what impossibilities they be bound by the beleefe of their sect for as touching the Catholique rule of beleefe I will make no mention of the same it beeing held of no valuation by the biblists But to the end the consequences I am to deduce out of the antecedents of the biblists may be more euident I will sett downe those antecedents deuided into these subsequent propositions that it may manifestly appeare to the vew of euery biblists eie how sincearlie purely I treate the question Propositions 1. ALl Christians in generall particular may err in faith 2. All councells yea the pastors of the whole church of Christ assembled in a generall councell approued by the bishop of Roome may err in their decrees about faith 3. Ech Christian if he call vpon the holy ghost as he ought to doe mâ—â— examin the doctrine of all men whom soeuer without error confronteing the same with the scriptures so censure of himself whether the said doctrine of what soeuer men euen of generall councells doe agree with the bible or disagre from it then accept or reiect the faine 4. There is no other way to know for certain which is the truth in matter of faith then by the meanes of praire to consult the holie ghost out of the bible But in all the subsequent consequences which are to be deduced out of these propositions of the biblists we require that they graunt vs this one assertion to witt 5. That Christian faith excludeth all doubts and is certaine infallible But wee are heere to note by the way that the biblists are wont to moderate the first propositions for they affirme that none cann err in faith if he agree with the sacred scripture also that none can disagree from the sacred scripture if the holy ghost doe assist him they auerr moreouer that none can be forsaken by the holy ghost if he call vpon him as he ought to doe but for as much as they auouch that it may fall out that some one may not cal vpon the holy ghost as he ought to doe consequently it may follow that all ech one may be abandoned of the holy ghost so also consequently disagree from the bible err in faith THE THIRD CHAPTER Necessarie consequences deduced out of the precedent propositions out of which it is euident what à taske ech biblist is tied vnto SEing then that this is a biblist taske to consult the holy ghost out of the scriptures for censuring of doctrines which apperteine to faith yt makes much to the purpose to set doune how greate a charge this is which they take vpon them how farr it extendeth lest in so waightie a busines as is this of eternall saluation inconsideration plunge them into perdition The first consequence ALl Christians generall councels may err in faith Therfore no Christian ought in matter of faith to beleeue any man or councell Proofe THe consequence I proue thus Because true certaine faith ought to leaue it self on an infallible authoritie but the authoritie of all men councells is supposed by the biblists to be subiect to errors Therfore in this case no men ought to be beleeued Nor doth it cutt the sinewes of the consequence to reply That men generalls councel bee to be beleeued so far as their doctrine doth concord to the scriptures for seing that they may also disagree from the same the case becommeth doubtfull then the holy ghost is to be consulted out of the Bible to the ende we may certainlie know whether they agree to the word of God or disagre from the same for that this doctrine consenteth to the bible or dissenteth from it apperteineth not to the credence of men bur to the holy ghost inwardly teaching vs out of the bible what wee are to beleeue The Second consequence THere is no other meanes for certainlie to know which is the truth in matter of faith then by way of deuout prayres to consult the holy ghost out of the bible Therfore no Christian can beleeue the articles of faith except by a special praire he first consult the holie ghost out of the bible whether those articles of faith be conforme to the same or no Proofe THe consequence is cleere because the doctrine of all Christians about matters of faith be they considered seuerall or assembled can not be iudiged to be either true or false if praire be not first made to consult the holy ghost out of the bible neither doth the holie ghost otherwise teach Christians the truth saue out of the bible therfore it is to be concluded according to this biblist rule that no Christian can beleeue the articles of faith if he doe not first consult the holy ghost about the same out of the scripture by à preuiall praire made to that effect Nor doth it in ualidate the consequence to reply that they credit their ministers propounding vnto them the word of God or doctrine glossed out of the bible for that minister may err in faith ther fore he that heareth his doctrine is bound in conscience ere he beleeue the same to consult the holy ghost by praire out of the scripture to know wether it agree with the word of God or not The Third consequence NO Christian can beleeue the articles of faith except by à preuial praire he councell the holie ghost out of the scripture Therfore those Biblists who be vnder age or want leisure or meanes to reede the bible or can not reade at all or can gett no bible to reede consult the holie ghost ther out can not haue anie true faith Proofe THis consequence can not be improued because a biblist admitteth no other rule of beleefe saue this of consulting the holy ghost out of his bible Nor is it to the purpose to reply that they haue their parsons whose charge is to expound them the word of God for these may be deceiued deceiue wherfore there doctrine is first to be examined by euere Christian whether it agree to the word of God or not ere he consent to the same which is to be done in consulting the holy ghost out of the bible by prayres first made as biblists say The Fourth consequence ALl Christian generall councells may err in faith Say the Biblists Therfore all Christians generall councels might also haue erred in there decrees about the Canon of the sacred bookes of the Bible which graunted it may be doubted whether that the biblist haue the true scriptures or no. Proofe THe consequence is aparant for the decree about the Canon of sacred bookes concerneth matter of faith yea the waightiest among al the matters of faith Therfore the church might haue erred when in the yeare of our lord 494. she made à decree in the councell held at Roome of 70 Bishops vnder Pope Gelasius the first touching the canon of canonical bookes of both testaments those that the said councell censured
excommunicate anathematize as hereticks all and ech of those who in matters aperteining to faith shall dare to denie or call in doubt any of the decrees of the said generall councell which concerne faith But is it to be noted that when à generall councell consulteth the holy ghost about the true sence of sacred scripture it doth not only cite to the said councell all Bishops Archbishops Patriarcks but also the Embassadores of Christian Princes many tymes euen kings Emperors themselues also they call thertoe the learnedst Diuines that be extant at that tyme in the Christian world yf any masters of heresie bee liuing they haue free permission to come And When al these be thus assembled in the name of Christ they proclame publique fasts praires to be held not only in the generall councell it self but also throughout all the Christian world to the end that the whole church ioyntly together may implore the assistance of the holie ghost in a matter so important Then they begin to propound the difficulties which be in debate about the sence of the sacred text ech one hath free libertie to speake dispute not only Bishops but also diuines of inferior qualitie not only Catholiques but also hereticks may propound their opinion freely controuert the same All which diuersitie of sentences be throughly discussed not in à confused manner but at leisure in many sessions no smale space of time while all the whole senate of Christian princes or their legats be present behoulding all consenting to what passeth Lastly after a long inquisition made when the fathers of the councell the Bishop of Roome doe vniformely consent subscribe to such and such articles in matter of faith the said decrees be presently intimated to the vniuersall church the whole Christian world all ech of those who dare to denie or call in doubt the same be anathematized bee they kings or Emperors which being once done euen those fathers of the councell be obliged vnder the paine of an anatheme to admitt those decrees concerning faith neither is it lawfull for any man to call in question the same no not the pope himself And this authoritie of the church as it is sett doune all Catholiques doe certainlie beleeue to be infallible the true rule of beleefe whence it commeth that this is à common proposition among Catholiques beleeue al that which the holy mother church beleeueth But now let vs see how Biblists square their rule of beleefe They graunt indeed that there were neuer wanting in any age of the church some few among Christians who by the assistance of the holy ghost did gather out of the scriptures the true sinceare doctrine of Christ these made the church say they in euery age hence they deduce acknowledg that the true church of Christ cannot err in faith neuertheles it neuer was or will be that this true church of the biblists euer made or will make any decree concerning matter of faith therfore the church was neuer assembled in any generall councell to which it apperteined to discerne infalliby decide without error which is the true doctrine of Christ which all other Christians are vndoubtedly to hould profess without any farther inquisition And vpon this maxime of theirs they doe most constantly auouch that all Christians whether considered asunder or as assembled in a generall councell may be forsaken of the holy ghost disagree from the scripture in doctrine of faith so consequently err in faith yet this withall they aledg that none can be abandoned of the holy ghost in examining iudging of doctrines of faith out of their Bible if he as he ought to doe deuoutly inuoke the grace of the holy ghost Now they say the Biblists who be inwardly enlightned taught by the holy ghost doe certainly infallibly gather know the same by certaine inward peculiar motions by which their mindes be stirred vp by the holy ghost in respect that he witnesseth to their spirit that they be the children of God whose annointment doth teach them all truth yet herein the Biblists doe deale somewhat modestlie in that though illuminate taught by God they thinke themselues to haue no right nor iurisdiction to oblige other Christians to accept that there doctrine which out of the bible ech one of them iudgeth to be true by inspiration of the holie ghost albeit in his hart he damneth condemneth al other doctrines which doth disagree from that doctrine of his which he surmiseth to be only conforme to holie writt The reason he assigneth is this That no man is to be trusted in matter of faith seing that euery man may err but if some one chance not to err this procedeth of an inward assistance of the holie ghost is not conspicuous to any one saue to him that hath it neither can any man certainly affirme this or that man to be inwardly illuminated taught by the holie ghost saue he only who receiueth that grace Therfore if à Biblist be demaunded wherfore he beleeueth that IHESVS OF NAZARETH is the sonne of God He will answer Because that God hath reuealed it Whence hast thou this He will answer out of the bible How knowest thow that this is the sence of the bible He will answer The holy ghost taught me so How knowest thow that he who taught the was the holy ghost He will answer My conscience witnesseth so much I know verie wel that the annointmens illustration which I inwardly perceiue in my mind is à supernaturall operation of the holie ghost Thus reply those biblists who as yet reteine some glimps shadow of faith Yet there be verie many especialy Lutherans Protestants that dare condemne no beleefe though they constantly beleeue that there is no Purgatorie that saints be not to be prayed vnto c. And know the same by the holy ghost witnessing it vnto their consciences out of the bible yet they dare not attach those of error who certainlie affirme that their is a Purgatory that saints be to be praid vnto c. These the sounder sort of biblists repute as woodcocks block-heddish asses so I passe them The question then which wee are to discuss is in this manner to be propounded whether the holie ghost doth rather infallibly decide the true doctrine of faith from that which is false by generall councells lawfully assembled expounding the scriptures or els by eche Christian a part caling vpon consultinge the holy ghost out of his bible THE SECOND CHAPTER The opinion of the Biblists is propounded and seuered into certaine propositions MY meaning is not in this treatise to define this question about the rule of beleefe but only to deduce certaine consequences necessarilie ensewing on the opinion of the Biblists whose absurditie and insufficiencie being perceiued we may iudg what manner of religion they haue so weakely founded to
holy ghost Proofe I Prooue my consequence by a comparison antithesis which may be made betwene a Biblist a generall councell which I suppose to be celebrated in the manner before rehersed by me When a controuersie is moued amoung Catholiques about any weightie matter concerning faith that they perilously begin to diuide themselues into sects forth-with a generall councell is caled of all bishops archbishops patriarches of the whole church princes also doe send thether the most learned diuines that be in all their dominions Princes kings Emperors doe either come in person or send their Embassadors all these be gathered together in the name of Christ Moreouer ech Bishop in his diocess the Pope throughout the Christian world-doe giue order that publique prayres supplications together with fasts be made to the end that the holy ghost thus consulted would assist the fathers thus assembled in a generall councell that they may certainlie infallibly decide the truth The fathers also of the councell doe labour all they cann by prayres fasts holy conuersation to obtein the same assistance of the holy ghost And so did the fathers of the holy Synod of Trente as appeareth in their decree made to be read in the second section of that councell And all that great preparation wherein the whole Christian world was then busied tendes to no other end then that the Catholique faith might be keept pure spotles sure that no error might creepe in about the exposition of any sacred text of scripture in these examinations of doctrines the said councel of Trente did not spend an howre a day so end but they prolonged the same manie monthes this by most ordinated sessions disputations conferences continuall inuocation of the holy ghost by which meanes the fathers of the councell did at length obtaine their wisshed desire happilie concluding ech one sett his hand subscribed to the decrees made in matter of faith pronouncing an anatheme against all those who were so bould to gaine say their decrees established by them confirmed by the authoritie of the Bishop of Roome Now then hauing well considered the manner in which generall councels doe proceede in deciding controuersies of faith let vs compare a Biblist poring vpon his Bible to a generall councell of the church to discerne the difference This Biblist is one single man but the fathers of the councell be manie in number This Biblist is a sheepe that is not a Bishop the fathers of the councell Bishops Pastors This Biblist prayeth all alone al that be at the councell yea the whole Christian world pray for it This Biblist prayeth priuatlie for the fathers of the councell the whole Christian world make publique prayers fasts supplications This Biblist may be some idiott clowne oysterwife or coster mongers maid they of the councell are the most learned diuines that be in al the Christian world This Biblist turneth ouer his bible conferreth some one or two texts of scripture together with other text of scripture These fathers of the councell after a long exercise in studie of the holie scriptures after a number of publique and priuate disputatiōs about religion wher in they haue beene busied after manie sessions held concerning matters of faith after many deuout prayres made to obteyne the grace of the holie ghost may seeme to haue vsed al diligence possible to obteine the true sence meaning of the holy ghost in the scripture Lastly this biblist doth only decide out of the bible what he ought to beleeue but the fathers of the councell as iudges pronounce an anatheme against all those who beleeue otherwise then they haue decreed And this comparison is only made betweene one Biblist one generall councell but what might be deemed if we should oppose one Biblist to wit a cobler or country fellow to omitt ministers to all the generall councells that haue beene celebrated in the church of Christ or to those only which haue beene held from the yeare 456. after the councell of Calcedon which was the forth oecumenicall councell this in behalf of those Biblists that receiued the first 4. councells when I say we shal haue compared one sillie Biblist to all these councells who dareth to condemne them all of errors auouche withall that the holie ghost hath giuen him more light then to al those multitudes of holy fathers that he more truly conceiueth the mind of the holy ghost in the Bible then all those generall councells did may we not say to speake most modestlie that this Biblist is impudent arrogant proud that he doth toe much presume on the assistance of the holy ghost Nor doth it weaken the conscquence that not one alone but an innumerable manie of Biblist doe reiect all generall councells as contrary to the sacred scripture for no Biblist foundeth his faith on any mans auouchment They indeed heare what they teach but beleeue not till they haue consulted the holie ghost out of the scripture whether that doctrine agree with the same or not And ther fore ech Biblist conforme to his rule of faith doth not iudg of doctrine for the authotitie number of his companions but of the presumption he hath that the holie ghost doth infallibly assist him for this reason is moued to condemne all generall councells held since the yeare of our Lord 456. euen to this day yea the purer sort of Biblists improoue reiect cōdemne all councels celebrated in the Catholique church since the Apostles age ech of them is not asshamed euery moment to iudg condemne the whole Christian world in all ages of errors in matter of doctrine apperteining to faith because it squareth not to their fantasie can a greater presumption then this be imagined To conclude then wee may perceiue out of these consequences that the sole fundation wher vpon the Biblists ground the certaintie of their faith to be certaine motions which they say the holy ghost maketh in their mindes which causeth them infallibly to beleeue that they be taught by the holy ghost out of the scripture But what a manner of motion or annointment this is which the Biblists presume ro proceede of the holie ghost we may in some sort haue coniectured out of the foregoing consequences Seing then that ech Biblist hath taken vpon him such a heauie burthen weightie charge as to be bound vpon paine of eternall damnation to decide all controuersies apperteining to the integritie of faith They haue only two helpes for the discharging of their duties to witt the Bible praire whence they faine to fetch the holy ghost who sitting in ech Biblists mind as on à bench doth iudg of all doctrines Bibles whose sentence the Biblists doe most certainely infallibly feele in their soules so cleerely pronounced that they had rather beleeue that the holy ghost forsooke al councells fathers all doctors