this life but such as were accounted as dead as going downe to the graue for so Baruch speakes to Israel verse 9 11. And hee speakes of such dead Israelites and their children which had sinned before God and had not hearkened to him verse 4. expressing their deserts worthy death Doe men aliue requesting God to heare for them the prayers of the dead vse to moue God with telling of the Saints sinnes and their rebellion against him Is this a Romish prayer Heare Lord the prayers of the dead for mee for they haue sinned against thee Will any be so madde to alledge such a reason Therefore Baruch makes confession of the liuing Israelites being then through distresse as dead men and beggeth pardon for them as followeth in verse 5. Fiftly their Doway Annotation on this place is this Men in sinnes and miseries are as if they were dead verse 11. yet by Gods mercy may receiue new grace of spirituall life They then take these for men aliue and not dead as this foolish Gagger doth Reu. 2. 26 27. This is answered before and nothing concerneth the prayers of the Saints departed Luk 16. Diues in hell prayed for his brethren on earth much more then will the Saints in heauen Answ 1. This is but a supposed speech a parable and therefore nothing thence to be gathered but as is intended in the scope of the Parable Secondly if there bee such all-knowing vision and all-helping charitie in Heauen it is maruell that in all the Scripture it should no where as clearely be mentioned as this charitie of one damned in hell Reuel 6. 9 10. And I saw vnder the Altar the soules c. and they cryed with a lowd voice How long Lord holy and true doest thou not iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth Answ 1. This was seene by Iohn in a vision and is not to bee interpreted according to the Letter to establish a doctrine of faith Secondly though it be taken after the letter yet here is no proofe that Saints pray for any in particular but for the Church militant in generall Thirdly their Prayer is not for other in the Church they intercede not for other but the request they make concerneth themselues Fourthly their cry is literally for iustice and reuenge vpon their enemies persecutors and sheaders of their bloud Doth mindfulnesse of iniuries remaine in Saints departed They then are lesse charitable then Saints on earth Steuen at his death prayed for his enemies This place proueth not that Saints departed pray particularly here for vs on earth but rather they pray against the enemies of the Church 2. Pet. 1. 15. I will endeuour after my decease to haue remembrance of these things Answ This is not meant by his intercession to God after death but of his then present and diligent writing to them while he was aliue whereby they might bee made to remember after his decease what hee had taught them by word of mouth or writing while he liued 1. King 2. 13 19. Adoniah had a suite to Solomon and used the helpe of Bathsheba to him Absalom vsed Ioabs intercession for him to Dauid 2. Sam. 14. So should we goe vnto God by Saints intercessors for vs. Answ 1. Similitudes are for illustration but doe not proue any thing especially thus detorted absurdly Secondly the case is not alike as betweene man and man so betweene God and vs in this case Hee is God and so euery where and not as man circumscribed in a place To man wee cannot speake when and where we would but to God wee may whose eyes and thoughts are not like to mans Esai 55. Man through pride will not or through carelesnesse regards not or through ignorance knowes not or through businesse is hindered so as hee cannot helpe such as come for helpe or his attendants about him may keepe Petitioners from him so as they cannot speake to him But there are no such lets in God The Simile therefore is not fit Thirdly this is voluntarie humilitie which caused the worship of Angels by certaine Heretikes which the Apostle condemneth Col. 2. 18. Fourthly wee need no Saints to goe to God for vs for wee haue appointed by God himselfe a Mediatour of intercession betweene God and vs his Sonne Iesus Christ by whom boldly with confidence we may goe to God Ephes 3. 12. Heb. 4. 16. 10. 22. 7. 25. Fiftly as for any to goe betweene Christ and vs wee neede it not For he is the Head and all wee the members of his bodie as well those in earth as those in heauen wee here on earth being as deare to him as those in heauen Hee sitteth in heauen to request for vs and is a most mercifull High Priest touched with our infirmities Heb. 4. 15. Therefore hee tooke our nature vpon him Heb. 2. 16. to be a faithfull and mercifull High Priest verse 17. Steuen made no meanes to him but prayed immediately to him Act. 7. 59 60. and so did Iohn Reuelation 22. 20 21. Christ willeth vs himselfe to come vnto him Math. 11. 28. And we reade not that any of the Apostles or holy men praying mentioned in Scripture did euer goe to Saint or Angell to make request for them Also to answer the Simile Is there any of vs hauing a great mans Command in all our needs to come to himselfe giuing his faithfull word and promise to heare our suites requests very readily at any time and none appointed by him to heare suiters when they come but onely himselfe attending mercifully in his owne person for vs in open place without let of any that would goe first to any of his seruants and not forthwith rather to himselfe with all gladnesse I appeale to mens owne hearts in this Lastly this putting of Saints betweene Christ and vs is to make an Intercessor and to hold Saints departed if wee were sure they could heare vs which yet is very vncertaine to bee more louing more tenderly affected toward vs then Iesus Christ himselfe who hath with his owne bloud bought both them and vs. Scriptures obiected that wee may pray to God to haue our Petitions granted in fauour and merit of Saints departed Exod. 32. 13. Remember Abraham Isaac and Israel thy seruants to whom thou swarest c. Answ 1. Here is no merit of Saints vrged Secondly their persons are mentioned by Moses not for their owne worthinesse but for the Couenant which by oath God confirmed to them which Couenant Moses vrgeth not their deserts For Moses speakes of Gods act to them but not a syllable of any thing that they either did or spake note it well 2. Chron. 6. 16. Keepe with thy seruant Dauid my Father that which thou hast promised Answ 1. Here is no word no worke of Dauid remembred and therefore no merit of his vrged Secondly that which Salomon alledgeth in his prayer it Gods promise made vnto Dauid So in 2. Chro. 1. 9. in 1. Chro.
the Word of his Father Ioh. 8. 26. Lastly it is very euident that this Word of God hath alwaies from the very beginning of the Church been her warrant and guide in all her faith in God and seruice to God First Before the flood as appeareth first by the commendation of Abels sacrifice by faith offered Heb. 11. Now faith presupposeth a Word of God Rom. 10. 17. Secondly by Gods accepting of his sacrifice which hee so did offer as being performed according to his will Thirdly by the prayses of their obedience to be as God commanded Gen. 6. 9 22. and 7. 5. Secondly After the flood till Moses for God smelt a sweete sacrifice when Noah sacrificed Gen. 8. 21. which he would not haue done had not Noah been warranted by him so to sacrifice to him First by this Word of God was Abraham Isaac and Iacob guided as the History sheweth if we consider these places where God is said to speake vnto them giuing them precepts Gen. 12. 1. and 13. 17. and 15. 1. and 17. 9 10. and 31. 3. and 35. 1. Secondly making them promises Gen. 12 2 3 4 7. and 13. 15 16. and 15. 5 13 18. Thirdly their going to enquire of God Gen. 25. 2. Exod. 18. 15. Fourthly Gods commending their obedience in keeping his way charge commandements statutes and lawes Gen. 18. 19. and 26. 5. Thirdly When Moses was appointed by God to guide the people they were exhorted to hearken to Gods voyce and to his commandements Exod. 15. 26. they iournyed towards Canaan according to the commandement of the Lord Exod. 17. 1. And concerning Moses this is said of him that according to all the Lord commanded so did he Exod. 40. 16. He spake that which was commanded him Exod. 34. 34. Deut. 4. 5 14. and according to all that the Lord had giuen him in commandement Deut. 1. 3. and made them know the Statutes of God and his Lawes Exod. 18. 16. The Tabernacle was for the parts the matter manner and end in all and euery thing exactly done onely according to Gods Word and the patterne shewed him from God Exod. 25. 9 40. nothing left to Moses deuice Exod. 26. 30. and 27. 8. So was the Temple built afterwards by Gods commandement and direction onely 1. Chr. 28. 11 12 19. 1. King 6. 38. 2. Chron. 3. 3. The Prophets taught onely the Word of the Lord Ezech. 3. 4. for they say Thus saith the Lord Heare the Word of the Lord when they executed their Ministery and they spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost 2. Pet. 1. 20. Nehemiah 9. 30. Heb. 1. 1. Fourthly When Christ came he spake not of himselfe Ioh. 12. 49. not his owne words Ioh. 40. 10. and 17. 8. neither was his doctrine his owne Ioh. 7. 16. and 14. 24. he did nothing of himselfe Ioh. 8. 28. and 5. 19. but hee taught the words of his Father Ioh. 17. 8. his Doctrine and Word was his that sent him Ioh. 7. 16. and 14. 24. what he had heard and seene with the Father that did hee speake Ioh. 8. 26. 38. of whom hee receiued a commandement what he should say and speak Ioh. 12. 49. And before his Ascension chusing his Apostles he gaue them a commandement and charge to teach whatsoeuer he commanded them Matth. 28. 20. and gaue them the words which his Father gaue vnto him Ioh. 17. 8. Fifthly After he was ascended according as he had promised Ioh. 14. 26. hee sent downe vpon his Apostles the holy Ghost Act. 2. which Spirit of God spake not of himselfe but whatsoeuer he heard that he spake Ioh. 16. 13. By this holy Spirit the Spirit of the Father spake the Apostles Mat. 10. 20. Mark 13. 1. which guided them into all truth Ioh. 16. 13. teaching and remembring them of all things whatsoeuer Christ had said vnto them Ioh. 14. 26. So that what the holy Ghost taught them was the Word of Christ and Christs Word was the Word of the Father thus strictly was the Word of God obserued Sixthly The holy Apostles obserued this Rule in whom and by whom the holy Ghost did speake Mark 13. 11. whose direction they did follow Act. 15. 28. and gaue themselues to the Ministery of the Word Acts 6. 4. preaching the Word of the Lord Act. 8. 25. and 15. 35 36. and 16. 32. what they did teach was the Word of God Acts 18. 11. and 19. 10 20. the counsell of God Act. 20. 27. the Gospell of God Rom. 1. 1. the commandements of the Lord 1. Cor. 14. 37. deliuering what they had receiued from the Lord 1. Cor. 11. 23. and 15. 3. And lastly That which the Church and the Saints and beleeuers heard was the Word of the Lord Acts 13. 44. this they receiued as Gods Word 1. Thes 2. 13. and glorified the same Act. 13. 40. Thus was Gods Word from the beginning before the Law vnder the Law in Christs time and all the Apostles dayes the Churches instruction and direction and must be so vnto the worlds end Therefore it is the onely infallible rule of our faith by which we must euer be directed and guided III. Position This Word of God is now no where to be found but in the holy Scriptures THe truth of this will appeare if we consider how God did cause all those things which were necessary to be beleeued and practised of the Church to bee afterwards written which before had been deliuered by word of mouth 1. Before the Law till Moses the Church was guided by Gods Word vnwritten this we acknowledge and the Papists seeke to make aduantage thereof for an vnwritten Word still but their arguing hence is vaine because that all that same Word vnwritten in all necessarie points of the worship and seruice of God was afterwards written by Moses so as that vnwritten Word became to be the written Word The proofe of this is manifest For Moses first wrote the same Historically in the bookes of Genesis and Exodus vnto the giuing of the Law vpon Mount Sinai Exod. 20. which Law God himselfe wrote Exod. 31. 18. Afterwards Moses wrote the same by way of precept which other of the Prophets after him explained and enlarged as they were mooued by the holy Ghost For the better clearing of this point see the same more fully in the particulars Before the Law they were taught by the vnwritten Word To sanctifie the Sabbath day Gen. 2. 2. The very same after the giuing of the Law by the written Word So in Exod. 20. 8. and 31. 13. Leuit. 23. 32. To build an Altar to the Lord Gen. 8. 20. and 13. 18. So in Exod. 27. 1. and 20. 24. Deut. 27. 5. To offer sacrifice Gen. 4. 3 4. and 8. 20. So in Numb 28. 2 3. To make a distinction of beasts and other creatures cleane and vncleane and to offer onely of the cleane to God So in Leu. 11. 2 13 31 47. and 20. 25. and 22. 20 25. Genes 7. 8.
and 8. 20. Â To call vpon the Name of the Lord Gen 4. 26. 21. 23. So in Psal 50. 16. Ioel 1. 14. To eate no blood Genes 9. 4. So in Leuit. 17. 14. Deut. 12 16. To powre out drinke offerings and to offer burnt offerings Gen. 35. 14. and 28. 18. So in Numb 6. 15 17. and 29. 11 16 21. To haue daily burnt offerings Iob 1. 5. So in Numb 28. 3 6. To acknowledge a high Priest Gen. 14. 18. So in Leuit. 8. 6. and 21. 10. To pay tithes Gen. 28. 22. and 14. 20. So in Leuit. 27. 30. To preach and prophecie Iude vers 14. 1. Pet. 3. 19 20. 2. Pet. 2. 5. and to teach the people So in Deut. 33 10. Leuit. 10. 11. Ier. 1. 17. Ezech. 3. 4. Malach. 2. 7. To enquire of God Genes 25. 22. So in 2. King 13. 11. and 22. 13. To make vowes vnto God Genes 28. 20. So in Numb 30. 2 3. Deut 12. 25. To keepe feasts vnto God Exod. 5. 1. So in Leuit. 23. 4. To know the Couenant of God with them Genes 15. 18 17. 2. 8. 21 22 9. 11. So in Deut. 5. 2. To know the promised seed Gen. 3. 15. and 22. 18. and the Messiah Ioh. 8. 56. Gal. 3. 16. Luk. 1. 55. So in Deut. 18. 15 18. Isai 11. 1. and 6. 10. Ioh. 12. 41. To haue faith in comming to God and offering sacrifice Heb. 11. 4. So in 2. Chron. 20. 20. To be iustified and accounted righteous by faith Gen. 15. 6. Rom. 4. 3. So in Hab. 2. 4. To receiue the Sacraments as first Circumcision Gen. 17. 10. then the Passeouer Exodus 12. So afterwards in Iosh 5. 2. Deut. 16. 1. To be vpright-hearted and to walke with God Gen. 15. 22. and 6. 9. and 17. 2. to feare God and to eschew euill Iob 1. 1. So in Deut. 18. 13. Iosh 24. 14. 2. Kin. 20. 3. Eccles 12. 13. To know the commandements of God and to teach others the same Gen. 18. 19. So in Exod. 20. Deut. 5. and 4. 9. and 6. 7. and 11. 19. Lastly Abraham had a charge from God Commandements Statutes and Lawes which he kept Gen. 26. 5. So the Israelites had a charge from God Commandements Statutes and Lawes as Moses and Prophets Psalmes euery where teach Thus we see that what was first by tradition was afterward particularly written and so the vnwritten Word was the same with the written First also before the Word was written with pen and ink the whole moral law written in the hart was to be obserued as may be shewed in the books of Genesis Exod. and Iob as well as the ceremoniall Law and the Sacraments Sacrifices and other parts of Gods worship before mentioned all which afterward were written in books Therefore the traditionall Word before the Law written helps nothing for a traditional Word now seeing God would haue that same written afterwards whereby of a traditionall Word it became the written Word of God Secondly in the time of Moses God spake to him and hee to the people but it is said that Moses wrote all the words of the Lord Exod. 24. 4. Deut. 31. 9 19 24. The Prophets also spake first by word of mouth which were for the most part interpretations and more speciall applications of the Word already written by Moses which also were after written as the bookes extant doe witnesse Thirdly In the time of Christ and his Apostles they taught by word of mouth the Word of God but their Word was not then an vnwritten Word For first Christ taught out of the Scriptures of Moses of the Prophets Psalmes as his interpreting Luk. 24. of them citing them and confuting the aduersaries by them doe shew he therefore taught the written Word And what he himself either did or farther spake in all necessary things touching his life and doctrine they are now written by the Euangelists Luk. 1. 1 5. Act. 1. 1. So in like manner the Apostles before they wrote taught not an vnwritten Word but the Word and Gospell Acts 8. 25. and this same written in the Scriptures of the Prophets Rom. 1. 1 2. and 16. 26. Act. 26. 22. and 28. 23. According as Saint Ierome saith Whatsoeuer the Apostles preached In Mat. 13. in the Gospell they preached it by the words of the Law and the Prophets For if they had preached any thing not in the Scriptures it had been in vaine for the Bereans to haue searched the Scriptures daily to see whether those things which they had heard of them were so or no Acts 17. 11. It is cleare therefore that they taught a written Word and what they receiued from Christ and taught for the effect and vse thereof they also afterward did write as may bee gathered from these insuing places of Scripture In Rom. 15. 15. the Apostle wrote putting them in mind to wit of that which had been taught them by word of mouth In 1. Cor. 11. 23. he telleth them that he deliuered by word of mouth that which he had receiued of the Lord then hee writeth downe in the same verse and the rest following that which he had receiued In 1. Cor. 15. 1. he telleth them that now by writing he declared vnto them the Gospell which hee had preached and which they had receiued so that he wrote that which before he had taught them In 2. Cor. 1. 13. he saith that hee wrote none other things vnto them then that which they did reade or did acknowledge In Phil. 3. 1. he wrote the same things to wit which hee had preached it not being to him grieuous and to them safe In 2. Thes 2. 5. he saith Remember yee not that when I was with you I told you these things to wit which hee then in that Epistle wrote he wrote then what by mouth hee had taught And howsoeuer in the verse 15. of this Chapter he mentioneth Traditions yet those were such as were then by him written there the word traditions is equally and alike referred to word and epistle as if he had said If that I deliuered by word bee forgotten yet haue you now my Epistle to keepe them in your mind and therefore in vers 5. he saith Remember yee not hauing written downe in vers 3. and 4 what he before had told them and so in vers 6. proceeding to set downe the traditions before deliuered vnto vers 13. Then writeth hee to them to stand fast and keepe the traditions taught by word before or by his epistle now as being all one and the same deliuered now both by word and writing In 2. Thes 3. 6. he there also makes mention of tradition but what of a tradition vnwritten Yes before it was written but now Paul wrote it as you may reade in vers 10. where hee telleth vs particularly what it was In 2. Pet. 1. 12. Saint Peter endeuours to put them alwaies in remembrance that they might after his decease keepe in
mind alwaies the things which they knew and the truth wherein they were settled to wit by his and others preaching Now if he wrote not these things they could not so well remember them after his departure And did Peter care onely for those present or for Gods Church after If he did then surely he so wrote to remember those present of that which they had learned as the same might also instruct others in the same truth such as should afterwards liue and had neuer heard him by word of mouth In 2. Pet. 3. 1 2. Here Saint Peter telleth them what was the end of writing both his Epistles to wit to remember them and to mind them of two things first of the words which were spoken by the Prophets and then of the Commandements of the Apostles he therefore wrote these In 1. Ioh. 4. 13. Saint Iohn writes of Antichrist of whom before they had heard and in Chap. 1. 3. he writeth what he had seene and taught before S. Iude he writeth what they to whom he sends his Epistle before knew and had bin preached by the Apostles v. 15. 17. 18. Saint Luke writes those things which were deliuered by word of mouth for the more certaintie of the things taught Luk. 1. 2 3 4. euen of all that Christ began to doe and to speake vnto his Ascension Act. 1. 1. By all these places it is cleare that what was first taught was afterwards written and our aduersaries cannot shew any necessary point of faith or of good life left out of the written Word which as a point of doctrine before was deliuered by tradition for the Churches necessary instruction from the worlds beginning To this the ancient Fathers giue witnesse Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 1. The Apostles preached the Gospell and afterwards by the wil of God they deliuered it vnto vs in Scriptures to be the pillar and ground of our faith Saint Ierome on Phil. 3. saith that Saint Paul wrote that is made rehearsall of the same things which he when he was present with them had told them by mouth Theophylact on Luke chap. 1. speakes in Lukes person and saith I instructed thee before without writing now I deliuer vnto thee a written Gospell that thou mayest not forget those things which were deliuered without writing Nicephorus lib. 2. cap. 34. saith that what Saint Paul in presence plainely taught by mouth the same things afterward in absence he called to their minds by his Epistle And that this was not but by Gods commandement S. Austine de consens Euangel lib. 1. cap. 35. witnesseth When the Disciples wrote saith he what Christ shewed and said vnto them wee may not say that he did not write for the members wrote that which they learned by the inditing of the head For whatsoeuer hee would haue vs to reade of the things which he did and said he gaue it in charge to them as his hands to write the same So that we may conclude that true which Saint Paul wrote to Timothy 2. Tim. 3. 16. both of all the old Testament as also of all the new and particularly of that very same place it selfe when hee had written it which is that all Scripture is of diuine inspiration seeing he also wrote by diuine instinct and by Christs commandement and made this attribute of diuinely-inspired to be a property of the Scriptures and so all necessarie things being written which were taught we must acknowledge the Word of God to bee found now onely in the holy Scriptures and not elsewhere And therefore may it be necessarily concluded from the premises and more fully also in the next immediately ensuing questions touching holy Scripture that the onely Rule of our faith is the holy Scriptures We are therefore to be guided by them in matter of faith and religion and not by that which seemeth right in our owne eyes Deu. 12. 8. Numb 15. 39. for there is a way which seemeth right to a man but the end thereof leadeth to death Pro. 14. 12. Not by our owne hearts Ezech. 13. 2. for mans heart is deceitfull aboue all things and desperately wicked Ier. 17. 9. Not by the will of man 2. Pet. 1. 21. for it is peruerse and crooked Not by humane wisedome though faire in shew Col. 2 23. for mans wisdome is enmity with God Rom. 8. 7. and the wisdome which is not from aboue is earthly sensuall and diuelish Iam. 3. 15. Not by our owne spirit Ezech. 13. 3. for we know not of what spirit we are Luk. 9. 55. Not by any priuate interpretation 2. Pet. 1. 20. for this is after man and not from holy Scripture which is not of any priuate interpretation but after the guiding of the holy Spirit 2. Pet 1. 20 21. Not by a pretended reuelation or spirit 2. Thes 2. 2. for this hath deceiued 2. Thes 2. 3. 1. King 22. 23. Not by the commandements nor doctrines of men Col. 2. 2. Mat. 7. 7. for such worship as is performed to God on such grounds is vaine Mat. 15. 18. Mark 7. 8. and God reiecteth it threatning to punish the same with losse of wisdome and vnderstanding Esay 29. 13 14. Not by traditions though receiued from our fathers 1. Pet. 1. 18. for with such deceits false Teachers deceiued the people euen in the Apostles dayes Acts 15. 24. 2. Thes 2 2. Not by writings of men as if Apostolical 2. Thes 2. 2. for so the deceiuets in S. Pauls time sought to beguile the people as this place witnesseth Not by statutes iudgements or examples of our forefathers Ezech. 20. 18. for their hearts might not be aright Psal 78. 8 37 57. Not by custome Leuit. 18. 3. for it may be vaine Ier. 10. 3. and idolatrous 2. King 17. 33 40. And custome which God approueth is that which is kept as it is written a custome obserued from the written Word Esd 3. 4. Not by number and multitude Exo. 23. 2. for here we see they may doe ill and examples in Scripture shew that multitudes haue erred when the fewer haue had the truth Not by the bare credit of any one teaching otherwise then wee haue receiued from the Word Saint Paul in this respect forbids to credit Man or Angell Gal. 1. 7 8. and an old Prophet seduced a young Prophet to his destruction 1. King 13. and that vnder pretended authoritie of an Angell vers 18. 24. Not by any rising from the dead much lesse by supposed apparitions seeming to bee of such as were dead Luk. 16. 31. for this the Lord allowed not of as a sufficient meanes to instruct wee are to be sent to the written Word to Moses and to the Prophets Not by signes and wonders or foreshewing things to come for these may false teachers doe Deut. 13. 1 2. by the power of Satan 2. Thes 2. 9. Reuel 13. 13. deceiuing the people Reuel 19. 20. Not by vaine and falsely so called Philosophy Col. 2. 8. or oppositions of Sciences falsely so
called 1. Tim. 6. 20. for these be vaine and deceitfull None of these are sufficient to leade vs but we are to be ruled by the written Word The Errors of our time The Romanists maintaine these insuing Propositions I. Proposition That the holy Scriptures are not in all matters necessarie to saluation the onely rule of our faith and life Confuted by their owne English Bible THeir Bible teacheth that there is a Rule Rom. 12. 6. Gal. 6. 16. This Rule one and the same Phil. 3. 16. Now that this Rule is the holy Scriptures which is the written Word of God it is cleare by the same Bible I. It maketh the Word written to bee the rule and guide in matters of controuersie Deut 17 11. In this place the Priests and Iudges are bound to proceed according to the Law But that Law was written in a booke called The booke of the Law of the Lord which the Priests and Leuites had with them in Iehosophats dayes to teach the people 2. Chron. 17. 9. Bellarmine lib. de Verbo Dei cap 2. saith on this place Holy Moses teacheth here that controuersies arising among Gods people are to bee iudged according to the Law II. Their Bible teacheth that God vrgeth To the Law and to the testimony which is written as aforesaid and condemneth them that speake not according to this Word Esay 8. 20. III. By it we are taught that the Church is straightly charged to keepe to the written Word as in Iosh 23. 6. Onely take courage and be carefull that you keepe all things which be written in the volume of the Law of Moses and decline not from them neither to the right hand nor to the left Iosh 1 8. Let not the volume of this Law depart from thy mouth but thou shalt meditate in it dayes and nights that thou mayst keepe and doe all things that bee written in it Is not this testimony cleare What can be spoken more plainely These places vrge to keepe to the written Word and withal not to decline from it S. Paul hauing spoken against diuision schisme and syding with teachers in the Church of Corinth some of them holding of one some of another to remedy this euill he warnes them not to be puffed vp one against another aboue that which is written 1. Cor. 4. 6. To these places may be added Deut. 30. 10. The Lord promised great blessings vnto Israel with this annexed condition saying If thou heare the voyce of thy Lord thy God and keepe his precepts where their obedience is commanded and his voyce made the rule thereof Now lest they should doubt where to find this his voyce and these his precepts Moses addeth these words which are written in this Law which Law he wrote and commanded the same to bee read before all Israel for this end to learne to feare the Lord and to fulfill all his words in that Law Deut. 31. 9 12. yea a curse is denounced against such as keepe not to the Written Word Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 1. 10. and a plague is threatned for not obseruing the same Deut. 28. 58. Hence is it that we shall find the prayses of holy men very often in Scripture That they did according as it was written 2. Chron. 35. 12. they couenanted that they would doethe things that were written 2. Chron. 34. 31. See out of their owne Bible more for this 2. Chr. 23. 18. 1. Esdr 3. 2. 4. and 6. 18. 2. Esdr 8. 14 15. and 10. 34 36. 4 King 23. 21. 3. King 2. 3. 2. King 1. 18. And not to doe as was written was a sinne for which they were to humble themselues and beg pardon of God 2. Chron. 30. 6 18. 1. By their owne Bible we learne that Iesus Christ the chiefe Shepheard and Bishop of our soules did nothing regard traditions he neuer named them but with dislike but aduanced very highly the dignitie of the Scriptures as the only and alone rule and meanes of our instruction in all things necessary to eternall life for thus their Bible telleth vs 1. That hee tooke for the ground of his teaching Scripture Luk. 4. 17. but wee reade not any where that hee taught vpon tradition 2. That he interpreted the Scriptures and out of them taught the things concerning himselfe Luk. 24. 27. not for traditions nor any thing out of them 3. That he opened the vnderstanding of his Disciples that they might vnderstand the Scriptures Luk. 24. 25. Hee neuer did so concerning traditions 4. That he often cited the Scriptures Mark 7. 6 10. Matth. 9. 13. and 12 3. and 13. 14. and in many other places but neuer traditions 5. That he exhorteth to the searching of the Scriptures Ioh. 5. 39. but neuer to the searching of traditions 6. That hee cleared the Scriptures from abuse and corrupt expositions Mat. 5. 21 22 27 28 33. 24. 25 36 37 38 39. c. but neuer traditions 7. That he vsed the Scriptures in disputing with Satan Mat. 4. and in confuting his aduersaries Mat. 22. 31. and 19. 4. Luk. 10 26. neuer traditions 8. That he defended his owne doctrine and his manner of teaching by the Scriptures Mat. 13. 10 15. and also the act of his Disciples in plucking eares of corne Mat. 12. 3 4 5. but neuer by traditions 9. That hee tooke care alwayes in euery thing to fulfill the Scriptures Ioh. 12. 14 15 16. Mat. 4. 14. Luk. 24. 44 46. yea so farre as to suffer death to make good the truth of them Matth. 26. 54. Luk. 22. 37. but no such regard had he to traditions 10. That he did oppose Scriptures against traditions Mat. 15. 4. but neuer traditions against Scriptures or for interpretation of Scripture in matter of faith 11. That he preferred the witnesse of Scripture before the witnesse of men Ioh. 5. 34 39 41. yea the power of them for instruction before the voyce of any that should be raised from the dead Luk. 16. 27. neuer so traditions 12. That he put the triall of himselfe to Scriptures so true and sure a Iudge he tooke them to be Ioh. 5. 39. not to traditions IV. Lastly he taught how his owne words could take no place if the written Word were not regarded Ioh. 5. 47. What traditionall word is there then of any mortall man or of all the mortall men in the world which may receiue so much as equall authoritie how much lesse then supreme authoritie ouer the Scriptures V. Their owne Bible teacheth that the Apostles taught not an vnwritten but a written Word for the Gospell was that which they preached but that was written Rom. 1. 1 2. and was made manifest by the Scriptures of the Prophets Rom. 16. 26. Our Sauiour taught his Disciples out of Moses Prophets See Treneus lib. 4. cap. 66 in fine and a little booke intituled The Messiab already come for the particulars and Psalmes Luk. 24. 27. in which bookes his Names his Natures his Offices his Birth where and when and
of whom his Life Doctrine and Miracles his Death Buriall Resurrection and Ascension his sitting at Gods right hand and what benefit we reape by him are liuely depainted and written The Apostles Sermons were taken out of the Scriptures Act. 2. 16 25 35. and 7. 2 51. and 8. 35. and 10. 34 35 43. and 13. 16 23 27 33 36 40. by which Scriptures they confirmed what they did teach and thereby confounded the aduersaries Acts 17. 2. and 18. 28. the decrees of the Councell at Ierusalem made by the Apostles and whole Church were grounded vpon Scripture Act 15. 15 19 Saint Pauls faith and seruice to God was the written Word in the Law and in the Prophets Act. 24. 14. And those Euangelicall doctrines found in his Epistles which are so full of comfort to a true beleeuer though our aduersaries spurne at them he found written in the old Testament There could hee finde the Kingdome of Christ Act. 28 23. There hee found written that the workes of the Law before God iustifie not Rom 4. 2 6. and 3 20. That election is of meere grace without respect to will or worke of man Rom. 9 11 16. That man is blessed by imputation through faith without workes of the Law and freely iustified by grace through faith Rom. 3. 21. for all these he gathereth out of the old Testament as in the quoted places may be seene Saint Peter taught out of the Scriptures remission of sinnes through faith in Christs name Act. 10. 43. Yea the Saluation of our soules and the grace which should come by Iesus Christ 1. Pet. 1. 9. 10 11. Therefore he commendeth to the whole Church in his second Epist 2. Pet. 1. 19 20 21. the holy Scriptures to which they doe well to attend as to a candle saith he shining in a darke place This he calleth a Propheticall Word most sure Now that this might not be taken for an vnwritten Word first he telleth them in vers 20. what he meaneth hereby euen the Prophecie of Scripture a Word written and then giueth a reason why hee calleth it a most sure Word for that saith he it was not by any priuate interpretation nor brought by mans wil but it was that which holy men taught inspired with the holy Ghost Psal 20 21. All Scripture therefore being inspired of God 2 Tim. 3. 16. is this most sure Word which is to bee attended vnto And if it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Word surer then any other then euery other word must be ruled by it No other word then can equall it for two superlatiues of the same thing there cannot bee much lesse a word to ouer-top it This is the rule then and not any traditionall word which is but a meere popish fiction and subtill deuice to deceiue by VI. Their owne Bible telleth vs by way of commendations that the Church of Berea did hold the Scriptures to be the rule to examine doctrine by Act. 17. 11. which heard the Word deliuered by preaching and receiued it but no otherwise then they found it written in the Scriptures by which they did trie it daily searching the Scriptures if those things were so Where note 1. That the Bereans held not themselues tyed to the Priests lips 2. That they heard that which was taught them with relation to the written Word 3. That they held the Scriptures to be the triall of the truth of their Teachers doctrine 4. That they hauing heard did bring that which they had heard to the touchstone of holy Writ for their greater confirmation in the truth which things are written for their praise for our instruction also in imitation For if the holy Scriptures of the old Testament were then the rule to trie the Apostles preaching is not both the Old and New the rule to try mens teaching now VII And lastly Our Aduersaries grant vs that the Word of God is that one only and infallible rule of Faith which is vndoubtable true for what can be the rule to vs of Gods seruice but Gods will And how can wee know what is his will but by his Word Therefore this Word now being no where to be found but in holy Scriptures as is proued by their own Bible they must needs yeeld that the Scriptures are then the one onely infallible rule of our faith which if they will yet obstinately deny they must deny antiquity which they so vainely boast of Contraried by Antiquity Their owne Clement telleth vs lib. 1. Recog That from the diuine Scriptures the firme and sound rule of Faith must be taken Tertul. contra Hermog calleth the Scriptures the Rule of Faith Saint Basil lib. 1. Contr. Eunom calleth the Scriptures the Canon of that which is right and the rule of Truth Saint Ierome lib. 1. cap. 1. in Mat. The holy Scriptures are the Limits of the Church out of the which we may not goe Chrysostome Hom. 3. in 2. Cor. calleth them a most exquisite Rule and an exact Square and Balance to trie all things Saint Augustine lib. de bono viduit cap. 1. The holy Scripture hath fixed the Rule of our Doctrine that wee may not presume to bee more wise then we ought Greg. Nyssen in orat de eis qui adiêrunt Hieros calleth the Scriptures a right and inflexible Rule Gregory the great Hom. 4. in Ezechiel compareth the Scriptures to a measuring Reed which meteth out both the actiue and contemplatiue life of man By which testimonies of the Fathers wee may see how they contrary our Aduersaries tenent for in plaine termes the Fathers call the Scriptures a Rule right exquisite and inflexible and the onely Rule the Limits of the Church But our new Romane Masters sticke not to slighten and vilifie the same by calling the Booke of God a piece of a rule a Lesbian crooked rule a leaden rule a nose of waxe and we must be Heretikes for not partaking in such blasphemies We may therefore conclude with the words of Isiodorus Pelusiota lib. 1. Epist 369. who saith We ought to refuse whatsoeuer is taught vnlesse it be contayned in the volume of the Bible and with that of Cyril Hier. in 4. Catech. Concerning saith he the Diuine and holy mysteries of our Faith not any the least thing must be tendered without warrant of diuine Scripture Gainesayed by their owne men Gerson de commun sub vtraque specie The Scripture is the Rule of our faith And the same man saith Li. de examin doct part 2. cons We must take heede whether the doctrine bee agreeable to holy Scripture as well in it selfe as in the manner of deliuery Petrus de Aliaco the Cardinall calleth the Scriptures the Sacred Canon Clemangis loc 3. cap. 29. affirmeth the Scripture to be the infallible Rule of Truth yea the measure and Iudge of all Truth Durand Episcopus praefat in lib. sent The holy Scripture saith he setteth out the measure of Faith wee may not write or speake any thing which may differ from
the same Picus Mirand in Apologia was bold to say that there was no infallible truth without the Bible Our faith saith Aquinas doth stay vpon the Canonicall In sum part 1. q. 1. Art 8. 10. books and the Church doth not decree but of things not necessary to Saluation Ferus on Mat. 13. saith that the holy Scriptures are the sole Rule of verity and whatsoeuer differs or contradicteth the same it is error and Cockle with whatsoeuer shew it commeth forth Franciscus à Victoria de Sacra pa. 120. saith I doe not thinke it sure and certaine although all Writers agree thereto because it is not to be found in the holy Scriptures Villa Vincentius teacheth that the doctrine of the Bookes Li. 2. de form Conci ca. 2. of the Prophets and Apostles is alone the Rule and foundation of Truth Their Canon Law tels vs that the diuine Scriptures containe Dist 37. 6. Relat the whole and firme Rule of faith Andradius lib. 3. Defens Trid. Con. in initio Their opinion dislikes me not who say that therefore the Scriptures are called Canonicall because they containe the most ample Canon that is the Rule and Square of Piety Faith and Religion Bellarmine lets fall this truth that the sacred Scripture is De Verbo Dei lib. 1. ca. 2. the most certaine and most sure Rule of Faith If so in the Superlatiue degree then nothing there is to ouerrule or equall it and therefore we may more safely cleaue to it onely as the most sure and the most certaine Rule For nothing saith the same man a little before in the same place is more knowne nothing more certaine then the holy Scriptures which are contained in the Propheticall and Apostolike writings Besides these testimonies so cleare as no Protestant can speake better in this point I adde their owne practice against themselues For whatsoeuer they conceit to be a Rule whether a Traditionall word or their Popes Definitiue sentence they are constrained to runne vnto the Scriptures for the ground of their assertions and to procure credit to their supposed rule The Gagger hath obiected no Scriptures to disproue the Scriptures to be the onely Rule of Faith II. Proposition That the Scriptures are imperfect and insufficient to instruct vs in all things necessary to saluation Confuted by their owne Bible THeir Bible proueth the vndeniable fulnesse perfection and sufficiency of the Scriptures by setting downe the true ends thereof both for the whole and parts which being so appointed of God cannot bee frustrated nor insufficiency found in any meanes which he ordayneth for they doe perfectly conduce to their ends except any dare imagine impiously and will say that either the Scriptures are not sufficient for the ends whereto they are appointed of God which none but Atheists will affirme or that the ends are not inough to make the Scriptures perfectly sufficient to instrtct vs in all things necessary to Saluation But if the Scriptures be granted to be sufficient for their ends whereto they be appointed as needs must and the ends therein set downe be proued sufficient in all matters necessary to saluation it will necessarily follow that the Scriptures are sufficient The ends why the Scriptures were written proued sufficient to direct vs in all matters necessary to saluation The Scriptures were and are written for our learning Rom. 15 4. to teach to argue to correct and to instruct in iustice 2. Tim. 3. 16. that we might haue faith and life in the Sonne of God Ioh. 20. 31. and hope also by the patience and consolation of the Scriptures Rom. 15 4. which can instruct to saluation 2. Tim. 3. 15. that the man of God may be perfect instructed to euery good worke If it can instruct and make perfect to euery good worke then euery good worke may be learned out of the Scriptures and that which can make a man to euery good worke perfect is in it selfe a perfect instruction thereto And what instruction is farther required then to good workes and to euery good worke where instruction is for euery such thing there is no defect This were proofe enough for the sufficiencie of the Scriptures but yet more Moses as their owne Bible sheweth wrote that the people might learne that they might feare the Lord their God all their dayes and keepe and fulfill all the words of the Law Deut. 31. 9 12 13. and his words and ceremonies that were commanded in the Law Deut. 17. 19. Dauid and others wrote the Psalmes to teach the feare of God Psal 33. 11. for instruction for the iust for comfort in aduersitie for praising and thanksgiuing in prosperitie with many other ends which their owne Bible plentifully sets out in their contents before euery Psalme according to their Doway translation Salomon wrote his Prouerbs to know wisedome and discipline to vnderstand the words of prudence and to receiue instruction of doctrine iustice and equitie that subtilty that is as they expound it profound and solid wit may be giuen to little ones knowledge and vnderstanding to yong men Prou. 1. 2 3 4. The Prophets wrote to discouer mens sinnes to threaten iudgements to call them to repentance to comfort the humbled to foretell things to come either of some particulars or of the state of the whole Church either then or afterwards as the Prophesies do witnesse The Euangelist S. Luke wrote that we might know the veritie Luk. 1. 3 4. of all those things which Iesus began to do and teach vntill the day that he was assumpted Act. 1. 1 2. S. Paul wrote to the Romanes to put them in remembrance what he had taught Rom. 15. 15. to the Corinthians to admonish them 1. Cor. 4. 14. not to keepe company with such as professed Christ and liued lewdly 1. Cor. 5. 9 11. to instruct them how to carrie themselues to an excommunicate penitent 2. Cor. 2. 3 9. To the Ephesians he wrote that by reading they might vnderstand his wisedome in the mysterie of Christ Ephe. 3. 3 4. to Timothy how he ought to conuerse in the house of God 1. Tim. 3. 15. To these may be added the end and scope of all the rest of his Epistles S. Peter wrote to admonish alwayes the Saints 2. Pet. 1. 12. to stirre them vp by admonition ver 13. and after his decease to keepe a memoriall of the things taught ver 15. that they might be mindfull of those words which he before had told them from the holy Prophets and the Apostles of the precepts of our Lord and Sauiour 2. Pet. 3. 2. and to testifie that this was the true grace of God wherein they stood 1. Pet. 5. 12. S. Iohn he wrote that we might not sinne but if any did to let vs know that we haue Iesus Christ our Aduocate and propitiation for our sinnes 1. Ioh. 2. 1 2. that we also might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the Sonne of God Ioh. 20. 31. and that we might know that
the Author de dupl mart ca. 42. There is no sicknesse of the soule for which the Scripture doth not afford a present remedy Athanas li. contr Gentes The Scriptures inspired of God are sufficient for all discussing and manifesting of the Truth August Tract 49. in Iohan. They are choise things which haue been written and thought sufficient for the saluation of beleeuers Chrysost hom 41. in Mat. or whosoeuer was that ancient Author Whatsoeuer is required to saluation is all accomplished in the Scripture neither is there any thing wanting there that is needfull for mans saluation Cyril lib. 12. in Iohan. in ca. 20. 31. Such things as the Apostle saw sufficient for our Faith and manners are written Hilar. li. 2. de Trinit speaking of Gods Booke What is there concerning mans saluation that is not contained therein What doth it want or what is there obscure in it All things are there full and perfect as being of him that is full and perfect Vincentius Lyrin yeeldeth the Canon of the Scriptures to be perfect and in it selfe aboundantly sufficient for all matters Thus we see how the Ancients ran vpon the perfection of the Scriptures and doe not vilifie them putting vpon them imperfectnesse and insufficiency as our Aduersaries very wickedly doe to get way hereby to their owne inuentions Gainesaid by the learned on their owne side Antoninus Archbishop of Florence God hath spoken but In sum part 3. tit 18. cap. 3. once and that in the holy Scriptures so fully to all doubts and cases and to all good workes that he needeth speake no more Scotus in 1. Sent. q. 2. The holy Scripture is all true necessarie and sufficient for him that walketh here below to bring him to saluation in all that concerneth beleeuing hoping and doing Gerson in serm in die Circum Dom. consul 1. The sacred Scripture is sufficient Caictan in Deut. 4. 2. willeth vs to gather from it that the Law of God is perfect Yea on 2. Tim. 3. saith he It s proper to the holy Scripture to teach the ignorant that he may bee perfect in all things Lyra on Ioh 20. 3. acknowledgeth the sufficiency of the Scriptures in respect of Christs excellencie in worke and doctrine Trithemius the Abbat li. 8. quaest ad Maximil Caesar q. 4. It is necessary that we hold the Scriptures perfect in all things and we must beleeue that they be true right entire sound diuinely-inspired and aboundantly sufficient to confirme the Christian Faith Villa-Vincentius de rat stud Theol. li. 1. ca. 3. The Scriptures and they alone are able to teach vs to saluation And he groundeth his assertion on 2. Tim. 3. 16 17. In which words saith hee the Apostle comprehendeth all things that are necessary to saluation Canus loc theol li. 7. ca. 3. The Canon of the Scripture is perfect and most sufficient of it selfe to euery end Espencaeus on 2. Tim. 3. 15 16. If any thing be needfull to bee knowne or done the Scriptures teach they can instruct a man to saluation and make him sufficiently learned Roffensis Art 37. aduers Luthera pa. 411. The holy Scripture is a store-house of all truths which are needful to be knowne of Christians Bellarm. de Verbo Dei li. 4. ca. 11. All things are written of the Apostles which are necessarie for all and which they openly did preach commonly to all Wee here then see that the Scriptures containe and that sufficiently all the things which be necessary for mans saluation by the many witnesses among the Papists themselues See Doctor * Reply to Fishers answer White pa. 42. producing Anselmus Scotus Gerson Bonauentura Occham Waldensis Gabriel Aquinas Lyra and Durand Here may be brought in against the sufficiency and perfection An Obiection answered of them their common obiection which is that many bookes are lost Let it be so what then This proueth not the insufficiency of these Scriptures for first I haue prooued that they are sufficient to wit these which we haue for of these now wee dispute Secondly the ancient Fathers speeches before are of these and their sufficiency not regarding the Books lost Thirdly of these also doe their owne men speake in their before-cited testimonies though they know well enough this triuiall obiection III. Proposition That the Scriptures be obscure and hard to be vnderstood euen in things necessary THis question is to be vnderstood of all things necessarily to be beleeued and done in the way of saluation For wee doe not say that all and euery thing and all and euery word sentence speech and prophecie in Scripture is plaine and easie to be vnderstood but all the places speaking of matters of faith and good life necessary to saluation are plaine and easie to bee vnderstood and yet not of all men neither but of all such as in humilitie with prayer diligently and constantly reade and heare them hauing a godly purpose and a true indeuour to liue after them for such shall vnderstand these things Prou. 2. 1 5. vers 24 9. Ioh. 7. 17. The question being thus conceiued to say that the Scriptures are to such darke and hard to be vnderstood in such necessarie points of saluation is vntrue Confuted by their owne Bible Psal 18. 18. The testimony of our Lord is faithfull giuing After our Bible Psal 19. wisedome to little ones Vers 9. The precept of our Lord is lightsome illuminating the eyes Psal 118. 105. Thy Word is a lampe to my feete and a light to Psal 119. my paths Vers 130. The declaration of thy words doth illuminate and giues vnderstanding to little ones Prou. 6. 23. The commandement is a lampe and the Law a light 2. Pet. 1. 19. We haue a Propheticall Word most sure which you doe well attending vnto as to a candle shining in a darke place By all these places it is euident that the Scriptures being a light a lampe candle shining lightsome illuminating the eyes and giuing vnderstanding to little ones must be plaine easie and not obscure and dark For if it were how can it be called light how can it be said to enlighten our eyes and be a lampe to our feete And what need haue we to attend to it for direction and guideance in a darke place if it were not a shining light vnto such as attend vnto it Contraried by ancient Fathers Clem. Alex. protrept pa. 25. It is a common light shining to all men there is no obscuritie in it Epiphanius Haeres 69. All things in the Scripture be manifest to them which repaire to them with a religious heart Saint August in Psal 8. God hath bowed downe the Scriptures euen to the capacitie of babes and sucklings And in Epist ad Volus The Scripture like a familiar friend speaketh those plaine things which it conteineth without glosing to the heart of the learned and vnlearned de doct Chr. li. 2. ca. 9. In these things which are set downe plainely in the Scriptures are to bee found
all those things which containe faith and good manners Chrysost in 2. Thes 2. Hom. 3. All things are cleare and plaine in diuine Scriptures whatsoeuer things are necessarie are manifest The same Father in Hom. 1. in Matth. saith That the Scriptures are easie to vnderstand and are laid open to the conceit and apprehension of euery seruant and plowman widdow and boy and him that is most simple So saith Isiod Pelusiota li. 2. epist 5. de Lazer and giueth vs a reason of the plainenesse God penned the Scriptures saith he by the hands of Publicans Fishermen Tent-makers Shepheards Neat-heards vnlearned men in that none of the simple might haue any excuse to keepe them from reading that so they might be easie to be vnderstood of all of the Artificer the Housholder the Widdow woman and of him that is most vnlearned yea the Prophets and Apostles as Schoole-masters to all the world made their writings plaine and euident to all men Origen cont Celsum The Scripture is deliuered as common Theodoret Socrat. lib. 1. meate in such sort as it is fitted altogether to the capacity of the multitude The Fathers therefore cleare the Scriptures in all necessarie matters to saluation from obscuritie Constantine prescribing lawes for the disputation in the Councell of Nice said That the Euangelicall and Apostolicall bookes and the Oracles of the ancient Prophets doe plainely teach vs what is to be iudged of diuine matters See more testimonies of Austin Chrysostome Ierome Fulgentius Hugo Victor Theodoret Lactantius Theoph. Antiochenus In his reply to Fishers answer Clem. Alexandrinus cyted by D. White pag. 36. Gainesaid by learned men of their owne Scotus 1. sent q. 2. The Scripture is cleare and sufficient and the vndoubted way to saluation Espencaeus in 2. Tim. 3. alleageth out of Prosper that little ones and great ones strong and weake may be nourished and fully satisfied Gregory de Valentia Such verities concerning our faith as are absolute and necessarie to be knowne and to be beleeued of all men are plainely taught in the Scriptures themselues Saunders in his Rock pa. 193. We haue most plaine Scripture in all points for the Catholike Faith Costerus in Enchir. We denie not but that these chiefe points which are necessarie to be knowne of all Christians for saluation are clearely enough comprehended in the Apostles writings It is not to be denied that many things are perspicuous in the holy Scriptures Laurentius Iustinianus serm de natiu Ioh. Baptist The Scripture is a faire burning lampe illustrious and conspicuous See in * Reply to Fishers answer Doct. White pa. 36. Aquinas Vasques Gonzales Obiected Scriptures answered 2. Pet. 3 16. In which are certaine things hard to be vnderstood which the vnlearned and vnstable depraue as also the rest of the Scriptures to their owne perdition Answ 1. This place is alleaged by Papists to deterre from the reading of the Scriptures contrary to Saint Peters meaning for he knew this that here he writeth before hee did sit downe to write this Epistle and yet in chap. 1. 19 he commendeth the care and study of the Scriptures to all which by their allegation this place should crosse and so should hee be made to write contrary to himselfe thus they abuse him and this his text of Scripture 2. The words hard to be vnderstood are to be referred to things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not to Pauls Epistles nor to the Scriptures which do treate of those things for the words may bee plaine yet the matter sometimes hard obscure things may be expressed in euident speech and in words that may easily be vnderstood so as heere they confound words and matter the manner of deliuery and the thing deliuered 3. It s said that certaine things are hard to be vnderstood not all things so that from some things to all things is no good conclusion And wee our selues confesse that some things are hard to be vnderstood and some places yea many but they are not so necessary to saluation And in that which concerneth the Gospell and sauing knowledge the obscuritie is not in the stile of the Spirit but in the peruersitie and hardnesse of mans heart 2. Cor. 4. 3 4 and 3. 14 15 16. 4 Saint Peter by onely saying that certaine things are hard he yeelds that all the rest are easie to be vnderstood for exception onely to some cleareth the rest from obscuritie and if for some things hard they will conclude the obscuritie of Scripture how much more may we conclude the clearenesse of Scripture from the easinesse to vnderstand all the rest for all the points of life and saluation are in Scripture and if onely some things be hard then many things are easie therefore from the great part of the Scripture easie to bee vnderstood we may rather conclude the Scriptures plainnesse then from some things hard to put obscuritie vpon all the Scripture 5. Saint Peter telleth vs to whom and to what sorts of persons these hard things come to be mistaken yea and not onely the hard but also the rest the things easie to be vnderstood euen onely to the vnlearned and vnstable Therefore not to other which be learned and stable such as be taught of God and doe constantly indeuour to know the Lords will Is this good reasoning Some men vnderstand not Ergo None can Some abuse the Scripture Ergo All doe 6. To whom did Peter and Saint Paul and the rest of the Apostles write To whom were the Epistles sent to bee read Onely to the Clergie or to the Laitie also Verily to all sorts as we may reade 1. Thes 5. 27. Col. 4. 16. And therefore they were not hard to be vnderstood but might be vnderstood of all sorts else had it been vaine to reade them vnto all 7. If we consider it well the Scriptures are cleare to all sorts as they come prepared to the reading thereof Let the naturall man come with the Law within himselfe Rom. 2. 14. and with such common principles as are left in all by nature and he reading will find those things easily and with vnderstanding speake of them Let the honest Moralist come and reade and he will easily vnderstand the places of vertues and vices the examples of both the threats and promises the rewards punishments in which things a great part of Scripture is spent Let Artists come one with the Grammar and another with Logicke another with Rethorick and they will see easily the Grammar the Logick the Rethorick therein contained and so will other learned in other Sciences The naturall Philosopher will see the Philosophy they that haue skill in Lawes in Military affaires in Chronologies and many other things too long to recite will see by their skill these things easily in the Scriptures Now let in like manner a man indued with knowledge in Diuinitie and acquainted with the ground of Christianitie and catechized therein come to the Scriptures so furnished and
but he plainely expounded it afterwards vers 37. 43. and now it is written So that what at first was not vnderstood was after explained vnderstood and the same also written And therefore the Scripture is not obscure by this Parable but rather the more cleare because it is written and the interpretation thereof also Luk. 24. 45. Then he opened their vnderstandings that they might vnderstand the Scriptures Answ 1. This place is to be vnderstood of such things as concerned the Messiah touching Christ his suffering as afore in vers 25. 26. 2. This is nothing to the obscurity of the Scripture for the Scripture was cleare but their vnderstanding was not till hee opened it and what they then vnderstood not now euery ordinary Christian doth know and can finde it laid downe plainely in the Scriptures of the New Testament by the Apostles themselues Therefore if their ignorance at that time of those things may conclude obscurity of Scripture then the same after knowne of them and taught fully to vs in Scripture may make for the Scriptures clearenesse 3. We acknowledge that all need to haue their vnderstandings opened by Christ to read the Scriptures because the naturall man perceiues not the things of God but are spiritually discerned 1. Cor. 2. 14. But is the Sunne darke because God doth make a blind man to see it Yet thus our aduersaries reason The Scriptures are obscure because God opens mens vnderstanding to see the things therein deliuered 1. Cor. 12. 20. To another discerning of spirits to another kind of tongues to another interpretation of Languages Answ Here is not a word of the obscurity of holy Scriptures but of extraordinary gifts then by Gods Spirit bestowed vpon some for the Churches good to make the Scriptures easie Luk. 8. 10. To you it is giuen to know c. The answere to this is as to the place in Mat. 10. 11. but they alleadge moreouer Luk. 18. 34. And they vnderstood none of these things Answ 1. This place is not against the Word written For all those things then not vnderstood they after vnderstood and wrote them and wee plainely doe vnderstand them in Scriptures 2. This place speaketh of the Word deliuered by Christs mouth I hope they will not haue that Word obscute too what will then become of the Traditionall word which they so prattle of But the Gagger heapes vp any thing to make a shew though he speake at vnawares against themselues 3. Still here is of things and not of the Scriptures and of onely some things but not of all They cannot therefore conclude the generall that the Scriptures are obscure Luk. 2. 50. And they vnderstood not the Word hee spake vnto them Answ 1. The fault is laid vpon their vnderstanding 2. It is not of the Scripture but of a word then not written 3. Ioseph and Mary vnderstood not then that Word Ergo none now Is it not now written and doe not euery one now know that he spake of his heauenly Fathers businesse Belike if the blessed Virgin Mary were now vpon the earth the papists would not allow her to reade the Scriptures 2. Tim 3. 7. Alwaies learning and neuer attaining to the knowledge of truth Answ 1. Here is no Scripture mentioned 2. If they will haue this to be of their learning the Scriptures then this sheweth that women in those dayes meddled with Scriptures which the Papists now cannot abide to heare of 3. The fault is not laid vpon the truth but vpon those learners negligence or dulnesse 4. Consider what learners they were First silly women Secondly loaden with sinnes Thirdly led with diuers lusts Fourthly led captiue by false Teachers verse 6. It is no maruell that these could not come to the knowledge of the truth and because such could not attaine to it therefore is it hard to be attained to of all others This is an excellent Scripture to shew why the collapsing women and such Apostates as fall from vs now to them cannot attaine to the knowledge of the truth because indeede they are laden with sinnes led with diuers lusts and by false Teachers led captiue to their destruction because here they neuer had a true loue to the Truth 1. Ioh. 4. 6. Hee that knoweth God heareth vs he that is not of God heareth vs not in this we know the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of errour Answ What they can conclude hence touching the Scripture I see not The Spirit of Truth in man which teacheth him to know God teacheth him also to heare those which are sent of God and likewise where the spirit of error is and such as are not of God cannot listen and giue eare to such as are of God for the spirit of errour opposeth the true Teachers as Papists doe vs. Psal 119. 18 34. Open thou mine eyes c. and giue me vnderstanding c. Answ Wee teach that to come to knowledge all must pray to God to instruct them euen the best learned 2. Dauid that now prayed had a great deale of vnderstanding as he confesseth in vers 11. 54 97 98 99 100 104 105. therefore here he prayeth to be more and more acquainted with heauenly knowledge desiring the increase thereof for the godliest haue not al knowledge at once It is not the word of Scripture that Dauid desires vnderstanding in nor to haue his eyes open to see what the Words of Gods Lawes were but he would see the wonderous things thereof And trow wee when your infallible Doctour the Pope shall take vpon him to expound Scripture in Cathedra will hee not first pray to God to open his eyes and giue him vnderstanding Surely his eyes were not open that made this obiection 3. There is a litterall Historicall and outward knowledge of the holy Scriptures which Dauid was not ignorant of but there is also an internall a spirituall and heauenly vnderstanding thereof which God onely must open our eyes to see and this Dauid prayed for and these things so heauenly and spirituall he held to be maruailous and these prayed he to haue his eyes open to see also to increase in the vnderstanding of them IV. Proposition That the Scriptures doe not interpret themselues and that the true sense may not bee fetched out of themselues Confuted by their owne Bible 1. THeir Bble teacheth vs that the Scriptures are of God 2. Tim. 3. 16. that he himselfe wrote some Exod. 24. 4. Deut. 9. 10. Hos 8. 12. othersome his Prophets Exod. 24. 4. Deut. 31. 9 24. Esay 8. 1. and 30. 8. Ier. 29. 1. his Euangelists Luk. 1. 3. his Apostles 2. Cor. 10. 11. And these the Lords Scribes were so commanded to write Exod. 17. 14. and 34. 27. Deut. 27. 8. and 31. 9. Ier. 30. 2. Heb. 2. 2. Reu. 1. 11 19. The Scriptures therefore are called the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 3. Now thus then I reason All wise mens writings carry such a coherence and dependancie in them whether they
is the cause of error Mat. 22. 29. Yee doe erre not knowing the Scriptures Error then is from ignorance of the Scriptures The Apostles doubting of Christs resurrection a maine point of Faith without which all is vaine 1. Cor. 15. is ascribed to their ignorance of the Scriptures for as yet saith their Bible they knew not the Scriptures The Israelites erring in heart so continually is ascribed to the want of knowledge in Gods wayes Psal 94 10 11. These alwaies erre in heart and these haue not knowne my Psal 95. wayes Secondly it telleth vs whence otherwise errors proceed from Philosophy vaine fallacie Col. 2. 9. from humane traditions Whence proceed errors Mark 7. 8. from pretended Apostolicall traditions Acts 15. 24. from pretended reuelations of the Spirit a feigned word and forged writings 2. Thes 2. 2. from Satans strange delusions in the Man of sinne and his followers 2. Thes 2. from lying signes and wonders seducing people Reuel 13. 13 14. 2. Thes 2. 9. from doctrines and commandements of men Col. 2. 22. from vnlearnednesse and vnstablenesse of mens owne selues 2. Pet. 2. 16. from false Teachers Act. 20. 29. Iude vers 4. 2. Pet. 2. 2. Tim. 3. 6. from mens giuing heed to Seducers 1. Tim. 4. 1. and such like meanes God giuing men ouer to beleeue lyes because such haue not a loue of the truth 2. Thes 2. 3. Their Bible cleareth Scriptures from being cause of error for it telleth vs that no lie is of the truth 1. Ioh. 2. 21. Now error in diuine matters is a lye the Scriptures are Gods Word inspired by the holy Ghost 2. Tim. 3. 16. Gods Word is truth Ioh. 17. 17. and therefore no error can arise from it and to reason from abuse to hinder the vse is absurd 4. It telleth vs that the holy Scriptures are the Rule of faith and life as before is prooued and therefore cannot be the cause of error 5. It pronounceth the Readers blessed Reu. 3. 3. How can this be if it breed errors in men 6. It telleth vs that by Scripture Christ confuted Satan the false doctrine of Scribes and Pharises the heresie of the Sadduces so did the Apostles the Iewes Act. 17. 2. and 18. 28. Therefore heresies are ouerthrowne by Scripture and get no ground at all from Scripture Contraried by Antiquitie Chrysost Hom. de Lazar. The ignorance of the Scriptures hath bred heresies In Hom. 58. on Iohn The Scriptures doe leade vs to God doe driue away heretickes and doe not suffer vs to goe out of the way Tertullian de resurr telleth vs that heretickes flie the light of the Scriptures Surely hereby its cleere then that this Father did not beleeue that the Scriptures would make heretikes S. Ierome in Esay c. 8. willeth vs in things doubtfull to haue recourse vnto the Scriptures to know the truth otherwise saith he ye shall not haue the light of truth but remaine euer in darknesse of error Therefore Scriptures expell the mist of errors and doe not breed them in the iudgement of Saint Ierome It is witnessed before by Augustine Chrysostome Tertullian Basil Ierome Gregory-Nyssen that the Scriptures are the sound Rule of Faith therefore cannot they be any ground for error Gainesaid by some of their owne Petrus de Aliaco saith The new Testament is the hammer that killeth all heresies the Lanterne that lighteneth vs. Gerson in tract de distinct The sacred Scriptures are the shop wherein is laid vp the royall stampe of spirituall coine if a penny differs from the stampe neuer so little vndoubtedly its counterfeit It is also witnessed before by Gregory Gerson Clemangis Aliacus Durand Mirandula Aquinas Ferus Villa-Vincentius the Canon law and by Bellarmine that the Scriptures are the Rule of Faith how can they then breed error Our Aduersaries haue here no Scripture against vs for indeed the Scripture speaketh for it selfe and not against it selfe But Papists will here say they meane that the Scriptures breed heresies when they are misunderstood or abused or not rightly interpreted Answ If thus they meane in good sooth 1. why blame they the Scriptures when the fault is in men and not in them 2. Why doe not they likewise so accuse all mens writings whose soeuer are not they subiect to be mis-conceiued misunderstood and peruerted 3. Why doe they in this respect feare the Scriptures to breed heresies more in the people then in the Priests Were Arius a Presbyter Macedonius a B. Pelag. a Monke and Eutyches an Abbat they of the Lay-people onely which were the Authors of former heresies or of the Clergie Was Arius was Macedonius was Eutyches Pelagius and other damnable first-broachers of heresies Lay-men No man saith Ierome can frame an heresie but he that is of excellent gifts Gerson and Aeneas Syluius doe De defect viror Eccles 48 Hist Austr 8 52. alleage the same saying of Saint Ierome That there neuer happened any notorious euill in the Church but Priests were the cause thereof Lastly by thus reasoning from the abuse either through ignorance or wilfulnesse in any thing we should disallow euerie thing we should not eate because some gluttonize at meate nor drinke wine nor strong drinke because some thereby become drunke nor weare costly apparell as men of place may because some grow thereby proud nor vse the Arte of Rhetorick because some men abuse it setting their tongues to sale nor Logick for that some peruert it from the right end to iangling Sophistrie Iesus Christ saw how Satan abused Scripture yet he did vse it and exhorted other to search the Scriptures This point of Poperie Christ then knew not nor any of his Apostles VII Proposition That the Scriptures cannot of themselues be knowne to be the Word of God vnlesse the Church doe giue witnesse vnto them that they are so Confuted by their owne Bible 1. IT plainely auoucheth the contrary 1. By teaching that Christs sheepe knew his voice Ioh. 10. 4. 2. That Christ hath promised that such as doe his will shall vnderstand all the doctrine whether it be of God Ioh. 7. 17. 3. That to his Disciples it is giuen to know the Mysteries of the kingdome of heauen Mat. 13. 11. Now the Scriptures inspired of God 2. Tim. 3. 16. are his voice are his doctrine and there are the Mysteries of the Kingdome of heauen euen that great Mysterie opened by the Scriptures Rom. 16. 26. in the Law and Prophets Acts 28. 23. Therefore if Christs sheepe and Disciples can know his Voyce his Doctrine and the Mysteries of the Kingdome of Heauen then they can know the Scriptures to be the Scriptures of God II. It telleth vs by whom and by what we haue this knowledge 1. By the Spirit of God for what things God hath prepared for them that loue him hath he reuealed to vs by his Spirit which we haue receiued that we may know the things that of God are giuen vnto vs 1. Cor. 2. 9. 10 12. Now the Scriptures
are of those things which God hath giuen vnto vs therefore by the Spirit of God can wee know them to be of God And indeed all Scripture being inspired of Gods Spirit who can better informe our knowledge of them then the blessed Inditer and Author of them 2. By the Scriptures themselues which beare witnesse of themselues that they are iustified in themselues Psal 18. 10. that Psal 19. they are all inspired of God 2. Tim. 3. 16. that they are holy Scriptures Rom. 1. 6. the Scriptures of the Prophets Rom. 16. 26. who were guided by the holy Ghost 2. Pet. 1. 20. as also were the Apostles Mat. 10. 20. Mark 13. 11. And Paul telleth vs that he wrote the Commandements of God 1. Cor. 14. 37. III. As their Bible telleth vs that by the Spirit and by the Scriptures themselues we know the Scriptures to be of God so also the same Bible teacheth vs 1. That the testimonie of the Spirit is truth 1. Ioh. 5. 6. and is no lye 1. Ioh. 2. 27. which Spirit of Christ all the Children of God haue Gal. 4. 6. and all that are Christs else they are none of his Rom. 8. 9. 2. That the testimony of the Scriptures are of more credit then the testimony of men for the witnesse of God is greater then men 1. Ioh. 5. 9. And Christ preferred the testimony of the Scriptures before mans testimony yea though a Prophet for he saith he receiued not testimony of man speaking of Iohn Bapt. Ioh. 5. 33 34. and yet he referred himself to the testimony of the Scriptures testifying of him vers 39. Yea he saith that his owne words would not be beleeued if the Scriptures be not belieued ver 47. So that the Scriptures testimony of themselues being the Word of God so the testimony of God are sufficient witnes to take them for the Scriptures of God which whoso refuseth or questioneth the testimony of no men no not of Christ if he were here on earth would be beleeued to make vs to receiue them for Gods Word This their owne Bible doth teach vs. IV. Their Bible doth not onely shew how the Scriptures giue witnesse of themselues thus in generall termes but more particularly informeth vs that the Scriptures doe proue the particular bookes of holy Writ to bee the Word of God Moses witnesseth of his owne writings that he wrote by commandement Deut. 31. 9 19. and what he deliuered was that which was commanded him Exod. 34. 34. All the Prophets witnesse their Prophecies to be of God Esay 1 2. Ier. 1. 2. Ezech. 1. 3. Dan. 10. 1. Hos 1. 1. Ioel 1. 1. Amos 1. 3. Obadiah 1. 1. Ionah 1. 1. Mich. 1. 1. Nah. 1. 1. Hab. 1. 1. Zeph. 1. 1. Hag. 1. 1. Zach. 1. 1. Mal. 1. 1. Iesus Christ gaue approbation to the authoritie of Moses the Prophets and the Psalmes Luk. 24. 26 24. And so the Apostles Act. 26. 22. Rom. 16. 23. not onely in expounding but also by alleaging one where or other some thing out of euery booke as out of Genesis Mat. 23. 35. Act. 7. 3. and 3. 25. Ioh. 4. 5. out of Exodus Mat. 5. 38. and 22. 32. Act. 13. 17 18. Leuiticus Rom. 10. 5. Mat. 5. 38. Numbers Ioh. 3. 14. and 6. 31. Deuteronomy Mat. 4. 4 7. and 5. 31. or 7. 37. Ioshua Act. 7. Heb. 11. 31. Iam. 2. Iudges Act. 13. 20. Heb. 11. 32. Ruth Mat. 1. 2 3 12. Samuel Kings and Chronicles Mat. 1. 2 3 6 7. and 12. 3 42. and 23. 35. Luk. 4. 25 26 27. Act. 13. 21 22. Rom. 11. 3. Heb. 11. 32. Iob Iam. 5. 11. Psalmes the whole book Act. 1. 16 20. and parts thereof Mat. 13. 35. and 21. 16 42. Prouerbs Rom. 12. 26. Iam. 4. 6. Heb. 12. 6. Esay Mat. 21. 5 13. Ioh. 12. 38. Ieremy Mat. 27. 9. Ezechiel 2. Cor. 6. 18. Reuel 4. 7. and 20. 8. Daniel Mat. 24. 15. So might I goe thorow all the small Prophets but that whole booke of the Prophets is approoued Act. 7. 42. And all the Scriptures of the old Testament are called by Saint Paul the words of God Rom. 3. 2. and are confirmed in particular as the rest as Hosea Mat. 9. 13. and 12. 7. Ro. 9. 25 26. Ioel Act. 2. 16. Ionas Mat. 12. 40. Amos Act. 7. 43. Micha Mat. 2. 6. Zacharie Mat. 27. 9. Habacuk Rom. 1. 17. Gal. 3. 11. Nahum Rom. 10. 15. Haggai Heb. 12. 26. Malachy Mat. 17. 11 12. Thus the old Testament beareth witnesse to it selfe and the New also to the Old so doth the Old to the New foreshewing what in the New is reuealed besides the record it beareth of it selfe For Iohn telleth vs that his writings are the truth of God Ioh. 19. 35. Reuel 1. 1. Saint Paul that his are the commandements of God 1. Cor. 14. 37. Saint Peter confirmeth the authoritie of all Pauls Epistles 2. Pet. 3. 16. And thus must we thinke of all the Apostles writings as the diuine truth of God because they were all led by the same Spirit Ioh. 15. 26. into all truth Ioh. 16. 13. which called the words of Christ to their remembrance Ioh. 14. 26. which Spirit Christ gaue them and they had receiued Ioh. 17. 8. Neither is it to be doubted but as their words in their Ministerie were the words of God Mat. 10. 20. Mark 13. 11. so were their words written of God also seeing they wrote what they taught as these places shew Luk. 1. 1 3 4. Act. 1. 1. 1. Cor. 15. 1. 2. Cor. 1. 13. Phil. 3. 1. 2. Thes 2. 5. and as before is prooued at large V. Their owne Bible telleth vs that the Word is a lampe and a light Psal 118. 105. 2. Pet. 1. 19. This is spoken of the written 〈◊〉 11 9. Word Now a lampe and a light need no man to point to them that hath eyes to see if the same be before them but they shew themselues to such clearely enough euen so doth the light of Gods Word in Scripture shew it selfe Gods workes shew themselues to be his workes out of themselues Act. 14. 16. He lest not himselfe without testimony Rom. 1. 20. Psal 18. 1. His Psal 19. workes shew him and shew themselues to be his and shall not Gods Word shew it selfe to be Gods Word Is there to a godly man a lesse print of the Deitie in his Word to discerne it then in a very naturall man to discerne his workes Moreouer shall the writings of men discouer their Authors of what profession and learning they be and shall not Gods Word be able to shew it selfe to bee of God For let one man write like an Artist another as a Philosopher the third as a Moralist the fourth as a Statist the fifth as a Diuine No man that is an Artist a Philosopher a Moralist a Statist or Diuine but hee can discerne of all these writings distinctly though hee haue not some to tell him what they bee So let
spoken is not set downe here and so proueth not the point in question 3. Of themselues there be that expound this depositum farre otherwise Caietan expounds it of the flocke committed to him So also Lyra their Glosse takes it to be his office So Hugo Cardinalis Aquinas interpreteth it of euery good thing which any man hath committed to him of God to keepe and to increase Thus they agree not among themselues if they cannot agree about the sense of the word is this then a sound proofe of so great a point as is in question Must a Rule to rule holy Scripture and the holy Church be grounded vpon such an vncertaine meaning 4. But let the Rhemists interpretation of the word goe for sound it is enough to ouerthrow their tenent for this depositum they make the whole doctrine of our Christianitie If this be the Treasure of vnwritten doctrine as Bellarmine will haue it what doth the Scripture containe Saint Paul telleth vs 1. Tim. 1. 11. that the glorious Gospell was committed to his trust as this depositum was committed to Timothy his trust if these two bee one as they are for was another thing committed to the trust of Timothy then was committed to Saint Pauls trust Then the Gospell is the whole doctrine of our Christianity except there be doctrines of Christianity which are not Gospell but the Gospell is written as before is prooued and therefore also is this a written depositum and not an vnwritten doctrine 5. This place wicked heretickes so expounded and to defend Tertul. de praescript aduersus Haeret. ca. 25. their hereticall falsities feigned such a sense of this place of certaine vnwritten traditions as the Papists doe by which they may see whence they be 2. Tim. 1. 13. Haue thou a forme of sound words which thou hast heard of me the same is mentioned Rom. 6. 17. Answ 1. This sheweth that a forme of words were deliuered by mouth but hence will it not follow that the same is not now written Saint Paul instructed by word of mouth Ergo may it be concluded that he wrote not the same How in reason will this follow And yet this is the thing to be proued or else nothing to the purpose 2. The place sheweth in what things this forme of words is to bee kept to wit in faith and in loue but the forme of the words of our beliefe is in the Scripture Ioh. 20. 31. Act. 8. 37. and also of our loue Mat. 22. 37 39. 3. If by forme of words they will vnderstand the compendium of Christianitie concerning Faith Obedience Prayer and forme of administring the holy Sacraments all these be also in the Scriptures as our Creed the ten Commandements the Lords Prayer as before is shewed For baptisme reade Mat. 28. 19. and for the Lords Supper Mat. 26. 26 27 28. 1. Cor. 11. 23 24 25. Therefore here is no forme of words left vnwritten as out of this place the Papists pretend 2. Tim. 2. 2. And the things which thou hast heard c. Answ 1. This still speakes of Pauls preaching but proueth not the same not to be written 2. It hath been before proued that Paul preached openly the Scriptures and therfore by the things heard from him must be meant those which he taught out of the Scriptures 3. It is probable that S. Paul himselfe preaching out of the Scriptures and onely according to the Scriptures also highly commending Scriptures to Timothy to be able to make perfect the man of God to euery good worke 2. Tim. 3. 16 17. that hee would haue any thing commended by Timothy to other Teachers but what was to be found in holy Scriptures This place therefore helpes not for vnwritten traditions Ioh. 20. 30. Many other signes did Iesus c. which are not written in this booke Answ 1. The Euangelist saith they were not written in this booke But what then May they not be written in other Euangelists 2. Here he speakes of signes and Acts of Christ and not of his doctrine by tradition which is the matter in question and so this text is nothing to the purpose Ioh. 21. 25. There are many other things which also Iesus did c. Answ This place also speaketh of that which Iesus did and not of that which he taught Here is not one syllable of a traditionarie word Ioh. 16 12. Many things I haue to say to you but you cannot beare them now Ans 1. This place tels vs not what Christ said but what hee concealed to wit many things which he had to speake but then spake not so as this proueth not a traditionall word nor any word at all except they will conclude that what one can say therefore he doth say it 2. If Christ had said all things to the Apostles then yet would it not follow that the same were not at all written in Scripture for Iesus Christ taught what was written in the Scriptures expounded them cited them and by them confuted the Aduersaries And Saint Luke makes a profession that his Gospell was A Treatise of all that Iesus began both to doe and speake vnto the day of his Ascension Act. 1. 1 2. 3. Can our Aduersaries tell what things Christ had to say If they can first let them shew to vs what they were secondly that they were differing from those things taught by him and written now in the new Testament thirdly that they were neuer written by the Apostles If these they cannot demonstrate to vs they gaine nothing hence for their pretended traditionary August 77. tract in Iohn word This place heretickes abused for their traditions 1. Cor. 11. 16. Wee haue no such custome nor the Church of God Answ 1. This speaketh not affirmatiuely of a custome but negatiuely of no such custome 2. Though it had spoken of a custome what is this to a traditionall word Is custome doctrine Or is it not rather applied to actions as in Gen. 31. 35. Ioh. 18. 39 3. The Scriptures allow not custome to be a Rule Leu. 18. 2. See Doway Translation Ier. 10. 2. 2 King 17. 40. 1. Cor. 11. 34. The rest will I dispose when I come Answ Here is no speech of any word of Doctrine but of order among the Corinthians Ioh. 2. 12. and Ioh. 3. 13. Hauing moe things to write vnto you I would not by paper and inke For I hope that I shall be with you and speake mouth to mouth Answ These places shew indeed that in the two short Epistles Iohn wrote not all those things which he might haue written because he would speake to them of them But can our Aduersaries proue first that Iohn euer came to vtter the things vnwritten If he did what were they If he did not then so much of their conceited traditionall word is lost Secondly that those moe things left vnwritten were either things necessarie or they were not things already written Til they can shew these things this place doth them
2. This was in respect of a future lapse in Peter which Christ foresaw more then in any of the Apostles as the euent declared 3. This is meant of Peters owne particular inward grace of faith which was terribly shaken when he denied and forswore his Master and not of his teaching in the execution of his ministerie For why should Christ pray more for Peters teaching then for the rest whom Christ sent out as well as him to teach all Nations Mat. 16. 18. This text is spoken vnto Peter of the Churches preseruation against the gates of hell but speaketh nothing of Peters not erring much lesse of the Popes of whom Christ in this place neuer dreamed And its cleare by Scripture that the gates of hell preuailed against Peter after Christ had vttered these words vnto him though not totally and finally to destruction yet in a great measure to transgression and fearefull falling Mat. 23. 2. This is very largely answered before and there is it fully proued that these Scribes and Pharises erred grosly in many things Ioh. 21. 15 16 17. This text speakes of Peters dutie that as he loued Christ he should feed his lambes but speakes not a word of his not erring who after this was found ignorant in some things of the nature of Christs Kingdome Act. 1. 6. of going to the Gentiles and eating things forbidden by the Law abrogated by Christ Act. 10. 12 14. and he also erred at Antioch Gal. 2. But if this did cleare Peter what maketh it for the Pope who shewes no loue to Christ in feeding his lambes If he neuer teach then he may be sure neuer to erre in that kind Exod. 28. 30. First what this Vrim and Thummim was can no man tell Secondly though Aaron had it yet he foully erred in the golden Calfe in making it in building an Altar before it and proclaiming a feast thereupon to the Lord Exod. 32. 4 5 And did not Vrijah erre in the dayes of wicked Ahaz 2. King 16. 11 16 So the high Priest in Christs time Therefore this place alledged to proue that the high Priest could not erre is much abused Thirdly what is this to the Pope who is neither Gods high Priest for such is there now none but Iesus Christ onely neither hath this Vrim Thummim which Aaron had XV. Proposition That Councels may not erre being confirmed by the Pope Confuted by their owne Bible The Councell at Ierusalem gathered vnder the high Priest against Christ Mat. 26. against the Apostles Act. 4. 5 6. against Steuen Act. 6. 12. and 7. 1. against Paul Act. 22. 30. erred The Assembly gathered vnder Aaron who consented to them and made the golden Calfe erred Exod. 32. 1 2 3 4 5. The great congregation gathered vnder Dauid and the high Priest then erred in not seeking the Lord after a right manner 1. Chro. 13. in putting the Arke in a new Cart vers 7. and Chap. 15. 13 14 15. The Assembly of the Priests Prophets and people gathered against Ieremie erred Ier. 26. 8 9 11. And yet this Church had large promises as before is declared and the high Priests better assurances then the Pope For the high Priest was first nominated by God himself after confirmed by a miracle Num. 17. 8. he had vpon his brest the Vrim and Thummim and warrant in expresse tearmes to hold him for the Lords high Priest No such assurances hath the Pope And therefore if the Councels thus erred vnder the high Priests so may they vnder the Pope Contraried by Antiquitie 1. It s cleare that generall Councels haue erred as that of Arimine of 600. Bishops in defence of Arius yea Bellarmine Lib. 1. de Concil cap. 6. 7. nameth generall Councels reiected as the generall Councell at Antioch Anno 345. the generall Councell at Millaine of aboue 300. Bishops Anno 354. the second Ephesine Anno 449. and many other 2. Councels haue contradicted one another the first Nicene condemned worshipping of Images and the second Nicene allowed it Chalcedon condemned Eutyches the Ephesin confirmed his heresie In contradictions must needs be error 3. S. Augustine lib. 2. de bapt Contra Donat. cap. 3. saith that former generall Councels may be corrected by the later when that is knowne which before was hid He therefore beleeued that Councels might erre 4. Euen Councels confirmed by the Pope may erre and haue erred The Councell of Neocaesaria confirmed by Pope Leo 4. condemned second marriage contrary to 1. Cor. 7. The second Nicene approueth worshipping of Images contrary to Exod. 10. If any desire more instances let them reade our learned Whitacres de Concilijs 5. Councels approued by Popes haue contradicted one another The Councels of Constance and Basil determined that the Councell was aboue the Pope that the Pope might erre Pope Martin the first chosen by the Councell of Constance was of the same iudgement but the Councels of Ferraria and Florence determined the contrary that the Pope was aboue the Councell and Eugenius the 4. which gathered the Councels was of the same iudgement with them And therefore the one side must needs erre and so Councels approued by Popes may erre And what doubt can be made of this when this their virtual Church is proued before not onely to be subiect to error but also to haue erred And can his approuing of Councels preserue them from error who cannot preserue himselfe from it Gainesaid by some of themselues The Councell of Florence and Ferraria held that a Councell might erre and so thought Pope Eugenius the fourth Their learned men haue held that Councels may erre Generall Councels may erre saith Waldensis Cusanus also Concord In doctrina sid lib. 2. cap. 19. Loc. Theol. lib. 5. cap. 5. Dialog part 1. lib. 6. cap. 25. 26. Catho lib. 2. cap. 3. yea saith Canus and prescribe some lawes to the whole Church that are not right profitable and iust Occham holdeth that they may erre though the Pope confirme them For as is afore proued the Pope and Councels haue erred Pighius saith of the Councell of Constance that it decreed In Hierarch against the order of nature against manifest Scripture against the Authoritie of all Antiquitie and against the Catholicke faith of their Church Bellarmine saith that the great Councel of Chalcedon erred in In Praef. de P. Rom. equalizing the Bishop of Constantinople to the Bishop of Rome Our Aduersaries take libertie to themselues to allow or disallow Councels in what or as farre as they please as Councels make any way for them so farre they approue them as they make in any thing against them so farre they reiect them For this reade Bishop Morton his Catho Apologie par 2. lib. 4. ca. 3. p. 334 335. also D. White his last Booke pag. 153. Scriptures obiected answered Mat. 18. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them Answ I. Here is not meant either a
adding thereto three Epistles 11. He was the onely Apostle that was rapt in Spirit on the Lords day to receiue the Reuelation of Iesus Christ by an Angell foretelling the Churches estate to the worlds end 12. Lastly hee was of all the rest that liued the longest and alone after them all In these was hee farre beyond Peter He neuer denied his Master as Peter did Hee was neuer called Satan as Peter was Yet for all these excellencies in Iohn the Papists will not haue any Chiefty in him And surely if these eminencies wil not afford him the Headship among them it cannot be found in Peter who attained not to such excellencies Contraried by Antiquitie Cyprian de vnitat Eccles Verily the rest of the Apostles were the same that Peter was endued with equall fellowship both of honour and authoritie Ierome aduers Iouin lib. 1. All the Apostles receiued the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and the strength of the Church was established equally vpon them all Origen on Math. 16. tract 1. saith of the Keyes that they were not giuen to Peter alone but to all alike and that which Christ said was spoken in common to them all Ambrose de incarnat cap. 4. saith that Peter receiued the Primacie of confession not of honour the primacie of Faith not of Degree Rabanus Maurus de institut Clericorum lib. 1. cap. 4. saith That the rest of the Apostles were fellowlike with Peter in Honour and Authoritie Gainesaid by some of their owne side Aquinas id opuse 20. calleth all the Apostles the Vicars of Christ Cusanus lib. 1. de concord Cathol cap. 13. Wee know that S. Peter hath not receiued more authoritie of Christ then the rest of the Apostles In the Masse they singing to Christ pray that he would keepe his flocke by the holy Apostles who are there called Vicars of his worke Gratian dist 21. in Nouo 24. 4. c. loquitur Nothing was said to Peter that was not said to the rest of the other Apostles who according to S. Ierome are all the Fundamentall stones of the Church Reuel 21. Leo first Bishop of Rome in Aniuers die assump suae ad Pontificatum Ser. 3. saith I giue thee the Keyes was a power transferred to all the Apostles Scriptures obiected answered Mat. 10. 20. Now the names of the twelue Apostles are these the first Simon who is called Peter c. Because he is first named therefore they will conclude a Headship ouer the rest Answ Here is no expresse word of Headship but in numbering the Twelue the first beginneth with Peter So he is onely first here in reckoning in order of numbring but not of commanding superioritie Saint Marke chap. 3. 16. Luke 6. 14. leaue out the word first in naming of the Apostles And Saint Paul in naming the Apostles with Peter giueth him not the first place Gal. 2. 9. He is first reckoned for that hee was first called by Christ Mat. 4. 18. Andrew knew Christ before him and Ioh. 1. 41 42. brought him to Christ but when Christ called them to follow him and to be his Disciples Peter is first in that place of Matthew For when Andrew brought him to Christ neither of them were as yet called by him to follow him for that was not till Iohn the Baptist was imprisoned Andrew was Iohns Disciple and his knowing of Christ was this by Iohns teaching Ioh. 1. 35 36 40. and he brought Peter to Christ vers 41 42. but Andrew abode with Christ but that day verse 39. neither did hee as yet leaue his Master Iohn but when Iohn was imprisoned both Andrew and Peter returned to their calling Mar. 1. 14 16. In which vocation Christ found them and then called them and the first of them was Simon Math. 4. 18. And hereupon being first named when he was called and the first called of all the Cyprian Ep 71. ad Quint. Greg. in Ezech. hom 18. are of this iudgement that Peter was first called Apostles by Mathews relation chap. 4. he is in the reckoning of the 12. first named by him in chap. 10. 21. and so by the other Euangelists For it is the Rhemists errour to say that Andrew was first called and a common mistake to yeeld them so much whereby they seeme to take more hold from this place and from the rest where Peter is first named then there is iust cause although the argument is of it selfe very weake as by the former Reasons is euident and as before hath beene proued For Reuben was first in the numbring but Iudah for all that was chiefe in gouernment Math. 16. 19. I will giue vnto thee the Keyes c. The Gagger will haue Peter chiefe for that he supposeth the Keyes were giuen to him onely Answ 1. The question which Christ propounded was to all the Apostles verse 13. 15. though Peter readiest euer to speake made the answer yet not onely for himselfe but for all the rest as appeareth in verse 20 where our Sauiour commandeth them all not Peter alone not to tell that he was Christ which sheweth that they all knowing it would haue professed as much if Peter had not preuented them Therefore his answer beeing for all Christs power giuen thereupon was generall to all Secondly the Keyes giuen are no such things as belong onely to Peter but are common to all See before an answer to this place Thirdly the words following in this Text Whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth c. containing the action or office of the Keyes belong to all Math. 18. 18. which power here was giuen not onely to Peter but also to the other Apostles by the Rhemists owne confession Fourthly Iesus Christ when hee breathed on them the Holy Ghost Ioh. 21. 22 23. which with one bredth he gaue to all saying As my Father sent me so I send you and gaue them all power of forgiuing and retaining of sinnes which is the power of the Keyes here spoken of Christ sent all his Apostles as his Father sent him Therefore Peter cannot haue more authoritie then the rest vnlesse they can proue that Peter was sent by Christ otherwise then Christ himselfe was sent by his Father Fiftly the words are a promise of giuing the Keyes and power to bind and loose to remit and retain sinnes afterwards and not the giuing of them now but this promise wee see was not performed to Peter alone but to all the Apostles Ioh. 20. 23. not then naming Peter and therefore this promise was made vnto all and so intended to be performed as the fulfilling sheweth Lastly the Fathers are of the same opinion with vs touching the meaning of this Text See before Origen Ambrose and the same on Psal 39. Austin in Iohan. tract 118. Theophylact on Mathew 16. Beda on this Text. 1. Cor. 3. 4 22. One saith I am of Paul I am of Apollos I am of Cephas I of Christ The Gagger here from the order would proue Peter chiefe next Christ
This power was not giuen alone to Peter but as Peter answered one for all so in Peter he gaue his power to all Pope Leo 1. ser 3. in Aniuers die assump suae ad pontificatum This power of the Keyes passed ouer to all the Apostles Gratian Decrees D. 21. in nouo 24. q. 2. loquitur Saint Peter receiued no more power then the rest of the Apostles Gerson de potest Ecclesiae consid 11. The Keyes were not giuen to one but to vnitie Councell of Basil The Keyes were giuen to the Church and not to Peter Hincmar Archbishop of Rhemes wrote a Booke hereof vnder Charles against another Hincmar Episcopum Laudunensem yea Canonists and those of the chiefest in cap. 1. de renunciat lib. 6. say that the power of binding and loosing in which is found all iurisdiction of the Church proceedeth immediately from Christ and not mediately from Saint Peter Touching Peters Office of feeding Cusanus Concord lib. 2. c. 13. vpon the place of Iohn 21. 15 16 17. as also of Christs charge to goe into all the world and preach saith There is found nothing said to Peter that importeth any power Marsilius Defens Pacis part 2. cap. 28. saith That Christ spake to al the Apostles in Peters person which manner of speaking Christ testifieth himselfe to haue vsed in that hee saith What I say to one I say to all Gregorie lib. 4. Epist 32. denyeth Peter to bee called vniuersall Bishop And it is well knowne how he opposed that title as very Antichristian lib. 4. Epist 34. But if hee had knowne that to Peter the whole Church had beene principally committed that hee had beene the Prince of the Apostles and Pastor of Pastors he would haue allowed of that title as iust and lawfull and not haue condemned it as Antichristian Scriptures obiected answered Mat. 16. 18. Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke I will build my Church and the gates of Hell c. Answ Here is no expresse word of Headship neither doth this Text by consequence proue it For although Christ speakes to Peter yet he speakes not of Peters person I. The words are a promise touching the Churches safety and nothing of Peters Supremacie II. It speakes of a Rocke on which the Church is builded Now the words are a Metaphor as Bellarmine granteth But a Lib. 1. de PP Rom. cap. 11. Metaphor is to be interpreted according to the nature of the thing of which it is spoken as here of a Rocke as of a foundation which is to vphold that which is built vpon it and not to rule ouer that which is builded thereupon So that from the name of Rocke cannot be concluded Headship and Rule for it is not proper to a foundation in that respect to rule but to support and beare vp III. If Christ here either gaue or promised to giue to Peter the Headship and that before all the rest of his Disciples Why did then afterward Iames and Iohn Mar. 10. 35. and their Mother Math. 20. 2. seeke for the chiefest places aboue the rest Yea and why did the Apostles afterwards striue which of them should be the greatest Luk. 22. 24 And why had not Christ plainely decided this for Peter then and told them of this his speech and meaning in this place towards Peter If Christ had heere intended it surely there he had not forbidden Soueraignty but vpon so sit occasion offered had stablished Headship vpon Peter It is cleare therefore that Christ here meant no such thing IV. If by Rocke be concluded Headship not to vrge the Metaphor against it yet Peter is neuer the nearer his Headship for he is not the Rocke 1. The name Peter giueth it him not For first there Christ names him for more vehement affirming of that which hee The like speech Gen. 41. 44. would vtter for the Churches comfort As if he had said As verily as thou art Peter and so to be called Ioh. 1. 42. Mar. 3. 16. so certainly will I build my Church firmely vpon the Rocke which thou hast made confession of that Hell gates shall not preuaile against it So that Christ cals him not Peter because he should be the Rocke but that vpon the remembrance of his name he might thinke vpon the Churches safe stabilitie as vpon a Rocke against all the powers of darknesse 2. Petros is the interpretation of Cephas Ioh. 1. 42. and therfore he being by Christ who spake Syriak called Cephas as he is sometime so named by S. Paul 1. Cor. 1. 15. most commonly he was called Peter not alluding to Peter in this place of Matthew but for that Cephas was Syriak and Petros Greeke and so was he named Peter because of the generalitie of the Greeke tongue rather then Cephas 3. Petros signifieth in Greeke generally a stone and not a Rocke of foundation And therefore though hee be called Peter yet is he not therefore the Rocke but a Stone in the Lords building a precious stone For the twelue Apostles are twelue foundations Reu. 21. 14. and euery foundation is a precious stone verse 19. 20. And if Peter bee reckoned the first in order he is there a lasper A stone he is and so are all the other Apostles fundamentall stones and likewise are the elect stones too 1. Pet. 2. 5. though not such stones But the chiefe corner stone is Christ 1. Pet. 2. 6. and here in Mathew is hee the Rocke and not Peter Petros is a stone Now the Church is here built on a Rocke not on a stone except on the Corner-stoue and on the twelue precious Stones but not on one stone but vpon one Rocke 4. If Christ by calling him Petros had meant him to be Petra then had Petros bin an appellatiue the same with Rock and not a proper name as here it is vsed For no Demonstratiue goeth before it But if Christ had said Thou art that Petros and vpon that Rock will I build my Church and so made the word appellatiue this Text had been somewhat to the purpose but here is no such Demonstratiue Petros being a proper name 5. He cannot be the Rocke because that Christ cals him Peter for he was Peter before Mar. 3. 16. and is now Peter when Christ called him so for he saith Thou art Peter He was not now at this time the Rocke as Bellarmine doth confesse Lib. 1. cap. 10. 〈◊〉 Rom. PP Therefore it is not his name that makes him the Rocke because here hee is Peter but yet not the Rocke by Bellarmines grant II. These words vpon this Rocke will not make Peter the Rocke 1. The Scripture no where makes man the Rocke of Gods Church Dauid called God his Rocke 2. Sam. 22. 2 32. Psal 18. 2. Saint Paul saith Christ is the Rocke 1. Cor. 10. 4. 2. The word Peter and Rocke in the Originall yea and in their Translation are distinguished in gender and termination yea and in signification as before is noted and the one
keepe and attend sheepe in the Countrey my furniture is rather the Crooke and Scripp then the Sword or Sling Yet if wilde beasts range and rauage among our flocks we are awaked to stretch forth our hands and rescue our Lambs And well may wee answer with Dauid Thy seruant kept his fathers 1. Sam. 17. 34. Sheâ—pe and there came a Lyon and likewise a Beare and tooke a Sheepe out of the Flocke and I went out after him and smote him and tooke it out of his mouth Plaine Shepheardly Dauid had he trusted in his owne strength and not rather in the goodnesse of his cause being Gods quarrell might easily haue been discouraged not onely by the braues and threats of the Philistine but much more by the checks and snappes of his elder brother Eliab who perhaps being better furnished with abilities both for warre and for Court thought to frowne his rurall brother out of the field But God is pleased to aduance his truth and cause the rather by plaine and weake meanes For my part nothing hath moued me to this encounter but the zeale of Gods truth and desire to instruct the meaner sort and establish our lesse learned Christian brethren As for curiosities and subtill contemplations I leaue them vnto others or rather to be left of all others so farre as they tend to engendring of strife among our selues and preiudice to our Church And accordingly in pressing the passages of Scripture and vindicating the same from violent and absurd interpretations I haue laboured to deliuer the plaine true and natiue exposition arising out of the literall sense and naturall context together with the circumstances thereof Which manner of interpretation as most sound and solid hath in all ages and will find approbation with the iudicious As for the stile and words of Scriptures I desire as this aduersarie dealt with vs by way of repercussion so to repay him in coine of his owne stampe and therefore I still pleade out of their owne vulgar English Translation of the whole Bible written and perfited by the Seminary Priests at Rhemes as appeareth by the first words of their Preface to the New Testament printed there Though the other part thereof being the old Testament was afterward printed at Doway and thereupon is commonly called the Doway Bible The Rhemists Priests for making any Translation at all of the Bible into the English tongue though out of the vulgar Latine though obscured by affected phrases and distorted by their corrupt Annotations yet are said to haue bin beshrewed by their owne more subtile Masters and Superiours as hauing thereby layed open to the people the nakednesse and deformitie of their Romish doctrines And therefore haue I the more willingly produced the same against themselues the power and lustre of Gods Word though clouded and disguised by their purposed obscuritie and improprieties yet competently shining forth for their conuiction by this vnwilling wounding of Rome by the out-workes of Rhemes Vnto the places cited out of their Bible I haue added not onely sutably to the Gaggers proofes the testimonies of diuers ancient Fathers and Doctours of the Church but also for ouer-measure the consent of diuers moderne Writers very passable and laudable in the Romish Church Lastly in handling this Popish Gagg varyed and furbished in diuers Editions I thought it not worth the while to goe thorow euery particular question some being friuolous or of small moment or weake and naked enough of themselues but haue rather chosen to insist vpon those which are most pertinent and weightie The discussing whereof might tend to seasonable edification The iudgement of which my poore labours I humbly submit to our Reuerend and blessed Mother the Church of England And so Christian Reader I commit my endeuours to thy charitable acceptation and withall desire to haue my part in thy deuout and brotherly prayers resting Thine in the Lord R. B. The Contents of this Counter-Gagg Three Principles premised for deciding Controuersies THere is one onely Rule of Faith page 1. 2. This Rule is and euer hath beene the Word of God p. 3. 3. This Word of God is now no where to be found but onely in the Holy Scriptures p. 6. Principal popish errors refuted in this Counter Gag by expresse Texts of the approued English-Rhemish Bible as also by Testimonies of Antiquity and of their owne Writers 1. That the holy Scriptures are not the only Rule of our Faith and life in all matters necessary to saluation p. 13. 2. That the Scriptures are imperfect insufficient to instruct vs in all things necessary to saluation p. 21. 3. That the Scriptures be obscure and hard to be vnderstood euen in things necessary p. 29. 4. That the Script doe not interpret themselues and that the true sence may not be fetched out of themselues p. 40. 5. That the Scriptures are not to be allowed to be read of the people nor heard by them in a knowne tongue p. 44. 6. That the common liberty for all to reade the Scriptures doth breed heresies p. 50. 7. That the Scriptures cannot of themselues be knowne to be the Word of God vnlesse the Church doe giue witnesse vnto them that they are so p. 53. 8. That Traditions which they call the vnwritten Word are the Rule of Faith p. 60. 9. That the present Churches determination is the absolute vnquestionable Rule of the peoples faith on which they are to rest beleeuing their teachers without farther inquiry p. 70. 10. That the Church is no where in Scripture taken for the Inuisible Church p. 77. 11. That the Church is euer gloriously conspicuous in the world p. 79. 12 That the Church cannot erre p. 88. 13. That the Church of Rome cannot erre p. 106. 14. That the Bishop of Rome cannot erre p. 109. 15. That Councels may not erre being confirmed by the Pope 115. 16. That the Church of Rome is the Catholike Church p. 120. 17. That the Church of Rome hath euer bin in perfect vnity within it selfe p 127. 18. That Saint Peter was Prince of the Apostles and had a primacy of power and authority aboue all the other Apostles p. 130. 19. That Saint Peter was Head of the Church p. 137. 20. That Peter was the onely Vicar of Christ heere vpon earth p. 152. 21. That the publike Seruice of the Church ought not to be in a vulgar and knowne tongue p. 155. 22. That Images are to be in Churches that not only for instruction but also to be adored p. 159. 23. That the Lords Supper is to bee administred to the people in one kind onely p. 170. 24. That these words This is my body are to be taken literally without any figure the Bread being transubstantiate and Christ there corporally the substance of Bread being taken away and Christs true Body in the roome thereof though the accidents of Bread remaine p. 177. 25. That Prayers are to be made to Saints departed and Angels p. 183. Scriptures obiected for
we which beleeue in the Name of the Sonne of God haue eternall life 1. Ioh. 5. 13. that so we might reioyce and that our ioy might be full 1. Ioh. 1. 4. He wrote that we might know the things which he had seene the things that were and that which was to be done afterwards euen to the worlds end Reuel 1. 19. Now therefore seeing it is cleare as before is proued that all Scriptures are inspired of God and he the Author thereof as also that vpon what occasion soeuer or to whomsoeuer they were first written that they were not written for their sakes alone but for ours also as their owne Bible iustifieth Rom. 4. 23 24. and 15. 4. 1. Cor. 9. 10. and 10 11. Psal 101. 19. and that they were appointed for all thâ—se forenamed ends to teach the Churches to argue against errors to correct sinne and vice to instruct in vertue to keepe vs from sinne to worke faith feare hope loue patience comfort and fulnesse of ioy to know the Author of our saluation and what Iesus Christ taught and did to know the words of the Prophets and Apostles also whether we stand in the true grace of God or no how to demeane our selues in Gods Church and to be wise to saluation to beleeue in the Sonne of God and in beleeuing to haue life through his name and to know the Churches state from the beginning to the worlds end These with other before mentioned being the maine ends of holy Scripture what can be further desired to set out the perfection of it especially considering fourthly that the particulars either in expresse words or by a necessarie conclusion which are in euery book do fully shew the sufficiencie of the whole Bible according to these ends so as nothing is to be held necessarie for instruction and direction in Gods Church but is therein contained For would we know what we are to beleeue All the twelue Articles of our Christian faith are there to be found almost in so many words expresly Would we know our dutie to God and man There are the ten Commandements of God wholy set downe with the explanation thereof by exhortations dehortations and examples throughout the Bible Would we know how to pray aright There is the Lords Prayer fully set downe to teach vs to pray and holy mens prayers as a commentarie for our directioÌ„ Would we know what Sacraments Christ ordained The two Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord are plainely shewed to be instituted and commanded by Christ Matth. 28. 19. and 26. 26 27 28. Would we haue controuersies decided If men without wrangling will rest in that which is sufficient to quiet the conscience the Scriptures wil end them in any necessarie point of faith and good life I will for example instance in some betweene Papists and vs their own English Bible being iudge 1. Whether publicke seruice ought to be in an vnknowne tongue No say wee Yes say they Heare the Iudge 1. Cor. 14. 9. By a tongue vnlesse thou vtter a manifest speech how shall that bee knowne which is said for thou shalt but speake in the aire Vers 15. I will pray with vnderstanding I will sing with vnderstanding Whether any Images or likenesse of God may be made Yes say they No say we Heare the Iudge Deut. 4. 15 17. Keepe your soules carefully yee saw no similitude in that day that our Lord spake to you in Horeb from the midst of the fire lest perhaps deceiued you might make you a grauen similitude or image of male or female c. 3. Whether the Sacrament of the Lords Supper be to bee administred in one kind Yes say they No say we Heare the Iudge Mat. 26. 26. Iesus tooke bread vers 26. and tooke the Chalice saying Drinke you all of this vers 27. 1. Cor. 11. The Lord Iesus tooke bread vers 23. also the Chalice after he had supped vers 25. This was the Churches practice 1. Cor. 10. 16. 4. Whether the words This is my Body are to be taken properly or figuratiuely Figuratiuely say we No properly say they Heare now the Iudge in the like sacramentall phrase Gen. 17. 10. God speaking of Circumcision saith of it This is my Couenant Also speaking of the eating of the Lambe and manner thereof calleth it the Passeouer it is the Phase that is the passage of the Lord as their Bible hath it and as ours it is the Lords Passeouer Exod. 12 11. Saint Paul in 1. Cor. 10. 4. saith The Rocke was Christ It is vsuall to call the signe by the name of the thing signified Reuel 1. 20. The seuen Candlestickes are the seuen Churches 5. Whether a sacrifice properly so called is now to be offered for the forgiuenesse of sinnes They say yes else their Masse is mar'd but wee say no. Heare the Iudge Heb. 10. 18. Now there is no oblation for sinnes for 1. Ioh. 2. 1 2. We haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the Iust and he is the propitiation for our sinnes 6. Whether Saints bee our Mediatours to God and so there be more then one Mediatour betweene God and vs. They say yea we denie it Heare the Iudge 1. Tim. 2. 5. There is one God and one Mediatour betweene God and man which is the Man Christ Iesus 7. Whether we be iustified and saued freely through faith in Christ or by works before God We say yea by faith in Christ freely By merit of workes before God say they Heare the Iudge Rom. 3. 20. By the workes of the Law no flesh shall be iustified before him Chap. 4. 2. If Abraham was iustified by workes he hath to glorie but not with God Chap. 3. 24. For by grace you are saued through faith and not of your selues for it is the gift of God Rom. 9. 16. It is not of the willer nor of the runner but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 11. 16. If by grace not now of workes otherwise grace now is not grace Rom. 3. 28. For we account a man to be iustified by faith without the workes of the Law Ephes 2. 9. Not of workes that no man glory The place in Iames Chap. 2. 24. is of declaring a man to be iust before men for in the Law no man is iustified with God Gal. 3. 11. because the iust liueth by Faith but such a Faith as worketh by loue and is not a fruitlesse Faith of which Iames speaketh Thus might I runne thorow all the maine controuersies betweene vs and them to shew the sufficiency of the Scriptures which they hold imperfect and insufficient Contraried by Antiquitie Ireneus lib. 2. ca. 47. We know very well that the Scriptures are perfect And li. 3. ca. 1. the foundation and pillar of Faith Iustin in Tryph. Wee must flye to the Scriptures that in all things we may be safe Tertul. contra Hermog I adore the plenitude or fulnesse of the Scriptures And against Praxeas The Scripture is sufficient of it selfe Cyprian or
prepared and he shall find them cleare and easie to be vnderstood in all necessarie points of faith as experience giueth witnesse and euerie true Christian can testifie Lastly if the Scriptures bee obscure then much more the writings of men and if Scriptures bee hard to be vnderstood then much more mens writings For man when he hath written is not at hand to instruct his Reader but is either absent far off or perhaps dead so that hee cannot enforme the Reader of his mind but God is euer the liuing God and both can and doth enforme by his holy Spirit such as in reading his bookes doe reade deuoutly and beg of God humbly his gracious direction Mans knowledge is but in part he cannot certainely foresee all his Readers what they shall be how they will vnderstand him but Gods knowledge is as himselfe infinite and he foreknoweth all that shall reade his booke and thereafter frameth his Word as is best for their profit To conclude therefore let our Aduersaries impute to the Scriptures what they will let them if they will be still so wickedly blasphemous call them a dumb Iudge inkie diuinitie a leaden rule what else the very same and more also may be spoken of mens writings vpon the forenamed reasons what way soeuer they doe weaken the credit of the Scriptures by the very same doe they much more take away credit from mens writings And therefore let them lay all writings aside Popes decrees and Decretals Canons of Councels the writings of Fathers of Schoolemen of Doctors of Priests and Iesuites and other pettie Writers Pamphlets whatsoeuer if the Scriptures be neglected Act. 8. 30. Philip said Vnderstandest thou what thou readest And he said How can I except some man should guide me Answ 1. Here is a Lay-man well exercised and had his liberty without dispensation for money to reade the Scriptures vers 28. which was neuer denyed to any of the Iewish or Christian Church till the times of this Romish Antichrist 2. This place is spoken of a Proselyte a Noucie in Religion one that dwelt not amongst Gods people to heare the Law and Prophets daily read and expounded as they were in Iudea Act. 15. 21. and 13. 15. Will it follow therefore that what was obscure to him was and is yet obscure to others liuing in the bosome of the Church It will perhaps follow among Papists who haue Scriptures read in an vnknowne tongue and are prohibited to haue them translated and freely to be read of all but not else-where 3. This is but one place and that Propheticall too What will they hence conclude One place that Propheticall was not vnderstood of one man a young beginner and that at the first Ergo all the holy Scriptures are obscure to all the people and that for euer In Romish Diuinity a goodly conclusion 4. He vnderstood it after by Philips guiding and beleeued in Christ vers 36. 37. We acknowledge the people to need a guide but let them reade freely as the Eunuch here and where they doubt let them aske their Teachers or let Teachers like Philip goe to them and direct them in reading but take not Bibles from them and burne both them and it as furious Firebrands haue done without all example of any good men from the worlds beginning Luk. 24. 25 27. O Fooles and slow of heart c. Beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded vnto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himselfe Answ 1. Christ reproueth not simply their ignorance of Scripture but rather their slownesse of heart to beleeue and apply all that the Prophets had spoken 2. Expounding argueth not obscuritie in the Scriptures but want of vnderstanding in the men and yet not that altogether but in some degree or measure 3. The things were not euery thing in the Scripture but that which concerned Christ himselfe touching his suffering and rising againe to glory which being then vnperformed and future were the more obscure euen to the Disciples themselues before their illumination Christs words therefore are proper to those persons and to that time till he had better informed them and not to be applyed to this time when all those things are plainely taught vs by the publication of the Gospell and doctrine of those Apostles and Disciples who therefore receiued miraculous illuminatiō by the spirit that they might preach and write clearely to vs euen to all people of those things Reuel 5. 4. And he to wit Iohn wept much because no man was in Heauen or in Earth found worthy to open the booke and to reade the booke neither to looke thereon Ans 1. This may bee meant metaphorically of some other booke of Gods Counsels and Decrees and if of the Bible yet not of the whole Bible but of the booke of the Reuelation except the Papists will haue Iohn at this time one that neuer had been worthy to open or to reade or to looke into Gods Word What none neither in Heauen nor earth Neuer a Prophet Neuer an Apostle to haue hitherto opened the Bible How then was Moses and the Prophets read vnto the people before Iohn was in Pathmos 2. This speakes not of the obscuritie of the booke but of the vnworthinesse of any saue Iesus Christ to vnloose the seales and to open it vers 9. 3. This is but of one booke and that before it was vnsealed and opened will it therefore follow that all the rest of the books are hard to be vnderstood being all open and none prohibited by God to reade them 2. Pet. 1. 20. No prophecie of Scripture is made by priuate interpretation Ans 1. Who wil deny this or which of vs holdeth the contrary 2. Here is nothing for the Scriptures obscurity but rather this proueth their plainenes for it speakes of their interpretation accounting holy mens speaking in the Scriptures as they were moued by the holy Ghost to be an interpretation and that not a priuate but a publike interpretation not made of their owne wil or of mans wil but of the will of God as his Spirit led them Mat. 13. 11 36. To you is giuen to know the mysteries c. Expound to vs the Parable c. Answ 1. This place may bee brought as well against the Word vnwritten as written for Christ wrote not but spake the Parable which they desired to haue expounded what will become then of their vnwritten word if that be obscure too Hee that alleaged this against the plainenesse of the written Word much forgot himselfe and his vnwritten word 2. Vnderstanding this of the written Word nothing can be more against themselues for here it is said that it is the gift giuen to the Church to vnderstand the Mysteries of the kingdom of God 3. They desired Christ to expound the parable What then Ergo the Scripture is obscure A grosse conclusion for it was Christs not written but as then his vnwritten Word and a Parable which they vnderstood not
bee Wills Letters Histories or other learned speeches either of humane or diuine matters as the iudicious Readers may and doe collect the Authors true meaning out of them though the Authors themselues be not there to giue their owne meaning And shall wee thinke that the Writings and Scriptures of our God wherein is his Will his Lawes his Histories and other holy Instructions giuen of purpose to teach all in all ages to the worlds end will not afford vs the sense of them out of themselues especially if we doe consider him euer liuing and ayding his humble and godly Readers with his holy Spirit to vnderstand his minde To deny this to Gods Word were to make it herein inferiour to mens writings 2. Their owne Bible sheweth vs that the Scriptures do plainely interpret themselues expounding words Iud. 15. 17. Ramach lechi which is interpreted the lifting vp of the Iaw-bone Iud. 12. 6. Schibboleth which is interpreted an eare of corne So in Mat. 1. 23. Mark 5 4. Ioh. 1. 38 41 42. and 9. 7. Act. 4. 36. and 13. 8. Heb. 5. 4. Thus it expounds its owne words 3. Short sentences as Mark. 15. 34. Eloi Eloi Lamasabachtani which is being interpreted My God my God why hast thou forsaken me So in Dan. 5. 25 26 27. 4. Whole Speeches and Parables as Mat. 13. the Parable in vers 3. to the 9. is expounded in vers 18. to 23. so the Parable in vers 24. to 30. is expounded in vers 37. to 42. 5. Visions and Dreames Prophesies of things to come as in Gen. 40. 9 12 13. 16. 19. 41. 2 8. 25. 32. Ier. 24. 1 3. 5. 8. Dan. 4. 16. 27. so in the 8. Chapter and in other Prophets yea in the Reuelation the words and things in it are in many places interpreted verie plainely as in Chap. 1. 12 20. 17. 1 15. verse 3 9 10 18. and 4. 5. and 5. 6. and 19. 8. 6. Whole bookes For what is Deuteronomie but an explanation of Exodus and other places of Moses What are the Prophets but interpreters and appliers of Moses to the times places and persons What is the new Testament but a large and cleare Commentarie vpon the old In which was the Gospell Rom. 1. 2. and the mysterie kept secret in a manner but now made manifest by the Scriptures Rom. 16. 25 26. Lastly the Scripture euery where expounds it selfe either the See S. Austin de Verbo Dei ser 49. place considered by it selfe in the full circumstances thereof or by some other being conferred with it The places which might be produced for proofe are infinit Origin on Mat. chap. 13. concerning any necessarie point of controuersies in Christian Religion The Answers of our learned men to their obiected Scriptures against our Tenents may be instance for euidence of these things euen out of their owne Bible See these answers before and the rest following and consider thereof without partialitie Contraried by the Ancients Irenaeus lib. 4. aduers Haeres cap. 63. The most lawfull exposition of the Scriptures and without danger is that which is according to the Scriptures themselues In lib. 2. cap. 46. the Scripture expounds it selfe and suffereth none to erre Hillar lib. 1. de Trinit saith God is a sufficient witnesse for himselfe and who is not to be knowne but by himselfe and further he saith It is vnlawfull to impose a meaning but wee must rather receiue a meaning from holy Scriptures S. August de doct lib. 2. cap. 6. There is almost nothing in these obscurities but in other places one may find it most plainly deliuered And in Ser. 2. de Verb. Dom. he saith that the words of the Gospell carrie their exposition with them Basil Regul contract qu. 267. The things which are doubtfull and seeme to be spoken obscurely are made plaine by those things which are euident in other places Chrysost Hom. 13. in Gen. The holy Scripture expounds it selfe And in Hom. 9. 2. Cor. The Scripture euery where when it speaketh any thing obscurely interpreteth it selfe againe in another place Hieron Com. in Esa cap. 19. It is the manner of Scripture after things obscure to set downe things manifest Ambros in Psal 118. Ser. 8. If thou knocke at the gate of the Scriptures with the hand of thy mind thou shalt gather the reason of the sayings and the gate shall be opened vnto thee and that by none other but by the Word of God And the self-same saith Aug. lib. 2. contra Donatist cap. 6. What can be more fully spoken against this their false Tenent then here is vttered by these Fathers Gainesaid by the learned on their owne side Gerson tract contra assertiones Mag. Ioan. parui The sacred Scripture doth expound her rules by themselues according to the diuers passages of the Scripture Steuchius in Gen. 2. God was neuer so inhumane as to suffer the world in all ages to be tormented with the ignorance of the sense of the Scripture but if we consider it well we may interpret it and for this he citeth Theodoret who saith that the Scripture vseth when it teacheth any high matter to expound it selfe and not to suffer vs to runne into error Iansenius Episc Gandau on Mat. pag. 413. part 2. Christ hath taught to conferre Scripture with Scripture if we will not erre in reading of the Scriptures Acosta the Iesuite lib. 3. de Chro Reuel cap. 21. pag. 479. There is nothing seemeth to me so to open the Scripture as the Scripture it selfe Canus loc Theol. lib. 7. cap. 3. num 13. citeth out of Pope Clement Epist 5. ad discipulos Hier. these words You must not from without seeke a foraine and strange sense but out of the Scriptures themselues receiue the meaning of the truth What Scriptures our Aduersaries haue to obiect against vs and to defend this their falsitie by I find not in the Gagger 1. I know they babble much against a mans priuate spirit and a mans priuate interpretation which we also disallow but Gods Spirit is not any priuate spirit but the publike spirit and the same also in euery member of the Church 1. Cor. 12. neither is the Scriptures interpretation any priuate interpretation though shewed out of a priuate mans mouth according to that of Panormitan in cap. signif Extra de electis In things concerning faith the saying of one priuate man is to be preferred before the words of the Lord Pope if he bring better reasons out of the new and old Testament To which agreeth that of Gerson part 1. de examin doct More credit is to be giuen to a priuate simple man alledging the Gospell then either to the Pope or Councill 2 Also that they alledge how Moses did iudge causes the Priests also and the Leuites and that the people ought to learne of them But this is to be vnderstood as Moses spake from God and as the Priests and Leuites iudged and taught according to the Law
knowledge that I marueiled at them but the spirituall man iudgeth all things Espencaeus in 2. Tim. 3. pa. 116. testifieth that the Iewes did vse to instruct their children from fiue yeeres old A custome continued till this day So that saith he many Christians may bee ashamed of their negligence which is not onely my complaint saith he but also of the ancient Fathers marueiling that that custome should bee iudged now dangerous and pestiferous which the Ancient so often commended for profitable and wholesome Lorinus on Acts 17. 2. speaking of the Act of the noble Bereans saith That it was no more then Christ commanded when he said Search the Scriptures that is saith he as Chrysostome and Euthymius expound it not onely to reade it but also exactly and diligently to discusse it But I neede not speake more of this for among vs we see many of them take libertie to reade not onely their owne Translations but ours too Their practice then here with vs is against their doctrine and their practice else-where for in other places their doctrine is against reading of Scriptures translated and they also doe not suffer them to be read See plentifull testimonies cited by Doct. White in his Orthodox Faith pag. 47. 48. So they disallow and allow some of one mind some of another here with vs differing from themselues in Papisticall Countries for all is as the Iuggler playes fast or loose for their grand Masters aduantage Obiected Scriptures answered Deut. 10. 5. The two Tables were written by God and put by Moses into the Arke Answ What then Therefore the Scriptures are not to bee common and freely read of all If the putting of the Tables into the Arke might force such a conclusion the Scriptures might not onely bee kept from the people but from the Clergie too for those put into the Arke were neither for Priest nor people to reade But I answere more particularly 1. That these were not all the Scriptures of God although all that God himself did immediately write with his owne finger 2. These commandements in the Tables were also written out by Moses in Exod. 20. and in Deut. 5. which Bookes after were also copied out and so were in the hands of the Priests Princes and people 3. The putting them into the Arke was not that thence man should learne not to meddle with holy Scriptures which none euer dreamed of but these Romists For God commanded to teach them to his people Deut. 6. 1. and they were to instruct their children therein Deut. 6. 7. but they were put into the Arke for other ends 1. To keepe them safe there as a testimony against Israel 2. To learne to keepe them in their heart as they were kept in the Arke 3 Because the Arke was a type of Christ in whom this Law of commandements was written and in whom the Lords people should be accounted obseruers of the same Deut. 31. 9 26. There was but one copie of the Law and it was committed to the Priests of the Leuites to keepe and was hid for a long time till it was found in Iosias dayes 2. King 22. 8. Therefore the Scriptures were not common to all Answ It s true that there was but one originall that was kept but other copies were commanded to bee written out Deut. 17. 18. and the same to be read diligently vers 19. Ioshua had a copie of it Iosh 8. 34. Esdras had so Neh. 8. 2. In Iehosaphats See the Dowaies on Neh. 8. 2. for Copies time a copie was carried vp and downe 2. Chron. 17. 9. Daniel had bookes Dan. 9. 2. Christ telleth vs in the Parable Luk. 15. 29. that they had Moses and the Prophets The Law and Prophets were read in their Synagogues from old time Act. 13. 15. and 15. 21. How also could the Bereans search the Scriptures if they had not had them Act. 17. 11. And S. Paul saith that to the Iewes were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. The booke of the Law was written to be read and heard of the people Deut. 31. 11 12. So were also the Prophets writings Ier. 36. 6 10 14 15. and free for any to reade them that could get copies of them as wee may see in the Eunuch Act. 8. 28. By all which it is cleare that the Scriptures were common for all Nehem. 8. Here they would gather that the Scriptures were read in Hebrew and yet the people vnderstood not the language so by certaine words in the Euangelists not Hebrew which were then spoken of the people as Golgotha Mat. 27. 33. Talitha cumi Mark 5. 41. Acheldama in Act. 1. 19. Answ That the Scriptures of the old Testament were in the Hebrew tongue is true but that the people vnderstood not that tongue is as false as the other true for it s said as their own Bible hath it Neh. 8. 3. that Esdras read plainely in the presence of the men and women and of those that vnderstood and the eares of all the people were attent to the Booke vers 8. and they vnderstood when it was read And though they were 70. yeeres in Captiuitie yet had they not lost the knowledge of the Hebrew tongue for many thousands and not a few of note and place which went into captiuitie liued to returne againe Esdras 2. 1 2 3 42 65. and 3. 12. And shall we thinke that these had lost their natiue tongue After their returne they had some strange words mixed with the Hebrew but yet they generally spake the Iewes language Neh. 13. 24. and the Prophets Haggai Zacharie and Malachi wrote in the Hebrew and the people hundreds of yeres after vnderstood the Hebrew tongue when it was spoken Act. 21. 40. and 22. 2. and could reade it written Ioh. 19. 20. yea it was so common that Christ spake Hebrew and in no other Language to Paul from Heauen Act. 26. 14. And as for the words of Christ on the Crosse Matth. 27. 46. which some hearing said He calleth for Eliah if they were spoken of the Iewes they did it in mockage If of the Romane souldiers they being strangers and not vnderstanding him it maketh nothing to the purpose or point in question Ioh. 7. 49. The people which knoweth not the Law are cursed Hence they would gather that the Iewes vnderstood not the Hebrew language in which the Law was written Answ 1. The Pharises arrogated knowledge to themselues and contemned the people for want of knowledge to wit of the sense and meaning of the Law but not of the letters words and language wherein it was written 2. Neither is it true that the people knew not the Law because these enemies of Christ said so no more then that they were cursed because they so said of them in hatred against them for following Christ VI. Proposition That the common libertie for all to reade the Scriptures doth breed heresies Confuted by their owne Bible 1. IT teacheth that the ignorance of the Scripture
a man endued with Gods Spirit and spirituall vnderstanding come to the holy Scriptures he will discerne them to be of God and of his Spirits inditing though none beare witnesse to them and tell him so much For the spirituall man iudgeth all things 1. Cor. 2. 15. and if he can iudge he also can discerne of thē Weigh also that those which bee good Bankers know money at the first sight whose image and superscription it beareth The worke of an Apelles is easily discerned from that which is an ordinarie Painters And wee know that men well read are so quick-sighted as that they can discerne learned mens writings from the counterfeites of them How much more then may the writings of God so infinitely surmounting all others in all manner of grace dexteritie and maiestie of themselues be seuered and sundred from all other writings and be knowne to be of the Lords owne inditing Lastly as in generall the Scriptures shew themselues to bee Gods Word and also more particularly that the seuerall books thereof are his Word So these very bookes which wee at this day acknowledge and haue in account for Gods Word and so beleeue them to be doe witnesse for themselues that they are indeed the very Word of God though the Church should bee silent in her dutie so to professe and teach them to be And this is cleare 1. From the Penmen who according to the wisdome giuen to them as Peter speaketh 2. Pet. 3. 15. haue written the truth of God Ioh. 19 35. and the commandements of God 1. Cor. 14. 37. Now who were the Penmen of these bookes we know 1. By the titles of them 2. By the inscriptions as that to the Rom. chap. 1. 1. to the Corinth chap. 1. 1. 2. Cor. 1. 1. to the Gal. chap. 1. 1. and so of the rest of the Epistles of Saint Paul Likewise that of Saint Iames Peter and Iude and the Reuel 1. 1 4. are knowne by their inscriptions 3. By the subscription in some as 1. Cor. chap. 16. 21. The salutation of me Paul with mine owne hand 4. By apparant testimonie within them telling vs who wrote them Iohn saith he wrote the Gospell ascribed to him Ioh. 21. 24. So Saint Paul his Epistles 2. Cor. 10. 1. 1. Corinth 15 9. 1. Tim. 1. 13. That to the Hebrewes in many places discouers it selfe to be Saint Pauls So the Gospell to be Saint Lukes and the Acts too for hee that wrote the one wrote the other also Acts 7. 7. 2. From the puritie the veritie the integritie the godly plainenesse and simplicitie and yet powerfull maiestie thereof euincing all gaine-sayers and manifesting these very bookes to be the Word of God What true and euident properties soeuer can be shewed to be the properties of Gods Word to know it by the very same these bookes challenge to themselues to approue themselues to bee Gods Word to the conscience of euery true Christian See Scotus his ten arguments 1. Sent. prol Art 1. Also Gregor de Valent. tom 3. p. 329. Let our aduersaries speake herein 3. From the witnesse of Gods Spirit making the reading studying meditation preaching and hearing of the things contained in these bookes very powerfull vpon mens consciences working conuersion to God and so perswading to beleeue them to bee of God as hereupon they doe yeeld obedience thereto feare to offend against the commandements therein beleeue with comfort the promises yea and so fully to giue themselues to the guiding thereof as they thinke in them to find eternall life and are so perswaded as that they can forsake all yea if need were also to suffer death vpon the faith of these sauing truths therein contained as holy Martyrs haue done very chearefully and constantly through the Spirits assistance bearing witnesse to them and by which they and wee know them to be the things giuen vs of God 1. Cor. 2. 12. This worketh faith and maketh vs beleeue them and therefore is called the Spirit of Faith 2. Cor. 4 13. This teacheth vs Ioh. 6. 45. and is truth 1. Ioh. 5. 6. and euer accompanieth the Word Esay 59. 21. to make it the power of God to saluation Rom. 1. and the sauour of life vnto life to them that are saued 2. Cor. 2. The Church is to testifie of them to interpret them out of themselues to keepe them and to defend them but she cannot either make them to be Gods word if they were not so already for she cannot make a word to be mans if man neuer spoke it neither can she make Gods word to be his word vnto vs vpon her owne credit if it selfe bare not witnesse of it selfe and the Spirit did not confirme the same and not worke this faith in vs. If her authoritie could worke this beliefe then were she to blame for not bringing all to the faith of them To worke diuine faith in our hearts is of God and not of men Contraried by Antiquitie Saluianus lib. 3. de prouidentia saith All that men say need reasons and witnesses but Gods Word is witnesse to it selfe for whatsoeuer the incorrupt Truth speaketh must needs be an incorrupt witnesse to it selfe Ambrose lib. 5. Epist 31. Whom may I beleeue in the things of God better then God himselfe Hilarie lib. 1. de Triniate God is a witnesse for himselfe and he is not to be knowne but by himself Now God and his Word is one and therefore saith Nilus it is all one to accuse God as Decausis dissent Eccl. pag. 2. to challenge the Scriptures Origen lib. 4. cap. 2. de Princip Whosoeuer with all diligence and reuerence as is meete shall consider the words of the Prophets it is certaine that in the reading and diligent view thereof hauing his mind and vnderstanding knocked at by a diuine inspiration he shall know that the words which he readeth were not vttered by man but are the words of God and of himselfe shall perceiue that these bookes were written not by humane Art not by the word of mortall man but by a Maiestie Diuine Gainesaid by some of their owne Gregorie de Valentia Comment in Thom. cap. 3. pag. 31. The Reuelation of the Scripture is beleeued not vpon the credit of another Reuelation but for it selfe Canisius citeth cap. de praecept Eccl. Num. 16. We beleeue adhere and giue the greatest authoritie to the Scripture for the testimonies sake of the holy Ghost speaking in them Bellarmine de Verbo Dei lib. ca. 2. Nothing is more knowne nothing more certaine then the Scripture that it were the greatest madnesse in the world not to beleeue them If he saith truth as he doth then is it madnesse not to beleeue the Scripture bearing witnesse of it selfe that it is all of it selfe inspired of God What farther Testimonie neede wee A Papist now of late in His guide of Faith saith thus We beleeue the Scriptures S. N. Guide of faith chap. 7. num 3. for the diuine Authoritie which is the
formall obiect of Faith and of infinit force and abilitie to perswade immediately by it selfe without the helpe of any formall inducement whatsoeuer Stapleton saith That all the former writings of the Bible may Defens Eccl. Autho. lib. 1. cap 9. Tripl incoat Aduers Wâ—itak in admonit be assured to vs by the latter the old Testament by the new and the inward Testimonie of the Spirit is so effectual for the beleeuing of any point of faith that by it alone any part may be beleeued though the Church hold her peace and neuer be heard Note this saying well you Papists that perswade your selues that the Scripture is not Scripture to you but because the Church tels you so They haue no Scripture for defence of this their Position to S. N. Guide of Faith chap. 7. num 2. and 3. obiect against vs. Atheisticall obiections some haue made as if they would vphold the Turkish Alcoran vnworthy any Christian and no more worthy any answer then the blasphemie of Rabshekah 2. King 18 36. against which King Hezekias commandement was Answer him not a word Esa 36. 21. VIII Proposition That traditions which they call the vnwritten word are the Rule of Faith Confuted by their owne Bible I. IT hath beene proued before that the word deliuered by mouth both before and vnder the Law and after till the new Testament was written in all substantiall and necessarie points of faith is now either expresly set downe or by a necessarie conclusion comprehended in the Scriptures II. That therefore the Scriptures are the onely Rule of Faith which before also is fully proued III. Their owne Bible in many places diuers wayes doth condemne traditions 1. In calling them traditions of men Col. 2. 8. of Fathers 1. Pet. 1. 18. your traditions that is the traditions of Scribes and Pharises Mat. 15. 1 3. commandements and doctrine of men Mat. 15. 9. Rudiments of the world Col. 2. 8 20. not calling them the tradition doctrines and commandements of God or his Word or the word of his Prophets any where 2. In declaring to vs that the worship which is after such traditions is a vaine worship Mat. 15. 9. and but a shew of wisedome in superstition Col. 2. 23. and that the conuersation also which is after Fathers tradition is but vaine 1. Pet. 1. 18. So as we see traditions may not be either a Rule of worship or of conuersation of life 3. In setting downe the euils which haue come to the Church and true Religion of God by such traditions Their Bible telleth vs that for traditions the Commandements of God were left transgressed made frustrate and his Word defeated Mat. 15. 3. Mar. 7. 8 9 13. It was tradition by which the Scribes and Pharises had diminished the integritie of the Law taken from it added to it and corrupted the meaning thereof which Christ freed it from Mat. 5. 18 20 22 23 28 29 34 35. It was a pretended Apostolicall word which first greatly troubled the Church of Antioch and was the cause of gathering the Councell at Ierusalem to confute and condemne the same Act. 15. 1 2 5 6 23 24. The decrees thereof were written the Epistle sent abroad vers 30. 31. and so they had a written Word to strengthen them against that traditionall corrupt and counterfeit Word Lastly it was a pretended Apostolicall word which troubled the Thessalonians 2. Thess 2. 2. which by his Epistle and so by the written Word was confuted If I should adde out of Storie to this out of Scripture what euils haue hereby happened to the Church in and among Hereticks who vsed traditions to defend their Heresies in and Irenaeus l. 5. c. 66. l. c. 13. â—ert de praescript Epiphan de Haeres l. 1. c. 23. 24 38. among the Fathers misse-led and misleading others by false traditions whereby some of them became Chiliasts and now in and among the Papists who vnder the colour of traditions fill the world full of their inuentions superstitions and Idolatries I should be ouer-long and so proue tedious But let the desirous Reader peruse D. Whitakers De traditionibus 4. In teaching vs that the Apostle giueth the Church warning not to be deceiued by word by Philosophie by vaine fallacie according to mens traditions 2. Thess 2. 1 2 3. Col. 2. 8. Contraried by Antiquitie Iustine in Triphonem If we will be safe in all things we must flie to the Scriptures we must beleeue God onely and rest only vpon his institutions and not on mens traditions Irenaeus li. 3. ca. 13. saith of the Apostles that what they preached by mouth they left vs in writing to bee the pillar and ground-worke of our Faith Tertul. de praescrip It were a folly to thinke that the Apostles knew all things but reuealed the same to few deliuering some things openly to all reseruing some other things to be spoken in secret to some What can more plainely be deliuered contradictorie to Papists and to taxe them of folly and falshood in this point Theoph. Alexand. in 2. Paschali It is a diuelish spirit to thinke any thing diuine besides the Authoritie of the holy Scriptures Basil in serm de fide It is a manifest defection from the faith to bring in any thing that is not written When he vttered this did he dreame of a traditionall word Ierome in Hag. cap. 1. All traditions pretended to be Apostolike if they haue not their authoritie from the Scriptures are cut off by the Sword of God Nazianzen in Epimedio Athanasij calleth this vnwritten word An inuocation and opposite to written Pietie See further Tertul. Origen Hippolytus Athanasius Ambrose Basil Greg. Nissene Ierome Augustine Cyril of Alexan. S. Antonie and Theodoret cited by Bishop Vsher in his last booke in the Controuersie of traditions Gainesaid by some of themselues This is to be seene in the words of Gregory Gerson Petrus See question the first before de Aliaco Clemangis Durandus Picus-Mirandula Aquinas Ferus and other auouching the whole Scriptures to bee the Rule of faith Also of Antoninus Scotus Gerson Trithemius Villa-Vincentius Caictan Lyra and other who maintaine that the the Scriptures be perfect and sufficient euery way their words See question the second before are cyted before and so doe gainesay this traditionall word Obiections out of the Scriptures answered 2. Thes 2. 15. Stand fast and hold the traditions which ye haue beene taught whether by word or by our Epistle Answ This place though in shew at the first sight may seeme to helpe them yet considering well what they in the Question vnderstand by traditions it helpes them nothing at all 1. Traditions here are such as all the Thessalonians receiued and which the Apostles had taught to them all but traditions which the Papists maintain are certaine secret traditions deliuered not to all but to some sorts of men for the better guiding of the Church Therefore these traditions here are not those these being common to all
and theirs proper to some onely 2. This place speakes of Traditions written which wee maintaine but they in this question vnderstand traditions beside Scripture or a word not written in the Scriptures how then doth this place helpe them 3 This place doth speake indeed of traditions deliuered by word and by writing but not of diuers traditions as one sort spoken and another sort written but of a diuers way of deliuering the very same traditions for first traditions are but once here named and applied to both Word and Epistle Secondly the word Whether may bee as wel taken coniunctiuely as it is in 1. Cor. 15. 11. 13. 8. Rom. 14. 8. Col. 1. 20. as disiunctiuely and albeit here it be taken disiunctiuely yet it proueth not diuersitie of traditions but the same diuersly deliuered 5. By this place it is cleare that traditions were first by word but will it therefore follow that they were not written The contrary is to bee shewed from the beginning 1. Before the Law the Word was not written but as before is proued it was afterwards written 2. Moses and the Prophets deliuered Gods wil first by word of mouth but afterwards the same was written Thirdly Christ taught by word which afterwards the Euangilists wrote Luk 1. 2 3. Fourthly the Apostle Saint Paul taught by word as other did but Saint Paul telleth vs that he was set apart to teach the Gospell Rom. 1. 1. which he calleth the Word of God 1. Thes 2. 2 13. This Word of the Lord Iesus he onely taught euery where and by him it was spred abroad Act. 18. 11. 19. 10. to which he commended the Church Act. 20. 32. This Word and Gospell spred so farre by him Rom. 15. 19. hee telleth vs was written before in the holy Scriptures Rom. 1. 2. so that he taught not an vnwritten but a written Word and a written Gospell Act. 26. 22. and 28. 23. Rom. 16. 26. 5. The traditions here mentioned first taught by word are written traditions which he calleth in 1. Thes 4. 2. Commandements but these Comandements giuen by word of mouth before after in writing to them hee here setteth downe vers 3. 4 5 6 10 11 12. yea what letteth to vnderstand these traditions by word to bee those things which in the 5. verse of this chapter he saith He remembreth them of set downe in vers 3. 4 If so then are these traditions written and not now vnwritten though at the first taught by word 6. Though it were granted that the traditions taught by word were not all written by the Apostle then in neither of these Epistles I demand first how can they be able hence to proue that neither he elsewhere nor any other Apostle wrote them but that they remaine to this day vnwritten Secondly how can they tell what these were if they be not written Thirdly how are they able to proue that these traditions not written and taught by the Apostle are their Popish traditions which they stand for Three necessarie questions vnresolued hitherto 7. And lastly If they thus will reason that there is yet an vnwritten word to be a rule because S. Paul taught traditions first by word then is there much more a written word to be a rule for that those spoken were after written for that which is spoken and written is with all men more certaine and sure then that which onely is spoken Now of one and the same thing to be ruled there cannot be two rules as before is proued Therefore let vs cleaue to the Word written as the most certaine and surest rule because it is both the word spoken and written 2. Thes 3. 6. And not according to the tradition which they haue receiued of vs. Answ Here is mention of a tradition which the Apostle had taught and the Thessalonians had receiued but this is not an vnwritten tradition but written for the Apostle in vers 10. sets it downe and telles vs plainely what it was to wit That if any would not worke let him not eate So as this is nothing for their vnwritten traditions 1. Cor. 11. 2. And I pray you brethren c. that you keepe the precepts as I deliuered them vnto you Answ 1. Wee grant that the Apostle deliuered and taught by word of mouth before he wrote but the question is whether the same he taught be writ or no They say they be not which this place proueth not neither can they bring any place either expressely or by necessarie conclusion To this purpose we say they be and doe proue it by many Scriptures afore set downe as also in answere to the first place of which nature is this Scripture for the Apostle saith here I deliuered them vnto you and in vers 23. hee hath the very same words and withall setteth downe what he deliuered to them in vers 23 24 25. So that what he deliuered by word is now in his writings Secondly this place according to their translation is of precepts they here auoyde the word traditions if it be not for traditions why doe they alleage it And if it be for traditions why doe they not name the Word here as elsewhere in other places But let them bee precepts what then If precepts of necessarie and substantial matters of the Gospell then were the same written for Paul preached them onely out of the Scriptures Act. 26. 22. and 28. 23. according to the Scriptures 1. Cor. 1 5 3 4. For as is proued his Gospell was a written Gospell and what hee preached the same substantiall points himselfe did afterwards write as appeareth in the same Epistle chap. 15. 1 2 3 4 c. And Eadem scrifiere hoc eâ— eadem repetere quae praseus dixeram in Phil. 3. 1. as also Saint Ierome expoundeth the place Being then written precepts here is no proofe for their vnwritten traditions If they vnderstand them of precepts in and about matters of indifferencie rites and decences in the Church c. the place is nothing to the question in hand and yet precepts in such matters are also written 1. Cor. 6. 12. and 8. 9 13. and 10. 23 31 32. and therefore taken which way they please they are now written and not vnwritten precepts 1. Tim. 6. 20. O Timothy keepe the depositum that is say the Rhemists the whole doctrine of our Christianitie and Catholike truth descending from the Apostles by succession of Bishops euen vnto the end is all one with tradition say they in their annotation giuen to the Bishops to keep and not to Lay-men The Gagger alleageth the third verse also and so as it seemeth doth take the word doctrine as here the word depositum that is as Bellarmine expounds it the treasure of vnwritten doctrine Answ 1. Here is no mention of tradition neither doth this place proue that this depositum is now an vnwritten doctrine 2. Hee speakes of a depositum committed to Timothy his trust but whether written or onely
no good Acts 16. 4. They deliuered vnto them the Decrees which chap. 15. 28. were decreed by the Apostles Answ What of all this The Decrees were written The Apostles wrote letters Acts 15. 23. and the Epistle was sent vers 30. and read with comfort vers 31. Here is then no traditionary vnwritten word Thus we may see how their traditionall word vnwritten is confuted by their owne Bible and hath no footing at all in holy Scripture IX Proposition That the present Churches determination is the absolute vnquestionable Rule of the peoples Faith on which they are to rest beleeuing their Teachers without farther enquirie Confuted by their owne Bible ROm. 12. 6. Prophesie according to the Rule of Faith Here is a gift bestowed vpon the Church which is Prophesie expounded by the Rhemists to be the interpretation of the Scriptures Then here is mention of a Rule according to which they that haue the gift of interpretation are to expound Where we see the Churches action and the rule to be two distinct things Phil. 3. 16. Let vs continue in the same rule Here in the word vs is to be vnderstood the Church in the word continue the Churches dutie Here is also mention of the Rule a thing distinct from the Church Gal. 6. 16. And whosoeuer shall follow this Rule peace be vpon them and mercy and vpon the Israel of God The Church is here the Israel of God The Rule is that which she and all that looke for peace and mercy must follow The Church therefore and the Rule are two distinct things In Gen. 26. 5. Abraham is commended for his obedience he and his were the Church But what was now the Rule Euen the Voyce of God his Charge Commandements Statutes and Lawes These places sufficiently teach that the Rule and the Church are two things The Rule being that according to which she is to be ruled in teaching and liuing Yea so farre is the practice custome and voyce of the Church speaking onely from her selfe from hauing the honour to be a Rule in necessary points to saluation as shee hath not absolute vnlimited authoritie in matters of any inferiour kind but therein is tied to certaine obseruances as these Scriptures teach 1. Cor. 6. 12. and 8. 13. and 10. 32. Rom. 14. 19. 1. Cor. 9. 19 22. and 14. 14. and 10. 31. Contraried by Antiquitie See before in the first question Ierome Basil Tertullian Chrysostome Austin Greg. Nyssen Isi dorus Pelusiota and Cyril of Hieros who make a difference betweene the Rule and the Church affirming the Scriptures to be that Rule and the same the Churches limits out of which she may not goe Gainesayd by their owne men See also in the same question twelue or thirteene testimonies from among themselues that the Scriptures are the Rule and therefore not the Church which is to bee ruled by the Scriptures The Scriptures obiected answered Matth. 23. 2 3. Vpon the Chaire of Moses haue sitten the Scribes and Pharises all things therefore whatsoeuer they shall say to you that obserue and doe yee Answ The scope is not to tye men to whatsoeuer they should teach without any exception but to take away the scandall of their ill liues that they might not offend the hearers when they taught that which was right and good This is euident by the reason added But according to their workes doe ye not for they say and doe not That in euery thing they taught they were not to be heard it is cleare 1. If we consider the ground of the speech in the word therfore that is for that they had sitten in Moses Chaire what is that Let the Papists tell vs who say To sit in Moses chaire is Gloss in Mat. 23. 2. Gorham ibid. Arias Montan. elucid on the same to teach according to the doctrine and Rule of Moses Law and to command things agreeable thereunto And so say the ancient Fathers Cyril Catech. 12. The Chaire of Moses is the power of doctrine Origen Hom. 24. on Matth. They sit in Moses Chaire which interpret Moses sayings well they sate well that vnderstood the Law So Theophylact on Mat. 23. They sit in Moses Chaire that teach the things that are in the Law with this consideration then they are to be heard and not otherwise 2. It is manifest that Christs words cannot be taken without restriction because in this same Chapter he calleth them foolish blind guides and taxeth them for false doctrine ver 16 22. shutting the kingdome of heauen before men ver 13. labouring to get a Proselyte and then to make him the child of hell double more then themselues ver 15 He also calleth them Hypocrites Serpents Vipers brood ver 33. denouncing many woes against them and foretelleth how they should scourge persecute kill and crucifie such faithfull Teachers as he should send amongst them ver 33. These things duly considered is it any way likely that Christ should speake without limitation and will them to do whatsoeuer such should teach whom First he calleth foolish Blind-guides Hypocrites Serpents Vipers-brood and persecuters of faithfull men Secondly whom before he had confuted for their foule corrupt glosses and vaine traditions by which they haue broken the Commandements of God and made them of none effect Mat. 5. 43 44. and 15. 11 14. Mark 7. Thirdly whom he plainely gaue his hearers a Caueat to take heede of touching their leauen Mat. 16. 6. that is their doctrine vers 12. Fourthly Christ in so an vnlimited speech should haue ouerthrowne his Doctrine and so his owne heauenly Kingdom for then the people should haue taken him for a deceiuer for a companion of Publicanes and sinners for one that had a diuell in him and for such a one as had cast out diuels by Belzebub the chiefe of the Deuils all which they broached yea and in a full Counsell condemned Christ for a wicked blasphemer 3 If this speech had been to be vnderstood without limitation why did the Apostle refuse afterwards to obserue and doe what these sitting in Counsell commanded them Act. 4. 18 19. 5. 28. 4. And lastly Papists themselues on this place doe comment Iansenius Em. Sa. on this place Barradut Maldonat Canus loc l. 5. c. 4. Ferus on this place thus This place bindeth not vs to obey them if they teach that which is euill for that is to teach against the chaire All things are here meant which are not against the Law and Commandements of God All things keepe saith another when the Scribes and Pharises doe recite explaine teach and propound them This place therefore is rather for the Authority of holy Scriptures and nothing at all to establish mens doctrine contrary or beside Scripture Luk. 10. 16. He that heareth you heareth me and hee that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Answ These words are not to be vnderstood as spoken absolutely that whatsoeuer the seuenty Disciples to
Bishops with the Councell at Chalcedon of 630. Bishops gaue to the See of Constantinople equall priuiledge with Rome But in these things say the Papists the Councels erred therefore in some things generall Councels may erre euen in that point which to the Papists is most fundamentall being the very soule and essence of Popery in that part which consisteth in vsurpation and tyrannous dominion ouer all other Churches The Scriptures obiected answered Esay 59. 21. This is my Couenant with them My Spirit that is vpon thee and my words which I haue put into thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seedes seede saith the Lord from henceforth and for euer Answ 1. I answere that the Prophet speakes here of Gods Couenant with them that is with those that turne from transgression in Iacob and so of the faithfull and elect and not of the Church visible of which we speake II. Here is no promise that the Church shall not erre but that he will bestow on them which exercise the Ministery his Spirit and his Word continually for the Churches good III. If he will needs hence conclude that the Church cannot erre 1. He must proue that the Teachers doe euer teach the truth by Gods Spirit and by Gods Word which are to go together Ioh. 14. 26. and 16. 13. Mat. 18. 19 20. 2. That the hearers the members of the Church doe euer receiue beleeue and follow their Teachers thus teaching by the Word and holy Spirit which two things rest for him to make good ad Graecas Calendas IV. This promise made must needs be vnderstood conditionally of the visible Church and of an ordinary Ministery for Esay tells vs afterwords how they vexed Gods Spirit chap. 63. 10. We see how the Church of the Israelites and that at Ierusalem hath been cast off of God and hath now neither Word nor Spirit of God to direct it Christ found her Teachers in his time full of errors as they grieuously erred before 2. King 16. 11. 2. Chron. 36. 14 16. Esay 56. 10. Ier. 5. 1. Mal. 2. 8. And we know by experience in our times and by faithfull relation aforetimes that Teachers haue erred and people haue not euer embraced the truth when sound Teachers haue deliuered it let Christs hearers be instance for all and those in Iury which heard the Apostles V. If this were a good argument where Gods Spirit and his Word is there can be no errour then would it follow that no ordinary member of Christ should euer erre for such a one hath Gods Spirit 1. Ioh. 2. 20 27. Rom. 8. 9. 2. Cor. 1. 21. and his Word Deut. 33. 3. by which they become beleeuers Ioh. 17. 20. But this I hope a Papist will not grant and yet the argument is the same Ioh. 14. 16. I will pray the Father and he shall giue you another Comforter that he may abide with you for euer euen the Spirit of truth Answ 1. This place is primarily to be vnderstood of the Apostles to whom the promise of guiding into all truth was a speciall priuiledge Mat. 10. 20. Ioh. 14. 26. and 16. 13. 2. Of the succeeding Teachers but with no such speciall priuiledge for first there are no such promises made to them Secondly experience teacheth that they haue wanted this priuiledge Thirdly the hearers haue libertie to search and trie that which is deliuered if they doubt 1. Thes 5. 21. 1. Ioh. 4. 1. Ioh. 5. 39. Act. 17. 11. Waldensis one of their owne side saith Li. 2. ca. 19. de Doct. sid of particular Pastors and Bishops We know that these haue often erred 3. Neither the abiding of the Spirit for euer where it is nor the title of Spirit of truth will enforce euer an infallibility in teaching for it is called the Spirit of sanctification or holinesse Rom. 1. 4. for that he worketh in vs holinesse and is euer abiding in the godly who are the Temple of the holy Ghost and yet are they not so sanctified but they often offend in life So is it the Spirit of truth because it enlightneth the minds of men with onely that which is truth and guideth them in the truth if they follow their guide but if they doe not they may yea and doe erre from the truth Mat. 18. 17. If he neglect to heare the Church let him be to thee as an Heathen and a Publican Answ 1. This is meant of an euident case proued by witnesses before the Church in matters of offence betweene one priuate man and another wherein the Church may giue right sentence if she will yet we see such as meddle in the Churches censures doe not euer proceede aright This place therefore is not to the matter of doctrine and determination of faith the point in question neither doth it proue that in her censure the Church cannot erre for saith their owne Panormitan as before is cited A generall Councell representing the whole Church may erre in excommunicating him that should not be excommunicate These words speake not of the Churches either not erring or erring but of other hearing the Church and how they should carry themselues towards such as will not in so cleare a case heare the Churches admonition 3. It s not here commanded that he should be held as a Heathen and Publican that would not heare the Church in whatsoeuer she saith for Christ here speakes of the Iewish Church then as appeareth by the name Heathen and Publican which were abhorred of the Iewish Church Now that Church wee reade did excommunicate a blind man which receiued sight for his professing of Christ Ioh. 9. 34. and had agreed to put any man out of the Synagogue which should confesse Iesus to bee Christ v 22. and did also forbid to teach in his name Act. 4. 18. 4. This place is spoken of some Ecclesiasticall Gouernours if it be extended to vs hauing the power of censures in a particular Church which the Learned in their Church doe confesse may erre and therefore this helpes not to proue that the Church cannot erre Esay 35. 8. And a high way shall be there and away and it shall be called The way of holinesse the vncleane shall not passe ouer it but it shall be for those the way-faring men though fooles shall not erre therein Answ I. This verse is wholly allegoricall and therfore cannot so well be inforced for dogmaticall proofe without a full explanation of the words which the Gagger should haue done II. It is altogether against himselfe in the exposition if hee either durst or had been able to haue set it downe for by high-way may be vnderstood the common profession or points of Religion for good and bad as the high-way is for all then the way of holinesse is taken for a more strict profession or more straight Rules of Religion If so then consider the persons who they bee that shall not
erre in this way hee doth not say The Church or the learned Church men or men in holy Orders for are these fooles but wayfaring men though fooles shall not erre Here is a promise that the simple Laytie shall not mistake their way which Popish Teachers cannot abide to heare of Neither shall any vncleane passe ouer this way but they teach that their Church Catholike consists of elect and reprobate both good and bad cleane and vncleane Therefore in a spirituall sense the words are to be vnderstood of the onely sanctified by Gods Spirit here trauelling in this World as wayfaring men and though esteemed as fooles yet are so guided in their holy profession as they shall not bee suffered to wander out of the way of life neither totally nor finally But he will say If these shall not erre then much lesse shall the Church True who denies it we doe not say that all the whole Church and all the holy that euer haue been such as this place speaketh of haue all erred this thousand yeeres as the Gagger beares his Reader in hand making him beleeue that we so teach Here the Prophet speakes of the Lords redeemed separated from the vncleane in a spirituall estate in and by Christ but in our dispute we speake of the visible Church of cleane and vncleane good and bad and of a mixt company III. This verse and the whole chapter speakes in the first place of the returne from Captiuitie which the Prophet doth expresse in figuratiue speeches to set out the comfort thereof most liuely and so it is nothing to the purpose for which the Gagger brings it In a high sense it sets out the spirituall happinesse of the redeemed by Christ partly here begun and fully to be perfected in the day of the Churches perfect redemption IV. It speakes not here of the Churches teaching but rather of the Saints trauailing towards Heauen But the word not erre made the Gagger thinke he had obtained his purpose and an expresse text for not erring in Doctrine when the words speake of a way a high-way of trauailing men and others not passing ouer it and of the redeemeds walking vers 9. Then being vnderstood of not erring in life it cannot be taken absolutely for error of life is in the best but they erre not to finall destruction Ephes 5. 27. That hee might present it to himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Answ 1. Our dispute is of the visible Church and mixt company this is to be vnderstood only of the body whereof Christ in the most proper sense is the Head and Sauiour vers 9. which hee nourisheth and cherisheth vers 29. betweene whom and Christ thereis such an vnion as it is called a great Mystery vers 32. which cannot properly be meant of visible Churches consisting not onely of Elect but also of Reprobates who are not clensed nor nourished or cherished as members of his body nor made euer glorious II. The Apostle speakes heere of the Church either as triumphant or if as militant then as it is in preparing and as it shall bee hereafter in Heauen for in this life it is not altogether spotlesse without wrinkle or blemish Cant. 1. 5 6. III. This place doth serue rather to prooue her puritie in life then infallibilitie of iudgement in teaching this latter is hence farre fetched the former may seeme more apparant But will any beleeue that Gods Church for life and conuersation is in this life without spot wrinkle or blemish 1. Tim. 3. 15. The Church of the liuing God the ground and pillar of truth Because this place is much vrged by others and the last of this Gaggers I will more fully make answer vnto it Hence hee would conclude that the Church cannot erre he meaneth the Church of Rome the Pope at least the virtuall Church for they defend not now any Church from errour but their owne But this they can neuer proue out of the place I. Saint Paul wrote to Timothy how he should behaue himselfe in the Church 1. Tim. 3. 14. So his Epistle that is the Apostolicall written Word was made to be Timothies rule to guide him from erring and not the Churches determination S. Paul for all this his praise of the Church sent him not to Her but prescribed him a written Word to direct him in gouerning of her which hee would not haue done if by calling the Church the pillar and ground of truth he had meant she could not haue erred II. Saint Paul speaketh thus of the then present Church of Ephesus where Timothy was chap. 1. 3. built vpon the foundation Ephes 2. 20. and yet she soone left her first Loue Reuel 2. 4. and after fell away III. The word Church comprehendeth all the faithfull together at Ephesus so the Church of Ephesus is taken Reuel 2. 1. But our Aduersaries will not haue the people as the Apostles allowed Act. 15. 22. with their Bishops and Pastors to be the Church and with them to approue of matters of Faith For the Romish Clergie thinke of the people as did the hypocriticall Pharises that they know not the Law and are cursed Ioh. 7. 49. Except they allow the people also with the Teachers to be the pillar and ground of truth this place doth not serue their turne IV. If the word Church bee taken for any other particular Church to which Timothie as an Euangelist might goe after the Apostles planting of them then from hence the Papists cannot conclude that which they would for first they acknowledge that particular Churches may erre Secondly its euident by Scripture in the Churches of Galatia Gal. 1. and 3. 1. and 4. 10 11. by historie and by experience Now the Church of Rome was neuer other then a particular Church in the best spirituall estate thereof Saint Paul writes to it no otherwise then to a particular Church V. If it be taken for the Vniuersall Church this helpes not them For first theirs is not the vniuersall but a particular Church as is proued after in the sixteenth question Secondly it is absurd to reason from that which is not questioned nor can euer assemble together to come to the triall if it were questionable VI. The intituling of the Church to bee the pillar and ground of truth wil not afford the conclusion of not erring and that for these Reasons First because the words are metaphoricall and a similitude must be extended no farther then is in ended Now the Church is called the pillar and ground not because shee cannot erre but first for that she hath the Apostles writings committed to her as were the Oracles of God to the Iewes Rom 3. 2. which Apostles writings are saith Irenous the pillars and supporters of our faith the proofes foundations Li. 3. ca. 1. and the grounds of our cause as Saint * De vnit Eccl. ca. 16. On this 1. Tim. 3.
Augustine speakes Secondly as Lyra thinkes it is so called for that the Church doth maintaine the truth of the Gospell euen in the greatest persecutions and as other iudge for that it vpholdeth the truth that it may not fall to the ground though it be afflicted and because by words and examples it confirmes our Faith Thirdly the Apostle speakes according to the vse of pillars in old time among the Gentiles on which their Lawes written in Tables were hanged vp for people to reade yea some wrote the Lawes vpon pillars themselues So as the Church here is resembled to those pillars which hath the Bookes of holy Lawes to shew them and to vphold them and to exhibite them out vnto all to bee seene and read Secondly because Saint Peter was counted a Pillar Gal. 2 9. and yet he erred euen in not walking according to the truth of the Gospell vers 14. Thirdly because Saint Paul calleth so the Church at Ephesus then as she was and so long to be so esteemed as she should continue Thus Saint Paul to the Hebrewes telleth them that they with himselfe and others are the House of Christ if saith he we hold fast the confidence and the reioycing of the hope firme vnto the end implying that if they did not they should not be so Can any well conclude from that which one is at the present that he shall euer be the same Then had not our first Parents fallen nor Salomon been an Idolater nor the Israelites now none of Gods people nor Rome as she is spirituall Babylon Fourthly because not the name and title of the House of God it self by which name the Church is called here in 1. Tim. 3. 15. as also beleeuers are called by the name of the houshold of God Ephes 2. 19. will afford this their conclusion For the Church of Ephesus so called did erre Now may it not be inferred from hence that she is called the House and beleeuers the Houshold and may it be inferred because she is called a pillar only or stay to vphold the house Will not the whole house nor the household yeeld it And will a pillar or prop make it good Very vnlikely Fifthly it is onely vpon the praise giuen to the Church that this conclusion is made Is this then good arguing Whatsoeuer prayses the Church hath that for which or wherein shee is praysed she hath it in perfection Here she is called the pillar and ground of truth Ergo say they she cannot erre See the like reasoning She is the houshold of Faith Gal. 6. 10. Ergo she neuer hath any doubting Yet this they deny and hold here to haue no certaine assurance Lastly consider the truth of which shee is the pillar and ground * On this place Ioh. 5. 23 Oecumenius vnderstands it in opposition to the shaddowes in the Temple vnder the Law there the type here the truth there the shadow here the substance But the Temple was onely the pillar and ground that is the appointed place where the knowledge and vse of the Ceremoniall Law was had and vpheld so onely is now the Church the place where the diuine truth is to be found and is in practice and no where else Truth in Scripture is taken for the Word of God Ioh. 17. 17. and 8. 31 32. the Gospell the Word of truth Col. 1. 5. Gal. 5. 7. euen the Mystery of godlinesse as Saint Paul in this place of the 1. Tim. 3. 16. enterpreteth the Word Truth So then the Church of God is the pillar and ground or stay of Gods Word and his Gospell euen the mysterie of godlinesse This she receiueth keepeth beareth vp publisheth to the world and is the ground whereon it doth rest and no where else in the world What then Is she or it the Rule Is her authoritie aboue it or it aboue her The King committeth to some the publike Records to keepe and to publish to other Is their authoritie greater then these Are their words of force without the warrant of those Records Or is it not possible for these keepers of them to erre in their proceedings We know the contrary The Iewes had the Oracles of God committed to them Rom. 3. 2. but haue not they erred The Church of Corinth Ephesus Galatia Philippi Colosse Thessalonica Hebrewes and other Churches in the East had the new Testament committed to them yet haue they we see erred So hath the Church of Rome very shamefully as the Epistle written to them doth testifie if her now new doctrine be examined by it The Church therefore the visible mixt company of whom all our dispute is may erre XIII Proposition That the Church of Rome cannot erre Confuted by their owne Bible I. IN it we reade that shee is in particular forewarned to take heed of falling Rom. 11. 20. which admonition proueth her possibilitie of erring II. It foretelleth of her Apostasie Yea this Church which See his Maiesties broke and Bishop Downham de Antichristo Respons eius ad â—essiam de Anticâ—r they say cannot erre and whereof the Pope is Head is called the great Whore named Babylon drunken with the Saints blood sitting vpon the Beast with seuen heads hauing ten hornes expounded by their owne Bible to be Rome Reuel 17. 1. 5 6. the great Citie situate vpon seuen Hills and which in Iohns dayes reigned ouer the Kings of the earth vers 9 18. III. Their Bible telleth vs that there were begun in her vncharitable disputations about eating and not eating of some things about obseruation of dayes Rom. 14. men for these things condemning and despising one another There were such then as were authors of diuisions and scandals contrary to the doctrine which the Saints then had learned Rom. 16. 17. so that a defection was then breeding and a beginning to erre from the Apostles doctrine in his dayes IV. The Epistle of Saint Paul written vnto them sheweth that she hath erred for his and her doctrine are at odds in many things as for example in these for instance The Romish Church Saint Paul She calleth not her selfe A Church but The Church and is euer boasting of that name Hee neuer calleth them at Rome then The Church as in other Epistles he vseth to call others the Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Reuel 2. 1. c. a point for Papists to note and to obserue why this title is not giuen her She saith that God may be represented like an old man He teacheth it to be a Heathenish practice for which God plagued them Rom. 1. 23. She teacheth that all sins deserue not death but in themselues many are veniall He nameth 23. sinnes Rom. 1. 29 30 31. worthy of death not for the Act but for the consent of heart vers 32. and Rom. 6. 23. He saith that the stipend of sinne is death he excepteth none She teacheth that the Virgin Marie was without sinne He teacheth otherwise All to be vnder sinne Rom. 3. 9. All to haue
Nationall or Prouinciall or Diocesan Synod much lesse a generall Councell but Church-officers or Gouernours in a particular Congregation to iudge of priuate offences as is cleare from the text verses 15 16 17 18 19. II. Will they say that the number of two or three assembled is of an vnerring spirit Is this such a Councell as on which men may rest assured that the iudgement thereof is infallible Neuer any yet durst affirme so much And yet this text speakes but of two or three gathered together III. Here is not a word of not erring nor of infallibilitie in doctrine but of Christ his presence with them But from this it followes not that they cannot erre For the Apostle saith We 1. Cor. 13. 9 10. know in part But with those which the Apostle comprehendeth vnder the word Wee was Christ present And if they knew but in part perfection of knowledge not being to be attained vnto here as the Apostle there teacheth seeing imperfect knowledge may erre it is euident that they might erre though Christ be present with them for he is with his Saints but he doth not perfectly sanctifie them his Spouse hath imperfections in this life neither doth hee perfectly illuminate them but they haue their mistakes Christ was with his before his death yet had they errors and before his Ascension yet he found them ignorant of his spirituall Kingdome Luk. 24. Act. 1. And after his Ascension and comming of the holy Ghost euen Peter was mistaken Act. 10. and other of the Church Act. 11. as before is proued IV. What is this text to proue Popish Councels not to erre For this Scripture speakes of such as are gathered in Christs name whereas those Councels are gathered in the Popes name Christ promiseth to bee with those that are gathered in his name but will it necessarily follow that hee will therefore bee with those that are gathered in the Popes name This stands in neede of proofe especially seeing the Pope is proued to be Antichrist with whom we may be sure Christ will keepe no company Ioh. 6. 13. The Spirit of truth will guide you into all truth Answ I. This is a promise vnto the Apostles whose prerogatiue in their Ministery was not to erre because they were the chiefe builders and planters of Christian Religion All other Ministers are but watereâ— II. It is one thing for a Guide to leade aright another for those that should follow to follow aright It therefore will not be necessarily concluded that because a perfect Guide leadeth the way such as come after cannot or doe not goe out of the way For they may not strictly follow the Guide but now and then may slip out of the way through want of eie-sight or dimnesse of sight or through carelesnesse looking some other way not minding the Guide 3. How can our Aduersaries proue that this promise is made to their Popish Councels which are ruled and * See the History of the Councell of Trent and Brocard on Reuel 17. who was at that Councell guided by their Popes and not by Gods Spirit Acts 15 25 28. This Councell erred not Ans 1. This was a Councell gathered of all the 12. Apostles of the Elders at Ierusalem and of the whole Church 2. This had the guiding of the holy Ghost as the text witnesseth 3. This laid the Scriptures for their ground vers 15. and the manifest euidence of the worke of the holy Ghost vers 8 which they tooke for direction in their decrees 4. Here was free libertie of disputation without interruption one attentiuely hearing another without by-respect that the truth might take place What is this to Popish Councels Are there any Apostles Admit they freely the whole Church Are they guided by the holy Ghost and by the verity of holy Scriptures Is libertie there granted to euery one to speake freely If they cannot proue these this text serues not their turne Other Scriptures are obiected as Mat. 16. 18. Luk. 10. 16. 1. Tim. 3. 15. All which are fully answered before As for the place in Heb. 13. 17. it is to be vnderstood not simply but that Teachers are to be obeyed as farre-forth as they doe teach the truth and command what God prescribeth XVI Proposition Whether the Church of Rome be the Catholike Church Confuted by their owne Bible I. IT is so farre from making it the Catholike Church as it no where doth giue it the name of a Church as it doth Corinth chap. 1. Gal. chap. 1. Ephesus Reu. 2. 1. Acts 20. 28. 1. Tim. 3. 15. and so other Churches But no where is this title giuen to Rome Note it well II. It telleth vs that the Faith of Saints at Rome was renowned in the whole World Rom. 1. 8. but not that their Church was spred into all the World Neither saith it that the Faith so commended came out from thence into the World or that it was any other then that which was then in all the World For Rom 1. 5 12 their Bible telleth vs that not from Rome but from Ierusalem it came both to Rome and into other places of the World Ierusalem was the Mother and Head Church and not Rome And of those in Rome it saith Among whom ye are called Rom. 1. 6. so were they not the Vniuersall Church but one particular among the rest which together made vp the whole Church III. Their Bible telleth vs that the Church at Ierusalem was planted by Christ and by his twelue Apostles with whom were the 70. Disciples such Teachers as no other Church euer had at once The Church of Antioch Corinth Ephesus and other moe were planted by the Apostles as we learne from their owne Bible But who first taught at Rome it shewes vs not not Peter I am sure IIII. Their Bible doth at least equall other Churches with it if not preferre them before it 1. In giuing the name of Church to other and not to it for there is mention of Saints at Rome but not of the Church at Rome The title they had not giuen to them 2. It plainely telleth vs that other Churches were first planted by the Apostles but mentioneth not the planting of it by any of them 3. In highly praising of other Churches as the Corinthians for being enriched with all vtterance and all knowledge for comming behind in no gift 1. Cor. 1. 5 7. and for being partakers of the sufferings of Christ 2. Cor. 1. 7. So the Ephesians which Church he calleth the Church of the liuing God the Pillar and ground of truth 1. Tim. 3. 15. and the beleeuers there to be fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe Corner-stone in whom they wer builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit Eph. 2. 19 20 22. If our Romanists had any such testimony how would they boast Great commendations are giuen to
Councels and learned men are against this absurd and vnreasonable custome of hauing Seruice in an vnknowne tongue God gaue diuersitie of tongues to his Apostles and they spake in them all Act. 2. and the hearers heard them speake to them therein What letteth but that in praying reading singing and administring of the Sacraments we should vse euery tongue according to euery Nation seeing euery Language was giuen by the Holy Ghost to publish the Gospell therein Scriptures obiected answered Luke 1. 8. Zachary burnt incense within and the whole multitude was praying without at the time of the incense Answ 1. Here is not a word of the Priests speaking in any language at all to the People neither was he heere to say any seruice but to burne incense Secondly if he had said Seruice the People could not heare him For he was in the Temple they a great way off in the out-Court Leu. 16. 17. What is this to Latine Seruice Or saying it in any language except they hence will conclude that because the Priest said nothing and the People could not heare him that now the Priest may speake in what language either he will or can speake when none is neere him but all farre inough from hearing what hee saith And then who shall helpe the poore man to say his Masse Is this their authoritie for their Latine Seruice Shame light on such as so abuse Scripture to keepe poore people in ignorance Nehem. 8. 8. Here would they proue that the Scriptures were read in an vnknowne Tongue to the People that is in the Hebrew Tongue which the People now after seuenty yeeres captiuitie vnderstood not Answ 1. It is vntrue that the people assembled were ignorant of the Hebrew tongue For most of the Congregation were such as were before carried captiue and were now returned from thence Esd 2. 1 42 65. and 3. 12. who had not lost their language Nehem. 13. 24. As for that where it is said they made the People vnderstand the reading it is not meant of the language and words but of the sense and meaning thereof Secondly grant that now they had forgotten the language and had now the Scriptures in no other tongue will it follow that what they had of necessitie the Church now needs must bee inforced to when there is no cause Thirdly this Language was the holy Tongue in which the Scriptures were written and once their owne Mother tongue must therefore a strange tongue and wherein the Pen-men of Scripture neuer wrote be thrust vpon all Nations as the only tongue to say Seruice in Fourthly as yet the Holy Ghost had not sanctified all languages as hee did in comming downe vpon the Apostles after Christs Ascension Act. 2. but now hee hath And therefore in euery tongue hee is to bee preached prayed vnto and praifed See before how to answere this place in the end of the fift Proposition XXII Proposition That Images are to be in Churches and that not onely for instruction but also to be adored Confuted by their owne Bible 1. IT doth forbid them Deut. 4. 23. where is forbidden the making of a grauen similitude which Moses saith is a forgetting of the Couenant And in verse 15. hee saith You saw no similitude in that day And a reason is giuen Lest perhaps deceiued you might make you a grauen similitude or Image Here the drawing of any similitude of God is vtterly condemned So in Rom. 1. 23. Exod. 20. 4. Thou shalt not make to thee a grauen thing nor any similitude c. thou shalt not adore them nor serue them Here is not onely a grauen thing but any similitude forbidden without any restriction or exception at all and also the adoration of them And a reason is in Esay 42. 8. I will not giue my glory to another nor my praise to grauen things neither can God be likened to any thing or an Image be made of him Esay 14. 18. 46. 5. Act. 17. 29. Wisd 14. 17. This commandement condemneth in matter of Religion the making of our owne heads a grauen thing and any likenesse not onely of things which be not which they say are Idols representations of things which are not false Similitudes but a grauen thing and similitude of any thing which is in heauen which is in earth and of things which are in the waters to adore and serue them Leu. 26. 1. Secondly their Bible layeth folly to their charge and affirmeth that such are vaine in their cogitations and their fablish heart darkened who make God in similitude of a man Rom. 1. 21 22 23. This hath God fearefully punished and that with a spirituall plague Rom. 1. 26. Hee is pronounced accursed that makes a grauen and molten thing an abomination to our Lord the worke of the hands of Artificers and puts it in secret how much more openly to worship it and all the people are to say Amen Let them be confounded saith the Psalmist that adore sculptils Psal 96. 7. The Iewes to this day hate Images which shewes that they were taught by the Law to hate them Thirdly by their Bible we learne that this was an Heathenish practice The Heathen inuented this making of Images of the dead Wisd 14. 15. They decked them lighted Candles before them offered to them Baruch 6. and worshipped them Wisd 14. 17 18. and their Priests were shauen and beguiled the people Baruch 6. as the shauen Priests of Rome doe Fourthly their owne Bible telleth that no good commeth thereof but euill Hab. 2. 18 19. What profiteth the thing engrauen that the forger thereof hath grauen it a molten and a false Image What canit teach Hee telleth vs that an Image cannot teach The Doctrine of their vanity is wood saith Ieremie chap. 10. 8. and euery Craftsman confounded in his sculptill because it is false which hee hath melted and there is no spirit in them They are vaine things and a worke worthy to be laughed at verse 14. 15. It is changing the verity of God into lying Rom. 1. 25. For the shadow of a Picture is a labour without fruit the louers of euill are worthy to haue their hopes in such things both they that make them and that loue and that worship them saith the Author of the Booke of Wisedome ca. 15. 4 6. Fiftly by their Bible wee learne that men worshipping the worke of their owne hands they doe worship idols Diuels 1. Therein we finde Heathen idols Diuels 1. Cor. 10. 20. representations of false gods 2. We finde the Israelites worshipping the worke of their owne hands the golden Calues falsly representing the True God and these calues were idols Act. 7. 41. and diuels 2. Chro. 11. 15. Whereby wee see the representing of the True God falsly is a diuellish idol as well as the representing of a false god 3. We finde idols and so the worship of Diuels among the Papists Reu. 9. 20 21. where the workes of mens hands of gold siluer brasse stone and
fit this Shrift is for bawdry If any desire more reade Bishop Vshers last booke wherein is cited Gratian Iohannes Semeca Michael of Bononia Iohannes de Selua Also let him look into Doctor Whites way of the true Church of the Papists differing opinions about this pag. 440. 441. in quarto digress 55. Num. 8. and D. Whites last booke p. 190 191. Ans to Fisher 192. citing Iohn Medina Gratian and Caietan Iansenius Vasques Mich. Palacius Gloss on Gratian Gerson Panormitan Maldonat and others Scriptures obiected answered Math. 18. 18. Whatsoeuer ye shall binde on earth c. Answ 1. Here is not a word of confession in this place of Scripture but rather of accusation by another For in the words foregoing the notice giuen to the Church is from the partie not offending but offended If thy brother trespasse against thee c. tell it to the Church But all Auricular confession is supposed voluntary whereby a man accuseth himselfe and in priuate not publike as here Ioh. 20. 23. Whose sinnes ye remit c. Answ 1. Here is no mention of confession of sinnes to them Secondly the authoritie giuen here to the Apostles was exercised in the publike Ministerie preaching of the Word though they heard no priuate confession as the Papists dreame of Therefore the Apostle Saint Paul calleth the preaching of the Word the ministerie of Reconciliation 2. Cor. 5. 18. Thirdly Christ saith there As my Father sent mee so I send you Now he was not sent to heare priuate confessions and thereupon to giue them absolutions but by preaching to binde vp the broken hearted to proclaime libertie to the captiues and the opening of the prison to them that are bound Esai 61. 1. Luk. 4. 18. Neither did he binde any to priuate confession nor sate to heare the same Therefore such as he sendeth are not tyed to doe otherwise neither hath heere Popish shrift any ground Fourthly Caietan on this place saith that the Sacrament of penance hath here no commandement Act. 19. 18. And many that beleeued came and confessed c. Answ Here is mention indeed of confession but this proueth not imposed priuate confession secretly in the Priests eare For first this is of a confession voluntary not enforced Secondly of many that did it but not of all Thirdly publike and not in S. Pauls eare For as they shewed their workes and brought their bookes and burnt them before all men verse 19 So was this confession open for the Text maketh no difference of these actions Fourthly Here it is said they confessed but no particular enumeration of sinnes with circumstances Fiftly Caietan a Cardinall in his Commentarie hereof holdeth that this place is not meant of Auricular confession Iam. 5. 16. Confesse your faults one to another Answ This is nothing for the Popish confession For first it is as generall as prayer one for another But Prayer is a dutie common to all Secondly he saith not the prayer of the Priest but of a righteous man And I hope that others beside Priests are righteous men Thirdly here is not a word of absolution but a promise to the prayer of faith not to the Priests words to saue the sicke and to haue his sinnes pardoned verse 15. Fourthly confession commanded heere is not confined to a Priest but may extend to any other This Saint Iames speakes to all to whom he wrote his Epistle And this place is to be vnderstood one of these three wayes First either of Priests and people and then are the Priests bound to confesse as well to the people as the people to them For it s said Confesse one to another that is mutually or reciprocally Secondly or heere is vnderstood onely of Priests among themselues and then is there nothing to the people Thirdly or onely of the people among themselues and then is this nothing to the Priest to take authoritie hence to bind the people to confesse to him Fourthly confession here is not of secret sinnes in heart against God or sinnes hidden from men but of trespasses or offences one against another as the word in the Originall sheweth and is so taken in Marke 11. 25 26. Vpon which grieuances mutuall confession or acknowledgement of wrongs is here enioyned as a fit meanes of brotherly reconciliation and preseruation of peace among themselues To which they must adde prayer one for another that their mutuall confession reciprocally for reconciliation may bee blessed vnto them Of which practice happy are they which make conscience and blessed should we be if to this euery man would submit himselfe A harder taske then to whisper his sinnes in a Priests eare secretly Lastly the Rhemists say vpon this text that it is not certaine that S. Iames speaketh here of Sacramentall confession Wherevpon others in alledging Scriptures for Auricular confession leaue out this place as not to the purpose Mat. 3. 5 6. Then went out to him Ierusalem and all Iudea and all the Region round about Iordane and were baptized in Iordane confessing their sinnes Answ This sorteth not with Popish Auricular Confession and that for these three reasons First this was publike not in a corner of the Temple or of a Synagogue but in the place where he baptized them in Iordan before all the people Secondly this was at their first conuersion receiuing Baptisme and not yeerely at set times Thirdly it s not certaine what sinnes or how many whether in generall or particular they confessed Fourthly it was impossible for Iohn to heare euery mans priuate confession with enumeration of circumstances seeing all Iudea and all the Region about Iordane and Ierusalem went out to him meaning very many and multitudes of people Leuit. 13. 2. 14. 2. The Leper shall bee brought vnto the Priest c. Answ 1. Here is no mention of confession of sinnes but of one brought to the Priest to take a view of the Plague of Leprosie vpon the body verse 9 10. All the argument therefore that can hence be drawne is onely typicall not conuicting Secondly the partie was not to come and confesse himselfe a Leper to the Priest but the Priest was to iudge him so and to pronounce him a Leper chap. 13. 3 11 44. Then should the Leper cry and confesse not to the Priest but to the people that hee was vncleane verse 45. Thirdly this iudgement of the Leprosie by a plaine Law here belonged to the Priest But where can they shew a Law onely for their Priests to heare priuate confession after their Popish manner Fourthly the Priest looking vpon the partie was not in priuate betweene them two but before other for hee was brought vnto the Priest by others to bee viewed Fiftly the Priest did not alwayes professe the partie cleane vpon shewing his malady as the Popish Priest doth euer the Confitent vpon shewing his sins by confession but the Leuiticall Priest put the partie apart from all others a time for a tryall Leuit. 13. 4 5. and after
20. Because saith hee wee are redeemed by the grace of the Creator wee haue this heauenly gift bestowed vpon vs that when we leaue our fleshly habitation incontinently we are carried to our heauenly rewards Can any thing bee spoken more cleerely against going into Purgatorie See Bishop Vsher his last Booke in the controuersie touching Purgatorie and also D. White his last booke pag. 567. citing many Papists touching the inualiditie of the Popes power ouer soules in Purgatorie Scriptures obiected answered 1. Cor. 3. 15. If any mans worke shall bee burnt hee shall suffer losse but himselfe shall be saued yet so as by fire Answ 1. Albeit the foolish Gagger doth say that this is an expresse Scripture to proue Purgatorie yet Bellarmine saith Lib. 1. de Purg. cap. 5. that this is one of the most difficult places of the whole Scripture Therefore it will not easily satisfie a doubtfull minde in this controuerted point Secondly this place is interpreted in the seuerall words very See Morneus on the Masse all their opinions cited Lib. 3. cap. 6. p. 257 261. diuersly by the Ancients and so variously as Bellarmine is forced by reason of the incongruities thereof to leaue and forsake them all and to run his owne course as wide as any of the rest and differing from his fellowes Thomas Alcuinus Hugo Cardinalis and other Thirdly Erasmus in his Commentarie saith that this place affordeth not any thing for Purgatorie or veniall sinnes This his opinion is not suffered to see light but is blotted out See Index Expurgatorius which is made the true Purgatorie for Erasmus and others that dare to doubt of the false Purgatorie Fourthly the words are all Allegoricall Now Symbolicall places proue not Articles of Faith And therein it is absurd to take any of the words properly in continued metaphors and wholly Allegoricall Fiftly this text speaketh of burning of a mans worke but not of burning a soule But in Purgatorie they say the soule is burning and not his worke workes goe not into Purgatorie but here workes both good and bad are tryed by this fire Sixtly this speaketh of the worke of Teachers building vpon the foundation either Gold Siluer or precious Stones or Wood Hay and Stubble By the former must bee vnderstood either sound Doctrine or sound-hearted Beleeuers wonne to Christ by their teaching and then by the latter must be meant errours and vnsound Doctrine or hollow-hearted Christians which in time of fierie tryall fall away Take then either way this is nothing for veniall sinnes or bringing soules to a purgation Accordingly in the thirteenth verse the fire is a reuealing and trying fire to manifest the difference of mens workes in the execution of their Ministerie What is this to the purging and tormenting fire as a satisfactorie punishment for sinne Purgatorie fire is a materiall fire say they but a materiall fire cannot try Doctrines truth from falshood sound from vnwholesome teaching Seuenthly the word fire in verse 15. cannot be taken for materiall fire or Purgatorie fire First because the continued metaphors in the whole context admits not of such a proper and literall interpretation Secondly the word of similitude is against it For it is not said by fire but as by fire so it is not meant fire properly but by some likenesse a metaphoricall fire not a materiall fire Thirdly Estius one of their owne learned men saith That the word fire three times mentioned in verse 13 and 15 is the same in euery place and calleth the interpretation absurd which puts a difference in them Which being true the former fire in verse 13. not being meant of Purgatorie by Bellarmines grant this latter cannot but absurdly be so interpreted And so in conclusion no Purgatorie fire at all This fire is spirituall such a fire as can try Doctrines and can reueale them and can saue the builder though it consume his worke which fire is Gods Word Ier. 23. 29. and 20. 9. and Gods holy Spirit Mar. 9. 49. Mat. 3. 11. This word by the operation of this Spirit vpon the conscience of an erroneous builder when by the light of truth hee seeth his worke vaine and naught worketh as fire in him to make him confesse his errour and to labour to teach the truth and thus is he saued as by fire the word being in him as fire as it was in Ieremie especially in time of trouble and day of tryall for his Doctrine Ioh. 11. 22. But I know that euen now whatsoeuer thou wilt aske of God God will giue it thee Cardinall Allen saith the Gagger hath hence learnedly concluded that Martha had beene taught and beleeued that the dead might be holpen by the pietie of the liuing Answ 1. How learnedly the Cardinal could conclude hence Purgatorie or the Gagger to helpe him I leaue to learned men to iudge and withal whether they haue not exposed themselues to folly who hence would collect such a thing Secondly touching the Iewish Church and her Doctrine how Purgatorie was vnknowne to her and the Church of Israel vnder the Law let the Reader peruse Mornay of the Masse his third booke and sixt Chapter Thirdly the speech is to Christ and of her full assurance of the efficacie of his prayer vnto God euen to raise vp Lazarus from the dead as appeareth by the scope of her speech What is this to helpe soules in Purgatorie Act. 2. 24. Whom God hath raised vp loosing the sorrowes of Hell This cleerely makes for Purgatorie saith the wise Gagger for here he and the Rhemists wil haue Christ loose others from their paines Answ 1. This speakes of Christs rising from the dead by the power of God Secondly of Gods raising him vp and loosing him from the sorrowes of Hell and not of Christs freeing others from torment Thirdly here is no mention of Purgatorie but of Hell And is Hell and Purgatorie now one place I feare mee they will finde it so that hee which goeth to Purgatorie goeth to Hell Fourthly the word Hell is here taken properly or figuratiuely If properly for hell it selfe the place of the damned then it is nothing for their Purgatorie for from hell is no redemption Luk. 16. 26. If figuratiuely then it speakes not of any reall Purgatorie place and so neither way serues their turne Fiftly if they will haue the place to bee for Purgatorie then is there no cause now to feare it for therein is now no more paines For it is not said that hee loosed the soules out of it but the sorrowes thereof and tooke them away What maketh this for Purgatorie Sixtly the word in the most current originals is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though the old vulgar reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the first signifieth not Hell but Death so it is thus to be read loosing the sorrowes of death as we truely translate 1. Cor. 15. 29. Otherwise what shall they doe that are baptized for the dead An euident proofe saith the Gagger
we doe and all that we can doe both for the beginning for the increase and for the continuance By which we may see how that it is Gods preuenting grace that brings vs to him and his grace also that confirmeth increaseth and preserueth vs vnto the end This also their Bible teacheth and sheweth how mercifully God preuenteth vs in all things that no man might glory in himselfe but hee that glorieth should glory in the Lord Ier. 9. 23 24. First God before such men haue any being as haue free-will in spirituall things chooses and predestinates them in Christ to be holy and blamelesse Ephes 1. 4. and preordinates them to beleeue and to haue eternall life Act. 13. 48. So as the ground of their saluation is farre before their will Secondly hauing thus chosen them he findeth them when they neither seeke nor aske after him Rom. 10. 20. they are his worke Ephes 2. 10. made anew they haue a new birth Iam. 1. 18. being borne of God Ioh. 1. 13. and of the Spirit Ioh. 3. 5 8. by the immortall seed of the Word 1. Pet. 1. 23. Hee takes away vnwillingnesse and the stony heart and giues them a will Phil. 2. 23. euen a heart of flesh to doe his will Ezek. 11. 19 20. and puts also into them a new heart and a new Spirit Ezek. 36. 26. so is the new man created in iustice and in the holinesse of the truth Ephes 4. 24. Thus God in mercie preuents mans will Thirdly Man being thus begotten thus borne and made anew the Lord quickneth him Rom. 8. 11. Ephes 2. 5. and giueth him spirituall life Ioh. 5. 21. 1. Cor. 15. 45. For now hee liueth yet not he but Christ liueth in him as the Apostle speaketh Gal. 2. 20. still preuenting mans will Fourthly when God of a dead man hath made him aliue and raised him vp againe Col. 2. 12. then he openeth his vnderstanding to vnderstand the Scriptures Luk. 24. 45. openeth his eyes Psal 118. 18. Esai 35. 5. and 42. 7. his eares Esa 50. 5. Iob Psal 119. 18. Psal 51. 17. 33. 16. his lips Psal 50. 17. his heart to attend to the Word Act. 16. 14. In whose heart God now so shineth as when hee commanded light to shine out of darknesse 2. Cor. 4. 6. and setteth them free Ioh. 3. 37. still in mercy preuenting mans will Fifthly thus God maketh way for himselfe opening mans vnderstanding eyes eares lips and heart he draweth vs vnto him Ioh. 6. 44. and giueth his lawes into our hearts and subscribeth them in our minds Heb. 10. 16. Hee giueth vs diuine graces spirituall wisedome Ephes 1. 17. the knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdome of heauen Matth. 13. 11. Faith Ephes 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. Loue 1. Ioh. 4. 20. Feare Ier. 32. 40. Repentance 2. Tim. 2. 25. Act. 5. 31. and 11. 18. and the Spirit to know the things that are giuen vs of God reuealing vnto vs that which no eye can see no eare can heare no heart conceiue of 1. Cor. 2. 9 10 12. Doth not God then by his grace preuent our will Sixtly after his thus furnishing vs with heauenly indowments Ezek. 16. 9 13. hauing wrought in vs the will that we may be imployed in his seruice he worketh also in vs the deed Phil. 2. 13. hee teacheth vs to pray Rom. 8. 26. powring out the Spirit of grace and prayer Zach. 12. 10. Hee maketh vs to walke in his precepts and to keepe his iudgements Ezek. Deut. 8. 18. 2. Cor. 9. 9 11. 11. 20. and it is of him that men haue great substance a Chron. 32. 29. 1. Chro. 29. 16. and of him it is that they bestow of it liberally verse 14. yea if any doe suffer for his name this is also the gift of God Phil. 2. 29. Seuenthly that all our sufficiencie may be knowne to bee of God their Bible telleth vs in general that of him are all things Rom. 11. 36. that euery best gift and euery perfect gift is from aboue Iam. 1. 17. that he beginneth the worke Phil. 1. 6. that it is he also that increaseth 1. Cor. 3. 7. Ephes 2. 21. Col. 2. 19. perfecteth Phil. 1. 6. Psal 138. 8. strengtheneth and confirmeth Rom. 16. 25. 1. Cor. 1. 8. and keepeth vs 1. Pet. 1. 5. so that none shall plucke vs out of his hand Ioh. 10. 28. and putteth his feare into our hearts that we shall not depart from him Ier. 32. 40. concluding that all our sufficiencie is of God 2. Cor. 3. 5. and that it is hee that hath wrought all our workes in vs Esai 26. 12. Lastly to all these reasons I may adde these fiue following First Gods promising of his heauenly gifts and graces as shewing men to be without them till they receiue them from him such are those in Ezek. 11. 19. Ier. 32. 39 40. 31. 33 34. 24. 7. Secondly the prayers made vnto God to conuert men Ier. Psal 119. 36. 31. 18. to fit them in all goodnesse to doe his will Heb. 13. 21. to sanctifie and preserue them without blame 1. Thes 5. 23. doe shew that the power is from God and not in man Thirdly the godly acknowledging their preseruation from falling to be of God Psal 115. 8. and 36. 24. and that it is hee Psal 116. 8. Psal 37. 24. Psal 145. 14. that lifteth them vp being fallen Psal 144. 14. they attribute nothing to their owne power Fourthly the Apostles giuing God thankes for mens obedience Rom. 6. 17. for their faith hope loue Col. 1. 3 4 5. for their deliuerence frō the power of darknes for translating them into the kingdome of his Sonne Col. 1. 13. for the increase of faith and charitie 1. Thes 1. 3. for blessing them with spirituall blessings Ephes 1. 3. By all which God is made the Author and Giuer and we onely the Receiuers thereof when hee hath made vs willing thereto For a man can receiue nothing vnlesse it be giuen him from heauen Ioh. 3. 27. The last is that the Scripture telleth vs how the Lord preuenteth the pride of mans heart that hee might not ascribe power to himselfe Deut. 8. 7. Hee had mercy on thee lest thou shouldst say in thy heart Mine owne force and the strength of mine owne hand hath atchieued all these things for me Ephes 2. 8 9. Wee are saued by grace not of workes lest any man should boast himselfe We are not wee see to boast of our owne strength nor to ascribe any thing to our selues but remember Gods mercy that hee which doth glory may glory in the Lord 1. Cor. 1. 31. 2. Cor. 10. 17. For of him and by him and in him are all things to him be therefore glory for euer Amen Rom. 11. 36. Contraried by Antiquitie Austin in Enchir. ad Laurent cap. 30. No man can beleeue hope and loue vnlesse hee will but euen the selfe-same will to beleeue hope and loue commeth not but from God De gra
awe dehortations to keepe them from sinne admonitions to make them take heed exhortations to set them forward promises to encourage them that so by his euer-assisting grace accompanying them they may be raised when they are fallen be increased that they decay not and kept on in continuance to the end that they neuer fall away Thus may we see that these commandements dehortations and exhortations are not in vaine though mans own will be not lifted vp thereby as Papists dreame Fourthly and lastly Moses and the Prophets vnder the Law speake legally to men so as if they neuer had fallen but had kept their perfection not regarding their now inabilitie after the fall and therefore from such legall charges and commands wee cannot conclude mans power to performe As for Euangelicall commandements they are assisted by Gods Spirit to worke in the elect grace of obedience in Christ in and through whom they are made able to doe all things as the Apostle speaketh What then are these commandements to proue the power of mans free-will Euen nothing at all whether they be taken legally or Euangelically Luk. 13. 34. O Ierusalem Ierusalem c. how often would I haue gathered thy children c. and yee would not Ans This place speakes of free-will vnto euill to wit the wills refusing of the meanes of Saluation in killing the Prophets and stoning them that were sent of God for their saluation And this miserable free will we acknowledge which Christ complaineth of Luk. 10. 42. Marie hath chosen the better part Answ 1. It s not denied that we haue a free will to come to heare 2. But to heare as she did and to make so blessed choice to entertaine Christs Word into her heart whilest her sister was entertaining Christ at the table was of Gods speciall diuine grace working in her the will and the deed Act. 5. 4. Being sold was it not in thy power Answ 1. This proueth not the question of the power of will in the first act of commission Secondly this speaketh of free libertie and power which a man hath of his owne goods to giue or not to giue which power wee acknowledge a man hath Thirdly this is of an ill act with-holding part of that from the Church which hee seemed wholly to bestow vpon it which was hypocrisie And to such euils we grant man to haue free-will Philemon verse 14. That thy benefit should not bee as it were of necessitie but willingly Answ This speakes not of the question in things spirituall but of Pauls desire to haue kept Onesimus with him in Philemons stead to haue ministred to him in prison if hee had knowne Philemons minde and willingnesse therein Absurd quotations and nothing to the point controuerted For who denyeth will in man to lend or not to lend his seruant to another 1. Cor. 9. 1. Am I not free Answ Nothing to the question He speaketh of freedome A briefe answer to the Scriptures only cited by the Gagger which other Apostles vsed verse 4 5. So 2. Cor. 9. 7. of giuing reliefe to the poore Saints Numb 30. 14. speakes of the Husbands power ouer the wife in her cause of vowing Nothing to the question Iosh 14. 13. is of Iosua giuing Caleb Hebron for Inheritance If the Gagger had cited the words as he onely quoted the places his folly would haue exposed him to laughter 2. Sam. 24. 12. I offer thee three things choose thee one of them This is meant of iudgements What is this to the power of inward conuersion 1. King 3. 5. God willeth Solomon to aske of him What God puts into our hearts to doe that can wee doe And Salomon was one endued already with diuine grace But we speake in the question of the first act of conuersion of which these places speake not one word Matth. 19. 17. If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements This is but suppositiuely set downe not affirming the power of the will Againe it is spoken legally to a proudly conceited young man who iustified himselfe but vntruely as the euent shewed in the verses following Iosh 24. 15. is answered before in answer to Deut. 30. 19. But yet also note farther the former part of the verse is of euill propounded as the seruing of other gods which mans will is apt to The latter part speakes of Iosua who was already a holy Prince and so is not to the question 2. Sam. 12. no verse is quoted Prou. 11. 24. speakes of one that scattereth and with-holdeth more then is meet This is of morall actions the one part of liberalitie the other of niggardlinesse in which wee acknowledge free-will Esai 1. 19 20. If thou bee willing and obedient c. but if ye refuse and rebell c. The latter words are spoken of that which mans will is free enough to doe the former speakes of being willing by a supposition as God spake to Cain If thou doest well which Gen. 4. 7. yet was farre from him And we acknowledge free-will to good things when God makes man willing Reuel 3. 20. Behold I stand at the doore and knocke if any man heare my voice and open the doore I will come in to him c. Answ 1. These words are Metaphorically spoken and so not to be taken after the letter and therefore cannot be a sound proofe in a controuerted point Secondly mans act is set downe but onely suppositiuely and so affirmeth nothing of him simply Thirdly it is said that man heareth and openeth yet the question is By what power whether by his owne or by Gods preuenting grace which here is not expressed but in other places it is For it is ascribed to the Lord that openeth the eare Esai 50. 5. Iob 33. 16. Hee openeth the heart Act. 16. 14. yea He it is that openeth the doore of faith Act. 14. 37. the doore of vtterance Col. 4. 3. and the doore of the passage of the Gospell 2. Cor. 2. 12. 1. Cor. 16. 9. Fourthly Christs knocking first by the Word is the meanes hee vseth to conuey the grace of his Spirit into our hearts to make vs to open to him So by Pauls Ministerie he knocked at the doore of Lydia's heart and he by his Spirit then opened the same as the text sheweth very plainely Act. 16. 14. So Christ by his owne preaching knocked and in knocking opened the doore of vnderstanding to his Disciples Luk. 24. 45. To conclude this point of free-will herein that men bee not deceiued by the Aduersaries deceitfull Allegations of Scripture let them diligently obserue the question which is of the power of free-will in matters spirituall in the first act of conuersion which is by Gods Word wholly ascribed vnto God himselfe Neither can our Aduersaries bring any Scripture to proue that it is in the power of mans will to prepare it selfe thereto For all the places they alledge are either to prooue freedome of will in nature humane morall sinfull actions and in outward
thereof and to discouer to him his hypocrisie for when he commanded him but one thing verse 21 22. he failed in performance Rom. 13. 8. He that loueth another hath fulfilled the Law Answ As our loue is so is the Law fulfilled but our loue is imperfect for wee are exhorted to increase in it 1. Thes 4. 10. therefore is our obedience imperfect Secondly the Apostle telleth vs in verse 10. how loue is the fulfilling of the Law for that it worketh no ill to our neighbour Where note first that here he speakes of loue to our neighbour and not of the loue to God And secondly that loues fulfilling of the Law is in the negatiue in not working ill and not in the affirmatiue in doing well and therefore but a poore perfection of obedience Thirdly it is the fulfilling of the Law because the commandements of the second Table are comprehended in the commandement of louing our neighbour as our selues verse 9. and not for that loue makes vs sufficient perfectly to fulfill the whole Law Rom. 7. 3. Is nothing at all to the purpose It speakes of the wife freed or not freed from the Law of her husband Iosh 11. 15. Answ The praise of Moses and Iosua in their obedience But first this was in their seruices performed in such outward things as God commanded them and not of their spirituall obedience to the Morall Law Secondly if applyed to proue perfection in them it is mis-applyed for Moses offended God so as hee dyed before the people came into Canaan yea he so displeased the Lord as God would not heare him in his request to let him goe into the Land Also Iosua erred against the commandement of God in making vnaduisedly a league with the Gibeonites Thirdly God is pleased to passe by his seruants frailties in giuing them praises and speaketh of them as if they neuer had done amisse because he will not in his mercy impute their wants and defects vnto them for his Sonnes sake in whom they are and in whom God is well pleased Iosh 23. 5. This is Iosua's exhortation to the people of the two Tribes and halfe So it teacheth what they ought to doe but proueth not that either they did or were able perfectly to doe what they were bidden Psal 17. 3. There is no iniquitie in me Answ 1. This is to be vnderstood of his carriage towards his enemies for otherwise he once sinned in both murther and Adultery Secondly Dauid speakes often as a type of Christ whose person he did beare so as Christ in the Prophets is often called Dauid Thirdly in the Originall the word iniquitie is not but there may be vnderstood deceit or hypocrisie so as Dauid here cleereth not himselfe of sinne but of hypocrisie for in the Originall there is onely the Verbe Thou shalt not finde Deut. 30. 11 12 14. This commandement c. is not hidden nor farre from thee c. But in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou maist doe it Answ 1. The Apostle expoundeth this of the Word of faith Rom. 10. 8. And so it is not for the Gaggers purpose Secondly if vnderstood of the Law written in the heart and professed by mouth yet this place sheweth onely the end that it may be done but not either the manner or measure of doing 1. Ioh. 2. 4. This speakes of keeping but our question is of the perfection of which not a word here Iob 1. 22. Answ 1. The words are to bee vnderstood not of all Iobs life for he after fell into a cursing and so sinned but of his patient carriage in this great conflict Secondly the words shew what is meant by his not sinning to wit that hee did not charge God foolishly Iob 27. 6. My righteousnesse I hold fast Answ 1. This is of the righteousnesse of his cause in pleading against his friends for he held that hee was not punished so of God for his sinnes as his friends iudged him to be Secondly if it be vnderstood of his person it is to bee taken so of his righteousnesse before men for in chap. 9. 20. hee saith If I iustifie my selfe mine owne mouth shall condemne me Thus hee speakes against himselfe in the apprehension of righteousnesse before God so also in verse 21. 30 31. and chap. 10. 15. abhorring himselfe and repenting in dust and ashes chap. 42. 6. Rom. 2. 27. Shall not the vncircumcision c. if it fulfill the Law c Answ This place teacheth not that a Gentile is able to fulfill the Law but Saint Paul speakes by a supposition If he did he should condemne the Iew which bragged of Circumcision and yet was a transgressor of the Law Luk. 10. 28. This doe c. Answ This Christ spake to a proud Iustitiarie who rested vpon the Law so hee spake in the tenure of the Law which none could performe to beate down his pride and not to shew what man could doe Luk. 15. 7. Ninety and nine iust persons that need no repentance Answ 1. To take the words after the letter is flat against these Scriptures Rom. 3. 10 23. Iam. 3. 2. Eccles 7. 20. Now if the iust man sinne then he needeth repentance And the Lords Prayer teacheth to aske dayly forgiuenesse Secondly the words were spoken against the proud conceited Scribes and Pharises verse 2. who thought themselues such iust ones but we not Thirdly the words may be spoken comparatiuely in respect of such as notoriously breaking out as the stray sheepe the other keeping within bounds may be said to be iust and to need no repentance like the other out-strayer 1. King 14. 8. Dauid who kept my Commandements and who followed mee with all his heart to doe that onely which was right in my eyes Answ 1. This praise of Dauid respecteth his care of Gods worship which Ieroboam had violated by setting vp Idolatrie which Dauid did not Secondly if farther extended then it is meant of his measure the manner for his vprightnesse and the intendment of his mind but not of full perfection in all things for he once fell fearefully in the matter of Vriah chap. 15. 5. also in numbring the people 2. Sam. 24. Ephes 1. 4. That wee should be holy without blame before him Answ Being chosen in Christ as in the former part of the verse So our holinesse and vnblameablenesse in Gods accepting vs in Christ For we haue no righteousnesse in our selues to iustifie vs before God Rom. 4. Gal. 5. 14. All the Law is fulfilled in one word Thou shalt loue c. Answ For this see the answer before to Rom. 13. 8. yet further here note that he onely telleth them what is the excellencie of loue but hee also rebuketh them for the breach of it verse 15. What is this to the perfect fulfilling of the Law Gen. 6. 9. Noah iust and perfect Answ In his generation in respect of others and before men but not before God For did he not after fal into drunkennesse Now
haue their strength from faith and by it are set on worke so as it and they together make vs that we neither shall be barren nor without fruit in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ as S. Peter speakes but hereby make our calling and election sure 2. Pet. 1. 5 6 7 8 10. For whilest faith holdeth Christ and in him apprehendeth eternall life hope expecteth the accomplishment patience endureth trials loue exerciseth vs in duties of obedience and workes of mercy feare keepes vs from sinne and aweth vs that we dare not displease God a good conscience comforteth vs humilitie makes vs lowly in our owne eyes hatred of sinne makes vs to fly the causes and occasions thereof as ill companie counsels and examples to euill Godly sorrow vpon our falls exerciseth vs in fasting praying and labour zeale makes vs take reuenge vpon our selues when wee haue trespassed and to oppose stoutly wickednes in others and so forth in all the rest of Gods graces whatsoeuer they be for as faith is said to worke by loue so doth it worke by hope patience humilitie and all other vertues which accompanie it neuer neglecting the meanes which God prescribeth in the way to heauen nor abating the power of these other graces gifts of God nor withholding them from their proper workes wherein they are to be imployed vpon any vaine confidence of saluation by Christ or imaginatie assurance of heauen Hence is it that such as in the Scripture are said to beleeue are said also to feare God to be charitable to be iust to eschew euill to doe good to fast and pray to continue in the Word to heare it with an honest heart to come to the Sacraments and so forth See this in S. Paul who was well assured of eternall life of which he could confidently speake 2. Tim. 4. 8. 2. Cor. 5. 1. Rom. 8. 38 39. And yet neuerthelesse he had care to keepe a good conscience towards God and man Act. 24. 16. endeuouring to please God 2. Cor. 5. 9. and had excellent vertues accompanying his faith 2. Tim. 3. 10 11. Dauid had particulat assurance of pardon of sinne 2. Sam. 12. 13. yet he afterward prayed for mercie feruently Psal 51. and Christ knew his houre yet did auoid dangers Hezekias knew that he should liue fifteene yeeres yet vsed the meanes of life So Saint Paul was sure of safety yet would haue meanes vsed Act. 27. 31. Thirdly that neither this faith nor any of these graces are perfect in this life for the Scripture speaketh of degrees of Faith Matth. 8. 26. and 15. 28. Rom. 4. 21. and of the increase of faith Luk. 15. 5. 2. Thes 1. 3. 2. Cor. 10. 15. Rom. 1. 17. So likewise of the increase of knowledge Col. 1. 10. of loue Phil. 1. 9. of workes of charitie 1. Thes 4. 10. of walking and pleasing God 1. Thes 4. 1. of grace 2. Pet. 3. 18. and so of all other vertues which doe increase as the whole Church doth increase as the Apostle witnesseth Ephes 2. 21. So that they are more at one time then at another in such as haue them and doe increase by degrees though not alike in all Hence it is first that ordinary meanes are prescribed by God not onely for the first begetting but also for the increase and continuance of all these graces to wit the Word 1 Pet. 2. 1 2. the Sacraments and Prayer which therefore the godly doe euer make vse of Act. 2. 42 46. Secondly that the godly are so often found fault with reproued admonished and threatned for failing in their duties Thirdly that they doe so vilifie themselues and renounce all righteousnesse in themselues and fly to Gof for mercy through Christ Fourthly that there are so many exhortations as meanes to vrge them to their duties in which they are weake and defectiue Fifthly that promises are made with conditions annexed to stirre them vp to their duties Fourthly that with these imperfections of graces there remaineth in the most holiest persons naturall corruption which is sometime so strong as it not onely hindereth the worke of these graces so as a regenerate man cannot doe the good hee would but also is drawne to do that which he would not Rom. 7. 15 18. Hence it is first that the best haue sometime broken forth into foule enormities as may be seene in Dauid Solomon and others Secondly that God so threatens chastiseth them as meanes to awake and reclaime them Thirdly that they so See an excellent discourse of this in Bishop Abbots answer to Bishop in this point of the certainty of saluation pag. 257. humble themselues 〈◊〉 cry and call as if they were forsaken Fourthly that this faith and these graces are not seen nor felt to bee at all times alike in operation but so weakened through strength of corruption so brought vnder as if they had clean lost their vertues and faith in a sort had failed which in some agony of spirit causeth them to vtter some vncomfortable words sauouring rather of desperation then of any hope of saluation euen as Christ on the Crosse crying My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And as Dauid sometimes did in the Psalms Ps 13. 1. 6. 1 6. 22. 1 2. 31. 22. 38. 1 8. 55. 4 5. Fifthly and lastly that albeit the imperfection of graces and corruptions of nature doe weaken thus the power of faith and other accompanying graces much troubling the soule of a true Beleeuer yet doe none of them hereby alter their nature nor change their qualitie but faith holdeth its hold though sometime as doth a Palsie hand and striueth against doubting till it conquer in the combate as may bee seene in Dauids conflicts First he will say to his soule as he doth in a Psalme Why are thou so disquieted within me yet trust in God Secondly he will runne to God in Prayer which is the true fruit of faith Thirdly he will professe his faith and trust in God So Iob in his greatest terrours said If he kill mee yet will I trust in him So that faith giueth assurance in the midst of troubles and saueth Daniel in the very den of Lyons and other in the midst of a siery Ouen Therefore for all the defects of graces and power of corruptions ouer-swaying too often yet seeing they destroy not faith in the elect nor annihilate their graces they are most certaine of their saluation in the end Scriptures obiected answered 1. Cor. 9. 27. But I keepe vnder my body and bring it into subiection lest that by any meanes when I haue preached to others I my selfe should be a Castaway Answ 1. This place speaketh not of a Castaway as one reprobated to eternall destruction but the word signifieth one not approued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposed to one approued being like reffuse siluer which is not good and currant Ier. 6. 30. So as the meaning is I Paul preaching to other doe
from Gods people 1. Ioh. 2. See how Saint Austin thus expounds the meaning largely cited by Bishop against Bishop of the certainty of saluation pag. 321. 322. 19. First saith the Apostle They were not of vs that is not of the Elect for by vs Iohn vnderstands himselfe and the Chosen of God effectually called true beleeuers liuely members of Christ and children of God which they indeed were not though by profession for a time they had the name to be such Secondly that if they had beene of vs saith he they would no doubt haue continued with vs. Where the Apostle cōfidently speaketh saying No doubt that such as be of the number as hee himselfe was of do continue and fall not away from them Thirdly that all among those iustifyed ones are not of them but other are mixed with them these are they which fall away and not any of the rest totally and finally Fourthly that albeit these are not manifest to men so long as they abide in the Church but seeme to be the same that others be yet their falling away discouers thē to be none of that blessed number yea and therfore they fal away that it might be made manifest that they were not of them And to this adde the place of Iude ver 19. That they who separate themselues are sensual hauing not the Spirit and if any man haue not the Spirit he is none of Christs Rom. 8. 9. Therefore they are not regenerate by the Spirit they are none of Christs which fall away a See Seigfridus Saccus de Academica Pontisiciorum dubitatione in negotio iustificationis very largely handling this matter from all Topick places howsoeuer for a time they may seeme to bee his These seeming faithfull ones onely fall away and none of the truely iustified The obiected Scriptures answered Luk. 8. 13. They on the Rocke are they which when they heare receiue the Word with ioy and these haue no roote which for a while beleeue and in time of temptation fall away Answ It is not denied of vs but that some kinde of beleeuers may fall way This is not the question but Whether true beleeuers hauing sauing faith and truely perswaded of Gods mercy towards them in Iesus Christ bringing forth liuely fruits of faith can finally fall away This is the question and not the other To this place then I thus answer That it speaketh not of them that beleeue by a iustifying faith which rooteth vs into Christ but of an inferiour faith as the words plainely teach for it is said that they haue no roote which for a while beleeue Such indeed may and doe fall away in time of trouble for Religion Therefore it is weake and rootlesse arguing from the falling away of them which haue this rootlesse faith to conclude the falling away of them which haue true sound iustifying faith For albeit sauing faith includeth historicall and temporarie yet be they not one and the same but doe much differ as before is manifested and euen also out of this Parable For First Temporarie faith is in them whose hearts are rocky and stony Luk. 8. 13. but sauing faith is in those whose hearts bee good and honest verse 15. Secondly Temporarie faith is in them that receiue the Word immediately with a sudden affection of ioy Mar. 4. 16. Matth. 13. 20. Ioh. 5. 35. but no mention is made of sound iudgement and vnderstanding or of an attentiue minde to learne vnderstand and keepe it But sauing faith is in him that so heareth that he doth vnderstand it in hearing attendeth intendeth in hearing to vnderstand 3. Temporary faith is in them which haue no root in themselues Mat. 13. 21. nor moisture Luk. 8. 6. But sauing faith is in them that haue root Ephes 3. 17. and are full of moisture maintained by the fountaine of Christs grace for our of the belly of such beleeuers shall flow riuers of liuing waters Ioh. 7. 38. which shall spring vp to eternall life Ioh. 4. 14. 4. Temporarie Faith they may haue which yet want liuely fruits though they may doe in shew many things Mar. 6. 20. Therefore in this parabolicall exposition Christ mentioneth no fruits of this temporarie faith but sauing faith in them that haue it beareth fruit and bringeth forth some an hundred some sixty and some thirty fold Matth. 13. 23. Mar. 4. 20. Lastly temporarie faith in time of trouble and persecution for the Words sake doth not preserue such beleeuers from being forth with offended thereat Matth. 13. 21. Luk. 8. 13. But sauing faith keepeth a true Christian from taking such an offence making him to keepe the Word and to bring forth fruit with patience Luk. 8. 15. in which patience they possesse their soules and so fall not away Therefore seeing there is such difference betweene these it will not follow though temporarie faith fall away that therefore sauing faith should fall away And yet either thus must they conclude hence or they conclude nothing out of this Text for their purpose 1. Tim. 1. 19. Holding faith and a good conscience which some hauing put away concerning faith haue made shipwracke Answ 1. This speaketh of blasphemous men verse 20. who had put away a good conscience at least the shew of it which can neuer be separate from sauing faith verse 5. And therefore by faith here cannot be meant that excellent faith Secondly here by faith is vnderstood the doctrine of faith Oecumen on this place and profession thereof which they that lose the care of a good conscience soone make shipwracke of and fall from That faith is put for the doctrine and profession of faith these places shew Act. 6. 7. Gal. 1. 23. 1. Tim. 3. 8. and 4. 1. Tit. 1. 3. Thirdly if it be taken for the gift of faith it must then bee vnderstood of groundlesse temporarie faith which may bee lost and not of iustifying faith which as before is proued cannot finally be lost 2. Tim. 2. 18. Who concerning the truth haue erred saying that the Resurrection is past already and ouerthrow the faith of some Answ 1. Faith is here put for the faith of the true doctrine concerning the Resurrection which by false Teachers was ouerthrowne and namely by Hymenous and Philetus Secondly these some whose faith was ouerthrowne were not Elect nor true Children of God for in the next verse 19. it is said Neuerthelesse the foundation of God standeth sure hauing the seale The Lord knoweth them that are his As if he had said Though these false Teachers ouerthrow the faith of some yet are these none of the Lords Elect none of his adopted children whose knowledge of them is a sure seale an vnmoueable foundation that they cannot perish Therefore these some not being of the Elect their faith was not the faith of the Elect nor faith of that kinde but another faith of baser mould and so not that sauing faith of which the question is 1. Tim. 6. 2. Which some
professing haue erred concerning the faith Answ Faith as before is here the sound and wholesome Doctrine of faith For it is opposed to prophane and vaine babblings and oppositions of sciences falsely so called verse 20. Also the word erred shewed as much for errour is to bee vnderstood of Doctrine and not of the gift of faith it selfe And thus is Faith taken in 1. Tim. 4. 1. Reuel 2. 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen Answ 1. Here is no mention of losse of faith of which the question is Secondly by falling here is not to be vnderstood of a totall or finall falling away but onely the decay of loue not being in him in such a degree as at the first For this Angell had yet very excellent graces in him workes labour patience zeale against false Teachers hating those whom God hated hauing patience and not fainted Reuel 2. 3 6. If he fainted not he had not lost his faith This place is therefore rather against our Aduersaries then any thing for them But our Gagger gazing about without iudgement where-euer hee found a word sounding to his fancy though nothing to purpose that hee will set downe He should haue remembred that euery sticke will not make a gagge for euery mouth Luk. 19. 24. Take from him the pound Answ 1. This is a Parable and therefore affordeth no sound demonstration by argument in a matter of controuersie Secondly if the words be to be vrged he lost not his pound but it was taken from him and then when iudgement was to bee executed vpon him Mat. 25. 30. Our question is of losing it here before iudgement Thirdly by pound here is not meant sauing faith of which the question is but some common graces afforded to Castawayes such as this man was Matth. 25. 30. which if not wel vsed or abused God may depriue a man of But where is it read that God will take away his sauing grace from any man and damne them Matth. 25. 8. And the foolish said vnto the wise Giue vs of your oyle for our Lamps are gone out Answ 1. This is a parabolicall speech and therefore is not fit for argumentation in a controuerted point Secondly by Lamps and Oyle are meant not iustification or iustifying faith or adoption or Christ being made our Wisedome for then could not the receiuers bee deciphered by the name of foolish Virgins But some other more common graces which in some receiuers vanish in others are fed and increased vnto a due progresse of life and light putting them into a true state of iustification This was only in the wise Virgins The foolish had onely a false fire or blaze of some good beginning which neuer came to growth and herein they represent the Reprobates Heb. 6. 4 5 6. It is impossible for those which were once enlightened and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and haue tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come if they should fall away to renew them againe to repentance c. Answ 1. This is but a supposition with an If they should fall away He teacheth not positiuely that such may fall away Secondly grant that such may fall away It is meant of Reprobates and not of the Elect For they here are said to be enlightened and but to taste of the heauenly gift and Word of God c. But the Elect doe more then taste for they receiue it digest and concoct it and finde nourishment and strength thereby Againe these are such as cannot be renued by repentance which is such a falling as neuer happeneth to the Elect. Moreouer these are such as make a generall Apostacie crucifying to themselues afresh the Sonne of God and euen sinne against the holy Ghost which the Elect in Christ cannot doe So by this Text we see that they which haue these gifts and illuminations may fall totally from Christ But there bee proper graces to the Elect and such things as accompany saluation which as the Apostle was perswaded were in the Hebrewes though he thus spake vnto them verse 9. Ezek. 18. 24 26. When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousnesse Ans 1. There is a righteous man seeming so before men Mat. 9. 13. but is not before God such a one may turne from his righteousnesse and such a one is here meant For this righteous man here so falls as that he may commit all the abominations that the wicked doth verse 24 and dye therein verse 26. and so apostate finally but a righteous man before God doth not so for he shineth more and more vnto the perfect day Prou. 4. 18. and shall be in euerlasting remembrance Psal 112. 6. and his memory is blessed Prou. 10. 7. Secondly there is a double righteousnesse the one Legall and the other Euangelicall which is the righteousnesse of faith that is the righteousnesse of Christ applyed to vs by faith and so made ours which cannot be lost because it is Christs But the other may and this is the righteousnesse which here the Prophet speaketh of For this righteousnesse is such as is blotted out by sinne and which in the day of trespasse shall not be mentioned as not being able to cleere him before God vers 24. But Euangelicall righteousnes is not blotted out in the day of mans transgression but is able to pacifie Gods wrath and keepe the repentant in Gods fauour Besides these many obiected places against the assurance of saluation they alledge reasons especially these which to the ignorant carry a great shew Obiection First that God in the Scripture doth not speake particularly by name to any that he shal be saued And therfore no mā can haue faith to beleeue certainly himselfe to be saued because there is not any such particular word of personall saluation to any man Answ There is in effect as much counteruailing a particular promise as if the true-hearted Beleeuer were personally named The promises are propounded in general It is true that in Gods book we find the proposition only in this māner Mar. 16. 16. He that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued Ioh. 3. 15. Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue life euerlasting Act. 10. 43. Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall receiue remission of sinnes and shall not be ashamed Rom. 9. 33. 10. 11. The assumption or Minor is suggested by experience I beleeue Thence the conscience with comfort inferreth the conclusion necessarily following Therefore I shall not perish but haue life euerlasting First these and such like promises in generall to all include particular persons Whence it is that sometime they are propounded singularly in the second person If thou confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and beleeue in thine heart thou shalt bee saued Rom. 10. 9. Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light Ephes 5. 14. Thus speaking as to particular men Secondly Gods Ministers
they come in Christs stead 2. Cor. 5. 20. and doe alledge these faithfull promises of God made in generall and apply them to their hearers assuring them that if they beleeue these promises shall be certainly performed Thus Peter applyed the promises Act. 2. 38 39. 3. 25 26. So did S. Paul Act. 13. 26. 16. 31. which assurance made by faithfull Ministers vpon these vndeceiueable promises of God is to bee receiued and beleeued as from Christs owne mouth because they speake not vpon any warrant of their owne but vpon the vndoubted warrant of Christ himselfe Thirdly the Hearers as many as be ordained to eternall life Act. 13. 48. beleeuing doe apprehend and by faith doe apply to themselues these promises so deliuered for that they know that they doe beleeue and truely repent of which their conscience beareth witnesse whose heart is so seasoned with grace and conformed to Gods voice as the same like an Eccho answereth thereto So that when God saith Seeke ye my face the faithfull soule answereth to God Thy face Lord will I seeke Psal 27. 8. When God saith Thou art my people it soundeth backe Thou art the Lord my God Zach. 13. 9. When Christ saith If thou beleeuest al things are possible to him that beleeueth he answereth Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeliefe Mar. 9. 23. When God requireth his will to be done and his commandements diligently to be kept the gracious soule is moued with desire therto Oh that my wayes were directed to the keeping of thy Statutes Psal 119. 4 5. and shewes it selfe ready Loe I come O God I am content to doe it yea thy Law is within my heart Psal 40. 7 8. Therefore their faith claimeth these promises and concludeth the assurance of the things promised in particular so to themselues as if they in the same promises were personally named Fourthly to this spirit of true Beleeuers the holy Ghost beareth witnesse Rom. 8. 16. and it is true 1. Ioh. 5. 6. that wee are the sonnes of God Rom. 8. 16. and that God hath giuen to vs eternall life 1. Ioh. 5. 11. which true Beleeuers doe know for the Word was written also that this they should know 1. Ioh. 5. 13. Thus we see how a true Beleeuer hath his particular perswasion not from an idle fantasie or vaine conceit but from the vndoubted Word of God and from the faithfull witnesses of Gods Spirit and his owne conscience If our Aduersaries will be yet obstinate and say that these generall promises cannot bee thus particularly applyed I demand foure things First why is it said Rom. 15. 4. Whatsoeuer things were written aforetime were written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope and in Rom. 4. 23 24. That the things written were not written for their sakes onely of whom they were spoken but for vs also if we cannot apply them as spoken to euery one Secondly why haue the Apostles applyed the generall promises to particular persons so as they haue done as before is shewed Act. 3. 26. 16. 31. 13. 26. and why haue they comforted the faithfull in generall with a promise made to one before in particular Ios 1. 9. Heb. 13. 5 And why did Zachary include himselfe in those promises made long before to Abraham as spoken to himselfe and those then liuing Luk. 1. 73 74. if faith might not apply them to a beleeuers owne speciall comfort Thirdly how can the Popish Priests from a generall Scripture Ioh. 20. 23. with such authoritie absolue their particular Penitentiaries And are either those Priests or any of their Penitentiaries named in the Text If vpon so generall words they can be bold to assure their Confitents of pardon of sinnes may not a true Beleeuer vpon the forenamed grounds hee assured particularly of his owne saluation Lastly if there can be no assured application without particular nomination how shall men become obedient to the precepts and commandements of God how shall any bee stirred vp by exhortation how shall any bee terrified by threatnings For in none of these is any man personally named more then in the promises Therefore as in hearing the other we apply them and verily take them without any doubt as spoken to vs in particular to worke obedience and feare so in hearing these promises are we to apply them as spoken to vs by name if we truely beleeue to our heauenly comfort and assurance of life Obiection Secondly they say that Gods Decree whence we fetch the ground of assurance is conditionall If we beleeue If we liue as we ought to liue and perseuer to the end Which perseuerance when God foreseeth in vs doth thereupon elect vs to saluation Answ The Decree is absolute according to the good pleasure of Gods owne will For therefore we beleeue because hee so hath ordained it Act. 13. 48. We walke in good workes because he hath so fore-ordained vs thereto Ephes 2. 10. We are in time called iustified made conformable to Christ adopted for children to bring forth fruit that also the same should remaine and so be at length glorified because he hath predestinated and ordained vs thereto Rom. 8. 30. Ephes 1. 5. Ioh. 15. 16. So as his Decree is the cause of all good to vs and not our obedience and perseuerance the cause of his Decree Obiection Thirdly this Doctrine of the certainty of saluation and that faith cannot faile maketh men secure careless of good works Answ This is a very old obiection but altogether slanderous There is indeed to be granted a kind of security or assurednesse being vnderstood spiritually for it maketh vs secure in God in the infinitenesse of his mercy towards vs through Christ in the vndoubted truth of his promises in the full perfect satisfaction made by Christ and in the vnchangeablenesse of Gods eternall Decree to saue all those which truely beleeue in Christ But this Doctrine maketh them not carnally secure which are vpon solid ground assured of their saluation which is thus manifest First this sauing faith as you haue heard is euer accompanied with other graces which maketh the true Beleeuers neither barren nor vnfruitfull 2. Pet. 1. 5 8. Secondly this precious faith doth not onely claime the promises but humbly attendeth vpon Gods will in vsing such meanes as God hath appointed in the way to Heauen Thirdly it is euident from examples in Scripture of such as were certaine of saluation as Abraham Moses Dauid S. Paul and others that they did not therefore neglect their duties And such with vs as conscionably hold this doctrine doe walke nothing lesse carefully in the wayes of Gods Commandements but doe endeuour to keepe a good conscience towards God and men And what if vaine presumptuous spirits abase this doctrine as they doe other holy and wholesome truths to their condemnation is the Doctrine therefore faulty Shall the abuse of truth make it to be iudged falshood God forbid To conclude this Doctrine of assurance is most comfortable to humbled and afflicted soules as the other is full of slauish feare and very comfortlesse For what can bee more terrour to mans heart in the time of temptation when hee hath fallen by infirmitie suddenly into some grieuous offence as Peter did and being assaulted by Satan to despaire as Iudas did then to be perswaded that Gods Decree dependeth vpon mans perseuerance that the couenāt of Grace made with his soule may be annihilated his promises fallible his power frustrated Christs strength too feeble to vphold him Christs prayers not of force to preuaile for him with Gods the holy Spirit to haue forsaken him the Seale of Gods Couenant broken off the writing cancelled Faith it selfe and the hope of heauen lost for euer This wounded spirit this soule thus perplexed this heart thus affrighted cast into such a deepe gulph of despaire who can but pittie and withall beware of that desperate Doctrine which casteth poore soules into such vnexpressible misery and sorrows of heart On the other side by the Doctrine of assurance of saluation when a poore weake Christian hath beene ouertaken by some violent storme of temptation and commeth to the sight of sin with Dauid cryeth calleth with bitter teares of repentance and faine would finde peace with God againe how comfortable will it be in such a distresse when Satan with his fiery darts assaulteth him to thinke that though he hath failed on his part and so vndone himselfe for euer as much as lyeth in him yet that God is one and the same his Decree vnalterable his Couenant not broken on his part Christ still his Sauiour his prayers prevalent for him the Spirit of God exciting him to prayer with groanes not to be expressed and his faith though shaken yet not lost O how will the meditation hereof comfort such an afflicted spirit turne his heart to seeke after God grieuing with himself that he should displease so gracious a God and after he hath once againe found some comfort to put on a resolution neuer to offend so any more in a holy zeale therefore to auenge himselfe on himselfe bringing downe his flesh in subiection to the Spirit and all this with an earnest loue to God and care to please him euen for that he hath not lost through his fall the assurance of his saluation as iustly he had deserued Thus is this Doctrine a comfort in distresse and an incouragement after a fall to rise againe and in the time of greatest peace neuer any cause of carelesse securitie but rather of spirituall ioy and an incitement to well-doing to expresse all thankefulnesse to God through Christ for the same Euen so Amen FINIS