is essentially subordinate CAP. IV. Containing a further Resolution of Romish faith necessarily inferring the authority of the Romish Church to be of greater authority then Gods Word absolutely not only in respect of us IF we rack the former syllogism a little farther and stretch it out in every joynt to its ful length we may quickly make it confesse our proposed conclusion and somewhat more The Syllogism was thus What soever God hath spoken is most true But God hath spoken and caused to be written all those words contained in the Canon of Scriptures acknowledged by opposite religions of these times Therefore these words are most true The certainty of the Minor depends as our adversaries wil have it upon the present Romish Churches Insallibility which hath commended unto us these Books for Gods Word Be it then granted for disputations sake that we cannot know any part of Gods Word much lesse the just bounds extent or limits of all his words supposed to be revealed for our good but by the Romish Church The Spiritual Sense or true meaning of al most or many parts of these determinate Volums and visible Characters as yet is undeterminate and uncertain whereas all ponts of belief must be grounded on the determinate and certain sence of some part of Gods Word revealed for our adversaries acknowledg all points of Faith should be resolved into the First Truth Hence if we descend to any particular or determinate conclusion of Faith it must be gathered in his Syllogism Whatsoever the Church teacheth concerning the determinate and true sence of Scriptures whereon points of Faith are grounded is most trâ—â— But the Church teacheth thus and thus for example That her own authority is infallibly taught by the Holy Ghost in these words Peter feed my sheep Peter I have prayed for thee that thy faith should not fail ergo this sence and meaning of these words is most true And as true as it is must the sence likewise of every proposition or part of Scripture by this Church expounded or declared be accounted 2 The Major proposition of this Syllogism is as undoubted amongst the Roman Catholicks as the Major of the former was unto all Christians but as yet the Minor The Church doth give this or that sence of this or that determinate place may be as uncertain indeed as they would make our belief unto the Minor proposition in the general Syllogism before it be confirmed by the Churches authority For how can we be certain that the Church doth teach al those particulars which the Jesuites propose unto us we have Books indeed which go under the name of the Trent Councel but how shall we know that this Councel was lawfully assembled that some Canons have not been foisted in by private Spirits that the Councel left not some unwritten tradition for explicating their decrees after another fashion then the Jesuites do who shall assure us in these or like doubts The present Church All of us cannot repair to Rome such as can when they come thither cannot be sure to hear the true Church speak ex Cathedra If the Pope send his Writs to assure us what Critick so cunning as to assure us whether they be authentick or counterfeit Finally for all that can be imagined in this case only the Major of the Catholick syllogism indefinitely taken is certain and consequently no particular or definite conclusion of Faith can be certain to a Romanist because there are no possible means of ascertaining the Minor What the true Church doth infallibly define unto his Conscience 3 Or if they wil hold such conclusions as are ordinarily gathered from the Trent Councel or the Popes decisions as infallible points of faith they make their authority to be far greater then the infallibility of Gods written word yea more infallible then the Deity This Collection they would deny unlesse it followed from their own premisses These for example That a conclusion of faith cannot be gathered unless the minor God did say this or that determinately be first made certain But from the Pope or Churches infallibility conclusions of faith may be gathered albeit the minor be not certain de Fide For who can make a Jesuites report of the Popes Decrees or an Historical relation of the Trent Councel certain de fide as certain as an Article of faith And yet the Doctrine of the Trent Councel and Popes Decrees must be held de fide upon pain of damnation albeit men take them only from a Priests mouth or upon a Jesuites faith and credit 4 This is the madnesse of that Antichristian Synagogue that acknowledgeth Gods Word for most infallible and the Scriptures which we have for his word if it self be infallible For it tels us they are such yet wil not have collections or conclusions with equal probability deduced thence so firmly believed by private men as the collections or conclusions which are gathered from the Churches Infallibility An implicit faith of particulars grounded upon the Churches general infallibility so men stedfastly believe it may suffice But implicit faith of particulars grounded only upon our general Belief of Gods infallibility providence or written word sufficeth not This proves the authority of the Church to be above the athority of Scriptures or the Deity absolutely considered not only in respect of us that is all besides the Pope and his Cardinals For that is of more authority absolutely not only in respect of us which upon equal notice or knowledge is to be better believed more esteemed or obeyed but such is the authority of the Church in respect of the divine authority such is the authority of the Popes Decrees in respect of Gods Word For the Minor proposition in both the former Syllogisms being alike uncertain the conclusion must be more certain in that Syllogism whose major relies upon the Popes infallibility then in the other whose Major was grounded upon the infallibility of the Deity 6 Briefly to collect the sum of all The authority of the Church is greater then the authority of Scriptures both in respect of Faith and Christian Obedience In respect of Faith because we are bound to believe the Churches decisions read or explicated unto us by the Popes messenger though a Sir John Lack-latin without any appeal but no part of Scripture acknowledged by us and them we may believe without appeal or submission of our interpretation to the Church albeit the true sence and meaning of it seem never so plain unto private consciences in whom Gods Spirit worketh Faith The same argument is most firm and evident in respect of Obedience 6 That authority over us is alwayes greatest unto which we are to yield most immediate most strict and absolute obedience but by the Romish Churches Doctrine we are to yield supream and most absolute obedience to the Church more supream and absolute then unto Gods word therefore the authority of the Church is greater over us The Major is out of controversie seeing
obnoxious to brrour and the most Skilful may have his escapes in a long Work For Opere in longo sas est obrepere somnum Aliquando bonus dormitat Homerus A man may sometimes take Homer napping even in that Art whereof he was Master much more may the greatest Linguist living in a Work of so great Difficultie as the Translation of the Bible not another Mans though that more easie to erre in then a mans Own but the Work or Dictates of the Holy Ghost prove an Homer but a blind Guide unto the blind Many things he cannot See and many things he may Oversee And how then can any man Assure himself that in those Places whereon we should build our Faith he hath not gone besides the Line unlesse we will admit an Insallible Authoritie in the Church to assure us that such a Translation doth not erre 3 Again in those very Translations wherein they agree Luther gathers one Sense Calvin another every Heretick may pretend a secret Meaning of his Private Spirit Who shall either secure the People distracted by Dissensions amongst the Learned or the Learned thus dissenting unlesse the Infallible Authoritie of the Church Finally without such an Infallible Authoritie Controversies will daily grow and unlesse It be established they can never be composed seeing every man will draw in the Scriptures as a Party to countenance or abett his Opinion how bad soever The Ground of all which Inconveniences though the Sectaries cannot see it is the natural Obscurity and Difficulty of the Scriptures These are the main Springs or first Fountains whence the Adversaries Eloquence in this Argument flows And it will be but one labour to stop up These and his Mouth Or granting them passage we may draw his invention against us drie by turning their course upon himself CAP. II. The former Objection as far as it concerns illiterate and Lay-men retorted and answered 1 IF to suppose such an Authority were sufficient to confirm any Translation or secure the world of sincere Translations or to allay all Controversies arising about the true Sense and Meaning of Scriptures we were very Impious to deny it But if we have Just Cause to suspect that such as contend for it have but Put this Infallible Authority as the Astronomers have Supposed Some Epicycles and Eccentricks Some the motion of the Earth to salve their Phenomena which otherwise might seem Irregular We may I trust Examin First Whether the Supposal of this Infallible Authority in the Church do salve the former Inconvenience Secondly whether greater Inconveniences will not follow upon the putting of it then are the supposed Mischiefs for the Avoidance of which this Infallible Principle was invented and is by the Favourites of this Art sought to be established and perswaded 2 That this supposed Infallible Authority of the Church visible doth no way salve the Inconveniences objected against our Positions is hence evident As the Scriptures themselves were written in a Tongue not common nor understood of all Nations but of some few so likewise the Decrees of this visible Church concerning the Authoritie of Translations are written in a Tongue neither common to all nor proper at this day to any unlearned Multitude but to the Learned only Sometime they were written in Greek but in later years all in Latin or some other Tongue at the least not common to all Christians for no such can this day be found Nor is the Pope or his Cardinals able to speak properly and truly every Language in the Christian world of which he challengeth the Supremacie He Would be the Universal Head indeed but he hath not nor dare he professe he hath an Universal Tongue whereby he may fully instruct every Person throughout the Christian world in his own natural known mother Tongue For Bellarmin brings this as an argument why the Bible should not be translated into modern Tongues because if into one why not into another and the Pope as he confesseth cannot understand all 3 Tell me then you that seek to bring the unlearned Lay-sort of men to seek shelter under the Infallible Authoritie of the Romish Church how can you assure them what is the very true Meaning of that Church They understand not the Language wherein her Decisions were written What then must they infallibly and under pain of Damnation Believe that you do not Erre in your Translations of them or must they stedfastly Believe that you Interpret Her Decrees aright Nay even those Decrees which you hold Infallible condemn all private Interpretation of them and your greatest Clerks daily dissent about the Meaning of the Trent-Councel in sundry Points Yet unless the Lay people can stedfastly Believe that you Interpret the Churches Sentence aright your supposed Rule of the Churches Infallibilitie in confirming Translations or Senses of Scripture can neither be a Rule Infallible nor any way Profitable unto them For it hath no other Effect upon their souls save only Belief and they have no other Means to know that this which they must Believe is the Churches Sentence but your Report then can they not be any more certain of the Churches Mind in this or that point then they are of your Skill or Fidelitie neither of which can be to them the Infallible Rule of Faith For if they should be thus Infallibly perswaded of your Skil or Fidelitie then were their good Perswasion of you the Ground and Rule of their Faith and so they must Believe that you neither did nor could Erre in this Relation Whereas your own Doctrine is That even the Learnedst among you may Erre and you cannot denie but that it is possible for the Honestest Jusuite either to Lie or Equivocate Otherwise your Infallibilitie in not Erring were greater then your Popes or Churches for they both may Erre unlesse they speak ex Cathedra Now whether the Pope speak this or that ex Cathedra or whether he speak or write to all or no is not known to any of the common People in these Northern Countries but only by your Report which if it be not Infallible and as free from Errour as the Pope himself the People must still stagger in Faith Nor do I see any possible Remedie unlesse every man should take a Pilgrimage to Rome or unlesse you would bring the Pope throughout these Countries as men use Monsters or strange Sights Yet how should they be certain that this is the Pope rather then some Counterfeit or how should they know Rome but by others Or can you hope to salve this Inconvenience by an Implicit or Hypothetical Faith as that it were enough for the Lay people to Believe absolutely and stedfastly that the Pope or Church cannot Erre but to believe your Report or Informations of his Sentence in doubtful Cases only Conditionally if it be the Popes Mind if otherwise we will be free to recall our present Belief This is all which I can imagin any of you can say for your selves
doth the Pope challenge to himself the gift of Prophecie but only of legal Decisions which are no otherwise written then many write and contain no deeper nor more Supernatural Matter then many may invent most of them usually penned in a base and barbarous Logick Phrase his Stile at the best is not peculiar his Character easie to be counterfeited by any man that can pen a Proclamation or frame an Instrument in Civil Courts 7 To recollect what hath been said First seeing God is more to be Believed then Men secondly seeing we have better Arguments to perswade the People that these Scriptures daily read in our Church are Gods own Words then the Priests and Jesuites have that the Tidings which they bring from beyond Sea are the Popes or Churches Decrees or Sentence we may and ought Teach them to relie immediately upon Gods Word preached or read unto them as the surest and most Infallible Rule of Faith the most lively most effectual and most forcible Means of their Salvation Or if the Jesuites will teach them to Believe the Popes Decrees given ex Cathedra or the Churches Opinion indefinitely taken Fide divina by Infallible Faith but the Jesuites or Priests Expositions or Translations of them only Conditionally and with this Limitation If so they be the Pope or Churches Decrees we may in like sort with far greater Reason teach the People to Believe the Scriptures or the Word of God absolutely and our Translations or Expositions of it but Conditionally or with Limitation so far as they are Consonant to the Word of God Seeing it is as probable that we may expound Gods Word as rightly and sincerely as the other can the Church or Popes Edicts we have better Reason to exact this conditional Obedience and Assent in the Vertue and Authoritie of Gods Word which we make the Rule of Faith then they can have to exact the like Obedience by Vertue of the Pope or Churches Edict which is to them the Mistresse of Faith For it is more certain to any man living that Gods Word is most Infallibly True then that the Pope cannot Erre Wherefore if the Absolute Belief of the Popes Infallibilitie and Conditional Belief of the Jesuites or Priests his Messengers Fidelitie or Skill be sufficient to Salvation much more may the Absolute Belief or Assent unto the Infallibility of Gods Word and such Conditional and limited Belief of his Ministers Fidelitie be sufficient for the Salvation of his People who as hath been proved cannot be more certain that the Romish Church saith This or That then we can be of Gods Word For they never hear the Church or Pope speak but in Jesuites or Priests Mouthes And although they knew he said just so as those say yet may a man doubt in Modestie whether the Popes Words be alwayes Infallible but of the Infallibilitie of Gods Word can no man doubt 8 And Here I cannot but much wonder at the preposterous courses of these Romanists who holding an Implicite Faith of Believing as the Church Believes in many Points to be sufficient unto Salvation will yet fasten this implicite Faith upon the present Church of Rome and not refer it rather unto that Church as it was under S. Peters Jurisdiction and Government For if Universalitie be as they contend a sure Note of undoubted Truth then must it needs be more undoubtedly True that S. Peter could not Erre in Matters of Faith then that this present Romish Pope and his Cardinals cannot so Erre For all Papists hold this as True of S. Peter as of this present Pope and all Protestants hold it True of S. Peter not in the present Pope and so did all the Fathers without controversie hold it most True that S. Peter did not teach amisse in his Apostolical Writings So that Universalitie is much greater for S. Peter then for this Pope that now is or the next that shall be 9 For these Reasons fully consonant to their own Positions all Papists me-thinks in Reason should make the same Difference in their Estimate of S. Peter and later Popes which a French Cardinal as the Tradition is at Durham once made betwixt S. Cuthbert and venerable Bede Abeit S. Cuthbert was accounted the greater Saint amongst them whose greater Benefactour he had been in which respect they brought the Cardinal first unto S. Cuthberts Tomb yet because he knew him not so well but only by their Report he praies very warily Sancte Cuthberte si Sanctus es or a pro me But afterwards brought unto Bedes Tomb then in the Consistory because he had been Famous in Forrain Nations from the Commendations of lesse partial Antiquitie he fell to his prayers without Ifs and And 's Vener abilis Beda quia tu Sanctus es or a pro me 10 Proprotional to this Caution in this French-mans Prayers should every modern Papist limit his Belief of the present Popes Infallibilitie in respect of S. Peters And say thus in his heart As for S. Peter I know he Believed and Taught aright And I beseech God I may Believe as he Believed and that my Soul may come whither his is gone as for this present Pope if he believe as S. Peter did be likely to follow him in LIfe and Death I pray God I may Believe as he Believes and do as he Teacheth but otherwise believe me I would be very loath to pin my Belief upon his Sleeve lest happily he run Headlong to Hell to that which should have drawn me up to Heaven For in this Life I walk by Faith and by Faith I must ascend Thither if I ever come There and therefore I dare not fasten my Belief upon any Man whom I would be loath to follow in his Course of Life But most surely might this Implicite Faith be fastned upon Gods written Word contained in the Writings of Moses the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists We know O Lord that Thou hast Taught them All Truth that is Necessary for thy Church to know And our Adversaries confess that thy Word uttered by Them rightly understood is the most sure Rule of Faith for by This they seek to establish the Infallibilitie of the Church and Pope They themselves speak aright by their own Confession where they speak consonantly unto it Wherefore the safest Course for us must be to search out the True Sense and Meaning of it which is as easie for us as them to find as in the Processe of these Meditations God willing shall appear 11 Unto the main Objection concerning the Means of knowing Scripture to be Scripture we have partly answered or rather prevented it in the first Treatise and throughout this whole intended discourse we shall God willing explicate the former general Means or Motives as also bring other peculiar Inducements for the establishing of True Faith unto the particular Articles in this Creed contained For the present Difficultie concerning the Rule of Illiterate Lay-mens Faith or such as understand not those Languages in which
Believe their Infallibilitie most infallibly it could be no Rule of Faith but might be rejected till we see it evidently proved whereas they contend it should be the Rule of Faith unto all and by their own confession a main Article of their Creed but according to their Positions as we shall hereafter prove the onely Article of Christian Faith How destitute these their Assertions are of all Grounds of Reason or Rules of Nature hath been made evident There remain onely Two Pillars possibly imaginable for supporting this pretended Infallibilitie Tradition and Scripture Against Tradition all the Arguments they can heap against the Certainty of Scriptures stand good as shall hereafter God willing be shewed That no Argument can be drawn from Scripture to their succour albeit the later Jesuites have earnestly sought to scrape a many for better then Scrapings are not the very best they bring we are now to prove 7 That our Belief of Scriptures Truth and their true Sense by what Means soever we attain thereto must be infallible Both agree The Means that must infalliblie ascertain or prove their Divine Truth and true Meaning unto us say our Adversaries is the Churches Infallibilitie which likewise must be infallibly Beleeved otherwise it could not be the Rule of Faith or Belief infallible It shall suffice here once for all to admonish the Reader That as often as we mention Belief of Scriptures or the Churches infallibility in this Dispute we mean not any kind of Belief but that only which is infallible so likewise whiles we mention the Means or Proofs of either we understand onely Means or Proofs infallible whereon Faith may immediately relie as upon a Rule most sure and certain In all these we demand nothing but what our Adversaries most willingly grant From their grant we argue thus 8 If either the Scriptures can thus ascertain or prove the Churches Infalibilitie or It the infallible Truth of Scriptures to our Souls we must of necessity either Believe the one of these before the other The Churches Infalibility before Scriptures or Scriptures before It or both together without all prioritie of Belief or praeexistent knowledge of the one whence the Belief or knowledge of the other must spring The members of the Division are in the Proposal actually two but in the Disquisition will prove three To begin with the first 9 If they say we must believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God before we 〈◊〉 believe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of their Church they overthrow their own and est ablish 〈◊〉 Postions For thus they make the Scripture a Rule of our Faith at the least In this one Article of the Catholick Churches Infallibilitie which by this Assertion we may and ought infallibly to believe because the Scriptures which we first infallibly believe do teach and prove it Hence private men should be taught by the Holy Ghost first to believe the Truth of Scriptures and for it the Churches Infallibilitie Wherefore the Scripture must be the immediate Rule of their Belief in the Article of the Churches Infallibility which to them is the generall Rule of Faith and so by consequence the Scriptures which to us are onely the Rule of Earth must be more then so to them even the Rule of their Rule of Faith But if the Scriptures may be the immediate and insallible Rule of their Belief in this one Article of the Churches Infallibility what reason possibly can be imagined why they should not be the infallible and immediate Rule of their Faith in all other parts or Articles of their Creed For I call Heaven and Earth Men and Angels to witnesse bâ—…xt ours and the Romish Church whether the Articles of Christs Incarnation his Death his Passion his Burial his Resurrection his Aseension his Intercession for us the Resurrection of the dead and Life everlasting c. be not to any mans Capacitie in the World much more plainly set down in sundry places of Scripture then the Infallibilitie of the present Romish Church in these words Peter feed my sheep Peter to thee 〈◊〉 give the â—…s of Heaven Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us or in any place her sonnes can challenge for it Wherefore if the Holy Ghost teach us this Article of the Churches Infallibilitie immediately without the Churches infallible Authoritie which as we now suppose must be proved from the Scriptures first infallibly Believed then questionlesse he may and will immediately teach us the other Articles of our Creed and whatsoever necessary to Salvation which are more plainly and perspicuously set down in Scriptures without the help or assistance of the Churches infallible Authority which it is supposed to teach by places more doubtfull 10 Or if our Adversaries will hold it no Absurdity to say that the Holy Ghost may teach us the true Sense and Meaning of the fore-mentioned places of Scripture which seem to make for the Infallibility of the Romish Church as Petre pasce oves c. immediately without the help or assistance of the Churches Infallibilitie which is here the lesson supposed to be taught and refers all other Points of Faith or matters of Doctrine unto the Churches teaching immediately they are bound in Reason to shew a Scripture for this Assertion And besides they must perforce make the same comparison betwixt the Holy Ghosts immediate teaching and the Church or Popes immediat teaching which our Saviour Christ made between the Holy Ghosts extraordinary teaching which was to ensue his Glorification and his own immediate teaching before his Passion and as soon as the Holy Ghost hath once taught us the Meaning of these places which make for the Churches Infallibilitie that may be applied unto him in respect of the Popes Supereminencie in teaching which our Saviour Christ spake of himself and his own personall Instructions in the dayes of his Humility in respect of that 〈◊〉 â—ed Comforters Illuminations to be bestowed in abundant measure upon his Apostles immediately upon his Ascention For thus by their Assertions that Holy Comforter after that Lesson once taught Tues Petrâ—… should take his leave of faithfull hearts in the same termes our Saviour there did of his Disciples I tell you the Truth it is expedient for you that I go away For if I go not away the Comforter that Infallible Teacher on whose Authority your Souls must rest will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you and again I have many things to say unto you but ye cannot hear â—oem now howâ—eit when He is come that hath the Spirit of Truth your infallible Teacher whose Tongue while he speaks ex Cathedra I must attend he will lead you unto all Truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear be shall speak he shall glorifie me for he shall receive of me and shew it unto you These words I say might be
taken as a typical Prophesie of the Popes Infallible Authoritie such a Prophesie of it I mean as the History of the Paschal Lamb was of Christs Passion if they will hold the first member of the former division That the Holy Ghost doth first teach us Infallibly to Believe these Scriptures which they urge for the Infallibility of their Church and having once made us infallibly to Believe them refers us to the Churches Infallibilitie taught and Believed by them for the Rule of Faith in all other Articles 11 Sed quia hac non successit alia aggredien lum est via Let us now see whether they be like to find any better successe by following the second member of the forementioned Division i. If they should say We must infallibly Believe the Churches Infallibilitie in expounding Scriptures or Points of Faith before we can infallibly Believe them to be the Word of God or to contain in them Doctrines of Faith This indeed they must say if they hold their Churches Authority to be the Rule of Faith or whereby infalliblie to distinguish Divine Truth from Apocryphal 12 Let us first take the Proposition supposed for Disputations sake viz. We must believe the Churches Infallible Authority before we can believe the Scripture to be the Infallible Oracles of God Secondly let us consider but this one part of the Churches infallible Authority which all the Modern Papists acknowledge That the Scriptures cannot be known infallibly to be the Word of God but by the confirmation of the present Church And let us see how these two Assertions can stand together By the first the Churches infallible Authority must be infalliblie Believed before Scriptures By the second which contains the chief part of the Churches Infallibilitie the Scriptures cannot be infallibly acknowledged or believed to be the Word of God but upon former supposal of Believing the Churches Infallibilitie confirming this Truth unto us 13 Here let all whose Brains are not intoxicate with the wine of Fornication pause a while and contemplate what Babylonish giddinesse hath possest their Brains that have run round about so long though alwayes staggering in urging Scriptures for to prove that as an Article of Belief which must be infallibly Believed before those places of Scriptures which they urge for it or else nor they nor any other Scriptures can ever be stedfastly Believed to be the Word of GOD or to have sufficient Authoritie in them to cause stedfast Belief unto that which they teach For this is the Issue of all our Adversaries Arguments in this Point That such matters as are contained in Scriptures cannot be stedfastly acknowledged or Believed for Supernatural or Divine Truths until they be confirmed by this Infallible Authority of the present Church Where again I would have the Reader call to mind what was before observed out of Bellarmines Positions That this Infallibility of the Church consists directly in this that it is perpetually assisted by the Holy Ghost and it is all one with them to say We Believe the Churches infallible Authority in matters of Faith and to say We Believe the Church is perpetually assisted by the Holy Ghost Again by all the later Jesuiteâ— Positions it is all one to say We Believe the Church is perpetually assisted by the Holy Ghost in determining matters of Faith and to say We Beleeve that the Pope speaking ex Cathedra is assisted perpetually by the Holy Ghost in determining matters of Faith 14 Out of these Assertions compared with the Proposition supposed The Churches infallibilitie must be Believed before Scripture or other Articles of Faith this will immediately and directly follow We must Believe that the Holy Ghost the Supreme Judge of Scriptures and matters of Faith doth infalliblie assist the Church or Pope speaking ex Cathedra before we can Believe that there is an Holy Ghost For this is one Article of Faith taught in Scriptures which Scriptures say our Adversaries cannot be Believed but by the confirmation of the Churches Infallible Authority and this infallible Authoritie consists as we said before in this that it is infallibly assisted by the Holy Ghost wherefore the Conclusion of this absurd Position is That we must first Believe the Holy Ghost is perpetually resident in the Popes breast or Consistory of Rome before it can be Believed that there is an Holy Ghost or Divine Trinitie in Heaven If we consider the Practise of our Adversaries in urging Scripture to prove their Churches Infallibility to be the Rule of Faith they should in Reason admit the first member of the fore-mentioned Division and hold that the Scriptures must be infallibly Believed for the Word of God before the Infallibilitie of the Church which they seek to prove by Scriptures can be infallibly Believed But again if we consider their assertions concerning the Churches Infallibilitie That the Scriptures cannot be known to be the Scriptures but by It and that It is the Rule of Faith they must of necessitie admit the second member of the fore-cited Division and maintain that the Churches Infallibilitie must infallibly be Believed before we can Believe the Scriptures to be the infallible Oracles of God For Regula semper est prior regulato but the Churches Infallibilitie is the Rule of Faith by their Positions and to Believe the Scripture to be the infallible Oracles of God is a main Point of Faith and necessary to Salvation for This is the Iesuites principal Topick to disprove the Scriptures Sufficiencie for being the Rule of Faith in all Points because it containeth not this one Point viz. that the Scriptures are the infallible Oracles of God It is hence evidently proved that neither of the two first members of the former Division can stand either with Reason the Allegators Practise or Positions For the first quite overthrows their Positions concerning their Churches Infallible Authoritie The second proves their Practise to be most absurd in urging Scriptures for to prove it And yet the third member is of all the three the most absurd albeit not so dissonant to their Positions or Practise in this Point because as are they so is it Senselesse both which will evidently appear by the bare proposal of it 15 The third member was That we must infallibly Believe the Scriptures to be the Oracles of God and the Churches Infallibilitic both together without any Prioritie of Time order or nature First if this Assertion be true then cannot the Churches Infallibility serve as a Rule to know the Scriptures to be the Word of GOD infalliblie because regula prior est regulato But by this Assertion there is no Priority in the Churches Infallibilitie their supposed Rule in respect of our knowing or Believing the Scriptures to be the Oracles of GOD. Secondly if the former Assertion be true then neither can the Scriptures prove the Churches Infallibility nor the Churches Infallibility prove the Scriptures to be the Word of God unto any Believer For all Means or
Arguments of Proof suppose a Prioritie in respect of the Parties unto whom proof is to be made And to say that of two things both Believed and known together without any Priority the one might prove the other were as much as if we should say that a thing might prove it self and as we say in Schools to prove idem per idem For the very Reason why we cannot prove idem per idem is because there is no Priority of knowledge in such Identitie for otherwise where the thing proving and the thing proved are indeed the self same yet if there be a Priority of Conceits or Notions in the same thing one of them will sufficiently prove the other as is evident in the Divine Attributes none of which are indeed really distinct from others and yet may one of them prove another because in respect of us one of them is better known then another and consequently being known may prove the other But of such Attributes as are neither better known then other or where the termes are onely diverse without Priority of Conceit or knowledge there can be no proving of the one by the other For all discursive knowledge such as is all knowledge by way of Proof or Syllogism must be ex praeexistente cognitione And where one thing is proved by another that which proveth must first be Believed for the Belief of the other must spring or arise from the Belief of it If a man should go about to prove that the Prince was sumptuously arrayed because he was sumptuously apparrelled or attired the Proof would be ridiculous seeing sumptuous apparrel and sumptuous array in common speech are all one and he that knows the one knows or believes the other But if a man should say the Prince was sumptuously apparrelled because he wore a sute of Tissue or beset with Pearl the Proof were good so it could be proved that he wore such a sute For it is sufficiently known to all that such Attire is sumptuous and therefore he that can make proof that he was so attired hath sufficiently proved that he was sumptuously arrayed And thus would our Adversaries admit that either the Scriptures were better known then the Infallibilitie of the Church or the Churches Infallibilitie better known then they the one of them might be brought to prove the other without any fault in the manner or form of Proof howsoever their Assertions in the Proof of either would overthrow either their own Positions or the Principles of Faith as appeareth in the two former parts of our Division But according to our Supposition in the third member to wit That the Churches Infallibilitie and the Infallibilitie of Scripture are both alike known unto us and neither Believed before other the very manner or forme of proving one by the other would be as ridiculous and absurd as if a man should prove costly apparrel by sumptuous array Or that one was costly apparrelled because he wore costly raiment 16 The most of our Adversaries loving in this Point Darknesse more than Light like desperate Debters that keep strict reckoning what others owe them but are afraid to take an account of the Debts they owe never seek to examine the particular Difficulties of their own Opinions but think it sufficient to cast stumbling Blocks before their feet that will not hoodwink themselves that they may stand in need of leading by such blind Guides as themselves Yet Valentian who had gone so far in searching the Difficulties and dangers of this darksome inchanted Way untill he had come to see some Lightnings of these Objections here set down at the first representation of them is so affrighted as if he had seen a night-walker or Hobgoblin that had put him so far out of his right mind as he neither dare go forwards nor can he pray to God to blesse him or send him his Spirit to conduct him safely back but runs round with the Colliars Catechism in his mouth instead of a better Charm His resolution is thus That we may briefly collect the former large Disputes concerning the resolution of Faith it shall not be amisse to set down a form of answering to such as demand a Reason of our Faith If you be demanded for example sake why you Believe a Trinity of Persons in one Godhead First distinguish whether the Question be of your firm and infallible Belief of this Truth it self or of the cause which moved you to imbrace this Belief In the former Case the Answer must be Because God hath revealed it If it be demanded again how you know that God hath revealed it the Answer must be you know it not evidently but yet Believe so by the same infallible Faith by which you Believed the Truth revealed and this not by an other Revelation but by the Churches infallible Proposal of it which is a Condition necessary to such Belief If yet it be further questioned how you know the Churches Proposal or avounching of this Revelation to be infallible your Answer must be again that distinctly and clearly you know not thus much but yet Believe it as infallibly as the former and that for the Revelation of the Scripture bearing Testimony of the Churches Infallibility which Revelation you Believe not by any other Revelation but for it self although unto this very Belief the Churches Proposal be required as a necessary Condition 17 It cannot chuse but be a great Motive to perswade any man that doth not affect Blindnesse in this point of the shallow and unstable Foundation of the Romish Church when he shal thus behold so skilful an Artificer as Valentian in laying the very Ground-work thereof so gravelled in his own Objections that he fares like one that had fallen into a deep pit of loose sand heaving an offering with might and main to get out and go forwards but being destitute of all firm Ground whereon to rest one part til the rest be raised beats himself blind with too much strugling in such a sandy soil For surely from more then Egyptian or Sodomitish Blindnesse did that attempted Evasion of his in the fore-mentioned place proceed Nor do we commit any circular Fallacy in this form of answering Partly because the Revelation for which the Churches infallible Proposal is Believed and the Proposal for which the Revelation is Believed have not one and the same but each it several Object For the Object of the Churches Proposal is the Revelation but the Object of the Revelation is the Truth it self Believed as that there is one God and three Persons or that the Churches Proposal is infallible Partly because when we assign the Revelation as a Reason why we Believe the Churches Proposal we give the Reason by the Cause for the Revelation is the Cause of our assent or actual Belief but when we assign the Churches Proposal as a Reason why we Believe the Revelation the Reason is not assigned by the true Cause of our Belief but
at least which this Counterfeit exacts to be Believed as true to wit that he himself is a man of excellent parts and one that wil use Fidelity as wel in his Doings as Sayings and in a word one whose proposal in matters of State or War is as infallible as the Popes in matters of Faith Yet notwithstanding that this Counterfeits Proposal or Asseveration which must be Believed from the Princes commendation of him which must be believed again from his Proposal Non habent unum idem objectum sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have not one and the same Object yet is the former resolution â—… and so is Valentians resolution of his Catholick Faith most ridiculously impious For what other issue of such dissolute resolutions can be expected but that men who know no better should hereby be driven to suspect the Scriptures for Counterfeit and the Catholick Church if the Roman were only the Catholick Church of villanous Forgery at the least in those places of Scripture which she pretends for Proof of her own Infallibilitie 19 As for Valentians later Exception why his Resolution should not be Circular it is more ridiculous then the former most ridiculously false to omit other points in this one that he dare deny the Churches proposal by their Doctrine to be the Cause why we Believe the Divine Revelation or rather that these Scriptures which we have are Divine Revelations For by their Positions we cannot assure our selves that the Scriptures are the Word of God by any other cause or reason besides the Churches Authoritie and therefore by their Doctrine the infallible Authoritie of their Church is the only Cause why we Believe this Sacred Canon of Scriptures which we enjoy to be Divine Revelations although it be no Cause by their Doctrine why we Believe that in general Divine Revelations are true For this is a dictate of Nature not controversed betwixt us and them or betwixt any who acknowledge a Divine Power And Valentian himself directly implies that which he impudently denies in the self-same period For he granteth that Propositio Ecclesiae est ratio credendi divinam revelationem ratio eredendi the Reason or Rule of Believing must needs include in it a precedent Cause of Belief it cannot be only a Condition annexed thereto but of this point God willing hereafter 20 Sacroboscus who hath followed Bellarmines and Valentians foot-steps as faithfully as any â—rish Foot-man could his Master though sometimes taking a more compendious and smoother way likely to entice pedestria ingenia wits either by nature dull or novices in Arts and smatterers in School-learning to follow him sooner then those great ones hath taken upon him to answer to this Circle in effect as Valentian doth save only that he hath put more Tricks of Art upon it either to confound the judicious or deceive the sample Reader Which here we shal not need to examin because we purpose to unrid his mystical Evasions in the next Dispute In the end of his tract in defence of Bellarmin he frames his Objection against both Valentian and his own Resolution Whether in Believing the Church by Scriptures and Scriptures By the Church the Belief of the one must in nature if not in time go before the other He thinks it not necessary that the one should be before the other Nam actus fidei fertur in suum objectum modo simplici ut visus in suum And therefore as we see colours per species visibiles by the visible shapes or resemblances which flow from them not by seeing the visible shape before the colours so do we Believe the Scriptures by the Church albe it we do not expresly and formally Believe the Church before we believe the Scriptures Quo teneam vultus mutantem Protea nodo In the former part of this his discourse the Visible Church was unto Scriptures as the Light was unto Colours now it is unto Scriptures as visible Shapes are unto Colours What then Do we not see visible shapes before Colours nor Colours before them no. For we see no visible shapes at all but by them Colours only are brought into our sight and we cannot see one before the other if the one we see not at all And in like sense it were true that we should not Believe the Church before Scriptures not Scriptures before we Believe the Church if we were not bound to Believe the one at all But if we see one thing by another which we likewise see we must needs see that first by which we see the other and so if either we Believe the Scriptures by Believing the Church or Believe the Church by believing Scriptures we must of necessitie Believe the one before the other For that by which we Believe a thing is the Means of Belief and the Means of Belief must needs in nature and order go before Belief it self And if the Church be the Means of believing only in as much as we believe it or to speak more distinctly if the believing the Church be the very Meanes of believing the Scriptures then must we needs believe the Church before we believe the Scriptures If our Adversaries affirm that their Church is the only infallible Means of believing Scriptures in any other sort then by believing it let them in the name of God assign by what Means they wil she can make us believe the Scriptures we shal not much contend so they wil not bind us to believe this their Churches Decisions Sacroboscus his comparison of the Visible Church and visible Shapes we admit thus far for good that as unlesse there were such visible Shapes no Colours could be seen so likewise unlesse God had some Visible Church on earth men ordinarily could not see the Light of the Gospel For it is not ordinarily communicated to any but by the Ministery of others but being communicated we believe it in it self and for it self not by believing others as we see Colours in themselves and for themselves not by seeing the visible Shapes by which they are presented or communicated unto our eyes But whether there be any Propriety between the belief of these two Church and Scriptures according to our Adversaries Doctrine or whether the belief of the one be the cause of the Belief of the other or in what sort the cause and what Inconveniences wil follow thereon we shal dispute hereafter 21 Let them in the mean time illustrate the Manner how we believe Scriptures by the Church as they please Let it have the same proportion to Scriptures which the Light or visible Shapes have unto Colours they themselves make the belief of Scriptures most uncertain and for this reason seek to establish the Infallibility of their Church for to assure us of the Truth of Scriptures We demand how â—… of their Churches Infallibility can possibly be proved By Reason that is impossible as you heard before By Tradition of whom of such as may erre that is uncertain Of the infallible Church
affirm he may be an Heretick or a Son of Satan although it were true he could not propose an Heresie to be Believed yet is there no shew of Truth why he may not be so maliciously bent as he wil not vouchsafe actually to determin that for Heresie in others which in his judgement as he is a Doctor or private man is very orthodoxal thus doing he should go against his own Conscience to give Sentence Gods Spirit as they say wil guide his Tongue when or whilest he speaks ex cathedra But an evil Spirit may so work upon his Affections that he shal not come in good time so to speak especially against that Opinion which in his private Conscience he holds for true This I think none of them can deny 4 Now whilest these doubts stand unsatisfied and ye without further assurance of his Infallibility in deciding Controversies then only this Hypothetical or conditional if he speaks ex cathedra all the comfort which the Christian World perplexed with the variety of Opinions and diversities of Sects can reap from these fair promises of the Jesuites concerning their Church or Popes infallible Authority is but as if a man should say unto a Husbandman doubtful upon the uncertaintie of Weather when to sow or reap tush be of good cheer you shall certainly know what season is good what not for Seed-time and Harvest when the man in the Moon sets forth an Almanack Veritas hypotheticae propositionis saith old Javel nihil ponit in crumena Many die with fewer pounds in their purses then Arguments in their heads sufficient to prove the Truth of this conditional Proposition If I had five thousand pounds I should be a wealthy man In like manner if this be all the assurance their infallible Rule can afford us That a general Councel if lawfully assembled or the Pope if he speak ex cathedra cannot possibly erre The most pestiferous and noisome Heresies that now infect the Church may perhaps be quelled some hundred years after all now alive be dead When the Pope wil call a Councel or consult his Chair GOD knows what manner of Resolutions were to be expected if either should happen we may conjecture by their wonted Practise which is thus 5 After a Councel is called the Major part being made to serve their Makers turn for of Bishops the most must be the Popes new creatures the rest must subscribe to their Decrees usually set forth in the weather Wizards language and their sceptick School-men appointed to riddle out some good meaning that may save their Prelates Credit In the mean time the Pope and his Cardinals may follow their pleasures take their ease and with it the dreaming Captains Motto Tot urbes capio dormiens ac vigilans We take up as many Controversies we edifie the Church as much sleeping as waking If no tolerable interpretation of their doubtful Decisions can be found yet a good sense must be Believed and private Spirits may not peremptorily avouch that the Councel meant this or that but only it meant the best and this we take to be the best and therefore we think it meant thus but with humble submission to their infallible Authority All this while the Sectaries so they term us must be set to prove Negatives as that there can be no true Meaning in those speeches which may have twenty But if out of their School-mens Wranglings who can better seek out then follow the truth found any interpretation or manner of Tenet can be found which may yield advantage to them or prejudice to their Adversaries about some hundred years after perhaps when they have light on a Pope and Cardinals whose wits and they once in their life-times meet a Decision may be had upon this Opportunity of seeming advantage And yet the Catholick Church during this hundred or perhaps two hundred years of her silence must be supposed to have held perpetually the self-same Tenet which this private man hath bolted out of late albeit neither he nor any particular member thereof did know as much yea though five heads of the Church and as many principal members five successions of Popes Cardinals and Bishops have died in the mean time no one of which in all their lives did trouble their thoughts with any such matter and whilest both their Schoolmens private speculations and their publick Practise have witnessed the contrary Was the Doctrine of Justification and Merits held by any of their Doctors heretofore as the later Jesuites have refined them Did any of their Popes and Councels determin of their manner of Worshipping Images as Vasquez hath of late And yet I think if the Pope should be driven to a Decision of this Question he would define as Vasquez hath done so extraordinary is the Approbation of his Apologie for Imagery as if It likewise were worthy of Adoration And if this Pope should so determin it you must think that all his Predecessours were of the same Opinion if they had been asked cundem sensum tenuit semper mater Ecclesia 6 But what is most strange That Church may for five six or twelve hundred years and more use a Translation justly suspicious as for many other Reasons so for this That of the divers Authors thereof some we know not others we know too wel and yet when a Councel after so long time shal meet every mans work found very authentick Some learned Papists have been perswaded that their vulgar Translators were docti à Deo omnes all assisted by the Holy Ghost in their Translations But Bellarmin thinks this Opinion too charitable for so they must grant that Theodotion the Heretick the undoubted Author of some parts of that Edition was infallibly assisted by the Holy Ghost If he were not how is that part of their Vulgar which they have from him authentick and true Though erre he might as being a private man or rather a publick Heretick Dicimus tamen eum non errasse in ea translatione quam approbavit Ecclesia yet we say saith Bellarmin but I hope no wise man wil so think that he did not erre in that Translation which the Church hath approved I see then it is all one whether the Holy Ghost do assist the Translatour whilest he is about his work or the Pope his Translation after it be finished and He dead nor doth it skil how he were Qualified whilest he lived either for Integrity Wit or Learning the Cause is all one as in the Pope himself who may as freely bestow this particular gift of not erring in Translations upon whom he please without all respect of good Qualities as Saint Peter did that transcendent donative of absolute Infallibility upon him and his Successors Saint Jeroms Translation had laudable Testimonies of Antiquity yet not generally received in his time onely prejudiced by the Newnesse of it and Antiquity of the Italick But whose is the Vulgar or how first came it in request It is saith Bellarmine
partly Lucians partly Jeroms partly Theodotions the Heretick partly anothers he knows not ‖ whose Do we think the Trent Councel did examin every part of that translation or did they know as much as Bellarmin hath confessed that it should call so many Fathers and one Heretick amongst the rest Doubtless this is a miraculous Power of their Holy Church that the Holy Ghost doth but keep men from errour whilest they are living but the Pope and his councels Infallibilitie can keep an Heretick whom they knew not living from having erred after he is dead And whereas the Almighty Creatour of Heaven and Earth did but make Light shine out of Darknesse the incomprehensible Omnipotence of the Popes Infallibilitie can make Darknesse Light and Light Darknesse For otherwise why might not the Pope and the Councel have yielded the assurance of their Omnipotent Spirit unto some then living for authentick Translation Or why did they not admit Franc. Foreriâ—s Correction of the Vulgar for authentick seeing his skil in the Hebrew and good wil to the old Vulgar was so great The Reason sure why they would admit of this hodgepodge Translation before any better was as I have said to shew hereby the Popes Infallibilitie to be more then most Omnipotent and Incomprehensible They contend for the Vulgar under the Title of Hierom and yet where it is evident that Hierom did not translate the Psalmes which they use they wil not admit that Translation of them which is every where extant and without controversie is Hieroms own 7 Yet thus much I perceive by Bellarmines Answer That as an Heretick or unknown Author may erre in a Translation because he is not infallibly assisted by the Holy Ghost but yet it must be Believed that an Heretick did not erre in that Translation which the Pope and Councel hath approved So a Jesuite may perhaps commit a Murder because his order is not so holy as can warrant him from falling into mortal Sin but if it should please the Pope or Clergie of Rome to interpret the sixth Commandment otherwise we must Believe that no Jesuite doth commit any Murder in that man-slaughter or bloud-shed which the Church approves albeit he treacherously stab his Soveraign Lord the Lords anointed If it please the Pope he may antedate his Pardon or legitimate such hellish brood ere it come to light as wel as authenticate an Heretick's Translation a thousand years after his bones be rotten These are the sweet fruits of this supposed infallible Rule of Faith and Manners but of the Villanies included in this Position hereafter I now only give the Reader notice of the ridiculous Use of the same amongst themselves For what a sweet Decision was that concerning Grace and Free-Wil but lately so eagerly controversed in Spain to the publick scandal of that Church First Silence was enjoyned all for four years and afterwards Vasquez set as a brach to hunt a prey for the Romish Lion to take if he could have rouzed any to his liking Is this the Use of your infallible Rule Should Christians trouble the Turk with their Contentions he could decide as wel on this fashion as the Pope The Moscovite already hath far surpassed him in this kind of composing or rather avoiding Controversies For he not many years ago how affected now I cannot tell would have no preaching in his Dominions lest Schismes and Heresies might thereby be occasioned 8 Were not the Consequences of this Opinion so commodious to the Roman Clergie for matters of this life and so prejudicial to all other good Christians Hopes of attaining that other far better life I should have thought that Valentian Bellarmin and other such as have been most copious in this Argument had but sought to set out Commentum aliquo â—… ridiculum some artificial Foolerie to make the World sport For what better merriment could an ingenious Student wish then in his hours of recreation to descant upon their serious pains in setting a shew of Gravity upon idle foolish Arguments as uncapable of Theological as an Ape of Tragick attire But why should we consort with Hell which no doubt makes it self merry at these great Disputers Folly thus unwittingly employed to purchase the miserable solace of infernal Powers by their own eternal Sorrow without Repentance As the Opinion it self is most ridiculous to any unpartial judgement so even for this reason is the Consequence most lamentable to any indued with Humane Affection For what greater or more just Occasion of most grievous Sorrow could be presented to a religious true English Heart then to see so great a part of the Christian World especially so many of his Native Countrey-men for such ridiculous apish Impostures and false pretences of bringing Gods People under such a Government in matters of Faith as is usually in Secular States increase old Israels Rebellion and incur their grievous Curse not yet expired by casting off their Redeemer the Wisdom of God and judge of quick and dead from being their King or Supreme Judge of Controversies in Religion For why should it seem uncouth unto any Christian that Christ himself though sitting in his Throne of majestie in Heaven should be the onely Supreme infallible Judge in all Controversies concerning his own or his Apostles Precepts or Gods Laws in general For who could justly except against us if we should say That to most Physitians thorow Europe Hippocrates or Galen to Lawyers Justinian were the sole Authentick Judge No Physitian in any other Countrey exacts Subscription to his Opinions of any living in this further then upon examination they shall prove consonant either to Galen or Hippocrates or be evidently grounded on Reason Or do we exclude all use or certainty of Juridical Decisions in matters of Right and Wrong though the Judges be but ordinarie because Lawyers have no Authentick living Judge to determine infallibly of such Controversies as may arise amongst themselves in speculative points of their Profession 9 It is supposed that good Students in any Facultie have wit and art with other good means for finding out their classick Authours Sentence alreddie given whose Writings in this respect may be truly said to be their followers Judges though every one of them be a private Judge in matters of Practise Yet is it a Paradox in us to say Gods written Word is the Judge of such Controversies as arise amongst professed Divines or Ecclesiastick Judges themselves What if all of them do not agree about the true Sense and Meaning of that Word whereto all appeal No more do Physitians alwayes in their interpretations of Hippocrates or Galen yet have not their disagreements for ought I have read bred Civil Warres in the Countreys wherein they live nor doth their variance bring any danger to wise-mens Bodies but rather all dangers are by this means discovered and safer choice left others what Opinions or Prâ—… to follow or refuse or in what Cases it is most safe or dangerous to
The â—esuits unwillingnesse to acknowledge the Churches proposal for the True Cause of his faith Of differences and agreements about the final Resolution of faith either amongst the adversaries themselves or betwixt us and them 464 27 That the Churches proposal is the true immediate and prime cause of all absolute Belief my Romanist can have concerning any determinate divine revelation 468 28 Discovering either the grosse ignorance or notorious craft of the Iesuite in denying his faith is finally resolved into the Churches veracitie or infallibility that possibly it cannot be resolved into any branch of the First Truth 471 29 What manner of causal dependance Romish belief hath on the Church that the Romanist truely and properly believes the Church onely not God or his Word 478 30 Declaring how the first main ground of Romish faith leads directly unto Atheisâ— the second unto preposterous Heathenism or Idolatry 484 31 Proving the last assertion or generally the imputations laid upon the Papacie by that authority the â—esuites expreslie give unto the Pope in matters of particular Fact as in the Canonizing of Saints 495 32 What danger by this blasphemous doctrine may accrew to Christian States that of all heresies blasphemies or idolatries which have been since the world began or can be imagined 〈◊〉 Christ come to judgement this Apostasie of the Iesuites is the most abominable and conâ—…ous against the blessed Trinity 499 BLASPHEMOUS POSITIONS OF JESUITES And other Later ROMANISTS Concerning the Authority of their CHURCH The Third Book of Comments upon the CREED SECT I. Containing the Assertions of the Romish Church whence her threefold Blasphemy springs HAving in the former dispute clearly acquitted as well Gods Word for breeding as our Church from nursing Contentions Schisms and Heresies we may in this by course of common equity more freely accuse their injurious calumniators And because our purpose is not to charge them with forgery of any particular though grossest Heresies or Blasphemies though most hideous but for erecting an Intire Frame capacious of all Villanies imaginable far surpassing the Hugest Mathematical Form human fancy could have conceived of such matters but only from inspection of this real and material patern which by degrees insensible hath grown up with the Mysterie of Iniquity as the Bark doth with the Tree Such inconsiderate passionate speeches as heat of contention in personal quarrels hath extracted from some one or few of their private Writers shall not be produced to give evidence against the Church their Mother whose trial shall be as far as may be by her Peers either by her own publick determinations in this controversie or joynt consent of her authorized best approved Advocates in opening the Title or unfolding the contents of that Prerogative which they challenge for her 2 Our accusations are grounded upon their Positions before set down when we explicated the differences betwixt us The Position in brief is This That the infallible authority of the present Church is the most sure most safe undoubted rule in all doubts or controversies of faith or in all points concerning the Oracles of God by which we may certainly know both without which we cannot possibly know either which are the Oracles of God which not or what is the true sense and meaning of such as are received for his Oracles whether written or unwritten 3 The extent of divine Oracles or number of Canonical books hath been as our Adversaries pretend very questionable amongst the Ancient though such of the Fathers as for their skil in antiquity were in all unpartial judgments most competent Judges in this cause were altogether for us against the Romanists and such as were for their opinion were but for it upon an errour as thinking the Jews had acknowledged all those books of the old Testament for Canonical Scripture which the Churches wherein they lived received for such or that the Christian Church did acknowledg all for Canonical which they allowed to be publickly read Safe it was our adversaries cannot deny for the Ancient to dissent one from another in this question or to suspend their assent till new probabilities might sway them one way or other No reasons have been produced since sufficient to move any ingenious mind unto more peremptory resolutions yet doth the Councel of Trent bind all to an absolute acknowledgement of those Books for Canonical which by their own confession were rejected by S. Hierom and other Fathers If any shall not receive the whole Books with all their parts usually read in the Church and as they are extant in the old vulgar for sacred and Canonical Let him be accursed So are all by the same decree that wil not acknowledg such unwritten traditions as the Romish Church pretends to have come from Christ and his Apostles for divine and of authority equal with the written word 4 So generally is this opinion received so fully believed in that Church That many of her Sons even whilest they write against us forgetting with whom they have to deal take it as granted That the Scriptures cannot be known to be Gods word but by the Infallible authority of the present Church And from this supposition as from a truth sufficiently known though never proved they labour in the next place to infer That without submission of our faith to the Churches publick spirit we cannot infallibly distinguish the orthodoxal or divine sense of Gods Oracles whether written or unwritten from heretical or human 5 Should we admit written Traditions and the Church withal as absolute Judge to determin which are Apostolical which not little would it boot us to question with them about their meaning For when the point should come to trial we might be sure to have the very words framed to whatsoever sense should be most favourable for justifying Romish practises And even of Gods written Oracles whose words or characters as he in his wisdom hath provided cannot now be altered by an Index Expurgatorius at their pleasure That such a sense as shall be most serviceable for their Turn may as time shall minister occasion be more commodiously gathered the Trent Fathers immediately after the former decree for establishing unwritten Traditions and amplifying the extent of divine written Oracles have in great wisdom authorized the old and vulgar translation of the whole Canon Which though it were not purposely framed to maintain Popery as some of our writers say they have as frivolously as maliciously objected yet certainly as well the escapes and errors of those unskilful or ill-furnished interpreters as the negligence of transcribers or other defects incident to that work from the simplicitie of most ancient the injuries or calamities of insuing times were amongst others as the first heads or petty springs of that raging sloud of impiety which had well nigh drowned the whole Christian world in perdition by continually receiving into its chanel once thus wrought the dregs and filth of every other error under heaven
I can find think themselves bound by the former decrees of the Trent Councel But what if any should dissent from these great Champions in the interpretation of it Who should judge betwixt them or whither were they to repair for resolution To the place which God hath chosen to wit to the Sea Apostolical or in other terms to Rome So saith the Pope that confirmed this Councel As if there were only a translation of the Sea none of the Priesthood sometimes established in Jerusalem where all were to worship And if Rome have that place in Christendom which Jerusalem had in Jewrie the Pope must be such a Lord to all Christians as he that dwelt betwixt the Cherubims was to the Israelites both their Answers of like Authoritie 13 But when we repair to Rome who shall there determin what the Councel meant the Pope alone or with his Cardinals with his Cardinals if he please himself alone without them or any other if he list all after as he shall find himself disposed to use his ordinary or plenarie power by the former of which answerable to Gods working with naturall agents he determines of matters by the usuall course of Lawes provided for that purpose using the advise or counsel of his Assistants by the other correspondent to Gods working in miracles effected by his own immediate peculiar power without the coagencie of any inferiour or created cause he may resolve of himself alone not consulting his Cardinals Bishops or others This power and libertie the Trent Councel it self seems to give unto the Pope as it were for an up-shot to all the fools thunder-bolts they had let flee before And lest any man should think this absolute acknowledgement of the Popes plenarie power to be a Counsel rather then a necessary Precept The Catechisme published by the Trent Councels Authoritie hath inserted amongst the Articles of faith That the present Pope is the sile visible head of the whole Christian Church though Christ the invisible The meaning of which if I mistake not is this That the Pope concerning the points above mentioned hath as absolute power in Christs absence as Christ himself should have were he present or hall have in that day of final judgement wherein if these mens Positions be true he shall have nothing to do in matters of Faith but onely to ratifie what the Pope hath defined who must not be called to any account of his Spiritual as Kings and Monarchs must be for their Temporal Stewardships Nor shall it be said to him as it must be to some of them Well done thou good and faithfull Servant For such men onely by our Adversaries Doctrine do well as might have done ill but the Pope live as he list cannot possibly do amisse in determining matters of Faith which are of all that are of greatest difficulty and consequence 14 When first I read Josephus Acosta I much wondred to see a man otherwise of an ingenuous spirit and of parts so excellent so zealous withall for the Popes Supremacie But now I perceive the reason was all private Catechismes were to be conformed unto that publick one authorized by the Councel and Pope Amongst other Contents of that Article of the Catholick Church almost quite omitted in the former Indian Catechismes Acâ—sta's advise is to have this inserted as an essential part That the Pope is Head of the Catholick Church Christs Vicar on earth indued with his plenary power to whom all other Christians Kings and Princes not excepted ow obedience These allegations may testifie our sincerity in proposing the state of the question and points of difference betwixt us gathered not out of one or two but the general agreemeent of best Romish Wâ—iters and whereunto Valentiaâ— were he alive would willingly subscribe For he as since I have observed proposeth the title of his main Controversie concerning the Churches Authoritie in termes aequivalent to those I used Lib. 2. Sect. 1. Cap. 3. and Lib. 1. Paragr uâ—t SECT II. The first branch of Romish Blasphemie in preferring humane Authoritie before Divine AGainst these late recited and infinite other aequivalent Assertions frequent in their Publick determinations and best private Writers our Writers usually object If the Church be Judge of Scriptures her Authoritie must be above the Scriptures â—f the sense of Scripture without the Church or Popes asseveration or proposal be not Authentick nor apt to beget most firme Belief then the Word of God must receive strength and Authoritie from the word of man Some Romish Writers grant the Inference with this restraint In respect of us and yet wipe their mouthes with the whore in the Proverbs as if they had neither committed Idolatrie nor spoken Blasphemie But Bellarâ—in was too cunning a Baud to expose his mothers foul face to publick view without more artificial painting CAP. II. Bellarmin's Replic to the main Objection joyntly urged by all Reformed Churches against the Romish the Equivocation which he sought in the Objection apparently found in his Replie 1 THe former Argument howsoever much esteemed by such as bring it yet in Bellarmmes judgement is very weak and as he suspects sick of his own desease Totum in aequivocatione versatur The aequivocation he seeketh to unfold with this distinction The former speeches may admit a double sence First their meaning may be That the Church doth judge whether that which the Scriptures teach be true or false Or Secondly This sure foundation of faith being first laid The words of Scripture are most infallible and true The Church doth Judge which is the true Interpretation or meaning of them This distinction he applieth thus The former Objections were pertinent if we held the Pope or Councel to determine of Scriptures in the former sence but taâ—… our right meaning they are meer calumnies For we affirm the Church to judge Scriptures onelie in the later and so to judge them doth not set the Church or Pope above Scriptures but above the judgement of private men Nor doth the Church by this Assertion 〈◊〉 a Judge of Scriptures truth but of private mens understanding Neither will it hence follow that the Word of God receiveth strength from the word of man but private mens knowledge may and doth receive strength and infallibilitie from the Church Finally the Scripture or Word of God as Bellarmine thinks is neither more true or certain because it is expounded by the Church but every mans opinion is more true and stable when it is confirmed by the Churches exposition or decision He hath said as much as the whole Councel of Trent could have said for themselves But let us see if this be enough 2 A private mans opinion saith Bellarmin is truer when it is confirmed by the Church If we had onely an opinion of the truth or sence of Scriptures the consent of others especially men skilful in such matters would indeed much confirm us for all opinions or uncertain
the true Papists are wise enough to slip the third or last so as it shall not pinch them and have a trick withall to make the First yeeld what way they please who are resolved to follow what way soever it shall please the Popes Authority whereunto their souls indeed are onely tied to lead them But of such as ever had or hope to have any tast or relish of Gods Spirit if any should resolve absolutely to believe his interpretation of any place of Scripture contrary to that life-working sence which must be in every heart endued with hope of seeing God that mans disloyalty towards God and his Holy Spirit is as impudent as if a poor subject should replie unto his Prince commanding him in expresse termes to do thus or so I will not believe your words have any such meaning as they naturally import but a contrary such as one of my fellow-servants hath already acquainted me withall whatsoever you say I know your meaning is I should believe him in all things concerning your will and pleasure and whatsoever he shall enjoyn that will I do 8 That neither the Church can prove the Scriptures nor the Scriptures the Churches Authoritie was proved in the fourth Section of the former Book That such as hold this damnable Doctrine against which we dispute do not at all believe God speaking in the Scriptures shall be evinced in the third Section of this The present inconvenience which now will they nill they we are to wrest from their resolutions of faith is That in deed and conscience they either acknowledge no Authoritie in the Church or Scriptures or else greater in the Church then in Scriptures CAP. III. Inferring the general conclusion proposed in the Title of this Section from Bellarmines Resolution of faith 1 ASwell to occasion the learned Readers further consideration of their ill-grounded and worse builded faith as for deducing thence the proposed inconvenience it will not be amisse to propose Bellarmines resolution of a Roman Catholicks faith One especial Objection of our Writers as he frameth it is That Faith if depending on the Churches judgement is grounded but upon the word of man a weake foundation for such an Edifice that the Scripture was given by the Spirit of God and must therefore be understood by the same not by the Churches Spirit Hereunto Bellarmine answereth The word of the Church 〈◊〉 of the Councel or the Pope speaking ex Cathedra is not the bare word of man He means no word obnoxious to errour but in some sort the Word of God in as much as it is uttered by the assistance and Government of the Holy Ghost I adde saith he that Hereticks are they which indeed do lean upon a brokenreed For we must know that a proposition of Faith must be concluded in this or the like Sâ—llogisme Whatsoever God hath revealed in Scripture is true but God hath revealed this or that in Scriptures Ergo this or that is true The first proposition in this Syllogisme is certain amongst all the second likewise amongst Catholicks is most firm as being supported by the testimonie of the Church Councel or Pope of whose immunity from possibilitie of erring we have expresse promises in the Scriptures as It hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us I have prayed for thee thy faith should not fail But amongst Hereticks the second or minor proposition is grounded onely on conjecture or judgement of a private Spirit which usually seems but is not good Whence seeing the conclusion must follow the weaker part it necessarily followes that all the faith of Hereticks such in his language are all that will not relie upon the Church is but conjectural and uncertain 2 A dreadfull imputation could it be as substantially proved as it is confidently avouched And the consequence of his resolution generally held by all his fellows is of no lesse importance then this That no man can be infallibly assured either of the truth or true sence of any particular proposition in the whole Canon of Scriptures received by us and them unlesse he have the Churches Authority for confirmation of both For unto us that onely which the Church avoucheth is certain and unfallible that sence of it which the Church gives onely sound if we speak of any particular or determinate truths 3 How certain and unfallible Assent unto all or any Scriptures may be wrought in mens hearts without any infallible teacher already hath been and hereafter shal be God willing in more particular sort exemplified In this place it stood the Jesuite upon to have given a better solution to the doubt objected which he is so far from unloosing that he rather knits it faster as shal appear if the Reader wil first cal to mind That for the establishing of firm and undoubted assent to any truth proposed it skils not how infallible the truth in it self or the proposer be unlesse they whose Relief or Assent is demanded be as infallibly perswaded of this Infallibility in the truth or the proposer In this respect our adversaries plead their immunity from errour as an Article necessary to be infallibly Believed for confirmation of Gods Word alwayes most infallible as all grant in it self but not so as they affirm to us until it be avouched by Infallible authority 4 Herein they concur with us Both with the truth That if we believe it only as probable that God spake all those words which we acknowledge to be most infallible because his our belief notwithstanding is not infallible but probable or conjectural For as a man may have bad desires of things essentially good so may he have uncertain perswasions of truthes in themselves most certain It is not therefore the supposed Infallibility of the Church or Pope howsoever but infallibly apprehended and believed that must strengthen our faith which otherwise as is pretended would be but conjectural And by the former principle acknowledged as wel by them as us it necessarily follows that if we be only probably not infallibly perswaded the Pope or Church cannot erre our assent unto the minor proposition i. unto any determinate part of Gods Word is only probable not Infallible For by the Jesuites Doctrine we cannot be certainly perswaded that God spake this or that but by the Churches testimony The immediate consequence of which two assertions compared together is we cannot be more certain that God hath spoken this or that then we are of the Churches Infallibility If then we be only probably not infallibly perswaded that the Church is infallible our Belief of the minor proposition that is of any determinate truth which men suppose God hath spoken must be only probable or conjectural not infallible Consequently to these collections the learned Papists generaly hold that the Churches Infallibility must be absolutely and infallibly believed as you heard before out of Canus Bellarmin and Valentian otherwise as Bellarmin would infer our Belief of the Minor in any
Syllogismâ—… wherein a Proposition of Faith is Concluded can be but Conjectural 5 The proposed inconvenience we may drive from this difficulty How the Papists themselves can attain to the infallible belief of the Churches infallible authority The Church they think hath a publick spirit and publick spirits they know are infallible hence they may perswade themselves the Church is infallible only upon the same terms they believe it hath a publick spirit if their belief of this later be but conjectural their assent unto the former can be no better Seeing then they must of necessity grant for this is the principal mark they aim at that all must infallibly believe the Church hath a publick spirit the difficulty removes to this point how this infallible perswasion is or may be wrought in them Either it must be grounded upon Scriptures or not avouched unto them and wrought in their hearts it must be either by a publick or private spirit Let us examin all the parts of this division 6 First if private mens infallible perswasion of the Churches publick or Authentick spirit be not grounded upon Scriptures acknowledged by us and them the Churches Authority without all controversie is much greater then the authority of Scriptures if it by this assertion can be any and the Churches not all in all For unto that which men cannot know whether it be true or false they cannot be bound to yield absolute or immediate obedience unto that authority which they absolutely believe as infallible they are bound to yield infallible assent and absolute obedience directly in it self and for it self But by this supposition men cannot know Scriptures infallibly without the Churches authority and yet they must infallibly believe the Churches authority without Scriptures The Scriptures authority therefore is either lesse then the Churches or none at all 7 But be it supposed that private mens infallible Belief of the Churches publick spirit is grounded upon Scriptures acknowledged by us and urged by them to this purpose as upon these it seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and us I have prayed for thee thy faith should not fail The question whereunto we demand an answer is whether this infallible Belief of the Churches authority grounded upon these places must be wrought in mens hearts by a private or publick spirit If by a private spirit only Bellarmin believed the Churches publick spirit or those Scriptures truth or true meaning whereon he grounds it He and all other Papists such as he was when he delivered this Doctrine neither Bishops nor Cardinals are subject to the same inconveniences which he hath condemned us for as Hereticks For all private spirits by his positions are abnoxious to errour unsufficient to plant any infallible perswasion in matters of faith yet such is this article of the Churches Authentick spirit of which unlesse men be so perswaded infallibly perswaded they cannot be of the minor proposition in any Syllogism wherein a point of faith is concluded and uncertain of the minor they cannot be certain of the conclusion which as Bellarmin rightly observes alwayes follows the weaker part The infallible conclusion therefore of Bellarmin's resolution is unlesse private men may have publick spirits to warrant the truth of Scriptures and the Churches infallibility thereon grounded they cannot truely believe any conclusion of faith It remains then we inquire what inconvenience wil follow if they admit private men to be partakers of publick spirits 8 Diversity of such spirits they acknowledge not If therefore private mens Infallible Assent unto the truth or true sense of those particular Scriptures whence they seek to prove their Churches Infallibility must be planted by a publick spirit planted it must be by the same spirit which guides and guiding makes the Church and Pope authentick and infallible both in their proposal of Scriptures and declaration of Scriptures sence Seeing this spirit is one and the same if it can make the Church or Pope infallible in all why may it not make all private men by this supposition partakers of it alike infallible at the least in the right understanding of those places which warrant the Churches Infallibility or publick spirit For our adversaries I hope wil easily grant that the Churches publick and Authentick spirit must be most infallibly Believed because so expresly taught in those Scriptures cited by Bellarmin to this purpose If this publick or Authentick spirit can work such infallible apprehension of those places true meaning in private hearts why not in all others as necessary for them to know that is in all necessary to salvation And if thus it do why are we bound to believe the Pope more then the Pope us we being partakers of a publick and infallible spirit as wel as he 9 Or if they hold it no absurdâ—ty to say we must believe two or three places It seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and us Peter feed my sheep by a publick and authentick spirit teaching us from these to rely upon the Pope in all other parts of Gods Word because as it must be supposed we have but a private spirit for their assurance by this supposition the Popes authority in respect of us must have the same excesse of superiority unto Scriptures that a publick spirit hath unto a private or the Pope who believeth all Scriptures by a publick spirit hath unto a private man This publick spirit whereof they vaunt is the same which did inspire the Scriptures to Atoses the Prophets and Apostles and must by this position be the Pope or Churches immediate Agent for establishing this inviolable league of absolute allegeance with mens souls unto them but of none so absolute to their Creator and Redeemer and the rest of whose written laws and eternal decrees must be communicated unto them by a private spirit and subscribed unto with this condition If the Pope shal witnesse them to be his laws or to have this or that meaning 10 Nor can our adversaries deny the truth of this subsequent collection If it were possible for the Pope in matters controversed to teach contrary to Gods Word we were bound to follow him For they themselves argue thus If the Pope could erre in matters of Faith Faith might perish from the Earth all Christians bound to erre because bound to obey him This proves that our Assent to any Scriptures besides those which teach the Popes authority cannot in it self be perfect and absolute but subject to this condition if the Pope be infallible And even of those places which as they pretend witnesse him to be such there yet remains a further difficulty These the Pope believes not because they are confirmed to him by his predecessor but directly and immediately by his publick spirit But may private men believe them so too No. For these especially and the Churches infallibility contained in them are by all our adversaries consent propositions of Faith in respect of us and need by their doctrine the proposal or
judgement which in outward profession not disclaiming the former main foundation of Christianity God manifested in the flesh can in deed and issue more evidently overthrow it more distinctly contradict either those Fundamental precepts of salvation last cited or more fully evacuate the often mentioned promise made unto Saint Peter then the foundation of Romish religion as Romish doth and I will do publick pennance in sack-cloth and asâ—es for laying the imputation of Antichristianism upon it Our Saviour saith whosoever heareth these words and doth them not doth build his house upon the sand They teach the contradictory as an Article of faith that the Pope or a Councel of Bishops assembled by his appointment instructed by his Infallibility confirmed by his plenary power do alwayes build upon the same Rock as Peter did yea that the Pope himself how wicked soever is that very Rock whereupon the Church that is in their language the Bishops thus assembled is built the oecumenical Pastor that must keep them and by them all Christs flock from going astray the supream head that by his vertue and influence must sustain every member of Christs body here on earth from falling into heresie or approaching the territories of hell through any kind of errour or infidelity 27 Our Saviour promised in solemn manner ex Cathedra the gates of hell shall never prevail against his Church What Church the Catholick What Catholick Visible or Invisible Triumphant or Militant Visible and Militant What Catholick visible militant Church The Roman that consists of divers members In it some are Pastors some are sheep whether have better interest in that Promise Pastors Of Pastors some are Prelates some inferiours whether are to be preferred before the other Prelates doubtlesse for of them consists the body of the Church representative which is most properly called the Church and next in reversion unto Peters prerogative Did the gates of hell then never prevail against the greatest Romish Prelates I nominate no particular person I speak onely of them as the Scripture doth of Drunkards Whoremongers Adulterers Dogs Enchanters Many of highest place in that Church have for a long time lived and for ought their followers can or care to say unto the contrary died such as the Spirit of God hath excluded from the Kingdome of Heaven such as Gods Word tels us hell must swallow up with open mouth Are they the Church and may hell gates prevail against them and yet not prevail against the Church 28 But if a woman an whorish woman cannot be taken without an excuse may we think those effeminate sworn creatures of servitude to that great Strumpet can want an answer No this distinction is alwayes at hand Their Popes and Cardinals may as erre so go to hell But how as private Doctors not as oecumenical Pastors not as they speak ex Cathedra so to my remembrance I have read of a proud Romish Prelate that being reproved for his secular pomp made answer he followed these fashions as he was a Duke not as an Archbishop But the reprovers reply hath made the Apologie better then which no Jesuite can make for the Pope most ridiculous ever since If this be so quoth the shepherd such was the Pastor God had appointed to rebuke the madnesse of this false Prophet I pray resolve me what shall become of my Lord Duke if the Archbishop go to the Devil If many sometimes Popes be now in hell as no Jesuite I think will professe any morall hope that all are saved What is become of the Church representative which lodged in their brains Hath the number of glorified Saints been encreased by their departure from earth Were they ever a whit more happie for being heirs to that glorious Promise Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church Or were their Comments upon that place Orthodoxal What was the comfort Saint Peter himself could ever have reaped thence Onely this though Sathan may so fist thee that thy soul may go to hell before thy body descend to the grave yet rest assured of this that thy faith which in Cathedral resolutions shall never sail thee in thy life time shall survive in thy successors when thou art dead but to what purpose if notwithstanding this prerogative all may descend one after another into hell 29 Or if their Doctrine were true to what end did Christ come in the flesh onely to build a Church which like a lamp or candle may gloriously shine whiles there is an uninterrupted succession of Popes to propagate the splendor but whose glorie when that expires for ought that glorious promise addes unto it must be extinguished as the light goes out when the oil is spent Better assurance then every Pope for his time hath Saint Peter by their doctrine had none from those words of our Saviour For whatsoever power or prerogative was in them bequeathed to him doth descend by inheritance to his successours And would the meanest Jesuite now living have gloried much in a life graced with no greater visible Church dignitie then S. Peters was perpetually exposed to like danger without any other solace to support it save onely this that his posterity should enjoy the same priviledges But now that the glory and dignity of the Romish Church is become so great and the Iesuites portion thereby grown so fat they can be well content to sooth up the Pope in this conceit that howsoever his person may go to hell a place it seems not much dreaded because unknown yet hell gates shall never prevail against his faith which hath brought such large possessions to the Church both which he may infallibly entail to his successors untill the worlds end But as I said before what then shall become of that Cathedral faith shall it augment the quire of Gods elect or can they make as many S. Faiths as have been Popes 30 Herein appears the excesse of these dayes impiety in respect of former that this imaginary Idea of Romish faith should be more superstitiously adored then any other Idoll in the World ever was Although that of the Apostle may be more properly said of it then any other nihil est in mundo Other Idols represented either men or beasts some permanent creature or reall quality This is a fancie of a Chimaera a shape of nothing or if by nature and essence ought it is such a conceit or mental quality as may be in devils Existence it hath none but as Eclipses of the Sun by fits or courses when the Pope shall speak ex Cathedra What shall become of it and the colours in the Rainbow after the day of judgement are two questions of like use and consequence and of these two Objects the one as fit to direct mens courses by Sea or Land as the other to conduct us towards heaven The dazled imaginations of these Idolaters that can thus conceit this faith to be spiritual and eternal by succession when it cannot save
universal or absolute amongst the Jews as the Papists make it but was to be limited by the former Rules 1 ONe especial place on which they stand is from that Law in Deuteronomy If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgement between bloud and bloud between plea and plea between plague and plague in the matters of controversie within thy gates then shalt thou arise and go up unto the place which the Lord thy God shall chuse And thou shalt come unto the Priests of the Levites and to the Judge that shall be in those dayes and ask and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgement and thou shalt do according to that thing which they of that place which the Lord hath chosen shew thee and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee According to the Law which they shall teach thee and according to the judgement which they shall tell thee sealt thou do thou shalt not decline from the thing which they shall shew thee neither to the right hand nor to the left And that man that will do presumptuously not hear kning unto the Priest that standeth before the Lord thy God to minister there or unto the Judge that man shall die and thou shalt take away evil from Israel so all the people shall hear and fear and do no more presumptuously 2 This precept admits of many restrictions any one of which doth take away all the force of our adversaries objections First it may without prejudice to our cause be granted although it cannot out of these words be necessarily inferred that God here prescribes obedience in the abstract such as was to be performed unto those Priests and Judges that lived according to that pattern which he had set them Thus may this precept of obedience for the extent be universal and concern all causes whatsoever spiritual or temporal doubts of conscience or matters of this life in all which such governours were to be obeyed but conditionally if they were such as God in his law required they should be unto such as you heard before he gave illuminations extraordinary such as the parties that were to obey might have perfect notice of But how great soever the extent of this precept be not one syllable in it makes more for absolute obedience unto spiritual then unto civil governours for it is said indefinitely vers 10. thou â—… do according to that thing which they either spiritual or temporal of that placâ—… which the Lord hath chosen shall shew thee And again the words are diâ—…ctive That man that will do presumptuously not hearkening unto the Prâ—… unto the Judge that man shall die whether the Priest were to be supream Judge or no it is not said at the least the High Priest was not the chief man alwayes in the Councel for he was not alwayes admitted into the supream Consistory or Sanhedrim which is established in this place yet Bellarmin will have the definitive sentence belong unto the Priest and the execution of it to the civil magistrate so indeed the present Romish Church in spiritual cases would be judge and mâ—ke Christian Princes her hang-men but their practise must not be taken for an infallible exposition of that Law whence they seek to justifie their practise quite contrary to the practise of the Jewish Church and Synagogue Nor doth Bellarmin or any other beside the base parasitical Canonists or the Popes trencher chaplains deny but that in many civil causes the Prince or temporal Magistrate hath a definitive sentence can he then gather out of any circumstance of this place that only spiritual causes are here meant nay he confesseth that the law is general concerning all doubts that might arise out of the law yet it is most probable that it only concerns civil controversies and Bellarmins reason to prove that it includeth spiritual causes or matters of Religion is most idle The occasion of this Law saith he was for them that did serve other Gods as appears out of the beginnning of the Chapter now the service of other Gods is a point of Religion But what though Moses in the former part of this Chapter speak of Idolaters must this law therefore concern Idolaters In the former part he speaketh only of Idolaters but this law is not only for them by Bellarmins confession Yet the circumstances of the place and the expresse law against Idolaters mentioned before evince that in this Chapter as in the former he first sets down laws concerning the true service of God and in the later part gives precepts for the observation of the second Table the maintaining of love by the final composition of all controversies that might arise betwixt neighbours In the former law Idolaters are sentenced to death and Idolatry saith Bellarmin is a point of Religion Was the Priest alone then to give sentence and the civil Magistrate only to execute it There is not the least pretence for it out of this Text. Any ordinary Magistrate might execute him that was lawfully convicted of this crime nor was it so hard a matter to judge who was an Idolater amongst the Jews as it is to determin what is an Heresie amongst the Romanists This was to be proved by witnesses not by Logical proof or force of speculative reason Had the cunningest Jesuite in the world been taken amongst them kneeling down before an Image and praying to it all the distinctions in the Master of sentences or Aquinas or both their Commentators could not have redeemed him against two honest men that had sworn he had done thus much there had been no appeal from any City in Judah unto any higher Court his doom had been read in the gates and without them he should as Homer speaks have put on a stony coat 3 That the Kings of Judah were only to execute the Priests definitive sentence in all hard controversies is a position well deserving execution without appeal at Princes hands And no doubt but it did so amongst the Jews The former Court as is most probable was to cease when they had a King amongst them And Moses in the former Chapter after he had given the other law for ending controversies gives the law for the election of their King if so be they would have one as if the former Court had then ceased to be the supream Tribunal seeing all Subjects might appeal unto the King from it in which this Soveraignty did before reside as being the supream Tribunal whence there could be no appeal 4 The King in the Law concerning his qualification is commanded to have the Law of his God written out And it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the dayes of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and to keep all the words of his Law and these Ordinances for to do them that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren and that he turn not from the commandment
Faith there should be no question but God hath ordained such an authentical manner of deciding all Controversies If he have not it must needs be either because he could not establish such an infallible Authority and uncontrolable power or else because he would not To say he could not were to deny his omnipotencie open blasphemie to say he would not were little better for this were to denie his goodnesse and love to his Church both which the Scriptures testifie to be great nay infinite 3 But how great soever his love to his Church and chosen be as we acknowledge it to be infinite and everlasting if these or the like arguments make any thing for the infallibilitie of the present Romish they prove as much and as directly for the ancient Jewish Church For that was a Visible company of men not of oxen and asses and of them God had a care also Nay they were his own peculiar people and without all controversie the onely visible Church which he had on earth Wherefore all the former arguments if they conclude any infallible Authority in the present Romish Church they conclude much more for the like infallibility of the Jewâ—sh And by necessary consequence if I prove That Church had no such Authority my assertion stands sure That this infallible authority which the Factors of the Romish Church do challenge is greater then any visible Company of men had before our Saviours time And by the same proof shall the Romish Church be debarred for ever of both the two former pleas either drawn from the authority of the Priests or from the best form of government CAP. XV. That justly it may be presumed the Jewish Church never had any absolute infallibility in proposing or determining Articles of faith because in our Saviours time it and so grievously erre in the fundamental point of salvation FOr proof of the Conclusion proposed that Jerusalem had no such absolute infallibilitie as Rome pleads for I took it for a long time as granted by all that if any such authority had been established in the Law it should not have varied untill the alteration of the Priesthood For Gods covenant with Levi was in this sence everlasting that it was to endure without interruption untill His sacrifice was accomplished that was a Priest after a more excellent order His oblation of himself was the common bond to the Law and Gospel the end of the one and the beginning of the other Nor did the Legal rites or ceremonies themselves though these most obnoxious to corruption vanish by little and little as this sacrifice did approach neerer and neerer as darknesse doth before the rising of the Sun rather that consummation wrought upon the Crosse did swallow them up at once as virility doth youth youth childhood childhood infancie Seeing then our Adversaries suppose this infallibilitie was annexed as a prerogative royall unto the Priesthood they cannot imagine any tolerable reason why the one should expire before the other was quite abolished Hence it is that most of them hold the Scribes and Pharisees in our Saviours time were absolutely infallible in their Cathedrall consultations And I had just reasons to presume Bâ—llarmin had been of the same mind For besides his urging that place without all sense or reason unlesse grounded on this opinion They sit in Moses chair All therefore whatsoever they bid you that observe and do these other words of his seemed to imply thus much It cannot be shewed that the Synagogue of the Jews did fail in faith untill Christs coming at what time it did not fail but rather became better by change By his speeches elsewhere I perceived by the Synagogue thus changed he meant the Church planted by Christ not the Consistory of the High-Priests and Elders not the Catholick Representative Jewish Church For saith he as it is not necessary the Popes Vicar should be inerrable when the Pope himself doth guide the Church and defend it from errour so neither was it necessary that the Jewish High Priest should not erre when Christ the High-Priest of the whole Church was present and did govern his Church in person 2 This example were it true might illustrate though ill-favouredly his assertion once supposed as possible but no way argues it to be probable Herein his similitude fails that the High Priests in our Saviours time were Aarons lawfull successors their Priesthood as entire then as ever it was and they Deputies to none in this rank or order That their Predecesâ—ors had such infallibility he fain would prove Can he or any for him â—hew us when or by what means it should determin whiles the Priesthood lasted To take away the Popes infallibility even in this last age of the word were in their construction to deny Christs promise made unto S. Peters chair And was not the former like prerogative as inseparably annexed to Moses seat did our Saviour before his Passeover either by doctrine or practise derogate ought from any lawful authority established on earth much lesse from that which God had expresly instituted The greatest prerogative the Scribes and Pharisees Priests or Rulers ever had was that they were Aarons successors and possessed Moses place and this authority was never disanulled but rather ratified by our Saviour after he had undertaken his ministerial function They sit in Moses seat all therefore whatsoever they bid you that observe and do And elsewhere Go and shew thy self unto the Priest c. 3 Yet this Sophister would perswade us that Isaiah and Daniel had foretold the expiration of this prerogative in later times They both indeed foretel this peoples extraordinary general blindnesse about the time of our Saviours conversation on earth But this directly proves what we object not what Bellarmin should have answered at least to us who contend the Priests and Rulers of this people were not infallible in our Saviours time nor doth Isaiah or Daniel or any Prophet of God say they were at any time such Let any Jesuite prove what easily he may out of Isaiahs words cited by Bellarmin that the Jewish Church representative was not infallible in our Saviours time and from the same we shal as clearly evince it palpably erroneous in Isaiahs own dayes or immediately after For the self same words which the Evangelist saith were fulfilled in the unbelieving Jews that heard our Saviours doctrine were literally and exactly verified of their fore-fathers before the captivity of Babylon as the Cardinal himself would he take the pains to read the whole Chapter and review the place cited by him I know would not deny His words are these And he said go and say unto this people Ye shall hear indeed but ye shall not understand ye shall plainly see and not perceive Make the heart of this people fat make their ears heavy and â—â—â—ut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and convert and
dealt far otherwise with us 7 But doth this defect of faith in him convince the Law of imperfection rather the object of his distrust might have taught him to have believed the perfection of Moses Law which had so often forewarned them of such oppression by their enemies when they forsook the God of their fathers These forewarnings had Gideon believed aright he had not distrusted the Angels exhortation What was the reason then of his misbelieving or rather overseeing that part of the law Not ignorance of Gods word in general for the miracles related by Moses he had in perfect memory What then want of sufficient authority to propose unto him these particular revelations or their true meaning This is all the Romanist can pretend Yet what greater authority could he require then that Angel had which spake unto Gideon Our Apostle supposeth any Angels proposal of divine Doctrines to be at the least equivalent to Apostolical Though we saith he whether Paul or Cephas or which he supposeth to be more an Angel from heaven preach unto you otherwise then we have preached unto you let him be accursed Or if we respect not onely the personal authority of the proposer but with it the manner of proposing Gods word What proposal can we imagine more effectual then this great Angel of the Covenants replie unto Gideons distrustfull answer and the Lord looked upon him and said Go in this thy might and thou shalt save Israel out of the hands of the Midianites have I not sent thee 8 Whether Gideons diffidence after all this were a sin I leave it to be disputed by the Jesuites A defect or dulnesse no doubt it was and onely in respect of the like in us they hold a necessity of the visible Churches infallibilitie unto whose sentence whosoever fully accords not is by their positions uncapable of all other infallible means of divine faith To pretend doubt or distrust of Gods Word once proposed by it yea to seek further satisfaction or resolution of doubts then it shall vouchsafe to give is more then a sin extreme impiety Yet had this great Angel stood upon his authority in such peremptory termes Gideon had died in his distrust For after a second replie made by Gideon Ah my Lord whereby shall I save Israel behold my family is poor in Manasseh and I am the least in my fathers house and a further promise of the Angels assistance not like the former have I not sent thee but I wil therefore be with thee and thou shalt smite the Madianites as one man he yet prefers this petition I pray thee if I have found favour in thy sight then shew me a signe that thou talkest with me Depart not hence I pray thee until I come unto thee and bring mine offering and lay it before thee After he had by more evident documents fully perceived it was an Angel of the Lord that had parlied with him all this time erecting his dejected heart with these comfortable words Peace be with thee fear not thou shalt not die He yet demands two other signes before he adventures upon the Angels word But after it is once confirmed unto him by experience of his power in keeping his fleece drie in the middle of moisture and moistning it where was nothing but drinesse about it he is more confident upon a Souldiers dream then a Jesuite in like case would be upon the Popes sentence or blessing given ex Cathedra When Gideon heard the dream told and the interpretation of the same he worshipped and returned to the host of Israel and said Up for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian 9 Nor he nor his people could at any time have wanted like assurance of Gods might and deliverances had they according to the rule which Moses set them turned unto him with all their heart and with all their soul but as far were they as the Papists from admitting his words for their rule of faith The unwritten traditions of Baal were at the least of equal or joint authority with his writings and in deed and action though not in word and profession preferred before them Longer then their assent was by such miraculous victories as Gideon had now gotten over the Midianites as it were tied and fastned to the blessings and cursings of Moses law this stiff-necked generation did neither cleave to it nor to their God But when Gideon was dead they turned away and went a whoring after Baalim and made Baal-Berith their God and remembred not the Lord their God which had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side Miracles after the Law-given were usually either tokens of precedent unbelief or for signes to unbelievers serving especially to put them in mind of what Moses had foretold the attentive consideration of whose predictions wrought greater faith and confidencie in such as without miracles laid this law in their hearts then this people conceived upon the fresh memory of Gideons extraordinary signes and glorious victory 10 The like occasions of such distrust as were observed in Gideon were frequent in those times wherein the four and fourtieth Psalm was written yet the Authour of it is not so daunted with the oppression of his people as Gideon was The manifestation of such reproach contempt and scorn as Moses said should befall them did alwayes animate such as indeed had used the Law as a perpetuall rule to notifie the diversitie of all successe good or bad by the degrees of their declining from it or approach unto it The greater calamities they suffered the more undoubted Experience they had of divine truth contained in Mosaical threats the more undoubted their Experience of their truth upon consciousnesse of their own transgressions the greater motives they had upon sincere and hearty repentance to apprehend the stability of his sweetest promises for their good No depression of this people but served as a countersway to accelerate intend or enlarge the measure of their wonted exaltation so long as they rightly weighed all their actions and proceedings in Moses ballances equalizing their permanent sorrow for sins past unto their wonted delight in transient pleasures 11 Thus when Jeremy more admired then distrusted Gods mercies in tendering the purchase of his kinsmans sield to him close prisoner for denouncing the whole desolation of his Countrey when the Kings and Princes of Judah had no assurance of so much possession in the promised land as to inherit the sepulchres of their fathers the Lord expels not his suspensive rather then dissident admiration with signs and wonders as he had done Gideons doubt or his stiff-necked fore-fathers distrust By what means then by the present calamities which had seized upon the Cities of Judah and that very place wherein his late purchased inheritance lay When he cast these and the like doubts in his mind Behold the Mounts they are come into the City to
as shall be declared in due place The place he means is where he disputes whether the Pope be bound to consult other authority besides his own or use any means to search the truth before he passe sentence ex cathâ—dra that is before he charge the whole Christian World to believe his decision This he thinks expedient but so far forth onely as if it please his Holinesse to enjoyn the belief of some particular point upon the whole World all must believe that he hath consulted Scripture and Antiquity as far as was requisit for that point as you shall after hear 2 That in such Controversies he includes The means of knowing Scriptures to be the Word of God is evident out of his own words in the fore-cited place For the knowledge of Scriptures he would have to be an especial point of faith yet such as cannot be proved by Scripture but by this living and speaking authority as he expressely contends in the eleventh paragraph of the same question His conclusion is If it be necessary there should be some authority though humane yet by divine assistance infallible to sit as Mistresse and Judge in all controversies of faith and not to be appropriated to any deceased as is already proved it remains that it be alwayes living in the Church alwayes present amongst the faithfull by succession he means of Popes Thus you see the present Pope must be Judge and Christ and his Apostles must be brought in as witnesses And yet whether there were such a Christ as Saint Matthew Mark Luke and John tell us there was or whether the Gospels which go under their names be Apocryphal and that of Bartholomews onely Canonical we cannot know but by the Popes testimony so that in the end he is the onely Judge and onely witnesse both of Christ the Apostles and their writings yea of all divine truths at least assisted with his Bishops and Cardinals Which Bellarmine though otherwise a great deal more wary then Valentian hath plainly uttered Unlesse saith he it were for the authority of the present Church of Rome he means the Trent Councel the whole Christian faith might be called in question so might all the Acts and Decrees of former Councels his reason was because we cannot know these Antiquities but onely by Tradition and historical relation which are not able to produce divine firme infallible faith 3 Thus whilest this great Clerk would dig a pit for the blind for he could not hope I think this block should stumble any that hath eyes in his head he is fallen into the middest of it himself by seeking to undermine us he hath smothered himself and buried the cause he was to maintain For if without the Trent Councels testification we cannot by divine faith believe the Scriptures or former Councels to be of Divine authority How can such as were born within these thirty yeers believe that Councel it seâ—t which ended above fourty years ago Few this day living were Auditors of the Cardinals and Bishops decisions there assembled not hearing them their saith must needs be grounded upon hear-sayes Again if it be true the Scriptures cannot be known to be divine but by the Authority of the present viâ—ible Church If this Church do not viva voâ—â— confirme all Christians in this fundamental truth their faith cannot be divine but hu mane What the Pope or his Cardinals think of these points is more then any living knows unlesâ—e they hear them speak and then it may be a great question whether they speak as they think Pope Alexander the sixths decisions should have been negative like the fools bolt in the Psalm Tâ—erâ— is no God No Christ No Gospel for so his meaning might have been interpreted as they say dreams are by contraries seeing he never spake as he thought Lastly if the Trent Councel were so necessary for the confirmation of Scriptures and other Orthodoxal writings how detestable was your Clergies backwardnesse to affoord the Christian World this spiritual comfort For whether fear it were the Popes Authority should be curbed on meer sloth and neglect of matters divine that did detain them their shifts to put the Emperour off the Reader may sufficiently conjecture from Sepul veda at that time Chronicler to the Emperour in his Epistle to Cardinal Contâ—râ—â— one of the Popes Legates in that Councel That my intermissâ—â—n of writing and silence in that question concerning the Correction of the â—ear hath 〈◊〉 so long I wish the fault had laid in my slouth or forgetfulneâ—â— that I might have been hence ocâ—asioned to acknowledge and depreccate the blanâ—â— rather then as noâ— I freely must impute the true cause to the negligence of your Romanâ— Priests whom I perceive to wax cold and to think of nothing lesse then of calling the Councel with hopâ— whereof as heretâ—fore I was excited so now â—â—spair hath made me dull For I see well that such as are most bound to have a â—â—gilant care oâ— the Churches publick welfare and not to foreslow any opportunity of increasing her dignity never so much as mention the Councel at this time as necâ—ssary as alwayes usefull but when Christians either are alâ—caay or are likâ—… be at viriance In one word never but then when there is sure hope it may bâ—… hindeâ—ed by their discord For when peace gets it turn and all is quiet not 〈◊〉 word of the Councel So as what they aime at by these unseasonable 〈◊〉 is so manifest as will not suffer the slon est capacity to live in doubt or sâ—â—pition 4 This great Learned Antiquaries Learned advice in â—…â—ile sent to the same Cardinall then imployed by the â—… cel was not to suffer matters Decreed in any former â—… assembled together to be disputed or called in question Sufferance hereof was in his judgement no lesle prejudicial to the State Ecclesiastick then unto the temporal it would be to permit malefactors traverse the equity of publick Lawes established and known after sufficient proof or confession made of Capital offences committed against them The marginal quotations of the Trent Councel compared with this grave admonition which had antiquitie-customes Canonical as the Authour urgeth to give it Countenance may serve as a perfect Index for our instruction with what prejudice the Bishops there assembled came to determine by whose manuduction or set rules they drew their supposed inerrable lines of life Now it is impossible any determination that takes it force from multitude of voyces should be either in it self more certain or more forcible to perswade others then are the motives or inducements that swayed the suffragants so to determine and these in this case could by Bellarmines reason be but historical perswasions or presumptions For no Jesuite I think will say these Bishops had the Popes sentence ex Cathedra to assure them before-hand what Councels had been lawfully called and fully confirmed or whether all the ancient Canons they afterwards reestablished were already as authentick and
Without the help or ministerie of man We maintain as wel as they God is not a father to such as will not acknowledge the Church for their Mother Notwithstanding thus we conceive and speak of the Church indefinitely taken not consined to any determinate place not appropriated to any individual or singularized persons Now to verifie an indefinite speech or proposition the truth of any one particular sufficeth As he that should say Socrates by man was taught his learning doth not mean the specifical nature or whole Mankind but that Socrates as others had one man or other at the first to instruct him The same Dialect we use when we say Every one that truly cals God father receives instructions from the Church his Mother that is from some in the Church lawfully ordained for planting faith unto whom such Filial Obedience as elsewhere we have spoken of is due The difference likewise between the Romanists and us hath partly been discussed before In brief it is thus We hold this Ministery of the Church is a necessary condition or mean precedent for bringing us to the Infallible Truth or true sense of Gods word yet no infallible Rule whereon finally or absolutely we must rely either for discerning divine Revelations or their true meaning But as those resentâ—â—ances of colours which we term Species visibiles are not seen themselves though necessary for the sight of real colours so this Minisiery of the Church alâ—… in it self not infallible is yet necessarily required for our right apprehension 〈◊〉 the Divine Truth which in it self alone is most infallible yea as infallible to us as it was ‖ to the Apostles or Prophets after it be rightly apprehended The difference is in the manner of apprehending or conceiving it They conceived it immediately without the Ministery or instruction of man so cannot we This difference elsewhere I have thus resembled As trees and plants now growing up by the ordinary husbandry of man from seeds precedent are of the same kind and quality with such as vvere immediately created by the hand of God so is the immediate ground of ours the Prophets and Apostles Faith the same Albeit theirs was immediately planted by the finger of God ours propagated from their seed Sown and cherished by the daily industry of faithful Ministers 3 Neither in the substance of this assertion nor manner of the explication do we much differ if ought from Canus in his second book where he taxeth Scotus Durand and others for affirming the last resolution of our faith was to be made into the veracity or infallibility of the Church The Apostles and Prophets saith he resolved their faith into truth and authority divine Therefore we must not resolve our faith into the humane authority of the Church For the faith is the same and must have the same Formal Reason For better confirmation of which assertion he adds this reason Things incident to the object of any habit by accident do not alter the formal reason of the object Now that the Articles of faith should be proposed by these or these men is meerly accidental wherefore seeing the Apostles and Prophets did assent unto the Articles of faith because God revealed them the reason of our assent must be the same Lastly he concludes that the Churches authority miracles or the like are only such precedent conditions or means for begetting faith as sensitive knowledge exhortations or advise of Masters are for bringing us to certain knowledge in demonstrative faculties Had either this great Divine spoken consequently to this doctrine in his 5th Book or would the Jesuites avouch no more then here he doth vve should be glad to give them the right hand of fellowship in this point But they go all a wrong way unto the truth or would to God any way to the truth or not directly to overthrow it Catharinus though in a manner ours in that question about the certainty of salvation saith more perhaps then they meant whom Canus late taxed Avouching as Bellarmin cites his opinion that divine faith could not be certain and infallible unlesse it were of an object approved by the Church Whence would follow what Bellarmin there infers that the Apostles and Prophets should not have been certain of their Revelations immediately sent from God until the Church had approved them which is a doctrine wel deserving a sharper censure then Bellarmin bestows on Cathirinus Albeit to speak the truth Bellarmin was no fit man to censure though the other most worthy to be severely censured Catharinus might have replied that the Prophets and Apostles at least our Saviour in whom Bellarmin instanceth vvere the true Church as wel as they make the Pope Nor can Valentia's with other late â—esuites opinions by any pretence or thew hardly Bellarmins own be cleared from the same inconveniences he objects to Catharinus as will appear upon better examination to be made hereafter CAP. XXVII That the Churches Proposal is the true immediate and prime cause of all obsolute belief any Romanist can have concerning any determinate divine Revelation 1 WHereas Valentian and as he sayes Caietan deny the Churches infallible proposal to be the cause why we believe divine Revelations This speech of his is Equivocal and in the equivocation of it I think Valentian sought to hide the truth The ambiguity or Fallacy is the same which was disclosed in Bellarmins reply unto us objecting that Pontificians make the Churches authority greater then Scriptures In this place as in that the word of God or divine revelations may be taken either indefinitely for whatsoever God shall be supposed to speak or for those particular Scriptures or Revela tions which we suppose he hath already revealed and spoken Or Valentian may speak of the object of our belief not of belief it self If we take his meaning in the former sense what he faith is most true For the Churches infallibility is no cause why we believe that to be true vvhich vve suppose God hath revealed nor did vve ever charge them with this assertion This is an Axiom of nature presupposed in all Religions yet of which none ever knew to make so great secular use as the Romish Church doth But if we speak of that Canon of Scripture which vve have or any things contained in it all which vve and our adversaries joyntly suppose to have come from God the only cause vvhy vve do or can rightly believe them is by Jesuitical doctrine the Churches infallibility that commends them unto us 2 If that Church which Valentian holds so infallible should have said unto him totidem verbis you must believe the books of Maccabees are canonical even for this reason that your holy Catholick Mother tels you so he durst not but have believed as wel the reason as the matter proposed To wit That these Books were Canonical because the Church had enjoyned him so to think albeit his private conscience left to Gods grace and
it self would rather have held the Negative For if we believe as the Papists generally instruct us that we our selves all private spirits may erre in every perswaâ—on of faith but the Church which onely is assisted by a publick spirit cannot possibly teach amisle in any We must upon terms as peremptory and in equal degree believe every particular point of faith because the Church so teacheth us not because we certainly apprehend the truth of it in itself For we may erre but this publick spirit cannot And consequently we must infallibly believe these propositions ‖ Christ is the Redeemer of the world not Mahomet ‖ There is a Trinity of persons in the divine nature for this reason only that the Church commends them unto us for divine revelations seeing by their arguments brought to disprove the sufficiency of Scriptures or certainty of private spirits no other means possible is left us Nay were they true we should be only certain that without the Churches proposal we stil must be most uncertain in these and all other points because the sons are perpetually obnoxious to errour from which the mother is everlastingly priviledged The same propositions and conclusions we might conditionally believe to be absolutely authentick upon supposal they were Gods word but that they are his word or revelations truly divine we cannot firmly believe but only by firm adherence to the Churches infallible authority as was in the second Section deduced out of the Adversaries principles Hence it follows that every particular proposition of Faith hath such a proper causal dependance upon the Churches proposal as the conclusion hath upon the premisses or any particular upon it universal Thus much Sacroboscus grants 3 Suppose God should speak unto us face to face what reason had we absolutely and infallibly to believe him but because we know his words to be infallible his infallibility then should be the proper cause of our belief For the same reason seeing he doth not speak unto us face to face as he did to Moses but as our adversaries say reveals his will obscurely so as the Revealer is not manifested unto us but his meaning is by the visible Church which is to us in stead of Prophets Apostles and Christ himself and all the several manners God used to speak unto the world before he spake to it by his only son this Panthea's infallibility must be the true and proper cause of our Belief And Valentian himself thinks that Sarah and others of the old world to whom God spake in private either by the mouth of Angels his son or holy spirit or by what means soever did not sin against the doctrine of saith or through unbelief when they did not believe Gods promises They did herein unadvisedly not unbelievingly Why not unbelievingly because the visible Church did not propose these promises unto them 4 If not to believe the visible Churches proposals be that which makes distrust or dissidence to Gods promises infidelity then to believe them is the true cause of believing Gods promises or if Sarah and others did as Valentian faith unadvisedly or imprudently in not assenting to divine truths proposed by Angels surely they had done only prudently and advisedly in assenting to them their assent had not been truly and properly belief So that by this assertion the Churches proposal hath the very remonstrative note and character of the immediat and prime cause whereby we believe and know matters of saith For whatsoever else can concur without this our aslent to divine truths proposed is not true Catholick belief but firmly believing this infallibility we cannot erre in any other point of faith 5 This truth Valentian elsewhere could not dissemble howsoever in his prosessed resolution of Faith he sought to cover it by change of apparel Investing the Churches proposal only with the title of a Condition requisite and yet withal so dislonant is falsity to it self making it the Reason of believing divine Revelations If a reason it be why we should believe them need must it sway any reasonable minde to embrace their truth And whatsoever inclines our minds to the embracement of any truth is the proper efficient cause of belif or assent unto the same Yea Efficiency or Causality it self doth Formally consist in this inclination of the minde Nor is it possible this proposal of the Church should move our minds to imbrace divine Revelations by any other means then by believing it And Belief it self being an inclination or motion of the mind our minds must first be moved by the Churches proposal ere it can move them at all to assent unto other divine truths Again Valentian grants that the orthodoxal or catechistical answer to this interrogation Why do you believe the doctrine of the Trinity to be a divine revelation is because the Church proposeth it to me for such He that admits this answer for sound and Catholick and yet denies the Churches proposal to be the true and proper cause of his Belief in the former point hath smothered doubtlesse the light of nature by admitting too much artificial subtilty into his brains For if a man should ask why do you believe there is a fire in yonder house and answer were made Because I see the smoak go out of the Chimney should the party thus answering in good earnest peremptorily deny the sight of the smoak to be the cause of his Belief there was a fire he deserved very wel to have either his tongue scorched with the one or his eys put out with the other Albeit if we speak of the things themselves not of his Belief concerning them the fire was the true cause of the smoak not the smoak of the fire But whatsoever it be Cause Condition Circumstance or Effect that truly satissieth this demand Why do you believe this or that it is a true and proper cause of our belief though not of the thing believed If then we admit the Churches proposal to be but a condition annexed to divine revelations yet if it be an infallible medium or mean or as our adversaries all agree The only mean infallible whereby we can rightly believe this or that to be a divine revelation it is the true and only infallible cause of our Belief That speech of Valentian which to any ordinary mans capacity includes as much as we now say was before alledged That Scripture which is commended and expounded unto us by the Church is eo ipso even for this reason most authentick and clear He could not more emphatically have expressed the Churches proposal to be the true and prime cause why particular or determinate divine revelations become so credible unto us His Second Sacrobosâ—us hath many speeches to be inserted hereafter to the same effect Amongst others where Dâ— Whittaker objects that the principal cause of faith is by Papists ascribed unto the Church he denies it only thus far What we believe for the Churches proposal we
Scriptures by the Church which we are now to gather from this short Catechisine containing the summe of Roman faith CAP. XXX Declaring how the First main ground of Romish faith leads directly unto Atheisme the second unto preposterous Heathenisine or Idolatry 1 IT is a prety Sophisme as a judicious and learned Divine in his publick exercise for his first degree in Divinity late well observed where-with the Jesuite deludes the simple making them believe their faith otherwise weak and unsetled is most firm and certain if it have once the visible or representative Churches confirmation when as the Church so taken seldom or never instructs or confirms any at least not the hundred thousandth part of them unto whose salvation such confirmation is by Jesuitical perswasions most absolutely necessary But suppose the visible Church or Romish Consistory the Pope and his Cardinals should vouchsafe to catechize any the Dialogue between them and the Catechized would thus proceed Cons. Do ye believe these sacred Volumes to be the Word of God Catech. We do Cons. Are you certain they are Catech. So we hope Cons. How can your hope be sure for Mahomet saith His Alchoran is sundry other Hereticks say their fained revelations or false traditions are Gods Word How can you assure us ye may not be deceived as well as they Are not many of them as good Schollers as you Catech. Yes indeed and better Cons. Are not you subject unto error as well as they Catech. Would God we were not Cons. What must you do then to be ascertained these are divine revelations Cat. Nay we know not but this is that which we especially desire to know and would bind our selves in any bond to such as could teach us Cons. Well said do you not think it reason then to be ruled in this case by such as cannot be deceived Cat. It is meet we should Cons. Lo we are the men we are the true visible Church placed in authoritie by Christ himself for this purpose These Scriptures tell you plainly as much 〈◊〉 Petrus super hanc Petram c His holiness whom here you see is Peters Successor sole heir of that promise far more glorious then the Jewish Church ever had any 2 This is the very quintessence and extraction of huge and corpulent volumes written in this argument which our English Mountibanks sent hither from the Seminaries venditate as a Paracelsian medicin able to make men immortal The summ of all that others write or they alleadge is this â—very one may pretend what writings he lists to be the word of God who shall be the infalliale Judge either of written or unwritten revelations Must not the Church for she is Magistra Judex fidei These are the words and this is the very Argument wherein Valentians soul it seems did most delight he useth them so oft But to proceed The parties Catechized thus by the visible Church it self should any Protestant enter Dialogue with them how they know those received Scriptures to be the Word of God could answer I trow sufficiently to this question thus Mary sir we know better then you For we heard the visible Church which cannot erre say so with our own ears Prot. You are most certain then that these are the Oracles of God because the visible Church Gods living Oracle did bear testimony of them Catech. Yea sir and their testimony is most infallible Prot. But what if you doubt again of their infallibilities How will you answer this objection Mahomet saith his Alcoran is Scripture the Turkish Priests wil tel you as much viva voce and shew you if you be disposed to believe them evident places therein for his infallibility Manes could say that he had divine revelations The Pope pretends he hath this infallibilitie which neither of them had Who shall judge the Consistory But why should you think they may not erre as wel as others Did they shew you any evidence out of Scriptures or did they bring you to such entire acquaintance with their publick spirit as to approve your selves Divine Criticks of all questions concerning the Canon as oft as any doubt should arise Catech Oh no these audacious Criticismes of private men they utterly detest and forewarned us upon pain of damnation to beware of For there is no private person but may erre and for such to judge of Scriptures were presumption justly damnable Rely they must for this reason upon the Churches infallibility and that continually It alone cannot without it all others may erre as wel as Manes Mahomet Nestorius or Eutyches undoubtedly believing it cannot erre we our selves are as free from error as he that follows such good counsel given by others as he cannot give himself is more secure then he that altogether follows his own advice albeit better able to counsel others then the former Prot. Then I perceive your onely hold-fast in all temptations your onely anchor when any blasts of vain doctrine arise is this The present Romish Church canndt erre for if you doubt of any doctrine taught to the contrary ask her and she will resolve you or if you cannot see the Truth in it self yet believe without all wavering as she believes that sees it and you shall be as safe as if you rode in the harbour in a storm Catech. Ah yes Gods holy name be praised who hath so well provided for his Church for otherwise hereticks and schismaticks would shake and toss her even in this main point or ground of faith as evil spirits do ships in tempests we must either hold this Test sure or else all is gone God hath left off speaking unto men and wee cannot tell whether ever he spake to them or no but as the present Church which speaks viva voce tels us 3 But the Reader perhaps expects what inconvenience will hence follow First hereby it is apparent that Belief of Scriptures divine Truth and their true sense absolutely and immediately depends upon the Churches proposal or rather upon their Belief of what it proposeth as well after they are confirmed in that general point That they are Gods words as in the instant of their confirmation in it The first necessary consequence of which opinion is That the Church must be more truely and properly believed then any part of Scriptures or matter contained in it For in this matter of dependance that transcendent rule of Nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath it proper force whether we speak of the Essence Existence or Quality of things being or existing that upon which any other thing thus absolutely and continually depends doth more properly and really exist and hath much firmer interest in it essence and existence then ought can have which depends upon it One there is and no more that can truely say My Essence is Mine own and my Existence necessary Whatsoever is besides is but a shadow or picture borrowed from his infinite being Amongst created Entities all essentially depending
cannot infalliblie distinguish the true sence and meaning of one place from another but must herein also rely upon the Churches testimony and onely believe that sence to be repugnant that consonant to the analogie of faith which she shall tender albeit our private consciences be never so well informed by other Scriptures to the contrary The truth then of our former conclusion is hence easily manifested For seeing they hold both the Scriptures and their distinct sence to be obscure and unable to ascertain themselves unlesse the Church adde perspicuitie or facilitie of communicating their meaning to private spirits such after the Churches proposal cannot possibly discern them any better or more directly in themselves then they did before but must wholy rely upon their Prelates as if these were the onely watchmen in the Tower of Gods Church that could by vertue of their place discern all divine truth Others must believe there is an omnipotent God which hath given his Law a Mediator of the new Testament but what the meaning either of Law or Gospel is they may not presume otherwise to determine then weak sights do of things they see confusedly a farre off whose particular distance or difference they must take onely upon other mens report that have seen them distinctly and at hand 11 To illustrate these deductions with the former similitude of the prime and secondary visibles Let us suppose for disputations sake that the Sun which illuminates colours by its light were further indued as we are with sense and reason able to judge of all the differences between them which it can manifest to us and hence challenge to be a Pope or infallible proposer of colours This supposition the Canonist hath made lesse improbable For Deus fecit duo luminaria God made two lights that is by his interpretation the Pope and the Emperour Or if you please to mitigate the harshnesse of it let the Man in the Moon whom we may not imagine speechlesse be supposed the Sun or Pope of colours his Mercurie or Nuncio As the Papists say we cannot know Scriptures to be Scriptures but by the infallible proposal of the Church so it is evident we cannot see any colour at all unlesse illuminated or proposed by the Suns light But after by it we see them suppose we should take upon us to discourse of their nature or determine of their distinct properties as now we do and the Sun or Pope of colours by himself or his Nuncio should take us up as Duke Humphrey did the blind man restored to sight which he never had lost Yea who taught you to distinguish colours were you not quite blind but now as yet you cannot discern any colours without my publick light and yet will you presume to define their properties and distinguish their natures against my definitive sentence known Must not he that enables you to see them enable you to distinguish them seen Must you not wholly rely upon my authority whether this be white or that black If a man upon these Motives should absolutely believe the Suns determinations renouncing the judgement of his private senses could he truely say that he either knew this colour to be white or that black or another green Rather were he not bound to say I neither know white from black nor black from blew nor blew from green but I know that to be white which the Sun the onely infallible Judge of colours saith is white that onely to be black that blew and that green which he shall determine so to be I may think indeed that the snow is white or coals black but with submission to the Suns determination 12 And yet as you have heard at large out of the Trent Councel and best Apologies can be made for it the Church must be the infallible Judge of all Scripture sence and must absolutely be believed without all appeal to Scriptures not conditionally as she shall accord with them The conclusion hence issuing is most infallible and on their parts most inevitable Whosoever absolutely acknowledgeth this authority in the Church or Consistory and yeelds such obedience unto it in all determinations concerning the Canon of Scriptures doth not believe either this or that determinate proposition of faith or any definite meaning of Gods Word The best resolution he can make of his faith is this I believe that to be the meaning of every place which the Church shall define to be the meaning which is all one as if he had said I do not believe the Scriptures or their meaning but I believe the Churches decision and sentence concerning them He that believes not the Church saith Canus but with this limitation if it give sentence according unto Scriptures doth not believe the Church but the Scriptures By the same reason it followes most directly he that believes not the true sence and meaning of Scriptures but with this reservation if the Church so think or determine doth not believe them but the Church onely For as the Schoolmen say Ubi unum propter aliud ibi unum tantum He that serves God onely because he would be rich doth not serve God but his riches albeit he performe the outward acts of obedience Or if we love a man onely for his affinity with another whom we dearly love we truely and properly love but the one the other onely by way of reflexion or denomination in such a sence as we say a man appears by his proxie that is his proxie appears not he In like sort believing the sence of Scriptures onely from the supposed authentick declaration of the Church or because we believe it we infalliblie believe the Church alone not the Scriptures but onely by an extrinsecal denomination 13 Yet as a man may from some reasons lesse probable have an opinion of what he certainly knowes by motives more sound or as we may love one in some competent measure for his owne sake and yet affect him more entirely for anothers whom we most dearly love so may an absolute Papist in some moral sort believe the Scriptures for themselves or hold their authodoxal sence as probable to his private judgement albeit he believe them most for the Churches sake and that sence best which it commends But this his belief of the Church being by their doctrine more then moral or conditional doth quite overthrow all moral or probable belief he can possiblie have from what ground soever of Scriptures themselves For as I said before the Church shall determine ought contrary to his preconceived opinion the more probable or strong it was the more it encreaseth his doubt and makes his contrary resolution more desperate yea more damnable if habitual because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extreamly contrary to the doctrine of faith Bellarmins prescription in this case is just as if a Physitian or Surgeon should seek to case the pain by ending of the Patients dayes Lest a man should sin against his conscience this
c Some hereticks refuse triall by scripture 239 Orthodox do not so ib. Hereticks likely to balk scripture when it will not bestead them 244 Worms in the Hoast how or whence they breed Doctors opinions 329 m. Hoast see Adoration Hâ—â—d see Monk Hosius's Coalier 242 Hypocrites their curiosity 435 Hypocrisie 507 Hypocrisie see posterity I IAnnes and Iambres magicians 38 Jealousies their original in the people against their Teachers 393 Ieremies Lamentation a prophecy as well as at Elegy 90 Ierusalems destruction by the Romans a Map of the day of judgement 92 93 Iesuites medley 250 King Iohn cruel to the Iews 122 c Iris Thaumantis filia 54 See Rainbow Jews favoured by their Conquerors beyond all po litick observation 62 63 68 Jews strange thriving under their Conquerors testified by Heathens 68 69 Jews strange powerfulness in winning Gentiles to Iudaisme ib. Jews wronged by Tacitus and why 70 71 72 Jews thriving in captivity to be attributed to their Law 73 Jews more favoured by God then any other Nation 73 to 75 Jews a mightier Nation then any other 74 75 Jews strange continuance in the midst of miseries ib. Jews had better security of their prosperity then any others 75 Their increase and decay not measurable by human policie 76 77 Jews why said by Diogenes Laertius to be descended from the Magi. 77 Jews and their Religion despised by Heathens on false grounds 78 to 82 All heathen objections against the Iews prevented by Iewish Writers 78 c. Iews calamities and prosperities with their causes foretold in Scriptures ib. Their enemies untill Christ was rejected how punished by God 75 Their enemies after Christ was rejected how favoured by God 83 Iews destruction the cause of Gods exalting Vespasian 83 to 86 Iews a Nation set apart to exemplifie Gods justice and mercy 91 Iews blind madnesse in Cyrene and Cyprus according to Deut. 28. 28. 111 Iews continuance in misery according to Deut. 28. 59. 111 Iews mighty desolation under Adrian 112 Iews prohibited to come within the view of Jewry Deut. 28. 62. ib. Iews why not mentioned from Adrians time till Romes captivity 113 Iews misery in Spain and France 114 115 Iewry a Marl-pit for Gods vineyard 115 Iews bereaved of their children according to deut 28. 32. 115 Iews calamities in Hungary 116 Iews calamities in Germany 117 Iews why not utterly destroyed ib. Iews meannesse in the Eastern parts 118 119 Jews rejection of Samuel a type of their rejection of Christ 118 Iews punished according to Deut. 28. ad 33. 120 Iews miseries in all times and places according to Deut. 28. 33 ib. Iews calamities in England 120 to 123 Iews bruitish stupidity 121 Iews massacre in Linne on a small occasion 121 Iews madnesse and self murder in York 122 Iews may not come on Horseback nor in Constantinople but upon Termes 117 Iews grievous oppressions under King Iohn Henry 3. and Edward 1. 122 123 Aaron the Iew paid Henry 3. a Ransome of 30200 marks 123 Iews banishment out of England purchased by Parliament 123 The Iew of Bristow paid 10000 marks after he had lost 7. teeth 123 Iews for murthering a Christian childe are massacred at Munchin 129 Iews poison Fountains and offer indignities to the B. Eucharist 124 to 126 Iews for so doing are much afflicted in France and Germany ib. Iews cannot be saved from the peoples rage by King and Governours 125 Iews banished out of Spain and Portugal 126 Iews bereaved of their children again 127 Iewes urged to serve such gods as their fathers knew not 128 Iews miseries according to Deut. 28. 65 ad 67. 129 Iews become a Proverb and by-word to all Nations 130 Iews banished by the father bought and brought in of the son Banished by Pius Quintus recalled by Sixtus Quintus 129 Iews scattered from the one end of the world to the other 131 Iews infidelity a strong argument for Christians faith 132 Iews stubbornness an argument that they are Abrahams posterity 132 Iews the cause of their own misery 133 134 Iews thirst of crucifying Christian children proves their forefathers crucifying of Christ 133 Iews make their fathers sins their own 133 Iews cariage and temper the Lees of their forefathers excellency 134. Iews present depression proves their former exaltation 134 Iews blindness a light to the Gentiles 136 Iews desolation the most effectuall proof of Christian saith 137 Iews misery a type of unbeleevers eternal misery 137 From the history of these Iews general and useful Collections 129 to 139 Iews conveâ—sion as likely to be sudden as at all 138 Best method to convert the Iews 251 Church of the Iews see Infallibility Sanâ—drim Christian Ishmaelits the same with Saracens and Hagarens 103 to 107 Iews and Ishmaelites continuall signes to the Nations 1â—3 Ishmaels description by Moses a prophesie of his posterity 105 Ishmaelits why called by themselves Saracens 109 Ishmaelites or Saracâ—ns how like Ishmael 106 107 Ishmaelites a mighty Nation 108 109 Image worship the effects of it in Monks 128 Indulgences caused a breach in the Church 270 S. Iohn in some points above S. Paul S Peter 3â—â— Infallibility He that is taken or takes upon him to have absolute Infallibility is made and makes himself God 198 199 Infallibility granted is no such means to end controversies as is pretended 243 248 Infall a means to harden a Mahumetan 250 Infallibility as dangerous to the soul as Empericks practise to the body 257 The differences amongst Ancients an Argument against any one mans infallib 268 Popes Infallibility pretends to decision of Controversies brought to him not to praediction or prevention of them ere they arise to censure the opinion not punish the Author 274 Popes challenge of infall cause of Dissensions 277 Infallibility is not de facto a means to end Controversies 279 298 Nor would infallib end them aright if all granted it 280 Imperfections in the Popes Infallibleship 284 Infallibility wherein it consists 287 289 Churches or scriptures infallibility which first to be beleeved or are both together to be beleeved 289 c. Infallibility of the Iewish priests depended upon their continencie 378 Infallibility of the King defensible by scripture as probably as that of the priest 387 Some Iews brag that Iudah's scepter still flourish in Media 339. Iews Church erred fundamentally in Christs time ergo not infallible at any time 400 Infallib more necessary under the Law 3â—8 Disadvantage to Rome not to hold the synagogue Infallible 399. Iews after Moses death made not Churches infallibility the Rule of faith but experiments answerable to Gods word 411 What does infal perform to the Believer what to the object beleeved 481 Pope infall in canonizing Saints sayes Valent. 496 Jesuites doctrine of Popes infallib dangerous to states and the worst of errors 499 505 Infallibility a device to cover practises not justifiable by Romish Clerks 506 Infallibility the doctrine of it inverts the whole frame of Religion 5â—â— K POwer of the Keyes 395. see
Authoritie of some Books it rather ought to confirm his Faith that men disagreeing so much in many opinions so opposite in their affections should so well agree about the number of no fewer then two and twentie Canonical Books of the old Testament Had their authority only been Human or left to the choice of men whether they should be allowed or rejected many that now admit them would reject them because opposite Religions did embrace them That all sorts of Protestants Papists and Jews do receive them is an infallible Argument that he who is Lord of all did commend them to all Nor doth our Church so disclaim all which the Romans above these two and twenty admit as if it were a point of faith to hold there were no more it only admits no more into the same Rank and Order with the former because we have no such warrant of faith or sure Experiments so to do Many of them discover themselves to be Apocryphal and albeit some of them can very hardly or not at all be discerned for such by their Stile Character or dissonancie to Canonical Scriptures yet that none of them indeed are or can be admitted for Canonical without manifest tempting of God is evident from what hath been observed before concerning Gods unspeakable providence in making the Blinded and Perfidious Jews Christ's and our bitterest enemies such trusty Feoffees for making over the Assurances of Life unto us For seeing by them he commended unto us only so many Books of the old Testament as our Church acknowledgeth this is an intallible Argument that His will was we should admit no more Had any more been written before the re-edifying of the Temple by Zerubbabel no doubt the Jews would have admitted them into their Canon For all such as should be written after the Prophet Malachie who is the last of their Canon had left this caveat in the last words of his prophecie for not admitting them Remember the law of Moses my servant which I commanded to him in Horeb in all Israel with the statutes and judgments as if he had said You must content your selves with His Writings such as you have already Consonant to his for any others of equal Authoritie you may not expect until the Expectation of the Gentiles come For no Prophet shall arise untill that time as he intimates in the last words Behold I will send you Eliah the Prophet before the coming of the great and fearful day of the Lord and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers lest 〈◊〉 come and smite the earth with cursing The Ministery of others for converting souls he supposed should be but ordinarie by the Exposition of the Law and Prophets and the Authoritie of such writ they as much as they listed could not be Authentick or Canonical 3 Some others again of reformed Churches in these our times have from the example of Antiquitie doubted of the authoritie of some Books in the new Testament as of Jude of James the second of Peter and some others Which doubt is now diminished by their continuance in the sacred Canon so long time not without manifest documents of GODS providence in preserving â—hem whose pleasure it may seem was to have these Books of whom the Ancients most doubted fenced and guarded on the one side by S. Pauls Epistles and other Canonical Scriptures never called in question by any but absurd and foolish Hereticks whose humorous opinions herein died with themselves and on the other by the Book of the Apocalypse of whose Authoritie â—hough many of the Ancient for the time being doubted yet He that was before all times did fore-see that it should in later times manifest it self to be â—…is work by Events answerable to the Prophecies contained in it And albeit many Apocryphal Books have been stamped with Divine Titles and obâ—…uded upon the Church as Canonical whilest she was in her Infancie and the sacred Canon newly constitute yet the divine Spirit by which it was written hath wrought them out as new wine doth such filth or grossenesse as mingle with it whilest the grapes are troden S. Johns Adjuration in the conclusion of that Book hath not only terrified all for adding unto or diminishing it â—elf but hath been as it were a Seal unto the rest of this Sacred Volume of the new Testament as Malachies prophecie was to the old the whole Canon it self consisting both of the Old and New continues still as the Ark of God and all other Counterfeits as Dagon 4 Were not our Roman adversaries Doctrine concerning the general principles of Faith an Invention devised of purpose by Satan to obliterate all print â—r impression of Gods providence in governing his Church out of mens hearts how were it possible for any man endued with reason to be so far overgrown with Phrensie as not to conceive their own folly madnes in avouchâ—…g we cannot know what books are Canonical what not but by the Infallible Testimony of the present Romish Church But of those impieties at large hereafter I wil now only infer part of their Conclusion which they still labor but never shall be able to prove from Premises which they never dreamt of For 〈◊〉 profess among others this is not the least reason I have to hold the Apocalypse for Canonical Scripture because the Romish Church doth so esteem it Nor could reformed Churches Belief of its Authority be so strong unless that Church had not denied but openly acknowledged it for Canonical Scripture As the same Beams of the Sun reach from heaven to earth and from one end of the world to another so do the same raies of Gods power extend themselves from generation to generation alwaies alike conspicuous to such as are Illuminate by His Spirit for who thus Illuminate can acknowledg his providence in making the Jews so careful to preserve the old Testament and not as clearly discern the same in constraining the Romish Church to give her supposed infallible Testimony of the Apocalypse Doubtlesse if that Book had been the work of man it had been more violently used by that Church of late then ever the new Testrment hath been by the Jewish Synagogue or any Heretick by the Romanists seeing it hath said far more against â—hem then any whom they account for such ever did But God who â—ade Pharaohs Daughter a second mother unto Moses whom he had apâ—…ted to bring destruction afterwards upon her Fathers house and Kingâ—â—m hath made the Romish Church of old a Dry Nurse to preserve this Book whose meaning she knew not that it might bring desolation upon her self 〈◊〉 her children in time to come For by the breath of the Lord shall she be destroyed her doom is already read by S. John the Lord of late hath intangled her in her own snare whilest she was drawing it to catch others Her childrens Brags of their mothers
And may not we I pray you say as much if thus much would serve for us Might not we by the self same Reason teach the People to admit of Translations but only Conditionally as far forth as they shall be perswaded that this was the Meaning of the Scripture or the Word of God For Questionlesse it is more certain that God cannot Erre then that the Pope cannot And it is more necessary unâ—o Christian Belief to hold that God the Father Son and Holy Ghost neither can nor will speak a Lie then that the Pope cannot or will not teach us amisse That the Pope and his Cardinals do arrogate thus much unto themselves is more then the Lay and unlearned People can tell but only by yours and others Relation But that the God of Heaven neither can nor will Teach amisse is a Principle not controversed by any that thinks there is a God 4 Let it then first be granted That God is freer from Errour from Deceiving or being Deceived in Points of Faith or matters of Mans Salvation then the Pope is although he speak ex Cathedra From this Position it followes most directly and most immediately that if the Lay unlearned People of this Land have as good Means and better to know that these Books of Scrpture are Gods own Words then they can have to know that this or that Canon in any Councel was confirmed by the Popes teaching ex Cathedra then must the same People Believe the One more stedfastly then the Other to wit Gods Word as it is read unto them in our Church more stedfastly then the Popes Interpretations Injunctions or Decrees Let us compare the Means of knowing Both. First if the Popes Decrees be a certain Means of knowing any Truth they are as certain a Means of knowing those Scriptures which our Church admits to be Gods Word as of any thing else for the Pope and his Councel have avoucht Them for Such although they adde some more then we acknowledge 5 If the worst then should fall out that can be imagined as if we had Reason to despair of all other Translations save onely of the Vulgar yet that it were the Word of God we might know if by no other Means yet by Consent of the Romish Church and all the People of this Land might be as certain of this Decree as of any the Pope can give But take the same Scripture as it is Translated into our English the People may be as certain that it is the Word of God as they can be that the Trent Councel was Lawfully called or by the Pope confirmed yea much more certain The Jesuites may tell them that these very words being first englished were spoken in the Trent-Councel and confirmed by the Pope Why should they believe it Because they avouch it seriously whom they think able to understand Latin Suppose not only one or two or three but the whole Assembly of our Clergie tels the same People that these reciting the Points of our Salvation are the very Words of God Himself and are for Substance all one in the Hebrew Greek Latin and English What Difference can you here imagine That the Trent-Councel decreed thus the modern Jesuites have it but from Tradition of this Age That God spake thus we have the Consent of all Ages Yea but it is easier to render the Trent-Councels Meaning out of Latin then the Meaning of Gods Word out of Hebrew or Greek Whether it be so or no the unlearned People cannot tell but by hearsay yet if we would take the Vulgar Latin this foolish Objection were none for It is as easie to be Rendred as the Trent-Councel and if the Trent-Councel be true It is the Word of God All then is equal concerning the Difficulties that may arise from the Skill or Ignorance of the Translators of the one or other the Popes Decrees or Scripture Our Ministers know to Render the Meaning of Scripture as well as yours do the Meaning of the Councels Let us now see whether it be as likely that our Ministers Fidelitie in telling them as they are perswaded and as they Believe themselves be not to be presumed as Great To call this in Question were extream Impudencie and Uncivilitie especially seeing we Teach that the people should be throughly instructed in the Truth whereas you hold it for good Christian Policie to hold them in Ignorance Our permitting the free Use of Scriptures to all doth free us from all suspition of Imposture of Guile of which in the Jesuite or learned Papist the denail of like Libertie is a foul Presumption Further let us examin whether from the Matter or Manner of the Popes Decrees there can be any Argument drawn to perswade the People that these are his Decrees and no other Mans more then can be gathered from the Matter and Manner of Scripture Phrase to perswade a man that these are Gods and can be no Mans Words And Here certainly we have infinite Advantage of you For no man of Sense or Reason but must needs suffer himself to be perswaded that it is a far easier matter to Counterfeit the Decrees of the Lateran or Trent-Councel or the Popes Writs Interpretations or Determinations then Artificially to imitate the Invincible and Majestical Word of God either for the Matter or the Manner 6 The Sequel is this that if the Scriptures received by us be obnoxious to any the least Suspition of being Forged then from the same Reasons much more liable to the same Suspition are those which we account the Popes Decrees and therefore in respect of us much lesse to be Believed although otherwise we should grant the Pope Decrees which without controversie were his Decrees indeed to be as Infallible as the Eternal and Immutable Decrees of the Almightie Gods Word oft-times unto Atheists hath discovered it self by the Majestie of Stile and Sublimitie of Matter to be more then Human and therefore Divine not able to imitated by any lying Spirit If any Jesuite will deny this let him make trial of Imitation in the Prophecie of Isaias the Beginning of S. Johns Gospel the Relation of Joseph and his Brethrens Dialogues the Book of Job c. The Majestie of Speech and other Excellencies which appears in them especially if we consider the Time wherein most of them were written doth argue a Divine Spirit in whose Imitation the most accurate Writers of later Ages albeit no man writes excellently but from some Beam of Divine Illumination in the Facultie are but Apish if we read the same Scriptures in the Tongue wherein they were written or in sundry modern Tongues capable of the Divine Splendor which shines in the Original with which the Latin especially in Prose hath greatest Disproportion of all Learned or copious Tongues As for the Popes Decrees they bewray themselves both for the Matter and Manner to be only Human and therefore easie to be imitated by the Spirit of Man subject to many Errours Nor
annexed to any peculiar Men or Company of Men distinct from others by Prerogative of Place Preheminence of Succession and from him or them to be derived unto all others set apart for this Ministerie or whether the Ministerie of any men of what Place or Societie soever whom God hath called to this Function and enabled for the same be sufficient for the begetting of true Faith without any others Confirmation or Approbation of their Doctrine 9 Secondly it is questioned how this Ministery of Man which is necessarily supposed ordinarily both for knowing the Word of God and the true Meaning of it becomes available for the begetting of true Belief in either point In whomsoever the Authoritie of this Ministerial Function be the Question is whether it perform thus much only by Proposing or Expounding the Word which is Infallible or by their Infallible Proposal or Exposition of it that is whether for the attaining of true Belief in both Points mentioned we must relie infallibly upon the Infallible VVord of God only or partly upon it and partly upon the Infallibility of such as expound it unto us Or in other words thus whether the Authoritie or Infallibilitie of any Mans Doctrine or Asseveration concerning these Scriptures or their true Sense be as infallibly to be Believed as those Scriptures themselves are or that Sense of them which the spirit of God hath wrought in our Hearts by sure and undoubted Experience 10 These are the principal Roots and Fountains of Difference between us concerning our present Controversie whence issue and spring these following First Whether Christ whose Authoritie both acknowledge for Infallible hath left any Publick Judge of these Scriptures which both receive or of their right Sense and Meaning from whose Sentence we may not appeal or whether all to whom this Ministrie of Faith is committed be but Expositors of Divine Scriptures so as their Expositions may by all faithful Christians be examined Hence ariseth that other Question whether the Scriptures be the Infallible Rule of Faith If Scripture admit any Judge then is it no Rule of Faith If all Doctrines are to be examined by Scripture then is it a perfect Rule 11 Our Adversaries especially later Jesuites Positions are these The Infallible Authoritie of the present Church that is of some visible Companie of living Men must be as absolutely Believed of all Christians as any Oracle of God and hence would they bind all such as proâ—esse the Catholick Faith in all Causes concerning the Oracles or Word of God to yield the same Obedience unto Decrees and Constitutions of the Church which is due unto these Oracles themselves even to such of them as all Faithful Hearts do undoubtedly know to be Gods written Word 12 The Reasons pretended for this absolute Obedience to be performed unto the Church or visible Company of Men are drawn from the Insufficiency of Scripture either for notifying it self to be the Word of God or the true Sense and Meaning of it self Consequently to these Objections they stifly maintain That the Infallible Authority of the present Church is the mosâ— sure most safe undoubted Rule in all Doubts or Controversies of Faith or in all Points concerning these Oracles of God by which we may certainly know Both without which we cannot possibly know either which are the Oracles of God which not or what is the true Sense and Meaning of such as are received for his Oracles one of the especial Consequents of these Assertions is That this Churches Decisions or Decrees may not be examined by Scriptures 13 Our Churches Assertions concerning the knowledge of Gods Word in general is thus As Gods Word is in it self Infallible so it may be infallibly apprehended and Believed by every Christian unto whom he vouchsafeth to speak after what manner soever he speak unto him Yea whatsoever is necessary for any man to Believe the same must be infallibly written in his heart and on it once written there he must immediately relie not upon any other Authoritie concerning it 14 Or if we speak of Gods written Word our former general Assertion may be restrained thus 15 We are not bound to Believe the Authority of the Church or visible Companiâ— of any living men either concerning the Truth or true Sense of Divine Oracles written so stedfastly and absolutely as we are bound to Believe the Divine written Oracles themselves Consequently to this Assertion we affirm 16. The the Inâ—allible Rule whereupon every Christian in matters of written Verities absolutely and finally without all appeal condition or reservation is to relie must be the Divine written Oracles themselves some of which every Christian hath written in his Heart by the finger of Gods Spirit and Believes immediately In and For themselves not for any Authoritie of Men and these to him must be the Rule for examining all other Doctrines and trying any Masters of Faith But because most in our daies in Matters of Faith and Christian Obedience misse the Celestial Mean and fall into one of the two extreams It shall not be amisse while we seek to divert their course from Sylla to admonish lest they make shipwrack in Charybdis CAP. IV. Shewing the Mean betwixt the two Extremities the one in Excesse proper to the Papists the other in Defect proper to the Anti-papist 1 IT is a Rule in Logick that Two contrary Propositions for their form may be both False And hence it is that many Controversers of our times either in love to the Cause they defend or heat of contention not content only to Contradict but desirous to be most Contrarie to their Adversaries fal into Errour with them No Controversie almost of greater moment this day extant but yields Experiments of this Observation though none more plentiful then this in hand concerning the visible Churches Authoritie or Obedience due to Spiritual Pastours 2 The Papists on the one side demand Infallible Assent and illimited Obedience unto whatsoever the Church shall propose without examination of her Doctrine or appeal which is indeed as we shall afterwards prove to takeaway all the Authority of Gods Word and to erect the present Churches Consistorie above Moses and S. Peters Chair On the other side sundrie by profession Protestants in eagernesse of opposition to the Papists affirm that the Church or Spiritual Pastors must then only be Believed then only be Obeyed when they give Sentence according to the Evident and Expresse Law of God made evident to the Hearts and Consciences of such as must Believe and Obey them And this in one word is to take away all Authoritie of Spiritual Pastors and to deprive them of all Obedience unto whom doubtlesse God by his written Word hath given some special Authoritie and Right to exact some peculiar Obedience of their Flock Now if the Pastor be then only to be Obeyed when he brings evident Commission out of Scripture for those particulars unto which he demands Belief or Obedience
what Obedience do men perform unto Him more then to any other man whomsoever For whosoever he be that can shew us the expresse undoubted command of God it must be Obeyed of all but whilest it is thus Obeyed It only not He that sheweth it unto us is Obeyed And if this were all the Obedience which I owe unto others I were no more bound to Believe or Obey any other man then he is bound to Obey or Believe me the Flock no more bound to Obey their Pastors then the Pastors them Yet certainly God who hath set Kingdoms in order is not the Author of such Confusion in the Spiritual Regiment of his Church 3 Seeing then it is most certain that the Romanists do foully Erre let us see how their Errour may be fully Contradicted not strive to be most Contrary unto them but rather to seek out the mean between these two Erroneous Extreams 4 Infallible Assent and illimited unreserved Obedience we may not perform to the present Church or any visible Companie of Men but to the Scripture only made known and evident to our Consciences This Assertion is directly and fully Contradictorie unto the Papists 5 Conditional Assent and cautionary Obedience we may and must perform to our spiritual Pastors Overseers and Governours albeit we see not expresse Commission out of Scripture to warrant these Particulars whereunto they demand Assent or Obedience It is sufficient that they have their general Commission for Obedience expresly contained in Scripture This Assertion directly Contradicts the other Extream or contrary Assertion and of all the three onely doth not Contradict the Word of God which expresly teacheth that Some peculiar Obedience is due unto Spiritual Governours Unlesse we hold that when Christ ascended on High and led Captivity captive his Donation of Spiritual Authority was but a donation of bare Titles without Realities answering unto them To some He gave to be Aposiles to some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers Ephes 4. 11. Though Prophecying in some degree hath ceast and the Eminencie of Apostleship be dead with the Apostles yet Pastors remain and Teachers must continue in Christs Church unto the Worlds end If Pastors we be then must we have our shepherds Staff if Teachers a Rod to keep our Schollers in awe The same Apostle from these grounds thus exhorteth the flock Obey them that have the oversight of you and Submit your selves for they watch for your Souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you Heb. 13. 17. What manner of Submission or what kind of Obedience doth he here exact Only Spiritual will the carnal Gospeller reply But what manner of Obedience is this Spiritual the least of all others It is doubtlesse in their esteem which fear no losse but what is sensible for the present nor know not the Vertue of any thing but what is palpable unto all such to be Spiritual is all one as to be Invisible and to be Invisible is all one as not to Be at all This is the last Resolution of most mens Conceit of all Spiritual Authority in our times But such such as dread the Majesty of that Invisible God and fear to grieve his Holy Spirit will be most afraid of contemning Spiritual Authority Disobedience to it though in a Prince is as hateful to the King of Kings as the sin of Witch-craft for no Subject is more bound to Obey his Prince in Civil Actions than his Pastors in Spiritual He that said touch not mine Anointed said also do my Prophets no harm Of Princes it is said by the Apostle He that resisteth them resisteth God To Pastors it was said by the Wisdom of God by whom Princes raign He that heareth you heareth me he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me and else-where 〈◊〉 hose sins ye remit they are remitted whose sins ye retain they are retained These are Prerogatives of Priests and were not esteemed as words of Course or Formality in the Ancient and Primitive Church It was the just fear of Disobedience in the Flock which first gaue occasion to Pastors to usurp this Tyranny over them which now they practise For as Idolatry and Superstition could not have increased so much in the old World unlesse there had been evident Documents of a Divine Power in Ages Precedent So neither could this extreme Tyrannie over Christs flock have been either usurped in the middle or continued to the later Ages of the Christian world unlesse the Flock had made it a main matter of Conscience to Disobey their Pastors and Overseers whose Authority they knew from those places of Scripture then well expounded by the Practise of Holy Men to be exceedding great 6 Saint Peter foresaw that this Antichristian Authority was likely to spring from the Peoples Reverent Conceit of their Pastors Authority and because the Fock was bound most strictly to Obey them he willeth the Pastors not to be too Lordly in their Commands Feed the flock of God which dependeth upon you caring for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind Not as though ye were Lords over Gods Heritage but that ye may be Ensamples to the flock So doth Saint Paul Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the flock whereof the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own bloud for I know this that after me departing shall grievous Wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock Unlesse the Flock for their parts had been bound to strict Obedience Usurpation of Lordship over them had not been so easie especially when there was no Power beside the Pastoral staff to keep them under nor could their Pastors have had any such opportunity to attempt it as might justly occasion these Caveats from these two Apostles which by their moderate Carriage had prescribed a contrary Example to their Successours Easie it had been for the Flock to have spared themselves or kept aloof from such mercilesse Overseers whose Designes though they could not with safe Consciences contemn Avoid they might by circumspect and carefull attending to other true Shepherds voices who by their skill in Scriptures and true knowledge of the Apostles Rules knew how to limit the former large Commission directed to Pastors after they begun to degenerate into Wolves For this cause neither of these Apostles direct these Admonitions to their flock as if it were permitted them to limit their Obedience at their pleasure but unto their Pastors And Saint Peter in the words immediately following this Admonition unto Pastors exhorts the Flock unto Obedience Likewise ye younger Submit your selves unto the Elders without any the least intimation that they might Disobey as soon as the other began to Dominier Not that the flock may not refuse to
common reason and cannot but command the Assent of every sanctified Mind That such Men are most likely to have the Meaning of Gods Spirit which walk according to Gods Spirit and seek not their own Gain Glory or pleasure but Christs Glory his Will and peoples Good and such again are most likely to use greatest sincerity in delivering the Truth which they know without partiality or respect of persons Again men are bound caeteris paribus to Believe them best and Obey them most of whose skil and sincerity in dispensing the Mysteries of faith they have had most comfortable and spiritual Experience For the Article of Gods providence binds us hereto and wils us to reverence our Fathers in Christ either such as by his Word first begot faith or nourished it in us more then others Thus much concerning this point I have thought good to insert in this place because the true and sincere Practise of Obedience according to that measure of Truth or Belief which men have though but imperfect is the excellentest Means for attaining the clear sight of Divine Truth and that perfect Measure of sanctifying Belief which in this life can be looked for as shall God willing afterwards appear CAP. X. Wherein this Conditional Belief differeth from the Romans implicite Faith That the one is the other not subordinate to Gods Word or Rule of Faith 1 AS this Opinion of conditional Assent unto Divine Truthes not absolutely known for such holds the Mean betwixt the two Extreams or contrary Errours above mentioned So is this conditional Assent it self a Mean betwixt that absolute Belief which all acknowledge to be necessarie in some principal Points of Christian Faith and that implicit Belief which the Romish Church exacts in all points whatsoever Our Assent unto many Articles of Faith is actually and expresly absolute The implicit Belief of the Romanists is but potentially or rather vertually and implicitely absolute This conditional Belief hitherto mentioned not so much as potentially much lesse implicitely or virtually absolute That properly is Believed by an implicite Faith which is not actually and expresly Assented unto in the particular but yet is so essentially and immediately contained in some general Article or Point of Faith absolutely or expresly Believed that this Particular likewise is Assented unto in grosse whilest we Assent to it and may be as absolutely as expresly and distinctly Assented unto as the General when it is once explicated and unfolded In this Sense we say the Conclusion is implicitely contained in the Premisses the Corollarie in the Theorem or the immediate Consequent in his necessarie Antecedent For he that grants One of these absolutely must upon the same terms grant the Other at the first proposal of it unto him But this conditional or reservative Belief may be of such Points as are not certainly and infallibly contained in any Principle of Faith absolutely expresly actually or infallibly acknowledged much lesse so essentually and immediately contained in any that a man cannot absolutely grant it but he must absolutely Believe them And albeit off-times they may be infallibly deduced from known undoubted Principles of Faith yet is not the deduction so immediate as can be made clear and evident to all Capacities at least not at the first sight without any further increase of Knowledge in Spiritual Matters And before the deduction be made as evivident and apprehended asinfallible as are the general Articles whence they are deduced the Particulars deduced from them may not be so infallibly and absolutely Believed as the Generals are The Papists besides their Explicit Belief of some few main Points demand an Implicit Belief of as many Particulars as the Church shall propose so as whatsoever the Church shall propose with them once proposed admits no conditional Belief all must be Absolute albeit the parties Believing cannot discern any necessary or probable deduction of the particulars from general Points absolutely and expresly believed It is enough that they know them to be proposed by the Church For once Believing Whatsoever the Church saith is most Infallible which is the main Article of Roman Faith no man can denie any particular proposed by it to be infallible more then he can deny the Conclusion for certain after he hath granted the Premisses for such Consequently to these Positions they make the Visible Church the Rule and Mistresse of mens Faith as they speak For albeit a man at this present think otherwise of many Points of greatest Moment then the Church or Pope doth or though he think not at all of many things which they in time may propose unto him yet after they have proposed either a contrarie Opinion to that which his Conscience tels him is Gods Word or a new and strange Position which he never thought of he must without more ado Believe both absolutely and expresly and so finally retract extend enlarge abridge direct and frame his Faith according to that Rule or Standard which they shall set him Hence God willing shal appear the Madness of some great Schollers among them who holding the Church to be such a Rule of Faith would perswade us if we would be so simple that their last Resolution of Faith is not into the Churches Authoritie but into the Scripture For nothing can be resolved beyond it rule to make the Churches authority such an absolute authentick unquestionable rule of faith as the Papists do and withal to seek the resolution of any point of faith further then it or to derive it from Scripture doth argue such a medley of Folly Impietie as if some gullish Gentleman desirous to prove the Antiquitie of his House should draw his Pedigree from Adams great Grandfather and yet hold the Records of Moses for most undoubted and true which affirm Adam to have been the first Progenitour of all Mankind Whether they seek to resolve their Faith into the Scriptures acknowledged by us and them or into other Unwritten Revelations pretended for Divine Truths their Folly will still appear the same so long as they hold that impious and blasphemous Opinion making the Churches Authoritie such a Rule of Faith as hath been said Their Injuries and Contumelies unto Gods written Oracles as hath heretofore been intimated are especially Two First they deny them to be any intire Rule for the number of Precepts Secondly they make those very Precepts which are acknowledged for Divine insufficient for the establishment of true Faith unto themselves without the Churches Authority We acknowledge them every way sufficient for the Edification of Christs Church in Faith and Manners and consequently both to our Positions and the Truth we teach that all Matters of Faith must be finally resolved into these Divine written Verities which for this reason we acknowledge the only Infallible Rule of Faith The Meaning of which Assertion is here to be further explicated that so the Truth may be maintained against their Objections CAP. XI In what Sense we
by meer Natural precepts For we suppose what afterwards wil manifest it self that all Truths necessary for men to Believe have a distinct relish from all falshood or other unnecessary or superfluous Truths and may be known by their fruit so men wil be careful to preserve the Sincerity of their Spiritual Taste 4 Gods written Word then is the only pure Fountain and Rule of Faith yet not such immediately unto all as it is written but the Learned or Spiritual Instructors only whose Hearts and Consciences must be ruled by it as in all other spiritual duties so especially as they are Instructors in this That they may not commend any Truths or principles of faith unto the illiterate but such as are expresly contained in Gods written Word or at least are in substance the self same with these written Truths If the Unlearned through Gods just Judgement absolutely admit of other principles and equalize them with these such shal lead them into Errour and pervert their faith If they doubt of any mans Doctrine whether it be truly Spiritual or consonant to the foundation of faith they may appeal to Scriptures as they shal be expounded to them by others Finally they are tied to no visible Company of men whom they must under pain of damnation follow but for their Souls Health they may trie every Spiritual Physitian If they wil be Humorous they may but at their own peril both for Temporal Punishment in this life and for Eternal in the life to come 5 For conclusion the Scripture according to our doctrine and the general Consent of Reformed Churches is the only Infallible rule of faith in both respects or conditions of a Perfect Rule First in that it contains all the principles of faith and points of salvation So that no Visible Church on earth may commend any doctrine to others as a doctrine of Faith unlesse it be commended to them for such by the Scriptures by which every ones doctrine that acknowledgeth God for his Lord must be examined as by a Law uncontrollable Secondly in that these principles of faith are plainly perspicuously and distinctly set down to the Capacities of all that faithfully follow their practical rules most plain most perspicuous and easie to all capable of any rule or reason So that this Sacred Canon needs no Associate no Addition of any Authoritie as equally infallible nor more perspicuous then it self to supply what it wants only the Ministery of men skilful and industrious in the search or Exposition of it is to be supposed And all these be they never so excellent and wel conversant in them are unto Scriptures but as the ordinary Expositors of Classick and Authentick Books are unto the chief Authors or Inventors of the science contained in them Supposing that the first Authors were men of extraordinary and infallible skil and their Expositors as they usually are but of ordinary Capacity or Experience in those faculties 6 Finally the Books of Scriptures are to be reputed a more absolute Rule for all Matters of Faith and Divine Mysteries then any Books or Writings of men are for natural sciences or secular professions as in sundrie other Respects so in This that they give as more facile so more infallible directions for finding out their true Sense and Meaning then any other Writings do or Writers could have done who though present could not be so fully Assistant but cannot so much as affoord their presence to their Expositours in the search of Truths rather professed then fully conceived much lesse infallibly taught by them whereas the Spirit of Truth which first did dictate is every where present alwayes Assistant to such as seriously and sincerely seek the Truth contained in these Divine Oracles conducting them from Knowledge to Knowledge both by all such Means as Artists have for increasing their skil and by other Means extraordinary such as none in any other Faculty can have nor any may hope for in the Search of Scriptures but only such as Delight in and Meditate upon them Day and Night SECT II. That the pretended Obscurity of Scriptures is no just Exception why they should not be acknowledged the absolute Rule of Faith which is the Mother-Objection of the Romanist CAP. XII How far it may be granted the Scriptures are Obscure with some Premonitions for the right state of the Question 1 IT is first to be supposed that these Scriptures for whose Soveraignty over our Souls we plead against the pretended Authority of the Romish Church were given by God for the Instruction of all succeeding Ages for all sorts of Men in every Age for all Degrees or divers Measures of his other Gifts in all several sorts or Conditions of Men. This diversitie of Ages and Conditions of Men in several Callings who so wel considers may at the first sight easily discover our Adversaries Willingnesse to wrangle in this point whose usual practise as if they meant to cast a Mist before the weak-sighted Readers eyes is to pick out here and there some places of Scriptures more Hard and difficult then Necessary or requisite to be understood of Every man perhaps of Any man in this Age. The Knowledge of all or any of which notwithstanding those that live after us though otherwise peradventure men of far meaner gifts then many in this present Age shall not therefore need to give for lost or desperate when they shall be called unto this Search For God hath appointed as for every thing else so for the Revelation of his Word certain and peculiar Times and Seasons Daniel though full of the Spirit of Prophecie and one that during the Reign of Nebuchadnezzar and Balthasar his son had as it were continually travelled of Revelations concerning the Estate of Gods Church and the affairs of forrain Kingdoms for many generations to come yet knew not the approaching Time of his peoples deliverance from Captivity until the first year of Darius son of Ahashuerosh And this he learned by Books even in the first year of his Raign I Daniel understood by Books the number of the years whereof the Lord had spoken unto Jeremiah the Prophet that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolation of Jerusalem And of his own Revelation he saith And Daniel was commanded to shut up his words and seal up his book unto the end of the Time or as some read unto the appointed Time and then many shall run to and fro and Knowledge shall be increased For at the Time appointed as he intimates in the words following others though no Prophets were to know more of this Prophecy then the Prophet did himself Then I heard it but I understood it not then said I O my Lord what shall be the end of these things And he said Go thy way Daniel for the words are closed up and sealed till the end of the Time 2 The Prophets of later Ages did see Revelations of matters which had been hid from the Ancient
III. That The continual practise of Hereticks in urging Scriptures to establish Heresie and the diversity of opinions amongst the Learned about the Sense of Them is no just Exception why They should not be acknowledged as the Sole Entire and Compleat Rule of Faith OUt of the former Discourse their other Objections are almost answered already and they be especially Two The first If the Scriptures be plain and easie how comes it to passe that there should be such Contentions amongst the Learned about them Or whence is it that every Heretick is so forward to urge Scriptures for his Opinion even to the Death The Second lies as it were in the womb of this as this did in the former's and drawn out in its proper shape is thus There can be no certain Means of taking up controversies or contentions in the Church but only by admitting an Infallible Authority for deciding all controversies viva voce seeing the Scripture is alwayes made a party on all sides in such contentions 2 In the former Objection they indict the Scriptures as the Principal in the later our Church as an Abetter of such Quarrels and Contentions as it breeds For our Church we shall answer in the next for Gods Word in this present Section CAP. XIX Containing the true State of the Question with the Adversaries General Objections against the Truth 1 IT cannot be denied that alwayes there have been and alwayes will continue Contentions amongst learned men in Points of Faith or Doctrine or about the true Sence or Meaning of Scriptures in these other Cases For thus much these Scriptures themselves do plainly witnesse Oporâ—… esse haereses For there must be Heresies even among you that they which are approved among you might be known But the Question is not whether there have been now are or alwayes shall continue many Contentions about the Sense of Scripture but First Whether the Scriptures have not plainly set down the original Causes and nurses of such Contentions and the Means how to avoid them so men will be ruled by them most plain for this purpose or Secondly Whether not submitting their wils desires and affections unto these plain and perspicuous Rules of life this supposed Infallible Rule of the Romish Church can prevent remove or compose all such Contentions according to the Truth and cause men stedfastly hold the Unity of Faith in the Bond of Peace 3 The Causes of Contentions about the Sence of Scriptures are the very same with the fore-mentioned which made the Scriptures unto sundry seem Obscure or the same which make men to mistake their true Sence and Meaning For even these Wars and Contentions whereof we speak specially these arise from Lusts which sight in our members †we lust and have not we envy and have indignation and cannot obtain we fight and war and got nothing not the Truth which we seek because we ask it not Do not such as contends most about the true Sence ask it most doth not every Heretick the earnester he is professe that he prayes for the Truth so much the more servently yea but such men receive not that which they so earnestly ask because they ask it amisse They desire skill in Scripture to advance their own Conceits and maintain their foolish and carnal Affections otherwise asking they should have and seeking they should find especially the true Sence and Meaning of Gods Word which must instruct us how to frame all our other Petitions unto God aright 4 These and infinite like places we acknowledge plainly declaring the Causes of Contentions and as many more some of which shall be here and there inserted directing us how to avoid all occasions of striâ—e and debate Both which if we observe Contentions will quickly cease Which those not observed must increase as a just punishment of Truth neglected coâ—…icted or low esteemed notwithstanding the best indeavours of any Authority upon earth imaginable to the contrary 5 But some perhaps will demand Is there no use of Humane Authority in this Case yes As for the begetting of true and lively Faith we supose the live-voice of an Ordinary Ministery as the Organ whereby the written Word must be conveyed to our Spirits so for retaining the Unity of this Faith in the Bond of Peace for suppressing or preventing all Occasions of Schismes Heresies or Contentions we acknowledge the necessary Use of a Lawfull Magistracie yet no infallibilitie in either The proper end and use of Both is to espouse mens Souls with an indissoluble knot of Love and Loyaltie unto the written Word the only Infallible Rule of that Faith whereby they live The One by unfolding the generall Points or Maximes of Christian Faith The other by constraining them at least to a civil Practise of undoubted Principles acknowledged by all and inhibiting such Courses as the Moral Precepts of this Canon have defected for Causes and Nurses of Contention Our Adversaries whether out of wilfull malice or oversight or out of both according to the diversities of their tempers have taken occasion to traduce our Churches Doctrine as if it admitted no Means for preventing or composing Contentions but onely the bare letter of Scripture Whereas we all teach that the written Word is the onely Means Infallible not the onely Means Simplie for effecting Both. Nor doth it skill how necessary either Ministerial Expositions or Juridical Decisions be for bringing us unto or retaining us in the Unitie of the Truth professed for not Necessity of Means but Infallibility of Direction is the proper unseparable Condition of the Rule of Faith And seeing Gods Word only endures for ever and therefore onely is Infallible it must be the Sole Rule of Faith how many or how necessary soever the Means be that must bring us to the true Knowledge of it 6 Valentian and Saero-boscus think it all One to acknowledge no Ecclesiasticall Authority or use of Ministerie and not to acknowledge an Infallibility in Both. But this is a Position devoid both of Sense and Reason For As our Senses though of themselves onely capable of particular and Material Objects subject to change and contingencie are the necessary and onely ordinary Means whereby our Intellective Facultie is brought to apprehend Universal and immaterial Principles whose Truth is necessary everlasting and immutable So may the Ministery and Magistracie though both in themselves fallible and obnoxious to Errors be the necessary and onely ordinary Means whereby we are brought as it were by a sensible Induction to the infallible Acknowledgement of the supernatural divine eternal Truths which are the proper Object of the illuminated or spiritual as immaterial and universal Principles are of the natural understanding which shall God willing be declared hereafter In this place I onely thought good to forewarn the Reader of this Hiatus in our Adversaries Collections whereunto the blind and ignorant English Papist led by such blinded forraign Guides as Valentian and Sacro-â—osâ—â—â— who either
and truly religious Writers in the best and flourishing ages of the Church have been as Copious and Industrious in citing Authorities of Scriptures for their Opinions as Hereticks this Argument proves nothing against us why we may not be Orthodoxes and true Catholicks as well as Hereticks That this hath been the practise of Hereticks we acknowledge and having received this their Blow we can return their own weapons upon them with greater probabilitie of better speed 2 It hath been the practise of sundry Hereticks never of any Orthodox to refuse their triall by Scripture and flee unto Traditions It hath been the continual practise of most monstrous and blasphemous Impostors of false Messiahs and such as oppose themselves against Christ of Mahomet and such like to plead the infallible Assistance of the Holy Ghost and a Supream Authority over others without subjection to any triall either by Scripture or other Means If most of them have failed in getting so many stedfast followers as the Pope now hath and for many yeers hath had it is most likely this was either because their Heresies were more open and more easie to be descried or they lesse cunning in countenancing them by Scriptures Antiquitie or other plausible showes of Custom Tradition or the like For we all know that Antichrists greatnesse must grow by the multitude of his resolute followers that God shall send them be they never so many strong delusions that they should beleeve lies that his coming is by the working of Satham who can urge Scripture as cunningly to maintain Falshood as any Heretick and by all power and signes and lying wonders So that it will be hard to discover or prevent his coming unlesse men be very cunning and expert in these Scriptures the Rule of Truth the onely Light whereby all falshood must be discovered 3 That they may once for all know how little we fear their force we will set our Bodies so as they shall not misse them and prepare our selves to take the full strength and Dint of all their strokes The Hereticks of old time say they have urged Scriptures for their Doctrine vehemently and copiously we will give them better hold and help them to presse this Point a little harder They did urge Scriptures most cunningly most subtilly and hereby deceived many yea almost staggered the very Elect. What if they did so would Pharaohs Enchanters have obstupisied most of the Israelite beside Moses and Aaron but did their cunning jugling prejudice the truth of Moses Miracles or did he neglect to manifest the Power of God for fear lest he should be censured for such a one as they were onely more cuning in his Craft Their wicked cunning served as a foyl so to set forth his heavenly skill as the Enchanters themselves could not but see the Finger of God in his working herein more ingenuous then the modern Jesuites who in so clear a Point as this we now dispute after so many foyls as they have taken will not acknowledge the force of that Scripture in themselves Magnaest veritas praevalet The Reason is because they will not come into the open Court to trie their Skill before unpartiall Judges 4 The Devil we all know did urge the Scripture to our Saviour with great skill and dexterity Had he been the onely follower or first founder of this practise or the first of all we had read of we should have been untill we had found some better example and warrant for it as much afraid to have imitated him herein as that scrupulous Monk was to wear his Hood because he thought the Devil had been the first that ever had worn one being usually painted in that habit when he came to tempt our Saviour Christ and that Story he thought in all likelie-hood to be as Ancient as the first Hood But with what Weapon did our Saviour vanquish Sathan that had set upon him with Scripture did he charge him sub poena anathematis to be silent or did he crave the Churches peace under pain of greater penalties or did he appeal unto the infallible Authority or Supream Tribunal of the Jewish Church did he except against him for using an unlawful Heretical weaponâ— can you deny that he foyled him with these very weapons wherewith we now contend that all Hereticks Sathans followers are to be assaulted and repulsed ere they can be lawfully foyled and quite overthrown And here I would beseech all sâ—ber-minded Christians even as they love our Saviour Christ â—he chief Captain of the Lords Host the Authour and finisher of our Faith and as they hate Sathan himself the Head and Prince of all Gods Christs and our enemies to consider these subsequent Reasons well and weigh'd is Instance in the quiet calm and setled motions of their hearts 5 If Sathan can thus teach Hereticks and other his like wicked Instruments such great skill and cunning in Scriptures as they can thereby countenance Errours and deceive others with a shew of Godlinesse why should we not hold it as a principall Article of our Faith that Christ Jesus is able to instruct his chosen Immediately in the true Sense and Meaning of the same Scriptures so as they may hereby grow skilful enough to retain such as love the Truth in the knowledge of Truth and defend themselves and others against the oppositions of Hereticks although they bring their Arguments out of Scripture For First we know and believe that Christ is stronger then Sathan for he hath bound that strong man Secondly that he is better skilled in Scripture for after his first enterance into his Prophetical or Sacerdotal Function he put him hereby to flight and at his Passion ‖ threw him out of his hold Sathans strength since that time hath been lesse and Christs Power greater so that in his strength we may be stronger then all Sathans followers Thirdly we know that the Scripture is in it self much more favourable unto Truth then unto Falshood and caeteris paribus far more apt to confirm true Religion and instruct in Points of Faith then to establish Heresie or fill the World with Errours onely the sons of Darknesse have been wiser in their generation then such as should be or in some measure are the sons of Light And if Hereticks may seem to have had the better sometimes of the Orthodox in trying Controversies by Scripture this doubtlesse was for no other reason but onely this Their alacritie and industrie in searching Scriptures for maintenance of Errours was greater then the others for establishment and confirmation of the Truth otherwise as we said before the Truth is more consonant to the puritie and integrity of Sacred Writ then any Falshood though never so fair in shew can be And Christ Jesus is more powerful and more skilfull more able and more willing to assist and strengthen such as follow him then Sathan is to enable his wicked Instruments Seeing then by these Scriptures he hath crushed
Carelesnesse Sloth Negligence and want of zeal to the Truth 6 And after this Composal was once so wrought that men had felt some intermission of publick Dissention which they feared most such as were industrious in the search or would have been expert in the Knowledge of Scriptures were esteemed of but as Souldiers in the time of Peace and ease alwayes suspected lest they should raise new Broils And for this reason debarred of free accesse unto this Armory But how soever the Practise of examining the Churches Authority by Scripture was for many generations rare till Luther arose yet during all this time that of our Apostle Acts 14. 17. was in this Case most true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 GOD did not leave himself without a Witnesse In all these ages he had his Martyrs who in the fervency of their Zeal earnestly sought the dissolution of the coagulated Masse and extraction of Celestial Quintessences therein buried offering their Bodies as fuel to the flames of persecutions that were to effect it 7 Nor can you in reason demand we should give particular Instances of such Martyrs in every Age. For no man of sense but will easily conceive that your Church would seek by all means possible to obliterate their Fame and Memory upon whose Bodies she had exercised such extream Tyranny left their Example might encourage Posterity to like Resolutions Unlesse DRIFDO had unawares I think acquainted me with the Provost of STENELDA'S Epistle to S. BERNARD I had not known either your Cruelty against the Albigence's or Picards as I suppose or their Constancy in suffering Tortures in themselves most grievous yet attended with Usages as disgraceful both for the manner or form of Proceeding as injuriously inflicted as the ground or matter of Accusations brought against them were unjust and impious The Provosts Epistle was to this effect 8 I would gladly be resolved Holy Father might I enjoy your presence whence it is that in Hereticks the Devils members there should be so great Resolution for defence of their Heresies as the like can scarce be found in very religious and faithful Christians There are saith he amongst us Hereticks which put no confidence in the Suffrages of men deceased or Prayers of Saint Fastings and other afflictions of the Body usually undertaken for Sin are not in their Opinion necessary to the righteous Purgatory after death they acknowledge none Denying the making of our Lords Body in the Sacrament of the Altar the Church they affirm to be amongst them having neither fields nor possessions Of such we have known divers by the multitude misled with too much zeal violently haled agaiâ—… our will unto the flame whose Torments they not only indured with patience but entertained with joy I would therefore be resolved by you Holy Father whence so great Resolution in the Devils members should spring 9 No question but this Provost which esteemed no better of them then as of Hereticks or Satans members did relate the worst Opinions then known to be held by them and yet He as I would have the Reader note living in their time laies no such odious Tenents to their charge as those that lived long after or were imployed by the Romish State to write against Wickliff Husse or Jerome of Prage have charged them and their followers with Driedo tels us he finds no direct Answer by way of Epistle or writing unto this venerable mans demand in particular But out of S. Bernards Doctrine else-where delivered concerning like Hereticks he finds this Resolution The Constancy of Martyrs hath no affinity with the Stubbornnesse of Hereticks Pietie breeds contempt of Death in the one Hardnesse of heart in the other Such good minded men as S. Bernard I think had least to do in the Examination of such men most obnoxious to mis-information in the particulars of their carriage with which the Civil Magistrates of France though Romish Catholicks better acquainted have given them laudable Testimonies for their honest and religious Lives and whether these mentioned by that Provost were such as S. Bernard spake against in the place late cited is more then Driedo knew Howsoever in matters of this nature it is most true Bernardus non vidit omnia being as easie in his life time to be abused by crafty Politicians as his Authority is now by modern Jesuites He that will believe these men were such Hereticks as Driedo would make them only because Driedo sayes so may easily be perswaded that their Resolution did not spring so much from true and lively Faith as from Humorous Obstinacy or stubborn Pride But while we consider all Circumstances well though many we take from your Relation who in this Case relate nothing so well and truly as you should we have just cause to think they were not Hereticks but men rightly Religious fearing God more then men and more observant of his Laws then of humane Traditions For at this time as the Glory the temporal Power and Authority of your Church was exceeding Great so were the Hopes of these poor souls lesse either of purchasing Glory by contradicting or private Gains by disobeying your Decrees To attempt the one was the readiest way to procure their utter Disgrace the other an infallible provocation of greatest Danger Your Church had the whole Multitude of Nations as ready at her beck to applaud your cruel designs against them as the High-Priests and Elders had the Jewish People to approve our Saviours Condemnation The manner of their Tortures accompanied with such certainty of Ignominy and Disgrace were dreadful to the setled and deliberate cogitations of Flesh and Bloud their Memory for ought they could in human probability foresee was either to sleep with their Bodies and lie buried in their ashes or if surviving them to be perpetually scourged by the scurrilous pens and tongues of their bitter Adversaries No hope they had of being Canonized for Saints in the vehement desire whereof some in your Church have solicited the procurement of their own violent death by others hands 10 All these and many other like circumstances whiles we consider ye may brag of the Multitude and Universality as a Note of the true Church and we will easily grant you to have been at that time far more in number then these silly Sheep whose admirable Constancy neverthelesse in the heat of such extream Tyrannie and alwayes matcht with such harmlesse Simplicity doth make us think that albeit you were the greater yet these were that little Flock unto whose hearts our Saviour by his holy Spirit of comfort had said Fear not for it is your Fathers will to give you a Kingdom lands and possessions as your Adversaries truly object here on earth ye have had none But the Losse is little or rather your Gain exceeding great For these because these you have forsaken for the Gospels sake and mine you shall receive lands and possessions an hundred fold with life everlasting in the world to come
ravenous mouths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is as you interpret Rule my sheep or Petre macta manduca kill and eat Now all the pretended glorious Promises of the Gospel or large hopes of Liberty which you had given them before are sodainly contracted in these two main Commandments the chief Supporters of your Religion on which your Law and Gospel hang If any thing be proposed to be Believed Believe or be burnt If to be Acted Do or die 5 But as I was saying such kind of Weapons must be used only towards such as are admitted unto Christs Fold unto them the Popes Authority must be a Rule for they must be ruled by his iron Rod. But let us suppose a Christian either wel minded Protestant or Papist a Jew or Mahumetan all zealous in their kind and of carriage moderate should meet together in some Principles of Belief they all agree all acknowledge the old Testament to be the Word of God but differ in the true Sence and Meaning of it What means would you prescribe to win either of these two Unbelievers to the Truth I am sure ye would not begin with the Popes Authority Were it not the readiest way to win a Mahumetan to shew him that the greatnesse of that kingdom in which he glorieth was ordained by God to punish the Christian world as Nebuchadnezzars was to plague the Jews and should decay would Christians amend and the strength of his affection to the prosperity of that Empire abated to propose the carnal Affection of Mabomet and his Religion most of which is lothsom to the ears of such as have any notion of any Religion whereas the Purity of Christs Gospel is such as a sober minde once therewith acquainted would Reverence albeit he could not obey 6 This or the like Method is used by sundry learned Papists to diâ—… Mahumetium If they reply that they first seek to make them acknowledge the Scriptures that they may thence learn to rely upon the Popes Infallibility they utterly deface their own pretended Glory in converting so many Aliens unto the Faith For all this pains in such as follow this supposed Method is but to purchase a double portion in the Pharisees Wo For â—… passing Sea and I and to make others of their profession The Pharisees in such Conversions did as it were â—uadrate the measure of Proselytes sins multiplying Gentilism by Pharisaism The Jesuites make up the â—ul Câ—… 〈◊〉 they produce Mahumetism which is but a medley of Gentilism and Judaiâ—m into Jesuitism which is the sublimation of Pharisaism mixed with malignant Atheism For it is impossible that this Conversion should abolish the form or essential Quality of the Mahumetans former carnal corrupt Religion but rather intend the bad temper of it by superaddition of this second in quality more malignant And yet for the effecting of this Change they make Christ lesus their crucified Lord and God but a Stale for the advancement of His Kingdom that by their own confession may be for life and manners far worse then Mahomet Suppose then a convert-Mahumetan should know what manner of men most of their Popes be how could he chuse but either repent of his Conversion or turn treacherous Atheist to out-â—â—e the Jesuite in such villanous Gulleries as this wherein he useth Mahomets beastly life as an Argument to disswade his followers from his Religion and yet useth the Word of God whose Sanctity both acknowledge but as a bait to bring men on to fasten their Faith upon a more deâ—esâ—able Son of Perdition This were indeed the best way to harden the Mahumetan in his preposterous Belief That Mahomet though as we object a notorious Impostor might be sent from God to win the world unto that Truth by the sword whereunto Christ could not bring it by his godly Life and most essectual kinde of Preaching And I do not see what else but this or the like Conclusion can with any probability be gathered from any Arguments brought by the Papists to prove the necessity of the Popes or their corrupt Churches infallible Authority for supplying the defect of Christ and his Apostles Writings Finally to bring either Mahuâ—â—etan or Pagan to acknowledge the Truth of the New Testament or Christ for their Saviour that they might afterwards relie upon such men is but to lead them into the entry of the Kingdom of Heaven that they may finally shut the door on them when they have one foot within it which is indeed the sole entire formal effect of this supposed Infallible Key But my good liking of industry though of our greatest Adversarie in this slothful Age makes me hope God grant I fail not in my hopes that in remote Countries whose air is not pestered with the noisom and Ioathsom Scent of Rome their Mothers whoredom even Jesuites are inspired with more pure and hallowed Cogitations and that they use not Valentian Bellarmin or others of their Italianated fellows Methods in catâ—chising Converts or if they do yet God I trust wil be merciful unto such poor souls as thus adore the Pope not knowing what manner of Creature he is but rather in charity presume him for such in the Concrete as the Jesuites make him in the Abstract even a second-Christ or Holinesse it self 7 Were not the best Method to win the Jew to compare the Prophecies of the Old Testament with the History of the New and Experiments of Gods judgements upon that nation Some Jews have been brought unto the Truth by these means who have done the Church of Christ excellent service in the exposition of Prophecies concerning Christ labouring to win their Country-men unto him by comparing the Old Testament with the New If the Scripture may be a Rule to compose the diversity of these Opinions most repugnant amongst themselves may it not much more be a Rule to compose all Controversies amongst professed Christians who agree in far more Principles of Faith and Rules of Scripture then the former did if Christians would be as soberly affected and not stand upon the Authorities and Customes of men the special Obstacle that keeps the Jews from Christianity 8 It is usual with your Writers to argue thus We cannot know Scriptures to be the Scriptures but by the Authority of the Church therefore we cannot know the true Sense and Meaning of them but by the infallible Authority of the same The Antecedent of which Argument as we have partly shewed and hereafter God willing shal shew to be most false so for the Argument it self I only now say that it may be far more probably inverted upon you thus The Jews may come to acknowledge the New Testament for the very Cospel of their Messias and to Believe in heart and Profess with their mouthes the Mysteries therein contained by sober and diligent comparing them with the Prophecies of the Old without the infallible Authority of your Church therefore they may know the true sense and meaning of the Gospel
in all Points necessary to salvation without any such infallible Authority For it is a matter of far lesse Difficulty for any man of sense and reason to deduce particular Conclusions from general and evident Principles then to finde out the general and fundamental Principles by natural Notions or other Principles And therefore more easie for any such man to resolve his Conscience in particular Points of Faith or Christian Obedience after he hath found out the Foundation of Christian Faith to wit Chrâ—… Jesus crucified raised from the dead and other general Dictates of Faith in the Apostolical Writings then to come unto the acknowledgement and Belief of these fundamental Points themselves from the broken knowledge such as the Jews have of the Old Testament And thus it evidently follows that if the Old Testament be a Rule unto the Jews for finding out the Truth of the New much more may the New once acknowledged by them and admitted of equal Authority with the Old be a perfect Rule for them in matters of Salvation And if these Scriptures are or may be a Rule to the Jews if they will believe them then must they be a Rule to all Christians that Believe them No Christian I hope wil deny but that the Old Testament is the Rule of the Jews For the unbelieving Jews shal be condemned in what part of the world soever for not following this Rule which God hath commended and made known unto them not for not acknowledging the Popes Infallibility of which many of them never heard And if the Old Testament be such to them much more must the whole Canon be unto us such a Rule and if we die in misbelief or infidelity we shall be judged by this Rule of Gods Law and Gospel which we transgressed not by the Popes Decrees or Expositions of it That many Christians by profession erre in Points of Faith or mistake the true Sense and Meaning of it or pervert it to their Destruction proceeds from their Ingratitude towards God that gave it and for their delight in Falshood Which is the reason why these Jews mistake the true Meaning of the Old Testament 9 If any of our Adversaries here demand how chanceth it so many Jews erre in the Foundation of Faith if the Scripture be such an infallible Rule he must be content to resolve me in the like Question How chanceth it so many Jews live unconverted in Spain and Italy and other places either in the Popes Dominions or where his Authority is established if the Infallibility of his Authority or their Church be such an excellent Rule If they reply the Jews might believe all Points of Roman-Catholick Faith aright so they would admit their Church as Judge or Mistresse of Faith the Jews might with as good reason rejoyn so might the Romans believe all Points of Judaism would they acknowledge this supposed Infallibility of Doctrine to be in their Rabbinical Expositions not in the Popes Determinations But the Romanist I suppose would desire a Sign ere he believed them herein and are we lesse bound by the Rule of Faith to desire some tolerable satisfaction to these reasons following ere we believe them in this Point as prejudicial in our judgement to Religion in general as Subscription to Rabbinical Doctrine is unto Chistian Verity 10 The Jews admit the Old Testaments Authority as undoubtedly as the Jesuites do the Popes yet it enlightens not their hearts What is the Reason Because that Part of Scripture is so obscure So Valentian and such as follow him in all congruity must say yea he hath said it That Veil which Saint Paul saith is put before the hearts of Jews that they cannot behold the Glory of the Gospel as the Apostle there argues is woven for the most part of the Difficulties of Scriptures Nor do the Jews only deny the New Testament to be infallible but bitterly inveigh against it as erroneous and contradictory to the Old What is the Cause Is it not that which Valentian elsewhere assigns The Scripture alone that is in his language without the infallible Avouchment of their Church is so far from ending all Controversies of Faith that it rather occasions Controversies and Dissentions in Doctrines of Faith If to the Jew through his default the Writings of Moses and the Prophets be so obscure adde your infallible Key to open his heart to them or them to it If by this obscurity they minister matter of Contentation or their Sense mistaken exasperate Jewish malice against Christians Interpose your Humane Authority inspired from above to allay the fervency of their distempered Zeal 11 You acknowledge this Obscurity and other objected Insufficiencies disinabling the Scripture for ruling or judging mens Faith to arise from the frailty or viciousnesse of Humane Nature and hence you plead your Churches Infallibility as necessary and al-sufficient to supply these defects incident unto Scripture not in it self but in respect of us Your Churches Authority then at the least adjoyned to Scripture should make men otherwise subject to the former Infirmities or vitious Dispositions capable of Heavenly Doctrine Tell us then distinctly Can it or can it not make all or most or such as the Scriptures do not Believe aright If this it cannot do adjoyning to Scriptures it is by your own Objections against them a Rule as unsufficient as you would make them without it If it can make all or most or such as Scripture alone doth not Believe aright this it must effect either by removing or not removing those Diseases or Infirmities of Humane Nature which Scriptures without it cannot cure 12 First if it could remove that Temper which makes the Jew a more unprofitable Hearer of Scripture then young Gallants are of stoical moral discipline your Church is guilty of wilful malice and murther of souls that will not apply this infallible Key able of it self to open that Veil of Adamant wherewith the Jews hearts are so masked that neither the light of Mosaical Prophetical Apostolical or Evangelical Writings can find entrance unto them Secondly albeit this supposed infallible Authority could remove the former Veil yet were it not in this respect to be acknowledged an infallible Rule of Faith but rather an ordinary necessary Means such as we acknowledge the lawful Magistracy or Ministry to be for squaring or proportioning mens frail or exorbitant Affections the better to parallel with Gods word the most exact inerrable and al-sufficient Rule of Faith even by your consent were it not for this Infirmitie or vitious Disposition of mans Nature which as you likewise acknowledge is the sole Cause why the Scriptures are Obscure and minister matter of Contention 13 But our Adversaries attribute not any such vertue to their infallible Rule as to make a fool wise the lascivious chaste the drunkard sober a knave honest the impudent modest or ambitious lowly for even the Pope himself in whose bosome this Rule lodgeth may harbour these and like vices in his
brest He may by his own followers Consession be as incorrigible for bad Life and Manners as infallible for matters of Doctrine Seeing then their supposed Rule cannot remove those Impediments which detain the Jews with other Infidels and Hereticks from the Truth can it make men Believe aright whilest They remain If it can it is of greater force then either our Saviours Authority or skil in Scriptures Neither of which not all his travels and best endeavours here on earth though infinitely surpassing any pains the Pope is willing to take could instruct the Jews in the Doctrine of Faith whilest their carnal Affections remained in strength How can ye Believe saith he who spake as never man spake and had wrought those Works none other could which receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh 〈◊〉 God alone 14 To conclude then If the Infidelity of the Jews be any just exception why Scriptures cannot be the perfect Rule of Faith this Exception will disinable the Roman Churches infallible Authoritie for being such a Rule But if the general Error of the Jews in the very main Foundation of Religion be no just Exception why either the Scripture according to us or the Churches Authority according to them should not be the Rule of Faith then cannot the Errors of Hereticks or varietie of Opinions about the sense and Meaning of particular places of lesse moment impeach the sufficiencie of Scripture for performing all that is required by either Partie in their supposed absolute Rule For it shall God willing be made evident in due place that the self same Affections onely different in degree sometimes not so much which caused the Jews Insidelitie in our Saviours time are the onely roots and fountains of Heresies and Dissentions throughout all Ages 15 And as elsewhere is already proved wheresoever the habitual Affection for degree and qualitie is the Heresie or Insidelitie is likewise the same even in such as hold contrary Opinions and would perhaps maintain their contrarietie unto death for as many strongly perswaded of their Belief in Christ shall go for Infidels in that last day so may such as think themselves Orthodoxes be tainted with the contrarie Heresie which they impugne if subject to the same Affections which did breed it But for us to account such as make profession of Christianitie Insidels or such as subscribe to Orthodoxal Doctrine Hereticks would be injurious and unlawfull not because the former Assertion indesinitely taken is not warrantable but because no man can precisely discern the Indentitie of inward Affection save he alone that knoweth the secrets of all hearts Thus all the Blasts of vain Doctrine they can oppose unto the Truth we maintain do in the issue fasten the roots of Faith once rightly planted howsoever they may shake the timerous or faint-hearted Christian or cause the weak in Faith not cleaving to Scripture as their onely infallible Rule and sure Supporter dangerously to reel and stagger But though they fall yet Gods Word shall never fail to approve it self a most perfect Rule besides others in these Two respects First in that none can fail in that course which it prescribes or fall away from Faith but by such means as the Jew hath done the true Causes of whose Apostacie and incredulitie it hath expresly foretold and fully registred to Posterity Secondly because such as it doth not no other Rule Means or Authority possible either in the earth or in the region below the earth shall ever win to true Christian Faith CAP. XXIII The Suffficiencie of Scriptures for Final Determination of Controversies in Religion proved by our Saviours and his Apostles Authority and Practise 1 NOr will They be ruled by an Angel from Heaven That will not obey the live Voice of the Son of God whose Miracles whilest he lived here on earth joyned with his Doctrine we will suppose were of as much force if the Jesuite will grant no more as the Popes Proposal of Scriptures to beget Faith or convince gain-sayers of Truth The Jews were of diverse Opinions about his Doctrine Some said he was a good man Others said No but he deceiveth the People he gives them a Rule as you heard before how to discern it If any man will do his will he shall know of the Doctrine c. This contents them not albeit he had done many and good works amongst them sufficient to have manifested his Divine Authority unto such as had never heard of Moses or a Messias to come Nay they go about to kill him for those works which bare Testimonie of his Worth and as they thought had Warrant of Scripture for so doing because he did them on the Sabbath day Here Christ is of one Opinion the Jews of another concerning the Sense of Scripture Who shall judge or by what Rule must their contrary Doctrine be tried By Christs infallible Authoritie they admit it not By extraordinary and miraculous Works they persecute him for his Miracles already wrought for their peoples good Doth Christ here leave them because destitute of a Rule to recall them If he had none how shall the Pope by his own challenge but his Vicar have any to convince his Adversaries It Christ submit his Divine Doctrine to any other Rule how dare the Pope deny submission of his to the same What Rule then was left Onely the Scripture which both 〈◊〉 acknowledge They pretend Moses Law concerning Sabbath-breach why he should die unto their false interpretation of this our Saviour opposed the true meaning of another Mosaical Scripture Moses forbad Murther as well as Sabbath-day-breaking and yet they seek to kill Christ only for Fealing a man upon the Sabbath-day so forgetfull are they of the One and so partially addicted to the Other But how shall they know that to make a man whole upon the Sabbath was not to break it and violate Moses Law This our Saviour makes evident unto them by exposition of that Law and their own Custom which continued from the first promulgation was a good interpretation of it Moses saith our Saviour gave unto you Circumcision not because it is of Moses but of the Fathers and ye on the Sabbath-day circumcise a man If a man on the Sabbath-day receive Circumcision that the Law of Moses should not be broken be ye angrie with me because I have made a man every whit whole 〈◊〉 the Sabbath-day Judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgement Thus was Scripture applied to their Conscience the last and finall Rule by which they stand or fall and is alwayes a Light either bringing men to see their own Salvation or putting out their wonted sight in token of their Condemnation to utter darknesse And Christs last words in that Controversie Judge not according to the appearance are likewise a written Rule of Scripture so absolute a Rule is this Sacred Word of God by our Saviours consent and practise both to inform the
Peoples distraction in following some one false Prophet some another fewest of all the true Prophets most their High-Priests and men in Authority might exempt any from acknowledgement of such Prophesies as in the issue proved Divine for the Rule of their Belief If that People either upon the Variety of Opinions or the Authority of the Priests or others might reject the Word of God either preached unto them by the Prophets or read by others or appeal from It to any visible company of men on whose decrees they might safely rely then may the Romanists with some probability teach men to rely upon the decrees of their Church for their infallible Rule not upon Scriptures only But if the People of those times were bound to rely upon MOSES Law and the Prophets Writings against all the World besides albeit joyntly conspiring to teach them otherwise though with Glozes and pretences of Moses Authority then much more must these Writings be of like Authority unto us And all the Mimical Objections which the Jesuites can frame to this or like purpose If the Scripture be the Rule of Faith and must be discerned by private Spirits how comes it to passe that Calvin expounds it one way Luther another Zwinglius a third and yet all think they have the Spirit are the very same in effect with the false Prophet Zedekiah's Exception against Michaiah When went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee 5 Zeclekiah had four hundred more of his opinion and this People had been very dull if conscious of their own factious greatnesse they could not have pleaded all the Papists Arguments against Michaiah all that can be drawn from the Universality or Authority of the Church All which have meer ignorance or incogitancy of a Divine Providence for their Root but branch themselves in their after-grouth into positive Atheism and contradictious Infidelity First their Authors the Priests and Jesuites erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the Power of God able to lead men unto Life by this written Way though narrow and private yet straight and plain Afterwards as if they were Satans sworn Takers or authorized Purveyoâ—â—s to furnish Hell with guests observing some who rather idly wish or loosly profer then seriously purpose or earnestly strive to enter in at the streight Gate either sail in their first Adventures or finally miscarry they watch hence all opportunities of haling Passengers to their broad beaten Catholick Way which almost all heretofore have gone as they brag wherein a blind man so he will follow his Guide cannot easily trip so I think until both come at the very Pit-brink of Destruction whereunto it tends directly and infallibly But is this your Catholick Way more plain or better beaten then rebellious Israels or Judahs was Could not these also whilest backed by their blinded Guides have mockt at private Spirits and bestowed Titles upon Gods true Servants because in number fewest and most opposite to their Prelates as foul and odious as Sectaries Schismaticks or Hereticks Or did these willingly and wittingly go astray as knowing their wayes to be the wayes of death Therefore my people is gone into captivity saith the Lord because they had no knowledg Ignorance the Nurse of your Devotion was the true Mother of their Superstition and Idolatry yet was this want of Knowledge which thus proved the fertile Seed of all their insuing Misery the native Fruit of their former Negligence in not practising the known Precepts of Moses Law And because increase of Ignorance in Gods Word did breed in them a greater delight of hearing Lies and pleasant things then the Truth he gave them their Lust as he had done their Forefathers Quails in his displeasure Son of man saith the Lord unto his Prophet these men have set up their Idols in their heart and put the stumbling Block of their Iniquity before their face should I being required answer them Therefore say unto them Thus saith the Lord God Every man of the House of Israel that setteth up his 〈◊〉 in his heart and putteth the stumbling Block of his Iniquity before his face and cometh to the Prophet I the Lord will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his Idols That I may take the House of Israel in their own heart because they are all departed from me through their Idols 6 This evidently proves that unlesse the Moral Law be duly practised and those stumbling Blocks which the wicked set before their faces removed to seek after such a facile inerrable Rule as the Papists have framed for direction in points of Faith is to solicit a snare for their own Souls as no doubt God gave the Romans for their distast of his Word and that longing after Genulism before mentioned this broken Reed whereon to this day they rely as he had done the Israelites a King in his wrath And though in every Age since the Goths and Vandals over-ran the Empire God hath raised up some poor Michaiah to withstand their state-Prelates Yet those lying Spirits which possessed Ahabs Prophets have ever born greatest sway in that Church seducing Princes and People as they had done Ahab by multitude of Voices to their own Destruction That the Romanists can produce men of great fame and note through many Generations for their defence in some one point or other it skils not much For as God in times past suffered Prophets or Dreamers to take opportunity from their strange Predictions of inticing his people to Idolatry forbidden by his written Law so in every Age his Providence permits men of excellent Gifts and great skill in Scriptures to have yea to seek to establish their plansible Errours under pretences of Revelations secret Assistance or abundant measure of his Spirit that by this means he may try our Fidelity in searching Scriptures and Diligence in trying Spirits as he did the Israelites by such presumptions of Divine Prophesies or Visions And if amongst this great Variety of Opinions I might deliver mine as freely as I willingly submit it to each sober Prophets Censure much more to the Correction of my lawful Superiours I should for ought I yet see to the contrary avouch first that no Christian in any Age but is oft put upon his Trial Whether he love God or the great Ones of this world more Whether he will Confesse or Deny Christ before men Secondly That during these dayes of Peace and Security which we now enjoy our Acquital or Condemnation in both the Two former main Interrogatories stands especially upon our abandoning or abetting their Errours in some points of Danger whose Worth in others we justly admire So much addicted are we for the most part to such mens persons as have been Gods Instruments for our good that upon often experience of those wholesome Medicines wherewith their shops are plentifully furnished we swallow down whatsoever there we find when as perhaps the disease they had to deal with or some other
with Hereticks Difference between your selves and us in this Point you shall never be able to assigne any Tell us by what Means you can discern who dissent from your Canons and our Answer is readie we can discern who dissent from ours by the same if no other were left us This briefly may suffice for removall of Prejudices easie to be wrought in such as compare not Particulars with Particulars or consider not the use of external Magistracie acknowledged by us for punishing Contentious Spirits or our Means of discerning who are such In both which respects we are at least equal to the Romans CAP. XXVII That the Romish Church hath most need of some excellent Means for taking up Contentions because it necessarilie breeds so many and so grievous 1 FOr the main Point as well about the Original of Contentions and Schismes as incorrigible continuance in them onely this Difference I find That we permitting a sober search of Scriptures unto all not binding any mans Faith to the Judgement of man leave a possibilitie to the learned of finding out a liberty unto all of professing the Truth found for the health and life of their Souls without dread or danger to their Bodies And seeing we bind no man upon pain of damnation to Believe any point of Doctrine which is not plainly and expressely set down in Scriptures we minister no occasion of deadly dissention unto any For Contentions amongst our selves they are rather distempers then dangerous diseaseâ— nor do they affect those parts of Religion in which our spiritual Life is properly seated Yet even these in later yeers had been and alwayes would be fewer and their danger lesse were it not for those Foxes which your Church suborns to bring firebrands into the Lords Harvest And even these your Foxes in this our Land howsoever for this publick Mischief against us and the intended Combustion of our Church their Tails were tied together by your Churches knot have yet whet their cankred Teeth as eagerly and opened their venemous Mouthes as bitterly one against another as any but they could have done either against us or any creatures living But to leave private dissentions amongst your selves your Church prohibiting men the ingenuous search of Scriptures and free profession of their Conscience tying them to submit their Judgements at all adventure unto the corrupt Doctrine of your Clergie hath set open a wide gap to such grosse Opinions and monstrous Heresies as no man vnlesse his judgement had been surprised by your pretended Authority or his Spiritual senses lockt up in superstition sleep and midnight darknesse would ever have assented unto much lesse have tolerated when men were taught to hold them for Points of Faith as infallibly true as the Scripture it self only because your Church hath proposed and practised them 2 Thus did your Doctrine and filthy Practise of Indulgences to omit many moe from some surmises of the Ancient concerning a third place after this life as it were from a small seed or kernel by little and little come up to such a mighty growth that it violently rent and tore asunder the main Wals of Christs Temple and caused that irreparable breach and rupture betwixt the Southern and Northern parts of Christs Church established in this Western part of the World And albeit Cassander with divers other learned men in your Church both before and about the time of the Trent-Councel wished a reformation of many Points maintained by you hoping the Lutheran and other reformed Churches would thereby be drawn to Unity with you again yet what one suspicious Opinion hath that Councel cleared what bad amended what harsh or odious one hath it mitigated Nay what Possibility hath it left for the amendment of any in Ages to come amongst such as shall acknowledge that Authority infallible which hath thundred out so many Anathema's to all Gainsayers Before it was lawful for Cassander and Cajetan Fspenceus and others to shew their dislike of your Doctrine and signifie their desires of amendment retaining some Reliques or fashion of men that had been Free-born not Slaves or Vassals to corrupt and dissolute Tyrants They used their Liberty of Speech even in those cases wherein it is not now lawful for any in your Church to mutter no not so much as to sigh or groan under that heavy Yoak which their Forefathers grudged to bear whose weight and hardnesse notwithstanding you still increase whilest your upstart Statesmen the Jesuites like Rehoboams green-headed Counsellers daily seek to make your Ecclesiastick Monarchâ—s little finger greater then his Predecessors loins 3 Some Jesuite or other happily would reply Had Luther been quiet the Church had been still at such Peace and Unity as it enjoyed for many years before What manner of Peace and Unity was that Any other then such as usually is found in any political Argus-eyed Tyrannie before the sinews of it shrunk or the ligaments be dissolved where no man may move but he is seen nor mutter but he is heard where the least secret signification of any desire of Freedom in Speech or Liberty in Action is interpreted for open Mutiny and the least Motion unto Mutiny held matter sufficient for a cruel Death These were the Bonds of your Peace and Unity in this point of your Ecclesiastick Monarchie As for your Peace in other speculative Points of lesse use or commodity to your state it was like the revellings or drunken Consorts of Servants in their night sportings when the Master of the House is asleep in a retired room Any School-man might broach what Opinion he list and make his Auditors drunk with it others might quarrel with him and them in as uncivil sort as they list so no Weapon were drawn against the Popes Peace Albeit in the mean time the Scripture suffered as open Violence and Abuse as Priscian doth when drunken or dunstical Grammarians braul in extemporary Latin As for your Cardinals and States-men they were at league indeed but it was foedissimum foedus a League solemnized with more then barbarous and heatheâ—sh sacrifice with the bloud of many thoâ—sand silly Lambs for whom the Lamb of God had sacrificed his precious Body and Bloud What number of Hussits Bohemians Picardes poor souls of Lions were made a prey unto your Woolvish I may not say Lions teeth seeing as the Italian Poet argues this Title so ill befits your Popes Nec cadit in turpes nobilis ir a feras No Lions they for noble wrath No place in such base creatures hath But what Troops of such harmlesse souls were slain burnt and tormented for their longing after the Liberty of the Sons of God nor we nor you that live this day can know nor shall be known until the Register of the Book of life be opened And howsoever they went as their Lord and Master the great Shepheard of their souls had done before them like sheep unto the slaughter whilest their friends and kinsfolks cries were drowned with your Jewish
challenge another as free and absolute as himself for his Tributarie or Vassal and traduce him for a seditious member of Christendome because he would not compose the Quarrel thus injuriously sought with the surrender of his Crown and Dignitie 3 Princes may conclude a Peace for civil and free commerce of their People though professing sundry Religions and they and their Clergie might perhaps procure a mitigation of some other Points now much in Controversie but Though all others might yet This admits no terms of parly for any possible Reconcilement The natural Separation of this Island from those Countries wherein this Doctrine is professed shall serve as an everlasting Emblem of the Inhabitants divided hearts at least in this Point of Religion and let them O Lord be cut off speedily from amongst us and their Posterity transported hence never to enjoy again the least good thing this Land affords let no print of their Memory be extant so much as in a tree or stone within our Coast or let their Names by such as remain here after them be never mentioned or alwayes to their endlesse shame who living here amongst us will not imprint these or like Wishes in their hearts and daily mention them in their Prayers Littora littoribus contraria fluctibus undas Imprecor arma armis pugnent ipsique nepotes Which words though uttered in another case applied to this sound thus much to all wel-affected English or Brittish ears Let our and for ain Coasts joyn battel in the Main Ere this foul blasphemy Great Brittain ever stain Where never let it come but floating in a floud Of ours our nephews and their childrens childrens bloud 4 The Leaven of the Pharisees whereof our Saviour willed his Disciples to beware was sweet Bread in respect of this pestiferous Dough whose poison is so diffused througout the whole Body and Masse of Romish Religion as it hath polluted every parcel therein and makes even those particular Points to be damnable in modern Papists which in the Ancient holding them from other Grounds were pardonable Such as held a kind of Purgatorie or third Place after this life Evangelical Counsels Invocation of Saints or the like because they thought the Scripture taught them were deceived in these particular Scriptures but yet reserved their faithful Allegiance to Gods Word in general Nay even those particular Errours and mistakings of the sense of Scriptures were witnesses and pledges of their Obedience unto the Scripture or Word of God when they therefore Believed them because they were immediately perswaded in Conscience that the Scriptures the Rule of their Conscience did teach them But while you hold the same Opinions not because you are perswaded in Conscience immediately ruled by Scripture that they are contained in Scripture but because the Church which as ye suppose cannot erre doth teach them or to speak more plainly whiles you your selves either Believe or teach others to Believe them or the Scriptures concerning them because the Church whose Authoritie in this and all other Cases you acknowledge for the infallible Rule of your Faith commands you so to do you hereby openly renounce your own and sollicit the the people to alienate their Allegiance from God and his Word and the passing over or yielding up of stedfast and absolute Assent unto any particular Point in your Religion upon these Grounds is as evident a witnesse of high Treason committed against GOD by the partie thus believing a swearing of that Fealtie or Allegiance to a pretended Vicegerent or Deputy which is only due to the Prince himself would be in a natural and sworn subject Wherefore the supposed Infallibility of your Church is no such excellent Means of taking up all Controversies if your meaning be in the former sense proposed For it is so far from taking up all that it puts an Imposibility of having any betwixt you and as taken up unlesse you abjure it quite for it makes all the rest of your Opinions deadly to such as stedfastly Believe it or for it them 5 Your meaning then must be That this Infallibility of your Church would be an excellent Means for taking up all Controversies if all men would subscribe unto it Indeed I must confesse there would soon be an end of all or rather no controversies should ever be begun if every man would resolve with himself not to dissent from others but let them hold what they list he would hold the very same or if all men would bind themselves to abide some one Mans or a Major part of some few or more determinate persons Determinations without more ado In this case one might say of his Judge He shall determin for me and another might reply nay but for my Opinion the third might say He shall judge as I will have him and the fourth reply or rather as I will and yet never a one dissent from other but all agree All of them might have the Judges Sentence at as absolute command as the Shepheard had the Weather For every one might have him determin as he pleased because all of them were fully resolved to be pleased with whatsoever he should determin If you dream of such an Unitie in Faith or such a manner of composing Contentions it must be further disputed whether this were not an open Dissention or solemn Compact for moving a general Apostasie from the true Faith And they that labour for such an Union in points of Faith and Salvation do in effect solicite the whole Christian world to run hand in hand but head-long into open Insidelitie lest perhaps by breaking companies some might slide into Schisms and Heresies Should the Ramists and Aristotelians or generally all the Professors of Secular Arts and Sciences in our Universities bind themselves under penaltie of Expulsion or by solemn Vow never to swerve from the Bedle of beggers or John-a-dogs his determinations and resolutions in any point of Logick Philosophie or Metaphysicks would this be a sweet match to take up all Controversies or Contentions between Colledge and Colledge in our Schools were this so excellent a way to retain the Unitie of the Truth and skill in those Faculties or rather the only readie way to make all bond-slaves to Errour Ignorance and Falshood And yet might we with more safety delegate greater Authority in these cases to every one then we may to any living in matters of Faith and Religion over which or over our selves in respect of which we have no lawful Power or Authority For this and other Reasons should we be more afraid to subscribe unto any mortal mans Authority as unto a Judge most absolute and infallible whose decrees we may not resist from whose Sentence we may not appeal in matters of Faith then to refer our seves wholly unto the sole Judgement of the meerest natural Fool living in matters of secular Learning and natural Knowledge For besides the danger hence accrewing to our selves GOD our Creator Christ our Redeemer and the Holy
all though different in their particular Natures and peculiar Properties uniform for the transmission of Light But after the dissolution of the Christian Empire and the constitution of several States and Soveraignties throughout Europe all compleat within themselves and different one from another in Laws and Customes the transfusion of such an absolute Ecclesiastick Authoritie through all would be unequal and make Christendom like a Monster compact of many several entire Bodies made up in one or like some uglie living creature that had many Heads and but one Heart or Soul CAP. XXX That the final Trial of this Controversie must be by Scriptures That the Jesuites and modern Papists fierce oppugning all certainty of private Spirits in discerning the Divine Truth of Scriptures or their true Sense hath made the Church their Mother utterly uncapable of any plea by Scriptures for establishing her pretended Infallibility 1 BUt what Christian heart could have suspected that any man acknowledging the infinite Majestie of an Omnipotent God filling every place with his Presence ruling all things by his Power and having every least Creature of the World a world of Witnesses of his inconceivable Wisdome and unspeakable Providence over the Works of his own Hand durst once have presumed to think much lesse have opened his mouth to utter least of all have imployed his pen to proclaim such foul Impietie to the world as that a Power so infinite could not sufficiently provide for his Church in deciding matters of Faith surpassing all reach of Reason unlesse he had ordained some one Supream Tribunal Seat on earth the Judges whereof should be but mortal men whose Bodies can be but in one place at once whose Voices cannot reach without the precincts of their Consistories whereas the Law of this our God unto whose sentence in matters of Faith we appeal is or might be but for these our Antiscripturian Adversares importunitie every where throughout the Christian World dispersed and besides the external helps of an ordinary Ministerie or Magistracie alike common to all Nations the Holy Spirit is every where assistant to all such as seek him in the written Word by him revealed whose live-characters are as the prints or footsteps of his wonted Motions in Gods Prophets or Apostles hearts by which the faithful may discern his approach or Presence in their own Nor wil the Jesuites be so wilful I hope as to denie that this Holy Spirit who did dictate the Word to such as wrote it in these material Tables having first written it in the fleshly Tables of their Hearâ—ts is able now also to write the same immediately in the Hearts of all such as with fear and reverence prepare themselves for his fit and decent entertainment That this was possible to be performed by the Almighty Wisdom of God they would not I know deny were this 〈◊〉 direct and plain termes made the main Controversie betwixt us Albeit as much as we have charged them withall will most necessarily follow from their absurd and lavishly blasphemous Speeches which in the heat of contention have distilled from their pens in this present Controversie But of the Possibilitie of Gods immediate teaching every Christian Heart or rather of the Probabilities which may induce all to relie immediately hereupon we shall have occasion to discourse hereafter Let us now in sobrietie of Spirit rather dispute of Gods Will then his Power As whether there be any sure Argument to perswade us that it was his intent or purpose either to instruct men in the true Sense of Scriptures or to take up all Controversies in matters of Faith by this supposed Infallibilitie of some visible Church All this and somewhat more our Adversaries in this Point seriously avouch and earnestly contend for Let us therefore briefly see whether or no Gods Spirit hath taught thus much That the Sense of Scriptures cannot be had without the Assistance or working of Gods Spirit both jointly acknowledge They must be understood and interpreted saith Bellarmin by the same Spirit which wrote them as he very well gathers out of Saint Peter Whence likewise he well collects that the whole difficultie in this Question about taking up Controversies and finding out the true Sense of Scriptures consists in this where this Spirit is and where the distressed Soul and doubtfull Conscience ought to seek it In the Visible and Catholike Church saith Bellarmin and all the Modern Roman Catholicks that is as they interpret it in the Consistorie of the Pope and Cardinals or in the Assemblie of Bishops or as the Modern Jesuites will have it in the Pope alone speaking ex Cathedra 3 Every man say we ought to seek the Spirit of God in his own Soul and Conscience being directed and ruled by the Sacred Word which was revealed and uttered by the same Spirit This Word directs them in this search and the Spirit once found out or rather finding them thus seeking him establisheth their Assent unto the Word already revealed and written by imprinting the same invisible Word or the true Sense and Meaning of it in their Hearts 4 Why this Spirit should be infallibly present to the Visible Church all our Adversaries uncessantly urge Scripture I will not abuse the Readers patience with allegation of the Places which have been very fully answered by many of our Church That which I intend at this time is First to debar them by their own Grounds of this Plea of Scriptures by shewing their Absurditie and folly in urging any Scripture at all for the proof of their Aâ—lertion And secondly to overthrow the Assertion it self by manifest proofs that either their Churches transcendent Authoritie as it is now taught must fall or Christianitie cannot stand To make way for our dearer passage in the former 5 They generally hold That this Infallibilitie of the Visible Church consists directly in this That the Holy Ghost is infalliblie present to it and gives it the true Sense and Meaning of Scriptures which he doth not give to private persons whom in their judgements he will not vouchsafe immediately to instruct so that his Dictates already revealed cannot be a Rule unto them because they want his infallible Assistance for their Exposition and for the same reason Certain they cannot be without the Churches Authority that they understand the Scripture aright 6 This their Assertion being two-fold for their Churches infallible Expositions and against all private Interpretations is grounded upon these two Principles They are to be Believed in exposition of Scriptures fide divina whom the Holy Ghost infallibly assists They are not so to be Believed whom the Holy Ghost doth not so assist Whence what he said before will follow that no man besides the Pope may believe his own interpretations of Scriptures His or the Churches all must nay all men must believe fide divina that the Church or Pope is in all Determinations infalliblie assisted by the Holy Ghost For if we were not bound to
by a Condition requisite thereunto And so this Juglers ring or circular Fallacy is avoided and only a Reason is given of things connexed mutually from the things themselves connexed under a divers Reason or respect which is no Leger demain but fair play If the divers Objects of the Divine Revelation and the Churches Infallibility were the only Cause or Reason why we take this Resolution for circular Proof then this Exception of the diversity of their Objects were to some purpose But we impeach this his Resolution of naughtinesse for the very form or manner because the Proof is idem per idem And being so alalbeit the Object of the Divine Revelation and the Churches Proposal be divers yet is this no sufficient Testimony to acquit it unlesse they wil affirm that there can be no circular Proof where the Object of the things mutually proved are divers which if they universally affirm as without an Universal Affirmation in this kind there can be no Proof we shal as easily impeach this Affirmation of open Falshood as their form of Argument of circular Fallacie For wheresoever any thing uncertain to us is inferred by another thing alike uncertain and that other only proved by the former there is a circular Proof albeit we should by this form of Argument seek to prove one thing by another whose object was quite contrary to the former Nay although we should prove the very diversity or contrariety of the Objects in two several terms proposed by this or the like circular Form yet were our Proof naught albeit this same diversity of Objects might be proved by some other lawful Form of Argument For the diversity or Identity of Objects in syllogistical terms is meerly accidental to the nature of circular Proof or inference of idem per idem 18 To fit our Adversaries with a familiar Example every way parallel to their own Resolution in this point if they wil acknowledge their own Valentians Resolution for their own but more plain and easie to the Capacitie of the unlearned Reader Suppose some ambitious Captain or Courtier for whose Integrity no man of place would promise much should bring unto our King or some States-man in this land some forrain Princes as the renowned King of Denmarks Letters commendatory for his great sufficiencie in good place in War or State I would request but any ordinary Reader wel to consider what matter of resolution it would be if with reverence I may suppose that either his Majestie or any States-man in this land in the bestowing of any such place of worth as this supposed messenger would sue for might thus resolve Surely the King of Denmark is a renowned religious Prince and one that wisheth exceeding wel unto our King and State and whatsoever he should write in any mans commendations for his advancement to such a place as this party makes suit for I dare not once cal in question lest I should seem to disparage his Princely word but how shal I know that these are his Letters and no counterfeit If thus he should doubt and yet finally rest content with this or like suggestion why doth not he say they are his true Letters whose Fidelity and Integritie the King in his Letters commends no man in the world I think of any ordinary experience although he had never traverst the Schools to know the meaning of a circular proof but could perceive this resolution to be but dolus circulatorius and he that would be cozened with this or the like by any Traveller of what fashion soever may easily be circumvented by any domestick Pedlar or circumforaneal Copes-mate Yet is this resolution in every point the self same with Valentians resolution concerning the Roman Churches Infallibility and the Exception which here he brings why this resolution of his is none may altogether as directly and fitly be brought to shew that this supposed resolution is no circular resolution First let us parallel the several parts of both resolutions In that resolution of Faith which Falentian brings All Christians Believe that whatsoever God saith is true and so in this other resolution it is supposed that his Majestie or any of his States-men firmly Believes that whatsoever the King of Denmark writes or avoucheth in matters of this nature as of civil Integritie and Sufficiency for the discharge of such an Office is altogether true and may not be suspected yet may they suspect whether he wrote thus much in this mans commendations as these Letters import or no. And so saith Valentian and other Papists all Christians may suspect certain they cannot be whether God wrote those looks which we call Scripture or no. The Assurance which Christians in matters concerning Faith and States-men in this present case could have for their security is altogether the same For the States-man hath no other reason to perswade himself that these are the King of Denmarks Letters but only the Report Asseveration or Testimony of this Messenger whose preferment they concern And so likewise by the Papists Positions no private Christian can have any other certain Assurance that these Scriptures are the Word of God but only the Testimonie or Confirmation of the present Romish Church whose state and dignity they likewise seek to maintain by countenance of the Scriptures whose mis-interpretation did either first occasion or not hinder her rising to that height of temporal Dignity which she now enjoyes Thus finally it appears that all the reason or ground of Belief which any Papist following the Jesuites for their Instructors can have must be the Infallibility of the Romish Church whose Infallibility therefore cannot be proved out of Scripture because the Scriptures by their Positions cannot be infallibly proved to be Scriptures or that authentick Word which only can afford sure Proof in matters of Faith but by this their Churches supposed Authority As for Valentians Exception concerning the divers Object of the Churches Proposal and the Divine Revelations by it proposed the self same Diversity of Object may be observed in the former instance of the counterfeit Messenger whose resolution in effect is thus You must Believe these Letters because I commend them unto you in the King of Denmarks name and you must Believe me in commending them unto you because the King of Denmark whose words you trust in them commends my trust and sidelity To apply Valentians Exception to this resolution As the Object of that the Church proposeth or rather of the Churches Proposal is the Divine Revelation so likewise is the Object of this counterfeits Proposal the often mentioned Kings supposed commendation of him Again as the object of the â—ivine Revelation is the Truth Believed Veritas credita ut Deum esse trinum unum aut propositionem Ecclesiae esse in fallibilem as that there is a Trinity in the Godhead or the Churches Proposal is infallible So likewise the Object of the Kings commendation in the other instance is the Truth Believed or that
their Churches absolute priviledge from all error and That other of Christs real presence in the Sacrament by Transubstantiation It cannot again but add much to our grief and indignation if we call to mind how when the chief Governor and publick authority of this land were for them subscription was not urged upon such violent and bloudy terms unto any articles of their Religion as unto that of Real presence The mystery of which iniquity cannot better be resolved then into the powerful and deceitful working of Satan thus delighting to despight our Lord and Saviour by seducing his professed subjects unto the highest and most desperate kind of rebellion he could imagine upon the least occasions and shallowest reasons For such is their madness in that other point as hath been shewed in this Not one inconvenience they can object to our opinion but may be demonstrated against theirs not any fruits of Godliness they can pretend but our doctrine more directly brings forth then theirs could though we did admit it for true For to what other purpose such a Presence as they imagin should serve them save only to countenance those desperate idolatrous practices and Litourgies of Satan touched by the way in some parts of these discourses is inexplicable as shall be shewed more at large without depriving that heavenly mystery of any solemnity or devotion due unto it in the unfolding of that controversie Yours in Christ Jesus THOMAS JACKSON A Table of the Several Sections and Chapters in the Book following SECTION I. CAP. I. Containing the Assertions of the Romish Church whence her three-fold Blaspemie springs Page 309 SECT II. The first branch of Romish Blasphemie in preferring Human authority before Divine 315 2. Bellarmines replie to the main Objection joyntly urged by all Reformed Churches against the Romish the Equivocation which he sought in the Objection apparently found in his Replie 316 3. Inferring the general conclusion proposed in the Title of this Section from Bellarmins resolution of faith 319 4 Containing a further resolution of the Romish faith necessarily inferring the authority of the Roman Church to be of greater authority then Gods word absolutely not only in respect of us 324 5 That in obeying the Romish Churches Decrees we do not obey Gods word as well as them but them alone in contempt of Gods principal Lawes 327 6 Propounding what possibly can be said on our adversaries behalf for avoiding the force of the former Arguments shewing withall the special points that lie upon them to prove as principally whether their Belief of the Churches authority can be resolved into any Divine testimony 339 7 That neither our Saviours Prayers for the not failing of Peters faith Luke 22. 32. nor his commending his sheep unto his feeding Joh. 21. 15. prove any Supremacy in Peter over the Church from which the authority of the Pope can with probability be derived 31 8 That Christ not S. Peter is the Rock spoken of Matth. 16. 18. That the Jesuites exposition of that place demonstrateth the Pope to be The great Antichrist 347 9 That the Romanists Belief of the Churches infallible authority cannot be resolved into any Testimony better then Human whence the main Conclusion immediately follows That the Romanist in obeying the Church-decrees without examination of them by Gods word prefers mans Lawes before Gods 365 10 In what sence the Jesuites may truly denie They Believe the words of man better then the words of God In what sence again our Writers truly charge them with this Blasphemie 373 SECT III. 11 What restraint precepts for obedience unto the Priests of the Law though seeming most universal for their form did necessarily admit How universal Propositions of Scriptures are to be limited 376 12 The authority of the Sanhedrim not so universal or absolute amongst the Jewes as the Papists make it but was to be limited by the former Rules 385 13 That our Saviours injunction of obedience to the Scribes and Pharisees though most universal for the form is to be limited by the former Rules that without open blasphemie it cannot be extended to countenance the Romish cause that by it we may limit other places brought by them for the Popes transcendent universal authority 391 14 What it would disadvantage the Romish Church to denie the infallibility of the Synagogue 398 15 That justly it may be presumed the Iewish Church never had any absolute infallibility in proposing or determining Articles of Faith because in our Saviours time it did so grievously erre in the Fundamental point of salvation 400 16 That Moses had no such absolute authority as is now ascribed unto the Pope that the manner of his attaining to such as he had excludes all besides our Saviour from just challenge of the like 405 CAP. 17. That the Churches authority was no part of the rule of Faith unto the people after Moses death That by Experiments answerable unto the precepts and predictions the faithful without relying upon the Priests infallible proposals were as certain both of the divine truth and true meaning of the law as their forefathers had been that lived with Moses and saw his miracles Page 411 18 That the societie or visible company of Prophets had no such absolute authority as the Romish Church usurps 417 19 That the Church representative amongst the Jews was for the most part the most corrupt judge of matters belonging to God and the reason why it was so 422 20 That the Soveraignty given by Jesuites to the Pope is greater then our Saviours was 427 21 Confirming the truth delivered in the former Chapter from the very Law given by Moses for discerning the great Prophet further exemplifying the use and force of miracles for begetting faith The manner of trying prophesies Of the similitude betwixt Christ and Moses 434 22 That the method used by the great Prophet himself after his resurrection for planting faith was such as we teach The excesse of Antichrists exaltation above Christ The Diametral opposition betwixt the Spirit of God and the spirit of the Papacie 449 23 That the authority attributed to the present Pope and the Romish rule of faith were altogether unknown unto S. Peter the opposition betwixt S. Peters and his pretended successors doctrine 452 24 That S. Paul submitted his doctrine to examination by the Word before written That his doctrine dissposition and practise were quite contrary to the Romanists in this argument 456 25 A brief tast of our Adversaries blasphemous and Atheistical assertions in this argument from some instances of two of their greatest Doctors Bellarmin and Valentian That if faith cannot be perfect without the solemn testification of that Church the raritie of such testifications will cause infidelitie 460 SECT IIII. Containing the third branch of Romish Blasphemie or the last degree of great Antichrists exaltation utterly overthrowing the whole foundation of Christian Religion preposterously inverting both Law and Gospel to Gods dishonour and advancement of Sathans Kingdom 464 26
with the corrupt remainder of former heresies for these thousand years and more And unto many grosse errours in Romish religion which this imperfect translation did not first occasion It yet affords that countenance which the pure Fountains of the Greek and Hebrew do not but rather would scour and wipe away were they current in that Church Finally though it yield not nutriment to enlarge or feed yet it serves as a cloak to hide or cover most parts of the great mysterie of iniquity 6 Yet besides the favourable construction that may be made for that religion out of the plain and literal sense of this erroneous translation the Church wil be absolute Judge of all controversies concerning the right interpretation thereof So as not what our consciences upon diligent search and just examination shall witnesse to us but what the Church shall declare to them must be absolutely acknowledged for the true intent and meaning of Gods word as it is rendred by the vulgar interpreter To this purpose is the very next decree 7 Moreover for brideling petulant dispositions it is decreed That no man in confidence of his own wisdom or skill in matters of faith and manners making for the edification of Christian doctrine shall dare to interpret Scriptures wresting them to his own conceipt or sense against that sense or meaning which the holy Church our mother to whom it belongs to judge of the true sense and interpretation of sacred writ heretofore hath held or now doth hold albeit he never purpose to publish such interpretations 8 It is further added in the same place because I take it had been specified in a Synod before that no man shall dare to interpret Scriptures against the unanimous consent of Fathers Which I think were impossible for any man to do though were it possible few or none would attempt besides the Papists For neither can it be known what all of them hold in most places whereupon are grounded controversies of greatest moment and in such as we have best plenty of their interpretations albeit they do not contentiously dissent yet absolutely agree each with other they do not Even one and the same Father oft-times thinks of many interpretations sundry alike probable most of them unwilling by their peremptory determinations one way or other to prejudice the industrious search of others though their far inferiours for finding out some more commodious then any they bring oftentimes intimating their doubts or imperfect conjectures in such manner as if they would purposely incourage their successours to seek out some better resolution then they could find Whence it is evident That we should not alwayes interpret Scriptures against the joynt consent of Fathers albeit we went against all the particular interpretations which they have brought because they were more desirous to have the truth fully sifted then their conjectural probabilities infallibly believed Nor were it possible more to contradict most of them then by following their interpretations upon such strict terms as the Romanists would bind all men to do when they seem to make for their advantage Not the least surmise or conjecture of any one Father but if it please them must suffice against the joynt authority of all the rest For in all the three points above mentioned they admit the Church as may appear from the decrees cited for a Judge so absolute That no man may imbrace any opinion upon what grounds or probabilities soever but with humble submission to her censure Whatsoever she shall injoyn in all or any of these points albeit we have reasons many and strong not to hold it to hold not one besides her bare authority yet must all believe it alone as absolutely as if we had the apparent unanimous consent of Fathers yea of Prophets Apostles or Evangelists and all good writers in every age 9 Hence Bellarmin rejects as dissonant to the former decree this resolution of Luther That albeit the Pope and Councel conclude points of Faith yet have private men a free arbitrement so far as it concerns themselves whether they may safely believe their conclusions or no. Luther gives two reasons for his assertion both most forcible The one because the Pope shall not answer for private men at the hour of their death The other because none are competent Judges of false Doctrines but men spiritually minded when as it often fals out that in their Councels there cannot the found one man much lesse a major part of men without which how many soever there were all were as none that hath any the least relish of the Divine Spirit The like assertion doth the Jesuit condemn in Brentius 10 It is not lawful saith Brentius for any man in a point of salvation so to rely upon anothers sentence as to imbrace it without interposition of his own judgement The reason is there intimated because every man is to be immediately judged by his own conscience and may for avoiding the just censure of condemnation by it safely disclaim their opinions the execution of whose sentence or bodily punishment he may not decline seeing they are as was observed before publick and lawful yet Fallible Judges of controversies in Religion And Bellarmin bewrayes either grosse ignorance or great skil in wrangling when he exclaims against this position of Brentius as absurd and repugnant to it self That the Supream Magistrate or publick Judge may be bound to command where the subject or inferiour is not bound to obey For as well the Prince in commanding as the people in obeying must follow whither their consciences lead them Both may and in case they disagree the one or other cannot but erre in the precedent information of their consciences and herein properly doth their sin consist not in doing what erroneous conscience upon so strict terms as penalty of eternal death doth unnecessarily urge them to 11 The people saith Canus did absolutely not upon condition believe God and his servant Moses and unlesse men So believe the Church they make it of no authority Nor is it enough to believe it to be Infallible in points of Moment or such as might overthrow Faith unlesse it be acknowledged so absolutely inerrable in all as it cannot either believe or teach amisse in any question of Faith for if in any seeing there is one and the same reason of all it might as wel fail in receiving some books indeed not such for Canonical and Divine Whereupon it would follow that this argument would not follow The Church acknowledgeth Saint Matthews Gospel for Canonical therefore it is Canonical The denial of which consequence is most impious and absurd in this mans censure fully consonant to Valentian before cited That Scripture which is commended unto us and expounded by the Authority of the Church is now even in this respect because the Church commends it most authentick 12 Unto these and far more grosse conclusions all their modern Writers for ought
testimony of the Church whereon all private mens faith must be immediately grounded believing this we shal from it at least conjoyned with Scripture believe all other parts of Gods Word necessary to salvation as wel as the Pope doth these former from the testimony of his publick spirit Wherefore his authority must be unto us altogether as great as the authority of the Godhead is unto him which is far greater unto him then it is or can be to any others for even that which is acknowledged for Gods Word both by him and us must be lesse authentick unto us then the words of this mortal man 11 For though we pardon our adversaries their former absurdities in seeking to prove the Churches authority by the Scripture and the Scriptures by the Churches though we grant them all they can desire even what shal appear in due place to be most false That whiles they believe the Popes particular injunctions or decisions from a presupposal of his universal transcendent authority they do not only believe him or his words but those parts of Gods Word upon which they seem to ground his infallibility yet our former argument holds stil most firm because that absolute Assent which private men must give unto the supposed grounds of their Religion before other portions of Scripture is not grounded upon any preheminencie incident to these words as they are Gods as if they were more his then the rest in some such peculiar sort as the Ten Commandments are in respect of other Mosaical Laws nor from any internal propriety flowing from the words themselves as if their secret character did unto faithful minds bewray them to be more divine then others nor from any precedent consequent or comitant circumstance probably arguing that sence the Romish Church gives of them to be of it self more perspicuous or credible then the natural meaning of most other Scriptures all inspired by one and the same spirit all for their form of equal authority and perspicuitie All the prerogative then which these passages can have before others must be from the matter contained in them and that by our adversaries position is the Churches Infallibility Wherefore not because they are Gods word or were given by his Spirit in more extraordinary sort then others but because they have more affinity with the Roman Lord in late years exalted above all that is called God Father Son or Holy Ghost these places above cited must be more authentickly believed then all the words of God besides As I have read of pictures though not more artificial in themselves yet held in greater estimation amongst the Heathen and freer from contemptuous censure then any other of the same Painters doing only because they represented their great God Jupiter 12 Another difficultie whereunto we demand an answer is whether whiles they assent as they professe not only to the Infallibility taught as they suppose in the fore-cited places but also unto the Infallibility of Scriptures which teach it they acknowledge two distinct assents or but one If but one let them shew us how possibly the Church can be said to confirm the Scriptures if two let them assign the several properties of either whether is more strong whether must be to the other as Peter to his brethren or if neither of them can confirm the other let them declare how the one can be imagined as a mean or condition of believing the other 13 An Hereticks Belief of the Minor proposition in the former Syllogism saith Bellarmin is but weak A Romanists Belief of the same most strong Let this be the Minor Peter feed my sheep or Peter I have prayed for thee that thy faith should not fail what reason can be imagined why a Romanists Relief of these Propositions should be so strong and ours so weak The one hath the Churches Authority to confirm his Faith the other hath not What is it then to have the Churches Authority only to know her Decrees concerning those portions of Scriptures If this were all we know the Romish Churches Decrees as wel as the Romanists but it is nothing to know them if we do not acknowledge them To have the Churches Authority then is to Believe it as Infallible and for this reason is a Roman Catholicks Belief of any portion of Scripture more certain and strong because he hath the Testimony of the Church which he Believes to be most Infallible and believing it most infallibly he must of necessity Believe that to be Scripture that in every place to be the meaning of the Holy Ghost which this Church commends unto him for such Let the most learned of our adversaries here resolve the doubt proposed whether there be two distinct assents in the belief of the forementioned propositions one unto the truth of the proposition itself and another unto the Churches infallibility It is evident by Bellarmins opinion that all the certainty a Roman Catholick hath above a Sectary is from the Churches Infallibility For the proposition it self he can believe no better then an Heretick may unlesse he better believe the Church i. e believe the Churches exposition of it or the Churches infallibility concerning it better then the proposition it self in it self and for it self And so it is evident that the Churches authority is greater because it must be better believed 14 Suppose then one of our Church which believes these propositions to be the word of God should turn Roman Catholick his former belief is by this means become more strong and certain This granted the next question is what should be the Object of this his strong Belief the propositions believed Peter feed my sheep I have prayed for thee or anyother part of Gods written word or the Churches authority not the propositions themselves but only by accident in as much as the Church confirms them to him For suppose the same man should estsoones either altogether revolt from that Church or doubt of her authority his belief of the former propositions becomes hereby as weak as it was before which plainly evinceth that his belief of the Church and this proposition were two distinct Beliefs and that this strong Belief was fastened unto the Churches authority not unto the proposition it self immediately but only by accident in as much as the Church which he believeth so firmly did teach it for his Belief if fastened upon the proposition it self after doubt moved of the Churches authority would have continued the same but now by Bellarmins assertion as soon as he begins to disclaim his belief of the Churches infallibility his former strong belief of the supposed proposition begins to fail and of this failing no other reason then already is can be assigned The reason was because the true direct and proper object of his strong belief was the Churches authority on which the belief of the proposition did intirely depend as the conclusion doth upon the premisses or rather as every particular doth on the universal whereunto it
senselesse blind Belief But grant his body and bloud were in the Sacrament rightly administred yet that out of the Sacrament either should be in the consecrated Hoast whilest carried from Town to Town for solemn shew more then for Sacramental use is to reason ruled by Scripture to say no worse more improbable Now to worship that as God which to our unerring senses is a Creature upon such blind supposals that Christs body by one miracle may be there by another unseen is worse then Idolatry committed upon delusion of sense So to adore a wafer only a wafer in all appearance without strict examination nay without infallible evidence of Scriptures urged for the real presence is more abominable then to worship every appearance of an Angel of light without trial what spirit it were Satan or some other that so appeared And if we consider the old Serpents usual slight to insinuate himself into every place wherein inveterate custom or corrupt affection may suggest some likelihood of a divine presence unto dreaming fancies as he did delude the old World in Oracles and Idols the probability is far greater his invisible substance by nature not incompatible with any corporeal quantity should be annexed to the supposed Hoast then Christs real body uncapable for any thing we know of joynt exisrence in the same place with any other howsoever most disproportionable to such base effects as must proceed from the substance contained under the visible shape of bread such as no accident could either breed or support 6 This is a point as is elsewhere observed wherein Satan seemeth to triumph over the modern Papists more then over all the Heathens of the old World whose senses only he deluded or bewitched their reason but quite inverts all use of these mens sense faith and reason making them believe Christs body to be present in the Sacrament after a supposed miraculous manner quite contrary to the known nature of bodies and yet more preposterously contrary to the very end and essence of miracles For what miracles were ever wrought to other purpose then to convince the imperfect collections of human reason by evidence of sense God using this inferior or brutish part thus astonished by his presence to confute the curious folly of the superiour or divine faculty of the soul as he did sometimes the dumb Asse to rebuke the iniquity of the Prophet her Master But so preposterously doth Satan ride the modern Papist that he is brought to believe a multitude of miracles against the evidence of sense or reason contrary to the rule of faith all offered up in sacrifice unto the Prince of darknesse that he having put out the eyes of sense reason and spirit at once may ever after lead them what way he list And as unhappy wags or lewd companions may perswade blind men to beg an Alms as if some great personage did when as a troop of more needy beggers then themselves passe by so is it much to be dreaded lest the Devil perswade the blinded besotted Papist that Christ is present where he himself lies hid that he may with heart and soul offer up those prayers and duties unto him which belong properly unto God and worship in such manner before the Boxes whereinto he hath secretly convaid himself as the Israelites did before the ark of the Covenant 7 Vasquez thinks we may without offence adore that Body wherein the Devil lurks so we direct not our worship unto him but to the inanimate Creature as representing the Creator Suppose this might be granted upon some rare accident or extraordinary manifestation of Gods power in some particular place in case men were ignorant or had no just presumptions of any malignant spirits presence therein Yet were it damnable Idolatry daily to practice the like especially where great probabilitie were of diabolical imposture which the solemn worship of any Creature without expresse warrant of Scripture wil invite Yet sense doth witnesse that Christ is not no Scripture doth warrant us that he or any other living Creature unlesse perhaps worms or such as spring of putrifaction is present in their processions Notwithstanding all the expresse Commandments of God brought by us against their practise the Trent Councel accurseth all that deny Christs real presence in procession or condemn the proposal of that consecrated substance to be publikely adored as God not so much as intimating any tolerable exposition of that Commandment which forbids us to have any Gods but one 8 〈◊〉 To omit many more another instance sutable to the former and our present purpose we have in the decree of communicating under one kind Our Saviour at his institution of this Sacrament gave the cup as wel as the bread and with the cup alone this expresse injunction Bibite ex hoc omnes Drink all of this albeit none of his Disciples were Conficients or such as did consecrate Saint Paul recites the same Institution in like words and continued the practise in such Churches as he planted The Trent Councel acknowledgeth that the use of the Cup was not infrequent or unusuall in the Primitive Church indeed altogether usuall and the want of it for many hundred yeers after Christ unknown The onely instance that can from Antiquitie be pretended to prove it lawfull and which in all likeli-hood did partly occasion it argues the Ancients use of it in solemne Assemblies to have been held as necessary For even in cases of greatest necessity when the Cup could not be carried to parties sick or otherwise detained from publick Communions they had the consecrated Bread dipped in it And Gregorie of Towres relates the poysoning of King Clouis his Sister Queen to Theodorick by her own daughter in the Chalice so as he intimates withall the ordinary use of the Cup at that time as well amongst French Catholicks as Italian Arrians Onely this was the difference The Arrians did not as the Catholicks drink of the same Cup with their Princes 9 It may be fear conceived upon this or like example lest the Priests should in a more proper sence prove Conficients not of Christs but of Lay Princes Bodies made them afterwards more willing to forbear the Cup and the people either in manners would not or otherwise could not be advanced above them at this Heavenly banquet Turonensis reason against these Hereticks I think did hold no longer then his life few Princes afterwards durst have adventured to trie the truth of his conclusion Whether poison drunk in the Sacrament administred by the supposed true Church would have wrought For unlesse my memorie fail me Ecclesiastick Princes Popes themselves have been as surely poisoned in Catholick Chalices as the forementioned Queen was in the Arrian Cup. 10 But what occasions soever either moved the Laity of themselves to imbrace or the Clergie to enjoyn this Communion under one kind the Trent Councel specifies none and yet accurseth all that will not believe the Church had just
former Precept except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you as peremptorie as any can be for communicating as well sacramentally as spiritually in both kinds it were uncharitable to mistrust Gods mercie towards such poor souls as long for the Cup of Salvation which no man giveth them yea which the Romish Church hath by Decree as peremptorie as she could make denied to all the Laitie without exception to all the Clergie except such as may by a peculiar right challenge his blood as their own by way of exchange because they have made him a Bodie which he had not before 14 Yet is it a small thing with this great Whore to deprive the Christian World of the Lords unlesse she urge it instead thereof to pledge her in the cup of Devils full of the wine of fornication coloured with her adulterate Scriptures authorized no doubt for such purposes Where our Apostle Saint Paul saith that he and his Ministers were Stewards of the mysteries of God the vulgar Roman Edition renders the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Latin Dispensatores and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rightly rendred in this place elsewhere upon carelesnesse rather then any intention of harm as I am perswaded by the Latin Sacramentum Whether upon set purpose of some more learned in that Councel presuming to gull the simple and illiterate by their cunning as Chemnitius probably thinks or whether the mysterie of iniquitie as is more probable wrought unawares in the brains of the ignorant which were the major part and as some have related did oversway the learned uncapable of such impudencie as should give countenance to this ignominious Decree partly from the equivocation of the Latin Dispensatores partly from the synonymical signification which the vulgar hath made of Mysterium and Sacramentum the Beetle-heads have hammered out an interpretation of Saint Pauls words before cited so scurrilously contrarie to his meaning that the Black Dog which is said to have appeared unto Cardinal Crescentius might he have spoken in the Councel could scarce have uttered it without blushing For the Apostle meant such Dispensatores or Stewards as our Saviour speaks of in the four and twentieth of Saint Matthew such as should give their Fellow-servants their just portions without purloining such as daily expected their Masters Return to call them unto a strict Account of their Stewardship For so it is expressely added Moreover or as much as belongs unto our office it is required of Stewards that they be all found faithfull 1 Cor. 4. 2. 15 Not to dispute of the Churches Authority in disposing of Sacraments nor to exagitate the impietie of this decree be the one for the present supposed as great the other as little as they list to make it onely this I would demand of any that is so himself whether he can imagine any men sober or in their right mindes would not assoon have urged that text The fool hath said in his heart there is no God for establishing Atheisme or S. Peters check unto Simon Magus to prove Simonie lawful as derive the Churches authoritie for detaining the least part of the Word of life much lesse the Cup of Salvation from these words Let a man so think of us as of the Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God What secrets of the Gospel before hid but now to be published to all the World of which the same Apostle elsewhere had said A necessity is laid upon me and wo unto me if I preach it not Of the use or necessity of the Lords Cup not a word in this place not a syllable for the Lord had sent him not to administer this Sacrament but to preach the Gospel of which the Doctrine of the Lords Supper was a part indeed but where expressely and directly he delivers that doth he intimate by any circumstance that either it had been was or might be otherwise administred then according to the patern prescribed by our Saviour at the first Institution Rather his often repetition of these conjunctives This bread and this cup eating and drinking the bodie and bloud c. argue he never thought the one should be received without the other that this prohibition of the Cup was a particular branch of the mysterie of iniquitie not to break out till latter Ages hid from his eyes that had seen the Mysterie it self begin to work As often as ye shall eat this bread saith the Apostle and drink this cup ye shew the Lords death till â—e come Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink the cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord. Let a man therefore examine himself and so let him eat of this bread and drink of this 〈◊〉 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh his own dâ—… tion because he discerneth not the Lords Bodie Yet unto the Trent Councel Saint Paul in the former place where he had no such occasion as not speaking one word either of the Doctrine necessitie or use of the Sacraments seems to intimate and that not obscurelie the Churches Authority in dispensing them as the Trent Fathers have done What then might every Minister of Christ every distributer of Gods secrets have used the like authoritie before the Church representative did at least by tact consent approve the practise This place doubtlesse proves either altogether nothing or thus much for the Apostles words are indefinite for their literal sence equally appliable to every faithfull Minister or private dispenser of such secrets not appropriate to the intire publick bodie Ecciesiastick or the Capital or Cardinal parts thereof Of the Corinthians to whom he wrote one said I am Pauls another I am Apollos the third I am of Cephas all boasting in the personal excellencies of their first Parents in Christ as the Papists now do in Saint Peters and his successours Catholick Primacie To asswage these carnal humours in his children their Father that great Doctor of the Gentiles seeks more in this then in any other place of all his Epistles to debase himself and diminish others high esteem either of his own worth or of his calling Who is Paul then and who is Apollos but the Ministers by whom ye believed and as the Lord gave to every man I have planted Apollos watered but God gave the increase So then neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giveth the increase And he that planteth and he that watereth are one and every man shall receive his wages according to his labour For we together are Gods labourers ye are Gods husbandry and Gods building And after a serious incitement of master builders to fidelitie with the like admonition to Gods husbandry or building not to rejoyce in men he concludes as he had begun Let every man esteem us such as I have said
they become their chief accusers That opinion which at first brought in neglect of the Chalice and as the Trent Councel presumed would have warranted them in making this decree doth most condemn them for the measure of their iniquity could not have been so fully accomplished unlesse they had held a transubstantiation of the wine into Christs bloud 19 What part of Scripture can we presume they wil spare that dare thus countermand the most principal of all Gods Commandments what reckoning may we think they make of our Saviour Christ that adventure thus shamefully to disanul and cancel his last wil and testament defrauding almost the whole Christian World of half their Lord and Masters royal allowance partly without any shew of Scriptures either to restrain or otherwise interpret these Soveraign precepts partly upon such idle and frivolous allegations as may further witnesse their sleight estimate of Gods Word save only so far as it may be wrested to serve their turns 20 But grant the places there alledged by the Councel did so mitigate either the form of the institution or the peremptory manner of our Saviours speeches in the sixth of John as to make it disputable in unpartial judgments whether they did plainly injoyn any necessity of communicating under both kinds the former decree notwithstanding would manifestly infer an usurpation of Soveraignty over Gods word quite contrary to the general Analogie of faith reason and conscience by all which in cases doubtful and for the speculative form of truth disputable with equal probability affirmatively or negatively we are taught to frame our choice when we come to practise according to the difference of the matter or of consequences which may ensue more dreadful one way then the other alwayes to prefer either a greater good before a lesse or a lesse evil before a greater though both equally probable Suppose then these two contradictory propositions The denial of the Cup is a mutilation of Christs last will and testament the denial of the Cup is no mutilation of Christs last will and Testament were for their speculative probabilities in just examination equipendent yet the doctrine of faith delivered in Scripture reason and conscience without contradiction instructs us that to alter abrogate or mutilate the son of Gods last Will and Testament is a most grievous most horrible most dreadful sin but to permit the use of the Chalice hath no suspition of any the least evil in it Had the Trent Fathers thus done they had done no worse then our Saviour then his Apostles then the Primitive Church by their own confession did This excesse of evil without all hope of any the least compensative good to follow upon the denial should have swaied them to that practise which was infinitely more safe as not accompanied with any possibility or shew of danger although the speculative probability of any divine precept necessarily injoyning the use of the cup had been none Thus peremptorily to adventure upon consequences so fearful whereto no contrary fear could in reason impel nor hopes any way comparable allure them thus imperiously to deprive the whole Christian World of a good in their valuation testified by their humble supplications and frequent embassages to that Councel so inestimable without any other good possible to redound unto the deniers save only usurpation of Lordly Dominion over Christs heritage plainly evinceth that the Church is of far greater authority with them then GODS Word either written in the Sacred Canon or their hearts then all his Laws either ingrafted by nature or positive and Supernatural For 21 Admit this Church representative had been fully perswaded in conscience rightly examined and immediately ruled by Scripture that the former decree did not prejudice the institution use or end of this Sacrament yet most Christians earnest desire of the Cup so publickly testified could not suffer them to sleep in ignorance of that great scandal the denial of it needs must give to most inferiour particular Churches Wherefore the rule of charity that moved the Father of the Gentiles to that serious protestation If meat offend my brother I will eat no flesh while the world standeth that I may not offend my brother should in all equity divine or humane have wrought these Prelates hearts to like profession If want of their spiritual drink offend so many Congregations and such a multitude of our brethren we will rather not use our lawful authority acknowledged by all then usurp any that may be offensive or suspicious unto others though apparantly just unto our selves for they could not be more fully perswaded this decree was just then Saint Paul was that all meats were lawful to him 22 But may we think these Prelates had no scruple of conscience whether the very form of this decree were not against our Saviours expresse command Bibite ex hoc omnes drink ye all of this For mine own part whiles I call to mind what else-where I have observed that the Jews were never so peremptory in their despightful censures of our Saviours doctrine nor so outragiously bent against his person as when their hearts were touched in part with his miracles or in some degree illuminated with the truth he taught The Councels extraordinary forwardnesse to terrifie all Contravenaries of this decree makes me suspect they were too conscious of their own shallow pretended proofs to elude Gods word whose light and perspicuity in this point had exasperated their hardned hearts and weak-sighted faith to be so outragious in the very beginning of that session as if they had meant to stifle their consciences and choak the truth lest these happily might crosse their proceedings or controul their purposes if this cause should once have come to sober and deliberate debatement For as theeves oftentimes seek to avoid apprehension by crying loudest Turn the Thief so these wolves hoped wel to smother their guilt and prevent al notice taking of their impiety by their grievo us exclamations against others monstrous impious opinions in this point interdicting all upon penalty of the causes following ere they had determined ought to teach preach or believe otherwise then they meant to determin 23 Yet though the Councel accurse all that hold communication under both kinds as a necessary doctrine it doth not absolutely inhibit all use of the Chalice but leaves it free unto their Lord the Pope to grant it upon what Conditions he please either unto private men or whole Nations Upon what conditions then may we presume wil it please his Holinesse for to grant it upon any better then Satan tendred all the Kingdomes of the Earth unto our Saviour For this fained servant of Christ a true Gehazi repining at his Lord and Masters simplicity that could refuse so fair a profer made after Satan in all haste saying in his heart I wil surely take somewhat of him though my Master spared him and pretending a message in his name to whom all power was
given in Heaven and in earth hath got an interest in the chief Kingdoms of the World disposing such as he can best spare or worst manage to any potent Prince that wil fall down and worship him and his copartner the Prince of darknesse who of late years have almost shared the whole World betwixt them the one ruling over insidels the other over professed Christians And seeing the Pope because his pomp and dignity must be maintained by Worldly wealth and revenews dares not part with the propriety of so many Kingdoms at once as Satan who only looks for honour profered he hath found out a trick to supply his wants for purchasing like honour and worship by his office of keeping S. Peters keys if earthly Provinces or Dominions fail him Gods Word his sons bloud and body all shal be set to sale at this price Fall down and worship him For no man we may rest assured no Nation or Kingdom whom he can hinder shal ever taste of the Lords Cup unlesse they wil first acknowledge lawful authority in him to grant deny or dispose of it at his pleasure which is an homage wherewith the Devil is more delighted then if we did acknowledge him Supream Lord of all the Kingdoms of the Earth for that were as much lesse prejudicial to Christs prerogative royal as a damage in possession or goods would be to a personal disgrace or some foul maim or deformity wrought upon a Princes body CAP. VI. Propounding what possibly can be said on our adversaries behalf for avoiding the force of the former arguments and shewing withal the special points that lie upon them to prove as principally whether their Belief of the Churches authority can be resolved into any divine Testimony 1 UNto all the difficulties hitherto proposed I can rather wish some learned Priest or Jesuite would then hope any such ever wil directly answer point by point For the Readers better satisfaction I wil first briefly set down what possibly can be said on their behalf and after a disclosure of their last secret refuge draw forth thence the dead and putrified darknesse of Romish faith which unto the ignorant and superstitious that cannot uncover the holes and clefts wherein these impostors upon every search are wont to hide it may yet seem to live and breath as the Fable went of S. John the Evangelists body after many years reposal in the grave or as the blinded Jews to this day brag the scepter of Judah yet flourisheth beyond Babylon in Media or some unknown part of India whither no European is likely to resort for a disproval of his relation 2 Unto the Demonstrative Evidences as wel of their error in expounding Scriptures pretended for as of other Scriptures rightly alledged by us against their former or like Decrees they wil be ready to oppose what Bellarmin hath done That the Church must judge of Scriptures Evidence and private errours in expounding it not private men of the Churches expositions Unto the objected dreadful consequences of their decrees could these possibly be erroneous they would regest disobedience to the Church that to disobey it is to disobey God Father Son and Holy Ghost a sin as hainous as mangling of Christs Last Will and Testament as Idolatry On the contrary to obey the Church even in her negative decrees and naked decisions unguarded with any pretence of Scripture much more where this loving Mother for the education of her children wil vouchsafe what she need not to alledge some clause or sentence of Holy writ we obey not the Church only but Gods Word also though not in those particular places which in our judgements either contradict the former or like decrees or else make nothing at all for them yet in texts produced for the Churches transcendent general authority As he that adores the consecrated host in procession because his holy Mother commands him so to do or accounts want of Christs bloud no losse because denied him by her authority although unto private spirits he may seem to contradict that Law Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve doth yet sincerely obey the Holy Ghost and rightly observe the true sence and meaning of these his dictates Peter I have prayed for thee that thy faith should not fail Peter feed my sheep Thou art Peter and upon this rock will I build my Church From these places once firmly believing the Church possibly cannot erre he must not question whether the the practises by it injoyned contradict the former laws both being delivered by the holy spirit who cannot contradict himself This I take it is the sum of all the most learned of our adversaries can or would reply unto the former difficulties Not to draw faster but rather remitting the former Bonds wherein they have inextricably intangled themselves by their circular progresse in their resolution of faith admit their late doctrine left any possibility of knowing Scriptures acknowledged by both to be Gods word or of distinguishing humane testimonies written or unwritten from divine The present question we may draw with their free consent unto this issue whether their belief of the Churches infallible authority undoubtedly established as they pretend in the fore-cited places can be truly resolved into any branch of the First Truth or into humane testimonies only If into the later only the case is clear that absolutely obeying the Romish Church in the former or like decrees which her authority set aside to all or most mens consciences would seem to contradict Gods principal laws we believe and in believing obey men more then God humane authorities laws or testimonies more then divine 4 The strength or feeblenesse of Roman faith wil best appear if we try it in any one of these joynts Whether by Divine testimony it can be proved that S. Peter had such an universal infallible absolute authority as these men attribute unto the Pope Whether by like infallible testimony it can be proved the Popes from time to time without exception were Peters undoubted successours heirs apparant to all the preheminencies or prerogatives he injoyed Whether either the soveraignty or universality of their authority supposed probable in it self or to themselves or particular injunctions derived from it can be so fully notified to all Christians as they need not question whether in yielding obedience to decrees of like consequences as were the former they do not grievously disobey Gods Word For though the Popes themselves might know this truth by Divine revelation or otherwise their internal assurance unlesse generally communicable by divine testimonies could be no warant unto others for undertaking matters of fearful consequences whereof they doubt not only out of secret instinct or grudging of their consciences but from an apprehension of opposition betwixt the very forms of laws papal and divine 5 First it is improbable that he to whom our Saviour said If thy brother trespasse against thee dic Ecclesiae
was the Church unto which all must from which none may appeal Or if Peter the Pope if he wil be Peters successor must in cases of controversie appeal unto the Church How is he then as our adversaries contend the Church or such a part of it unto whom all even Peter himself were he alive must appeal Must others appeal to him as Judge in his own cause or he unto himself alone Not as alone but so a late Papists to my remembrance answers Gerson as accompanied with his fellow Consul his Chaire which is to him as Caesar was to Julius and so shal Gods word be to both as Bibulus was to Julius Caesar a meer pretence or bare name of authority nothing else Yet if that word avouch that neither S. Peters or his successors Faith could ever fail in determining controversies we contradict it not the Popes decisions only if we do not in all doubtful doctrines fully rely upon them CAP. VII That neither our Saviours prayers for the not failing of Peters faith Luke 22. 32. nor his commending his sheep unto his feeding John 21. 15. prove any supremacy in Peter over the Church from which the authority of the Pope cannot with probability be derived 1 IS it then probable our Saviours prayers for S. Peter did collate any authority upon him either oecumenical for extent or soveraign for others dependence on it or absolutely and perpetually infallible for time without integrity of life or other condition besides such Cathedral consultation as is required in the Pope to support it Rather the proper effect they aimed at was an extraordinary assistance in the practise of such points as already had been or afterwards should be revealed unto him Our Saviour while he uttered them did clearly foresee all his followers should be sifted by Satan he that professed greatest love and resolution more then all the rest in such fearful sort that without this promised supportance his faith had utterly failed which though afterwards it proved much stronger by this shaking yet whether stronger then was any of his fellows is uncertain most unfit to be disputed Howsoever no circumstance in that place prognosticates or aboads such extraordinary future strength rather all suppose for the present a peculiar necessity of his Masters prayers for him as foreseeing his tripping to use the mildest censure would be so dangerous as the memorial of his recovery might be a perpetual incouragement to all back-sliders against distrust of Gods mercies No man so fit to raise up such as are fallen or wallow in the filth of sin as he that hath firmly apprehended grace from above or rather is so apprehended by it and yet can withall out of a sincere and humble acknowledgement of his relapses stoop lower then others in spiritual graces his inferiours and as it were let himself into the pit of despair wherein sinners lie linking their present frailty in his own forepassed infirmities It much disagrees with my temper ever to exaggerate the sins of Gods Saints yea I think the denial of Christ was lesse sinful in Saint Peter then the like would be in many others that have received lesse grace because the temptation was above measure extraordinary permitted no doubt to this end that he might be a more faithful comforter of his brethren whose faith was feeble crazed or decayed He that hopes with fruit to reprehend or exhort men much daunted or ashamed at the foulnesse of their offences must as far as truth will suffer him acknowledge himself to be a sharer in his own reproofs to have been sometimes tainted with the original of their present grief for so the parties grieved will be lesse jealous and conceit the medicine better Thus the royal host in the Poet cheers up his Princely guest amated at the mention of his infamous ancestors Ne perge queri casusque priorum Annumerare tibi Nostro quoque sanguine multum Erravit pietas nec culpa nepotibus obstat Tu modo dissimilis rebus mereare secundis Excusare tuas Did Parents shame their children stain sweet Prince thy case were mine For Piety sometimes her course did alter from our line The bleminsh though did not descend Let vertue be thy guide So shall thy fame thy Parents faults though Foul and Monstrous Hide 2. By these and like circumstances may our Saviours words But I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not Therefore when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren be construed most appositely to his meaning What was it then Peter was to strengthen in others That which had been defective in in himself Was that his charity his faith or both We read saith Bellarmin Peters charity did fail that his faith did fail we never read In vain then doth Bellarmin in vain do all his fellows labour to prove our Saviour should in these words ratifie a perpetually indeficient purity of Roman faith for Peter was to repair in others what had been impaired in himself to prevent if it were possible the like fall in such as did or to themselves did seen to stand to convert restore and strengthen such as in like or worse sort had denied their Redeemer With much greater probability might the Romanists seek to establish a perpetual indeficient Christian charity in Peters successors had Peters love or charity only failed But the bad lives and manners of the Roman Clergie would give too manifest evidence against them in this attemp In this respect have these stout challengers taken upon them the defence of a never-failing faith because not so easily confuted For it is a matter very hard I must confesse to prove That faith can never fail which may deny Christ so formally and constantly as Peters did without defect The best is that by their own confession this place can prove the acts or exercises of Roman faith to be no better then S. Peters was in this denial of Christ His offence they grant was foul but his faith without defect So may Popes be monstrously luxurious in their lives but alwayes infallible in their Doctrine Reader consult with thine own heart and give sentence as in the sight of God of the whole frame of their Religion by the foundation and of the foundation such as they willingly acknowledge faith to be of all true Religion and every Christian vertue by Bellarmins testimony If Peter became as they pretend the Fundamental Rock by confessing that Religion doubtlesse which hath no better ground of infallibility then Peters Faith not secured from a threefold denial of Christ was first planted by the Spirit of Error and of Antichrist 3 Not to dispute any longer what it was but who they were S. Peter was to strengthen all without exception This justly may seem impossible seeing the exercise of his Ministery could not extend to all Nations much lesse unto all ages Yet these words bequeath no hereditary royal jurisdiction over all persons but rather injoyn personal acts
possible more to deny this truth in effect or consequence more to oppugn the whole edifice of our faith then by planting another Rock another Foundation without communication wherewith none can be supported by the former against the gates of hell 15 But perhaps we mistake or malign the Romanist in charging him with shufling in another foundation besides Christ in that sense the Apostle denies any other ‖ Foundation can be laid We rather by too much pressing them with that Axiom of his make him contradict himself for else-where he saith We are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets 16 I wil not here dispute whether S. Paul in that place mean we are built upon the persons of the Prophets and Apostles they being placed nearer the rock or main Foundation it self then we or rather upon the main Foundation which both the Prophets and the Apostles joyntly had laid beâ—… which no other can be laid Christ crucified and glorified For he is both the Foundation which wholly supporteth and the corner stone which only câ—… pleth the whole building in which he is the Highest and the Lowest first laid in humility for the disobedient to fall upon but now exalted unto greatest glory to fall upon them And as the Apostle cals his own scars the Marks of Christ because inflicted for Christs sake so may he call Christ the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles because the only end whereto both Prophetical and Apostolical laws were directed was to lay this sure Foundation 17 But granting what they take for granted The Apostle did mean we were builded upon the Prophets and Apostles as upon a second foundation or first row of stones next in order unto the rock do they make Peter a rock or foundation only in this sense If they do not he could not be the Rock on which the Church is built If they do let them give us the right hand of fellowship for we accuse them not for making him such a Foundation as the other Apostles were but such as it is evident they were not yea such in deed and substance as Christ only is and should be acknowledged by all the faithful For in what sense is Christ said to be the Foundation Because he is the head of his Church both for supporting and directing it Was not Peter such in respect even of his fellow Apostles Bellarmin can assign no disserence betwixt them but in these very tearms All of them he confesseth had oecumenical jurisdiction but not in such sort as Peter had all were infallible because Apostles and Ambassadours but not after the same manner he was yea Peter was their head on whom they did depend so did not he on them This makes Peter the corner stone that coupleth the building Which doubtlesse was Christs peculiar whileit he lived on earth not communicated unto Peter as they acknowledg until his resurrection or ascension That they tell us then they make but one primary Foundation and therefore none such as Christ is as if they should say they admit no more such Popes as Pius primus was because there hath never been nor ever shall be any Pope Pius the First but he for to make Peter such a Primate is to make him a foundation or head of the same rank and order that Christ was only his inferiour as successor in time or to use their words a foundation in Christs place So Bellarmin †expresly avoucheth where proving Peters Supremacy or Lordship from his name he thus infers Peter only was known by Christs own name of Ceâ—â—as or Rock tribute in which he is set out unto us as often as by any other whatsoever yea this is the peculiar attribute in which he is set out unto us as the foundation and head of the Câ—… 〈◊〉 Christ communicating this unto Peter would have 〈◊〉 sâ—… world that he meant to make Peter the foundation and head of the Church 〈◊〉 own place Why doth Christ cease to be the Foundation in becoming the head stone in the corner or do they to avoid open suspition of Antichristianism acknowledge him come in the flesh but gone again to make room for Peter and his successours Certainly were the Apostle to gather the meaning of Bellarmins speeches his inference would be thus In that he saith a New Head is come in his place he abrogates the formers Authority as he was Ambassadour between God and man nor is it now as the Testament given by Moses was in the Prophets time ready to expire but already expired by actual succession of another unto whom Christ the first visible head or foundation did at his advancement to higher dignity seal the same Commission he had from his father for transacting all affairs concerning the state of his visible Church 18 But doth the space between heaven and earth more exceed Romes distance from the utmost ends of the world then he to whom all power was given in heaven and earth doth the present Pope in amplitude of spiritual jurisdiction Whence is it else that Christs regiment cannot so fully and immediately extend it self unto his Church militant wheresoever scattered upon the face of the earth as the Popes may to the East and West Indies from either of which he cannot receive certain information how his instructions sent thither succeed with his flock under a years space at the least Every Pope in his time is a rock a foundation an head in Christs absence from the earth Might not every one of them in like sort admit a Pope a Vicar general an absolute fellow Monarch from whom in these remote countries there should be no more appeals to Rome then are from Rome to Christs throne of Majestie If we speak not of that Majestie which he there enjoyes but of that authority which he sometimes had or we can imagin he could have in regiment of his Church were he now visibly present in the flesh it is evident that Saint Peter and his successours may by our adversaries doctrine be more properly instiled compeers to Christ then the best man living besides unto the worst of them For it must be thought that Christ in his absence ratifies all their decrees without exception as we may not question them more then we might Christs own were he visibly resident in his Church Yet was the authority of Christs other Apostles so mightily overtopped by Peters Supremacy that they could not be infallible or oecumenical without his approbation If they were Peter was not such an head to them as his successors are to theirs even to all Bishops or inferiour Ministers throughout the world If they were not the Pope if he will be Peters Successours should make Bishops or Cardinals at least Eleven oecumenical Pastors of authority infallible though with such dependency on his plenary power as Christs other Apostles had on Peters Or let them resolve us in other fundamental difficulties which their doctrine ministers 19
them in whom it is are much worse then some foolish Heathens dreams of an immortal fame that was to accompany their mortal souls as they esteemed them and argue in these sons of Antichrist either an incogitancie or unbelief of Christ who lives for ever come in the flesh or a secure worldly hope he shall never or not this long time come to judgement 31 Saint Peter hath foretold that there shall come in the last dayes mockers which will walk after their lusts and say where is the promise of his coming for since the fathers died all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation Atheists and Libertines I know here are literally meant But as the Prophets usually prefigure our future Blisse by Jerusalems present glory or other known felicity by which perhaps it was represented unto them So might S. Peter shadow out unto us the mysterie of iniquity according to that rude draught which it had in his time For the substance native quality or proportion of the Atheists and the modern godlesse Romanists mockery they are the same onely the one is more rude and rough hewen the other more smoothly varnished with Hypocrisie and overlaied with artificial colours The blunt Atheist like a lewd debter that simply denies his bond imagines the Lord will never come to call him to an account Their subtle Romanist like a craftie companion that acknowledgeth the debt but no set day of payment specified save onely to morrow hopes to drive off God Almighty from day to day putting Christs coming as far from him the next three yeers to come as it was the last three past and so would hold on these hundred thousand yeers if the World should stand so long because Antichrist who by professed enmitie against Christ shall give the World three yeers warning according to the yeers of an hireling of its dissolution if we may beleeve this mocker is not yet revealed Nor ever shall be to him unto whom since the Patriarchs and Apostles died all things continue as they did from the beginning of the new creation mans redemption without any general Apostasie or decay of Peters faith which remains still as fresh and lively as when he first confessed Christ Not the Jew more sottish in expecting his Messias then this hypocrite in deferring Antichrists coming And no marvell when that which first caused the Jew so grievously to stumble and since retains him in his unbelief is made the onely ground of the Roman Catholicks faith Hell by an approved Experiment of the ones fall knew well the same charm would enchant the other both being equally tainted with a superstitious heathenish conceit that their teachers could not erre because they sit in the seats of such as were Infallible in their life times And hence it is they are so blind and see it not bewitched and bewitching others with continual reiterating that magick Spell of Templum Domini the Church the Church words whose meaning they understand no more then simple women do waggish scholars medicines or charms for the tooth-ach Their ignorance though may put us in mind of another mockery they make of our Saviours words 32 For where he promised hell gates should never prevail against his Church meaning against no true Christian soul espoused to him by an indissoluble knot of faith and everlasting love These mockers dispossesse the Christian world of this glorious hope by a double delusion first perswading it that the universal Church militant may encamp in one mans brest upon whom though hell shut her gates the simple such as they would make us all must believe the Church is safe because he came not within them as an Heretick For so in the second place though our Saviour promiseth in termes as ample and Majestical as can be devised that not Hell gates that is no power or force of hell shall be able to hold play with that Church whose safe conduct to his heavenly Kingdom he there undertook they make the meaning of his assurance to be but this No Heresie as if hell gates were furnished with no other munition shall ever make breach upon the Roman Consistorie or approach the Popes Seat of dignity Thus to support the Popes Supremacie they would make Christ so to shufle as if a Prince were it possible any Prince could be so base should warrant his Confederates safe conduct thorow his Territories upon as high termes as his Soveraigntie or Supremacie would stretch unto and yet challenged upon the others miscarriage interpret his meaning to have been but this I did warrant him he should not die of porson administred by any Physitian of mine in my Dominions That no violence should be offered him by theeves and robbers or other unrulie subjects I undertook not CAP. IX That the Romanists Belief of the Churches Infallible Authority cannot be resolved into any testimony better then Humane whence the main conclusion immediately followes That the Romanist in Obeying the Church-decrees without examination of them by Gods Word prefers mans Lawes before Gods 1 SEeing it hath been manifested as well by Ostensive proof from Scriptures as by Deduction to inconveniences most contrary to the Analogie and prejudicial to the main foundation of Faith that Saint Peter was not the Church nor such an head as the Pope doth make himself of all the faithfull the principal Point is clear that the Romanists Belief of such a transcendent absolute oecumenical Authority in the Church as might warrant our Obedience to the former Decrees cannot be resolved into any Divine testimony or absolute Promise of Christ in neither of which the Pope can have any interest but onely by right derived from Saint Peter 2 To follow them a little in their School humour onely reckoning the Speculative probabilities that can be brought for them without computation of their Blasphemies or other dangerous Consequences wherewith their Doctrine heretofore hath been and must be further charged let us trie what strength the other joints have in themselves and see in the next place what proof they can make their Popes are successours to such preheminences as Peter had Albeit even this joint as all the rest of their religion is quite benummed and utterly deprived of sense by the deadly blow lately given to the principal nerve whence life and motion must be derived to the whole body of their Religion For if we consider the intensive perfection of that preheminence or estimation which Peter in respect of his fellowes had either with his Lord or with his flock this was founded in a correspondent excesse of his love his lively faith and diligent feeding unto no one of which good qualities the Popes professe themselves heirs infallible Or if we respect the extent or amplitude of Saint Peters extraordinary soveraignty it was the same with Davids kingdom or Christs own Pastoral charge and reached but from Dan to Beersheba At the utmost it and the circumcision had the same circumference Within which
Nations as they imagine Christ doth the Pope over every Christian soul thorowout the whole world What spirit then may we think did possesse Bellarmine when he avouched that the Church and Common-weals are different in this case let us hear the difference The Church Catholick must be one by communion with one head so must the â—ieg people of every Monarch be one by subordination to one Soveraign whether resident amongst them or far absent Why may not Christ then though absent be that onely supreme head whence universally the Church receiveth unitie or why may not he rule in it though dispersed thorow many Nations as effectually by his Angels and ordinary Ministers of the Gospel as the Pope doth by his Nuncios fallible Legates or other inferiour Prelates 7 But though reason and Scripture fail them yet Councels Histories and Traditions may be mustered to their aid These are the first Springs of these many Waters whereon the great Whore sits From what History therefore do they believe the Pope is Peters Successor from historie Canonical or divine no Secular Monkish or Ecclesiastical at the best upon which the best faith that can be founded is but humane and their profeâ—â—ed villany in putting in and out whatsoever they please into what writing soever Gods word only excepted makes it more then doubtful whether many ancient Writers did ever intimate any such estimate of the Romish Church as is now fathered upon them or rather this foul iniquity late revealed whilest some have been taken in the manner hath been long time concealed as a mysterie of the Romish state Put they believe not this succession from expresse written history but from Tradition partly From Tradition of whom Of men what men Men obnoxious to errour and parties in this present controversie yet neither partial nor erroneous while they speak ex Cathedra saith the Jesuit But who shall assure us what they have spoken ex Cathedra concerning this point The Councels What Councels Councels assembled by the Pope Councels of men for the most part as ill qualified as carnally minded and so palpably carried away with faction that to attribute any divine authority unto them were to blaspheme the holy Spirit Councels which the Papists them elves acknowledge not of sufficient authority unlesse they follow the Popes instructions from whom likewise they must receive their approbation The Pope must assure us the Councel which perhaps elected him rejecting a Competitor every way more sufficient doth not erre But that the Pope is lawfully elected that so elected he cannot erre in this assertion who shal assure us he himself or his Predecessors This then is the last resolution of our saith if it rely us on the Church 8 We must absolutely believe every Pope in his own cause First that he himself is secondly that all his Predecessours up to S. Peter were infallible When as many of them within these few hundred years late past by their own followers confession were such as whatsoever must derive its pedegree from them may justly be suspected to have first descended from the father of lies such as not speaking ex Cathedra were so far from the esteem of absolute infallibility that such as knew them best did trust them least in matters of secular commodity and if they were found unfaithful in the wicked Mammon who will trust them in the true Not Papists themselves unlesse they speake ex Cathedra Then belike our Saviour did not foresee this exception from his general rule or Judas by this knack might have proved himself or any other knave as faithful a Pastor as S. Peter 9 But if a Pope shall teach ex Cathedra that he is Peters lawful successor and therefore of divine infallible authority in expounding all the former places we must notwithstanding our Saviours Caveat believe him Why Because it must be supposed he hath divine testimony for this assertion As what either divine history divine tradition or divine revelation Divine history they disclaim nor can impudency it self pretend it It may be he hath the perpetual traditions of his predecessors But here again we demand what divine assurance they can bring forth that every Pope from S. Peter downwards did give expresse cathedral testimony to this perpetual succession in like authority Suppose what no Jesuite dare avouch unlesse he first consult his superiours whether he must not of necessity say so for maintenance of the Popes dignity that this assertion had been expresly conveyed from S. Peter to the present Pope without interruption yet if any one of them did receive it from his predecessour having it but as a private man or upon his honesty he might erre in delivering it to his successor so might the third bâ—hâ—vâ—ng iâ— him For no belief can be more certain then its proâ—…ject or immediate ground If That be fallible the belief must needs be uncertain obnoxious to errour and at the best human No better is the Popes testimony unlesse given ex Cathedra and no better is the ground of his own belief of what his Predecessours told him unlesse they told it him so speaking Wherefore though this present Pope should teach ex Cathedra viva voce that he is Peters lawful successor yet unlesse he can prove that none of his predecessours did ever neglect so to avouch the same truth it is evident that he speaks more then he can possibly know by any divine testimony either of history or unwritten tradition It is evident again he binds us to believe that by divine faith which he cannot possibly know himself but only by faith humane For the only ground of his assertion is this supposed perpetual tradition and this is but humane unlesle it be perpetually delivered ex Cathedra Nor is there any other means possibly under the sun nay either in heaven or earth for to know matters of this nature forepast but either the testimony of others that have gone before us who either were themselves or took their relations upon trust from such as were present when the things related were acted or else by revelation from him who was before all times and is a present spectatour an eye witnesse of every action 10 Our knowledge of matters forepast by the former means though Popes themselves be the relators unlesse their relation be cathedral as hath been proved are but humane and fallible Things known by immediate revelation from God are most certain because the immediate Relator is most infallible Doth the Pope by this means know what his Predecessors or S. Peter thought concerning this perpetual succession or generally all matters concerning this point long since forepast He may as easily tell us what any of his successors shall do or say an hundred years hence And thus much if this present Pope will undertake the Christian people then living may safely believe what the Pope then being shall say of this or both of their predecessours But to believe man
his Apostles was THat the Church of Rome doth advance her decrees above the laws and ordinances of the Almighty her words that in this kind is called Gods above all divine Oracles written and unwritten is apparant out of their own positions hitherto discussed yet is this but the first degree of great Antichrists Exaltation 〈◊〉 second is the exalâ—â—ng the Popes above any personal authority that ever was either practised or established on earth This in brief is the assertion which by Gods assistance we are in this present section to maâ—e evident The authority which the Jesuites and Jesuited Priests give and would bind others upon pain of damnation to give unto the present Church or Pope throu 〈◊〉 every age is greater then any authority that ever was challenged since the world began by any man or visible company of men the man Christ Jesus not excepted This conclusion followeth immediately out of three Positions generally held and stifly maintained by that Church The first that the Pope live he as he list cannot erre in matters of faith and manners when he speaketh ex Cathedra that we are bound infallibly to believe whatsoever he so speaks without examination of his doctrine by Gods word or evident external sign or internal Experiment of Gods spirit speaking in him The second that we cannot assure our selves the Scriptures are the Oracles of God but by the infallible testimony of the Visible Church The third that the true sense and meaning of Scriptures in cases doubtful or controversed cannot be undoubtedly known without the infallible declaration of the same Church CAP. XI What restraint precepts for obedience unto the Priests of the Law though 〈◊〉 ing most universal for their Form did necessarily admit And how universal Propositions of Scriptures are to be limited 1 SEing we undertake to prove that no such authority as the Romish Church doth callenge was ever established on earth The answering of those arguments drawn from the authority of the Priests in the old Testament may to the judicious seem at the first sight needlesse yet because such as they set the fairest glosses upon if we look into the inside or substance are fullest fraught with their own disgrace and ignominy It wil not be superfluous to acquaint the Reader with some particulars prefixing some general admonitions to the younger sort for more commodious answering of all that can be brought of like kind 2 Their common places of cozening the world especially smatterers of Logick or school learning with counterfeit proofs of Scripture is either from some universal precept of obedience given to the people or general promises of infallibility made to the Priests in the old Testament Such as come unto the Scriptures having their mind dazled with notionâ— of universale primum or other Logick rules true in some cases think the former precepts being for their form universal may admit no exception limitation or restraint otherwise the holy Ghost might break the rule of Logick when as they admit many restraints not alwayes from one but oft-times from divers reasons from these following especially God sometimes injoyns obedience as we say in the Abstract to set us a pattern of such true accurate obedience as men should perform unto authority it self or unto such governours as neither in their lives nor in the Seat of judgement would decline either to the right hand or to the left but square all their proceedings to the exact rule of Gods word Unto such governours continual and compleat obedience was to be performed because the 〈◊〉 governed upon examination should alwayes find them jump with the law of God unto which absolute obedience as hath been shewed is due Nor doth the word of God in setting out such exact obedienc lie open to that exception which Politicians take against Philosophers as if it as Philosophers do did give instructions only for happy men of Aristotles making or for the Stoicks wise men who can no where be found but in Plato's common-wealth whose Metropolis is in the Region of Eutopia For the ancient Israel of God had this prerogative above all the nations of the earth that their Priests lips whilest they themselves were clothed with righteousness and bare holinesse unto the Lord in their breasts should still preserve knowledge and be able to manifest the wil of God unto the people not only by interpreting the general written law but by revelations concerning particular facts of principal moment as may be gathered from that law Also thou shalt put in the breast-plate of judgement the Urim and the Thummim which shall be upon Aarons heart when he goeth in before the Lord And Aaron shall bear the judgement of the children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually 3 To omit the various interpretations and divers opinions of this Brest-plates use why it was called the Breast-plate of Judgement Josephus and Suidas in my mind come nearest the truth That the Revelation by it was Extraordinary that Gods presence or Juridical approbation of doubts proposed was represented upon the pretious stones that were set therein is probable partly from the aptnesse of it to allure the Israelites unto Idolatry partly from that formality which the Egyptians in imitation of the Ephods ancient use amongst the Jews retained long after in declaration of the truth in Judgement For Diodorus tels us that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or chief Judg in that Famous and venerable Egyptian high Court or Parliament did wear about his neck in a golden chain Insigne a Tablet of pretious stone or if the Reader be disposed to correct the Translator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they called as the Septuagint did Aarons Breast-plate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on which he stedfastly looked while matters were debating as Suidas saith the High Priest did on his Breast-plate whilest they asked counsel of God and whilest he gave Sentence turned it unto the better cause exhibited as the fashion was in that Court in writing iâ— sign the Truth it self did speak for it That the Urim or Thummim were more then an Emblem yea an Oracle of Justice and right Judgement is apparant out of Scripture When Josâ—… was consecrated to be Israels chief Governour in Moses stead he was to stand before Fleazar the Priest ordained to ask counsel for him by the Judgement of Urim before the Lord So did Abiathar certisie David of Sauls malitious resolution against him and the Lords of â—eilahs treachery if he should trust unto them So again David is assured of victory by the judgement of Urim and Thummim if he would follow the Amalekites that had burnt Zâ—klâ—g 4 Such Priests as these were to be absolutely obeyed in answers thus given from the mouth of God And it is most probable that the parties whom these answers did concern had perfect notice of the Revelation made to the Priests howsoever the truths of such answers being confirmed by Experiment in those
for after a long and various deliberation used by the Councel Caiaphas who now sate as chief being the High-Priest pronounced that sentence where unto almost all at the least the major part agreed It is expedient that one die for the people and that the whole nation perish not upon which speech the Evangelist forthwith addes This he spake not of himself but being High-Priest for that yeer he prophesied Whence it follows faith Canus that our Prelates lives and actions may perhaps be contrary to our Lord Jesus but their judicial decrees or sentences such as are confirmed by the Pope who must be president in their Councels as Caiaphas was shall prove true and profitable unto Christians as instituted by God for the peoples good yea they shall proceed from the Holy Ghost for the reason which we have learned of the Evangelist to wit because such as give them are Prelates of Christs Church And this is all I have to say unto the second Argument 12 It is easie indeed for them thus to answer to whom it is most easie and most usual to blaspheme That the Popes aswell as Caiapha's prophecies may in the Event prove true and profitable to Christs Church we do not doubt because unto such as love God or are beloved of him all things even Sathans malice that had suborned Caiâ—phas and his brethren against Christ and his members turn to the best But he that had taken this High-Priest whilest he uttered this sentence for an infallible Prophet of the Lord had been bound in conscience to have done so to our Saviour at his as the people did to Baals Priests at Elias's instigation If our adversaries will permit us to interpret the Trent Councels Decrees as the faithfull of those times did Caâ—aâ—bus prophecie we will subscribe unto them without delay It is expedient we grant and profitable with all unto the Church that there should be such Decrees whereby the faith of others might be tried But as it was not lawfull for the people to imbrue their hands in Christs bloud though the greatest benefit that ever befell the world was by his death so neither is it safe to admit the Trent Canons though a wonderfull blessing of God they should be set forth because they so clearly testifie the truth of his word concerning Antichrist Canus said more in this then was needfull according to his supposed principles in his answer to the next argument But God who ruled the mouth of Caiâ—phas and made him speak the truth when he intended nothing lesse dâ—â— also direct Canusâ—s pen to vent what upon better consideration he would have concealed Yet herein he wrote but out of the abundance of his own and most of his fellows hearts who hold that the Priests and 〈◊〉 â—â—re onely in a matter of Fact not in any point of Faith when they 〈◊〉 Christ For conclusion of this consider with me Christian Reader how great cause we have to thank our gracious God that the sâ—â—t of 〈◊〉 or â—abble of Predicants were not founded in our Saviours daveâ— for thâ—… doubâ—â—e the Devil had picked a traitor out of that crue whose impudenâ— sophistical Apologies for open Blasphemie and unrelenting perseverance 〈◊〉 traitâ—rous plots might have outfaced the world that the delivering of Chriâ—… into his enemies hands had been no â—uch sin as Jâ—… testified it waâ—… his pâ—nitent speech and desperate end CAP. XIV What it would disadvantage the Romish Churâ—h to â—eny the infallâ—…lity of the Synagngue THat any visible company of men before our Saviour Christs time dâ—… challenge such absoluâ—e authority over mens faith as the Pore doth would be very hard for them to prove and no question but the high-Pâ—… and â—…ers amongst the Jews did oftentimes challenge more then they had If the Rom mist should say that they had no such infallible authority in deciding all controversies as their Church now challengeth the assertion would be as improbable in it self as incongruous to their positions For unto any indifferent man such Infalliâ—ilitie in the Watch-Tower of Sion mâ—… quisite during the time of the Law then since thâ— promulgation of the Gospel â—e it granted the points to be expresly believed of the anâ— ent people were but few yet even such of them as were most necessary to salvation were more enigmatically and mystically set down then any in the new Testament aâ—e and the measure of Gods Spirit upon every sort of men the vulgar especially in thâ—se times much lesse For this câ—use God raised uâ— Prophets to instruct them whose authority though it was not such as the Roman Church now challengeth but given to supply the ignorance and negligence of the Church representative in those dayes yet much greater thâ—n is ordinarily required in the light of the Gospel by which as the doctrine of salvation is become most conspicuous in it self so is the illumination â—… Gods Spirit more plentifull then before it had been And since the Prophets have been so clearly expounded by the Apostles and the harmony of the two Testaments so distinctly heard the ordinary Testâ—… of â—esuâ—â—… 〈◊〉 to the spirit of Propheâ—ie Allowing then these infinite ods on our pâ—rts that enjoy the labours of former ages with the ordinary preaching of the Gospel an infallible oecumenical authority is much 〈◊〉 needfull now then it was in the Law 2 Or if our adversaries will be so wayward as to deny the like infallibility to have been requisite in the ancient Jewish Church they shall hereby thwart evidently themselves disanull their chief title and utterly disclaim the main plea hitherto used for their own infallibilitie Foâ—… them do uâ—ge Gods promises made unto that Church to prove aâ—… of 〈◊〉 a like authority in theirs And if these promises made to the Jews admit any distinction condition or limitation whereby tâ—… absolute infallibilitie as they suppose it may be impaired then may all the promises made or supposed to be made unto their Church admit the same or like But besides the weakning of their title by debarring themselves of this plea drawn from the example of the ancient Jewish Church no man that reads their writings can be ignorant that all their chief and principal arguments wherewith they carry away most simple souls and importune such as almost neither fear God nor man to give sentence for them and their Church against us are drawn from these or the like Topicks unlesse God had ordained one supreme Judge or infallible Authority that might decide all controversies in matters of faith viva vâ—ce he had not sufficiently provided for his Church yea which were most absurd he had left it in worse estate then civil Estates are for ordinary matters for they besides their written Laws have Judges to determine all cases or controversies arising And seeing that Monarchical Government is of all others the best and in any wise mans judgement most available for avoiding all dissention and keeping the unity of
he heal them Then said I Lord how long And he answered until the cities be wasted without inhabitant and the houses without man and the land be utterly desolate and the Lord have removed men far away and there be a great desolation in the midst of the land The truth of our assertion is so pregnant that Maldonat the most judicious expoâ—â—tor amongst the Jesuites takes it as granted the words late cited were literally meant only of that generation with whom the Prophet lived and brings this very Text as one of the aptest instances to illustrate the third kind as he makes it of fulfilling prophesies to wit when that which is truly and literally meant of one is fitly applied unto another matter or sort of people for the similitude of their nature or disposition Although to speak the truth he might have referred it more justly at least more artificially to the fourth kind there mentioned by him For as shal appear hereafter this prophesie was alike literally properly and directly meant of both but verified of the former times more immediately as first in order because that part of its object had precedency in actual existence of the later more compleatly as principally intended by the holy Ghost 4 The blindnesse there spoken of was even then begun but did encrease from that age until the captivity and continued until Christs coming in whole dayes it was augmented and the prophesie fully accomplished as the desolation which followed their blindnesse in putting him to death was greater then that which Nebuchadnezzar brought upon the City and land for the provocations wherewith Manasseh Jehoiachim and other wicked Rulers as wel Priests as Laicks had provoked the Lord by cruel persecution of his messengers sent unto them This was a disease in their Prelates and 〈◊〉 lineally desâ—â—nding to the Scribes and Pharisees who took themselves for infallible teachers and free from oppugning such doctrine as therefore-fathers had persecuted unto the death The sin of these later in crucifyiag Christ was in degree more grievous because his personal worth was much greater then the Prophets but the ignorance was of the same kind in both for as our Saviour saith Mat. 23. 32. the later did but fulfil the measurâ—… their fathers iniquity in murthering Gods messengers And as afterwards shall be declared such as the Romanists account the Church representative most infallible did continually cause or countenance these persecutions The original likewise of this cruelty continued from former to later generations was the very same in both the one distasted Gods words whilest the Prophet spake them the other understood them not whilest they were read every sabbath day unto them both fulfilled them in condemning Gods messengers and thedding innocent bloud upon such gross and palpable blindness as Isaiah describes 5 It wil recreate the attentive Reader to observe how the Lord hath confounded the language of these cunning builders whâ—es they seek to raise up new Babylon from the foundation of the old Synagogue Bellarmin would seem to make a conscience of blaspheming and therefore hath rather adventured to be reputed ridiculous in avouching as you heard before without all ground or shew of reason that the infallible authority formerly established in the Synagogue did expire upon our Saviours entrance into his Ministerial function Many of his fellows knowing how necessary it is for them to defend the publick spirit of the Synagogues and conscious withal how frivolous it would be to say it should vanish by our Saviours presence who came rather by doctrine and practise to establish then overthrow any ordinance of the law resolve though by open blasphemy to maintain the Scribes and Pharisees infallibility until the aboâ—…ing of Aarons Priesthood That they condemned our Saviour was in these mens judgements an â—riour only in matter of Fact not of â—…th or â—…rine and in such case the Pope himself may err whiles he speaks ex Caâ—… That the High Priest did not erre in Faith they take it as proved because the Evangelist saith he prophesied It were good one should die for the people John 11. 50. 6 Such infallibility as this I never shall envy the Pope and I desite no more then that he would confirm this last cited doctrine ex Cathedra For no question but all such throughout the Christian world as bear any love to Christ at all any besides the Jesuites who make no conscience of vilisying their Redeemer for advancing the Popes dignity by desending his insallibilin would renounce his decrees and take him for Antichrist ever after For this was no errour de facto upon false information or privy suggestion Even the High Priests themselves for the inveterate hate which they had born unto our Saviours person and doctrine such as the Romish Church did unto Hus and Jerom of Prage hold a Councel how they might put him to death and so far were they from being missed with false information that they suborn fals witnesses against him and failing in this seek to insnare him in his own confession and finally condemn him with joynt consent for avouching one of the main points of Christian Belief the Article of his coming to judgement I think might Satan himself speak his mind in this case he would condemn Gretzer and his fellows if not for their villany yet for their intolerable folly in questioning whether it were an errour in Faith or no to pronounce the sentence of death with such solemnity against the Judge of quick and dead for professing and teaching the main points and grounds of Faith This villany is too open and evident to maintain the policy of the Prince of darknesse And if neither fear of God nor shame of the world could bridle the Jesuites mouths or stop the pens from venting such doctrine yet certainly this Prince of darknesse their Lord and Master for fear of some greater revolt wil lay his command upon them and make them in this discoursing age speak more warily though they niean still no lesse wickedly 7 Because this is a point worth the pressing let us overthrow not only their answers already given or arguments hence drawn for their Churches authority but in brief prevent all possible evasions If any Papist shal here reply that these High Priests and their assistants did not speak ex Cathedra when they so far missed the cushion this answer as it might perhaps drop from some ignorant Jesuites mouth or pen who is bound by oath to say something and therefore must oftentimes say he knows not what for the defence of the Church so we may wel assure our selves that the Pope himself dare not for his triple Crown deliver it ex Cathedra nor wil the learned Papists hold this point if it be wel urged For as these High Priests errour was most grosse and grievous so was it received upon long and mature deliberation their manner of proceeding was publick and solemn They took Jesus saith the
Evangelist and led him to Caiaphas the High Priest where the Scribes and Elders were gathered together And lest a Jesuite should have picked a quarrel at the time of their assembly as if they had met at some unlawful hour Saint Luke saith as soon as it was day the Elders of the people and the High Priests and the Scribes came together and led him into their Councel and examined him upon the very fundamental point of faith Saying art thou The Christ tell us For affirming this which is open infidelity to deny the High Priest himself not missed by any witnesses but from Christs own words which he himself had heard pronounceth sentence against him And if this were not enough he proposed the matter to the rest of his associates What think ye and they answered and said He is worthy to die After all this they urged the people to approve of this their Sentence perswading them to ask Barrabas and to destroy Jesus And so strongly had they conjured the multitude by their pretended authority that they apprehend this their choice as a point of faith or good service to God and his Church For when Pilate laieth his bloud unto their charge All the people as the Text saith all such as relied upon the Scribes Pharisees or their high Priests answered and said His bloud be upon us and our children One of your lay Papists could not have been more throughly perswaded of your Churches authority nor more violently bent against John Hus or any other of Christs Martyrs for the like reasons then this whole multitude was against Christ being condemned by the High Priest speaking ex Cathedra Here were more conditions and more solemnities observed in this proceeding of theirs then you require in the Pope speaking ex Cathedra Theirs was a publick assembly and sentence was given by joynt consent in the Consistory and in the morning you hold it sufficient for the Pope to give his desinitive sentence alone without evidence of the fact it self whereunto he ties mens faith as shal appear by your own confessions Nor do you limit him any time as wel in the afternoon as in the forenoon as wel for ought we can gather when drink is in and his wits out of his head as when he is sober For you hold it not necessary for him to use any long deliberation But if it be his wil to bind all Christians to believe him the whole Church must believe that he was herein directed by the Holy Ghost for the Church is bound to hear their chief Pastor And if he bind all men to believe him then must all of necessity believe that he was infallibly assisted by the Holy Ghost in shewing that which he binds them to believe for otherwise the whole Church might erre nay were bound to erre because it is bound to believe the Pope These consequents are your own not mine as may in part appear from what hath been already more fully from what shal be said hereafter Besides the whole multitude of the Jewish people heard the Priests and Elders utter their opinions concerning Christ and his doctrine viva voce we have the Popes decrees but by hear-say Either was this sentence pronounced ex Cathedra or else it wil be hard for you to prove that any sentence in your Church hath been so pronounced or can be although the Pope himself be present in the Councel and be an eye witnesse of all proceedings 8 Yet if any of you should here shufle as ye usually do at the last pinch and say Howsoever Valentia or some others of our learned but private spirits may define what it is to speak ex Cathedra yet we know not whether our Church hath so desined it or no and therefore although these High Priests and Elders did observe all the circumstances which these doctors require in a sentence given ex Cathedra yet for ought we know they might â—ay sure they did fail in some circumstance which we know not and did not indeed speak ex Cathedra albeit they seemed so to do wherefore this doth not conclude against the Popes infallible authority when he speaks ex Cathedra if any of you shall take this last hold as I cannot imagin any other left you we shal quickly beat you out of it For let it be granted for disputations sake that the Pope hath as ye suppose these Jews had an infallible authority when he speaks ex Cathedra yet seeing it is a matter so hard to be known even by these that hear him whether he observe all circumstances required to the exercise and true use of such infallible authority and whether he speak ex Cathedra or no when he may seem to sundry so to speak it would be the only safe course for all Christian Churches utterly to renounce all obedience to him but upon examination of his doctrine to stand continually upon their guard lest under pretence of this his infallible authority when he speaks ex Cathedra he may work some such inestimable mischief unto the Scriptures or Christs chosen here on earth as these High Priests did unto Christ himself by his seeming to speak ex Cathedra when he doth not If by abusing this his infallible authority he should either make away these Scriptures or animate the people to imbrue their hands in the bloud of Christs dearest Saints it is not his speaking ex Cathedra that can redeem their souls from hell nor restore Gods word again for these are matters of an higher price then that they should be purchased with two or three words of his Holinesse unhallowed mouth 9 To conclude if this authority of your Church be but such as the ancient Church of the Jews had you cannot expect any faithful people should otherwise esteem of your decrees then the faithful in our Saviours time were bound to esteem of the Jewish High Priests and Elders whom surely they did not take for Christs only nor best friends If the Popes infallibility be but such as these High Priests had you may be as guilty of the bloud of Christs Saints as they were If you wil challenge as indeed you do greater authority then they had ye must of necessity renounce your principal arguments brought to prove it CAP. XVI That Moses had no such absolute authority as is now ascribed unto the Pope That the manner of Moses his attaining to such as he had excludes all besides our saviour from just challenge of the like 1 WHether Moses were a Magistrate as the Papists think spiritual or as others meerly civil or whereunto upon grounds in due places to be discussed I most incline actually neither and virtually both it wil suffice for proof of our conclusion that the Pope is no servant of God but an adversary in that he exalts himself above Moses whom none besides the High Priest and sole Mediator of the new covenant was to equalize in soveraignty over Gods people
and feeling of his goodnesse and truth of his word 7 Though no Law-giver or Governour whether temporal or spiritual especially whose calling was but ordinary could possibly before or since so well deserve of the people committed to his guidance as this great General already had done of all the host of Israel were they upon this consideration forthwith to believe what soever he should avouch without further examination sign or token of his favour with God without assured experience or at the least more then probable presumptions of his continual faithfulnesse in that service whereunto they knew him appointed Albeit after all the mighty works before mentioned wrought in their presence they had been bound thereunto the meanest handmaid in that multitude had infallible pledges plenty of his extraordinary calling lockt up in her own unerring senses But from the strange yet frequent manifestation of Moses power and favour with God so great as none besides the great Prophet whom he prefigured might challenge the like the Lord in his al-seeing wisdom took fit occasion to allure his people unto strict observance of what he afterwards solemnly enacted as also in them to forwarn all future generations without express warrant of his word not absolutely to believe any governour whomsoever in al though of tried skil and fidelity in many principal points of his service That passage of Scripture wherein the manner of this peoples stipulation is registred wel deserves an exact survey of all especially of these circumstances How the Lord by rehearsal of his mighty works so epassed extorts their promise to do whatsoever should by Moses be commanded them and yet will not accept it offered until he have made them ear-witnesses of his familiarity and communication with him First out of the Mount he called Moses unto him to deliver this solemn message unto the house of Jacob Ye have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you upon â—agles wings and have brought you unto me Now therefore if you will hear my voice indeed and keep my covenant then ye shall be my chief treasure above all people though all the earth be mine After Moses had reported unto God this answer freely uttered with joynt consent of all the people solemnly assembled before their Elders All that the Lord commanded we will do was the whole businesse betwixt God and them fully transacted by this Agent in their obsence No he is sent back to sanctifie the people that they might expect Gods glorious appearance in Mount Sinai to ratifie what he had said upon the return of their answer Lo I come unto thee in a thick cloud that the people may hear whilest I talk with thee and that they may also believe thee for ever They did not believe that God had revealed his word to Moses for the wonders he had wrought but rather that his wonders were from Gâ—d because they heard God speak to him yea to themselves For their principal and fundamental lawes were uttered by God himself in their hearing 〈◊〉 Moses expresseth These words to wit the Decalogue the Lord spake unto â—… 〈◊〉 â—ulâ—â—tude in the â—ouâ—t out of the midst of the fire the cloud and the 〈◊〉 with a great voice and addâ—d no more And lest the words which they had heard might soon be smothered in fleshly hearts or quickly slide oâ—â— of their brittle memories the Lord wrote them in two Tables of stone and at their transcription not â—oses onely but Aaron Nadaâ— and Aâ—thâ— with the seventy Elders of Israel are made spectators of the Divine glory ravished with the sweetnesse of his presence †They saw saith the Text thâ—… of Isrâ—â—l and unâ—er his feet as it were a work of a Saphire stone and as the 〈◊〉 hâ—aâ—â—n when it is clear And upon the Nobles of the children of Israel â—e 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 also they saw God and did eat and drink After these Tables through Aâ—â—sâ—s anger at the peoples folly and impiety were broken God writes the 〈◊〉 same words again and renews his Covenant before all the people promising undoubted experience of his Divine assistance 8 Doth Moses after all this call fire from heaven upon all such as distrâ—â—t his words â—aron and Mâ—riam openly derogate from his authority which the Lord consirmes again viva voce descending in the †pillar of the 〈◊〉 coâ—…ng these dâ—tractors in the doore of the Yabeâ—â—acce Wherefore were you 〈◊〉 aâ—raid to spâ—ak against my servant even against Moses Thâ—â—s the Lord was 〈◊〉 aâ—gâ—â—e and depaâ—tâ—d leaving his mark upon Miriam cured of her leprosie by Moses instant prayers No marvell if Korah Dathan and â—â—irams judgements were so grievous when their sin against Moses after so many documents of his high calling could not but be wilfull as their perseverance in it after so many admonitions to desist most malitious and obstinate Yet was Mâ—sâ—s further countenanced by the appearance of Gods glory unto all the Congregation and his authority further ratified by the strange and fearfull end of these chief malefactors †foretold by him and by fire iâ—luing from the Lord to consume their confederates in offering incense ungratefull to their God Tantae molis erat Judaeam condere gentem So long and great a work it was to â—…ie Israel in true faith But without any like miracle or prediction such as never saw him never heard good of him must believe the Pope as well as Israel did their Law-giver that could make the Sea to grant him passage the clouds send bread the windes bring flesh and the hard rock yeeld drink sufficient for him and all his mighty host that could thus call the heavens as witnesses to condemn and appoint the earth as executioner of his judgements upon the obstinate and rebellious yet after all this he inflicts no such punishments upon the doubtfull in faith as the Romish Church doth but rather as is evident out of the places before alledged confirms them by commemoration of these late cited and like Experiments making †God 's favours past the surest pledges of his assistance in greatest difficulties that could beset them To conclude this people believed Moses for Godâ— testimony of him we may not believe Gods Word without the Popes testimony of it He must be to God as Aaron was to Moses his mouth whereby he onely speaks distinctly or intelligibly to his people CAP. XVII That the Churches authority was no part of the rule of faith unto the people after Moses death That by Experiments answerable to his precepts and predictions the faithfull without relying upon the Priests infallible proposals were as certain both of the divine truth and true meaning of the Law as their fore-fathers had been that lived with Moses and saw his miracles 1 TO proceed unto the ages following Moses How did they know Moses law either indeed to be Gods Word or the true sence and meaning of it being indefinitely known
cannot erre in explicating the doctrine of faith are bound to embrace it without questioning whether the places alleadged be to the purpose or no. Let such Christians as believe the Pope cannot erre in the name of God believe whatsoever he shall teach without examination yet remember withall that thus to believe is to worship the Dragon by giving their names unto the Beast But unto what Christians is the Popes infallibilitie better known then Saint Pauls was to the Beroeans Not unto us whose fathers have forsaken him for his Apostasie from God and taught us to eschew him as Antichrist to hold his doctrine as the very doctrine of devils Unto us at least his Holinesse should seek to manifest his infallibility by such means as Saint Paul did his even unto such as had seen his miracles and had experience of his power in expounding Scriptures Besides Saint Pauls conversation in all places was continually such as did witness him to be a chosen vessell full of the spirit of grace He did not make marchandise of the Word of God as most Popes do but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God so he spake through Christ he did not walk in craftinesse yet who greater Polititians then Popes Nor did he handle the Word of God deceitfully but in declaration of the truth he did approve himself to every mans conscience in the sight of God This one amongst others he accounts as an especiall motive to perswade men of his heavenly calling in that he did not preach himself but Christ Jesus and himself their servant for Iesus sake For so our Saviour had said He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory The Pope that we might know him to be Christs opposite seeks almost nothing else nothing so much as to be absolute Lord over all other mens faith If this any Jesuite will deny let him define what Prince amongst the nations what Tyrant in the World did ever challenge greater soveraignty in affairs of this life then the Pope doth in all matters whatsoever concerning the life to come 3 But it may be Bellarmine was either afraid or ashamed of this answer wherefore he adds another as wise to keep it from blushing I â—â—de saith he albeit an Heretick sin in doubting of the Churches authority into which he hath been regenerate by Baptisme nor is the case the same in an Heretick which hath once made profession of faith and in a Jew or Ethnick which never was Christian yet this doubt which is a sin being supposed he doth not amisse in searching and examining whether the places alleadged by the Trent Councell oat of Scriptures or Fathers be true or pertinent so hâ— do this with an intent to finde the truth not to calumniate A man at the first sight would deem Bâ—llâ—rmine for his own part at least had given us leave to examine the Popes doctrine by Scripture but that as you heard before he absolutely denies nor will he I am sure pawn his hat that he which searcheth the Scriptures and Fathers alleadged and cannot find any such meaning in either as the Trent Councell would thence infer shall be freed by their Church from heresie although he be not so uncivil as to calumniate the Pope but onely salvareverentia ingenuously professe that he thinks on his Conscience the Scripture meant no such matter as the Councel intended This none of their Church dare promise for dubius in fide by their doctrine est haereticus he that doubts after sâ—uch an authentick determination is condemned for an heretick and yet without such assurance of being freed from heresie this permission of reading Scriptures is not worth God a mercy seeing he must at length be constrained to believe the Scripture saith just so as the Pope saith albeit his private conscience informe him to the contrary so that by reading them he must either wound his own conscience more then if the use of them had been denied him or else use them but as a court favour or grace bestowed upon him by the Pope for which he must in good manners yeeld his full assent to his doctrine with infinite thanks for his bounty Howsoever if he be doubtfull in their tenents he may not read the Scriptures with Calvin Beza or any of our Writers Expositions or in any Edition save such as they approve or with the Rhemish animadversions or glosses or according to the analogy of that faith wherein the Jesuites have catechized him So that the reading of Scriptures if their opinions be erroneous as we hold the Popes decisions are serves to as good purpose for confirming one of their catechizing in the right faith as the ringing of bells doth to bring a melancholy man out of some foolish conceit which runs in his mind both of them will believe their former imaginations though never so bad the better because the one thinks the bells ring the other that the Scriptures speak just so as he imagines This Bellarmine cannot dissemble in his next words Bound he is to receive the Churches doctrine without examination but better he were prepared unto the truth by examining then by neglecting it to persist still in his blindnesse His meaning in plain English is this He and his fellows could wish Reformed Churches would all come off at once and believe as Romanists do without all examination whether they believe as Christians or Magicians but if we will not be so forward as they could wish we were they could in the second place be very well content to admit us into their Church again though after a yeer or two's deliberation rather then lose our company for ever 4 The learned Doctor Whitakers of famous memory out of the former place gathered these two corollaries Every doctrine is to be tried 〈◊〉 Scripture The Apostle taught nothing but what might have been confirmed out of Moses and the Prophets Sacrâ—boscus reply to these Orthodoxal collections confirmes me in that conceit I entertained of Romish Schoolmen when I first began to read them They seemed to me then much more now to handle matters of greatest moment in divinity after the same fashion for all the world nimble Artists do Philosophical Theorems in the Schools whiles they are coursed by such as would triumph in their disgrace Be the argument brought in it self never so good or forcible to evince the contradictory to their tenents yet if the opponent in his inference of what was last denied chance but to omit some petty terme or clause impertinent to the main question or make his propositions more improbable by framing them more universal then he needs occasion will quickly be taken to interrupt his progresse and put him off especially if the Answerer be so well provided with some shew of instance to the contrary or absurdity likely to follow if all were true his Antagonist would seeme to prove Nor do I censure this as a fault in youth or whilest we are in
certain as they could be made For so it had been a labour altogether lost yea a matter no lesse prophane then rebaptization to have confirmed them by suffrages of Bishops after their Cathedral confirmation by the Pope Even of his Holinesse himself whose verdict as in this case must finally be supposed addes Divine credence unto testifications in their own nature fallible and meerly humane the question proposed in the former Section remains still insoluble For without the relation of some Historian or Register or especial revelation from above no Pope can divine how many Councels have been held much lesse what was finally determined in every ancient Canon confirmed by the Bishops assembled at Trent Special revelations such as the Prophets had they acknowledge none And yet distinctly to tell what hath been done in times past or places afar off without relying on others relations is an extraordinary effect of special revelation a work of higher nature and greater difficulty then Prophetical prediction of things to come Are then the relations of Historians or Registers of Ancient Councels divine and authentick Not without the Popes ratification with it they are Yes or else a great part of Roman faith by Bellarmines reason can be but humane 5 Hence may we safely annex a corollary as necessary as sutable to the main conclusion proposed for the principal subject of this Section As the Popes authority is by Jesuiticall Doctrine made much greater then our Saviâ—â—rs so may the assistance or countenance of his Omnipotent spirit make the reports of any temporizing Historian or mercenary Register as divine authentiâ—k anâ—…â—â—rtain as any Prophetical or Apostolical testimonies of the Messiah Yea if it should please him to authorize Baronius Annals or relations of former Councels their credit should be no lesse then the Evangelists Yea hence it followes as the discreâ—t Reader without further repetition of what hath here been said or new suggestion of the reasons whereon the inference is grounded will I hope of his own accord hereafter collect That determinations proceeding upon any knaves or loose companions testimonies though more loosely examined so examined at all or taken for examined by the Pope shall by his approbation be of force as all-sufficient either for producing Divine belief of mens spiritual worth we never heard of or for warranting daily performance of Religious worship to their memory as any declaration he can make upon our Saviours promises unto his Apostles For we may not more doubt of any Religion he shal authorize or any mans salvation canonized by him whosoever be the Relators of their life and death then of S. Peters though our Saviour promised he should be saved The reason is plain The Pope is sole Judge of all divine Oracles our Saviour as you have heard out of Valentian is but a witnesse and so may others be whomsoever he shall admit SECT IV. Containing the third branch of Romish blasphemy or the last degree of great Antichrists exaltation utterly overthrowing the whole foundation of Christian Religion preposterously inverting both Law and Gospel to Gods dishonour and advancement of Satans Kingdom THat the authority challenged by the Romish Church is altogether prejudicial to Gods word greater then either the visible Church of Israel from Moses till Christ or Christ himself or his Apostles either before or after his resurrection did either practise or lay claim to is evident from the former treatise It remains we demonstrate how the acknowledgement of this most absolute most infallible authority doth quite alienate our faith and allegeance from God and the Trinity unto the Pope and his triple Crown The Proposition then we are to prove is this Whosoever stedfastly believes the absolute authority of the Romish Church as now it is taught doth truly and properly believe no article of Christian faith no God no Trinity no Christ no redemption no resurrection no heavenly joyes no hell CAP. XXVI The Jesuites unwillingnesse to acknowledge the Churches proposal for the true cause of his saith of differences and agreements about the final Resolution of saith either amongst the Adversaries themselves or betwixt us and them 1 THe conclusion proposed follows out of their principles before mentioned and afterwards to be reiterated that they may be the more throughly sounded But ere we come to raze the very foundation of their painted wals a few weak forts must be overthrown vvhich some have erected in hope thereby to save their Church from battery Falentian as you heard before seeing his Mother would lie more open to our asâ—aults if they should admit this manner of speech I believe this or that proposition or article of saith because the holy Church doth so instruct me would mitigate the harshnesse of it thus If you ask me why I believe a Trinity or God to be one in three persons I would answer because God hath revealed this mystery The divine revelation then is the cause of your Belief in this particular But how do you know how can you Believe that God hath revealed this by another divine revelation No. For so we should run from revelation to revelation without end If by revelation you do not believe it by what means else By the infallible proposal of the Church as a condition without which I could not believe it Mark the mysticalnesse of this speech Ob propositionem Ecclesiae infallibilem For the Churches infallible proposal Is not this as much as if he had said because the Church vvhich is infallible proposeth it to me Why then doth he make it but a condition necessary or requisite to this assent â—elikâ— he meant not so but vvould have us to see the condition not the true and principal cause of his belief The Churches authority by his doctrine may in divers respects be truly said both a cause and condition Or to speak more distinctly the Churches proposal is a condition without vvhich no man can ordinarily believe propositions of faith the infallibility of her proposal is the true and only cause of every Roman Catholicks belief in all points This denial of the Churches authority to be according to their principles the true cause of belief Is the sconse that must first be overthrown but after a friendly parly of the difference betwixt us 2 Valentian if we wel observe his processe in the forecited place proves only that which none in reformed Churches did ever deny albeit he profeâ— more in his premises which whilest he seeks to perform he hath only proved him self a ridiculous Atheist as partly is shewed in the former treatises and shall more fully appear in the end of this To ease his fellows hereafter of such unnecessary or impertinent pains as oft times they take I dare avouch in the behalf of all my brethren in reformed Churches no Jesuite â—…al be more forward to demand then we to grant That God in these later dayes doth not teach men the Gospel in such sort as he did S. Paul
jointly believe for God speaking either in his written word or by tradition Yet if a man should have asked him why he did or how possibly he could infallibly believe that God did speak all the words either contained in the Bible or in their traditions he must have given either a womans answer because God spake them or this because our holy mother the Church doth say so For elsewhere he plainly avows the Books of Canonical Scripture need not be believed without the Churches proposal whose infallible authority was sufficiently known before one tittle of the New Testament was written and were to be acknowledged though it had never been he plainly confesseth withal that he could not believe the Scriptures taught some principal Articles of faith most firmly believed by him unless the Churches authority did thereto move him against the light of natural reason Now if for the Churches proposal he believe that which otherwise to believe he had no reason at all but rather strong inducements to the contrary as stedfastly as any other truth the Churches infallibility must be the true and only cause both why he believes the mystery proposed and distrusts the natural dictates of his conscience to the contrary In sine he doth not believe there is a Trinity for in that Article is his instance because God hath said it but he believes that God hath said it because his infallible Mother the Church doth teach it This is the misery of miseries that these Apostates should so bewitch the World as to make it think they believe the Church because God speaks by it when it is evident they do not believe God but for the Churches testimony well content to pretend his authority that her own may seem more Soveraign Thus make they their superstitious groundless magical Faith but as a wrench to wrest that principle of nature Whatsoever God saith is true to countenance any villany they can imagin as wil better appear hereafter But first the Reader must be content to be informed that by some of their Tenents the same Divine revelations may be asâ—ented unto by the Habit either of â—heologie or of Faith both which are most certain but herein diâ—ferent That tâ—e former is discursive and resembles science properly so called the later not so but rather like unto that habit or faculty by which we perceive the truth of general Maxims or unto our bodily sight which sees divers visibles all immediately not one after or by another Whilst some of them dispute against the certainty of private spirits their arguments suppose Divine revelations must be believed by the Habit of Theologie which is as a sword to oâ—â—end us Whiles we assault them and urge the unstability of their resolutions they slie unto the non disâ—ursive Habit of faith infused as their best buckler to ward such blows as the Habit of Theologie cannot bear off 6 Not here to dispute either how truly or pertinently they deny â—aith infused to be a discursive habit the Logical Reader need not I hope my adâ—onition to observe that faith or belief whether habitual or actual unlesse discursive cannot possibly be resolved into any preexistent Maxim or principle From which grant this Emolument wil arise unto our cause that the Churches authority cannot be proved by any divine revelation or portion of Scripture seeing it is an Article of Faith and must be believed â—odâ—m intuâ—â—u with that Scripture or part of Gods Word whether written or unwritten that teacheth it as light and colours are perceived by one and the same intuition in the same instant And by this assertion we could not so properly say We beleeue the divine revelation because we believe the Church nor do we see colours because we see the light but We may truly say that the objects of our faith divine revelations are therefore actually credible or worthy of belief because the infallible Church doth illustrate or propose them as the light doth make colours though invisible by night visible by day This similitude of the light and colours is not mine but Sacroboscus's whom in the point in hand I most mention because Doctor Whitakers Objections against their Churches Doctrine as it hath been delivered by Bellarmine and other late Controversers hath enforced him clearly to unfold what Bellarmine Stapleton and Valentian left unexpressed but is implicitely included in all their Writings But ere we come to examine the full inconveniences of their opinions I must request the Reader to observe that as oft as they mention Râ—solution of faith they mean the discursive habit of Theologie For all resolution of Belief or knowledge essentially includes discourse And Bellarmine directly makes Sacroboscus expressely avoucheth the Churches authority the medius terminus or true cause whence determinate conclusions of faith are gathered From which and other equivalent assertions acknowledged by all the Romanists this day living it will appear that Valentian was either very ignorant himself or presumed he had to deal with very ignorant Adversaries when he denied that the last resolution of Catholick faith was into the Churches authority which comes next in place to be examined CAP. XXVIII Discovering either the grosse ignorance or notorious craft of the Jesuite in denying his Faith is finally resolved into the Churches veracity or infallibility That possibly it cannot be resolved into any branch of the First Truth 1 IT were a foolish question as Cajetan saith Valentian hath well observed if one should ask another why he believes the First Truth revealing For the Assent of Faith is finally resolved into the First Truth It may be Cajetan was better minded towards Truth it self first or secondary then this Jesuite was which used his authority to colour his former rotten position That the Churches proposal by their doctrine is not the cause of faith but our former distinction between belief it self and it object often confounded or between Gods Word indefinitely and determinately taken if well observed will evince this last reason to be as foolish as the former assertion was false No man saith he can give any reason besides the infallibility of the Revealer why he beleeves a divine Revelation It is true no man can give nor would any ask why we believe that which we are fully perswaded is a divine Revelation But yet a reason by their positions must be given why we believe either this or that truth any particular or determinate portion of Scripture to be a divine Revelation Wherefore seeing Christian Faith is alwayes of desinite and particular propositions or conclusions and as Bellarmine saith and all the Papists must say these cannot be known but by the Church As her infallible proposal is the true and proper cause why we believe them to be infalliblie true because the onely cause whereby we can believe them to be divine revelations so must it be the essential principle into which our Assent or Belief of any particular or determinate
or how can you know those Books which ye call Scriptures were from God The last and final answer according to the Jesuitical Catechismes wherein as you heard before out of Bellarmine they think they have great advantage of us would be this The holy Church our Mother doth so instruct giving us this expresse admonition withall his amplius fili 〈◊〉 ne requiras Here upon God their Father and the infallible Church their Mothers blessing their souls are bound to rest without further doubt or demand Whence unlesse they use some mental reservation or seek to shrowd themselves in the former aequivocation hitherto unfolded they must of necessity account themselves accursed if they deny the last or final resolution of their belief to be into the Churches infallibility or veracity Again what reasonable man would demand further resolution of any doubts incident to his faculty be it real or verbal speculative or practick then into the prime and immediate rules He should surely be lasht in a Grammar School that either for quantitie of syllables right accent construction of words or the like would seek a further reason then a known general rule which admitteth no exception So should he with disgrace be turned over the Barre amongst the Lawyers that would demur or seek a devolution of an evident ruled case which by his own confession could never alter Much more grosse would his absurdity appear that in the Mathematicks or other demonstrative science should attempt to resolve a Probleme or conclusion further then into an unquestionable Theorem or definition Finally might we have a centumviral Court of all professions under the Sun our Adversaries would be condemned with joint consent either of intolerable folly or impudency if they should with Valentian deny the last resolution of their faith to be into the Churches infallibilitie seeing they make it such a Catholick inerrable perpetual rule of Christian faith as admits no exception no devolution from it no appeal It is to them more then he said of Logick Ars artium scientia scientiarum a faculty of faculties a Rule of Rules able rightly to resolve all doubts concerning the very Canon of Scriptures or Gods Word written or unwritten or the true sence or meaning of both briefly able most authentically to determine and define all Controversies in Religion of what kind soever 4 Nor will it boot them ought to say that Gods Word in the Churches mouth is the Rule whereinto faith is finally resolved seeing the Church defines nothing but by Gods Word either written or unwritten For this is more then the party which believes it can know nor hath he any other motive to believe it besides the Churches definition or assertion Suppose then we should conceive so well of a temporall Judge as to presume he did never speak but according to the true meaning either of Statute or customary Law yet if we could not know either the one or the other or their right interpretation but onely by his determinations the Law were little beholden to him unlesse for a flout that should say he were resolved jointly by the Judge and it For seeing the Law is to him altogether uncertain but by the Judges avouchment or interpretation his last resolution of any act of justice must be onely into the Judges skill and fidelitie This inference Sacroboscus would not deny he himself hath made the like to prove that not the Scripture but the Church must be the infallible rule of faith You will object saith he when the Church defines it alwayes defines according to the Word of God either written or unwritten New revelations it receives none the promised assistance of the spirit helps it onely to know what is already revealed Therefore from the first to the last that which determines controversies and is the Judge in all questions of faith is the Word of God To this objection thus he answers Because we cannot be certain of the true sence of Gods Word but by the voice of the Church which hears our controversies and answers them The Church is Judge although it judge according to Gods Word which upon examination and by the spirits assistance it alwayes understands aright And if every one of us should have the infallible gift of understanding Gods Word we should not need any other Judge The Reader I hope will remember what was said before that those flowting hypocrites would fain believe the Pope saith nothing but what God saith that God may be thought to say all he sayes which is the most abhominable Blasphemie that ever Hell broacht worse then worshipping of Devils as shall appear hereafter 5 It may be some Novice in Arts that hath late read some vulgar Logicians upon the demonstrations might here frame this doubt in favour of the Romish Churches Doctrine As the finall cause may be demonstrated by the efficient and the efficient by the final so may the Church be infallibly proved by Scriptures and the Scriptures again by the Churches authority both infallibly believed each for others sake as both the former demonstrations are true and certain and yet mutually depending one upon the other 6 This objection had some late Logicians understood what they said would carry some shew of truth to countenance Valentians former Circular Resolution but they lace their Masters Rule uttered by him Pingui Minerva too too straitly For taking it as they do we should admit of circular demonstrations the conceit whereof can have no place but in a giddy brain To demonstrate the final cause in any work of Nature were to assigne a Counsellor to the infinite wisdom of the God of Nature in whose intention the end is first and is the cause of all operation or efficiencie Who could give or who would demand a naturall cause why life should be preserved for this is the will of him that gave it If question were made of the manner how the life of man and other creatures is preserved when as their heat might seem to choak them A man might truely answer by respiration and respiration is from the lungs But it is one thing to ask How or by what Means another for what End any effect is produced The former is an inquiry of the Efficient within these precincts of means or motions alwayes prime and independent The later of the final cause absolutely indemonstrable because it implies a contradiction to give a reason why that should be for whose sake all other things of that rank have being Nor is the End it self to speak properly ever produced though oft-times in common speech we take the Effect immediately thereto destinated because most sensible for the End it self as we do the starre next to the Pole because visible for the Pole or point immoveable Thus we confound respiration or actual preservation of life with the Final cause why men have lungs when as both are effects of the lungs both means of accomplishing Natures or rather the God of Natures
purpose in whose will or pleasure the finall cause of any natural effect alwayes consists And seeing nothing in Nature can preoccupate his will no cause can be precedent to the finall This consideration of naturall effects tending as certainly to their proposed end as the arrow flyes to the mark caused the irreligious Philosopher to acknowledge the direction of an intelligent supernatural agent in their working the accomplishment of whose will and pleasure as I said must be the finall cause of their motions as his will or pleasure which bestows the charges not the Architect unlesse he be the owner also is the final cause why the house is built Finally every End supposeth the last intention of an intelligent Agent whereof to give a reason by the Efficient which onely produceth works or meanes thereto proportioned would be as impertinent as if to one demanding why the bell rings out it should be answered because a strong fellow puls the rope 7 Now that which in our Adversaries Doctrine answers unto the cause indemonstrable whereinto final resolution of Natures works or intentions of intelligent agents must be resolved is the Churches Authority Nor can that if we speak properly be resolved into any branch of the first Truth for this reason besides others alledged before that all resolutions whether of our perswasions or intentions or of their objects works of Art or Nature suppose a stability or certainty in the first links of the chain which we unfold the latter alwayes depending on the former not the former on the latter As in resolutions of the latter kind lately mentioned imitating the order of composition actual continuation of life depends on breathing not breathing on it breathing on the lungs not the lungs mutually on breathing so in resolutions of the other kind which inverts the order of composition the use or necessity of lungs depends upon the use or necessitie of breathing the necessitie or use of breathing upon the necessity or use of life or upon his will or pleasure that created one of these for another Thus again the sensitive faculty depends upon the vital that upon mixtion mixtion upon the Elements not any of these mutually upon the sensitive faculty if we respect the order of supportance or Natures progresse in their production Whence he that questions whether some kinds of plants have sense or some stones or metals life supposeth as unquestionable that the former have life that the second are mixt bodies But if we respect the intent or purpose of him that sets Nature a working all the former faculties depend on the sensitive the sensitive not on any of them For God would not have his creatures indued with sense that they might live or live that they might have mixt bodies but rather to have such bodies that they might live to live that they might enjoy the benefit of sense or the more noble faculties 8 Can the Jesuite thus assigne any determinate branch of the First Truth as stable and unquestionable before it be ratified by the Churches authority Evident it is by his positions that he cannot and as evident that belief of the Churches authority cannot depend upon any determinate branch of the First Truth much lesse can it distinctly be thereinto resolved But contrariwise presse him with what Divine precept soever written or unwritten though in all mens judgements the Churches authority set aside most contradictory to their approved practises for example That the second Commandement forbids worshipping Images or adoration of the consecrated Host he straight inverts your reason thus Rather the second Commandement forbids neither because the holy Church which I believe to be infallible approveth both Lastly he is fully resolved to believe nothing for true which the Church disproves nothing for false or erroneous which it allowes Or if he would answer directly to this demand To what end did God cause the Scriptures to be written He could not â—â—sonâ—â—t to his tenents say That we might infallibly rely upon them but rather upon the Churches authority which it establisheth For Gods Word whether written or unwritten is by their Doctrine but as the testimony of some men deceased indefinitely presumed for infallible but whose material extent the Church must first determine and afterwards judge without all appeal of their true meaning Thus are all parts of Divine truthes supposed to be revealed more essentially subordinate to the Churches authority then ordinary witnesses are to royal or supreme judgement For they are supposed able to deliver what they know in termes intelligible to other mens capacities without the Prince or Judges ratification of their sayings or expositions of their meanings and judgement is not ordained for producing witnesses but production of witnesses for establishing judgement Thus by our adversaries Doctrine Gods Word must serve to establish the Churches authority not the Churches authority to confirm the immediate soveraigntie of It ever our souls 9 Much more probably might the Jew or Turk resolve his faith unto the First Truth then the modern Jesuited Papist can For though their deductions from it be much what alike all equally sottish yet these admit a stabilitie or certainty of what the First Truth hath said no way dependant upon their authority that first proposed or commended it unto them The Turks would storme to hear any Mufti professe He were as well to be believed as was Mahomet in his life time that without His proposal they could not know either the old Testament or the Alcoran to be from God So would the Jews if one of their Rabbines should make the like comparison betwixt himself and Moses as the Jesuite doth betwixt Christ and the Pope who besides that he must be as well believed as his Master leaves the authority of both Testaments uncertain to us unlesse confirmed by his infallibility But to speak properly the pretended derivation of all three heresies from the First Truth hath a lively resemblance of false pedegrees none at all of true Doctrine and resolutions Of all the three the Romish is most ridiculous as may appear by their several representations As imagine there should be three Competitors for the Roman Empire all pleading it were to descend by inheritance not by election all pretending lineal succession from Charles the Great The first like to the Jew alledgeth an authentick pedegree making him the eldest The second resembling the Turk replies that the other indeed was of the eldest line but long since disinherited often conquered and enforced to resigne whence the inheritance descended to him as the next in succession The third like the Romanist pleads it was bequeathed him by the Emperors last Will and Testament from whose death his Ancestors have been intit'led to it and produceth a pedegree to this purpose without any other confirmation then his own authority adding withall that unlesse his competitors and others will believe his records and declarations written or unwritten to be most authentick they cannot
be certaine whether ever there had been such an Emperour as they plead succession from or at least how far his Dominions extended or where they lay This manner of plea in secular controversies would be a mean to defeat him that made it For albeit the Christian World did acknowledge there had been such an Emperour and that many parts of Europe of right belonged unto his lawfull heir Yet if it were otherwise unknown what parts these were or who this heir should be no Judge would be so mad as finally to determine of either upon such motives Or if the Plaintiffe could by such courses as the World knows oft prevail in judgement or other gracious respects effect his purpose he were worse then mad that could think the finall resolution of his right were into the Emperours last Will and Testament which by his own confession no man knows besides himself and not rather into his own presumed fidelitie or the Judges apparant partiality So in this Controversie whatsoever the Pope may pretend from Christ all in the end comes to his own authority which we may safely believe herein to be most infallible that it will never prove partiall against it self or define ought to his Holinesse disadvantage 10 Here again it shall not be amisse to admonish younger Students of another gull which the Jesuite would put upon us to make their Churches Doctrin seem lesse abominable in this point lest you should think they did equalize the authority of the Church with divine revelations Valentian would perswade you it were no part of the formal object of faith It is true indeed that the Churches authority by their Doctrine is not comprehended in the object of Belief whilest it onely proposeth other Articles to be believed No more is the Sun comprehended under the objects of our actual sight whilest we behold colours or other visibles by the vertue of it But yet as it could not make colours or other things become more visible unto us unlesse it self were the first and principal visible that is unlesse it might be seen more clearly then those things which we see by it so we would direct our sight unto it so would it be impossible the Churches infallible proposal could make a Roman Catholicks Belief of Scriptures or their Orthodoxal sence the stronger unlesse it were the first and principal credible or primary object of his Beliefe or that which must be most clearly most certainly and more stedfastly believed so as all other Articles besides must be believed by the belief or credibility of it This is most evident out of Sacroboscus and Bellarmines resolution or explication of that point how the Churches proposal confirmes a Roman Catholicks belief To give this Doctrine of their Churches infallibility the right title according to the truth it is not an Article of Catholick Belief but a Catholick Axiom of Antichristian unbelief which from the necessary consequences of their assertions more strictly to be examined will easily appear CAP. XXIX What manner of casual dependance Romish Belief hath on the Church that the Romanist truely and properly believes the Church onely not God or his Word 1 THe two main assertions of our Adversaries whence our intended conclusion must be proved are these often mentioned heretofore First that we cannot be infallibly perswaded of the truth of Scriptures but by the Churches proposal Secondly that without the same we cannot be infallibly perswaded of the true sence or meaning of these Scriptures which that Church and we both believe to be Gods Word How we should know the Scriptures to be Gods Word is a Probleme in Divinity which in their judgement cannot be assoiled without admission of Traditions or divine unwritten verities of whose extent and meaning the Church must be infallible Judge It is necessary to salvation saith Bellarmine that we know there be some books divine which questionlesse cannot by any means be known by Scriptures For albeit the Scripture say that the Books of the Prophets or Apostles are divine yet this I shall not certainly believe unlesse I first believe that Scripture which saith thus is divine For so we may read every where in Mahomets Alcoran that the Alcoran it self was sent from heaven but we beliefe it not Therefore this necessary point that some Scripture is divine cannot sufficiently be gathered out of Scriptures alone Consequently seeing faith must rely upon Gods Word unlesse we have Gods word unwritten we can have no faith His meaning is we cannot know the Scriptures to be divine but by Traditions and what Traditions are divine what not we cannot know but by the present visible Church as was expresly taught by the same Authour before And the final resolution of our believing what God hath said or not said must be the Churches Authority To this collection Sacroboscus thus farre accords Some Catholicks rejected divers Canonical Books without any danger and if they had wanted the Churches proposal for others as well as them they might without sin have doubted of the whole Canon This he thinks consonant to that of Saint Austin I would not believe the Gospel unlesse the Churches authority did thereto move me He addes that we of reformed Churches making the visible Churches authority in defining points of faith unsufficient might disclaim all without any greater sin or danger to our souls then we incurre by disobeying some parts of Scripture to wit the Apocryphal books canonized by the Romish Church The Reader I hope observes by these passages How Bellarmine ascribes that to Tradition which is peculiar to Gods providence Sacroboscus that to blind belief which belongs unto the holy Spirit working faith unto the former points by the ordinary observation of Gods Providence and Experiments answerable to the rules of Scriptures 2 Consequently to the Trent Councels Decree concerning the second assertion Bellarmine thus collects It is necessary not onely to be able to read Scriptures but to understand them but the Scripture is often so ambiguous and intruate that it cannot be understood without the exposition of some that cannot erre therefore it alone is not sufficient Examples there be many For the equality of the divine persons the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son as from one joynt original Original sin Christs descension into Hel and many like may indeed be deduced out of Scriptures but not so plainly as to end Controversies with contentious spirits if we should produce onely testimonies of Scriptures And we are to note there be two things in Scripture the Characters or the written words and the sence included in them The Character is as the sheath but the sence is the very sword of the spirit Of the first of these two all are partakers for whosoever knowes the Character may read the Scripture but of the sence all men are not capable nor can we in many places be certain of it unlesse Tradition be assistant It is an offer worth the taking
that here he maks That the sence of Scriptures is the sword of the spirit This is as much as we contend that the sence of the Scripture is the Scripture Whence the inference is immediately necessary That if the Romish Church bind us to believe or absolutely practise ought contrary to the true sence and meaning of Scriptures with the like devotion we do Gods expresse undoubted commandements she prefers her own authority above Gods Word and makes us acknowledge that allegiance unto her which we owe unto the spirit For suppose we had as yet no full assurance of the spirit for the contradictory sence to that given by the Church we were in Christian duty to expect Gods providence and invoke the spirits assistance for manifestation of the truth from all possibility whereof we desperately exclude our selves if we believe one mans testimony of the spirit as absolutely and irrevocably as we would do the manifest immediate testimony of the spirit yet Sacroboscus acknowledgeth he believes the mysterie of the Trinity as it is taught by their Church onely for the Churches authority and yet this he believes as absolutely as he doth yea as he could believe any other divine Revelation though extraordinarily made unto himself 3 In both parts of Belief above mentioned the causal dependance of our faith upon the Churches proposals may be imagined three wayes either whilest it is in planting or after it is planted or from the first beginning of it to it full groweth or from it first entrance into our hearts untill our departure out of this world How far and in what sort the Ministery of men in the Church is available for planting faith hath been declared heretofore Either for the planting or supporting it the skill or authority of the teacher reaches no further then to quicken or strengthen our internal tast or apprehension of the divine truth revealed in Scriptures or to raise or tune our spirits as Musick did Elishahs the better to perceive the efficacy of Gods spirit imprinting the stamp of those divine Revelations in our Hearts whose Characters are in our Brains The present Churches proposals in respect of our Belief is but as the Samaritan womans report was unto the men of Sichar Many saith the Evangelist believed in him for the saying of the woman which testified he hath told me all things that ever I did But this Beliefe was as none in respect of that which they conceive immediately from his own words For they said unto the woman Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed The Christ. The 〈◊〉 saith Job trieth the words as the mouth tasteth meats Consonant hereto is our Churches doctrine that as our bodily mouthes taste and trie meats immediately without interposition of any other mans sense or jugement of them so must the ears of our souls trie and discern divine truths without relying on other mens proposals or reports of their rellish No external means whatsoever can in either case have any use but only either for working a right disposition in the Organ whereby trial is made or by occasioning the exercise of the faculty rightly disposed How essentially faith by our adversaries doctrine depends upon the Churches authority is evident out of the former discourses that this dependance is perpetual is as manifest in that they make it the judge and rule of faith such an indefectible rule and so authentick a Judge as in all points must be followed and may not be so far examined either by Gods written law or rules of nature whether it contradict not it self or them 4 It remains we examin the particular manner of this dependance or what the Churches infallibility doth or can perform either to him that believes or to the object of his belief whence a Roman Catholicks faith should become more firm or certain then other mans It must enlighten either his soul that it may see or divine revelations that they may be seen more clearly otherwise he can exceed others only in blind Belief The cunningest Sophister in that school strictly examined upon these points wil bewray that monstrous Blasphemy which some shallow brains have hitherto hoped to cover We have the same Scriptures they have and peruse them in all the languages they do What is it then can hinder either them from manifesting or us from discerning their Truth or true meaning manifested Do we want the Churches proposal we demand how their present Church it self can better discern them then ours may what testimony of antiquity have they which we have not But it may be we want spectacles to read them our Church hath but the eyes of private men which cannot see without a publick light Their Churches eyes are Cat-like able so to illustrate the objects of Christian faith as to make them clear and perspicuous to it self though dark and invisible unto us Suppose they could Yet Cats-eyes benefit not by-standers a whit for seeing colours in darkness albeit able themselves to see them without any other light then their own The visible Church saith the Jesuite is able to discern all divine truth by her infallible publick spirit How knows he this certainly without an infallible publick spirit perhaps as men see Cats-eyes shine in the dark when their own do not Let him believe so But what doth this belief advantage him or other private spirits for the clear distinct or perfect sight of what the Church proposeth Doth the proposal make divine Truths more perspicuous in themselves Why then are they not alike perspicuous to all that hear read or know the Churches testimonie of them Sacroboscus hath said all that possibly can be said on their behalf in this difficultie The Sectaries albeit they should use the authoritie of the true Church yet cannot have any true belief of the truth revealed If the use of it be as free to them as to Catholicks what debars them from this benefit They do not acknowledge the sufficiencie of the Churches proposal And as a necessary proof or medium is not sufficient to the attaining of science unless a man use and acknowledge it formally as necessary so for establishing true faith it sufficeth not that the Church sufficiently proposeth the points to be believed or avoweth them by that infallible authority wherewith Christ hath enabled her to declare both what books contain Doctrines Divine and what is the true sense of places controversed in them but it is further necessary that we formally use this proposal as sufficient and embrace it as infallible 5 The reason then why a Roman Catholick rightly believes the Truth or true meaning of Scriptures when a Protestant that knows the Churches testimonie as well as he rests in both points uncertain is because the Catholick infallibly believes the Churches authority to be infallible whereof the Protestant otherwise perswaded reaps no benefit by it but continues still in darkness
labouring in vain to see the Truth of Divine revelations without it as much in vain as if a man should strive to see colours without light For this is Sacroboscus instance Besides the habit of faith seated in the understanding and the supernatural concourse of the Holy Spirit due to all endued with the babit of faith but necessary in respect of the subject or party two things more are requisite on the behalf of the object of which if either be wanting the facultie can never perform it proper function Of these two the one is that the proposition to be believed be revealed by God the other that there be a sufficient proposal made to us that God hath revealed it For an unsufficient proposal of any object is as none as may appear by the example of light which proposeth colours to be seen For when the light is weak or scant we cannot discern Colours not that we want a visible object but because we want light sufficient to illuminate the object or the space betwixt us and it He adds withall such as disclaim the Churches Authority and are content with this That Truths of faith are revealed by God in his Word and hence promise themselves the supernatural concourse of the Holy Ghost for producing acts of faith are destitute of a sufficient proposer and their presumption such as if a man should perswade himself because he hath Colours before his eyes and God ready to afford his ordinary concourse as oft as he is disposed to exercise his visive faculty he should be able to see them without light For saith this Jesuite the Prophets are dead Apostles dead Christ gone to heaven and instead of all Prophets Apostles or himself hath left us his Church Nor is it to be expected that God will every where upon all occasions supply the want of the external proposals by the abundance of internal illuminations as he did to our first parent or Saint Paul who had his Gospel neither from man nor by man but by the revelation of Jesus Christ For those are priviledges 6 The calumnie intended in this last instance hath often heretofore been prevented We never denied either the necessity or suffâ—iciencie of the Churches proposal as an external mean we account no other of that rank and nature is or could be either more necessary or more sufficient Saint Paul we grant had an extraordinary priviledge and yet for his private information had the truth proposed unto him by Ananias though the gifts of his publick Ministery were immediately from God Both the measure of his faith and manner of attaining it were unusual but his faith it self once attained no otherwise independent of any external proposal then ours is and all Christians must be We should have been more beholden to this professor had he distinctly told us what it is in their language to have a sufficient proposer albeit this we may gather from his words late cited and these following The Sectaries take upon them to correct the Churches sentence as oft as they list and then they oppose Christ to the Church as if the Church did propose one thing and Christ teach another If they admitted any Church as a sufficient proposer they were bound to conforme their opinions to it in all things As you heard before out of Bellarmine That the Popes Decrees may not be examined whether consonant or contrary to Gods Word or the foundations of faith already laid in our hearts and out of Canus That we must believe the Church absolutely without its or ands Thus believing we have Gods Word sufficiently proposed without this belief or acknowledgement of such authority in the Church we have no sufficient proposal of it but strive as foolishly to hear God speak as if we sought to see Colours without the light 7 It appears I hope as clearly to the Reader as to me that the Churches testimony or authority by our Adversaries Doctrine benefits none but such as stedfastly and absolutely believe it in all things But he that so believes it may by it easily believe all other points as he that can perfectly see the light may see Colours by it Want of this radical belief in us makes our faith in their opinion so unstable or rather blind and dead Yet can I hardly perswadâ— my self all of them will grant the Church addes any inherent or participated splendor to divine revelations whereby they become perspicuous in themselves as Colours are made visible by irradiation of the Sun Thus much notwithstanding all of them I know willingly would subscribe unto A Protestant can neither of himself be infallibly perswaded of the Truth of Scriptures or other conclusions of faith nor doth he absolutely believe any others that are infallible in their determinations but a Roman Catholick albeit by his private spirit he cannot infallibly believe them yet he infalliby believes the Church which cannot erre in belief All then that a Papist hath more then a Protestant is this his Belief of the Church if once he doubt of this he is where he was Which in plain termes is as much as to say ‖ He believes the Church concerning Scriptures not Scriptures That this is the true interpretation of their Tenent may easily be gathered from their own writings For Bellarmine expressely contends and all of them suppose that saying of Saint Austin Non crederem Evangelio nisime commoveret Ecclesiae authoritas I would not believe the Gospel unlesse the Churches authority did thereto move me to be true as well after faith is produced whilest it continues as whiles it is in planting Now if a man should say Non crederem Francisco nisi me commoveret Petri fiâ—elitas I would not trust Frances but for Peters word this speech resolved into it natural or proper sence is aequivalent unto this I do not trust Frances but Peter that gives his word for him And in case Peter should prove false or be distrusted by him that took his word for Frances as yet not believed but for Peters sake the creditor could have no hold of either Thus if Bellarmine and his fellows be as they would seem to make S. Austin minded not to believe the Gospel but for the Churches authority or proposal of it let them speak plainly and properly not in parables or metaphors and so we shall know their meaning to be That they indeed believe not the Scriptures but the Church or the Church truly and really the Scriptures onely by extrinsecal denomination 8 Nor can they reply either consequently to Sacrobos us instance or their general Tenents that as he which sees colours by the light truly sees colours not the light onely so he that believes Scriptures by the Churches infallible proposal believes not the Churches proposal onely but Scriptures as truely and properly The diversity of reason in these two consequences ariseth from the diverse manner of seeing colours by the Suns light and believing
on Him Accidents have a kind of existence peculiar to themselves yet cannot so properly be said to exist as their subjects on whom they have such double dependance Nor can the Moon so truely say my beauty is my own as may the Sun which lends light and splendor to this his sister as it were upon condition she never use it but in his sight For the same reason That for which we believe another thing is alwaies more truely more really and more properly believed then that which is believed for it if the one belief necessarily depend upon the other Tam in facto esse quam in sieri from the first beginning to the latter end For of beliefs thus mutually affected the one is real and radical the other nominal or at the most by participation only real This consequence is unsound Intellective knowledge depends on sensitive therfore sensitive is of these two the surer The reason is because intellective knowledge depends on sensitive onely in the acquisition not after it is acquired But this inference is most undoubted We believe the conclusion for the premisses therefore we believe the premisses the better because belief of the conclusion absolutely depends upon the premisses during the whole continuance of it This is the great Philosophers Rule and a branch of the former Axiom And some justly question whether in Scholastick proprietie of speech we can truely say there is a belief of the conclusion distinct from the belief of the premisses or rather the belief of the premisses is by extrinsical denomination attributed unto the conclusion This latter opinion at least in many Syllogismes is the truer most necessarily true in all wherein the conclusion is a particular essentially subordinate to an universal of truth unquestionable As be that infallibly believes every man is a reasonable creature infallibly believes Socrates is such Nor can we say there be two distinct beliefs one of the universal another of this particular for he that sayeth All excepteth â—one If Socrates then make one in the Catalogue of men he that formerly knew all knew him to be a reasonable Creature all he had to learn was what was meant by this name Socrates a man or a beast After he knows him to be a man in knowing him to be a reasonable creature he knows no more then he did before in that uniuersal Every man is a reasonable creature The like consequence holds as firm in our present argument He that believes this universal Whatsoever the Church proposeth concerning Scriptures is most true hath no more to learn but onely what particulars the Church proposeth These being known we cannot imagine there should be two distinct Beliefs one of the Churches general infallibilitie another of the particular truths or points of faith contained in the Scripture proposed by it For as in the former case so in this He that from the Churches proposal believes or knowes this particular The Book of Revelations was from God receives no increase of former belief For before he believed all the Church did propose and therefore this particular Because one of all 4 The truth of this Conclusion may again from a main principle of Romish Faith be thus demonstrated Whatsoever unwritten traditions the Church shall propose though yet unheard of or unpossible otherwise to be known then onely by the Churches asseveration all Romanists are bound as certainly to believe as devoutly to embrace as any truths contained in the written word acknowledged by us the Jews and them for divine Now if either from their own experience the joynt consent of sincere antiquitie or testimony of Gods spirit speaking to thâ—m in private or what means soever else possible or imaginable they gave any absolute credence unto the written word or matters containd in it besides that they give unto the Churches general veracitie the Scriptures by addition of this credence were it great or little arising from these grounds peculiâ—r to them must needs be morefirmly believed and embraced then such unwritten traditions as are in themselves suspicious uncapable of other Credit then what they borrow from the Church For in respect of the Churches proposal which is one and the same alike peremptory in both Scriptures and traditions of what kind soever must be equally believed And if such traditions as can have no assurance besides the Churches testimony must be as well believed as Scriptures or Divine truths contained in them the former conclusion is evidently necessary That they neither believe the Scriptures nor the truths contained in them but the Churches proposal of them onely For the least belief of any Divine Truth added to belief of the Churches proposal which equally concerns written and unwritten verities would dissolve the former equality But that by the Trent Councel may not be dissolved Therefore our adversaries in deed and verity believe no Scriptures nor Divine written Truth but the Churches proposal onely concerning them And Sacrobosous bewrays his readâ—ness to believe the Church as absolutely as my Châ—istian can do God or Christ though no 〈◊〉 of the New-Testament were extant Foâ— â—hat the Church cannot erre was an â—…led by God proposed by the Church â—… by the thâ— faithful before any part of the New â—estament was written Now he that without 〈◊〉 Dâ—ctrines of Jesus Christ would believe the Doctrines of faith as sirmly as with it believes not the Gospel which now he hath but their authorities onely upon which though we had it not he would as absolute rely for all matters of Doctrine supposed to be contained in it 5 Of further to illustrate the truth of our conclusion with this Jesuites former comparison which hath best illustrated the Romish Churches Tenent That Church in respect of the Canon of Scriptures or any part thereof is as the light is to colours As no colour can be seen of us but by the light so by his Doctrine neither the Canon of Scriptures or any part thereof can be known without the Churches testimony Again as removal of light presently makes us lose the sight of colours so doubt or denial of the Churches authority dâ—prives us of all true and stedfast belief concerning Gods Word or any matter contained in it God as they plead hath revealed his will obseurely and unto a distinct or clear apprehension of what is obscurely revealed the visible Churches declaration is no less necessary then light to discernment of colours The Reason is one in both and is this As the actual visibility of colours wholly depends upon the light as well for existence as duration so by Jesuitical Doctrine True belief of Scriptures wholly depends on the visible Churches Declaration as well during the whole continuance as the first producing of it By the same reason as we gather that light in it self is more visible then colours seeing by it alone colours become actually visible so will it necessarily follow that the Churches Declaration that is the Popes priviledge for not
erring is more stedfastly to be believed as more credible in it self then either the Canon of Scriptures or any thing therein contained because these become actually credible unto us onely by the Churches Declaration which cannot possibly ought avail for their belief unless it were better believed 6 Perhaps the Reader will here challenge me that this last instance proves not all that I proposed in the Title of this chapter For it onely proves the Popes supremacie is better to be believed then that Christ is come in the flesh that God did ever speak to men in former ages by his Prophets and â—…tter by his Son But this infers no absolute alienation of our belief from Christ seeing even in this respect that we believe the Church or Pope so well we must needs â—elieve that Christ is come in the flesh and that God hath spoken to us sundry ways for thus much the Pope avouâ—â—eth Yea but what if the Church teach us that Christ is our Lord and Redeemer and â—et urge us to do that which is contumelious to his Majesty What if it teach us that these Scriptures are Gods Word and yet binde us by her infallible dâ—â—â—â—es to break his Laws and give his spirit the lye Should we make profession of believing as the Pope teacheth and yet take his meaning to be only such as Marnixius whom we better believe would make it His Holiness would quickly pronounce us Apostat's from the Catholick faith Or if this suffice not the indifferent Reader for satisfying my former promise let him have patience but for a while and I will pay him all 7 Their first main position That no private man can certainly know the Canon of Scriptures to be Gods Word but by relying upon the present Church infers as much as hath been said much more will follow from their second That no man can certainly be perswaded of the true sense and meaning of particular propositions contained in the general Canon without the same Churches testimony unto whom the authentick interpretation or dijudication of Scriptures â—holly belongs Imagine the former parties now fully perswaded of the Scriptures divine truth in general should by the Consistory which late Câ—â—â—chized them be questioned about the meaning of some particular plaâ—â—â— Consist We hope you adore the consecrated host with Divine worship as oft as you meet it in procession Cat. Desirous we are to do any thing that becomes good Christians and obedient Sons unto our holy mother the Church but we cannot satisfie our consciences how this may stand with the principles of Christianity Your Holinesses for which we rest yours unto death have assured us these sacred volumes are the very words of God and his words we know must be obeyed Now since we know these to be his words we have found it written in them Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve It is we doubt our simplicity that will not suffer us to conceive how the consecrated Host can be adored as God without open breach of his commandement For to our shallow understanding there is no necessity to perswade us Christ God and man should be hid in it These words Hoc est corpus meâ—m may bear many interpretations no way pregnant to this purpose And it is doubtful whether Christs Body though really present in the Sacrament should retain the same presence in procession whereas the former commandement is plain We must worship the Lord our God and him only must we serve Consist Ye think this Text is plain to your late purpose we think otherwise Whether is more meet ye to submit your private opinions to our publick spirits or us that are Pastors to learn of you silly sheep Cat. Therefore are your servants come unto you that they may learn how to obey you in this decree without Idolatry well hoping that as ye enjoyn us absolutely to obey you in it so ye can give us full assurance we shall not disobey the Spirit of God in the former great commandement whose exposition we most desire 8 Would these or like supplications though conceived in Christian modesty though proposed with religious fear and awfull regard of their persons though presented with tears and sighes or other more evident signes of inward sorrow find any entrance into Romish Prelates ears or move the Masters of the Inquisition house to forbear exaction of obedience to the forâ—er or other Decree of the Trent Councel Were the Form of the Decree it self unto private judgements never so contradictory to Gods expresse written lawes or the consequence of practizing as it prescribes never so dreadful to the doubtful conscience How much better then were it for such silly souls had they never known the Books of Moses to have been from God for so committing idolatrie with stocks and stones or other creatures they had done what was displeasing to their Master and justly punishable yet with fewer stripes because his will was not made known unto them But now they know it and acknowledge the truth of this Commandement To what end That they may be left without all excuse for not doing it They see the general truth of Gods Oracles that they may be more desperately blinded in wilfull perverting the particulars For what glory could the allurement of silly ignorant men to simple idolatry be unto great Antichrist Let them first subscribe to the written Lawes of the everliving God and afterwards wholly submit themselves to his determinations for their practise and so the opposition betwixt him and the Deity betwixt his injunctions and the Decrees of the Almighty may be more positive more directly contrary The Heathen or others not acknowledging Gods Word at all are rightly termed unbelievers men thus believing the Scriptures in general to be Gods Word from the testimony of the Church and yet absolutely relying upon her judgement for the meaning of particular places are transported from unbelief to misbelief from grosse ignorance to wilfull defiance of God and his Lawes Finally they are brought to know Gods Word that they may doubt in this and like fearful practises enjoyned that so first doubting and afterwards desperately resolving absolutely to follow the Churches injunction against that sence and meaning of the divine decrees which the holy Spirit doth dictate to their private consciences they may without doubt be damned for not abiding in the truth Like their first parents they hear Gods sentence but prefer the interpretations of Sathans first-born before their own because it must be presumed he is more subtle then they Or to referre the two main streames of thâ—s iniquity to their proper heads The first That we cannot know the old or new Testament to be Gods Word but by relying upon the Church makes all subscribers to it real Atheists or Infidels and Christians onely in conceit or upon condition If the Church whose authority they so highly esteem be as infallible as is pretende Heretofore I have
Doctor adviseth him to believe the Church cannot teach anusse 14 To conclude then He that absolutely believes the Pope as Christs Vicar general in all things without examination of his Decrees by Evangelical precepts neither believes Christ nor his Gospel no not when this pretended Vicar teacheth no otherwise then his Masters lawes prescribe For thus believing a divine truth onely from this mans authority he commits such Idolatry with him for the kind or essence as the Heathen did with Mercurie their false Gods supposed messenger though so much more hainous in degree as his general notion of the true God is better whose infinite goodnesse cannot entertain an interpreter no better qualified then most Popes are did his wisdom stand in need of any But if when the Pope shall teach the doctrine of Devils men absolutely believe it to be Christs because his pretended Vicar commends it to them in thus believing they commit such preposterous Idolatrie as those of Calecut which adore the Devil upon conceit doubtlesse of some celestial or divine power in him as the absolute Papist doth not adore the Pope but upon perswasion he is Christs Vicar and teaches as Christ would do viva voce were he again on earth And lesse it were to be lamented did these Pseudo-Catholicks professe their allegiance to Sathans incarnate Agent as to their supreme Lord by such solemne sacrisices onely as the inhabitants of Calient performe to wicked spirits But this their blind belief of whatsoever he shall determine upon a proud and foolish imagination he is Christs Vicar emboldens them to invert the whole Law of God and nature to glory in villany and triumph in mischief even to seek praise and honour eternal from acts so foul and hideous as the light of nature would make the Calecutians or other Idolaters blush at their very mention It is a sure token he hath not yet learned the Alphabet of their religion that doubts whether Jesuitical doctrine concerning this absolute belief extend not to all matters of fact And if out of simplicity rather then policie so they speak I cannot but much pity their folly that would perswade us it were not the fault of Romish Religion but of the men that profess it which hath inticed so many unto such devilish practises of late I would the Jesuite were but put to instance what kind of villany either hath been already acted on earth or can yet possibly be hatched in the region under the earth so hideous and ugly as would seem deformed or odious to such as are wholly led by this blind faith if it should but please the Romish Clergie to give a mild or favorable censure of it No brat of hell but would seem as beautifull to their eyes as young todes are to their dammes if their mother once commend the feature of it or acknowledge it for her darling Did not some of the Powder-plot after Gods powerfull hand had overtaken them and sentence of death had passed upon them even when the Executioner was ready to do his last office to them make a question whether their plot were sinfull or no So modest were some of them and so obedient sonnes to the Church of Rome that they would not take upon them to say either the one or other but referred the matter to their mothers determinations hereby testifying unto the world that if the Church would say they would believe so great an offence against their Countrey were none against God One of them was so obstinate as to sollicit his fellow whilest both were drawn upon one hurdle to the gallowes not to acknowledge it for any sin Or if these must be reputed but private men not well acquainted with their Churches Tenents and therefore no fit instances to disapprove her doctrine let the ingenious Reader but peruse their best Writers answers to the objections usually made against the Popes transcendent authority and he shall easily perceive how matters of fact are included in the Belief of it how by it all power is given him in heaven and earth to pervert the use and end of all Lawes humane or divine I will content my self for this present with some few instances out of Valentian CAP. XXXI Proving the last Assertion or generally the imputations hitherto laid upon the Papacie by that authority the Jesuites expresly give unto the Pope in matters of particular Fact as in the canonizing of Saints 1 HOw oft soever the Pope in defining questions of faith shall use his authority that opinion which he shall determine to be a point of faith must be received as a point of faith by all Christian people If you further demand how shall we know when the Pope useth this his absolute authority this Doctor in the same place thus resolves you It must be believed that he useth this his authority as often as in controversies of faith he so determines for the one part that he will binde the whole Church to receive his decision Lest stubborn spirits might take occasion to calumniate the Pope for taking or the Jesuites for attributing tyrannical authority unto him this Jesuite would have you to understand that the Pope may avouch some things which all men are not bound to hold as Gospel nay he may erre though not when he speaks ex Cathedra as Head of the Church yet when he speaks or writes as a private Doctor or Expositor and onely sets down his own opinion without binding others to think as he doth Thus did Innocent the third and other Popes write divers books which are not in every part true and infallible as if they had proceeded from their Pontificial authority Yea but what if this present Pope or any of his Successors should bind all Christians to believe that Pope Innocents Books were in every part infalliblie true Whether must we in this case believe Valentian or the Pope thus determining better If Valentian in the words immediately following deserve any credit we must believe the Pope better then himself yea he himself must recant his censure of Pope Innocents works For so in the other part of his distinction he addes Secundo potest Pontifex asserere The Pope again may avouch something so as to bind the whole Church to receive his opinion and that no man shall dare to perswade himself to the contrary And whatsoever he shall thus avouch in any controversie of Religion we must assuredly believe he did avouch it without possibilitie of Error and therefore by his Pontificial authoritie His proof is most consonant to his assertion I will not recite it in English lest the meer English Reader should suspect any able to understand Latin could be possibly so ridiculous 2 These lavish prerogatives of the Popes authoritie the Jesuites see wel to be obnoxious to this exception When the Pope doth Canonize a Saint he bindes all men to take him for a Saint Can he not herein erre As for Canonizing of Saints saith
Christ hath given him Wherefore in his judgement care and diligence are necessary to the Pope not so as if he could not define aright or rightly use his authority without them but that he doth not sin himself whilest he defines an infallible truth for others to believe Hereto may be added that albeit a diligent care were necessarily required for the infallibility of the Popes decisions yet the same faith which bindes us to believe he decides the controversie infallibly â—indes us also to believe that he used as much diligence as was requisite As for example in like case If God should promise that the next year should be a plentiful year of corn we would conceive he promised withall good and seasonable weather and whatsoever else necessary for effecting of his promise as Canus well notes But Valentians last conclusion is that no sure arguments can be brought why we should think study or diligence are necessary for the right use of the Popes authority so far as it concerns other mens faith that must rely upon it Rely upon it they must whether he determin ex tempore or upon deliberation and for ought I can see whether he give his sentence drunk or sober raving or in his right mind so he have the wit to charge all upon pain of damnation to believe it But what if some forrainer should of set purpose send a dead-mans water to trie this grand-Physitians skil could he without either care or diligence in examining their testimonies or special Revelation from above which in such businesses Valentian disclaims discover their knavery Or would his prognostication of life and health redeem the party deceased from the land of death as some say Pope Gregory by his prayers did Trajan These and many like questions might here be made which fall not within the reach of Valentians answers hitherto recited and yet these must abundantly suffice for resolution of all doubts concerning the Canonizing of Saints or approbation of Religious Orders in which business likewise we must believe the Pope cannot erre Let the Reader pause a while look on their madness and laugh his fil at their apish drunkenness in this argument that when his mirth hath found a vent and his heart is wel setled he may with a sober unpartial stedfast eye behold the Mystery of this iniquitie CAP. XXXII What danger by this blasphemous Doctrine may accrew to Christian States that of all heresies blasphemies or idolatries which have been since the world began or can be imagined till Christ come to judgement this Apostasie of the Jesuites is the most abominable and contumelious against the blessed Trinity 1 WHat the consequences of these positions may be none can doubt No less they are then I have said a resigning up of mens souls and consciences into the Popes hands a consecration of hearts minds and bodies to work any mischief imaginable at his appointment For what if the Pope upon the relation of Ravilliacks stubbornness they would say constancy in his torture or Catesbyes praying to the Virgin Mary at his death should Canonize both for Saints and enjoyn the Christian world so to honour them Every bloody Assasinate would pray unto the one for good success in acting his blood-thirsty designs on Princes bodies And if it should please the Pope so to determine all men should stand bound to give such solemn worship as by their Doctrin is due to Sacred reliques unto that bloody knife which hath been sheathed in Ravilliacks Soveraigns breast Every deep dissembling Polititian or ambitious cholerick discontented spirit would burn incense saltpeter sulphur and brimstone to the others image in hope of better speed in undermining states 2 If any Jesuite or other brazen faced favorer of their Order or this doctrin should here reply This dreamer casts doubts beyond the Moon for is there any likelihood his Holiness wil ever Canonize such wicked Imps for Saints I must answer him as Tully did Rullus utterly disclaiming all purpose of doing such wrong unto the Roman state as his Petition unto it once granted might enable him to effect and from my soul I wish every Christian Prince every Princes Councellor would take that grave Senators words for his motto Primum nescio deinde timeo posiremo non committam ut vestro beneficio potius quam nostro consilio salvi esse possimus First whether the Pope would Canonize such miscreants for Saints or no is more then we know Secondly his former practises minister so just cause of fear to Christian states that it stands them upon rather in wisdom to prevent his power of doing then rely upon his fidelity for not doing them some inestimable mischief by putting this practise in execution if opportunity serve and abilitie be left him thereby to strengthen his faction Did not his Legate into France upon notice of the Parisian Massacre bestow his Holinesses best blessing Cum plenitudine potestatis With absolute and plenarie power derived from himself upon the notorious assasinate Boydon chief Ring-leader of that immane and Wolvish Massacre committed at Lyons begun without any warrant of publick authority onely at this hellish miscreants instigation desirous to follow or rather out-go his Superiours in cruelty Was not that villany it self authorized from Rome where it found such extraordinary approbation Never did that City rejoyce so much in memory of Christs birth or Saint Peters as at the hearing of this more then Herodian butchery of so many thousands noble-minded gentlemen with other Innocents and Saints of God So full was this Legates heart of joy hence conceived that after he came into France out of the abundance of it his mouth did sound the praises of the bloody actors and contrivers of this shameful Tragedy Etiam cum delectu verborum With such choice and affected words as caused them blush to hear him that had not been ashamed to act the villany And as if this excellent exploit had been effected by vertue of the holy Catholick Church the Popes Petition to the French King was that the Trent Councel might upon that good success begin to be of force in France and be thus sealed with blood Yet can any man doubt whether this Church would authorize murther or Canonize Assasinates for her own advantage Publickly suppose she would not yet if the Popes Decrees when they expresly binde all must as Valentian contends be beleived by all upon such terms as he annexeth no question but if he give any special injunction to the Order of Jesuites or such as they shal adjudge fit Associates to whom these secrets may be imparted it shal be as devoutly entertained by them whom it concerns as if it were universal If charged they be under pain of damnation secretly to worship this or that damned villain it wil be held a formal denial of Faith either not to perform what is enjoyned or to bewray what they perform We may wel suppose the Jesuites and others of their
suffice to have waded thus far in these unpleasant passages for discovering the enemies weaknesse in his new Fortifications or Repalliations rather of such breaches as our ancient Worthies have made in their imaginary Rock of strength Now as my soul and conscience in the sight of God and his holy Angels can assure me these imputations of blasphemy sorcerie and preposterous Idolatry I have laid upon this fundamental point of Romish faith aâ—e most true though much lesse exaggerated then it deserves so again I must confesse it hath in some sort over gone against my conscience publickly to discipher or display her abominations For my little experience of this present ages temper too well instructs me what great offence is oft-times hereby given to men as weak in faith as strong in their perswasions of it to flatter themselves in their hypocrisie or make them seem unto themselves men rightly religious or throughly sanctified whilest they measure their love to true religion by their hatred unto this doctrine of Devils or compare themselves with Priests and Jesuites as they are painted out in their native colours by eloquent and learned Pastors But his iniquitie be upon his own head that thus perverts my labours undertaken for his good unto his harm For unto a quite contrary purpose have I set forth this survey of Romish blasphemie in a larger volume then first I meant it even to stir up my self and every Professor of true Religion unto serious amendment of our lives to hold fast our faith by holding up hands pure from bribery and corruption by lifting up hearts and mindes void of all guile and hypocrisie ardently zealous of every good work unto the Lord our God continually lest such swarms of Caterpillars and Locusts as have chosen Beelzebub for their God devour this land Mortis modus morte pejor To think such should be the instruments of our wo will unto most of us I know far surpasse all conceit of any other wo it self or misery that in this life can befall us And yet whilest I consider what God hath done of old to Israel his first-born and Judah his own inheritance the overplus of our ingratitude towards him for all his goodnesse especially our wilfull continual abusing these dayes of peace more and more sweet and gracious then Jerusalem it self the vision of peace did ever see so long together without interruption I am and have been as my publick meditations can testifie for these few yeers of my ministerie possessed with continuall dread lest the Lord in justice enlarge his threatnings denounced against Judah upon this Land Fearfull was that message unto Hierusalem I will bring the most wicked of the Heathen and they shall possesse their houses but more terrible is our doom if this sentence be gone out against us I will plague you by the wickedst amongst the Christians by men more cruel proud and insolent then Babylonian Turk or Infidel or any other enemie of Christs Church hath been or could be unlesse Christians or Jesuites in name or shew they were meer Antichristians or Bariesus in heart and affection Such titles we readily give and willingly hear given unto Loyolaes infamous brood But if our wayes shall continually prove as odious unto our God as these termes impâ—rt that Societie is unto us what have we done Surely tied our bodies to the stake of justice by the wickednesse of our hands and proud imaginations of our polluted hearts whiles our tongues in the mean while have set our cruel executioners hearts on fire more grievously to torment to consume and devour us 11 But though likelihood of their prevailing against us be without our repentance great and their cruelty if they should prevail more then likely to be most violent yet this their hope it cannot be long Tu quoque Crudelis Babylon dabis impia poenas Et rerum instaâ—iles experiâ—re viâ—es The Lord in due time will turn again the captivity of his people and the now living may live to see these sons of Babel rewarded as they have long sought to serve us Their shamelesse Apologies for aequivocation and this old charm of Templum Domini which like unluckie birds alwayes flocking or frogs croaking against ill weather they have resumed of late with joint importunate cries albeit with these they bewitch the simple and choak the worldling or careless liver that accounts all serious thoughts of Religion his greatest trouble sound unto hearts setled in grace or mindes illuminated with the spirit of truth but as the last cracklings of Lucifers candle sometimes shining in the Roman Lanterne as the morning-star or an Angel of light but now so far spent and sunk within the socket that it recovers it wonted brightness but by flashes nor can his nostrils that is able with the least breath of his displeasure from heaven in a moment to blow it out any long time endure the smell Even so O Father for thy Son Christ Jesus sake even so O Christ for thine Elect and Chosens sake impose a period to our grievous sins against thee and our enemies malice against us infatuate their policies enfeeble their strength and prevent them in their Devillish purposes that seek to prevent thee in thy judgements by setting the World in combustion before thy coming Amen The continuation of matters prosecuted in the first BOOK THe ingenious Reader I trust rests fully satisfied that for planting true and lively Faith in every private Christians heart Experiments answerable to the Rules of Scripture without absolute dependanâ—e upon any external Rule thereto equivalent are sufficient the assistance of the Holy Spirit whose necessity for the right apprehension of aivine truths revealed the Romanist nor doth nor dare denie being supposed That Valentians heart did tell him thus much and secretly check him for his ridiculous curiosity to make way unto his Circular resolution of Faith * before refuted his diffident speeches immediately thereto annexed upon consciousnesse no doubt of it insufficiencie will give the Reader though partiall just cause of suspition If a man saith he be yet further questioned seeing as well the divine Revelations as the Churches infallible Proposal are obscure and inevident what should impel him to enter into such a Labyrinth of Obscurities as to imbrace the doctrine of Faith by the former Method to wit Believing the Revelation for the Churches Proposal as for a condition unto Relief requisite and the Churches Proposal again for the Revelation being the cause of his Belief then let him come unto the second processe or method and expound the reasons and clearer motives whereby he was and every discreet man may be induced to imbrace Faith though of it self inevident and obscure Thus do they traduce the Grace of God as if there were no difference betwixt mid-day-light and mid-night-darknesse as if the dawning of that Day-star in our hearts or light of Prophets our Apostle speaks of 2 Pet. 1. 19. were not a mean betwixt that more
obscuro loco Quod itaque hiâ— air â—… verbâ—m esâ— qâ—od scripâ—uris sanctis omnibus continetur Aug. â—… understandingâ—… â—… waveâ—… â—… Dâ—â—â—ine A mâ—â—datis â—uis intellexi Aliud est mandata â—… qâ—â—d alâ—ud â—e signiâ—icet intellexisse à mandatis Deiâ— quod â—… ad earâ—m 〈◊〉 in intelligentiâ—m qâ—as concupiâ—eâ—it â—… Dâ—â—inus â—…het cam tibi 〈◊〉 quisquam â—…â—â—pienâ—… perveâ—… quam capâ—re â—… sed quae â—…it â—… * Rom. 13. 11 12 13. †1 Thess 5. 2. ‖ Bell lib 3 de verbo Dei c. 1. a Psal 19 〈◊〉 Psal 119. 104. b Verse 92. c Psal 19. 8. d Videbat I utherus posse 〈◊〉 uâ—â—de 〈◊〉 tot controversâ—ae si scriptura est tam clara duo effugia excogitavit uâ—um quod Scriptura etiamsi alicuâ—i sit obâ—cura tamen illud idem alibi clarè proponit Alâ—â—rum quod Scriptura licet per se cla iâ—sima tamâ—n sâ—pâ—râ—is iâ—fidelâ—â—us sit obscura ob eorum coecitatem pravum affectum Addit Brentiâ—s in pâ—oleg Coutra Peâ—â—um à Soto reâ—â—ium â—stâ—gium quod etiam interdum sit obscura propter phâ—ases alienae linguâ— id est Hebraicae Graeâ—ae tamen 〈◊〉 â—ju◠〈◊〉 sir Qâ—â— sententia manifestò salsa est nam scriptura ipsa de sua difficultate atque of scuritate testimonium 〈◊〉 Psl 119. Danihi intellectum scrutabor legem â—â—am Ibid. Revela oculos meos considerabo mirabilia de lege 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faciâ—m â—… illumina super servum tuum doce me justificationes tuas Et certè David noverat totam scripturam qâ—ae 〈◊〉 noverat phrases linguae Hebraicae nec erat superbus aut â—nfidelis Bellaâ—m lib. 3. de verbo Dei câ—p 1. 〈◊〉 would â—… the Scriptures to be obscure because David prayeâ— to God for the right understanding of them And Vâ—lent an 〈◊〉 perswade us to relie upon the Churches infallible Authoritie because it is a hard matter to pray unto God as S Aâ—guâ—… for the gift of Interpretation His words are these Qâ—id autem precatio ad Deum pro sapâ—entiae interpretatiâ—… 〈◊〉 An exigua difficultes est piè perâ—everanter illud cum eodem Augustino lib. 11. Couseâ—â— Cap 2 oraâ—â— Domine attende c. Valent. tom 3. disp 1. quast 1. puâ—ct 7. paragr 4. These words of Valentian immediately sollow his sormer obserâ—â—tion upon S. Austin noted Paragr 11. chap. 14. * â—… 119. â—… †â—… 1. â—… ‖ a ‖ â—… sit hoc 〈◊〉 non in se modo lucidum verum etiam ut reglus Propheta Psal 18. dicet â—… qua 〈◊〉 â—…squisque ingenii proprii aâ—que industriae suae fiâ—iâ—u illud 〈◊〉 qâ—am 〈◊〉 â—… sed quatenâ—s est divinitus in Ecclesâ—ae Catholicae Authoriâ—â—â—â—â—… qui in dâ—mo sunt Matth. 5. Hanc enim Ecclâ—sâ—â— Authâ—… fidei vivam idcirco necâ—sse est ut 〈◊〉 illud fidei quod â—…endat omnibus qui ad eam aggâ—… in â—aque â—…ent liâ—… illud ut in ipsis literis sanctis tanquam in luceâ—â—a continâ—â—ur 〈◊〉 â—… 4. * â—…quam Ecclesia sententiam alâ—qâ—am ex Scriptura colligit scripturán que proinde ut est à se secunâ—um Apostolicâ—m traditionem â—ntellâ—cta câ—â—trâ—â—iis erâ—…us opponit sâ—… a improbitas est aliquid prâ—â—erea dâ—siderare in ejusmodi scripturae vel authoâ—itaâ—e vâ—l inteâ—pâ—etatione qâ—â—cunque id fiat â—ive diâ—…tis â—ive obscuâ—iâ—atis praetextu Qâ—ae 〈◊〉 scriptura per authoritaâ—â—m Ecclesia commenda 〈◊〉 explicaâ—…ue ea jam hâ—c ipso maxime 〈◊〉 authentica â—pleâ—diâ—… 〈◊〉 clarissiâ—… que 〈◊〉 tanquam 〈◊〉 vide 〈◊〉 ut supra expoâ—eban us posita super candelaâ—â—um Tom. 3. disp 〈◊〉 qâ—aest 1. punct 7. parâ—graph 4. * Yet have the Papists in times of Darknesse born the People in hand that the Bible was the Holy Mount which no man might approach but the Priest †Exod. 20. 18. * The Author of the â—8 Psal v. 3 4. * ‖ †a * Eccle. 39. 24 †John 6. 30. ‖ John 5. 46. a Quod vero suâ—jâ—â—git Malachias Mementote legis Moiâ—i servi mei quaÌ„ mandavi ei in Châ—reb ad oâ—â—em Israel prâ—cepta judicia oppâ—rtune commeÌ„orat post declâ—â—atum 〈◊〉 â—… inter observatoâ—es lâ—â—is contempâ—… discrimen siâ—â—l etiam uâ— discant legâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qâ—â—m judicem faciâ—ndâ— est inter bonos malos ipsa discretio Non enim sâ—â—sâ—ra idem Dominuâ— ait Judais si â—…e 〈◊〉 Moisi crederetis mihi De meenim ille scripsit Carnaliter quippe accipiendo legâ—m ejus â—… stium figuras esse nescientes in illa murmura coâ—ruerunt ut dicere auderent 〈◊〉 â—st qui 〈◊〉 Dâ—â—â—t quid amplius quia cusâ—… mandata ejus quia ambulavimus simplices ante â—aciem Doâ—… August de 〈◊〉 Dei lib. 20. cap. 28. 1 Cor. 1. 22. * †* 2 Cor. 4. 3. 4. †Bellarm. lib. 3. de vâ—… Dei caâ— 2. Reâ—p ad 5. â—rg The reasâ—n why 〈◊〉 with his â—ellows and many other gâ—eat Schâ—lâ—ars besides make such Hypâ—…itiâ—al Glasses of Sâ—… plainly teaching what thâ—y deny is their not considering that the same inordinate Affâ—ctions which made the Jews to reject the very â—…orical Truth or Letter of the Gâ—spel makes such as admit it content themselves with it only never locking into the Meaning of the Spirit if 〈◊〉 once contradict their Desiâ—es Of this â—allaâ—â— in the 3. Sect of the 4. boâ—k 2 〈◊〉 3. 15. 16. 7. * 1 Cor. 11. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * â—… 14. 4 James 4 3. Mat. 7. 〈◊〉 The true Use of the Magistracie and Ministery for avoyding Schismes and Contentions The Grosnesse of our Adversaries Exceptions being a branch of their general Extremity mentioned cap. 4. sect 1. further to be prosecuted lib. 3. sect 3. cap. 11. * Omnes â—â—rretiâ—â— qui scripturâ—m auâ—… recipiunt ipsas sibi videntur fectam cum suâ—s potius â—ectentur â—… Aug. epist 222. ad Consentuur †‖ a â—… cum admonuit ut ab ijs tanquam à falsis prophetis caveremus Videntur propheâ— sunt character quasi externa species sed prophetae â—… externa specie non ostendunt nobis genuinam S. S. sententiam led adâ—… collocatas tanquam abominationem ut eleganter Origenes 〈◊〉 â—… 〈◊〉 loco sancto Eadem de causa vocantur lupi tapaces qui vestimentis induti sunt oviâ—â— Vaâ—… Disputat 1. quaest 〈◊〉 punâ—… paragr 6. b Haec ideo recitavi ut quoniam universi 〈◊〉 â—…in suam â—…ionem â—icut D. Petrus inquit depravant 2 Pet. 3. Intelâ—… ceâ—te non in â—…tam esse universalem illam ad salutem hominum accommodissimam authoritatem totius fideâ—… quam inquâ—…mus Valent. loc ciâ—at * Our appealing to Scriptures 〈◊〉 no sâ—â—h Presumption of Heresie in us as the refusall of triall by them is of Antichristianism in the Adversary 2 Thess 2. 11. What advantage the Orthodoxes have of Hereticks in trial of Controversies by Scriptures â€
Matth. 4. Joh. 22. 13. Now shall the Prince of this world be cast out The Arguments proâ—â—sed in the last chapter can have no Ground to prove ought against us but this Sathan is more powerfull or skilfull in Scriptures then Christ or more ready to help his Instruments then Christ to assist his Chosen * * That the Fathers if we take the liâ—erall plain GraÌ„matical Sense of their words attribute as much to Scriptures as we do our adversaries cannot deny May we not then safely think they meant what their words naturally import No Valentian hath found out a Mystical Interpretation of them Tom. 3. disp 1. quâ—st 1. punct 7. paragr 5. Quen admodum quando uni Personae divinae al qua perfectio divinitatis absoluta tribuitur intelligunt Theologi ab ejus perfectionis communione creaturas tantum excludi non autem Personas alias divinas quae sunt ejusdem naturae Ita Sancti Patres sicubi Scripturae authoritatem solam ad fidei qâ—â—stiones finiendas valere significant Ecclesiae certè authoritatem quam item pro divina habent quam ipsa nobis commendat Scriptura minimè excludunt sed alia five testimonia five argumenta quae sint tantum humana Nam si non ita intelligerent profecto nunquam illi in controversiis fidei ipsa per se authoritate Ecclesiasticae traditionis ad probandum â—â—rentur At utuntor ea ipsi frequentissimè utendum esse docent As the non consequence of this Collection so how fâ—r the Fathers did urge the Churches Authority how the most pregnant Speeches that can be found in any of their Writings must be â—…ted will easily appear if we consider the Two former distinctions The one between the Infallible Rule of Faith and the Mems or Motives inducing us to Believe The other between that Conditional Assent which in Cases doubtfull we must give to the Viâ—… Church and that Absolute Belief which is onely due unto Scriptures The Fathers used the Churches Authority against Heâ—… as we do theirs against Novelists not as a Rule whereby finally to examine or determine Divine Truths but as a 〈◊〉 to bridle presumptuous gainsaying Opinions generally received or supposed for true by men of sincerity and skill in Divine Misteries * * â—… of the other differing but as the resolution of Quick-silver into â—… The City of 〈◊〉 likewise 〈◊〉 all God willing elsewhere appear â—… the other the daughter each evidents 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 â—… why the â—… Rome with the name of â—… Romish filthinesse Gen. 11. 7. * In the beginning of his Hermathena †The reason why our old English participates most of Buttery-hatch-Latin ‖ That such was the disposition of the Romans at that time as would easily condescended to admit a mixture of Paganism may appear out of S. Auâ—â—iusâ—…st â—…st books de Civitate Dei and Salvâ—anus de providentia a As may appear out of sâ—me works going under the name of Gregory the great and Gregory of â—owers History Our Church was in the Romish Synagâ—gue as a little portion of sine Gold in a great mass of Dâ—osse until the flames of Persecution severed it and made it conspieuous The miserable and shameful Persecution of â—…o Jam olim ante annos 400. Prapositus quidam venerandus Steneldensis interropabat Deatum â—… vellum inquit â—â—ite Sancte pater si pâ—â—sens â—… cis 〈◊〉 membris tanta fortitudo in sua haeresi quanta vix reperitur etiam in valdè religiosis Christi fidelibus â—… 〈◊〉 apud nos Haeretici qui in sustragiis mortuorum orationibus sanctorum non confidunt mark the â—… â—…mia caeterasque afflictiones quae pro peccatis fiunt ajunt justis non esse necessaria purgatorium ignâ—… concedunt altari Corpus Christi sieri negant Ecclesiam apud se esse dicunt non habentes agros nequeâ—… Novin us etiam ex istis nonnullos esse raptos à populis nimio zelo permotis nobis invitis in ignem patros â—… qui tormentum ignis non solum in patientia sed cum laetitia introierunt Vellem igitur scire Sancte pater unde in Diaboli memb it tanta fortitudo Driedo Lib. 4. de Eccles dog scrip cap. 5. * Nihil simile haber constantia Maâ—tyrum pertinacia hareticorum quia in illis pietas in istis duritia cordus contemptuÌ„ mortis operatur Bernardus Han. 66. in Canticum Canâ—… * â—… quâ— ad judicandâ—s on nes fidei quaestiones divinitus est 〈◊〉 procul dubio est acconâ—… 〈◊〉 ad cognâ— sâ—â—ndos Cavebdos 〈◊〉 on nes fidei contratios Scriptura sacra sic composita est ut experientia etiam doceat eam per se solam non 〈◊〉 regulum accommodatam esse ad declâ—â—andos errores quâ— arcano Dei judicio esse velut lapidem ostensionis â—ia â—… pedibus insipientiuâ— ut qui veliut â—a sola niti sacitinâ—è impingant errent Valent. Tom. 3. disp â—… Sect 6. †The like blasphenous Speeches he iterates in the very next paragraph ‖ It seems his Meaning as that the Scripture by Gods just judgement is a Snare to all such as rely infallibly upon it alone even because they rely upon it alone The place cited by 〈◊〉 Wisd 14. 10 11. Luke 16. 31. So the Councel of Trent it self declares Sess 14. cap. 2. John 21. 16. * To 〈◊〉 Pâ—… the â—… toward Confusion of Geâ—…sm and Christianity which cannot symbolize or rather their in perfect â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the â—… is 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 of the Ingredients taken apart Thus Lodovicus Vives â—… of 〈◊〉 Auâ—…n lib. 14. De civi ate Dei cap. 18. 〈◊〉 â—… terrâ—na civitas lici â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such Vives non 〈◊〉 prohibitâ—… quem ex legibus de conâ—… Dâ—… 25. 〈◊〉 Augustious testatur esâ—e jure civili vâ—â—â—te Ron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 permisa quae â—… divâ—â—s Hâ—â— illi nolâ—â—t qui 〈◊〉 gentiliâ—… em 〈◊〉 coâ—… Cheistianismo laborant â—… impatiente nâ—… Christianisâ—um â—…ent †So 〈◊〉 in his â—… such matters 〈◊〉 Mâ—â—hâ—â—n 〈◊〉 and hiâ— Successâ—uâ—s as a mâ—â— night â—… had â—…ed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‑ 〈◊〉 It is â—… Iâ—… in â—… and nâ—t aâ—mit the same as good against themselves many of whose Popes by their â—… the most â—… of then that have been or may be they all â—… Mâ—honâ—â— Sed illis as triplex â—iâ—ca siontem suit then â—… that can â—…ut 〈◊〉 object intâ—mpeâ—ancy to Lutheâ— or Infaâ—â—y to â—… and â—…sation and uâ—ge their forged Blemishes to the â—… life Death or Doctrine as their Catholick Religion â—… it â—ad might any wâ—â— prejudice ours the intiâ—ty of their â—… ssity utterly â—… etheâ—â— Religion * By Gods good Providence for the poor Indians 〈◊〉 it was no doubt that the Spanish Catechists did not use this which we call the Aâ—â—sâ—les Câ—â—ed 〈◊〉 they might have been thâ—â—e 〈◊〉 sâ—… to over 〈◊〉 in thâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… of the â—… mentioned in that Creed or confession which they following Aquinas
quam à Deo homines avocare ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sui ab intellectu verae religionis avertere cum sint ipsi poenales quaerere quas ad 〈◊〉 comiâ—es quâ—â—â—… en soul fecerint errore participes Hi tamen adjurati per Deum verum à nobis statim cedunt fatentur de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extre coguntur These were the effects of Christs triumph over Satan sure pledges that the strong man was 〈◊〉 cast cut And the like power had not been so manifest before among the Sons of men * * 1 Kings 22. 24. †〈◊〉 5. 15. ‖ 〈◊〉 1◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a â—… * This Law of Deuteronomie holds true in proportion throughout al Ages If there arise among you a Prophet or a Dreamer of dreams and give thee a sign or wonder And the sign and the wonder which he hath told thee come to Passe saying Let us 〈◊〉 after other Gods which thâ—u hast not known and let us serve them Thâ—u shalt not â—eaâ—ken to the words of that Prophet or unto that Dreamer of dreams for the Lord your God proveth you to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul Deut. 13. 1. †1. Cor. 1. 26. * Phil. 2. 3. †1 Cor. 14. 32. That this 〈◊〉 â—… the 〈◊〉 should rather move all 〈◊〉 Christians to 〈◊〉 all in â—… 〈◊〉 of men then to rely upon any â—… 14. â—… Psal 119. 99. Heb. 3. 5. Psal 119. 100 * That our means for â—iscerning the â—â—â—ginal Causes oâ— O◠〈◊〉 of Conâ—…ns are fully â—â—ui â—aâ—â—nt to the Romish Churches †â—â—llaâ—miâ— lib. 3. de justif cap 3 4. c. disputes so eagerly against this Bishop as might have 〈◊〉 a Censurâ—â—f Irregulâ—…ty had â—e liâ—â—â— in his Diâ—â—esse ‖ Apostolica authoritate inhibemus omnibus tam Ecclesiasticis personis cujuscunque sint ordinis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qâ—â—m â—aiâ— is quocunque honore ac potestate praeditis Praelatis quidem sub interdicti ingressus Eccâ—… que â—uâ—rint sub eâ—communicationis latae sententiae poenis ne quis sine authoritate nostra audeat ullos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glosâ—â—s annotationes scholia ullumve omnino interpretationis genus super ipsius conciliâ— decretis quoâ—… aâ—â— quidquam quocunque nomine etiam sub praetextu majoris decretorum corroborationis aut executiâ—… â—… colore statuere Bullae Pij quarti super confirmatione oecum gener Concil Trident. * Maldoâ—atus censuâ—e of thâ—se men for dissenting as he thinks from their Church is so sharp and peâ—â—â—pâ—oâ—y as might well have caused Contention should his writings have come into their hands Impediunt nos quo â—inus acriter vehemeâ—ter invehamur in haereticos Catholici quidam qui nescio qua imprudentia hereticis se junxerunt Neminem nomino nâ—minem viâ—latae accuso religionis scio Catholicos scio doctos scio religiosos ac probos viros esse sed minimè profecto utilâ—m atque fidelem in hac re operam Ecclesiae navaverunt Quod contra Scripturae sensum contra Patrum omnium inter pretationem contra tacitum iâ—o minime tacitum sed satis superque explicatum consensum Ecclesiae dixerint atque contendeâ—int hoc loco de Sacramento non agi quod ut Benignissimè dicam est Temerarium gravioribus condemnarem verbis nisi crederem viros bene Catholicos Errore magis animi quam vitio in Haereticorum sententiam impegisse Maldonat Comment in sext Johan In this sense Christ is said to have come not to send Peace but a Sword unto the World That this very challenge of this insallible Authority of the Râ—mish Church for ending all Controversies â—â—th necessarily 〈◊〉 the greatest Diâ—…tion from it that can be in all relâ—giâ—us minds * â—… whether from the known or possible fruits of the Romish Churches Means so excellent as is pretended â—… Argument can be drawn to work a prejudicial conceipt in mens minds That it were â—… Authority to their Church before they come to direct examination of the main point what â—… Scriptures * See 〈◊〉 14 â—… 5 c. * Non ignoraâ—at dens multas in Ecclesia exorituras disâ—iculâ—ates circa fidem debuit igitur ju dicem aliqueÌ„ 〈◊〉 a providâ—◠〈◊〉 iste 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non potest elle Scriptura neque Spirâ—aus revelans privatus neque princeps saecularis igâ—tur princeps Ecclesiasticus aut solus aut cerâ—e cum coÌ„silio coÌ„sensu Coepiscoporum Neque enim singitur neque singi potest aliquid aliud ad quod hoc judicium pertinere posse videatur Bellarm. lib. 3. de verbo Dei cap. 9. * Christs Church having by our Doctrine a most infallable written Law and living though but fallible Ecclesiastick Judges is much better provided 〈◊〉 in all matters Spiritual then Politick â—…ties whose Laws as wel as Judges are faluble in matters Câ—vil †The utmost Bounds of all Christian Obedience unto any Authority on earth is only to abide a peaceable â—ial before the lawful Judges patiently to imbrace the Penalty inslicted but not to think about Penalties soever they shall 〈…〉 cause for which 〈…〉 be just or such as shal staâ—â— for good in the day of final Judgement for so earthly Powers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absâ—lute Authority over our Souls which is Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Adversaries go in t that a Prâ—viâ—cial Councel conjirmed by the Pope is as authentick as a General wherein be were presâ—â—t thâ—ugh a sâ—nt in the other 〈◊〉 acâ—quainted with particular Circumstances or carâ—â—ag of the Connoversie Much more availeable should a Popes Confirmation of such Councels be who were present and uel acquainted with all Occasions or other Circumstances of the Conâ—orersie or the Division Wherefore if Reason without Scripture might divide this Comrover sie it were more 〈◊〉 to have a many Popes as sâ—â—eralyâ—ce Statâ—â—o or Monarchies * Convenit etiam inter nos adversaries Sâ—… intelligâ— debere to Spiritu quo factae sunt id est Spiritu sancto Quod Apostolus Peâ—… Epist 2. cap. 1. doe et cum ait Ho◠〈◊〉 intelligentes quod omnis Prophetia Scripturae propria interpretatione non sit Non enim humana voluntate allata est aliquando Peopheâ—a sed Spirtu Sancto inspirati loquuti sunt Sancti Dei homines Ubi B. Petrus probat non debere exponi Scriptur as ex proptio ingenio sed secundum dictamen Spiritus Sancti quia non sunt scriptae humano ingenio sed ex inspiratione Spiritus Sancti Bel. lib. 3. de verb. Dei cap. 3. †2 Pet. cap. 1. vers 20. 21. ‖ Tota igitur quaestio in â—o posita est ubi sit iste Spiritus Nos enim existimamus hunc Spiritum etsi multis privatis hominibus saepe conceditur tamen cetto inveniri in Ecclesia id est in Concilio Episcoporum confirmato à summo Ecclesiae totius Pastore sive in sun mo Pastere cum Concilio aliotum Pastorum Bellarmin ibid. In this place as he professeth he will not dispute
whether the Pope alone speaking ex Cathedra be the Church for that he was to dispute of afterwards and he and all his fellows do and must acknowledge it as shall in due place be shewed That in this place he grants the communication of that Spirit by which the Scriptures were written unto private men doth not argue any agreement with us but rather his disagreement from sâ—me of Eis own profession who urge the necessity of the Churches Proposal so much and so far that not Gods Prophets or others to whom his Word was â—…dinarily revealed could without it be certain Vide Bellar. lib. 3. de justif cap. 3. * The Papists Assertions whence the proposed Conclusion is gathered â—… The general Points of Difficultie how either the Church can ascertain the Divine Truth of Scripture unto us or the Scripture the Churches infallible Authority ††John 16. 7. ¶ Verse 12. * 〈◊〉 Valenâ—… cap. 22. Valentians attempted Evasion out of the inchanted Circle of Roman Faith resuted * Ut breviter quae susius disputata sunt de resolutione fidei colligamus placet modum tradere quo quis de fide inteâ—rogatus debeat respondere Igitur siquis rogetur v. g Quare credat Deum esse trinum unum distinguat utrum viz. firmiter infallibiliter id credat vel de causa ob quam acceptaverat eam fidem Si primum respondeat qui a Deus revelavit Si rursus interrogetur unde cognoscat Deum revelasse respondeat se quidem non nosse id clare credere tamen eadem side infallibiliter id quidem non ob aliam revelationem bene tamen ob infallibilem propositionem Ecclesiae tanquam ob conditionem ad id credendum requisitam Si rursus unde cognoscat propositionem Ecclesiae esse infallibilem similiter dicat se claâ—â— non nosse credere tamen fide infallibili ob revelationem Scripturae testimonium perhibentis Ecclesiae cui revelationi non credit ob aliam revelationem sed ob seipsam quamvis ad hoc ipsum opus sit Ecclesiae propositione ut conditione requisita Valent. tom 3. in Aquinat Disp 1. quaest 1. punct 1. Sect. 10. †Neque in sic respondeÌ„do erit aliquis vitiosus circulus Tum quia reveâ—atio propter quam dicitur credi infallibilitas propositianis propasitio ob quam dicitur credi revelatio non habent unum idem objectum sed aliud aliud Objectum n. propositionis est ipsa revelatio objection autem revelationis est ipsa veâ—…redita ut Deum esse trinum unum aut propositionem Ecclesiae esse infallibilem Tum quia cum ex revelatione redditur ratio credendi propositionem reditur per causam revelatio enim est causa assensus fidei cum autem ex propositione Ecclesiae redditur ratio credendi revelationem ratio redditur non per causum credendi sed per conditionem ad id requisitam ita vitatur vitiasus circulus solum reditur ratio connexotum vicissim ex ipsismet connexis sub diversatione id quod omnino licet Valent. ibid. * In matters of Knowledge or Belief Reason and Curse are Synonymal and every Cause in 〈◊〉 goes before the Effect And even when we demonstrate the Cause by its proper Effect the Effect must needs be first known to us seeing it is the reason or Cause of our knowing the Cause though no Cause of the real Cause it self †Sacrobosous intangled in the former circle and caught in his own share ‖ Sed quaeris num quando quis credit ali quid propter authoritatem Ecclesiae necessariaÌ„ sit priâ—â—…pore vel saltem natura formaliter explicite credat ipsam Ecclesiam esse infallibilis authoritatis quemadmodum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conclusion propter Praâ—… necesse est ut prius assentiamur ipsis praemistis Respondeo id minime 〈◊〉 â—…rium nam actus fidei ferâ—… in suem objectum modo simplici ut visus in suum itaque sicut visus per spe 〈◊〉 albi v. g vider album non videndo ipsam speciem sic potest quis per Ecclesiae authoritatem credere ita ut 〈◊〉 prius formaliter explicite credat Ecclesiae Authoritatem Christophorus à Sacrobosco Dubliniensis è Societ Jesu 〈◊〉 128 139. A good examiner may know this fellow to be a Jesuite by his Answer so full stuft with mental Reservations 〈◊〉 Evasions and ambiguities First he will not resolve us whether men ordinarily must Believe the Church before Scriptures 〈◊〉 a man may Believe the Scriptures although he do not first Believe the Church explicitè or formally And in the very next 〈◊〉 be impertinently adds that Believing the Scriptures we cannot but implicite and vertually Believe the Church Which ar 〈◊〉 that the Scriptures must be Believed before the Church But say we could not Believe the one but â—e must upon equal termes 〈◊〉 the other this proves that neither could be any infallible or effectual Means of Believing the other For there is no man â—… twice 4 make 8 but knows as well twice 2 make 4 yet is neither a Means of knowing the other for both are immediately 〈◊〉 of themselves This shews the impertinency of their Answer that matter they know not what as if the knowledge of points of 〈◊〉 did resemble habitum principiorum rather then habitum conclusionis If so they do then cannot the Churches Infal 〈◊〉 being by their Positions a point of Faith be any Means of knowing the Scriptures to be Drvine which is a main point of faith * This 〈◊〉 of his doth very well illustrate our former â—… Chapâ— 12 concerning the Use of an ordinary â—… And the Visible Church may â—… the shapes and resemâ—… are called visible being indeed by naâ—… and are visible only by external demonstratâ—â—… as much as they present colours to 〈◊〉 sight â—… visible Were they really visible being received into our eyes they would hinder â—… of all colours so doth this admission of a real â—… in the Church exclude all infallible Belief of â—… * Jisdem serè argumeÌ„tis efficitur neque solam traditioneÌ„ viâ—… vocis eorum qui olim vita desuncti sunt esse judicem sufficientem fidei quae valeat per 〈◊〉 fine alia aliqua insallibili ac praeâ—…te authoritate omnes oâ—…ino definite fidei quaeâ—… Nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sicut de an thoritate iâ—sius 〈◊〉 neceâ—… 〈◊〉 per aliquam aliâ—… au hâ—ritatem conâ—… iâ—â— etiam 〈◊〉 authâ—… traditionis siâ—… quoâ— revocetur in dubium Non enim traditio loquitur etiam ipsa clarè perspicuè de sese ut neque ipsa scriptura Deinde cum traditio scriptis ferè doctorum orthodoxorum in Ecclesia conservetur quaestiones ac dubia moveri possunt de 〈◊〉 illius sicut dubitatur saepe de sensu mente doctorum Valentianus Tom. 3. Disp 1. quaest 1. de objecto sidei punct 7. Sect. 12. * The politick Sophisines of the Papists in their Councels
* â—… Theodotione quaedam ex alio quodam interprete innominato stultum autem videtur dicere Theodâ—… etiam Hieronymum nusquam errasse cum ipse in cap. 19. Isaia dicaâ—se â—â—raâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—… Non igitur authores illos canoâ—izavit Ecclesia sed tantum hanc versionem â—… in 〈◊〉 libratiorum eâ—…ores reperiti sed certos nos reddere voâ—… in hac versione interpretum errata Bel. ibid. Why the Romish â—… so many sundâ—â— Authors no Cause can be given â—… that â—… the necessity of the middle Ages or times of â—… a waâ—â—…ct * This Commentator having said as much as possibly could be said in defence of the Vulgar Translation altering the Hebrew Vowels for this purpose at his pleasure yet it seemeth the Errours discovered in it by him in his Comment upon Esay hath hindered the setting forth of his other Commentaries upon the Prophets which for his part he had finished as appears by the later part of his Epistle 〈◊〉 the Trent Fathers so the Church would have approved them Quammobrem si nostram operam Vobis sanctissimi patres probari intellexero reliquos liâ—… quos habeo jam absolutos propediem â—… sin minus vestro judicio admonitus recondam â—… que satis erit meum studium erga Christi 〈◊〉 atque hoc sanctissimum concilium semâ—l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tum †Vide 〈◊〉 quâ—z 〈◊〉 one in 〈◊〉 mum 〈◊〉 coâ—ment â—n D. Th. ‖ â—… 〈◊〉 illos peragitur intermixtis etiam aliquando cantionibus Graecis Epistolae Evangelium quo mâ—… extra chorâ—m in medio Ecclesiae astanti populo clara voce recitantur Conciâ—…oribus 〈◊〉 â—… intersuisse ac Evangelii Episâ—olarâ—mque verba quae vernacula lingua reciâ—at sacrificulus audivisâ—â— â—… in suis Ecclesiiâ— oâ—stinatissime prohibent dicunt enim se hoc modo â—arias haereses diversas de fide â—… ex concionibus subtilibus argumentis sophiâ—â—icisque quaestionibus oriuntur Alex. Gwagâ—inus â—… dâ—sâ—…iptione c. 2. * * Deut. 3â— ver 11 c. * 1 Tim 2. ver 1 2. * 1 Cor. 11. 31 Lib. 2. c. 3. They acknowledg S. 〈◊〉 as the Oracle of â—… â—… contradict him in â—… con 〈◊〉 the number of Ca 〈◊〉 books * Si quis auteÌ„ librâ—â— ipâ—os integâ—â—s cum omnibus suis 〈◊〉 proâ—t in Ecclesia Catholica legi conâ—ueverunt in veteri vulgata Latina Editione habentur pro sacris Canonicis non susceperit traditiones praedictas sciens prudens contempâ—eâ—it Anathema sit Conc. Trid. Sess 4. decret de Canonicis Scripturis The decree of the Trent Councel authorizing the Latin vulgar Edition * Insuper eadem Sacrosancta Synodus considerans non parum utilitatis accedere posse Ecclesiae Dei si ex omnibus Latinis Editionibus quae circumferuntur sacrorum librorum quaenam pro Authentica habenda fit innotescar Statuit declarar ut haec ipsa Vetus vulgata Editiâ— quae longo tot saeculorum usu in ipsa Ecclesia probata est in publicis lectionibus disputationibus praedicationibus expositionibus pro Authentica habeatur ut nemo illam rejicere quovis praetextu audeat vel praesumat Conc. Trident. Sess 4. Decret De editione usu sacrorum librorum †Praeterâ—a ad coercenda petulantia ingenia decernit ut nemo suae prudentiae ionixus in rebus fidei morum ad edificationem Doctrinae Christianae pertinentium 〈◊〉 Scripturam ad suos sensus contorquens contra eum sensum quem tenuit tenet sancta Mater Ecclesia cuius est 〈◊〉 care de vero sensu interpretatione Scripturarum sanctarum aut etiam contra unanimem consensum Patrum ipsam Scripturam sacram interpretari audeat etiamsi hujusmodi interpretationes nullo unquam tempore in lucem 〈◊〉 forent Qui contravenerint per ordinarios declarentur poenis à jure statutis puniantur Concil Tridenâ— â—idem The Trent Councels decree for interpretation of Scriptures * Bellarmins assertion concerning the Churches authority grounded upon the former decree †In articulis 115 exillis 500 quos 〈◊〉 collegit ex libris Lutheri sic ait Capite hoc Evangelium quia neque Papae neque conciliis neque ulli hominum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 constituat concludat quid sit fides Ideo del 〈◊〉 Papa tu conclusisti cum conciliis nunc habeo 〈◊〉 judicium an acceptare queam â—eâ—ne Quare quia non 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 respondebis pro me quando debeo mori Et falsam dectrinam nemo judicare potest nisi spiritualis homo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod Concilia concludere statuere volunt quid credendum sit cum saepe nullus vir sit ibi qui divinum spiritum vel mâ—dicum olfâ—cerit Idem confirmat in assertionibus articul 27 28 29. Bellarm. de verb. Lei Dib 3 Cap. 3. ‖ Similiter Brentius docet in Confessione Wiâ—temâ—ergica cap. de sacra scriptura â—copiâ—â— in Prolegemâ—nis contra Petrii à Soto ubi duo dicit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inquit in causa aeternae salutis alienae sententiae ita inhaerere ut eam sine nostro ipsorum judicio ample 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 addit Ad 〈◊〉 hominem privatum pertinet de doctrina religionis judicare verum à falsa â—… interest inter privatum principem quòd ut privatus privatam ita princeps publicam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his potestatem judicandâ— decidendi c. Nec illud advertit si haec sententia vera siâ— â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catholicos Germania principes si etiam mortis supplicio cogunt omnes Lutheranos ad tiden Catholicam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verb. Deâ— lib. 3. cap. 3. * So Bellarmin grants that S. Cyprian did not commit any mortal sin in contradicting Pope Stephens decree whom out of ignorance he oppugned his reason is good because this perswasion remaining in full strength he had sinned against his conscience in obeying the Pope His words are these Ex 〈◊〉 parte non videtur mortaliter peccasse quia non peccavit nisi ex ignorantia putavit enim Pontificem perniciosè errare stante illa opinione tenebatur ei non obedire quia non debebat contra conscientiam agere Ignorantia autem Cypriani non videtur suisse crassa neque affectata sed probabilis proinde excusans à mortali peccato Bellar. Lib. 4. de Roman Pontif. Cap. 7. †Vide Lib. 2. Cap 6. Paragr 11 Cap. 32. Paragr 2 3. ‖ Canus Assertion concerning the Churches Authority Nihâ—l igitur afferuot forte asserunt qui Ecclesiae authoritatem non absolutè sed ex conditione ponunt Si namque ad eum modum res habet mihi qucoâ—â— fides habenda est quando pronunciavero secundum scriptuâ—… rectè intellectas Id enim est non mihi sed scripturae credere At absolutè non ex conditione populus Domino credidit 〈◊〉 Moisi servo ejus Absolutè etiam Prophetis Apostolis populi crediderunt Quale vero esset Prophetis Aposto lisque â—oquentibus fidem ea acceptione
〈◊〉 and Valenrian hath use the like speeches The Romish rack of conscience Lest they might in any doubt go against their conscience they are taught to Believe That whatsoever the Pope shall command is good and cannot hurt the Conscience See the next Annotation out of Bellaâ—…in * Respoundeo verbum Ecclesiae id est Conciliâ— vel Pontificis docentis ex Cathedia non esse omnino verbum hominis id est verbum errori obnoxium sed aliquo modo verbum Dei id est prolatum gubeâ—nante assistente spiritu sancto imo dico Haereticos esse qui revera nitantur baculo arundineo Sciendum est enim propositionem fidei concludi tali Syllogismo Quicquid Deus revelavit in Scripturis est verum hoc Deus revelavit in Scripturis ergo hoc est verum Ex propositionibus hujus Syllogismi prima certa est apud omnes secunda apud Catholicos est etiam â—…ima nititur enim testimonio Ecclesiae Concilij vel Pontificis de quibus habemus in Scripturis apertas promissiones â—â—od errare non possint Actorum 15. Visum est Spiritui Sancto nobis Et Luc. 22. Rogavi pro te ut non deficiat fides 〈◊〉 At apud Haereticos nititur solis conjecturis vel judicio proprij spiritus qui plerumque videtur bonus est malus Et cum conclusio sequatur debiliorem partem sit necessariò ut tota fides Haereticoâ—um sit conjecturalis incerta Bellar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dei interpret lib. 3. cap. 10. resp ad 15. arg a Bellarmins Catholick Syllogisine wherein all Conclusions of Faith must be gathered †Acts 15. ver 28. ‖ Luke 22. ver 32. †Cap. 1. The 〈◊〉 â—…ulty in then opinion whence our our former conclusion may be deduced * Sâ— volunt Pontishcem in rebus alioqui omnino controversis id est non satis expresse in Ecclesia compertis ac determinatis definite posse ut personam publicam errorem re ipsa contra fidem erraut ipsi in side gravissimè Posset enim into teneretur tunc Ecclesia universa Pontificem de re controversa docentem ac nondum haeresi manifestè notatum pro Pastore suo agnolcere atque adeo ipsum omnino audite 〈◊〉 sieret ut si tunc errare possit Ecclesia etiam universa possit immo teneretur erraâ—e Valeitiam Tem. 3. de object Fid. Disp 1. Quaest 1. Puâ—ct 〈◊〉 Paragraph 41. Bellarmin from the same grounds Collects that the Pope cannot err in matters of manners †Vide Librum 2. Cap. 30. Paragraph 14. Nam sides Catholica docet omnem virtutem esse bonam omne vitium esse malum si autem Papa erraâ—et pracipiendo vitia vel prohibendo virtutes teneretur Fedesia credere vitia essa bona 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 virtutes malas nisi vellet contra conscientiam peccare Tenetur enim â—…bus dubiis Ecclesia acquiescerè judicio sumâ—… sacere quod ille praecipit non sacere quod ille prohibet ac ne forte contra conscientiam â—… bonum esse quod ille praecipit 〈◊〉 quod ille prohibet Bellarmin Lib. 4. de Roman Pâ—… Cap. 5. Wherein the Papists make the Popes authority greater then Gods Jâ—… 39. 〈◊〉 â—hâ—s 5. 21 1 Jâ—hn 4. 1. The grosse impiety of the Romish Church in binding men to believe negatives without any tolerable exposition of those Scriptures which seem to contradict her decrees in matters damnable to adventure upon without Evidence of truth on her part â—… whereâ—… mens â—… fâ—r â—… with 〈◊〉 â—…damnable because contrary to the Doctrine of Faith And yet to enforce a Belief upon our selves that Christ 〈◊〉 there present without warrant of Scripture is more damnable for this were to affect ignorance for cloaking Idolatry See l. 2. 〈◊〉 7. * Vasquez in part 3. Thomae Tom. 1 Disput â—… Cap. 5. Num. 33. Tom. 2. disp 209. cap. 4. Num. 41. †The known Experiments of such Creatures arising from corruption of their consecrated Hoast have enforced the School-men to invent new Miracles how they should come there Some think per creationem novae materiae primae others that the quantity of the late deceased consecrated hoast Supplet locum materiae primae which as Pererius thinks is the greatest of all the nine miracles about Transubstantiation See Pererius disput 16. in 6. Chap. John Suarez Metaphys Disput 20. Sect 5. Num. 13. § Siquis dixerit in sancto Eucharistiae Sacramento Christum unigenitum Dei filium non esse cultu â—… externo adorandum atque ideo nec 〈◊〉 peculiari Celebritate venerandum neque in processionibus â—… laudabilem universalem Ecclesiae sanctae ritum consuetudinem solemniter circumgestandum vel non pubâ—… populo proponendum 〈◊〉 adoratores esse Idololatias Anathemâ— sit Concil Tâ—… Sess 13. Can. 6. â—… decree of the Trent Councel for communicating in one kind against the expresse Commandment of Christ the practise â—… and the Primitive Church †Sâ—… 21. cap. 2. ‖ â—… autem sub Aâ—… secta vivenâ—â—â— quia â—… st ut ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vâ—… dâ— alio 〈◊〉 Reges comâ—… de alio populus â—iâ—or vâ—renâ—m in calice illo posâ—it de quo â—… communicatura erat Quo illa 〈◊〉 â—… de parte Diaboli Quid câ—ntraâ— aâ—… Haeretici respondebunt â—… Nos vero Trinitatem in una aequalitate paâ—iter omnipotentia â—… bi◠〈◊〉 in nomine Patris Filij Spiritus Sancti veri incorruptibilis Dei nihil nos nocâ—â—iâ— Greg. Tuâ—â—n Hist Lab. 〈◊〉 Num. 31. * Concil 〈◊〉 Sâ—â—â— 21. Cap. 1. Itaque sancta ipsa Synodus 〈◊〉 Spiritus Sanctâ—… qui spiritus est sapientiâ—… intellectus spiritus 〈◊〉 pictatis edocta atque ipsius Ecclesiae judicium coâ—suâ—tudinem secuta declarat ac docet Nullo divino praecepto Laicos Clericos non conficientes obligati ad Euchaâ—… entum sub utraque specie sumendum neque ullo pactò salva fide dubitari posse quin illis alterius 〈◊〉 â—… ad â—… ad salutem sufficiat Nam etsi Christus Dominus in ultima caena venerabile hoc Sacramentum in panis vici speciebus instituit Apostolis tradidit non tamen illa institutio traditio eò tendunt ut omnes Christi fideles statuâ—o 〈◊〉 ad utâ—â—â— que speciem accipiendam astringantur Sed neque ex sermone illo apud Johan 6. recte colligitur utriâ—… Domino praeceptum esse utcunque juxta varias sanctorum Patrum Doctorum interpretationes Nan que qui dixit Nisi manducaveritis carnem â—ilij hominis biberitis ejus sanguinem non habebiâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—n vobis dixit quoque Siquis manducaverit ex hoc pane vivet in aeternum Et qui dixit Qui manducat â—â—am â—… habet vitam aeternam dixit etiam Panis quem ego dabo â—aro mea est proâ—… Qui manducat meam carnem bibit meum sanguinem in me maner ego in illo dixit â—…
to â—nbrace them when it shall please â—…eal them are elected to salvation But it was a pretty Sophisâ—e in so great a Clerk to compare not Israelites in heart or in the fight of God but the visible Church of Israel with Christians in heart not with any visible Christian Church * Non ostendi potest nunquam Synagogam Judaeoâ—um deâ—â—cisse omnino usque ad Christi adventum quo tempore etiâ— non tam deâ—… quà m â—…tata est in 〈◊〉 Bellarde Ecclesia militante l. 3. c. 1◠†Sunt qui dicunt Concilium illud in quo Christus condemnatus est errasse quia non processit secundum morem legiâ—… judicij sed tumultuaria conspiratione subornatis falsis testibus Christum damnavit id quod adeò notum erat omniâ—… ut etiam Pilatus sciret per invidiam â—um fuisse traditum fibi à Pontificibus ut habemus Matth. 27. atque haec qu dem responsio probabilis est Quia tamen non est inferiorum judicare an superiores legitimè procedant necne nisi manifesâ—… mè constet intolerabilem errorem committi credibile est Deum non perâ—isâ—â—rum ut Coâ—cilia quiâ—us summus Pâ—… sex pâ—asidet non legitimè procedant Ideo respondemus Pontifices Concilia Judaeorum non potuisse erraâ—e antequâ—… Christus veniâ—et sed eo praesente potuisse imo fuisse praedictum erraturos Judaeos Christum negatâ—ros Isaâ—â— 6. Danâ—… aliâ—i Sicâ—â— enim non est necessarium ut Vicarius Papae non possit errare cum ipse Papa regat Ecclesian ab eâ—… defendat Siâ— eâ—iam non fuit necessaâ—ium ut Pontifices Judaeorum non possent errare quando Châ—â—stus suâ—…us totius Ecclesiae Pontisex prâ—seâ—s adâ—rat Ecclesiam per se administrabat Bellar. 4b 2. de Concil â—uct cap 8. * Bellarmins reason to provâ— the Jewish Church did fail in Faith in our Saviours time proves it to have been erroneous in the time of Isaiah ‖ For Daniel hath nothing which can be wrested to this purpose for which reason this Imposter ciâ—es only his 9 Chapter at large †Isai 6. 9 10. 11 12. a Diâ—itur autem prophetia quantum observare potui quatuor modis impleâ—i Primò quum id ipsâ—m fit de quo propâ—i◠〈◊〉 â—…rali sensu intelligebatur sicut cap. 1. v. 22. Matthaeus dixit Impleâ—am in Maria Isaiae prophetiam â—uisse Ecce 〈◊〉 concipiet pariet filium Secundò cum fit non id de quo propriè intelliget atâ—r prophetia sed id quod per illud â—…batur ut 2. Regum 7. 14. Ego ero illi in paâ—rem ille erit miâ—i in filium quod propriè de Solomone dicâ—â—m esâ—e pâ—â—â—picâ—â—m est Divus â—â—men Paulus de Christo cujus Solomon Figura erat interpretatur Heb. 1. 6. quasi in eo impletâ—aâ— esset Et quod Exod. 12. 46. dictum est Os non comminuetis ex â—o certum est intelligi de agno tamen â—oan cap. 19. 36. in Christo qui per agnum significabatur impletum dicit Tertiò cum nec id fit de quo propriè intelligiâ—… prophetis nâ—c id quod per illud significatur sed quod illi simile erat omnino ejusmodi ut prophetia non minu◠〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 quam de quo dicta est dici potuisse videatur Nam populus hic labiis me honor at de Judaeis qui tempore 〈◊〉 erant Deus dixerat Isai 29. 13. Christus autem in iis qui suo erant tempore impletum significat Matth. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est exemplum Matthaei 13. 14. Act. 28. 26. Quartò cum id ipsum quod per Prophetiam aut Scripturâ—… dictum erat quamvis jam â—actum suerit tamen magis ac magis fit Tunc enim Scriptura impleri dicitur â—d eâ—â— quod per 〈◊〉 dictum erat cumulatissiâ—â—â— fieri Maldonat Comment in Matth. cap. 2. vers 15. The place cited Matth. 13. 14. Acts 28. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very place out of the 6. of Esay which Bellarmin urgeth to prove the Jews Church should fail in our Saviours time †* ‖ Aâ—â— 13. 27. That the High â—…t with his associates did 〈◊〉 ex Cathedia 〈◊〉 the main Article of Faith * Mat. 26. 57. †Luk. 22. 66. ‖ Mat. 26. 65. * Vers â—6 †Mat. 27. 25. ‖ Though it were safficiently 〈◊〉 that the Pope could not teach false 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it not safe â—… c. * * †â—… 15. 14 15 Wherein the Popes â—… is made greater than Moses had a â—… ‖ Psal 106. 2â— * Cum igitur oporteret Dei legem in edictis Angelorum terribiliter dari non 〈◊〉 homini pâ—â—cisse sa pientibus sed universae genâ—i populo ingenti co ram eodem populo magna facta sunt in monte ubi lex per unum dabatur conspiciente multitudine metu enda ac tremenda quae fiebant Non enim populus Israel sic Moysi credidit quemadmodum suo Lycurgo Lacedaemonii quòd à Jove sen Apolline leges quas câ—didit accepisset Cum enim lex dabatur populo qua coli unus iubebatur Deus in conspectu ipâ—…us populi quantuÌ„ sufficere divina providentia judicabaâ— miraâ—â—libus rerum signis ac motibus apparebat ad eanden legem dandam docentem creatori service creaturam Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 10. cap. 13. †Deâ—â— 4. 1 2. * †〈…〉 14 ‖ Exod. 15. 23. a Ver. 26. Faith â—ust be 〈◊〉 by â—…nts anâ—…le â—… b c 〈◊〉 8. 3. d ‖ * 〈◊〉 19. 4. 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 †â—… ‖ Vers 〈◊〉 a Vers 〈◊〉 * â—… 17 â—… in â—… Pharaâ—h and unto all Egypt The great tentatiâ—n which â—… stretâ—hed â—ut â—…n wherby the Lord thy God brought thee out so shall the Lâ—… thou fearest How far the Traditions Exhortations or Instructions of Parents did steed their children for establishing of Faith * Deâ—t 11. 2. Verse 7. 〈◊〉 †Verse 18. ‖ Verse 19. * â—… 13. Jâ—suah 8. v 33 34 35. Deut. 31. 1â— 11 12 13. * The Israelâ—es care to instâ—uct their children in the precepts of the Law necessary unto Christians seeing faith â—â—lâ—â—m gâ—…s without miracles unlesse planted in teâ—der 〈◊〉 Dâ—… 4. 3. c. Judg. 2. ver 10 11. Verse 15 16. Verse 19. Of Gideons distrust and the means how his faith was established Judg. 6. v. 13. Gal. 1. 8. Judg. 6. 14. Judg 6. v. 15 * Judg. 7. 15. * Judg 8. 33. * The peoples experience of such calamities as Moses threatned mat their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ground of such joyfull hopes as he had promised * 〈◊〉 â—2 24 25 c. †Jer. 3â— 13. 14 Jer. â—2 42 43 〈◊〉 ‖ Deut. 3â— 1. Nehem. 1. 7. * Nehe. 6. 10 11. That the company of Prophets had as great priviledge as any justly can câ—aâ—lenge That the people were not bound to believe what a major part of Prophets determined without Examination * â—… l. 3. 〈◊〉 17. Ad primum
But her Infallibility is called in question and any Church may challenge this Prerogative as wel as theirs unlesse they can shew a better Title Without Revelation from above it is stil uncertain fide divina whether we are to Believe any Churches Infallibility concerning Scripture Or if any which of all Revelations from above we acknowledge none but the written Word they acknowledge Traditions as wel as It yet so as the Scriptures by their Confession are as certain as Tradition which they make equal only with the written Word acknowledged by us not above it Wherefore if the Scriptures be in themselves by their Objections uncertain then is Tradition as uncertain What shall assure us of the Truth of either The infallible Church But this can assure no man unlesse he first Believe it for certain and infallibly What shal make it certain to us The Scriptures But they are uncertain say our Adversaries and the Church must confirm their certainty unto us Though this Circle wherein Valentian and Sacroboscus have run giddie were of force to raise up all the Spirits in Hel and though they raised should sift all the Jesuites Brains in the world yet should not all the invention of Man with the help of Devils be able to find out the least Probability of avoiding the former Inconvenience Nay they should far sooner make ropes of the sand in the Adriatick Sea so strong as would hale Italy unto the Islands of Devils before they could teach all the Jesuites in the world so much Geometry as to make one of these Uncertainties support another CAP. XXXI The Unsufficiency of the Roman Rule of Faith for effecting what it aims at albeit we grant all they demand the ridiculous use thereof amongst such as do acknowledge it 1. WHen I was a Child as our Apostle saith and spake as a child understood as a child I thought some great matters might be contained under those Hyperbolical and swelling Titles of the Romish Church where-with mine ears were often filled And although I had been instructed to the contrary yet could I have wished her doctrine true such was my Affection to her shape as it was falsely represented to my childish Fantasie But after the Day-star had shined in mine heart the former Humour wherewith the eye-sight of my infant mind had been corrupted was quickly dispelled Once able to look more narrowly into the subtilest of her School-mens Disputes and examin her learned Clerks Apologies for her by the Gospels Light I saw clearly how by presenting meer shews or shadows of Truth they led weak-sighted Souls into Error as it were in a mist in the beginning of their works usually inserting pretended Grounds here and there as they espie occasion of their intended Conclusions supported with some sleight Reasons for the present feeding us with expectation of better Proofs either in some other work or a great way after in the same which may stay our minds til we come at them where they return us back again to what is past that being now far off and most particulars out of mind may seem not altogether nothing to such as wil not take pains to review it And thus in fine as the mist so their Proofs seem every where somewhat til a man come near them but then so vanish as he shall see nothing of that he looked for 2 Bellarmins books de verbo Dei compared with those others of his de Romano Pontifice c. and Valentians Analysis fidei wil easily approve this observation to him that shal read them through with Attention Both of them in the beginning of their works promising great matters made me expect some extraordinary proof in the processe but finding them best at the first always ambitions in producing multitude of Allegations to little purpose copious in bestowing glorious Titles and Prerogatives upon their Holy Church and yet finally contracting her Universalitie and sacred Catholickship into one mans breast who by their own Confession may be so carnally grosse that he cannot draw any spiritual breath their former goodly Encomions ending thus made me call to mind how crafty companions cozen children of what they love or stay their crying at what they dislike by promising them some Gallant â—ine Gâ—â—die Trim Goodly Brave Golden New Nothing Such brave Epithets so ravish a childs thoughts as at the first hearing he parts with any thing he hath or forbears to seek what otherwise he would have in hope of such a gay reward never looking into the substance of what is promised which was indeed just nothing With like bombast outsides do modern Priests Jesuites terrifie silly souls men or women meer children in understanding from all communion with our Church leading them through such painted Forefronts or fained but sightly Entrances into their vast imaginary empty Paradise wherein grows nothing but forbidden Fruit. Though Volums they write huge and large and in the sublimity of their speculative imaginations fetch Arguments from beyond the Moon yet unto him that hath but the eye of ordinary Reason in his head not blinded by their juglings their best Collections prove in the end but like the drawing of a net spread far and wide in the open air able to retain nothing of what it had compadded only such as looked a far off or had brains so weak or sight so ill disposed as could not distinguish betwixt the element of air and water making more then an ordinary stir in fetching so huge a draught might happily suspect some goodly Catch 3 Suppose we should grant that the Pope whiles he speaks ex cathedra cannot erre who shall I am sure no Jesuit or private Spirit can without all ambiguity and pretence of gainsaying determin directly and absolutely what it is to speâ—k ex cathedra And it is not to be expected that the Pope will ex cathedra define what it is to define a thing ex cathedra in such sort as shall leave â—…sion to excuse his Errour if he should be urged with a Sentence ex cathedraâ— which to the Major part of professed Christians might seem doubtful whether it were palpably erroneous or no. But suppose we knew directly and authentically what it were to speak ex cathedra and when the Pope did indeed so speak when not which no man can know but only by hear-say unlesse such as hear him give Sentence yet what Assurance can the Jesuites give unto the Christian World that his Holiness shal so determin or speak as often as the Peace of Christs Church or Weal of Christendom shal require That he shal speak de sacto ex cathedra whensoever the Church stands in need of a Decision the Papists themselves do not hold as any part of his Infallibility but only that he is able so to speak when his Infallibility wil. And â—… on 〈◊〉 arâ—umâ—ntum No man in their judgement can or ought â—…rain him to a â—…cision except he list And seeing they