inferre vndoubted positions from weake and false premisses infallible conclusions Omnipotent power that makes the conclusion stronger then the premisses whereupon it is grounded But I will spare this sore because Doctor Stapleton saith it is a sinne to touch it Thus it is quoth hee but we must not enquire the maner how it is that were curiositie Happily it is a mysterie and it were safe for your Church it were not looked into The consequence of your argument if any impotencie of erring in one then in all is too too weake there is a meane betwixt all and none at all you run altogether vpon extremities all errours be not at once disclosed nor all truthes alike necessarie to be knowne What say you to your Doctor Stapleton who limits the Church with a condition of determining such points onely as be necessary to be beleeued or belong to the verie substance of faith else she may erre both in discourse and definitiue sentence a condition which would be looked vnto if not quite put out of his workes for it shaketh many a decree Nay what say you to Bellarmine who acknowledgeth there be some true catholikes which hold that the Pope in a general counsel may erre when he giueth not all diligence Which generall condition if it be truly obserued in assembling the synod without partialitie in selecting points of moment and necessitie in consulting with all simplicitie with such like included vnder all diligence doubtlesse Gods spirit for his part will neuer be wanting See now if you would be reasonable we might happily shake hands in this point but you presently runne backe to an absolute omnipotencie of not erring in any one point and so shall we neuer meet I aduise you though doe not take it for an article of your creed but remember Bellarmine his rule That is not to be held as a point of faith against which some catholikes do hold being reputed catholikes of the Church and not condemned for heretiks But some catholikes hold the Church may erre quando non adhibet omnem diligentiam therefore resolue not all your faith vpon this point but alas we haue your resolution MOTIVE COntrarie the Catholikes auouching the inflexible truth of the Church as the voice of Christ and direction of the spirit doe stay the mindes of the faithfull from doubt and wauering But the other making an head from the bodie of the Church are rightly punished both with beleefe in errours and vnbeleefe in truth ANSVVERE SEe now your conclusion which buildeth not vpon that point alone we haue alreadie sifted but assumeth with all a farre more slipperie ground that that Church you haue lately plunged your selfe into is the onely Church we haue talked of all this while the onely true vniuersall visible Church vpon the earth Which two vncertainties wel examined and laid together will I feare me make but a sandie foundation to build vpon and an vnstable principle to stand vpon it owne ground and vphold all religion Yet this is your only sanctuary wherin you secure your soules of all sound beliefe which standeth vpon these two main pillers first that the Catholike Church cannot erre which is not so dangerous if rightly conceiued as hath been said Secondly that this Romish Church whereof you professe your selfe a member is that Catholicke Church Which second branch must be yet further resolued into other vncertainties presupposed by you as vndoubted truthes whereupon the frame of your religion doth rest it selfe to wit first that this present Romish Church doth not degenerate from the ancient Catholike but soundly and sincerely professeth that same faith which was established in the primitiue by the Apostles continued in the ancient Romane Church in the time of the Fathers for the space of 600 yeares Secondly this being proued and made manifest you must adde further that this Church of Rome is not so Catholike as was the Church of Corinth Galatia c. that is not as a member communicating in the faith of the whole Catholike but that it selfe is the whole entire Catholike Church thereby excluding all other Churches in Christendome as hereticall which doe not acknowledge themselues subiect to the Bishop of that Sea Which thing you must defend not against protestants onely who proue you rather to be an Italian faction then the Catholike Church which Iohn Hart doth ingenuously acknowledge to be more probable then he was aware of but euen against your owne Doctors and Cardinals must you arme your selues in this point who complaine there is nothing decreed in counsels but what the Italian Nation liketh of as Ludouicus Cardinall of Arle complained at the Councell of Basil and Claudius Espencaeus a Doctor of your owne in Paris witnesseth for Trent Haec est illa Helena qua tridenti nuper obtinuit c. speaking of the Italian Nation Now if any of these pointes faile you which me thinkes be verie tickle then is not the voice of your Church euermore the inflexible truth of Christ and direction of his spirit which you presume to be the first ground of Christian Religion that doth stay the minds of the faithfull from doubt and wauering in all the rest THE THIRD MOTIVE THe infinite waies of errours draw themselues in their originall into two heads opinion and affection which as two cankers breed the one in the vnderstanding the other in the will for our iudgement is easiest deceiued by those things we esteeme truest and our inclination by what we loue best There is nothing of more manifest presumption then the truth of the Scriptures nor fuller of desire then securitie of happinesse therefore these two being left vnlimited the one of Canonitall exposition the other with necessitie of meanes are a direct method of indirect consequence Such is the practise of the later religion they teach that nothing is to be credited but what is warranted in holy bookes and giue not infallible rules of interpretation but such as at last must be ouerruled by priuat opinion for conference of places propriety of phrase acceptations of wordes can make no other conclusion then euery ones conceit will aforde So that of an infallible proposition and arbitrary assumption must needes insue a dangerous conclusion though not euer in the matter which is concluded yet alwaies in the manner of concluding ANSVVERE TO let slip your philosophicall introduction sparing in this short discourse to catch at by matters you haue pitched your motiue vpon the two maine partes of a christian soule The vnderstanding of diuine truth and the desire of true happines assuming to your selues and denying wholly to vs both sound iudgment for the triall of the one and necessarie meanes for the enioying of the other Our iudgment is impeached for resting it selfe wholly vpon the written word being depriued also of the infallible interpretation of the same For the first point we doe indeede maintaine the written word as the most perfect worke of God to
be all sufficient for that ende and purpose to which it is referred and for which it was written denying all other doctrine to be in power and certaintie equiualent with the same For if we should account those reportes which we haue receiued by tradition from our forefathers to be of equall credit with the canon of Scripture I cannot easily conceaue how we should haue due and thankfull regard of that inestimable benefit of committing diuine truth to writing which almightie God did himselfe first ordaine and by diuine prouidence continually hath preserued in his Church euer since the first age of the world that the daies of man were shortned and his memorie waxed fraile For miserable no doubt by this time had the state of the Church been if the meanes of our saluation published by Christ and his Apostles had been deliuered to vs onely by way of tradition from so many reporters We may in some sorte gesse at the daungers by those remnants of diuine storie which the heathen receiuing by tradition haue deliuered to vs in their writings but so broken and intermingled with cloudie phansies and fabulous inuentions as they doe no more resemble the truth then the rainbowe doth the sunne Which though it be the image of the sunne yet are the beames thereof so broken by reflection and refraction in some watrie cloud that it doth alike resemble the sunne as those ancient poeticall fables doe expresse the true scripture storie from whence they borrowed their first light Therefore inualuable is the benefit of the written word aboue relations The ende of the writing whereof was the perfecting of the two premised parts of a Christian mans soule to wit the vnderstanding with diuine truth and the desire with life both ioyntly set downe by Saint Iohn 10. 31. These things are written that ye might beleeue that Iesus is Christ the Sonne of God And secondly that in beleeuing ye might haue life through his name For the effecting whereof albeit the scripture be alsufficient in it selfe yet least by our ignorance we should peruert the more obscure places to our owne destruction we doe with all diligence embrace those meanes which God hath prouided for the interpretation thereof not onely the rules of reason and humane arts sanctified by Gods grace in his faithfull seruants but adding thereto also the record of antiquitie consent of fathers testimony of learned men conferring places waighing circumstances examining translations with such like not singling any one meanes from the rest as you fondly imagine but ioyning them together doe alwaies acknowledge most meanes to make the strongest confirmation Amongst these manifold meanes it liketh you to cull out the conference of places as seeming most of all to be ouerruled by priuat opinion Which rule of interpretation we are so farre from being ashamed of as in earnest I meruaile you will take any exception vnto it since Saint Austin a witnes by your confession without all exception hath bestowed such cost vpon it preferring it before all other rules whatsoeuer In his booke de Doct. Christia laying this ground vndoubtedly that all things concerning beliefe and life are plainly written in the word his first rule is that those things be chiefly noted which are set downe plainly both precepts of life and rules offaith Secondly that obscure and darke sentences be enlightned and opened by the plaine and manifest Thirdly that doubtfull textes bee determined by the cleere and certaine Al this in one chapter After if we cannot finde the true meaning yet let such a sence be giuen as agreeth with the right faith approued by some other place of scripture If that cannot be discussed by sure testimonie of Scripture it might be proued by reason but the safer way farre is to walke by Scripture In that whole worke made for this purpose we finde no mention of your last Remoue from the text to the interpreter from the Scripture to the men But still hath he recourse to the scripture making it the onely Center whereupon we must stay our selues in all discourse and interpretation His generall conclusion is that all places of scripture be expounded by the scriptures which are canonicall as being the rule of godlinesse and faith Yea from the testimonie of the greatest number of ancient fathers alledged by Saint Hierome he still makes his appeale vnto Scripture Hitherto haue I said nothing but Saint Austin whom you acknowledge to assure you not of his owne onely but of the common and constant faith and confession of ancient fathers and Apostolike Church Yet this was Saint Austin his rule of interpretation his golden rule whereupon he so much relied practised at this day in our Church and make you this a motiue to separate your selfe from our Church To put you out of doubt that this rule shal not at last resolue into priuate opinion after all diligence hath been giuen in this kinde we confirme the same by consent of our faithfull and learned brethren and if neede be by the assembly of the Bishoppes and clergie of our Church vnto which our greatest clerkes doe most willingly submit their expositions Their wordes be The sence will I proue by scripture according to the rule of faith the proofe of the sence I submit to the priuat and publike iudgment of the Church Notwithstanding in these quarelsome dayes since each part by likelihood will draw scriptures to their seuerall assertions it is a rule most indifferent euen in your owne iudgments that for pointes of controuersie neither your Church nor ours be iudge but that of olde neerer to Christ and further from these factions which you know to be our owne chalenge and defence aswell as yours So that if you would lay al these together being al held and professed by our Church you should finde our expositions to be neither vncertaine nor priuate Vpon this misconceit you conclude vs to be in a miserable case for that of an infallible proposition and arbitrarie assumption must needes follow a dangerous conclusion It is true indeede but this holdeth onely against protestantes and priuate spirits But wot you not that a counsell and the Pope of arbitrarie premisses can inferre infallible conclusions Cuius Doctrina in medijs discursiua in conclusione prophetica sine preiudicio fidei errare in argumentis potest salua conclusione See now yet are you so peremptorie must needesensue allwaies follow that whilest you lash out these rules of reason you entangle your self in high treason against his holinesse But what meane I still to rubbe this gall Sic tendimus in vetitum Had not your Doctor forbid it I had not so harped vpon it MOTIVE IN like manner they promise security of saluation without respect of repentance and workes which are ineuitable consequences if all be true that they teach So that he which hath faith needeth no more to care for good workes then they that haue drunken a sound purgation for going
West and spreading ouer the earth And yet for the straights of the throng putting vp supplication to the Church to send some colones out to enlarge their habitation Angustus est mihi locus fac spatiū mihi vt habitem And because by diuine dispensation there were some sedition factions to spring in his kingdom that it might not breede admiration in the newe subiects by the noueltie or distraction of doubt if the new parte by number bee mistaken therefore Christ and his Apostles haue both foretold there should bee heretiques and branded them alwaies by the note of paucitie to be distinguished from the generall multitude For they shall come vnder the stile of small and thinne numbers and priuiledged places There is Christ among the Caluinistes in Geneua There is Christ among the Lutherans in Germany In the desert for a thousand yeeres since Phocas In some secret of concealed doctrine since the Apostles time But beleeue them not for not all or the most part shall be apostate but some not many but such as in compare of the whole multitude shall be as errant planets in respect of the fixed starres Therefore this argument from the multitude of communicants in the same faith promised by God foreseene by the Prophets confirmed by the Apostles was esteemed of so sufficient proofe by the primitiue commanders of Christ his Church that they vsed it alwaies against the heretickes and oftentimes when they were to encounter they would brandish this sword as deadly and vnauoidable to amaze and yet not strike with it Poteram omnes propositionum tuarum riuulos vno ecclesiae sole siccare For the experiment whereof if we turne ouer the succession of historyes age by age we shall finde that when any heresie was at the highest floud it was not comparable to the ebbe of catholikes no not in the torrent and inundation of the Arrians by Athanasius testimony Therefore we may presume the euent of that prophesie which hath so equally proceeded hitherto and vse it for a weapon against the heretikes of our time which hath been so often died in the bloud of their ancestors and follow our fathers herein which so happily followed others Deo gratias ANSVVERE ALl these groundes except Athanasius his testimonie I finde translated out of D. Stapleton only Cacus-like that you might not be traced you haue somewhat inuerted the order and good cause why for the same author whence you borrow hath himselfe dissolued all the force of this motiue by adding a cautiō in the fifth chapter how those forealleadged places are to be vnderstoode That Popular inheritance promised to the sonne in the 2. Psalme discouered by Daniel to replenish the earth suruaide by Esay from the East to the West possessed by the Apostles from Hierusalem to the ends of the world is not so to be taken saith Stapleton as if the Church should at once in any one age enioy those large dominions no not in the most flourishing age but only in succession of times yet your argument is so pitched vpon those proofes as if the number of sound beleeuers at one and the same time euen at the lowest ebbe of Catholiks did farre exceed all others An inference without the compasse of those scriptures euen in the iudgement of your owne Doctor albeit himselfe after doe wrest them vnto the same purpose We doe indeed with all due thankfulnesse acknowledge according to those prophesies the Catholike faith of Christ to be preached and beleeued in seuerall ages in all the nations of the world truly and sincerely not at once like the deluge couering the face of the earth but as the water floudes in course winning ground in one place and loosing it in another dried vp at Hierusalem and Samaria before it haue watred the endes of the earth though in some ages full banck in some at a lower ebbe specially when it is pestered with heresies and schismes prophecied to come in the latter daies Insomuch that at the last dissolution the Sonne of God maketh doubt if he shall find faith vpon earth And if a true Catholike faith shal so faile as scarce to be found then maruaile not if your glorious note of the multitude of communicants in the same faith faile you A glorious note I confesse it is in the glorie of the Church when the sunne is in his full strength and well might the fathers in due time and place brandish this sword against vpstart heretikes with Poteram omnes c. but not so well strike with it or stand vpon it as an infallible demonstration since they well wist that in the eclips of the Church when heresies get a head schismes distract it when the diuel waxeth wood and the world groweth old this note of multitude with all must needs faile Your experiment for the torrent inundation of the Arrians is too too weake you striue against a streame of auneients Where be they saith Gregory Nazianzene in his Oration against Arrians who define the Church by a multitude and contemne a small flocke Doth not Hierome witnesse the whole world to haue turned Arrian what say you to Saint Hillary who perswaded men not to regard the outward face of the Church eyther Bishops or Priestes through the world It was a rare thing saith hee to find a Catholike amongst priest or people Did not the Emperour in Theodoret scorne the Catholikes for their paucitie foure or fiue to a world of Arrians Nay your owne Doctor in this yeelds to Luther that there were but a fewe Bishops to the Arrians and those few exiles Ecce in deserto ecce in penetralibus had been as glorious a play for Arrians against Catholikes as now against Protestants to the meaning of the text both alike Vincentius Lirin a man of great note amongst you for this one example of the Arrians doth abandon that note of vniuersalitie And thinke you to cary it with your bare auouching Athanasius his testimonie neither citing his wordes nor quoting the place against so strong a tide This is too too sleight THE FIFTH MOTIVE THis new stampe of religion which Luther and his minsters boast of to be reformed according to the ancient coyne cannot auoide the desert of counterfeit Because so generall a reformation and restitution of the primitiue Church neither can be neither was to be expected For although the worship of adulterous religion haue suffered many changes either by the admiration of some man of extraordinarie account or the intimation of Oracles or the ambition of superstitious or inuasion of neighbours or chaunge of gouernment the state alwaies fashioning religion the fittest consequence of policie yet in the true religion instituted by God himselfe the diuine ordinance hath made onely two memorable varieties not by condemning the former but by preferring the latter not in difference of substance but perfection not by retraction as in chaunge of their counsell but adding of timely accesse The first
which that ancient writer so approued by you doth auere Solus sufficit ad omnia satis superque all reformations of the Church whatsoeuer haue been since or hereafter shalbe must come vnder the name of meere restitutions without addition not instituting any new doctrine but restoring the ancient not creating a new Church as you fondly imagine but reducing the old vnto the primitiue Therefore in this kind there is no need of miracles or prodigious signes seeing our reformers bring no new reuelations of their owne but only make appeales to the iudgement of the primitiue Church desire credit of others no further then they giue euidence of argument drawne from such grounds as be receiued of all hands Then seeing their proceedings be ordinarie what extraordinarie wonders are to be expected Neither was it their desire motion in this reformatiō that the present visible Church should fly the world and leaue her kingdome royaltie but onely this y t it should be purged because reason telleth vs experience hath proued it that the visible Church is not al spirit but some flesh though she be informed by the holy Ghost in her holy and generall assemblies yet she consisteth likewise of earthly fraile sinful men therfore she must of necessity gather some dust in time grow corrupt if she do not clense refine her selfe Wherupon motion was made to the commanders of the Church for the reformation of certaine abuses which being crept in had gotten a head and were growne to that pitch that they became burdensome to the consciences of religious men This complaint being not harkened vnto they perswaded themselues that the backwardnes of their brethren could not be to them a sufficient excuse not to reforme themselues For this cause they protested a separation from their fellowship and communion in those points vntill such time as it should please God to moue their minds so to refine themselues from those corruptions as there might insue conformitie a thing wished and praied for with sighes not to be expressed So that the strength of this your Motiue which makes Martin Luther his fellowes seeme so odious vnto you is resolued into these two questions First whether in his time there were abuses in the Church that required a reformation Secondly reformation being denied vnhoped for whether they were abuses of that nature degree as did bind the conscience of true catholikes not to cōmunicate with others in them Which two points if they be true they cleer our reformers frō all slander suspitiō either of heresy or schisme vntil you haue proued them false this the like generall motiues to this purpose be mere shadows without substance of no value or force at all THE SIXTH MOTIVE AS the cause is the paterne of the effects vpon which ground Saint Paul from the vnitie of Gods Church buildeth the vnitie of faith so may we go backwards from the defference of effects to denie the affinitie of the cause and from the impossibilitie of vnion in faith take away the possibilitie of dependance vpon God Such is the religion of the protestants which hath no certaine principle of vnitie and therefore lacketh the cognisance whereby true religion is knowne For where there is not an infallible authoritie which doth iudge and decide controuersies by remouing all actions of doubt and reply and vnto which absolute obedience is tied there must needs be varietie of iudgements and opinions which cannot be tied in one knot For all vnitie in particulars proceedeth from the vnitie of some cause wherein all agree But there is no such infallible authoritie the iudge of controuersies besides the voice of the Church which the protestants either put altogether to silence or else obey so farre as they please For the scriptures whom they haue erected to be iudges as rebels that put downe all iudges and pretend to be ruled onely by the law cannot alone supply this place to take away all occasionof controuersies And if there were no other argument their owne irreconcilable quarrels in so manifold differences among themselues might suffice to stop their mouthes herein For as diuers parcels of silke of deeper or lighter ground dipped by the Dyar in the same liquour drink in a seuerall tincture of colour according to their former varietie so they that diue in the letter of the holy scripture according as their iudgements are before stained with preiudice of one or other opinion come forth againe not in vnity of minds but in the same differences as they went in more or lesse Or as in the miracle of tongues giuen to the Apostles when many auditors of diuers languages came to heare them although the same men could speake no more but one idiome at once yet the seuerall auditours comprehended them as if they had spoken in the proprietie of their speech so when many of diuers languages in religion come to heare some one of the Apostles speaking in the scripture although the author vse onely the voice of the truth yet euery sundrie faction doth conceiue him as speaking in the seuerall confusion of their opinions Neither can they comfort themselues with any hope to see these diuerse opinions wound vp in one confession For as the vnitie in conclusion in logick cannot be without the vnitie of the medium so they cannot meete in that middle way which should bring them into peace able cōposition vnlesse they returne to the Church For all grant there is no way to accomplish it without a councell but who shall call it when there is none whom they all obey How many factions shall assemble out of what sect shall the president be chosen what number of suffrages shall there be on euery side what rule shall bee allowed for the interpretation of the scriptures And if all this were by a dreame imagined yet the authoritie of the Canons and conclusions shall not be so authenticall but that any priuate head may refuse it if in his owne singularity he thinke it disagreeing from the scripture so desperate is the possibilitie of vnion among them that hope which imagineth impossible things cannot possibly imagine it ANSVVERE AS euery defect and imperfection tendeth vnto dissolution so the good estate of euery bodie aswell politicke and mistical as natural doth consist in the vnity of the whole harmonie of the parts amongst themselues Therfore seeing the band of vnitie knitting many members into one whole maketh an entire body that societie is of all others conceiued to be most absolute which hath attained to the greatest perfection of vnitie Which kind of reason moued the Philosopher to giue the preeminence to a Monarchy before other simple formes So the Apostle in the place whence you take your rise from the vnitie of Gods Church doth build the vnity of faith as also the vnity of spirit in the bond of peace vrging a preseruation and increase of the same as a thing most perfecting the
heretikes as the thickest and most grosse conceit may thereby with facilitie discerne them The most notorious marke you haue chosen is their difference of doctrine from the former tradition and custome All ancient customes traditions receiued from our forefathers being venerable for age haue receiued such force from time as they become equiualent with lawes and binde posterities to yeelde perfit obedience So that euery alteration as of ciuil constitutions so especially of religion is not only dangerous but therein also preiudiciall to it selfe that it gainsayeth antiquitie For of whatsoeuer it may be iustly affirmed Dictum fuit antiquis that is to stand inuiolable against all innouation whatsoeuer neither is it by any meanes to be ouerruled but onely by a rule more ancient Non fuit sic ab initio By which our Sauiour controuled the ancient traditions of the Iewes examining them by the first institution of the lawe For the first in euery kinde is the rule and square of all the rest Therefore euery custome in the Church of God is with all dutie and reuerence to be embraced except onely in case where it doth crosse the doctrine of Christ and the Apostles whereupon the Church it selfe is built And therein adificium coedat solo so much onely doe the places by you alledged inferre that we should not varie from the doctrine of the Apostles which we willingly subscribe vnto But in these dayes I would not wish euery thicke conceit to put himselfe vpon the triall of former times for true antiquitie least he be deceiued therein as Israel was by the Gibeonites with olde ragges and clouted shooes Ioshua 9. But the safest triall will be Quid fuit ab initio as we learne out of Vincentius in his worthie worke as D. Bristow cals it for put case saith he that heresie be once so rooted in the Church that it begins to plead antiquity that it spread so far and haue got such strength as the fauorers thereof haue power and oportunitie to alter and corrupt the ancient writers then is it onely safe to make triall by the written word How iustly these things haue been obiected to the Church of Rome I will not dispute onely let this suffice that an author so ancient so renowned by your selues doth not onely thinke it possible to befall in the visible Church but also hath set downe this aduise against the same I come to the strength of this motiue which is the conclusion of this whole discourse MOTIVE Neither are they able to proue that either catholike or heretique did challenge the Church of Rome for any of the controuerted questions when first they began to arise For Arius Actius Vigilantius Berengarius and the rest spake against those poynts of doctrine which we haue proofe by the aduersaries consent to haue been practised many ages before in the Church But if they cannot shew neither in all nor in one question betweene vs that the repugnance and reiecting of it by any is ancient as the allowance thereof it is manifest that the latter not the former were heretiques which brought in alteration ANSVVERE WE are able in some questions to satisfie your demand and for the rest to giue sufficient reason why it cannot be which two poynts will easily and fully dissolue the force of this obiection For matters in question whereof the Church of Rome is now challenged be of two sorts Some be like blemishes in the face so conspicuous as they may easily be discerned at the first others fester more inwardly To the former kinde doe belong especially those poynts which concerne the gouernment of the Church Loth I am to enter particulars in this generall discourse but onely because you vrge me to shew in any one question betweene vs that the repugnance and reiecting of it is ancient as the allowance thereof I nominate the title and right of vniuersall Byshop with the priuiledges thereunto belonging which as they were claimed by the Popes so were they at the same times euermore disclaimed by others For the Primacie of honour dignitie which at the first was generally giuen to the Church of Rome aswell in regard of her large dominions of the wisedome and vertues of the commaunders of that Sea as also of the weakenesse and leuitie of the Easterne Churches togither with other occurrents and consequences of the Empyre This I say was by the more ambitious Popes and their Parasites vsed for a styrrop to mount them higher from a primacie to a supremacie from honor dignitie to a soueraigne power and authoritie Which was no sooner vpon occasiō practised by any but presently was it checked and controlled not by particular men but whole Synodes Pope Iulius presuming vpon this title did attempt to restore Athanasius Paulinus vpon their appeale to Rome who by the Bishopes of Asia and their Metropolitan had bin depriued Whereupon they of Alexandria assembled a synod at Antioch dispatched letters to the Pope both vehement and bitter and therein declared it to be most vnequal for him to impose lawes vpon them for the depriuing of any since they did not intermedle with his busines when he had expelled Nouatus out of the Church of Rome Thus much is fully expressed by Socrates in the 11. of his eccle siasticall storie If you require instance of the Bishops of Afrike likewise witnes Saint Syprian writing to Pope Cornelius vnto whom hee affirmes their ioynt decree against Rome appealers to be both equal right For saith he since euery pastor hath a portion of the flocke committed to him which hee is to gouerne and rule as one that must giue account thereof vnto the Lord it behoueth them vnder our custody to pleade their cause at home where accusers and witnesses may be had vnlesse happily some few desperat lewd fellowes thinke the authoritie of the African Bishops to be lesse by whom they are iudged Thus did Cyprian write occasioned by one Faelicissimus who depriued in Africa ranne to Rome But this repugnance you cannot deny to be ancient A little after at the counsell of Sardice this question of iurisdiction grew so hot twixt the fathers of the East and West Churches that the Easterne Bishops before any thing determined retyred themselues home to their places the remnant of the Latine Church established a law concerning appeales to Rome thereby to extoll the famous memorie of the Apostle Peter But at the verie next counsel all this was quite dasht againe at the counsell of Carthage assembled of aboue 200 fathers amongst whom Saint Augustine was one where it was peremtorilie decreed not in one or two but foure intire chapters that none should make any appeale beyond the Sea in paine of excommunicatiō Notwithstanding vnto this counsell did the Pope send three Legates with straight command to maintaine his right which hee pretended to be grounded vpon a decree of the Nicen Counsell that decree was proued forged the Nicen
Counsell sought into the auncient copies thereof sent for from Constantinople Alexandria and Rome the next yeare conferred examined nothing found Whereupon the Bishops of that Counsell writ to the Pope that in the Nicen Counsell nothing was decreed tending that way but rather the contrarie to wit that he should keepe himselfe within his bounds as other Metropolitans did and therefore aduised him to content himselfe with his owne charge To this subscribed 230. fathers If you come to latter times when his ful and most complet supremacie was defined at the Lateran Counsell vnder Leo the tenth presently vpon it the Vniuersitie of Paris appealed to another Counsell and condemned that former So may ye finde other Vniuersities to haue done in the like cause as Louan Colen Uienna and the rest So in these and the like poynts concerning the externall face of the Church more conspicuous consequently more subiect to gain sayings the repugnance and reiecting of them might easily bee shewen to be ancient as the allowance of them is But there be other questions concerning faith and opinion which be of a far different kinde from the former Much like vnto those tares in the parable scattered by the enemie in the seede time of the Church the better to plead antiquite yet are they not at the first espyed though till they haue sprung vp and laid claime to the ground as well as the most pure wheate Whereof there be many causes concurring one is because they be little seedes at the first and therefore lesse regarded of men De minimis non curat lex aut ratio And not onely from little euils but euen from indifferent beginnings as the deuotions and naturall affections of men doth the enemie take occasion to bring in grosse superstition Whereof the wise man giueth instance in that grat sin of idolatrie among the heathen For when a father mourned grieuously for his sonne that was taken away suddenly he made an image for him that was once dead endeuouring after a sort to preserue him aliue in the eye and memorie of man Which affection in the father had it proceeded no further were not greatly to be misliked but after he worshipped it as a God ordained ceremonies and commaunded his seruants to sacrifice vnto it Thus sayth the text by processe of time this wicked custome preuailed and was kept as a lawe Secondly as the beginnings be small and therefore lesse conspicuous so doe they breed inwardly and take deepe roote first in the minds of men before they bee published in the Church as the seed is first couered with earth before it spring vp To this purpose doth our Sauiour compare the false doctrine of the Pharisies vnto leuen which a woman takes and hides in a barrell of meale So by this meanes a little leuen in time will sower the lumpe Thirdly as the beginnings of errors so likewise their growthes and proceedings are vnsensible because they doe not sprout vp like Ionas Gourd in a moment but like ordinarie plants by little and little Non crescere cernis frutices sed crenisse The same reason which is of the growth of error is likewise to bee applied to the decay of pure religion which being not put downe at once but mouldering away in time is not so easily perceiued For had the Figge-tree which the Disciples saw suddenly withered and flourishing ouer night dryed vp in longer space it had not been so subiect to their obseruation Besides these impediments we must presume that the enemie being wise will take all fit oportunitie y t may be then since all ages haue not been alike furnished with able and vigilant pastors that also addeth some aduaÌ„tage to this purpose For it is obserued that when men slept the enemie sowed tares so the darke nights of ignorance and times of securitie bee fittest to entertaine heresies without resistance But in other ages againe when it pleased almightie God to raise most glorious lights in his Church such as were most of the ancient Fathers they were presently set a worke with some graund heretike or other which so possessed them as they could not so wel intend those lesser enormities which by that meanes gathered strength more and more For they were to gather all their forces and encounter with such heresies as did aime at the soule of religion and maine pillars of christian faith some taking away the diuinitie of Christ some mangling his humanitie some confounding his natures some renting his person thus the Dragon setting vpon the Lorde of life and ready to teare in peeces the very person of our blessed Sauiour it was then no time to stand brushing his garment hauing such huge beames to remoue it was vnseasonable to pecke moates though they also hinder the eye sight and become dangerous in time to the very apple of Gods eye as the Church is called So then to conclude as in diuers questions controuersed the repugnances may be shewed to haue been auncient so there is good reason you should pardon vs for some others Thus haue I briefelie examined these few motiues not any waies extenuating so farre as I can conceiue but rather vrging them with the aduantage which if I haue in any reasonable sort satisfied my next endeuour is humble prayer to almightie God so to moue your heart as this your resolution be no more peremptorie and strong then the Motiues whereupon it buildeth are in reason able to enforce Amen FINIS Heb. 6. 1. 2. Psal. 73. 16. Luke 24. 31. Ioh. 7. 17. Stringe meÌ„tem dabit intellectum Origen D. Whit. against Camp rat 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato in Timaeo Motiue 5. Thom 2. 2â— q. 2. ar 4. Scotus in 3. sent dist 23. Caietan in locum Aquin. Durand in 3. sent dist 22 1. Ioh. 5. 10. Qui credit infillum testimonium habet in se. Thom. 2. 2ae q 2 art 4. in 3. sentent dist 22. de gra libero 〈◊〉 â—6 ca. 2. 〈◊〉 6. can 〈◊〉 Gal. 1. 8. Princ. doct l. 8. cap. 22. 1. Iohn 5 Bel. de consil author lib. 2. ca. 11. ca. 12. Ibid. Bel. Sia princ doc lib. 8. ca. 15. Bel. ibid. Bel. ibid. Bel. de cons. auct lib. 2. ca. 12. Consilia ex co per ratiocinationem deducunt conclusiones De consil autho lib 2. cap. 12. lib. 8. cap. 15. a Quo peccati genere peccant illi qui c. prin lib. 8. ca. 15. infine b Bonus ecclesiae filius docenteÌ„ ecclesiam securus tutus audiet nec solicite laborans an idonea media ad doctrinam suam tradendam ecclesia adhibuerit nec curiose inquirens an in medijs ipsis debitam diligentiam impenderit c Quando de huiusmodi inquam questionibus vel consulitur vel obiter disputat ecclesia aberrare aliquaÌ„do poterit velassereado vel etiaÌ„ concludendo prin l. 8. ca. 15. initio d Ea solum de causa noÌ„ assirraamus hanc propositionem side catholica esse tenendam quod authores qui contrarium sentiunt nondum videamus ab ecclesia damnatos pro Hereticis de cons. auth lib. 2. ca. 5. e ca. 2. Espencaeus in comment in Titum ca. 1. August de Doct. Christiana lib. 2. Cap. 9. Lib. 3. Cap. 27. Cap. 28. Motiue 1. Hier. Epist. 19. inter Aug. Confess Aug. in praefat ad Lect. D. Reinold against Hart. Campian rat 2. Stapl. princ doct l. 10. ca. 11. Confes. August art 20. Caluin Insti l. 3. cap. 16. Cemnitius exa Cons. Trid. ses 6. Luther lib de visit saxoni Brent catechis Bellarm. de iustificat l. 5. ca. 7. propos 3. Stapl. princ lib. 2. cap. 9. Concil Trident. sess 3. Stapl. D. princ 〈◊〉 lib. 2. Cap. 4. Cap. 2. Cap. 49. Luke 18. Vincent Lirin cap. 39. Initio Orationis In 〈…〉 Lib. de Synod aduersus Arrianos ibid. ca. 16. Stapel prin doct lib. 2. ca. 13. Cap. 6. Luke 1. 17. Esa. 40. 3. Luke 1 64. Luke 16. 16. Iohn 3. 30. Gen. 35. 2. 3. Iudg. 2. 10. Chro. 13. 3. Apoc. 22. 18. Vincent Lirin ca. 2. 41. Mark 3. 24. Nahum 1. 10. Motiue 4. Ephes. 6. 15. 16. 17. Ioh. 5. 39. Mat. 16. 18. Mat. 3. 9. Mat. 3. 1. Septa Synod Constantinop Act. 13. 2. Synod Nicaena 2. Act. 7. 3. Synod 80. Constantinop sub Adrian 2. Act. 7. Gal. 3. 7. Iohn 8. 39. Rom. 11. 19. Pasil ep 52. ad Athanas. Nazian 2. Epi. ad Procopium Propter multitudineÌ„ hereticis fauentium infaustum exitum habueruÌ„t omnia consilia illis temporibus qualia fuerint Selâ—usiense Tirense Ariminense Mediolanense Smyrnense c. Mat. 7. 15. 2. Pet. 2. 1. Mat. 24. 28. Vers. 24. Mat. 5. Mat. 19. 8. Motiue 14. Cap. 39. Dilatae inueteratae haereses nequaquam hac via aggrediedae sunt 〈◊〉 quod proâ— temporum tractu longa 〈◊〉 furandae veritatis patuerit occasio Sola scripturunt authoritate Nisi paeucis desperatis perditis minor videtur esse authoritas Episcoporum in Africa c. Cap. 28. 98. 116. 123. Faustinus Philippus Asellus In fascicul rerum expetend fugiend Apeliat vniuers Parisiens à Leone decimo ad futurum consilium Wisd. 14. 14.
it is subiect to errour being not able so steadily to looke backe frō euery conclusion to the first ground so the minds of Christian men holding the same commō grounds by them vnfolding difficulties and from them raising conclusiōs according to the variety of iudgements and apprehensions doe shape so many formes of opinions and controuersies of religion Thus farre I hope we haue gone hand in hand without crosse or variance in any poynt at all It remaines them since the vnderstanding euen of a christian man is weake and vnstable in his discourse and apprehension that we seeke the meanes to establish and confirme the same so far forth as may stay the conscience of one studious of truth in matters of religion Your aduise is that notwithstanding all truth in controuersie of faith be grounded chiefely vpon scripture yet the sence of scripture being diuersly taken by diuers therefore to vs vncertaine the question at last must be remoued from the text to the interpretour from the scripture to the men God forbid the question should euer be remoued from the ground of truth which truth is contained in the first principles which principles be euidently expressed in scripture not diuersly taken but agreed vpon of all Churches As that Christ is come in the flesh Christ is the sonne of the liuing God his second comming to iudgement the resurrection and such like the analogie of which truths is an infallible rule for expounding more obscure places and a sure ground to build vpon These principles being not doubtfull in varietie of apprehensions like other places of greater difficultie there is no shew of reason why a christians mans mind should in any controuersie be remoued from them no more then naturall reason will in any case forsake her common grounds notwithstanding any sect of Philosophers whatsoeuer but still labour to trie and examine all opinions by her first rules Thus much I will presume vpon as graunted if any exceptiō be taken I appeale to your own words It is best to goe aside and single out the two grand originals and foundations from the which all the other factions arise that by taking a iust estimat of the strength of either our iudgement may leane to the stronger part I demaund then when your selfe went aside to single out the two grand originals by what rules did you take a iust estimate of the strength of either If religion be to you a matter of conscience you must needes confesse that your rules of reason or religion or both did sway your mind and make your iudgement leane as you thinke to the stronger part So that euen by your own euidence that last remoue of the question from the text to the interpreter from the scripture to the men if it cary any shew of truth it must be interpreted verie tenderly First you meane not frō that plaine scripture wherein the first principles bee euidently authorized but onely from those obscure textes whose sence is doubtfull to vs in such varietie of apprehensions Secondly the remoue is not made from the scripture altogether to the men but so as still we keepe our sure footing vpon the first grounds in the strength and euidence wherof diuine truth both in it selfe and to vs is euermore established Now further to proceede because the Apostle commaunds vs not alwaies to sticke in our first principles we must needes confesse that the vnderstanding of priuat men vnsteedie in discourse and feeble in iudging such high and waightie matters is of it selfe aswell in expounding scripture as setting downe conclusions subiect to manifould errors and heresies And therefore besides those premised groundes from which we take our rise we must be confirmed by such meanes as Christ hath besides prouided for the members of his Church militant here vpon earth Which meanes are braunched into the assistance of Gods spirit within vs and the testimonie of the Church and holie men of God without vs. These speciall helpes God hath prouided for his Church ouer and aboue humane helpes common to Christians with the sonnes of nature The former of these I meane the assistance of Gods spirit for enlightning our vnderstanding and inabling our iudgments is purchased 1. by feruencie of prayer 2. religious exercise 3. holines of life and 4. studious indeuour Yet notwithstanding because both reason and religion ioyned with humilitie will easily perswade that Gods spirit is more fully resident in holy assemblies then priuat mens braines that spirit is to be suspected of singularitie which will not with all reuerence imbrace the testimonie of the Church So then a Christian man studious of truth doth rest his conscience vpon these three witnesses First the euidence of our first principles expressely propounded in scripture and written in the tables of our heartes by the holy Ghost Secondly the assistance of Gods grace and holy spirit promised to euery faithfull soule for confirming his iudgment so far forth as may leade to happines and performe the dueties of that place whereunto he is called Thirdly the testimonie of the Church and holy men of God And these three agree in one But in your last remoue of the question From the text to the interpreter from the scripture vnto the men passing ouer the two former you haue resolued your selfe wholy vpon the worth merit and authoritie of those which are the expositors So that according to your aduise hauing singled out the graund originals and foundations of our two religions and taking as neere as I can a iust estimate of the strength of either I find the odds three to one of our side For although these three witnesses bee so linked togither as rightly taken they be neuer seuered yet least singling them out one from another we should mistake any wee lay fast hold of all three conferring examining and confirming to our selues one by another You contrariwise leane your selfe and rest your conscience onely vpon the third the testimonie of the Church as vpon an infallible ground of all the rest Which if it proue a broken staffe by your mistaking of it either in taking the testimonie of some portion of the visible Church for the whole catholike or secondly an vnsound part for the sound or thirdly misconceauing the churches of former times it will not only deceiue you but the shiuers thereof wound your erronious and naked conscience which easily may befall such a one as is of no longer time or deeper studie then you and I are well knowne to be MOTIVE THe catholike part for the strength of their interpretation alledge the iudgment of the Church the definitions of councels the consent of fathers the harmonie of Churches the practise of all ages and the rule of Apostolicall tradition left by succession as the light through the heauens The Protestantes bring forth the seuerall founders of their sects Luther Caluin Melancthon and others of that straine whose exposition they cleaue vnto Lay this in the ballance and
waigh together the spouse of Christ with Luther Caluin Melancthon aecumenicall counsels with priuate opinions the reuerend and learned fathers with Arius Aetius Vigilantius men alwaies in their time burned for heretikes the harmony of Churches with the iarring of conuenticles of them that are in as great brawle with themselues as with the catholikes The vniforme practise of 1500. yeares with the often change of others The tradition of the Apostles with the dregs of heretikes Now let any man though ouerbalanced by affection consider with himselfe whether of these should be beleeued in expounding the scriptures and consequently in the truth of the controuersies which relyeth vpon the sence ANSVVERE THis is right the wise man of Athens who thought all the shippes his owne which came to hauen Church councels Fathers Apostolicall traditions all yours And we poore soules turned ouer to a few single spirits Luther Caluin Melancthon c. If I might be so bold with you as Sir Thomas More was in like case with a protestant it were time to put you in minde of one Caius who encountring with a scholler would needs haue his first demaunde graunted to wit whatsoeuer had two eares was a foolish beast For els he could not so gallantly haue come vpon him as otherwaies he had ment Your demand is alike reasonable For you assume no more as graunted but the iudgment of the Church the definition of councells the consent of Fathers the harmonie of Churches the practise of all ages the rule of Apostolicall tradition Which if we giue you and leaue our selues a few particular mens expositions indeede I confesse you may conclude at your pleasure But it is wel knowen we doe no further relie vpon those learned mens assertions then they be authorized by the forenamed witnesses Which testimonies so confidently alledged for your parte I hope you are not ignorant how that all along in our apologies defences and answeres they be brought against you by our defenders especially those witnesses of more ancient times vnto whom we are content to appeale as most indifferent iudges and more sincere then any of later times being neerer to Christ and further from these factions To put you out of doubt I will set downe our owne words Quam ea die Iuellus vocem verissimam ac constantissimam emisit quando ad sexcentorum annorum antiquitatem prouocanit vobisque obtulit vt si vel vnicam ex aliquo patre aut consilio claram dilucidam sententiam afferretis non recusaret quin vobis palmam concederet ea est nostrûm omnium professio idem omnes pollicemur fidem non fallemus THE SECOND MOTIVE THe mysteries of religion do so far exceede the narrow straites of our vnderstanding that because they cannot be comprehended by reason God hath therefore appointed faith to entertaine them which faith is built vpon diuine and vnfallible authoritie the minde yeelding obedience in stead of discourse receiuing indifferently the truth of doctrine vpon the credit and affiance of the teacher Therefore that religion which doth not stay the assent of the scholler and hath not irrefragable authoritie in all matters of faith hath neither merit of beliefe in it selfe nor others But such is the discipline of the protestants that they affoord their schollers no other but humane and mutable authoritie whereby to beleeue the number and dignitie of the scriptures with the sense and interpretation of them in which consisteth the summe of all religion ANSVVERE THe mysteries of religion doe far exceede the narrow straites of our vnderstanding for without controuersie great are those mysteries to wit God is manifested in the flesh iustified in the spirit seene of Angels beleeued on in the world and receiued vp into glorie Amongst which the schollers assent to those misteries is accounted one beleeued on in the world which you haue well expressed appointing faith not reason to entertaine them The mind yeelding obedience in steed of discourse receiuing indifferently the truth of doctrine vpon the credit and affiance of the teacher This teacher you haue determined to be the inflexible testimonie of the catholike Church of whome we receiued the forenamed principles of religion yea the scriptures themselues And surely that minde which would not yeeld obedience to the testimonie of this generall voice were in all sound iudgments most vnreasonable For doth not reason her selfe tell vs That which most men and wisest agree vpon is most true doth she not adde further Those men be wisest next God that are most deare vnto him Then that religion which is professed and taught by the most holy and catholike Church which is venerable for antiquitie certaine for succession comely for order admirable for vnitie approued by experience allowed by prouidence confirmed by miracles rooted in so many kingdomes neuer doubted of but by heretikes is in the very eye of reason to be imbraced How thinke you Is not this reasons discourse And a sound discourse You must not deny it for it is your owne If reason then build vpon Church authoritie how place you faith in reasons roome If this be reasons discourse what is that yeelding obedience in stead of discourse Where is that great mysterie of godlines beleeued on in the world which captiuates the vnderstanding to the obedience of faith Let me helpe you out with a schoole distinction that wee may cleere the way before vs. The schollers assent to the Church testimonie is called faith I confesse but such a faith as the schoole termeth Acquisita fides faith gotten by discourse testimonie of the holy men of God a faith caried along by reason grounding vpon sufficient witnes and conuincing the vnderstanding by euidence of demonstration a faith incident not to wicked men only but the diuels themselues But the schoole diuines haue taught a more diuine faith which they call Infusa fides immediatly inspired by the holy Ghost from heauen informing the minde inclining the will to entertaine the principles of christianitie with all perfect obedience in stead of discourse For the begetting of which faith in the hearts of men that former testimonie of the Church and discourse of argument doth wonderfully dispose and prepare the minde but y t which giues the stroke and addeth life vnto it is the celestiall motion of Gods spirit which Saint Iohn calls the witnes within vs opposing it to the Church testimonie without vs. This is that true faith which Aquin affirmes neuer to bee found in diuels which Scotus aueres neuer to be void of christian charitie which Bellarmin proues and Trent defines neuer to be obtained without diuine reuelation and inspiration of Gods spirit vpon which it is built as vpon diuine and vnfallible authoritie the minde yeelding obedience in steede of discourse and receiuing indifferently the truth of doctrine vpon the credit and affiance of this teacher Hereupon doth our religion stay the assent of the scholler and hath irrefragable authoritie in the
more narrow issue our demaund is whether vpon the promise of God made to his Church for her preseruation in the faith of Christ there may not be built ouer much securitie that is as the schoole hath conceaued of theological vertues though on Gods part respecting his promise there can be no excesse of hope or confidence yet in regard of the peruersenes of our nature which may make the generall promise of God lesse effectuall to vs there may grow presumption because those promises be not absolute but conditional so whether the promise of Gods assistance to his Church be of the like nature with some condition to be obserued of the Churches part or whether it be altogither absolute is one point in question That it is in part absolute is a thing graunted of all handes to wit that neither the wickednesse of man nor the gates of hell shall euer so farre preuaile against it as quite to extinguish it but it shal continue a Church till the last dissolution For else wherefore shuld heauen and earth stand to be a cage of vncleane birds or a theater of iddle vanities This cannot agree possibly with diuine prouidence But for those promises which concerne the better being of the Church as the enlarging of her dominions the increase of the number of true and zealous catholikes her more conspicuous and florishing estate her preseruation from the inundations of heresies from the Apostasies of her members and schisines of the whole bodie her deliuerance from the mistes of errors and finally her sound and more sincere profession of the truth concerning these promises of assistance I say though God be faithfull who hath promised yet the Church by reason of her manifold sinnes may make them lesse effectual vnto her But taking all these promises to be most absolute without condition we may grow presumptuous promising to the Church ouermuch securitie Such was the errour of the Iewes in the time of Iohn Baptist who building vpon the promise of God made to their forefathers not regarding any condition on their part to be performed thought themselues secure while they could but say they had Abraham to their father and shew their lineall descent out of his loynes But the answere doth directly ouerthrow that conceit God is able of stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham insinuating that which Saint Paul more fully doth expresse Gala. 3. 7. They which are of faith are the children of Abraham though by propagation no more proceeding out of his loynes then the verie stones in the streete Be it so that the promise of the assistance and residence 〈◊〉 Gods spirit in the Church was made to Peter and his successors as the promise of Gods fauour to Abraham and his seed The seed of Abraham according to promise we haue found not to be those children which proceeded out of his loynes by naturall descent but such as resembled father Abraham in faith godlines I demaund then first of any indifferent man who be principally meant by Peters successours according to the promise I meane that promise made vnto Peter and his followers to the end of the world Whether those Bishops of Rome who can onely say they haue Peter for their predecessour and shew a lineall and locall descent from Peter in that Sea or rather those of speciall note in the Church of Christ at Rome or elswhere who aswel in ability to gouern as soundnes of doctrine and sinceritie of life doe resemble that blessed Apostle Somthing to enlightē my selfe by example Saint Basil Bishop of Caesaerea but neuer of Rome was notwithstanding by Saint Chrysostome iuuested with that glorious title of Peters successour in his second booke de sacerdotibus I demaund whether such a father of the Church renowned for doctrine and life though neuer seated at Rome be not rather to be accounted the Apostle his successor according to promise then either Pope Iohn infamous for life or Pope Honorius the Monothelite for that heresie condemned by three generall councels Secondly to giue you a little more ground suppose the Bishops of Rome be more priuiledged by their local succession and haue greater interest in the promise made to Peter and his successours then Doctours of other seas which I cannot yet find but suppose it though as the seed of Abraham euen according to the flesh in that regard were neerer to the promise then straungers as the Apostle witnesseth For vnto you the promise belongeth my next demaund is whether that promise made to Peter and in him to his successours of Rome be absolutely tyed to them or with some condition by them to be performed Of that old promise made to Abraham we find two conditions required in his seed one of faith set downe by Saint Paul They which are of faith are the children of Abraham and the other of workes mentioned by our Sauiour If ye were Abrahams children you would doe the works of Abraham The breach of these conditions caused those natural braunches the Iewes to be cut off Whereupon the Apostle maketh an admonition to the Church of the Romanes the rest of the Gentiles by their example not to presume since God spared not the naturall braunches least he spare not them Noli altum sapere sed time Which is not so to be conceiued as if there could be a generall Apostasie of the Catholike Church from faith but so as if amongst the Romanes or other Gentiles the current of the visible Church and fountaine of diuine graces might be dried vp and begin to spring afresh amongst the Iewes or other nations Then if this be possible nay if it be as the Apostle speaketh to be feared of vs that the Romanes or any of the Gentiles may fal from faith and be cut off from the promise as your selues doe sentence the Churches of the East at this day to be fallen then much more may there be a possibility of errour in your Church in some braunch of faith For such a fal cannot be in a moment but must needs presuppose some preparations going before So then to wind vp this whole discourse you taking the promise made in Peter to the Sea of Rome absolutely not respecting any condition at al may thereupon build ouermuch securitie and so consequently fancie to your selues a confirmed estate of the Romane Church like the state of Angels imagine therein a meanes of deciding controuersies more certaine and infallible then God in his diuine wisedome thought meet for her state militant here vpon earth Yet albeit we cannot hope for a meanes of vnitie in that degree of certaintie which fansie may easily imagine or mans nature desire Notwithstanding there be excellent means for the certaine finding out of necessarie truth prouided by God in his Church not one but many and amongst many no one so certaine to vs which man by his ignorance or wilfulnes may not peruert to his owne destruction Wherefore though first and