without controuersie many and great yet limited both for number and magnitude For suppose King Henry the eight after hee had done what he could against the Pope should still haue professed his good liking of Romish religion opposing only this to all his Popish Cleargie that had challenged him of reuolt Am not I defender of the faith The Pope whom I trow you take for no false Prophet hath giuen me this prerogatiue amongst Christian Princes as expresly as euer Saint Peter bequeathed him his supremacy aboue other Bishops It is as impossible for me to defend as for his Holinesse to teach any other besides the true Catholique faith Let the proudest amongst my Prelates examine my expositions of his decrees and by S. George he shall fry a fagot for an heretick Would this or the like pretence though countenanced by royall authority haue been accepted for a iust defence that this boisterous King had not contradicted the Pope but the tatling Monkes or other priuate expositors of his decrees would this haue satisfied the Popes agents vntill the King and his Holinesse had come to personall conference for finall debatement of the case yet for Christs seruants thus to neglect their masters cause is no sinne in the Romanists iudgement yea an heresie is it not to deale so negligently in it For a sinne of no lower ranke they make it not to submit our hearts minds and affections vnto the Popes negatiue decrees though against that sence of scripture which conscience and experience giue vs. Vnto all the doubts feares or scruples these can minister it must suffice That the Pope sayth he expounds scripture no otherwise then Christ would were hee in earth but onely controls all priuate glosses or expositors of them But can any Christian heart content it selfe with such delusions and defer all examinations of doctrine vntill that dreadfull day come vpon him wherein the great Shepheard shal plead his owne cause face to face with this pretended Vicar and his associates Do we beleeue that Christ hath giuen vs a written law that he shall come to be our Iudge and call vs to a strict accompt wherein we haue transgressed or kept it yet may we not try by examination whether these Romish guides lead vs aright or awry Whether some better or clearer exposition may not be hoped for then the Pope or Councell for the present tenders to vs What if the Pope should prohibite all disputations about this point in hand whether obeying him against the true sence of scripture as we are perswaded wee yeeld greater obedience vnto him then vnto Scriptures may we not examine the equity of this decree or his exposition of that Scripture which happely he would pretend for this authority his amplius fili mi ne requiras No by their generall tenent and Valentians expresse assertion it were extreame impiety to trauerse this sence or exposition vnder pretence of obscurity c. By the same reason for ought I can see it would follow that if the question were whether obeying the Pope more then God we did obey man more then God we might not examine at least not determine whether the Pope were man or God or a middle nature betwixt both which came not within the compasse of that comparison CHAP. IX In what sence the Iesuites may truly deny they beleeue the words of man better then the words of God In what sence againe our writers truly charge them with this blasphemy 1. IF we reuiew the former discourse we may find that equiuocation which Bellarmine sought as a knot in a bulrush in our writers obiections to be directly contained in their Churches deniall of what was obiected Whilest they deny that they exalt the Churches authority aboue scriptures or mans word aboue Gods this deniall may haue a double sence They may deny a plaine and open profession or challenge of greater authority in their Church then in Scriptures Or they may denie that in effect and substance they ouerthrow all authority of Scripture saue onely so farre as it makes for their purpose 2. That the Pope should openly professe himselfe competitor with God or in expresse tearmes challenge greater authority then Scriptures haue was neuer obiected by any of our writers For all of vs know the man of sinne must be no open or outward enemy to the Church but Iudas like a disciple by profession his doctrine indeed must bee a doctrine of diuels yet counterfeiting the voice of Angels as he himselfe though by internall disposition of minde a slaue to all manner of filthinesse and impurity must bee enstiled sanctissimus Dominus the most holy Lord. If the poison of his iniquity were not wrapt vp in the titles of diuine mysteries it would forth-with be disliked by many silly superstitious soules which daily suck their bane from it because perswaded that the scriptures which they neuer haue examined whose true sence they neuer tasted but from some reliques of heathenish zeale idolatrously worship in grosse do fully warrant it When our Writers therefore obiect that the Papists exalt the Popes lawes aboue Gods had not these holy Catholicks an especiall grace to grow deafe as often as wee charge their mother with such notorious and knowne whoredomes as they see might euidently be proued vnto the world if they should stand to contest with vs their meaning is plaine that the Pope in deed and issue makes the Scriptures which in shew he seemes to reuerence of no authority but onely with reference to his owne That he and his followers should in words much magnifie Gods word written or vnwritten we do not maruell because the higher esteeme men make of it the higher still hee may exalt his throne being absolutely enabled by this deuise to make all that belongs to God his Word his Lawes his Sacraments the pretious Body and Bloud of his Sonne blessed for euer meere foot-stooles to his ambition For if the authority of Scriptures or such traditions as he pretends be established as diuine and he admitted sole absolute infallible Iudge of their meaning it would argue either Antichristian blindnesse not to see or impudency of no meaner stocke not to acknowledge that the Pope by this meane might appropriate vnto himselfe the honour due vnto God and play vpon his Creator in such sort as if a corrupt Lawyer hauing euidences committed to his trust should by vertue of them take vp rents and let leases to the Landlords dammage and Tennants ouerthrow And what is most villanous vnto whatsoeuer prerogatiues though most preiudiciall to the diuine maiesty his Parasiticall Canonists shall blasphemously entitle this most holy Father the sonne of God and his faithfullest seruants Apostles or Prophets must be brought forth to abette the forgery as if euidence giuen in Court by infamous Knights of the Post should in the finall day of hearing bee produced vnder the hands and seales of free Barons or other chiefe Peeres of the Land for as was intimated
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
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
of whose precepts they solemnely bound themselues as was lately obserued euer whilest the former was established That which moues me to embrace this interpretation is Balaams Prophesie vttered of Israel considered in the abstract as he might haue beene not as he proued as Malachie speakes of Leuy or according to the excellency of his calling in Moses and in Christ or Gods promise which he for his part was ready to performe God brought them saith hee out of Egypt their strength is as an Vnicorne For there is no sorcery in Iacob nor soothsaying in Israel according to this time it shall be said of Iacob What hath God wrought And in the Chapter following he ioines Israels deliuerance from Aegypt as the foundation or beginning and his victory in Christ as the accomplishment or finishing of his glory Of that Iacob meant by Balaam euen wee Gentiles are a part euery way as strictly bound by Moses law as Israel was to abandon soothsaying and sorcery but especially bound to abhorre these and like works of darkenesse from that light the starre of Iacob hath afforded vs. These two great Prophets then Christ and Moses appointed successiuely to declare Gods will vnto his people were the maine supporters of true religion in Israell by whose doctrine all curious and superstitious arts weer to vanish And if my obseruation faile not Israell was much lesse giuen to sorcerie after ordinary Prophets ceased then before because this great Prophet the Hope of Israell was at hand 20 The apprehension of what we now by long search hardly find was more facile to the ancient Iewes from the knowen conceipts or receiued traditions thereto pertinent Before the Law was written one they had heard should be sent from God a mightie deliuerer of his people vnto whome Moses thought himselfe much inferiour as appeares by his reply to God when he was first sent to visit his brethren Mitte quaeso quem missurus es Send I pray thee whom thou wilt send as if he had said One thou hast appointed from euerlasting to declare thy name vnto his brethren to shew mercie to thy people and thy power vpon thine enemies and I beseech thee send him now for this is worke befitting his strength not my weaknesse From the like notions or receiued opinions did the Pharisees vnderstand this place as meant of the Prophet that was to come albeit it may be doubted whether they tooke him to be the same with the Messiah For so they demaund of Iohn seuerallie Art thou the Christ Art thou Eliah Art thou the Prophet Eliah was plainly distinguished from the Messias by Isaiah or perhappes they knew the Messias and the Prophet to bee the same yet like strict examiners proposed these two seuerall names to leaue Iohn no euasion It was likewise a truth presupposed and knowne at least amongst the Pharisees that Eliah Messias the Prophet one or all should baptise Hence they further question the Baptist Why baptizest thou then if thou be not the Christ neither Elias nor the Prophet And of himselfe he saith because He to wit the Christ should be declared to Israell therefore am I come baptizing with water This answere with his practise permitted by the Pharisees and approoued by the people so fullie concurring with the former notion but especially his praediction of Christs baptizing with the holie Ghost and as Saint Mathew addes with fire were most pregnant testimonies against vnbelieuers after they had notice of the Holy Ghosts descending vpon the same day their Law was giuen from heauen for the plentifull manner of effusion and placide illapse into the soules of euery sort resembling water powred out as the Prophets phrase imports but for outward appearance and inward effects of ardent zeale like vnto fire And likely it is as well the pillar of fire which enlightened Israell by night as the cloud that rested vpon the tabernacle vnder which S. Paul saith the Fathers being were baptized in it were such praeluding types of baptisme by water and the Holy Ghost as the Rocke was of Chrik or the waters thence flowing of those springs of life which issue from him to the refreshing of euery faithfull thirstie soule The misticall significations of such shadowes of good things to come were sufficiently knowne to the Iewes liuing in our Sauiours time Whence as the two iudicious Commentatours Bucer and Martyr obserue his aduersaries mouths were instantly stopt at the first allegation of those places the moderne Iewes barke most against as not inferring what the Euangelists report their forefathers granted because these had a peculiar manner of interpreting scriptures not acknowledged by the later grown out of vse for the most part amongst Christians or rather ouergrowen with the abuse of luxuriant aâ—legories and misticall sencelesse sences framed by Monkish or rather Apish imitation of orthodoxall antiquity The weeding out of such tares as through these bad husbands sloath and negligence haue abounded in Gods haruest will not we trust be either difficult or dangerous to the good seed primitiue antiquitie hath sowen whose generall methode and manner of interpreting prophecies though in particulars it often faile partly thâ—ough aduenturous imitation of some Philosophers in vnfolding heathenish misteries partly through want of skill in the originall tongâ—es holds the iust meanes betweene barbarous Postillers and some late preachers worthily famous yet too nice and scrupulous in this subiect as shall appeare when we come to handle it 21 But to finish what we had last in hand the most remarkeable most publique document our Sauiour gaue to vnbelieuers of his designment to that great office foretold by Moses was the constant auouchment of his death and resurrection vnto such as so well obserued his words that after they had taken away his life procured a strong watch to be set about his sepulcher least his Disciples should take his body thence and by emptying it seeme to fulfill his prophecie Nor did he once onely but twise foretell not barely hee would rise againe but that thus much was presignified by the Prophet Ionahs three daies imprisonment in the Whales bellie thus inuiting them to obserue all congruitie of circumstance betweene the historicall type already exhibited and the substance prophecied which methode as hereafter God willing will appeare is of all the best for insinuating faith into superstitious peruerse and crooked hearts otherwise most vnapt to recieue truths late reuealed Since Christs glorification sundry impostors haue done many works hardly distinguishable by spectators from true miracles but the end of all their purposes which they sought thence to perswade was alwaies so dissonant to the vncorrupt notions praecedent types or prophecies of the Messiah as vnto hearts well setled and surely grounded vpon scriptures formerly established and confirmed their greatest wonders seemed but apish toyes howsoeuer difficiles nugae And some of these iuglers either out of the strength of their owne illusions
it reall Atheists or Infidels and Christians onely in conceit or vpon condition If the Church whose authority they so highly esteeme be as infallible as is pretended Heretofore I haue much grieued at the Trent Councels impiety but now I wonder at these graue Fathers folly that would trouble themselues with prescribing so many Canons or ouerseeing so large a Catechisme when as the beginning of Protogoras booke one or two words altered might haue comprehended the entire confession of such mens faith as rely vpon their fatherhoods The Atheist thus beganne his booke De dijs non habeo quod dicam vtrum sint necne Concerning the Gods or their being I can say nothing A priuate Romane Catholike might render an entire account of his faith in termes as briefe De Christo Christiana fide non haebeo quod dicam vtrum sint necne Whether there bee a Christ or Christian Religion bee but a politike fable I haue nothing to say peremptorily yea or no the Church or Councell can determine whom in this and all other points wherein God is a party I will absolutely belieue whilest I liue if at my death I finde they teach amisse let the diuell and they if there be a diuell decide the controuersie Yet this conceit or conditionall beliefe of Christ and christianity conceiued from the former serues as a ground colour for disposing mens soules to take the sable dye of Hell wherewith the second maine streame of Romish impiety will deepely infect all such as drinke of it For once belieuing Gods word from the Churches testimony this absolute submission of their consciences to embrace that sense it shall suggest sublimates them from refined Heathenisme of Gentilisme to diabolisme or symbolizing with infernall spirits whose chiefest solace consists in acting greatest villanies or wresting the meaning of Gods written lawes to his dishonour For iust proofe of which imputation wee are to preuent what as wee late intimated might in fauour of their opinion bee replyed to our former instance of light and colours 9 Some perhaps well affected would be resolued why as hee that sees colours by the sunne sees not onely the sunne but colours with it so hee that belieues the Scriptures by relying vpon the Church should not belieue the Church onely but the Scriptures too commended by it The doubt could hardly bee resolued if according to our aduersaries tenent the Churches declarations did confirme our faith by illustrating the Canon of Scriptures or making particular truthes contained in it inherently more perspicuous as if they were in themselues but potentially credible and made actually such by the Churches testimony which is the first and principall credible in such sort as colours become actually visible by illumination of the principall and prime visible But herein the grounds of Romish doctrine and the instance brought by Sacroboscus to illustrate it are quite contrary For the light of the Sunne though most necessary vnto sight is yet necessary onely in respect of the obiect or for making colours actually visible which made such or sufficiently illuminated are instantly perceiued without further intermediation of any other light then the internall light of the Organe in discerning colours alwaies rather hindred then helped by circumfusion of light externall For this reason it is that men in a pitte or caue may at noone day see the starres which are inuisible to such as are in the open aire not that they are more illuminated to the one then the other but because plentie of light doth hinder the organ or eye-sight of the one Generally all obiects eyther actually visible in themselues or sufficiently illuminated are better perceiued in darkenesse then in the light But so our aduersaries will not grant that after the church hath sufficiently proposed the whole Canon to be Gods word the distinct meaning of euery part is more cleare and facile to all priuate spirits by how much they lesse participate of the visible Churches further illustration For quite contrary to the former instance the Churches testimony or declaration is onely necessary or auaileable to right beliefe in respect not of the obiect to be beleeued Scriptures but of the party beleeuing For as hath beene obserued no man in their iudgement can belieue Gods word or the right meaning of it but by beleeuing the Church and all beliefe is inherent in the belieuer Yea this vndoubted beliefe of the Churches authority is that which in Bellarmine and Sacroboscus iudgement makes a Roman Catholicks beleefe of Scriptures or diuine truthes taught by them much better then a Protestants If otherwise the churches declaration or testimony could without the beliefe of it infallibility which is inherent in the subiect belieuing make Scriptures credible as the light doth colours visible in themselues a Protestant that knew their churches meaning might as truely belieue them as a Romane Catholike albeit hee did not absolutely belieue the church but onely vse her helpe for their Orthodoxall interpretation as hee doth ordinary expositors or as many doe the benefite of the Sunne for seeing colours which neuer thinke whether colours may bee seene without it or no. For though it bee certaine that they cannot yet this opinion is meerely accidentall to their sight and if a man should be so wilfull as to maintaine the contrary it would argue onely blindnesse of mind none of his bodily sight Nor should distrust of the Romish churches authority ought diminish our beliefe of any diuine truth were her declarations requisite in respect of the obiect to bee beleeued not in respect of the subiect beleeuing 10 Hence ariseth that difference which plainely resolues the former doubt For seeing the Sunne makes colours actually visible by adding vertue or lustre to them wee may rightly say wee see colours as truely as the light by which wee see them For though without the benefite of it they cannot be seene yet are they not seene by seeing it or by relying vpon it testimony of them Againe because the vse of light is onelie necessary in respect of the obiect or for presenting colours to the eye after once they bee sufficiently illuminated or presented euery creature endued with sight can immediately discern each from other without any further helpe or benefite of externall light than the generall whereby they become all alike actually visible at the fame instant The Sunnes light then is the true cause why colours are seene out no cause of our distinguishing one from another beeing seene or made actually visible by it For of all sensible obiects sufficiently proposed the sensitiue faculty though seated in a priuate person is the sole immediate supreme Iudge and relies not vpon any others more publike verdite of them On the contrary because the Romanists supposed firme beliefe of Scriptures or their true meaning ariseth onely from his vndoubted beliefe of the churches veracity which is in the belieuer as in it subiect not from any increase of inherent credibility or perspicuity
of faith Bellarmines prescription in this case is iust as if a Phisitian or Surgeon should seeke to ease the paine by ending of the Patients dayes Lest a man should sinne against his conscience this a Doctor aduiseth him to belieue the Church cannot teach amisse 14 To conclude then Hee that absolutely belieues the Pope as Christs Vicar generall in all things without examination of his decrees by Euangelicall precepts neither belieues Christ nor his Gospell no not when this pretended Vicar teacheth no otherwise then his Masters lawes prescribe For thus belieuing a diuine truth onely from this mans authority hee commits such Idolatry with him for the kind or essence as the Heathen did with Mercury their false Gods supposed messenger though so much more hainous in degree as his generall notion of the true God is better whose infinite goodnesse cannot entertaine an interpreter no better qualified then most Popes are did his wisdome stand in need of any But if when the Pope shall teach the doctrine of Diuels men absolutely belieue it to be Christs because his pretended Vicar commends it to them in thus beleeuing they commit such preposterous Idolatry as those of Calecut which adore the Deuill vpon conceit doubtlesse of some celestiall or diuine power in him as the absolute Papist doth not adore the Pope but vpon perswasion he is Christs Vicar and teaches as Christ would doe viua voce were hee again on earth And lesse it were to bee lamented did these Pseudo Catholiques professe their allegiance to Sathans incarnate Agent as to their supreme Lord by such solemne sacrifices onely as the inhabitants of Calicute performe to wicked spirits But this their blinde beliefe of whatsoeuer hee shall determine vpon a proude and foolish imagination he is Christs Vicar emboldens them to inuert the whole law of God and nature to glory in villany and triumph in mischiefe euen to seeke prayse and honour eternall from acts so foule and hideous as the light of nature would make the Calicutians or other Idolaters blush at thier very mention It is a sure token hee hath not yet learned the Alphabet of their religion that doubts whether Iesuiticall doctrine concerning this absolute beliefe extend not to all matters of fact And if out of simplicity rather then policy so they speake I cannot but much pitty their folly that would perswade vs it were not the fault of Romish Religion but of the men that professe it which hath inticed so many vnto such diuelish practises of late I would the Iesuite were but put to instance what kind of villany eyther hath beene already acted on earth or can yet possibly bee hatched in the region vnder the earth so hideous and vgly as would seeme deformed or odious to such as are wholly led by this blind faith if it should but please the Romish Clergy to giue a milde or fauourable censure of it No brat of hell but would seeme as beautifull to their eyes as young todes are to their dammes if their mother once commend the feature of it or acknowledge it for her darling Did not some of the Powder-plotte after Gods powerfull hand had ouertaken them and sentence of death had passed vpon them euen when the Executioner was ready to do his last office to them make a question whether their plot were sinnefull or no So modest were some of them and so obedient sonnes to the Church of Rome that they would not take vpon them to say eyther the one or other but referred the matter to their mothers determinations hereby testifying vnto the world that if the Church would say they would beleeue so great an offence against their Country were none against God One of them was so obstinate as to sollicite his fellow whilest both were drawne vpon one hurdle to the gallowes not to acknowledge it for any sinne Or if these must bee reputed but priuate men not well acquainted with their Churches tenents and therefore no fitte instances to disapproue her doctrine let the ingenuous Reader but peruse their best Writers answeres to the obiections vsually made against the Popes transcendent authority and hee shall easily perceiue how matters of fact are included in the beliefe of it how by it all power is giuen him in heauen and earth to peruert the vse and end of all lawes humane or diuine I will content my selfe for this present with some few instance out of Valentian CHAP. VI. Prouing the last assertion or generally the imputations hitherto laide vpon the Papacy by that authority the Iesuites expresly giue vnto the Pope in matters of particular fact as in the canonizing of Saints 1 HOw oft soeuer the Pope in defining questions of faith shall vse his authority that opinion which hee shall determine to bee a point of faith must bee receiued as a point of faith by all Christian people If you further demand howshall wee know when the Pope vseth this his absolute authority this Doctor in the same place thus resolues you It must bee belieued that he vseth this his authority as often as in controuersies of faith hee so determines for the one part that he will binde the whole Church to receiue his decision Lest stubborne spirits might take occasion to calumniate the Pope for taking or the Iesuites for attributing tyrannicall authority vnto him this Iesuite would haue you to vnderstand that the Pope may auouch some things which all men are not bound to hold as Gospell nay hee may erre though not when hee speakes ex Cathedra as head of the Church yet when hee speakes or writes as a priuate Doctor or expositor and onely sets down his owne opinion without binding others to thinke as hee doth Thus did Innocent the third and other Popes write diuers books which are not in euery part true and infallible as if they had proceeded from their Pontificiall authority Yea but what if this present Pope or any of his successors should binde all Christians to belieue that Pope Innocents bookes were in euery part infallibly true whether must wee in this case belieue Valentian or the Pope thus determining better If Valentian in the wordes immediately following deserue any credite wee must belieue the Pope better then himselfe yea hee himselfe must recant his censure of Pope Innocents works For so in the other part of his distinction hee addes Secundo potest Pontifex asserere The Pope againe may auouch something so as to bind the whole Church to receiue his opinion and that no man shall dare to perswade himselfe to the contrary And whatsoeuer hee shall thus auouch in any controuersie of Religion wee must assuredly belieue hee did auouch it without possibility of error and therefore by his Pontificiall authority His proofe is most consonant to his assertion I will not recite it in English lest the meere English Reader should suspect any able to vnderstand Latine could be possibly so ridiculous 2 These lauish prerogatiues of the
and Tide did serue them But of the particular temptations and opportunities that did first driue the Romanists into this harbour as also of inueterate errors in other points and reliques of Heathenish dispositions whereby they two others after them elsewhere according to my promise if God permit At this time it shall suffice to haue waded thus farre in these vnpleasant passages for discouering the enemies weakenesse in his new Fortifications or Repalliations rather of such breaches as our ancient Worthies haue made in their imaginarie Rock of strength Now as my soule and conscience in the sight of God and his holy Angels can assure me these imputations of blasphemie sorcerie and preposterous Idolatrie I haue laid vpon this fundamentall point of Romish faith are most true though much lesse exaggerated then it deserues so againe I must confesse it hath in some sort euer gone against my conscience publikely to discipher or display her abominations For my little experience of this present ages temper too well instructs me what great offence is oftimes hereby giuen to men as weake in faith as strong in their perswasions of it to slatter themselues in their hypocrisie or make them seeme vnto themselues men rightly religious or throughly sanctified whilest they measure their loue to true religion by their hatred vnto this doctrine of Deuils or compare themselues with Priests and Iesuites as they are painted out in their natiue colours by eloquent and learned Pastors But his iniquitie be vpon his owne head that thus peruerts my labours vndertaken for his good vnto his harme For vnto a quite contrarie purpose haue I set forth this survey of Romish blasphemie in a larger volume then first I meant it euen to stirre vp my selfe and euery Professor of true religion vnto serious amendment of our liues to hold fast our faith by holding vp hands pure from briberie and corruption by lifting vp hearts and mindes void of all guile and hypocrisie ardently zealous of euery good worke vnto the Lord our God continually least such swarmes of Caterpillers and Locusts as haue chosen Beelzebub for their God deuour this land Mortis modus morte peior To thinke such should be the instruments of our woe will vnto most of vs I know farre surpasse all conceipt of any other woe it selfe or miserie that in this life can befall vs. And yet whilest I consider what God hath done of old to Israell his first borne and Iudah his owne inheritance the ouerplus of our ingratitude towards him for all his goodnesse especially our wilfull continuall abusing these dayes of peace more and more sweet and gracious then Ierusalem it selfe the vision of peace did euer see so long together without interruption I am and haue beene as my publique meditations can testifie for these few yeares of my ministerie possessed with continuall dread least the Lord in iustice enlarge his threatnings denounced against Iudah vpon this Land Fearefull was that message vnto Hierusalem I will bring the most wicked of the Heathen and they shall possesse their houses but more terrible is our doome if this sentence be gone out against vs I will plague you by the wickedst amongst the Christians by men more cruell proud and insolent then Babylonian Turke or Insidell or any other enemie of Christs Church hath beene or could be vnlesse Christians or Iesuites in name or shew they were meere Antichristians or Bariesus heart and affection Such titles we readily giue and willingly heare giuen vnto Loyolacs infamous broode But if our wayes shall continually proue as odious vnto our God as these termes import that Societie is vnto vs what haue we done Surely tyed our bodies to the stake of iustice by the wickednesse of our hands and proud imaginations of our polluted hearts whiles our tongues in the meane while haue set our cruell executioners hearts on fire more grieuously to torment to consume and deuour vs. 11 But though likelihood of their preuailing against vs bee without our repentance great and their crueltie if they should preuaile more then likely to be most violent yet this their hope it cannot be long Tu quoque crudelis Babylon dabis impia paenas Et rerum instabiles experiere vices The Lord in due time will turne againe the captiuitie of his people and the now liuing may liue to see these sonnes of Babel rewarded as they haue long sought to serue vs. Their shamelesse Apologies for equiuocation and this old charme of Templum Domini which like vnluckie birds alwaies flocking or frogs croaking against ill weather they haue resumed of late with ioynt importunate cryes albeit with these they bewitch the simple choake the worldling or carelesse liuer that accompts all serious thought of Religion his greatest trouble sound vnto harts setled in grace or minds illuminated with the spirit of truth but as the last cracklings of Lucifers candle sometimes shining in the Roman Lantherne as the morning starre or an Angell of light but now so farre spent and sunke within the socket that it recouers it wonted brightnesse but by flashes nor can his nostrils that is able with the least breath of his displeasure from heauen in a moment to blow it out any long time endure the smell Euen so O Father for thy sonne Christ Iesus sake euen so O Christ for thine Elect and chosens sake impose a period to our grieuous sinnes against thee and our enemies malice against vs infatuate their policies enfeeble their strength and preuent them in their Deuillish purposes that seeke to preuent thee in thy iudgements by setting the world in combustion before thy comming Amen The continuation of matters prosecuted in the first BOOKE THe ingenious Reader I trust rests fully satisfied that for planting true and liuely faith in euery priuate Christians hart experiments answerable to the rules of Scripture without absolute dependance vpon any externall rule thereto equiualent are sufficient the assistance of the holy spirit whose necessity for the right apprehension of diuine truthes reuealed the Romanist nor doth nor dare denie being supposed That Valentians heart did tell him thus much and secretly check him for his ridiculous curiositie to make way vnto his circular resolution of faith before refuted his diffident speeches immediately thereto annexed vpon consciousnesse no doubt of it insufficiencie will giue the Reader though parciall iust cause of suspicion If a man saith hee bee yet further questioned seeing aswell the diuine reuelations as the Churches infallible proposall are obscure and ineuident what should impell him to enter into such a labarynth of obscurities as to imbrace the doctrine of faith by the former methode to wit beleeuing the reuelation for the Churches proposall as for a condition vnto beliefe requisite and the Churches proposall againe for the reuelation being the cause of his beliefe then let him come vnto the second processe or methode and expound the reasons and clearer motiues whereby hee was and euery discreet man may be induced to