their decrees no Emperour with his sword no people or Pastour in any parish should haue publikly professed maintayned and confirmed the true fayth of Christ and true doctrine of saluation but all of Antichrist and damnation Thirdly it follows that all the predictions and prophecies of the prophets before Christ all the promises and assurances made by Christ himselfe or by his Apostles to his Church either of the extension and amplitude of Christes Church from sea to sea from North to South to the vttermost end of the world to all people and nations to all Iles and Kingdomes to all Kinges and Princes or of continuance succession of the same as long as the Sunne Moon shall endure from Sabaoth to Sabaoth from age to age frō generation to generation without interruption or discontinuance from that tyme till the worlds end or of the Holy Ghosts assistance and continuance with it as the Pillar and ground of truth against all the waues and stormes of the sea of this world against all the swordes and violence of persecutors and Tyrants and against all principalities and powers the gouernours of this darknesse and the very gates of hell it selfe It followes I say that all these predictions haue beene false and not verifyed as Castalion and Dauid George both Protestants conuinced by experience of the not being of a Protestant Church haue confessed it followes that the Prophets of the old Testament who foretould them were false not true Prophets that the Apostles of the new Testament who confirmed them were vnlawfull and faythlesse messengers and that Iesus Christ who planted watered promised to giue increase to this his Church was not the only true omnipotent God but either a false deceauer who promised that he knew should not be performed or els a weake worker who could not performe that which he had promised to wit this amplitude succession and firmity of his Church thus wholy frustrated and made void according to the former principle and doctrine All which is wikedly confessed vpon the former groundes by Dauid George Ochinus and others Fourthly it followes that Turkes Iewes and Gentils haue had a more flourishing state of a Church Kingdome and Professours as hauing beene more visible potent and dilated for many continued ages in many distant partes of the world then the christians who haue had neither Prince Prelate people or scarce any publike Professours of true Christianity for one age together vnder any one King in any one prouince of the world That Mahomet and Antichrist or the diuel by them did with more prudence and power with more piety and policy establish enlarge protect their faith and common wealth which so long continued then Iesus Christ who is true God and man did or could do his faith and Church which so soone after his departure erred failed and decayed Where is the greater glory of the second temple then of the first Where is the ends of the earth giuen to it for a possession Where are the Kings and Queenes who as nursing fathers are to haue protected it Where are the people and nations who with the gold of Arabia and Saba were to haue inriched it Where are the Iles and kingdomes who from the vttermost ends of the world were to haue waited vpon this Church of Christ more then any other of Iews Turks or Pagans What was Christ lesse true lesse good lesse faythfull lesse able and potent in the establishing and preseruing his kindgome then were Moyses or Mahomet Cyrus or Romulus in setling and enlarging their Synagogue Sect or Common-wealth Surely it followes O horrour and blasphemy if these positions and points of the Protestants priuate spirits doctrine were true and warrantable Of absurdities which follow vpon the second head of sole Fayth SECT III. SECONDLY Out of the second principle and doctrine depending on it which is that a man is iustified by only faith which is a faith speciall of euery one 's owne predestination iustification and glorification so certaine and so sure as that there is a God or that Christ is saued so perpetuall that it can neuer be lost and peculiar only to the elect depending vpon their priuat spirit and the rest before mentioned it followes First That a man is not only without all doubt or so much as any feare certaine of his predestination past iustification present and glorification to come but also that he is more certaine of it then he is of the B. Trinity of the Incarnation Passion Resurrection ascension and coming of Christ which he belieues only by a faith not supernaturall and diuine but historicall generall and common as they say to the reprobate and diuels yea more certaine then Iesus-Christ was of his saluation whom they affirme to haue feared doubted distrusted and despaired before his death of his saluation as is afterward shewed Yea as certaine must they be as certaine they are that God is one God or that Iesus Christ is in heauen or as if Iesus Christ were present and so told them which are their owne words and comparisons which is both absurd and impious absurd because they haue scripture to auouch the being of one God and the saluation of Christ but which auouches to euery mā this his saluatiō in particular they haue neither scripture nor reason Impious because what greater impiety and blasphemy can be conceaued then to make Christ God and man doubtfull of his saluation and themselues sinfull and wicked wretches certaine of theirs Secondly it followes that euery Protestant may and must by faith belieue as certaine that of which neither authority of scripture testimony of Church or euidence of reason doth yield any argument of certainty but only his owne priuate spirit and conceit doth suggest and perswade this certainty of euery one his owne iustification and saluation and yet that the same Protestants may doubt yea refuse to assent and belieue such articles of faith as both expresse authority of Scripture euident proposition of Church and confessed testimony of auncient tradition Fathers and Councels doth fully and frequently deliuer and approue such are many articles now in controuersy as Freewill merit good works reall presence prayer to saints for the dead and such like All which for example Caluin and euery Protestant do as firmly notwithstanding all the former confessed testimonies reiect and condemne as they belieue the certainty of their owne saluation which notwithstanding that it be not mentioned or motioned in particular in any such or the former testimonyes they do most vndoubtedly and firmely apprehend and belieue In which among all absurdities what can be more absurd then without any other reason or testimony but ones owne conceit so firmely to adhere to a thing of importance so vncertaine both in it selfe and in experience and yet not belieue many thinges in themselues so probable and so mainly by so many testimonies confirmed and approued Which what is it els
of beliefe And the Formall motiue or meanes that is reuelation of God is the formall finall and last resolution why we belieue infallibly such verityes to be true So that if one aske by what we are before prepared and disposed to belieue the truth it is by the credible testimonies if by what we are directed guided to know the truth it is by the Churches propositiō if by what we are assisted and enabled to assent infallibly to this truth it is by the habit of Faith if for what and why we doe actually formally and finally assent belieue the same truth it is for the reuelation of God As therefore the Samaritans at the first were prepared by the womans relation who told them that surely it was the Messias who had told her all that she had done to thinke it probable that he might be the Messias and the woman was as it were a proponent or propounding cause to them of him Many of the Samaritans belieued in him for the word of the woman giuing testimony that he told me all thinges whatsoeuer I haue done But afterwards hauing heard and conuersed with our Sauiour himselfe for two dayes they now sayd Not for thy saying O woman do we belieue for our selues haue heard and do know that this is the Sauiour of the world indeed So all Christians are first prepared by credible testimonies directed by Church authority to the knowledge and certainty of that truth but afterwards when the diuine reuelation it selfe as the word of our Sauiour is made knowne to them then do they now formally and finally not for the testimonies of credibility or Church proposition but for the diuine reuelation it self giue firme and infallible assent and beliefe to the verityes or articles of fayth And thus Catholike fayth is that which is for probable testimonies accepted as credible by Church proposed as infallible by an infused habit effected as supernaturall by diuine verity reuealed as truth infallible and necessary to be belieued This fayth is that which is the beginning and ground of iustification the way and gate to saluation vpō which the Church of Christ is founded and is as the life and soule of it which maketh vs members and partes of Christs Church we being by it and Baptisme inserted into his mystical body which maketh vs certainly infallibly belieue either expresly or implicitè all whatsoeuer articles of sayth God hath reuealed to his Church by his Apostles which is a necessary meane instrument or dispositiō to our iustification and saluation without which none are iustified and by which informed with charity all are iustifyed which is one entire fayth in all faithfull who for one motiue and by one proponent cause do belieue all one doctrine which being one and entire belieue as they ought eyther all articles of fayth explicitè or implicitè or none at all which by refusing to assent to any one article in which is questioned the ground of all is by infidelity lost to all and to conclude which distinguisheth a Catholike from an Heretike in that whosoeuer hath this fayth is a Catholike and whosoeuer wants it or looses it is an Infidell or Heretike and so out of state of grace and saluation And thus much for the order and manner of Gods working of fayth by these meanes in vs. Secondly for the necessity and efficacy of these meanes though all and euery one in particuler be ordinarily necessary to true and diuine supernaturall faith the credible testimonies as exteriour motiues to conuince our Vnderstanding that it may prudently accept of this faith as credible and worthy of beliefe the motion of grace and habit of fayth as interiour assistants that the Will may not resist but piously incline to consent determine the Vnderstāding to assent and that the Vnderstanding may obediently yeild assent to the misteries of fayth the materiall obiects as those which we are to belieue and the formall as that why we are to belieue all which are absolutly necessary to make fayth credible free and supernaturall and without them all faith is but humane false or fained yet in respect of vs and of our certainty of beliefe a proponent cause and that infallible which can be no other but the Churches authority is most important and necessary And first that a proponent cause is needfull all grant because faith being by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ some preacher or teacher is necessary to propose and teach vs what is to be belieued by vs for as fayth depends not vpon reason but vpon authority that of God affirming this or that to be true and commanding it to be belieued so this authority thus affirming this verity must be made knowne to vs by some directing or proponent meanes or els we cannot come to the knowledge of it 2. That this directing and proponent cause must be infallible so that it cannot erre it selfe nor propose to vs an errour or falshood to be belieued for a truth is proued for since God requires of vs a certainty infallibility of fayth and this our certainty must be had by some direction and proposition by which it is proposed made knowne to vs what we are certainly to belieue it must needes follow that this Proponent cause must be certaine and infallible or els our fayth directed and guided by it cannot be certaine Thence it followes that they who admit a proponent cause as the Protestants do their church and yet do admit it to be fallible and subiect to errour as all of them do their Church cannot haue any certaine and infallible fayth at all as wanting a necessary certaine and infallible meanes to propose and teach them this certaine and infallible fayth which is confirmed by S. Augustine who sayth That if Gods prouidence rule and gouerne humane matters we may not despaire but that there is a certaine authority appointed by the same God vpon which staying our selues as vpon a sure step we may be lifted vp to God Thirdly this certaine infallible proponent or directing cause is Church-authority which Church that it may infallibly direct vs we securely rely vpon it first Iesus Christ selected and made it not only his inheritance Which he hath chosen Or his house which he builded and gouerned Or his Temple of which himselfe is Priest but also his dearest spouse VVhich he espoused to himselfe alone in fayth and truth As a Virgin pure and vnspotted without corruption Yea as his owne body And one body with him VVhich as head he nourisheth cherisheth and sanctifieth making her glorious without spot And which he hath purchased with his pretious bloud Secondly he priuiledged it first with his owne presence promising to be with it all dayes euen to the consūmation of the world Next with the presence of the Holy Ghost The spirit of truth
profundity of holy scriptures that though his wit was better his leasure more and his diligence greater yet he might from his child-hood tiâ—l his old age profit in the vnderstanding of them not for that so much of them as is necessary to saluation is so hardly to be atteined but for that when once ones faith is grounded vpon them so many and manifold misteries remaine for the more intelligent proficients inuolued in the words and the maâ—ter that the moâ—t aged witty and industrious may say when he is become perfect then he begins For which elswhere he professes that he is ignorant of more things in scripture then he knowes Therfore only prayer meditation and study will not surfice for euery one to find out the true and certaine sense of euery place of Scripture which for euery one to assume to himselfe would not be a certainty of faith but presumption of pride And the same which is sayd of Prayer Meditation and study may be sayd of skill of tongues conference of originall texts and other places and of consideration of antecedents and consequents of phrases and the like Of which see Stapleton Which supposed the answere to all the former obiections is facile First Dauid did read and study the Scripture but he did it for his priuate consolation and meditation not for his foundation in fayth in which he was before grounded 2. Timothy did read and study them from his childhood but to learne the sense and meaning of them of his Maisters and teachers not to be iudge and censurer of them and that for his instruction in manners not for his doctrine of fayth which he receaued from his Ancestours not from his owne reading of Scripture 3. S. Peter did will them to attend to the propheticall doctrine but not to interprete it according to euery ones priuate spirit and proper interpretation which he forbids saying No prophesy of Scripture is made by priuate interpretation much lesse with a neglect of the rules and grounds of fayth or with a contempt of the Pastours and Superiours of the Church of God preferring its owne before their exposition 4. S. Paul affirmes that we must be built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles that is not only vpon the written word of the Apostles or Prophets for many had fayth and were Cittizens of Saints and Domesticals of God before any scripture or writing of the Apostles was extant and many built their fayth vpon the Apostles who writ nothing at all but vpon the doctrine and fayth reueiled to the Apostles and by them left by preaching or writing to posterity and as such by the Church proposed to vs. Out of which nothing can be inferred for making the scripture much lesse the priuate spirit interpreting it the sole or sufficient ground of Fayth Againe taking the foundation either for the doctrine or writinges of the Apostles and they who are built vpon it or for principall partes or for the body of the Church we may consider first the foundation of doctrine either in it selfe and so as being the truth reuealed it is the ground of fayth or in respect of vs as by vs it is accepted and so it relyes vpon the Pastours and Prelates of the Church by whome it is proposed to vs as reuealed and for whose authority we receaue it as reuealed Secondly we may consider the Church either as it is the whole body of all faythfull in all tymes especially after the Apostles and so it is built vpon the doctrine preached and written or as it signifies the first heads and directours of it to wit the Apostles and so it is built immediatly vpon Christ and the holy Ghost reuealing to them that doctrin and scripture which they haue left to posterity and which they preach and propose to vs and in this sense the Church that is the Apostles and first Pastours were before the doctrine was either preached or written by them so were the foundation of their doctrine and preaching of it to vs though to the rest of the faythfull the doctrine preached and written by them is the foundation vpoÌ„ which their fayth is built Which answere doth not only cleare the Scripture for hauing any priuate spirit as Iudge ouer it but also declares how the Church is built vpon the doctrine of the Apostles or Prophets taking the Prophets eyther for the writings of the Prophets in the old Testament or for the Interpreters of the Apostles writing in the new and also how the Church in the sense before declared is the ground of the Apostolical and propheticall doctrine reuealed to the Church and the first Pastours of it and by them left to vs who receaue it from them and their authority and so from the Church 5. They of Beörea did search the scriptures whether those thinges were so as Paul declared that is not so that by searching the scripture they did make themselues and their spirit iudge of the Apostolicall doctrine preached out of scripture but so that either being nor yet fully conuerted and satisfyed they would with diligence and in humility enquire further of the doctrine preached which is alwayes permitted and aduised to all for otherwise he that giueth credit quickly is light of hart or that being satisfyed they would as Catholicke Doctours do search out conferre and vnderstand those places of scripture which Paul did alleadge and thereby the more strongly confirme themselues and better satisfy others in Fayth In which as they did proceed prudently and piously and we permit and aduise euery learned Catholike to do the like so they did no more make either their spirit or the Scripture interpreted by their spirit iudge of the Apostles doctrine then if one for searching the testimonyes of S. Augustine which are cyted by Bellarmine should therby be sayd to make himselfe iudge of Bellarmine his doctrine or as one searching the places cited by Caluin to see if they be as they are by him cited should thereby make himselfe iudge of Caluin and his doctrine Which to inferre out of their actions as it is absurd so is it to inferre that the Beröeans made themselues iudges of S. Pauls doctrine out of the Beröeans seeking out the places which S. Paul alleadged 6. Our Sauiour willed the Iewes to search the Scripture it is true but which Iewes to wit those who were learned and how Not so that he would make them and their priuate spirits iudges of Scriptures or the truth found in them but that he would haue them being yet incredulous studiously to informe themselues of him being the true Messias out of those Scriptures which they belieued already to be true and to beare true witnesse of the true Messias which is no more then to persuade any Protestant to read Scriptures Fathers and Catholike authours and out of them to informe himselfe of the verity of Catholike Religion which is to search out
their vnderstanding be conuinced by euident reasons of perswasion that the one religion is false and damnable the other true and infallible Thus these reasons of credibility are the first help or meanes in the subiect to illustrate the vnderstanding and conuince it of the credibility of the thinges belieued Secondly a pious motion affection or disposition of the Will which directed by the former motiues of credibility and inspired by the speciall guift of grace either preuenting or infused doth first it selfe giue consent and submit itselfe to obedience of fayth then doth determinate the Vnderstāding to giue assent to the verity of the mysteries proposed This pious disposition first is supernaturall proceeding frō the grace of God who workes in vs both to will and to accōplish And begins in you a good worke and so our first motion to fayth is of grace Seconly it is free proceeding from our free power and will He that beleeueth and is baptized shal be saued but he that belieueth not shall be condemned And so our free will concurs also to fayth and saluation or resists by incredulity to damnation Thirdly it is necessary to the conuersion of the faithfull is the cause why some who haue slender yet sufficient motiues of credibility weake motions of grace are freely conuerted whereas others who haue stronger both motiues and motion do obstinatly resist will not be conuertd according to that Certaine belieued these things which were spoken by Paul certaine beleeued not And How often would I gather togeather thy children thou wouldest not And this is the second help or meane working in the will The third and last help or meane in the Guift or habit of Fayth which 1. is a permanent guift or quality produced by God infused into our Vnderstanding 2. It doth enable and lighten the Vnderstanding which otherwise of it selfe is as able to see and belieue the high mysteries of fayth as the eye without light is to see colours to giue assent and beliefe to whatsoeuer articles are by holy Church proposed as reuealed by God By fayth we vnderstand or belieue that God is It is the beginning and first ground of saluation iustification by which we first know God The iustice of God is reuealed by fayth by which we liue in God The iust liueth by fayth and by which we are prepared to iustification VVith the hart we belieue vnto iustice We are iustifyed by fayth It is sometimes both obtained before grace of iustification be had and also kept after that is lost so that many haue this habit of fayth who haue not the habit of Charity Many of the Pharises belieued in him but did not confesse him If I should haue all fayth and haue no Charity c. It may be lost that only by infidelity or refusing to belieue as it was in Hymenaeus Philetus and in those who erred from the fayth Made shipwracke about the fayth And fell from fayth And thus it is lost in all Heretikes who fall from fayth into heresy and so loose their habit by which in Baptisme they were enabled afterwards to belieue truely And these three to wit The credible testimony to conuince the Vnderstanding to accept the articles as credible The pious affection of the will to encline the will to obedience of faith And the guift or habit of Faith to enable both Will and Vnderstanding to consent and assent to the diuine reuelations are those which are required on the part of the subiect or person who belieues The order and necessity of the former meanes SECT II. THE second Consideration may be to ponder first the order and manner of proceeding Secondly the necessity and efficacy of these six helpes or meanes of Fayth all as they are compared one with another and all as they haue their operation in vs. And first for the order we may obserue that the māner which by God ordinarily is vsed according to these meanes to prepare and help an Infidell or Heretike of discretiō to his conuersion to true fayth is this 1. Mans Vnderstanding by reason of credibility motiues of perswasion is induced and disposed to accept this fayth as credible and such as in prudence may and is before any other to be beleiued and his iudgement by certaine markes and signes apparent and easy to euery ones capacity is perswaded that this Church and company of belieuers is rather then any other the true Church of Christ by which he is to be directed in all particulars of his beliefe 2. He is directed by the Churches authority how to discerne betweene the verity and falshood of thinges declared and betweene certainty of reuelation diuine illusion diabolicall And by it is proposed and declared to him what in particuler he is to beleeue as true and what to condemne as false 3. The wil is inclined by grace to subiect it selfe vnto obedience in consenting to fayth to determine the vnderstanding to yield assent to fayth 4. The guift or habit of faith is infused into the Vnderstanding that it may yeild a firme and infallible beliefe or assent to the articles of fayth thus made probably credible by reasons of credibility thus proposed by the Churches authority and thus made of infallible verity for the authority or testimony of God reuealing and affirming them to be true In which act of assent consistes the essence and perfection of diuine and supernaturall fayth By which is apparent both the manner and order how ordinarily God workes true Fayth in euery Christian by these meanes and also how faith is resolued and grounded vpon euery one of these meanes in particuler For if we respect the disposing meanes by which we are prepared to accept of our fayth as credible it dependes vpon the exteriour motiues of credibility and so our fayth is resolued into them dispositiuè If we respect the directing meanes which propose and declare to vs in particuler what we are to belieue our faith depends vpon the authority of the Church and so it is resolued into it directiuè If we respect the efficient meanes by which it is wrought in vs it depends vpon the guift or habit of faith and so is resolued into it effectiué But if we respect the formall meanes and finall resolution why we doe belieue it it depends vpon the diuine reuelatiō of God and so is resolued into it formaliter and finaliter Of which the preparatiue meanes that is the Credible testimonies are precedent to faith and leaue only an human perswasion of the credibility of the verityes The Directiue meanes that is the Churches authority is also precedent exteriourly proposing what in particuler and why we are to belieue The Effectiue meanes that is the habit of faith doth interiourly cōcurre with the Will and Vnderstanding to the act
their owne priuate spirit iudgement and opinion for matters of fayth religion preferring it before the sentence of the whole Church and Pastours of it are Heretikes sinnefull subuerted to be auoided according to S. Paul but such are all those who make their priuate spirit the rule and iudge of their fayth religion and exposition of Scripture as is apparent because neglecting the direction of the spirit of God which directs his whole Church they preferre before it their own priuate spirit which directs themselues therefore are iustly condemned and so to be auoided as Heretikes Out of diuers places of Scripture condemning the relying vpon our owne iudgement SECT VII THE last proofe which I will vse is out of these places of Scripture which as in generall they exhort vs not to be wise in our owne conceit nor to trust in our owne opinion iudgement so in particuler they do condemne this relying of euery man vpon his priuate spirit which is nothing els but his conceit and opinion First the Wiseman sayth Leane not vpon thy owne prudence be not wise in thy owne conceit The way of a foole is right in his owne eyes but he that is wise heareth counsaile There is a way that seemeth to a man iust but the later end thereof leades to death◠I say sayth VVoe to you that are wise in your owne eyes and prudent before your selues Moyses sayth You shall not doe there the thinges that we do heere this day euery man that which seemeth good to himselfe Of all which S. Paul giues a reason and denounceth a punishment because hauing not glorified God they are become vaine in their imaginations and their foolish hart hath beene hardened for saying of themselues that they be wise they are become fooles And to them that are of contention obey not the truth wrath and indignation In the flame of fire giuing reuenge to thē that know not God and that obey not the Ghospell Out of which places I argue thus They who leane on their owne prudence are wise in their owne conceit are vpright in their owne eyes are wise and prudent before themselues doe that which seemes good to themselues say themselues are wise these become vaine foolish contentious hard-harted know not God obey not truth resist the Ghospell and are cursed according to holy Scripture But such are all they who in mysteries of fayth in matters of religion and in expositions of Scripture forsake the direction of the spirit of God promised and giuen to his Church and rely and depend vpon their own spirit or self seeming conceit who by it choose their fayth and vpon it ground their saluation as all Protestants do who are guided by this priuate spirit therefore in this miserable and desperate case of ignorance vanity folly obstinacy and cursednes are all those who in their fayth religion and exposition of Scripture are thus guided directed and instructed by their priuate spirit And if these sayinges of Scripture be verified in affaires morall or domesticall publique or politique which are in the compasse of our naturall iudgement reason of which they are properly vnderstood and in which experience also teaches that they who in any arte science or negotiation most rely vpon their owne iudgement and follow their owne wayes do often commit the greatest errours and fall into the deepest dangers wheras they who are aduised by others and goe the ordinary way doe for the most part proceed more securely and succeed more prosperously Then much more is the verity of them confirmed in mysteries of fayth which are aboue our capacity in verities of religion which are not measured by reason and in explication of Scripture which is a booke sealed and that with seauen seales which none in heauen or earth could open or looke vpon but the Lambe nor any spirit interprete it but that which did make it In all which euery mans proper iudgement must needes be weake and euery ones priuate spirit doubtfull whether it can attaine to the true and proper vnderstanding of them All which is confirmed by the authority of that famous Doctour S. Augustine who sayth Quis mediocriter intelligens non plané viderit c. VVho though of meane capacity doth not plainely see that it is more profitable and secure for the simple to obey the wise then to liue according to ones owne direction and if this course be safer in small matters as in tilling of ground marrying of wiues education of children and ordering of ones family much more it is in religion for humane thinges are more easy to be knowne and in diuine things there is more danger of sinne and offence And againe No science or trade though meane and easy is learned without a Maister what therefore can be more audacious and temerarious then to seeke to vnderstand bookes of diuine mysteries without Interpreters And againe Men to vnderstand a Poet do seeke for a maister Asper Cornutus Donatus and others and darest thou without a guide aduenture vpon the diuine bookes which be full of diuine mysteries as all confesse and darest thou giue thy iudgement or interpretation of them And thus is this priuate spirit defining of fayth decyding of controuersies and determining of religion confuted by authority of holy Scripture expresly confuting and condemning it and the aforesayd function assigned to it He who wil see more testimonies to proue the right Iudge of controuersies and the infallible interpreter of Scripture which are the authority of Gods holy Church and the chiefe Pastours of it let him read Bellarmine where he shall see the practise and testimony of antiquity and the euidence of reason all at large cited for the same THE PRIVATE SPIRITS INTERPRETING OF HOLY SCRIPTVRE AND Iudging of Mysteries and Controuersies of Fayth confuted by the testimony of holy Fathers CHAP. III. WE haue confuted this pretended power and authority of the priuate spirit by the authority of Gods holy Word it remaines that we do the same by the testimony of ancient holy Fathers For which we may note that as S. Augustin alleadging the Fathers before him against the Pelagians sayd That he would not assume to himselfe to alleadge the sentences of all Fathers nor yet all the sentences of them whome he alleadged but some sayings of some few which yet are such as will cause our aduersaries to blush and yield if eyther feare of God or shame of man will ouercome so great an obstinacy in them So we will not vndertake to alleadge either all the Fathers or al the testimonies of those whom we alleadge no more then we haue done al the Prophets or Apostles or all the authorities of them whome we haue cyted which labour in both we leaue to thē who are more expert in both yet I hope we haue collected some and those in euery age such as being wel pondered
persons and the sinners themselues being only as instruments to effect this sinne himselfe only being the chiefe worker of sinne wherby man hath no power but to sinne no meanes of Christs merits to helpe him out of sinne no benefit of vocation faith or grace possible to cure his sinne and so vpon necessity do what he will he must sinne be damned and go to hell for his sins Out of this doctrine which in expresse wordes is Caluins his fellowes follow many absurdityes both in respect of man who sins and is damned also in respect of God who makes him sinne damnes him In regard of man two absurdities follow the one whereby some are made meere polititians and of no Religion at all but libertines of any another wherby others are made desperate without any hope or care of saluation by any meanes in any Religion at all The first absurdity of Politicians is this God from all eternity hath appointed and determined of vs without any respect of vs or our workes whether we shal be saued or damned If we shall be saued he will saue vs if damned he will damne vs both which as he hath decreed without vs so both he will effect without vs. Infallibly therfore as God hath decreed without vs so shal we be saued or damned do what we can What therefore haue we to do with eternity of saluation or damnation VVhat with fayth or Christ the meanes thereunto but leaue that to God and his ordination let vs follow our temporall commodities and imbrace our sensuall pleasures which are in our power let vs cast off all consideration of heauen or hell and leaue that to God as he ordained disposed and reserued to his owne will and power Thus may they reason that consequently out of the former principle and thus haue both Libertins Politicians reasoned and thereupon inferred that with Catholikes they may be a Catholike with Lutherans a Lutheran with Caluinists a Caluinist with Iewes a Iew with Turkes a Turke and so with any may be of any Religion Vpon this ground sprung Atheisme which acknowledges neither any God nor any religion Paganisme which worships many Gods and is of any Religion Samaritans who made a religion mixt of Iewes Gentills Turcisme which obserues a Religion mixt of Iewes Gentills and Christians Libertines in S. Augustines tyme who made no important difference betweene the Religion of Catholikes and Donatists and many both Libertins and Politicians in this tyme who admit saluation in any Religion and profession and thereby inferre and practise a contempt of all piety and religion a liberty of all sinne and dissolution of life and a carelesnesse of heauen all heauenly cogitations All which as fruit of one tree do by necessary sequell follow out of this doctrine of predestination which the priuate spirit inuented Caluin diuulged Machiauell confirmed and the Diuell by all liberty of sinne and rebellion hath increased and propagated The second absurdity which is of men made desperate by this doctrine which is the mother of desperation is this reason and consequence by which they infer thus I am either predestinate or reprobate if predestinate it auails nothing to liue wel or ill because necessarily I shal be saued if reprobate it auailes as litle to liue well or ill because certainly I must be damned necessarily therefore liue I well or ill I must be saued or damned VVhat therefore need I care or do but enioy my lust and liberty sith neither good life can hinder hell or help to heauen if I be reprobate nor bad life hinder heauen or further hell if I be elect if therefore I be reprobate necessarily shall I be damned what hope therefore can I haue of saluation Thus out of this ground did a Religious man of S. Augustines Monastery in his tyme reason by the force therof foorsooke his Cloister returned to the world liued wickedly and dyed desperatly Out of the same motiue did Lewis a Lands-graue in Caesarius tyme liue wickedly and reason thus desperatly If I be predestinate no sinnes can barre me of Heauen if reprobate no good workes can help me to heauen if I be appointed at a certaine day to dy I can neither by good life make longer my life nor by bad life preuent my death And he was in danger to haue dyed thus if a wise Phisitian had not in his sicknesse by this reason cured his soule If your day be come certainly you must dye if not you need not my help Vpon which the Landsgraue yet pressing him for help of phisicke he further inferred If you can preserue your life by phisicke though your day be appointed why can you not saue your soule by Contrition though your end be predestinate By which reason the Landsgraue saw his errour and was brought to Contrition and confession and that perhaps with better successe then if he had answered as a Diuine might and should thus That if you be predestinate to saluation by meanes appointed by God then certainly you shall be saued if you vse and apply those meanes as by Gods grace you may and if you be reprobate and appointed to be damned it is for your sins freely committed then certainly you shal be damned if you commit these sinnes which you may auoid if you will By which solution as a iust man cannot presume so a sinner needes not despaire but both with feâ—re and trembling ought to worke their saluation howsoeuer by God they be predestinate Thirdly It followes because a man is thus by the decree and hand of God necessitated to do what God hath by his immutable and ineuitable will determined and appointed that he hâ—th no freedome of will freedome I say not of grace as iust by which he is freed from the seruitude of all sin nor of glory as blessed by which he is freed from the miseries of this life both which are in the next not in this life but no freedome of nature by which his wil hauing al things prerequired to do may yet freely do or not do No freedome either in things naturall as to speake or to be silent to walke or stand or in things morall as to giue or not giue almes or in things supernaturall as by grace to loue God or not loue him to sinne or not sinne against God No freedome either of contradictioÌ„ or quoad exercitium by which he may do or not do any action as to moue or not moue or of contrariety and quoad specificationem by which he may prosecute any obiect good as to loue his neighbour or bad as to hate him It followes I say that a man hath no freedome or liberty either of contradiction or of contrariety either in things naturall morall or supernaturall And as man hath no freewill at all in any action which both followes from their positions and they grant so it followes that in vaine is all labour in man either to
prayer is as needlesse as to pray for the birth of Christ past or for the day of iudgment to come because euery one by his speciall faith belieues as certainly that his sinnes are forgiuen him as by his generall fayth that Christ was crucified for him as assuredly that he shall perseuer in fayth and come to heauen as that there shal be a day of iudgment and resurrection of his body therefore prayer for the one is as needlesse as for the other Againe if they pray for Gods grace to wash them from sin to keep Gods commandements to auoid concupiscence and lust and to loue God aboue all and not to offend him their prayer is as fruitlesse as to pray for Gods grace to keep them euer being sicke or euer dying or to leape ouer the sea or fly to the starres because according to them the one is as impossible as the other therefore as hopelesse to be obtained by prayer as the other 2. To pray for the preuenting of any euil whether it be malum culpae as sinne or malum poenae as punishment and whether it be punishment temporall as losse of goods affliction of body or death of friends or spirituall as losse of fayth of Gods fauour and of the ioyes of heauen or to pray for the obtayning of any good either temporal as riches health or the life of friends or spirituall as the good of Gods Church the remission of our sinnes and our perseuerance in state of grace or obtaining the kingdome of heauen is both needlesse and fruitlesse because all as well euill as good shall infallibly fall out as God hath according to his owne irrespectiue immutable ineuitable will pleasure decreed and appointed it therefore needlesse it is to pray for the obtaining of good and fruitlesse to pray for the preuenting of euill because both must fall certainly as God hath ordained decreed What end or vse therfore is there of prayer since the euent and the effect will be the same as well without prayer as with prayer all as God without any respect or foreseene consideration of vs or our deserts or prayers or other works hath according to his owne absolute will decreed and appointed to happen to vs. Thirdly willingly to do any act which is belieued and supposed to be a sinne and that mortall deseruing eternall damnation is vnlawfull sinnefull and damnable and so not to be done with a good conscience but such is all prayer euen the best and deuoutest we can vse according to their principles because euery worke euen the good workes of the best persons according to Luther Illyricus Caluin Beza Paraeus VVhitaker Tindall and others are sinnes mortall sinnnes damnable sinnes and nothing but sinne euen in the iust and elect though no more imputed to them then their bad workes of adultery murder c. which they say are not at al imputed to them Therefore all prayer how good or deuout soeuer is a sinne and that mortall and damnable so is vnlawfull sinnefull and damnable and not to be vsed more then swearing lying drinking both being sinnes and neither imputed punished as sinnes in the elect in whome they are couered and both imputed and punished as sinne in the reprobate in whome they are neuer forgiuen All which is confirmed diuers wayes by the expresse wordes first of Luther who affirmes 1. That no man obtaines any thing at Gods hand for any dignity either in his prayer or in himselfe but only by the bounty of God Also which he constantly auouches that the iust man doth sinne euen in praying according to that of Dauid Let his prayer be a sinne 2. By the wordes of Illyricus who affirmes that prayer is no good worke but a begging of wages And of Bucer and Caluin his scholler who both affirme that Christ did not prescribe vs to pray in these very wordes of the Pater noster but shewed to what end and with what affection we should pray 3. By the practise of many Precisians or Familists in England witnesse D. Smyth who vse to protest they will rather dye then say the Lords prayer 4. By the practise of the purer forte of Protestants who haue left off condemne all saying of canonicall houres and deuotion in the Church haue not only turned all publicke praying into preaching neuer vsing any at all in their meetings but also did for example in France pull downe destroy witnesse Richeâ—me in one six monthes no fewer then ten thousand houses of prayer or Churches in 400. Citties which they by rebellion kept froÌ„ their soueraigne King and Prince By all which is apparent not only how little they esteeme either Prayer or houses of prayer but also that according to their grounds all prayer in generall is needlesse and fruitlesse yea sinnefull and damnable and so not to be vsed and practised SVBDIV. 2. In particuler opposing all the seauen Petitions of the Pater Noster IN particuler that by this doctrine is oppugned all euery part and petition of the Pater noster shall likewise be proued For first in the preparation Our Father which art in heauen how can they call or esteeme him a louing Father whome they belieue to be a cruell and vniust iudge who decreed and created them to sinne that for that he might damne them Or what confidence can they haue in the mercy of this Father who is thus rigorous to them in his iustice and more then iustice How can they call or esteeme themselues his children by adoption from whome they receaue no inward grace of iustification How can they call him our Father or the Father of all whome they belieue as a Father to haue predestinated called and giuen meanes only to a few and as a cruell Iudge to haue excluded all the rest and the greatest part of which euery one may iustly feare himselfe to be one from any possibility of vocation grace or saluation How can they expect from him a crowne of glory in heauen of whome they belieue they cannot merit any reward in earth Why should they not feare a heauy hand of iustice yea despaire of any kind of mercy from him who beyond iustice hath proceeded so terribly as to predestinate so many to so great paines as are the paines of hell who had deserued or giuen no cause of any paines at all Who can imagine that God dwelleth in the iust and elect as in the heauens who are so fowly stayned in euery part of their soule with the deformity of all sinne and iniquity that no one part or action of them is cleare and vnstained from sinne Surely they who belieue this of God and his cruelty and of man and his deformity cannot confidently say neither Our Father which imports Gods mercy to man mans confidence in God or VVhich art in heauen which specifyes that as God dwels in the iust so they as the temple of God should be pure
God not only that which was written in paper but also that which was deliuered in preaching by the Apostles We receiue without any addition or diminution that Canon which the auncient Church twelue hundred yeares ago receiued that translation which for as many ages hath been approued that sense which the auncient Fathers Councells and Church euer since Christ allowed that Iudge which hath an infallible warrant from God to iudge truly and impartially of the Canon the text the translation the sense all whatsoeuer is doubtfull And all our practise is to follow the spirit of God speaking in the auncient Fathers Councels Church by which we are secure from errour or falshood about the scripture and sense of it Fifthly For the Church of God they with their priuate spirit dishonor it and derogate from it 1. From the power and authority of it as not hauing according to them any visible head and gouernour assisted with the holy Ghost to direct and gouerne it and to iudge of all causes and controuersies in it and so make it headlesse and vngouerned We honour it in acknowledging it to be a visible and perpetuall Monarchy with a setled and spirituall both Gouernour and gouernement hauing in it an infallible authority to iudge and decide all causes and controuersies 2. They derogate from the visibility perpetuity and infallibility of the same making it not only subiect to errour and corruption but to haue erred and perished or at least become inuisible for many ages We honour it in belieuing that it cannot erre faile perish become inuisible or be corrupted in fayth but that it is the piller of truth against which assisted by the holy Ghost the gates and power of hell and heresy cannot preuaile 3. They derogate from the vnity sanctity vniuersality and succession of the same as notes and markes to distinguish it from all other congregations which they reiect and admit not We reuerence and respect it as one holy Catholike and Apostlike Church which no other congregation is or can be 4. They derogate from the vncontrollable authority stability of the decrees of Councells and from the infallible testimony of the vnanime consent of the Fathers Doctors of the Church both which they at their pleasure censure condemne We receaue imbrace and follow them as guids and directours to truth and as witnesses and testimonies of truth belieuing that which they belieue and reiecting that which they before reiected 5. They derogate from the splendour and beauty of the Church in the state of Prelates in the single life of the Clergy in the retirednesse of the Religious persons in the ornaments of the Churches and in the variety of so many orders and professions all which they reiect condemne as needlesse or superstitious We reuerence and honour the same as tending to the externall honour of God and the magnificence of his Church thereby making the Church beautifull as the Moone elect as the Sunne wel ordered as an Army of men And to cōclude they make the Church the mystery of iniquity a whore a harlot and a strumpet the whore of Babylon drunken with al abominable filth of superstition and abomination of idolatry and antichristianity with which she hath made all the Christian world all Kinges and Emperours and that not for one or two ages but for seauen on ten or twelue or fourteene ages according to diuers opinions drunke with the same cup of superstition abomination idolatry and antichristianity and make it a body consisting of persons whoeuen the best and purest are in all partes and in euery action stayned impure sinnefull vniust and wicked We doe belieue confesse it to be the kingdome the citty the house of God the spouse of Christ the temple of the holy Ghost the pillar of truth which Christ hath purchased washed with his precious bloud made immaculate incontaminate and vnspotted pure holy and perfect before him which no errour of superstition or idolatry can possesse no power of Pagans or Heretikes or Schismatikes or other wicked Christians can suppresse no subtilty of heresy infidelity or Sathan himselfe can supplant destroy or extinguish Sixhtly For the sacraments they from the number of seauen do curtaile fiue and leaue only two and from these two they take away from the one that is baptisme 1. The effect and vertue making it only a signe or seale no cause or instrument of grace and of no more vertue then the baptisme of S. Iohn Baptist 2. They take away all necessity of it making it not needfull for infants whom they will haue saued by the parents faith without it From the other that is the Eucharist they take away both the fruit and the substance of it making it not the reall body and bloud of Christ but only a bare signe and remembrance of it Not any sacrifice offered to God but only a Sacrament signing or sealing grace and therby robbe Christ of all adoration by it as a Sacramēt and of all subiection or acknowledgment of dominion by it as a sacrifice and they robbe the Church of all benifit comfort both by the Sacrament and sacrifice We do admit for seuerall states of persons seuerall sorts of benefits by seauen seuerall kindes of Sacraments all as instruments of Gods power causing grace which assists all sorts of persons in their seuerall states and functions and all excell the Sacraments of the old law For the Sacrament of baptisme we belieue it to be a meanes of regeneration from originall sinne by which all sinne and punishment due to sinne both original actual is fully remitted and by which all persons are admitted into the mysticall body of Iesus Christ in his holy Church and made capable of the benefit of the rest of the Sacraments And for the Sacrament of the Eucharist we belieue that not only i◠conteines the fountaine of Grace but also is offered to God as a sacrifice to apply the vertue of his sacrifice on the crosse for the remission of our sinnes by which is giuen much honour to God and receiued great benefit by Gods Church much comfort to the faithfull both liuing and dead Seauenthly for Faith they and their priuate spirit admit many sorts of faith and in that none at all and make as many faiths as there are priuate spirits in particuler persons and in that destroy all vnity of faith We admit one holy Catholicall and Apostolicall faith one in al and generall to all who in all are directed by one spirit of Gods Church They admit a new and new-deuised faith neuer receiued by any but in some one or other point by condemned hereticks in whom it was condemned We receiue an auncient and euer belieued faith euer receiued and approued by general Coūcells ancient Fathers holy Saints in Gods Church They reiect the grounds of faith as Scripture Traditions Church Councells and Fathers We admit belieue
and rely vpon them all as grounds foundations wheron we ground and build our beliefe They admit none of the necessary meanes of faith neither any common reuelation of God but priuate of their owne spirit nor any proposition of Church but their owne fancies nor any credible testimony and motiues of perswasion to make their beliefe probable nor any habit of faith to assist the vnderstanding in belieuing nor any pious affection to incline their will to assent nor any assent by a diuine supernaturall and Christian faith but by a general and as they call it a fained and diabolicall faith by which they belieue the articles of their faith We do settle and rely by our faith in respect of the obiect reuealed vpon the reuelation of God the proposition of Church the motiues of credibility and in respect of persons belieuing vpon the infused gift of faith the pious inclination of the will by grace and the infallible assent caused by the former diuine helpes and grounded vpon the former infallible foundations as before is at large proued They admit into the vnity of their faith all hereticks and schismaticks collecting and scraping from them all raggs and scraps of broken and condemned opinions and heresies and yet will not admit into the vnity of their inuisible Church any sinners wicked or reprobate persons but all and only the elect and predestinate We reiect from communion of all faith with vs all condemned hereticks and Schismaticks and condemne with the ancient Church them and all their condemned opinions and admit into the externall communion of our Church all those who not cut off by excommunication agree with vs in vnity of Fayth that therein their life and manners may be reformed and amended by the example of others by vertue of Sacraments preaching of the Church and Pastours of the same In all which they and their spirit take from fayth all vnity in it all groundes of it all meanes to it all supernaturall vertue in it all dignity all certainty all necessity and all vertue and efficacy following vpon it and so leaue no more but an human faigned and diabolicall fayth or a shadow of fayth and no theologicall diuine fayth at all All which is contrary in our doctrine of fayth Eightly for Man they by their priuate spirit derogate and take away from him 1. All freedome liberty of wil naturall to him as following vpon his being a reasonable soule and distinguishing him from brute beastes We attribute that freedome by which he concurs with Gods grace and his motions to his owne good and is the authour of his owne euill 2. They take from him all infusion and habits of grace which do giue life beauty and ability to the soule All which we admit both of fayth hope charity and all morall vertues to enable and assist vs in the exercise of all piety 3. They take from him all inward iustification adoption and perfection and leaue him only an exteriour imputation of the same supposing God to account impute him iust but to leaue him sinnefull and vniust We admit in man an inward reall and true iustification sanctification or adoption by grace which inwardly infused and remayning doth expell tâ—ke away sinne renue and reuiue our soule and adopt vs heires to the kingdome of heauen by which God making vs pure and iust doth therefore account and repute vs such 4. They leaue a man after his iustification impure vniust sinnefull and vncleane in all the workes of his soule and in euery action of the same making all the best workes proceeding from him to be sinnefull and hatefull to God and deseruing eternall damnation and so leaue him destitute of any merit or reward We make him pure iust and cleane by grace which doth giue life to the soule as the soule doth giue life to the body and therewith doth impart to it motion vertue beauty and power to do good to please God and to merit a reward at his handes by which man increasing in grace and merit doth also increase in perfection and glory 5. They take from man all benefit all necessity all possibility of doing good workes of keeping Gods law of abstayning from sinne and thereby make him sinnefull as well in doing good as euill as well in refraining as committing euill We attribute to him ability to auoid all sinnes possibility by grace to keep Gods lawes as easy and sweet and to do not only workes of precepts which are commanded but also workes of counsell and supeâ—erogation more then are commanded They take from man all benefit of prayer as of thinges either needlesse which otherwise are certaine and sure to be obtayned or hopelesse as impossible to be done or obtayned by vs and thereby derogate from all vertue and feruour of prayer and deuotion We encourage men to prayer by affirming that God hath made our prayer a meane by which he will and without which he will not dispose many of his benefits to vs and that therefore he will haue vs pray that by our prayer we may obtaine 7. They take from man all feare care and labour for his saluation by their assurance that only fayth iustifyeth and saueth that sayth once had cannot be lost and make him idle carelesse and presumptuous of himselfe by their securing him by speciall fayth of his iustification saluation We do teach him by our doctrine with holy Scripture not to be secure of the propitiation of his sinne but with feare and trembling to worke his saluation by good workes to make his vocation sure and therfore to liue piously to walke warily to watch diligently and to preuent carefully Sathan and his craft In all which they robbe man and leaue him so bare of all benefits either of nature or grace that they leaue him neither liberty of will nor ability or concurrence to do good nor infused grace and guifts to assist him in good to arme him against sinne to giue due honour to God to deserue reward with God to adopt him the child of God or to giue him any encouragement in walking the way of God in treading the path of vertue auoiding the allurements to sinne and the snare of Sathan All which are contrary in vs and in our Catholike doctrine Ninthly For Sinne they and their priuate spirit make not only all actions sinnes but all sinnes mortall and so all actions mortall sinnes and all as well good as bad deseruing damnation and therby in a sort disswade as much from good as from bad actions and make men desperate of doing good and prone to doe all bad Wee make of works some good and some bad and of bad some mortall sins depriuing of grace and glory some veniall not depriuing of grace and yet diminishing the feruour of grace and thereby doe perswade men in due sort to auoid all sinne chiefly mortall sinne and encourage them to do good and
for the faithfull dying before Christ and Purgatory for faithful dying without full satisfaction 2. The locall place and the materiall fier and the reall suffering of the present paines of hell by the soules of the damned and withall that it is a worke good though not the best to auoid sinne for feare of hell In all which we extoll the iustice of God mixt with mercy in punishing al sorts according to their deserts and deterre men from liberty of sinne for feare of punishment in hell And thus we haue in this second part confuted this priuat spirit which in the former part we proued to be the sole and whole ground of the Protestant faith and saluation 1. By authorities of holy Scripture 2. By testimony of auncient Fathers 3. By reasons drawne from the difficulty of discerning spirits 4. By reasons drawne from a right interpreter of Holy Scripture 5. By reasons drawne from an infallible iudge of controuersies of fayth 6. By reasons drawne from the nature and certainty of fayth 7. By Circular absurdities to which this spirit leadeth 8. By Doctrinall absurdities which follow vpon it and the doctrine of it against Fayth and the Creed against Hope and the Pater noster and against good life morall vertues the ten Commandements and all laws of God Church or CoÌ„mon-wealth In which also we haue made plaine how this their doctrine grouÌ„ded vpon this their priuate spirit doth derogate from God and the Blessed Trinity whome it makes the authour of all sinne a sinner lyer dissembler and tyrant the only sinner and a greater sinner then either the Diuell or man doth derogate from Iesus Christ and his birth life passion and resurrection whome it dishonours in making him neither PhisitiaÌ„ Lawyer Iudge Priest or perfect Redeemer or Sauiour but one ignorant impotent sinnefull and damned doth derogate from the Church of God triumphant in heauen which it dishonours in taking from it knowledge charity in Saints and Angels and honour and reuerence to them and from the Church militant on earth which it dishonours in taking from it all authority visibility vniuersality perpetuity or extancy and being vpon earth so many ages How it derogates from fayth which it dishonours in taking from it all groundes whereon it is to be builded all meanes wherby it is to be attained and in making it contradictory rash presumptuous sinnefull and preiudicious to all Hope and Charity How it derogates from man whome it disables depriues of all Free-will of all inherent grace of all good life and workes of all possibility to obey Gods Commandements to abstaine from sinne to merit any reward How it derogates from all morall vertues and good life from which by many principles it doth withdraw withall doth draw to all vice and wickednesse doth giue the reines to all Epicurean liberty and loosenesse In all which the spirit of our Catholike Church and the doctrine of it is shewed to be contrary and to giue duâ— honour to God to Christ to his Saints Angels Church to Fayth Sacraments and the rest And to be a meanes to encourage all Christians to the practise of all vertue and perfection and to auoid all sinne and wickednes All this we haue carefully painefully laboured to performe in this second Part of the treatise of that pri-Spirit THE PROTESTANTS OBIECTIONS and proofes taken out of Scripture for the defence of their priuate Spirits authority to inrerpret Scripture and iudge of Controuersies proposed and answered CHAP. X. Of certaine obseruations profitable for the solution of Obiections SECT 1. HITHERTO we haue battered that I hope sufficiently the maine fabricke of this imaginary edifice of the Protestant priuate spirit It remaines only for this second Part that we raze demolish the foundation vpon which this their conceit of their priuate spirits authority is built and erected that is that we solue the reasons or rather obiections taken out of holy Scripture vpon which they ground their conceit for which we may note that as our Catholike doctrine doth not deny either the being or permanency of the Spirit of God in euery faythfull both person and Doctour for all faythfull by the spirit of God haue faith or the effect and operation of the same in assisting theÌ„ in the finding out of the true sense of holy scripture for neither are the faithful prohibited from all reading nor the learned debarred from all interpreting of holy scripture so there is a great difference betweene the effect and operation of this spirit in the Protestant and Catholicke as well simple as learned as both do chalenge it and rely vpon it For as for better illustration we may obserue in a naturall body and the spirit or soule of man in which comparison we imitate S. Paul the soule or spirit doth giue information or operation to the whole body and euery part thereof yet so that euery member hath not euery operation all members haue not one action but the head one as to iudge the handes another as to worke the feet another as to walke and the mouth is to receaue the belly to containe the stomake to disgest the meat and so it is proper to the eye to see to the eare to heare and to neither to discourse and reason which belongs only to the braine so in the spirituall body of the Church and the faythfull members of it the spirit of God doth assist all and euery one in particuler as well the meanest as the greatest as well the most simple as the most learned VVho are many but one body in Christ yet so that as euery member is different one from another so the operation of euery one is different and not the same but as some are Lay some Ecclesiasticall persons some secular some Religious some simple some learned some common people some Pastours and Prelates so to euery one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the donation of Christ according to the measure of fayth and to euery one for his profit that hauing all gifts according to the grace which is giuen to vs euery one may remaine in the vocation in which he is called wherupon all are not Prophets all are not Doctours all are not Euangelists All are not Iudges of faith and interpreters of holy Scripture though all haue the spirit but God diuiding to euery one as he will giues to some the spirit to heare and obey to others to direct and command to some the spirit to labour and worke by practicall offices to others to contemplate and study by speculatiue functions yet to all so and in that manner that as euery member hath need of another for the eye cannot say to the hand I stand in no need of thy helpe so euery one member hath his gift and the vse and operation of it for the benefite of the whole body with dâ—pendance and subordination to the whole and