followeth the word of God and as long as the ordinary vocation remaineth in her But in vayne do they adde these conditions because we haue already proued that the true Church alwayes followeth the word of God nor can depart or decline in any sort from it For otherwise Supr c. praecedent ad Ephes 4. v. 11. 13. she were not the true Church of God but the Synagogue of Sathan And the Apostlâ— also expresly saith that the ordinary vocatioÌ„ of Pastors their continuall successioÌ„ shall remaine alwayes in the Church oâ— God vntill we meete all with Christ in the end of the world By which wordeâ— of the Apostle Caluin also and Beza being Calu. Bez. inea verba ad Ephes â—tem Cal. l. 4. Inst c. 3. sect 4. conuinced do confesse that there must alwaies be Pastours and Doctours in the Church of God and that the said Church cannot consist without them The same also their Confession made at Rochell acknowledgeth in the 25. article 9. Some of our Aduersaries doe heere obiect vnto vs the example of Christ and his Apostles for say they their doctrine was neuer approued by the auncient Church of the Iewes wheras notwithstanding it was extraordinary But this is a very friuolus and odious comparison of Christ and his Apostles with their ministers For it was expressely foretould by the Prophets that Christ was to abrogate the old Law and the carnall vocation and succession thereof and that he was to ordayne another more excellent and spirituall the which he effected indeed Wherefore seing that now the Apostles had another farre more excellent vocation instituted by Christ there was no reason they should aske any vocation from Moyses But we read no where that the vocation ordained by Christ was to be abrogated by any other whosoeuer but contrarywise the holy Scriptures do plainely teach that the vocation ordained by Christ should endure till the end of Matt. 28. v. vlt. Ephes 4. v. 2. 13. the world wherefore our Aduersaries can proue nothing by this argument vnlesse they will bring in and establish another Messias and a new Law-maker who hath authority to abrogate and change the law and vocation of Christ which is the blasphemy of both Turkes and Iewes FINIS OF THE GROVND OF FAITH The second Part of the second Controuersy CHAP. I. Whether the Church be the foundation and ground of our faith IF the pertinacy of our Aduersaries were not so great it were an easy matter to define this question out of those few wordes of the Apostle affirming that the Churh is the Pillar and Ground of truth for seing that our faith relieth vpon truth that is to say vpon the most true word of God and that 1. ad Tim. 3. v. 15. the Church is the Pillar and Ground of this truth it must needes follow that the Church is the Pillar and Ground of our faith as afterward we will declare more at large But because our Aduersaries goe about to obscure this great and renowned prayse of our Church we will treat of this matter more exactly especially Cap. 13. seq §. 16. because this is a question of great importance seing that theron dependeth our whole faith For euery thing relyeth and dependeth of his foundation Moreouer heereby is declared the great excellency and authority of the Church Hence also other opinioÌ„s of our faith are to be proued which our Aduersaries deny their errors confuted and they themselues very easily conuinced And that the true state of this Controuersie may the better be vnderstood three thinges are to noted 2. The first is that euery science and doctrine hath her grounds principles out of which all other thinges are deduced proued and do depend wherefore we must heere diligently examine and search out the true principles of our faith least otherwise our faith become doubtfull and vncertaine 3. The second is that there are two principles of our faith the one that God is true and the Author of truth the other that these thinges which we belieue are spoken and reuealed vnto vs by God There is lesse difficulty of the former principle For all who conâ—eâ—â—e that there is a God may easily know euen by natural reason that he is true or rather the very Truth it selfe And seeing that he is the chiefest good he can deceiue no body and seing that he is Wisdome it selfe he Ad Heb. 6. v. 18. cannot be deceyued Hereupon the Apostle taketh this as a principle manifestly knowne by it selfe It is impossible for God to lye 4. But the doubts and difficulties which we coÌ„câ—yue concerning matters of faith do especially arise of the secoÌ„d principle to wit because we know not certainly that such things as we belieue are reuealed by God for hence ariseth the whole coÌ„trouersy with Iewes Turkes Heretikes For all do coÌ„fesse that God is true but the Turkes say that their AlcoraÌ„ was reuealed vnto theÌ„ by God the Iewes their Talmud the Anabaptists their bible corrupted maymed by them the Anti-trinitarians their blasphemies vttered against the Blessed Trinity the Lutherans their opinions the Caluinists theirs and the Catholikes theirs And hence it is that we need greatly some sure foundation principle rule and meanes whereby we may know certainly which is the doctrine indeed reuealed by God and which is not otherwise our fayth will alwayes remayne doubtfull and vncertayne 5. The third is that God is accustomed three wayes to assure his Church of this his reuelation The first way is when God himselfe appeareth froÌ„ heauen and speaketh to his Church for so in times past he spake vnto all the children of Israel when he gaue them the tables of Exod. 20. v. 22. his Law in the mount Sinay 6. The second is when God speaketh to one alone from heauen and he sendeth him to the Church that he may reueale vnto the whole Church such things as God hath spoken vnto him So in tymes past in the old Testament God spake by Exod. 24. v. 2. 3. Ad Gal. 2. v. 12. himselfe to Moyses and Moyses reuealed the same things to the people And in the new Testament Christ in this manner reuealed his Ghosptell to S. Paul which he afterward reuealed vnto others But these two wayes are extraordinary and are ceased as all do coÌ„fesse excepting only a few Anabaptists and Swenkfeldians whose madnesse and folly all men disproue 7. The third way is ordinary which alwayes remaineth in the Church and whereof the whole controuersy is For almost all Lutherans the purer sort of Caluinists will haue the sole Scripture to be the foundation and rule wherby we may certainly know the true reuelation of Cal. l 1. Iustit c. 7. sect 1. 2. God from the false But Caluâ—n himselfe at the first blush seemeth to attribute this to the sole Scripture and very coÌ„tumeliously inueygheth against Catholikes who deny it whome therfore he calleth brawling and sacrilegious persons yet
adde also some other naturall reasons and perwasions that they may be conuerted For there are many things in holy Scripture which seeme opposite to naturall reason as the mysteryes of the Blessed Trinity Incarnation Resurrection of the dead c. 9. Ninthly there wanteth last of all the tenth property for there is nothing extant of the Scripture in the Apostles Creed 10. The holy Scripture indeed is the ground and reason why we belieue many points of faith but not the ground why we belieue all Moreouer neyther is it the first ground of all that we belieue by it For the Scripture it self is proued by some other more generall ground to wit by the authority of the Church VVherfore the Scripture is only a particuler ground and not a generall a mediate and not immediate a secondary and not the first and chiefest rule of faith CHAP. IIII. That the priuate or particuler spirit of euery one is not the ground or rule of faith THAT no priuate spirit of any can be the ground of our Faith is farre more euident by the same properties now alledged For none of these ten properties doth agree with the priuate spirit of euery one that belieueth the which we declare by these arguments 1. First there wanteth the foresaid continuance For there is no priuate or particuler person who hath continued from the beginning of the world or shall endure till the end therof as faith hath continued 2. Secondly there wanteth truth because there is no priuate man to be found which cannot erre and be deceiued for as witnesseth the Apostle Euery man is Rom. 3. v. 4. a lyar 3. Thirdly there wanteth certainty in proposing matters of faith vnto vs because none can be certaine that any priuate person can haue such a spirit yea eueÌ„ in our Aduersaries iudgemeÌ„ts For the predestinate only in their opinion haue this spirit euen as they only in their iudgments haue the true fayth but the predestinate are knowen to none but only to God according to that of the Apostle God knoweth who are his The which Caluin 2. Tim. 2 v. 19. Cal. l. 4. Inst c. 1. sect 2. expressely teacheth 4. Fourthly the foresaid strength and immutability is wanting for that a priuate man hath not that strength and immutability of his doctrine Our Aduersaries themselues confesse and experience teacheth vs that they often times change their interpretations of Scriptures and at diuers tymes they teach plaine contraries yea they confesse that this their priuate spirit is not permaneÌ„t with them but often times leaueth and forsaketh them the which they proue out of that place of the 29. or 30. Psalme the eight verse Thou hast turned thy face from me and I became Vid disp Paris an 1566. in disp 1. diâ—i sub finem troubled For thus they affirmed in that famous disputation had at Paris Anno 1566. 5. Fiftly there wanteth that fulnesse sufficiency because no priuat man can define all poynts of fayth seeing that many were defined before he was borne against the ancient heretikes and there wil be many things defined in the Church after his death assoone as there shall arise any new heresies 6. Sixtly there wanteth necessity For before there was any priuate man which now liueth there was true fayth and the same fayth will continue after he is dead 7. Seauenthly there wanteth the seauenth property of the rule of faith seing that by this priuate spirit a Christian cannot be distinguished from an Infidell But in truth all heretikes do bragge and boast that they haue this priuate spirit wheras notwithstanding one condemneth or rather damneth another 8. Eightly there wanteth the eight property For no point of faith can be certainly deduced out of this priuate spirit only seeing that it is oftentimes vncertayne and deceitfull 9. Ninthly there wanteth the ninth property For it is a ridiculous thing for one to endeauour to conuert an infidell to the fayth by bragging only that he hath this priuate spirit the which none can eyther see or vnderstand 10. Tenthly there wanteth the tenth and last property because there is no mention made of this priuat and particuler spirit in the Apostles Creed 11. And the true spirit of faith which is in euery faithfull soule wherof the Apostle speaketh when he saith that we haue the spirit of sayth is not the 2. Cor. 4. v. 13. ground or reason of fayth we heere speak of but it is the helpe of God or the supernaturall gift of fayth whereby our vnderstaÌ„ding is helped to belieue and it is in regard of our vnderstanding as it were the efficieÌ„t cause of the acts of faith But we speake in this place of the formall cause or reason of fayth as it appertaineth to the obiect of Faith which is the word of God and by which we know what is the true reuealed word of God and what is not For albeit the holy Ghost and the gift of faith moue vs to belieue yet they do not rashly moue vs without any reason or ground Eccles 19. v. 4. For he as the wise man sayth who belieueth quickely is light of hart but with a solid and sure ground according to those words of 1. Ioan. 4. v. 1. S. Iohn do not dearely beloued belieue euery spirit but proue the spirits whether they be of God But this proofe and triall necessarily requireth some good reason and sure ground whereof we will speake in the next Chapter 12. Lastly it is to be considered that we do heere disâ—ute of the Catholik faith as it is necessary to al to attaine their eternall saluation not of the speciall faith of one or other the which we know very well may arise or proceede from some particuler or extraordinary reuelation of God but this is not the Catholike faith not an ordinary but an extraordinary fayth not to be admitted generally of all till it be approued and receyued by the Church as presently we will declare more at large CHAP. V. That the Catholike Church is the ground or rule of our Faith THAT the Catholike and visible Church is the most solide and true ground of our faith is manifestly proued by the former properties of the Ground of faith For all those ten properties do very well agree to the Church and to nothing els besides The Church hath the first property to wit a continuall and neuer-interrupted Supâ— cap. 3. huius Controu duration For the Church hath alwaies continued as we haue already proued euen by the testimony of our Aduersaries 2. The Church also hath the second property that is to say a most certaine Supr cap. 7. huius Controu and vndoubted truth because she can neuer erre in faith as we haue proued before 3. She hath also the third property that is to say the infallible certainty on our partes because in the doctrine of the Church we may haue the greatest certainty perspicuity and euidency that possibly we can
be certaine in it selfe before the Church began to be The Church therefore must be that which giueth certainty to the doctrine or writings of the Apostles but rather their doctrine and writings do affoard sufficient certainty to the Church So Caluin Calu. lib. 1. â—nst c. 7 sect 2. Beza in 2. cap. ad Ephes v. 10. I answere first if we will follow the interpretation of this place alledged by Beza Caluins argument wil be nothing worth For Beza will haue this to be the sense of those words that the Church is built vpon Christ who is the ground and foundation of the Apostles and Prophets and he will haue only Christ to be the ground-worke and the Apostles and Prophets he saith were only as the Architects and builders of this Church as also all faythfull Ministers of Christ are at this day but not the ground it selfe Beza also addeth that he is truly Antichrist who attributeth that vnto himselfe which belongeth only to Christ that is to say to be the ground and foundation of the Church 8. Out of which doctrine of Beza it followeth manifestly that Caluin is truly Antichrist For he attributeth vnto all Ministers of the Church and to their doctrine and consequently vnto himselfe and his owne doctrine that they are the foundation of the Church but according to Beza whosoeuer attributeth this vnto himselfe is plainly Antichrist because he attributeth that vnto himselfe which only belongeth vnto Christ 9. Secondly I answere that yet whatsoeuer Beza sayth Caluins exposition is the trewer agreeing therin with S. Chrrsostome S. Chrys Hom. 6. inc 2. ad Ephes S. Aug. Tom. 8. in Psal 86. adv 1. Theoph in e. 2. Ephes S. Augustine Theophilact and other auncient Fathers that is to say that S. Paul in this place calleth the Apostles and Prophets the ground and foundation of fayth or that which is alone their doctrine for in the sameplace he compareth Christ to the chiese corner stone and the foundation of this spirituall building doth consist of many stones but there is one lowest and chiefest to wit Christ Iesus who supporteth all and who is that corner stone which vniteth Ephes 2. v. 14. the Iewes and Gentills togeather as S. Paul sayth in the same Chapter 10. Hence it is that S. Iohn in the Apocalyps affitmeth that this heauently Apoc. 2â— v. 14. Citty hath twelue foundations and not only one and Christ notwithstanding is S. Aug. Tom 8. in Psal 86. initio the chiefest of all the foundations and the foundation of foundations as S. Augustine sayth that is to say of all those twelue foundations he is the foundation 11 And heere the Apostle vseth tâ—e Hebrew phrase in which it is all one to say Vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets to say Vpon the Apostolicall and Propheticall foundation For the Hebrews Psal 5. v. 7. often vse the Genitiue case of the substantiue for the adiectiue as a man of bloud deceit in the fifth Psalme signifieth a blouby and deceitfull man 12. Furthermore that which Caluin sayth that the Apostolicall and Propheticall doctrine hath it certainty of it self before the approbation of the Church that indeed is true but this is the certainty which it hath of it owne nature from Cap. 13. praecedent §. 17. 19. God himselfe but in regard of vs it receiueth it certainty from the Church as Caluin and Bezâ— witnesse as we haue already declared 13. But Caluin erreth in this that he thinketh S. Paul to treate in this place of the Scripture only of the Apostles and Prophets For not only the Apostolicall Scripture is the ground of our faith but all the doctrine of the Apostles And few of the twelue Apostles to wit only fiue haue written any thing but of the other seauen there are no writings extant but yet they all taught the Apostle therfore speaketh of the Apostolicall doctrine and only of the Scripture 14. But neyther do we deny that fayth dependeth of the Apostles doctrine yea more then that we say that our faith dependeth of the doctrine of the present Church For when we affirme that the Church is the ground of our faith we ad Rom. 10. v. 17. do not vnderstand by the Church the shoulders or bodyes of them who are in her but their authority doctrine and preaching for by these thinges faith is ingendred and as the Apostle witnesseth faith is by hearing 15. But whensoeuer we treate of the true Church of Christ we do not speake of that which wanteth true faith which is deafe dumbe or foolish and which also eyther neglecteth or not vnderstandeth the Word of God or Scriptures for such a Church is not the true Church of Christ But we speake of that which belieueth which speaketh which preacheth the pure word of God which keepeth and expoundeth the Scriptures most faithfully and which fitâ—ly applyeth them in Sermons Exhoâ—tations AmoÌ„g vs therfore all these wordes haue one and the same signification the Church the faith of the Church the preaching and doctrine of the Church the word of God preached by the Church and the truth of God proposed vnto vs by the Church And we vnderstand all these thinges by the Name of the Church when we say that she is the grouÌ„d of our fayth For all these thinges are eyther properties actions or offices of the Church which cannot be separated from her 16. Wherefore our Aduersaries doe erre exceedingly wheÌ„ they separate euery one of these from the Church and oppose or obiect it against her as though it were a quite distinct thing from her nay of the true Church of Christ they make her the Sinagogue of Sathan Therfore the Apostolicall Propheticall doctrine must not be separated and made opposite vnto the Church as Caluin doth seeing that it is an essentiall part of the visible Church Caluin therfore disputeth as if one should make this argument A man without his soule neyther seeth speaketh nor vnderstandeth therefore a man neyther seeth speaketh nor vnderstandeth 17. But peraduenture some will say We haue said a little before that faith is the ground of the Church and now we say that the Church is the ground of faith wherof the one seemeth to be contrary to the other I answere that heerin there is no contrariety For there be two kindes of faith the one is the particuler faith of euery Christian wherby togeather with hope and charity euery one is iustified the other is the generall and common faith of the whole Church The particuler faith of ech one relyeth vpon the Church to wit vpon the faith preaching and authority of the whole Church But she her selfe relieth vpon the generall faith and profession and preaching therof in the whole Church which is an essentiall part of the visible Church When therfore we say that the Church is the ground of faith we speak of the particuler faith of euery Christian But when we say that
can establish Fayth concerning this matter 3. Iohn Caluin indeed sayth that it Lib. 1. Inst c. 7. sect 2. in fine is as easy for a faithfull man to discerne Canonicall Scripture from that which is not Canonicall as to one that seeth it is easy to discerne light from darknes and white from black But in so saying See Beâ—l lib. 1. de ver Deic 17. 18 19. he contradicteth both reason and experience for it is euident that in old tyme there was no small controuersy amongst the faythfull yea and amongst learned and godly men concerning many bookes of the old and new Testament yea and also euen now amoÌ„gst such as our Aduersaries esteeme faithfull men which Caluin Calu. pros in Ep. lac Epist ad Heb. ante â— Petri. himself in many places confesseth 4. Moreouer Caluins owne followers well perceauing this fly vnto their owne peculiar spirit by which they say they are chiefly perswaded and moued and not by the only consent of the Church But these speake nothing to the purpose for Rupell Confess art 4. in faith two thinges concurre one is the cause or origen of fayth to wit God himselfe and the holy Ghost whereof there is no controuersy betweene vs and them for we all acknowledge the holy Ghost to be the principall cause of the assent we giue by fayth that is to say that it is the holy Ghost who chiefly perswadeth vs to belieue The other is the obiect of fayth or that which is to be belieued whereof we now dispute for the holy Ghost doth not induce vs to belieue the false vncertaine deuises of men but the puâ—e and sincere word of God only we aske therfore of our Aduersaries by what expresse word of God he reuealeth vnto them that there are so many Canonicall bookes and neyther fewer nor more for we read not this any where in the Scripture and they admit only the written Word of God how can the holy Ghost Calu l. 1. Instit c. 9. sect 1. then perswade theÌ„ to belieue that which is not the word of God For we are not now to expect new reuelations from God as do the Anabaptists and Libertines whom for this cause our Aduersaries condemne It is necessary therefore that if they will haue vs belieue that they are perswaded by the holy Ghost to belieue such books only to be authenticall as they do say are such that they first shew this to be a truth expressely contayned in holy Scripture which they will neuer be able to do Wherfore there is no certainty with them eyther of the sense of the holy InnoceÌ„t 1. ep 3. c. vlt. CoÌ„ il 3. Carthag caÌ„ 47. S. Aug. Epist 335. Câ—cil Trident. sess 4. Scripture or of the Letter nor euer wil be vntill they returne vnto the Church agayne But we Catholikes are certaine of both for we haue a most faythfull Canon receaued in the Church more theÌ„ a thousand and two hundred yeares agoe confirmed by a generall and Oecumenicall Councell 5. And this to haue beene the faith and doctrine of the auncient Church for the discerning of true and authenticall Lib. 4. Inst c. 1â— sect vlt. Scriptures that short but pithy sentence of S. Augustine whome Caluin acknowledgeth to haue byn the best and most faithfull witnes of antiquiy sufficiently testifyeth saying I for my part would not belieue the Ghospell vnlesse I were moued by the authority Aug. coÌ„ Epist Manich. c. 5. of the Church of which place I will say more herafter in the Controuersy of the Church And else where he saith VVe receaue the old and new TestameÌ„t in that nuÌ„ber of bookes which the authority of the holy Catholike Aug. serm 10 de temp Church deliuereth So S. Augustine 6. I know our Aduersaries obiect many thinges against many bookes contayned in our Ecclesiasticall Canon but their chiefe arguments do not only derogate authority from those bookes but also from many others which they receaue as Canonicall For they obiect that some Fathers did sometymes doubt of those bookes which they will not admit but they are not ignorant that some Fathers of old haue doubted of the Epistles of S. Iames and S. Iude of the second Epistle of S. Peter of the 2. and 3. of S. Iohn of the Epistle to the Hebrewes and of the Apocalyps of which bookes they dare Rupell Confess art 3. not now doubt especially Caluins followers as is manyfest by their confession of faith 7. They say further that in those bookes which they reiect there are many thinges obscure difficult and full of contradiction but what booke of Scripture in a manner is there in the which there do not occurre sometymes thinges 2. Pet. 3. v. 16. obscure and hard to be vnderstod did not S. Peter acknowledge as much But as for true contradictions there are none at al how soeuer there may be some things which at the first sight may seeme to imply contradiction yet indeed all thinges agree very well togeather such a contradiction is oftentymes found in those bookes which euen our Aduersaries receaue Aug. dâ— Doâ—t Christia l. 2. c. 41. de ser Dom. in mont l. 1. c. 3. yea euen in the Ghospells themselues which for all that are not to be reiected but humbly soberly and piously to be interpreted as S. Augustine many tymes admonisheth 8. To conclude all the arguments that our Aduersaries make against these bookes are fully answered by Catholike writers which haue set out Commentaries Bell. Greâ—s Contro 1 l. 1. c. 7. sequ 〈◊〉 in sâ—â— Coronol vpon those bookes to wit Cornelius I ansenius vpon Ecclesiasticus Ioannes Laurinus vpon the booke of VVisedome Ioannes Maldonatus and Chrisâ—ophâ—r à Castâ—o vpon Baruch and Nicolas Serarius vpon the rest of the bookes of the old Testament which our Aduersaries call Apocripall to omit the most Reuerend and famous Cardinall Bellarmine and his Champion Iacobus Gretserus as also Iames Gordon Lesmoreus For it is sufficient only to haue cited them seeing that I write only an abridgment of Controuersies not any long commentaries vpon the Scripture And therfore conteÌ„t my selâ—e to haue shewed in this place that our Aduersaries must either receaue the Canon of Scriptures approued be the Councell of Trent or be vtterly destitute of any certayne and assured Canon CHAP. VI. Of the Hebrew Text. OVR Aduersaries when they are vrged with Catholike argumeÌ„ts taken from the Scriptures are wont to fly to the Hebrew Text of the old Testament and to the Greeke text of the new perswading themselues by this meanes to attayne to the true and propter sense of the letter wherfore somthing is to be sayd in this place of the Hebrew Greeke text both which appertayne to the Letter of the holy Scripture 2. We grant indeed that when the Latin translation is either ambiguous or lesse playne the Hebrew text is well and profitably looked into as also that
hand I say it is a Metonymicall speach So Caluin 2. By the figure Hyperbole our Aduersaries shift of all those so euident testimonies by which wee proue that remission Tob 4. v. 26. Tob. 12. v. 9. Eccl. 3. v. 33. of sinnes is obtayned of God by good works as are these Almes deliuereth from all sinnes and death and suffereth not the soule to go into darknes And againe Almes deliuereth froÌ„ death it is that that purgeth sinne maketh vs find mercy life euerlasting Moreouer water putteth out a burning fier and Almes resisteth sinne for the Lutherans say that all these are Hyperbolicall Apel. confess August tit de Iustif Lib. 4. Instit c. 14. sect vit Caâ—â—s in c. 6. Matt. v. 16. inc 24. v. 82. Luc. vlt. v. speaches Beza also seeketh to extenuat by the figure Hyperbole that which the Apostle writeth in the praise of the Roman Church when he sayth your faith is preached all ouer the world Caluin in like manner by the same figure not only depraueth many places of the auncient Fathers but will needes force Christ himselfe without any need at all to speake Hyperbolically And finally Philip Melancthon goeth about by the figure Ironia to occlude all those manifest wordes of Christ That which remayneth giue Almes and behold all thinges are cleane vnto you For Philip contendeth that Christ Erasm in aÌ„not in Luc. Calu. Beza in illa verba S. Luc. spake not those words in earnest but in iest which he tooke from Erasmus as he did many other things but Caluin and Beza confesse that this is a foolish Ironia Aâ—beit they also peruert the same wordes another way for they restrayne the word omnia only to meate 3. The fift shift is when Catholiks alledge plaine places of Scripture which admit no figure to say that the Scripture yea euen Christ himselfe did speake exactly but after a grosse and popular manner the meaning is that he speaketh only probably and not solidly For example sake when we proue that the Sacrament of the Eucharist excelleth the Manna of the Iewes by these wordes of Christ your Fathers Ioan 6. 48. 49 indeed haue eaten Manna and are dead this is the bread descending from heauen that if any man eate of it he dye not Caluins answere is that l. 4. Instit c 14. sect 25. Christ accommodated his speach to the grosse conceipt or opinion of the Iewes When we proue the Exorcismes of the Church by which she casteth out diuells to be holv because Christ sayth one Diuell will not cast out another Caluin answereth VVe Cal. in illum v 25. Matth. 12. must remember sayth he that when Christ v seth such prouerbes as are in vse among the people he vseth them only as probable coniectures and not as solid proofes So he No meruaile therfore it our Aduersaries say our arguments be not solid seeing they write so much of Christs owne arguments 4. Their sixt shift is to answere to such plaine testimonies as are alledged out of Scripture against their errors that the Scripture speaketh not simply that is to say not truly but according to the false opinion of them against whom it hath to do which indeed is nothing els but to deny the Scripture This is an vsuall shift of Caluin who interpreteth to dispute by Cal. 2. instit c. 11. sect 7. contention to be all one as to dispute not according to our owne mind but according to their error and foolish affection who obscure the light of the Ghospell So as when we proue that our Sacraments excell the Sacraments of the old law because S. Paul sayth that the ceremonies of the Coloss 2. v. 17. Iewes were shaddows of things to come but Christ the body it selfe And againe that the Sacrifices of the law could not make perfect according to conscience Heb. 9. v. 9. 13. but serued only to sanctification cleansing of the flesh and lastly that they could not take away sinne To all these places Caluin answereth Heb. 10. v. 11. Cal. l. 4. Inst cap 14. sect 25. VVeare sayth he to obserue diligently that the Apostle S. Paul in all these places speaketh not simpliciter sed per conteâ—â—onem which what it is to say we haue interpreted out of Caluin before CHAP. XVI Of the seauenth and eight shift THEIR seauenth shift is when they are vrged with expresse words of Scripture to say that they are to be vnderstood before men and not before God or in truth This shift Caluin and Beza vse often for thus they rid themselues of these places Euery branch that bringeth not forth fruite in me he will Ioan. 15. v. 2. Calu. Ibid. cut off Caluin heere coÌ„tendeth that the euill which belieue in God are in Christ only in the estimation of men and not indeed whereof it followeth that the words of Christ are thus to be vnderstood to wit that the euill seeme indeed to men to be in Christ but are not so in truth 2. That place also of S. Iames Man is Iac. 2. 24 Beza Calu. in illa verba iustified by workes and not by fayth alone is interpreted by Caluin and Beza and almost all other our Aduersaries of Iustification before men not before God See more exaÌ„ples in this Chapter in the latin edition 3. The eight shift is when they know not what to answere to say it is an improper speach and by this occasion to change the words of the Scripture into other words of their owne forging For when we cite the words of Christ in which a reward is promised to fasting and prayer Caluin turneth them of with this answere Calu. in c. â— Matt. v. 4. when Christ sayth he promiseth a reward from God for fasting he speakes improperly as is sayd a little before coÌ„cerning prayer Likewise when to proue Freewill we alledge those Matt. 12. v 33. Calu. ibid. words of Christ to wit make the tree good Calâ—â—n answereth it is an improper speach CHAP. XVII Of the ninth and tenth shift THEIR ninth shift is when the words of Scripture are so playne and manifest that they cannot otherwise escape they say at last that the Scripture commendeth vnto vs a thing impossible and to make this shift more probable theâ— corrupt the text by adding the particle si as if the Scripture spake conditionally and not absolutely for when we cite the places of Scripture in which life euerlasting is promised to such as Matt. 19. v. 17. Luc 10. v. 28. keepe Gods Commandments as when Christ saith If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandments And againe do this and thou shalt liue The answere of Caluin and Beza is that Christ in these words speaketh of a thing impossible Caluin vpoÌ„ the former place Calu. in 29. Matt. v. 17. writeth 〈◊〉 Some of the auncieÌ„t Fathers saith he haue interpretea this place amisse as do the Papists after
with the word of God in generall the which they should not doe for ther are three sorts of the word of God to wit that which is belieued preached and written The belieued word is in the hart of the Church that which is preached is in her mouth and that which is written is in her bookes Of the belieued and preached Word the Apostle sayth the word is in thy mouth and in thy hart this is the word of fayth which we preach We Rom. 20. v. 8. confesse that in the belieued and preached word the Church is founded because by the same it is ingendred nourished Rom. 10. v. 10. Ibid v. 14. and gouerned and that vnto this word it is subiect and obedient as vnto the Words of her spouse For indeed this kind of word is necessary for the Church For with our hart sayth the Apostle we belieue vnto Iustice but with the mouth confession is made to saluation And againe How shall they heare without a preacher 2. But the nature of the written word is farre different for this is neyther altogeather necessary for the Church seeing that the Church was without it more then two thousand yeares neyther can the written word be profitable to the Church vnlesse it be also rightly preached and belieued For what doth it profit a man to haue the Bible vnlesse he rightly belieue and vnderstand it 3. But the Scripture whereof we now dispute doth only conteyne the written word but the belieued and preached word is conteined in the visible Church as the necessary and essentiall parts therof seing the one is as it were the life in the hart of the Church the other as it were the speach in her mouth neither can they euer be separated from her according to that saying and promise of God The words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not Isa 59. v. vlt. depart from thy mouth nor from the mouth of thy seede nor from the mouth of thy seedes seede from henceforth for euermore 4. Wherefore this argument doth proue the quite coÌ„trary for seeing that the written word receiueth it profit and authority from the rightly belieued and preached word which are the partes of the Church it is necessary that the written word receiue that authority and vtility from the Church as that wherin only the word rightly preached and belieued is to be found 5. The second argument If the Church should teach any thing contrary to the Scriptures we were not to belieue the Church Therefore the Scripture doth not receiue that authority from the Church but rather the Church from the Scripture I answere that in the same maÌ„ner it may be said that if the Scripture should conteine any thing against truth we should not also belieue it if the holy Ghost should vtter and speake any lye we should not belieue him But thâ—se conditions are indeed impossible and blasphemous against God wherefore they are not only to be admitted but not euen to be proposed of Christians For it is impossible that the Church should teach any thing contrary to the Scriptures for then the holy Ghost should lye because he should teach one thing by the Church and the contrary by the Scriptures 6. The third argument if the Scripture receiue that authority from the Church then the Church should be aboue the Scripture which seemeth to be very absurd I answere That the Church is aboue the Scriptures may be vnderstood two wayes First because the Church exceedeth the Scripture in dignity and excellency and in this sense without all doubt the Church is about the Scripture for the Scripture is made for the Church and not contrary wise All things sayth the Apostles 1. Cor. 4. v. 51. are done for you Christ dyed for the Church and not for the Scriptures the Church belieueth hopeth loueth and prayseth God but the Scripture doth none of these The Church shall reigne and liue euerlastingly with Christ in heauen the Scripture shall perish after the day of Iudgement Lastly the Church conteineth in it the word of God rightly belieued preached and the Holy Ghost it selfe all which do farre exceede the written word in excellency and dignity 7. Secondly it may be vnderstood that the Church is aboue the Scripture so as she may change the Scripture or of Scripture make no Scripture or lastly she may teach some what contrary to Scripture or depart from the true sense of Scripture In which sense the Sectaries of this tyme say that we affirme the Church to be aboue the Scripture And thus it is false that the Church is aboue the Scripture but neyther is there any Catholike which in this sense will affirme that the Bellar. l. 3. de verbo Dei c. vlt. in resp ad 14. argum Church is aboue the Scripture as Bellarmine truly affirmeth For if the Church were in this sense aboue the Scripture the Church should erre and be opposite vnto her â—elfe because in that the Church hath once approued the Scripture she cannot any more reiect and disproue it vnlesse she contradict her selfe which is impossible 8. The fourth argument The holy Scripture receiueth her authority immediatly from God himselfe because he is the Author of the Scripture therefore it doth not receiue it authority from the Church I answere there be two kinds of certaynties the one of the thing in it owne Nature the other in respect of vs so also there are two kinds of authorityes the one of the thing considered in it selfe and this hath the Scripture from her principall Author to wit God himselfe the other is in respect of vs and this it hath from the Church as we haue Cap 13. praeced §. 17. 19. proued before out of Caluin and Beza For we know not otherwise that God is the Author of the Scripture with any certainty of fayth but by the testimony of the Church 9. And that which we haue sayd of the Scripture may also be euidently seene in Christ our Lord who is aboue the Scripture For Christ was forced to proue his authority by miracles that it might the better be knowen and allowed of men For otherwise the Iewes had not beene bound to haue admitted his authority Ioan. 15. v. 14. S. Aug. Tom. 9. Tract 91. in Ioan. Hereupon saith Christ speaking vnto his disciples of the Iewes If I had not done among them workes that no other man hath done they should not haue sinned that is to say of Infidelity not belieuing in Christ aâ— S. Augustine very well expoundeth And in another place speaking vnto the Iewes Ioan. 10. v. 17. he sayth If I doe not the workes of my Father belieue me not 10. But if the authority of Christ which was most exellent in it selfe and immediatly from God stood in need of those meanes wherby it might become knowne vnto vs to the end it might oblige vs to belieue it much more the authority of the Scripture will stand in need