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
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
their owne priuate spirit iudgement and opinion for matters of fayth religion preferring it before the sentence of the whole Church and Pastours of it are Heretikes sinnefull subuerted to be auoided according to S. Paul but such are all those who make their priuate spirit the rule and iudge of their fayth religion and exposition of Scripture as is apparent because neglecting the direction of the spirit of God which directs his whole Church they preferre before it their own priuate spirit which directs themselues therefore are iustly condemned and so to be auoided as Heretikes Out of diuers places of Scripture condemning the relying vpon our owne iudgement SECT VII THE last proofe which I will vse is out of these places of Scripture which as in generall they exhort vs not to be wise in our owne conceit nor to trust in our owne opinion iudgement so in particuler they do condemne this relying of euery man vpon his priuate spirit which is nothing els but his conceit and opinion First the Wiseman sayth Leane not vpon thy owne prudence be not wise in thy owne conceit The way of a foole is right in his owne eyes but he that is wise heareth counsaile There is a way that seemeth to a man iust but the later end thereof leades to death◠I say sayth VVoe to you that are wise in your owne eyes and prudent before your selues Moyses sayth You shall not doe there the thinges that we do heere this day euery man that which seemeth good to himselfe Of all which S. Paul giues a reason and denounceth a punishment because hauing not glorified God they are become vaine in their imaginations and their foolish hart hath beene hardened for saying of themselues that they be wise they are become fooles And to them that are of contention obey not the truth wrath and indignation In the flame of fire giuing reuenge to thē that know not God and that obey not the Ghospell Out of which places I argue thus They who leane on their owne prudence are wise in their owne conceit are vpright in their owne eyes are wise and prudent before themselues doe that which seemes good to themselues say themselues are wise these become vaine foolish contentious hard-harted know not God obey not truth resist the Ghospell and are cursed according to holy Scripture But such are all they who in mysteries of fayth in matters of religion and in expositions of Scripture forsake the direction of the spirit of God promised and giuen to his Church and rely and depend vpon their own spirit or self seeming conceit who by it choose their fayth and vpon it ground their saluation as all Protestants do who are guided by this priuate spirit therefore in this miserable and desperate case of ignorance vanity folly obstinacy and cursednes are all those who in their fayth religion and exposition of Scripture are thus guided directed and instructed by their priuate spirit And if these sayinges of Scripture be verified in affaires morall or domesticall publique or politique which are in the compasse of our naturall iudgement reason of which they are properly vnderstood and in which experience also teaches that they who in any arte science or negotiation most rely vpon their owne iudgement and follow their owne wayes do often commit the greatest errours and fall into the deepest dangers wheras they who are aduised by others and goe the ordinary way doe for the most part proceed more securely and succeed more prosperously Then much more is the verity of them confirmed in mysteries of fayth which are aboue our capacity in verities of religion which are not measured by reason and in explication of Scripture which is a booke sealed and that with seauen seales which none in heauen or earth could open or looke vpon but the Lambe nor any spirit interprete it but that which did make it In all which euery mans proper iudgement must needes be weake and euery ones priuate spirit doubtfull whether it can attaine to the true and proper vnderstanding of them All which is confirmed by the authority of that famous Doctour S. Augustine who sayth Quis mediocriter intelligens non plané viderit c. VVho though of meane capacity doth not plainely see that it is more profitable and secure for the simple to obey the wise then to liue according to ones owne direction and if this course be safer in small matters as in tilling of ground marrying of wiues education of children and ordering of ones family much more it is in religion for humane thinges are more easy to be knowne and in diuine things there is more danger of sinne and offence And againe No science or trade though meane and easy is learned without a Maister what therefore can be more audacious and temerarious then to seeke to vnderstand bookes of diuine mysteries without Interpreters And againe Men to vnderstand a Poet do seeke for a maister Asper Cornutus Donatus and others and darest thou without a guide aduenture vpon the diuine bookes which be full of diuine mysteries as all confesse and darest thou giue thy iudgement or interpretation of them And thus is this priuate spirit defining of fayth decyding of controuersies and determining of religion confuted by authority of holy Scripture expresly confuting and condemning it and the aforesayd function assigned to it He who wil see more testimonies to proue the right Iudge of controuersies and the infallible interpreter of Scripture which are the authority of Gods holy Church and the chiefe Pastours of it let him read Bellarmine where he shall see the practise and testimony of antiquity and the euidence of reason all at large cited for the same THE PRIVATE SPIRITS INTERPRETING OF HOLY SCRIPTVRE AND Iudging of Mysteries and Controuersies of Fayth confuted by the testimony of holy Fathers CHAP. III. WE haue confuted this pretended power and authority of the priuate spirit by the authority of Gods holy Word it remaines that we do the same by the testimony of ancient holy Fathers For which we may note that as S. Augustin alleadging the Fathers before him against the Pelagians sayd That he would not assume to himselfe to alleadge the sentences of all Fathers nor yet all the sentences of them whome he alleadged but some sayings of some few which yet are such as will cause our aduersaries to blush and yield if eyther feare of God or shame of man will ouercome so great an obstinacy in them So we will not vndertake to alleadge either all the Fathers or al the testimonies of those whom we alleadge no more then we haue done al the Prophets or Apostles or all the authorities of them whome we haue cyted which labour in both we leaue to thē who are more expert in both yet I hope we haue collected some and those in euery age such as being wel pondered
and found and that by industry and reading of the words and text the spirit is to be found Whereupon they make the words of scripture as they are heard or read not only the organ or instrument of faith as much as wee make the Sacrament instrument of grace but also the sole instrument which with diligence read or heard they prescribe as the only meanes to receiue faith and saluation For first as a man consists of body and soule and the body of it selfe being senslesse dead is the inferiour â—â—rt the soule being life and giuing life is the principal part without which he is not man So the Scripture consists of the words or text which is read or heard and is only the body barke or couering of Gods word and of the sense and meaning which is vnderstood belieued and is the life soule and substance of the scripture Now the words as they are written or spoken consisting of letters syllables words are dead without life and common to Gentils Iewes and hereticks with the faithfull yea in the same manner as the law is called a law of sinne so are they by S. Paul said to Kill to be ministration of death Because according to S. August the letter read and not truly vnderstood or not performed is occasion of heresy and sinne some gathering out of it as out of the flower poison of heresy like the spider others hony of faith like the bee The sense and meaning as it is truly vnderstood belieued which is properly the word of God is an effectuall meanes more piercing theÌ„ any two-edged sword an operatiue vertue to saluation but to whome to all that belieue And to whom it is so proper that it is by faith only conceaued and attained and by faith only belieued vnderstood Secondly As the bare letter words and text of scripture without true sense are not the word of God so they do not containe the spirit of God or the holy ghost in them neither is the holy ghost thus inherent resident or to be sought found in the scripture but in the hart and soule of the writers of scripture that is the Prophets or Apostles in whom as it did remaine and dictate to them what they writ so did it reueale and manifest to them the true sense meaning of the same though perhaps not alwayes the whole complete meaning and all senses of the scripture for by reason of the fecundity of senses in Gods word many or al of them were not according to S. Augustine alwayes reuealed to the same Apostles or prophets but some reserued to the authour of it the holy ghost it selfe And as the spirit of God is not inherent or resident in the bare words sillables or text of scripture so the spirit or spiritual true sense of scripture is not to be sought or found only in or out of the bare words and their grammaticall signification but out of the rule of faith expounded according to the Ecclesiasticall and Catholike doctrine of beliefe Not by humane labour and industry of study but by the meane of faith and diuine reuelation For the words are translated into other languages different from that in which they were originally written and haue diuers and various significations and senses as litterall moral allegoricall and anagogicall and are by seuerall expositions drawne to suport diuers seuerall yea contrary faithes and religions Also great labour diligence and study haue beene vsed by many men of great wit learning and knowledge in the expounding seeking out the true sense of scripture who yet haue beene so far from finding it as that they haue inuented many false and heretical meanings and therupon grounded many wicked and damned heresies Out of al which it doth follow that the words of scripture and the diligent and frequent reading or hearing of it are so far from being a necessary meanes of faith much lesse the sole whole meanes to it that faith is a meanes necessary presupposed to the vnderstanding of scripture For if the scripture consist not in the words and letter only but in the sense vnderstanding principally and if the sense depend not vpon the bare words but vpoÌ„ the Ecclesiastical catholicke rule tradition of faith as is proued then must faith be prerequired as a help and meanes to find out the true sense of scripture And they who will read scripture must bring faith with them as a help and meanes to vnderstand the scripture and not ground their faith vpon their reading of scripture which being diligently read though it may serue to coÌ„firme and nourish faith in ones selfe or to illustrate and defend it to others and in both being according to the rule of faith interpreted a light to direct them in the way of piety and to enflame them with the heat of Charity yet it can neither be a first and firme ground to cause and produce first and certaine faith in any for a man must bring faith to belieue it nor a sufficient meanes to resolue all points of faith necessary to saluation as besids other reasons the practise of so many heresies diuided pretended to be grounded all vpon it doth conuince and the experience made for example of three persons Iews Turks or Pagans all ignorant of Christian religion all turned to a bare text of the bible all willed to seeke out and resolue in particular articles formerly or presently controuerted in Christian religion will no doubt by their seuerall contrary resolutions confirme the same And thus much of the rule of faith as a necessary meanes of expounding scripture The second meanes of expounding the holy scriprure is the generall practise or obseruation the publike Custome or tradition of the whole Church in the exercise of any religious seruice or worship or in the practise of any sacrifice sacrament or ceremony in which as the Church it selfe cannot erre so it may be a guide in expounding the scripture to keep others from errour that where the doctrine of the Church is not euident there the practise and obseruation of the same may serue This practise we will proue by the practise of the chiefe Doctours in Gods Church for by this did the ancient Fathers expound many places and conuince many Heretikes By this practise admitting the lapsed to pennaÌ„ce did Epiphanius conuince the Nouatians who reiected them By this practise of saying Glory be to the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost did S. Basil conuince Origen about the deity of the holy Ghost vrging his owne practise with the rest against Origens owne doctrine against the rest By this practise of baptizing in the name of the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost did Theodoret conuince Arius who denyed the equality of the Sonne with the Father By this practise of exorcising breathing vpon Infants in the SacrameÌ„t of Baptisme did
can be a fit meanes vpoÌ„ which any certaine and authenticall exposition of scripture can be grounded Which is to be performed two wayes 1. By reasons drawne from the property and condition of the holy scripture and the sense and meaning of it 2. By reasons drawne from the property and condition of the priuate spirit and the vncertainty and deceitfulnes of it SVBDIV. 1. By reasons drawne from the nature of holy Scripture which is to be expounded FIrst therefore for the holy Scripture such is the difficulty of it which ariseth partly from the ambiguity of the words including diuers significations partly from the fecuÌ„dity of the significatioÌ„s affording multiplicity of senses partly from the profundity of the matter inuolued in misteries obscure and exceeding our capacity such I say is the difficulty of the scripture which aryseth out of these grounds that no priuate man nor any priuate spirit of any man can secure himselfe of the certainty of any much lesse of all of them For if we respect the words and text of scripture this spirit cannot vpon any ground assure any man that either this booke rather then another is the diuine word of God or of this booke that this is the true and complete Canon or of this Canon that this is the first and originall text or of this text that it is the right authenticall translation or of this translation that any one rather theÌ„ another is the true and Canonical sense or of these senses that one more then other containes all articles and points necessary to saluation all which are yet necessary to be expounded This spirit cannot expresse and assure what booke is Canonicall and what not It cannot accord the Lutherans and Caluinists whether the Epistle to the Hebrewes of Iames 2. of Peter the 2. and 3. of Iohn nor the Catholikes and Protestants whether the bookes of Machabees Toby Iudith Hester c. be canonicall or not It caÌ„ giue no reason why there should be admitted into the Canon of scripture the Gospels of Mathew Marke Luke and Iohn and not the Gospels of Thomas Nathanael Matthias Thadaeus Bartholomew Iames Iohn c Andrew Paul Nicodemus the Hebrews the EgiptiaÌ„s with that of Peter or the Nazarits It can giue no reason why the Epistles of S. Paul Iames Iohn Iude Peter should be admitted and why not those of Barnabas of Luke the rest of S. Peter of S. Paul that to the Laodiceans the 3. to the Corinthians the 3. to the Thessalonians It can giue no reason why the Acts writ by S. Luke should be admiteâ—d and not the Acts writ by Peter by Paul and by Andrew Thomas Iohn Philip and Matthias nor the Periods of Paul Thecla nor the Constitutions of the Apostles or the booke of Hermes or Enoch why the Apocalyps of S. Iohn should be amittted not the Apocalyps of S. Peter Paul Thomas Stephen Elias nor the death of our Lady the circuite of S. Iohn the sentences of Bartholomew the ascension of Esie all which haue beene extant and by some challenged as Canonicall as may be seene in Doctour Stapleton It cannot resolue and assure what bookes were originally writ in Hebrew what in the Chaldean what in the Greeke or Latine tongue who they were that writ the bookes of the old Testament and whether they be the same which were first written and the same sound and vncorrupted Whether this Hebrew text be the same either in Character or letter of which is question or in wordes of which many doubt which was first written What is the sense signification phrase or stile of any Hebrew word Whether the Greeke of the Septuaginte which the Apostles followed be sound and incorrupted and to be preferred before the Hebrew Whether the ancient Latin vulgar or others of later translation as of Erasmus Luther Oecolampadius Bibliander Beza Castalio Tremelius and others be to be followed Whether of any English translations the Catholike translation of the Rhemist or the Protestants of Tindall of King Edward of the Bishops of Geneua or of King Iames are to be receaued as true which is to be rejected as false None of these can the priuate spirit in euery ordinary man nor yet in the learned Protestant certainly decide and resolue It cannot satisfy and assure when the wordes are in the literall or mysticall sense to be vnderstood And for the literall when it passeth from speaking of thinges carnall to thinges spirituall from temporal to eternall from the kingdome of Israell to the kingdome of Christ as often in the Psalmes and Prophets it doth As for exaÌ„ple from the Kings of Syria and Israell to our B. Lady Christ From the King of Babylon to Lucifer From Salomon to Christ From the barly Bread to the sacramentall Bread And for the mysticall sense when it is to be vnderstood morally for manners when allegorically of Christ or the Church militant when anagogically of glory or the Church triuÌ„phant When the same wordes beare a proper and when a figuratiue sense and of the figuratiue sense when the figure is Synecdoche the part for the whole When Metonimya the signe or cause for the effect When it is Catechresis by which the inuentour of a thing is called Father Cittyes are called Daughters posterity is called House c. When by Hiperbole or exageration the whole world is put for much all for many When by Liptote or diminution Idols are called vaine thinges â—oxious vnprofitable When by Analoge one person tyme number gender or signification is set for another When by Hendâ—adis two thinges are put for one as signes and tymes for signes of tymes When by Prolepsis or anticipation places citties are named by names which afterward were giueÌ„ them When by Analoge or mutation one sense as seeing is set for another as hearing tasting c. When by Hetorosis the abstracte as abomination for the concrete as abominable By Haebraisme causalites or similituds ar omitted tenses are changed persons or matters are supposed when an occasion is set downe for a cause the euent for the effect the diuel for sinne eternity for a long time When sinne is meant for sinne it selfe or for a sacrifice or punishment of sinne God for an angell a desire of doing for the deed an act as of seeing for the obiect of feare for the thing or person feared When lawes are called by names of precepts statutes iustice iudgement testimonies or testameÌ„t When works of the law of nature or of faith are tearmed only works or faith When Christ is taken for the person of Christ the head or for the body of Christ the Church or for both When father is meant essentially for God or personally for the first person only When by the Church is meant the Church militant or triumphant the whole body or principal members When Predestination is to glory or to grace When obduration is actiue
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
is the externall litterall sense of the words sometimes doth kill cause errour but the spirit that is the true sense which the holy Ghost intended doth quicken auaileth to saluation But that neither the letter nor the spirit can be a competēt iudge of controuersies is proued 7. Not the letter because the letter or the words in the bare literall sense are occasion of errour and heresy for so they were to the Iewes who in reading of Moyses the Law had the veile set ouer their eyes and vnderstood not Christ contained and signified in the Ceremonies of the law And so it hath beene to all Heretickes who forsaking the sense intended by the holy Ghost proposed by the Church and following the letter expounded by their owne spirit haue falsly vnderstood the scripture grosly fallen into errours Thus the letter deceaued Sabellius who expounding that of S. Iohn I and the father am one of vnity of persons not of substance falsly defended in the deity to be not three but only one person which had three names offices or properties of the father the sonne the holy Ghost creating redeeming and sanctifying mankind as the Patripassiās defended the Father to haue suffered on the Crosse as one and the same person with the sonne Thus the letter deceaued the Arrians who expounding that of S. Iohn The father is greater then I of Christ absolutly and completely as whole Christ not as man according to his humanity did thereupon deny Christ to be God equall to the Father Thus it deceaued the Macedonians who expounding that of S. Paul The spirit searcheth all things euen the profoundites of God concluded not as they ought that the spirit pierceth cōprehendeth all things as God but thus that he who searches doubts who doubts is ignorant who is ignorant is not God and so the holy Ghost who searches all is not God Thus it deceaued the Manichees who held the old Testamēt to be cōtrary to the new because for instance the old said that God created all things That God ceased frō labour the seuenth day That Man was created according to the Image of God And the new said the contrary that the Word created all things That God worketh vntill now And that you are of your father the diuell Not conceauing according to the spirit and true sense that God created all things by the word as by an Idaea that God rested from his worke of creation and yet worketh by conseruation that man was created to the Image of God by nature and of the diuell by malice Thus the Pelagians denying originall sinne to haue descended from Adam to vs literally interpreted that of Ezechiel The sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the father not only of sonnes who are not partakers but also of sonnes who are partakers of the iniquity of the father as all are of Adams sinne in whome all sinned and who receaued as head the promise of keeping or losing paradise by precept of for bearing or eating the apple for himselfe and his posterity after him Thus it deceaued others who applying literally that of S. Iohn The flesh profiteth nothing some in the Apostles time to the resurrection of the flesh others of late to the reall presence in the B. Sacrament the one therupon denyed the resurrection of all bodies the other the reall presence of Christs body both vpon one ground not distinguishing the spirituall from the carnall manner of one and the same body By which they might as well inferre that the flesh of Christ by his incarnation and passion profiteth no more then according to them it doth by his resurrection and manducation By which proofe of authority and examples it is apparent that the external letter of scripture cannot be iudge of controuersies That the internall sense of Scripture cannot be iudge is likwise proued because this true sense intended by the holy Ghost is often obscure hard and vncertaine as is certaine and before proued This obscurity breeds controuersies as experience dayly teaches and that these controuersies cannot be ended iudged by scripture-sense is proued 1. Because scripture-sense is the thing in question contention therfore is the thing to be iudged and decided not the iudge who is to giue iudgment and resolue the parties contending in iudgmēt As for example a question is about the sense of those words of the Gospel this is my body of those of the Creed He descended into hell Catholikes vnderstand them as the words import of the reall presence and of the locall descension both of Christs body Protestants expound them of a figuratiue presence by remembrāce of him in the sacrament and of an infernall suffering of hel-paines in his soule vpon the Crosse Now of these senses which is true which false the sense of the words cannot iudge betweene Catholicks and Protestants but some other iudge is necessary to confirme the one and confound the other so to end the controuersy 2. Because many places of scripture are so hard and obscure as the true sense of them cannot be truly discerned but by Church practise and tradition as for example whether those words of S. Mathew Teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghost do proue a necessity of the vocall pronuntiation of these wordes for the forme of baptisme as all Protestants with vs do grant or require no more but a mentall intention it sufficing only to baptize in the name of Iesus as Act. 8.26 doth insinuate Whether those of S. Iohn Except a man be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost he cannot enter into the kingdome of God inferre a necessity of water for the matter of baptisme as the Lutherans with vs grant and the words import or that the water and the holy Ghost be all one as Caluin expounds Also why the Protestants should not inferre as well a precept and necessity of a sacrament of washing of feet out of those words of our Sauiour And you ought to wash one anothers feet after the example of Christ who did and commanded it as they do out of those of S. Mathew Eat yee drinke yee inferre a necessity of receauing vnder both kinds because our Sauiour did commanded the like Now these and such like require a Iudge to iudge of the sense and reason of them cannot themselues iudge and decide themselues to vs. By which is euident that neither the letter nor the sense of scripture can be a competent iudge of all controuersies of faith and scripture Lastly the same is proued by the analogy of a temporal Iudge in causes ciuill with an Ecclesiasticall Iudge in causes spirituall for as Controuersies aryse in ciuill causes the common-wealth so do they arise also in matters spirituall and
only a shadow a faigned diabolicall Fayth not a true diuine and supernaturall Fayth tending to iustification by which euery Christian belieues these articles 2. Is oppugned the vnity of God Deum by Caluin who houldes that the Sonne hath an essence distinct from the Father By Beza and Stegius who hould that the essence is diuided into three persons 3. By Luther who houldes that the Diuinity is threefold 4. By Melancthon who houldes that there are three Diuinities or essences in God By Sanctius who entitles his booke De tribus Eloim of three Gods 5. By the Tritheits in Polonia who expresly hould there are three Gods and three Eternalls 6. Is oppugned the God-head it selfe and his mercy and goodnesse 1. By all those who make God the authour willer commander and worker of sinne and damnation because so is his will and pleasure Who make him a sinner a great sinner the only sinner Who make him a lier a dissembler a tyrant and transforme him into a very deuill himselfe as is before proued and deduced 2. By those who make the diuinity of God passible as with Eutiches the auncient condemned hereticke Luther and Iacobus Andreas do 3. By those who affirme the diuinity to haue beene not only a mediatour betweene God and man as Caluin and Beza did but also to haue beene obediēt to God as Melancton and after him many Lutherans Tigurins also did And further to haue exercised the office of a Priest offering sacrifice to God as Iewell did affirme All which opinions do make many Diuinities in God one inferiour to another because where one is a mediatour is obedient doth offer sacrifice to another there must be a subordination subiection and distinction there one must be inferiour and distinct from the other and so there must be many distinct Diuinities and these inferiour one to another which is contrary to the nature of diuinity God-head 4. Is oppugned the person of the Father and with him the whole B. Trinity by Luther who affirmes that the diuinity is as well three and of three sorts as are the three persons that the word Trinity is an humane inuention a word which sounds coldly and is not to be vsed but insteed of it the word God and did therupon thrust out of his Letanies that prayer Holy Trinity one God haue mercy on vs. And did leaue out of his Germane bible those words of S. Iohn alleadged by Athanasius Cyprian Fulgentius to proue he blessed Trinity against the Arrians There are three which giue testimony in heauen the father the word and the holy ghost and these three are one To all which also Caluin subscribes who not only affirmes that the prayer Holy Trinity one God haue mercy on vs doth displease him as sauouring of barbarisme but also wrests all those places by which the Fathers out of the old and new Testament did proue against Iews and Arrians the diuinity of Christ to a contrary sense and meaning as the Lutherās in diuers bookes on set purpose against him haue conuinced And Danaeus his successor after Beza followes him who affirmes that the same word Trinity and the same prayer Holy Trinity haue mercy on vs is a foolish and dangerous prayer All which are directly contrary to the auncient orthodox and Catholicke doctrine of the B. Trinity three persons and one God 5. In the same first article is oppugned the omnipotency of God almighty by Beza VVhitaker others who affirme 1. That God cannot place one body in two places by replication or other wayes that is Christs body in heauen and on the altar at the same time 2. That God cannot place two bodies in one place by penetration one of another that is that Christs body with the stone of the sepulcher at his resurrection with the dores of the house at the entring to his disciples and with the solidity of the heauens at his ascensiō could not be togeather in one place but the stone dores or heauen were diuided opened or resolued into some liquid matter 3. That God cannot draw a camell or a cable-rope as it is said in the Ghospell though a needles eye 4. That God hath no absolute power to do any more then he hath already done 5. That the position of the archangell Gabriel Any word is not impossible with God is not generally to be belieued nor vniuersally to be admitted Al which if they be true that is if the diuinity be passible be a mediatour be a priest and be three and distinct as the person are if God be the authour and worker of all sinne and euill if the word Trinity and the prayer Holy Trinity haue mercy on vs be to be left out as barbarous foolish and dangerous if God cannot place one body in two places or two bodies in one place cannot draw a cable-rope through a needles eyes can do no more then he hath done then is the Deity the vnity the Trinity the goodnes and the omnipotēcy of God all which are by this first article belieued by this doctrine and these Doctours oppugned and so the Fayth of the first article reiected Secondly in the second article attributed to S. Iohn is oppugned the worke of the whole Trinity the Creation of heauen and earth 1. By Caluin who will haue only the Father properly to be creatour of heauen and earth as to whome alone the name of God by excellency is due and the Sonne to be the Vicar of the Father and to haue the second degree of honour after him 2. By Stenberge Seruetus Blandrata Somarus Francus others cyted by Kellison who deny the Diuinity of the holy Ghost as the third person in the Trinity and admit only a vertue from the father which they call the holy Ghost But if the father be only God if the sonne be inferiour as his vicar and second to him if the holy Ghost be only the vertue of the father not a person distinct from him then is only the father and not the sonne and the holy Ghost with the whole Trinity the creatour of heauen and earth Wherby the second article is oppugned Thirdly In the third article attributed to S. Iames the greater is oppugned the diuinity of the sonne second person Iesus Christ his only sonne our Lord. 1. By Luther who detested the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or consubstātiall signifying the sonne to be of the same substance with the father and made the diuinity of the sonne passible with Eutiches as I haue shewed before 2. By Caluin Beza and Whitaker who admit Christ to be sonne of the father but not to be God of the father or of the essence of the father or God of God as the Nicene Creed expresseth but God of himselfe and withall affirmes that the father doth not continually eternally beget the sonne 3. By Caluin Beza others before cited who make Christ as
and subornes his owne Ministers as Ministers of iustice affirming night to be day damnation to be saluation and shadowing desperation vnder pretence of hope perfidiousnes vnder pretence of Faith Antichrist vnder the name of Christ Againe shewing how heresies and schismes arise out of disobedience of the people to one Pastour and Iudge in place of Christ he sayth No man should make any stirre against the colledge of Priests no man after diuine iudgement after the suffrage of the people after the consent of fellow-Bishops should make himselfe iudge not now of the Bishop but of God No man should deuide the vnity of Christs Church by discord being proud should by himselfe coyne and set abroad a new heresy Againe The beginning and endeauour of Heretikes and Schismatikes is to please themselues and to contemne their Superiour with swelling pride they goe out of the Church and set vp a new Altar breake peace and vnity Againe In doctrine as well diuine as philosophicall it is neyther safe nor fit that persons vnlearned and ignorant of that which belonges to those sciences should venture to discusse that they know not and to be maisters of what they are ignorant In all which the effect of the priuate spirit is described to be to question examine that which is determined by Bishops and Councels to make it selfe iudge of all to diuide the vnity of the Church to broach new heresies and in conceit and respect of it selfe to contemne all superiority to teach that they know not and to be maisters of what they vnderstand not In the fourth age S. Ambrose a man so worthy that S. Augustine reuerenced him as his Father who begot him in Christ so praysed him that he not only calles him happy the flower of latin writers but all the Roman world sayth he with me admire him his grace constancy labours perils both in workes and wordes Yea sayth he Pelagius the Heretike so extolled him that he durst not reprehend him his exposition of Scripture but acknowledged that in his bookes aboue others did shine the brightnesse of the Roman fayth This holy Saint and Doctour sayth Those are Heretikes who by the wordes of the law impugne the law for they set a proper sense vpon the wordes that they may commend the wickednesse of their owne opinion by the authority of the law Againe It is a very dangerous thing if after so many prophesies of the Prophets after the testimonies of the Apostles after the bloud of Martyrs thou darest presume to discusse the ancient faith as new after so many guides dost remaine in errour and after the toiles of so many departed this life darest contend in idle disputation let vs reuerence therefore our owne Fayth in the glory of Martyrs Heere is this priuate spirit and two effects of it the one to interprete Scripture according to euery mans owne liking the other to examine and question againe that which hath beene iudged by the Pastours of Gods Church and to censure them and their iudgement both condemned by S. Ambrose S. Hierome one whome Prosper calles Vitae exemplum mundi magistrum An example of life and the maister of the world whome S. Augustine calles One most learned skillfull in three tongues desires to conferre with him to adhere to him and to be instructed by him sent his books to be censured of him and commended others as Orosius who trauelled for that end from Spaine to Palestine to learn of him And whome Damasus the Pope and many from all the partes of the world consulted with about obscure places of Scripture This great lampe of Gods Church sayth Heretikes whatsoeuer they speake they thinke it to be the word or the law neither doe they vouchsafe to know what the Apostles or Prophets thought but doe apply certaine incongruous testimonies to their owne sense and meaning as though it were not a great most wicked manner of teaching to depraue the sentences of Scripture and to draw them contrary to their sense vnto their owne will A deuise proper to this spirit to thinke all it sayes to be Scripture and to wrest all scripture to its owne liking Againe he sayth That Heretikes of the guifts of Nature haue made to themselues Idols not which they receaued of God but which they made out of their owne braine That they haue turned the holy speaches and senses of Scripture into Idols which they haue framed out of their owne heart That hauing lost their iudgement they worship the Idols which they haue framed of their owne hart and are possessed with the spirit of spirituall fornication That of the sense of Scripture they haue made Idols of diuers opinions and abominations of offences That they vse the diuine wordes and testimonies to their owne sense and do giue them to drinke to those whome they deceaue and with whome they haue fornicated That in all questions they follow not the authority of Scripture but the opinion of human reason That they snatch certaine sentences out of Scripture and sowing them togeather doe set them to that matter to which they cannot agree and so do set them as pillowes vnder euery ones elbow to delude them Thus doe sayth he all heresies deceaue and draw to death by faire promises all sortes of ages and sexes giuing them not solid bread of Scripture but broken and cut peeces of crummes Thus did the Manichees Gnostikes Marcion take testimonyes out of the pure fountaine of Scripture but did not interpret them as they were written but cōuerted the simple meaning of Gods word to signify that which themselues would haue All this they did bragging of their receauing the spirit of God which yet they had not but the spirit of the Diuell by which they were carryed into diuers factions Such an Angell and diabolicall spirit did possesse and fill Philomela Apelles his virgin Cōcerning which spirit he concludes that It is called Heresy ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of election by choosing euery one that doctrine which seemes to him better vnderstanding the Scripture otherwise then the Holy Ghost meant it by which he is an Heretike The sūme of which gathered out of these dispersed places is that all Heretikes being deceaued by the spirit by their owne opinion and their owne selfe seeming conceit do choose to themselues what sense of Scripture seemes most pleasing to them and therby make it an Idoll of their owne inuention by which they deceaue themselues and delude others Eusebius confirmes the same saying of the Seuerians That they interpret the sense of Scripture according to their owne liking In the fifth age S. Augustine one so highly commended both by ancient Fathers and late Protestants that as before is at full cyted they both count him as a maister of all learning as
or forme of true doctrine which they had learned and is committed to them The doctrine which they receaued froÌ„ the beginning VVhich was first euangelized to them Or the precepts of the Apostles and ancients Or rather of our Sauiour deliuered by the holy Prophets and Apostles And the word of God which remaines for euer That the knowledge of this rule or doctrine of fayth is presupposed to the true knowledge and vnderstanding of scripture is proued both by scripture and reason By scripture the Prophet Isay sayth as S. Cyprian and S. Augustine do both of them read and vnderstand it Except you belieue you cannot vnderstand that is sayth S. Cyprian the Iewes cannot vnderstand the scripture except they first belieue in Christ S. Augustine sayth There be some of you who vnderstand not and therefore they vnderstand not because they belieue not let vs first adhere by Fayth that we may be reuiued by vnderstanding And in another place Fayth must go before Vnderstanding that the vnderstanding may be the reward of Fayth Therefore Fayth and the rule of fayth is necessary before the vnderstanding of Scripture Secondly the Scripture for the sense is a Booke sealed with seauen seales these seales none can open but he who hath the key of Dauid This key of Dauid is giuen only to them who are faythfull with Dauid therfore the key of faith is requisit to the opening the sense of the booke of scripture which is confirmed by S. Hierome who alleadging the same words sayth The Law is spirituall and requires reuelation that it be vnderstood For proofe of which he produceth the example of the Eunuch who read but vnderstood not the scripture till Philip did expound it to him made him faythfull and so became of a scholler a Maister Thirdly Euery learned Scribe in the Kingdome of Heauen is like to a man the maister of a family who bringeth out of his treasure new and old The Scribes were the Maisters and Interpreters of scripture but they were in the kingdome of heauen that is in the Church by Fayth and so did interprete the new and old Testament which S. Augustine alleadging to the same purpose against the Manichees sayth You vnderstand not because you belieue not as sayth I say for you are not instructed in the kingdome of heauen that is in the true Catholike Church of Christ for if you were you would produce old and new out of the scriptures Therfore one must be a scholler in the Church by fayth before he can come to vnderstand the scripture as a Maister Fourthly S. Paul sayth to Timothy Thou hast learned holy scriptures from thy infancy which are able to instruct thee to saluation by fayth which is in Christ. If the scriptures instruct by Fayth then Fayth is prerequired before we can be instructed by them or vnderstand them Fifthly the holy Fathers and Doctours of the Church haue by the breach of this rule as a signe discerned Heretikes and by the authority of it as a strong argument confuted the same Thus were discerned Marcion Valentinus Câ—rinthus and Basilides by their deprauing the rule of truth witnesse Irenaeus Thus Paulus Samosatenus by his forsaking the Canon of the Church and flying to strange and adulterous doctrine Thus Montanus by his vttering strange words contrary to the custome of the Church deriued by tradition and succession from the Apostles witnes of both Eusebius Thus Nestorius by forsaking the ancient doctrine and introducing of new witnes Socrates And thus all Heretikes by their forsaking the rule of Christianity witnesse S. Augustine They being all esteemed to haue truth on their side who walke according to the rule which the Church receaued from the Apostles the Apostles from Christ witnes Tertullian Thus did S. Hierome confute and confound the heresy of the Luciferians by the light of the Sunne of the Church Gregorius Nazianzen the same by the doctrine abhorring the same S. Basil the Eunomians by the vnwritteÌ„ tradition of the Church Athanasius the Arians by the authority of the Orthodoxe Church and his ancestors opposite to them and abhorring their doctrine S. Epiphanius the Melchisidechians by the tradition of the Apostles and succession of doctrine The Millenarians by their transgressing the limits of the holy Church of God and the hope of Propheticall and Apostolicall tradition in fayth and doctrine And the Demerâ—s and other Heretikes by the style of Christianisme and the phrase of the Apostles receaued from the Fathers S. Augustine the Pelagians by the grounded custome of the Church hastening to baptisme infants By the most ancient knowne and vndoubted rule of Fayth truth And by the authority of the Church so commended in scrâ—pture The Donatists by the authority of the Church and by apostolicall Tradition And both Irenaeus Origen and S. Augustine did confute all Heretikes by the tradition of the Apostles manifest to the whole world in the Church sayth Irenaeus By the Ecclesiasticall tradition dissented off by none sayth Origen By the Catholike Church whose not receauing any opinion is sufficient sayth S. Augustine to confound any heresy Therfore the doctrine and practise of the ancient Fathers was to discerne and confute all Heretikes by this rule of Fayth Sixthly the same is proued by Reason because the scripture is the booke of the faythfull not the faithlesse therefore as it was writ to the faythfull as the conuerted Iewes Romans Corinthians c. so it is vnderstood truely only by the faythfull as the Christians not by the Infidels as the Iewes Turkes and Heretikes who haue and read the wordes but vnderstand not the sense meaning because the veile is yet ouer their eyes in the reading of it for want of fayth therefore the letter that is the words and reading of it doth kill them and is to them a ministration of death and only the spirit that is the vnderstanding of it doth giue life to them who haue fayth Of which necessity of Fayth prerequired to the vnderstanding of Scripture see Stapleton de principijs Doctrinalibus where the same is further proued out of the ancient Fathers testimonyes to wit S. Augustine Irenaeus Origen Athanasius Cyrill of Alexandria Theodoret and Vincentius Lyrin who sayth that the holy and learned men did interprete the holy Scripture according to the traditions of the Catholike Church and the rule of Catholike fayth And againe That the line of propheticall and Apostolicall interpretation must be directed according to the rule of the Catholike and Ecclesiasticall sense Which and much more he alleadges against the custome of Heretikes who haue alwayes the Scripture in their mouth and out of it do confirme their errours Out of which may be inferred how vntruly and fraudulently the Protestants do generally auerre that in the scripture the spirit of God is and is to be sought
continuance and duration for as it is a priuate spirit in euery one and can continue no longer then the person in whome it is and with whome it begins and ends liues and dyes so it hath no promise of Scripture to endure from age to age from generation to generation from Saboth to Saboth as long as the Sunne and Moone shall endure till the end of the world to the seed and seeds seed for all generations All which are yet promised to holy Church and the spirit of God in it Thirdly it wants immutability and freedome from alteration or change for as we see it changes in euery place tyme and person yea as often as the Moone breeding as S. Hilary sayd of the Arians a monthly yearly fayth and as one of them confesses What to day they hould you know but what to morrow neither you nor they can know in what head of religion do they agree who oppugne the Bishop of Rome if you examine all from the head to the foot you shall almost find nothing affirmed by one which another will not auerre to be wicked the Deuines do dayly differ from themselues coyning a monthly fayth Thus it changes in all doctrines and in opinions of Scripture some affirming this part to be scripture which others deny some inuenting one sense and others a contrary and it so alters from sect to sect from heresy to heresy from Catholike to Lutheran from this to Caluinisme from that to Anabaptisme from thence to Arianisme and so on to Iudaisme Turcisme and Atheisme And as this alteration de facto workes in Protestants so also it hath no promise of constancy that it is a Rocke a pillar a foundation as the Sunne before God as sure as the day and the night that it hath an euerlasting couenant which shall stand for euer and for an eternall glory and not be giuen ouer All which is yet promised to the Church and the spirit of God in it Fourthly it wants Visibility and publike manifestation to vs not only that it is the spirit of God of which before but much more in whom it remaines for as that which is in one cannot manifest it selfe to another so others cannot manifestly know that it is in any one Aske for example the Lutherans who follow Luther and his spirit the Caluinists who follow Caluin and his spirit the Anabaptistes who follow Rotman and his spirit the Aâ—ians who follow Seruetus and his spirit the Libertines who follow Quintinus and his spirit or any Precisian who follow a precise preacher and his spirit how they know that Luther doth enioy this spirit more then Caluin or Caluin more then Rotman or Rotman more then Seruetus or Seruetus more then Quintinus or any one of them more then the Pope and Catholike Church vnder him They can giue no reason more for one then for another shew no cause why they follow one spirit more then another or why they should be persuaded confirmed directed to the fayth of any one more then another This spirit therefore hath not the conspicuity and visibility of being as a tabernacle in the Sunne the Sunne in my light a candle vpon a candlesticke or seauen candlestickes in the Temple a citty vpon a hill a mountaine in the top of mountaines eleuated aboue the little hills that it may be seene and knowne of all the world All which yet are agreable to the Catholike Church and the spirit of God in it Fifthly this spirit wants combination or connexion by which it may combine all faithfull in one bond of Vnity and Concord and so distinguish a true Church from a false a right belieuing Catholike from a deceitfull heretike and a right way to heauen from an erroneous path to perdition It is priuate and particuler in euery man diuerse and contrary in most men It did suggest of old one beliefe for example in Sabellius another in Marcion another in Nestorius another in Apollinaris and Eutiches and it hath suggested of late one in Luther another in Zuinglius a third in Caluin a fourth in Munzer a fifth in Seruetus and aboue 220. in this last age in so many new Maisters and founders of new sects all whose hartes are diuided and like the Aegyptians run togeather against the Aegyptians and by diuision make the kingdome of Christ desolate And yet all of them call this their spirit of the Lord all build their beliefe vpon it all are directed by it in their contrary doctrine and beliefe Aske any one or all of them how they are instructed who they follow by what they are directed all answere by this spirit all appeale to this priuate spirit and yet all want that spirit which keepeth vnity of the spirit in the body of peace which should continue them in one minde in one agreement and iudgement in one hart and soule in one way and path and make them all one as Christ was one in his Father Which spirit notwithstanding resides and dwels in the Catholike Church Sixthly this spirit wants Vniuersality as vnable to resolue all doubts and questions which arise either about Scripture in the obscurity profundity and multiplicity of senses or in the seeming contradictions figuratiue locutions and seuerall interpretations of the wordes the various Texts and reading the many dissonanceâ— of yeares in numbring the different translation of words from the originall or which arise about the mysteries belieued as the vnity of the God-head the Trinity of persons in the Blessed Trinity the person the natures the wills the body the soule of Christ the nature of grace free-will sinne iustification sacraments Church prayer to Saints for the dead Purgatory and thousands such like which this spirit could neuer decide and end either in tymes ancient or of late but with contention it begunne all these differences in contention it proceeded in them and neuer ceased till by contention it consumed it selfe and ended them It cannot sufficiently conuince any one either Pagan or Infidell either Turke or Iew either Heretike or obstinate Person that they are in errour and haue not the spirit of God as well as true Christians It cannot conuert reduce or confirme any to the verity of true fayth who is either ignorant of Fayth or staggering in his fayth or obstinate against faith It can giue no probable reasons of persuasion propose no credible testimonies of inducement deliuer no conuincing arguments of certainty of fayth and doctrine and in effect can shew no grounds sufficient in prudence to persuade any iudicious man to accept as credible the religion of ChristiaÌ„s more then of Iewes Turkes or Pagans therefore it cannot extend it selfe to all Nations enlarge the place of his Tents stretch out the skins of his Tabernacles increase the sea with knowledge sucke the milke of Gentils and be nursed with the
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
writinges let him peruse the foresaid Collation where he shall find at large Gods expresse wordes that God wills not iniquity their expresse wordes that God wills iniquity Gods words that God doth not worke iniquity their wordes that God doth worke iniquity Gods words that he doth not coÌ„mand man to sinne their words that God doth command a man to sinne Gods words that God doth not tempt to euill their wordes that he doth tempt to euill Gods wordes that God doth hate all who worke iniquity and their wordes that he dâ—tâ— noâ— haâ—e them Gods wordes that he doth not â—ustify a wicked man remaining wicked their wordes that he doth iustify such a one Gods word that he is angry with the faythfull when they sinne their word that he is not angry with them Gods word thâ—t God is delighted with good workes their wordes that he is not delighted with good workes Gods words that God is worshipped with good works their wordes that he is not worshipped with them Gods wordes that God is pacifyed pleased with good workes their wordes that he is not pacifyed nor pleased with them Gods words that God will haue his Commandments kept their wordes that he will not haue them kept Gods words that God will haue mercy vpon all men their wordes that he will not haue mercy on all men Gods wordes that God doth loue all men their wordes that he doth not loue all men Gods words that he will haue all men to be saued their wordes that he will not haue all men to be saued Gods wordes that God wills not the death of a sinner their words that God wils the death of a sinner Gods wordes that God made not death their wordes that he made death Gods wordes that God hath no need of sinners their wordes that God hath need of sinners Gods wordes that God damnes men for their sinnes their wordes that he doth not damne them for their sinnes Gods wordes that God can do all thinges their wordes that God cannot do all thinges All which contradictions being in the forecited booke place expressed in the wordes of God in Scripture in the wordes of the authours themselues out of their owne writings and that only in one article concerning God to omit many other such like contradictions concerning Christ Scripture Church Sacraments Fayth good Workes in generall and particuler Sinnes Iustification Free-will the Commandements Heauen Hell and others in particuler to the nuÌ„ber of 250. in the same authour expressed in the wordes of Scripture and the Protestant authours themselues do euidently conuince that in most points of controuersies expresse Scripture is against them of which also some particuler instances are giuen in the former part of this Treatise and that they doe make God who is truth it selfe a false lying or dissembling God in his holy word holy Scripture which they would seeme so much to esteeme and honour SVBDIV. 6 Protestant Doctrine of Predestination makes God a most cruell Tyrant THAT this Protestant doctrine doth make God cruel most cruell and more cruell then any Tyrant in this world shall by these their positions and doctrine before proued appeare 1. In that they affirme God to haue imposed vpon man lawes impossible by him to be performed as the ten Commandements and for the breach of them to haue inflicted paines intollerable as hell-fier 2. In that they affirme God to haue ordeined appointed and created that vpon his owne meere will and pleasure without any demerit so much as in them foreseene the greater part of mankind to be damned for euer in the torments of hell 3. In that he hath taken from these men freedome of will and ordained decreed forced and necessitated these men to sinne that for this siâ—ne he might damne them and for the same hath damned and doth still damne many By which doctrine is taken away from God his chiefest attribute of mercy which is aboue all his workes and is attributed to him the chiefest property of the Diuell which is extreme cruelty For first if God do make lawes which are impossible to be kept and inflict punishment which is intollerable to be endured for the breach of them then are Gods lawes more seuere then were the laws of Draco the Athenian who made lawes so cruell that he inflicted death equally vpon all offences as well lesse as greater as well for taking a bunch of grapes as for stealing a great treasure as well vpon those who were only idle as vpon those who were murderous because sayd he the least offence deserued death a great offence could not haue a greater punishment then death for which Demades sayd such lawes were to be writ not with inke but with bloud and Solon did after seauenteene yeares abrogate them all and made new but according to this doctrine Gods lawes inflict a death not temporall but eternall and paines not for an hower but for euer as well for euery idle word as for an horrible murder as well for stealing a penny as a thousand pounds as well for an vnuoluntary suggestion to sinne as a voluntary consent act or custome of sinne and which is more for not doing that which was impossible for them to do or for committing that which God himselfe forced them to commit Memorable are the tyrannies of the Herods in holy Scripture Of Herod the King who to kill one most innoceÌ„t kild all the innocent children about Bethleem Of Herod the Tetrarch who to please a dancing Wench cut off the head of a holy S. Iohn Baptist And of Herod â—grippa who to please the people kild S. Iames would haue kild S. Peter if the Angell had not freed him out of prison Memorable are the crueltyes of Adonibezec who cut off the fingars and toes of 70. Kinges and fed them with scraps vnder his table Of Abimelec who kild vpon one stone the seauenty sonnes of Ieroboall Of Amman who would haue kild all the Iewes in all the kingdome of assuerus in one day Memorable were the cruelties of Hannibal who of dead bodies of the Romans made a bridge and of his wife who said that a Ditch full of bloud was a gratefull spectacle Of Mythridates who with one letter caused foure score thousand Roman Merchants to be kild at one tyme in Asia Of the Hetrurians who tyed the bodies of the liuing Romans to the dead that the one might dye by corruptioÌ„ of the other Of Atrius who kild cut in peeces boiled and set before his brother Thyestas his owne children to eate Of Ptolomy of Aegypt who kild his owne sonne Memphis borne of his owne sister and wife Cleopatra and sent the head handes and feet to his mother for a present Of the Emperour Nerâ— who set Rome on fire desired to see all the world on the like fire and wished that all the Cittizens had but one head that he might cut it off at
bragge with thy good works and scripture yet scripture is a seruant to Christ therefore it moues me nothing Rely thou vpon the seruant I will rely vpon the Maister and Lord of Scripture to him I yield and I know that he will not lye nor lead me into errour I will rather adhere to him then for all scripture to be altered a hairs breadth from my opinion 3. For the ten Commandements That therefore the ten Commandments do not belong to vs Christians but only to Iewes which is proued out of the Text speaking to them whome it brought out of Aegypt who were Iewes not Christians VVe will not admit that any the least precept of Moyses be imposed vpon vs. Therefore looke that Moyses withall his law be sent packing in malam rem with a mischiefe that thou be not moued with any terrour of him but hould him suspected for an heretick cursed and damned and worse then the Pope or the Diuell 4. Therfore to conclude vp all for sinne he sayth That true and right Saints must be subiect to great and heinous sinnes and to continue such as they may not be ashamed to pray Forgiue vs our sinnes That if it be true grace let it bring true not feined sinne God saues not feined sinners be a sinner and sinne stoutly but be more strong in fayth and reioyce in Christ It sufficeth vs to know the Lambe from him no sinne can draw vs though we sinne commit fornication or murder a thousand tymes in one day That a Christian is so rich that though he would yet he cannot be damned by any so great sinnes except he will not belieue for no sinnes can damne him â—ut infidelity And that himselfe did confesse to his Ghostly Father D. Staupitius not sins of women but solid and horrible heinous offences This was the doctrine accordingly the practise of this Saint Prophet Elias Euangelist Angel and light of the world the singular eminent euer-admired organ of the holy Ghost endewed with so great piety gifts and such a Doctour and interpreter of scripture as was not in the world since the Apostles as before he is by his followers extolled All which sayings of Luther are in these words cited by Gaspar Scioppius who was a long time a follower and professour of Luthers doctrine Secondly For his malice and enuy not only against the Pope and Catholiks which was implacable but also against the Sacramentaries his brethren fellow reformers whose part our english Protestants follow he is so farre charged by the Zuinglians with breach of all Christian charity towards them that he not only cals them hereticks damnable and execrable fectaries alienated from the Church of Christ whom he curses all concord with them and refuses to haue any familiarity by word or writing or speâ—ch with them or any of them for euer but also saith they are insatanized supersatanized and persatanized in whose mouth sathan is infused perfused and transfused For which saith Zuinglius of him Sathan doth endeauour wholy to possesse him And say the Tigurins his booke is full of Diuels immodest railings anger and rage And say our english ProtestaÌ„ts he doth breake all Christian modesty and is far beyond the bounds of Charity 3. For his pride and vaine insulting ouer all sorts of Princes prelates and opposers of him it is apparent not only by his intemperate writings against Henry the 8. of England and all the princes of Germany but also by the plaine accusation of his owne brethren 1. By the Tigurins who expresly conâ—emne him for pertinacy too much insolency 2. By Oecoâ—â—mpadius who accuseth him of being puffed vp with pride and arrogancy that he is in danger to be seduced by Sathan 3 By Conradus Regius who laies to his charge such pride by which he doth extoll himselfe in his writings that God for it tooke froÌ„ him his true spirit and in place of it gaue him a proud angry and lying spirit And to confirme all this he was so arrogant and impudent that beyond all ciuility he arrogantly auouches of himselfe that he is such a one as the world hath not had these many ages That himselfe is the only mortall man whom Satan foresaw to be hurtfull to him That Since the Apostles time no Doctour or writer hath so excellently and cleerly confirmed instructed and comforted the consciences of the secular states as I haue done by the singular grace of God This certainly I know that neither Austine nor Ambrose who are yet in this matter the best are equall to me heerein That The Ghospell is so copiously preached by vs that truly in the Apostles time it was not so cleare Wherupon euen Caluin himselfe charges him to be subiect to great vices and wishes that he had beene more carefull in acknowledging them And himselfe confesseth of himselfe that his profession is not of manners but doctrine wishing that he were remoued from the office of preaching because his manners and life did not answer to his profession Which may suffice for a conuincing example to shew what fruit this new doctrine and priuat spirit brought forth in the first founder of it For Caluin Beza Zuinglius and others the chiefe supporters of this doctrine new Religion it might suffice to shew their life disposition for manners to remember that they were most of them if not all either Religious men tyed by vow to Pouerty Obedience and Chastity or els at the least Priests in holy Orders obliged to Chastity and yet euery one of them by the liberty of their Ghospell offered vp as the first fruits of it themselues by execrable apostacy to all lust and sensuality in incestuous copulation either with like professed Nunnes or other women subuerted and enticed by them Wherupon as Luther an Augustine Frier began the dance so his schollers Bucer a Dominican Peâ—er Martyr a Canon regular Bernardinus Ochinus a Franciscan followed ioyned themselues with professed Nunnes and with them Oecolampadius a Brigittan Monke Pelican and Spanberge Franciscans Knox a Frier Zuinglius and Caluin Priests Carolostadius an Arch-deacon Gebardus an Archbishop of Colen and Vergerius a Cardinall chose for their mates other women In like manner in England Cranmer and Sands of Canterbury Yorke both Priests and Archbishops Hooper of Worcester Barlow of Chicester Downhan of Westchester Scory of Hereford Barkely of Bath and Wels Couerdale of Excester all Bishops Bale in Ireland Bucer at Câ—mbridge and Martyr at Oxford with infinit more all Monkes and Religious did al of them plante and disperse the new Ghospells doctrine through England by apostating from their vowed chastity to sensuall copulation vnder the title of mariage with wantons like themselues This in generall I say may suffice to discerne the fruit of this new Ghospell what it brought forth for sanctity and holinesse of life and by what bellowes