Aristotles forge so the fire be out of us when we come into the Sanctuary But just in this manner doth the Mimical Jesuite reply to the former truth I demand saith he whether the Doctour would approve this consequence Paul preaching to the Athenians confirmed his Doctrine with the testimony of the Poet Aratus and the Athenians had done well if they had sought whether Aratus had said so or no therefore all Doctrines must be judged by Poets But what if the Beraeans practise considered alone or as Jesuites do Scriptures onely Mathematically do not necessarily inferre thus much The Learned Doctors charitable mind would not suffer him to suspect any publick Professor of Divinity as Sacroboscus was could be so ignorant in Scriptures as not to consider besides the different esteem of Prophets and Poets amongst the Jews what Saint Paul had Acts 26 22. expressely said I obtained help of God and continue unto this day witnessing both unto small and great saying none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Unlesse he could have proved Christs resurrection and other Articles of Christian faith out of Moses and the Prophets the Jews exceptions against him had been just For they were bound to resist all Doctrines dissonant to their ancient Ordinances especially the abolishment of Rites and Ceremonies which Paul laboured most knowing the Law-giver meant they should continue no longer then to the alteration of the Priesthood but in whose maintenance his adversaries should have spent their bloud whiles ignorant they were without default of the truth Paul taught as not sufficiently proved from the same Authority by which their lawes were established Nor was any Apostle either for his miracles or other pledges of the Spirit that he could communicate unto others to be so absolutely believed in all things during his life time as Moses and the Prophets writings For seeing the gift of miracles was bestowed on hypocrites or such as might fall from any gifts or graces of the spirit they had though the spectatours might believe the particular conclusions to whose confirmation the miracles were fitted yet was it not safe without examination absolutely to relie upon him in all things that had spoken a divine truth once or twice In that he might be an hypocrite or a dissembler for ought others without evidence of his upright conversation and perpetuall consonance to his former Doctrine could know he might abuse his purchased reputation to abet some dangerous errour Nor do our Adversaries though too too credulous in this kind think themselves bound to believe revelations made to another much lesse to think that he which is once partaker of the Spirit should for ever be infallible Upon these supporters the forementioned Doctors reason which the Jesuite abuseth to establish the Churches Authority stands sirme and sound I absolutely believe all to be truâ—… that â—od saith because he saith it nor do I seek any other reason but I dare not as 〈◊〉 so much unto man lest I make him equall to God for God alone and he in whom the Godhead dwelleth bodily is immutably just and holy Many others have continued holy and righteous according to their measure untill the end but who could be certain of this besides themselves no not they themselves alwayes And albeit a man that never was in the state of grace may oft-times deliver that Doctrine which is infallible yet were it to say no worse a grievous tempting of God to rely upon his Doctrine as absolutely infallible unlesse we know him besides his skill or learning to be alwayes in such a state Though both his life and death be most religious his Doctrine must approve it self to the present Age and Gods providence must commend it to posterity Nor did our Saviour though in life immutably holy and for Doctrine most infallible assume so much unto himself before his Ascension as the Jesuites give to the Pope For he submitted his Doctrine to Moses and the Prophets writings And seeing the Jesuites make lesse account of Him then the Jews did of Moses it is no marvell if they be more violently miscaried with envious or contemptuous hatred of the Divine truth it self then the Jews were against our Saviour or his Doctrine These even when they could not answer his reasons drawn from Scriptures received though most offensive to their distemperate humour were ashamed to call Moses and the Prophets Authority in question or to demand how do ye know God spake by them Must not the Churches infallibility herein assure you And if it teach you to discerne Gods Word from mans must it not likewise teach you to distinguish the divine sence of it from humane This is a strain of Atheisme which could never find harbour in any professing the knowledge of the true God before the brood of Antichrist grew so flush as to seek the recovery of that battail against Gods Saints on Earth which Lucifer their Father and his followers lost against Michael and his holy Angels in Heaven CAP. XXV A brief taste of our Adversaries blasphemous and Atheistical assertions in this argument from some instances of two of their greatest Doctours Bellarmin and Valentian That if faith cannot be perfect without the solemne testification of that Church the rarity of such testifications will cause infidelity 1 FOr a further competent testimonie of blasphemies in this kind where-with we charge the Church of Rome let the Reader judge by these two instances following whether the Christian world have not sucked the deadliest poison that could evaporate from the infernal lake through Bellarmines and Valentians pens Valentian as if he meant to out-flout the Apostle for prohibiting all besides the great Pastor Christ Jesus for being Lords over mens faith will have an infallible authority which may sit as Judge and Mistresse of all Controversies of faith and this to be not the authoritie of one or two men deceased not peculiar to such as in times past have uttered the divine truth either by mouth or pen and commended it unto posterity but an authority continuing in force and strength amongst the faithfull thorowout all ages able persptcuously and openly to give sentence in all Controversies of Faith Yet as these Embassadours of God deceased cannot be Judges shall they therefore have no Say at all in deciding conroversies of faith You may not think a Jesuite would take Jesus Name in vain he will never for shame exclude his Master for having at least a finger in the government of the Church Why what is his office or what is the use of his authority registred by his Apostles and Evangelists Not so little as you would ween For his speeches amongst others that in their life time have infallibly taught divine truths by mouth or pen may be consulted as a witnesse or written law in cases of faith but after a certain sort and manner either to speak the truth or somewhat thereto not impertinent
Syllogismâ—… wherein a Proposition of Faith is Concluded can be but Conjectural 5 The proposed inconvenience we may drive from this difficulty How the Papists themselves can attain to the infallible belief of the Churches infallible authority The Church they think hath a publick spirit and publick spirits they know are infallible hence they may perswade themselves the Church is infallible only upon the same terms they believe it hath a publick spirit if their belief of this later be but conjectural their assent unto the former can be no better Seeing then they must of necessity grant for this is the principal mark they aim at that all must infallibly believe the Church hath a publick spirit the difficulty removes to this point how this infallible perswasion is or may be wrought in them Either it must be grounded upon Scriptures or not avouched unto them and wrought in their hearts it must be either by a publick or private spirit Let us examin all the parts of this division 6 First if private mens infallible perswasion of the Churches publick or Authentick spirit be not grounded upon Scriptures acknowledged by us and them the Churches Authority without all controversie is much greater then the authority of Scriptures if it by this assertion can be any and the Churches not all in all For unto that which men cannot know whether it be true or false they cannot be bound to yield absolute or immediate obedience unto that authority which they absolutely believe as infallible they are bound to yield infallible assent and absolute obedience directly in it self and for it self But by this supposition men cannot know Scriptures infallibly without the Churches authority and yet they must infallibly believe the Churches authority without Scriptures The Scriptures authority therefore is either lesse then the Churches or none at all 7 But be it supposed that private mens infallible Belief of the Churches publick spirit is grounded upon Scriptures acknowledged by us and urged by them to this purpose as upon these it seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and us I have prayed for thee thy faith should not fail The question whereunto we demand an answer is whether this infallible Belief of the Churches authority grounded upon these places must be wrought in mens hearts by a private or publick spirit If by a private spirit only Bellarmin believed the Churches publick spirit or those Scriptures truth or true meaning whereon he grounds it He and all other Papists such as he was when he delivered this Doctrine neither Bishops nor Cardinals are subject to the same inconveniences which he hath condemned us for as Hereticks For all private spirits by his positions are abnoxious to errour unsufficient to plant any infallible perswasion in matters of faith yet such is this article of the Churches Authentick spirit of which unlesse men be so perswaded infallibly perswaded they cannot be of the minor proposition in any Syllogism wherein a point of faith is concluded and uncertain of the minor they cannot be certain of the conclusion which as Bellarmin rightly observes alwayes follows the weaker part The infallible conclusion therefore of Bellarmin's resolution is unlesse private men may have publick spirits to warrant the truth of Scriptures and the Churches infallibility thereon grounded they cannot truely believe any conclusion of faith It remains then we inquire what inconvenience wil follow if they admit private men to be partakers of publick spirits 8 Diversity of such spirits they acknowledge not If therefore private mens Infallible Assent unto the truth or true sense of those particular Scriptures whence they seek to prove their Churches Infallibility must be planted by a publick spirit planted it must be by the same spirit which guides and guiding makes the Church and Pope authentick and infallible both in their proposal of Scriptures and declaration of Scriptures sence Seeing this spirit is one and the same if it can make the Church or Pope infallible in all why may it not make all private men by this supposition partakers of it alike infallible at the least in the right understanding of those places which warrant the Churches Infallibility or publick spirit For our adversaries I hope wil easily grant that the Churches publick and Authentick spirit must be most infallibly Believed because so expresly taught in those Scriptures cited by Bellarmin to this purpose If this publick or Authentick spirit can work such infallible apprehension of those places true meaning in private hearts why not in all others as necessary for them to know that is in all necessary to salvation And if thus it do why are we bound to believe the Pope more then the Pope us we being partakers of a publick and infallible spirit as wel as he 9 Or if they hold it no absurdâ—ty to say we must believe two or three places It seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and us Peter feed my sheep by a publick and authentick spirit teaching us from these to rely upon the Pope in all other parts of Gods Word because as it must be supposed we have but a private spirit for their assurance by this supposition the Popes authority in respect of us must have the same excesse of superiority unto Scriptures that a publick spirit hath unto a private or the Pope who believeth all Scriptures by a publick spirit hath unto a private man This publick spirit whereof they vaunt is the same which did inspire the Scriptures to Atoses the Prophets and Apostles and must by this position be the Pope or Churches immediate Agent for establishing this inviolable league of absolute allegeance with mens souls unto them but of none so absolute to their Creator and Redeemer and the rest of whose written laws and eternal decrees must be communicated unto them by a private spirit and subscribed unto with this condition If the Pope shal witnesse them to be his laws or to have this or that meaning 10 Nor can our adversaries deny the truth of this subsequent collection If it were possible for the Pope in matters controversed to teach contrary to Gods Word we were bound to follow him For they themselves argue thus If the Pope could erre in matters of Faith Faith might perish from the Earth all Christians bound to erre because bound to obey him This proves that our Assent to any Scriptures besides those which teach the Popes authority cannot in it self be perfect and absolute but subject to this condition if the Pope be infallible And even of those places which as they pretend witnesse him to be such there yet remains a further difficulty These the Pope believes not because they are confirmed to him by his predecessor but directly and immediately by his publick spirit But may private men believe them so too No. For these especially and the Churches infallibility contained in them are by all our adversaries consent propositions of Faith in respect of us and need by their doctrine the proposal or
you cannot that God can and what if he should expresly grant such authority as the Pope now challengeth would your arguments conclude him to be Antichrist or the Doctrine we teach to be blasphemous On the contrary seeing our Saviour Christ did never either practise or challenge seeing neither Moses nor the Prophets did ever so much as once intimate such absolute power should be acknowledged in that great Prophet of whom they wrote we suppose the imagination of the like in whomsoever cannot be without real blasphemie Yet suppose Christs infallibilitie and the Popes were in respect of the Church Militant the same The Popes authority would be greater or were their authority but equall his priviledges with God would be much more magnificent then Christs That which most condemned the Jews of infidelity in not acknowledging Christ as sent with power full and absolute from God his Father were his mighty signes and wonders his admirable skill in Gods Word already established but chiefly his sacred life and conversation as it were exhibiting unto the World a visible patern or conspicuous modell of that incomprehensible goodnesse which is infallible Now if we compare Christ his power fulnesse in words and wâ—… with the Popes imperfections in both or his divine vertues with the others 〈◊〉 strous viâ—es to equalize their infallibilities were to imagine God to be like man and Christ at the best but as his faithfull servant the Pope his â—inâ—on his Darling or Son of his age For such is our partiality to our own flesh that oft-times though the Wise man advise to the contrary a lewd and naughty son in that he is a son hath greater grace and priviledges then the most faithfull servant in the Fathers house So would the Jesuites make God dote upon the Pope whose authority be his life never so ungracious if they should deny to be lesse then Christs in respect of us their practises enjoyned ex Cathedra would confute them For much sooner shall any Christian though otherwise of life unspotted be cut off from the Congregation of the faithfull for denying the Popes authority or distrusting his decrees then the Jews that saw Christs miracles for contradicting him in the dayes of his flesh or oppugning his Apostles after his glorification Nor boots it ought to say They make the Popes authority lesse then Christs in respect they derive it from his rather because they evidently make it greater then Christs was it cannot be truly thence derived or if it could this onely proves it to be lesse then the other whilest onely compared with it not whilest we consider Both in respect of us for Christs authority as the Son of Man in respect of us is equall to his Fathers whence it is derived For the Father judgeth no man but hath ommitted all judgement unto the Son 2 But wherein do they make the Popes authority greater then Christs First in not exempting it from trial by Christs and his Apostles doctrine neither of which were to be admitted without all examination of their truth for as you heard before Gods Word was first uttered in their audience established by evident signes and wonders in their sight and presence of whom Belief and Obedience unto particulars was exacted And it is a rule most evident and unquestionable that Gods Word once confirmed and sealed by Experience was the onely rule whereby all other spirits and doctrines were to be examined that not Prophetical visions were to be admitted into the Canon of Faith but upon their apparent consonancie with the Word already written The first Prophets were to be tried by Moses the latter by Moses and their Predecessors Christs and his Apostles by Moses and all the Prophets for unto him did all the Prophets â—… The manifest experiments of his life and doctrine so fully consonant to their predictions did much confirm even his Disciples Belief unto the former Canon of whose truth they never conceived positive doubt 3 Again there had been no Prophet no signes no wonders for a long time in Iudah before our Saviours birth yet he never made that use either of his miracles or more then Prophetical spirit which the Papists make of their imaginary publick spirit he never used this or like argument to make the people relie upon him How know ye the Scriptures are Gods Word How know ye that God spake with Moses in the wildernesse or with your Fathers in Mount Sinai Moses your Fathers and the Prophets are dead and their writings cannot speak Your present Teachers the Scribes and Pharisees do no wonders Must you not then believe him whom daily you may behold doing such mighty works as Moses is said to have done that Moses as your fathers have told you was sent from God that Gods Word is contained in his writings otherwise you cannot infallibly believe that there was such a man indeed as you conceive he was much lesse that he wrote you this Law least of all can you certainly know the true meaning of what he wrote He that is the onely sure foundation of faith knew that faith grounded upon such doubts was but built upon the sand unable to abide the blasts of ordinary temptations that thus to erect their hopes was but to prepare a Rise to a grievous Downfall the ready way to Atheisme presumption or despair For this cause he doth not so much as once question how they knew the Scriptures to be Gods Word but supposing them known and fully acknowledged for such he exhorts his hearers to search them seeking to prepare their hearts by signes and wonders to embrace his admirable expositions of them And because the corruption of particular moral doctrines brought into the Church by humane tradition would not suffer the generality of Moses and the Prophets already believed to fructifie in his hearers hearts and branch out uniformely into lively working faith he laboured most to weed out Pharisaisme from among the heavenly seed as every one may see that compares his Sermon upon the Mount with the Pharisees glosses upon Moses If the particular or principal parts of the Law and Prophets had been as purely taught or as clearly discerned as the generall and common principles His Doctrine that came not to destroy but to fulfill the Law in words and works had shined as brightly in his hearers hearts at the first proposal as the Sun did to their eyes at the first rising For all the moral duties required by them were but as dispersed rayes or scattered beams of that divine light and glory which was incorporate in him as splendor in the body of the Sun Nor was there any possibility the Jews Belief in him should prosper unlesse it grew out of their general assent unto Moses Doctrine thus pruned and purged at the very root Had all believed Moses saith our Saviour 〈◊〉 would have believed me for he wrote of me but if ye believe not his writings how soâ—â—l ye believe my words For
met them as live-like as they themselves were Was he to them a Prophet mighty in word and deed and yet not able to perform what he had constantly spoken But what was the chief matter of their just reproof That they had not believed his words nor given due credence to his works Dull no doubt they had been in not esteeming better of both unwise in not learning more of Him that taught as never man taught but as in them he teacheth us most dul and most unwise even Fools and slow of heart in not believing all that the Prophets had spoken Ought not Christ to have suffered these things as if he had said Is it possible your ignorance in them should be grosse as not to know that Christ was thus to suffer and so to enter into his glory 2 You wil say perchance they did not wel in giving so little attention and credit to the Prophets whose light should have led them unto Christ but now that they have light on him in person without their help only by his seeking them shall not he who was the end and scope of all prophetical writings teach them all He will but not by relying only upon his infallible authority This Edifice of Faith must be framed upon the Foundation laid by the Prophets For this reason happily our Saviour would not bewray himself to be their infallible teacher until he had made them by evidence of Scripture by true sense and feeling of his spirit believe and know the truth which he taught to be infallible He had opened their hearts by opening the Scriptures unto them before their eyes were open to discern his person for he began at Moses and at all the Prophets and interpreted unto them in all the Scriptures the things which were written of him Stedfast Belief then of any mans authority must spring out of the solid Experience of his skil and truth of his doctrine These two disciples might now resolve their hearts that this was he who John said should baptize with the holy Ghost and with fire when by the working of his spirit their hearts aid burn within them whiles he talked with them and opened the Scriptures unto them Though before they had received John Baptists witnesse of the truth as a Tie or Fest to stay their fleeting Faith yet now they would not receive the record of man there is another that beareth witnesse of him the spirit of truth which hath imprinted his doctrine in their hearts 3 Would the Pope who challengeth Christs place on earth amongst his living members and requires we should believe his words as wel as these Disciples did Christs but expound those Scriptures unto us which Christ did to them with like evidence and efficacy could he make our hearts thus burn within by opening the secret mysteries of our salvation we would take him for Christs Vicar and believe indeed he were infallibly assisted by the Holy Spirit But seeing he and his followers invert our Saviours method by calling the certainty of both Testaments in question telling us we cannot know them to be Gods word unlesse it shal please this Roman God to give his word for them or confirm their truth seeing this his pretended confirmation is not by manifesting the mysteries of our salvation so distinctly and clearly as Christ did unto these Disciples nor by affording us the true sense and feeling of the spirit in such ardent manner as they enjoyed it and yet accurseth us if we believe not his words as wel as they did their Redeemers we may hence take a perfect measure of that mouth of Blasphemies spoken of by S. John according to all the three dimensions contained in the three assertions prefixed to the beginning of this Section Nor can the reader imagin either any other forepassed like unto it or yet to come likely to prove more abominable if it shal but please him to survey the length and breadth of it but especially the profundity 4 The length of it I make That assertion The Pope must be as well believed as either Christ was whilst he lived on earth or his Apostles after his glorification The breadth His absolute authority must be for extent as large and ample as Christs should be were he on earth again or as that commission he gave unto his Disciples Go Preach the Gospel to every creature his directions must go forth throughout all the earth and his words unto the ends of the world The depth is much greater then the space between heaven and hell For if you would draw a line from the Zenith to the Nadir through the Center it would scarce be a gag long enough for this monstrous mouth so wide as hell cannot conceive a greater The depth I gather partly from the excesse of Christs worth either arising from his personal union with the Godhead his sanctity of life and conversation or from his Hyperprophetical Spirit and abundant miracles For look how much he exceeds any but meer man in all these by so much doth the Pope though supposed as not obnoxious to any crime make his authority and favour with God greater then Christs which is the Semidiameter of this Mouth of Blaspemies The other part equal hereunto in quantity but for the quality more tainted with the dregs of Hell ariseth from that opposition the Popes spirit hath unto Christ or from the luxury and beastly manners of the Papacy erected by Satan as it were of purpose to pollute the world with monstrous sins and to derogate as much from mankind as true Christianity doth advance it finally to make the Christian world as much more wicked as Christs Disciples Apostles and faithful followers are better then the heathen Nor doth the Pope exact Belief only without miracles or manifestation of a prophetical spirit but contrary to all notions of good and evil common to Christians and Heathens and as it were in despight of the Prophesies that have deciphered him for Antichrist What heathen Philosopher could with patience have endured to hear that a dissolute luxurious tyrant could not though in matters of this life give wrong sentence out of the seat of Justice The Jesuites teach it as an Article of faith that the Pope albeit a dissolute and ungracious tyrant Mankinds reproach the disgrace of Christianity cannot possibly give an erroneous sentence ex Cathedra no not in mysteries of religion But as if it were a small thing thus impudently to contradict nature and grieve the souls of ingenuous men unlesse they also grieve their God seeking as it were to crosse his spirit by holding opinions not only contradictory but most contrary to his sacred rules they importune the Christian world with tumultuous clamours to take that which the spirit hath given as the demonstrative Character of great Antichrist the old serpents chief confederate for the infallible cognisance of Christs Vicar the very signet of his beloved Spouse Nor wil they I know
it self would rather have held the Negative For if we believe as the Papists generally instruct us that we our selves all private spirits may erre in every perswaâ—on of faith but the Church which onely is assisted by a publick spirit cannot possibly teach amisle in any We must upon terms as peremptory and in equal degree believe every particular point of faith because the Church so teacheth us not because we certainly apprehend the truth of it in itself For we may erre but this publick spirit cannot And consequently we must infallibly believe these propositions ‖ Christ is the Redeemer of the world not Mahomet ‖ There is a Trinity of persons in the divine nature for this reason only that the Church commends them unto us for divine revelations seeing by their arguments brought to disprove the sufficiency of Scriptures or certainty of private spirits no other means possible is left us Nay were they true we should be only certain that without the Churches proposal we stil must be most uncertain in these and all other points because the sons are perpetually obnoxious to errour from which the mother is everlastingly priviledged The same propositions and conclusions we might conditionally believe to be absolutely authentick upon supposal they were Gods word but that they are his word or revelations truly divine we cannot firmly believe but only by firm adherence to the Churches infallible authority as was in the second Section deduced out of the Adversaries principles Hence it follows that every particular proposition of Faith hath such a proper causal dependance upon the Churches proposal as the conclusion hath upon the premisses or any particular upon it universal Thus much Sacroboscus grants 3 Suppose God should speak unto us face to face what reason had we absolutely and infallibly to believe him but because we know his words to be infallible his infallibility then should be the proper cause of our belief For the same reason seeing he doth not speak unto us face to face as he did to Moses but as our adversaries say reveals his will obscurely so as the Revealer is not manifested unto us but his meaning is by the visible Church which is to us in stead of Prophets Apostles and Christ himself and all the several manners God used to speak unto the world before he spake to it by his only son this Panthea's infallibility must be the true and proper cause of our Belief And Valentian himself thinks that Sarah and others of the old world to whom God spake in private either by the mouth of Angels his son or holy spirit or by what means soever did not sin against the doctrine of saith or through unbelief when they did not believe Gods promises They did herein unadvisedly not unbelievingly Why not unbelievingly because the visible Church did not propose these promises unto them 4 If not to believe the visible Churches proposals be that which makes distrust or dissidence to Gods promises infidelity then to believe them is the true cause of believing Gods promises or if Sarah and others did as Valentian faith unadvisedly or imprudently in not assenting to divine truths proposed by Angels surely they had done only prudently and advisedly in assenting to them their assent had not been truly and properly belief So that by this assertion the Churches proposal hath the very remonstrative note and character of the immediat and prime cause whereby we believe and know matters of saith For whatsoever else can concur without this our aslent to divine truths proposed is not true Catholick belief but firmly believing this infallibility we cannot erre in any other point of faith 5 This truth Valentian elsewhere could not dissemble howsoever in his prosessed resolution of Faith he sought to cover it by change of apparel Investing the Churches proposal only with the title of a Condition requisite and yet withal so dislonant is falsity to it self making it the Reason of believing divine Revelations If a reason it be why we should believe them need must it sway any reasonable minde to embrace their truth And whatsoever inclines our minds to the embracement of any truth is the proper efficient cause of belif or assent unto the same Yea Efficiency or Causality it self doth Formally consist in this inclination of the minde Nor is it possible this proposal of the Church should move our minds to imbrace divine Revelations by any other means then by believing it And Belief it self being an inclination or motion of the mind our minds must first be moved by the Churches proposal ere it can move them at all to assent unto other divine truths Again Valentian grants that the orthodoxal or catechistical answer to this interrogation Why do you believe the doctrine of the Trinity to be a divine revelation is because the Church proposeth it to me for such He that admits this answer for sound and Catholick and yet denies the Churches proposal to be the true and proper cause of his Belief in the former point hath smothered doubtlesse the light of nature by admitting too much artificial subtilty into his brains For if a man should ask why do you believe there is a fire in yonder house and answer were made Because I see the smoak go out of the Chimney should the party thus answering in good earnest peremptorily deny the sight of the smoak to be the cause of his Belief there was a fire he deserved very wel to have either his tongue scorched with the one or his eys put out with the other Albeit if we speak of the things themselves not of his Belief concerning them the fire was the true cause of the smoak not the smoak of the fire But whatsoever it be Cause Condition Circumstance or Effect that truly satissieth this demand Why do you believe this or that it is a true and proper cause of our belief though not of the thing believed If then we admit the Churches proposal to be but a condition annexed to divine revelations yet if it be an infallible medium or mean or as our adversaries all agree The only mean infallible whereby we can rightly believe this or that to be a divine revelation it is the true and only infallible cause of our Belief That speech of Valentian which to any ordinary mans capacity includes as much as we now say was before alledged That Scripture which is commended and expounded unto us by the Church is eo ipso even for this reason most authentick and clear He could not more emphatically have expressed the Churches proposal to be the true and prime cause why particular or determinate divine revelations become so credible unto us His Second Sacrobosâ—us hath many speeches to be inserted hereafter to the same effect Amongst others where Dâ— Whittaker objects that the principal cause of faith is by Papists ascribed unto the Church he denies it only thus far What we believe for the Churches proposal we
jointly believe for God speaking either in his written word or by tradition Yet if a man should have asked him why he did or how possibly he could infallibly believe that God did speak all the words either contained in the Bible or in their traditions he must have given either a womans answer because God spake them or this because our holy mother the Church doth say so For elsewhere he plainly avows the Books of Canonical Scripture need not be believed without the Churches proposal whose infallible authority was sufficiently known before one tittle of the New Testament was written and were to be acknowledged though it had never been he plainly confesseth withal that he could not believe the Scriptures taught some principal Articles of faith most firmly believed by him unless the Churches authority did thereto move him against the light of natural reason Now if for the Churches proposal he believe that which otherwise to believe he had no reason at all but rather strong inducements to the contrary as stedfastly as any other truth the Churches infallibility must be the true and only cause both why he believes the mystery proposed and distrusts the natural dictates of his conscience to the contrary In sine he doth not believe there is a Trinity for in that Article is his instance because God hath said it but he believes that God hath said it because his infallible Mother the Church doth teach it This is the misery of miseries that these Apostates should so bewitch the World as to make it think they believe the Church because God speaks by it when it is evident they do not believe God but for the Churches testimony well content to pretend his authority that her own may seem more Soveraign Thus make they their superstitious groundless magical Faith but as a wrench to wrest that principle of nature Whatsoever God saith is true to countenance any villany they can imagin as wil better appear hereafter But first the Reader must be content to be informed that by some of their Tenents the same Divine revelations may be asâ—ented unto by the Habit either of â—heologie or of Faith both which are most certain but herein diâ—ferent That tâ—e former is discursive and resembles science properly so called the later not so but rather like unto that habit or faculty by which we perceive the truth of general Maxims or unto our bodily sight which sees divers visibles all immediately not one after or by another Whilst some of them dispute against the certainty of private spirits their arguments suppose Divine revelations must be believed by the Habit of Theologie which is as a sword to oâ—â—end us Whiles we assault them and urge the unstability of their resolutions they slie unto the non disâ—ursive Habit of faith infused as their best buckler to ward such blows as the Habit of Theologie cannot bear off 6 Not here to dispute either how truly or pertinently they deny â—aith infused to be a discursive habit the Logical Reader need not I hope my adâ—onition to observe that faith or belief whether habitual or actual unlesse discursive cannot possibly be resolved into any preexistent Maxim or principle From which grant this Emolument wil arise unto our cause that the Churches authority cannot be proved by any divine revelation or portion of Scripture seeing it is an Article of Faith and must be believed â—odâ—m intuâ—â—u with that Scripture or part of Gods Word whether written or unwritten that teacheth it as light and colours are perceived by one and the same intuition in the same instant And by this assertion we could not so properly say We beleeue the divine revelation because we believe the Church nor do we see colours because we see the light but We may truly say that the objects of our faith divine revelations are therefore actually credible or worthy of belief because the infallible Church doth illustrate or propose them as the light doth make colours though invisible by night visible by day This similitude of the light and colours is not mine but Sacroboscus's whom in the point in hand I most mention because Doctor Whitakers Objections against their Churches Doctrine as it hath been delivered by Bellarmine and other late Controversers hath enforced him clearly to unfold what Bellarmine Stapleton and Valentian left unexpressed but is implicitely included in all their Writings But ere we come to examine the full inconveniences of their opinions I must request the Reader to observe that as oft as they mention Râ—solution of faith they mean the discursive habit of Theologie For all resolution of Belief or knowledge essentially includes discourse And Bellarmine directly makes Sacroboscus expressely avoucheth the Churches authority the medius terminus or true cause whence determinate conclusions of faith are gathered From which and other equivalent assertions acknowledged by all the Romanists this day living it will appear that Valentian was either very ignorant himself or presumed he had to deal with very ignorant Adversaries when he denied that the last resolution of Catholick faith was into the Churches authority which comes next in place to be examined CAP. XXVIII Discovering either the grosse ignorance or notorious craft of the Jesuite in denying his Faith is finally resolved into the Churches veracity or infallibility That possibly it cannot be resolved into any branch of the First Truth 1 IT were a foolish question as Cajetan saith Valentian hath well observed if one should ask another why he believes the First Truth revealing For the Assent of Faith is finally resolved into the First Truth It may be Cajetan was better minded towards Truth it self first or secondary then this Jesuite was which used his authority to colour his former rotten position That the Churches proposal by their doctrine is not the cause of faith but our former distinction between belief it self and it object often confounded or between Gods Word indefinitely and determinately taken if well observed will evince this last reason to be as foolish as the former assertion was false No man saith he can give any reason besides the infallibility of the Revealer why he beleeves a divine Revelation It is true no man can give nor would any ask why we believe that which we are fully perswaded is a divine Revelation But yet a reason by their positions must be given why we believe either this or that truth any particular or determinate portion of Scripture to be a divine Revelation Wherefore seeing Christian Faith is alwayes of desinite and particular propositions or conclusions and as Bellarmine saith and all the Papists must say these cannot be known but by the Church As her infallible proposal is the true and proper cause why we believe them to be infalliblie true because the onely cause whereby we can believe them to be divine revelations so must it be the essential principle into which our Assent or Belief of any particular or determinate
that here he maks That the sence of Scriptures is the sword of the spirit This is as much as we contend that the sence of the Scripture is the Scripture Whence the inference is immediately necessary That if the Romish Church bind us to believe or absolutely practise ought contrary to the true sence and meaning of Scriptures with the like devotion we do Gods expresse undoubted commandements she prefers her own authority above Gods Word and makes us acknowledge that allegiance unto her which we owe unto the spirit For suppose we had as yet no full assurance of the spirit for the contradictory sence to that given by the Church we were in Christian duty to expect Gods providence and invoke the spirits assistance for manifestation of the truth from all possibility whereof we desperately exclude our selves if we believe one mans testimony of the spirit as absolutely and irrevocably as we would do the manifest immediate testimony of the spirit yet Sacroboscus acknowledgeth he believes the mysterie of the Trinity as it is taught by their Church onely for the Churches authority and yet this he believes as absolutely as he doth yea as he could believe any other divine Revelation though extraordinarily made unto himself 3 In both parts of Belief above mentioned the causal dependance of our faith upon the Churches proposals may be imagined three wayes either whilest it is in planting or after it is planted or from the first beginning of it to it full groweth or from it first entrance into our hearts untill our departure out of this world How far and in what sort the Ministery of men in the Church is available for planting faith hath been declared heretofore Either for the planting or supporting it the skill or authority of the teacher reaches no further then to quicken or strengthen our internal tast or apprehension of the divine truth revealed in Scriptures or to raise or tune our spirits as Musick did Elishahs the better to perceive the efficacy of Gods spirit imprinting the stamp of those divine Revelations in our Hearts whose Characters are in our Brains The present Churches proposals in respect of our Belief is but as the Samaritan womans report was unto the men of Sichar Many saith the Evangelist believed in him for the saying of the woman which testified he hath told me all things that ever I did But this Beliefe was as none in respect of that which they conceive immediately from his own words For they said unto the woman Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed The Christ. The 〈◊〉 saith Job trieth the words as the mouth tasteth meats Consonant hereto is our Churches doctrine that as our bodily mouthes taste and trie meats immediately without interposition of any other mans sense or jugement of them so must the ears of our souls trie and discern divine truths without relying on other mens proposals or reports of their rellish No external means whatsoever can in either case have any use but only either for working a right disposition in the Organ whereby trial is made or by occasioning the exercise of the faculty rightly disposed How essentially faith by our adversaries doctrine depends upon the Churches authority is evident out of the former discourses that this dependance is perpetual is as manifest in that they make it the judge and rule of faith such an indefectible rule and so authentick a Judge as in all points must be followed and may not be so far examined either by Gods written law or rules of nature whether it contradict not it self or them 4 It remains we examin the particular manner of this dependance or what the Churches infallibility doth or can perform either to him that believes or to the object of his belief whence a Roman Catholicks faith should become more firm or certain then other mans It must enlighten either his soul that it may see or divine revelations that they may be seen more clearly otherwise he can exceed others only in blind Belief The cunningest Sophister in that school strictly examined upon these points wil bewray that monstrous Blasphemy which some shallow brains have hitherto hoped to cover We have the same Scriptures they have and peruse them in all the languages they do What is it then can hinder either them from manifesting or us from discerning their Truth or true meaning manifested Do we want the Churches proposal we demand how their present Church it self can better discern them then ours may what testimony of antiquity have they which we have not But it may be we want spectacles to read them our Church hath but the eyes of private men which cannot see without a publick light Their Churches eyes are Cat-like able so to illustrate the objects of Christian faith as to make them clear and perspicuous to it self though dark and invisible unto us Suppose they could Yet Cats-eyes benefit not by-standers a whit for seeing colours in darkness albeit able themselves to see them without any other light then their own The visible Church saith the Jesuite is able to discern all divine truth by her infallible publick spirit How knows he this certainly without an infallible publick spirit perhaps as men see Cats-eyes shine in the dark when their own do not Let him believe so But what doth this belief advantage him or other private spirits for the clear distinct or perfect sight of what the Church proposeth Doth the proposal make divine Truths more perspicuous in themselves Why then are they not alike perspicuous to all that hear read or know the Churches testimonie of them Sacroboscus hath said all that possibly can be said on their behalf in this difficultie The Sectaries albeit they should use the authoritie of the true Church yet cannot have any true belief of the truth revealed If the use of it be as free to them as to Catholicks what debars them from this benefit They do not acknowledge the sufficiencie of the Churches proposal And as a necessary proof or medium is not sufficient to the attaining of science unless a man use and acknowledge it formally as necessary so for establishing true faith it sufficeth not that the Church sufficiently proposeth the points to be believed or avoweth them by that infallible authority wherewith Christ hath enabled her to declare both what books contain Doctrines Divine and what is the true sense of places controversed in them but it is further necessary that we formally use this proposal as sufficient and embrace it as infallible 5 The reason then why a Roman Catholick rightly believes the Truth or true meaning of Scriptures when a Protestant that knows the Churches testimonie as well as he rests in both points uncertain is because the Catholick infallibly believes the Churches authority to be infallible whereof the Protestant otherwise perswaded reaps no benefit by it but continues still in darkness
labouring in vain to see the Truth of Divine revelations without it as much in vain as if a man should strive to see colours without light For this is Sacroboscus instance Besides the habit of faith seated in the understanding and the supernatural concourse of the Holy Spirit due to all endued with the babit of faith but necessary in respect of the subject or party two things more are requisite on the behalf of the object of which if either be wanting the facultie can never perform it proper function Of these two the one is that the proposition to be believed be revealed by God the other that there be a sufficient proposal made to us that God hath revealed it For an unsufficient proposal of any object is as none as may appear by the example of light which proposeth colours to be seen For when the light is weak or scant we cannot discern Colours not that we want a visible object but because we want light sufficient to illuminate the object or the space betwixt us and it He adds withall such as disclaim the Churches Authority and are content with this That Truths of faith are revealed by God in his Word and hence promise themselves the supernatural concourse of the Holy Ghost for producing acts of faith are destitute of a sufficient proposer and their presumption such as if a man should perswade himself because he hath Colours before his eyes and God ready to afford his ordinary concourse as oft as he is disposed to exercise his visive faculty he should be able to see them without light For saith this Jesuite the Prophets are dead Apostles dead Christ gone to heaven and instead of all Prophets Apostles or himself hath left us his Church Nor is it to be expected that God will every where upon all occasions supply the want of the external proposals by the abundance of internal illuminations as he did to our first parent or Saint Paul who had his Gospel neither from man nor by man but by the revelation of Jesus Christ For those are priviledges 6 The calumnie intended in this last instance hath often heretofore been prevented We never denied either the necessity or suffâ—iciencie of the Churches proposal as an external mean we account no other of that rank and nature is or could be either more necessary or more sufficient Saint Paul we grant had an extraordinary priviledge and yet for his private information had the truth proposed unto him by Ananias though the gifts of his publick Ministery were immediately from God Both the measure of his faith and manner of attaining it were unusual but his faith it self once attained no otherwise independent of any external proposal then ours is and all Christians must be We should have been more beholden to this professor had he distinctly told us what it is in their language to have a sufficient proposer albeit this we may gather from his words late cited and these following The Sectaries take upon them to correct the Churches sentence as oft as they list and then they oppose Christ to the Church as if the Church did propose one thing and Christ teach another If they admitted any Church as a sufficient proposer they were bound to conforme their opinions to it in all things As you heard before out of Bellarmine That the Popes Decrees may not be examined whether consonant or contrary to Gods Word or the foundations of faith already laid in our hearts and out of Canus That we must believe the Church absolutely without its or ands Thus believing we have Gods Word sufficiently proposed without this belief or acknowledgement of such authority in the Church we have no sufficient proposal of it but strive as foolishly to hear God speak as if we sought to see Colours without the light 7 It appears I hope as clearly to the Reader as to me that the Churches testimony or authority by our Adversaries Doctrine benefits none but such as stedfastly and absolutely believe it in all things But he that so believes it may by it easily believe all other points as he that can perfectly see the light may see Colours by it Want of this radical belief in us makes our faith in their opinion so unstable or rather blind and dead Yet can I hardly perswadâ— my self all of them will grant the Church addes any inherent or participated splendor to divine revelations whereby they become perspicuous in themselves as Colours are made visible by irradiation of the Sun Thus much notwithstanding all of them I know willingly would subscribe unto A Protestant can neither of himself be infallibly perswaded of the Truth of Scriptures or other conclusions of faith nor doth he absolutely believe any others that are infallible in their determinations but a Roman Catholick albeit by his private spirit he cannot infallibly believe them yet he infalliby believes the Church which cannot erre in belief All then that a Papist hath more then a Protestant is this his Belief of the Church if once he doubt of this he is where he was Which in plain termes is as much as to say ‖ He believes the Church concerning Scriptures not Scriptures That this is the true interpretation of their Tenent may easily be gathered from their own writings For Bellarmine expressely contends and all of them suppose that saying of Saint Austin Non crederem Evangelio nisime commoveret Ecclesiae authoritas I would not believe the Gospel unlesse the Churches authority did thereto move me to be true as well after faith is produced whilest it continues as whiles it is in planting Now if a man should say Non crederem Francisco nisi me commoveret Petri fiâ—elitas I would not trust Frances but for Peters word this speech resolved into it natural or proper sence is aequivalent unto this I do not trust Frances but Peter that gives his word for him And in case Peter should prove false or be distrusted by him that took his word for Frances as yet not believed but for Peters sake the creditor could have no hold of either Thus if Bellarmine and his fellows be as they would seem to make S. Austin minded not to believe the Gospel but for the Churches authority or proposal of it let them speak plainly and properly not in parables or metaphors and so we shall know their meaning to be That they indeed believe not the Scriptures but the Church or the Church truly and really the Scriptures onely by extrinsecal denomination 8 Nor can they reply either consequently to Sacrobos us instance or their general Tenents that as he which sees colours by the light truly sees colours not the light onely so he that believes Scriptures by the Churches infallible proposal believes not the Churches proposal onely but Scriptures as truely and properly The diversity of reason in these two consequences ariseth from the diverse manner of seeing colours by the Suns light and believing
the other he may like it lesse but dislike it he cannot if he like the other Omnibus est illis vigor coelestis origo 2 Many other inducements of this kinde are set down at large by that Flower of France and glory of Christian Nobility in the 24 and 25 Chapt. of his book of the truth of Christian Religion as also in Ficinus and Vives whose labours it is hard to say whether he hath more augmented or graced One especial motive is from the drift and scope of all these sacred writings whether Histories Prophets Psalms or the Gospel The end and scope of all these is onely to set out the glory of God and the good of mankinde In their most famous victories and good successe of their best contrived policies they ascribe the glory wholly to God There is no circumstance inserted to erect the praise of man not of the chiefest managers of such affairs They account it the greatest praise that can be given unto their Worthies to let the World know they were Beloved of God and that God did fight for them Not one Writer in this sacred volume bewrayes the least signe of envie towards others that lived with him or had gone before him Not one that giveth the least suspition of seeking his own praise by lessening others deserts as if he had corrected wherein others had erred or finished what they had well begun but left imperfect No intimation in any of them to let posterity understand that it should think it self beholding to them for their good directions They seek no thanks as if they undertook their labours voluntarily only for the good of others but proclaim a necessity laid upon them for doing that which they do and a Wo if they do it not They spare not to rehearse the iniquity and shame of their progenitors and nearest kinsfolks with Gods fearful judgements upon them for the same to register their Prince and peoples or their own disgrace as the World counteth disgrace to all posterity so Gods Name may thereby be more glorified and his Church edisied Jer. 9. v. 23 24. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom nor the strong man glory in his strength but let him that glorieth glory in that he understandeth and knoweth the Lord. Jeremy himself revealeth his own slacknesse in undertaking his appointed charge Jer. 20. v. 7. 8 14 5 16 17 18. he no where bewrayes any desire of praise as if he had excelled all his equals in wit all that is good in him or his people he giveth to God Daniel who did excel in the interpretations of dreams and prophecies and had the state of many kingdoms for many years to come revealed unto him so as if he would have challenged the revelation of his countries return from Captivity he could not have been disproved yet ingenuously sheweth that he learned this out of the prophecy of Jeremy Dan. 9. v. 2. Although his measure of knowledge was exceeding great yet he affects not the reputation of Knowing above that measure which God hath given him Romans 12. 3. 3 This one quality in them all of not seeking their own nor their countries praise but onely the praises of their God and the profit of his Church if we consider it well may sufficiently testifie that they speak not upon private motions who were thus clear from all suspition of private respects Nor can we suspect that they should thus conspire together unto one end from the will and purpose of man For what man could limit others thoughts or rule their wits which lived after him Least of all can Chance be imagined the Author of so many several writers constancy in conspiring thus to one end in several Ages Let us conjecture what causes we can S. Peter must resolve the doubt 2 Peter 1. 20 21. All of them spake as they were moved by the holy Spirit which was present one and the same to all If they had not spoken as they were moved by the Spirit but as if they had moved themselves to finde out matter or stretched their wits to enlarge invention then would the later sort especially have catched at many By-narrations and inserted many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little pertinent to that foundation which others had layed before them But now we see the continual drift of their writings so seriously set upon one and the self-same end as if they had all wrought by an others diction who had cast the platform of the edifice himself not minded to finish his work in any of the first workmens age and yet will have the later to begin where the other left without any alteration or tricks of their own invention 4 All these properties of these sacred Writers do sufficiently witnesse their motives to have been Divine but more abundantly whilest we consider the vanity of the Jewish people if we take them as they are by nature not sanctified by the Spirit of God For naturally they are given to magnifie their own Nation more then any other people living yea to make God beholden unto them for their sanctity few of them would seek the praise of their God but with reference to their own Hence our Apostle S. Paul brings it as an argument of the truth of his Gospel 2 Cor 4 5. in that he did not preach himself but Christ Jesus the Lord and himself their servant for his sake so doth our Saviour John 7. v. 18. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory but he that seeketh his glory that sent him the same is true and no unrighteousnesse is in him This sincerity in teaching especially in a man of Jewish progeny when it is tried to continue without all affectation or dissimulation is the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or touchstone the Livery or Cognizance of a man speaking by the Spirit of God The like live Characters of sincerty are not to be found in any else save only in these sacred Writers or such as have sincerely obeyed their doctrine And in many of those books which our Church accounts Apocryphal there evidently appears a spice of secular vanity howsoever the Pen-men of them were truly religious sanctified men and have sought to imitate the writing of the Prophets and other Writers of this sacred Volume But much more eminent is the like vanity in Josephus a man otherwise as excellent for meer natural parts or artificial learning as his Country yeelded any not inferior to any Historiographers whatsoever 5 Seeing in this whole body of Scriptures there appears one and the same Spirit albeit the members be of diverse fashion and quality this sacred volume it self may serve as a lively type or image of that Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace which ought to be in the Church and mystical body of Christ Ephes 4. v. 3. They all endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace None of them presumed to understand above that which was
tongue Praised be God which hath not put back my prayer nor his mercy from me The fulnesse of his inward joyes was such and Gods providence over him so manifest and wonderful that the present age wherein he lived could not to his seeming but take notice of it whilest the particulars wherein the Lord had heard him were in fresh memory and all posterity he presumes out of the abundance of his own belief should still believe the goodnesse of God from this experimental relation of his goodnesse towards him He that hath least experience of the like in himself would he but attentively mark the fervency of of those mens zeal and vehemency of their godly passions expressed in these here mentioned and many like unaffected strains could not but acknowledge that famous inscription which a later degenerate lascivious Poet out of such a vain-glorious humour as moves some basely descended to usurp the Arms of Noble men whose names they bear sought to bestow on all even upon such as himself was Vates in name but not in quality to belong of right onely to these Psalmists or ancient sacred Poets Fst Deus in vobis agitante calescitis illo Impetus hic sacrae semina mentis habet Sure in your breasts Gods Spirit hath his seat T is Divine motion breeds this heavenly heat For who can imagine that the Author of the 74 Psalm v. 9. should complain without some touch of that Spirit which he knew had been more plentiful in such as had gone before him We see not our signes there is not one Prophet more not any that knoweth how long V. 10. O God how long shall the adversary reproach shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever V. 11. Why withdrawest thou thine hand even thy right hand Draw it out of thy bosome and consume them v. 12. Even God is my king of old working salvation in the mids of the earth These sober and constant motions as it were of Systoles and Diastoles between Despair and Hope exprest in this and the 44 Psalm argue that those wonders and noble works which they had heard with their ears and their fathers had told them were no Fables but matters truly and really acted which had left deep impression in their forefathers hearts who had so thorowly felt and tasted the extraordinary Goodness of their God that the longing desire of like Favour is transfused as hereditary to posterity as the desire of such meats as Parents best affect and use most to feed upon usually remains in their Children 2 Or to use the Author of the 42 Psalm his own comparison Braying doth not more sensibly notifie the Harts panting after the water brooks than that Psalm doth his thirsting after the Spirit of Life which sometime had been diffused through his Faculties and had fructified in Joy and comfort but now in these storms of affliction lay hid in his heart onely supporting it with hopes of like fruit against a better season as the sap whereby trees flourish in Summer retiring to the root in Winter preserveth them sound within so that although Frosts may nip and storms outwardly deface them yet they break forth again and bear fruit in the Spring And although I never mistrusted the truth of that dissension betwxt the willingnesse of the Spirit and weaknesse of the Flesh oft mentioned in Scripture yet I know not how it addeth more life to my Belief whilest I see this conflict acted by the Author of the 42 and 43 Psalms The flesh complains as if his heart were ready to close with dejected fear My soul is cast down within me all thy waves and â—â—ouds are gone over me The Spirit like a good Physitian by reiterating that speech of comfort Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou so disâ—…eted within me raiseth it up again and dilateth his heart with hope in God against all hope in worldly sight For so he concludeth both these Psalms Wait on God for I will yet give him thanks he is my present help and my God Generally though the Psalmists complaints be oft-times grievous yet they never end them but with Hearty Prayer though God oft-times lay great Plagues upon them yet is their Confidence alwayes as great that he will heal them The beginning of their mournful Ditties alwayes represent the storms of grief and sorrow that had gone over their souls their end and close is like the appearing of the Morning Star foreshewing the removal of the shadow of death wherein they sate Their sudden transitions from grief to joy is even as the breaking out of the Sun from under a thick tempestuous Cloud So that the outward Character of their Songs is a lively representation of that truth which one of them out of his inmost experience hath left registred to the World His wrath endureth but the twinckling of an eye and in his pleasure is life heavinesse may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning Psal 30. 5. 3 This patience in Adversity and confident expectation of deliverance from above compared with the Heathens impatience alwayes ready to accuse their Gods in their unexpected calamities and seeking to vent their grief in Poetical Invectives against them infallibly testifie that the one did onely know the Divine Powers by hear-say the others by experience and that God was near to this people in all which they called upon him and beheld the affairs of the Heathen onely a far off 4 Yet beside these particular lively Characters of experimental joy or grief fear or confidence their consonancy with the historical truth of alterations in the state of Jewry will much illustrate the former observations For albeit the Psalmists in their greatest distresses or calamities murmur not against the Lord God as the Heathens do yet the tenour of some late mentioned with divers other Psalms argue that the people of God in those times wherein they were written either had not such manifest signes of Gods favour or else found not such speedy deliverance from the dangers feared or calamities suffered by them as the Prophet David in the 27 Psalm v. 1. and other of their godly Ancestors had done The Lord saith David is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Though an host pitched against me mine heart should not be afraid though war be raised against me yet I will trust in this to wit upon his former experience of Gods mercies specified v. 2. When the wicked mine mine enemies came and my soes came upon me to eat up my flesh they stumbled and fell But greater was his confidence from the more often experience of Gods favour when as his case otherwise for the multitude and malignity of his enemies was more desperate Psal 3. v. 1. Many were his adversaries that rose up against him and many that said unto his soul when he fled from his son Absolom V. 2. There
God said unto him by a dream I know that thou didst this even with an upright minde and I kept thee also that thou shouldest not sin against me therefore suffered I not thee to touch her Now then deliver the man his wife again for he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee that thou mayest live but if thou deliver her not again be sure that thou shalt die the death thou and all that thou hast And Moses witnesseth the ordinarie Prophecie of Ancient times to have consisted of dreams and visions Numb 12. 6 7. If there be a Prophet of the Lord amongst you I will be known unto him by a vision and will speak unto him by a dream My servant Moses is not so that is he is no ordinary Prophet unto him will I speak mouth to mouth and by vision and not in dark words but he shall see the similitude of the Lord. 3 These allegations sufficiently prove that night-dreams and visions were frequent and their observation if taken in sobriety to good use in Ancient times even amongst the Nations until they forgot as Joseph said That interpretations were from God and sought to finde out an Art of interpreting them Then night-visions did either cease or were so mixt with delusions that they could not be discerned or if their events were in some sort fore seen yet men being ignorant of Gods providence commonly made choice of such means for their avoidance as proved the necessary occasions or provocations of the events they feared 4 Much better was the temper of the Nations before Homers time They amongst other kindes of prophecyings and Sooth-sayings held dreams and their interpretations as all other good gifts to be from God As no evil was done in the Grecian Camp which the Gods in their opinion did not cause so Homer brings in Achilles advising Agamemnon to consult their Gods interpreters with all speed for what offence committed against them they had sent the Pestilence into their Camp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But to what Priest or Prophet shall we wend Or Dreamer for even Dreams from Jove descend All those kindes of Predictions had been in use amongst the Heathens as they were amongst the Israelites albeit in later times they grew rare in both for the encrease of wickednesse throughout the World the multiplicity of businesse and solicitude of Humane affairs and mens too much minding of politick means and other second causes of their own good did cause the defect of true dreams and other divine admonitions for the welfare of mankinde 5 This cause the Scriptures give us 1 Sam. 28. 6. Saul who had followed the Fashions of other Nations not the prescripts of Gods Word asked counsel of the Lord but the Lord answered him not neither by dreams nor by Urim nor by Prophets His sins had made a separation between him and the God of Israel who for this cause will not afford his presence to his Priests or Prophets that came as mediators betwixt Saul and him much lesse would he vouchsafe his Spirit unto such Priests or Prophets as were carnally minded themselves This was a rule so well known to the people of God that Strabo from the tradition of it for Moses his story he had not read reckons up this as a special point of Moses his doctrine concerning the worship of the God of Israel his words are to this effect Moses taught that such as lived chastly and uprightly should be inspired with true visions by night and such men it was meet should consult the Divine Powers in the Temple by night-visions but others who were not so well minded ought not to intrude themselves into this sacred businesse or if they would they were to expect no true visions but Illusions or idle Dreams from God they were not to expect any Yet may it not be denied but that the Heathens were oft-times by Gods permission truly resolved by Dreams or Oracles though ministred by Devils of events that should come but seldome were such resolutions for their good So the Witch which Saul most Heathen-like consulted when God had cast him off did procure him a true prediction of his fearful end This is a point wherein I could be large but I will conclude As the Heathens relations of sundry events usual in Ancient times confirm the truth of the like recorded in Scripture so the Scriptures give the true causes of their Being Ceasing or Alteration which the corrupt and Polypragmatical disposition of later Ages without revelation from the cause of causes and disposer of times could never have dreamed of as may partly appear from what hath been said of Dreams more fully from that which follows next of Oracles CAP. X. Of Oracles I Have often and daily occasion for the satisfaction of my minde in sundry questions that might otherwise have vext me to thank my God that as he made me a Reasonable Creature and of a Reasonable Creature a Student or Contemplator so He did not make me a meer Philosopher though Plato thought this deserved the greatest thanks as being the greatest benefit bestowed upon him by his God but never was I more incited in this respect to blesse the day wherein I was made a Christian then when I read Plutarchs Tract of the causes why Oracles ceased in his time Whether Heathen Oracles were all illusions of Devils or some uttered by God himself for their good though oft-times without successe by reason of their curiosity and superstition I now dispute not That Oracles in ancient times had been frequent that such events had been foretold by them as surpassed the skill of humane reason all Records of unpartial Antiquity bear uncontrollal le evidence Nor did the Heathen Philosophers themselves which lived in the Ages immediately following their decay call the truth of their former use in question but from Admiration of this known change they were incited to search the cause of their ceasing Plutarch after his acute search of sundry causes and accurate Philosophical disputes refers it partly unto the Absence of his Demoniacal Spirits which by his Philosophy might dy or flit from place to place either exiled by others more potent or upon some other dislike and partly unto the alteration of the soyl wherein Oracles were seated which yeelded not Exhalations of such a divine temper as in former times it had done and without a certain temperature of exhalations or breathing of the Earth the Demoniacal Spirits he thought could not give their Oracles more then a Musitian can play without an Instrument And this decay or alteration of the soyl of Delphi and like places was in his judgement probable from the like known experience in sundry Rivers Lakes and hot-Baths which in some places did quite dry up and vanish in others much decay for a long time or change their course and yet afterwards recover their former course or strength either in the same places
had been often consulted it is evident and that oftentimes the Devils deluded such as consulted them is as manifest But since that saying of the Prophet was fulfilled I will put my law in their inward parts and write in their hearts since the knowledge of Truth hath been so plenteously made known and revealed and the principles of Religion so much dilated and enlarged by discourse the Devil hath chosen proud hearts and busie brains for his Oracles seeking by their subtilty of wit and plausibility of discourse to counterfeit and corrupt the form of wholesome Doctrine as he did of old the truth of Gods visible Oracles by his Apish Imitations 3 This conclusion then is evident both from the joynt authority of all Ancient Writers as well prophane as sacred That God in former times had spoken unto the world by Dreams Visions Oracles Priests and Prophets and that such revelations had been amongst the Israelites as the Stars or Night-Lamps amongst the Heathen as Meteors fiery Apparitions or wandering Comets for their direction in the time of darknesse and ignorance But when both the sensible experience of our times and the relations of former Ages most unpartial in this case have sufficiently declared unto us That all the former Twinckling Lights are vanished the reason of this alteration I see men might seek by Natural Causes as Plutarch did but this doubt is cleared and the question truly resolved by our Apostle in these words At sundry times and in diverse manners God spake in the old time to our Fathers by the Prophets in these last dayes he hath spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath made Heir of all things by whom also he made the world who being as the Apostle there saith the Brightnesse of his glory hath put the former lights which shined in darknesse to flight The consideration hereof confirms that truth of our Apostle to all such as are not blinded in heart where he saith That the night was past and the day was come For the suddain vanishing of all former lights about this time assigned by Christians of our Saviours Birth abundantly evince That this was the Sun of Righteousnesse which as the Prophet had foretold should arise unto the world It was the light which had lately appeared in the Coasts of Jurie then approaching Italy Greece and other of these Western Countreys which did cause these sons of darknesse the demoniacal Spirits to flit Westward as Darknesse it self doth from the face of the Sun when it begins to appear in the East And Plutarch tels us That after they had forsaken the Countrey of Greece they hanted little desart Islands near adjoyning to the coasts of this our Britanie where they raised such hideous storms and tempests as Navigators report they have done of late in that Island called by their own Name Both reports had their times of truth and the like may be yet true in some places more remote from commerce of Christians But the Heathen as Heathenish minded men do even to this day sought the reasons of such alterations from sensible Agents or second Causes which have small affinity with those effects or if they had yet the disposition of such causes depends wholly upon his will who though most Immutable in Himself changeth times and seasons at His pleasure And wheresoever the light of his Gospel cometh it verifieth that saying of our Apostle Ecce vetera transierunt nova facta sunt omnia And new times yield new observations which cannot be taken aright nor their causes known without especial directions from this rule of Life By which it plainly appeareth that the second main Period of the World since the Floud whose beginning we account from the promulgation of the Law and the distinction of the Israelites from other people until the time of Grace yields great alteration and matter of much different observation from the former And in the declining or later part of this second age we have described unto us as it were an Ebbe or stanch in the affairs of the Kingdom of Israel going before the general Fulnesse of Time After which we see the Tenor of all things in Jurie and of other Kingdoms of the world quite changed But the particulars of this change I intend to handle hereafter I now would prosecute my former observations of the old world 4 Continually whilest we compare Ancient Poets or stories with the Book of Genesis and other volumes of sacred Antiquity these sacred books give us the pattern of the waking thoughts of Ancient times And the Heathen Poems with other fragments of Ethnick writings whose entire bodies though not so aged as the former being but the works of men have perished contain the dreams and fancies which succeeding ages by hear-say and broken reports had conceived concerning the same or like matters So no doubt had God disposed that the delight which men took in the uncertain Glimpse of truth in the one should enure their mindes the better to observe the light which shineth in the other and that the unstable variety of the one should prepare mens hearts more stedfastly to imbrace the truth and stability of the other when it should be revealed unto them And as any man almost if he be observant of his former actions cogitations and occurrents may find out the occasion how dreams though in themselves oftentimes prodigious absurd and foolish come into his Brain or Fancie so may any judicious man from the continual and serious observation of this Register of truth find out the Original at least of all the principal heads or common places of Poetical fictions or ancient Traditions which cannot be imagined they should ever have come into any mans fancy unlesse from the Imitation of some Historical truth or the Impulsion of real events stirring up admiration I or Admiration as shall afterward appear did breed and Imitation spoil the divine Art of Poetry CAP. XI Of the Apparitions of the Heathen Gods and their Heroicks 1 WEre all the works of Ancient Poets utterly lost and no tradition or print of their inventions left so as the art of Poetrie were to begin anew and the Theatre to be raised from the ground the most curious wits in this or near adjoyning Countreys might for many generations to come Beat their Brains and sift their Fancies until they had run over all the formes and compositions which the whole Alphabet of their Fantasmes could afford before they could ever dream of bringing the gods in visible shape upon the Stage or interlacing their Poems with their often apparitions And unlesse ensuing times should yield matter of much different observations from that which these present do this invention would be accounted dull and find but sorry and unwelcome entertainment of the auditors or spectators That the like invention findes some acceptation now it is because mens mindes have been possessed with this conceit from the tradition of their forefathers For many
Infidelitie of our thoughts and resolutions And albeit we all disclaim Manes Heresie that held one Creator of the matter and another of more pure and better substances yet are we infected for the most part with a Spice of his madnesse in making Material Agents the Authors of some effects and the Divine Power of others Nor can I herein excuse the School-divines themselves ancient or modern domestick or forain the best of them in my judgement either greatly erred in assigning the subordination of Second Causes to the First or else are much defective in deriving their actions or operations immediatly from Him who is the First and Last in every action that is not evil the Onely Cause of all good unto men as shall appear God willing in the Article of his Providence and some other Treatises pertinent unto it wherein I shall by his assistance make good these two Assertions The One that modern events and Dispositions of present times are as apt to confirm mens Faith now living as the Miracles of former would be were they now in use or as they were to instruct that age wherein they were wrought The Second that The Infidelity of such in this age as are strongly perswaded they love Christ with their heart and yet give no more then most men do unto his fathers providence may be greater then theirs that never heard of either or equal unto the Jews that did persecute him 7 Until the Article of the divine Providence and that other of the God-head be unfolded these General directions for Experiments in this kind must suffice First that every man diligently observe his course of life and survey the circumstances precedent or consequent to every action of greater importance that he undertakes or events of moment that befal him Secondly that he search whether the whole frame or composition of occurrents be not such as cannot be attributed to any natural but unto some secret and invisible Cause or whether some cause or occasions precedent be not such as the Scripture hath already allotted the like events unto Would men apply their mindes unto this study Experience would teach them what from enumeration of particulars may be proved by discourse That there is no estate on earth nor business in Christendom this day on foet but have a ruled cause in Scripture for their issue and successe Nor is there any prescript of our Saviour his Evangelists or Apostles but his people might have a Probatum of it either in themselves or others so they would refer themselves wholly into his hands and rely as fully upon his prescripts as becomes such distressed Patients upon so Admirable a Physitian 8 But many who like well of Christ for their Physitian loath his medicines for the Ministers his Apothecaries sake and say of us as Nathanael said of him Can there any good thing come from these silly Galilaeans They will not with Nathanael come near and See but keep aloof And what marvel if spiritual diseases abound where there be spiritual medicines plenty when the flock be they never so Soul-sick come only in such sort to their Pastours as if a sick man should go to a Physick-Lecture for the recovery of his health where the Professour it may be reads learnedly of the nature of Consumptions when the Patient is desperately sick of a Pleurisie or discourses accurately of the Plethora or Athletical constitution when his Auditor poor soul languisheth of an Atrophie Most are ashamed to consult us as good patients in bodily maladies alwayes do their Physitians in any particulars concerning the nature of their peculiar griefs so as we can apply no medicine to any but what may as well befit every disease Whereas were we throughly acquainted with their several maladies or the dispositions of their minds the prescript might be such or so applied as every man might think the medicine had been made of purpose for his Soul and finding his secret thoughts with the Original causes of his Maladie discovered the Crisis truly Prognosticated he could not but acknowledge that he who gave this prescript and taught this Art did search the very secrets of mens hearts and reins and knew the inward temper of his Soul better then Hippocrates or Galen did the constitution of mens Bodies Finally would men learn to be true Patients that is would they take up Christs yoak and become humble and meek and observe but for a while such a Gentle and moderate Diet as from our Saviours practise and doctrine might be prescribed by their spiritual Physitians upon better notice of their several dispositions they would in short time out of their inward Experience of that uncouth rest and ease which by thus doing their souls should find believe with their hearts and with their mouthes confesse that these were rules of Life which could not possibly have come from any other but from that Divine Aesculapius himself the only Son yea the Wisdom of the only Wise Invisible and Immortal God The more unlikely the means of recovering spiritual health may seem to natural reason before men trie them the more forcible would their good successe and issue be for establishing true and lively Faith But such as can from these or like Experiments subscribe unto main particular Truths contained in Scripture and acknowledge them as divine may be uncertain of their Number or Extent doubt they may of the number of Books wherein the like are to be sought and again in those books which are acknowledged to contain many divine Revelations and Dictates of the holy Spirit they may doubt whether many other prescripts neither of like use nor authoritie have not been inserted by men CAP. XXXII Containing a brief Resolution of Doubts concerning the Extent of the general Canon or the number of its integral parts 1 THe ful resolution of the former doubt or rather Controversie concerning the number of Canonical books exceeds the limits of this present Treatise and depends as much as any question this day controversed upon the testimonies of Antiquitie The order of Jesuits shall be confounded and Reynoldes raised to life again ere his learned Works lately come forth upon this Argument albeit unfinished to his mind whilest he was living 〈◊〉 confuted by the Romanists Or if any of the Jesuitish Societie or that other late upstart Congregation will be so desperate as to adventure their Honour in Bellarmine or other of their foiled Champions rescue they shall be expected in the Lists before they be prepared to entertain the Challenge by one of that deceased Worthies Shield-bearers in his life time whose judgment in all good learning I know for sound his observation in this kind choise his industrie great his resolution to encounter all Antagonists such as will not relent For satisfaction of the ordinarie Reader I briefly answer 2 First that this is no controversie of Faith nor need it to trouble any Christian mans Conscience that we and the Papists differ about the
Studies whose Principal End is delight can under go long toyl and great pains never attaining to exact Knowledge but by Believing their Instructors and taking many Theoremes and Conclusions upon Trust before they can make Infallible Trial of their Truth and yet in matters of their Salvation which cannot be exactly Known but only Believed in this life and whose Belief must be got by Practise not by Discourse demand Evidence of Truth and infallible Demonstration before they will vouchsafe to Believe or adventure their pains on their Practise and finally so Demean themselves in speech and resolution as if God Almightie should think himself highly graced and our Saviour his Son much beholden to them that they should Deign to be his Scholars sooner then Mahomets or Machiavels But we that are his Messengers must not debase His Word nor Disparage our Calling by Wooing them upon such Terms or professing to shew them the Truth before they be willing to learn it One first Principle whereof is this That such as will seek may find starting holes enough to run out of Christs Fold and escape his Mercies profered in his Church And as many reasons are daily brought sufficient to perswade a Right-disposed understanding of the Truth of Scriptures so no Argument can be found of force enough to convince a Froward Will or perswade perverse Affections These are they which make a many altogether uncapable of any Moral most of all of any Divine Truth and must be laid aside at the first Entrance into the School of Christ and continually kept under by the Rod of his Judgements and Terrours of that Dreadful Day Unto such as account these Consequents lesse dreadful or their dread lesse probable then that they should for a time at least lay aside all Perversitie of will or Humour of Contradiction to make sure trial of those divine Oracles for their Good we can apply no other Medicine but that of Saint John He that is Filthy let him be Filthy still Rev. 22. 11. 2. Thus much of general Inducements to Belief In the Observation and Use of all these and others of what kind soever we must implore the Assistance of Gods Spirit who only worketh True and lively Faith but ordinarily by these or like means These Scriptures are as the Rule or Method prescribing us our Diet and Order of life these Experiments joyned with it are as Nutriment and the Spirit of God digesteth all to our Health and Strength Without It all other means or matters of best Observation are but as good Meat to weak or corrupt Stomacks With It every Experiment of our own or others Estate taken according to the rules of Scriptures doth nourish and strengthen Faith and preserve our spiritual Health Many in our dayes uncessantly blame their Brethrens Backwardnesse to Entertain the Spirit or rely upon it only being more Blame-worthy themselves for being too forward in Believing Every Spirit and seeking to discern Canonical from Apocryphal Scriptures by the Spirit and again to Trie True from False Spirits by the Scriptures without serious Observation and setled Examination of Experiments answerable unto sacred Rules Such mens fervent Zeal unto the Letter of the Gospel is like an hot Stomach accustomed to light meats which increase Appetite more then Strength and fill the body rather with bad Humors then good Bloud 3 The Spirit no doubt speaks often unto us when we attend not but we must not presume to understand His Suggestions by His immediate Voice or Presence only by His Fruits and the inward Testimony of an appeased Conscience which he alone can work must we know him He that seeks as †Ignatius Ignatius Loyola taught his sons to discern Him without more ado by his manner of breathing may instead of him be troubled with an unwelcome Guest alwayes ready to invite himself where he sees preparation made for his Better and one I am perswaded that hath learned more kinds of Salutations then Loyola knew of able to fill empty Breasts or shallow Heads unsetled in Truth with such pleasant mild and gentle Blasts as are apt to breed strong perswasions of more then Angelical Inspirations 4 God grant the carriage of ensuing Times may argue these Admonitions needlesse which further to prosecute in respect of times late past and now present could not be unseasonable but thus much by the way must now suffice me purposed hereafter if God permit to Treat of the Trial of Spirits and certain apprehension of inherent Faith about the general means of whose production and establishment the Question most controversed in these days â—s Whether beside the Testification of Gods Spirit which as all agree must by these late mentioned or other means work Faith in our hearts the Testimony or authority of others besides our selves be necessary either for ascertaining our Apprehension of the Spirit thus working or for assuring the truth of Experiments wrought by it in our Souls or if no other besides the testimony of Gods Spirit and our own Conscience be necessary either after their Sentence given or whilest they give it How far the Authoritie or Ministery of men is necessary or behoveful either for bringing us acquainted with the Spirit of God or for the assistance and direction of our Conscience in giving right Sentence of the Truth or true meaning of Gods word Of these questions and others subordinate to them we are to dispute at large in the Books following How far the Ministry of Men is Necessary for PLANTING True Christian Faith and retaining the Unity of It PLANTED The Second Book of Comments upon the CREED AS in the first Intention so after some Prosecution of this long work my purpose was to refer the full Examination of the Romish Churches pretended Authoritie in matters Spiritual unto the Article of the Catholick Church Which with those three others of the Holy Ghost Communion of Saints and forgivenesse of Sins for more exact Methods sake and continuation of matters in nature and sacred writ most united I have reserved for the last place in this Frame of Christian Belief annexing the Articles of the Bodies resurrection and Everlasting life unto that of Final Judgement whereon these Two have most Immediate and most direct Dependance 2 But after the Platform was cast and matter for Structure prepared upon evident discovery of the Jesuites Treachery in setting up the Pope as a secret Competitor with the Blessed Trinity for Absolute Soveraignty over mens Souls and for this purpose continually plotting to have the Doctrine of their Churches Infallibilitie planted as low and deep as the very first and Fundamental Principles of Belief albeit in laying the former Foundations I had come to ground firm enough if free from undermining to bear all I meant to build upon it I was notwithstanding in this place constrained to Bare the whole Foundation and all about it unto the very Rock on whose strength it stands lest this late dismal Invention concerning the Popes
doth the Pope challenge to himself the gift of Prophecie but only of legal Decisions which are no otherwise written then many write and contain no deeper nor more Supernatural Matter then many may invent most of them usually penned in a base and barbarous Logick Phrase his Stile at the best is not peculiar his Character easie to be counterfeited by any man that can pen a Proclamation or frame an Instrument in Civil Courts 7 To recollect what hath been said First seeing God is more to be Believed then Men secondly seeing we have better Arguments to perswade the People that these Scriptures daily read in our Church are Gods own Words then the Priests and Jesuites have that the Tidings which they bring from beyond Sea are the Popes or Churches Decrees or Sentence we may and ought Teach them to relie immediately upon Gods Word preached or read unto them as the surest and most Infallible Rule of Faith the most lively most effectual and most forcible Means of their Salvation Or if the Jesuites will teach them to Believe the Popes Decrees given ex Cathedra or the Churches Opinion indefinitely taken Fide divina by Infallible Faith but the Jesuites or Priests Expositions or Translations of them only Conditionally and with this Limitation If so they be the Pope or Churches Decrees we may in like sort with far greater Reason teach the People to Believe the Scriptures or the Word of God absolutely and our Translations or Expositions of it but Conditionally or with Limitation so far as they are Consonant to the Word of God Seeing it is as probable that we may expound Gods Word as rightly and sincerely as the other can the Church or Popes Edicts we have better Reason to exact this conditional Obedience and Assent in the Vertue and Authoritie of Gods Word which we make the Rule of Faith then they can have to exact the like Obedience by Vertue of the Pope or Churches Edict which is to them the Mistresse of Faith For it is more certain to any man living that Gods Word is most Infallibly True then that the Pope cannot Erre Wherefore if the Absolute Belief of the Popes Infallibilitie and Conditional Belief of the Jesuites or Priests his Messengers Fidelitie or Skill be sufficient to Salvation much more may the Absolute Belief or Assent unto the Infallibility of Gods Word and such Conditional and limited Belief of his Ministers Fidelitie be sufficient for the Salvation of his People who as hath been proved cannot be more certain that the Romish Church saith This or That then we can be of Gods Word For they never hear the Church or Pope speak but in Jesuites or Priests Mouthes And although they knew he said just so as those say yet may a man doubt in Modestie whether the Popes Words be alwayes Infallible but of the Infallibilitie of Gods Word can no man doubt 8 And Here I cannot but much wonder at the preposterous courses of these Romanists who holding an Implicite Faith of Believing as the Church Believes in many Points to be sufficient unto Salvation will yet fasten this implicite Faith upon the present Church of Rome and not refer it rather unto that Church as it was under S. Peters Jurisdiction and Government For if Universalitie be as they contend a sure Note of undoubted Truth then must it needs be more undoubtedly True that S. Peter could not Erre in Matters of Faith then that this present Romish Pope and his Cardinals cannot so Erre For all Papists hold this as True of S. Peter as of this present Pope and all Protestants hold it True of S. Peter not in the present Pope and so did all the Fathers without controversie hold it most True that S. Peter did not teach amisse in his Apostolical Writings So that Universalitie is much greater for S. Peter then for this Pope that now is or the next that shall be 9 For these Reasons fully consonant to their own Positions all Papists me-thinks in Reason should make the same Difference in their Estimate of S. Peter and later Popes which a French Cardinal as the Tradition is at Durham once made betwixt S. Cuthbert and venerable Bede Abeit S. Cuthbert was accounted the greater Saint amongst them whose greater Benefactour he had been in which respect they brought the Cardinal first unto S. Cuthberts Tomb yet because he knew him not so well but only by their Report he praies very warily Sancte Cuthberte si Sanctus es or a pro me But afterwards brought unto Bedes Tomb then in the Consistory because he had been Famous in Forrain Nations from the Commendations of lesse partial Antiquitie he fell to his prayers without Ifs and And 's Vener abilis Beda quia tu Sanctus es or a pro me 10 Proprotional to this Caution in this French-mans Prayers should every modern Papist limit his Belief of the present Popes Infallibilitie in respect of S. Peters And say thus in his heart As for S. Peter I know he Believed and Taught aright And I beseech God I may Believe as he Believed and that my Soul may come whither his is gone as for this present Pope if he believe as S. Peter did be likely to follow him in LIfe and Death I pray God I may Believe as he Believes and do as he Teacheth but otherwise believe me I would be very loath to pin my Belief upon his Sleeve lest happily he run Headlong to Hell to that which should have drawn me up to Heaven For in this Life I walk by Faith and by Faith I must ascend Thither if I ever come There and therefore I dare not fasten my Belief upon any Man whom I would be loath to follow in his Course of Life But most surely might this Implicite Faith be fastned upon Gods written Word contained in the Writings of Moses the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists We know O Lord that Thou hast Taught them All Truth that is Necessary for thy Church to know And our Adversaries confess that thy Word uttered by Them rightly understood is the most sure Rule of Faith for by This they seek to establish the Infallibilitie of the Church and Pope They themselves speak aright by their own Confession where they speak consonantly unto it Wherefore the safest Course for us must be to search out the True Sense and Meaning of it which is as easie for us as them to find as in the Processe of these Meditations God willing shall appear 11 Unto the main Objection concerning the Means of knowing Scripture to be Scripture we have partly answered or rather prevented it in the first Treatise and throughout this whole intended discourse we shall God willing explicate the former general Means or Motives as also bring other peculiar Inducements for the establishing of True Faith unto the particular Articles in this Creed contained For the present Difficultie concerning the Rule of Illiterate Lay-mens Faith or such as understand not those Languages in which
the Holy Ghost did write we answer briefly That the Language Tongue or Dialect is but the Vesture of Truth the Truth it self for substance is one and the same in all Languages And the Holy Spirit who instructed the first Messengers of the Gospel with the true sense and knowledge of the Truths therein revealed and furnished them with Diversity of Tongues to utter them to the capacitie of divers Nations can and doth throughout all succeeding Ages continue his gifts whether of Tongues or others whatsoever are necessarie for conveying the true sense and meaning of saving Truth already taught immediately to the Hearts of all such in every Nation as are not for their sin judged unworthy of his societie of all such as resist not His Motions to follow the Lusts of the Flesh And as for men altogether Illiterate that cannot read the Scripture in any Tongue we do not hold them bound nor indeed are any to Beleive absolutely or expresly every Clause or sentence in the sacred Canon to be the Infallible Oracle of Gods Spirit otherwise then is before expressed but unto the several Matters or substance of Truth contained in the principal Parts thereof their souls and Spirits are so surely tied and fastned that they can say to their own Concences Wheresoever these men that teach us these good Lessons learned the same themselves most certain it is that Originally they came from God and by the gracious Providence of that God whose Goodnesse they so often mention are they now come to us Such are the Rules or Testimonies of Gods Providence the Doctrines or real truths of Oriâ—…il Sin of our Misery by Nature and Freedom by Grace Such are the Articles of Christs Passion and the Effects thereof of the Resurrection and Life everlasting Unto These and other Points of like Nature and Consequence every true Christian Soul indued with Reason and Discourse gives a ful a firm and absolute Assent directly and immediately fastned upon these Truths themselves not tied or held unto them by any Authority of Man For albeit true and stedfast Belief of these Fundamental Points might be as scant as the true Worship of God seemed to be unto Flias in his daies yet every Faithful Soul must thus resolve Though all the World besides my self should worship Baal and follow after other Gods yet will I follow the God of Heaven in whom our Fathers trusted and on whose Providence who so reâ—…es shal never fall So likewise must every Christian both in Heart resolve Cutwardly profess with Peter but with unfaâ—â—ed praiers for better Succesâ—… diligent Indeavours by his Example to beware of all Presumption Though the World beside my self should abâ—ure Christ and admit of Mahomet for their Mediator yet would not I follow so great a Multitude to so great an Evil but always cleave unto the cruciâ—ied Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer who I know is both Able and Willing to save all such as follow him both in Life and Death So again though all the subtiltie and wisdom of Hell the World and Flesh should joyntly bend their Force stretch Invention to overthrow the glorious Hope of our Resurrection from the dead yet every Faithful Christ an must here resolve with Job and out of his Believing Heart profess I am sure that my Redeemer liveth and he shal stand the last on the earth and though after my skin this Body be destroyed yet shal I see God in my Plesh whom I my self shal see and mine eyes shal behold and none other for me Job 19. 25. As we hope to see Christ with our own eyes immediately and directly in his Person not by any other mens eyes so must we in this life stedfastly believe and fasten our Faith upon those Points and Articles which are Necessarie for the aâ—taining of this sight of Christ In and For Themselves not from any Authoritie or Testimonie of Men upon which we must relie for this were to see with the eyes of others Faith not with our own 12 Many other Points there be not of like Necessitie or Consequence which unto men specially altogether unlearned or otherwiâ—e of less capacity may be proposed as the Infallible Oracles of God unto some of which it is not lawful for them to give so absolute and firm irrevocable Asâ—ent as they must do unto the former because they cannot discern the Truth of them in it self or for it self or with their own eyes as it is supposed they did the Truth of the former CAP. III. The general Heads of Agreements or Differences betwixt us and the Papists in this Argument 1 Aâ—… the Diâ—â—iculties in this Argument may be reduced to these Three Heads First How we can know whether God hath spoken any thing or no unto his Church Secondly What the Extent of his Word or Speech is as whether All he hath spoken be VVritten or some Unwritten or how we may know amongst Books written which are written by Him which not Likewise of Unwritten Verities which are Divine which Counterfeit Thirdly How we know the Sense and Meaning of Gods VVord whether VVritten or Unwritten 2 These Difficulties are common to the Jews Turks Christians and all Hereticks whatsoever All which agree in this main Principle That whatsoever God hath said or shall say at any time is most undoubtedly and infallibly True 3 But for this present we must dismisse all Questions about the Number or Sufficiencie of Canonical Books or Necessitie of Traditions For these are without the lists of our proposed Method All the Professours either of reformed or Romish Religion agree in this Principle That certain Books which both acknowledge do contain in them the undoubted and infallible Word of God 4 The first Point of Breach or Difference betwixt us and the Papist is concerning the Means how a Christian man may be in Conscience perswaded as stedfastly and infallibly as is necessarie unto Salvation That these Books whose Authoritie none of them denie but both outwardly acknowledge are indeed Gods Words 5 The second Point of Difference admitting the stedfast and infallible Belief of the former is concerning the Means how every Christian man may be in Conscience perswaded as infallibly as is necessary to his Salvation of the true Sense and Meaning of these Books joyntly acknowledged and stedfastly believed of both 6 In the Means or Manner how we come to Believe both these Points stedfastly and infallibly we agree again in this Principle That neither of the former Points can ordinarily be fully and stedfastly Believed without the Ministerie Asseveration Proposal or instructions of men appointed by God for the begetting of Faith and Belief in others hearts both of us agree that this Faith must come by Hearing of the Divine Word 7 Concerning the Authority of Preachers or men thus appointed for the begetting of Faith the Question again is Twofold 8 First whether this Authority be primarily or in some peculiar sort
through mine Hypocrisie for a little time of a transitory Life they might be deceived by me and I should procure malediction and reproach to mine old Age. This eating which he refused could never have been of Faith that is no way Warrantable by the Doctrine or Principles of Faith which had taught him the contrary as he well exprest in the next words following for though I were now delivered from the Torments of Men yet could I not escape the Hand of the Almighty neither alive nor dead Wherefore I will now change this Life manfully and will shew my self such as mine Age requireth 9 And it should be considered that the Parties of whom our Apostle speaks in the forementioned place were never injoyned by any Lawful Superiours either Civil or Ecclesiastick to eat such Meats as they made scruple of yea the very original or fountain of their Scruple was from the expresse Law of God denouncing fearful Judgements against all such as polluted themselves with Unclean Meats so that their eating albeit solemnly injoyned by the greatest Powers on earth could not fall within the Subject of true Obedience because the Laws injoyning it as they conceived stood actually condemned by the expresse Law of God to the contrary in defence whereof many of their Ancestors had exposed their Bodies to most grievous Tortures and the refusal of such Meats as they made Scruple of had been alwayes accounted the justest Title of glorious Martyrdom amongst the Jews And albeit these Laws concerning Unclean Meats were indeed Antiquated at the Alteration of the Priesthood yet should we not marvail if at the first planting of the Gospel many good Christians did make great Conscience of eating such Meats as were forbidden by them when S. Peter himself long after our Saviours Ascension durst scarce take Gods own word against his written Law then not Abrogated as he supposed in this Case For when there came a voice unto him saying Arise Peter kill and eat Peter said Not so Lord for I have never eaten any thing that is Polluted or Unclean And the voice came unto him again the second time saying the things that God hath purified do not thou account Polluted Nor was Peter as it seems yet fully satisfied for it is added in the next words This was so done thrice and the vessel was drawn up again into Heaven All these Circumstances abundantly evince that it was not the bare Doubt or Scruple but the Quality of the things doubted of and the inveterate Opinion or abominable Conceit which the Jews or other of their Instruction had of the Meats themselves that made their eating to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so far from being of Faith that it rather seemed to overthrow it Had the excesse of the Danger they feared been lesse or had there been any ordinary Possibility of any proportionable Good to set against it their Sin in eating had been lesse albeit the Grounds of their Scruple had been greater or their Perswasions one way or other lesse setled 10 Albeit this Exposition of our Apostle may seem strange and new to many honest and well disposed Minds in our Church yet in truth the manner of the deduction only is new the Doctrine it self is generally held by all Divines though not expresly in Conclusion yet in the Premises wherein it is essentially contained and may be most evidently deduced Thus. 11 All Sin consists either in preferring none before some the lesse before a greater or a Corporal before a Spiritual Good the Hainousnesse of Sin in the excesse of difference betwixt the true good neglected and the seeming good embraced which is either absolutely evil or else a far lesse good which in competition with the greater good is likewise to be accounted evil Now if whatsoever be not of Faith be a Sin then by the former Rules it is a Sin because a lesse good is preferred before a greater or some evil chosen without any proportionable good that might serve as a sufficient Recompence But if the nature of all Actual Sin consist in one of these two It is questionable how or in what case Doubting or Scruple of what we do doth make our Actions Sinful Briefly it is an External Cause or Circumstance concurring to the making of a Sinful Action not any essential part or internal Circumstance of the Sin it self once caused And it thus concurs only when that which in it self is Evil or proves so in the event would not be â—vil unto us unlesse we had some doubt or scruple that is some Notice or Apprehension of it as Evil In such Cases indeed we should not Sin unlesse we had formerly doubted but to speak exactly we do not sin because we do what we doubt of but because in doing some Actions when we Doubt we exactly prefer Evil before Good which otherwise we should not albeit we did the self same Action For it could not be Evil to us without the Apprehension of its Nature so as the Apprehension of it concurs to the making of it Evil. And because in all Doubts or Scruples there is some Apprehension of Evil therefore when we Doubt in Cases above mentioned our Actions are not of Faith but Sinful But if either we could be fully perswaded to the contrary that is if we could out of sincerity of Conscience setled Judgement discern that very thing which either we our selves sometimes did or others yet Apprehend as Evil not to be truly Evil the same Action which before had been shall not be now sinful unto us because we now prefer not Evil before Good Or again albeit the thing were in it self Evil being prohibited by some positive Law but we upon invincible or unculpable Ignorance did not Apprehend it for such we should not actually sin in doing it because in this Case we could not truly be câ—nsured for preferring Evil before Good seeing the Apprehension maketh it evil to us albeâ—t we did prefer that which was evil before that which was good As for example If a Proâ—â—â—yte should have eaten Swines Flesh being altogether ignorant not by his own but the Priests Negligence of the Israelites Law to the contrary he had done that which was evil because forbidden by the Law but not ill because he had no Apprehension of it as evil but did eat it without all scruple as well as the strong in Faith did in S. Pauls time As doubting in those Cases wherein we have an Apprehension of some excesse of evil makes mens Actions not to be of Faith and want of doubt so all other Circumstances be observed makes them to be according unto Faith †so it oft-times fals out that such as nothing Doubt whether they do ill or no do Sin far more then such as not without great Scruple of Conscience make the same sinisâ—er Châ—ice For oft-times the Causes why men make no scruple or why they Apprehend not the evil which they do are such
hold the Scriptures to be the Rule of Faith 1 WHen we affirm that the Scriptures are the only infallible Rule in matters of Faith and Christian Obedience we understand such a Rule in those matters as Aristotles Organon may be said of Logick supposing it were sound and free from all suspicion of Errour in every point and contained in it all the general and undoubted Principles from which all true Forms of Argumentation must be deduced and into which all must be finally Resolved To illustrate this Truth by a known Practise Our younger Students are bound to yield their absolute Assent unto Aristotles Authoritie in matters of Logick but not unto any Interpreter that shall pretend it save only when he shall make evident unto them that this was Aristotles Meaning And while they so only and no otherwise yield their Assent they yield it wholly and immediately unto Aristotle not to the Interpreter although by his Means they came to know Aristotles Meaning which once known without any further confirmation of other Testimonie or Authoritie commands their Obedience and Assent But ere they can fully Assent unto this great Master or throughly perceive his Meaning they must conditionally Assent unto their private Tutors or other Expositors and take his Sense and Meaning upon their Trust and Credit In like manner say we in all Matters Doctrines or Controversies of Faith and Christian Obedience we are bound to yield our Assent directly absolutely and finally unto the Authoritie of Scriptures only not unto any Doctor Expositor or other whosoever he be that shall pretend Authoritie out of Scripture over our Faith save only when he shall make it clear and evident unto us that his Opinion is the true Meaning of the Scripture And thus yielding our absolute Assent unto the Truth explained by him we yield it not to him but unto the Author of Truth whose Words we hold to be Infallible in whose Mouthes soever and once known to be His words they need not the Testimonie or Authority of him that did bring us to the true Knowledge of them And before we be brought to see their Truth with our own eyes and feel it by our sense by the effects or experiments of it upon our own Souls we are to limit our Assent and Obedience as it is set down before according to the Probabilities or unpartial Inducements which we have of the Expositors Skill and Sincerity in dispensing Divine Mysteries And these Motives or Inducements which we have of his Skill and Sincerity must be framed according to the Rules or Precepts of Scripture not according to our Affections or Humours we may not think him most to be Believed that is in highest Place or hath the greatest stroke in other Affairs For as the Faith of Christ so must our Perswasion of the faithful Dispensers or skilful Seeds-men of Faith be had without respect of persons 2 If we yield Assent or Obedience unto any Expositor or other otherwise then upon these Conditions and Limitations then as we said before whilest we yielded absolute Obedience unto his doctrine that perswaded us to true Belief because we perceived that which he spake to be the Word of God we did not yield it unto him but unto Gods Word delivered and made known unto us by him so here again by the same Reason only inverted it will evidently follow that if we Believe any mans Doctrines or Decisions to be the Word of God because he speaks it or because we hold his Words to be infallible we do not truly and properly Believe the Word of God suppose his doctrine were the Word of God but his Words and Infallibilitie onely Hence again it follows that if we yield the same absolute and undoubted Assent unto his Authoritie which we would do unto Gods Word immediately known in it self and for it self or relie upon his Infallibility in expounding Gods Word as fully as he doth upon the Word which it is supposed he knows immediately in it self and for it self by doing thus we rob God of his Honour giving that unto Man which is only due to Him For the Infallibility of this Teacher hath the same Proportion to all that thus absolutely Believe him as the Infallibilitie of the Godhead hath unto him his Words the same Proportion to all other mens Faith that Gods Word hath unto his Gods Word is the Rule of his and his Words must be the Rule of all other mens Faith Or to speak more properly God must be a God only to him and he a God to all other men 3 Here it will be demanded how men altogether Illiterate can examin any Doctrine by Scriptures If they cannot Read them how shall they Examin any thing by them not examining the Points of Faith by them how can they be said to be the Rule of their Faith In such a Sense as Aristotles Works supposing them only Authentick and all his Opposites counterfeits or new-fangles may be said to be the Rule of Blind-mens Logick for albeit they cannot read his works yet are they capable of his general and undoubted rules seeing they have as well as other men a natural faculty of discerning Truth from Falshood and can distinguish betwixt rules derived from the pure Fountain of Truth in that kind and Precepts drawn from conjectural erroneous and corrupt Surmises of shallow Brains if both be distinctly proposed unto them And the rules of Truth once fully apprehended and embraced serve as a Touchstone to discern all Consequences and Conclusions which shall be suggested unto them by others so as they wil admit of nothing for sound true Logick but what may be resolved into the former or some other Principles which they can perspicuously and immediately discern to have been drawn from the Fountain of Truth by the same natural Facultie or Ability by which they did discern the former for the faculty will still be like affected with all Principles of like Nature Use and Perspicuity In like sort must the first and general Principles of Faith be derived from Scriptures the only pure fountain of Supernatural Truths unto all illiterate hearts by the Ministery of the learned For Hearts though Illiterate once illuminated by Gods Spirit are as apt to discern Spiritual Principles from falshood or carnal Conjectures as the natural Man is to discern natural Truths from Errours of the same kind And these general and fundamental Principles of Faith engrafted in their hearts serve as infallible rules for discerning the Consonancie or Dissonancie of such Particulars as shal be suggested unto them as shal God willing hereafter be declared nor may they without Injury to Gods Spirit or inward Grace admit any other precepts into the same rank or society with these but either upon evident and distinct deduction from them or sure Experiments of their like Spiritual fruit and Use for the amendment of Life and procuring that peace of Conscience which no Natural Man can conceive much lesse can it be caused
by meer Natural precepts For we suppose what afterwards wil manifest it self that all Truths necessary for men to Believe have a distinct relish from all falshood or other unnecessary or superfluous Truths and may be known by their fruit so men wil be careful to preserve the Sincerity of their Spiritual Taste 4 Gods written Word then is the only pure Fountain and Rule of Faith yet not such immediately unto all as it is written but the Learned or Spiritual Instructors only whose Hearts and Consciences must be ruled by it as in all other spiritual duties so especially as they are Instructors in this That they may not commend any Truths or principles of faith unto the illiterate but such as are expresly contained in Gods written Word or at least are in substance the self same with these written Truths If the Unlearned through Gods just Judgement absolutely admit of other principles and equalize them with these such shal lead them into Errour and pervert their faith If they doubt of any mans Doctrine whether it be truly Spiritual or consonant to the foundation of faith they may appeal to Scriptures as they shal be expounded to them by others Finally they are tied to no visible Company of men whom they must under pain of damnation follow but for their Souls Health they may trie every Spiritual Physitian If they wil be Humorous they may but at their own peril both for Temporal Punishment in this life and for Eternal in the life to come 5 For conclusion the Scripture according to our doctrine and the general Consent of Reformed Churches is the only Infallible rule of faith in both respects or conditions of a Perfect Rule First in that it contains all the principles of faith and points of salvation So that no Visible Church on earth may commend any doctrine to others as a doctrine of Faith unlesse it be commended to them for such by the Scriptures by which every ones doctrine that acknowledgeth God for his Lord must be examined as by a Law uncontrollable Secondly in that these principles of faith are plainly perspicuously and distinctly set down to the Capacities of all that faithfully follow their practical rules most plain most perspicuous and easie to all capable of any rule or reason So that this Sacred Canon needs no Associate no Addition of any Authoritie as equally infallible nor more perspicuous then it self to supply what it wants only the Ministery of men skilful and industrious in the search or Exposition of it is to be supposed And all these be they never so excellent and wel conversant in them are unto Scriptures but as the ordinary Expositors of Classick and Authentick Books are unto the chief Authors or Inventors of the science contained in them Supposing that the first Authors were men of extraordinary and infallible skil and their Expositors as they usually are but of ordinary Capacity or Experience in those faculties 6 Finally the Books of Scriptures are to be reputed a more absolute Rule for all Matters of Faith and Divine Mysteries then any Books or Writings of men are for natural sciences or secular professions as in sundrie other Respects so in This that they give as more facile so more infallible directions for finding out their true Sense and Meaning then any other Writings do or Writers could have done who though present could not be so fully Assistant but cannot so much as affoord their presence to their Expositours in the search of Truths rather professed then fully conceived much lesse infallibly taught by them whereas the Spirit of Truth which first did dictate is every where present alwayes Assistant to such as seriously and sincerely seek the Truth contained in these Divine Oracles conducting them from Knowledge to Knowledge both by all such Means as Artists have for increasing their skil and by other Means extraordinary such as none in any other Faculty can have nor any may hope for in the Search of Scriptures but only such as Delight in and Meditate upon them Day and Night SECT II. That the pretended Obscurity of Scriptures is no just Exception why they should not be acknowledged the absolute Rule of Faith which is the Mother-Objection of the Romanist CAP. XII How far it may be granted the Scriptures are Obscure with some Premonitions for the right state of the Question 1 IT is first to be supposed that these Scriptures for whose Soveraignty over our Souls we plead against the pretended Authority of the Romish Church were given by God for the Instruction of all succeeding Ages for all sorts of Men in every Age for all Degrees or divers Measures of his other Gifts in all several sorts or Conditions of Men. This diversitie of Ages and Conditions of Men in several Callings who so wel considers may at the first sight easily discover our Adversaries Willingnesse to wrangle in this point whose usual practise as if they meant to cast a Mist before the weak-sighted Readers eyes is to pick out here and there some places of Scriptures more Hard and difficult then Necessary or requisite to be understood of Every man perhaps of Any man in this Age. The Knowledge of all or any of which notwithstanding those that live after us though otherwise peradventure men of far meaner gifts then many in this present Age shall not therefore need to give for lost or desperate when they shall be called unto this Search For God hath appointed as for every thing else so for the Revelation of his Word certain and peculiar Times and Seasons Daniel though full of the Spirit of Prophecie and one that during the Reign of Nebuchadnezzar and Balthasar his son had as it were continually travelled of Revelations concerning the Estate of Gods Church and the affairs of forrain Kingdoms for many generations to come yet knew not the approaching Time of his peoples deliverance from Captivity until the first year of Darius son of Ahashuerosh And this he learned by Books even in the first year of his Raign I Daniel understood by Books the number of the years whereof the Lord had spoken unto Jeremiah the Prophet that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolation of Jerusalem And of his own Revelation he saith And Daniel was commanded to shut up his words and seal up his book unto the end of the Time or as some read unto the appointed Time and then many shall run to and fro and Knowledge shall be increased For at the Time appointed as he intimates in the words following others though no Prophets were to know more of this Prophecy then the Prophet did himself Then I heard it but I understood it not then said I O my Lord what shall be the end of these things And he said Go thy way Daniel for the words are closed up and sealed till the end of the Time 2 The Prophets of later Ages did see Revelations of matters which had been hid from the Ancient
mocked him 3 That all honest-minded men should be able to understand all Places of Scriptures we never affirmed that without the Ministerie or help of others they should ordinarily understand any aright we never taught This notwithstanding we constantly avouch Without this Condition of doing Gods Will not men otherwise furnished with the best Gifts of Art and Nature can ever be competently qualified for spiritual Instructors By performing it the simple and illiterate shall be made capable of good Instructions and enabled to discern true Doctrine from false By our Saviours Rule in the very next words more infallible than any other pretended Infallibilitie can be we may discern the Pope of all others to be no true much lesse any infallible Teacher unlesse of Lies and Antichristian deceit For he that seeketh his own glory as what Pope is there doth not so many seek the Popedome by their predecessors bloud he speaks of himself not the Word of him whose Viear he boasts himself to be 4 To place the Apostle S. Pauls Authority next in sile unto our Saviours Fashion not your selves saith he unto his beloved Romans like unto this present world but be ye changed by the nenewing of your mind that ye may prove what is the good Will of God and acceptable and perfect Being fashioned like unto the present World they were altogether disproportionable unto the Kingdom of heaven uncapable of heavenly Mysteries but being renewed in their minds they might prove taste and relâ—… aright the Meaning of Gods Word revealed Of such as disanul the Scriptures for being the Rule of Faith and transfer this Canonical Dignity upon the Pope I would gladly be resolved whether this his Holinesse Infallibility can take away the Veil which is laid before the Jews hearts or this Desire which raigns in most men of fashioning themselves unto this present World whether he can in all such as professe Christianity root out those Lusts and Concupiscences those corneae fibrae stiff and stubborn heart-strings as are the very the eeds whereof this Veile is made which makes the Scriptures so Difficult and so eclipseth their Light in respect of men If he cannot well may he make them understand or believe his own Decrees but never rightly apprehend or stedfastly embrace the Spiritual Mysteries of their Salvation That Rule of S. Pauls is still most infallible The Natural or Carnal Man is altogether uncapable of the things of Gods Spirit of those things which are in themselves most evident Neither can be know them If you wil not believe his Authority as infallible he gives you a Reason for the truth of the Conclusion for they are spiritually discerned Is it then the Popes Infallibility or the framing of our lives according to Gods holy Word that must purge the Errours of our young and wanton dayes and make us cease to be homines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Natural or Carnal men and become Spiritual If the Popes infallibility cannot perform this to what use doth it serve The Scriptures wil be difficult stil and their sense insipid to such as have not their hearts thus cleansed If without his Infallibility by the Industry of faithful Pastours attentive Hearing and serious Meditation of his sacred Word our lives may be amended and we of Carnal men become Spiritual we shal discern the things of God what is his Wil and mercy towards us in Christ we shal know of every Doctrine necessary unto our Salvation whether it be of God or no much better then the Pope and his Cardinals can do if they be Carnals For our Apostle adds The Spiritual man judgeth or discerneth all things and is judged of none The sense of which words some of your School-men much mistake when they hence gather that the Pope may judge Princes but the Spirituality so in common talke we cal the Clergie may not be judged by any Temporal or Lay Power Our Apostle means nor wil a learned Interpreter though a Papist deny it that in matters of Faith and in the Truth of Divine Mysteries the truly spiritual that is such as are renewed in the inner man not such as bear the Name or Title of Spiritual men in their corrupt language see and understand those things which the Wisdom of God hath hidden from the wisest and most glorious Teachers of the World from all Carnal men of what Gifts soever they may be in other matters as appears by our Apostles Discourse in that place Which Doctrine of our Apostle how truly it is verified in the wise men of Rome the Jesuites I mean to give them what by our Proverb we are bound to give their Master their due men of famous industry and excellent reach in all subtile and profound Arts but how ignorant and besotted in matters of Faith and Mysteries of mans Salvation their Doctrine in this present Controversie being compared with this Axiom of our Apostle may abundantly witnesse to the Astonishment of all sober-minded Christian Readers 5 They cannot deny That matters of Faith and Christian Life the Mysteries of mans Salvation are matters belonging to the Spirit of God and that a lewd naughty ambitious luxurious man an Heretick is homo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Carnal Man they will not offer to call in question Again that many of their Popes be such as I have said naughty wicked luxurious men they openly confesse Some of them grant that Honorius was an Heretick Valentian will not dispute this particular de facto whether he were one or no but that the Pope or Popes may hold Heretical Opinions he granteth albeit thus tainted with Heresie they cannot propose their Heresies ex Cathedra to be Believed by others believe Valentian herein who list for God by his Providence would prevent this Mischief But howsoever the Pope and his Cardinals may by their own Confession be Carnal Men with a witnesse Now S. Paul saith plainly Homo animalis non potest cognoscere ea quoe sunt Spiritus Dei No Carnal or Natural man can conceive the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. for this indefinite Proposition in materia necessaria may have this Universal Note Homo animalis non potest cognoscere no Carnal Man can perceive The Jesuites affirm the Contradictory unto S. Pauls Doctrine as an undoubted Article of Faith The Pope say they albeit homo animalis though a most wicked man though otherwise an Heretick the worst of Carnal Men cannot but discern the things that belong unto the Spirit all the Mysteries of Mans Redemption all points whatsoever necessary to Mans Salvation For he cannot erre in deciding such Matters if he speak ex Cathedra More unhappy man Honorius more Fools have the whole generation been that ever would shut their mouthes or cease to speak ex Cathedra even to the last gasp 6 That sundâ—y lewd and wicked men may learnedly discourse of spiritual matters and deduce necessary Consequents out of Truths supposed or
our Saviour imparted to his Disciples in private is now by Gods Providence plainly communicate unto us This is an Argument beyond exception that we are not in their Case who in that Parable are said to be Without but of their Number to whom it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God unlesse we wil in Life and manners imitate Hypocrites rather then Christs Disciples And lest we should prove like these Jews which having ears to hear would not hear though invited thereto by our Saviour our Evangelists inculcate again and again the Causes of this Dulnesse in hearing or conceiving what is heard or Aversnesse from the Truth in some sort conceived They tell us the Jews sometimes for Ambition sometimes for Convetousnesse generally for Presumption Pride and Hypocrisie in saying they had Abraham for their Father did make themselves uncapable of saving Knowledge To what purpose do men guided by the Spirit of God inclucate these or like Admonitions so oft That the growth of such carnal Assections might in all succeeding Ages be prevented That Christian Parents fore warned by the lamentable Issue of this stubbornnesse in Abrahams Seed might teach their Children these heavenly Lessons which had been so distastfull to the Jews before these or other inveterate Humours had brought them to the same or like Distemper For as I observed before and this Parable directly proves might celestiall Seed take root in Childrens hearts before these Secular Weeds sprung up their Souls should continually receive Blessing from God and daily drink in these Streams of Life which found no entrance into such Jewish barren Soyl as did bear nothing but Thorns and Brambles whose end was to be burned as altogether unworthy of more watering 6 Shall either the World Devil or Flesh be able to breed the least Suspition in any Christian Heart whether God who enabled the Apostles and Evangelists to speak so plainly to the Capacitie of all sorts of men in every Nation cannot either by increasing internal Docilitie in succeeding Ages or sublevating their dull Capacitie by facilitie and plenty of external Means repair whatsoever the Injuries of time might detract from the Perspicuitie of Writings Apostolical or Evangelical So that although the decay of Dialects absolutenesse of Phrase or Alterations of Customes whereunto they allude as well known then because in use might breed some difficultie unto Posteritie yet unlesse true Faith be decayed with them or all Characters of Gods Providence worn out of our hearts how can we distrust whether He by whose Wisdom as well Divine Mysteries unheard before as skill to utter them in every Language were extraordinarily and immediately infused into illiterate Souls without the help or Ministery of Man cannot or will not by his good Blessing upon our endeavours in the ordinary Course of attaining skill in Sacred Tongues continue the use of Tongues and all other good Means whatsoever necessarie or expedient either for our right understanding or communicating the infallible Truth alreadie taught without any others infallible Assistance besides his who can teach us as infallibly by Means in themselves not infallible as he hath done others without any Means at all To doubt of Gods Providence in this Point were to doubt whether he were the same God still and if the same he will albeit by other Means perform the same Effects still unlesse the sins of the Christian World deserve the contrary and pull that Blindnesse which in our Saviours time reigned in those Jews upon themselves by like Hardnesse of heart Pride or Hypocrisie And if so they do what shall this supposed Infallibilitie of the Pope avail Is his Teaching more infallible then Christs was shall he Loose where God hath Bound shall he disanull what the Almighty hath ratisied shall he make the Scriptures clear to them before whose hearts the Lord hath laid a Veil Or shall he give Sight where he that made the eye hath called for Blindnesse Oh that they could remember this who have forgotten their God and cannot see that whosoever accuseth the Scriptures of Disheultie or Obscurity doth indict the Omnipotent of Impotencie in not being able to perform what by his Apostles he intended CAP. XVI That all the Pretences of Scriptures Obscuritie are but Mists and Vapours rising from the Corruption of the flesh and may by the pure Light of Scriptures rightly applied easilie be dispelled 1 UNto this and all Demands of like nature if the Scriptures be not Obscure how chanceth it that so many find such Difficulties in them even in those places which seem to contain in them matters of Faith The Answer is already given It was the Almighties good pleasure to Decree that the Scriptures should be plain and easie to such as faithfully practise their most plain and easie Precepts but hard and difficult to be understood aright of such as Wilfully transgresse them or knowing them to be Gods Word do not glorifie them as his Word Most difficult most impossible to be understood of such as acknowledging by what Spirit they were written yet renounce their Authority or disclaim them for the Rule of their Faith All such though for the clearnesse of their understanding in other Speculations they may seem to have Angelicall Heads yet for Divine Mysteries have but Jewish or obscure Hearts and being Blinded in their mindes they imagine the Scripture wheron they look to be Obscure This Answer notwithstanding though most true will not satisfie all For seeing this Blindnesse in most men is not Voluntary at the least not Wilfull or affected the Captions will yet demand How shall they help it The Scriptures plainly teach how they may be holpen What can be more plain then that Rule If any man want Wisdom let him ask of God Yea many do so and yet go without it So they must as the Scripture telleth us if they ask amisse Doth the Scripture then serve as a streight Rule to direct them how they should ask aright Yes For what Rule can be more plain then that of Saint John Whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandements and do those things which are pleasing in his sight The Promise indeed is plain but the Condition hard for the first thing we would ask of God is Grace to keep his Commandements But what hope have sinners to receive this seeing he heareth onely such as keep his Commandements Will this or any other Rule of Scripture help us out of this Labyrinth It will not fail us nor forsake us For if we have but a desire to amend our lives Christs words are as plain as forcible He quencheth not smoaking flix a bruised reed he will not break And this is his Commandement that we trie the Truth of this and other like Sayings of Comfort by relying upon his mercy or if we do but seek after Repentance we do that which is pleasing in his sight For he is not pleased in the
Fathers who had learned Christian Obedience alwayes ready to give honour where honour was due would most willingly have acknowledged so absolute a Soveraigntie and could have been glad to have used the Benefits of it to have spared themselves a great deal of trouble and pains if it could have been proved then to have been such an excellent Mean for allaying all Contentions amongst the Learned The Pope was much to blame to let Athanasuis suffer such pains exile and abuse by the Arian faction in the defence of the Truth if his Infallibilitie could have composed the Quarrel Austin hath been famous throughout all Generations since for his learned Labours against the Pelagian Heresie Cyril for his accurate Confutation of Nestorius and yet the Scripture was the best Weapon they knew Neither of them did ever appeal to the Popes Infallibilitie not the Popes themselves which then lived would have used any other Rule but Scripture for their own defence 3 Your usuall Argumentis that unlesse God had left such an infallible Authority as might take up all Controversies he had not sufficiently provided for his Church Then by your consent he left such an Authority as was sufficient to perform this good service to it To whom then did he commit it To the Sea of Rome say you How chanceth it your fore-elders did not put it in practise and make the Power of it better known This Blame you cannot lay 〈◊〉 the Almighty for he for his part by your confession provided abundantly for the Peace and Quiet of his Church And yet it seems the Church was ill provided for when Schisms and Heresies sprung so fast This therefore was your Churches fault that bore this Spiritual Sword in vain and world not use it when the Christian world stood most in need of it for the 〈◊〉 Decision of Controversies So then although we should grant you that your Church had sometimes the Birth-right amongst all the Israel of God yâ—â— might we justly say of it as old Israel said of Reuben his eldest son Thy â—â—nity is gone and we were to seek this Supream Authority if God had given any such Supremacy to any in some other Tribe which were likely to use it better 4 If you reply your Churches Authority in composing Controversies amongst the learned hath been better known since that flourishing Agâ—â— learned and religious Fathers and since it hath been so well known and acknowledged Heresies have been more thin sown then before few or 〈◊〉 till Luther arose daring to confront the Church or Popes Authority with Scripture You give us hereby just cause to suspect that Heresie had get the upper hand of Truth for the Multitude of followers that there had been a general Combination in Falshood till Luther brake it For if sundry 〈◊〉 the Ancient Hereticks with whose Doctrine the Primitive Church was pesterâ—… could under pretence of Scripture have got into Supream Authority or 〈◊〉 established their Propositions framed as they thought out of Gods Word with strength of Temporal Sword as Mahomet did his It were great Simplicity to think that they could not have been content to have let the Scriptures sleep or have threatned all with Death and Destruction that should have urged them to the prejudice of their Opinions especially of such Opinions as did concern their Dignity For all Falshood and Spiritual Blindnesse hates this Light and could either wish it put out or them utterly extinct that Object it to them As he that hath wound himself into anothers Inheritance by some quirk in Law or Captious clause not well understood would not be much offended to have all Evidences of primary Copies either burnt or buried even That by which he got it if It upon better Consideration or more indifferent hearing were likely to overthrow his Title 5 And if we may guesse at the course of Satans Policy in watching his Opportunities to effect his purpose by the customary fashion of secular Politicians his Schollars in like Cases most probable it is that after these Broâ—'s of Dissention about the Gospel of Peace so frequent in the Primitive Church the great Calamities and bodily Affliction which followed thereon most men grew weary of their Spiritual Warfare and became slothful in the search of Scriptures the only Armory for all munition in this kind of war Every man afterwards in the fresh memory of the Church their Mothers bleeding Wounds and the Desolation which had ensued these furious Broâ—'s became more tractable to entertain conditions of Peace and Satan himself who had sown the seeds of all the former Dissention after he saw all or most weary of war was content to turn Peace-maker for his own advantage These were as the first Preparations for laying the Foundations of the myâ—â—cal â—abel in whose erection the Marner Method and Circumstances of the formers dissolution are all inverted The Building of the first was hindered by the Confusion of Tongues or the Division of one Language into many whence insued the scattering of the People throughout the earth the second was finished by the Concourse of divers People and the Composition or Confusion of different Languages For as Goropius acutely observes the present temper of modern Italian Spanish French we may adde of our English Dialects was from the mixture of the Roman and Barbarous Tongues whilest the natural inhabitants of these Countries before accustomed to the Roman Language and the Barbarians which at that time over-ran them were inforced to imitate each other in their words and manner of speech that they might be the better understood in matters of necessary Commerce or ordinary Contracts And this is the true reason why our Ancient English Latinisms are not as the Latin Graecisms which were derived by Art and Imitation from clear Helicon extracted from the purest Roman but from Latin of the base and vulgar stamp This Confusion of the Latin and other barbarous Tongues was but a Type or picture of confounding the Ancient true Roman Religion with barbarous Heresies Heathenish Rites and several kinds of Paganisms whilest the Romans who had already begun to distaste the Truth sought by lying Legends and false Wonders to please the grosse Palate of the Goths Vandals Hunnes Alans Franks and Saxons and they again here-with delighted were content to imitate the other in sundry sacred and religious Rites so as neither kept their Ancient Religion but all imbraced this mixture or new confused Masse And to speak properly that Unity whereof the Adversary so much boasts since that flourishing Age of Fathers wherein Contentions were so rife and the Roman Church no better esteemed then some of her sisters was not a Positive Consent in the sincere Truth wrought by the Spirit of God as a perfect Homogeneal mixture by true and lively heat but rather a bare Negation of actual Dissention caused by a dull Confusion of the dregs of Errour coagulate and congealed together by Ignorance
ravenous mouths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is as you interpret Rule my sheep or Petre macta manduca kill and eat Now all the pretended glorious Promises of the Gospel or large hopes of Liberty which you had given them before are sodainly contracted in these two main Commandments the chief Supporters of your Religion on which your Law and Gospel hang If any thing be proposed to be Believed Believe or be burnt If to be Acted Do or die 5 But as I was saying such kind of Weapons must be used only towards such as are admitted unto Christs Fold unto them the Popes Authority must be a Rule for they must be ruled by his iron Rod. But let us suppose a Christian either wel minded Protestant or Papist a Jew or Mahumetan all zealous in their kind and of carriage moderate should meet together in some Principles of Belief they all agree all acknowledge the old Testament to be the Word of God but differ in the true Sence and Meaning of it What means would you prescribe to win either of these two Unbelievers to the Truth I am sure ye would not begin with the Popes Authority Were it not the readiest way to win a Mahumetan to shew him that the greatnesse of that kingdom in which he glorieth was ordained by God to punish the Christian world as Nebuchadnezzars was to plague the Jews and should decay would Christians amend and the strength of his affection to the prosperity of that Empire abated to propose the carnal Affection of Mabomet and his Religion most of which is lothsom to the ears of such as have any notion of any Religion whereas the Purity of Christs Gospel is such as a sober minde once therewith acquainted would Reverence albeit he could not obey 6 This or the like Method is used by sundry learned Papists to diâ—… Mahumetium If they reply that they first seek to make them acknowledge the Scriptures that they may thence learn to rely upon the Popes Infallibility they utterly deface their own pretended Glory in converting so many Aliens unto the Faith For all this pains in such as follow this supposed Method is but to purchase a double portion in the Pharisees Wo For â—… passing Sea and I and to make others of their profession The Pharisees in such Conversions did as it were â—uadrate the measure of Proselytes sins multiplying Gentilism by Pharisaism The Jesuites make up the â—ul Câ—… 〈◊〉 they produce Mahumetism which is but a medley of Gentilism and Judaiâ—m into Jesuitism which is the sublimation of Pharisaism mixed with malignant Atheism For it is impossible that this Conversion should abolish the form or essential Quality of the Mahumetans former carnal corrupt Religion but rather intend the bad temper of it by superaddition of this second in quality more malignant And yet for the effecting of this Change they make Christ lesus their crucified Lord and God but a Stale for the advancement of His Kingdom that by their own confession may be for life and manners far worse then Mahomet Suppose then a convert-Mahumetan should know what manner of men most of their Popes be how could he chuse but either repent of his Conversion or turn treacherous Atheist to out-â—â—e the Jesuite in such villanous Gulleries as this wherein he useth Mahomets beastly life as an Argument to disswade his followers from his Religion and yet useth the Word of God whose Sanctity both acknowledge but as a bait to bring men on to fasten their Faith upon a more deâ—esâ—able Son of Perdition This were indeed the best way to harden the Mahumetan in his preposterous Belief That Mahomet though as we object a notorious Impostor might be sent from God to win the world unto that Truth by the sword whereunto Christ could not bring it by his godly Life and most essectual kinde of Preaching And I do not see what else but this or the like Conclusion can with any probability be gathered from any Arguments brought by the Papists to prove the necessity of the Popes or their corrupt Churches infallible Authority for supplying the defect of Christ and his Apostles Writings Finally to bring either Mahuâ—â—etan or Pagan to acknowledge the Truth of the New Testament or Christ for their Saviour that they might afterwards relie upon such men is but to lead them into the entry of the Kingdom of Heaven that they may finally shut the door on them when they have one foot within it which is indeed the sole entire formal effect of this supposed Infallible Key But my good liking of industry though of our greatest Adversarie in this slothful Age makes me hope God grant I fail not in my hopes that in remote Countries whose air is not pestered with the noisom and Ioathsom Scent of Rome their Mothers whoredom even Jesuites are inspired with more pure and hallowed Cogitations and that they use not Valentian Bellarmin or others of their Italianated fellows Methods in catâ—chising Converts or if they do yet God I trust wil be merciful unto such poor souls as thus adore the Pope not knowing what manner of Creature he is but rather in charity presume him for such in the Concrete as the Jesuites make him in the Abstract even a second-Christ or Holinesse it self 7 Were not the best Method to win the Jew to compare the Prophecies of the Old Testament with the History of the New and Experiments of Gods judgements upon that nation Some Jews have been brought unto the Truth by these means who have done the Church of Christ excellent service in the exposition of Prophecies concerning Christ labouring to win their Country-men unto him by comparing the Old Testament with the New If the Scripture may be a Rule to compose the diversity of these Opinions most repugnant amongst themselves may it not much more be a Rule to compose all Controversies amongst professed Christians who agree in far more Principles of Faith and Rules of Scripture then the former did if Christians would be as soberly affected and not stand upon the Authorities and Customes of men the special Obstacle that keeps the Jews from Christianity 8 It is usual with your Writers to argue thus We cannot know Scriptures to be the Scriptures but by the Authority of the Church therefore we cannot know the true Sense and Meaning of them but by the infallible Authority of the same The Antecedent of which Argument as we have partly shewed and hereafter God willing shal shew to be most false so for the Argument it self I only now say that it may be far more probably inverted upon you thus The Jews may come to acknowledge the New Testament for the very Cospel of their Messias and to Believe in heart and Profess with their mouthes the Mysteries therein contained by sober and diligent comparing them with the Prophecies of the Old without the infallible Authority of your Church therefore they may know the true sense and meaning of the Gospel
lest they also might be plucked away with the errour of the wicked and fall from their woâ—ted stedfastnesse from which others had already fallen For what reason Because they were unlearned Unlearned In what Facultie In the Scriptures no doubt For Saint Peter himself was learned onely in them and would not vouchsafe the Secular Arts of that time standing in opposition unto the Gospel this glorious Title of learning And is want of learning and knowledge in Scriptures the cause of falling from Faith and former stedfastnesse And yet must men abstain from reading them because they are obscure to such blinded Guides or may minister matter of Contention to contentious Spirits or occasion of Errour to the erverse Must we be ignorant in Them and expert in Other means of Faith Because Ignorance and want of learning in them causeth Errours in Faith and what other Means soever of mens Salvation Quis furor hic shall I say ne moriare mort or rather no possis â—…tare perire Must we abstain from our spiritual Food and so â—…evi ably starve because some others by unreasonable or intemperate taking of it have incurred what Diseases indeed very grievous Yet such as might easily have been cured or prevented had the diseased been more accustomed to feed upon those plain and 〈◊〉 Prescripts usual in the later parts of Saint Pauls Epistles as for example amongst others upon that most General Through the grace of God 〈◊〉 given unto me I say to every one that is among you that no man presume to an unstand above that which is meet to understand but that he understand according to â—â—â—riety as God hath dealt to every man the Measure of Faith 10 From carefull and assiduous Attention unto this and other like Elementarie Precepts those unlearned but presumptuous Readers of Saint 〈◊〉 Epistles might quickly have grown so wise and well learned in Scriptures as not to have medled with these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so soon at least not so much rather contenting themselves while such they were like new-born Babes with 〈◊〉 Milk as much better for their weak digestion then his strong Meat so the same Apostle had else where expressely written for their instruction 〈◊〉 not presumed to know above that which was written Eâ—â—ed they had then 〈◊〉 the Truth and fallen away from their former stedfastnesse not so much by 〈◊〉 lowing the hard and difficult as by not following the plain and easie places of 〈◊〉 Paul able to have conducted them from Knowledge to Knowledge whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 could they with patience have expected it might in good time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… the former Difficulties Instances enough have been more might be brought to evince the general Conclusion intimated in the State of the Question before proposed There is no Occasion or Temptation which may move men to obstinate mistaking or perverting Scriptures to aâ—et Contentions but the Scriptures one where or other have a Remedie as easie as soveraigne prescribed against it so men would be diligent to seek or resolute to apply it found in their Practise or Course of life If some Spiders from the fore-mentioned or like difficult Places have suckt poyson yet other parts of the same Canon teach us to lay aside the Spiders temperature even all Maliciousnesse all Envie all Indignation or Contention Though sundry as subtilas Serpents have been mistaken in the Interpretation of some or have inverted others yet some third Place teacheth us to joyn the Doves Innocencie to the Serpents subtiltie and unto both adding the Bees Industry these very Places whence others suckt Poyson shall afford us Henie For the Word of God is in it self and unto us if we be not Spiders to our selves sweeter then Honey and the Honey combe CAP. XXIV That all their Objections drawn from Dissentions amongst the learned or the Uncertainty of private Spirits either conclude nothing of what they inten 〈◊〉 or else more then they mean or at the least dare avouch against Gods Prophets and Faithfull People of old 1 IT is a sure Argument the Truth on our part is exceeding great in that all Objections hitherto brought by our Adversaries as it usually falleth out in men more eagerly set to offend others then defend themselves though otherwise unequally matched conclude Aut nihil Aut 〈◊〉 â—…thing or too much or all for us against the Objectors But especially whilest 〈◊〉 seek to 〈◊〉 the Sufficiencie of our supposed Rule by Dissentions thence ocâ—… 〈◊〉 amongst the learned or such as should be Guides of others as their Pr 〈◊〉 are curtailed and will not touch the Points they aim at so the Conclusion which they would shuffle in not inferred from the Premises is above measure over-lashing First they fail in avouching that indefinitely of all which is true only of some Parts of Scriptures For many are so perspicuous and plain as they minister no matter of Contention no not to the most contentious Spirits professing our or their Religion These well learned and laid up in mens hearts engaged in other particular Controversies would be an excellent Light to many other Places which for want of this Method to most of both sides either seem Obscure or of the same suite their several Dispositions are But to omit particular Causes of Heresies or Hereticks perverting Scriptures else where to be prosecuted The most general and Primary is the quite contrary to that which our Adversaries assign 2 They except against Scripture and say it cannot be the Rule of Faith nor ought to be so taken of all Christians because it is so Obscure and apt to breed Contentions among such as rely upon it We have sufficiently proved that all Obscurities all Contentions about the Sence of Scriptures in points of Moment arise hence Because we do not admit of it for our only Rule all Affection to mens persons state or dignity all private Quarrels laid apart If the Jesuite could prove it should either continue Obscure in points of Faith or minister matter of Contention to such as conform their lives to the Elementary Rules or easie Precepts therein contained their Arguments were to some purpose But while this they neither can nor go about to prove they shall only prove themselves ridiculous Atheists albeit we grant them all they desire about the Variety of Opinions even in places of greatest Moment among the learned For whatsoever they can object to us either concerning the Variety of Opinions amongst the learned or such Distraction as might follow thereon in the simple and illiterate will conclude as much both against that Certainty the Ancient Prophets themselves had of their own Visions and the stedfastnesse of that Belief which the faithful amongst Gods People gave unto their Predictions or Prophecies First it is evident from the Story of Ahab that lying Spirits did counterfeit Visions then as the Spirit of Errour doth now the Spirit of Truth So as the false Prophets had strange
Delusions and Appearances as well as the true their divine Illuminations whence the Contention amongst the professed Prophets themselves was as great as any now amongst the learned Interpreters of Prophecies or other Scriptures And from this Contention amongst the Prophets the unlearned or rather all in that people not Prophets were by the Romanist Objections against us were they pertinent to waver and halt between the contrariety of Illuminations and Visions professed as well by the false Prophets as the true Nor will any Jesuite I think be so bold as to deny lest every man might perceive him to deny more then possibly he could know that those lying Spirits in the mouthes of Ahabs Prophets were then as cunning in imitating true Revelations as now in counterfeiting Orthodoxal Interpretations of Truth revealed Or if this they cal in question let them resolve us why Idolatry in those Ages wherein true Prophets flourished most should be as frequent and various as Heresies in later times wherein the preaching of the Gospel is most plentiful The true Reason whereof as we suppose is this These lying Spirits were alike apt to imitate Gods several manner of speaking whether by means ordinary or extraordinary in divers Ages At all times if we compare either their native Capacity or acquired skil with our own though in matters wherein we have been most conversant if to their sagâ—…y we adde their malicious Temper and eager Desires of doing ill which alwayes adde an Edge unto Wit in mischievous Invention In all these they so far exceed the sons of seduced Adam that unlesse the Almighty did either 〈◊〉 us by his Holy Spirit or restrain them in the exercise of their skil especially in Spiritual matters wherewith the natural man hath no acquaintance who could in any Age be able to discern their Jugling much less to avoid their snares alwayes suited to the present season Notwithstanding most evident it is that in Ahabs as in all other times tainted with the like or a quivalent Sins the Almighty gives them leave to do their worst to practise with such cunning in every kind as leaves men so disposed as these false Prophets were until they amend no more possibility of distinguishing Devilish Suggestions from Divine Oracles then Ahab had without repentance to escape his doom read by Elias and Michaiah For he had not fallen unlesse his Prophets had been first seduced Their Errour therefore was by Gods just judgement as Fatal as his Fall both absolutely inevitable upon supposition of their obstinate Disobedience to the undoubted Mandates of Gods written Law Thus no one tittle of our Adversaries Objections how the learned should be sure of their interpretations when others as learned as they are as strongly perswaded to the contrary but is as directly opposite unto the Certainty of true Prophets Revelations seeing many yea most of that Profession and in the judgement of man men of better gifts and places then such as proved true Prophets were otherwise perswaded usually such as the people esteemed best strangeliest deluded 3 That from this Variety of Opinions amongst the Prophets about their Illuminations others not endued with the gift of Prophesie were in the self same case the unlearned people throughout the Christian world are in wheresoever or whensoever Dissentions arise amongst the learned admits no question but amongst wranglers For albeit the excellent Brightness of Divine Truth did necessarily imprint an infallible Evidence in their apprehension to whom it was immediately by Means extraordinary revealed yet could they not communicate this Evidence or Certainty unto the people but by preaching the Word revealed after the self same manner we do Yea sometime it was only communicated unto them by the Ministery of others no Prophets Here let any Jesuite or other Patron of the Romish Churches Cause answer me to these Demands First whether the People were not bound to believe the true Prophesies either delivered by the Prophets own mouthes or read by others or directed to them in writing to be the Word of GOD and to reject the contrary Doctrine of false Prophets as Delusions Secondly whether if the ordinary People of those times could by any Christians though private men in later may not by the same Means distinguish the Word of God being in like sort read or expounded or preached unto them from the Word of Man The Word remains stil the same the Truth of it better confirmed unto the World by the continuance of it in power and strength throughout all Ages intermediate wherein Gods Spirit by which it was first manifested to the Prophets and written in the Peoples hearts hath been more plentiful then before especially since the Revelation of the Gospel most plentiful in this present if I may so speak the second time of Grace Our Argument then stands good A fortiori If every private man amongst GODS People of Old might and ought Believe and believing Obey his Word revealed to others only read or expounded unto him rejecting all contrary or erroneous Doctrines the People of this Age must do the like and all Objections possible against the judgement of modern private Spirits conclude as much against all private persons of Ancient times For their Means of knowing the Prophets Illuminations or Visions were ordinary such as we have now liable to all exceptions that can be made against our knowledge or perswasion of the true Sense of Scripture But neither theirs nor our Imbecillity in knowing or Facility of erring was or is any just Exception why the Scripture should not be a Rule to both Albeit all the Papists Arguments might be urged with far greater probability against them who were to Believe Prophetical Writings first For more easie it is to Assent unto Particulars contained in a general Canon already established by the approbation of former Ages and confirmed by joynt consent of Parties most adverse and contrary in the interpretation of several parcels then to admit the general Canon it self for the undoubted Word of GOD or yield obedience to the Particulars therein contained Yet were the Ancient people bound to admit the Prophesie of Isaias Jeremiah as the undoubted Word of God albeit unknown to their Ancestors but only in the generality of Moses doctrine much more as we conclude may Christians now living assent unto the true expositions or particular contents of these Prophesies or other Scriptures of whose absolute Truth in general they do not doubt and of whose 〈◊〉 articulars they may now behold the sundry Opinions and Expositions of divers Ages 4 To presse the former Arguments more fully parallel'd to our present Controversie a little farther I would demand of any Jesuite whether the Word of God taught by the Prophets who were to win credit by their skil not presumed skilful for their Authority in the Church or credit in Common-weal or the definitive sentence of the High-Priests or others in eminent place were to be the Rule of Israels Faith Whether the
circumstances of the time were such as required an extraordinary Medicine which whilst we administer without mixture of like Ingredients or not upon the same Occasions we may chance to poyson both our selves and our Patients Others of us again are so much accustomed to politick Observation that we commonly make no other trial of Divine Truths then by some such forinsecal form of proceeding as is used in secular Inquisitions wherein determinations go by calculation of most Voices But unlesse the Lord did suffer us to have plausible shews and goodly inducements in the worlds sight for Believing that which is contrary unto Truth our Faith should not be sincere nor as an Armour of proof to resist all temptations seeing there is no man almost but is apt by Nature to follow a multitude to do that which publick Laws have judged evil much more to think or Believe as most men or men most esteemed do On the contrary if we look into our Calling Not many wise men after the flesh not many noble are chosen of God Such as are His ought to be like Him in this that they see not as men not as Natural men be they never so many see nor judge not as they judge 7 The stay whereupon they as in all other Difficulties so especially in this Trial of Spirits must rely is his Providence which in time wil bring the Truth to light and daily diffuseth the odour of life able were not our Senses dull or prepossessed with the fragrant Smel of earthly Pleasures to lead us to that invisible Truth which in this life we must follow not by View but by Faith Yet not by Faith if we take the Jesuites for our Guides who in this present Controversie play false Huntsmen alwayes seeking to bring us from the Prints of Gods Providence unto the Pathes and foot-steps of Men that have corrupted their wayes casting the form of secular Proceeding before our eyes so to withdraw us from following him who hath sweetned the 21 wherein we breath with the words of Eternal Life If men would be so mad as to frame their lives according to their Doctrine Hell it self could not wish a more Devilish Means to make men Christians in conceit and At heists or Infideis in heart And yet besides the Impiety of all other kinds of Heresies or Infidelities that are or have been this of theirs is the most palpably absurd and most contradictory to the Rules of Reason and Principles of Arts received by all For if the Arguments they bring against us conclude any thing at all they conclude as much against all Certainty of secular or natural Sciences 8 And because whether purposely or as meer Instruments managed by Satan to what use they know not they still labour to make civil Modesty but a mask for Infidelity rightly judging though to a wrong end ingenuous Humility and mens lowly conceipts of their own worth the fittest disposition whence utter distrust of Gods Favour towards such poor Creatures as men so minded deem themselves can be wrought and if once wrought and deeply planted in soft minds or humble hearts the only sure Foundation whence they can hope to raise their Blind Implicit Faith It shall not be amiss whilst we prosecute the second Branch of their immoderate Folly last mentioned to discover withall and partly dissolve The Snares which they have set for the Simple and Ingenuous CAP. XXV How far upon what terms or grounds we may with Modesty dissent from the Ancient or others of more excellent Gifts then our selves That our Adversaries Arguments impeach as much the Certainty of Human Sciences as of private Spirits 1 LEt it be granted that many Places of great Moment are diversely expounded by learned men what will hence follow That not the greatest Schollars in reformed Churches can be as sure of their true Sense and Meaning as the Pope Not unlesse you first can make it evident that Learning or Subtility of wit is the only Means whereby the true sense of Scriptures can be found out And this being proved you must assure us that the Pope is alwayes better learned then others otherwise he may fail as wel as they Or if you admit not Learning for the only Means of distinguishing Doctrines as indeed it is not yet must you secure the world that the Pope hath all those other good Qualifications whose want caused the learned to erre Or if you require neither one nor other of these you must prove that the best Gifts of God the peculiar Attribute of whose Glory is to be no Respecter of persons are infallibly entailed to a certain succession of men without all respect of Learning Wit or Honesty Lastly you must prove that the Holy Ghost was a Private Spirit and might erre when he said The Lord giveth Grace to the Humble Or the Law of the Lord Wisdom unto the Simple And that our Saviours words Ventus spirat ubi vult did not import as he meant that his Spirit might enlighten whom he pleased For if all these and that Deus cujus vult miseretur be true who can hinder Him or His Spirit to open the eyes of some less learned to behold clearly the true Sense and Meaning of that Scripture wherein many excellent Writers have either erred or been overseen or who can hinder God if these places be true to reveal his Will to little ones and keep it secret from the wise and mighty because it is his pleasure so to do and that for this end that men should learn to rely upon his Mercy and Providence not upon the Authority or Skill of Men. Or who can hinder his Omnipotency even in this Age to make his Power seen in our Weaknesse If this his Power be not limited now then may he stil both reveal the true Sense and Meaning of his Word in some points unto men of lesse Capacity in others and furnish them with ability too for demonstrating by Evidence of Argument and surest Grounds of Reason unto others that this sense must needs be the true sense and that all other Interpretations given of the same places by men otherwise excellent for their Learning and Skill in Scripture cannot stand with those Principles of Christian Faith which all sorts of Believers stedfastly Believe Must such a man or those to whom God reveals the Truth by his Ministry doubt of the Evidence of the Truth revealed and mistrust Gods Word because others as learned or more learned then either he that hath the Truth revealed unto him first or they that take it from him are of another mind He must verily by this Objection For a Jesuite would say Why should he not think others as likely to have the Spirit as himself Let him esteem of them as far better Scholars and men indued with as great or greater Measure of Gods Spirit then himself for so the Scripture teacheth us not to be wise in our own conceipt but to think better of others then
of our selves And again the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets 2 And yet both these Rules concern the greatest Scholars and most skilful Interpreters in some degree as well as the meanest For none is so absolutely good none so far exceeds another but in part may be exceeded by him Nor doth this Christian Modesty which the Scripture thus teacheth bind any Christian soul or ingenuous mind to such absolute servility as the Objection must inforce upon all if it prove ought For there is no ingenuous man especially of meaner gifts but will in heart and conscience acknowledge many both Ancient and modern for far more excellent Scholars then himself and yet be fully perswaded in Conscience that in sundry particulars he hath the Truth on his side which they oppugne and the true sense of Gods Spirit in some points wherein they have erred or were ignorant For neither wil an indefinite Proposition in matters whose revelation depends upon the free Wil and Liberty of Gods Spirit and are in respect of us contingent infer every particular nor will one or sew particulars in any point infer an Universal Proposition or such as we call vera ut plurimum true for the most part Now to say believe that such a man is a better Scholar and of far more excellent gifts is but indefinite not infinite for the extent of his Scholarship or gifts beyond mine Wherefore it wil not hence follow that he is a better Scholar or interpreter in this albeit he be so in many or in most other particulars much lesse will it follow that I am a better Scholar or interpreter then he because I am better seen in this one or few particulars The Consequence or Corollary of which two Assertions is again as evident I may without breach of Modesty think I have the Truth on my side in sundry particulars against him that is far better seen in Scriptures and other Sciences then my self For albeit he were much better seen in both then he is yet are his gifts measured as well as mine although God hath given him a greater measure of such gifts then me Wherefore as I would willingly yield unto him in infinite others so may I safely dissent from him in this or â—…r particulars that are contained in the small measure of Gods gifts upon me without any just censure of Arrogancy or breach of Modesty for entring the lists of Comparison with him absolutely For now we are to be compared but in this one or few Cases not according to the whole measure of Gods gifts in us which I acknowledge far greater in him and reverence him as my Superiour for them And as I acknowledge him absolutely for my better so is he in these particulars in some sort to yield Superiority unto me Christian Modesty teacheth every man not to be hasty or rash in gain-saying the Doctrine of the Ancient or other men of Worth but rather binds him to diligence in examination of the Truth to use deliberation in gain-saying the Opinions of men better learned then himself But Christianity it self binds all Christians not to believe mens Authority against their own Consciences nor to admit of their Doctrines for Rules of Faith be they never so excellent unlesse they can discern them to be the Doctrine of that great Prophet Cui DEUS non admetitur Spiritum He cannot fail in any thing and whatsoever He saith or what his SPIRIT shall witnesse to my Spirit to have proceeded from Him I am bound to Believe But for men to whom God gives his Spirit but in measure albeit in great measure because I cannot know the particulars unto which it extends I neither may absolutely refuse nor absolutely admit their doctrines for true until I see perfectly how they agree with or disagree from his Doctrine of whose Fulnesse we have all received And even the Truth of their Writings to whom he hath given his gifts in great measure I am to examin by their Consonancy unto that small measure of his undoubted gifts in my self so far as they concern my self or others committed to my charge And in the confidence of Gods Promises for the increase of Faith and Grace to all such as use them aright every Christian in sobriety of spirit may by the Principles of Faith planted by Gods singer in his heart examin the Sentences and Decrees of the wisest men on earth to approve them if he can discern them for true to confute them if false to suspend his judgement and limit the terms of his disobedience unto them if doubtful and finally to admit or reject them according to the degrees of their Probability or Improbability which he upon sober diligent and unpartial search directed and continued in reverence of Gods Word and sincere love of Truth shall find in them 3 All the Arguments which they can heap up from the Variety of Opinions amongst the learned albeit they could make a Catalogue of Confusion in this kind as long as the tower of Babel was high can only prove thus much That no man especially no man indued with the gift of interpreting may rely upon any other mans Opinions Expositions or Decrees without further examination of them but only upon the Scripture it self which never varieth from it self nor from the Truth for this cause to be admitted as the only Infallible Rule of all Divine Truths whereunto every man must conform his Belief and Perswasions For even this Variety of Opinions about the particular Sense or Meaning of this Canon of Truth amongst such as joyntly acknowledge the Infallibility of it in general is a sufficient Reason to disclaim any mans Authority for the Rule of Faith seeing Experience shews such Variety and Partiality in them and the general Foundation of Faith held by all thus dissenting binds every man to Believe that the Scripture is not subject to any of these Inconveniences This undoubted certainty of it when it is rightly understood and perceived should incourage all to seek out the right Sense and Meaning of it which once found is by all mens consent the surest foundation of Faith for by our Adversaries consent it is the Ground of the Churches Faith and where they cannot presently attain unto it to suspend their judgements and not to follow mens Authorities but onely in Particulars whose Generals are contained in Scripture lest they may lead them against the true Sense and Meaning of it And if men generally should have no other Ground but mans Authority or Believe this or that to be the Meaning of Scripture because such a man or companie of men doth tell him so besides his wronging of Gods Spirit herein he should also wrong many other men oft-times far better learned and skilfull in Scriptures more dear in the sight of God and better acquainted with his Spirit then are they on whose Authoritie he relies Every one to whom God hath given a wise heart and Power in Scripture might
Believe their Infallibilitie most infallibly it could be no Rule of Faith but might be rejected till we see it evidently proved whereas they contend it should be the Rule of Faith unto all and by their own confession a main Article of their Creed but according to their Positions as we shall hereafter prove the onely Article of Christian Faith How destitute these their Assertions are of all Grounds of Reason or Rules of Nature hath been made evident There remain onely Two Pillars possibly imaginable for supporting this pretended Infallibilitie Tradition and Scripture Against Tradition all the Arguments they can heap against the Certainty of Scriptures stand good as shall hereafter God willing be shewed That no Argument can be drawn from Scripture to their succour albeit the later Jesuites have earnestly sought to scrape a many for better then Scrapings are not the very best they bring we are now to prove 7 That our Belief of Scriptures Truth and their true Sense by what Means soever we attain thereto must be infallible Both agree The Means that must infalliblie ascertain or prove their Divine Truth and true Meaning unto us say our Adversaries is the Churches Infallibilitie which likewise must be infallibly Beleeved otherwise it could not be the Rule of Faith or Belief infallible It shall suffice here once for all to admonish the Reader That as often as we mention Belief of Scriptures or the Churches infallibility in this Dispute we mean not any kind of Belief but that only which is infallible so likewise whiles we mention the Means or Proofs of either we understand onely Means or Proofs infallible whereon Faith may immediately relie as upon a Rule most sure and certain In all these we demand nothing but what our Adversaries most willingly grant From their grant we argue thus 8 If either the Scriptures can thus ascertain or prove the Churches Infalibilitie or It the infallible Truth of Scriptures to our Souls we must of necessity either Believe the one of these before the other The Churches Infalibility before Scriptures or Scriptures before It or both together without all prioritie of Belief or praeexistent knowledge of the one whence the Belief or knowledge of the other must spring The members of the Division are in the Proposal actually two but in the Disquisition will prove three To begin with the first 9 If they say we must believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God before we 〈◊〉 believe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of their Church they overthrow their own and est ablish 〈◊〉 Postions For thus they make the Scripture a Rule of our Faith at the least In this one Article of the Catholick Churches Infallibilitie which by this Assertion we may and ought infallibly to believe because the Scriptures which we first infallibly believe do teach and prove it Hence private men should be taught by the Holy Ghost first to believe the Truth of Scriptures and for it the Churches Infallibilitie Wherefore the Scripture must be the immediate Rule of their Belief in the Article of the Churches Infallibility which to them is the generall Rule of Faith and so by consequence the Scriptures which to us are onely the Rule of Earth must be more then so to them even the Rule of their Rule of Faith But if the Scriptures may be the immediate and insallible Rule of their Belief in this one Article of the Churches Infallibility what reason possibly can be imagined why they should not be the infallible and immediate Rule of their Faith in all other parts or Articles of their Creed For I call Heaven and Earth Men and Angels to witnesse bâ—…xt ours and the Romish Church whether the Articles of Christs Incarnation his Death his Passion his Burial his Resurrection his Aseension his Intercession for us the Resurrection of the dead and Life everlasting c. be not to any mans Capacitie in the World much more plainly set down in sundry places of Scripture then the Infallibilitie of the present Romish Church in these words Peter feed my sheep Peter to thee 〈◊〉 give the â—…s of Heaven Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us or in any place her sonnes can challenge for it Wherefore if the Holy Ghost teach us this Article of the Churches Infallibilitie immediately without the Churches infallible Authoritie which as we now suppose must be proved from the Scriptures first infallibly Believed then questionlesse he may and will immediately teach us the other Articles of our Creed and whatsoever necessary to Salvation which are more plainly and perspicuously set down in Scriptures without the help or assistance of the Churches infallible Authority which it is supposed to teach by places more doubtfull 10 Or if our Adversaries will hold it no Absurdity to say that the Holy Ghost may teach us the true Sense and Meaning of the fore-mentioned places of Scripture which seem to make for the Infallibility of the Romish Church as Petre pasce oves c. immediately without the help or assistance of the Churches Infallibilitie which is here the lesson supposed to be taught and refers all other Points of Faith or matters of Doctrine unto the Churches teaching immediately they are bound in Reason to shew a Scripture for this Assertion And besides they must perforce make the same comparison betwixt the Holy Ghosts immediate teaching and the Church or Popes immediat teaching which our Saviour Christ made between the Holy Ghosts extraordinary teaching which was to ensue his Glorification and his own immediate teaching before his Passion and as soon as the Holy Ghost hath once taught us the Meaning of these places which make for the Churches Infallibilitie that may be applied unto him in respect of the Popes Supereminencie in teaching which our Saviour Christ spake of himself and his own personall Instructions in the dayes of his Humility in respect of that 〈◊〉 â—ed Comforters Illuminations to be bestowed in abundant measure upon his Apostles immediately upon his Ascention For thus by their Assertions that Holy Comforter after that Lesson once taught Tues Petrâ—… should take his leave of faithfull hearts in the same termes our Saviour there did of his Disciples I tell you the Truth it is expedient for you that I go away For if I go not away the Comforter that Infallible Teacher on whose Authority your Souls must rest will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you and again I have many things to say unto you but ye cannot hear â—oem now howâ—eit when He is come that hath the Spirit of Truth your infallible Teacher whose Tongue while he speaks ex Cathedra I must attend he will lead you unto all Truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear be shall speak he shall glorifie me for he shall receive of me and shew it unto you These words I say might be
affirm he may be an Heretick or a Son of Satan although it were true he could not propose an Heresie to be Believed yet is there no shew of Truth why he may not be so maliciously bent as he wil not vouchsafe actually to determin that for Heresie in others which in his judgement as he is a Doctor or private man is very orthodoxal thus doing he should go against his own Conscience to give Sentence Gods Spirit as they say wil guide his Tongue when or whilest he speaks ex cathedra But an evil Spirit may so work upon his Affections that he shal not come in good time so to speak especially against that Opinion which in his private Conscience he holds for true This I think none of them can deny 4 Now whilest these doubts stand unsatisfied and ye without further assurance of his Infallibility in deciding Controversies then only this Hypothetical or conditional if he speaks ex cathedra all the comfort which the Christian World perplexed with the variety of Opinions and diversities of Sects can reap from these fair promises of the Jesuites concerning their Church or Popes infallible Authority is but as if a man should say unto a Husbandman doubtful upon the uncertaintie of Weather when to sow or reap tush be of good cheer you shall certainly know what season is good what not for Seed-time and Harvest when the man in the Moon sets forth an Almanack Veritas hypotheticae propositionis saith old Javel nihil ponit in crumena Many die with fewer pounds in their purses then Arguments in their heads sufficient to prove the Truth of this conditional Proposition If I had five thousand pounds I should be a wealthy man In like manner if this be all the assurance their infallible Rule can afford us That a general Councel if lawfully assembled or the Pope if he speak ex cathedra cannot possibly erre The most pestiferous and noisome Heresies that now infect the Church may perhaps be quelled some hundred years after all now alive be dead When the Pope wil call a Councel or consult his Chair GOD knows what manner of Resolutions were to be expected if either should happen we may conjecture by their wonted Practise which is thus 5 After a Councel is called the Major part being made to serve their Makers turn for of Bishops the most must be the Popes new creatures the rest must subscribe to their Decrees usually set forth in the weather Wizards language and their sceptick School-men appointed to riddle out some good meaning that may save their Prelates Credit In the mean time the Pope and his Cardinals may follow their pleasures take their ease and with it the dreaming Captains Motto Tot urbes capio dormiens ac vigilans We take up as many Controversies we edifie the Church as much sleeping as waking If no tolerable interpretation of their doubtful Decisions can be found yet a good sense must be Believed and private Spirits may not peremptorily avouch that the Councel meant this or that but only it meant the best and this we take to be the best and therefore we think it meant thus but with humble submission to their infallible Authority All this while the Sectaries so they term us must be set to prove Negatives as that there can be no true Meaning in those speeches which may have twenty But if out of their School-mens Wranglings who can better seek out then follow the truth found any interpretation or manner of Tenet can be found which may yield advantage to them or prejudice to their Adversaries about some hundred years after perhaps when they have light on a Pope and Cardinals whose wits and they once in their life-times meet a Decision may be had upon this Opportunity of seeming advantage And yet the Catholick Church during this hundred or perhaps two hundred years of her silence must be supposed to have held perpetually the self-same Tenet which this private man hath bolted out of late albeit neither he nor any particular member thereof did know as much yea though five heads of the Church and as many principal members five successions of Popes Cardinals and Bishops have died in the mean time no one of which in all their lives did trouble their thoughts with any such matter and whilest both their Schoolmens private speculations and their publick Practise have witnessed the contrary Was the Doctrine of Justification and Merits held by any of their Doctors heretofore as the later Jesuites have refined them Did any of their Popes and Councels determin of their manner of Worshipping Images as Vasquez hath of late And yet I think if the Pope should be driven to a Decision of this Question he would define as Vasquez hath done so extraordinary is the Approbation of his Apologie for Imagery as if It likewise were worthy of Adoration And if this Pope should so determin it you must think that all his Predecessours were of the same Opinion if they had been asked cundem sensum tenuit semper mater Ecclesia 6 But what is most strange That Church may for five six or twelve hundred years and more use a Translation justly suspicious as for many other Reasons so for this That of the divers Authors thereof some we know not others we know too wel and yet when a Councel after so long time shal meet every mans work found very authentick Some learned Papists have been perswaded that their vulgar Translators were docti à Deo omnes all assisted by the Holy Ghost in their Translations But Bellarmin thinks this Opinion too charitable for so they must grant that Theodotion the Heretick the undoubted Author of some parts of that Edition was infallibly assisted by the Holy Ghost If he were not how is that part of their Vulgar which they have from him authentick and true Though erre he might as being a private man or rather a publick Heretick Dicimus tamen eum non errasse in ea translatione quam approbavit Ecclesia yet we say saith Bellarmin but I hope no wise man wil so think that he did not erre in that Translation which the Church hath approved I see then it is all one whether the Holy Ghost do assist the Translatour whilest he is about his work or the Pope his Translation after it be finished and He dead nor doth it skil how he were Qualified whilest he lived either for Integrity Wit or Learning the Cause is all one as in the Pope himself who may as freely bestow this particular gift of not erring in Translations upon whom he please without all respect of good Qualities as Saint Peter did that transcendent donative of absolute Infallibility upon him and his Successors Saint Jeroms Translation had laudable Testimonies of Antiquity yet not generally received in his time onely prejudiced by the Newnesse of it and Antiquity of the Italick But whose is the Vulgar or how first came it in request It is saith Bellarmine
The â—esuits unwillingnesse to acknowledge the Churches proposal for the True Cause of his faith Of differences and agreements about the final Resolution of faith either amongst the adversaries themselves or betwixt us and them 464 27 That the Churches proposal is the true immediate and prime cause of all absolute Belief my Romanist can have concerning any determinate divine revelation 468 28 Discovering either the grosse ignorance or notorious craft of the Iesuite in denying his faith is finally resolved into the Churches veracitie or infallibility that possibly it cannot be resolved into any branch of the First Truth 471 29 What manner of causal dependance Romish belief hath on the Church that the Romanist truely and properly believes the Church onely not God or his Word 478 30 Declaring how the first main ground of Romish faith leads directly unto Atheisâ— the second unto preposterous Heathenism or Idolatry 484 31 Proving the last assertion or generally the imputations laid upon the Papacie by that authority the â—esuites expreslie give unto the Pope in matters of particular Fact as in the Canonizing of Saints 495 32 What danger by this blasphemous doctrine may accrew to Christian States that of all heresies blasphemies or idolatries which have been since the world began or can be imagined 〈◊〉 Christ come to judgement this Apostasie of the Iesuites is the most abominable and conâ—…ous against the blessed Trinity 499 BLASPHEMOUS POSITIONS OF JESUITES And other Later ROMANISTS Concerning the Authority of their CHURCH The Third Book of Comments upon the CREED SECT I. Containing the Assertions of the Romish Church whence her threefold Blasphemy springs HAving in the former dispute clearly acquitted as well Gods Word for breeding as our Church from nursing Contentions Schisms and Heresies we may in this by course of common equity more freely accuse their injurious calumniators And because our purpose is not to charge them with forgery of any particular though grossest Heresies or Blasphemies though most hideous but for erecting an Intire Frame capacious of all Villanies imaginable far surpassing the Hugest Mathematical Form human fancy could have conceived of such matters but only from inspection of this real and material patern which by degrees insensible hath grown up with the Mysterie of Iniquity as the Bark doth with the Tree Such inconsiderate passionate speeches as heat of contention in personal quarrels hath extracted from some one or few of their private Writers shall not be produced to give evidence against the Church their Mother whose trial shall be as far as may be by her Peers either by her own publick determinations in this controversie or joynt consent of her authorized best approved Advocates in opening the Title or unfolding the contents of that Prerogative which they challenge for her 2 Our accusations are grounded upon their Positions before set down when we explicated the differences betwixt us The Position in brief is This That the infallible authority of the present Church is the most sure most safe undoubted rule in all doubts or controversies of faith or in all points concerning the Oracles of God by which we may certainly know both without which we cannot possibly know either which are the Oracles of God which not or what is the true sense and meaning of such as are received for his Oracles whether written or unwritten 3 The extent of divine Oracles or number of Canonical books hath been as our Adversaries pretend very questionable amongst the Ancient though such of the Fathers as for their skil in antiquity were in all unpartial judgments most competent Judges in this cause were altogether for us against the Romanists and such as were for their opinion were but for it upon an errour as thinking the Jews had acknowledged all those books of the old Testament for Canonical Scripture which the Churches wherein they lived received for such or that the Christian Church did acknowledg all for Canonical which they allowed to be publickly read Safe it was our adversaries cannot deny for the Ancient to dissent one from another in this question or to suspend their assent till new probabilities might sway them one way or other No reasons have been produced since sufficient to move any ingenious mind unto more peremptory resolutions yet doth the Councel of Trent bind all to an absolute acknowledgement of those Books for Canonical which by their own confession were rejected by S. Hierom and other Fathers If any shall not receive the whole Books with all their parts usually read in the Church and as they are extant in the old vulgar for sacred and Canonical Let him be accursed So are all by the same decree that wil not acknowledg such unwritten traditions as the Romish Church pretends to have come from Christ and his Apostles for divine and of authority equal with the written word 4 So generally is this opinion received so fully believed in that Church That many of her Sons even whilest they write against us forgetting with whom they have to deal take it as granted That the Scriptures cannot be known to be Gods word but by the Infallible authority of the present Church And from this supposition as from a truth sufficiently known though never proved they labour in the next place to infer That without submission of our faith to the Churches publick spirit we cannot infallibly distinguish the orthodoxal or divine sense of Gods Oracles whether written or unwritten from heretical or human 5 Should we admit written Traditions and the Church withal as absolute Judge to determin which are Apostolical which not little would it boot us to question with them about their meaning For when the point should come to trial we might be sure to have the very words framed to whatsoever sense should be most favourable for justifying Romish practises And even of Gods written Oracles whose words or characters as he in his wisdom hath provided cannot now be altered by an Index Expurgatorius at their pleasure That such a sense as shall be most serviceable for their Turn may as time shall minister occasion be more commodiously gathered the Trent Fathers immediately after the former decree for establishing unwritten Traditions and amplifying the extent of divine written Oracles have in great wisdom authorized the old and vulgar translation of the whole Canon Which though it were not purposely framed to maintain Popery as some of our writers say they have as frivolously as maliciously objected yet certainly as well the escapes and errors of those unskilful or ill-furnished interpreters as the negligence of transcribers or other defects incident to that work from the simplicitie of most ancient the injuries or calamities of insuing times were amongst others as the first heads or petty springs of that raging sloud of impiety which had well nigh drowned the whole Christian world in perdition by continually receiving into its chanel once thus wrought the dregs and filth of every other error under heaven
greatnesse of authority is alwayes measured by the manner of obedience due unto it The Minor is as evident from the former reason Our obedience is more absolute and strict unto that authority from which in no case we may appeal then unto that from which we may in many safely appeal but by the Romish Churches doctrine there lies alwayes an appeal from that sence and meaning of Scriptures which Gods spirit and our own conscience gives us unto the Churches authority none from the Churches authority or meaning unto the Scriptures or our own consciences 7 Our Saviour Christ bids us search the Scriptures S. Paul try all retain that which is good S. John try the Spirits whether they be of God or no Suppose a Minister of our Church should charge a Romanist upon his allegiance to our Saviour Christ and that obedience which he owes unto Gods Word to search Scriptures trie Spirits and examin Doctrines for the râ—tifying of his faith he wil not acknowledge this to be a Commandment of Scripture or at least not to be understood in such a sence as may bind him to this practise What follows if our Clergie charge him to admit it he appeals unto the Church And as in Schools simus and nasus simus is all one so in their language is the Church and the Church of Rome This Church tels him he may not take upon him to trie of what spirit the Pope is nor examin his determinations decisions or interpretations of any Scripture by other known places of Scripture or the analogie of faith acknowledged by all Unto this decree or sentence of the Church although he have it but at the second hand or after it have passed through as many Priests and Jesuites mouthes as are Post Towns from London to Edenburgh he yields absolute obedience without acknowledgement of farther appeal either unto Scriptures or other authority whatsoever further manifestation of Gods wil he expects none Let all the reformed Churches in the World or all the Christian World besides exhort threaten or adjure him as he tenders the good of his own soul as he wil answer his Redeemer in that dreadful day of final Judgement to examin the Church or Popes decrees by Gods written Laws his answer is he may not he cannot do it without open disobedience to the Church which to disobey is damnation of soul and body But O fools and slow of heart to believe and obey from the heart that doctrine whereunto ye were delivered Know ye not that to whomsoever ye give your selves as servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether it be the man of sin unto death or obedience unto righteousnesse Of all Mankind are onely Roman Catholicks not bought with a price that they may thus alienate their souls from Christ and become servants of men that they may consecrate themselves by solemn vow to the perpetual slavery of most wicked and sinful men even monsters of Mankind CAP. V. That in obeying the Romish Churches decrees we do not obey Gods Word as well as Them but Them alone in contempt of Gods principal Laws 1 BUt the simple I know are born in hand by the more subtile sort of this generation That thus obeying sinful men they obey Christ who hath injoyned them this obedience unto such That thus believing that sence of Scripture which the Church their mother tenders unto them they do not believe her better then Scriptures because these two Beliefs are not opposite but subordinate that they prefer not her decrees before Christs written Laws but her interpretation of them before all private Expositions This is the only City of refuge left them wherein prosecuted by the former arguments they can hope for any succour but most of whose gates already have been all shortly shall be shut upon them 2 That they neither believe nor obey Gods Word whilest they absolutely believe and obey the Church without appeal is evident in that this Church usually binds men not unto Positive points of Religion gathered so much as from any pretended sence of Scripture expounded by it but to believe bare Negatives as that this or that place of Scripture either brought by their adversaries or conceived by such amongst themselves as desire the knowledge of truth and right information of conscience have no such meaning as the Spirit of God not flesh and bloud as far as they can judge of their own thoughts hath revealed unto them 3 But the Spirit may deceive private men or at least they may deceive themselves in their trial of Spirits They may indeed and so may men in publick place more grievously erre in peremptory judging private men because obnoxious to errour in the general erroneous in this particular wherein they ground their opinions upon Gods Word plentiful to evince it at least very probable reasons they bring many and strong whereunto no reasonable answer is brought by their adversaries whose usual course is to presse them only with the Churches authority which appears to be of far greater weight then Gods word unto all such as yield obedience to her negative decrees without any evidence or probability either of Scripture or natural reason to set against that sence and meaning of Gods Laws whereunto strength of arguments unrefuted and probable pledges of Gods Spirit undisproved have long tied their souls Do we obey God or believe his word whilst we yield obedience to the Church in such Commandments as to our consciences upon unpartial examination seem condemned ere made by the very fundamental Laws of Religion and all this oft-times without any shew or pretence of Scripture to warrant us that we do not disobey God in obeying them 4 But doth the Romish exact absolute obedience in such points as if it were possible they could be false may endanger the very foundation of true Religion without evident demonstration that their daily practise neither doth nor can endanger it Yes For what can more concern the main foundation which Christians Jews and Mahumetans most firmly hold then those precepts in number many all plainly and peremptorily forbidding us to worship any Gods but One or any thing in the Heaven or Earth but Him only The Romanists themselves grant that cultu latriae God alone is to beadored that so to adore any other is Idolatry and Idolatry by their confession a most grievous sin O how much better were it for them to hold it none or Gods Word forbidding it of no authority then so lightly to adventure the hourly practise of it in contempt of such fearful threatnings as they themselves out of Gods Laws pronounce against it upon such broken distoynted surmises as are the best they can pretend for their warrant 5 To believe Christs flesh and bloud should be there present where it canot be seen or felt yea where we see and feel another body as perfectly as we can do ought is to reason without warrant of Scripture but a
either Antichristian blindnesse not to see or impudency of no meaner stock not to acknowledg that the Pope by this mean might appropriate unto himself the honour due unto God play upon his Creator in such sort as if a corrupt Lawyer having evidences committed to his trust should by vertue of them take up rents and let leases to the Land-lords dammage and Tenants overthrow And what is most villanous unto whatsoever prerogatives though most prejudicial to the divine majesty his Parasitical Canonists shal blasphemously entitle this most holy Father The Son of God and his faithfullest servants Apostles or Prophets must be brought forth to abet the forgery as if evidence given in Court by infamous Knights of the Post should in the final day of hearing be produced under the hands and seals of free Barons or other chief Peers of the Land for as was intimated before whatsoever the Pope though in his own cause shall say it must by this doctrine be supposed that Christ doth say the same Yea if it should please his Holiness to avoach ex Cathedra that these words Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melechisedech are truly and literally meant of himself as Christs Viâ—ar or of perpetual succession in Peters Chair the evidence must be taken as upon the Almighties oath who in that place hath sworn as much as these words import but what that is the Pope must judge That then he permits Christ the title of his soveraign Lord and urges others to subscribe unto his laws as most divine is just as if some Polititian should solicit the whole body of a kingdom solemnly to acknowledge one othewise lawful heir unto the Crown for their Monarch most omnipotent and absolute whose wil once signified must be a law for ever inviolable to all his subjects not with intent that he should in person retain such perpetual soveraignty over them but that he might have absolute power to dispose of his kingdom as he pleased unto the worlds end or to nominate others as absolute in his place whilest he spent his dayes as a sojourner in a forrain land Finally not the most treacherous and detestable plot the most wicked Pope that hath been is or shall be could desire to effect but may by this device be countenanced with as great and sacred authority as were the best actions our Saviour ever undertook which as may better appear from what shall be said in the next Section is to make every Popes authority as much greater then our Saviours as their lives and actions are worse then his was 3 Suppose some Devil should possesse the Popes place in similitude of a man as some Papists think the great Antichrist who shall challenge as great authority as the Pope doth shall be a Devil incarnate or the son of a Devil might he not hold his dignity by the same plea the Jesuites make for their Lord and Master Could he not be content to pretend Christs name or succession from S. Peter as Simon Magus might he have obtained what he desired would have done for his own advantage could he not urge the authority of Gods word to confirm his own over it and all that is called Gods If in such a case it might not be permitted men to examin his allegations out of Scriptures how could the devil himself be convinced by Scriptures or deposed from his supremacy thence pretended And can we doubt whether he which makes no other plea then the Devil were he in place might is not that Filius Diaboli The great Antichrist Were we not taught that the sons of this world are wise only in their own generation we might justly wonder that any men indued with natural wit could be so blind as at the first sight not to descrie the politick Sophisins used by the Romanist to cozen Christ of his kingdom As their whole Religion is but the image of the old Roman policy so their main plot of Templum Domini Templum Domini the Church the Church as if all were rebels against Christ that wil not swear absolute fealty to the Church Romish may be most fully paralleled by the like practise of such cunning States-men as having alwayes one eye to the advancement of their own private fortunes live under an absolute Monarch of himself royally minded but not much intermedling in the affairs of greatest moment Opportunity of high place under a king upon what occasion soever thus sequestred that poor mens complaints cannot possesse his ears tempts politicians to effect their own purposes under pretence of his right and to condemn all of treason or disroyalty that will not obey their designs directed in their Soveraigns name though most abhorrent from the disposition of his Royal heart were he acquainted with such lamentable grievances of his poor Subjects as are the usual consequents of Princes gracious Favours upon great Ones The more absolute such a Princes lawful authority the greater is native subjects love unto him is the more may both be abused by such unthankful officers As it is the Soveraign conceit all men have of Christs kingdom which keeps the silly in such servility unto the Pope his pretended agent 4 This is the only difference in these two cases otherwise most like An earthly Prince may live and die deluded of his Machiavillian States men over whom he hath no power after he himself is once subject But Christ lives and reigns a King for ever and though his throne be in the highest heavens beholds the things done on earth He sees and yet suffereth his pretended officers to detain such as love darknesse more then light in grossest ignorance and blind subjection to the Prince of darkenesse and his associates he sees and yet suffers them detain all such as delight in lies more then in truth from acquaintance with his Holy spirit He sees and yet suffers their foulest villanies to be countenanced by his sacred laws he sees and yet suffers his holy name to be abused to the establishing of Antichristian Heresies he sees and yet suffers his glory made a stale for maintenance of their secular pomp He is the keeper of Israel and cannot so slumber as any abuse should escape his notice his indignation shall not sleep for ever but in due time he wil rouse himself as a Lion awaked to take vengeance upon all the workers of iniquity on them above others who have thus usurped his throne on earth taking that judgement during the time of his supposed absence wholly into their hands which beloâ—…nly unto him Even so come Lord Jesu Holy and True and with the breath of thy mouth destroy him that hath destroyed truth and sincerity from amongst the Sons of men SECT III. Containing the second degree of great Antichrists Exaltation in making his authority more absolutely infallible then any the visible or representative Church of the Jews Moses or the Prophets ever had Finally in making it greater then Christs or
to the right hand or to the left Was he to take all this pains only that he might learn to execute the Priests indefinite sentence This any heathen might have done But the Kings of Israel albeit they were not to meddle in the execution of the Priests office were not withstanding to be so well skilled in Scriptures as to be able to judge whether the Priest did according to that Law which God had set him to follow and to controle his definitive sentence if it were evidently contrary to Gods word which both were absolutely bound to obey 5 It may perhaps here be objected that the King had no such assurance of infallibility in judgement as the Priest had and therefore it was requisite he should rely upon the Priests definitive sentence What construction then can any Jesuite make of these words A divine sentence shall be in the lips of the King his mouth shall not transgress he saith not in execution of judgement given by the Priests but in judgement given by himself seeing it is an abomination to Kings to commit wickednesse for the throne is established by justice And again ‖ Righteous lips such as the Priests should and might have been but usually were not are the delight of Kings and the King loveth him that speaketh right things This place if we respect either the abstract form of precept or plenitude of Gods promise for abiliment to perform it is more plain and peremptory for the Kings then any can be brought for the High Priests infallibility in giving definitive sentence yet doth it not necessarily infer Kings shall not but rather shews that they should not or that they might not at any time erre in judgment so they would stedfastly follow those rules which God hath prescribed them For when God saith A divine sentence shall be in the lips of Kings this speech doth no more argue a perpetual certainty in giving righteous sentence then if he had said A corrupt or erroneous sentence shall not be in the lips of the King or his mouth shall not transgresse in judgement For as that which God saith shall not be done oft-times is done so may that which God saith shall be done be oft-times left undone Who is he then would make this collection God saith Thou shalt not steal that is no man shall steal ergo there can be no thieves no theft committed yet is our adversaries collection as foolish The Priests lips shall preserve knowledge Ergo they cannot erre in giving definitive sentence as again The spirit shall lead you into all truth they shall be all taught of God therefore the Church shall be infallibly taught by the spirit and shall as infallibly teach others live they as they list 6 These places shew what should be done and what God for his part will infallibly perform so men would be obedient to his word but neither do these or any of like nature include any infallibility of not erring without performance of due obedience in practise of life nor do they necessarily conclude that men alwayes shall perform such obedience The most which they infer is this that Governours by duty are bound to perform that performing such obedience in practise of life they might be freer from errour in their doctrine or difinitive sentence And it was abstinence and integrity of life that was to preserve sincerity of judgement in Princes as well as Priests lips for which reason Princes had their precepts of temperance answerable to those rules prescribed for the Priests So Solomon teacheth kings Give not thy strength unto a woman nor thy wayes this is to destroy Kings it is not for Kings O Lemuel it is not for Kings to drink wine nor for â—rinces strong drink lest he drink and forget the decree and change the judgement of all the children of affliction This place evidently shews that if their Princes were of riotous or intemperate lives they had no promise that they should not pervert the judgement of the children of affliction The conclusion hence arising is all the places that can be brought either for the King or Priests authority rather shew what manner of men they should be both in life and judgement then â—…ure them of any infallibility of judgement if they be dissolute in life This was a point never dreamt of by any before the Popes notoriously infamous lives did discredit the Titles of sanctity and infallibility which from a concert of their predecessors integrity they have usurped and inforced their parasites to frame a distinction of sanctity in doctrine separated from sanctity in life 7 It is questionable where both Priests and Princes of Judah had not an extraordinary priviledge above all other nations both for being infallible in their definitive sentences whilest they lived according to the laws which God had given them and also for their more then ordinary possibility of living according to such laws Gods blessings as is most probable in both thâ—se respects were extraordinary unto their Princes and Priests yet not so mâ—nitely extraordinary that either of them might without presumptuous blasphemy hope for ordinary integrity such as the more civil sort of heathens had much lesse for any absolute infallibility if they were extraordinarily wicked in their lives or unfaithful in their other dealings Even the peoples wickednesse did impair the force and vertue of these extraordinary blesings promised to their Kings and Priests God gave them Priests as well as Princes in his anger such as should be pliable to their humor not such as should infallibly direct them against the suggestions of the world and flesh for their spiritual good So that these gracious promises both for their spiritual and temporal governours sincerity in judgement did depend in part upon the condition of this peoples life 8 The usual Proverb was most true though the words thus inverted Like people Like Priests Thus did the wise Son of Sirach interpret Gods promises both to Priest and Princes †Because Phineas ofâ—leazar â—leazar had zeal in the fear of the Lord and stood up with good courage of heart when the people were turned back and made reconciliation for Israel therefore was there â—…venant of peace made with him that he should be the chief of the Sanctuary and of his people and that he and his posterity should have the dignity of the Priesthood for ever And according unto the covenant made with David that the inheritance of the kingdom should remain to his son of the Tribe of Judah so the heritage of Aaron should be to the only son of his son and to his seed God give us wisdom in our heart to judge his people in righteousness that the good things that they have be not abolished and that their glory may endure for their posterity 9 From what we have said it is most evident that the precepts injoyning obedience unto civil Magistrates are as large and ample as any can be found for obedience unto spiritual
as shall be declared in due place The place he means is where he disputes whether the Pope be bound to consult other authority besides his own or use any means to search the truth before he passe sentence ex cathâ—dra that is before he charge the whole Christian World to believe his decision This he thinks expedient but so far forth onely as if it please his Holinesse to enjoyn the belief of some particular point upon the whole World all must believe that he hath consulted Scripture and Antiquity as far as was requisit for that point as you shall after hear 2 That in such Controversies he includes The means of knowing Scriptures to be the Word of God is evident out of his own words in the fore-cited place For the knowledge of Scriptures he would have to be an especial point of faith yet such as cannot be proved by Scripture but by this living and speaking authority as he expressely contends in the eleventh paragraph of the same question His conclusion is If it be necessary there should be some authority though humane yet by divine assistance infallible to sit as Mistresse and Judge in all controversies of faith and not to be appropriated to any deceased as is already proved it remains that it be alwayes living in the Church alwayes present amongst the faithfull by succession he means of Popes Thus you see the present Pope must be Judge and Christ and his Apostles must be brought in as witnesses And yet whether there were such a Christ as Saint Matthew Mark Luke and John tell us there was or whether the Gospels which go under their names be Apocryphal and that of Bartholomews onely Canonical we cannot know but by the Popes testimony so that in the end he is the onely Judge and onely witnesse both of Christ the Apostles and their writings yea of all divine truths at least assisted with his Bishops and Cardinals Which Bellarmine though otherwise a great deal more wary then Valentian hath plainly uttered Unlesse saith he it were for the authority of the present Church of Rome he means the Trent Councel the whole Christian faith might be called in question so might all the Acts and Decrees of former Councels his reason was because we cannot know these Antiquities but onely by Tradition and historical relation which are not able to produce divine firme infallible faith 3 Thus whilest this great Clerk would dig a pit for the blind for he could not hope I think this block should stumble any that hath eyes in his head he is fallen into the middest of it himself by seeking to undermine us he hath smothered himself and buried the cause he was to maintain For if without the Trent Councels testification we cannot by divine faith believe the Scriptures or former Councels to be of Divine authority How can such as were born within these thirty yeers believe that Councel it seâ—t which ended above fourty years ago Few this day living were Auditors of the Cardinals and Bishops decisions there assembled not hearing them their saith must needs be grounded upon hear-sayes Again if it be true the Scriptures cannot be known to be divine but by the Authority of the present viâ—ible Church If this Church do not viva voâ—â— confirme all Christians in this fundamental truth their faith cannot be divine but hu mane What the Pope or his Cardinals think of these points is more then any living knows unlesâ—e they hear them speak and then it may be a great question whether they speak as they think Pope Alexander the sixths decisions should have been negative like the fools bolt in the Psalm Tâ—erâ— is no God No Christ No Gospel for so his meaning might have been interpreted as they say dreams are by contraries seeing he never spake as he thought Lastly if the Trent Councel were so necessary for the confirmation of Scriptures and other Orthodoxal writings how detestable was your Clergies backwardnesse to affoord the Christian World this spiritual comfort For whether fear it were the Popes Authority should be curbed on meer sloth and neglect of matters divine that did detain them their shifts to put the Emperour off the Reader may sufficiently conjecture from Sepul veda at that time Chronicler to the Emperour in his Epistle to Cardinal Contâ—râ—â— one of the Popes Legates in that Councel That my intermissâ—â—n of writing and silence in that question concerning the Correction of the â—ear hath 〈◊〉 so long I wish the fault had laid in my slouth or forgetfulneâ—â— that I might have been hence ocâ—asioned to acknowledge and depreccate the blanâ—â— rather then as noâ— I freely must impute the true cause to the negligence of your Romanâ— Priests whom I perceive to wax cold and to think of nothing lesse then of calling the Councel with hopâ— whereof as heretâ—fore I was excited so now â—â—spair hath made me dull For I see well that such as are most bound to have a â—â—gilant care oâ— the Churches publick welfare and not to foreslow any opportunity of increasing her dignity never so much as mention the Councel at this time as necâ—ssary as alwayes usefull but when Christians either are alâ—caay or are likâ—… be at viriance In one word never but then when there is sure hope it may bâ—… hindeâ—ed by their discord For when peace gets it turn and all is quiet not 〈◊〉 word of the Councel So as what they aime at by these unseasonable 〈◊〉 is so manifest as will not suffer the slon est capacity to live in doubt or sâ—â—pition 4 This great Learned Antiquaries Learned advice in â—…â—ile sent to the same Cardinall then imployed by the â—… cel was not to suffer matters Decreed in any former â—… assembled together to be disputed or called in question Sufferance hereof was in his judgement no lesle prejudicial to the State Ecclesiastick then unto the temporal it would be to permit malefactors traverse the equity of publick Lawes established and known after sufficient proof or confession made of Capital offences committed against them The marginal quotations of the Trent Councel compared with this grave admonition which had antiquitie-customes Canonical as the Authour urgeth to give it Countenance may serve as a perfect Index for our instruction with what prejudice the Bishops there assembled came to determine by whose manuduction or set rules they drew their supposed inerrable lines of life Now it is impossible any determination that takes it force from multitude of voyces should be either in it self more certain or more forcible to perswade others then are the motives or inducements that swayed the suffragants so to determine and these in this case could by Bellarmines reason be but historical perswasions or presumptions For no Jesuite I think will say these Bishops had the Popes sentence ex Cathedra to assure them before-hand what Councels had been lawfully called and fully confirmed or whether all the ancient Canons they afterwards reestablished were already as authentick and
Without the help or ministerie of man We maintain as wel as they God is not a father to such as will not acknowledge the Church for their Mother Notwithstanding thus we conceive and speak of the Church indefinitely taken not consined to any determinate place not appropriated to any individual or singularized persons Now to verifie an indefinite speech or proposition the truth of any one particular sufficeth As he that should say Socrates by man was taught his learning doth not mean the specifical nature or whole Mankind but that Socrates as others had one man or other at the first to instruct him The same Dialect we use when we say Every one that truly cals God father receives instructions from the Church his Mother that is from some in the Church lawfully ordained for planting faith unto whom such Filial Obedience as elsewhere we have spoken of is due The difference likewise between the Romanists and us hath partly been discussed before In brief it is thus We hold this Ministery of the Church is a necessary condition or mean precedent for bringing us to the Infallible Truth or true sense of Gods word yet no infallible Rule whereon finally or absolutely we must rely either for discerning divine Revelations or their true meaning But as those resentâ—â—ances of colours which we term Species visibiles are not seen themselves though necessary for the sight of real colours so this Minisiery of the Church alâ—… in it self not infallible is yet necessarily required for our right apprehension 〈◊〉 the Divine Truth which in it self alone is most infallible yea as infallible to us as it was ‖ to the Apostles or Prophets after it be rightly apprehended The difference is in the manner of apprehending or conceiving it They conceived it immediately without the Ministery or instruction of man so cannot we This difference elsewhere I have thus resembled As trees and plants now growing up by the ordinary husbandry of man from seeds precedent are of the same kind and quality with such as vvere immediately created by the hand of God so is the immediate ground of ours the Prophets and Apostles Faith the same Albeit theirs was immediately planted by the finger of God ours propagated from their seed Sown and cherished by the daily industry of faithful Ministers 3 Neither in the substance of this assertion nor manner of the explication do we much differ if ought from Canus in his second book where he taxeth Scotus Durand and others for affirming the last resolution of our faith was to be made into the veracity or infallibility of the Church The Apostles and Prophets saith he resolved their faith into truth and authority divine Therefore we must not resolve our faith into the humane authority of the Church For the faith is the same and must have the same Formal Reason For better confirmation of which assertion he adds this reason Things incident to the object of any habit by accident do not alter the formal reason of the object Now that the Articles of faith should be proposed by these or these men is meerly accidental wherefore seeing the Apostles and Prophets did assent unto the Articles of faith because God revealed them the reason of our assent must be the same Lastly he concludes that the Churches authority miracles or the like are only such precedent conditions or means for begetting faith as sensitive knowledge exhortations or advise of Masters are for bringing us to certain knowledge in demonstrative faculties Had either this great Divine spoken consequently to this doctrine in his 5th Book or would the Jesuites avouch no more then here he doth vve should be glad to give them the right hand of fellowship in this point But they go all a wrong way unto the truth or would to God any way to the truth or not directly to overthrow it Catharinus though in a manner ours in that question about the certainty of salvation saith more perhaps then they meant whom Canus late taxed Avouching as Bellarmin cites his opinion that divine faith could not be certain and infallible unlesse it were of an object approved by the Church Whence would follow what Bellarmin there infers that the Apostles and Prophets should not have been certain of their Revelations immediately sent from God until the Church had approved them which is a doctrine wel deserving a sharper censure then Bellarmin bestows on Cathirinus Albeit to speak the truth Bellarmin was no fit man to censure though the other most worthy to be severely censured Catharinus might have replied that the Prophets and Apostles at least our Saviour in whom Bellarmin instanceth vvere the true Church as wel as they make the Pope Nor can Valentia's with other late â—esuites opinions by any pretence or thew hardly Bellarmins own be cleared from the same inconveniences he objects to Catharinus as will appear upon better examination to be made hereafter CAP. XXVII That the Churches Proposal is the true immediate and prime cause of all obsolute belief any Romanist can have concerning any determinate divine Revelation 1 WHereas Valentian and as he sayes Caietan deny the Churches infallible proposal to be the cause why we believe divine Revelations This speech of his is Equivocal and in the equivocation of it I think Valentian sought to hide the truth The ambiguity or Fallacy is the same which was disclosed in Bellarmins reply unto us objecting that Pontificians make the Churches authority greater then Scriptures In this place as in that the word of God or divine revelations may be taken either indefinitely for whatsoever God shall be supposed to speak or for those particular Scriptures or Revela tions which we suppose he hath already revealed and spoken Or Valentian may speak of the object of our belief not of belief it self If we take his meaning in the former sense what he faith is most true For the Churches infallibility is no cause why we believe that to be true vvhich vve suppose God hath revealed nor did vve ever charge them with this assertion This is an Axiom of nature presupposed in all Religions yet of which none ever knew to make so great secular use as the Romish Church doth But if we speak of that Canon of Scripture which vve have or any things contained in it all which vve and our adversaries joyntly suppose to have come from God the only cause vvhy vve do or can rightly believe them is by Jesuitical doctrine the Churches infallibility that commends them unto us 2 If that Church which Valentian holds so infallible should have said unto him totidem verbis you must believe the books of Maccabees are canonical even for this reason that your holy Catholick Mother tels you so he durst not but have believed as wel the reason as the matter proposed To wit That these Books were Canonical because the Church had enjoyned him so to think albeit his private conscience left to Gods grace and
on Him Accidents have a kind of existence peculiar to themselves yet cannot so properly be said to exist as their subjects on whom they have such double dependance Nor can the Moon so truely say my beauty is my own as may the Sun which lends light and splendor to this his sister as it were upon condition she never use it but in his sight For the same reason That for which we believe another thing is alwaies more truely more really and more properly believed then that which is believed for it if the one belief necessarily depend upon the other Tam in facto esse quam in sieri from the first beginning to the latter end For of beliefs thus mutually affected the one is real and radical the other nominal or at the most by participation only real This consequence is unsound Intellective knowledge depends on sensitive therfore sensitive is of these two the surer The reason is because intellective knowledge depends on sensitive onely in the acquisition not after it is acquired But this inference is most undoubted We believe the conclusion for the premisses therefore we believe the premisses the better because belief of the conclusion absolutely depends upon the premisses during the whole continuance of it This is the great Philosophers Rule and a branch of the former Axiom And some justly question whether in Scholastick proprietie of speech we can truely say there is a belief of the conclusion distinct from the belief of the premisses or rather the belief of the premisses is by extrinsical denomination attributed unto the conclusion This latter opinion at least in many Syllogismes is the truer most necessarily true in all wherein the conclusion is a particular essentially subordinate to an universal of truth unquestionable As be that infallibly believes every man is a reasonable creature infallibly believes Socrates is such Nor can we say there be two distinct beliefs one of the universal another of this particular for he that sayeth All excepteth â—one If Socrates then make one in the Catalogue of men he that formerly knew all knew him to be a reasonable Creature all he had to learn was what was meant by this name Socrates a man or a beast After he knows him to be a man in knowing him to be a reasonable creature he knows no more then he did before in that uniuersal Every man is a reasonable creature The like consequence holds as firm in our present argument He that believes this universal Whatsoever the Church proposeth concerning Scriptures is most true hath no more to learn but onely what particulars the Church proposeth These being known we cannot imagine there should be two distinct Beliefs one of the Churches general infallibilitie another of the particular truths or points of faith contained in the Scripture proposed by it For as in the former case so in this He that from the Churches proposal believes or knowes this particular The Book of Revelations was from God receives no increase of former belief For before he believed all the Church did propose and therefore this particular Because one of all 4 The truth of this Conclusion may again from a main principle of Romish Faith be thus demonstrated Whatsoever unwritten traditions the Church shall propose though yet unheard of or unpossible otherwise to be known then onely by the Churches asseveration all Romanists are bound as certainly to believe as devoutly to embrace as any truths contained in the written word acknowledged by us the Jews and them for divine Now if either from their own experience the joynt consent of sincere antiquitie or testimony of Gods spirit speaking to thâ—m in private or what means soever else possible or imaginable they gave any absolute credence unto the written word or matters containd in it besides that they give unto the Churches general veracitie the Scriptures by addition of this credence were it great or little arising from these grounds peculiâ—r to them must needs be morefirmly believed and embraced then such unwritten traditions as are in themselves suspicious uncapable of other Credit then what they borrow from the Church For in respect of the Churches proposal which is one and the same alike peremptory in both Scriptures and traditions of what kind soever must be equally believed And if such traditions as can have no assurance besides the Churches testimony must be as well believed as Scriptures or Divine truths contained in them the former conclusion is evidently necessary That they neither believe the Scriptures nor the truths contained in them but the Churches proposal of them onely For the least belief of any Divine Truth added to belief of the Churches proposal which equally concerns written and unwritten verities would dissolve the former equality But that by the Trent Councel may not be dissolved Therefore our adversaries in deed and verity believe no Scriptures nor Divine written Truth but the Churches proposal onely concerning them And Sacrobosous bewrays his readâ—ness to believe the Church as absolutely as my Châ—istian can do God or Christ though no 〈◊〉 of the New-Testament were extant Foâ— â—hat the Church cannot erre was an â—…led by God proposed by the Church â—… by the thâ— faithful before any part of the New â—estament was written Now he that without 〈◊〉 Dâ—ctrines of Jesus Christ would believe the Doctrines of faith as sirmly as with it believes not the Gospel which now he hath but their authorities onely upon which though we had it not he would as absolute rely for all matters of Doctrine supposed to be contained in it 5 Of further to illustrate the truth of our conclusion with this Jesuites former comparison which hath best illustrated the Romish Churches Tenent That Church in respect of the Canon of Scriptures or any part thereof is as the light is to colours As no colour can be seen of us but by the light so by his Doctrine neither the Canon of Scriptures or any part thereof can be known without the Churches testimony Again as removal of light presently makes us lose the sight of colours so doubt or denial of the Churches authority dâ—prives us of all true and stedfast belief concerning Gods Word or any matter contained in it God as they plead hath revealed his will obseurely and unto a distinct or clear apprehension of what is obscurely revealed the visible Churches declaration is no less necessary then light to discernment of colours The Reason is one in both and is this As the actual visibility of colours wholly depends upon the light as well for existence as duration so by Jesuitical Doctrine True belief of Scriptures wholly depends on the visible Churches Declaration as well during the whole continuance as the first producing of it By the same reason as we gather that light in it self is more visible then colours seeing by it alone colours become actually visible so will it necessarily follow that the Churches Declaration that is the Popes priviledge for not
cannot infalliblie distinguish the true sence and meaning of one place from another but must herein also rely upon the Churches testimony and onely believe that sence to be repugnant that consonant to the analogie of faith which she shall tender albeit our private consciences be never so well informed by other Scriptures to the contrary The truth then of our former conclusion is hence easily manifested For seeing they hold both the Scriptures and their distinct sence to be obscure and unable to ascertain themselves unlesse the Church adde perspicuitie or facilitie of communicating their meaning to private spirits such after the Churches proposal cannot possibly discern them any better or more directly in themselves then they did before but must wholy rely upon their Prelates as if these were the onely watchmen in the Tower of Gods Church that could by vertue of their place discern all divine truth Others must believe there is an omnipotent God which hath given his Law a Mediator of the new Testament but what the meaning either of Law or Gospel is they may not presume otherwise to determine then weak sights do of things they see confusedly a farre off whose particular distance or difference they must take onely upon other mens report that have seen them distinctly and at hand 11 To illustrate these deductions with the former similitude of the prime and secondary visibles Let us suppose for disputations sake that the Sun which illuminates colours by its light were further indued as we are with sense and reason able to judge of all the differences between them which it can manifest to us and hence challenge to be a Pope or infallible proposer of colours This supposition the Canonist hath made lesse improbable For Deus fecit duo luminaria God made two lights that is by his interpretation the Pope and the Emperour Or if you please to mitigate the harshnesse of it let the Man in the Moon whom we may not imagine speechlesse be supposed the Sun or Pope of colours his Mercurie or Nuncio As the Papists say we cannot know Scriptures to be Scriptures but by the infallible proposal of the Church so it is evident we cannot see any colour at all unlesse illuminated or proposed by the Suns light But after by it we see them suppose we should take upon us to discourse of their nature or determine of their distinct properties as now we do and the Sun or Pope of colours by himself or his Nuncio should take us up as Duke Humphrey did the blind man restored to sight which he never had lost Yea who taught you to distinguish colours were you not quite blind but now as yet you cannot discern any colours without my publick light and yet will you presume to define their properties and distinguish their natures against my definitive sentence known Must not he that enables you to see them enable you to distinguish them seen Must you not wholly rely upon my authority whether this be white or that black If a man upon these Motives should absolutely believe the Suns determinations renouncing the judgement of his private senses could he truely say that he either knew this colour to be white or that black or another green Rather were he not bound to say I neither know white from black nor black from blew nor blew from green but I know that to be white which the Sun the onely infallible Judge of colours saith is white that onely to be black that blew and that green which he shall determine so to be I may think indeed that the snow is white or coals black but with submission to the Suns determination 12 And yet as you have heard at large out of the Trent Councel and best Apologies can be made for it the Church must be the infallible Judge of all Scripture sence and must absolutely be believed without all appeal to Scriptures not conditionally as she shall accord with them The conclusion hence issuing is most infallible and on their parts most inevitable Whosoever absolutely acknowledgeth this authority in the Church or Consistory and yeelds such obedience unto it in all determinations concerning the Canon of Scriptures doth not believe either this or that determinate proposition of faith or any definite meaning of Gods Word The best resolution he can make of his faith is this I believe that to be the meaning of every place which the Church shall define to be the meaning which is all one as if he had said I do not believe the Scriptures or their meaning but I believe the Churches decision and sentence concerning them He that believes not the Church saith Canus but with this limitation if it give sentence according unto Scriptures doth not believe the Church but the Scriptures By the same reason it followes most directly he that believes not the true sence and meaning of Scriptures but with this reservation if the Church so think or determine doth not believe them but the Church onely For as the Schoolmen say Ubi unum propter aliud ibi unum tantum He that serves God onely because he would be rich doth not serve God but his riches albeit he performe the outward acts of obedience Or if we love a man onely for his affinity with another whom we dearly love we truely and properly love but the one the other onely by way of reflexion or denomination in such a sence as we say a man appears by his proxie that is his proxie appears not he In like sort believing the sence of Scriptures onely from the supposed authentick declaration of the Church or because we believe it we infalliblie believe the Church alone not the Scriptures but onely by an extrinsecal denomination 13 Yet as a man may from some reasons lesse probable have an opinion of what he certainly knowes by motives more sound or as we may love one in some competent measure for his owne sake and yet affect him more entirely for anothers whom we most dearly love so may an absolute Papist in some moral sort believe the Scriptures for themselves or hold their authodoxal sence as probable to his private judgement albeit he believe them most for the Churches sake and that sence best which it commends But this his belief of the Church being by their doctrine more then moral or conditional doth quite overthrow all moral or probable belief he can possiblie have from what ground soever of Scriptures themselves For as I said before the Church shall determine ought contrary to his preconceived opinion the more probable or strong it was the more it encreaseth his doubt and makes his contrary resolution more desperate yea more damnable if habitual because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extreamly contrary to the doctrine of faith Bellarmins prescription in this case is just as if a Physitian or Surgeon should seek to case the pain by ending of the Patients dayes Lest a man should sin against his conscience this
were disposed to continue any ancient or hereditarie Fâ—bood with the posteritie of their Predecessors greatest enemies as lineal descents of royal Families out of their personal love unto their Ancestors usually do unto the great damage of their state and Countrie It is significantly spoken by the Evangelist That the ten Kings should give their authority unto the beast thereby instructing us that Antichrist should grow great by Princes favours and gracious priviledges bestowed upon him not as the Jesuite absurdly imagines by taking authority unto himself by strong hand before it was given as the Turks or Saracens or other Barbarians have done But to proceed not the infidelity of Turk of Jew or Saracen not malignant Apostacie is to be compared with this kind of Idolatry and blasphemy we now dispute against The Turk calumniates the Cross the Jew accuseth Christ himself as an impostor but neither make him Author or approver of such impieties as they commit The Jesuit Fathers such prodigious villanies as his soul from Satans suggestion hath conceived upon his Saviour all other Hereticks or Idolaters Turks Infidels or Apostates do then onely or principally offer contumelies unto Christ and Christianity when they open their mouths and vent their bitterness against him But of this Whore and her attendants that Proverb is most truely verified Sive scortum benedicat sive maledicat perinde est The contumelies offered by them to Christ are all one always most grievous whether they bless or curse whether they magnifie or blaspheme his holy Name Whilest they profess such absolute Allegeance to the Pope the Son of perdition Christs greatest enemy in taking our Redeemers praises in their mouthes they do but adde prophane scurrility unto blasphemy using him herein more contemptuously then the Souldiers which bowed their knees unto him but buffet his face salute him as a King and yet wound his head by putting a crown of thorns upon it 9 But some out of charity not to be blamed will here demand Do all the maintainers of this strange Doctrine expresly and wittingly conceive as meanly or despitefully of Christ as these dissolute Roman Souldiers did though willingly for their own advantage to cloak their secret scoffs and mockery of his spiritual Kingdom with outward demeanure more decent and reverent then the others used Do all the learned of that Religion in heart approve that commonly reported saying of Leo the Tenth Quantum profuit nobis fabula Christi and yet resolve as Cardinal Carafa did Quoniam populus iste vult decipi decipiatur to nuzle the people in their credulity For mine own part as yet I cannot think so though I have been friendly censured for saying the contrary Many of them I am perswaded think they honour Christ as much as the best in the reformed Churches do But doth this their conceit or imaginarie love to him lessen their wrong in respect of those contumelies offered him by the heathen Rather in the learned it is a Symptom of that grievous plague inflicted upon the Jews That seeing they should not see that hearing they should not hear nor understand no sign at all of better reall affection towards Christ but rather a token of greater servility unto Satan or of that strange spiritual drunkennesse spoken of by the Evangelist Their hearts and heads are not acquainted the one endites what Satan suggests and moves their outward members to act what he commands the other interprets all done in honour of Christ as if a man should be so deeply intoxicated with some pleasant poison as to enforce it upon his dearest friend for an extraordinary dainty Finally that these great Clerks should thus acknowledge Christ for the Redeemer of the world and yet admit every Pope for his Compeer and thus devoutly embrace the doctrine of Devils is an undoubted document they are the sworn-followers of Him whose comming is by the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders and in all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse amongst them that perish That which especially causeth many of us to doubt whether the Jesuites do not aequivocate when they speak well of Christ is because their learning and judgement are on the one side so great and this imagination on the other so prodigiously absurd and sottish as one cannot possibly better brook the others company in the same heart or brain then the most flourishing Prince or Potentate in the World could the beastliest sluttish Shee fool living for the onely consort of his bed howsoever these cunning Panders in pride of their nimble wits may hope to betroth more simple souls unto this out-cast of hell And though experience in some sort hath proved it true that no opinion was ever proposed so absurd but found some Philosopher for it Patron yet this imagination of the Popes transcendent authority farre exceeds the limits of any experiments or observation made in Philosophers answerable to the former Axiom Notwithstanding the more their infatuation of whom we speak exceeds the bounds of all folly or vanity meerly natural the more it ascertains to us the truth of the Apostles prediction in the place late cited Doubtless because they received not the love of the truth therefore hath God sent them strong delusions that they should believe lies The fulfilling of which prophecie is most conspicuous in the modern Jesuites the principal maintainers of this doctrin For were they not men of rare wit and exquisit learning were not this opinion withall of all that are or can be imagined the most sottishly improbable and preposterously impious the print of Gods finger thus confounding their brain could not be so eminent or discernable The first bait cast out by Satan was but to draw the Romish Clergie unto practices so suspitious amongst the people that they could not be justified but by a conceit of infallibility and not checking their pride being challenged of error in doctrin and impiety in their dealings the Lord gave them over to believe this monster of falshood and untruth a bottomlesse pit of hypocritical preposterous blasphemies 10 Would to God the daylie ambitious practices of many that are or would be in great place amongst us the pronenesse of most to transgresse the bounds of lawfull authority and their unreadinesse to recall their errours though never so grosse their extream impatience of all impeachment by men as far their Superiours in spiritual graces as their inferiours in secular dignitie did not plainly shew the passage from that point where these mens resolutions anchor unto this new Tyre the Rock of honour and seat of pride to be but short and the transportation easie if opportunities of Time and Tide did serve them But of the particular temptations and opportunities that did first drive the Romanists into this harbour as also of inveterate errours in other points and reliques of Heathenish dispositions whereby they tow others after them elsewhere according to my promise if God permit At this time it shall
then demonstrative Evidence of divine Truths which glorified Saints enjoy and obseurity or Jewish Blindness The particular manner how Gods Spirit works lively Faith by such Experiments as â—…tly I did and hereafter must acquaint him withall the Reader I hope will gather of his own accord out of the discourses following concerning the nature of Christian Faith and the Principal Objects thereof whereunto my Meditations are now add 〈◊〉 my long durance in this unpleasant subject having bred in my soul a more eagâ—r thâ—… after these well springs of life FINIS Though the Observant Reader may serve himself well of the Contents of every Chapter and the Table of Texts of Scripture as also of the Titles of every Page and Marginal Briefs yet for his further advantage is made this ensuing Table To which every Reader may adde what he pleases space being left The Figure signifies the Page M. the Margin A THe sin of Aaron extenuated by Jews pag. 38 Abrahams faith and Jews stubbornness 132 The sin of Abiram aggravated 410 The Authors Aboadment 507 His prayer 508 Apparitions of Heathen Gods 34 c. Actions humane distinguished 168 Actions not of faith 177 to 184 See Doubts Not of Faith Obedience The same ill Action may be less of faith in the confident then in the scrupler 184 Best method to square our actions to the rule of faith 185 Adrians severity against the Jews 111 112 c. Acosta's zeal for Popes supremacy 314 Adam did eat not doubting yet condemned 185 Adoration of the Hoast dangerous to mens souls 328 Council of Trents decree for adoration 329 m. To Adore a creature wherein the divel lurks Vasques thinks lawful if one direct not Worship to him 329 Saracens Adore a stone and a star 107 Adoration of a dead dog deliberated if not done 501 m. Ahabs Prophets 418 Elijahs and Michaiahs Prophesies abused by Polititians 1b Albigenses and Picards persecuted by the Provost Stenelda who wrote to S. Bernard about them 245 c. Alexander the great General to Solomon say the Turks 46 Ancient times not to be measured by latter and why 37 to 42 How we may dissent from the Ancient 266 267 268 Angels sent to gather the elect how meant 101 Angels got Israel miraculous victories 35 Androgyni Platonis 56 Different Ages divers events 309 c. We mistrust Antiquity why 37. c. Alphon. the great got great honor being prisoner 61 Antoninies Army relieved with water 78 Arnuphis the sorcerer by the Heathen said to do it ibid. Arabians cruelty to the Jews Ambassadors 77 Antichrists exaltation first degree 315 c. Second degree of it 375 c. Third degree 464 c. Excesse of His exaltation 449 c. Antichrist may in formall termes confesse Christ 355 Antichrists spirit ib. Antichristianisme not contradictory to Christianity but contrary 355 Romish religion So. ib. 360 Antichrist a Judas a secret underminer 373 The Great Antichrist 347 c. 374. Antidote against Romish enchanting sorcery 307 Apothegmes Crantzius 139. Carafa's 505. P. Leo's ib. Assent conditional 189 c. It differs from implicit faith 196 Four things considerable for guiding our Assent to truth proposed 191 Assent See belief and faith Atheists credulous in their kind though mistrustfull of Scripture 37 Atheists rare in old time 38 Authorit as docentis how it is a ground unto unevident Assent 2 3 Authority Divine is ground of faith infallible 7 Authority of Jewish Church after Moses his death 411 c. Authority see Pope Sanedrim Universall Aristotles Rule for Poets To have a true History for ground 27 Aristotle confounds the Causes 54 He leads us not to the First Cause or last end ergo imperfect ib. B BAal See Prophets Beclzebub might cast out devils upon designe as Cheaters lose 436 Baptisme with water and the holy Ghost Typified by the pillar of cloud and of fire 447 Babels building transformed by Poets into the Giants war 56 Roma Babel rediviva 244 245 Bassina's vision 4â— Belief is an assent without plain evidence 2 3 Belief how increased in strength and certainty 4 5 6 Objects of Belief distinguished 5 Belief of Gods Word though but conditionall what it effects and requires 8 9 Belief of Scriptures how to be confirmed by experiments in our selves 140 to 145 Belief of known Oracles confirmed in S. Peter by experiment 140 Belief of God wrought in Naaman by experiment onely 141 See experiment Belief of principal parts of Scripture ties our faith to the rest 148 c. Belief of Scripture to be got by practise not by Discourse 150 Belief must be wrought by the Spirit though by means 150 See Faith Conditional Belief the nature use conditions properties of it 189 Pronenesse to Believe when and in whom good or ill 419 Romish Belief meerly Humane 365 c. He that Believes the Romish Churches Authority as some teach it Believes no Article of Christian faith 464 He that Believes the Pope absolutely without all examination believes nor Christ nor his Gospel 494 Such Belief emboldens the Believer to villany ib. Romish Belief on the Church not on God 478 c. Bellarmin cited Bellarmins Catholick fyllogisme and resolution of faith 319 c. Bellarmins strange position if the Pope call evil good Papists must believe it 322. m. Bellarmins Put-off about Ahabs 400 prophets 418 Bellarmin confesses that nor Pope nor Councils can judge of scripture translated into modern Languages 157 St. Bernard against Rodulphus a vile Monk who preach't it was lawfull to spoil the Jewes to maintain the Holy war 117 Blasphemie Romish 309 c. 315 c. Blasphemy preferring Human Authority before Divine 316 Mouth of Blasphemy 450 502 More Blasphemy Romish 460 499 507 C CAnonical Books of the Old Testament to be known by the Jew 146 Of the New now confirmed 147 Trent Canon about Canonical Books 310 c. Cansuizing vide Saints Canus cited Caxus See Romish Writers in letter R. Cajetan and Cassander desired Reformation 276 Cardinall Carafa's blessing to the people 505 French Cardinals addresse to St. Cuthbert at Durham 160 Carbarinus defends the Council of Trent yet holds certainty of salvation 274 Ex Cathedra hard to know when the Pope speaks of it 404 Characters of sacred Writings 13 Charles Martel his martial Act. 110 c. Christian Religion confirmed by the ceasing of Oracles 30 c. Christ why so little spoken of by Heathen Writers 113 Christian Expeditions to recover Jewry bring evil upon the Jews 116 The Christian Cause and Cause called Catholick 155 Similitude betwixt Christ and Moses 434 c. Christs predictions and discovery of secrets prove him to be God and the Messiah 441 Church our Church in Romish as gold in drosse 245 m Comparison between our Church and the Romish for means of ending Controversies 272 c. The Church of Rome most needs means to end and take up Controversies 275 c. Jewish Church Representative a corrupt Judge in matters of God 422
c. He hath not God for his Father that hath not the Church his Mother 465 Churches proposal the Cause of Romish faith 467 The Church the Church see Templum Domini Church see Infallibility Belief The Enthusiasts Circle 150 Circle dolus circulatorius 291 to 293 508 Sacrebosco in a Circle 294 297. see Valentian Coaliers Circle 242 Coaliers Catechisme 292 Conditional see Assent faith belief obedience Cassius his sacriledge at Jerusalem and pilling the Jews punished 67 Crassus his sacriledge at Jerusalem the cause of his destruction 65 66 Crassus his overthrow and sin misapplied ib. Crassus his sinne pointed out in his punishment 66 67 Young Crassus and Old their Ominous stumble as they came out of the Temple at Hierapolis 65. c. St. Cyprian sinned not deadly in contradicting Pope Stephen sayes Bellarmin 313 m. Cup confessed by the Trent Council usuall of old yet forbid by it 330 c. and that upon a Text fore strained 332 c. Cup essentiall 335. Pope may grant it 338 m. A Queen poisoned in the Cup Greg. Tours 330 Council of Trent cited D DAlilah by Poets made Scylla 48 Day of the Lord not limited to one day 100 102 Deliverance from Popery like that from Egypt 138 Divine Authority ground of faith 7 Dialogue of Protestant and Papist 485 Dialogue of Catech. and Consistory 489 Differences dissensions amongst Learned See Scripture Disobedience see Obedience Deucalions flood 50 c. Divels believe how 3 Doctrine Christs doctr tried by Moses his and the Prophets Popes must not be so no not by Christs 428 Belief of Christs Doctrine without triall by Moses c. had been not belief but blindness 429 Christs Doctrine is to Moses his c. as the Conclusion is to the premisses 430 S. Peter proves his doctrine by Moses and the Prophets 453 S. Paul lets his doctrine be examined 456 So doth Christ 428 All doctrine to be tried by scripture 458 Doctrine of Infallibility dangerous to States 499 507 worst of all errors heresies blasphemies ib. in Canonizing Saints dangerous 501 danger from Gods wrath 502 more of the danger of that doctrine 503 This doctrine inverts the Frame of Christian Religion ib. Doubts may arise from extending unduly the meaning of scripture 179 One may in some Case obey or disobey not without doubt yet without sin 180 Every doubt is not sufficient to deny obedience 186 The Text He that doubts c. expounded 179 180 Adam condemned for eating though he doubted not about it 185 One may sin doubting of the Popes or Churches power yet not sin in examining it whilest he doubts says Bell. 313 m. 458 m. 420 Dreams of them in particular 27 c. Wickedness worldliness policie caused defect of Gods warning men by Dreams 29 Bassinas Dream 41 Dreams usual amongst the Patriarchs c. 28 yea to eminent persons and others perhaps that knew not the true God 29 Strabo says Moses taught chastity requisite in those that expected direction from God in Dreams 29 E EDition vulgar part Lucians part S. Jeroms part Theodotions the heretick saies Bellarmine 300 See translation Ecclesiastick writers of the first age why so silent of the wonders of that age 98 99 End he that commends the end commends the necessary means is a rule 420 Eleazar presents a Golden beam to Crassus 66 Emicho wastes the Jews and kils twelve thousand of them 116 Enthusiasme dangerous 150 c. England Jews calamities there 120 c. See Jews Euphrates compounded of Hu prath 56 Evidence excluded from belief 2 Evidence drowns belief 2 Evidence excluded from the thing directly believed not from things united to it 2 Exceptions See objections and universal Experiments of Scripture-truth in our selves how to be found 140 to 145 how to be framed in our selves 144 Experience confirmed S. Peter in the truth of a known Oracle 140 Experiments fruitful and powerful in hearts prepared 142 c. Experiments uneffectual in hearts indisposed why 143 c. Experiments of scripture truth small in our dayes and why so 145 Script as rule of dyet Experiments as nutriment Gods spirit as the digestive 150 c. Experiments confirm faith 408 411 428 433 508 Experience of evil threatned begets hope of good promised 415 F FAbius Ursinus his Oration 50â— Fables resembling truths Helicon Bâ—â—r Cadmus Moses Scylla Dâ—lâ—la Nâ—obe Lots wâ—… 47 c. 59 Fathers how they used the authority of the Church 243 Faith to beget it in children parents instructions be necessary 411 412 413 Faith confirmed how See experiments Jeremies Faith confirmed by seeing Gods threats fulfilled 416 Gideons Faith confirmed 414 To settle and ripen Faith a rule 421 See rule Christ risen revived his disciples Faith by what Moses and Prophets had foretold of him 449 Not of Faith three meanings of that text or phrase 177 to 184 The universality of it limited 178 See Actions see doubts The doubt and disobeying may be not of Faith as well as the positive action 179 Omission may be not of faith as well as commission 185 Implicate Faith Romish differs from conditional Belief 196 Popish writers make the Church mistress of mâ—ns Faith 197 Roman rule of Faith unsufficient 297 to 305 Of Romish Faith the first main ground â—…ds to Atheism second to Heathenism c. 484 c. Resolution of Faith by Valentian 292 464 c. He resolves Faith into the Churches authority not into the first verity 471 472 c. Not into Gods veracity or truth of his word 478 c. Resolution of Faith two fold 472 Foundation what a Foundation the Papists make Christ 356 G GIdeons faith confirmed 414 Gersons caveat to the Pope about Canonizing of Saints 501 Godesaealchus a dutch priest perswades the King of Hungary to kill the Jews 117 Greek letters and inventions taken from the Hebrew 57 Great day of the Lord not to be limited to one day 100 102 Gyants frequent in Moses's daies 35 c. Gyants about mount Vesuvius 101 Gods patience to the Iews a mercy to the Gentiles 80 c. Gods mercy and justice exemplified in the Iews 91 Gods justice and wisdom in the Iews calamity 133 His proceedings against them even to this day most just and most wise ib. Gods favours to Ancient Iews paralleld with the the like to the Gentiles 135 c Gods judgements why not so signal now as in former times 137 Gods providence in the reformation from Popery remarkable 138 c Gods providence how little observed 143 c Gods providence in making the Papists to acknowledge the Apocalyps for Canonical 148 Gods providence in preserving clauses of scripture 149 Gods Spirit not to be discerned but by his fruits 150 H HAnnahs faith confirmed by experiment 142 c Of Hannah more 143 Harmony of sacred Writers 17 c Henry 3. cruel to the Iews 123 Henry 8. by prosopopaeia brought in 372 Heathen objections against the Iews all prevented by Iewish Writers 78 c Hereticks urge scripture 235
Light For the like reasons were the Scriptures to the Jews as to our Forefathers they had for a long time been as a sealed Book See chap. 13. parag 3 4 5. a Lib. 1. cap. 34. ‖ Thus muâ—… 〈◊〉 gâ—… eth de 〈◊〉 Theol. â—… cap â—… 〈◊〉 Ad â—… omnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the docâ—â—ruâ—â— â—… adâ—ò anâ—cli â—â—â—loâ—um mihi aâ—â—rueâ—t oppoâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 quod 〈◊〉 de tenâ—… mâ—a labâ—faâ—tareâ—ur 〈◊〉 â—a Paulâ— Apoâ—â—oli â—…iptom illud Licet nos â—nt Angelus c. Gal â—â— v. 8. Câ—â—sequently heâ—eunto he proveth the last Resolution of Faith not to be into the Vâ—â—aâ—â—â— or Infallibility of the Church taxing Scoâ—â—s Gabriâ—l and Durâ—â—â— as the margin telleth us But his â—… gâ—…d against all saâ—â—h as male the Churches â—…lity the Rule of â—… shall be â—hewed God â—… Lib. â— Sect. â— See l. 2. Cap. 10. The First Breach beâ—wixt us The Second * Our Agreement concerning the Necessity of Ministerial Function for the planting of Faith The points of Difference betwixt us about the Prerâ—gative of Pastors and the mannes of their begâ—ttiâ—g Faith in others Other â—…â—chcs of the for 〈◊〉 Diâ—ferences 〈◊〉 Romaâ—…s 〈◊〉 Our Churches Assertions câ—ntradictory to the fâ—â—mer * The sâ—st â—â—â—tremitie held by the Papisâ—◠†The second held by the Anti-papists * Rom. 13. ‖ Luke 10. 16. †Joh. 〈◊〉 23. Vâ—dâ—…lâ— 1 cap. 12. †1 Pet. 5. 2 3. ‖ Acts 20. 28 29. * 1 Pet. 5. 5. †‖ Peâ—… Pure 〈◊〉 Mâ—â—â— * The Rule of private Resolutions in matters apprehended as meerly Evil In what Case some matters apprehended as meerly evil may be undertaken with less danger then others which are partly apprehended as Evil partly as Good The chief point of Difficults â—…ing the 〈◊〉 of Obedience * Abraham non solum non est culpatus crudelitatis crimine verum etiam laudabus est nomine pietatis quod voluit filium nequaquam sceleratè sed obedienter occidere Aug. de civit Dei lib. 1. Cap. 21. Spontaneus metus execrabils Deo jubente Landabilis Aug. contra Faust Man l. 22. c. 73. †Abrahams Obedience made that Action which without it had been worse then Murther to be better then Sacrifice How far the former Instance serveth to infer the Conclusion proposed * Some Obedience may after that evil which appears in some Actions because any Obedience though in the lowest degree doth make Actions which without it were indifferent to be truly good To give precise Rules what Actions may of evil become good by Obedience is very difficult †A certain Rule when Authority may be disâ—eyed without whole of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is alwaâ—es more 〈◊〉 then Saâ—e Aâ—is 4. 19. †In viâ—iâ—m ducit culpae â—uga si caret arâ—e As we may not do evil that good may ensue so may we not omit any good lest evil might happen thereon and yet Obedience by all mens consent is good Thus from an unnecessary fear of the former men fall into the later which is but a Siyler Sin by denying Obedience which in it self is good for fear lest they should give occasion of evil ‖ Thus much S. Aust in taketh as granted by all For he bringeth in these words following to infer a Conclusion denied by his Adversary Vir justus si fortè sub rege homine etiam sacrilego militet rectè potest illo jubente bellare civicae pacis ordinâ—m servaÌ„s Cui quod jubetur vel non esse contra Dei praecepâ—um câ—rtum est vel utrum sit certum non est ita ut forrasse term regem faciat iniquitas imperandi innocentem autem militem ostendat ordo serviendi Aug. l. 22. contra Faustum Manichâ—… cap. 75. * What hath been spoken of Authority in general applied to Spiritual Authority * Rom. 14. 23. * Three divers Meanings of this phrase not of Faith The first Meaning The second Meaning * †The effects of such Scrupulosities as our Apostles Rule universally understood would necessarily breed are contrary to the Analogic of Faith ‖ Deniall of Obedience upon Scruple yea even the scruple or doubt it self may be not of Faith as well as the positive Action of whose Lawfulnesse they doubt whence the Objection which many draw from the Apostles Rule is most forcible against themselves * Verse 〈◊〉 See 1 Cor. 8. 〈…〉 Râ—m 14. 15. 1 〈◊〉 8. 13. 1 〈◊〉 9. 15. * 2 〈◊〉 6. 21 22 23 24 c. †* Acts 10. 13. †This Phrase includeth a Contrariery â—r Opposition unto Faith as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and many like Phrases as usual in the Hebrew Dialect as the 〈◊〉 compounds immitis immisericors c ‖ The former Interpretation necessarily followeth from Grounds of Divinitie acknowledged by all a How Sâ—â—uples or Douâ—t of what â—… conâ—ur to 〈◊〉 â—ur Aâ—… Sinful b As when the Evil 〈◊〉 is greater thâ—n any Gâ—â—d that can be â—â—ped * Malum non malâ— Hoc itaque de uno 〈◊〉 genere non edendo ubi a liorum tanâ—a copia subjâ—cebaâ— â—am leve praecepâ—uÌ„ ad observanduÌ„ tam 〈◊〉 ad memoria â—…nendum â—â—i pâ—… nondum voluntaâ—i câ—pidâ—tas resiste â—at quod de poena traâ—sgressionis postea subsecuâ—uÌ„ est tanto majore injustiâ—a violaâ—uÌ„ est qâ—… saciliâ—â—e possit obsâ—… 〈◊〉 Aug. de â—iv Dei lib. 14. cap. 12. * This is a Point which I am â—eâ—swadâ—d 〈◊〉 have 〈…〉 then had been 〈◊〉 as not considering that our Apostles Rule might be violated as well by the Omission of some Actions 〈◊〉 by the 〈◊〉 of others or that the same Offence might be given to weak and tender Consciences by emboldning them to deâ—y â—… 〈◊〉 was given in our Apostles time by emboldning them to eat of things suspected for unlawful Nor can we dâ—ubt bâ—â— many i◠〈◊〉 time have made Scruple of matters injoyned by lawful Authority only from the Example of others whom they â—… * * Hard to determin what Degrees of fear lost we should â—yobeyng ans Law â—… boy Gods I aâ—â—t immediately ought â—… ill fear of disobeying Mans Laws whose Authority in general is from Gods †Sometimes by disobeying Man 's In unctious we may dâ—… Gods Laws both meâ—… and immediately That the Goodnesse of Obedience by our Apostles Rule whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin ought to move men unto such conditional Assent and Obedience unto their Pastors as hath been mentioned †* Four Points to be considered for the rectifying or right framing of our Assent unto Truths proposed †2 Cor. 4. 2. ‖ 2 Cor. 2 17. What 〈◊〉 Faith is * A Speech well beseeming the servants of the great Whore That the Faith of modern Papists cannot be resolved into the Scriptures or the first Truth * In what Sense the Scriptures may be said the Rule of mens Faith altogether illiterate 〈◊〉 scriptu The Prerogative of Scriptures in respect of Faith above all other Rules in respect of Arts or Sciences * Dan. 9. 2. †Dan 12. 4. The Question concerning
obscuro loco Quod itaque hiâ— air â—… verbâ—m esâ— qâ—od scripâ—uris sanctis omnibus continetur Aug. â—… understandingâ—… â—… waveâ—… â—… Dâ—â—â—ine A mâ—â—datis â—uis intellexi Aliud est mandata â—… qâ—â—d alâ—ud â—e signiâ—icet intellexisse à mandatis Deiâ— quod â—… ad earâ—m 〈◊〉 in intelligentiâ—m qâ—as concupiâ—eâ—it â—… Dâ—â—inus â—…het cam tibi 〈◊〉 quisquam â—…â—â—pienâ—… perveâ—… quam capâ—re â—… sed quae â—…it â—… * Rom. 13. 11 12 13. †1 Thess 5. 2. ‖ Bell lib 3 de verbo Dei c. 1. a Psal 19 〈◊〉 Psal 119. 104. b Verse 92. c Psal 19. 8. d Videbat I utherus posse 〈◊〉 uâ—â—de 〈◊〉 tot controversâ—ae si scriptura est tam clara duo effugia excogitavit uâ—um quod Scriptura etiamsi alicuâ—i sit obâ—cura tamen illud idem alibi clarè proponit Alâ—â—rum quod Scriptura licet per se cla iâ—sima tamâ—n sâ—pâ—râ—is iâ—fidelâ—â—us sit obscura ob eorum coecitatem pravum affectum Addit Brentiâ—s in pâ—oleg Coutra Peâ—â—um à Soto reâ—â—ium â—stâ—gium quod etiam interdum sit obscura propter phâ—ases alienae linguâ— id est Hebraicae Graeâ—ae tamen 〈◊〉 â—ju◠〈◊〉 sir Qâ—â— sententia manifestò salsa est nam scriptura ipsa de sua difficultate atque of scuritate testimonium 〈◊〉 Psl 119. Danihi intellectum scrutabor legem â—â—am Ibid. Revela oculos meos considerabo mirabilia de lege 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faciâ—m â—… illumina super servum tuum doce me justificationes tuas Et certè David noverat totam scripturam qâ—ae 〈◊〉 noverat phrases linguae Hebraicae nec erat superbus aut â—nfidelis Bellaâ—m lib. 3. de verbo Dei câ—p 1. 〈◊〉 would â—… the Scriptures to be obscure because David prayeâ— to God for the right understanding of them And Vâ—lent an 〈◊〉 perswade us to relie upon the Churches infallible Authoritie because it is a hard matter to pray unto God as S Aâ—guâ—… for the gift of Interpretation His words are these Qâ—id autem precatio ad Deum pro sapâ—entiae interpretatiâ—… 〈◊〉 An exigua difficultes est piè perâ—everanter illud cum eodem Augustino lib. 11. Couseâ—â— Cap 2 oraâ—â— Domine attende c. Valent. tom 3. disp 1. quast 1. puâ—ct 7. paragr 4. These words of Valentian immediately sollow his sormer obserâ—â—tion upon S. Austin noted Paragr 11. chap. 14. * â—… 119. â—… †â—… 1. â—… ‖ a ‖ â—… sit hoc 〈◊〉 non in se modo lucidum verum etiam ut reglus Propheta Psal 18. dicet â—… qua 〈◊〉 â—…squisque ingenii proprii aâ—que industriae suae fiâ—iâ—u illud 〈◊〉 qâ—am 〈◊〉 â—… sed quatenâ—s est divinitus in Ecclesâ—ae Catholicae Authoriâ—â—â—â—â—… qui in dâ—mo sunt Matth. 5. Hanc enim Ecclâ—sâ—â— Authâ—… fidei vivam idcirco necâ—sse est ut 〈◊〉 illud fidei quod â—…endat omnibus qui ad eam aggâ—… in â—aque â—…ent liâ—… illud ut in ipsis literis sanctis tanquam in luceâ—â—a continâ—â—ur 〈◊〉 â—… 4. * â—…quam Ecclesia sententiam alâ—qâ—am ex Scriptura colligit scripturán que proinde ut est à se secunâ—um Apostolicâ—m traditionem â—ntellâ—cta câ—â—trâ—â—iis erâ—…us opponit sâ—… a improbitas est aliquid prâ—â—erea dâ—siderare in ejusmodi scripturae vel authoâ—itaâ—e vâ—l inteâ—pâ—etatione qâ—â—cunque id fiat â—ive diâ—…tis â—ive obscuâ—iâ—atis praetextu Qâ—ae 〈◊〉 scriptura per authoritaâ—â—m Ecclesia commenda 〈◊〉 explicaâ—…ue ea jam hâ—c ipso maxime 〈◊〉 authentica â—pleâ—diâ—… 〈◊〉 clarissiâ—… que 〈◊〉 tanquam 〈◊〉 vide 〈◊〉 ut supra expoâ—eban us posita super candelaâ—â—um Tom. 3. disp 〈◊〉 qâ—aest 1. punct 7. parâ—graph 4. * Yet have the Papists in times of Darknesse born the People in hand that the Bible was the Holy Mount which no man might approach but the Priest †Exod. 20. 18. * The Author of the â—8 Psal v. 3 4. * ‖ †a * Eccle. 39. 24 †John 6. 30. ‖ John 5. 46. a Quod vero suâ—jâ—â—git Malachias Mementote legis Moiâ—i servi mei quaÌ„ mandavi ei in Châ—reb ad oâ—â—em Israel prâ—cepta judicia oppâ—rtune commeÌ„orat post declâ—â—atum 〈◊〉 â—… inter observatoâ—es lâ—â—is contempâ—… discrimen siâ—â—l etiam uâ— discant legâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qâ—â—m judicem faciâ—ndâ— est inter bonos malos ipsa discretio Non enim sâ—â—sâ—ra idem Dominuâ— ait Judais si â—…e 〈◊〉 Moisi crederetis mihi De meenim ille scripsit Carnaliter quippe accipiendo legâ—m ejus â—… stium figuras esse nescientes in illa murmura coâ—ruerunt ut dicere auderent 〈◊〉 â—st qui 〈◊〉 Dâ—â—â—t quid amplius quia cusâ—… mandata ejus quia ambulavimus simplices ante â—aciem Doâ—… August de 〈◊〉 Dei lib. 20. cap. 28. 1 Cor. 1. 22. * †* 2 Cor. 4. 3. 4. †Bellarm. lib. 3. de vâ—… Dei caâ— 2. Reâ—p ad 5. â—rg The reasâ—n why 〈◊〉 with his â—ellows and many other gâ—eat Schâ—lâ—ars besides make such Hypâ—…itiâ—al Glasses of Sâ—… plainly teaching what thâ—y deny is their not considering that the same inordinate Affâ—ctions which made the Jews to reject the very â—…orical Truth or Letter of the Gâ—spel makes such as admit it content themselves with it only never locking into the Meaning of the Spirit if 〈◊〉 once contradict their Desiâ—es Of this â—allaâ—â— in the 3. Sect of the 4. boâ—k 2 〈◊〉 3. 15. 16. 7. * 1 Cor. 11. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * â—… 14. 4 James 4 3. Mat. 7. 〈◊〉 The true Use of the Magistracie and Ministery for avoyding Schismes and Contentions The Grosnesse of our Adversaries Exceptions being a branch of their general Extremity mentioned cap. 4. sect 1. further to be prosecuted lib. 3. sect 3. cap. 11. * Omnes â—â—rretiâ—â— qui scripturâ—m auâ—… recipiunt ipsas sibi videntur fectam cum suâ—s potius â—ectentur â—… Aug. epist 222. ad Consentuur †‖ a â—… cum admonuit ut ab ijs tanquam à falsis prophetis caveremus Videntur propheâ— sunt character quasi externa species sed prophetae â—… externa specie non ostendunt nobis genuinam S. S. sententiam led adâ—… collocatas tanquam abominationem ut eleganter Origenes 〈◊〉 â—… 〈◊〉 loco sancto Eadem de causa vocantur lupi tapaces qui vestimentis induti sunt oviâ—â— Vaâ—… Disputat 1. quaest 〈◊〉 punâ—… paragr 6. b Haec ideo recitavi ut quoniam universi 〈◊〉 â—…in suam â—…ionem â—icut D. Petrus inquit depravant 2 Pet. 3. Intelâ—… ceâ—te non in â—…tam esse universalem illam ad salutem hominum accommodissimam authoritatem totius fideâ—… quam inquâ—…mus Valent. loc ciâ—at * Our appealing to Scriptures 〈◊〉 no sâ—â—h Presumption of Heresie in us as the refusall of triall by them is of Antichristianism in the Adversary 2 Thess 2. 11. What advantage the Orthodoxes have of Hereticks in trial of Controversies by Scriptures â€
Bellarmine prove that Law was Obscure to him which as he himself confesseth had given Light unto his eyes If it were not why did he pray to God to understand it Then I perceive the Jesuites drift in this present Controversie is to establish a Rule of Faith so easie and infallible as might direct in all the wayes of Truth without Prayer to God or any help from Heaven Such a one it seems they desire as all might understand at the first sight though living as luxuriously as their Popes or minding worldly matters as much as their Cardinals Nili velint nimium esse â—aeci unlesse they would as Valentian speaks desire to be Blinde 5 Surely more blind then Beetles must they be that can suffer themselves to be perswaded that ever God or Christ would have a Rule for mans direction in the Mysteries of Salvation so plain and easie as he should not need to be beholden to his Maker and Redeemer for the true and perfect understanding of it This is a Wisdom and Gift which cometh onely from above and must be daily and earnestly sought for at the hands of God who we may rest assured will be alwayes more ready to grant our Petitions herein with lesse changes then the Pope to give his Decisions in a doubtfull Case â—ad David ask a this Wisdom of him that sate in Moses Chair we might suspect the Pope might be sued unto But Davids God is our God his Lord our Christ our Redeemer and hath spoken more plainly unto us then unto David who yet by his meditations on Gods written Laws added Light to Moses Writings as later Prophets have done to his All which in respect of the Gospels Brightnesse are but as Lights shining in dark places yet even the least conspicuous amongst them Such as will give manifest evidence against us to our eternal Condemnation if we seek this Wisdom from any others then Christs his Prophets and Apostles Doctrine by any other Means or Mediatourship then David did his From Gods Law written by Moses 6 Let us now see what Valentian can say unto the fore-cited Testimonie and to that other like unto it We have also a most sure word of the Prophets to the which ye do well that yee take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a â—…k place untill the day dawn and the day-Star ariseth in your hearts It is true saith the Doctor the word of God is a Light and this Light is clear and illuminates the eyes But it must be considered how it comes to enlighten our eyes Do you su pos that it effects this in as much as every man doth comprehend it within the 〈◊〉 of his private wit or industry as it were in a little bushell Nothing lesse But â—… it as it is placed in the Authority of the Catholick Church as in a Candlestick where it may give Light to all that are in the house For we shall shew saith he â—… place that this Authoritie of the Church is the living Judge and Mistresse of â—…th 〈◊〉 therefore is it necessary that she should carrie this Light which is contâ—… Holy Wâ—it and shew it unto all that associate themselves to her and remain â—… bosome although they be unlearned men and such as are not able by themselves to behold this Light as it is contained in the Scriptures as in a Lanthorn 7 He that could find in his heart to spend his groat or go a mile to see a Camel dance a Jigge let him but lay his finger on his mouth that he spoil not the Pageant with immoderate laughing and he may without any further cost or pains be partaker of as prettie a Sport to see a grand demure School-Divine laying aside his wonted habit of Metaphysical Proof turned Doctour Similitude on a suddain and swaggering it in the Metaphorical Cut. For what one joynt or strain is there in this long laborious vast Similitude that doth any way encline unto the least semblance of Truth or can be drawn to illustrate any such Meaning as this man intended or any way to break the force of our Writers Arguments drawn from the forecited places For first what Semblance is there between a private mans Interpretation or Comprehension of Scripture-sence and the putting of a Light or Candle under a Bushel For what though some one some few or more such men will apprehend this or that to be the full Meaning of some controversed place in Scripture I am by our Churches Doctrine no more bound to Believe them then I am to Believe the Pope of Rome whom I never saw nor knew I am bound to Believe neither of them more then if they should tell me that the whole Light of that candle which shines alike to all were onely comprehended in their eyes For by our Doctrine I may behold the same Light of Scriptures which they do as freely as they Judge of it by mine own eyes and Sense as well as they not onely submit my Sense and judgement unto theirs But if we should as this â—esuite would have us permit the judgement of all Scripture-sence wholly and irrevocably unto the Pope and his Cardinals as if their Consistorie were the compleat Hemisphere or rather the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sphere the whole sphere wherein this heavenly Lamp doth shine then indeed we should see no more of its Light then we could of a Candle put under a Bushell or locked up in some close Room In which Case we might Believe others that it did shine there still but whether it did so or no we could not Judge by our own eyes And in like manner would this Doctor perswade us that we should judge of this Light of Scriptures onely by the Testimonie or Authoritie of such as see it shine in the Consistorie at Rome not with our own eyes Had the Lord permitted but one grain of good wit to have remained in this Bushel of Bran not Impudencie in grain could without Plushing have offered to accuse our Church for hiding the Light of Scriptures under a Bushell when as we contend the free Use of it should be permitted to the whole Congregation But he disputeth of the Light as Blind men may of Colours He lived at Ingolstade and the Light of Gods Word was at Rome lockt up within the compasse of the Consistorie so that he could not see to make his comparison of it Secondly what Proportion is there between the Churches Authority such Authority as he claims for his Church and a Candlestick Let the Consistory be supposed the Candlestick wherein the word of God doth shine as a Light or Candle Doth it indeed shine there unto whom To all that will associate themselves to that Church Come then let every man exhort his Neighbour to repair to the Mountain of the Lord. Shall we there immediately see the Truth of Scriptures clearly and distinctly with our own eyes because the Pope or Trent-Councel holds out unto us the Books
of Canonical Scripture May private Spirits discern their true Sence in matters of Faith as clearly as if they were a Light indeed to thee Oh no you quite mistake his meaning in making such Collections Let Valentian explicate himself in the end of this fourth Paragraph 8 After the Church hath once gathered any Opinion out of Scriptures and thereupon opposeth the Scripture thus understood by it according to the Apostolical Tradition unto contrary Errours It is extream Impiety and wickedness to desire any more either concerning the Authority or Interpretation of that parcel of Scripture under what Pretence soever of Difficulty Obscurity or the like To that Scripture I pray mark his words wel which is commended and expounded unto us by the Authority of the Church that Scripture now ea jam even for this Reason hoc ipso is most Authentick and shines most splendently mojt clearly like a Light videlicet as we have formerly expounded put upon a Candlestick Nay in good sooth just like a Candlestick put upon a Light or Candle For in this Countrey wherein we live we see the Candlestick by vertue of the Light not the Light by means or vertue of the Candlestick And yet if your Church be the Candlestick as you suppose and the Scripture the Light as you expresly acknowledge we must by your Doctrine discern the Light of Scriptures only by the Commendation Explication or Illumination of your Church the Candlestick And this Illumination is only her bare Asseveration for Scriptures she seldom expounds but only by Negatives or Anathemas The best Correction that can be made of this untoward crooked unwieldly Similitude would be this whereas this Doctor supposeth the Pope to be the Church and saith further necesse est ut lumen illud si dei quod in divinis literis splendet praeser at Ecclesia Let him put lucem for lumen and so the Pope being by his Assertion the Church may be truly called Lucifer And then as when Cloth shrinks in the wetting men shape their Garments accordingly making sometimes a Jerkin of that which was intended for a Jacket so out of this unhandsome ill-spun similitude which was marred in the making we may frame a shorter which wil hold exceeding wel on this fashion Even as Satan being the Prince of Darknesse doth to mens seeming transform him self into an Angel of Light Just so doth the Roman Lucifer being by Valentians Confession but the Candlestick labour to transform him self into the Light it self and would be taken for such a Light or Candle as should make the very Light of Heaven it self Gods Word to shine most splendently and clearly by the glorious Beams of his Majestical Infallibility once cast upon it For otherwise unlesse the Supernatural Glory of his Infallibility do infuse Light or adde fresh Lustre to this Light or Lantern of Truth the Candlestick naturally gives no increase of perspicuity to the Light or Candle Which wil shine as clear in a private Mans hands so he wil take the pains to hold it as in a Publick Candlestick But that which I would have the serious Reader to observe especially is this Speech of his Scripture as once commended unto us or expounded by the Churches Authority becomes thereby most Authentick and shines most clearly and most splendently For this same Doctor if a Doctor may be said the same affirming and denying the same in the beginning of that Dispute would gladly shuffle so as he should not be taken with that Trick which wil discredit their Cause for ever and descry their villanous Blasphemy in this Doctrine of their Churches Authority There he would perswade us that he doth not allow of this Speech I believe this or that to be a Divine Revelation because the Church doth tell me so or of this the Church is the Cause why I believe the Divine Revelations whereas this Speech of his Quae Scriptura per Authoritatem doth infer the Authority of the Church to be the very principal and immediate Cause of our Assent unto Scriptures 9 Secondly I would have the sober Christian Reader to observe what an unhallowed and unchristian Conceit it is to admit the Scriptures for a Lantern and yet to affirm that Christians cannot behold the Light therein contained but only as the Church of Rome doth hold it out what is this else but to call the People from the marvailous Light of the Gospel unto the fearful Lightnings of the Law And to make the Pope that Mediator which the People implicitely did request when they desired that Moses might speak to them not God If we be in Christ then are we not called into Mount Sinai to burning Fire Blindnesse Darknesse and Tempests this Light of the Gospel is not environed with a fearful Cloud or Smoak threatning Destruction if we should go up into the Mount to hear the Lord himself speak we have an Advocate with the Father and need not look for a Moses to go up for us while we stand trembling a far off For as our Apostle tels us Heb. 12. 22. We are come unto the Mount Sion and to the City of the living God the celestial Jerusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels and to the congregation of the first-born which are written in heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the Spirits of just and perfect men and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Testament and to the bloud of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel What is the Consequence or Effect of this our Calling Our Apostle makes this Inference verse 25. See therefore that ye despise not him that speaketh Whom did he mean The Pope or Cardinals But they would be but of like Authority as Moses was but he that Speaketh untous is of far greater For so our Apostle collects See that ye despise nâ—t him that speaketh for if they escape not which refused him that spake on Earth much more shall we not escape if we turn away from him which speaketh from Heaven The Israelites I suppose had despised Moses if they had admitted any other infallible Teacher besides him whilest he was alive or believed any other as wel as his Writings after his death but only so far forth as they could discern their Words to be consonant unto his If Moses Writings were to these Jews a plain Rule of Faith then much more must Christs Word registred by his Apostles and Evangelists by the Rule of Faith unto us That Moses Doctrine was their Rule of Faith a Rule most plain and easie these places following abundantly testifie CAP. XVII That the Mosaical Writings were a most perfect Rule plain and easie to the Ancient Israelites 1 SO perfect Directions had Moses left for Posterities perpetual instruction that a great Prophet in later Ages desirous to bring Gods people into the right Paths which their Fathers had forsaken and for this purpose professing to impart to them whatsoever he had
suffice to have waded thus far in these unpleasant passages for discovering the enemies weaknesse in his new Fortifications or Repalliations rather of such breaches as our ancient Worthies have made in their imaginary Rock of strength Now as my soul and conscience in the sight of God and his holy Angels can assure me these imputations of blasphemy sorcerie and preposterous Idolatry I have laid upon this fundamental point of Romish faith aâ—e most true though much lesse exaggerated then it deserves so again I must confesse it hath in some sort over gone against my conscience publickly to discipher or display her abominations For my little experience of this present ages temper too well instructs me what great offence is oft-times hereby given to men as weak in faith as strong in their perswasions of it to flatter themselves in their hypocrisie or make them seem unto themselves men rightly religious or throughly sanctified whilest they measure their love to true religion by their hatred unto this doctrine of Devils or compare themselves with Priests and Jesuites as they are painted out in their native colours by eloquent and learned Pastors But his iniquitie be upon his own head that thus perverts my labours undertaken for his good unto his harm For unto a quite contrary purpose have I set forth this survey of Romish blasphemie in a larger volume then first I meant it even to stir up my self and every Professor of true Religion unto serious amendment of our lives to hold fast our faith by holding up hands pure from bribery and corruption by lifting up hearts and mindes void of all guile and hypocrisie ardently zealous of every good work unto the Lord our God continually lest such swarms of Caterpillars and Locusts as have chosen Beelzebub for their God devour this land Mortis modus morte pejor To think such should be the instruments of our wo will unto most of us I know far surpasse all conceit of any other wo it self or misery that in this life can befall us And yet whilest I consider what God hath done of old to Israel his first-born and Judah his own inheritance the overplus of our ingratitude towards him for all his goodnesse especially our wilfull continual abusing these dayes of peace more and more sweet and gracious then Jerusalem it self the vision of peace did ever see so long together without interruption I am and have been as my publick meditations can testifie for these few yeers of my ministerie possessed with continuall dread lest the Lord in justice enlarge his threatnings denounced against Judah upon this Land Fearfull was that message unto Hierusalem I will bring the most wicked of the Heathen and they shall possesse their houses but more terrible is our doom if this sentence be gone out against us I will plague you by the wickedst amongst the Christians by men more cruel proud and insolent then Babylonian Turk or Infidel or any other enemie of Christs Church hath been or could be unlesse Christians or Jesuites in name or shew they were meer Antichristians or Bariesus in heart and affection Such titles we readily give and willingly hear given unto Loyolaes infamous brood But if our wayes shall continually prove as odious unto our God as these termes impâ—rt that Societie is unto us what have we done Surely tied our bodies to the stake of justice by the wickednesse of our hands and proud imaginations of our polluted hearts whiles our tongues in the mean while have set our cruel executioners hearts on fire more grievously to torment to consume and devour us 11 But though likelihood of their prevailing against us be without our repentance great and their cruelty if they should prevail more then likely to be most violent yet this their hope it cannot be long Tu quoque Crudelis Babylon dabis impia poenas Et rerum instaâ—iles experiâ—re viâ—es The Lord in due time will turn again the captivity of his people and the now living may live to see these sons of Babel rewarded as they have long sought to serve us Their shamelesse Apologies for aequivocation and this old charm of Templum Domini which like unluckie birds alwayes flocking or frogs croaking against ill weather they have resumed of late with joint importunate cries albeit with these they bewitch the simple and choak the worldling or careless liver that accounts all serious thoughts of Religion his greatest trouble sound unto hearts setled in grace or mindes illuminated with the spirit of truth but as the last cracklings of Lucifers candle sometimes shining in the Roman Lanterne as the morning-star or an Angel of light but now so far spent and sunk within the socket that it recovers it wonted brightness but by flashes nor can his nostrils that is able with the least breath of his displeasure from heaven in a moment to blow it out any long time endure the smell Even so O Father for thy Son Christ Jesus sake even so O Christ for thine Elect and Chosens sake impose a period to our grievous sins against thee and our enemies malice against us infatuate their policies enfeeble their strength and prevent them in their Devillish purposes that seek to prevent thee in thy judgements by setting the World in combustion before thy coming Amen The continuation of matters prosecuted in the first BOOK THe ingenious Reader I trust rests fully satisfied that for planting true and lively Faith in every private Christians heart Experiments answerable to the Rules of Scripture without absolute dependanâ—e upon any external Rule thereto equivalent are sufficient the assistance of the Holy Spirit whose necessity for the right apprehension of aivine truths revealed the Romanist nor doth nor dare denie being supposed That Valentians heart did tell him thus much and secretly check him for his ridiculous curiosity to make way unto his Circular resolution of Faith * before refuted his diffident speeches immediately thereto annexed upon consciousnesse no doubt of it insufficiencie will give the Reader though partiall just cause of suspition If a man saith he be yet further questioned seeing as well the divine Revelations as the Churches infallible Proposal are obscure and inevident what should impel him to enter into such a Labyrinth of Obscurities as to imbrace the doctrine of Faith by the former Method to wit Believing the Revelation for the Churches Proposal as for a condition unto Relief requisite and the Churches Proposal again for the Revelation being the cause of his Belief then let him come unto the second processe or method and expound the reasons and clearer motives whereby he was and every discreet man may be induced to imbrace Faith though of it self inevident and obscure Thus do they traduce the Grace of God as if there were no difference betwixt mid-day-light and mid-night-darknesse as if the dawning of that Day-star in our hearts or light of Prophets our Apostle speaks of 2 Pet. 1. 19. were not a mean betwixt that more