that he may abide with you for euer And shall not depart out of thy mouth and out of the mouth of thy seed and out of the mouth of thy seeds seed for euer And for what end That he may teach you all thinges That spirit of truth shall teach you all truth Thirdly he armed it with all power and authority To remit or retaine all sinnes to bind or loose whatsoeuer is to be bound or loosed in earth or in heauen to correct punish with the rod of correction To excommunicate and deliuer vp to Sathā And to determine all questions or controuersies as it should seeme good to the Holy Ghost and it Fourthly he established and cōfirmed it As the pillar and foundation of truth that being in it selfe grounded in truth and also grounding others in the same it should stand so firmely that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Fifthly he gaue to it commission and charge to teach all nations and to preach the Ghospell to all creatures Sixtly he gaue vs warrant and security that we might safely heare and obey it He that heareth you heareth me Seauenthly he gaue vs charge and command by precept of obligation that whatsoeuer they shal say to you speaking of the Scribes and Pharisies in Moyses chaire but à fortiori of the Pastours and Prelats in Peters Chaire that doe you Eightly he threats and terrifyes vnder great punishment first of danger and of contempt of himselfe by contemning it He that despiseth you despiseth me Secondly of infidelity and losse of his fauour and grace He that will not heare the Church let him be to thee as the Heathen and the Publican Thirdly of hell and damnation for euer He that belieueth not shal be condemned All which doe proue not only an authority and that infallible in the Church to direct and teach vs but also an obligation in vs to obey submit our selues for fayth to the direction and instruction of it And least any should doubt of this Church what it is the holy Ghost explicates the meaning of our Sauiour tells vs that it is Some Apostles some Prophets and other some Euangelists and other some Pastours and Doctours to the consumation of the Saints vnto the worke of the ministery vnto the edifying of the body of Christ vntill we meet all into the vnity of Fayth Which Pastours he will giue vs according to his owne hart who shall feed vs with knowledge doctrine And how shall they feed vs by preaching and proposing to vs the doctrine of fayth for as hearing is a necessary meanes to belieuing How shall they belieue him whome they haue not heard so preaching and proposing what is to be belieued by Church-pastours is necessary to hearing so to belieuing How shall they heare without a Preacher By which is apparently proued the necessity and infallibility of Church authority for a propounding and directing cause in matters of fayth and Religion All which may be confirmed First by authority of holy Fathers among whome I will cyte S. Irenaeus and S. Augustine for the rest Irenaeus that learned Doctour and holy Martyr sayth VVe ought not to seeke among others the truth which we may easily take and receaue from the Church seeing that the Apostles haue most fully layd vp in her all thinges which are of truth that euery man that will may take out of her the drinke of life For which those thinges that are of the Church are with diligence to be loued and the tradition of truth is to be receaued S. Augustine sayth The truth of the Scripture is holden of vs when we do that which pleaseth the vniuersall or whole Church the which is commended by the authority of the Scriptures themselues that because the Holy Scriptures cannot deceaue whosoeuer feareth to be deceaued with the obscurity of this question let him require the iudgement of the Church which without any ambiguity the holy Scripture doth demonstrate In which is affirmed First that all truth is left by the Apostles in the Church not in Scripture only Secondly that the same truth is to be learned and receaued of all by the sayd Church Thirdly that the truth thus receaued is most true and is to be loued and followed of all See more of the Fathers aboue in the first part to whome I add a confirmation out of Luther against himselfe and his followers who sayth that The Church neither can nor ought to teach errours no not in the least thinges since God is the mouth of the Church and as God cannot lye so neither can the Church Secondly by Reason for since of all the rest of the means and rules also of fayth there may be and often is question doubt as for example of the articles which be true which not of reuelation which is reuelation of God which an illusion of the enemy of the motion of the spirit which is of God which of nature which of Sathan of the inclination of the Will which is a pious disposition and which an illuding affectation of tradition which is diuine Apostolicall or Ecclesiasticall which not of Scripture which is true which false of true which is the incorrupted translation which corrupted of the incorrupted trāslation which is the true sense which is false and of the true sense which is to be belieued as fundamentall and necessary which is not to be belieued as fundamentall but only voluntary Of all which since I say there euer hath beene and now is great question contentiō some infallible directing iudge propounding cause is a necessary meane to end these all like controuersies and to settle and resolue vs in the assured certainty of the one or other or els will the contention be euer endlesse and we in our opinions restlesse Among which seeing no other can be assigned but the Church and that God hath giuen so large commission and priuiledge for that end to it as we haue produced it remaines that the Church and Church authority is of all necessary meanes of fayth the most necessary for vs to settle and satisfy vs in the certainty of our diuine fayth And thus much of the order necessity of these six meanes and chiefly of Church-proposition or the Proponent cause How the Protestants want all these six meanes of Fayth SECT III. THE third Consideration is to reflect how that of all these six meanes necessary to diuine fayth the Protestants haue not any one but are defectiue in all These meanes are either External as the credible testimonies which by euidence of reason conuinceth that such a faith is credible and may prudently be belieued and Church proposition which by the credit of authotity assures that the same is true and is to be belieued both which are externall to the person belieuing or Eternall
of him to his traps of errours damnation Thirdly both S. Peter S. Paul do shew in what sortes of persons is this spirit what fruits and effects it produceth in them S. Paul briefly calls the persons Rauening wolues who after his departure will enter among them and men who arising out of themselues will speake peruerse thinges and draw many disciples after themselues S. Peter more fully describes the effects of it shewing That it makes false Prophets and lying maisters who bring in Sectes or as it is in the Greeke heresies of perdition Who blaspheme the way of truth walke in the concupiscence of vncleanesse contemne dominion allure vnstable soules promise liberty speake proud thinges of vanity entangle those who flye from co-inquinations of the world and turnes from the holy Commandement and knowne way of Iustice and being vnlearned vnstable depraue the Scriptures to their perdition These are the effects of this spirit which that we should not belieue for the foresayd reasons the Apostle did giue the foresayd caueat or admonition In which we may note First for the former admonition that there are diuers reasons why we are not to belieue euery spirit 1. Because there are so many and diuers spirits As one the spirit of God which is of God Another the spirit of man which is in man Another the spirit of the world which is of worldly thinges Another the spirit of the Diuell which is euill One which is the spirit of truth Another the spirit of lying and errour One the spirit of wisedome and vnderstanding Another the spirit of giddinesse 2. Because the effects of these spirits are often doubtfull not certaine of what spirit they proceed 3. Because the similitude and manner of their operations motions is many tymes great and hard to be discerned 4. Because the art and meanes how to discerne and iudge of them is very hard not certaine 5. Because the guift of discerning them is extraordinary rare and giuen to few of all which is fully treated in the ensuing Chapters therefore great reason there is not to belieue the suggestion of euery spirit great danger there is in following the direction of euery priuate spirit great discretion must be vsed before that any man though learned and holy much more simple and sinnefull can either in wisedome and prudence giue credit or with safety and security rely himselfe his fayth and saluation vpon any priuate spirit or motion of it Reason therfore and experience confiâ—mes the doctrine and caueat of S. Iohn That we should not belieue euery spirit Secondly we may note for the tryall of these spirits 1. How and by what rule this tryall is to be made 2. Who and what sort of persons are to make it and apply the rule For the rule and meane of trying these spirits Catholikes assigne it to be the spirit of Gods Church or of the chiefe Pastours in it gouernours of it as consenting or at the least not dissenting one with another and as vnited and no way separated by schisme or heresy from their head so that what spirit soeuer is squared by this spirit directed by it and conformable in fayth and manners to it is infallibly the spirit of God And what spirit of whomesoeuer is contrary to it diuided from it or separated from communion or society of it is certainly not the spirit of God but of man the world or the Diuell And this is a way certaine to try spirits and discerne which is true or false good or bad of God or the enemy For sith the spirit of God is as God is one and not diuided One God one Lord one spirit one and the same spirit In one spirit we are baptized into one and in one spirit made all to drinke And sith the Church of God is directed by this one and the same spirit this spirit of truth this Paraclete the Holy Ghost which shall teach all truth It followes that whosouer are partes of this Church and members of this body You are the body of Christ and members of member must haue their spirit vnited with it ordered by it and subordinate to it And see whatsoeuer spirit is contrary to it or diuided from it cannot be the spirit of God but the spirit of the enemy of God This is apparent out of authority of holy Scripture The Protestants for the most part will haue this rule of triall to be Scripture for so is their common Tenet that al spirits are to be tryed by the word of God yet some of them of more quick insight finding this to be insufficient Because sayth Caluin they who say thus say somewhat but not all for except we haue the spirit of prudence to discerne it will little auaile to haue the Scripture on the fingers ends therefore they assigne the consent of Church or Councel for vnity sake thus saith Caluin to be this publicke rule or meanes against those mad men who bragge of the spirit But being vrged yea Caluin vrges it himselfe whether a man shall rest on the Councels determination he resolues Noe. For sayth he euery spirit of euery priuate belieuer shall iudge of this decree and determination of the Councell If so then as the publicke Councell shall try and iudge the spirit of euery priuate man so the spirit of euery priuate man shal againe try iudg the spirit of the Councel And then what end or pause wil be of trying and iudging betweene euery priuate mans spirit the Councells spirit And what certainty can be in either This therefore is a round or circle no meanes or rule to try spirits if they be of God as in the eight Chapter is more fully declared And this for the rule of trying spirits For the persons who by office haue right to try spirits and apply this rule and meanes though the Catholikes prohibit none yea perswade all for their owne satisfaction to do it so they do it by the direction of the former rule according to the modell of it yet the proper office function to do it they assigne only to the Pastours and directours in Gods church who by the authority of their function and the ability of their learning should in reason be more fit to discerne these spirits and direct the people in the discerning of them and also by this direction establish keep a subordination of inferiours to Superiours or of the sheep to the Pastour and nourish and maintaine an vnity of of Faith and doctrine among both The Protestantes giue this right and office of discerning spirits to all and euery faythfull person to whome they giue liberty euery one to try and iudge their Pastour yea all Pastours Prelates CouÌ„cels and their spirits Whereby as they infringe all Ecclesiasticall subordination so they are expresly
who vnder the shew of aduising vse the arte of seducing for which Iob before he began to dispute with them sayd he would shew them to be Fabricatores mendacij cultores falsorum dogmatum 13.4 Framers of lies and worshipers of false opinions Of these three of them being conuinced by the speaches of Iob and made silent therby the fourth Eliu the Busite a young man of a more feruent spirit the sonne of Ram that is Excelsus or Proud a new maister riseth vp angry against Iob because he sayd he was iust before God v. 2. against his friends because they could not answere Iob with reason v. 3.5 And beginning first to commend himselfe and his silence Because I was young I was affraid to speake and then to condemne his elders saying That the ouldest are not the wisest neither doe the old wen vnderstand iudgment And lastly to shew of what race he is come and to our purpose he sayes As I see the spirit is in man and the inspiration of the omnipotent doth giue vnderstanding v. 8. and I also will answere my part and will shew my knowledge for I am full of wordes and the spirit of my belly streyneth me behould my belly is as new wine without a vent which breaketh new vessels I will speake and take breath a little I will open my lippes and will answere v. 18.19.20 God hath made me as he hath made thee chap. 33. v. 6. Heare yee wise mē my words and yee learned harken to me cap. 34. v. 2. Heere is a description of a new spirit and of one full of it a Caluinist or Puritan in the highest degree he hath the spirit of God the inspiration of the Omnipotent vnderstanding aboue others his belly is full of the spirit and words seeking vent as wine out of a new vessell he will speake talke and answere that which his Auncestours and wise men could not he hath reason which they had not he is inspired by the Omnipotent which they are not he is inspired that Iob is vniust because he sayd He was iust before God v. 2. that the ancients are destitute of wisedome and iudgment of the spirit of God of all truth verity that he hath the spirit of truth and that all truth is to be learned of him this spirit in a hoat Puritan sayth as Sedechias the false Prophet who had a lying spirit in his mouth sayd to Micheas the true Prophet Hath the spirit of the Lord left me and hath it spoken to thee No sure for the spirit of God hath forsaken the whole Church to which yet it was promised by Christ so that it hath erred is fallen and become Antichristian but the spirit is certainly in me it infallibly teaches me truth tels me the meaning of scripture assures me of saluation it cannot depart from me and my mouth the mouth of my seed for euer thus sayth the Caluinist out of his spirit as this Eliu and Sedechias sayd out of theirs Out of which I argue thus That spirit which is the same with the spirit of these false Prophets who were so seduced and armed by it against the Saintes and Prophets of God cannot be a fit spirit to interprete Scripture iudge of doctrin and to make a sole ground of beliefe but such is the priuate spirit now and alwayes hath beene in all former Heretiks and false Prophets therefore it cannot be a fit iudge of controuersies and an infallible interpreter of Scriptures Out of Tit. 3.10 shewing the spirit of an Hereticke SECT VI. THE sixth proofe is taken out of an admonition giuen by S. Paul against Heretikes Tit. 3.10 in these wordes A man that is an Heretike after the first and second admonition auoid knowing that he that is such an one is subuerted sinneth being condemned by his owne iudgement In which wordes we are to note First who is an Heretike that is to be auoided 2. The reason why he is to be auoided First therfore as Heresy is a voluntary errour in the vnderstanding against some verity of Fayth obstinatly defended by him who hath once belieued so an Heretike is he who hauing once professed the Christian fayth doth erre in some article of it doth with obstinacy defend his errour for which is requisite 1. That he haue receaued the Christian fayth at least in Baptisme by professing it 2. That he erre in some point or points of fayth not in al for then he is an Apostata 3. That he be obstinate in his opinion or errour of which sort are not they who according to S. Augustine defend their opinions though false and peruerse with no stubborne stomack or obstinate hart especially if it be such as themselues by bold presumption broached not but receaued it of their deceaued parents and doe seeke the truth warily and carefully being ready to be reformed if they find it such These are not to be reputed among obstinate Heretikes But those according to the same S. Augustine Who in the Church of God haue any crazed and peruerse opinion if being admonished to be of a sound and right opinion they resist obstinatly and will not amend their pestiferous opinions but persist in the defence of them are thereby become Heretikes going forth out of the Church and are counted for enemies that exercise vs. Againe He i◠an Heretike that when the doctrine of the Catholike fayth is made plaine and manifest to him had rather resist it and chose that which himselfe held According to whome and the Doctours of our tyme he is sayd to be obstinate in heresy who willing witting doth maintaine any thing against the Catholike Church or which is all one who knowes and reflectes that his opinion is contrary to the sentence of the Catholike Church and yet neglecting the authority of the Church which proposeth it for true doth persist in his opinion And this is an Heretike who after admonition being growne thus obstinate is to be auoyded reiected and refuted Secondly the reason why we are to auoyd an Heretike is because that such an one sinneth in obstinacy and is subuerted without hope of amendement being condemned by his owne iudgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sayth Tertullian Because he chose that for which he is damned by willfully adherring to his owne opinion and conceit where the origen of his sinne subuersion and condemnation is his prefering his owne selfe-seeming conceit before the determination of the whole Church of God which is proper to those who rely vpon their owne spirit and prefer it before all euen the whole Church of God Out of which it followes first that the origen of all heresies is a mans owne proper and priuate conceit which he preferring before the iudgement of the whole Church chooseth to follow his owne opinion rather then the determination of the Church And out of this I argue thus All who rely and build vpon
is no desert of ill It is lesse blasphemy to make two Gods the one authour of good and the other the authour of euill then to make one God and yet to make him the authour and worker of euill and of all euill to call him iust and yet to make him the punisher of that in others which he wills commandes and workes by himselfe to account him mercifull and yet vpon his meere will and pleasure without any cause or desert to ordaine create millions of men to eternall torments and damnation It was not so great impiety in the Iewes to make God mourn sorrowfull for the punishment he wrought on Hierusalem as it is in the Caluinists to make him well pleased with the vnreasonable tormenting of soules in hell to make it one of the chiefest attributes of Gods iustice to appoint men to sinne and then for that sinne to punish and damne them It is not so foolish to say with the foole there is no God at all as it is to say God is the Authour and worker of all wickednesse and yet the punisher and reuenger of the same for they by the light of reason will condemne and auoid thefts murders periuries iniustice as lying in their power to auoid but these will may by their owne principles practise and exercise them al as being by God forced and necessitated to them as wanting freedome to auoid them and as fearing no punishment for them Though therefore most wicked yet lesse wicked were the former opinions of Iewes Heretikes and Atheists then these of the Caluinists Secondly it may be obserued that no Caluinist can be certaine and assured either of any verity of Scripture or of any article of his Faith or of any assurance of his saluation by his priuate spirit for though he may imagine himselfe to be certaine of the sense of Scripture of the articles of his fayth and of the infallibility of his saluation that they are reuealed from God yet he may with all according to his principles of fayth imagine that God who reueales these may reueale tell him which is false for as God according to them is he who effectually procures the sinner to sin who as the principall cause vses the sinner as an instrument to commit sinne who incites compels and necessitates the sinner to sinne who phisically and effectually workes and causes the act of sinne so the same God according to them may procure and incite the Apostles and Prophets as his instruments compel and necessitate them as the chiefe authour and worker and produce in them as the principall agent lyes and vntruthes and so may by them in Scripture reueale an vntruth either of the beliefe of the mysteries of their fayth or of the certainty of their saluation What certainty therefore can they haue from God of reuelations they receaue from him or of any thing suggested by their supposed spirit as from him Againe God according to Caluin hath one will exteriour another interiour doth call exteriourly whome he withouldes interiourly speakes to them but to make them more deafe giues them light but the more to blind them doth teach them but to make them more dull doth apply to them a remedy but not to cure them for so are Caluins wordes If so then how can any be sure that the calling the speaking the light the doctrine and the motion of their spirit as they suppose of God is not rather to detaine then draw them rather to darken then lighten them rather to dull them then teach them rather to increase then cure their diseases Surely if the spirit of God may worke and doth more ordinarily worke the bad then the good doth more vsually make shew to call when he intends they shall not come doth more generally make blind then enlighten make obdurate then mollify make dull then teach and wound then cure And if God do more often intend bad thē good obduration then illumination damnation then saluation of most whome he cals inuites and makes shew of intending their good And if the greatest part of the world be thus by God deluded and deceaued then why may not or rather should not euery Protestant iustly suspect the same of himselfe Why may he not rightly feare that God intends one thing by his inward will and pretends another by his outward will that God doth worke errour and deceit in him rather then truth and verity That he is a lying spirit rather then a true in him Surely if God hath deceaued more then he hath taught truth darkened more thē he hath lightned obdurated more then he hath mollifyed woūded more then he hath cured and damned more then he hath saued iustly may euery one both suspect and feare that God may do the like to him sith no ground reason or motiue he hath of the one rather then of the other and no more assurance of his saluation among the lesser number then of his damnation with the greate◠Thirdly it may be obserued that the God of these Caluinists and precise Protestants is not the same with the ancient Christians and present Catholikes but the one doth so farre differ from the other that the one of the Caluinists doth will decree and predestinate all sinnes which are committed by men and so makes man sinne by the will decree and predestination of God the other of the Catholickes doth will decree and predestinate only good works and all good workes and so doth make man to doe good workes according to the will of God and doth suffer him to do euill according to the man his owne will The one doth command vrge and compell Sathan to deuise sinnes and to sollicite men vnto it The other doth bind hould and hinder Sathan that he do not tempt man and doth ayde help and assist man that he be not by Sathan tempted aboue his power The one doth himselfe secretly incite moue necessitate man to sinne the other doth disswade deterre and enable man against sinne The one is the principall authour worker and effectour of all sinnes as sinnes and men only his instruments to do that sinne which he workes by them The other is no authour nor instrument nor worker at all of sinne as sinne but only the efficient cause of that which is good leauing man to be the deficient cause of that which is malice and sinne The one vpon his meere will because it is his pleasure without any demerit or sinne in man did ordaine predestinate and create most men to damnation and ordained and predestinated only some few to saluation The other created all men to saluation and had a will and desire that all should attaine to it and be saued and ordained none to damnation but vpon his foresight of their sinne by which they would deserue damnation The one did will appoint and decree the sinne of Adam and of all mankind for that end only that in
of beliefe And the Formall motiue or meanes that is reuelation of God is the formall finall and last resolution why we belieue infallibly such verityes to be true So that if one aske by what we are before prepared and disposed to belieue the truth it is by the credible testimonies if by what we are directed guided to know the truth it is by the Churches propositiō if by what we are assisted and enabled to assent infallibly to this truth it is by the habit of Faith if for what and why we doe actually formally and finally assent belieue the same truth it is for the reuelation of God As therefore the Samaritans at the first were prepared by the womans relation who told them that surely it was the Messias who had told her all that she had done to thinke it probable that he might be the Messias and the woman was as it were a proponent or propounding cause to them of him Many of the Samaritans belieued in him for the word of the woman giuing testimony that he told me all thinges whatsoeuer I haue done But afterwards hauing heard and conuersed with our Sauiour himselfe for two dayes they now sayd Not for thy saying O woman do we belieue for our selues haue heard and do know that this is the Sauiour of the world indeed So all Christians are first prepared by credible testimonies directed by Church authority to the knowledge and certainty of that truth but afterwards when the diuine reuelation it selfe as the word of our Sauiour is made knowne to them then do they now formally and finally not for the testimonies of credibility or Church proposition but for the diuine reuelation it self giue firme and infallible assent and beliefe to the verityes or articles of fayth And thus Catholike fayth is that which is for probable testimonies accepted as credible by Church proposed as infallible by an infused habit effected as supernaturall by diuine verity reuealed as truth infallible and necessary to be belieued This fayth is that which is the beginning and ground of iustification the way and gate to saluation vpō which the Church of Christ is founded and is as the life and soule of it which maketh vs members and partes of Christs Church we being by it and Baptisme inserted into his mystical body which maketh vs certainly infallibly belieue either expresly or implicitè all whatsoeuer articles of sayth God hath reuealed to his Church by his Apostles which is a necessary meane instrument or dispositiō to our iustification and saluation without which none are iustified and by which informed with charity all are iustifyed which is one entire fayth in all faithfull who for one motiue and by one proponent cause do belieue all one doctrine which being one and entire belieue as they ought eyther all articles of fayth explicitè or implicitè or none at all which by refusing to assent to any one article in which is questioned the ground of all is by infidelity lost to all and to conclude which distinguisheth a Catholike from an Heretike in that whosoeuer hath this fayth is a Catholike and whosoeuer wants it or looses it is an Infidell or Heretike and so out of state of grace and saluation And thus much for the order and manner of Gods working of fayth by these meanes in vs. Secondly for the necessity and efficacy of these meanes though all and euery one in particuler be ordinarily necessary to true and diuine supernaturall faith the credible testimonies as exteriour motiues to conuince our Vnderstanding that it may prudently accept of this faith as credible and worthy of beliefe the motion of grace and habit of fayth as interiour assistants that the Will may not resist but piously incline to consent determine the Vnderstāding to assent and that the Vnderstanding may obediently yeild assent to the misteries of fayth the materiall obiects as those which we are to belieue and the formall as that why we are to belieue all which are absolutly necessary to make fayth credible free and supernaturall and without them all faith is but humane false or fained yet in respect of vs and of our certainty of beliefe a proponent cause and that infallible which can be no other but the Churches authority is most important and necessary And first that a proponent cause is needfull all grant because faith being by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ some preacher or teacher is necessary to propose and teach vs what is to be belieued by vs for as fayth depends not vpon reason but vpon authority that of God affirming this or that to be true and commanding it to be belieued so this authority thus affirming this verity must be made knowne to vs by some directing or proponent meanes or els we cannot come to the knowledge of it 2. That this directing and proponent cause must be infallible so that it cannot erre it selfe nor propose to vs an errour or falshood to be belieued for a truth is proued for since God requires of vs a certainty infallibility of fayth and this our certainty must be had by some direction and proposition by which it is proposed made knowne to vs what we are certainly to belieue it must needes follow that this Proponent cause must be certaine and infallible or els our fayth directed and guided by it cannot be certaine Thence it followes that they who admit a proponent cause as the Protestants do their church and yet do admit it to be fallible and subiect to errour as all of them do their Church cannot haue any certaine and infallible fayth at all as wanting a necessary certaine and infallible meanes to propose and teach them this certaine and infallible fayth which is confirmed by S. Augustine who sayth That if Gods prouidence rule and gouerne humane matters we may not despaire but that there is a certaine authority appointed by the same God vpon which staying our selues as vpon a sure step we may be lifted vp to God Thirdly this certaine infallible proponent or directing cause is Church-authority which Church that it may infallibly direct vs we securely rely vpon it first Iesus Christ selected and made it not only his inheritance Which he hath chosen Or his house which he builded and gouerned Or his Temple of which himselfe is Priest but also his dearest spouse VVhich he espoused to himselfe alone in fayth and truth As a Virgin pure and vnspotted without corruption Yea as his owne body And one body with him VVhich as head he nourisheth cherisheth and sanctifieth making her glorious without spot And which he hath purchased with his pretious bloud Secondly he priuiledged it first with his owne presence promising to be with it all dayes euen to the consūmation of the world Next with the presence of the Holy Ghost The spirit of truth
without interruption of persons or chang of doctrine by a perfect enumeration of successours Apostles and Apostolical Seas vntill this present tyme these our present Prelates Patriarches and Popes We haue the rare examples of millions of Martyrs Confessours Virgins who haue with their bloud life defended and honoured our confessed Faith Doctrine the strange punishments of persecuting Pagans Iews Heretikes who haue with their sword and cruelty opposed and persecuted it In all which we differ from them and haue the aduantage of them in credible motiues 5. For infallible proponent cause as they do not require or assigne any yea as before do expresly reiect all chiefly the true that is Church authority so they cannot produce any which either can be a proponent cause or if it could is yet either infallible or so much as credible for them selues and their Religion For their scripture is not to them a proponent but if it were true scripture a reuealing cause because in it is reuealed truth of which reuelatiō there is need of a proponent cause to declare which is scripture which is among many the true sense of it Their priuate spirit which yet they make their proponent cause is so farre from being either infallible or credible that it is not only most fallible and subiect to deceaue yea and actually doth deceaue and hath deceaued so many but also most incredible without any apparence of probability eyther to them who haue it or to others who follow it that it can be true or direct and declare any truth at all We haue a proponent cause so certaine and infallible which is Church authority that it hath for the infallibility of it the predictions of Prophets the promises of Christ the declaration of the Apostls the confirmation of miracles the approbation of holy Fathers the practise of all antiquity what not all to proue the verity and infallibility of it in directing and declaring to vs what and why we are to belieue And in this proponent cause also we differ and that principally from the Protestants and so haue the aduantage prerogatiue ouer them in the externall meanes and so in all the meanes required to fayth For the priuate spirit in particuler if it were a sole necessary ground meanes of fayth as the Protestants without ground suppose it if euery Christiā lawfully might necessarily ought to rely vpon it which yet none can for the certainty of his Fayth Religion if it were a secure ground to build vpon and a certaine meanes as it is not to attaine to true fayth and saluation yet with as great reason yea with more probability might we Catholikes both chalenge it rely vpon it then the Protestants may or cā And 1. for the certainty of the spirit that they haue infallibly the spirit of God more then we what can they chalēge for it more then we What certainty can they claime more then we If they alleadge their bare word say they haue it we can alleadge ours and say also we haue it If they alleadge Scripture say they haue it for them we also can alledge the same and say we haue it for vs yea and had it before them for that they had what they haue of it from vs. If they alleadge they haue the true sense of Scripture for them and their priuate spirit we can alleage we haue the same and the same meanes to attaine it as they many of vs haue as great learning and knowledge in tongues as they as great a care and desire of truth as they as diligent paines and industry as they as feruent prayer and deuotion to find and obtaine it as they If they alleadge the sense and feeling of this spirit within them we can alleadge and feele as much sensible deuotion and more spirituall as many inspiratiōs illuminations these more certain as great promptnes and readines to obey Gods motions that with more humility then they yea in all these we haue and can alleadge more then they 1. The conformity in iudgement with the ancient Fathers Councels and Church with whome we agree 2. The direction and authority of our holy Mother the spouse of Christ our Church which we obey 3. The subordination and vnion of our selues with our Pastours Superiours of the Church to whome we are subiect subordinate And all this haue we more then they all making vs more certaine then they all better grounded then they So that we may confidently say with the Apostle In quo quis audet audeo ego VVhat they dare we dare what they can we can what they may chalenge for the probability of their spirit we can may chalenge the same yea more then they plus ego with more reason and probability vpon better safety security In the certainty therfore of this spirit if it be secure we are equall with them yea many degrees aboue them Secondly For the necessity of hauing the true spirit of God in vs and the efficacy or effect of the operation of it with vs we Catholikes are so far from denying either that we hould a necessity and that absolute of both affirming that as a principle of our faith that no person whatsoeuer cā truly and duly belieue any article of faith much lesse al nor do any one worke auailable to saluation much lesse saue his soule without the special presence assistāce of the grace or spirit of God in him In as much therfore as concerns the necessary being and working of this spirit of grace of God in vs in some thinges we and the Protestantes agree in other we differ We agree 1. In that both of vs graunt and require an operation and assistance of this spirit of God not only to true faith but also to good life 2. In that both of vs do graunt require this operatiō to be so necessary in euery one that neither right faith nor vpright life can be attained or performed but by it that as the prime principal cause and agent 3. In that both of vs do graunt require this necessary and operating spirit to be so priuate particuliar internall in euery one that it hath an effectual operation or cooperation in him that so effectual that to it is attributed the effect of our conuersion saluation And thus farre we agree Thirdly We differ frō them in these 1. In the name vsual manner of appellation for we cal it the grace of God which as before is of diuers sortes some gratis giuen as the guift of languages cures c. some iustifying as Faith Hope Charity some actuall as excitant adiuuant operant cooperant sufficient effectual the rest before mentioned They call it the spirit or priuate spirit or motion of God as inspiring and working whatsoeuer good is wrought in them 2. We
contrary to S. Paul who doth assigne for one of the guifts of gratiae gratis giuen which is not common to all the guift to discerne spirits thereby also do open gappe to all confusion and dissentiō and thus faile not only in the meanes how but also in the persons by whome spirits are to be tryed Out of all which I reason thus That spirit which we are forewarned not to belieue which is to be tryed by another spirit and that spirit by another in infinitum That spirit into which Sathan transfigureth himselfe deceauing many and making many false Prophets and rauenous wolues That spirit which brings in Sects of perdition drawing many out of the Church which causeth so many to blaspheme the way of truth to walke in concupiscence to contemne dominion to allure vnstable soules to promise liberty to speake proudly to depraue Scriptures to turne from the Commandement and to draw disciples after it That spirit which cannot be discerned whether it be the spirit of God man or the Diuell whether of truth or falshood of wisedome or giddines and in regard it hath so great similitude in effect and operation one with another That spirit I say cannot be an infallible rule and iudge to interprete Scripture iudge of fayth decide controuersies and direct euery man in the way of his saluation this is euident and needs no proofe But such is the priuate spirit which euery priuate person and sect-maister challenges to himselfe as is before proued and by experience confirmed in that euery Heretike ancient or late hath by force of it separated himselfe from Gods Church broached so many blasphemous opinions contemned so highly all Church-authority promised licentious liberty of the Ghospell depraued so fowly holy Scriptures and drawne so many into perdition after them all which shall more at large afterwardes be confirmed Therefore it doth follow that this priuate spirit cannot be a rule of fayth able to assure and secure euery one in his beliefe and saluation And thus much of the first proofe out of Scripture against this priuate spirit Out of 2. Pet. 1.20 making the same spirit authour and interpreter of Scripture SECT II. THE second proofe is out of S. Peter who 2. Pet. 1.20 prouing the power and present cōming of Christ first by the eye-witnesse of some in his Transfiguration next by a more firme testimony in respect of the Iewes that is the holy Scripture which he commends for the effect which is to lighten as light in a darke place and for the authour which is the Holy Ghost hath among the rest these wordes Vnderstanding this first that no prophecy of Scripture is made by priuate interpretation for not by mans will was prophecy brought at any tyme but the holy men of God spake inspired with the Holy Ghost In which wordes S. Peter makes first a serious premonition Vnderstanding this first as a point of principall and important consideration Secondly he layes downe his assertion in wordes plaine powerful against this priuate spirit That no prophecy of Scripture that is no sense and meaning of Scripture for so are they called some Prophets because they did expound the secret hidden mysteryes of Scripture and foretell the ioyes of heauen to the iust as S. Ambrose and S. Anselme with all others do expound it is made by priuate interpretation that is according to S. Chrysostome Not by the spirit which many bragge of as the spirit of God but falsly pretending it do speake that which is their owne According to S. Clement Not according to the proper vnderstanding of our owne wit Yea according to Caluin Not by our owne proper sense for what we produce out of it is prophane The sense therefore according to the plaine wordes and generall consenting interpretation of all is No priuate spirit of any priuate man expounding Scripture according to his owne priuate sense and proper conceit and fancy is a fit meanes to interpret Gods holy word of which thirdly he giues this reason because not by mans will or by any selfe seeming humane conceit was prophecy brought at any tyme that is the sacred and holy sense of Gods holy word neuer at any tyme brought forth and penned but the holy men of God the Prophets and Apostles spake and dictated what they wrote inspired with the Holy Ghost that is Because the Holy Ghost was the author of the wordes and sense of holy Scripture in the mouth and handes of those who first penned it Therfore must the same holy Ghost be the expositour of the sense of it in the mouthes of them who rightly vnderstand it And this to be the true sense of this place witnesse besides the former testimonies not only the Rhemists Bellarmine and others but also Caluin himselfe saying The spirit which spake by the Prophets is the only interpreter of himselfe Out of which place and wordes I inferre first that as the true text of Scripture it selfe so also the true sense and meaning of it is a meane and ground of Christian religion first and principally to be knowne Secondly that this true sense is not to be made by any priuate interpretation of the priuate spirit of euery priuate person Thirdly that it is to be made by the same spirit of God which was the first authour and dictatour of it And out of this inference and euidence of wordes I argue thus That spirit which must be the true and infallible interpreter of holy Scripture is and must be the same which was the first author and writer of it as is heere proued but that spirit which first wrote the text of holy Scripture was not a guift or spirit communicated to euery priuate person though faythfull but only to the Prophets and Apostles the first and prime pillars and Pastours of Gods Church as is euident Therefore this and the same spirit or guift which is giuen to expound the same scripture is not a spirit giuen to euery priuate belieuer but only to the Pastours and pillars of Gods Church who as they are the successors of the former first pillars and Apostles so also they receaue the same spirit to interprete the same Scripture which their Predecessours wrote As therfore the true spirit resided chiefly in the first Pastours pillars of Christs Church to write holy Scripture so also the same spirit resides chiefly in their succeeding Pastours and Prelates to expound it and not in euery faythfull and simple belieuer who can only read it Out of 1. Cor. 12.18 prouing the interpretation of of Scripture to be a guift gratis giuen not common to all faythfull SECT III. THE third proofe is taken out of those places of Scripture which attribute this guift of interpreting Scripture not gratiae gratificanti or to iustifying grace which is common to all faythfull belieuers and adopted children of God but gratijs gratis
punishment it brings with it is woe to the foolish Prophets v. 3. woe to them that sow cushions and make pillowes I will destroy the wall and accomplish my indignation in it my hand shall be vpon the Prophets in the councell of my people shall they not be and in the Scripture of the house of Israell they shall not be written neither shall they enter into the land of Israell v. 9. They shall diuine no more and I will deliuer my people out of their hands v. 21.23 Loe heere is described the nature the authour the effect and the punishment of this spirit In all which if we compare spirit with spirit person with person effect with effect and punishment with punishement we shall find the priuate spirit of the Protestants properly described in this false spirit of the false Prophets This false spirit of the false Prophets was a spirit of their owne a spirit of their owne hart that is of their owne inuention according to their fancy because as sayth the Prophet Hieremy They did falsely prophecy to you in my name and I sent them not sayth our Lord. The priuate spirit of the Protestants is a spirit of euery mans owne and his owne hart euery one hath his owne spirit and that priuate and singular to himselfe Euery one sayth his spirit is of the Lord whereas our Lord hath not sent either them or their spirit These false Prophets were some men some women all Prophetes of Israell v. 1. Daughters of my people v. 17. all reputed among the faythfull children of God and yet false Prophetes and false Prophetesses were they both The Protestants who chalenge this spirit are all Prophets that is interpreters of the word of God they are in their opinion all faithfull elect children of God all endued with this spirit which is giuen to all common to al men women by it euery one of them doth prophecy and interprete Scripture The fruits and effects of this spirit were Blindenesse Vanity Lying and Deceit by which they in hypocrisy made faire shew of piety but within wanted temper of good morter of true piety to daw be their wall and with flattery layd soft cushiōs of hopefull promisses vnder the elbowes of euery mans humour to please their fancy and all to catch soules and deceaue Gods people v. 10.18 The Protestants spirit which vaunts so much of knowledge verity sincerity and piety what is it but a trappe baited with so many faire baites to catch so many soules Their Church what is it but a wall without temper or morter of the true spirit or word of God to vphould it from falling and erring Their doctrine what is it but cushions and pillowes of faire promises of certainty of truth and saluation deceauing all who belieue it Killing or denouncing damnation to them who dye not and Viuificating or assuring saluation to them who liue not Their Preachers or Prophetes what are they but as their blind vaine lying and deceitfull spirit by which they are guided that is men most blind in errours of doctrine most vaine in ostētation of truth most lying in falsely accusing others and most deceitfull in shifts euasions against manifest truth Lastly as the punishment which fell vpon these Prophets their blind lying vaine deceitfull spirit was not only a woe and a curse of Gods indignation against them a diuision dissolution of the wall among themselues but also a separation of them from the councell of Gods people from the house of Israel and from entrance into the land of promise so the punishment which fals vpon this spirit them who are deluded by it is no lesse then a dissolution of all vnity in Religion a separation from the Church of God from the body of Christ from the society of Saints from the vnity of whose spirit by the singularity of this their priuate spirit as they are separated in this life so by incurring the woe indignation of God against them as well as the former Prophets they must needs be diuided from him and his kingdome in the next life And this is the fruit of this spirit in all Prophets and professours of it and the end and punishment of them who are conducted by it Out of which it followes 1. That as this priuate spirit was in the old Prophets so it is in these new Preachers interpreters of the word of God as in them it inuented new and false prophecies and predictions so in these it deuiseth new and false errours in fayth and vaine and deceitfull expositions of scripture 2. That as in them it was a spirit of blindenesse lyes vanity and deceit by which many were lead into dangerous and damnable errours fell into great and grieuous punishments so in these Preachers and interpreters it hath the same effect and brings vpon them the like punishments 3. That as then before Christ this spirit possessed and seduced both men and women prophets prophetesses so now euer since Christ it hath done the same as S. Hierome notes of the tymes before him Simon Magus had his Helene Nicolaus his troupes of women Marcion his Minion sent before him to Rome Montanus his Prisca Priscilla Ptolomeus his Flora Apelles his Philomela Arius the Emperours sister Donatus his rich Sucilla Elpidus his Agape and Priscilianus his Galla all prophetesses of like spirit with the prophets all hands and helpers to diuulge their heresies So in these our later dayes euery new maister had his mistris and euery Preacher his partner all participant of the same spirit thus had Dulcinus his Margaret Luther his Catherine Caluin his Ideletta Buraea Beza his Candida and euery new Doctour as Carolostadius Oecolampadius Bucerus Martyr Sanctius and who not euery one his sister and yoake-fellow in the spirit of the Lord. Out of all which I conclude argue thus That spirit cannot be a fit interpreter of scripture nor a sufficient iudge of controuersyes which is a spirit of euery one 's owne hart a spirit blind lying vaine and deceitfull a spirit seducing men women a spirit which separates from the society of the faythfull and infers a woe and indignation of God But such is the priuate spirit which in the old Law seduced false Prophets and in the new Law deludeth the false Preachers as holy Scripture of the former experience of the later doe both testify Therfore this priuate spirit cannot be a sufficient iudge of Fayth a fit interpreter of holy Scripture Out of Iob 32. declaring in Eliu his friends spirit the manner of proceeding of this priuate spirit SECT V. A Fifth proofe is out of Iob 32. The patience of Iob hauing beene tryed in the losse of his cattle his family his children and in the vexation of his body vpbraiding by his wife was after all this assaulted by his friends These sayth the Glosse represent the fashions of Heretikes
the soules in purgatory or in the way and in danger as the soules of men liuing some are meere intellectuall as God and Angells others more sensuall as beasts others rationable mixed of both as man some alwayes without bodyes as Angels and Diuels others alwayes with bodyes as beastes and birdes others sometymes with body and sometymes without as the soule of man liuing or dead before and after resurrection 3. According to the effect and operation S. Bernard distinguishes six kindes of spirits 1. Diuine of God the spirit is God 2. Angelicall of Angels he hath made spirits his Angells which alwayes worke good 3. Diabolical of the Diuell he sent immissions by euill Angells 4. Carnall of the flesh puffed vp by the sense of the flesh 5. Worldly of the world you haue not receaued the spirit of this world which worke alwayes bad 6. Humane of man the spirit of man which is in man which of all is indifferent and when it is assisted with grace is good when stayned with sinne is bad To which may be added the spirit of truth and of lying the spirit of wisedome and giddines and the spirit of the knowledge of truth and errour of which is spoken before cap. 2. Of which spirits for our purpose these chiefly are to be noted that is the spirit of God of Angells of Diuells and the spirit of the soule of man dead in heauen in hell or in purgatory and of man liuing according to the dictamen either of our naturall reason or of the light of diuine fayth and grace And thus much of the variety and differences of the nature of spirits which are to be discerned Secondly we may note that these seuerall sortes of spirits haue seuerall sortes of operations in man and do seuerall wayes manifest and shew themselues in him and to him for as in the naturall life of man besides the powers vegitatiue and sensitiue by which he liues and moues God and Nature hath prouided certaine more subtile spirits that is the vitall spirits in the hart which passing through the arteries do help to vitall operation as nutrition and augmentation and sensible spirits in the braine which passing through the veines do assist to the sense of feeling touching and the rest so also in the spirituall life of a Christian man besides the permanent guifts of the Holy Ghost and habits of faith hope and charity infused in Baptisme and Pennance togeather with grace God doth communicate also certaine extraordinary helpes and guifts to the soule which as certaine beames of his diuine light and sparkles of his celestiall loue assist and enable it to a higher knowledge of God and good thinges and to a more perfect practise of vertue and perfection and these are diuine illuminations inspirations or visitations and visions which are of two sortes the one meere spirituall and internall the other sensible and externall The first sort of spirituall motions arise immediatly from foure heads 1. From God who illuminating the Vnderstanding with a heauenly light clearely to discerne what is true or false what good or bad inflaming the will with an ardent desire to loue sincerely him and his goodnes and to doe his holy will and commandement and enabling the rest of the faculties with an inuincible fortitude to performe couragiously what is to his greater honour glory doth when or how he pleases and by meanes and in tyme best fitting as prayer meditation reading or such spirituall practises speake instruct and direct the soule by speciall illustrations inspirations and confortations 2. From the good Angell who by good cogitations and motions exciting the dulnesse and drowsinesse conforting the infirmity and weaknes of the soule and conseruing the same from danger of enemies is alwayes ready to assist vs in prayers and good workes and to defend vs from all occasions and temptations 3. FroÌ„ the Spirit of grace which with the light of fayth flame of charity inhabiting in vs doth continually knock at the dore of our heart and in our sleep awakes vs in our sicknesse strengthens vs in our distraction so recollects vs that with alacrity we may proceed in all exercises of piety and with facility ouercome all assaults of our enemy 4. FroÌ„ the Dictamen of reason and light of nature which pricked forward by the synderesis of a good conscience doth as a Preacher continually exhort and moue to a prosecution of good and an auersion from euill and as a Maister doth still direct and instruct vs how to behaue our selues in our combat against the law of sinne and the Angell of Sathan which make continuall opposition against it all which as a vigilant watchman doe still watch at the superiour part of the soule to wit the Memory Will and Vnderstanding eyther by an infused light or by species formed and framed in the phantasie and do inwardly knocke awake admonish and incite our soule to the knowledge of truth the operation of God The other sort of Spirits is sensible and visible by visions and apparitions and these are sometymes Imaginary presenting inwardly to the phantasie and imagination a shew and apparition either of wordes spoken or of persons appearing in their own person or in some other like to theÌ„ or in some figure representing them others sometymes are Visible and corporall seene heard or felt in some corporall body formed and framed of the ayre and assumed moued by a spirit which in them speakes walkes and exercises sensible actions as though it were a true and liuing person both which kindes happened often to the Patriarches and Prophets of old and to many in these later tymes sometims waking sometymes in their sleep and are both of them either by way of Oracles as S. Augustine calles them when some graue person appeares and fortells what is to be done as did Onias and Hieremy to Iudas Machabâ—us or by way of visions when thinges haue the euent indeed as they appeare in shew as happened to S. Peter who saw an Angell wheÌ„ indeed the Angell did free him out of prison or by way of Dreames when apparitions of mysteries are shadowed in figures not vnderstood in sense and signification such as was Pharao his Eares of corne and Nabuchodonozâ—r his Statua All which whether interiour or exteriour though they be properly diuine of God and good Angels of which is frequent mention and examples both in the old and new Testament yet because they are sometymes diabolicall of the Diuell who by suggestions and illusions doth imitate them and sometymes naturall dispositions or diseases of body whose affections and imaginations are not much vnlike to them And because of the later sortes that is visions and apparitions of which is the greatest difficultie examples in scripture and ancient histories for I will forbeare latter tymes are many and authenticall how sometymes God sometymes Angells sometymes Diuells
of their motions illuminations and inspirations First therfore for the discerning of the good spirits vnder which title I include all sortes of motions which come imediatly either from God or from Angels or from grace the difference of which doth not much import since they are all good and of God mediatly or immediatly the rules and signes to discerne them are taken some from the obiect matter which is proposed some from the manner circūstances how it is proposed some from the fruits and effects which it worketh The rules and markes drawne from the obiect matter are First that the good spirit inspires moues only to verity and true faith not to falsity and heresy nor to any thing which is contrary to the grounds rules of true faith And so whasoeuer is contrary to faith and the grounds of it as scripture tradition Church Councels consent of Fathers is not from the good but the bad spirit Secondly that it moues only to matter of piety and sanctity and to nothing contrary to good life and manners or to the law of God or naturall reason Therefore what is sinne impiety by commission or omission against reason or grace is from the bad not the good spirit Whereuppon it follws that as the Prophet saith the spirit of God is Corne and Fire a Hammer because it nourisheth strengthneth with verity vertue as Food it enlightneth enflameth with illuminations and inflāmations as Fire and beateth mollifieth with contrition mortification as a Hammer but the spirit of Sathan is as a Dreame and Chaffe because it followes things apparent not true things vaine and not solide things that tend to ill not to good Wherfore when it proposes things either true or good it is neither to be belieued in the one nor followed in the other because in the end and application it doth deceaue and brings danger in both Thirdly that it moues sometimes to these verities and vertues as to know loue and follow God in generall only leauing the application and particulers to the direction of others for the matter the manner the tyme the place or the like as it did S. Paul to be a Christian leauing him to Ananias to be instructed what he should belieue and do And Iephta to make a vow according to the Prophet Isay who yet by his owne spirit as faith S. Ambrose choosing the particuler erred and did amisse Fourthly that when it moues in particuler to extraordinary works as for example of pennance fasting as it did S. Antony Simeon Stelites S. Katherine of Siena to fast many weekes and monthes or of obedience as it did Abraham to offer in sacrifice his sonne and others to walke on the water set vpon Lyons or the like or of martyrdome as it did some Virgins and Martyrs to cast themselues into the water or fire to preuent tentation or confound the Tyrants al which it did for the fuller triall of the persons the greater honour of God or more edification of others When I say God moues or inspires to these extraordinary workes then ordinarily he doth it with that sense of certainty that he leaues no doubt of it in the soule with that vehemency of motion that the soule presently proceeds to execution with that subtility of attention that in the operation the soule can hardly attend to any thing els but that which is good and of God The rules and markes drawne from the manner of proceeding of the spirit are First That when the spirit doth worke any good motion immediately in the superiour part of the soule as in the Vnderstanding reuelations and illuminations of truth In the wil inspirations and inflammations and ardent desires of good In the Memory attention and adhesion to God in the same manner as it doth the habits of faith hope charity and the rest all without any mediatiō or ministery of any species in the outward senses or of phantasies in the interiour imaginatiō to which the power of the bad spirit is limited that then it is the spirit of God which somtimes enters in knocking at the dore of the soule by holy vocations and admonitions to call it from sinne to grace frō vice to vertue somtimes hauing got entrance doth worke labour in the soule either inlightening the darkenesse or inflaming the coldnesse or moistening the drynesse or righting the crookednesse or mollifying the hardenesse or awaking the drowsinesse or curing the sicknesse reuiuing the senslesnes which it finds in the same Somtims it proceeds so far as now to infuse a copious light of knowledge reuealing secret senses of scripture deep mysteries of faith high points of contemplation now to instill a pleasant dew of consolations and comforts in spituall practise and of content and sweetnes in enduring afflictions now to perfume it with a fragrant odour either of the incense of Deuotion or of the myrrhe of Mortification or of the sweet sent of all heroicall vertues and perfections wherewith the soule is rapt as it were out of the sense of bodily feeling vp to a glimpse to a taste to a sweetnes to an vnion with God so farre that it is no more where it liues but where it loues now wholy absorpt rauished and inflamed and transformed into God and God into it All which are a signe of the spirit of God Secondly that the spirit of God thus setled in the soule doth as it were with two eyes looke out abroad into all things That is with the one of pure intention which seeks not our owne honour profit pleasure and content in any thing but God and his honour glory and praise in all our words actions visitations consolations or desolations The other of discretion which proceeds in measure not going further in any practise then our ability will extend In weight valewing things of necessity before things voluntary of iustice before charity of obligation before supererogation In degree first mouing then walking then running and lastly flying and that by step to step from the botome to the top imbracing first the feet next the knees then the hands so to the face and presence of our Sauiour In order contenting our selues with wayes ordinary plaine facill vsuall and commodious to our selues others not aspiring to works effects extraordinary high prodigious miraculous beyond reach of our reason and without benefit to any And in all it perseuers proceeds with vigilancy and diligence without stop interruption or retiring in the course of vertue and perfection The rules and signes drawne from the effects and operations of this Spirit are That the spirit of God for the most part hath and doth cause such a spirituall sauour and taste in the soule where it is that as a man is knowne by his voice and visage as hony is discerned by the taste sweetnes So the motions illustrations and the voice
nor his art and cunning so skillfull that he can alwayes vpon euery occasion duly and infallibly apply them but that necessarily vpon ignorance errour or partiality and affection in many cases he may and must needes faile in them For as all sciences Law and Phisicke Mathematicke and Musicke Logicke and Rhetoricke with the like and all arts and trades of nauigation negotiation military or manufactory the rest haue their principles documents and these some of them demonstratiue and certaine which yet few or none can out of their owne wit industry without both a maister to teach tyme to learne apply and vse certainly in the practise of particulers so in this science of discerning of spirits which yet is so much more difficult then the former by how much the spirits are more subtil the operations more like the rules more vncertayne and the danger of erring more great a simple and vnlearned man may yea often many most learned and intelligent Doctours witnesse for example Origen Tertullian and all learned Heretikes ancient and moderne haue been grosly deluded and dangerously deceaued while insteed of the spirit of God of truth and of light they haue followed the spirit of Sathan errour and darkenesse and by it haue beene conducted not only themselues but also millions by their examples into the pit of perdition and damnation For as the Apostles being troubled with the storme of the sea when they saw our Sauiour walking vpon the water did thinke he was a Ghost so there be some who either vpon perturbation pusillanimity scrupulosity tentation or malice do imagine euery motion of God in themselues and euery vision reuelation or extraordinary worke or miracle in others to be either mere fancies imaginatiōs of man or else Ghosts and illusions of Sathan Others there be who on the contrary vpon too much leuity credulity of disposition or vpon too much weaknesse and infirmity of the braine or vpon too much pride and presumption of thēselues do conceaue euery idle imagination of their owne spirit and euery false suggestion of the spirit of Sathan to be a vision inspiration or illumination of Christ in which being perswaded that euill is good and good euill that darknesse is light and light darknesse that bitter is sweet sweet bitter they do sometimes belieue and adore a Ghost insteed of Christ other while neglect contemne Christ as a Ghost somtimes do belieue and preach errours and falshood as though they were truth otherwhile condemne truth and diuine verity as though it were Idolatry and superstition somtimes do imbrace vices sinnes as vertues otherwhile censure workes of zeale charity and humility as acts of passion basenesse and hypocrisy somtimes do giue credit to their fancies and imaginations of their owne or Sathans spirit as if they were the spirit of God otherwhile reiect the inspirations illuminations vocations of God as illusions of Sathan And thus while they walke in two extremes both a like perilous that is to neglect Christ as a Ghost and to follow a Ghost as Christ to refuse that which is of God as if it were of the diuel to follow that which is of the Diuel as if it were of God they belieue falshood and condemne truth they imbrace painted shadowed vices and contemne solid and true vertue and so follow Away which seemes to them iust but the later end thereof leads to death and are themselues those wicked VVho are so secure as though they had the workes of iust men And this is the first reason drawne from the infirmity of man why these rules cannot be to vs certaine and infallible The second reason is because such is the craft and subtilty of Sathan the wicked spirit that as he can transfigure and shew himselfe in the glory of an Angell so can he transforme his actions into the actions of an Angell and do the same which the Angels do Therfore whatsoeuer exteriour actions either of charity humility or piety deuotion mortification or other vertue a good man by the inspiration of God doth a bad man by the instigation of Sathan can doe the like In which though a difference will appeare in the intention and the end both which in the good are good and in the bad are bad yet in the exteriour action the Diuell can so cunningly carry himselfe and so craftily couer his intention that a quicke eye shall hardly of a long tyme discerne him In this manner hath he carryed himselfe in all or most Hereticks ancient and moderne couering himselfe vnder the veile of the honour of God zeale of soules verity of doctrine sanctity of life word of God and the like of all which in many of them he made a faire shew and thereby deceaued many Wherfore S. Paul foretels That many should come in later tymes who shall giue eare to spirits of errours and doctrines of Diuells And S. Chrysostome did affirme That all heresyes and all opinions of Heretikes are from the Diuell And S. Polycarpe did call Marcion the first-borne of the Diuell Thus doth Ioannes Cassianus auouch that himselfe was an eare-witnesse hearing the Diuel confesse that he was the authour of the heresy of Arius and Eumonius Thus doth Clemens Romanus Iustinus Martyr liuing in their tyme witnesse of Simon Magus that by the Diuell and magicke he was counted a God and had his statua to Simon the great God and that Menander his scholler deceaued many of Antioch by Magicke Thus Irenaeus auerres of Marcus Anaxilaus and others that by a familiar Diuell they did wonders and tell things to come Epiphanius of Carpocrates and the Gnostickes that they did by familiar Diuels and inchantments allure to lust dominiere ouer the people and make shew of wonders The like doth Theodoret of Basilides and Massilianus and Eusebius of Theodotus and Montanus Cyrillus of Buda Innocentius of Marcion Hierome of Priscilianus in Spaine Seuerus of one Anatolius who made himselfe first Elias then Christ and by counterfeit miracles deceaued Rufus a Bishop in the same countrey Caesareus affirmes of the Albigenses that by the Diuell they walked on the water to confirme their doctrine till a priest extraordinarily moued cast the Blessed Sacrament into the water at which they suncke and the B. Sacrament was by an Angell preserued Malmesbury and Baronius witnesse that Fuldo Bishop of Chartres saw the Diuell stand by Berengarius and as it were with his hand calling many to come to him Thus did the Emperour Maximiliā the first witnesse Bredenbach see the Diuell in a bodily shape sit on the shoulder of Luther at Auspurge anno 1518. and therby foretould what troubles should arise after his death Thus doth Luther confesse of himselfe that he had his doctrine of abrogating the Masse of the Diuell Zuinglius that he had his figuratiue doctrine from the spirit blacke or white he knew not
from the departure till the diuision of the land and also 40. of Samuel and Sauls raigne 40. of Dauids togeather with 4. of Salomons raigne which in all make 134. as they are collected out of Scripture there remaines from the departure out of Aegypt till the building of the Temple not 450. years as S. Luke relats but only 345. 3. About the raigne of Ioram King of Iuda and Ochozias his sonne after him for Ioram began to raigne when he was 32. years old raigned 8. years which for his whole life is 40. yet Ochozias his sonne who succeeded him is sayd to haue beene 42. yeares old when he began to raigne 2. Para. 22.2 by which he being 42. yeares old when his Father dyed being but 40. should be two years elder then his Father who begat him a question to S. Hierome inexplicable 4. About the raigne of Ioachim or Iechonias King of Iuda who is sayd 2. Paral. 36.9 to haue beene but eight yeares old and 4. Reg. 24.8 to haue beene eighteen years old both of them when he began to raigne 5. About Ioram King of Israel who is sayd to haue begun his raigne 4. Reg. 1.17 in the second yeare of Ioram King of Iuda and yet 4. Reg. 3.1 to haue begun the same in the eighteen yeare of Iosaphat who was Iorams Father and raigned 25. yeares 6. About the supputation of tyme as it is counted by the raigne of the Kings of Iuda and of Israel for from the beginning of the kingdome of Israel in the first of Roboam King of Iuda till the end of the same in the sixth of Ezechias when Samaria was taken are 260. yeares according to the raigne of the Kinges of Iuda and yet in the same tyme according to the raigne of the Kinges of Israel are only 240. yeares To all which if we adde the difficult places which according to S. Peter are in the Epistles of S. Paul as for example how are to be interpreted that of 1. Cor. 3.11 Gold siluer hay stubble the day of our Lord fire and to be saued by the fire That of 1. Cor. 15.29 How to be baptized for the dead That of Hebr. 6.4 It is impossible for those that fall to repent If we adde the difficult places which in the Euangelists are hard as for example in S. Marke who cites the Prophet Esay for Malachy In S. Matthew who cites Ieremy for Zachary In S. Luke who adds a generation of Cainam to the same cyted by Moyses and makes 40. Generations from Dauid to Christ where S. Matthew makes but 28. In S. Iohn who maks the day of Christs Passion the day before the festiuall day the rest of the Euangelists the day of the feast If we add the difficult places of which many holy and learned men of ancient time doubted sent for explication some to S. August as Marcellinus a Noble man and Martyr Volusianus gouernour of Rome and Paulinus Simplicianus Euodius and Honoratus all Bishops Some to S. Hierome as Marcella and Principia Suna and Fratella Hebidia and Algasia noble and religious women as Vitalis Dardanus Euagrius Damasus holy and learned Bishops And lastly if we adde all those places which all ancient and moderne Heretikes haue in so many articles of fayth abused and corrupted for the establishing of their new inuented heresies If I say we adde all these to the former it will by them appeare that the priuate spirit in euery man can be neither a competent nor yet a sufficient meanes to expound and interprete the true certaine sense of Scripture neither in places difficult to be vnderstood nor in points necessary to be belieued And this is the first kind of reason drawne from the nature of scripture against the priuate spirits interpretation of it SVBDIV. 2. By reasons drawne from the priuate spirit which should expound Scripture SEcondly other reasons are drawne from the nature and condition of the priuate spirit which whether it be in a priuate person who wants lawfull ordination and authority or in publike Doctour Pastour or Bishop who diuided by heresy or schisme doth not conforme his spirit to the comon spirit of Gods Church and generall rule of Fayth yet that it cannot be a competent Iudge of fayth and decider of controuersies is proued by these reasons First because this priuate spirit is excluded as vnable and vnfit to interprete the scripture and that by scripture it selfe for S. Peter hauing commended the propheticall word or the wordes of Scripture made by the Prophets as being a candle shining in a darke place doth giue this Caueat as principally to be vnderstood that the sense of it is not to be made by any priuate interpretation that is though the scripture be a light yet as it is a light not to Gentils Iewes or Infidels who vnderstand it not so it is not a light to Heretikes who by the priuate spirit make a priuate interpretatiō of it why Because by mans will Prophesy was not at any tyme brought but the holy men of God spake inspired by the holy Ghost that is as the holy men of God the Apostles inspired by the holy Ghost spake and dictated the word of God when it was made so the interpreters of the same word ought not to bring in any exposition of the same word of God vpon their owne will and sense but vpon the inspiration of the same holy Ghost when by them it is interpreted so that we should receaue the sense of scripture from the same spirit from which we receaued the text of Scripture As therefore no priuate spirit but one and the same spirit of the Prophets and Apostles of Christ made the scripture so no priuate spirit but the common spirit of Pastours and Prelates of Christs Church should determine and iudge of the sense of Scripture Of which place and others see more in the first Chapter Secondly because as truth and faith is not priuate to one nor singular in any but common to all and generally receaued by all the faithfull for so saith S. Augustine Thy truth O Lord is neither myne nor this mans or that mans but all mens whom thou callest publickly to the Communion of it terribly admonishing vs not to haue it priuate least we be depriued of it for whosoeuer will challenge that as proper to himselfe which is giuen as common to all and will haue that only to himselfe which is for all men that man is driuen from the common to his owne that is from truth to falshood so also the spirit of truth is not priuate to any one but common to all the faithfull for if the spirit of the teacher be not common with the spirit of all teachers it is not a spirit as it ought to be which is one keeping an vnity of spirit in the bond of peace making mē of one mind in one spirit labouring together
for the faith of the ghospel but it is a spirit of dissentiō which comes in his owne name speaketh lies of it selfe leadeth disciples after it selfe and seeketh as a thiefe to kill and destroy And if the spirit of the hearer be not conformable to the teacher then it is not a spirit of God nor of truth because he who is borne of God heareth the voice of the spirit and to heare the voice of vs saith S. Iohn that is of the Pastour is a signe to discerne who knows God and who hath the spirit of truth not falshood But if he on the contrary do follow a stranger do heare the voice of strangers do harken to a Prophet who ariseth and saith let vs follow strang Gods whom thou knowest not that is new Pastours vnknowne who they are or whence they come it is a signe of a spirit which followes not God nor is directed in truth Therfore the spirit of God is not a spirit priuate and singular by it selfe but a spirit common and generall to all the faithfull vniting the sheepheard with the flocke and the flocke with the sheepheard both in the fold of Iesus Christ in vnity of one spirit and faith Thirdly Because this priuate spirit is not only euill but also most vncertaine and fallible for it is vncertaine in whom it is whether in Luther Caluin Seruetus or Rotmā and why not as well in Bellarmine as in any of them It is vncertaine to him who imagines he hath it whether it be the spirit of God of nature or of Sathan and most vncertaine altogeather vnknowne to any but him who challengeth it It is vncertaine whether that sense it suggests be the certaine meaning of the holy Ghost or the inuention of ones owne braine It is vncertaine whether those interpreters of scriptures which follow it and others who follow them as Caluin Luther Osiander Beza or others do expound the scripture in the sense of the holy Ghost or of their owne It could not accord the Lutheran Deuines of Saxony in the Conference at Altemburge 1568. whether the scripture was to be receiued as interpreted by Luther only as the Duks Deuines of Iene Lipsia prescribed or as by Luther and Melācthon also as the Electours Deuines of Wittemberge resolued It could not agree Luther Melancthon with Zwinglius Oecolampadius at Marspurge 1529. about the sense of these words Hoc est corpus meum whether they are meant properly or figuratiuely It could not combine in vnity at Wormes 1557. the twelue Catholicke Doctours with the twelue Lutheran about many points of controuersy nor the Lutheran Doctours among themselues of whom seauen the maior part excluded fiue the lesser that is Amsdorpius Gallus and others the rigid Lutherans It cannot pacify to this day the dissentions about the sense of scripture betweene the Lutherans Swinglians Caluinists Vbiquitaries Osiandrians Swenk feldians Trinitarians Puritans Familists Anabaptists and others in number infinite and in contention vnplacable So vncertaine it is in all so vncertaine it leaues all Fourthly Because it is not only false and vncertaine in expounding the scripture but also it is opposit to the spirit and iudgement of the whole Church of all generall Councels and of all auncient Fathers reiecting and condemning them and preferring it selfe in euery preacher or Parochian before them It will in euery vnlearned Protestant with Caluin examine all the spirits of all men according to the rule of the word of God it selfe I say will examine and iudge them It will with Luther affirme and stand to it also that it will permit none to be iudges but all to be obedient to it It will with Whitaker resolue that all iudgment of Fathers Councels and Church is only humane and only its owne is diuine of which contempt of Fathers and Councels see the first Part Chap. 5. Fifthly Because it is not only false fallible opposite to the spirit of Gods Church but is the very author and supporter of all heresies as Stapleton well notes saying Out of this priuate spirit to which they stand stifly for the exposition of scripture haue issued and flowed all the stincke of heresies and new opinions which haue infected the whole world And indeed as euery hereticke diuided himselfe from the Church and forsooke the spirit of it so by his new spirit he inuented a new heresy of his owne and sought to draw people after him All which both concerning heresies rebellions shal in the third Part at large be demonstrated Sixtly Because all the partes and properties of an infallible Iudge are wanting in this spirit as shall appeare in the next Chapter And thus much against the priuat spirits authority of expounding scriptures by reasons drawne from the obscurity fecundity and profundity of scripture and from the falsity fallibility and vncertainty of this spirit Out of which it doth follow first that since the Protestants build their saluation only vpon faith and their faith only vpon the scripture and the scripture and the sense of it only vpon the spirit which is so vncertaine fallible and doubtfull therefore their whole faith and state of saluation is very vncertaine fallible and doubtfull as builded vpon a ground so vncertaine fallible and doubtfull 2. It followes that they who in shew rely so much vpon scripture who extoll it so much read it so diligently seeme to be so cunning in it and to build so much on it do not indeed rely build vpon the scripture but vpon their owne spirit or conceit by which they set vpon the scripture what sense they please and draw the sense to what doctrine they please and make the doctrine to serue to what times and turns to what ends and vses they please 3. It followes that the Catholikes whom the Protestantes so much accuse of neglect of scripture do more solidly safely rely on it then the Protestants do and do with more security and certainty ground their faith vpon it then they do for the Catholikes receiue the scripture as the word of God as much as they more parts of it then they they reuerence it as much as they and haue kept it from corruption longer then they They ground their faith and beliefe vpon it as strongly as they did the same before it was knowne to them yea deliuered it to them and to many mo besides them For the true sense and right vnderstanding of it they do not rely vpon euery mans priuate spirit or conceit as they do but vpon the iudgement of the Church infallibly assisted by the holy ghost vpon the testimony of the catholike and apostolicke rule of faith vpon the conformity of the auncient practise and obseruation of the Church vpon the generall consent of the holy and learned Fathers and doctors of auncient time vpon the infallible decrees of general and
and the Parlament ordaines all which are against vnity and certainty of al faith and religioÌ„ Lastly it would follow that for 300. years after Christ wheÌ„ the Emperours were pagan and not Christian either pagans must be iudges and deciders of the true sense of scripture and of all controuersies of faith or that there was for that time no iudge of them at al also when Princes become hereticks as Constantius and Valens did or Apostata's as Iulian did that either true Christians should be obliged to obey and follow Pagans Apostata's as iudges and vmpiers of their faith or else that they by falling into heresy or apostacy should loose their regall power and authority and subiects should be freed from their duty and obedience to them None of which our Protestants will admit as being indeed too too absurd The Lay-people cannet be this Iudge SECT IIII. FOVRTHLY that this infallible authority is not in the lay people and priuate persons of the Church is proued 1. Because they want knowledge and vnderstanding to discusse and penetrate either the articles which are belieued or the meanes for which they are to be belieued as being for the most part men simple and vnlearned for which cause they were neuer admitted to any Councels as Arbitrators or Iudges of faith but alwaies directed by their Pastours in their obedience to faith 2. Because they haue no warrant or commission giuen them for this end either expressed in any Scripture or approued by any Tradition or practise of the Church or mentioned by any testimony of Fathers or Councels therfore are not to assume or exercise it till they proue it 3. Because of al sortes they are the most fallible vncertaine and vnconstant in their opinions and practises and therfore are left alwayes to be ruled ordered as the people are in the temporall common-wealth not to rule and gouerne as Magistrates and Iudges 4. Because it would follow that all should be Iudges Pastours to determine none should be subiects to obey or sheepe to be fed that the Church gouernment should be Democraticall of people which of all is the worst that euery maÌ„ should haue a religion of his owne without any vnion with any or subordination to any that the people should preach and minister Sacraments as well as Priests or Prelates should excommunicate censure and punish one another as well as Bishops make decrees for faith and manners as wel as Councels In respect of all which inconueniences and absurdities which are so many testimonies against this authority of the people our Sauiour did speake to the people in parables and without parables he did not speake to them but to the Apostles and Pastours he gaue knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen To the people he spake of things easy and publicke as their sins and vices vertues good life but to the Apostles and that separated from the people of his death resurrection the holy Ghost the day of iudgment and such like mysteries With the people he did conuerse before his death not after his resurrection he manifested not himselfe to all the people but to the Apostles as Pastours and witnesses preordained of God he appeared after his resurrectioÌ„ did eate and drinke with them and commaunded them only not the vulgar sort to preach to the people To the people it is said Obey your Prelats be subiect to them but to the Pastours take heed to the whole flocke wherin the holy Ghost hath placed you Bishops to rule the Church of God To the people it is said suffer the cockle to grow but to the Pastours take away the euil one from among your selues To the people it is said do that which they the Pastours say but to the Pastours He who heareth you heareth me and he that knoweth God heareth vs. By heaâ—ing of them is knowne which is the spirit of truth which of errour Of the people it is said How shall they belieue him whome they haue not heard how shall they heare without a preacher But of the Pastours How shall they preach vnlesse they be sent All which conuince that our Sauiour intended to make the people not Pastours but sheep not rulers but subiects not iudges to commaund but seruants to obey in matters of faith and religion The Scripture cannot be this Iudge SECT V. FIFTLY That the scripture cannot be this iudge to determyne and end al controuersies is proued 1. Because this scripture in respect of vs requires a iudge it selfe to determine and assure vs which is true Canon true originall text true translation true sense the rest as before therefore to vs it cannot be a iudge 2. Because all or the greatest difficulties all or the maynest questions and all oâ— the hoatest contentioÌ„s which haue passed either among Catholike Doctours or betweene Catholicks and Hereticks are about the scripture and the sense of it none of which scripture it selfe could euer yet end and decide without some other iudge and vmpier plainly to pronounce sentence in the cause and immediatly vnder punishment to oblige the parties to belieue and obey the sentence 3. Because the scripture is mute dumbe vnable to speake heare or pronounce sentence and is apt not only to be lost alteted and corrupted as de facto it hath beene but also to be drawne wrested and interpreted to contrary senses and opinions by any sort of interpreters in any cause and question as the lamentable practise of so many hundred of heresies hereticks in all ages doth witnesse 4. Because the scripture in it selfe is neither cleare and euident nor doth euidently and expresly containe and declare all the senses of it selfe all the mysteries of beliefe all the questions of controuersies all doubtes in diuinity many things being both now by Protestants and Catholicks belieued and hauing beene by all faithfull in all ages practised which neither for practise were grouÌ„ded vpoÌ„ only scripture nor for the doctrine of theÌ„ are expressed in any scripture 5. Because many haue beene conuerted to faith without any reading or knowledge of scripture many controuersies haue beene decided without any sentence of scripture many faithfull haue liued in the world and beene directed in their faith before any writing of scripture As for example all in the old Law for 3000. yeares before Moyses all in the new law for a good time after the sending of the holy Ghost dispersion of the Apostles and many nations after Christ for 200. years who witnesse Irenaeus neuer did see nor heare of the bible and many thousands of saints and soules who did neuer see read heare or vnderstand any Scripture at all and yet did liue holily in earth and do raigne gloriously in heauen 6. In the scripture are two things the letter and the sense as the body the soule The letter according to S. Augustine doth kill that
not only of Infants but also of Nations that they should teach all Nations As he was light of men so they should be the light of the world As he gaue testimony to the truth so they should giue testimony and be witnesses of him to the end of the earth That as the Father did sanctify him so he prayed to his Father to sanctify them As he was sent by his Father into the world so he sent them As by a voice from heauen it was sayd of him heare him so by his owne mouth he sayd of them he that heareth you heareth me The Apostles therefore were appointed for Maisters specially sanctifyed made the light of the world ordained witnesses of his truth sent with authority and commission as himselfe was for that end that they should be heard and obeyed as himselfe was and the same power they receaued from him not only themselues challenged and practised after him and with him but also their Successours after them and with them For as Christ was giuen a light of the Nations so they sayth S. Luke were also the light of the nations As the spirit of God was on him to euangelize to the poore so God chose them sayth S. Luke that the Gentils by their mouth should heare the word of the Ghospell and belieue As he did reconcile the world to himselfe so he sayth S. Paul placed in them the word of reconciliation As he came an Embassadour from his Father to be a messenger of iudgment to the world so sayth S. Paul we are Legates for Christ. As our Sauiour sayd of himselfe He that is God doth heare the wordes of God therefore you heare not because you are not of God so doth S. Iohn say of them He that knoweth God heareth vs and he that is not of God heareth vs not Therefore as Christ thought it no robbery to be equal to his Father in diuinity so they thought it no iniury to him to be in some sort participant with him in his power and authority And that Christ gaue this authority to the Apostles not only for themselues and their owne time but also for their successors and for all ages so that it is to reside and remaine in the Pastours and prelates of holy Church their successors continually till the end of the world is euident for if he haue this authority as necessary for the peace and gouernement of his Church and if the Church stand as great need of it in all ages as in that time of the Apostles as it is certaine it doth then without doubt it was as well giuen to the Pastours of the future tymes of the Church as to them of the present for which end Christ sayth S. Paul gaue some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastours and Doctours and for what end For the consummation or perfection of Saints that is of all faythfull for the worke of the ministery to teach his truth for the edification and propagation of his body to conserue and increase his Church for the vnity of fayth vntill all concurre in one least men be wauering and vncertaine in faith like little ones least they be carryed with euery wind of doctrine least they be circumuented by craftines in errour All which dangers as they remaine in all tymes so the remedy prepared against them must remaine for all tymes Whereupon S. Peter did not only himselfe exercise this authority but at his departure gaue the same to the Pastours of Pontus Galatia and Bythinia to whome he writ his Epistles willing them to feed the flocke of God which is among them S. Paul did not only practise it himselfe but also left it to the Pastors of Ephesus to rule the Church of God To Titus to ordaine Priests through all Citties in Creet as he had disposed To Timothy to commend to faithfull men what he had heard of him and willed the conuerted Iewes to obey their Gouernours and be subiect to them because they watch as being to giue an account of their soules Whereupon not of the Apostles only but of all Pastours and only of Pastours it is sayd My spirit which is in thee and my wordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed frō this present for euer What is this word my spirit which is in thee but to compare the prophesy and the performance the Paraclete the spirit of truth which the Father will giue to you What are the wordes in thy mouth but the wordes and vnderstanding which thou Father gauest to me I gaue to them and they receaued of me What is thy seed and seeds seed but those who are to belieue by their word in me What is from this tyme for euer but that I will be with you euen to the consummation of the world And so doth the prediction of the Prophet concurre with the performance of our Sauiour To all Pastours and only of Pastours it is sayd Sonnes are borne to thee for thy fathers and thou shalt make them Princes ouer all the earth that is according to S. Augustine for Apostles thou shalt haue Prelates To al Pastours and only to Pastours it is sayd He that heares you heares me And He that knowes God heares vs and he that is not of God heares vs not That is sayth S. Cyprian all Gouernours who by subordination succeed the Apostles Because sayth S. Augustin In the chaire of vnity he hath placed the doctrine of verity Of al and to all Pastours it is sayd How shall they preach except they be sent No man assumes to himself honour but he that is called of God as Aaron To all and only of Pastours it is sayd If he heare not the Church let him be to thee as the Heathen and Publican that is sayth Chrysostome and Theophilact if he heare not the Pastours of the Church And if he be worthy to be esteemed so who despises them that admonish him of his fault much more worthy is he to be deemed so who despises him who instructs him in fayth To all and only Pastours it is sayd That the gates of hell shall not preuaile against the Church In so much that all the promises of Church-stability and perpetuity in fayth cōsists chiefly in this infallible authority of the Pastours who are to instruct in fayth direct in fayth and to iudge of fayth and what promises are made to the Church are made chiefly to the Pastours as the principall partes of it and by thē to the rest as inferiour To them therefore is giuen the word of reconciliation the dispensation of the mysteries the function of Embassages the
for this end be giuen only to them as it was to Moyses to iudge the people then it was not for the same end giuen to all and euery one of the common people and euery ordinary faythfull person among them The third proofe is drawne from the essentiall partes of an authenticall and infallible Iudge because in this spirit are to be found neither ability to know persons nor authority to iudge causes nor infallibility to pronounce a certaine sentence and iudgment First therefore this spirit cannot know and examine the state and disposition the cause and question of the person who is to be iudged neither can the person who is to be iudged know that this spirit remaynes in him who is to iudge or that authority by it is giuen to iudge For this spirit say they who chalenge it is knowne that it is the spirit of God only to them who haue it how then shall it be knowne to others who are to be iudged by it How shall the people know the spirit of the Pastour that they may be directed by it or the Pastour know the spirit of the people that he may direct thē How shall any conuersation in discipline of good life any communication in doctrine of fayth any subordination in obedience to lawes be obserued among these person vncertaine one of anothers spirit and authority by it How shall the sentence of absolution vpon the faythfull or of condēnation vpon the faythlesse be iustly denounced How shall the doctrine of truth be preached or the doctrine of falshood be confuted and the people obliged to belieue the one and to forsake the other How shall iustice be ordered obedience obserued authority maintained lawes executed and penalties inflicted where neither the inferiour can know the spirit of the superiour vpon which spirit his authority dependes nor yet the superiour can any way force or compell the spirit of the inferiour who yet will chalenge an equality of preheminence and priuiledge of the spirit with him Secondly this spirit cannot challenge to it selfe any such power or authority or shew any authenticall warrant from God that it is the spirit of God either in Scripture Tradition or practise of the Church all which a◠before do reiect and condemne it It cannot exercise any function which belonges to this authority as to censure or absolue to oblige or vnity to punish or reward any fault cōmitted or person committing it It cannot with equality of tryall heare or examine the cause nor denounce and pronounce any sentence which can oblige It cannot admonish threaten terrify and enioyne any punishment by the rodde of iustice It cannot compell correct and punish any delinquen◠by way of exteriour iustice or enforce the one party to yield subscribe and submit to the sentence of iustice It cannot bridle in the hand of the one the fury of iniustice or deliuer to the handes of the other the right of iustice It cannot conuince the one of his errour against truth nor secure the other of his possession of truth It cannot compell the one to cease from wronge or giue redresse to the other in his wrong What power hath the spirit of one man to threaten to command to correct or punish the spirit of another What authority can one spirit alleadge which another cannot as well challenge What prerogatiue of spirit can the Pastour assume of which the spirit of the people may not as well presume Vpon what priuiledge can any superiour stand vpon which and the same any inferiour may not or will not as well insist The inferiour can as cōfidently assure himselfe as certainly auouch and as resolutly resolue himselfe that he hath receaued the spirit of the Sonne of God dwelling in him That he hath the spirit of his sonne abiding in his heart by which he cryeth Abbae Father That God hath giuen him also the pledge of the spirit The spirit of adoption VVhich doth giue testimony of his spirit That his spirit doth search all thinges yea the profundities of God That his spirit doth try all thinges yea prophesyes Doth try all spirits if they be of God And that he is a spirituall man doth iudge of all thinges and himselfe is to be iudged of no man because he hath the sense of Christ and knoweth the sense of our Lord that may instruct him Where is then the authority of the Pastour ouer a flocke endewed with this spirit or the power of the superiour to correct a people full of this spirit How shall the one compell to obey and the other haue the liberty of the spirit not to obey What order or subordination what discipline gouernement can be established among such spirits or men ruled and directed by such spirits Thirdly this priuate spirit cannot giue any certainty or infallibility of the verity of his iudgment for it cannot assure and secure any that it is a spirit of God not Sathan of light not darknesse of truth not falshood of a true not a false Prophet It cannot assure secure any that his iudgment for example of predestination iustification certainty of saluation of only fayth is not a presumption and illusion and rather hereticall then Catholike doctrine It cannot assure and secure others either that the spirit is true or that the iudgement of it is vpright or that the doctrine of it is true all sectes and heresies whether Caluinist or Lutheran rigid or milder whether Protestant or Puritan whether Brownist or Familist whether Anabaptist or Arian whether Swenkfeldian or Libertine challeng it for the certainty of their doctrine as true are taught and directed by it as true and yet some or all of them must needes be false as being contrary euery one to another euery one condemning another and all condemned by the authority of Gods Church and by the spirit of God instructing and assisting it By all which it is apparent that the priuate spirit wanting visibility to be knowne authority to iudge and infallibility to secure cannot be an authenticall iudge of controuersies of Fayth Fourthly the fourth reason against this priuate spirits infallible authority to iudge of fayth is drawne from the properties of a rule foundation of fayth before assigned all which are wanting in it For first it wants the promise of any certainty and infallibility it hath no promise or warrāt in Scripture that it is the Pillar and ground of truth the house the temple the kingdome of Christ that hell gates shal not preuaile against it that he who heareth it heareth Christ who contemneth it contemneth Christ and who obeys it not is as the Heathen and Publican that it shall remayne with euery man shall teach euery man all truth and instruct euery man in all which Christ shall speake to him All which yet are promised to the holy Church and the spirit of God in it Secondly It wants
Tette of Kings it cannot conuert the multitude of Iles bring in the riches of the Gentills preach pennance and remission of sinnes from Hierusalem to the vttermost of the earth from North to South from Sabaoth to Sabaoth from the ends of the earth All which yet as they were promised to holy Church so are they performed in it and by the spirit of God in it Seauenthly this spirit wanteth all warrant and Commission from God either expressed in holy Scripture or mentioned in the Creed of the Apostles or deliuered by any Tradition or defined by any Councell or contained in any rule of Fayth or deduced out of any principle of Religion or confirmed by any practise of antiquity that all men must rely on it be ruled by it and be obedient to it for the certainty of their Fayth and Religion we find no preheminence or prerogatiue attributed to it that it is either the Kingdome the Citty the Inheritance the House the Temple the Spouse or the body of Christ which yet the Church of God by his spirit in it hath We read of no authority it hath either to bind or loose sinnes or to offer sacrifice or to minister Sacraments or to instruct in all Truth to teach all Nations or to punish offenders with the Rodde of correction of censure of excommunication giuing vp to Sathan which yet the Church of God by his spirit hath We haue no expresse warrant or commaund to do what it shall say to vs do to heare and obey it as Christ himselfe and that vnder paine of despising Christ of being an Ethnicke and Publican and of damnation All which yet we haue of the Church of Christ and of the spirit of God dwelling in it and directing it All which properties and conditions since they ought to be in a rule iudge of faith as is before shewed and are all and euery one wanting in this Protestant priuate spirit as is heere manifest it remaines euident that for these reasons it cannot be a sufficient or competent Iudge of all controuersies of Fayth and Religion THE PROTESTANT PRIVATE SPIRITS AVTHORITY To iudge of Controuersies of Fayth confuted by Reasons drawne from the nature and certainty of Fayth CHAP. VII The properties of Fayth with the priuate Spirits manner of proceeding SECT I. THIS priuate spirits authority to expound Scripture and to resolue questions of Fayth we haue confuted by reasons drawne from the nature of an infallible both Interpreter of Scripture and Iudge of fayth It remaines that we coÌ„fute the same by reasons drawne froÌ„ the nature and infallible certainty of Fayth of which this spirit is assigned by the ProtestaÌ„ts to be a principall if not a sole and whole meanes or instrument to cause it For which we may note that the Protestants doe 1. ground their saluation vpon only fayth which say they doth only iustify 2. They ground this their fayth vpon only Scripture which according to theÌ„ containes al things necessary to be belieued 3. They ground this their Scripture and the sense of it only vpon the priuate spirit by which alone excluding all authority of Tradition Church-Councells or Fathers they expound the Scripture so that the priuate spirit is to them the principall or sole ground of their sense of Scripture their Scripture-sense the principal or sole ground of their fayth this their fayth the principal or sole ground of their saluation What certainty therefore they haue of Scripture Fayth or Saluation dependes vpon the certainty they haue of this their spirit which if it faile and proue not to be true and of God but deceitfull and of Sathan then failes with it the truth of their sense of Scripture the truth of their Fayth and Religion and the truth of their hope or certainty of saluation Whereupon it followes 1. That they can haue no more certainty of their fayth and saluation then they haue of this their spirit which is the ground of their fayth and saluation 2. That what conditions or properties are required to certainty of Fayth the same are required in this spirit which is to them the prime mayne in effect the sole meanes or grounds of faith 3. That if we demonstrate that the properties and conditions which are necessary to fayth are wanting in this priuate spirit then we conuince that this priuate spirit cannot be either a sufficient ground wheron to build faith or a competent Iudge wherby to determine controuersies of Fayth Which being supposed let vs examine these properties of faith what and how many they be and applying them to the priuat spirit shew that they are all euery one wanting in it 1. Therfore this diuine and supernaturall faith as it is necessary to saluation for according to S. Paul Without faith it is impossible to please God And according to S. Augustine It is certaine that none can come to true happinesse except he please God and hat none can please God but by faith for faith is the foundation of all good things faith is the beginning of mans saluation without faith none can come to the fellowship of the children of God because without it neither in this world doth any man obtaine the grace of iustification nether in the next shal he possesse eternall life so also it must necessarily haue these properties or conditions that is it must be one certaine entire and Catholike faith manifested by diuine reuelation diâ—ulged by Apostolicall mission and preaching confirmed by miraculous operations and made credible by conuincing testimonies of credibility All which as they are peculiar to true faith either connexed to it or concurring with it so are they all wanting to this priuate spirit and haue no affinity or similitude with it as in particuler shal be shewed The priuate spirit cannot be a meane of vnity in Fayth SECT II. THEREFORE Fayth is one witnes S. Paul One Lord one Baptisme one Fayth witnes S. Leo Except it be one it is not Fayth Witnes Irenaeus All belieuing in one and like manner all points all teaching deliuering in one and the same manner all thinges and all hauing one soule and one hart which though it differ in language yet is the same in tradition One I say in all persons both in the materiall obiect because the same articles of Fayth are belieued by all and also in the formall obiect because for the same motiue and in the same manner they are belieued by all in all places tymes Which one fayth as one soule in many partes of the body doth make one Church in all the partes of the world But that this priuate spirit neither is nor can be one in all who claime and challeng it as neither inclining and mouing them all to belieue either one and the same thing or in one and the same manner or for one and
the same motiue nor yet combining them in any vnity either of one and the same Church or of one and the same discipline or gouernment or of one and the same scripture and sense of it is apparent and proued First Because this spirit is priuate proper and peculiar in euery one without subordination to any without connexion with any or without dependance vpon any It is singular and seuerall in euery one hauing a kind of operation which is for the manner singular for the motiue different and for the effect opposit in euery one It wanteth one and the same either authority of God for warrant or reuelation from God for motiue or proposition by Church for surety or direction of one visible head for gouernment as a linke and combination of all the spirits in one vnity either of Sacraments seruice or ceremonies or of faith discipline and exposition of scripture Wherupon it withdraweth al men from the high way of vnity diuerts them into by-pathes of diuision conducts them into the downfall of schisme and heresy and so precipitates them headlong into a gulfe of infidelity and perdition 2. Because as experience teaches vs it hath hatched all the viperous sects schismes and heresies which this last age in such aboundance brought forth into the world It vpon the first breathing of the new Ghospell deuided the followers of it into Lutherans Sacramentarians Anabaptists and subdeuided the Lutherans againe into the Zealous the Ciuill and the disorderly Lutherans and subdeuided yet againe the zealous into 14. the ciuill into 20. and the disorderly into 7. subfactions and petty heresies It subdeuided the Anabaptists into 13. seuerall factions and the Sacramentaries into so many new opinions in seuerall Countries inuented by so many seuerall new maisters as that within the space of an 100. years fewer some as Gualter reckon vp 117. others as Rescius 170. others as Hedio a Protestāt within 30. yeares after Luther 130. all inuented and nourished by this spirit And for multiplicity of scripture senses it deuised as one 50. yeares ago collected no fewer then 80. and as another since hath obserued no fewer then 200. seuerall expositions all out of foure wordes Hoc est corpus meum Which dissention and diuision was euen in Caluins time so memorable and markable that he himselfe confesses that this age hath brought forth horrible monstrous sects so that many staggering and no◠knowing which to follow haue cast away all care of any religion at all By which is apparent that this Scripture neither doth nor can beget any vnity or concord in fayth and religion and so cannot be a fit instrument to beget and conserue fayth That it cannot be a meanes of certainty of Fayth SECT III. SECONDLY Fayth must be certaine and infallible to vs more certaine sayth S. Chrysostome are we of things we see not then of thinges we see Yea so certaine as that it admits no deliberate and voluntary doubt not only actuall but not so much as possible For as Fayth is an inward assent of the mind which we giue to that which God who is the prime verity and can neither deceaue nor be deceaued hath reuealed to vs by meanes of the preaching and teaching of the true Church so our assent must be as certaine as is the verity of God vpon which it dependes that is so certaine that it admit no more deliberate doubt incertainty or fallibility then doth the word of God vpon which it depends Which certainty of fayth because Luther Caluin and Zuinglius extend to euery mans particuler saluation they consequently affirme that euery man must be as certaine of his saluation as he is certaine there is a God that he can no more loose his saluation then Christ can loose it But that no such certainty can be in this priuate spirit I proue besides that which is in the former Chapter shewed by these reasons First because no certaine and infallible rule or ground can be giuen certainly and infallibly to know that this spirit in any man is a spirit of truth not of errour of light not of darknes of God not of Sathan or not humane therfore there is no reason why any should build vpon it as certaine Secondly because that they who admit a certainty of it admit it only in the persons who haue it not in others who follow them who haue it wherupon all who follow the spirit and doctrine of any other whosoeuer as the cōmon both people and preachers do follow that which to them is fallible and vncertaine and so build vpon a ground fallible and vncertaine Thirdly because experience conuinces that this spirit hath deceaued doth daily deceaue many for whatsoeuer either sense of Scripture or doctrine of faith or certainty of saluation the spirit of one man doth certainly assure him as true the spirit of another man doth as certainly assure him that the same is false as for example the spirit of Zuinglius Oecolampadius Caluin and other Sacramentaries assures them that the sense of Hoc est corpus meum is figuratiue that the body of Christ is not really and corporally present in the Sacrament and that they in this faith are infallibly sure of their saluation but the spirit of Luther assures him that the sense of the words is literall that Christs substance is really and corporally present with the substance of bread and that the Sacramentaries are heretiks and damned who hould the contrary The like doth the spirit of the Anabaptists Libertines and others assure them of other such places against both Lutherans and Caluinists And the spirit of the Arians assures them of the like against all the former And all this is wrought by this spirit all conceauing a certainty in it yet all opposit and condemning one another by it What certainty therfore can there be in any of these spirits what infallibility more in Luther then in Caluin what in Caluin more then in Rotman what in Rotman more then in Seruetus or what in any one of them more then in any other Sectary What can any one claime or challenge for the certainty of his spirit which the other cannot as infallibly claime and challenge for the certainty of his Euery one of these assure themselues that their spirit is of God Euery one of them all are certaine of their sense of scripture of their faith and of their saluation by it yet euery one defends a contrary faith inuents a contrary sense of scripture condemns the contrary part of heresy is certaine by his spirit of the others damnation as the other conceaue themselues certaine of their owne saluatiō What certainty therfore can there be amongst so opposit certainties Surely none but to be certaine that all of these spirits are most vncertaine and fallible yea wicked and damnable that the state of all who depend of them is pittifull and
knowne after the thing to be proued All which inconueniences this Circular manner of probation doth inferre making the probation either the same or equally or more obscure then the thing to be proued 2. Because it would follow that idem should be prius posterius notius ignotius respectu eiusdem knowne vnknowne first knowne and after knowne in respect of the same As when the premises do demonstrate the conclusion they must be first and better knowne then the Conclâ—sion And againe when the conclusion doth demonstrate the premises it should be first and better knowne then the premises so the same conclusion shal be prius notius as demonstrating the premises and posterius ignotius as demonstrated and proued by the premises both being vnderstood of the same premises 3. Because this Circular proofe is to proue the same to be the same because it is the same as the conclusion to be true if it be true or because it is true As saith Aristotle Si A est B est si B est A est ergo si A est A est In which as A is proued to be A because it is A so the conclusion is proued to be true because it is true Whereupon Aristotle concludes that euery Circular proofe and demonstration which is regressus ab eodem ad omnino idem that is when we returne froÌ„ one thing to the same thing againe and from one proofe to the same proofe againe is vitious and vnlawfull in Logicke And thus much of the nature of a Circle Secondly for the difference betweene a proper Circle which is bad and an improper which is good and lawfull we may note also that euery kind of Circular and reciprocall proofe is not vnlawfull for some is reciprocall betweene the cause and the effect as betweene rationale and risibile betweene the Sunne the Day And thus may be proued the effect by the cause à priori as Est risibile quia est rationale est dies quia Sol lucet or on the contrary the cause by the effect à posteriori as Est rationale quia est risibile or Sol lucet quia est dies Other proofes are reciprocall betweene two causes of diuers kindes as betweene the efficient cause and the finall in which sense we proue Phisicke to be good because as the efficient cause it causeth and worketh health and health to be good because as the finall cause or end it moueth to take Phisicke Or betweene the efficient and materiall cause as when we proue the entrance of the wind to be the cause that is efficient of opening the window and the opening of the window to be the cause that is materiall of the entrance of the wind Or when we proue the aboundance of raine by the aboundance of vapours as by the materiall cause and the aboundance of vapours by the aboundance of raine as by the effect All which kind of reciprocall or Circular proofe of the cause by the effect and the effect by the cause or of one cause by another is good and allowed in Logicke as being improperly a Circle Only that which is disallowed and by Aristotle all condemned is that proper manner of Circle which is 1. when in the same kind of cause one thing is proued by another and this againe by the former which is either idem per idem or ignotum per ignotius 2. When this reciprocall proofe is made by one and the same cause in one and the same manner of proofe 3. When to one and the selfe same person this one thing is thus proued by another and this againe by the former the one mutually prouing the other as when the premises demonstrate the conclusion and the conclusion againe the premises both being otherwise vnknowne As when the maister proues the seruant to be innocent and the seruant the maister both being before suspected as guilty In which the same thing is notius ignotius prius posterius that is more knowne and lesse knowne first knowne and after knowne both in one and the same respect and in respect of one and the same person and so a thing vnknowne is proued by another more vnknowne which is that vnlawfull Circle or Circular manner of demonstration disallowed and condemned by Aristotle By which is manifest what a Circular proofe is and of Circular manners of proofes which is improper lawfull and which proper and vnlawfull Thirdly Both Catholicks and Protestantes do mutually accuse one another of this vicious and Circular arguing and manner of proofe The Protestants accuse the Catholicks because they proue the authority of the scripture by the authority of the Church and the authority of the Church by the authority of scripture For aske a Catholicke how he knowes the Scripture to be infallible and true he will answer because the Church tels him it is so aske him how he proues the Church to be infallible and true he wil answer because the scripture sayes it is so and so he proues the Scripture by the Church and the Church by the Scripture The Catholicks accuse the Protestants because they proue the scripture by the spirit and the spirit by the scripture for aske a Protestant how he knowes the scripture to be true and the true sense of it he answers because the spirit so tels and assures him aske him how he knowes the spirit that it is of God and speakes truth he answers because the scripture tels and assures him so and so he knowes the Scripture by the spirit and the spirit by the Scripture The Catholikes cleared from the obiected Circle against their doctrine SECT II. THE question therefore is whether the Catholiks betweene Scripture and Church or the Protestants betweene the Scripture and the Spirit and otherwise do fall into this kind of vitious argumentation and proofe in maÌ„ner of a Circle And that the Catholikes are free from this fault and do make their proofe to seuerall sortes of persons in seuerall kinds of causes by a partiall manner of proofe and thereby do still proue one thing vnknowne by another more knowne to those persons is first to be proued For which we may note that the Catholikes require to Fayth for so much as is for our purpose two thinges First a preparation to prepare vs to accept the thinges belieued as credible and in prudence worthy to be belieued which is wrought by credible testimonyes such as are miracles consent sanctity antiquity and the rest before meÌ„tioned by which our vnderstanding is euidently conuinced to iudge and accept of the Christian Religion as more worthy or credit then any other Secondly they require a firme assent or beliefe to the articles of fayth proposed as true and of infallible verity which is wrought by the habit of fayth and dependes vpon the diuine reuelation of God declaring in Scripture or Tradition and proposing by holy Church what and why we are to belieue vpon which
man SVBDIV. 5. Protestant doctrine of Predestination makes God alyer and dissembler FOVRTLY That God is by this doctrine of these Doctours a great lyer and a deepe dissembler and deluder that is that either God or these Doctours must be lyers or dissemblers is proued Because the words of God in holy scripture of these Protestant doctours in this point are contradictory therfore if Gods word be true theirs must be false or if theirs be true then must Gods be false and so God must be either a lier in speaking vntruly in scripture or a dissembler in speaking one thing intending another or they strang lyers in belying him That Gods word theirs are contradictory is apparent by these instances First God saies that he wils not inquity that he hateth iniquity that he hateth sinnes that both the wicked and his wickednesse is hatefull to him that Salomon did that which was not liked before our Lord that Dauid did displease him the one for his idolatry the other for numbring the people but these Protestant Doctours say the contrary Caluin sayes that God wils and is authour of sinne willed the sinne of Adam and fall of man that Pharao's cruelty pleased God Beza sayes that God wils and decrees euill and the damnation of man that God wils and is pleased with that which he doth reuenge and punish Peter Martyr sayes that God wils sinne as a meane to his end hates not sinne which he workes Perkins sayes that God willed the sinne and fall of Adam wils that sinne be committed Bucanā sayes that God wills sinne by his secret and well-pleasing will All which if they be true then the former sayings of God are false and so God lyes or dissembles of if Gods be true theirs are false Secondly God sayth that he hath not done iniquity that he will not do iniquity that they erre that worke euill that he who commits sinne is of the Diuell that he commaunds none to do wickedly that he did not command the building of the high place of Balaam that he doth not tempt any man to euill Suffers none to be tempted aboue that which he is able But contrary to all this Caluin sayes that God not only permits but commaunds euill commands and compells the Diuell to be a lying spirit in the mouth of Prophets workes the execration of the faithlesse Is the cause of obduration of Pharao's obduration and cruelty that wickednesse committed by man proceeds from God Luther sayes that God workes in vs good and euill and works euill by vs. Melancthon sayes that the treason of Iudas was as proper a worke of God as the conuersion of S. Paul Beza sayth that God doth worke in vs obduration and is the cause of it Sāctius sayes that God is the chiefe authour of obduration doth worke good and euill in vs doth reward his owne good punish his owne ill workes in vs that sinne as sinne and malum culpae is preordained of God that God ordained men to damnation and their sinnes to damne them forsooke them and denyed them grace that they might sinne compelleth to wickednesse mediatly by himself and by his speciall action Peter Martyr sayes that God doth solicite to deceaue doth compell to great sinnes to lye to seduce All which if they be true then the former sayings of God in Scripture are false and so God is a lyer a deluder or a dissembler or they foule lyers Thirdly God sayth in Scripture that he wils not the death of the wicked that he will not haue any to perish that it is not his will that one of these litle ones perish but will haue all to be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth He commaunds that none shall worship strang Gods that none commit murder adultery and theft he persuades the wicked to repent to be conuerted and repent from their iniquity and to sinne no more he inuiteth calleth and stretcheth out his hands and y would gather sinners vnder his winges as a Henne doth her chickins he would haue all to come to him But Caluin sayes that God did ordaine and predestinate many yea the most to damnation and created them for that end for no desert or sinne in them but only for that his will was so to haue it did create them as organs of his anger to destruction of death and that they might come to that end did either depriue them of power to heare the word of God or did blind and dull them in hearing it doth direct his voice to them not to that end that they may heare but to that end that they may be made more stupid that he calls them only by word and after a humane manner not because he would haue them come Beza sayes he will not haue the reprobate conuerted and saued who are not able to haue any will to be conuerted Piscator sayes he maks shew in words to will that which he wils not and not to will that which he wil so doth he vse holy dissembling Beza sayes he commandes that which he will not haue done and promiseth that which he will not performe that he doth not loue all neuer did nor euer will haue mercy on all that he would not haue the death of Christ to profit the reprobate will not haue the reprobate conuerted and saued and that they cannot haue any will to be conuerted Zanctius sayes He calls all according to his outward will and preaching of the Ghospell but according to his secret will neither would nor will haue all to come and be saued Perkins sayes he will not nor hath so much as any will or velleity no not conditionally that all be saued And therefore it is not true to say that God will haue all saued And that when S. Paul sayth so he speaketh according to the charitable opinion of men not according to Gods will All which wordes of these Protestant Doctours as they contradict the wordes of God for that God doth not will command and worke euill and that he doth will worke and compell to euill that God hates is displeased with sinne iniquity and sinfull persons and that he wils decrees and ordaines the same that God inuites calles desires wils the saluation of all and that he detaines and withouldes men from coming to be saued are quite opposite and contradictory one to another so therefore must either this Protestāt doctrine be false if Gods be true or if theirs be true Gods must be false and God either a lyer or a dissembler He that desires to see more of these expresse contradictions betweene the expresse word of God in holy Scripture and the Protestant Doctours in their
profundity of holy scriptures that though his wit was better his leasure more and his diligence greater yet he might from his child-hood tiâ—l his old age profit in the vnderstanding of them not for that so much of them as is necessary to saluation is so hardly to be atteined but for that when once ones faith is grounded vpon them so many and manifold misteries remaine for the more intelligent proficients inuolued in the words and the maâ—ter that the moâ—t aged witty and industrious may say when he is become perfect then he begins For which elswhere he professes that he is ignorant of more things in scripture then he knowes Therfore only prayer meditation and study will not surfice for euery one to find out the true and certaine sense of euery place of Scripture which for euery one to assume to himselfe would not be a certainty of faith but presumption of pride And the same which is sayd of Prayer Meditation and study may be sayd of skill of tongues conference of originall texts and other places and of consideration of antecedents and consequents of phrases and the like Of which see Stapleton Which supposed the answere to all the former obiections is facile First Dauid did read and study the Scripture but he did it for his priuate consolation and meditation not for his foundation in fayth in which he was before grounded 2. Timothy did read and study them from his childhood but to learne the sense and meaning of them of his Maisters and teachers not to be iudge and censurer of them and that for his instruction in manners not for his doctrine of fayth which he receaued from his Ancestours not from his owne reading of Scripture 3. S. Peter did will them to attend to the propheticall doctrine but not to interprete it according to euery ones priuate spirit and proper interpretation which he forbids saying No prophesy of Scripture is made by priuate interpretation much lesse with a neglect of the rules and grounds of fayth or with a contempt of the Pastours and Superiours of the Church of God preferring its owne before their exposition 4. S. Paul affirmes that we must be built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles that is not only vpon the written word of the Apostles or Prophets for many had fayth and were Cittizens of Saints and Domesticals of God before any scripture or writing of the Apostles was extant and many built their fayth vpon the Apostles who writ nothing at all but vpon the doctrine and fayth reueiled to the Apostles and by them left by preaching or writing to posterity and as such by the Church proposed to vs. Out of which nothing can be inferred for making the scripture much lesse the priuate spirit interpreting it the sole or sufficient ground of Fayth Againe taking the foundation either for the doctrine or writinges of the Apostles and they who are built vpon it or for principall partes or for the body of the Church we may consider first the foundation of doctrine either in it selfe and so as being the truth reuealed it is the ground of fayth or in respect of vs as by vs it is accepted and so it relyes vpon the Pastours and Prelates of the Church by whome it is proposed to vs as reuealed and for whose authority we receaue it as reuealed Secondly we may consider the Church either as it is the whole body of all faythfull in all tymes especially after the Apostles and so it is built vpon the doctrine preached and written or as it signifies the first heads and directours of it to wit the Apostles and so it is built immediatly vpon Christ and the holy Ghost reuealing to them that doctrin and scripture which they haue left to posterity and which they preach and propose to vs and in this sense the Church that is the Apostles and first Pastours were before the doctrine was either preached or written by them so were the foundation of their doctrine and preaching of it to vs though to the rest of the faythfull the doctrine preached and written by them is the foundation vpoÌ„ which their fayth is built Which answere doth not only cleare the Scripture for hauing any priuate spirit as Iudge ouer it but also declares how the Church is built vpon the doctrine of the Apostles or Prophets taking the Prophets eyther for the writings of the Prophets in the old Testament or for the Interpreters of the Apostles writing in the new and also how the Church in the sense before declared is the ground of the Apostolical and propheticall doctrine reuealed to the Church and the first Pastours of it and by them left to vs who receaue it from them and their authority and so from the Church 5. They of Beörea did search the scriptures whether those thinges were so as Paul declared that is not so that by searching the scripture they did make themselues and their spirit iudge of the Apostolicall doctrine preached out of scripture but so that either being nor yet fully conuerted and satisfyed they would with diligence and in humility enquire further of the doctrine preached which is alwayes permitted and aduised to all for otherwise he that giueth credit quickly is light of hart or that being satisfyed they would as Catholicke Doctours do search out conferre and vnderstand those places of scripture which Paul did alleadge and thereby the more strongly confirme themselues and better satisfy others in Fayth In which as they did proceed prudently and piously and we permit and aduise euery learned Catholike to do the like so they did no more make either their spirit or the Scripture interpreted by their spirit iudge of the Apostles doctrine then if one for searching the testimonyes of S. Augustine which are cyted by Bellarmine should therby be sayd to make himselfe iudge of Bellarmine his doctrine or as one searching the places cited by Caluin to see if they be as they are by him cited should thereby make himselfe iudge of Caluin and his doctrine Which to inferre out of their actions as it is absurd so is it to inferre that the Beröeans made themselues iudges of S. Pauls doctrine out of the Beröeans seeking out the places which S. Paul alleadged 6. Our Sauiour willed the Iewes to search the Scripture it is true but which Iewes to wit those who were learned and how Not so that he would make them and their priuate spirits iudges of Scriptures or the truth found in them but that he would haue them being yet incredulous studiously to informe themselues of him being the true Messias out of those Scriptures which they belieued already to be true and to beare true witnesse of the true Messias which is no more then to persuade any Protestant to read Scriptures Fathers and Catholike authours and out of them to informe himselfe of the verity of Catholike Religion which is to search out
the truth and not to make himselfe and his priuate spirit iudge of the grounds of truth or of the truth which is to be found in theÌ„ And this is all that can be inferred out of these places this may suffice for the solution of all such argumnets or obiections as are made out of Scripture by the Protestants for the establishing of this priuate spirits power and authority to interprete Scripture and to iudge of al controuersies of Fayth FINIS A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPALL MATTERS handled in this Booke A S. Ambrose his commendations pag. 58. His authority against the priuate Spirit pag. 59. Angells apparitions pag. 74. Difficulties about them pag. 81. Apostles their authority to iudge of Fayth pag. 166. Their power deriued from Christ pag. 167. Their successors power to iudge of Faith pag. 168. The foundation of Fayth pag. 390. Apparitions of God or Angells in what places to what persons pag. 75. ApparitioÌ„s of Diuels in diuers shaps of beastes of men of Angells of Christ of the B. Trinity ibid. 140. Of soules in Limbo Purgatory Hell and Heauen pag. 77.78 Difficulties to know which be apparitions of God Angells Diuells soules pag. 79. ApparitioÌ„s of SathaÌ„ inward by suggestions pag. 98. By imaginary illusions pag. 102. By exteriour visions pag. 104. S. Augustine commeÌ„ded against the priuate spirit pag. 61. For the profundity of holy Scripture and authority of Fathers pag. 64. For necessity of Fayth pag. 182. agaynst Circles pag. 210. B BIshops and Priests their office pag. 153. Their authority to iudge of Religion pag. 162. Their Tribunal power in the old Law the beginning progres end pag. 162. In the law of Christ pag. 165. What their authority is pag. 166. Their authority proued by scripture pag. 168. How for it extends ibid. Their authority for euer pag. 168. In all Councells pag. 170. C CAluin his saying against the priuate spirit pag. 36.64 His Circle between the spirit of euery man a Councell pag. 215. His doctrine of the doctrine of saluation pag. 234.239 Of saluation of Infants without Baptisme pag. 235. Of Christs sinne and despaire on the Crosse pag. 257. Of the B. Trinity pag. 304 Of Christs Diuinity pag. 305. Of Christs descent into Hell pag. 308. Of his AscensioÌ„ pag. 3â—0 Of beatitude before the day of Iudgment pag. 311. Cases of Conscience for feare of sinne in vaine according to Protestant doctrine pag. 26â— Catholikes aduaÌ„tage aboue Protestants pag. 24. In the habit of faith p. 15. In the credible testimonies of Vnity Sanctity Vniuersality Succession Miracles Examples pag. 27. In the infallible Church-authority pag. 28. Catholikes belieue all Reuelations ancient generall infallible pag. 25. Catholikes may challenge all which the Protestants may pag. 28. Yea the priuate spirit pag 29. DiffereÌ„ce between iust Catholikes Protestants pag. 266. Good life-confessed in the auncient and late Catholikes in the people and the Clergy pag. 347. Catholike and Protestant doctrine compared in giuing more honour to God to Christ to Saints Angells Scripture Sacraments to Church Fayth Good workes c. pag. 350. Christ by Protestant doctrine no generall Redeemer pag. 248. No perfect Redeemer from sin his suffering of Hell paynes due to sin pag. 249. No Sauiour from sinne Sathan sensuality the curse of the Law or from Hell pag. 250. No perfect Phisitian pag. 251. No law giuer 252. An vniust iudge 253. No Priest or offerer of Sacrifice 254. Made ignorant 256. Sinfull suffering hell paines pag 257. Christian AsseÌ„blies in the Primitiue Church in what manner they were for that tyme. pag. 382. Church-authority necessary to fayth pag. 10. infallible 11. proued by Scripture pag. 16. Church selected priuiledged armed established c. obligeth p. 12. It consists of Pastors Ibid. Is proued by Fathers reason Ibid. Necessary to expound Scripture pag. 125. Church-practice A rule to confute heretikes pag. 125. Church-prâ—position and scripture-authority no circle pag. â—02 Vpon Church falling failing froÌ„ faith what absurdities do follow vz. That all ancieÌ„t Concels Doctors were AntichristiaÌ„ That Prophesies are false pag. 231. That Turkes Iewes Gentils haue a more credible Church then Christians pag. 230. Church-practice a meanes to interpret Scripture iudge of Doctrine pag. 125. Church of Christ a Congregation of great sinners pag. 26â— Circle what it is pag. 198. Difference betweene a lawfull vnlawfull Circle pag. 199. And betweene a Circle as obiected against Catholikes and Protestants pag. 200 Catholikes Circle cleared as being partiall in diuers kinds of causes and to diuers sorts of persons pag. 202. Protestants Circle between the Scripture and the Spirit pag. 206. Betweene the Spirit Fayth 210. Betweene Election and Scripture 212. Betweene the Spirit of euery person and of a Councell pag. 215. ProtestaÌ„ts Circle vnto the same kind of cause and that totally pag. 208. Absurdities that follow vpon it pag. 212. Councells 3. of the Iewes in Christs tyme. pag. 164. How the holy Ghost assisted or fayled in them pag. 164. Councells a meanes to interpret Scripture 128. Councells haue byn a meanes to iudge of Fayth pag. 171. Concupiscence made originall sinne and what followes thereon pag. 227. D DIuells Apparitions of them pag. 75. Difficulties to know them pag. 80. Signes to know the motions of them 83. Their subtility 95.97 Their deluding of Heretickes auncient moderne pag. 95. Their tempting to sin to vertue 99. Examples of their apparitions to Heretickes pag. 100. By imagination visibility pag. 10â— F FAyth Six meanes to Fayth pag. 3. Materiall formall obiect proposition Ibid. Credible Testimonies pious disposition habit pag. 4. Reuelation to the Apostles Ibid. Necessity of a proponent cause Ibid. Credible Testimonies pag 4.7 192. Fayth requires a pious disposition supernaturall frees an infused habit permanent not perpetuall pag. 6 The order of these helpes vz. credible Testimony Church-proposition grace actuall infused habit reuelation pag. 7.8 The Resolution of Faith dispositiuè deriuatiué effâ—ctiuè formaliter pag. 8. Shewed by the Samaritan womaÌ„ and Christ pag. 9. The helpes to Fayth external eternall internall pa. 14. Wanting in Protestants 15. Fayth depends vpon authority pag. 117. Faith required to know scripture the sense of it p. 118.120 The rule of Fayth pag. 146. Fayth one pag. 183. Certaine 187. By preachinâ— and hearing 190. By credible testimonies 192. Obligeth to acceptance 194. Speciall Fayth how certaine in Protestants 185. Fayth is of eternall verity and presupposeth the obiect pag. 228. Cannot staÌ„d with certainty of saluatioÌ„ 233.240 vide Sole fayth Fayth by hearing preaching and mission pag. 190. Sole Fayth a Protestant Principle the effect of it pag. 227. Sequells of Iustification by sole Fayth p. 222. makes Protestants more certaine of their saluation then was Christ 233 Makes Protestants as iust as Christ 234. makes all men to be saued 235. Is not grounded vpon Gods word 233. Is false contradictory sinnfull rash presumptuous preiudicious to Hope Charity and Good