vnto whom wee associate our selues in the one are men simply considered as men but they to whom we bee ioyned in the other are God Angels and holy men Againe the Church being both a society and a society supernaturall although as it is a society it haue the selfe same originall grounds which other politique societes haue namely the naturall inclination which all men haue vnto sociable life and consent to some certaine bond of association which bond is the law that appointeth what kind of order they shall be associated in yet vnto the Church as it is a societie supernaturall this is peculiar that part of the bond of their association which belong to the Church of God must be a lawe supernaturall which God himselfe hath reuealed concerning that kind of worship which his people shall do vnto him The substance of the seruice of God therefore so farre forth as it hath in it any thing more then the lawe of reason doth teach may not be inuented of men as it is amongst the Heathens but must be receiued from God himselfe as alwaies it hath bene in the Church sauing only when the Church hath bene forgetfull of her dutie Wherefore to end with a generall rule concerning all the lawes which God hath tyed men vnto those lawes diuine that belong whether naturally or supernaturally either to men as men or to men as they liue in politique societie or to men as they are of that politique societie which is the Church without any further respect had vnto any such variable accident as the state of men and of societies of men and of the Church it selfe in this world is subiect vnto all lawes that so belong vnto men they belong for euer yea although they be positiue lawes vnlesse being positiue God himselfe which made them alter them The reason is because the subiect or matter of lawes in generall is thus farre foorth constant which matter is that for the ordering whereof lawes were instituted and being instituted are not chaungeable without cause neither can they haue cause of chaunge when that which gaue them their first institution remaineth for euer one and the same On the other side lawes that were made for men or societies or Churches in regard of their being such as they doe not alwayes continue but may perhaps bee cleane otherwise a whil◠after and so may require to bee otherwise ordered then before the lawes of God himselfe which are of this nature no man indued with common sense will euer denie to bee of a different constitution from the former in respect of the ones constancie and the mutabilitie of the other And this doth seeme to haue beene the very cause why Saint Iohn doth so peculiarly tearme the doctrine that teacheth saluation by Iesus Christ Euangelium aeternum an eternall Gospell because there can be no reason wherefore the publishing thereof should be taken away and any other in stead of it proclaimed as long as the world doth continue where as the whole lawe of rites and Ceremonies although deliuered with so great solemnitie is notwithstanding cleane abrogated in as much as it had but temporary cause of Gods ordeining it But that we may at the length conclude this first generall introduction vnto the nature and originall birth as of all other lawes so likewise of those which the sacred Scripture conteineth concerning the author wherof euen infidels haue confessed that he can neither erre nor deceiue albeit about things easie and manifest vnto all men by common sense there needeth no higher consultation because as a man whose wisedome is in waighty affaires admired would take it in some disdaine to haue his counsell solemnely asked about a toye so the meannesse of some things is such that to search the Scripture of God for the ordering of them were to derogate from the reuerend authoritie and dignitie of the Scripture no lesse then they do by whom Scriptures are in ordinarie talke very idly applyed vnto vaine and childish trifles yet better it were to bee superstitious then prophane to take from thence our direction euen in all things great or small then to wade through matters of principall waight and moment without euer caring what the lawe of God hath either for or against our disseignes Concerning the custome of the very Paynimes thus much Strab◠witnesseth Men that are ciuill do leade their liues after one common lawe appointing them what to do For that otherwise a multitude should with harmony amongest themselues concurre in the doing of one thing for this is ciuilly to liue or that they should in any sort menage communitie of life it is not possible Nowe lawes or statutes are of two sorts For they are either receiued from Gods or else from men And our auncient predecessors did surely most honor and reuerēce that which was from the Gods for which cause consultation with Oracles was a thing very vsuall and frequent in their times Did they make so much account of the voyce of their Gods which in truth were no Gods and shall we neglect the pretious benefite of conference with those Oracles of the true and liuing God whereof so great store is left to the Church and wherunto there is so free so plaine and so easie accesse for al men By the Commandements this was Dauids confession vnto God thou hast made me wiser then mine enemies Againe I haue had more vnderstanding then all my teachers because thy testimonies are my meditations What paynes would not they haue bestowed in the study of these bookes who trauailed sea and land to gaine the treasure of some fewe dayes talke with men whose wisedome the world did make any reckoning of That litle which some of the Heathens did chance to heare concerning such matter as the sacred Scripture plentifully conteineth they did in wonderfull sort affect their speeches as oft as they make mention thereof are strange and such as themselues could not vtter as they did other things but still acknowledged that their wits which did euery where else conquer hardnesse were with profoundnesse here ouer-matched Wherfore seeing that God hath indued vs with sense to the end that we might perceiue such things as this present life doth need and with reason least that which sense cannot reach vnto being both now and also in regard of a future estate hereafter necessary to be knowne should lye obscure finally with the heauenly support of d propheticall reuelation which doth open those hidden mysteries that reason could neuer haue bene able to find out or to haue knowne the necessitie of them vnto our euerlasting good vse we the pretious gifts of God vnto his glory and honour that gaue them seeking by all meanes to know what the will of our God is what righteous before him in his fight what holy perfect and good that we may truly and faithfully do it 16 Thus farre therefore we haue endeuoured in part to open of
were very iniurious the purpose of his hart was religious and godly the act most worthy of honour and renowne neither could Nathan choose but admire his vertuous intent exhort him to go forward and beseech God to prosper him therein But God saw the endlesse troubles which Dauid should be subiect vnto during the whole time of his regiment and therefore gaue charge to differre so good a worke till the dayes of tranquilitie and peace wherein it might without interruption be performed Dauid supposed that it could not stand with the duty which he owed vnto God to set himselfe in an house of Cedar trees and to behold the Arke of the Lords Couenant vnsetled This opinion the Lord abateth by causing Nathan to shew him plainely that it should be no more imputed vnto him for a fault then it had bene vnto the Iudges of Israell before him his case being the same which theirs was their times not more vnquiet then his nor more vnfit for such an action Wherefore concerning the force of negatiue arguments so taken from the authority of Scripture as by vs they are denied there is in all this lesse then nothing And touching that which vnto this purpose is borrowed froÌ„ the controuersies sometime handled betweene M. Harding and the worthiest Diuine that Christendome hath bred for the space of some huÌ„dreds of yeres who being brought vp together in one Vniuersitie it fell out in them which was spoken of two others They learned in the same that which in contrary CaÌ„ps they did practise Of these two the one obiecting that with vs arguments taken from authority negatiuely are ouer common the Bishops answer hereunto is that This kind of argument is thought to be good whensoeuer proofe is taken of Gods word and is vsed not only by vs but also by Saint Paul and by many of the Catholique Fathers Saint Paule saith God said not vnto Abraham In thy seeds all the nations of the earth shall be blessed but in thy seed which is Christ and thereof he thought he made a good argument Likewise sayth Origen The bread which the Lord gaue vnto his disciples saying vnto them Take and eate he differred not nor commanded to be reserued till the next day Such arguments Origen and other learned Fathers thought to stand for good whatsoeuer misliking Maister Harding hath found in theÌ„ This kind of proofe is thought to hold in Gods commaundements for that they be full and perfect and God hath specially charged vs that we should neither put to them nor take fro them and therefore it seemeth good vnto them that haue learned of Christ Vnus est magister vester Christus haue heard the voyce of God the Father from heauen Ipsum auâ—ite But vnto them that adde to the word of God what them listeth and make Gods will subiect vnto their will and breake Gods commaundements for their owne traditions sake vnto them is seemeth not good Againe the English Apologie alleaging the example of the Greekes how they haue neither priuate Masses nor mangled Sacraments nor Purgatories nor pardons it pleaseth Maister Harding to iest out the matter to vse the helpe of his wits where strength of truth failed him to answer with scoffing at negatiues The Bishops defence in this case is The auncient learned Fathers hauing to deale with impudent heretiques that in defence of their errors auouched the iudgement of all the old Bishops and Doctors that had bene before them and the generall consent of the primitiue and whole vniuersall Church and that with as good regard of truth and as faithfully as you do now the better to discouer the shamelesse boldnes nakednes of their doctrine were oftentimes likewise forced to vse the negatiue so to driue the same heretiques as we do you to proue their affirmatiues which thing to do it was neuer possible The ancient father Irenaeus thus stayed himselfe as we do by the negatiue Hoc neque Prophetae praedicauerunt néque Dominus docuit néque Apostoli tradiderunt This thing neither did the Prophets publish nor our Lord teach nor the Apostles deliuer By a like negatiue Chrysostome saith This tree neither Paule planted nor Apollo watered nor God increased In like sort Leo saith What needeth it to beleeue that thing that neither the Lawe hath taught nor the Prophets haue spoken nor the Gospell hath preached nor the Apostles haue deliuered And againe How are the new deuises brought in that our Fathers neuer knew S. Augustine hauing reekoned vp a great number of the Bishops of Rome by a generall negatiue saith thus In all this order of succession of Bishops there is not one Bishop found that was a Donatist Saint Gregory being himselfe a Bishop of Rome and writing against the title of vniuersall Bishop saith thus None of all my predecessors euer consented to vse this vngodly title No Bishop of Rome euer tooke vpon him this name of Singularity By such negatiues M. Harding we reproue the vanity and nouelty of your religion we tell you none of the catholique ancient learned Fathers either Greeke or Latine euer vsed either your priuate Masse or your halfe communion or your barbarous vnknowne prayers Paule neuer planted them Apollo neuer watered them God neuer increased them they are of your selues they are not of God In all this there is not a syllable which any way crosseth vs. For coÌ„cerning arguments negatiue euen taken from humane authorityâ— they are here proued to be in some cases very strong and forcible They are not in our estimation idle reproofes when the authors of needlesse innouations are opposed with such negatiues as that of Leo How are these new deuises brought in which our fathers neuer knew When their graue and reuerend superiours do recken vp vnto them as Augustine did vnto the Donatists large Catalogues of Fathers wondered at for their wisdome piety and learning amongst whom for so many ages before vs no one did euer so thinke of the Churches affaires as now the world doth begin to be perswaded surely by vs they are not taught to take exception hereat because such arguments are negatiue Much lesse when the like are taken from the sacred authority of Scripture if the matter it selfe do beare them For in truth the question is not whether an argument from scripture negatiuely may be good but whether it be so generally good that in all actions men may vrge it The fathers I graunt do vse very generall and large tearmes euen as Hiero the King did in speaking of Archimedes From henceforward whatsoeuer Archimedes speaketh it must be belieued His meaning was not that Archimedes could simply in nothing be deceiued but that he had in such sort approued his skill that he seemed worthy of credit for euer after in matters appertaining vnto the science he was skilfull in In speaking thus largely it is presumed that mens speeches will be taken according to the
OF THE LAVVES of Ecclesiasticall Politie Eight bookes By Richard Hooker IESVS CHRISTVS CONTERET CAPVT TVVÌ„ GEN 3 ERO MORSVS INFERN TVVS OSE 13 CONFIDITE VICI MVÌ„DVÌ„ IOA. 16. VBI TVA MORS VICTORIA 1 COR 15. Printed at London by Iohn Windet dwelling at the signe of the Crosse-keyes neare Paules wharffe and are thereto be solde 1604. TO THE READER THis vnhappie controuersie about the receiued ceremonies and discipline of the Church of England which hath so long time withdrawne so many of her Ministers from their principall worke and imployed their studies in contentious oppositions hath by the vnnaturall growth and daungerous fruites thereof made knowne to the world that it neuer receiued blessing from the father of peace For whose experience doth not finde what confusion of order and breach of the sacred bond of loue hath sprung from this dissention how it hath rent the bodie of the Church into diuers parts and diuided her people into diuers Sects how it hath taught the sheepe to despise their pastors and alienated the Pastors from the loue of their flockes how it hath strengthened the irreligious in their impieties and hath raised the hopes of the sacrilegious deuourers of the remaines of Christs patrimony and giuen way to the common aduersary of Gods truth and our prosperity to grow great in our land without resistance who seeth not how it hath distracted the mindes of the multitude and shaken their faith and scandalized their weakeness and hath generally killed the very hart of true pietie and religious deuotion by changing our zeale towards Christes glory into the fire of enuie and malice and hart-burning and Zeale to euery mans priuate cause This is the summe of all the gaines which the tedious contentions of so many yeares haue brought in by the ruine of Christs kingdome the encrease of Satans partly in superstition partly in impietie So much better were it in these our dwellings of peace to endure any inconuenience whatsoeuer in the outward frame then in desire of alteration thus to set the whole house on fire Which moued the religious hart of this learned writer in Zeale of Gods truth and in compassion to his Church the mother of vs all which gaue vs both the first breath of spirituall life and from her breasts hath fed vs vnto this whatsoeuer measure of growth we haue in Christ to stand vp and take vpon him a generall defence both of her selfe and of her established lawes and by force of demonstration so farre as the nature of the present matter could beare to make knowne to the world and these oppugners of her that all those bitter accusations laid to her charge are not the faultes of her lawes and orders but either their owne mistakes in the misvnderstanding or the abuses of men in the ill execution of them A worke subiect to manifold reprehensions and oppositions and not sutable to his soft and milde disposition desirous of a quiet priuate life wherein hee might bring forth the fruits of peace in peace But the loue of God and of his countrey whose greatest daunger grew from this diuision made his hart hot within him and at length the fire kindled and amongst many other most reuerend and learned men he also presumed to speake with his pen. And the rather because he sawe that none of these ordinary obiections of partialities could eleuate the authoritie of his writing who alwayes affected a priuate state and neither enioyed nor expected any the least dignitie in our Church What admirable height of learning and depth of iudgement dwelled within the lowly minde of this true humble man great in all wise mens eyes except his owne with what grauitie and maiestie of speach his tongue and pen vttered heauenly mysteries whose eyes in the humility of his hart were alwayes cast downe to the ground how all things that proceeded from him were breathed as from the spirit of loue as if he like the bird of the holy Ghost the Doue had wanted gall let them that knew him not in his person iudge by the these liuing Images of his soule his writings For out of these euen those who otherwise agree not with him in opinion do affoord him the testimony of a milde and a louing spirit and of his learning what greater proofe can we haue then this that his writings are most admired by those who themselues do most excell in iudicious learning and by them the more often they are read the more highly they are extolled and desired Which is the cause of this second edition of his former bookes and that without any addition or diminution whatsoeuer For who will put a pencile to such a worke from which such a workeman hath taken his There is a purpose of setting forth the three last books also their fathers Posthumi For as in the great declining of his bodie spent out with study it was his ordinary petition to almightie God that if he might liue to see the finishing of these bookes then Lord let thy seruant depart in peace to vse his owne words so it pleased God to grant him his desire For he liued till he sawe them perfected and though like Rachel he dyed as it were in the trauell of them and hastened death vpon himselfe by hastening to giue them life yet he held out to behold with his eyes these partus ingenii these Beniamins sonnes of his right hand though to him they were Benonies sonnes of paine and sorrowe But some euill disposed mindes whether of malice or couetousnesse or wicked blinde Zeale it is vncerteine as if they had beene Egyptian Mid-wiues as soone as they were borne and their father dead smothered them and by conueying away the perfect Copies left vnto vs nothing but certaine olde vnperfect and mangled draughts dismembred into peeces and scattered like Medeas Abyrtus no fauour no grace not the shadowes of themselues almost remaining in them Had the father liued to see them brought forth thus defaced he might rightfully haue named them Benonies the sonnes of sorrowe But seeing the importunities of many great and worthy persons will not suffer them quietly to dye and to be buried it is intended that they shall see them as they are The learned and iudicious eye will yet perhaps delight it selfe in beholding the goodly lineaments of their well set bodies and in finding out some shadowes and resemblances of their fathers face God grant that as they were with their bretheren dedicated to the Church for messengers of peace so in the strength of that little breath of life that remaineth in them they may prosper in their worke and by satisfying the doubtes of such as are willing to learne may helpe to giue an end to the calamities of these our ciuill wars ST A Preface To them that seeke as they tearme it the reformation of Lawes and orders Ecclesiasticall in the Church of ENGLAND THough for no other cause yet for this that posteritie may knowe wee haue
the end that in these more doubtfull cases their vnderstanding might be a light to direct others If the vnderstanding power or facultie of the soule be sayth the grand Phisitian like vnto bodily sight not of equall sharpnesse in all what can be more conuenient then that euen as the darke-sighted man is directed by the cleare about things visible so likewise in matters of deeper discourse the wise in heart do shew the simple where his way lyeth In our doubtfull cases of law what man is there who seeth not how requisite it is that professors of skill in that facultie be our directors So it is in all other kinds of knowledge And euen in this kind likewise the Lord hath himselfe appointed that the Priests lips should preserue knowledge and that other men should seeke the truth at his mouth because he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts Gregory Nazianzene offended at the peoples too great presumption in controlling the iudgement of them to whom in such cases they should haue rather submitted their owne seeketh by earnest intreatie to stay them within their bounds Presume not ye that are sheepe to make your selues guides of them that should guide you neither seeke ye to ouerskip the fold which they about you haue pitched It sufficeth for your part if ye can well frame your selues to be ordered Take not vpon you to iudge your selues nor to make them subiect to your lawes who should be a law to you For God is not a God of sedition and confusion but of order and of peace But ye will say that if the guides of the people be blind the common sort of men must not close vp their owne eyes and be led by the conduct of such if the Priest be partiall in the law the flocke must not therefore depart from the wayes of sincere truth and in simplicitie yeeld to be followers of him for his place sake and office ouer them Which thing though in it selfe most true is in your defence notwithstanding weake because the matter wherein ye thinke that yee see and imagine that your wayes are sincere is of farre deeper consideration then any one amongest fiue hundred of you conceiueth Let the vulgar sort amongst you know that there is not the least branch of the cause wherin they are so resolute but to the triall of it a great deale more appertaineth then their conceipt doth reach vnto I write not this in disgrace of the simplest that way giuen but I would gladly they knewe the nature of that cause wherein they thinke themselues throughly instructed and are not by meanes whereof they daily run themselues without feeling their owne hazard vppon the dâ—nt of the Apostles sentence against euill speakers as touching things wherein they are ignorant If it be graunted a thing vnlawfull for priuate men not called vnto publique consultation to dispute which is the best state of ciuill Policie with a desire of bringing in some other kind then that vnder which they already liue for of such disputes I take it his meaning was if it be a thing confest that of such questions they cannot determine without rashnesse in as much as a great part of them consisteth in speciall circumstances and for one kind as many reasons may be brought as for another is there any reason in the world why they should better iudge what kind of regiment Ecclesiasticall is the fittest For in the Ciuill state more insight and in those affaires more experience a great deale must needes be graunted them then in this they can possibly haue When they which write in defence of your discipline and commend it vnto the Highest not in the least cunning manner are forced notwithstanding to acknowledge that with whom the truth is they knowe not they are not certaine what certainty or knowledge can the multitude haue thereof Waigh what doth mooue the common sort so much to fauour this innouation and it shall soone appeare vnto you that the force of particular reasons which for your seuerall opinions are alleaged is a thing whereof the multitude neuer did nor could so consider as to be there with wholly caried but certaine generall inducements are vsed to make saleable your Cause in grosse and when once men haue cast a phancie towards it any slight declaration of specialties will serue to lead forward mens inclinable and prepared minds The methode of winning the peoples affection vnto a generall liking of the Cause for so ye terme it hath bene this First in the hearing of the multitude the faults especially of higher callings are ripped vp with maruellous exceeding seuerity and sharpnesse of reproofe which being oftentimes done begetteth a great good opinion of integritie zeale holinesse to such coÌ„stant reproouers of sinne as by likelihood would neuer be so much offended at that which is euill vnlesse themselues were singularly good The next thing hereunto is to impute all faults and corruptions wherewith the world aboundeth vnto the kind of Ecclesiasticall gouernement established Wherin as before by reprouing faults they purchased vnto themselues with the multitude a name to be vertuous so by finding out this kind of cause they obtaine to be iudged wise aboue others whereas in truth vnto the forme euen of Iewish gouernement which the Lord himselfe they all confesse did establish with like shew of reason they might impute those faults which the Prophets condemne in the gouernors of that common wealth as to the English kind of regiment Ecclesiasticall whereof also God himselfe though in other sort is author the staines and blemishes found in our State which springing from the root of humaine frailty and corruption not only are but haue bene alwaies more or lesse yea and for any thing we know to the contrary will be till the worlds end complained of what forme of gouernement soeuer take place Hauing gotten thus much sway in the hearts of men a third step is to propose their owne forme of Church gouernement as the onely soueraigne remedy of all euils and to adorne it with all the glorious titles that may be And the nature as of men that haue sicke bodies so likewise of the people in the crazednes of their minds possest with dislike and discontentment at things present is to imagine that any thing the vertue wherof they here commended would helpe them but that most which they least haue tried The fourth degree of inducements is by fashioning the very notions conceipts of mens minds in such sort that when they read the Scripture they may thinke that euery thing soundeth towards the aduancement of that discipline and to the vtter disgrace of the contrary Pythagoras by bringing vp his Schollers in the speculatiue knowledge of numbers made their conceipts therein so strong that when they came to the contemplation of things naturall they imagined that in euery particular thing they euen beheld as it were with their eyes how the elements of
things Charity Faith the true feare of God the Crosse the mortification of the flesh All their exhortations were to set light of the things in this world to count riche◠and honors vanitie and in token thereof not onely to seeke neither but if men were possessors of both euen to cast away the one resigne the other that all men might see their vnfained conuersion vnto Christ. They were sollicitors of men to fasts to often meditations of heauenly things as it were cōferences in secret with God by prayers not framed according to the frosen maner of the world but expressing such feruēt desires as might euen force God to hearken vnto them Where they found men in diet attire furniture of house or any other way obseruers of Ciuilitie and decent order such they reprooued as being carnally and earthly minded Euery word otherwise then seuerely and sadly vttered seemed to pierce like a sword thorow them If any man were pleasant their manner was presently with deepe sighes to repeate those words of our Sauiour Christ Wo be to you which now laugh for ye shall lament So great was their delight to be alwaies in trouble that such as did quietly lead their liues they iudged of all other men to be in most dangerous case They so much affected to crosse the ordinary custome in euery thing that when other mens vse was to put on better attire they would be sure to shew thēselues openly abroad in worse the ordinary names of the daies in the weeke they thought it a kind of prophanes to vse therefore accustomed thēselues to make no other distinction then by numbers The First Second Third day From this they proceeded vnto publike reformatiō first Ecclesiasticall and then Ciuill Touching the former they boldly aduouched that themselues only had the truth which thing vpon perill of their liues they would at all times defend that since the Apostles liued the same was neuer before in al points sincerely taught Wherfore that things might againe be brought to that auncient integritie which Iesus Christ by his word requireth they began to controule the ministers of the Gospell for attributing so much force and vertue vnto the Scriptures of God read whereas the truth was that when the word is said to engender faith in the heart and to conuert the soule of man or to worke any such spirituall diuine effect these speeches are not thereunto appliable as it is read or preached but as it is ingrafted in vs by the power of the holy Ghost opening the eyes of our vnderstanding and so reuealing the mysteries of God according to that which Ieremy promised before should be saying I will put my law in their inward parts and I will write it in their hearts The booke of God they notwithstanding for the most part so admired that other disputation against their opinions then onely by allegation of Scripture they would not heare besides it they thought no other writings in the world should be studied in so much as one of their great Prophets exhorting them to cast away all respects vnto humane writings so far to his motion they condescended that as many as had any bookes saue the holy Bible in their custody they brought and set them publiquely on fire When they and their Bibles were alone together what strange phantasticall opinion soever at any time entred into their heads their vse was to thinke the Spirit taught it them Their phrensies concerning our Sauiours incarnation the state of soules departed such like are things needlesse to be rehearsed And for as much as they were of the same suite with those of whom the Apostle speaketh saying They are still learning but neuer attaine to the knowledge of truth it was no maruaile to see them euery day broach some new thing not heard of before Which restlesse leuitie they did interpret to be their growing to spirituall perfection and a proceeding from faith to faith The differences amongst them grew by this meane in a maner infinite so that scarcely was there found any one of them the forge of whose braine was not possest with some speciall mysterie Whereupon although their mutuall contentions were most fiercely prosecuted amongst themselues yet when they came to defend the cause common to them all against the aduersaries of their faction they had wayes to licke one another whole the sounder in his owne perswasion excusing THE DEARE BRETHREN which were not so farre enlightned and professing a charitable hope of the mercy of God towards them notwithstanding their swaruing from him in some things Their owne ministers they highly magnified as men whose vocation was frō God the rest their maner was to terme disdainfully Scribes and Pharises to accompt their calling an humaine creature and to deteine the people as much as might be from hearing them As touching Sacraments baptisme administred in the church of Rome they iudged to be but an execrable mockery no baptisme both because the Ministers thereof in the papacy are wicked idolaters lewd persons theeues and murderers cursed creatures ignorant beasts also for that to baptise is a proper action belonging vnto none but the Church of Christ whereas Rome is Antichrists synagogue The custome of vsing Godfathers Godmothers at Christnings they scorned Baptising of infants although confest by thēselues to haue bin continued euē sithens the very Apostles owne times yet they altogether condemned partly because sundry errors are of no lesse antiquity and partly for that there is no commandement in the Gospell of Christ which sayth Baptise infants but he contrariwise in saying Go preach and Baptise doth appoint that the minister of Baptisme shall in that action first administer doctrine thē Baptisme as also in saying whosoeuer doth beleeue and is baptised he appointeth that the party to whō baptisme is administred shall first beleeue then be baptised to the end that belieuing may go before this sacramēt in the receiuer no otherwise then preaching in the giuer sith equally in both the law of Christ declareth not only what things are required but also in what order they are required The Eucharist they receiued pretending our Lord Sauiours example after supper for auoiding all those impieties which haue bin grounded vpon the mysticall words of Christs This is my body This is my bloud they thought it not safe to mention either body or bloud in that Sacrament but rather to abrogate both to vse no words but these Take eate declare the death of our Lord drinke shew forth our Lords death In rites ceremonies their profession was hatred of all cōformity with the Church of Rome for which cause they would rather indure any tormēt then obserue the solemne festiuals which others did in as much as Antichrist they said was the first inuentor of thē The pretended end of their ciuill
that if it were possible no doubt or scruple concerning the same might remaine in any mans cogitation Some truthes there are the veritie whereof time doth alter as it is now true that Christ is risen from the dead which thing was not true at such time as Christ was liuing on earth and had not suffered It would be knowne therefore whether this which they teach concerning the sinfull staine of all actions not commanded of God be a truth that doth now appertaine vnto vs only or a perpetuall truth in such sort that from the first beginning of the world vnto the last consummation thereof it neither hath bene nor can be otherwise I see not how they can restraine this vnto any particular time how they can thinke it true now and not alwaies true that in euery action not commanded there is for want of faith sinne Then let them cast backe their eyes vnto former generations of men and marke what was done in the prime of the world Seth Enoch Noah Sem Abraham Iob and the rest that liued before any syllable of the lawe of God was written did they not sinne as much as we doe in euery action not commaunded That which God is vnto vs by his sacred word the same he was vnto them by such like meanes as Eliphas in Iob describeth If therefore we sinne in euery action which the scripture commaundeth vs not it followeth that they did the like in all such actions as were not by reuelation from heauen exacted at their hands Vnlesse God from heauen did by vision still shew them what to doe they might do nothing not eate not drinke not sleepe not moue Yea but euen as in darkenes candle light may serue to guide mens steps which to vse in the day were madnes so when God had once deliuered his lawe in writing it may bee they are of opinion that then it must needes bee sinne for men to doe any thing which was not there commaunded them to do whatsoeuer they might do before Let this be graunted and it shall here upon plainely ensue either that the light of Scripture once shining in the world all other light of nature is ther with in such sort drowned that now we need it not neither may we longer vse it or if it stand vs in any stead yet as Aristotle speaketh of men whom nature hath framed for the state of seruitude saying They haue reason so farre forth as to conceiue when others direct them but litle or none in directing themselues by themselues so likewise our naturall capacity and iudgement must serue vs only for the right vnderstanding of that which the sacred Scripture teacheth Had the Prophets who succeeded Moses or the blessed Apostles which followed them bene setled in this perswasion neuer would they haue taken so great paines in gathering together naturall arguments thereby to teach the faithfull their duties To vse vnto theÌ„ any other motiue then Scriptum est Thus it is written had bene to teach them other grounds of their actions then scripture which I graunt they alleage commonly but not only Only scripture they should haue alleaged had they bene thus perswaded that so far forth we do sinne as we do any thing otherwise directed then by â—cripture Saint Augustine was resolute in points of Christianity to credit none how godly and learned soeuer he were vnlesse he confirmed his sentence by the Scriptures or by some reason not contrary to them Let them therfore with Saint Augustine reiect and condemne that which is not grounded either on the Scripture or on some reason not contrary to Scripture and we are ready to giue them our hands in token of friendly consent with them 5 But against this it may be obiected and is that the Fathers do nothing more vsually in their books then draw arguments from the Scripture negatiuely in reproofe of that which is euill Scriptures teach it not auoid it therefore these disputes with the Fathers are ordinary neither is it hard to shew that the Prophets themselues haue so reasoned Which arguments being sound and good it should seeme that it cannot be vnsound or euill to hold still the same assertion against which hitherto we haue disputed For if it stand with reason thus to argue Such a thing is not taught vs in Scripture therefore we may not receiue or allow it how should it seeme vnreasonable to thinke that whatsoeuer we may lawfully do the Scripture by commanding it must make it lawful But how far such arguments do reach it shall the better appeare by considering the matter wherein they haue bene vrged First therefore this we constantly deny that of so many testimonies as they are able to produce for the strength of negatiue arguments any one doth generally which is the point in question condemne either all opinions as false or all actions as vnlawfull which the scripture teacheth vs not The most that can be collected out of theÌ„ is onely that in some cases a negatiue argument taken from scripture is strong whereof no man indued with iudgement can doubt But doth the strength of some negatiue argumenâ— proue this kind of negatiue argument strong by force whereof all things are denied which Scripture affirmeth not or all things which Scripture prescribeth not condemned The question betweene vs is concerning matter of action what things are lawfull or vnlawfull for men to do The sentences alleaged out of the Fathers are as peremptory and as large in euery respect for matter of opinion as of action which argueth that in truth they neuer meant any otherwise to tye the one then the other vnto scripture bothe being thereunto equally tyed as far as each is required in the same kind of necessitie vnto saluation If therefore it be not vnlawful to know and with full perswasion to belieue much more then scripture alone doth teach if it be against all sense and reason to condemne the knowledge of so many arts and sciences as are otherwise learned then in holy scripture notwithstanding the manifest speeches of auncient Catholike fathers which seeme to close vp within the bosome thereof all manner good and lawfull knowledge wherefore should their words be thought more effectuall to shew that we may not in deedes and practise then they are to proue that in speculation and knowledge we ought not to go any farther then the scripture Which scripture being giuen to teach matters of beliefe no lesse then of action the Fathers must needs be and are euen as plaine against credit besides the relation as against practise without the iniunction of the scripture Saint Augustine hath sayd Whether it be question of Christ or whether it be question of his Church or of what thing soeuer the question be I say not if we but if an Angell from heauen shall tell vs any thing beside that you haue receiued in the scripture vnder the Law and the Gospel let him be accursed In like sort Tertullian
marke it the key which openeth the dore of entrance into the knowledge of the scripture The scripture could not teach vs the things that are of God vnlesse we did credite men who haue taught vs that the words of Scripture do signifie those things Some way therefore notwithstanding mans infirmitie yet his authority may enforce assent Vpon better aduise and deliberation so much is perceiued and at the length confest that arguments taken from the authority of men may not onely so farre forth as hath bene declared but further also be of some force in humaine sciences which force be it neuer so smal doth shew that they are not vtterly naught But in matters diuine it is still maintained stifly that they haue no manner force at all Howbeit the very selfe same reasoÌ„ which causeth to yeeld that they are of some force in the one will at the length constraine also to acknowledge that they are not in the other altogether vnforcible For if the naturall strength of mans wit may by experience and study attaine vnto such ripenes in the knowledge of things humaine that men in this respect may presume to build somewhat vpon their iudgement what reason haue we to thinke but that euen in matters diuine the like wits furnisht with necessary helpes exercised in scripture with like diligence and assisted with the grace of almighty God may growe vnto so much perfection of knowledge that men shall haue iust cause when any thing pertinent vnto faith and religion is doubted of the more willingly to incline their mindes towards that which the sentence of so graue wise and learned in that faculty shal iudge most sound For the controuersie is of the waight of such mens iudgements Let it therefore be suspected let it be taken as grosse corrupt repugnant vnto the truth whatsoeuer concerning things diuine aboue nature shall at any time be spoken as out of the mouthes of meere naturall men which haue not the eyes wherwith heauenly thinges are discerned For this we contend not But whom God hath indued with principall giftes to aspire vnto knowledge by whose exercises labours and diuine studies he hath so blesâ— that the world for their great and rare skill that way hath them in singular admiration may wee reiect euen their iudgement likewise as being vtterly of no moment For mine owne part I dare not so lightly esteeme of the Church and of the principall pillars therein The truth is that the minde of man desireth euermore to knowe the truth according to the most infallible certaintie which the nature of thinges can yeeld The greatest assurance generally with all men is that which we haue by plaine aspect and intuitiue beholding Where we cannot attaine vnto this there what appeareth to bee true by strong and inuincible demonstration such as wherein it is not by any way possible to be deceiued thereunto the minde doth necessarily assent neither is it in the choice thereof to do otherwise And in case these bothe do faile then which way greatest probabilitie leadeth thither the mind doth euermore incline Scripture with ChristiaÌ„ men being receiued as the word of God that for which we haue probable yea that which we haue necessary reason for yea that which wee see with our eyes is not thought so sure as that which the scripture of God teacheth because wee hold that his speech reuealeth there what himselfe seeth therefore the strongest proofe of all and the most necessarily assented vnto by vs which do thus receiue the scripture is the scripture Now it is not required or can bee exacted at our handes that we should yeeld vnto any thing other assent then such as doth answere the euidence which is to be had of that we assent vnto For which cause euen in matters diuine concerning some thinges we may lawfully doubt and suspend our iudgement inclining neither to one side or other as namely touching the time of the fall both of man and Angels of some thinges we may very well retaine an opinion that they are probable not vnlikely to be true as wheÌ„ we hold that men haue their soules rather by creation then propagation or that the mother of our Lord liued alwaies in the state of virginitie as well after his birth as before for of these two the one her virginitie before is a thing which of necessitie we must belieue the other her continuance in the same state alwaies hath more likelihood of truth then the contrary finally in all things then are our consciences best resolued and in most agreeable sort vnto God and nature feâ—ed when they are so farre perswaded as those groundes of perswasion which are to be had will beare Which thing I doe so much the rather set downe for that I see how a number of soules are for want of right informatioÌ„ in this point oftentimes grieuously vexed When bare and vnbuilded conclusions are put into their mindes they finding not themselues to haue therof any great certaintie imagine that this proceedeth only from lacke of faith and that the spirite of God doth not worke in them as it doth in true beleeuers by this meanes their hearts are much troubled they fall into anguish perplexitie wheras the truth is that how bold and confident soeuer we may be in words when it commeth to the point of triall such as the euidence is which the truth hath eyther in it selfe or through proofe such is the hearts assent thereunto neither can it bee stronger being grounded as it should be I grant that proofe deriued froÌ„ the authoritie of mans iudgement is not able to worke that assurance which doth grow by a stronger proofe and therfore although ten thousand generall Councels would set downe one the same definitiue sentence concerning any point of religion whatsoeuer yet one demonstratiue reason alleaged or one manifest testimonie cited from the mouth of God himself to the contrary could not choose but ouerweigh them all in as much as for them to haue bene deceiued it is not impossible it is that demonstratiue reason or testimonie diuine should deceiue Howbeit in defect of proofe infallible because the minde doth rather follow probable perswasions then approue the things that haue in them no likelihood of truth at all surely if a question coÌ„cerning matter of doctrine were proposed and on the one side no kind of proofe appearing there should on the other be alleaged and shewed that so a number of the learnedest diuines in the world haue euer thought although it did not appeare what reason or what scripture led them to be of that iudgement yet to their very bare iudgement somewhat a reasonable man would attribute notwithstanding the common imbecilities which are incident into our nature And whereas it is thought that especially with the Church and those that are called perswaded of thauthority of the word of God mans authoritie with them especially should not preuaile it must doth preuaile euen with them yea
with them especially as far as equitie requireth farther we maintain it not For men to be tyed led by authoritie as it were with a kind of captiuity of iudgement and though there be reason to the contrary not to listen vnto it but to follow like beastes the first in the heard they know not nor care not whether this were brutish Againe that authoritie of men should preuaile with men either against or aboue reason is no part of our beliefe Companies of learned men be they neuer so great and reuerend are to yeeld vnto reason the waight whereof is no whit preiudiced by the simplicitie of his person which doth alleage it but being found to be sound and good the bare opinion of men to the contrary must of necessitie stoope and giue place Irenaeus writing against Marcion which held one God author of the old Testament and another of the new to proue that the Apostles preached the same God which was knowne before to the Iewes hee copiously alleageth sundry their sermons and speeches vttered concerning that matter and recorded in Scripture And least any should be wearied with such store of allegations in the ende hee concludeth While we labour for these demonstrations out of Scripture and doe summarily declare the thinges which many wayes haue beene spoken bee contented quietly to heare and doe not thinke my speech tedious Quoniam ostensiones quae sunt in scripturis non possunt ostendi nisi ex ipsis scripturis Because demonstrations that are in scripture may not otherwise be shewed then by citing them out of the scriptures themselues where they are Which wordes make so little vnto the purpose that they seeme as it were offended at him which hath called them thus solemnely foorth to say nothing And concerning the verdict of Ierome If no man be he neuer so well learned haue after the Apostles any authoritie to publish new doctrine as from heauen and to require the worldes assent as vnto truth receiued by propheticall reuelation doth this preiudice the credite of learned mens iudgements in opening that truth which by being conuersant in the Apostles writinges they haue themselues from thence learned Saint Augustine exhorteth not to heare men but to hearken what God speaketh His purpose is not I thinke that wee should stop our eares against his owne exhortation and therefore hee cannot meane simply that audience should altogether bee denied vnto men but eyther that if men speake one thing and God himselfe teach an other then hee not they to bee obeyed or if they both speake the same thing yet then also mans speech vnworthy of hearing not simply but in comparison of that which proceedeth from the mouth of God Yea but wee doubt what the will of God is Are wee in this case forbidden to heare what men of iudgement thinke it to be If not then this allegation also might very well haue beene spared In that auncient strife which was betweene the Catholique fathers and Arrians Donatistes and others of like peruerse and frowarde disposition as long as to fathers or Councells alleaged on the one side the like by the contrarie side were opposed impossible it was that euer the question should by this meane growe vnto any issue or ende The scripture they both beleeued the scripture they knew could not giue sentence on both sides by scripture the controuersie betweene them was such as might be determined In this case what madnesse was it with such kindes of proofes to nourish their contention when there were such effectuall meanes to end all controuersie that was betweene them Hereby therefore it doth not as yet appeare that an argument of authoritie of man affirmatiuely is in matters diuine nothing worth Which opinion being once inserted into the mindes of the vulgar sort what it may growe vnto God knoweth Thus much wee see it hath alreadie made thousandes so headstrong euen in grosse and palpable errors that a man whose capacitie will scarce serue him to vtter fiue wordes in sensible manner blusheth not in any doubt concerning matter of scripture to think his owne bare Yea as good as the Nay of all the wise graue and learned iudgements that are in the whole world Which insolencie must be represt or it will be the very bane of Christian religion Our Lordes Disciples marking what speech hee vttered vnto them and at the same time calling to minde a common opinion held by the Scribes betweene which opinion and the wordes of their Maister it seemed vnto them that there was some contradiction which they could not themselues aunswere with full satisfaction of their owne mindes the doubt they propose to our Sauiour saying Why then say the Scribes that Elias must first come They knew that the Scribes did erre greatly and that many waies euen in matters of their owne profession They notwithstanding thought the iudgement of the very Scribes in matters diuine to bee of some value some probabilitie they thought there was that Elias should come in as much as the Scribes said it Now no truth can contradict any truth desirous therefore they were to be taught how bothe might stand together that which they knew could not be false because Christ spake it and this which to them did seeme true onely because the Scribes had said it For the scripture from whence the Scribes did gather it was not then in their heads Wee doe not finde that our Sauiour reprooued them of error for thinking the iudgement of Scribes to be worth the obiecting for esteeming it to be of any moment or value in matters concerning God We cannot therefore be perswaded that the will of God is we should so farre reiect the authoritie of men as to recken it nothing No it may be a question whether they that vrge vs vnto this be themselues so perswaded indeede Men do sometimes bewray that by deedes which to confesse they are hardly drawne Marke then if this be not generall with all men for the most part When the iudgements of learned men are alleaged against them what do they but eyther eleuate their credite or oppose vnto them the iudgements of others as learned Which thing doth argue that all men acknowledge in them some force and waight for which they are loath the cause they maintaine should be so much weakened as their testimony is auaileable Againe what reason is there why alleaging testimonies as proofes men giue them some title of credite honour and estimation whom they alleage vnlesse before hand it be sufficiently knowne who they are what reason hereof but only a common in grafted perswasion that in some men there may be found such qualities as are able to counteruaile those exceptions which might be taken against them and that such mens authoritie is not lightly to be shaken off Shall I adde further that the force of arguments drawne from the authoritie of scripture it selfe as scriptures commonly are alleaged shall being sifted be found to depende vpon the
nature Words must be taken according to the matter wherof they are vttered The Apostles commaund to abstaine from bloud Conster this according to the lawe of nature and it will seeme that Homicide only is forbidden But conster it in reference to the law of the Iewes about which the question was and it shall easily appeare to haue a cleane other sense and in any mans iudgement a truer when we expound it of eating and not of sheading bloud So if we speake of fornication he that knoweth no lawe but only the lawe of nature must needes make thereof a narrower construction then he which measureth the same by a lawe wherein sundry kindes euen of coniugall copulation are prohibited as impure vncleane vnhonest Saint Paule himselfe doth terme incestuous marriage fornication If any do rather think that the Christian Gentiles themselues through the loose and corrupt custome of those times tooke simple fornication for no sinne and were in that respect offensiue vnto beleeuing Iewes which by the law had bene better taught our proposing of an other coniecture is vnto theirs no preiudice Some thinges therefore we see there were wherein the Gentiles were forbidden to be like vnto the Iewes some things wherin they were commanded not to be vnlike Againe some things also there were wherein no lawe of God did let but that they might be either like or vnlike as occasion should require And vnto this purpose Leo sayth Apostolicall ordinance beloued knowing that our Lord Iesus Christ came not into this world to vndo the law hath in such sort distinguished the mysteries of the old testament that certaine of them it hath chosen out to benefit euangelicall knowledge withall and for that purpose appointed that those things which before were Iewish might now be Christian customes The cause why the Apostles did thus conforme the Christians as much as might be according to the patterne of the Iewes was to reine them in by this meane the more and to make them cleaue the better The Church of Christ hath had in no one thing so many and so contrary occasions of dealing as about Iudaisme some hauing thought the whole Iewish lawe wicked and damnable in it selfe some not condemning it as the former sort absolutely haue notwithstanding iudged it either sooner necessary to be abrogated or further vnlawful to be obserued then truth can beare some of scrupulous simplicitie vrging perpetuall and vniuersall obseruation of the law of Moses necessary as the Christian Iewes at the first in the Apostles times some as Heretiques holding the same no lesse euen after the contrary determination set downe by consent of the Church at Ierusalem finally some being herein resolute through meere infidelitie and with open profest enmitie against Christ as vnbeleeuing Iewes To cōtrowle slaunderers of the law and Prophets such as Marcionites and Manichees were the Church in her liturgies hath intermingled with readings out of the new Testament lessons taken out of the lawe and Prophets whereunto Tertullian alluding saith of the Church of Christ It intermingleth with euangelicall and apostolicall writings the law and the Prophets and from thence it drinketh in that faith which with water it sealeth clotheth with the spirit nourisheth with the Eucharist with martirdom setteth forward They would haue wondered in those times to heare that any man being not a fauourer of heresie should terme this by way of disdaine mangling of the Gospels Epistles They which honor the law as an image of the wisdome of God himselfe are notwithstanding to know that the same had an end in Christ. But what was the lawe so abolished with Christ that after his ascention the office of Priests became immediatly wicked the very name hatefull as importing the exercise of an vngodly function No as long as the glory of the temple continued and till the time of that finall desolation was accomplished the very Christian Iewes did continue with their sacrifices and other parts of legall seruice That very lawe therefore which our Sauiour was to abolish did not so soone become vnlawfull to be obserued as some imagine nor was it afterwards vnlawful so far that the very name of Aultar of Priest of Sacrifice it selfe should be banished out of the world For thogh God do now hate sacrifice whether it be Heathenish or Iewish so that we cannot haue the same things which they had but with impietie yet vnlesse there be some greater let then the onely euacuation of the law of Moses the names thēselues may I hope be retained without sin in respect of that proportion which things established by our Sauiour haue vnto them which by him are abrogated And so throughout all the writings of the auncient fathers we see that the words which were do continue the onely difference is that whereas before they had a literall they now haue a metaphoricall vse and are as so many notes of remembrance vnto vs that what they did signifie in the letter is accomplished in the truth And as no man can depriue the Church of this libertie to vse names whereunto the lawe was accustomed so neither are wee generally forbidden the vse of things which the lawe hath though it neither commaund vs any particularitie as it did the Iewes a number and the waightiest which it did commaund them are vnto vs in the Gospell prohibited Touching such as through simplicitie of error did vrge vniuersall and perpetuall obseruation of the lawe of Moses at the first we haue spoken already Against Iewish heretikes and false Apostles teaching afterwards the selfe same Saint Paul in euery Epistle commonly either disputeth or giueth warning Iewes that were zealous for the lawe but withall infidels in respect of Christianitie and to the name of Iesus Christ most spitefull enemies did while they flourished no lesse persecute the Church then Heathens After their estate was ouerthrowne they were not that way so much to be feared Howbeit because they had their Synagogues in euery famous Citie almost throughout the world and by that meanes great opportunitie to withdraw from the Christian faith which to doe they spared no labor this gaue the Church occasion to make sundry lawes against them As in the Councell of Laodicea The festiuall presents which Iewes or Heretikes vse to send must not be receiued nor Holy dayes solemnized in their company Againe From the Iewes men ought not to receiue their vnleauened nor to communicate with their impieties Which Councell was afterwardes indeede confirmed by the sixt generall Councell But what was the true sense or meaning both of the one and the other Were Christians here forbidden to communicate in vnleauened bread because the Iewes did so being enemies of the Church Hee which attentiuely shall waigh the wordes will suspect that they rather forbid communion with Iewes thē imitation of them much more if with these two decrees be compared a third in the Councell of Cōstantinople Let no man either of the Clergie
legibus a Cum premeretur initio multitudo ab lis qui maiores opes habebaÌ„t ad vnum aliquem confugiebant virtute praestantem qui cum prohiberet iniuriâ tenuiores aequitate constituendâ summos cum infimis pari iu re retinebat Cum id minus contingeret leges sunt inuentae Cic. off lib. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Rhet. ad Alex. Tanta est enim vis voluptatum vt ignorantiam pro telet in occasionem conscientiam corrumpat in dissimulationem Tertul. lib. de Spectacul Arist. polit lib. â— c. vâ—t Staundf pref to the pleas of the Crowne Epis. Iud. v. 10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Ethi lib. 10 cap. 10. Esa. 10.1 Arist. pol. 1. c. Gen. 2.20 Cic. Tusc. 5. 1. de legib 1. Reg. 10.1 2. Chr. 9.1 Math. 13.42 Luk. 11.31 Iose. lib. 2. contra Applou Theod. lib. 9. de Sanand 〈◊〉 affecâ— Eph. 4. â— Act. 1â— â—9 Ioh. 14 27â— Wherfore God hath by scripture further made knowne such supernaturall lawes as do serue for mens direction a Gal. 6.8 Hee that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting Vide Arist Eth 10. cap. 10. Metaph. 12. ca 6. cap. 4. cap. 30. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercur. Trismeg Aug. de trin lib. 9. ca. vlâ— Math. 25. The iust shall goe into life euerlasting Math. 22. They shal be aâ— the Angels of God â— Tim. 4. â— 1. Pet. 1.4 Psal. â— Comment in proaem 2. Meâ—â—ph Phil. 3 1â— a Math. â— 1â— Reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen Aug. de doct Christ. cap. 6. Summa merces est vt ipso perâ—ruâ—mur b Ambros. contra Sym. c Magno excellenti ingenio viri cum se doctrinae penitus dedidissent quicquid laborit poterat impendi contemptis omnibus priuatis publicis actionibus ad inquirendae veritatis studiâ— contulerunt existimentes multo esse praeclarius humanarum diuinarumque rerum inuestigare ac scire rationem quà m strueÌ„diâ— oâ—ibus aut cuâ—nulandis honoribus in haerere Sed nequâ— adepti sunt id quod volebant operam simul atque industriam peâ— diderunt quia veritas id est arcanum summi Dei qui fecit omnia ingenio ac propriis sensibuâ— non potest coÌ„prehendi Alioqui nihil inter deum hominémque distaret si consilia dispositiones illius maiestatis aeternae cogitatio assequeretur huâ—lana Quod quia fieri non potuit vt homini per seipsum ratio diuina notesceret non est passus hominem Deus lumen sapientiae requirentem diutiùs a berrare ac sine vllo laboris effectu vagari pertenebras inextricabiles A peruit oculoâ— eius aliquando notiâ—nem veritatiâ— munus suum fecit vt humanam sapientiam nullam esse monstraret erranti ac vago â—â—am consequendae immortalitatis ostenderet Lactan. lib. 1. cap. 1. a Scot. lib. 4. Sent. dict 49.6 Loquendo de strictâ iustitiâ Deus nulli nostrum propter quaecunâ— que merita est debitor perfectionis reddendae tam intensae propter immoderatuÌ„ excessum illius perfectionis vltra illa merita Sed esto quod ex liberalitate suâ determinasset meritis conserre actum tam perfectum tanquam praemium tali quidem iustitiâ qualis decet cum scilicet supererogantis in praemus tamen non sequitur ex hoc necessatiò quòd perillam iuâ—titiam sit reddenda perfectio perennis tanquam praemium imo abundans fieret retributio in beatitudine vnius momenti b Iohn 14.6 c Iohn 6.29 a The cause why so many naturall or rational laws are â—et downe in hol Scripture b Ius naturale est quod in lege EuaÌ„gelio continetur p. 1. d. 1. c Iosephus lib. secuÌ„do contra Appio Lacedae monii quomodo noÌ„ sunt ob inhospitalitateÌ„ reprehendeÌ„di â—aedúmque neglectum nuptiarum Elienâ—eâ— verò Thâ—bani ob coituÌ„ cum malculis planè impudenteÌ„ contra naturam quem recte vtiliter exercere puâ—abant Cumque haeâ— Comninò perpetrareÌ„t etiam luis legibus miscu ere vide Th. 12. q. 49.4.5.6 Lex naturae 〈◊〉 corruptâ— suit apud 〈◊〉 manos ve 〈◊〉 trocinium tiâ—â—â— reputareÌ„t peccatum August aut quisquis author est lib. de quaest non vet test quis nesciaâ— quid bonae vitae coÌ„ueniat aut ignorâ—t quia quod 〈◊〉 sien non vultaliâ—s minime debâ—at facere At verò vbi naturaliâ— lex qua nâ—st oppressa consuetudine delinquendi tunc oportuit manifestari scriptis vt dei iudicium omnes audirenâ— non quod penitus oblitera ta est sed quiâ— maxima eius authoritate carebat idololatriae studebatur timor dei in terris noÌ„ erat fornicatio operabatur circa rem proximi auida erat concupiscentia Data ergo lex est vt quae sciebantur authoritatem haberent quae latere caeperant manifestarentur The benefit of hauing diuine lawes written Exod. 24.4 Ose. 8 1â— Apoc. 1â— 11. 14.13 Aug. lib. 1. de cons. Euang. cap. vâ—c a I mean those historical matters coÌ„cerning the ancieÌ„t state of the first world the deluge the sons of Noah the children of Israels deliuerance out of Aegypt the life and doings of Moses their Captaine with such like the certaine truth whereof deliuered in holy Scripture is of the Heathen which had theÌ„ onely by report so intermingled with fabulous vanities that the most which remaineth in them to bee seene is the shew of darké and obscure steps where some part of the truth hath gone The sufficiency of Scripture vnto the end for which it was instituted Vâ—rum cognitio supernaturalis necessaria viatori sit sufficienter tradita in sacrâ scripturâ This question proposed by Scotus iâ— affirmatiuely concluded a Eph. 5.29 b 2. Tim. 3.8 c Tit. 1.12 d 2. Pet. 2.4 Iohn â—0 31 2. Tim. â— 15 2. Tim. 3.14 Verse 15. VVhitakeâ—us aduersu Bâ—llarmin quaest 6. cap. 6. Of laweâ— positiue conteined in scripture the mutability of certaine of them and the generall vse of scripture Esa. 29.13 Their feare towards me was taught by the precept of men Apoc. 14.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. in sine 2. Polit. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stra. Geogr. lib. 16. b Psal. â—19 98 c Vide Orphei carmina 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo de Mos. A conclusion shewing how all this belongeth to the cause in question Iam. 117. Arist. Phys. II. 1. cap. 1. Arist. Eth. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intelligit de legum qualitate iudicium Prou. 8.15 Eph. 5.29 Apoc. 19.10 1. Pet. 1.12 Eph. 3.10 1. Tim. 5.21 1. Cor. 11.10 Ps. 148.7 8 9. Rom. 1.21 Rom. 2.15 Rom. 13.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Eth. 5. cap. 3. Iob. 34.3 Ps. 14â— 15.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zonarin can Apoâ—t 66. Act. 15.20 T.C. l. 1. p. 59. 60. The first pretended proofe of the first position out of scripture Pro. 2.9 T. C .l.
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