Amos and Micheas moreouer in the time of Ieremy there liued â—he good King Iosias and the good prophets Ezechiel Daniel and Sophonias Therfore those things which Isay and Hiereâ—y do say cannot be vnderstood of all vâ—iuersally 5. The other places which our Aduersaries S. Aug. Tom. 2. Epist 48. ad V incentium alleadge do proue that there aâ—â— at sometymes but a few in the Church â— but they do not proue that the sayâ— Church was inuisible Yea as S. Augâ—stine disputing against the Donatists weâ— obserueth when the Church of God â— most vexed with the persecutions of thâ— wicked and seemeth to be almost oppreâ— see therewith then is she most diuine iâ— such her members as are renewed for coâ—rage and constancy for fayth and obedience Mat. 1. v. â—8 towards God was more eminent iâ— one Noë or Abraham then in ten thousand others 6. Lastly this our disputatioÌ„ is not properly of the auncient Church which wâ— Eusebius in Cron. Orosiâ—â— in hist Genâ—b in sua Cono. Sand. de visib Monar ch l. 7. in prin Cocâ—iuâ— Tom. 1. lib 8. Art 2. before Christs time but of that whiâ— ensued the promulgation of the Gospeâ— till this our present age whereof Chriâ— sayth Vpon this rocke I will build my Church â— the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Fâ— albeit the Church hath beene alwayes vâ—sible euen froÌ„ the beginning of the worâ— till the coÌ„ming of Christ as Paulus Orosiâ— Eusâ—bius haue out of the holy Scripturâ— in euery age declared in this our age alâ— Genebrard Sanders and Coccius haue briefâ— demonstrated the same Yet notwithstanding before the comming of Christ tâ— whole Church of God was in a manner Psal 75. v. 2. Psal 147. v. vlt. concluded into greater straits of persons and places according to those words of the Propheâ— Dauid God was knowne in Iury againe He hath not done thus to euery Nation and he hath not manifested or made knowne his iudgment vnto them But amongst the Gentils there were but few who acknowledged and rightly worshipped God Wherefore the true Church was often reduced vnto a few persons in number but S. Aug. Tom. 2. Epist 84. ad V incent notwithstaÌ„ding euer visible those very eminent in sanctity and holynesse as is declared by S Augustins words already alledged But the state and condition of the Church of Christ is farre differeÌ„t after the Genes 22. v. 18. promulgatioÌ„ of the Ghospel froÌ„ that other for now that blessed seed of AbrahaÌ„ is come wherin all the NatioÌ„s of the earth were to be Blessed now those prophesies of Christs inheritance and Kingdomes are fullfilled Psal 2. v. 8. Aske of me I wil giue thee all Nations for thy inheritaunce and the bounds of the whole earth for thy Psal 71. v. 8. â—â—ssession Also He shall gouerne and raigne from sea to sea and from the â—yuer to the end of the whole world And againe All the Kings of the earth â—â—all adore him and all Nations shall serue him Moreouer Our Lord hath prepared his holy arme Ibid. v. 1â— Isa 52. v. 10. â—â— the eyes of all Nations and all the limits of the â—rth shall see the saluation of our Lord and God When S. Augustine had alledged this place among others against the Donatists admiring their great madnesse and ignorance who affirme the Church to be eyther inuisible or to lye lurking in some od place only brake forth into these most true S. Aug. Toâ— 7. de vnit Eccles c. 7. words worthy of so great a Doctor VVho is sayth he so deafe who is so mad and who so foolish to contradict these so cleare euident testimonies but he which knoweth not what he speaketh And truly that the Church of God was farre more knowen and spread ouer the whole world after the promulgation of the Ghospell euen in the Apostles tyme then it euer was in the tyme of the law those words of the Apostle do sufficiently declare But Rom. 10. v. 18. I say haue they not heard And â—â—â—tes into all earth hath the sound of them gone forth and vnto the Rom 1. v. â—8 ends of the whole world the wordes of them And againe speaking vnto the RomaÌ„ Church he sayth I giue thankes to my God through Iesus Christ for all of you because your sayth is renewed in the whole world 7. Moreouer from the Apostleâ— tyme till this our present age the Church of Christ hath bin not only visible but also spread abroad knowne and most famous throughout diuers Kingdomes of the world as many historiographers aswell Ecclesiasticall as prophane doe testify and the worthy Cardinall Câ—sar Barâ—â—ius hath euidently declared and that not only throughout all ages but also euery S. Aug. Tom. 7. de vnit Ecc. cap. 7. yeare in so much that those who do not consent and agree heereunto are not only to be accounted Infidels but as S. Augustine speaketh very fitly and truely men out of their wittes CHAP. VI. Diuers other Arguments of our Aduersaries against the visible Church are confuted THE third argument of our Aduersaries wherby they impugne the visible Church is this The Holy Scripture compareth the Church to the Moone but the Moone doth often tymes not appeare as it hapneth in the new moone and in the Eclips I answere that we must not seeke for a similitude or likenesse in all thinges betwixt the Church and the moone for otherwise the Church of Christ should neyther see not vnderstand nor belieue and it should be altogeather without life as the Moone is But in this matter that similitude or liknesse betwixt the Church and the moone is only to be sought out in which the Scripture compareth the Church to the moone but the Scripture doth not compare the Church to the Moone as she is a mutable planet but as she is beautifull in her selfe Beautifull saith Cant. 6. v. 9. Salomon is the moone but in mutuability the Scriptur compareth a foole to the moone but not the Church A foole saith the Eccl. 27. v. 12. Wiseman is changed as the moone Moreouer the Church of Christ is not compared to euery moone but only to the moone Isa 60. v. 26. when she is in her fulnesse perfection yea to the moone which is neuer diminished nor fayleth heÌ„ce are those wordes of the Prophet Isay which Caluin acknowledgeth Cal. in illa verba are to be vnderstood of the Church Thy sunne shall neuermore be set and thy moone shall not be diminished or as Caluin translateth it shall not be hidden Lastly S. Iohn saith that the moone is vnder the feete of the Church that therby we may vnderstaÌ„d that the Church of Christ by the vertue of the sunne to wit Christ himselfe where withall she is wholy inuested and Apo. 12. v. 1. adorned is free from all mutability in matters of faith 2. The fourth argument These thinges which we
A SVMMARY OF CONTROVERSIES WHEREIN Are briefly treated the cheefe Questions of Diuinity now a dayes in dispute betweene Catholikes Protestants especially out of the holy Scripture WRITTEN IN LATIN By the R. Father Iames Gordon Huntley of Scotland Doctour of Diuinity of the Society of IESVS And translated into English by I. L. of the same SOCIEâ—Y The I. Tome deuided into two Controuersies THE SECOND EDITION IHS Permissu Superiorum M. DC XVIII THE CONTENTS OF THE ENSVING CONTROVERSIES CONTROVER I. The first Part of the first Controuersy treateth of the Written Word of God Of the Scope and Methode of this Treatise Chap. 1. Of the VVord of God in generall Chap. 2. Of the written VVord of God Chap. 3. How we are to seeke out the true sense meaning of the holy Scripture Chap. 4. How we may know which is the true letter of the holy Scripture Chap. 5. Of the Hebrew Text. Chap. 6. Of our Aduersaries new translations of the Byble Chap. 7. Of the Latin vulgar Edition Chap. 8. The place of Genesis She shall breake thy â—head is shewed to be well translated Chap. 9. Of the true sense of these wordes Ipsa coÌ„teret c. Chap. 10. That the written VVord is no fit Iudge of Controuersies concerning matters of fayth Chap. 11. VVhether the Scripture be obscure or hard to be vnderstood Chap. 12. VVhether the holy Scripture be to be translated into the vulgar tongue Chap. 13. That our Aduersaries vse many sleights in corrupting the VVord of God Chap. 14. The fourth fifth and sixt shift that our Aduersaries vse in deprauing the VVord of God Chap. 15. Of the seauenth and eight shift Chap. 16. Of the ninth and tenth shift Chap. 17. THE SECOND PART Of the first Controuersy handleth the vnwritten Word of God commonly called Traditions Of the true state of the Question Chap. 1. Out of the first and chiefest principles of faith it is clearly conuinced that three are Traditions Chap. 2. It is proued out of other particular points of saith that there are Traditions Chap. 3 VVhether there are any points of sayth to be alledged which are no where extant in the Bible Chap. 4. It is proued that there are Traditions by the testimonies of the holy Fathers Chap. 5. By the doctrine of our Aduersaries it is proued that there are Traditions Chap. 6. It is proued that there are Traditions by the absurdities which otherwise would follow Chap. 7. The Arguments of our Aduersaries taken out of the old Testament are confuted Chap. 8. That place of S. Pauls Epistle to the GalathiaÌ„s the which our Aduersaries do obiect against Traditions is examined Chap. 9. Other obiections of our Aduersaries against Traditions are refuted Chap. 10. It is declared how we may know the Apostolicall Traditions Chap. 11. CONTROVER II. The first part of the second CoÌ„trouersy treateth of the properties of the true Church of Christ Of the properties and offices of the true Church in generall Chap. 1. That out of the true Church of Christ there is no saluation Chap. 2. That the Church of Christ is to continue for euer Chap. 3. That this Church which hath alwayes continued hath alwayes byn visible Chap. 4. The arguments against the visible Church are confuted Chap. 5. Other arguments of our Aduersaries against the visible Church are confuted Chap. 6. That this visible true Church of Christ cannot erre in matters of sayth Chap. 7. That there is no lawfull calling of preachers or Pastours of the Church but by the visible Church Chap. 8. THE SECOND PART Of the second Controuersy treateth of the Ground of Fayth VVhether the Church be the foundation and ground of our fayth And of the true state of this Question Chap. 1. The properties of the ground and rule of our saith are alledged Chap. 2. That the Scripture alone is not the ground or rule of sayth Chap. 3. That the priuate or particuler spirit of euery one is not the ground or rule of sayth Chap. 4. That the Catholike Church is the ground or rule of our fayth Chap. 5. The arguments of our Aduersaries are confuted Chap. 6. That the Church doth not only giue a bare testimony but also authority to the Scripture Chap. 7. The Arguments of our Aduersaries are confuted Chap. 8. That the Church is the Iudge of all Controuersies in matters of Fayth Chap. 9. THE THIRD PART Of the second Controuersy treateth of the true Marks of the Church Of the false and true signes or Markes of the Church in generall Chap. 1. That the true Church of Christ is One Holy Catholike Apostolike Chap. 2. That the Roman Church only is the true Church of Christ is proued by the properties of the true Church Chap. 3. That the Church of Rome is the true Church of Christ is proued by the offices of true Church Ch. 4. By the signes of the true Church it is declared that the Roman is the true Church of Christ Cap. 5. That the Church of the Citty of Rome is the chiefest of all the visible Churches of Christ is clearly conuinced by the holy Scriptures Chap. 6. That the Church of Rome is the chiefest and head of all other is proued out of the auncient Fathers and euen by the confession of our Aduersaries themselues Chap. 7. The arguments of our Aduersaries against the Church of Rome are confuted Chap. 8. Of the Adoration of the Pope of Rome and of the kissing of his feete Chap. 9. Of Generall Councells Chap. 10. Of the Authority of the Auncient holy Fathers Chap. 11. THE FIRST CONTROVERSY OF THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD. The first Part of the first Controuersy CHAP. I. Of the Scope and Methode of this Treatise ALL the Controuersyes of this tyme may be reduced to two heades for eyther they are certayne generall principles foundations of our faith and Religion or they are particuler questions appertayning to the same Amongst other generall Principles there be two about which is the greatest contention at this day the one is the Word of God the other the Church we will first speake of the word of God and afterwardes of the Church and lastly we will examine euery particuler Controuersy if God shall graunt vs life and health 2. Two things do now adayes hold many in errour The one is a false opinion that many haue who thinke it a matter of little importance whether they giue credit or no to many things taught by the Roman Church which daungerous perswasion may be taken out of the mindes of all faithfull people by that which we shall deliuer coÌ„cerning the word of God and the Church for thereby it shall euidently appeare that al thinges are firmely to be belieued which the Roman Church belieueth and that without this faith no man can hope to be saued The other is that such as desire to find out the true faith in euery particuler CoÌ„trouersy are oftentimes so hindred by the sleights and falshoods of our Aduersaryes as it will
32. Christ hath but one spouse and acknowledgeth no other They shal be two in one flesh but I sayth the Apostle speake in Christ in the Church So also Christ speaketh of the Church my doue and my persect is one Cant. 6. v. 8. Christ is not an adulterer neyther doth he beget any children of an adulteresse For this cause saith S. Cyprian the spouse of Christ cannot be an adulteâ—esse â—he is not corrupted S. Cypâ— in traâ—â— de vnit Eâ—cles and she is chast And a little after VVhosoeuer beâ—ng separated from the Church is ioyned to an adulâ—erâ—sse he is separated from the promises of the Chuâ—ch Neyther shall he euer attaine to the rewards S. Aug. Tom. 9. de â—ymh ad Caâ—h lib. 4. c vlt. of Christ who teares the Church of Christ He is an alâ—ene he is prophane he is an enemy he cannot haue God for his Father who hath not the Church for his Mother Thus he which last words S. Augustin repeateth out of him 2. Secondly he that is without the body of Christ cannot receyue the spirit of Christ nor be partaker of the lyfe and Rom. 8. v. 9. S. Aug. Tom. 29. tract 2. in oan merits of Christ But he who hath not the spirit of Christ is not his as witnesseth the Apostle S. Augustine dâ—clareth this very well by the example of a mans body whose members cannot liue vnlesse they be ioyned to the body Another reasoÌ„ also S. Augustine alledgeth taken from the forsaid property of the Church None sayth he obtayneth saluatioÌ„ euerlasting lyse but he who S. Aug Tom. 7. de vnit Ecc. c. 19. hatâ— Christ to be his head But none can haue Christ to be his head but he who is in â—is body which is the Church So sayth S. Augustine 4. Thirdly the Name only of a Mother doth proue this sufficiently For none can be conceyued nor borne without a mother and the child which is borne if it leaue to sucke the mothers breasts will perish for hunger By which argument euen our wisest Aduersaries are conuinced For both Caluin â—nd Beza doe confesse Calu. l. 4. nstit c 1. Beza cap. 5. Confess Art 1. this that euen the name only of a mother doth conuince that which we haue sayd to be true yea also the Scripture doth ofteÌ„ testify that out of the bosome of the Church we cannot hope for the remâ—ssion of our sinnes nor euerlasting saluation and that the going out of the true Church was alwaies hatefull And hence it commeth to passe that in the Creed of the Apostles first we belieue the holy Catholike Church and then the remission of sinnes and lyfe euerlasting because indeed without this Church none can obtaine eyther remissioÌ„ of their sinnes or life euerlasting CHAP. III. That the Church of Christ is to continue for euer THE second errour of our Aduersaries is that many of them affirme that the Church of Christ hath not continually endured but that it sometymes fayled This error may also be easily refuted by the forsayd propertyes offices of the Church For first the Church is the spouse of Christ of which he speaketh by the Prophet I will betroth thee vnto me for euer Christ therfore did not bâ—troth his Church vnto him Ose 2. v. 19. for a few yeares only 2. Secondly the Church is the Body of Christ but Christ cannot be without his Rom. 12. v. 5. body And truly it were a monstrous thing to see a liuing head without a body 3. Thirdly the Church is the Kingdome of Christ but the Scriptures doe teach in many places that this Kingdome Psaâ— 83. ve 89. v. 36. of Christ shall continue for euer as Micheae 4. v. 7. Daniel 2. v. 44. Ierem. 33. v. 20. 21. Luc. 1. 32. 33. Lastly Christ sweareth in his Holy One that is to say by his Holines that the Kingdome of Christ shall last for euer Wherefore they endeauour to make Christ himself periured who affirme that the Kingdome of Christ sometymes perished 4. Fourthly the Church is the House Matt. 17. v. 18. of Christ the which he built vpon a rocke and against which the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile 5. Fifthly the same is proued be the 1. Cor. 11. v. 26. offices of the Church The Church shall shew the death of our Lord vntil he come God also gaue some as Apostles and Doctors who should Ephes 4. v. 11. teach and rule the Church vntill we meet all in Christ in the end of the world When Christ also sent his Disciples to teach all Nations and to administer the SacrameÌ„ts he added this promise Behould I am with Matt. vlt. v. vlt. you all dayes euen to the consuÌ„mation of the world By which words as S. Hierome wel noteth he sheweth that they are to liue alwayes and that he is neuer departed from the faithfull belieuers 6. Lastly our Aduersaries themselues being coÌ„uiuced with the truth of this matter do acknowledge that the holy Calu. lib. 4. Instit c. 1. sect 17. in fine Scriptures do testify this in many places For Caluin and Beza to omit many others do acknowledge and proue this out of the Scriptures Seeing that sayth Beza the Kingdome of Iesus Christ is continuall it Beza c. 5. Confess art 1. necessarily followeth that there haue alwaies byn some to be found who did acknowledge him for their King CHAP. IIII. That this Church which hath alwaies continued hath alwaies byn visible THE third errour of our Aduersaries is that they deny the Church of Christ to haue byn alwayes visible For seing that they cannot deny but that the Church of Christ hath alwayes continued as we haue declared in in the precedent Chapter and wheÌ„ we demaund of them where their Church was for the space of a thousand yeares and more they fly vnto a certaine inuisible Church which they say lay hidden for many yeares But this errour also is easily refuted by the for said properties and offices of the true Church 2. For first the Church is the body of Christ but this body of Christ was visible 1. Cor. 1â— vers 27. for the Apostle spake vnto visible men when he sayd you are the body of Christ Moreouer we are made the body of Christ by baptisme and the receiuing of the Eucharist 1. Cor. 10. v. 17. 1. Cor. 12. v. 13. Ephes 4. v. 11. 12. as witnesseth the Apostle But these Sacraments are visible Also in this body of Christ there are Doctors and Pastors vntill the consuÌ„matioÌ„ of Saynts vntil we meet with Christ but such persons are also visible The building also of the Church is visible this consuÌ„mation of Saynts is visible that worke of ministery is visible which the Apostle sayth shall continue vntill the comming of Christ 2. Secondly the Church is the Kingdome of Christ but euery Kingdome coÌ„prehendeth in it a visible company of meÌ„ who all acknowledge one
the Church could erre in the doctrine of faith Christ also the holy Ghost and God himselfe should erre 6. The third absurdity is that a building could coÌ„sist stand without a fouÌ„dation For the fayth of Christ is the fouÌ„dation of the Church If yet sayth the Apostle you continue in the fayth grounded Colos 1. v. 19. and stable And in another place he teacheth that the Church is grounded vpon Ephes 2. v. 20. the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets but the foundation being taken away the building must needs fall This absurdity is so manyfest that it forced Caluin to confesse this very truth which now we â—each to be euidently conuinced out of S. Pauls words If sayth he the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets be the foundation of the Calu. l. 4. Instit c. 2. sect 1. Church take away that doctrine and how can the building stand Thus Caluin 10. The fourth absurditie is that the true Church should consist and be without her proper and essentiall forme no otherwise then if one should say that a true and liuing man might consist and be without his soule For the true faith and the true preaching thereof are as it were the essentiall formes of the Church Calu. l. 4. Inutit c. 2. sect 12. Caluin also acknowledgeth this absurdity when he writeth that the fayth of the Church being taken away there must needes follow the vtter ouerthrow of religion euen as the life of man is ouerthrowen and taken away if he be stabbed with a dagger or deadly wounded at the hart 11. The fourth argument is deduced out of the manifest contradictions which follow of the contrary doctrine For they who coÌ„â—eÌ„d that the true Church of Christ doth erre in fayth do not indeed know what they say for that is the only true Church of Christ which retayneth and kepeth still the name the sincere fayth of Christ but that is the false Church of Christ which only professeth the name of Christ but erreth in fayth Wherefore to say that the Church of Christ erreth in fayth is all one as to say that the true Church is not the true Church but the false which implieth a contradiction 12. The fift argument is deduced out of those things which our Aduersaries do graunt vnto vs. For the common Insraeâ— 18. huiuâ— Controu doctrine of our Aduersaries is as we will shew hereafter that the sincere preaching of the word of God and lawfull administration of Sacraments are the markes and signes of the true Church without which it cannot consist therfore it necessarily followeth that they must also admit that the true Church cannot erre in fayth and in the true preaching of the word of God For that Church caÌ„not sincerely preach the word of God who fouly erreth in points of fayth and in the Calu. l. 4. Instit cap. 2. sect â— cap. 8. sect 12. 13. true preaching therof Caluin also out of diuers places of Scripture doth proue that it is a false Church and not a true which erreth in the principall points of fayth and he acknowledgeth that the true Church cannot erre therein they being necessary to saluation Beza in like manner Bezain l. de Ecc. notis volum 3. Tract Theol. writeth that the true Church cannot erre in the chiefe poynts of fayth albeit he saith that it erreth in lesser matters the which distinction of poynts of fayth he hath takeÌ„ out of Caluin The Church therfore caÌ„not erre at the least in chiefe points Calu. l. 4. Instit c. 1. sect 12. of faith eueÌ„ in our Aduersaries iudgmeÌ„ts 12. Our Aduersaries heape togeather a great many of arguments but they are such as may easily be answered For whereas they know that their arguments are but weake and almost nothing wortâ— they endeauour by the multitude thereof to oppresse the truth or at the least to obscure hide it Many of them when they manifestly see that it is impossible that the true Church can consist or be without faith they craftily feygne that the Calu. l. 4. Instit cap. 2. sect 2. Controuersy betwixt vs is not of this matter but of some other far different that is to say of that vvhereof none euer doubteth so dealeth Caluin with vs. For when he had confessed that to be the false Church and not the true which erreth in principall poynts of fayth consequently that the true Church cannot erre herein as out of his owne words we haue already declared at the last he feigneth that the controuersy in this matter is not whether the Church can erre or no but whether she may erre if she take not for her companion the word of God Calu. l. 4. Instit c. 8. sect 13. 15. and that we affiâ—me that whatsoeuer she shall decree eyther without or besids the word of God that the same is to be accounted as a most certayne oracle of God But that he and his affirme that therfore the Church cannot erre because it permitteth it selfe to be directed and gouerned by the sayd word of God and because it teacheth nothing but out of the word of God But this is a meere slaunderâ— or there can no Catholike be found who doth not acknowledge that the Church permitteth it selfe to be directed in all things by the word of God Supra Contro 1. ca. 2. seing that the sole word of God is the obiect of faith as we haue sayd before wherfore the true Church proposeth nothing els vnto vs to be belieued with a Catholike fayth but the most sincere and true word of God But in this matter only is the controuersy betwixt vs and our Aduersaries that they acknowledg only the written word of the holy Scripture to be the true word of God but we not only Supr Contro 1. c. 25. sequen acknowledge the written word but also that which was preached and deliuered vnto vs by Christ and his Apostles Wherof we haue said inough in the precedent disputation 14. Some others by friuolous distinctions endeauour to hyde this their error and to obscure and darken most cleare perspicuous matters wheras notwithstanding in very truth they can say nothing cls but that which we haue already Philip de Moâ—nay Tract de Eccles c 2. taught For they inuent and imagine a twofold Church the one pure the other impure wherin they place euen Heretikes themselues this which is impure say they erreth in faith but not that which is pure But we acknowledge only one holy Catholik Church of Christ with the Creed of the Apostles that of the Councel of Nice we willingly yield vnto them their impure Church wherin the Heretiks are For none doubteth but that such a Church may erre But as this is a false not the true Church of Christ so of it is not this present Controuersy but only of the true and pure Church of Christ 15. Others distinguish the Church into
with the word of God in generall the which they should not doe for ther are three sorts of the word of God to wit that which is belieued preached and written The belieued word is in the hart of the Church that which is preached is in her mouth and that which is written is in her bookes Of the belieued and preached Word the Apostle sayth the word is in thy mouth and in thy hart this is the word of fayth which we preach We Rom. 20. v. 8. confesse that in the belieued and preached word the Church is founded because by the same it is ingendred nourished Rom. 10. v. 10. Ibid v. 14. and gouerned and that vnto this word it is subiect and obedient as vnto the Words of her spouse For indeed this kind of word is necessary for the Church For with our hart sayth the Apostle we belieue vnto Iustice but with the mouth confession is made to saluation And againe How shall they heare without a preacher 2. But the nature of the written word is farre different for this is neyther altogeather necessary for the Church seeing that the Church was without it more then two thousand yeares neyther can the written word be profitable to the Church vnlesse it be also rightly preached and belieued For what doth it profit a man to haue the Bible vnlesse he rightly belieue and vnderstand it 3. But the Scripture whereof we now dispute doth only conteyne the written word but the belieued and preached word is conteined in the visible Church as the necessary and essentiall parts therof seing the one is as it were the life in the hart of the Church the other as it were the speach in her mouth neither can they euer be separated from her according to that saying and promise of God The words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not Isa 59. v. vlt. depart from thy mouth nor from the mouth of thy seede nor from the mouth of thy seedes seede from henceforth for euermore 4. Wherefore this argument doth proue the quite coÌ„trary for seeing that the written word receiueth it profit and authority from the rightly belieued and preached word which are the partes of the Church it is necessary that the written word receiue that authority and vtility from the Church as that wherin only the word rightly preached and belieued is to be found 5. The second argument If the Church should teach any thing contrary to the Scriptures we were not to belieue the Church Therefore the Scripture doth not receiue that authority from the Church but rather the Church from the Scripture I answere that in the same maÌ„ner it may be said that if the Scripture should conteine any thing against truth we should not also belieue it if the holy Ghost should vtter and speake any lye we should not belieue him But thâ—se conditions are indeed impossible and blasphemous against God wherefore they are not only to be admitted but not euen to be proposed of Christians For it is impossible that the Church should teach any thing contrary to the Scriptures for then the holy Ghost should lye because he should teach one thing by the Church and the contrary by the Scriptures 6. The third argument if the Scripture receiue that authority from the Church then the Church should be aboue the Scripture which seemeth to be very absurd I answere That the Church is aboue the Scriptures may be vnderstood two wayes First because the Church exceedeth the Scripture in dignity and excellency and in this sense without all doubt the Church is about the Scripture for the Scripture is made for the Church and not contrary wise All things sayth the Apostles 1. Cor. 4. v. 51. are done for you Christ dyed for the Church and not for the Scriptures the Church belieueth hopeth loueth and prayseth God but the Scripture doth none of these The Church shall reigne and liue euerlastingly with Christ in heauen the Scripture shall perish after the day of Iudgement Lastly the Church conteineth in it the word of God rightly belieued preached and the Holy Ghost it selfe all which do farre exceede the written word in excellency and dignity 7. Secondly it may be vnderstood that the Church is aboue the Scripture so as she may change the Scripture or of Scripture make no Scripture or lastly she may teach some what contrary to Scripture or depart from the true sense of Scripture In which sense the Sectaries of this tyme say that we affirme the Church to be aboue the Scripture And thus it is false that the Church is aboue the Scripture but neyther is there any Catholike which in this sense will affirme that the Bellar. l. 3. de verbo Dei c. vlt. in resp ad 14. argum Church is aboue the Scripture as Bellarmine truly affirmeth For if the Church were in this sense aboue the Scripture the Church should erre and be opposite vnto her â—elfe because in that the Church hath once approued the Scripture she cannot any more reiect and disproue it vnlesse she contradict her selfe which is impossible 8. The fourth argument The holy Scripture receiueth her authority immediatly from God himselfe because he is the Author of the Scripture therefore it doth not receiue it authority from the Church I answere there be two kinds of certaynties the one of the thing in it owne Nature the other in respect of vs so also there are two kinds of authorityes the one of the thing considered in it selfe and this hath the Scripture from her principall Author to wit God himselfe the other is in respect of vs and this it hath from the Church as we haue Cap 13. praeced §. 17. 19. proued before out of Caluin and Beza For we know not otherwise that God is the Author of the Scripture with any certainty of fayth but by the testimony of the Church 9. And that which we haue sayd of the Scripture may also be euidently seene in Christ our Lord who is aboue the Scripture For Christ was forced to proue his authority by miracles that it might the better be knowen and allowed of men For otherwise the Iewes had not beene bound to haue admitted his authority Ioan. 15. v. 14. S. Aug. Tom. 9. Tract 91. in Ioan. Hereupon saith Christ speaking vnto his disciples of the Iewes If I had not done among them workes that no other man hath done they should not haue sinned that is to say of Infidelity not belieuing in Christ aâ— S. Augustine very well expoundeth And in another place speaking vnto the Iewes Ioan. 10. v. 17. he sayth If I doe not the workes of my Father belieue me not 10. But if the authority of Christ which was most exellent in it selfe and immediatly from God stood in need of those meanes wherby it might become knowne vnto vs to the end it might oblige vs to belieue it much more the authority of the Scripture will stand in need
written poynts of fayth it is manifest that no◠other Iudge but the Catholike Church hath ended or defined all these controuersyes 29. But in this iudgement of the Church there are two thinges to be considered the one that the Church doth not iudge of any part of the word of God out of her owne proper sense and iudgment or at her owne pleasure without the word of God as her Aduersaries and namely Caluin do wrongfully slaunder her but by one part of the word of God which is better knowen she iudgeth of that which is lesse knowen and manifest vnto vs as for example by the word of God deliuered by Traditions she iudgeth of the written word of God and of the true sense therof 30. The other thing to be considered is that when the Church doth iudge of these things they are not men only Act. 15. v. 28. which iudge as our Aduersaries pretend but the holy Ghost also himselfe who iudgeth and speaketh vnto vs by the Church It seemed good say the Apostles to the holy Ghost and vs. For euen as the actions of a mans body are not so properly the actions of the body as of the soule which quickneth and moueth the body so the actions of the whole Catholike Church are not so much to be attributed vnto men who are as it were the body of the visible Church as vnto the holy Ghost who is as it were the soule which giueth life and motion to the body of the Church They therfore who deny this iudgment of the Church are not only iniurious to the Church but also to the holy Ghost Hitherto of the properties offices and power of the true Church of Christ It Calu. in Antid cōtra 4. sess Concil Trid. in fine remayneth now we shew such a Church as the Scripture declareth and describeth vnto vs the which Caluin as we haue sayd before earnestly desired of vs. FINIS OF THE MARKES OF THE TRVE CHVRCH The third Part of the second Controuersy CHAP. I. Of the false and true Signes or Markes of the Church in generall HAVING in the precedent Controuersyes declared that Christ and all that good is can only be found in the true Church and that out of it there is nothing but euerlasting damnation now it remayneth that we inquire which is that true Church where it may be found and how it is described and set forth in holy Scripture for all the sectes of heresies go about to challenge her vnto themselues yea euen those who otherwise haue a very bad conceyt and opinion of her For they see very well that out of her they can expect or hope for no saluation But to the end we may not erre in matter of so great moment we will seeke out the true Markes and Signes whereby the true Church may be certainly knowne and discerned from euery false and counterfait Church 2. Our Aduersaries doe commonly Calu. l. 4. Inst c. 7. sect 9. 10. Bez. in sua confess c. 5. Art 7. Centuriatores 1. Centur. l. 1. c. 4. l. 2. cap. 4. set downe two signes or markes of the true Church to wit the sincere preaching of the word of God and the lawfull administration of the Sacraments Bez◠addeth a third signe to wit the Ecclesiasticall discipline practised agreable to the word of God The Lutherans annexed vnto these a fourth signe to wit an Obedience towards ministers Of this fourth signe we will speake a little after for it is reduced to the vnity of the Church But the three signes set downe by the Caluinists are altogeather foolish and friuolous the which we proue thus 3. First by the very nature of a signe For euery signe of it owne nature S. Aug. Tom. ◠l. 2. de doct Christ cap 1. 3. Calu. l. 4. Inst cap. 17. sect 11. is a sensilbe thing as all teach following therein S. Augustine and our Aduersaries confesse this to be true when they treate of the Sacraments Yea Caluin writeth that this was alwaies as it were a matter of faith in the Church And so do all teach now who are of vnderstanding Truly none will say that which is only belieued in the Sacrament is a signe but that which is seene But these signes of the Church prescribed by our Aduersaries can neyther be seen nor perceyued by any sense Yea not euen by our vnderstanding vnlesse it be illuminated by fayth For by faith only are they preceyued because none can know which is the sincere preaching lawfull administration of the Sacraments or Ecclesiasticall discipline prescribed by Christ but by faith wherefore they who say that these are the signes and markes of the Church do not indeed know what they say euen as if one should affirme that in the Sacrament of baptisme the ablution and the wordes are not signes but the effect of baptisme which is not seene which euery man seeth how absurd it is 4. The second reason Euery signe of any thing must be more manifest and better knowne then the thing it selfe whose signe it is because it is put for that end that it may be a signe or token wherby that other thing may be known but these signes of the Church alleadged by our Aduersaries are more obscure and vncertaine then the Church it self For the Church is at the least oftentymes visible as they thēselues confesse but these their signes be neuer visible but alwaies inuisible for they can only be knowne by faith as we haue already declared but that which is by faith declared is necessarily obscure because faith as witnesseth the Heb. 11. v. 1. Apostle is the argument of things not appearing hence it is that all sectes do bragge and boast that they haue these signes because indeed they cānot be clearly seene of any 5. The third reason Our Aduersaries do alledge in vayne these signes for therfore do we enquire for signes and Markes of the Church that they which are ignorant of her may therby come to know her for they who already know any thing do not need any signes as for example he who already knoweth very well this Citty needeth no marke or signe therof wherby he may know it But he stādeth in need of signes who neuer saw this Citty So in like manner they who are out of the Church and know her not do most of all need some signes and markes wherby to know her but these which our Aduersaries assigne can be knowne by none but by those who are already within the Church and know her very well hauing the true faith and beliefe therof but they cannot be vnderstood by those who know not the true Church to the end they may seeke and fynd her because they are only perceyued and knowne by faith they are therfore alleadged in vaine by our Aduersaries 6. But neyther can these signes be knowne of all those who are in the Church but only of the more learned in the Church For euery one of the common