for truth in dispite of al the powers of darkenes which is recorded 2. Tim. 3.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The whole Scripture every parcell therof is given by inspiration of GOD and hath inward witnesse from that Spirit which is the author of all truth Hence ariseth this true position Scriptura est authentica regula tum fidei tum vitae nostrae The word of God which by an excellencie we call the Scripture is an infallible rule both of our faith and also of our life And another position followeth herevpon The authoritie of holy Scripture is greater then the authoritie of the Church Our observation here may be Since such is the worth of holy Scripture by reason of the author of it as that it is the perfect rule for our faith and life and is of greater authoritie then the Church it must be our part to take heed vnto it to heare it and to read it with reverence obsequie and docilitie This worth dignitie and excellencie of holy Scripture which is Gods holy word now commended vnto you yeeldeth a very harsh and vnpleasant sound to every Popishly affected eare and may serue to condemne the Romish Church of impiety and sinne for her neglect and contempt of so inestimable a treasure How little they esteeme of Gods written word the word of life and sole food of our soules the graue and learned f B. Iewel Defence of the Apologie par 4. cap. 19. 20. § 1. Brentius in his preface vpon Iacobus Andreas against Hosius makes it plaine vnto vs while he tels of the crying out against the holy Scriptures as if they were blind doubtfull and a dumbe schoolemaster and a killing writ and a dead letter yea and if it may like those reverend fathers no better then Aesops fables Now lest Brentius may be thought to charge them wrongfully be patient I beseech you while I shew you out of themselues how they harpe vpon this g This poynt see touched in my SermoÌ„ vpon Psal 21 6. pag. 12. c. blasphemous string A Cardinall of great name in his time Hosius the Popes Legat and President of the Councill of Trent in his booke De expresso verbo Dei saith h Vanus est labor qui scripturis impenditur Scriptura eniâ— est creatura egenum quoddaÌ„ elementum It is but lost labour that is spent in the Scriptures he giues this reason for the Scripture is a creature and a poore kind of outward element i Citatur ab Illyrico in norma coÌ„cilii Ludovicus Maioranus a Canon of the Church of Lateran in Rome in an k Printed at Dilinga Ann 1563. Vide H. 2. b. where also hee calleth the Scripturs in disgrace literarum monumenta scriptiones chartulâ—s macrocolla membranulas oration of his pronounced at Trent said l Scriptura est quasi mortuum atramentum the Scripture is as it were m And Mart. Peresius praef ad libr. de traditionibus â—3 b. Vnus hic in primis est fons origâ—â—mniâ—â— errorum quod nihil sit pro certo indubitato in iis quae ad Christianum attinent pietatem à quoquam fideâ—â— reciplendum nisi ATRAMENTO MORTVO in sacris codicibus expressum invâ—niatur DEAD INKE The Bishop of n Apud Sleidanum comment lib. 23. Poitiers in a speech of his at the same Trent spake to like purpose The Scripture is o Res inanimis muta a dead and a dumbe thing And thinke ye was p Apud Chemnitium exam Conc. Trid. part 1. de sacra Scriptura Eckius more modestly conceited when he called the Scriptures q Evangelium nigruÌ„ Theologiam Atramentarium the blacke gospell inken divinitie or r Controv. 3. de Eccles Pighius when hee called the Scriptures Å¿ Mutos iudices dumbe and speechlesse iudges t Sunt scripturae velut nasuâ— cereâ—s quise horsum illorsum in quamcunque volueris partem trahi retrahi fingique facilè permittit Pigli Hierarch Eccles l. 3. c. 3. like vnto a nose of wax that is easily moulded and fashioned what way soever you will or u In his answer to Iewels defense Artic. 15. Divis 9. The dangers and hurts which the common peoples reading of their Scripture in their owne language bringeth be great sundry and many Harding or x De sacrorun Bibliorum in vulg idiom translatione pag 492 In propatulo est quantum perniciem in totum orbem Christianum ea res invexerit adhuc invectura sit si Laicis illiteratis liberum sit pro ipsorum arbitrio curiositate sacras literas rimari ac perscrataâ—i Staphylus who spake of the Scriptures as of mischevous and poysonfull bookes if so they bee committed to the view of the common people in a vulgar and knowne language But all these blasphemers are long since dead and gone Is their blasphemy dead and gone with them No that stickes fast by their posteritie as a leaprousie that will not be cleansed In the Colloquie held at Ratisbone of late Anno 1602. betweene the Ministers of the Augustane confession and Papists when it was alleaged Scripturam esse normam fides that Scripture is the rule of faith it was answered by a Iesuite hoc esse foÌ„tem omnium haereseâ—n that this was the fountaine of all heresie as M. Willet makes relation in his y F o A 3. b. answere to the libellers Introduction It may be hee meanes the Iesuite Tannerus whose foule reproachfull and dishonourable speech against the holy Spirit the author of holy Scripture is set downe by Hunnius in his z Pag. 26. historicall narration of that Colloquie at Ratisbone Nulla nulla nulla vnquam fuit haeresis quae ex sola Scriptura sufficienter refutari potuit A speech vehement enough Never never never was there any heresie sufficiently refuted only out of Scripture Hee requires their imagined infallible authority of their Church to be ioined There was another Iesuite at the same Colloquie by name Gretserus of no lesse impudencie egregiously blasphemous For when it was alleaged that the holy Scripture or the holy Ghost speaking in the Scripture is the highest and the infallible iudge of controversies of religion this GRETSERVS as one possessed with the spirit of contradiction vtters this proposition a Colloq Ratisb per David Rungium K. 1. b. Neque Scriptura sola vt est verbuÌ„ Spiritus Sancti neque ipse Spiritus Sanctus vt loquitur per Scripturam est index supremus infallibilis controversiarum religionis Neither the holy Scripture as it is the word of the holy Ghost nor the holy Ghost himselfe as he speaketh by the Scripture is the supreme and infallible iudge of controversies of religion This hee vndertooke to proue by experience b Ecce flamus in conspectu huius iudicis haec dicens assurgebat codicem biblicum alterâ manu tenebat alterâ
in the holy Scriptures This he doth in foure positions 1. ſ Bellarm. de Rom. Pontif. lib 5. cap 7. § Probatur Tenentur Christiani non pati super se Regem non Christanum si ille conetur avertere populum à fide Princes if they goe about avertere populum à fide to avert their people from the faith the faith of the Church of Rome then by the consent of all they may and must bee dispossessed of their scepters and regalities 2. t Ibid § Quod si Quod si Christiani olim non deposuerunt Neronem Diocletianū Iulianum Apostatam Valentem Arianum similes id fuit quia deerant vites temporales Christianis If the Christians in times past deposed not Nero Diocletian Iulian the Apostata Valens the Arian and other like tyrants id fuit quia deerant vires temporales Christianis it was because they wanted power and force and were not strong enough for that attempt 3. u Ibid. § At non At non tenentur Christiani immo nec debent cum evidenti periculo religionis tolerare Regē infidelem Christians are not bound to tolerate a king that is an infidell or a King not a Papist Not bound to tolerate him Nay saith Bellarmine they must not tolerate such a one cum evidenti periculo religionis if the toleration of him be an evident danger to their religion 4. x Ibid. § At non De iure humano est quod hunc aut illum habeamus regem It is by the law of man that we haue this or that mā to bee our King This last positiō is formerly avowed by the same author in the same booke but in the second Chapter with oppositiō and disgrace to the soveraigntie of the Lord of hosts y § Quod ad primum Dominium nō descendit ex iure divino sed ex iure gentium Kingdoms and dominions are not by the law of God but by the lawe of nations It is an impious blasphemous and atheologicall assertion From these positions of the great Iesuite by a necessarie inference doe follow these two conclusions 1 That the Papists woulde most willingly depriue our most gracious Soveraigne of his royall throne and regalitie if they were of force and power so to do 2 That all subiects of this land may stand in manifest rebellion against their King because he is no Papist Both which are summarily acknowledged by his royall Maiestie in his excellent speach the 5. of November z Ann. Dom. 1605. last The a C. 2. ◠Romish Catholiques by the grounds of their religion do maintaine that is lawfull or rather meritorious to murther Princes or people for quarrel of religion By the grounds of popish religion it is lawfull yea meritotorious for Papists to murther Kings which are not Papists You see his Maiesties royall acknowledgement of impietie in the grounds of Romish religion You will not doubt of it if you rightly esteeme that same late thrise damnable diabolicall and matchlesse plot conceived in the wombe of that religion with a full resolutiō to consume at once our pious King and this flourishing kingdome You perceiue now in what contempt and disgrace the popish faction holdeth the holy Scriptures the written word of God The written word of God expreslie requireth obedience vnto Princes as placed in their thrones by Gods sole authoritie But the Popish religion mainteineth rebellion against Princes as placed in their thrones by mans sole authority Which will you follow the holy word of God or the doctrine of the Romish Church Beloved remēber what I told you in the beginning of this exercise though Amos spake yet his words were Gods words remember that God is the author of holy Scripture and then for his sake for the authors sake for Gods sake you will be perswaded to take heed vnto it to heare it and read it with reverence obsequie and docility We the branches of the same vine that bare our predecessours to whom by devolution the sacred Statutes of the eternall God the holy Scriptures are come must esteeme of them all for b D King B. of Lond. vpon Ion. lect 1. p. 2. Gods most royall and celestiall Testament the oracles of his heavenly Sanctuary the only key vnto vs of his reveiled counsailes milke from his sacred breasts the earnest pledge of his favour to his Church the light of our feete c Ierem. 15.16 ioy of our harts d Lament 4.20 breath of our nostrils pillar of our faith anchor of our hope ground of our loue evidence and deeds of our future blessednesse Behold the value and price of the words which Amos saw vpon Israel which God willing with all my diligence best paines I will expound to you hereafter as occasion shall be ministred Now let vs poure out our soules in thankfulnesse before the LORD for that hee hath beene pleased this day to gather vs together to bee hearers of his holy word and partakers of the blessed Sacrament of the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ thereby to confirme our holy faith in vs. We thanke thee therefore good Father and beseech thee more and more to feed vs with the never perishing food of thy holy word that by it being made cleane and sanctified wee may in due time haue free passage from this valley of teares to the city of ioie Ierusalem which is aboue where this corruptible shall put on incorruption and our mortality shall be swallowed vp of life So be it THE THIRD LECTVRE AMOS 1.2 And he said the LORD shall roare from SION and vtter his voice from IERVSALEM and the dwelling places of the shepheards shall perish and the top of CARMEL shall wither VPon the preface to this prophecie these words and he said my last lecture was bestowed wherein because whatsoever Amos the heardman spake was the word of God I endeavored to shew forth the worth dignitie and excellencie of the word of God commonly called by the name of holy Scripture A point that yeeldeth a very harsh vnpleasant sound to euery popishly affected eare as then at large I made plaine our of popish mouthes practise Order now requireth that I goe on to the next generall part of this text to the prophecie it selfe The first point therein to bee recommended at this time vnto you is the LORD speaking The LORD shall roare and vtter his voice wherein I desire you to obserue with me who it is that speaketh and how hee speaketh Who speaketh It is the Lord. How speaketh he He roareth and vttereth forth his voice First of him that speaketh Hee is in the Hebrewe text called IEHOVAH which is the a D. King B. of London vpon Ionas Lec 11. p. 152. honorablest name belonging to the great God of Heaven Much might bee spoken of it would I apply my selfe to the curiositie of Cabalists and Rabbins as that it is a 〈◊〉 b 〈◊〉
pulsabat Ecce adsum veniat Sp. Sanct. faciat id si potest iudicet me per hanc Scripturam condemnet me si potest per eam dicat si potest erras IACOBE GRETSERE tu causâ cecidisti id si dixerit statim transibo ad vestrum scamnuÌ„ non potest me Spiritus Sanct. iudicare per hanc ScripturaÌ„ Rang. ib. k. 2. a. Behold saith he we stand before the face of this Iudge with that he rose vp and tooke the Bible in one of his hands stroke it with the other wee stand saith he before the face of this Iudge See now I am here I vse his owne words as they are set downe by David Rungeus in his description of the forenamed Colloquie Ecce adsum behold now I am here let the holy Spirit iudge me if he can by this Scripture let him condemne me if he can by Scripture the holy Spirit cannot iudge me by Scripture he cannot let him doe it if he can he cannot condemne me by Scripture Increpet te Deus Sathâ—â— Gretser we doubt not but that the LORD hath or will rebuke thee Dearely beloved in the Lord Schollers can tell you of BroÌ„tes Steropes Pyracmoâ— Polyphemus and others of that rabble of Cyclops and Giants who made a head banded themselues together to plucke Iupiter from out his throne Behold in this Iesuite Venè Cyclopicam audaciam as great impudencie as ever was seene in any Cyclops face that a man by profession a Christian and among Popish Christians of the precise sect a sanctified Iesuite should challenge to a single coÌ„bat God Almighty who would thinke it Some that were at the Colloquie at Worms An. 1557 haue often remembred in their common talke c Rung Colloq Ratisb Q. 2 a. a newe insolent and vnheard of assertion maintained by the Papists Sacram Scripturam non esse vocem iudicis sed materiam litis that the holy Scripture is not a iudges voice but rather the matter of strife and contention It was indeed a strange assertion and by a consequent striking God himselfe the author of holy Scripture Yet you see it is by our modern Iesuits this day matched forasmuch as with their impious assertions touching holy Scripture they do directly strike the holy Spirit It is an old saying ex vngue Leonem A man may knowe a Lyon by his claw Surely let men of vnderstanding consider the audaciousnes impudencie and furie of railing with which those Iesuits before named haue beene throughly replenished they must acknowledge and confesse that those Iesuits were guided by the Spirit of lyes and blasphemies You alreadie see the readinesse of popish Doctors to tread Scripture vnder foot and to do it all the disgrace they can Yet giue me leaue I beseech you by some instance to shew the same vnto you The instance which I make choice of is Gods soveraignety over the Kings and Kingdomes of this world q Hereof I entreated in a Sermon vpon Hos 10.7 Kings and kingdomes are wholy and alone in the disposition of the Almighty A truth included within the generall doctrine commended by S. Paule to the Romans chap. 13.1 All powers that be are ordeined of God acknowledged by Elihu Iob. 34.24 God shall breake the mightie and set vp other in their steed expressed in the praier of Daniel chap. 2.21 God taketh away Kings setteth vp Kings proclaimed as in the Lords owne words Prov. 8.15 16. By me Kings reigne by me princes nobles and iudges do rule This truth hath 3 branches displaied in so many propositions by Lipsius in his r In Monitis Politicis politique advertisements Lib. 1. c. 5. 1 Kings and Kingdomes are given by God 2 Kings and Kingdomes are taken away by God 3 Kings and Kingdomes are ordered ruled governed by God All three are further made good in the infallible evidence of the written word of God The first was Å¿ Regna à Deo Reges dari Lipsius Monit Polit. lib. 1. c. 5. p. 24 Kings and Kingdomes are given by God Thus saith the LORD of Saules successour 1. Sam. 16.1 I haue provided me a King among the sonnes of Ischai and of the revolt of the ten tribes in the rent of the kingdome of Israel 1. King 12.24 This thing is done by me of the victories which Nabuchodonosor was to get over the King of Iudah and other his neighbour Kings the Kings of Edom of Moab of the Ammonites of Tyre of Zidon Ier. 27.6 I haue given all these lands into the hand of Nabuchodonosor the King of Babel my servant It is true which we learne Psal 75.6 Advancement is neither from the East nor from the West nor from the wildernesse Our God is iudge he alone advanceth You see now it is plaine by holy Scripture that Kings and Kingdomes are given by God The second was t Regna à Deo Reges tolli Lips ib. pag. 28. Kings and Kingdomes are taken away by God That Gods hand is likewise exercised in the removall of Kings translation of kingdomes it s wel known as by the aboue-cited texts of Scripture so by divine examples whereof I might make a long recitall would I remember you out of Gen. 14. of the fall of those Kings delivered into the hands of Abraham out of Exod. 14. 15. of Pharaohs overthrow in the red sea out of Dan. 4. 5. of Nabuchadnezzar Belshazzar his sonne dispossessed of their crownes and out of other places of the divinely inspired worde of like patterns It s plaine without any further proofe that Kings and Kingdomes are taken away by God The third was r Regna à Deo Reges temperari Lips Ibid. p. 34. Kings and Kingdomes are ordered ruled governed by God For proofe hereof I need no more but remember you of that which I recoÌ„mended to you in the beginning of this Sermon even of the wonderfull extent of Gods care providence to the least and basest things in this world as I said to a handfull of meale to a cruse of oile in a poore widdowes house to the falling of sparrowes to the ground to the feeding of the birds of the aire to the calving of hinds to the clothing of the grasse of the field to the numbring of the haires of our heads to the trickling of tears down our cheeks Shall God care for these vile and base things and shall he not much more order rule and governe Kings and kingdomes Now beloved in the Lord you see by the evidence of holy Scripture that Kings and Kingdomes are wholy and alone in the disposition of the Almightie Giue eare I beseech you while I shew you how this doctrine and the holy word of God whereon it is grounded is in popish religion neglected disgraced troden vnder foot Romes chiefest champion Cardinall Bellarmine in his fifth booke De Rom. Pontif. cap. 7. doth exempt Kings and kingdomes from the disposition of the Lord of heaven notwithstanding the eternall truth