1 2 41 Whosoeuer should come to make battle with vs vpon the Sabaoth day c. ibid. Out of the New testament Matthew 7 26 VVHosoeuer heareth these my words doth them not c. se 2. c. 7 p. 25. 11. 3. 4 c. Art thou hee that should come or shall wee looke for another c. sect c. 10. p. 4. 12. 27 By whom then doe your children cast them out c. sect 3. c. 11. p. 4. 12 28 But if I by the Spirit c. ibid. p. 5. 16. 13. 14 15 c. For Iesus when he came vnto the Coasts of Cesarea c. sect c. 7. p. 2. 16 18 Tu es Petrus super hanc petram c. ibid. p. 1. throughout the whole Chapter 16 19 I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen c. sect 3. c. 3. p. 9. 16 22 c. Master bee good to your selfe c. sect c. 2. c. 7. p. 21. 16 23 Then he turned back and said vnto Peter get thee behind me c. ibid. p. 8. 18 15 If thy Brother trespasse against thee dic Ecclesiae sect 2. c. 2. p. 5 21 40 41. 42 c. When therefore the Lord of the Vineyard shal come c. sect 2. c. 7. p. 9. 21. 42. Read you neuer in the Scriptures the stone which the builders c. ibid. 23 2. 3. The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seate c. sect 3. c. 3. p. 1. 23. 29. 30. They builded the tombs of the Prophets c. sect c. 9. p. 4. 23 35. ibid. 26 27 Bibite ex hoc omnes sect 2. c. 4. p. 8. 26 57 They tooke Iesus and led him to Caiaphas c. sect c. 5. par 7. 27 25 All the people answered and said his bloud bee vpon vs c. ibid. 27 64 So shall the last errour be worse then the first c. sect 3. c. 11. p. 22. 26 65 66 What thinke yee And they answered and said he is worthie to die ibid. Marke 6 2 ANd when the Sabaoth was come hee began to teach in the Synagogue c. sect 3. c. 10. p. 5. 7 37 Hee did all things well c. sect 3. c. 11. p. 7. 9. 38. Master we saw one casting out Deuils in thy name c. sec 3 c. 11 p. 4. 13 21 22 If any man say to you loe heere is Christ c. sect 3. c. 10. p. 7. Luke 4 14 ANd Iesus returned by the power of the spirit into Galile c. sect 3. c. 10. p. 5. 4 16 17 c. And hee came to Nazaret where hee had beene brought vp c. ibid. 4. 18. 16 The spirit of the Lord is vpon mee because he hath anonted me c. ibid. 4 23 Then hee said vnto them Ye will surely say vnto me this Prouerb c. ibid. 4 29 30 And rose vp and thrust her out of the Citie c. ibid. 4 34 I know who thou art euen the holy one of God sect 1. 2. c. 7. p. 12. 6 9 Whether is it lawfull on the Sabboath dayes to doe good c. sect 3. c. 1. p. 8. 11 20. But if I by the finger of God cast out Deuils c. sect 3. c. 11. p. 5. 10 16 Hee that heareth you heareth mee c. sect 3. c. 1. p. 13. 16 31 If they heare not Moses c. sect 3. c. 11. p. 21. 22 32 I haue prayed for thee thy faith should not faile c. sec 2. c. 2. p. 1. c. 6. par 1. 2. c. 22 33 Lord I am readie to goe with thee into prison ibid. 22 66 Assoone as it was day the Elders of the people c. sec 3. c. 5. p. 7. 24 25 Fooles and slow of heart in not beleeuing sect 3. c. 12. p 1. 24 27 He began at Moses c. ibid. p. 2. 24 32 Their heartes did burne c. ibid. Iohn 1 18 NO man hath seene God at any time se 3. c. 11. p. 10 1 20 21 Art thou the Christ Art thou Eliah c. sect 3. c. 11. p. 20. 1 25 Why baptizest thou then if thou bee not the Christ c. ibid. 1 29 Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away c. sect 3. c. 11. p. 12. 1 31 And I knew him not but because he should bee declared vnto Israel sect c. 11. p. 20. 1 33 And I knew him not but hee that sent mee to baptize with water c. sect 3. c. 10. p. 5. 1 49 Nathaniel answered and said vnto him Rabbi thou art thâ— sonne of God c. sect 3. c. 11. p. 14. 1 50 Because I said vnto thee I saw thee vnder the figge Tree c. ibid 2 22 Assoone as hee was risen from the dead his Disciples remembred c. sect 3. c. 11. p. 16. 2 24 25. But Iesus did not commit himselfe vnto them c. sect 3. c. 8. p. 3. 3 5 Except that a man bee borne of water and of the Spirit c. sect 4. c. 11. p. 13. 4 3 Euery spirit which confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh c. sect 2. c. 7. p. 13. 4 25 When he is come hee will tell vs all thinges sect 3. c. 11. p. 15. 4 29 Come and see a man that hath tolde mee all thinges c. ibid. 4 42 And they said vnto the woman now we beleeue not because of thy saiyngs c. ibid. 5 22 For the Father iudgeth no man c. sect 3. c. 10. p. 1. 5 43 44 I am in my Fathers name and yee receiue mee not c. sect 3. c. 8. p. 3 5 46 For had yee beleeued Moses you would haue beleeued me c. sect c. 10. p. 3. 6 5 And the bread that I will giue is my flesh c. sect 2. c. 4. p. 12. 10. 6 51 If any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer ibid. p. 11. 10. 6 51 I am the liuing bread that came downe from Heauen ibid. p. 12. 6 53 Vnlesse yee eate the flesh of the sonne of man c. ibid p. 10. 6 54 Whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud ibid. 6 56 Whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwels in me c ibid. 6 58 He that eateth this bred shall liue for euer ibid. 6 14 This is of a truth the Prophet that should come c s 3. c. 8. p. 3. 6 30 What signe shewest thou then that wee may see and beleeue c. sect 3. c. 10. p. 7. 5 68 Thou hast the words of eternall life ibid. 7 18 Hee that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glorie sect 3. c. 14. p. 2. 7 31 Many of the people beleeued in him c sect 3. c. 10. p. 7. 10 40 41 42 And went again beyond Iordan into the place where Iohn c. sect 3. c. 11. p. 12. 11 50 It is expedient for vs that one die c sect 3. c. 5. p. 5. 12 28 Father
or dissent from Reason Conscience and Religion For these so hee will but vouchsafe his silence or attention ioyntly proclaime aloude that nothing amisse either in matter of doctrine or manners can be so detestable with out this presumptuous groundlesse warrant of absolute infallibilitie as with it that albeit a man would set himselfe to practize all particulars directly contrarie to what God hath commanded or to contradict God and his goodnesse yet his iniquitie without this absolute beliefe of full authoritie deriued from him so to doe would be but as a bodie without a soule in respect of the Romish Churches impieties which makes the holy Ghost the principall Author of Gods written word the abettor of all her fraude vntruths or villanies Briefly as it is not the doing of those materials God commands vs to doe but faithfull submission of our wils to his in doing them which as S. Iames instructs vs makes vs true Christians so is it not the doing or maintayning of what God forbids or hates but the doing of it vpon absolute submission of our soules and consciences to other lawes then he hath left which makes men liue members of Antichrist as being animated informed and moued by the spirit of errour Now this perswasion of absolute infallibilitie and vniuersall warrant from the holy spirit without condition or restraint being peculiar to the Romish Church admitting it to be as faultie in practises and as obnoxious to errours as any other none can be reputed so truly Antichristian as it For albeit Mahomet pretended diuine reuelations yet his Priests challenge no such absolute infallibilitie as doth the Pope they make no second Rocks or foundations no ordinarie Pastor equiualent to their great Prophet Whence although the Turkes hold opinions in themselues or materially considered more grosse and maintayne some practices not much lesse villanous then Iesuites doe yet the grounds or motiues of their beliefe which are as the soule or spirit of Religion are nothing so pestiferous nothing so directly opposite to the holy spirit as is this Iesuiticall rule of faith Nor doe they either professe such beliefe in Christ or acknowledge him for a foundation so elect and precious as brings them within the Temple of God within which vnlesse Antichrist sit his contrarietie vnto Christ could not bee so essentiall so immediate or direct as by the rules of sacred Philosophie we are taught it must be Yet I know not whether the indignitie of this doctrine is more apt to affect Diuines or Men rightly religious and fearing God then the sottishnesse of their arguments to perswade it to prouoke the iust indignation of ingenuous Artists which cannot endure though in matters of indifferencie to captiuate their vnderstandings to positions deuoide of sense To require some probabilitie of reason ciuill or naturall is on their part no insolent demand for exchange of Christian faith or aduenturing their inassurance of life eternall in the seruice of meere forrainers whom they neuer saw Yet vnto peremptorie resolutions no lesse dangerous doe Iesuites solicite vs not only without any tollerable shew of probabilitie but quite contrarie to Gods principall lawes and our naturall notions of good and euill as by these labours euery Academique may in part perceiue but more fully if he would vouchsafe to sift more of their arguments then in these short transcursiue disputes I could Nor would I disswade any Artist well grounded in Aristotle from pervsing the most learned workes any Romanist hath written in this argument In most other controuersies betwixt vs and them it is dangerous I must confesse euen for well grounded Artists to beginne with their writings not so in this for I protest in the sight of God and his holy Angels that as farre as I can remember the inclinations of my youth or by them prognosticate how afterwards I might haue beene affected I neuer was I neuer should haue beene so throughly possessed with such great dislike of Romish Antichristianisme in this point by hearing the most famous Preachers in this Land or reading all the learned Writers in reformed Churches as I was by examining the labours of Bellarmine Valentian and others of best nore amongst them seriously addressed to this purpose comparing them only with the known principles of Christianitie and such passages of sacred Writ as euery Christian Artist should be acquainted with For the principles whereon I proceede I haue beene only beholden to the Canon of Scriptures for deducing of such blasphemous consequences from them as I charge the Aduersarie with only to that small measure of knowledge in Aristotelian Philosophie wherewith my God had blessed mee whiles I was bound by locall statutes to the studie of Artes purposely abstaining from other writings which with their informations of my vnderstanding might haue bred preiudice in my affection Since that time although the yeares of my Ministrie hardly exceede the space of ordinarie apprentiships yet haue I often wished the discussion of these points had beene then imposed vpon mee by some experienced Diuine that would only haue giuen me right hold of their assertions Vpon this consideration I would beseech the flourishing Artists of this famous Academie whom God hath furnished with all store of munition necessarie for this seruice not to neglect opportunities present Let them deferre if so they please the fruits of their labours in other points though this be the fault of our English vntill the Autumne of their age But the marke I now propose vnto them being the euident resolution of Iesuiticall positions into those grosse and palpable blasphemies whereto they tend which they only seeke to hide by Sophismes and artificiall tricks of wit Academicall wits might displume them of these figge-tree leaues and manifest their nakednes to the world much better in the spring whiles their skill in artes were fresh and flourishing whiles the strength and vigour of their inuention would more easily bend this way then in the Autumne when their leaues begin to fade and their sap retire to the root as their pleasant grapes grow ripe Many towardly plants in this nurcerie now able to match the stoutest Iesuite liuing at his owne weapon whilest in his mature age multo iam fractus membra labore more fit to be a Leader then a combatant in these encounters he shall looke back on his former labours or cals to minde his wonted dexteritie in Schoole disputes may take vp old Nestors complaint Tunc ego debueram capienda ad Pergama mitti Tunc poteram magni si non superare morari Hectoris arma meis sed in illo tempore nullus Aut puer Hector erat nunc me mea deficit aetas The schoole Iesuite in these studies is like the Iuy alwaies greene because not set to bring forth fruit vnto saluation but rather to choake and strangle the plants of life And for such instruments of the Romish Church as this Land vsually yeelds this wrangling facultie is all the skill they care for or for the
in what subiect soeuer will bee acknowledged in them by these men that dare thus deny a necessity of communicating Christ in both kindes imposed vpon all in these wordes Verely verely I say vnto you except yee eat the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke hisâ— bloud you haue no life in you onely because it is said in the words going before If any man eat of this bread he shall liue for euer Of how much better insight in Scriptures then these graund seers of Rome would blind Homer had he liued in their time haue proued For he neuer denied his fained Gods their Nectar because Ambrosia was an immortall meate And would hee or any man not more blinde in heart and minde then he was of bodily sence collect against Christs expresse wordes that his bloud the true heauenly Nectar was not necessary because his flesh doth strengthen to eternall life especially if hee considered their captious interpollation against whom in that place hee disputes which caused him not to expresse his minde so fully there as elsewhere hee had done albeit afterwards he ingeminates the necessitie of drinking his bloud aswell as eating his flesh in such precise and formall tearmes as if he had euen then bethought himselfe that such Antichristian Spirits as these Trent Fathes might happily dare to elude his most sacred precept by such Satanicall glosses as in that decree they haue done 12 He had told the Iewes asmuch as was pertinent to their obiection that hee was the liuing bread which came downe from Heauen much better then Manna which their Fathers had eaten Bread he called himselfe in opposition vnto Manna not restrayning this to his bodie or flesh onely albeit what he meant by bread he expounds partly by his flesh And the bread which I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the World Besides that bread in the Hebrew Dialect containes all sorts of food the manner of giuing this An brosia was such as did affoord Heauenly visible Nectar too For whilest hee gaue his flesh vpon the crosse hee powred out his bloud withall But the Iewes catch at this speech ere he had expounded his full meaning How can this man giue vs flesh to eate Then Iesus said vnto them verely verely I say vnto you except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you Which wordes considered with the former circumstances to any mans capacitie not infatuation import thus much Doe yee murmur that I should profer you my flesh verily I say vnto you and yee may beleeue me Vnlesse ye drinke my bloud as well as eate my flesh yee haue no life in you For so hee addes my flesh is meate indeede and my bloud is drinke indeed that is both are as necessarie to eternall as meat and drinke to corporall life 13 For these and many like reasons necessarily arising from the text some aswell of their greatest Schollers as best interpretors denie the former places to be meant of Sacramentall eating otherwise vnable to conceiue any possibilitie either of auoiding the inconueniences vrged by vs or of defending their infallible Church from errour in this decree Yet saith the Councell howsoeuer they be vnderstood according to the diuerse interpretations of Fathers they inferre no such necessitie No not if most Fathers as Maldonate contends did hold them to be directly meant of Sacramentall eating Why then did Iansenius and Hesselius renounce the Fathers in this surely to defend their mother whose credit they haue much better saued vpon supposition that these wordes are meant onely of spirituall manducation then Maldonate otherwise acute but most peruersely sottish in his Apologie for this decree hath done And yet to speake the truth the same inconuenience will follow as necessarily though not so perspicuously at first sight albeit we grant them to be meant of spirituall eating primarily For * in that they are meant primarily of spirituall they cannot but be meant of Sacramental eating also seeing these two as elsewhere I haue obserued are not opposite but subordinate Whence if we grant that Christs bloud aswell as his flesh must bee communicated to vs by faith or spirituall manducation the consequence will bee Therefore the cuppe as well as the bread must bee administred in the Sacrament because Christ saith in the institution that the cup is his bloud and the bread his bodie or flesh that is the one is the sure pledge oâ— instrument whereby his flesh the other whereby his bloud which wee must spiritually eate as well in the Sacrament as out of it must bee communicated vnto vs. For as the auncient Fathers haue obserued our Sauiour Christ did in his institution exhibit that vnto vs sensibly which before hee had promised as inuisible so that the precept of eating Christs bodie and drinking his bloud sacramentally doth binde all capable of this Sacrament as strictly as that other of eating his bodie and drinking his bloud Spiritually seeing this latter is the seale and assurance of the other And as our aduersaries acknowledge an absolute necessitie of preâ—pt for eating Christ Sacramentally and Spiritually though that precept concerne not infants so in all reason they should grant an equall necessitie of precept for eating his flesh and bloud distinctly in the Sacrament though this bee not necessarie to all men at all times if without negligence or contempt they cannot be partakers of both For impossibilitie vpon what occasion soeuer not caused through their one default exempts them from that generall precept of eating Christ vnder both kindes as want of yeares or discretion doth children from any iniunction diuine or humane of communicating so much as in one kind For notwithstanding the former precept except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee haue no life in you as peremptorie as any can be for communicating aswell sacramentally as spiritually in both kindes it were vncharitble to mistrust Gods mercie towardes such poore soules as long for the cup of saluation which no man giueth them yea which the Romish Church hath by decree as peremptorie as she could make denied to all the Laitie without exception to al the Cleargie except such as may by a peculiar right challenge his bloud as their owne by way of exchange because they haue made him a bodie which hee had not before 14 Yet is it a small thing with this great whore to depriue the Christian World of the Lords vnlesse shee vrge it instead thereof to pledge her in the cup of Deuils 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 fellow Ministers were stewards of the mysteries of God the vulgar Romane edition renders the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Latine dispensatores and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rightly rendred in this place
sits as God in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God For the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equiualent to the Syriacke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that sence they take it as affording such impregnable supportance or fortification against the powers of hell world or flesh is oftener by their owne vulgar latine rendred Deus then Petra or Rupes which it directly signifies because considered with these circumstances or effects it is rather a glorious title of the god-head or deity it selfe then a particular attribute taken from some diuine propriety communicable to Gods seruants in the abstract 23. Lastly vnto mee their common exposition of Christs speeches vnto Saint Peter suggest this argument more then demoustratiue that the Papacy is led by the spirite of great Antichrist in that no doctrine of Diuels can more directly contradict or more shamefully deny the vertue and power of Christ come in the flesh nor more peremptorily disanull or cancell his promise there made vnto his Church then Iesuiticall comments vpon it doe Christs promise was a promise of life and sauing health a full assurance of eternall happinesse to all that should bee truely built vpon that Rocke which Peter confessed or which they say Peter was They make the tenure of this glorious couenant to be no more but this that Peters successors and such as will builde their faith vpon them speaking ex Cathedra as vpon Rockes inuincible shall be indefectible in points of Christian faith and manners howsoeuer euen these Rockes themselues may be for life and conuersation as wicked as Annas or Caiphas or other blinded guides of the Iewish Sinagogue that crucified our Saniour 24 Thus by a pretended successiue perpetuity of Peters faith they vtterly abolish that liuely faith whereby he confessed Christ which is alway included as a necessary condition without which none be capable of that glorious promise but with it all are made immediate heirs of saluation Or to speake more plainly none may expect the least portioÌ„ of Peters blessing without Peters faith nor can that be in any but such as are borne of God Euery one saieth Saint IOHN that is borne of God ouer commeth the world and this is the victory that ouer commeth the world euen our faith And again who is he that ouer commeth the world but hee which belieueth what Peter had confessed that Iesus is the sonne of God And our Sauiour himselfe to whom his father had giuen power ouer all flesh that hee should giue eternall life to all giuen him by his father tels vs that this life eternall must grow from that root of faith which first did branch in Peters mouth but must be so planted as it grew in him in euery hart endued with sure hope much more in al such as lay challenge to such preheminency or prerogatiue of faith or hope as Peter had This is life eternall that they may know thee sayeth Christ speaking of his Father to bee the onely very God whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ so then God manifested in the flesh was the Rocke of saluation whereupon the Church is built he that rightly knowes and so belieues this truth hath life eternal dwelling in him 25 But shall such a faith as may be seuerd from charity shall such a knowledge of Christ as may bee in them to whom Christ shall say Depart from mee I neuer knew you I say not make any so impregnable a Rocke but so fasten any to that Rocke so impregnable as the gates of hell shall not bee able to dispossesse him of eternall life Whiles wee produce the late cited or other testimonies alike pregnant to condemne the Pontificians for denying Iustification onely by faith they thinke themselues fully acquitted with this solution that our assurance of saluation relies not vpon faith as alone but as it is the foundation of charity and accompanied with other christian vertues We neuer taught as shall be shewed in that controuersie that faith vnlesse thus attended could with true confidence plead cur cause before God which yet though thus at tended it onely pleades But here our aduersaries must be contented to take their payment in their own coine For if no man can bee iustified or made heyre of saluation it is vnpossible any should bee a liuely stone or liuing member much lesse a supreame head or sure foundation of that spirituall house alwaies victorious ouer death and hell without a faith so appointed as in the former case they require without a faith as clearely testifying Christ dwelling in men by workes flowing from it as their edification vpon him by an Orthodoxal forme of words Whosoeuer is destitute of a faith thus bearing fruit vnto saluation is so farre from being a Rocke or sure foundation for others to build vpon that hee himselfe if we may belieue our Sauiour buildes all hâ—s hopes vpon the sand Whosoeuer heareth these my words and doth them not shall bee likened vnto a foolish man which hath builded his house vpon the sand the rain fell and the stoudes came and the winds blew and beat vpon that house and it fell and the fall thereof was great Not euery one therefore that saieth vnto our Sauiour as Peter did thou art the Christ the sonne of the liuing God but he that expresseth his faith and hope by works answerable to Christs conuersation in the flesh and his fathers will shall enter into the kingdome of heauen because hee onely is built vpon that Rocke which the floud-gates of hell cannot vndermine or ouerthrow For whosoeuer sayeth our Sauiour heareth of mee these words and doeth the same I will liken him to a wise man which builded his house on a rocke And the raine fell and the floudes came and the winds blew and beat vpon that house and it fell not for it was grounded vpon a Rocke 26 Let the Iesuite either produce any heresie broached since our Sauiours Incarnation or frame a conceite of any but Logically possible before his comming vnto iudgement which in outward profession not disclaiming the former maine foundation of christianity God manifested in the flesh can indeed and issue more euidently ouerthrow it more distinctly contradict either those fundamentall precepts of saluation last cited or more fully euacuate the often mentioned promise made vnto Saint Peter then the foundation of Romish religion as Romish doth and I will doe publike pennance in sacke-cloth and ashes for laying the imputation of Antichristianisme vpon it Our Sauiour saith whosoeuer heareth these words and doth them not doth build his house vpon 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 infallability confirmed by his plenary power doe alwaies build vpon the same Rocke as Peter did yea that the Pope himselfe how wicked soeuer is that very Rocke whereupon the Church that is in their language the Bishoppes thus
of the Messias did a many of that City conceiue faith from the womans report but moe because of his own words And they said vnto the woman Now we belieue not because of thy saying for wee haue heard him our selues and know that this is indeed the Christ the Sauiour of the world From the like but more liuely experience of his discouering secrets did his Disciples make that confession Now know wee that thou knowest all things and needest not that any man should aske thee By this we belieue that thou art come out from God 16 The manifestation of this Propheticall spirit did giue life vnto his greatest miracles in working faith for his Disciples belieued in him after his resurrection because he had foretolde his reedefying the temple in three dayes space Which speech of his the foolish Iewes not knowing his body to bee the true temple wherein their God did dwell after a more excellent manner then betweene the Cherubins take as meant of the materiall Temple which had beene 46. yeeres in building But saith Saint Iohn Assoone as he was risen from the dead his Disciples remembred that he thus said vnto them and they belieued the Scripture and the word which Iesus had said Nor did they compare these two together by chance for our Sauiour often inculcated this Methode as of purpose to imprint the former oracle of Isaiah in their hearts To assure them of his going to his father he expresly tels them Now I haue spoken vnto you before it come that whē it is come to passe yee might belieue Foretelling the persecution of his Disciples he addes These things haue I told you that when the howre shall come ye might remember that I told you them That glory likewise which God had professed hee would not giue to any other he foretels should bee giuen him and so demands it as if He that did glorifie and He that was glorified were both one Father Glorifie thy Name Then came there a voice from heauen saying I haue both glorified it and will glorifie it againe How had hee glorified it before By glorifying this great Prophet who did fully expresse but farre exceede Moses in all thinges wherein former Prophets did resemble him but came farre short of him When was hee so glorified At his transfiguration vpon Mount Tabor which none without sacrilegious impiety could haue foretolde as likely to befall himselfe saue hee alone that had not as Moses onely seene the similitude of the Lord but being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to bee equall with him Yet this Prophet of whom we speake though like to his Brethren in shape and substance to assure them hee should come in the glory of his father foretelles his Disciples that some of them should not die vntill they had seene the Kingdome of God come with power which was accomplished in that transfiguration where as Saint Peter witnesseth He receiued of God the father honour and glory when there came such a voyce vnto him from the excellent glory This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased Yea so wel pleased as for his sake the world might henceforth know how ready he was to heare all that through faith in his name should call vpon him euen such as had displeased him most For this cause the Codicill annexed to the diuine will and Testament here signified immediately after to be sealed with the blood of this best beloued soune was that reciprocall duety before intimated in the Law Heare him as is specified by three Euangelists For more publike manifestation of his Maiesty as then reuealed but to a few was that glorious commemoration of it lately mentioned celebrated againe in the audience of the multitude This voice saith our Sauiour came not because of me but for your sakes And in that place againe after his wonted predictions of things should after come to passe as of his victory ouer death he testifies aloud to all the people that he was the great Prophet foretold by Moses sweetly paraphrasing vpon his words And Iesus cried and said He that belieueth in me belieueth not in mee but in him that sent me And if any man heare my words and belieue not I iudge him not for I came not to iudge the world but to saue the world Hee did not accurse such as would not acknowledge his authority or derogated from his person or miracles nor needed he so to do for he that refuseth him and receiueth not his words hath one that iudgeth him the word which he had spoken it shall iudge him in the last day This was that which Moses had said And whosoeuer will not hearken vnto my words which he the great Prophet shall speake in my Name I will require it of him to wit in the last day of accompts For I haue not spoken of my selfe but the Father which sent me hee gaue me a commandement what I should do and what I should speake And I know that his commandement is life euerlasting the things therefore that I speake I speake them so as the Father said vnto me VVhat is this but that speech of Moses improued to it ful value according to the circumstances and signes of those times and as it concerned the Lord and Prince of Prophets I will raise them vp a Prophet frō among their brethren like vnto thee and will put my wordes in his mouth and hee shall speake vnto them all that I shall commaund him 17 This being the last conference our Sauiour was willing to entertaine with the Iewes this his last farewell giuen in Moses words warrants mee to construe that speech of S. Iohns though hee had done so many miracles before them yet belieued they not on him as I haue done the like before to wit that not his miracles considered alone but with Mosaicall and Propheticall writings or common notions of the Messias thence conceiued or especially as they concurred with his owne predictions did immediatly condemne the Iewes Vnder the name of workes his words are comprehended such at the least as foretell his admirable works or in generall all those solemne inuocations of his Fathers name in such predictions as had hee not beene the sonne of God would rather haue brought speedy vengeance from heauen vpō his head then such glorious testimonies of his Diuinity And to me our Sauiour seemes to call his very words works in that speech to Philip Beleeuest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me the words that I speake vnto you I speake not of my self but the father that dwelleth in mee hee doth the workes Howsoeuer as all the workes of God were created by this eternall word so did his words giue life vnto his greatest workes his Diuinations were to his miracles as his humane soule was to his body And no question but the conception of their faith
the sanctuary But iust in this manner doth the Mimicall Iesuite reply to the former truth I demaund saith he whether the Doctour would approue this consequence Paul preaching to the Athenians confirmed his Doctrine with the testimonie of the Poet Aratus and the Athenians had done well if they had sought whether Aratus had said so or no therefore all Doctrines must be iudged by Poets But what if the Beraeans practise considered alone or as Iesuites doe Scriptures onely Mathematically doe not necessarily inferre thus much The Learned Doctors charitable minde would not suffer him to suspect any publique professor of Diuinitie as Sacroboscus was could bee so ignorant in Scriptures as not to consider besides the different esteeme of Prophets and Poets amongst the Iewes what Saint Paul had else where expressely said I obtained helpe of God and continue vnto this day witnessing both vnto small and great saying none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Vnlesse he could haue proued Christs resurrection other articles of Christian faith out of Moses and the Prophets the Iewes exceptions against him had beene iust For they were bound to resist al Doctrines dissonant to their ancient ordinances especially the abolishment of Rites and Ceremonies which Paul laboured most as knowing the Lawgiuer meant they should continue no longer then to the alteration of the Priesthood but in whose maintenance his adversaries should haue spent their bloud whiles ignorant they were without default of the Truth Paul taught as not sufficiently prooued from the same authority by which their lawes were established Nor was any Apostle either for his miracles or other pledges of the Spirit that hee could communicate vnto others to bee so absolutely beleeued in all things during his life time as Moses and the Prophets writings For seeing the gift of miracles was bestowed on hypocrites or such as might fall from any gifts or grace of the spirit they had though the spectators might beleeue the particular conclusions to whose confirmation the miracles were fitted yet was it not safe without examination absolutely to rely vpon him in all thinges that had spoken a diuine truth once or twice In that he might be an hypocrite or a dissembler for ought others without euidence of his vpright conuersation and perpetuall consonance to his former Doctrine could know he might abuse his purchased reputation to abet some dangerous errour Nor doe our aduersaries though too too credulous in this kinde thinke themselues bound to beleeue reuelations made to another much lesse to thinke that he which is once partaker of the Spirit should for euer bee infallible Vpon these supporters the forementioned Doctours reason which the Iesuite abuseth to establish the Churches authoritie stands firme and sound I absolutely belieue all to be true that God saith because hee saith it nor doe I seeke any other reason but I dare not ascribe so much vnto man least I make him equall to God for God alone and hee in whom the Godhead dwelleth bodily is immutably iust and holy Many others haue continued holy and righteous according to their measure vntill the end but who could be certaine of this besides themselues no not they themselues alwayes And albeit a man that neuer was in the state of grace may oft times deliuer that Doctrine which is infallible yet were it to say no worse a grieuous tempting of God to rely vpon his Doctrine as absolutely infallible vnlesse we know him besides his skill or learning to be alwayes in such a state Though both his life and death bee most religious his Doctrine must approue it selfe to the present age and Gods prouidence must cōmend it to posterity Nor did our Sauiour though in life immutably holy for doctrine most infallible assume so much vnto himselfe before his ascension as the Iesuits giue to the Pope For he submitted his doctrine to Moses the Prophets writings And seeing the Iesuits make lesse acount of Him then the Iewes did of Moses it is no maruell if they be more violently miscaried with enuious or contemptuous hatred of the Diuine truth it selfe then the Iewes were against our Sauiour or his doctrine These euen whē they could not answere his reasons drawn from scriptures receiued though most offēsiue to their distemperate humor were ashamed to cal Moses the prophets authority in questiō or to demand him how do ye know God spake by thē Must not the Churches infallibility herein assure you and if it teach you to discerne Gods word from mans must it not likewise teach you to distinguish the diuine sense of it from humā This is a straine of Atheisme which could neuer finde harbor in any professing the knowledge of the true God before the brood of Antichrist grew so flush as to seeke the recouery of that battaile against Gods Saints on Earth which Lucifer their Father and his followers lost against Michael and his holy Angels in Heauen CHAP. XV. A briefe taste of our aduersaries blasphemous and Atheisticall assertions in this argument from some instances of two of their greatest Doctours Bellarmine and Valentian That if faith cannot be perfect without the solemne testification of that Church the raritie of such testifications will cause infidelitie 1 FOR a further competent testimonie of blasphemies in this kinde wherewith wee charge the Church of Rome let the Reader iudge by these two instances following whether the Christian world haue not sucked the deadliest poyson that could euaporate from the infernall lake through Bellarmines and Valentians pennes Valentian as if he meant to outflout the Apostle for prohibiting all besides the great pastor Christ Iesus for being Lords ouer mens faith will haue an infallible authoritie which may sit as Iudge and mistresse of all controuersies of faith and this to be not the authoritie of one or two men deceased not peculiar to such as in times past haue vttered the diuine truth either by mouth or pen and commended it vnto posteritie but an authoritie continuing in force and strength amongst the faithfull throughout all ages able perspicuously and openly to giue sentence in all controuersies of faith Yet as these Embassadors of God deceased cannot bee Iudges shall they therefore haue no saye at all in deciding controuersies of faith You may not thinke a Iesuite would take Iesus name in vaine he will neuer for shame exclude his Master for hauing at least a finger in the gouernment of the Church Why what is his office or what is the vse of his authoritie registred by his Apostles and Euangelists Not so little as you would weene For his speeches amōgst others that in their life time haue infallibly taught diuine truthes by mouth or pen may be consulted as a witnesse or written law in cases of faith but after a certaine sort and manner eyther to speake the truth or somewhat thereto not impertinent as shal bee declared in due place The place he
both meanes of accomplishing Natures or rather the God of Naturs purpose in whose will or pleasure the finall cause of any naturall effect alwayes consists And seeing nothing in Nature can preoccupate his will no cause can be precedent to the finall This consideration of natural effects tending as certainly to their proposed end as the arrowe flyes to the marke caused the irreligious Philosopher to acknowledge the direction of an intelligent supernaturall agent in their working the accomplishment of whose will and pleasure as I said must bee the finall cause of their motions as his will or pleasure which bestowes the charges not the Architect vnlesse he be the owner also is the finall cause why the house is built Finally euery end supposeth the last intention of an intelligent agent whereof to giue a reason by the efficient which onely produceth works or meanes thereto proportioned would be as impertinent as if to one demaunding why the bell rings out it should bee answered because a strong fellow puls the rope 7 Now that which in our aduersaries Doctrine answeres vnto the cause indemonstrable whereinto finall resolution of Natures workes or intentions of intelligent agents must be resolued is the churches authoritie Nor can that if wee speake properly be resolued into any branch of the first truth for this reason besids others alleadged before that all resolutions whether of our perswasiōs or intentions or of their obiects works of Art or Nature suppose a stability or certainty in the first links of the chaine which wee vnfolde the latter alwayes depending on the former not the former on the latter As in resolutions of the latter kinde lately mentioned imitating the order of composition actuall continuation of life depends on breathing not breathing on it breathing on the lunges not the lunges mutually on breathing so in resolutions of the other kind which invertes the order of composition the vse or necessitie of lunges dependes vpon the vse or necessitie of breathing the necessity or vse of breathing vpon the necessity or vse of life or vpon his will or pleasure that created one of these for another Thus againe the sensitiue facultie depends vpon the vital that vpon mixtion mixtion vpon the Elements not any of these mutually vpon the sensitiue faculty if wee respect the order of supportance or Natures progresse in their production Whence hee that questions whether some kinds of plants haue sense or some stones or mettals life supposeth as vnquestionable that the former haue 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 dpend on the sensitiue the sensitiue not on any of them For God would not haue his creatures indued with sense that they might liue or liue that they might haue mixt bodies but rather to haue such bodies that they might liue to liue that they might enioy the benefit of sense or the more noble faculties 8 Can the Iesuite thus assigne any determinate branch of the first truth as stable and vnquestionable before it be ratified by the Churches authoritie Euident it is by his positions that he cannot and as euident that beliefe of the churches authority cannot depend vpon any determinate branch of the first truth much lesse can it distinctly be thereinto resolued But contrariwise presse him with what Diuine precept soeuer written or vnwritten though in all mens iudgements the churches authoritie set aside most contradictory to their approoued practises for example That the second Commaundement forbids worshipping Images or adoration of the consecrate host he straight inuerts your reason thus Rather the second commandement forbids neyther because the holy Church which I beleeue to bee infallible approueth both Lastly hee is fully resolued to beleeue nothing for true which the Church disproues nothing for false or erroneous which it allowes Or if he would answere directly to this demaund To what end did God cause the Scriptures to be written He could not consonant to his tenents say That wee might infallibly rely vpon them but rather vpon the Churches authoritie which it establisheth For Gods word whether written or vnwritten is by their Doctrine but as the testimonie of some men deceased indefinitely presumed for infallible but whose materiall extent the Church must first determine and after wards iudge without all appeale of their true meaning Thus are all parts of Diuine truthes supposed to be reuealed more essentially subordinate to the Churches authoritie then ordinary witnesses are to royall or supreme iudgment For they are supposed able to deliuer what they know in termes intelligible to other mens capacities without the Prince or Iudges ratification of their sayings or expositions of their meanings and iudgment is not ordained for producing witnesses but production of witnesses for establishing iudgement Thus by our aduersaries Doctrine Gods word must serue to establish the Churches authority not the Churches authority to confirme the immediate soueraigntie of it ouer our soules 9 Much more probably might the Iew or Turke resolue his faith vnto the first truth then the moderne Iesuited Papist can For though their deductions from it be much what alike all aequally sottish yet these admit a stabilitie or certainty of what the first Truth hath said no way dependant vpon their authority that first proposed or commended it vnto them The Turkes would storme to heare any Mufti professe he were as well to be beleeued as was Mahomet in his life time that without his proposall they could not know eyther the olde testament or the Alcoran to bee from God So would the Iewes if one of their Rabbines should make the like comparison betwxit himselfe and Moses as the Iesuite doth betwixt Christ and the Pope who besides that hee must bee as well beleeued as his Master leaues the authority of both testaments vncertaine to vs vnlesse confirmed by his infallibility But to speake properly the pretended deriuation of all three heresies from the first truth hath a liuely resemblance of false petigrees none at all of true doctrine and resolutions Of all the three the Romish is most ridiculous as may appeare by their seuerall representations As imagine there should be three Competitors for the Romane Empire all pleading it were to descend by inheritance not by election all pretending lineall succession from Charles the Great The first like to the Iew alleageth an authentique petigree making him the eldest The second resembling the Turke replyes that the other indeede 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 pleades it was bequeathed him by the Emperours last wil and testament from whose death his Ancestors haue beene intitled to it and produceth a petigree to this purpose without any other confirmation then his owne authority adding withal that vnlesse his competitors and others will beleeue his
a chiefe messenger of the Lord of Hostes but in an extraordinarie efficacie of his ordinarie Apostle-ship In what respect then was his ordinarie Ministerie or Apostles-ship so extraordinarily powerfull In respect of the vniuersall Church throughout all ages of the Iewish Synagogue for the time being onely S. Paul confutes the former as euidently as he plainly auoucheth the later When they saw the Gospell ouer the vncircumcision was committed vnto me as the Gospell ouer the circumcision was vnto Peter For he that was mightie by Peter in the Apostle-ship ouer the circumcision was also mightie by me toward the Gentiles Iames and Cephas and Iohn which were counted to bee pillars knew of the grace that was giuen vnto me they gaue to me and to Barnabas the right handes of fellowship that wee should preach vnto the Gentiles and they vnto the circumcision 5 Here the lesse in speech I amplifie the more in heart and mind I tacitely admire the vnspeakeable power wisdom of our God that by the extraordinarie offences or infirmities of one or two cause firmely establish the faith of all his Saints Albeit hee vsed the Ministerie of euery other Apostle in reconciling the world vnto himselfe yet Paul and Peter were as the two principall intermediate elements proportioned and qualified of purpose for the more apt connecting this mixt inferiour Globe with the Heauenly Sphere the sonnes of men with the sonne of God the one by symbolizing with the Iew the other with the Gentile in his sinne both with Christ in true wisedome in all good gifts and graces of the spirit Saint Paules offences against God manifested in the flesh haue the same proportion to Saint Peters that the ignorance infidelitie or idolatrie of the Gentiles had with the Iewes delinquencie or Apostacie from the God of their Fathers Saint Paul had not known our Sauiour in the flesh ignorant of his wisedom in teaching or power in working and in his ignorant zeale vnto Moses and the Law did persecute his followers and disciples after his resurrection hereby made a â—itter Symbole for reconciling the Gentiles vnto God whom they had not knowne vsually misled in a blind deuotion to their dumbe Idols and traditions of their elders to hate and persecute the Iewes the onely professors of true Religion the onely seruants till that time of the euerliuing God Saint Peter had long conuersed with our Sauiour heard him teach as neuer man taught seene him doe what no man else could euer doe his eyes had beheld the brightnesse of his excellent glorie and out of his apprehension of his Deitie hee had professed more then ordinarie loue Lord I am readie to goe with thee into Prison and to death yet when he comes vnto his triall flartly denies that euer hee knew him hereby more fitly qualified for recouering the backsliding Apostaticall Iewes who had knowne the Lord and all the wonders which he had wrought for Israel they had professed such loue and loyaltie to him as no people could doe no more vnto their Gods posteritie still retaining the protestations of their Religious fathers All this is come vpon vs yet doe we not forget thee neither deale we falsely concerning thy couenant Our hearts not not turned backe neither our steppes gone out of thy pathes Surely for thy sake are we slaine continually and are counted as Sheep for the slaughter Yet when hee came in the similitude of man to exact obedience and a leageance at their handes they will not know him but as Samuel had foretold cast him off from raigning ouer them and openly protest against him Wee haue no King but Caesar 6 Answerable to this obseruation is the successe of their Apostleship registred by the Euangelist We neuer read so manie Iewes at once so throughly conuerted by our Sauiour or so seriously affected with his Doctrine in his life time as with that memorable sermon of Saint Peter The manner of his reiterated appellations Yee men of Iudea and yee all that inhabit Ierusalem ye men of Israel Men and Brethren of mentioning Gods promises made to them and to their children of his reply his earnest beseeching and exhorting them that had appealed ioinctly to him and the other Apostles argue these were the brethren he in particular was enioyned to conuert confirme strengthen And like a skilful Surgeon that knew by his own recouery how to pricke their consciences without giuing them a deadly wound he presseth them in the last place with crucifying the Lord of glory The mention whereof had beene enough in anothers iudgement to haue mooued them to dispaire but this comforter knew by experience that to be throughly toucht in heart as he had beene for such foule offences past was the readiest way to that true repentance which he found and such repentance the surest holdfast of liuely faith But he that was thus powerful in the circumcision became a stone of offence vnto the Gentiles with whom he had to deale at Antioch For by his tripping in an vncouth way as being out of his naturall element hee made them stumble iustly reproued for his amphibious conuersation with men of tempers so contrarie by Saint Paul vnder whose hand the edification of the Gentiles did better prosper Yet hee nothing so powerfull in conuerting the Iewes though his zeale towardes them was no lesse then Saint Peters was his endeuours to sow the seed of life in their hearts as great but with small hope of seeing any fruit of his labours But it will bee worth the Readers paines I am perswaded to obserue that albeit hee presse the Iewes at Antioch with the very same arguments but more forcibly and artificially framed wherewith Saint Peter had conuerted so many yet is enforced to make a contrarie conclusion Peter concludes in hope prognosticating successe Amend your liues and be baptized euerie one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and yee shall receiue the gifts of the Holy Ghost For the promise is made vnto you and to your children And the same day were added to the Church about three thousand soules Saint Paul for conclusion takes his farewell of them as no part of his peculiar charge onely telles them it was his and his fellow Barnabas dutie to admonish them Then Paul and Barnabas spake boldly and said It was necessarie that the word of God should first haue beene spoken vnto you but seeing you put it from you and iudge your selues vnworthie of euerlasting life loe we turne to the Gentiles For so hath the Lord commanded vs saying I haue made thee a light of the Gentiles that thou shouldest bee the saluation vnto the end of the World And when the Gentiles heard it they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained vnto eternall life beleeued Thus the Word of the Lord was published thoughout the whole Countrie But the Iewes stirred certaine deuout and honourable
women and the chiefe men of the Citie and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them out of their Coâ—sts 7 Thus it is as true of graces as natures ordination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the power efficacy of Christs chiefe Apostles is restrained vnto their proper and limited Sphere God alwayes blessing those endeuours best that are imployed within the precincts of that peculiar charge whereto hee apoints vs. By that which hath beene said it may appeare that Saint Peters and Saint Paules prerogatiues how great soeuer were both personall to expire with themselues although a title of supremacie ouer the Gentiles might be pretended with much greater probabilitie from S. Paul then from S. Peter whose peculiar charge was the Iew as may be yet further manifested by the place most vrged for his his Successors oecumenicall iurisdiction bequeathed as the Romanists suppose in these words Peter feed my laÌ„bes Peter feed my sheep c. 8 But the naturall circumstances of that place compared with the late exposition of the former deads all their blowes thence intended against vs ere they can rightly frame themselues to fetch them A little before these wordes were vttered desirous to approoue his excessiue loue to our Sauiour and manifest more then an ordinrie desire of his companie that had appeared vnknowne vnto him but from Iohns notification girt his coat about him and cast himselfe into the Sea whiles the other Disciples not aboue two hundred Cubits from Land came by ship to meet him After a short dinner passed as the text seemes to insinuate in silence at least not entertained with such varietie of discourse as might either interrupt some priuate intimation made to Peter of future conference or put the former occasion of this following exhortation out of the other Apostles memorie our Sauiour enioynes Simon the sonne of Iona to feed his Lambes againe and againe to feed his Sheep He see him then like a louing Souldier desirous by his aduenturous approach vnto him to recouer his formerr reputation much impaired by denying him Whether our Sauiour checke or cherish this desires I question not much lesse determine His speeches with the former circumstances import thus much Thou hast made profession of more then ordinarie loue vnto mee of readinesse to lay downe thy life for my sake though all others euen these thy fellowes should forsake me willing I see thee by thy present hazard of it to make thy former wordes good But wouldest thou haue mee yet to shewe thee a more excellent way I haue tolde thee it long since thou art conuerted strengthen thy Brethren SIMON the Sonne of IONA if thou desire to prooue thy selfe a CEPHAS or testifie the sincerittie of thy faith and loue which by the powers of darkenesse were of late so grieuously shaken feed my Lambes feed my sheepe yea seeing thou thrice deniedst the Shepheard of thy soule I say vnto thee the third time feede my sheepe Let the memorie of thy forepassed threefolde sinne also let this same my present threefolde admonition excite thee vnto triple diligence in thy charge to shew such pittie and compassion as I haue shewed to thee vnto that lost and scattered Flocke which haue denyed mee or consented to my crucifying Let thy faithfull performance of what I request thee at my farewell bee the first testimonie of thy loue to mee to be lastly testified by the losse of thy life which thou didst promise mee when I gaue mine for my sheep but shalt not pay vntill thou hast fulfilled this my request Verily verily I say vnto thee when thou wast yong thou girdest thy selfe and walkedst whither thou would but when thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thine hands and another shall gird thee and leade thee whither thou woulddest not 9 But here Bellarmine alwayes exceeding wittie either to elude Scriptures whose naturall meaning is euidently against him or to collect a gulling sence from such as nothing at all make for him would inferre that the possessiue My necessarily referres Peters charge or iurisdiction vnto all the flocke that called Christ their Lord owner For seeing after his resurrection there was but one Fold for this great Shepheard to say My sheepe could not distinguish one sort from another and therefore none to be exempted from Peters ouersight But the Flocke though one in respect of the owner which had purchased all with one price did consist of sheep much different in breeding and retaining their seuerall markes some were of the circumcision others of the vncircumcision the former had beene our Sauiours peculiar charge in his life time for he was not sent but vnto the lost-sheep of Israel these he might with note of distinction call My sheepe As if a Shepheard raised to better fortunes should purchase a great many more sheep then hee was wont to looke to himselfe and referre both sorts to seuerall keepers though both to Fold together in the euening he might Signanter say to the one looke well to my sheep though both Flockes were his by right of possession but onely the one his by a peculiar relation of former charge or ouer sight And thus as we haue said before the Iewes were committed peculiarly to Saint Peters care Albeit consonantly to the former exposition of both places alleadged our Sauiour by My sheepe might onely intimate his tender care ouer his flocke without distinction that Peter might more carefully feed as many as he could personally looke to seeing the proofe of his loue to his Lord and Master and of his fidelitie which had failed did consist herein As for Bellarmines other collections that our Sauiour by mentioning his sheep should meane Prelates or Superiours by his little sheep so their vulgar distinguisheth inferiour pastors by his lambes mere Layickes such as haue Fathers but no children in Christ they onely proue that in this light of the Gospell there is a generation of men professing Christianitie yet as apt as grossely to transforme Christs Spirituall loue as the Heathen did his fathers glorie into the similitude of their carnall corrupt affections 10 If it may stand with Christian sobrietie so precisely to determine of particular differences implied in these words it is most likely our Sauiour meant to include all sorts of people according to the different care their diuers estates required some were to be tenderly handled and cherished like lambes others to be lookt vnto like elder sheep and to be fed with stronger meate but with lesse personall or assiduous attendance There is no one kind of argument perswades me more the Romish Church is led by the Spirit of errour then whiles I obserue how they still approoue themselues to be Peters successors in denying Christ and going the wrong way vnto the truth of the Gospell alwayes like vngracious children seeking to enter vpon the inheritance bequeathed without performance of what the Testator principally required Our Sauiour requested Peter in
as others might bee framed by their patterne and them iointly fastned to it This was Peters prerogatiue vnto whom the keyes are first giuen as vnto the first of all the faithfull that had passed this gate power by them to admit as many as were to exclude al that were not fashionable to this Rocke and corner stone 4. Seeing then neither the Apostles then thought nor can any man yet conceiue that Peter could be an extraordinary stone or second foundation in the aedifice there spoken of but must withall admit Christ to be the chiefe corner stone or surest fundamētal rocke I would appeale to my aduersary in his sober mood to any not actually drunken with the Babylonish cup vnto whether foundation vnto what stone the principall or lesse principall these words and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church must be referred Wee must iudge of the foundation by the aedifice and of the aedifice by the attribute Now as there is no one title wherein the spirit doth more delight to expresse the strength and praises of the liuing God then this of Rocke so was there neuer any more puissant effect attributed to any Rocke then the eternall stability of this aedifice What Saint Paul sayth of the foundation I may truly say of the aedifice and the attribute Another aedifice more strong then this Church can no man build no attribute can be imagined more glorious then this That the gate of hell shall neuer preuaile or as Maldonate more fully expresseth the maiesty of the Hebraisme shall not be able to stand against it or confront it To ascribe the supportance of such a structure to the strength of Peters faith not as it was in him onely but as it is perpetually propagated to his successors is to impeach him of disloyalty and rob Christ of his greatest glory For euen such as plead for this prerogatiue in Peters successors confesse that this they giue to Peter is our Sauiours most vsuall stile we may with the Prophet demand Who is the Rocke besides our God The Lord is the Rocke of our saluation of such saluation as the gates of Hell cannot oppugne the same he is the Lord our Rocke and our Redeemer 5. The former interpretation will yet further approue it selfe to be most consonant to the generall analogie of faith most natiue to the place before alleaged and in respect of Romish glosses such as is the Church of Christ vnto the gates of Hell or the Arke of olde vnto Dagon if we obserue what is most frequently and perspicuously taught in other Scriptures pertinent to the maine point in controuersie First that the immediate subiect of Peters confession Goa incarnate or dwelling as S. Paul speaks bodily in Christ is presupposed by all sacred writers as the great mystery of mans redemption the fundamentall Rock of saluation Secondly that all and only they which in sincerity of heart conceiue and with stedfast perseuerance retaine this confession which Peter made are true and liuely parts of that aedifice which the Sonne of the liuing God here promised to erect 6. The Reader I know in this fruitfull age of learned expositors may finde variety of Comments but none that can more fully satisfie him then Saint Peters owne paraphrase vpon our Sauiours promise to him if we compare it with other Scriptures in sence and meaning equiualent That Christ was the only Rock whereupon this Saint himselfe as a liuing member of the Church was built is apparant because intending to make his flocke liuely parts of the same aedifice he tels them they come not to himselfe as to a second Rock but vnto the Lord as vnto a liuing stone disallowed of men yet chosen of God and pretious As if he had sayd Not flesh and bloud not the wisest of men but only our heauenly Father did first reueale him vnto me for such and in the words following as if he had purposely intēded to certifie vs that the name of Peter did descend to him from this affinity with this elect and pretious stone not because he was a Rocke or fundamentall stone himselfe he addes and ye as liuely stones be made a spirituall house a liuely Priest-hood Priests as liuing and altars as stones to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ Though they were not all to haue the title or name of Peters for so there could be no distinction yet so they would beleeue and confesse as he did that Christ was the liuing stone they were to haue the realty or substance to be stones of that spirituall house against which the gates of hell should not be able to preuaile 7. And seeing hee now endeuoured to fasten them vnto Christ as vnto the only sure Rocke of their redemption it could not be so auaileable to tel them in our Sauiours owne words that becomming such a spirituall house and continuing in offering vp sacrifices acceptable vnto God the gates of hell should not preuaile against them Vntill this Day-starre had more fully shined in their hearts hee knew it for the better method to kindle the same hope in them by the Prophets light which in time would breake forth clearer of it selfe for that glorious promise of our Sauiour differed from the propheticall prediction which S. Peter giues them for their assurance but as the light which goes before doth from the brightnesse following the Suns rising What Christ had told him was in effect contained before in that scripture Behold I lay in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and pretious and he that beleeueth therein shall not be ashamed Why not ashamed because his hope should be most sure and Hope as the Apostle sayth maketh not ashamed he meant It supporteth against all shame or terror the world flesh or diuill can oppose against vs. They may threaten but not so deiect vs as to cause vs either through feare of disgrace or other danger skulke or runne from mens presence as a learned Hebrician expresseth the Hebrew word rendred by the vulgar non festinabit he shall not hasten or to expresse the full valew of both these Apostles speeches by the last and most potent obiect of shame belieuing in Christ wee shall not be found naked in that last day nor wish the Mountains for a couering to our shame but enabled by sure hope to stand before the Sonne of man for not ashamed of him before men in this life hee will not be ashamed of vs in that day Then shall that victory of this spirituall house ouer the impotent assaults of Hell gates be manifested Thus by Saint Peters owne exposition The Sonne of the liuing God whom hee confessed was that liuing Stone from whose strength this spirituall house whereof he and his flock were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 liuely stones becomes so strong To make either Saint Peter or his successors ioint though secondary supporters of this glorious worke were to diuide our faith betwixt
which it had in his time For the substance natiue quality or proportion of the Atheists and the moderne godlesse Romanists mockery that are the same onely the one is more rude and rough hewen the other more smoothly varnished with hipocrisie and ouerlaied with artificiall colours The blunt Atheist like a lewd debter that simply denies his bond imagines the Lord will neuer come to call him to an account The subtle Romanist like a crafty companion that acknowledgeth the debt but no set day of payment specified saue onely tomorrow hopes to driue off God almighty from day to day putting Christs comming as farre from him the next three yeeres to come as it was the last three past and so would hold on these hundred thousand yeeres if the world should stand so long because Antichrist who by professed enmity against Christ shall giue the world three yeeres warning according to the yeeres of an hireling of its dissolution if wee may belieue this mocker is not yet reuealed Nor euer shall bee to him vnto whom since the Patriarkes and Apostles died continue as they did from the beginning of the new creation mans redemption without any generall Apostasie or decay of Peters faith which remaines still as fresh and liuely as when he first confessed Christ Not the Iew more sottish in expecting his Messias then this hypocrite in deferring Antichrists comming And no maruell when that which first caused the Iew so grieuously to stumble and since retaines him in his vnbeliefe is made the onely ground of the Romane Catholikes faith Hell by approued experiment of the ones fall knew well the same charme would enchant the other both being equally tainted with a superstitious heathenish conceit that their teachers could not erre because they sit in the seates 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 continuall reiterating that magicke spell of templum Domini the Church the Church words whose meaning they vnderstand no more then simple women doe waggish scholars medicines or charmes for the tooth ach Their ignorance though they may put vs in mind of another mockery they make of our Sauiours words 32 For where hee promised hell gates should neuer preuaile against his Church meaning against no true Christian soule espoused to him by an indissoluble knot of faith and euerlasting loue these mockers dispossesse the Christian world of this glorious hope by a double delusion first perswading it that the vniuersall Church militant may encampe in one mans brest vpon whom though hell shut her gates the simple such as they would make vs all must belieue the Church is safe because hee came not with them as an heretike For so in the second place though our Sauiour promiseth in termes as ample and maiesticall as can be deuised that not Hell gates that is no power or force of hell shall bee able to hold play with that Church whose safe conduct to his heauenly kingdome hee there vndertooke they make the meaning of his assurance to bee but this No heresie as if hell gates were furnished with no other munition shall euer make breach vpon the Romane Consistory or approach the Popes seat of dignity Thus to support the Popes supremacy they would make Christ so to shufle as if a Prince were it possible any Prince could bee so base should warrant his confederates safe conduct through his territories vpon as high tearmes as his soueraignery or supremacy would stretch vnto and yet challenged vpon the others miscarriage interpret his meaning to haue been but this I did warrant him he should not die of poyson administred by any Physition of mine in my dominions that no violence should bee offered him by theeues and robbers or other vnruly subiects I vndertooke not CHAP. VIII That the Romanists beliefe of the Churches infallible authority cannot be resolued into any testimony better then humane whence the 〈◊〉 conclusion immediately followes That the Romanist in obeying the Church-decrees without examination of them by Gods word prefer mans lawes before Gods 1 SEing it hath beene manifested as well by ostensiue proofe from Scriptures as by deduction to inconueniences most contrary to the analogy and preiudiciall to the main foundation of faith that Saint Peter was not the Church nor such an head as the Pope doth make himselfe of all the faithfull the principall point is cleare that the Romanists beliefe of such a transcendent absolute oecumenicall authoriry in the Church as might warrant our obedience to the former decrees cannot bee resoluedinto any diuine testimony or absolute promise of Christ in neither of which the Pope can haue any interest but onely by right deriued from S. Peter 2 To follow them a little in their schoole humor onely reckoning the speculatiue probabilities that can bee brought for them without computation of their blasphemies or other dangerous consequences wherewith their doctrine heretofore hath beene and must bee farther charged let vs trie what strength the other ioincts haue in themselues and see in the next place what proofe they can make their Popes are successors to such preheminences as Peter had Albeit euen this ioinct as all the rest of their religion is quite benummed and vtterly depriued of sence by the deadly blow lately giuen to the principall nerue whence life and motion must bee deriued to the whole body of their religion for if wee consider the intensiue perfection of that preheminence or estimation which Peter in respect of his fellowes had either with his Lord or with his flocke this was founded in a correspondent excesse of his loue his liuely faith and diligent feeding vnto no one of which good qualities the Popes professe themselues heires infallible Or if wee respect the extent or amplitude of S. Peters extraordinary soueraignety it was the same with Dauids kingdome or Christs owne pastorall charge and reached but from Dâ—n to Beershebah At the vtmost it and the circumcision had the same circumference Within which how great soeuer his authority was the Pope can haue no pretence to bee his successor therein For the edification of the people committed to him by our Sauiour was to bee finished before Ierusalems destruction since which time Israel hath beene perpetually scattered amongst the nations without a shepheard to gather them And when it shall please the Lord as it is probable it will to reduce them to his fold their Ruler shall bee of their own people strangers shall haue no more dominion ouer them 3 Had the Pope deriued his right from Saint Thomas Bartholomew or other Apostle which haue no writings extaÌ„t this might haue yeelded some surmises not so easie to bee disproued that Romish traditions did containe the summe at least of all these Apostles vnwritten doctrine if from Saint Paul the great Doctor of the Gentiles and first planter of faith amongst the Romans as much commended by him as any other of his children
an answere vnto his demaunds which argues that the reuelation made to the Priestes was also manifested to the party solemnely and in sincerity of heart proposing the questions whereof hee desired to be resolued 5 That the Priest had no such priuiledge or absolute promise of Gods infallible presence as the Pope challengeth is apparant from the law of temperance prescribed And the Lord spake vnto Aaron saying thou shalt not drinke wine nor strong drinke thou nor thy sonnes with thee when yee come into the Tabernacle of the congregation lest yee die This is an ordinance for euer throughout your generations that yee may put difference betweene the holy and vnholy and betweene the cleane and vncleane and that yee may teach the children of Israel all the statutes the Lord hath commanded thee by the hand of Moses If these Priests themselues were vnholy and vncleane they could not infallibly discerne betweene the holy and vnholy betweene the cleane and vncleane if they liued not according to this they could not teach the children of Israel the rest of Gods expresse lawes much lesse could they infallibly manifest vnto them his will in all doubts and controuersies But the Pope so absolute is his prerogatiue which the Iesuites attribute vnto him must bee thought to bee infalliby assisted by the holy spirit albeit hee lead a most vnhallowed vnclean polluted life 6 But for the promise made vnto Leui and his seede God himselfe by his Prophet Malachy most expresly interpretes the meaning of it And now O yee Priests this commandement is for you if yee will not heare it nor consider it in your heart to giue glory vnto my name saith the Lord of hostes I will euen send a curse vpon you and will curse your blessings yea and I haue cursed them already because ye do not consider it in your heart behold I will corrupt your seed and cast dung vpon your faces euen the dung of your solemne feastes and you shall bee like vnto it and yee shall know that I haue sent this commandement vnto you that my couenant which I made vnto Leui might stand saith the Lord of hosts My couenant was with him of life and peace and I gaue him feare and hee feared me and was afraide before my name the law of truth was in his mouth and there was no iniquity found in his lippes hee walked with mee in peace and equity and did turne many from iniquity for the Priests lips shall preserue knowledge and they shall seeke the law at his mouth As if hee had saide Such Priests I haue had in former times and such might your prayses from my mouth and your estimation with men haue beene had you framed your liues according to the rules which my seruant Moses had set you But were these Priestes against whom hee here speakes infallible in their doctrine still because Gods promise was so ample vnto Leui If they were not why doth Bellarmine bring this place to proue the Popes infallible authority in teaching diuine vntruthes If they were why doth the Lord complain in the words immediately following But ye are gone out of the way ye haue caused many to fall by the law yee haue broken the couenant of Leui saith the Lord of hastes Therefore haue I made you also to bee despised and vile before all the people because you keepe not my wayes but haue beene partiall in the law 7 This place alone though many others might be brought clearely euinceth Gods promise vnto Leui and his posterity during the time of their priesthood to haue been condititionall not absolute And as Gods promise of infallibility was vnto him his seed such was the obedience due to thē their authority not absolute but conditional where the precepts may seem vniuersal yet are they to be limited oftimes by the conditiō of the priests life 8 But sundry propositions there bee in Scriptures for their forme vniversall which are also absolutely true in their proper subiect whose full extant or limits notwithstanding are not alwayes euident Whence many mistake in stretching them too farre others seeing them faileS in some particulars which seem comprehended vnder the vniuersality of their forme suspect the absolutenesse of their truth and account them rather morally probable or conditionally true then necessary and certaine yet are they most absolutely necessary and certaine onely their vniuersality is to bee limitted by their proper subiects This is a common difficulty in all arts though lesse apparent in the Mathematickes or Metaphysickes or other like abstract contemplatiue sciences But in Philosophie as well naturall as morall many generall rules there bee most true and euident to such as know the nature or quality either of the subiect or matter whereunto they are applied or of these particulars whence the induction was gathered and yet are obscure and doubtfull vnto others who marke the vniuersality of their form not so well acquainted with the nature of those subiects in which their tru his principally and most euidently seene nor so able to discerne the identity or diuersity the proportion or disproportion which other subiects may haue with the former but of the triall of rules in arts if God permit elsewhere I will now instance in Scripture onely what proposition could bee for the forme more vniuersall what precept conceiued in words more generall then that of sanctifying the Sabaoth In it thou shalt do no wanner of workees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non facies vllum opus The Scribes and Pharisies putting a Religion in the letter of the Law as the Iesuites now doe when it may make for their aduantage did conclude from the generality of this precept that our Sauiour brake the Sabaoth when hee healed the sicke vpon it Their pretences if we respect the vniuersality of the proposition onely were farre more probable then the Papists can picke any for their purpose Yet Iewish skill in that they consider not the end of the Sabaoth which might haue limited the vniuersall forme of the precept and restrained it vnto some kind of workes onely for not all but onely all those workes which were repugnant to the end of this precept were forbidden The end of the Sabaoth was to sanctifie themselues vnto the Lord to set forth his praise both in words and workes Such workes then onely are here onely forbidden as did distract the mind or make men vnapt to heare read or meditate on heauenly matters all workes of secular vocation or priuate consequence which might hinder mens endeauours for procuring the health or wel-fare of others not works of charity or present necessity not works tending to greater publike good or to the auoidance of greater harmes which could not be preuented but by present working for men are to read heare and meditate vpon Gods word that by it they may bee fruitfull in good deeds by which Gods name is more immediately glorified then onely by speaking well and
that blessed mouth which spake as neuer mans did For it is a worke of great iudgement nay of the spirit ouerruling the flesh to make men rellish their doctrine whose liues conuersations they loath And such as are but schollars though neuer so meane to an excellent master will vsually be puft vp with a conceit of themselues from other mens conceit and commendations of him and in this humor scorne to learne of any more meanely qualified or of lesse estimation in the same profession Againe there is a iealousie in most illiterate minds that their Preacher if hee follow not such lessons in his life as hee giues them doth not teach them as they should bee taught nor instruct them sincerely as hee thinkes but rather in policy inioynes them strictnesse of life that hee himselfe may follow his pleasures without partners 5 Hence vsually are many wholesome spirituall medicines disproued ere proued or tasted because the parties vnto whom they are tendred haue no conceit or rellish of any good but what is pleasant to sense or profitable for secular purposes such as none that truely thinke or call good but will so entertaine it in action and resolution neuer willingly preferring the lesse before the greater both being of the same kind If a man should make choice of that bargaine which he would perswade as lesse commodious vnto others none would belieue hee spake sincerely as hee thought but rather cunningly to preuent others or to effect his owne gaine without a sharer But whilest secular good stands in competition with spirituall albeit wee approue the one as truely good and condemne the other as euill yet euen the best of vs is often enforced to take vp that complaint To will is present with me but I finde no means to performe that which is good for I doe not the good things which I would but the euill which I would not that doe I. Rude and illiterate mindes ignorant of this difference betweene sensitiue and spirituall good as altogether vnacquainted with the one out of their owne custom alwayes to act what they intend suspect their Pastors whilest they commend wholesome food vnto them do not thinke because they do not as they say From this sourse issue these or the like mutterings amongst themselues Tush if our Parson were of the same minde out of the Pulpit as he makes shew for in it why should bee not frame his life accordingly Doth he loue vs trow we better then himselfe nay I warrant him hee is old inough to know what is good for himselfe and if he knew that which he bids vs do to be as good for him as hee would make vs belieue it is for vs what a Gods name hinders him from doing it he hath little else to doe besides much lesse I am sure then any of vs. 6 To meet perhaps with all these but especially with this last temptation our Sauiour giues his auditors this preseruatiue The Scribes and Pharises sit in Moses chaire all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe but after their workes doe not As if hee had said Though their liues bee hypocriticall and bad yet bee not too iealous of their doctrine They deliuer that ordinarily vnto you which Moses did teach your forefathers The doctrine is exceeding good howsoeuer these cursed hypocrites do not follow it But this is Gods iudgement vpon them that they should see the truth with their eyes and not vnderstand it by laying it to their hearts 7 This I taâ—e it is the drift of our Sauiours speech whence the vniuersall noâ—e whatsoeuer must bee restrained to such materiall doctrines as the Scribes and Pharises themselues either expresly deliuered out of Moses or whiles they interpreted him commended to others as good in the generall howsoeuer they shrunk backe or shufled when they came to the practise of such particulars as crossed their humors or vnto these precepts of good life whose truth and equity their auditors might easily haue acknowledged either from their conseruancie with the principles of nature or other vndoubted mandates of Moses law or from the authority of bad yet lawfull teachers whose aduise is alwayes to be followed as good vnlesse there be iust suspition of euill or sinister respects of which their bad liues are then onely iust presumptions when they handle particulars that concerne themselues as making for their gaine credite glory Apologies in bad courses or auertment of deserued disgrace 8 If we take this whole vniuersall affirmatiue Whatsoeuer they bid you that obserue and do in that sense our Sauiour meant it it is but equiualent to this or the like vniuersall negatiue Leaue nothing vndone that either Moses or such as sit in his seat commandes as good or your conscience cannot iustly witnes to bee euill albeit they which commend it to you for good are euill and cannot teach themselues to doe it Few Preachers in any well ordered Church are so vnlearned or bad of life but what they solemnely one time or other deliuer out of Moses and the Prophets might be a sufficient rule for their hearers internall thoughts and outward actions did not the flocke preposterously make their Pastors doings the rule of their thoughts and sayings alwayes suspecting that as not good which they see left vndone and accounting all lawfull for themselues to doe which they see done and practised by their leaders When as not the Pastors liues or doings but their sayings are to bee made rules of other mens liues and actions And our Sauiour enioynes the former obedience vnto the very Pharises who spake as well and did as ill as any could doe very patterns of hypocrisie In expounding Moses hey could not but often inculcate the orthodoxal doctrine of good workes of almes deedes and liberality yet retained they the rootes of auarice in their hearts whose bitternesse would bewray it selfe vpon particular occasions All these things heard the Pharises saith Saint Luke which were couetous and they mocked him They often exhorted others to circumcise the heart to be humble and meeke as Moses was yet remained proud themselues ambitious of highest places in the Synagogues inwardly fully of rauen and wickednesse They often taught others as Moses had done to walk vprightly as in the sight of the Lord their God and yet did all their works to bee seene of men They had often taught their auditors to honour father and mother and learnedly discoursed vpon the equity of this precept in generall yet could vpon priuate respects dispense with it in sundry particulars They said well in the former and did ill in the latter And albeit they iustified their practise by tradition of the elders as the Pontificians doe theirs when they absolute subiects from the bond of duet to their ciuil or children to their naturall parents that they may bee more seruiceable to the Church their mother yet their sayings in these Apologies were but accessary to their doings not
and had no need that any should testifie of man He knew such as vpon these glimpses of his glory were presently so stifly set to belieue in him vpon hopes of being fed with dainties or mighty protection against the Heathen would bee as violently bent against him euen to crucifie him for a seducer after they had discouered his constant endeuours to bring them both by life and doctrine vnto conformity with his crosse mortification humility contempt of the world patience in affliction with other like qualities despiseable in the worlds eyes yet maine principles in his schoole and elementary grounds of saluation so his countrimen of Nazareth sodainly admiring the gratious words which proceeded out of his mouth after hee begunne to vpbraid them with vnthankefulnes as speedily attempt to throw him headlong from the toppe of the hill wherein their City was built By this it may appeare that of the Iewish people in ancient times some did sinne in beeing backeward others in an immature forwardnesse to belieue propheticall doctrines But the fountaines or first heads whence these swift motions of life were depraued in the one was inordinate affection or intrinsique habitual corruption the roote whence such deadnesse was deriued into the actions of the other was hardnes of heart precedent neglect of Gods word and ignorance of his wayes thence ensuing Which presupposed the parties so affected did not amisse in not beleeuing the true Prophets without examination but in not abandoning such dispositions as disenabled them for belieuing all parts of truth proposed with constancy and vniformity making them fitte instruments to be wrought vpon by seducers Hence saith our Sauiour I come in my fathers name and ye receiue me not if another shall come in his owne name him will yee receiue How can yee belieue which receiue honour one of another and seeke not the honour that commeth of God alone Nor Propheticall nor Apostolicall nor Messiacall much lesse could Papall authority make them belieue the doctrine of life intirely and sincerely whilest their hearts were heardned whose hardnes though might easily haue been mollified by laying Moses law vnto them while they were young and tender 4 It is a rule as profitable for our owne information in many points as for refutation of the aduersarie that the commendation of necessary meanes is alwaies included in the commendation of the end which how good or excellent soeuer it bee our desires of it are preposterous all earnest endeauours to attaine it turbulent vnlesse first addressed with proportionable alacrity to follow the meanes that must produce it sober spirites alwayes bound their hopes of accomplishing the one by perfect suruey of their interest in the other as minds truly liberall determine future expences by exact calculation of their present reuenewes Euen in businesses of greatest importance though requiring speediest expedition a wise man will moderate his pace according to the quality of the ground whereon hee goes otherwise the more haste may cause worse speed The Iewes were as wee are bound to belieue truthes proposed without delay but both for this reason most strictly bound to a continuall vniformity of practising diuine precepts already knowne without dispensing with this or that particular though offensiue to our present disposition without indulgence to this or that special time without all priuiledge sought from the pleasure or displeasure of men both bound so to frame our liues and conuersations as to bee instantly able to discerne the truth proposed not by relying vpon their authority that propose it but for it selfe or from a full and liuely though a quicke and speedy apprehension of immediate homogeneall consonancie betweene the externall and the internall word For if any part of Gods word truly dwell in vs though secret it may bee and silent of it selfe yet will it Eccho in our hearts whilest the like reuerberates in our eares from the liue voice of the Ministery Thus had the Iewes hearts beene truely set to Moses law had their soules delighted in the practise of it as in their food they had resounded to the Prophets call as a string though vntouched and vnable to beginne motion of it selfe will yet raise it selfe to an vnison voice or as the soules of heauen answere with like language to others of their owne kind that haue better occasion to beginne the cry In this sense are Christs sheepe said to heare his voice and follow him not euery one that can counterfeit his or his Prophets call 5 The issue of all that hath beene said is that none within the precincts of these times whereof wee now treat from the Law giuen vnto the Gospell were bound to belieue Gods messengers without examination of their doctrine by the precedent written word Onely this difference there was such as had rightly framed their hearts to it did make this triall of Prophetical doctrines as it were by a present taste which others could not without interposition of time to worke an alteration in their distempered affections For this reason do the Prophets alwayes annex Mosaicall precepts of repentance to their predictions of future euents as knowing that if their hearts to whom they spake were turned to God their sight should forthwith bee restored clearely to discerne the truth For further manifestation of the same conclusion it appeares sufficiently from sundry discourses in the former booke that Israels incredulity vnto their Prophets was finally to bee resolued into their neglect their imperfect or partiall obseruance of Moses precepts Wherefore not the liue voice of them whose words in themselues were most infallible and are by the approbation of time with other conspicuous documents of Gods peculiar prouidence preseruing them in diuine estimation so long become an vndoubted rule of life vnto vs but the written word before confirmed by signes and wonders sealed by the euents of times present and precedent was the infallible rule whereby the propheticall admonitions of euery age were to bee tried and examined 6 The words of the best while they spake them were not of like authority as now written they are vnto vs nor were they admitted into the Canon but vpon iust proofe of their diuine authority That one speech which Esay vttered was an axiome so well knowne as might bring all the rest to bee examined before admission To the Law and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them For Gods will already knowne and manifested to the proples consciences was to ouersway the contrary proposals of knowne Prophets though neuer so peremptory Nor was it impossible for Prophets to auouch their owne conceites vnder the name of diuine Reuelations more immediatly sent from God then the Pope pretends witnesse the man of God that went from Iudah to Bethel seduced by his fellow Prophets fained reuelation from an Angell counselling him to diuert into his house contrary to the Lords commandement giuen before The
nor the Prophets did euer so much as once intimate such absolute power should be acknowledged in that great Prophet of whome they wrote wee suppose the imagination of the like in whomsoeuer cannot bee without reall blasphemie Yet suppose Christs infallibility and the Popes were in respect of the Church Militant the same the Popes authoritie would be greater or were their authoritie but equall his priuiledges with God would bee much more magnificent then Christs That which most condemned the Iewes of infidelity in not acknowledging Christ as sent with power full absolute from God his father were his mightie signes and wondâ—rs his admirable skill in Gods word alreadie established but chiefly his sacred life and conuersation as it were exhibiting vnto the world a visible patterne or coÌ„spicuous modell of that incomprehensible goodnesse which is infallible Now if we compare his powerfulnesse in words and workes with the Popes imperfections in both or his diuine vertues with the others monstrous vices to equalize their infallibilities were to imagine God to bee like man and Christ at the best but as his faithfull seruant the Pope his Minion his Darling or some of his age For such is our partialitie to our owne flesh that oftimes though the Wise man aduise to the contrarie a lewde and naughtie sonne in that hee is a sonne hath greater grace and priuiledges then the most faithfull seruant in the fathers house So would the Iesuites make God dote vpon the Pope whose authoritie bee his life neuer so vngracious if they should denie to bee lesse then Christs in respect of vs their practises enioyned ex Cathedra would confute them For much sooner shall any Christian though otherwise of life vnspotted be cut off from the congregation of the faithfull for denying the Popes authoritie or distrusting his decrees then the Iewes that saw Christs miracles for contradicting him in the dayes of his flesh or oppugning his Apostles after his glorification Nor bootes it ought to say they make the Popes authoritie lesse then Christs in respect they deriue it from his rather because they euidently make it greater then Christs was it cannot bee truly thence deriued or if it could this onely proues it to bee lesse then the other whilest onely compared with it not whilest wee consider both in respect of vs for Christs authoritie as the Sonne of Man in respect of vs is equall to his Fathers whence it is deriued For the Father iudgeth no man but hath committed all iudgement vnto the Sonne 2 But wherein doe they make the Popes authoritie greater then Christs First in not exempting it from triall by Christs and his Apostles doctrine neither of which were to be admitted without all examination of their truth for as you heard before Gods word was first vttered in their audience established by euident signes and wonders in their sight and presence of whom beliefe and obedience vnto particulars was exacted And it is a rule most euident and vnquestionable that Gods word once confirmed and sealed by experience was the only rule whereby all other spirits and doctrines were to bee examined that not Propheticall visions were to bee admitted into the Canon of Faith but vpon their apparent consonancie with the word alreadie written The first Prophets were to be tried by Moses the latter by Moses and their Predecessors Christs and his Apostles by Moses and all the Prophets for vnto him did all the Prophets giue testimonie The manifest experiments of his life and doctrine so fully consonant to their predictions did much confirme euen his Disciples beliefe vnto the former Canon of whose truth they neuer conceiued positue doubt 3 Againe there had beene no Prophet no signes no wonders for a long time in Iudah before our Sauiours birth yet hee neuer made that vse either of his miracles or more then Propheticall spirit which the papists make of their imaginary publike spirit he neuer vsed this or like argument to make the people relie vpon him How know yee the Scriptures are Gods word How know yee that God spake with Moses in the Wildernesse or with your Fathers in Mount Sinai Moses your Fathers and the Prophets are dead and their writings cannot speake Your present Teachers the Scribes and Pharises doe no wonders Must you not then belieue him whome daily you may behold doing such mightie workes as Moses said to haue done that Moses as your fathers haue told you was sent from God that Gods word is contayned in his writings otherwise you cannot infallibly beleeue that there was such a man indeed as you conceiue hee was much lesse that he wrote you this Law least of all can you certainely know the true meaning of what hee wrote Hee that is the onely sure foundation of faith knew that faith grounded vpon such doubts was but built vpon the sand vnable to abide the blasts of ordinarie temptations that thus to erect their hopes was but to prepare a rise to a grieuous downefall the ready way to atheisme presumption or despaire For this cause hee doth not so much as once question how they knew the Scriptures to be Gods word but supposing them knowne and fully acknowledged for such he exhorts his hearers to search them seeking to prepare their hearts by signes and wonders to embrace his admirable expositions of them And because the corruption of particular morall doctrines brought into the Church by humane tradition would not suffer the generality of Moses and the Prophets already belieued to fructifie in his hearers hearts and branch out vniformely into liuely working faith he laboured most to weede out Pharisaisme from among the heauenly seed as euery one may see that compares his sermon vpon the Mount with the Pharises glosses vpon Moses If the particular or principall parts of the law and Prophets had beene as purely taught or as clearely discerned as the generall and common principles His Doctrine that came not to destroy but to fulfill the law in words and works had shined as brightly in his hearers hearts at the first proposall as the sunne did to their eyes at the first rising For all the morall duties required by them were but as dispersed rayes or scattered beams of that diuine light and glory which was incorporate in him as splendor in the body of the sunne Nor was there any possibility the Iewes beliefe in him should prosper vnlesse it grew out of their generall assent vnto Moses doctrine thus pruned and purged at the very roote Had yee belieued Moses saith our Sauiour yee would haue belieued me for he wrote of me but if yee belieue not his writings how shall yee belieue my words For which cause they were in conscience bound to examine his doctrine by Moses and the Prophets otherwise they might haue belieued the sauing truth but falsly and vpon decitfull grounds The stronger or more absolute credence they had giuen vnto his words or workes without such examination the more
or vpon the presumption of their profane skill in deceiuing others haue aduentured to foretell their resurrection but were not able to dissolue the bands of death their euerlasting durance in whose prisons hath openly shewed they spake presumptuously that not Mahomet himselfe the greatest of them was that Great Prophet foretold by Moses What was the reason then the Iewes would not the Turkes vnto this day will not belieue in Christ crucified For the inhabitants of Ierusalem Saint Paul hath answered Because they knew him not nor yet the words of the Prophets which are read euerie Sabbath day they haue fulfilled them in condemning him The same apostle thogh indued with the power of miracles yet in that place rather vseth Dauids words then his owne workes to proue Christs resurrection Of which that saying of his was most truly verified in the obstinate Iewes Not hearing Moses and the Prophets so as to bee mooued by them to true repentance neither were they perswaded though this great Prophet of whome they wrote was raised from the dead againe 22 Were we well acquainted either with that manner of interpretation or those praenotions the Apostle supposed as known when he vsed that testimonie of the Psalmist Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee to prooue our Sauiours resurrection it would not bee hard to perswade vs Moses words hitherto expounded were as litterally meant of Gods raising his Sonne out of his Maiden grane as out of his virgin Mothers wombe And I make no question but the conclusion of Saint Peters Sermon Vnto you whom a little before hee had termed children of the Prophets hath God raised vp his Sonne were meant by him of his raising Christ from the dead And yet are these words but an application of the former principall text hee there insists vpon Moses said vnto the Fathers The Lord your God shall raise vp vnto you a Prophet euen of your brethren like vnto me ye shall heare him all things whatsoeuer he shall say vnto you And vnto this resurrection doth the strict propriety of that phrase from the middest of thee well agree For these things were not done in a corner but in Hierusalem the metropolis of Iudea not without expresse notice giuen to the rulers Moses indeed foretold his owne death and whatsoeuer other Prophets raised vp by God vnto this people did foretell came still to passe yet none euer foretold his owne raising vp But seeing Christs first raising from the virgins wombe though most miraculous was yet more priuate he forwarned the world to expect this second altogether as powerfull but more publique And in it againe hee is like to Moses raised vp by God to be a Sauiour of his people out of that Arke which without diuine especiall prouidence had beene his tombe This similitude amongst the rest betwixt Christ and Moses as well in their latter as first birth but especially the notice our Sauiour gaue vnto his enemies of the latter hath made them vnwittingly Prophets to their woe For seeing it hath left their vnbeliefe without excuse their last errour concerning his resurrection is become worse then the first concerning his birth Neither could haue seemed incredulous though both most miraculous to this vngratious seede of Iacob had they looked as the Prophet willed them vnto the rocke whence they were hewen and to the hole of the pit whence they were digged The mightie increase of Sarahs wombe no better then dead and strange multiplication of Isaacks seed beyond the posteritie of all the people with whom he soiourned did but portend the fruitfull of-spring of the Virgins onely sonne should in number and dignitie farre surmount the sonnes and daughters of all the fertile mothers in Iudea Isaackes posteritie had beene great yet able to be numbred by Dauid But his generation who shall declare that was cut out of the land of the liuing Therefore sprang there euen of one and him as dead or destinated to death as Isaack was yea of one truely dead that made his graue with the wicked as many as the Starres in the skye in multitude in dignitie greater and as the sand by the seashore innumerable Mighitier was the encrease of that Rocke wherin he made his graue whence we are hewen then of that pit whence Israel according to the flesh was digged His exaltation since hath beene their fall For seeing they would not beleeue his predictions as their Lawgiuer had commanded the world may clearely see the curse indefinitely there denounced against all such as would not heare fulfilled vpon that stubborne generation according to the full extent of Saint Peters paraphrase vpon it Not one or a fewe onely were destroyed out of the people as Korah Dathan and Abiram for disobedience vnto Moses but the whole people or nation were vtterly rooted out of the land All which with all particular circumstances and signes precedent or ensuing this great Prophet in his life time had so distinctly foretold that if wee compare former Prophets with him they may seeme to haue but dreamed he alone that put these vnknowne ditties into their heads to haue had the perfect skill of right interpreting their meaning CHAP. XII That the method vsed by the great Prophet himselfe after his resurrection for planting faith was such as we teach The excesse of Anti-christs exaltation aboue Christ The Diametricall opposition betwixt the spirit of God and the Spirit of the Papacie 1 MOses was to bee acknowledged a great Prophet because the whole host of Israel infallibly knewe the Lord was with him in all hee did euery Prophet after him to bee knowne by the rules which he had giuen for their discrement Christ Iesus to be taken for the great Prophet and mediator of the euerlasting couenant because in words in workes in all his wayes exactly answerable to Mosaicall and propheticall Characters of the Messiah that was to come This sweete harmonie of legall types or ancient prophecies as well with the whole course of his blessed life as with his ignominious and cruell death or manner of his glorious resurrection I should either haue esteemed or regarded lesse had not my Sauiour himselfe preferred the assurāce of prophetical testimonies before the certainty of their sēses that had conuersed with him in their life time admitted to conference with him after his rising from the dead For so wee read of two Disciples which had seene his miracles heard his doctrine and acknowledged him for a Prophet mightie in word and deed but yet distrusted the report of his resurrection after it had beene the second time confirmed by such of their fellowes as had doubted with them yea their Maister himselfe had told them as much before his death And had he not good reason then to vpbraid them with distrust hauing now met them as liue-like as they themselues were Was he to them a Prophet mightie in word and deed and yet not able
spirit which exempts the Pope from priuatenesse makes his authority oecumenical and infallible Whosoeuer then by participation of this spirit vnderstands the Prophesies eyther immediately or expounded by others whomsoeuer his conceit of them or their right interpretation is not priuate but authentique And Canus though a Papist expresly teacheth that the immediate ground or formall reason of ours and the Apostles beliefe must be the same both so immediately and infallibly depending vpon the testimony of the spirit as if the whole world beside should teach the contrary yet were euery Christian bound to sticke vnto that inward testimony which the spirit hath giuen him Though the Church or Pope should expound them to vs wee could not infallibly belieue his expositions but by that spirit by which hee is supposed to teach so belieuing wee could not infallibly teach others the same for it is the spirit onely that so teacheth all The inference then is as euident as strong that priuate in the forecited place is opposed to that which wants authority not vnto publike or coÌ„mon The Kings promise made to me in priuate is no priuate promise but will warrant mee if I come to pleade before his Maiesty albeit others make question whether I haue it or no. In this sense that interpretation of scriptures which the spirit affordes vs that are priuate men is not priuate but authentique though not for extent or publication of it vnto others yet for the perfection of our warrant in matters of saluation or concerning God For where the spirite is there is perfect liberty yea free accesse of pleading our cause against whomsoeuer before the Tribunall seate of iustice especially being wronged in matters of the life to come To this purpose saith our Apostle But hee that is spirituall discerneth all things yet hee himselfe is iudged of no man In those things wherein hee cannot be iudged by any hee is no priuate man but a Prince and Monarch for the freedome of his conscience But if any man falsly pretend this freedome to nurse contentions or to withdraw his necke from that yoke whereto hee is subject hee must answere before his supreme Iudge and his holy Angels for framing vnto himselfe a counterfeit licence without the assured warrant of his spirit And so shall they likewise that seeke to command mens consciences in those matters wherein the spirite hath set them free This is the height of iniquity that hath no temporall punishment in this life but must bee reserued as the obiect of fiercest wrath in that fearefull day the very Idea of Antichristianisme CHAP. XIIII That Saint Paul submitted his doctrine to examination by the Words before written That his doctrine disposition and practise were quite contrary to the Romanists in this argument 1 SAint Paul as well as other Apostles had the gift of miracles which amongst Barbarians or distressed soules destitute of other comfort likely to bee wonne to grace by wonders hee did not neglect to practise but sought not to enforce beliefe vpon the Iewes by fearefull signes or sudden destruction of the obstinate albeit hee had power to anathematize not onely in word but in deed euen to deliuer men aliue vnto Sathan When hee came to Thessalonica hee went as his maner was into the Synagogue three Sabboth daies disputed with his countrimen by the Scriptures opening and alleadging that Christ must haue suffered and risen againe from the dead and this is Iesus Christ whom I preach to you These Iewes had Moses and the Prophets and if they would not heare them neither would they belieue for any miracles which to haue wrought amongst such had been as the casting of pearles before swine What was the reason they did not belieue because the Scriptures which hee vrged were obscure but Saint Paul did open them Rather they saw the truth as Papists doe but would not see it They rightly belieued whatsoeuer God had said was most true that hee had said what Moses and the Prophetes wrote and yet Saint Paul taught nothing which they had not foretold But that was all one these Iewes had rather belieue Moses and the Prophets meant as the Scribes and Pharisees or other chiefe Rulers of their Synagogues taught then as Paul expounded them albeit his expositions would haue cleared themselues to such as without preiudice would haue examined them But the Beroeans were of a more ingenâ—ous disposition so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports they were not vassals to other mens interpretations or conceites but vsed their liberty to examine their truth They receiued the word with all readinesse and searched the Scriptures whether these things were so or no. If they beleeued in part before their practise confirms the truth of our assertion that they were not to belieue the infallibility of Paul but of his doctrine albeit they were well perswaded of his personall authority If they beleeued neither in part nor wholly before they see the truth of his doctrine confirmed by that scripture which they had formerly acknowledged their ingenuity herein likewise confirmes our doctrine and condemnes the Papists of insolent blasphemy for arrogating that authoritie vnto the Popes decrees which is onely due vnto Gods word already established 2 I would demand of any Papists whether the Beroeans did well or ill in examining Saint Pauls doctrine if ill why hath the spirit of God commended them if well why is it not lawfull and expedient for all true Christians to imitate them Vnlesse the Reader bite his lippe I will not promise for him hee shall not laugh at Bellarmines answere albeit I knew him for another Heraclitus or Crassus Agelastus who neuer laughed in all his life saue once when he saw an Asse feed on thistles Surely he must haue an Asses lippes that can taste and a swines belly that can digest this great Clerks Diuinity in this point I answere saith he albert Paul were an Apostle and could not preach false doctrine thus much notwithstanding was not euident to the Beroeans at the first nor were they bound forthwith to belieue vnlesse they had seene some miracles or other probable inducements to belieue Therefore when Paul proued Christ vnto them out of the Propheticall Oracles they did well to search the Scriptures whether those things were so If Saint Paul had thought miracles a more effectuall meanes then Scriptures for begetting faith in such as acknowledged Moses and the Prophets no doubt hee had vsed miracles rather then their authority Or if the Pope cannot expound the scriptures as effectually and perspicuously as S. Paul did why doth he not at the least work miracles are we bound absolutely to belieue him is he bound to doe neither of these without which the people of Beroea were not bound as Bellarmine acknowledgeth to belieue Saint Paul Wee are if his reason be worth beliefe Christians which know the Church cannot erre in explicating the doctrine of faith are bound to embrace
beliefe of any particular or determinate proposition must finally bee resolued Euery conclusion of faith as is before obserued out of Bellarmine must bee gathered in this or like Syllogisme Whatsoeuer God or the first Truth sayeth is most true But God saide all those words which Moses the Prophets and the Euangelists wrote Therefore all these are most true The Maior in this Syllogisme is an Axiome of Nature acknowledged by Turkes and Infidels nor can Christian faith be resolued into it as into a Principle proper to it selfe The Minor say our aduersaries must bee ascertained vnto vs by the Churches authority and so ascertained becomes the first and maine principle of faith as Christian whence all other particular or determinate conclusions are thus gathered Whatsoeuer the Church proposeth to vs for a diuine Reuelation is most certainly such But the Church proposeth the bookes of Moses and the Prophets finally the whole volumes of the olde and new Testament with all their partes as they are extant in the vulgar Romane Edition for diuine reuelations Therefore we must infallibly belieue they are such So likewise must wee beleeue that to bee the true and proper meaning of euerie sentence in them contained which the Church to whom it belongs to iudge of their sense shall tender vnto vs. 2 For better manifestation of the Truth wee now teach the young Reader must here bee aduised of a twofolde resolution One of the things or matters beleeued or knowne into their first parts or Elements Another of our beliefe or perswasions concerning them into their first causes or motiues In the one the most generall or remotest cause In the other the most immediate or next cause alwayes terminates the resolution The one imitates the other inuerts the order of composition so as what is first in the one is last in the other because that which is first intended or resolued vpon by him that casteth the plotte is best effected by the executioner or manuall composer In the former sense wee say mixt bodies are lastly resolued into their first Elements houses into stones timber and other ingredients particular truthes into generall maximes conclusions into their immediate praemises all absurdities into some breach of the rule of contradiction Consonantly to this interpretation of finall resolution the first verity or diuine infallibility is that into which all faith is lastly resolued For as wee saide before this is the first steppe in the progresse of true beliefe the lowest foundation whereon any Religion Christian Iewish Mahometan or Ethnicke can be built And it is an vndoubted Axiome quod primum est in generatione est vltimum in resolutione when we resolue any thing into the parts whereof it is compounded we end in the vndoing or vnfolding it where nature begunne in the composition or making of it But he that would attempt to compose it againe or frame the like aright wold terminate all his thoghts or purposes by the end or vse which is farthest from actuall accomplishment Thus the Architect frames stones and timber and layes the first foundation according to the platforme he carries in his head that hee casts proportionably to the most commodious or pleasant habitation which though last effected determines all cogitations or resolutions precedent Hence if wee take this vltima resolutio as we alwayes take these termes when we resolue our owne perswasions that is for a resolution of all doubts or demands concerning the subiect whereof wee treat A Roman Catholiques faith must according to his Principles finally bee resolued into the Churches infallibility For this is the immediate ground or first cause of any particular or determinate point of Christian faith and the immediate cause is alwayes that into which our perswasions concerning the effect is finally resolued seeing it onely can fully satisfie all demandes doubts or questions concerning it As for example if you aske why men or other terrestriall Creatures breath when fishes doe not to say they haue lungs and fishes none doth not fully satisfie all demaunds or doubts concerning this Subiect For it may iustly further be demanded what necessity there was the one should haue lungs rather then the other If here it bee answered that men and other perfect terrestiall creatures are so full of feruent bloud that without a cooler their owne heare would quickly choake them and in this regard the God of nature who did not make them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or giue them life in vaine to bee presently extinct did with it giue them lungs by whose respiration their naturall temper should be continued This answere doth fully satisfie all demands concerning the former effect For no man of sense would further question why life should be preserued whose preseruation immediately depends vpon respiration or exercise of the lungs is therfore the immediate cause of both and that whereunto all our perswasions concerning the former subiect are lastly resolued Or if it should bee demanded why onely man of all other creatures hath power to laugh to say he were indued with reason doth not resolue vs for a Philosophical wit would further question Why should reasonable substances haue this foolish faculty rather then others A good Philosopher would perswade vs the spirites which serue for instruments to the rationall part are more nimble subtle and so more apt to produce this motion then the spirites of any other creatures are But this I must professe resolues not me for how nimble or subtle soeuer they be vnlesse man had other corporeall Organes for this motion the spirits alone could not produce it and all organicall parts are framed for the operation or exercise of the faculty as their proper end Whence hee that would finally resolue the former probleme must assigne the true finall cause why reasonable substances more then others should stand in need of this motion Now seeing vnto reason onely it is proper to forecast danger and procure sorrow and contristation of heart by preconceit of what yet is not but perhaps may bee it was requisite that our mortality through reason obnoxious to this inconuenience should bee able to correct this contristant motion by the contrary and haue a faculty to conceiue such pleasant obiects as might dilatate the heart and spirites that as man hurts his body by conceited sorrow whereto no other Creature is subiect so he might heale it againe by a kind of pleasance whereof hee alone is capable 3 Answerable to this latter acception of finall resolution if you demaund a Romane Catholike why hee beleeues there is a Trinity there shall bee a resurrection or life euerlasting his answere would be because God or the first verity hath said so but this doth not fully satisfie for wee might further question him as hee doth vs why doe you belieue that God did say so Here it sufficeth not to say This truth is expresly taught in Canonicall Scriptures for the doubt whereby hee hopes
which as wee may gather from the generall reuelations of Scriptures shall bee made partakers of euerlasting life Again whether the Pope in defining a controuersie vse diligence or no yet without all question hee shall define infallibly and consequently vse the authority Christ hath giuen him Wherefore in his iudgement care and diligence are necessary to the Pope not so as if hee could not define aright or rightly vse his authority without them but that hee doe not sinne himselfe whilest hee defines an infallible truth for others to belieue Hereto may bee added that albeit a diligent care were necessarily required for the infallibility of the Popes decisions yet the same faith which binds vs to belieue he decides the controuersie infallibly binds vs also to belieue that hee vsed as much diligence as was requisite As for example in like case If God should promise that the next yeere should be a plentifull yeare of corne we would conceiue he promised withall good and seasonable wether whatsoeuer else were necessary for effecting of his promise as Canus well notes But Valentiaus last conclusion is that no sure arguments can be brought why wee should thinke study or diligence are necessary for the right vse of the Popes authority so farre as it concernes other mens faith that must rely vpon it Rely vpon it they must whether he determine ex tempore or vpon deliberation and for ought I can see whether hee giue his sentence drunke or sober rauing or in his right mind so he haue the wit to charge all vpon paine of damnation to belieue it But what if some forreiner should of set purpose send a dead-mans water to trie this grand-Phisitions skill could hee without either care or diligence in examining their testimonies or speciall reuelation from aboue which in such businesses Valentian disclaimes discouer their knauery Or would his prognostication of life health redeeme the party deceased from the land of death as some say Pope Gregory by his prayers did Traian These and many like questions might here bee made which fall not within the reach of Valentians answeres hitherto recited and yet these must abundantly suffice for resolution of all doubts concerning the canonizing of Saintes or approbation of religious orders in which businesses likewise wee must belieue the Pope cannot erre Let the Reader pausea while looke on their madnesse and laugh his fill at their apish drunkennesse in this argument that vvhen his mirth hath found a vent and his heart is well setled hee may with a sober vnpartiall stedfast eye behold the mystery of this iniquity CHAP. VII What danger by this blasphemous doctrine may accrew to Christian States that of all heresies blasphemies or idolatries which haue beene since the world began or can bee imagined till Christ come to iudgement this Apostasie of the Iesuites is the most abominable and contumelious against the blessed Trinity 1 WHat the consequences of these positions may be none can doubt No lesse they are then I haue said a resigning vp of mens soules and consciences into the Popes hands a consecration of hearts minds and bodies to worke any mischiefe imaginable at his appointment For what if the Pope vpon the relation of Rauilliackes stubbornesse they would say constancie in his torture or Catesbyes praying to the virgine Mary at his death should canonize both for Saints and enioyne the Christian world so to honour them Euery bloudy Assasinate would pray vnto the one for good successe in acting his bloud-thirsty designes on Princes bodies And if it should please the Pope so to determine all men should stand bound to giue such solemne worshippe as by their doctrine is due to sacred reliques vnto that bloudy knife which hath beene sheathed in Rauilliackes Soueraignes breast Euery deepe dissembling Polititian or ambitious cholericke discontented spirit would burne incense salt-peter sulphure brimstone to the others image in hope of better speed in vndermining states 2 If any Iesuite or other brazen faced fauourer of their order or this doctrine should here reply This dreamer casts doubts beyond the Moone for is there any likelyhood his Holinesse will euer canonize such wicked Imps for Saints I must answere him as Tully did Rullus vtterly disclaiming all purpose of doing such wrong vnto the Romane state as his petition vnto it once granted might enable him to effect and from my soule I wish euery Christian Prince euery Princes counsellor would take that graue Senators words for his motto Primum nescio deinde timeo postremo non committam vt vestro beneficio potius quam nostro consilio salui esse possimus First whether the Pope would canonize such miscreants for Saints or no is more then we know Secondly his former practizes minister so iust cause of feare to Christian states that it stands them vpon rather in wisdome to preuent his power of doing then relie vpon his fidelitie for not doing them some inestimable mischiefe by putting this practize in execution if opportunitie serue and abilitie be lest him thereby to strengthen his faction Did not his Legate into France vpon notice of the Parisian massacre bestow his Holinesses best blessing cum plentitudine potestatis With absolute and plenarie power deriued from himselfe vpon the notorious assasinate Boydon chiefe Ring-leader of that immane and woluish massacre committed at Lyons begun without any warrant of publique authoritie only at this hellish miscreants instigation desirous to follow or rather out-goe his Superiours in crueltie Was not that villanie it selfe authorized from Rome where it found such extraordinarie approbation Neuer did that City reioyce so much in memory of Christs birth or Saint Peters as at the hearing of this more then Herodian but-cherie of so many thousands noble-minded Gentlemen with other Innocents and Saints of God So full was this Legates heart of ioy hence conceiued that after he came into France out of the aboundance of it his mouth did sound the praises of the bloudie actors and contriuers of this shamefull Tragedie etiam cum delectu verborum With such choice and affected words as caused them blush to heare him that had not beene ashamed to act the villanie And as if this excellent exploit had been effected by vertue of the holy Catholike Church the Popes petition to the French King was that the Trent Councel might vpon that good successe beginne to be of force in France and bee thus sealed with bloud Yet can any man doubt whether this Church would authorize murther or canonize Assasinates for her owne aduantage Publikely suppose shee would not yet if the Popes decrees when they expresly binde all must as Valentian contends bee beleeued by all vpon such termes as he annexeth no question but if he giue any speciall eniunction to the order of Iesuites or such as they shall adiudge sit Associates to whom these secrets may bee imparted it shall be as deuoutly entertayned by them whom it concernes as if it were
vniuersall If charged they be vnder paine of damnation secretly to worship this or that damned villaine it will be held a formall deniall of faith either not to performe what is enioyned or to bewray what they performe We may well suppose the Iesuites and others of their instruction haue more Saints in their priuate Kalenders then all the world knowes of Bellarmine grants the Pope may commend some vnder the title of Saints vnto a set Prouince or Diocesse though he enioyne not the whole Church so to esteeme or at least not so to entertayne them That Saints reputed not canonized may be priuately adored That in this case a generall custome may prescribe and breede iust presumption of the Popes tacit approbation though he giue no direct iniunction for the practize nor positiue signification of his consent For many were adored as Saints before the solemnitie of canonizing was in vse first practized as farre as this great Clerkes reading serues him by Pope Leo the third 3 Now as their proiects are of another mold and their meanes to effect them more desperate then heretofore so these intimations make it more then suspitious least secretly they crowne such of euery sort as haue beene best qualified for their purposes or haue aduentured farthest for the Churches dignitie with the titles of Saints to encourage others to like attempts And if turbulent or ambitious spirits greedie of same may bee fed with hopes of being eternized in Iesuiticall Kalendars if men male-contented with this present may haue sweet promises of euerlasting happinesse in the life to come vpon what mischiefes will they not aduenture when as the one sort is wearie of life the other curbed only with feare of present shame or disgrace after death otherwise readie to rush into any danger or auow most desperate outrages Albeit the parties proposed to be worshipped had been in their life times no so bad but rather incited to bold enterprises by their ardent zeale yet who would not desire to imitate the aduenturous actions of them whose memorie he adores And yet this longing desire of imitating such extraordinarie enterprises as others of noble spirits haue been thrust vpon by secret instinct is alwaies dangerous and in men not so well qualified as their Authors were preposterous For it will finde occasions of like practize when â—one is giuen vertue shall be the obiect of despite because in factious oppositions contempt of it may affoord matter of glorie Hatred and malice to Princes persons shall be accounted zeale and deuotion to the Church But if powder-plotters or publique Assasinats may be dignified with titles of Saints or proposed for imitation the Christian world may perceiue the height whereto this mischiefe may grow when it will be too late to controuse it It is an excellent caueat which old Gerson hath not impertinent to this purpose though intended by him especially for priuate vse Amongst other sophismes vsed by Satan to ensnare mens foules That Topicke of examples or similies affoords as many experiments of fallacies as there bee men whilest euery one seekes to imitate any one and professeth to frame his life by the example of such as either the Church doth Canonize or their Superiors Gouernors Doctors or men of same approue What doth the sonne say they but what he sees the father doe and yet these mates follow not the best but the worst Fathers at least that in them which is worst for them to follow by this example some of them stick not to say Paul commended himselfe Paul had visions in a trance and why may not God in these dayes worke the like effects in others Hence are prophecies faigned hence are admonitions by miracles hence are damned persons adored by the multitude witnesse the Legend yea and Vienna can beare witnesse of a dead dogs adoration Let the sacred Roman See therefore beware Let the Pope that sits therein beware vpon what grounds or motiues they canonize any 4 Rather let all Christian States beware least they giue such authoritie to either For if the danger were not alwayes imminent from their trayterous and bloud-thirstie mindes that professe this doctrine in any Kingdome yet from diuine Iustice the plagues vpon Prince and People that authorize or permit the profession of it will be one day publique and grieuous For better might they nurse all other kindes of inchantments or magicall practizes better might they giue harbour to all other heresies broched since the world beganne then suffer this Ocean of all mischiefes whether flowing from errours in manners or matters of doctrine to encroach vpon their coasts And here let not the Reader deceiue himselfe by imagining the holy Ghost had vsed a Metaphore rather then strict proprietie of speech when he called the whoore of Babylon a Witch or Inchantresse For the faith wherby the Romanist boasts he beleeues the Scriptures as elsewhere God willing shall be shewed is meerly magicall this doctrine we now dispute against the very Idea of infernall superstition or as they terme it vana obseruantia in respect of the essence and qualitie and for the extent of mischiefe whereto it leades as the maine Sea of sorcerie and all other kindes of magicall superstition as so many Brookes or Riuers For whence springs Sorcerie properly so called Either from expresse compact with euill spirits or from the solemne performance of certayne blinde ceremonies which are but sacrifices vnto infernall Powers whereby they gaine interest in the sacrificers soules in witnesse whereof they sometimes beare their markes in their bodies But if we looke into the mysterie of this iniquitie the Iesuites by subscribing vnto this doctrine of the Churches transcendent authoritie and taking the solemne oath of their order enter a couenant though not so expresse or immediate yet more firme and desperate then other Magicians vsually doe For they sweare and teach others to sweare absolute obedience to the Pope they thinke themselues bound and would binde others not to examine his decrees to esteeme of his pardons though destitute of al warrant from Gods word as highly as the Magicians doe of Charmes for which they can giue no reason either in arte or nature to offer vp their prayers and other religious worship vnto such as hee shall appoint them albeit for ought they know or as they iustly may suspect damned miscreants which is a more hellish sacrifice then any other Magicians vse And though Witches doe yet all sorts of Sorcerers enter not expresse couenant with the Prince of darkenesse And it is all one whether like Witches they giue their soules to him immediately or thus absolutely betroath them to his Proxy or principall Agent here on earth For as the Apostle instruct vs by thus worshipping the Beast they worship the Dragon his Master 5 Lastly in respect of this mouth of blasphemie Mahumetisme and Gentilisme are as a toy The ancient Heathen out of their inbred ignorance and want of externall meanes for right information
that heard him preach was as immediately from those words of eternall life which issued from his mouth as ours is from the Word preached by his messengers To what other vse then could miracles serue saue onely to breed a praeuiall admiration and make entrance for them into his hearers hearts though his bodily presence at all times was not yet were his vsuall workes in themselues truely glorious more then apt to dispell that veile of preiudice commonly taken against the meannesse of his person birth or parentage had it been meerely naturall not occasioned through willfull neglect of extraordinary meanes precedent and stubborne opposition to present grace most plentifully offered His raising others from death to life was more then sufficient to remoue that offence the people tooke at that speech If I were lift vp from the earth I should draw all men vnto me To which they answered Wee haue heard out of the Law that the Christ bideth for euer and how sayest thou that the sonne of man must be lift vp Who is that sonne of man 18 To conclude then his distinct and arbitrary foretelling euents of euery sort any Prophet had mentioned many of them not producible but by extraordinary miracles withall including diuine testifications of farre greater glory ascribed to him then Moses or any Prophet euer challenged was the demonstratiue rule according to Moses prediction whereunto all visible signs and sensible miracles should haue beene resolued by their spectators as knowne effects lead contemplators vnto the first and immediate causes on which their truth and being depends That Encomium This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased Heare him with the like giuen by Iohn Baptist Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world vnto all such as tooke him for a true Prophet did more distinctly point out the similitude peculiar to him with Moses expressed in the forecited place of Deuteronomy literally though not so plainly as most Readers would without direction obserue it seeing euen interpreters most followed either neglect the words themselues in which it is directly contained or wâ—est their meaning Vnto him shall yee hearken according to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly Their request then was Talke thou with vs and we will heart but let not God talke with vs lest we die Here the whole multitude bound themselues to hear the word of the Lord not immediately from his mouth but by Moses For whiles the people stood a farre off he onely drew neere to the darkenesse where God was This their request and resolution elsewhere more fully expressed the Lord highly commended I haue heard the voice of the wordes of this people which they haue spoken vnto thee they haue well saide all that they haue spoken Oh that there were such an heart in them to feare me and to keepe all my commandements alway that it might goe wel with them and with their children for euer If we obserue that increment the literall sense of the same words may receiue by succession of time or as they respect the body not the type both which they iointly signifie the best reason can be giuen of Gods approuing the former petition and Israels peculiar disposition at that time aboue others will bee this That as posterity in reiecting Samuel reiected Christ or God the second person in Trinity so here the Fathers in requesting Moses might bee their spokesman vnto God requested that Great Prophet ordained to bee the author of a better couenant euen that promised womans seed their brother according to the flesh to be Mediator betwixt God and them to secure them from such dreadfull flames as they had seene so they would hearken as then they promised vnto his words as vnto the words of God himselfe esteeming him as the Apostle saith so farre aboue Moses as he that builds the house is aboue the house And in the Emphasis of that speech Whosoeuer will not hearken vnto my words which he shall speake in my name I will require it of him purposely resumed by Moses with these threates annexed as if hee had not sufficiently expressed his mind in the like precedent Vnto him yee shall hearken the same difference betweene Moses and the Great Prophet then meant is included which the Apostle in another place expresseth He that despiseth Moses Law dieth without mercy vnder two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye he shall be worthy which treadeth vnder foot the son of God and counteth the blood of the Testament as an vnholy thing Vntill the soueraignety of the Law and Prophets did determine that EncomiuÌ„ of Moses did beare date There arose not a Prophet since in Israel like vnto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face but vanished vpon the Criers voice when the kingdom of heauen beganne to appeare The Israelites to whom both promises were made did farre exceed all other nations in that they had a law most absolute giuen by Moses yet to bee bettered by an euerlasting Couenant the former being as an earnest penny giuen in hand to assure them of the latter In respect of both the name of a Soothsayer or Sorcerer was not to bee heard in Israel as in the nations which knew not God much lesse expected a Mediator in whom the spirit of life should dwell as plentifully as splendor doth in the body of the Sunne from whose fulnesse ere hee visibly came into the world other Prophets were illuminated as those lights which rule the night are by that great light which God hath appointed to rule the day at whose approch the Prince of darkenesse with his followers were to auoide the Hemisphere wherein they had raigned In the meane time the testimonies of the Law and Prophesies serued as a light or candle to minish the terrors of the night Euen Moses himself and al that followed him were but as messengers sent from God to sollicite his people to reserue their alleageance free from all commerce or compact with familiar spirits vntill the Prince of glory came in person 19 Thus without censure of their opinion that otherwise thinke or teach albeit the continuance of Prophets amongst this people were a meane to preuent all occasions of consulting forcerers or witches yet the chiefe ground of Moses disswasion from such practises acording to the literall connexion of these words The nations which thou shall possesse hearken vnto those that regarde the times and vnto sorcerers as for thee the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so with those following hitherto expounded The Lord thy God will raise vp vnto thee a Prophet was the consideration of their late mighty deliuerance by Moses the excellency of their present law and their expectation of a greater law-giuer when the first couenant should waxe old and Prophesies for a long time faile vnto strict obseruance
to stagger vs most is this Why doe you belieue or how can you know those Bookes which yee call Scriptures were from God The last and finall answere according to the Iesuiticall Catechismes wherein as you heard before out of Bellarmine they thinke they haue great aduantage of vs would be this The holy Church our Mother doth so instruct giuing vs this expresse admonition withall his amplius fili mine requiras Here vpon God their Father and the infallible Church their mothers blessing their soules are bound to rest without further doubt or demand Whence vnlesse they vse so me mentall reseruation or seeke to shrowd themselus in the former aequiuocation hetherto vnfolded they must of necessity account themselues accursed if they deny the last or finall resolution of their beliefe to be into the Churches infallibility or veracity Againe what reasonable man would demand further resolution of any doubts incident to his faculty bee it reall or verball speculatiue or practicke then into the prime and immediate rules He should surely be lasht in a Grammer schoole that eyther for quantity of syllables right accent construction of wordes or the like would seeke a fuâ—ther reason then a knowne generall rule which admitteth no exception So should he with disgrace bee turned ouer the Barre amongst the Lawyers that would demurre or seeke a deuolution of an euident ruled case which by his owne confession could neuer alter Much more grosse would his absurdity appeare that in the Mathematiques or other demonstratiue science should attempt to resolue a probleme or conclusion further then into an vnquestionable theoreme or definition Finally might wee haue a centumâ—irall Court of all professions vnder the sunne our aduersaries would bee condemned with ioint consent eyther of intollerable folly or impudency if they should with Valentian deny the last resolution of their faith to bee into the Churches infallibility seeing they make it such a Catholike inerrable perpetuall rule of Christian faith as admits no exception no deuolution from it no appeale It is to them more then he said of Logicke Ars artium scientia scientiarum a faculty of faculties a Rule of Rules able rightly to resolue all doubts concerning the very Canon of Scriptures or Gods word written or vnwritten or the true sense or meaning of both briefly able most authentically to determine define all controuersies in Religion of what kind soeuer 4 Nor will it boot them ought to say that Gods word in the Churches mouth is the Rule whereinto faith is finally resolued seeing the Church defines nothing but by Gods word eyther written or vnwritten For this is more then the party which beleeues it can know nor hath hee any other motiue to belieue it besides the Churches definition or assertion Suppose then wee should conceiue so well of a temporall Iudge as to presume hee did neuer speake but according to the true meaning eyther of statute or customary law yet if wee could not know eyther the one or the other or their right interpretation but onely by his determinations the law were little beholden to him vnlesse for a floute that should say he were resolued iointly by the Iudge and it For seeing the Law is to him altogether vncertaine but by the Iudges auouchment or interpretation his last resolution of any act of iustice must bee onely into the Iudges skill and fidelity This inference Sacroboscus would nor deny hee himselfe hath made the like to proue that not the Scripture but the Church must bee the infallible rule of faith You will obiect saith he when the Church defines it alwayes defines according to the word of God eyther written or vnwritten New reuelations it receiues none the promised assistance of the spirit helps it onely to know what is alreadie reuealed Therefore from the first to the last that which determines controuersies and is the Iudge in all questions of faith is the word of God To this obiection thus hee answeres because we cannot be certaine of the true sense of Gods word but by the voice of the Church which heares our controuersies and answeres them The Church is Iudge although it iudge according to Gods word which vpon examination and by the spirits assistance it alwayes vnderstands a right And if euery one of vs should haue the infallible gift of vnderstanding Gods word wee should not neede any other Iudge The Reader I hope will remember what was said before that those flowting hypocrites would faine beleeue 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 euer Hell broacht worse then worshipping of Diuels as shal appeare hereafter 5 It may be some Nouice in Artes that hath late read some vulgar Logicians vpon the demonstrations might here frame this doubt in fauour 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 proued by Scriptures and the Scriptures againe by the Churches authority both infallibly beleeved each for others sake as both the former demonstrations are true and certaine and yet mutually depending one vpon the other 6 This obiection had some late Logicians vnderstood what they said would carry some shew of truth to countenance Valentians former circular resolutioÌ„ but they lace their M rs rule vttered by him Pingui Minerua too too straightly For taking it as they do we shold admit of circular demoÌ„strations the conceit wherof can haue no place but in a giddy braine To demonstrate the finall cause in any worke of Nature were to assigne a Counsailor to the infinite wisdome of the God of Nature in whose intention the end is first and is the cause of all operation or efficiency Who could giue or who would demaund a naturall cause why life should be prescribed for this is the will of him that gaue it If question were made of the manner how the life of man and other creatures is preserued when as their heat might seeme to choake them A man might truly answere by respiration and respiration is from the lungs But it is one thing to aske how or by what meanes another for what end any effect is produced The former is an inquiry of the efficient within these precincts of meanes or motions alwayes prime and independent The later of the final cause absolutely indemonstrable becauses it implies a contradiction to giue a reason why that should be for whose sake all other things of that ranke haue being Nor is the end it selfe to speake properly euer produced though oftimes in common speech we take the effect immediately thereto destinated because most sensible for the end it selfe as we doe the starre next to the pole because visible for the pole or point immoueable Thus we confound respirations or actuall preseruation of life with the finall cause why men haue lungs when as both are effects of the lungs
Popes authority the Iesuites see wel to be obnoxious to this exception When the Pope doth canonize a Saint hee binds all men to take him for a Saint Can hee not herein erre As for canonizing of Saints saith Valentian I absolutely deny as the Catholique Doctors vpon good reasons generally doe that the Pope can erre in such a businesse The certainety of this his beliefe hee would ground vpon those promises by which wee are assured it shall neuer come to passe that the vniuersall Church can bee deceiued in points of Religion But the whole church should erre very grosely in such matters should it repute and worshippe him for a Saint which is none Here it would bee obserued how Sathan instigates these men vnto such tenents as may occasion God and his Gospell to be blasphemed First they would make it an Article of faith that all must belieue as the Pope teacheth Whence it followes that eyther hee cannot teach amisse or else faith may perish from off the earth Which if it could God were not true in his promises The surest pledge the Christian world can haue of his fidelity in them must be the Popes infallibility so as from the first vnto the last hee must be held as true in his dealings as God in his sayings If hee faile in canonizing a Saint whom he cannot possibly know to be such vnlesse hee knew his heart which belongs wholly vnto his maker God must be a lyar and there is no truth in him The finall issue intended by Sathan in these resolutions is this When men haue beene a long time ledde on with faire hopes of gaining heauen by following the Popes direction and yet in the end see as who not blinde sees not his grosse errors and detestable villanies they may bee hence tempted to blaspheme God as if hee had beene his copartner in this consenage From this root I take it hath Atheisme sprung so fast in Italy For whilest faith is in the blade and their hopes flourishing they imagine God and the Pope to be such friends as their blinde guides make them But afterwards comming to detestation of this man of sinne his treachery holding his spirituall power as ridiculous they thinke eyther as despitefully or contemptuously of the Deity or say with the foole in their hearts there is no God 3 Thus Antichrists followers still runne a course quite contrary to Christian Religion For if it bee true as it is most true that faith cannot vtterly perish from off the earth what damnable abuse of Gods mercy and fauour toward mankind is this in seeking as the Iesuites doe to make all absolutely rely vpon one in matters of faith For so if hee faile all others must of necessity faile with him That is the whole world must be as kind supernaturall fooles to him as that naturall idiot was to his Master who being demanded whether hee would goe to heauen with him or no replyed hee would goe to Hell with so good a Master seeing any man would be willing to goe to heauen with an ordinary friend yea with his enemy Though we should vse no other argument but that Auoide yee sonnes of Sathan for it is written yee shall not tempt the Lord your God It should mee thinkes bee enough to put all the Iesuites in the world vnto silence in this point did they not as farre exceede their father in impudency as they come short of him in wit For this manner of tempting God is more shamelesse then the Diuels suggestion vnto our Sauiour when hee was instantly silenced with this reproofe A presumption it is more damnable to expect the protection or guidance of Gods spirit in such desperate resolutions as Valentian here brings then it were for a man to throw himselfe headlong from an high Tower vpon hope of Angelicall supportance For seeing as I saide God hath promised that true faith shall not perish from off the earth for all men to aduenture their faith vpon one mans infallibility who may haue lesse sauing faith in him then Turke or Infidell is but a prouoking or daring of God to recall his promise Or what more damnable doctrine can bee imagined then that all men should worshippe him for a Saint whom the wickeddest man on earth doth commend vnto him for such 4 But to proceede As the doctrine is most impious so are the grounds of it most improbable For how can the Pope or Papists infallibly know this or that man to bee a Saint Seeing there is no particular reuelation made of it eyther to the Pope or others I answere saith Valentian that the generall reuelation whereby it is euident that whatsoeuer the Pope shall decree as pertaining to the whole Church is most true may suffice in this case Moreouer saith he vnto the canonizing of Saints appertaine these reuelations of Scripture in which heanenly ioyes are generally proposed to all such as leade a godly life For by the Popes determination we know the Saint which hee hath canonized to bee contained in the foresaid vniuersall proposition Whence it is easie to frame an assent of faith by which wee may perswade our selues that such a Saint hath obtained eternall blisse 5 I would request the Reader by the way to note the Iesuites iniurious partiality in scoffing at such of our Writers as without expresse warrant of particular reuelation holde a certainety of their owne saluation when as they onely by Gods generall promises to such as leade a godly life and the Popes infallibility in declaring who haue so liued can bee certaine de fide others are saued But the former doubt is rather remoued then quite taken away by this his answere if it stand alone As yet it may bee questioned how any can infallibly know the truth of what hee cannot possibly know at all but only by other mens testimonies in their nature the Iesuite being iudge not infallible and in whose examination it is not impossible his Holinesse may bee negligent For how men liue or die in England Spaine or the Indies no Pope can tell but by the information of others no Popes The Reader perhaps will prognosticate Valentians answere as in truth I did For when I first framed the doubt before I read it in him mee thought it stood in need of such a reply as Bellarmine brought for defence of the vulgar interpreter Altogether as foolish it were to thinke any priuate mans information of anothers vprightnesse in the sight of God as to hold Theodotion the heretike could not erre in translating of the Bible But though they may bee deceiued in testification of anothers sanctity yet Valentian tels you supposing the Pope is once induced by their testimonies though in nature fallible to pronounce him a blessed Saint all must infallibly belieue their testimonies at least so farre as they proue in generall that hee died a godly and religious death are true and that the party commended by them is of that number