testimony and interpretation of the Church i.e. the Pope or a Councel which is their assertion must needs give us the same liberty to assert that a Christian is not bound to believe what the Scripture saith concerning the Infallibility of the Pope or Councels but for the testimony of the Pope and Councels that is we have no reason to believe their Infallibility but this that they tell us they are infallible we have their word for it so it seems the Disciple is better then his Master and the Pope's word will go further then the word of God for the Scriptures Testimony is not to be credited in its own cause saith Bellarmine as the Churches Testimony is When the Papists would presse the Scripture to the service of this notion it may say to them as Iepthah did to the Elders of Israel Iud. 11.7 Did not je hate me and expell me out of my fathâ—r's house and why are you come unto me now when ye are in distress And upon condition they will reply with the Gileadites Therefore we turn again to thee now that thou mayest be our head I will overlook that otherwise unpardonable fault by which they have rendred the Scripture unserviceable to their purpose and once more they shall have a fair tryal whether the Infallibility of Councels can be demonstrated from Scripture Sect. 14. The first and principall support of Infallibility is 1 Tim. 3. 15 where the Church is called the pillar and ground of Truth This is their Ajacis ctypeus which you shall find used upon all occasions and infinitely repeated by every impertinent scribler of the Romish party For Answer to passe over that notion of our acute Chillingworth that it is not the Church but Timothy who is there called the ground and pillar of Truth and so there is onely an Ellipsis of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is very frequent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the learned Gataker observes and there are diverse instances of either of them So the sence is that thou mightest behave thy selfe in the House of God the Church as a Pillar or as becomes a Pillar And he gives this notable reason for it because it was heterogeneous to call that Church a pillar which in the same verse he had called an house And this I am sure would puzle our masters to answer But to wave that I answer 1 The Church spoken of is not the Church of Rome but the Church in which Timothy was placed And whether it be spoken of the Church in generall or in particular what is this to Rome Here wee find a notable piece of the Romane mystery of iniquity If there be any reproofes or censures applied to any other Churches there every Church must bear its own burden But if any Church be honoured in Scripture with commendations promises priviledges that presently belongs to Rome and they have a commission to seize it for their own use but how unjustly we shall here discover for if you understand these words of the Catholick Church or of the Church in generall then the words only prove the indefectibility of the whole Church which may consist with the errour and Apostacy of several which then were eminent Churches whereof we have unquestionable Instances in the glorious Churches of Asia which notwithstanding this promise fell away and consequently Rome though then her faith was famous throughout the World might fall with them or after them And if you understand the words of a particular Church they must be understood of that Church in which Timothy was placed And if my memory faile me not exceedingly that was not Rome but Ephesus which notwithstanding this Caracter did fall away And moreover it was not the Church ruling but the Church ruled in and over which Timothy was set which is here called the pillar and ground of truth And so the Argument runs thus The Church and people of Ephesus are the pillar and ground of truth Therefore the Pope of Rome is infallible The Consequence is thus proved the Pope may interpret Scripture as he pleaseth and though he may erre in the premises as Stapleton confesseth yet he is alwayes infallible in the conclusion as the same Stapleton asserts Ergo the Popes infallibility is out of the reach of all Arguments 2 The terme of Pillar notes the solidity but not the infallibility of the Church it notes the difficulty of its removall but not the impossibility Every stout Champion of Gods Truth is a pillar of the truth and such are frequently called by that name in the fathers but yet they are not infallible Athanasius was a pillar of the truth but not infallible The great Osires a pillar of the truth and Nicene faith yet fell fowly as appears by the story Musonius Bishop of Neocaesarea is by Basilius Caesariensis invested this very title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ergo by the Romane Logick Basil thought him infallible or if he did not then Basil did not think those words implyed infallibility Gregory Nyssen tells us not onely Peter and Iames and Iohn are pillars not only Iohn Baptist is a light but also all that build up the Church are pillars and lights Therefore it seemes all Ministers are infallible Male Children are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pillars of their families among the Greek Poets and Getae a faithfull servant in Terence is called Columen Familiae the pillar of the family For ought I know if those men would go to Rome and upon the credit of this word sue out a Writ of priviledge they might be as infallible as the Pope himselfe 3. This Phrase The Church is the Pillar of Truth may note the Churches duty not her practice and what she ought to be not what she alwaies is They shall not say this is gratis dictum I will make it good by parallel Instances wherein they shall see the absurdity of their argument Rulers are not a terror to good works but to the evill Rom. 13.3 If this argument be good The Church is a Pillar E. she cannot eâ—re then this also is good That Rulers cannot be a terror to good works None but one that comes from Bedlam would assert the latter and none but one that comes from Rome would conclude the former Thus our Saviour saith of his Ministers Ye are the salt of the world ye are the light of the world Matth. 5. Ergo by this argument this Salt could not loose its savour and no Minister can be in the dark but every one must be infallible Thus Prov. 16 10. A Divine sentence is in the lips of the King his mouth transgresseth not in judgment Ergo Kings are infallible If the Pope had such a Text in the New Testament The Pope's mouth transgresseth not in judgment you may easily imagine what triumphs the Assertors of Infallibility
would have made who can build a towring confidence upon such pittiful foundations and yet this doth not informe us of the practice of Kings but acquaints them with their duty as Interpreters agree 4. This Phrase The pillar and ground of Truth notes the necessity of the Churches ministry quoad nos but not the infallibility of her Authority those are two distinct things and the one no way consequent upon the other The utmost which can be squeezed from that phrase is this that the Church doth support the truth and Gospel of Christ in the world and so doth every sincere zealous defender of the truth and especially the Ministers and prime champions of the truth not only when met together in a general Councel but also in their single capacities which I think will be undeniably proved by this argument The Church was the pillar and ground of truth for the first three hundred years after Christ and the Apostles never did it more deserve that name nor did it ever more discharge that office but all that time there was no oecumenical Councel and that is the only Councel to whom Infallibility is ascribed by the Papists therefore either that phrase doth not evince infallibility or the several pastors of those ages were infallible 5. The consequence of the argument is false and frivolous The Church is the pillar of truth Ergo she is infallible for the same Church may be a pillar of truth and a seat of Error For what is it to be a Pillar of the Truth if we draw aside the curtain of the Metaphor but to be a Defender of the Faith And who knows not that the same persons may defend the truth and maintain errors with them unlesse he be one that never read the Bible nor Ecclesiastical History Who knows not that the same persons which defended the truth of Christianity against Jewes and Pagans did also maintain the Doctrine of Iesabel and the Heresy of the Nicolaitans Rev. 2. and that those very men that owned the foundation did build the hay and stubble of false doctrines thereupon 1 Cor. 3. and that diverse of the stoutest defenders of the truth of the Gospel among the Fathers had their errors as Bellarmine acknowledgeth Else if they will stand to the consequence it will follow by vertue of it Such a Minister preacheth the truth Ergo he is infallible and cannot preach false doctrine Such a Judg is the Pillar of Justice in the land Ergo it is impossible he should make an unjust Decree Proclamations are hanged upon such a pillar Ergo a Libell cannot be fastned there 6. Their argument proceeds from a declaration of the Churches present state for that is all that place asserts viz. that the Church then was a Church and Pillar of truth to an assurance of its perpetual continuance in that state which is quite another thing Which kind of argumentation if it might pass for currant it would work brave exploits for then it would follow The city of Sion was an habitation of righteousnesse a pillar of truth and justice Ergo the Prophet Isay was mis-informed when he said The faithfull City is become a Harlot it was full of judgment righteousnesse lodged in it but now murderers Isa 1.21 Nay then the Church of England is orthodox in the Romane sence Probatur It was the Pillar of truth viz. when it was the Pope's Asse Ergo it is so still and the Papists slander us when they say we are fallen away The Church was a Virgin in the Apostles dayes saith Egesippus Ergo she is not now corrupted nor indeed can be for I must tell you the Pope can do more then all the Apostles either pretended or did for they could not even while they lived wholly keep the Church from actual corruption but the Pope keeps her from all possibility of corruption Thus the Pope is omnipotent and it is no marvell he is infallible § 15. The Second place of principal moment alledged for the Infallibility of the Church and Councels is Mat. 18.17 where all are commanded to hear the Church and they that hear her not are to be accounted as Heathens and Publicans Ergo the Church of Rome is Infallible for this is the comfort whatever is in the premises Romes infallibility is in the conclusion and the Church of Rome that can dispence with Gods lawes may well dispense with Syllogistical rules by which there ought not to be more in the conclusion then in the premises but that Law was made for Subjects but not for our Sovereign Lord the Pope To this may be added another place they vehemently urge Luk. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me Ergo the Church is infallible Ans. 1. Whatever these texts prove what right hath the Church of Rome to her monopoly of the priviledges here conveyed Or why may not the Greek or English Churches and their Ministers claime the benefit of them The words have an indifferent aspect to all of them 2. The consequence is false Christians must hear the Church and Ministers Ergo they are infallible which I thus prove Children must obey their Parents and if they do not they must dye for it Deut. 21. are parents therefore infallible Subjects must obey their Magistrates or dye for it Ios. 1.18 Whosoever will not hearken unto thy words he shall be put to death it seems then Magistrates are infallible For this is the argument by which the Romanists pretend to prove the Infallibility of the High-priest of the Jewes because they that would not hear him were to be put to death Deut. 17. Nay this very text Luc. 10. destroyes that sense which the Romanists would fasten upon it for seeing it is not the Apostles but seventy disciples and they too not as met in a Councel but as preaching the Gospel severally or at most by pairs whom they are under such dreadful penalties commanded to hear if it be conclusive for infallibility it proves the infallibility of every Minister or at least of every pair of them 3. It is agreed between them and us that Christ speaks of the Censures of the Church Mat. 18. and therefore surely if it prove the Churches Infallibility in any thing it must be in the matter there spoken of viz. in Church-censures But they grant the Church is Fallible in her censures as depending upon Testimony and matters of fact And therefore it is ridiculous to infer from thence her Infallibility in other things which are not spoken of in this place 4. The Church and Ministers are to be heard not simply and in all things but onely in the Lord and what they speak according to his word This is denied by the Papists who positively assert that they are to be heard in all things and without examination as we have seen from their own words It is therefore necessary to say something to overthrow this lawlesse liberty and boundlesse authority ascribed by them to the Church for this is their
and evident yet I shall at present forbeare that answer and referre it to another place and shall here consider whether the Scriptures assert the Popes infallible Authority as it is pretended And first in generall whereas severall Texts of Scripture are pleaded by the Romanists in favour of the Popes Supremacy and Infallibility as Feed my sheep Thou art Peter I have prayed for thee and the like I demande whether these words or Texts of Scripture in and for themselves without the interpretation and testification of the Romish Church do bind me to believe the Popes Supremacy and Infallibility or no◠If they deny the validity of these Texts without the Churches Testimony and Authority as needs they must according to their Principles then it followes that there is nothing in Scripture considered in it selfe that bindes me to believe the Popes Supremacy and consequently I do not sin when I do not believe and own their Arguments drawn from these Texts and that the Scripture in it selfe is no sufficient foundation for a Papists Faith If they affirme it then let all the Papists in the World give me a reason why these Texts The Word was God Joh. 1. He thought it no robbery to be equall with God Phil. 2. This is the true God 1 Joh. 5. Should not in themselves and without the Churches Authority as solidly prove the Divinity of Christ as the other mentioned Texts are affirmed to prove the Supremacy and Infallibility of the Pope § 6. If they persist still to say that the alleadged Texts are in themselves a solid foundation for my faith although such an aspersion is contrary to their universall profession and overturnes the whole fabrick of Popery yet because I know those Proteus's will turne themselves into all shapes and indeavour to slip all knots and because I observe all their writings are stuffed with severall Texts of Scripture as if they would make their deluded Proselites believe they made them the foundation of their faith I shall therefore make some briefe remarks upon the chiefe of their Scripture allegations in pursuance of the Proposition under consideration and shew that the faith of a Papist hath no foundation at all in the sacred Scripture in the great and fundamentall point of the Popes Infallibility Onely that you may understand the diffidence which some of their own great Rabbies have in their Scripture Arguments I shall minde you of a remarkable saying of Eminent Doctor Pighius who perswading his Catholicks in their Disputations rather to argue from Tradition then Scriptures he breaks out into these memorable expressions Of which Doctrine if we had been mindfull that Hereticks are not to be convinced out of Scriptures our affaires had been in a better posture but whilest for ostentation of wit and learning men disputed with Luther from Scripture this Fire which alas we now see was kindled as if he had said You may as soon fetch water out of a stone as prove the Romish cause from the the Scripture Oh the power of truth Oh the desperatenesse of the Popish cause His Councell indeed was good but they could not follow it for having once been sumbling about some Scriptures though they saw well enough how impertinent they were to their purpose yet having once begun they were obliged to proceed and make good their attempts for of all things in the World they hate retreating and recanting left they should put an Argument into our hands against the infallibility of the Church from her actuall mistakes and errours in the exposition of Scriptures § 7. The principall places of Scripture upon which the Popes Supreme Authority and infallibility is founded are as follow The first is Matth. 16.18 Thou art Peter and upon this rock will I build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it Ergo The Pope is Supreme Head and Infallibe I shall forbear actum agere and therefore shall omit severall Answers allready given and onely point at some few of those many allegations by which the ridiculousnesse of this collection may appeare and the desperatenesse of that cause that can find no better supports 1. This promise concernes onely the invisible Church of elect persons which appears thus because he speaks of that Church against which the gates of Hell do not prevaile but the gates of Hell do prevaile against all reprobates and therefore the meanest sincere Elect Christian in the World hath a juster claime to infallibility from this place then many Popes of Rome had whom their own Authors confesse to have been reprobates 2. This promise secures the Church as well from damnable sins as damnable errours I prove it The Church is here secured against the prevalency of the Gates of Hell But the Gates of Hell may prevaile as surely and do prevaile as frequently by damnable sins as by errors Ergo If therefore notwithstanding this Text Popes have fallen into damnable Sins they may consequently fall into damnable Heresies 3. The Infallibility here promised extends onely to damnable Heresies and such as lead to and leave a man under the gates of Hell and therefore if it were intended of the Pope and Church of Rome Christ promiseth no more infallibility to him then he hereby promiseth and generally giveth to all persevering Christians 4. This promise is spoken of and made to the whole Church and therefore belongs to all the parts and members of it alike So that if it prove the Infallibility of the Romish Bishop and Church it proves also the same of the Bishops and Churches of Corinth Ephesus Philippi c. which may further appeare thus That if we should grant the Papists their absurd supposition that this work was not Peters confession but his person yet since the Bishops of Corinth and Ephesus and indeed all the Bishops in the World according to this supposition were built upon Peters person as well as the Bishop of Rome and the infallibility supposed is here promised equally to all that are built upon the Rock it must either prove all of them infallible or leave the Pope fallible 5. Whatsoever Authority or Infallibility is here promised to Peter is in other places promised and given to the rest of the Apostles and therefore what is collected from this place for S t Peters Successors may be with equall truth and evidence pleaded from other places for the Successors of the rest of the Apostles The same Keyes which are here promised to Peter are actually given to all the Apostles Math. 18.18 and Ioh. 20.22 23. And if infallibility be here promised to Peter as much is promised to all the Apostles John 16.13 He will guide you into all Truth And if St Peter be here called a Rock so are the other Apostles called Pillars Gal. 2.9 and Foundations Eph. 2. Apoc. 21.14 And that 16 th of Matthew speaks not one syllable more of transmitting S t Peters Authority to his Successors then those other places do to their
though far short in number and commonly lesse notorious for observation and lesse bebeneficial for use God permits to be done and justly may having forewarn'd the world of such impostures and forestall'd the minds of men with such clear irradiations of his truth and such illustrious glory of miracles that in comparison of them the following wonders were no more then the glimmering light of a Gloworm to the splendor of the Sun in his Meridian Of which we have eminent Instances in the wonders of Iannes and Iambres after Pharaoh had hardned his heart against the word of God and his glorious works and afterward in the wonders of Apollonius Tyanaeus when men had wickedly rejected the offers of grace by Jesus Christ and resisted the glorious light of his most excellent doctrine and inimitable works To make this more clear I shall shew it under the hands of the greatest champions of the Romish Church Estius writes thus The Fathers and Historians do every where witnesse so that here you have a multitude of testimonies in one that true miracles may be done without the Church by false Prophets Hereticks and Schismaticks and he quotes among other witnesses Hilary and Austin and Gregory the great a Pope and therefore infallible in this assertion and a little after he doth so positively assert our doctrine and so strongly batter down the pillar of the Papacy that if you did not know the Author you would judg him to be an absolute Protestant in that point for after he had said that wonderful works may be done by hereticks and Devils in confirmation of false doctrine he addes but against this decâ—it Christ hath forewarned his faithful ones saying Do not go forth do not believe It is to be noted that he doth not say Examine diligently whether they be true miracles for the principal confirmation of the faithful ought to be the doctrine of the Church of old confirmed by Christ and his Apostles by undoubted miracles And Maldonate though as seldome guilty of ingenuity as most I have read is forced to confesse that Hierom. Chrysost. Euthymius and Theophylact do prove by many examples that true miracles may be done by unbelievers and saith he Christ admonisbeth us that we do not believe false Prophets even when they work true miracles So little reason had the Author of Lawd's Labyrinth to call it a strang Paradox that true miracles may be marks of a false doctrine and to say that all Divines confess that true miracles are not feasible but by an extraordinary power of God and that God thereby seales to the truth of a doctrine chap. 9 sect 5. and then to run away as if he had throughly done his work when you see his bold assertion confuted by more learned persons of his own party Then again the said Maldonate puts a question Whether no argument can be drawn from miracles to prove the truth of a doctrine and answers It follows not that no argument can be drawn from them but no certain argument that is the argument from miracles is next door to none it is probable but not undeniable it is conjectural but not certain And yet these new Doctors dare lay the foundation of all viz. the Churches infallibility upon meer conjectures and probabilities One would think the Jesuit had borrowed this as he hath done hundreds of his best passages out of Calvin and unadvisedly transcribed it into his commentary And Andradius the great defender of the Tridentine faith is leaven'd with the same heresy for he saith S. Augustine contendeth that sure and certain tokens of the Church are to be fetched out of the sacred Scriptures because they are free from all suspition of falsehood but miracles may be done by the help of the Devil And Gregory de Valentiâ tels us plainly that miracles of themselves do not beget infallible certainty of the truth of a doctrine and Church but on the contrary the true and lawful Church gives us assurance of the truth of miracles as S. Austin shews To conclude this answer I shall onely adde Bellarmine's words Before the approbation of the Church it is not evident nor certain by a certainty of faith concerning any miracle that it is a true miracle And therefore the Churches infallibility cannot be proved by miracles because it must be presupposed before these miracles can give us any certainty § 21. Ans. 5. If all the former difficulties were removed it profits them not for when a man comes to look into the pieces of their argument from miracles he shall find such horrible mistakes and woful impostures that indeed it makes their cause the worse and gives prudent men occasion to discern that these are the Badges of the Antichristian faction that they are the very signes and lying wonders foretold 2 Thes. 2. I shall briefly look upon some of the parts of the argument 1 They alledge for themselves the miracles of Christ and his Apostles and the first Fathers which being done in confirmation of a doctrine as repugnant to theirs as Heaven is to Hell are so far from proving their Infallibility that they demonstrate their falshood and heresy 2. They plead all those miracles as testimonies to the present doctrine of the Romish Church which were done by such as though they lived in the communion of the Church of Rome yet did complain of their corruptions and condemn diverse of their present doctrines as appears in Bernard particularly in the great doctrine of Merit 3. They alledge such miracles as were done by Papists in order to the conversion of Heathens to Christianity which if really done by the cooperation of the divine power do prove no more but this That God thereby bare witnesse to the common cause of Christianity for confirmation whereof such miracles were done â— and not to their particular opinions wherein they stand divided from other Christians 4. They alledge such miracles as for the generality of them their own Authors such of them as have not sacrificed to Impudence acknowledg to be fictitious and ridiculous What should I tell you of that known censure of Melchior Canus concerning the Legends of the Saints which are the great treasuries of Popish miracles and received by the poor besotted Papists with the same veneration as the four Gospels That the lives of the Saints were written with lesse integrity and faithfulnesse then the lives of the Heathen Emperors were written by Heathen authors A dear sentence it cost him the loss of a Cardinals Cap. Agâ—eeable to this was that of Vives that the Legends were written by a man of a Brasen forehead and a Leaden wit I shall forbear further particulars for it were endlesse to enumerate all the complaints amongst their own Authors in whom there were any relicks of candor and conscience of the fictions in this kind and the many notable instances of those impious frauds discovered upon the reformation of Religion which before that
imagination without the shadow of a proofe that all which was written by such men was a part of Canonicall or Divine Scripture for we read that the Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost which inspired them not at all times but onely when he pleased there being this difference between the spirits inspiration of Christ and all other Holy men that it was in Christ without measure and without difference of time but in the Apostles it was a gift confined to such seasons and proportions as God saw fit for them Is any man so absurd as to think that every letter which a Prophet or Apostle might write about any private affaires was a part of the Sacred Scripture Or if Solomons Herball were extant must it needs be admitted into the Canon of the Sacred Scripture Or how can they prove and if they do not prove it this Argument is impertinent that the Histories which Ioshua or Nathan or Samuel or Gad c. might or did write concerning the Warres of the Lord or the Civill transactions of the Kingdomes of Israel and Iudah must needs be a part of the Canon Or did the temporary transient and extraordinary inspirations of the Holy-Gost deprive them of their common gifts and faculties And was the capacity of a Prophet inconsistent with that of an Historian or because Balaam was once inspired must we needs Canonize all that afterwards he spake if it were extant or because Hannah was once inspired 1 Sam. 2. and Simeon and Elizabeth Luk. 1. did ever any man unlesse in a dream imagine that all their after Discourses were Canonicall Answ. 3. Although fragmenta auri sunt pretiosa the least shreds of Scripture are of inestimable value yet we must distinguish between the essentiall and integrall parts of the rule of Faith every part and parcell of it is a choice blessing for our bene esse and more abundant direction and consolation yet is it not an essentiall part of the rule of Faith for the farre greatest part of those sacred Books is spent in the explication of such general lawes and directions as were of themselves sufficient strictè loquendo or the repetition of the same things which mans dulnesse and backwardnesse to such things made highly expedient and beneficiall The five Books of Moses were sufficient to Salvation before any of the other Books were indited and the following Writings of the Prophets were but Comments upon them which if by Gods providence they had been lost no doubt the first five Books would have been sufficient for Salvation for that state of the Church So when St Matthew had VVritten his Gospell wherein the Doctrine of the person and office and works of Christ who is the marrow of both Testaments and the sole-sufficient object of saving knowledge Ioh. 17.3 is clearly revealed and fully proved I do assert and let any of our Adversaries prove the contrary if they can that that had been sufficient for our Salvation And yet it must be acknowledged a wonderfull favour from God that he hath so plentifully provided for us and so carefully watched by his Providence for the preservation of the severall Books of Scripture that all the wit and learning of Adversaries can only furnish them with two instances of Apostolicall VVritings which they suppose to be lost viz. one Epistle from Laodicea and another to the Corinthians Arg. 3. A rule must be plaine and cleare but the Scriptures are darke and doubtfull and that in things appertaining to Salvation as appeares from 2 Pet. 3.16 things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest to their destruction Now this could not bring destruction if they were not hard in things appertaining to Salvation And here the Captaine musters up severall necessary Doctrines which he supposeth not to be clearly laid down in Scripture Answ. The Scripture is plaine and cleare in things necessary to Salvation as hath been abundantly evinced by Protestants out of expresse Scriptures and consent of Fathers But that belongs to another point and I do not love to mingle distinct questions together therefore to them I shall referre the Reader onely I shall take notice of such assaults as he hath made upon this Doctrine For the Text 2 Pet. 3.16 I confesse I do not meet with any passage so plausible as this in his whole Book But the solution of the doubt is not difficult If you consider 1. To whom these things are said to be darke even to ignorant unstable ungodly men VVhen Protestants say Scripture is cleare they do not meane it is so to those that are blind or to them that shut their Eyes or have discoloured Eyes and such are they of whom those things are said but unto such as are humble and diligent in the use of means to find out the Truth not onely some passages of St Paul but in generall all Divine and Spirituall Truths are darke to the naturall man and such there is no reason to doubt these were as is positively asserted by the Apostle S. Paul 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned and consequently if the Popish argument from this place have any force in it not onely some parts of Scripture will be dark but not any part of it will be plaine which the most impudent Papist durst never yet assert 2. The wresting of the Scripture in any of its truths or doctrines is so great a sin that it may well be called destructive though the doctrine wrested be not simply necessary to salvation as the disbeliefe and contempt of any Truth or assertion plainly delivered by God is confessed to be damnable though the matter of the assertion be meerly circumstantial and not at all in it self necessary to salvation 3. S. Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or difficult passages might be wrested to destruction although the matter of them was not necessary to be known or understood in order to Salvation As for instance That passage of St. Pauls All things are lawful for me scil all indifferent things for he there speaks of the use of meats or observation of dayes This I say is not a fundamental Truth nor is the knowledg of it necessary to Salvation yet when the Libertines do abuse this Scripture to justify themselves in the practice of all wickednesse doubtlesse they wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction Besides the matter of a Text may be of lesser importance and the knowledge thereof not necessary to Salvation and the first and immediate mistake of it may be in it self inconsiderable and yet that may usher in other and those higher mistakes as we see error is fruitful and grows worse and worse and at last end in destruction as that Cloud which at first was no bigger then a mans hand did quickly overcast the whole Heavens The
the quality of the Hebrew and Greek Tongues He computes how many erroâ—s probably might be in the Copies of the Bible we may well allow saith he 336 errors in one Copy which admitted you will find the number of errors in all the Copies made since the Apostles time fifteen or sixteen times as many as there are words in the Bible and so by this account it would be 15 or 16 to one of any particular place that it were not the true Text These are his words Dialog 2. Sect. 5. VVhen I read these and other things of the same tendency I began to reason with my selfe Are these the Discourses of William Rushworth a Romish Priest Are these the Arguments which must make men Christians or which in their sence is all one Roman Catholicks Is this the man that affected the rigour of Mathematicall discourse even in his Controversies as we may perceive by this worke for so M r White is pleased to tell us Is this the Book that so learned so ingenious a man as M r White must commend to the VVorld as that which was very satisfactory to diverse judicious persons Surely it is a mistake these are not Rushworths but Vaninus his Dialogues or it is a newfound remnant of Iulian the Apostate which some unlucky Heretick hath set out under the name of a Romish Priest May I be so bold as to aske our Holy Mother the Church of Rome Num haec est tunica filii Is this thy sonnes voice No sure It is some Priest of Apollo bidding defiance to the Christian cause and striving to render the Holy Scriptures contemptible and ridiculous But you see what desperate men will do in a desperate cause rather then not maintaine the Papall Authority they will subvert the very foundations of Christianity The Jesuites tell us that in order to the comming of Antichrist Rome shall turne Pagan I am perfectly of their mind and I think the turne is halfe wrought allready Ecce signum for none short of a Pagan could talke at this rate The insolency of the Discourse and confidence of the Disputer and the applauss of his party makes it necessary that I should say something farther by way of Answer The first Answer which alone may silence this impudent Objection is this Either this Argument proves nothing against us or it proves more then the Papists at best such of them as are not quite out of their wits and consciences too would have it let us reflect a little upon the premises and then forecast the Conclusion Take all his discourse for granted that by reason of the many mistakes corruptions doubts difficulties there is nothing but incertitude that it is fifteen to one of any particular place that it is not the true Text that it is as ridiculâ—â—s to seek the decision of Controversies out of the Bible as to â—ut with a Beetle or to knâ—ck with a straw These are the Authors words Dialog 2. Sect. 2. Go say these are faint-hearted fellowes if you can Give me those honest soules that tell us plainly what they think of the Scriptures and how little they value them It were an hard case if all the the Churches Adversariâ—s were crafty companions Now say I if these things be true then certainly it was not without cause that the Papist forementioned said that without the Churches Authority the Scriptures were of no more value then AEsops Fables Their Father Costerus had good reason to say it was a Sheath that would admit any Sword and Pamelius did rightly call it a Nose of Wax If this were true we might throw all our Bibles into the Fire for Controversies cannot be decided thence nor errors detected nor truth evinced there 's nothing there but uncertainty and darknesse and consequently our sins cannot be reproved nor duties pressed from the Scripture for the same reason unlesse these men will say who we see will not stick at small matters that the Copists or Translators errors did happily hit onely upon such places as concercerned Controversies that the Church alone might rule there not at all on such as concerne duties and sinnes But if this be true whence come those high Characters and ample Testimonies which the most learned Papists and their Councels have given to the Scripture that they acknowledge the Scriptures or Bible and they spake of that which we have to be the word of God as much to be reverenced as Tradition it selfe How came Bellarmine to say of those Books of the Prophets and Apostles which we have Nibil notius nihil certius c. i. e. nothing is more evident nothing more certain then that they are the Word of God and none but a fool can denie them credit de verbo Dei lib. 1. c. 2. Whence is it that the Papists accuse the Protestants of slander for saying they exauctorate the Scripture How is it that they all pretend the Church may not contradict those very Scriptures which we have In my opinion the Church of Rome was wofully overseen in disputing with the Protestants out of the Scripture or troubling themselves to answer the Scriptures which Protestants brought for Mr Rushworth hath furnished them with one Answer which will serve for an universall Plaister therefore I would advise them thus to Answer once for all when a Protestant argues against merit from that Text When you have done all that you can say you are unprofitable servants Luk. 17.10 Let them say it was the error of the Copist should have been profitable servants So when it is made a Character of the Apostacy of the latter times forbidding to marry 1 Tim. 4.3 It is but saying it was an error of the Copist that put forbidding instead of commanding a familiar mistake at Rome and then I think the Hereticks are paid home And so when Christ bids the people Search the Scriptures say the Copist left out the word not it should have been Search not for so Tradition assures us And so in a thousand other cases I need no more then give the hint A word is enough to the wise as doubtlesse they at Rome are in their generation In short what do these men and such Arguments tend to but debauch the consciences of men and depreciate the Scriptures that if men have not so much grace as to abhorre such heathenish discourses it is enough to make the Scripture as insignificant a VVriting as the most contemptible Pamphlet that ever the VVorld was pester'd with I easily apprehend there is one subterfuge that the Adversaries of the Holy Scriptures will think to make an escape at They will say all this is true there neither is nor would be any thing at all certaine or credible or clear in the Scripture and the Sacred VVritings we now have but for the Infallibility of the Church which from Infallible Tradition receives them and delivers them to us But I Answer 1. Woe to us Christians if all the validity of the Scripture depended