that end conuenient but what he coueteth as good in it selfe towardes that his desire is euer infinite So that vnlesse the last good of all which is desired altogether for it selfe be also infinite we doe euill in making it our end euen as they who placed their felicitie in wealth or honour or pleasure or any thing here attained because in desiring any thing as our finall perfection which is not so we do amisse Nothing may be infinitly desired but that good which in deed is infinite For the better the more desirable that therefore most desirable wherin there is infinitie of goodnes so that if any thing desirable may be infinit that must needes be the highest of all things that are desired No good is infinite but onely God therefore he our felicitie and blisse Moreouer desire tendeth vnto vnion with that it desireth If then in him we be blessed it is by force of participation coniunction with him Againe it is not the possession of any good thing can make them happie which haue it vnlesse they inioy the thing wherewith they are possessed Then are we happie therfore when fully we enioy God as an obiect wherein the powers of our soules are satisfied euen with euerlasting delight so that although we be meÌ„ yet by being vnto God vnited we liue as it were the life of God Happines therfore is that estate wherby we attaine so far as possibly may be attained the ful possession of that which simply for it selfe is to be desired and containeth in it after an eminent sorte the contentation of our desires the highest degree of all our perfection Of such perfection capable we are not in this life For while we are in the world subiect we are vnto sundry imperfections griefe of body defectes of minde yea the best thinges we doe are painefull and the exercise of them grieuous being continued without intermission so as in those very actions whereby we are especially perfected in this life wee are not able to persist forced we are with very wearines that often to interrupt theÌ„ which tediousnes cannot fall into those operations that are in the state of blisse when our vnion with God is complete Complete vnion with him must be according vnto euery power and facultie of our mindes apt to receiue so glorious an obiect Capable we are of God both by vnderstanding and will by vnderstanding as hee is that soueraigne truth which comprehendeth the rich treasures of all wisdom by will as he is that sea of goodnesse whereof who so tasteth shall thirst no more As the wil doth now worke vpon that obiect by desire which is as it were a motion towards the end as yet vnobtained so likewise vpon the same hereafter receiued it shall worke also by loue Appetitus inhiantis fit amor fruentis saith Saint Augustine The longing disposition of them that thirst is chaunged into the sweete affection of them that taste and are replenished Whereas wee now loue the thing that is good but good especially in respect of benefit vnto vs we shall then loue the thing that is good only or principally for the goodnes of beauty in it self The soule being in this sorte as it is actiue perfected by loue of that infinite good shall as it is receptiue be also perfected with those supernaturall passions of ioy peace delight All this endlesse and euerlasting Which perpeâ—uitie in regard whereof our blessednes is termed a crowne which withereth not doth neither depend vpon the nature of the thing it selfe nor proceede from any naturall necessitie that our soules should so exercise themselues for euer in beholding and louing God but from the wil of God which doth both freely perfect our nature in so high a degree continue it so perfected Vnder man no creature in the world is capable of felicitie and blisse first because their chiefest perfection consisteth in that which is best for theÌ„ but not in that which is simply best as ours doth secondly because whatsoeuer externall perfection they tende vnto it is not better then themselues as ours is How iust occasioÌ„ haue we therfore euen in this respect with the Prophet to admire the goodnes of God Lorde what is man that thou shouldest exalt him aboue the workes of thy hands so farre as to
was with him in the Gospell but seruants being commaunded to goe shall stand still till they haue their errand warranted vnto them by scripture Which as it standeth with Christian dutie in some cases so in common affaires to require it were most vnfit Two opinions therefore there are concerning sufficiencie of holy scripture each extreamly opposite vnto the other bothe repugnant vnto truth The schooles of Rome teach scripture to be so vnsufficient as if except traditions were added it did not conteine all reuealed and supernaturall truth which absolutely is necessary for the children of men in this life to know that they may in the next be saued Others iustly condemning this opinion growe likewise vnto a dangerous extremitie as if scripture did not only containe all thinges in that kinde necessary but all thinges simply and in such sorte that to doe any thing according to any other lawe were not onely vnnecessary but euen opposite vnto saluation vnlawfull and sinfull Whatsoeuer is spoken of God or thinges appertaining to God otherwise then as the truth is though it seeme an honour it is an iniurie And as incredible praises giuen vnto men doe often abate and impaire the credit of their deserued commendation so we must likewise take great heed least in attributing vnto scripture more then it can haue the incredibilitie of that do cause euen those thinges which indeed it hath most aboundantly to be lesse reuerendly esteemed I therefore leaue it to themselues to consider whether they haue in this first point or not ouershot themselues which God doth knowe is quickly done euen when our meaning is most sincere as I am verily perswaded theirs in this case was The third Booke Concerning their second assertion that in Scripture there must be of necessitie contained a forme of Church-politie the lawes whereof may in no wise be altered The matter conteined in this third Booke 1 What the Church is and in what respect lawes of politie are thereunto necessarily required 2 Whether it be necessary that some particular forme of Church-politie be set downe in scripture sith the thinges that belong particularly to any such forme are not of necessitie to saluation 3 That matters of Church-politie are different from matters of faith and saluation and that they themselues so teach which are our reprouers for so teaching 4 That hereby we take not from Scripture any thing which thereunto with soundnesse of truth may be giuen 5 Their meaning who first vrged against the politie of the Church of England that nothing ought to be established in the Church more then is commaunded by the worde of God 6 How great iniurie men by so thinking should offer vnto all the Churches of God 7 A shift notwithstanding to maintaine it by interpreting Commaunded as though it were meant that greater thinges only ought to be found set downe in Scripture particularly and lesser framed by the generall rules of Scripture 8 An other deuise to defend the same by expounding Commaunded as if it did signifie grounded on Scripture and were opposed to things found out by light of naturall reason onely 9 How lawes for the politie of the Church may be made by the aduise of men and how those lawes being not repugnant to the word of God are approued in his sight 10 That neither Gods being the author of laws nor yet his committing of them to Scripture is any reason sufficient to proue that they admit no addition or change 11 Whether Christ must needs intend lawes vnchangeable altogether or haue forbidden any where to make any other law then himselfe did deliuer ALbeit the substance of those controuersies whereinto wee haue begun to wade be rather of outward things appertaining to the Church of Christ then of any thing wherein the nature and being of the Church consisteth yet because the subiect or matter which this position concerneth is A forme of Church-gouernment or Church-politie it therefore behoueth vs so far forth to consider the nature of the Church as is requisite for mens more cleare and plaine vnderstanding in what respect lawes of politie or gouernment are necessary therunto That Church of Christ which we properly terme his body mysticall can be but one neither can that one be sensibly discerned by any man in as much as the parts thereof are some in heauen alreadie with Christ and the rest that are on earth albeit their naturall persons be visible we do not discerne vnder this propertie whereby they are truly and infallibly of that body Onely our mindes by intellectuall conceipt are able to apprehend that such a reall body there is a body collectiue because it cōtaineth an huge multitude a body mistical because the mysterie of their coniunction is remoued altogether from sense Whatsoeuer we read in scripture concerning the endlesse loue and the sauing mercie which God sheweth towards his Church the onely proper subiect thereof is this Church Concerning this flocke it is that our Lord and Sauiour hath promised I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hands They who are of this society haue such markes and notes of distinction from all others as are not obiect vnto our sense onely vnto God who seeth their hearts and vnderstandeth all their secret cogitations vnto him they are cleare and manifest All men knew Nathaniel to be an Israelite But our Sauiour pearcing deeper giueth further testimony of him then men could haue done with such certaintie as he did Beholde indeede an Israelite in whom is no guile If we professe as Peter did that we loue the Lorde and professe it in the hearing of men charitie is prone to beleeue all thinges and therefore charitable men are likely to thinke we do so as long as they see no proofe to the contrary But that our loue is sound and sincere that it commeth from a Pure heart and a good conscience a faith vnfained who can pronounce sauing onely the searcher of all mens hearts who alone intuitiuely doth knowe in this kinde who are his And as those euerlasting promises of loue mercy blessednes belong to the mysticall church euen so on the other side when we reade of any dutie which the Church of God is bound vnto the Church whom this doth concerne is a sensibly knowne company And this visible Church in like sorte is but one continued from the first beginning of the world to the last end Which company being deuided into two moieties the one before the other since the comming of Christ that part which since the comming of Christ partly hath embraced and partly shall hereafter embrace the Christian Religion wee terme as by a more proper name the Church of Christ. And therefore the Apostle affirmeth plainely of all men Christian that be they Iewes or Gentiles bond or free they are al incorporated into one cōpany they al make but one body The vnitie of which visible
Agrippa beleeuest thou the Prophets I know thou dost The questiō is how the bookes of the Prophets came to be credited of king Agrippa For what with him did authorize the Prophets the like with vs doth cause the rest of the scripture of God to be of credit Because we maintain that in scripture we are taught all things necessary vnto saluation hereupon very childishly it is by some demanded what scripture can teach vs the sacred authoritie of the scripture vpō the knowledge wherof our whole faith saluation dependeth As though there were any kind of science in the world which leadeth men into knowledge without presupposing a number of thinges alreadie knowne No science doth make knowne the first principles whereon it buildeth but they are alwaies either taken as plaine and manifest in themselues or as proued and granted already some former knowledge hauing made them euident Scripture teacheth al supernaturally reuealed truth without the knowledge wherof saluatiō cannot be attained The maine principle wherupon our beliefe of al things therin contained dependeth is that the scriptures are the oracles of God himselfe This in it selfe wee cannot say is euident For thē all men that heare it would acknowledge it in hart as they do when they heare that euery whole is more then any part of that whole because this in it selfe is euident The other we know that all do not acknowledge when they heare it There must be therefore some former knowledge presupposed which doth herein assure the hearts of all beleeuers Scripture teacheth vs that sauing truth which God hath discouered vnto the world by reuelation it presumeth vs taught otherwise that it self is diuine sacred The questiō thē being by what meanes we are taught this some answere that to learne it we haue no other way then only traditiō as namely that so we beleeue because both we from our predecessors they from theirs haue so receiued But is this inough That which al mens experience teacheth them may not in any wise be denied And by experience we all know that the first outward motiue leading men so to esteeme of the scripture is the authority of Gods church For whē we know the whole church of God hath that opiniō of the scripture we iudge it euen at the first an impudēt thing for any man bredde and brought vp in the Church to bee of a contrary mind without cause Afterwards the more we bestow our labor in reading or hearing the misteries thereof the more we find that the thing it selfe doth answer our receiued opinion concerning it So that the former inducement preuailing somwhat with vs before doth now much more preuaile when the very thing hath ministred farther reason If Infidels or Atheists chance at any time to call it in question this giueth vs occasion to sift what reason there is whereby the testimony of the church cōcerning scripture our own perswasiō which scripture it selfe hath confirmed may be proued a truth infallible In which case the ancient fathers being often constrained to shew what warrant they had so much to relie vpō the scriptures endeuored still to maintain the authority of the books of God by arguments such as vnbeleeuers thēselues must needs think reasonable if they iudged therof as they shuld Neither is it a thing impossible or greatly hard euen by such kind of proofes so to manifest cleere that point that no mā liuing shal be able to deny it without denying some apparent principle such as al men acknowledge to be true Wherefore if I beleeue the gospell yet is reason of singular vse for that it confirmeth me in this my beleefe the more If I do not as yet beleeue neuertheles to bring me to the number of beleeuers except reasō did somwhat helpe were an instrument which God doth vse vnto such purposes what should it boote to dispute with Infidels or godles persons for their conuersion perswasion in that point Neither can I thinke that when graue learned men do sometime hold that of this principle there is no proofe but by the testimony of the spirit which assureth our harts therin it is their meaning to exclude vtterly all force which any kind of reason may haue in that behalfe but I rather iucline to interpret such their speeches as if they had more expresly set downe that other motiues inducemēts be they neuer so strong consonāt vnto reason are notwithstanding vneffectual of thēselues to worke faith concerning this principle if the special grace of the holy ghost concur not to the inlightning of our minds For otherwise I doubt not but mē of wisdom iudgemēt wil grant that the Church in this point especially is furnished with reason to stop the mouthes of her impious aduersaries and that as it were altogether bootles to alleage against thē what the spirit hath taught vs so likewise that euen to our owne selues it needeth caution and explicatiō how the testimony of the spirit may be discerned by what meanes it may be known least mē think that the spirit of God doth testifie those things which the spirit of error suggesteth The operations of the spirit especially these ordinary which be cōmon vnto all true christian men are as we know things secret vndiscernable euen to the very soule where they are because their nature is of an other an higher kind thē that they cā be by vs perceiued in this life Wherfore albeit the spirit lead vs into all truth direct vs in all goodnes yet because these workings of the spirit in vs are so priuy secret we therfore stand on a plainer ground when we gather by reason frō the quality of things beleeued or done that the spirit of God hath directed vs in both then if we settle our selues to beleeue or to do any certaine particular thing as being moued thereto by the spirit But of this enough To go frō the books of scripture to the sense meaning therof because the sentēces which are by the Apostles recited out of the Psalms to proue the resurrectiō of Iesus Christ did not proue it if so be the prophet Dauid meant thē of himsef this expositiō therfore they plainly disproue shew by manifest reason that of Dauid the words of Dauid could not possibly be meant Exclude the vse of naturall reasoning about the sense of holy scripture concerning the articles of our faith then that the scripture doth concerne the articles of our faith who can assure vs That which by right exposition buildeth vp Christian faith being misconstrued breedeth error between true and false construction the difference reason must shew Can Christian men perform that which Peter requireth at their hands is it possible they should both beleeue be able without the vse of reason to render a reason of their beleefe a reason sound and sufficient to answer them that demaund it be they of the same faith with vs or enemies
therunto may we cause our faith without reason to appeare reasonable in the eyes of men This being required euen of learners in the schoole of Christ the duty of their teachers in bringing them vnto such ripenes must needes be somewhat more then only to read the sentences of scripture and then paraphrastically to scholie them to vary theÌ„ with sundry formes of speech without arguing or disputing about anything which they contain This method of teaching may coÌ„mend it selfe vnto the world by that easines facilitie which is in it but a law or a patterne it is not as some do imagine for all men to follow that will do good in the Church of Christ. Our Lord and Sauiour himselfe did hope by disputation to do some good yea by disputatioÌ„ not onely of but against the truth albeit with purpose for the truth That Christ should be the sonne of Dauid was truth yet against this truth our Lorde in the Gospell obiecteth If Christ be the son of Dauid how doth Dauid call him Lord There is as yet no way knowne how to dispute or to determine of things disputed without the vse of naturall reason If we please to adde vnto Christ their example who followed him as neere in all thinges as they could the Sermon of Paule and Barnabas set downe in the Actes where the people would haue offered vnto them sacrifice in that Sermon what is there but onely naturall reason to disproue their acte O men why doe you these thinges We are men euen subiect to the selfe same passions with you wee preach vnto you to leaue these vanities and to turne to the liuing God the God that hath not left himselfe without witnesse in that he hath done good to the world giuing raine and fruitfull seasons filling our heart with ioy and gladnesse Neither did they onely vse reason in winning such vnto Christian beleefe as were yet thereto vnconuerted but with beleeuers themselues they followed the selfesame course In that great and solemne assembly of beleeuing Iewes how doth Peter proue that the Gentiles were partakers of the grace of God as well as they but by reason drawne from those effectes which were apparently knowne amongst them God which knoweth hearts hath borne them witnesse in giuing vnto them the holy Ghost as vnto vs. The light therefore which the starre of naturall reason and wisedome casteth is too bright to be obscured by the mist of a word or two vttered to diminish that opinion which iustly hath beene receiued concerning the force and vertue thereof euen in matters that touch most nearely the principall duties of men and the glory of the eternall God In all which hitherto hath beene spoken touching the force and vse of mans reason in thinges diuine I must craue that I be not so vnderstood or coÌ„strued as if any such thing by vertue thereof could be done without the aide and assistance of Gods most blessed spirit The thing wee haue handled according to the question mooued about it which question is whether the light of reason be so pernitious that in deuising lawes for the church men oughâ— not by it to search what may be fit coÌ„uenient For this cause therfore we haue endeuoured to make it appeare how in the nature of reason it selfe there is no impedimeÌ„t but that the self-same spirit which reuealeth the things that god hath set down in his law may also be thoughâ— to aid direct men in finding out by the light of reason what lawes are expedient to be made for the guiding of his Church ouer and besides them that are in scripture Herein therfore we agree with those men by whom humane lawes are defined to be ordinances which such as haue lawfull authorisiâ— giuen them foâ— that purpose do probably draw from the lawes of nature God by discourse of reason aided with the influence of diuine grace And for that cause it is not said amisse touching Ecclesiasticall canons that by instinct of the holy Ghost they haue bin made and consecrated by the reuerend acceptation of all the world 9 Lawes for the church are not made as they should be vnles the makers follow such directioÌ„ as they ought to be guided by Wherin that scripture standeth noâ— the church of God in any stead of serueth nothing at aâ—â—o direct but may be let passe as needles to be consulted with we iudge it prophane impious and irreligious to thinke For although it were in vaine to make laws which the scripture hath already made because what we are already there coÌ„manded to do on our parts there resteth nothing but only that it be executed yet because both in that which we are commanded in concerneth the duty of the church by law to prouide that the loosenes and slacknes of men may not cause the commandements of God to be vnexecuted and a number of things there are for which the scripture hath not prouided by any law but left them vnto the carefull discretion of the Church we are to search how the Church in these cases may be well directed to make that prouision by lawes which is most conuenient c fit And what is so in these cases partly scripture and partly reason must teach to discerne Scripture comprehending examples lawes lawes some naturall and some positiue examples neither are there for al cases which require lawes to be made and wheâ— they are they can but direct as precedents onely Naturall lawes direct In such sorte that in all things wee must for euer doe according vnto them positiue so that against them in no case we may doe any thing as long as the will of God is that they should remaine in force Howbeit when scripture doth yeelde vs precedents how far forth they are to be followed when it giueth naturall lawes what particular order is thereunto most agreeable when positiue which way to make lawes vnrepugnant vnto them yea though all these should wanâ— yeâ— what kinde of ordinances would be most for that good of the Church which is aimed at al this must be by reason found out And therefore Tib refuse the conduct of the light of nature saith S. Augustine is not folly alone but accompanied with impietie The greatest amongst the Schoole diuines studying how to set downe by exact definition the nature of an humane lawe'â— of which nature all the Churches constitutions are found not which way better to do it thâ—n in these words Out of the precepâ—s of the law of nature as out of certaine coÌ„mon vndemonstrable principles mans reason doth necessarily proceede vnto certaine more particular determinations which particular determinations beeing found out according vnto the reason of man they haue the names of humane lawes so that such other conditions be therein kept as the making of lawes doth require that is if they whose authoritie is thereunto required do establish and publish them as lawes And the truth is that all our
to the contrary as in the former there was Leuit. 18.21 20.3 Deut. 17.16 In Iosua the children of Israel are charged by the Prophet that they asked not counsell of theâ— mouth of the Lord when they entered into couenant with the Gabeonites Iosh. 9.14 And yet that couenant was not made contrarie vnto anie commaundement of God Moreouer we reade that when Dauid had taken this counsell to build a temple vnto the Lord albeit the Lord had reuealed before in his word that there should be such a standing place where the Arke of the couenant and the seruice should haue a certaine abiding and albeit there was no word of God which â—orbad Dauid to build the Temple yet the Lord with commendation of his good affection and zeale hee had to the aduancement of his glorie concludeth against Dauidâ— resolution to build the Temple with this reason namely that he had giuen no commandement of this who should build it 1. Chr. 17.6 Leuit. 18.21 20.3 Deut. 28.10 1. Chro. 17 â— Esay 30.1 Iosh. 9.14 Num. 27.21 1. Chron. 17. T. C. l. â— p. 50. M. Harding reprocheth the B. of Salisbury with this kind of reasoning vnto whom the B. answereth The argument of authority negatiuely is taken to be good whensoeuer proofe is taken of Gods word and is vsed not onely by vs but also by many of the Catholique Fathers A litle after he sheweth the reason why the argument of authority of the scripture negatiuely is good namely for that the word of God is perfect In another place vnto M. Harding casting him in the teeth with negatiue arguments be alleageth places out of Irenâ—â—us Chrysostom Leo which reasoned negatiuely of the authoritie of the Scriptures The places which he alleageth be very full and plaine in generality without any such restraint as the Answerer imagineth as they are there to be seene â— Vell. Patere Iugurtha as Marius sub codem Africano militantes in ijsdem castris didicere qua postea in contrarijs facereâ—t Art 1. Diuis 29. Gal. 3. Orig. in Leuitho 5. Math. 23. Math. 17. Desen par 5. ca. 15. diuis â— Lib. 1. cap. 1â— De incomp nat Dei hom 3. Epist. 9â— ca. 12 Epist. 97. ca. 3. Epist. 16â— Lib. 4. ep 32. Their opinion coÌ„cerning the force of arguments taken from humane authority for the ordering of mens actioÌ„â— or perswasioÌ„s T. C. l. 1. p. 25. When the question is of the authority of a man it holdeth neither affirmatiuely nor negatiuely The reason is because the infirmitie of man can neither attaine to the perfection of any thing whereby he might speake all things that are to be spoken of it neither yet be free from error in those things which he speaketh or giueth out And therefore this argument neither affirmatiuely nor negatiuely compelleth the hearer but only induceth him to some liking or disliking of that for which it is brought and is rather for an Orator to perswade the simpler sort then for a disputer to enforce him that is learned 1. Cor. 1.11 Iohn 4.35 Deut. 19.15 Mat. 18.16 T. C. l. 1. p. 10. Although that kind of argument of authoritie of men is good neither in humaine nor diuine sciences yet it hath some small force in humaine sciences for as much as naturally in that he is a man he may come to some ripenes of iudgement in those sciences which in diuine matters hath no force at all as of him which naturally and as he is a man can no more iudge of them shew a blind man of colours Yea so farre is it from drawing credit if it be barely spoken without reason and testimony of scripture that it carieth also a suspition of vntruth whatsoeuer proceedeth from him which the Apostle did well note when to signifie a thing corruptly spoken and against the truth he saith that it is spoken according vnto man Rom. 3. He saith not as a wicked and lying man but simply as a man And although this corruption be reformed in many yet for so much as in whome the knowledge of the truth is most aduanced there remaineth both ignorance and disordered affections whereof either of them turneth him from speaking of the truth no mans authority with the Church especially and those that are called and perswaded of the authority of the word of God can bring any assurance vnto the conscience T. C. l. 2. p. 21. Of diuers sentences of the fathers themselues wherby some haue likened them to brute beastes without reason which suffer themselues to be led by the iudgement and authority of others some haue preferred the iudgemeÌ„t of ouâ— simple rude man alleaging reason vnto companies of learned men I will content my selfe at this time with two or three sentences Irenaeus saith whatsoeuer is to be shewed in the scripture canne bee shewed but out of the scriptures themselues lib. 3â— cap. 12. Ierome saith No man be he neuer so holy or eloquent hath any authoritie after the Apostles in Ps. 86. Augustine saith that he will beleeue none how godly and learned soeuer he be vnlesse he confirme his sentence by the scriptures or by some reason not contrary to them Epist. 18. And in another place Heare this the Lord saith heare not this Donatus saith Rogatus saith Vincentius saith Hylarius saith Ambrose saith Augustine saith but hearken to this the Lord saith Epist. 48. And againe hauing to do with an Arrian he affirmeth that neither he ought to bring forth the councell of Nice nor the other the councell of Arimine thereby to bring preiudice each to other neither ought the Arrian to be holden by the authoritie of the one nor himselfe by the authoritie of the other but by the scriptures which are witnesses proper to neither but common to both matter with matter cause with cause reason with reason ought to be debated contra Maxim Arian 3.14 ca. And in an other place against Petilian the Donatist he saith Let not these wordes be heard betweene vs I say you say let vs heare this Thus saith the Lord. And by and by speaking of the scriptures he saith There let vs seeke the Church there let vs try the cause De vnita Eccles. cap. 3. Hereby it is manifest that the argument of the authoritie of man affirmatiuely is nothing worth Matth. 17.10 T. C. l. 2.21 If at any time it happened vnto Augustine as it did against the Donatists and others to alleage the authority of the auncient Fathers which had bin before him yet this was not done before he had laid a sure foundation of his cause in the scriptures and that also being prouoked by the aduersaries of the truth who bare themselues high of some counsell or of some man of name that had fauoured that part A declaration what the truth is in this maâ—ter Math. 26.40 Ephes. 5.29 Matth. 5.46 1. Tim. 5.8 Matth. 10.42 Act. 4.31 1. Thes. 2.7.9 T. C. l. 2. p. 6. Where this doctrine is accused of bringing men to despaire it