locis apertioribus fami occurreret obscurioribus autem fastidia detergeret Nihil enim fere de illis obscuritatibus eruitur qdâ—â—on planissimè dictuÌ„ alibi reperitur Aug. de doct Chris lib. 2. â—a 6. for saith hee In this great plentie of Scriptures wee are fed with plaine things and exercised with obscure those driue away hunger these contempt the holy Ghost hauing tempred them so of purpose and then he concludeth with the Tenet of our church There is scarce any thing drawn out of these obscure places which hath not been spoken quod non planissimè most plainely some other where Neither was this the opinion of this learned Father only but it was the confession of S Ambrose Multa obscuritas in Scripturis propheticis â—â—d siâ—â— anu â—â—â—aÌ„ meÌ„â—â—â—ā◠〈◊〉 a scrâ— tuâ—aruÌ„ â—â—aÌ„â—eâ— qua sunt occulta diligentèr examines paulatim incipies rationeÌ„ colligere dictoruÌ„ et operietur tibi Non ab alio sed à verbo Dei Amb. in Psal 118. Serm. 8. There is much obscurity in the Scriptures but withall if thou knocke at the doore with the hand of thy vnderstanding thou shalt gather by little and little the reason of that which is there spoken and the doore shall bee opened vnto thee non ab alio sed à verbo Dei and that by no other but by the Word of God it selfe And with these Doctors of the Latin Church agreeth the Greeke Fathers Behold saith Basil and heare the Scripture expounding it selfe Basil HexaÌ„ Hom. 4. Yea saith he what things be or seeme to bee couertly spoken in some places of holy Scripture Quae ambigua sunt tectè dicta esse in quibusdaÌ„ diuinae scripturae locis videntuâ— ab aliis locis manifestis declaraÌ„tur IdeÌ„ quaest coÌ„p Expl. quaest 267. Ad ipsuÌ„ diuina Script scopuÌ„ incedamus quaeseipsam interpretatur quaÌ„uis sacra Scriptura cum nos tale quiddaÌ„ docere vult seipsaÌ„ exponit et auditoreÌ„ errare non sinit Chrys HoÌ„ 13. in Gen. Chrys in 1. Thes HoÌ„ 7. SiquideÌ„ empturê° vesteÌ„ quaÌ„uis artis Textoriae imperitê° sis haec verba non dicis Nescio emere illudunt mihi sed facis omnia vt discas fac illa quae facienda et rectâ ratione quaere à Deo et ille tibi omnino reueâ—abit IdeÌ„ Homil. 33. in Act. the same are expounded by other plaine places elsewhere And saith Chrysostome Let vs follow the scope of the holy Scripture in interpreting of it selfe when it teacheth some hard thing it expoundeth it selfe and suffereth not the hearer to erre Let vs not feare therefore saith hee to put our selues with full saile into the sea of Scriptures because wee shall be sure to find the Word of God for our Pilot. And lastly as it were forestalling that Popish opinion that the Scriptures are obscure and therefore not to be read by the vulgar people hee elegantly incites a Gentile to the reading of the Scripture by a familiar and common reason When thou buyest a garment though thou haue no skill in weauing yet thou sayest not I cannot buy it they will deceiue mee but thou dost vse all meanes to learne how to know it doe therefore those things which are to bee done seeke all those things of God and hee altogether will reaueale it vnto thee So that if any doubt or difference happened in the Primitiue church amongst the true beleeuing Christians they referred the determination of it to the Inquest of Christ his 12 Apostles and they onely were made the sole Iudges of the question And that wee might know this Protestant doctrine continued for many ages in the Church Pope Clement the first almost sixe hundred yeeres since professed it for the Catholike doctrine of his time Integra firma regula veritatis ex Scripturis Dist 37. cap 14. that a man must take the sense of truth from the Scripture it selfe seeing that euery man may haue the full and firme rule of faith and truth in the Scriptures If we descend froÌ„ the Pope to the great Councell of Basil it was the general vote of many B. and Cardinalls and confirmed likewise by the Pope himselfe The Diuine Law or holy Scripture the practise of Christ of his Apostles Lex diuina praxu Christi Apostolica et Ecclesia primitina vnâ cum CoÌ„ciliis Doctoribusque fundantibê° se veracitèr in eadeÌ„ pro verissimo et indifferente Iudice in hoc Basiliensi Consilia admittatur Conc. Basil Sess 4. and the Primitiue Church together with Councels and Doctors grounding themselues truely vpon the Scriptures shall bee admitted for the most true and indifferent Iudge in the Councell of Basil The resolution of the ancient Father Optatus in the question betwixt the Catholiques and the heretiques whether one should bee twise baptized may serue for a proofe and a full conclusion of the premisses You say it is lawfull wee say it is not lawfull betweene yours it is lawfull and ours it is not lawfull the peoples soules doe doubt and wauer De coelo quaerendus est Index sed vt quid pulsamus ad coelum cum habemus in Euangelio Testamentum Opt. lib. 5. contr Parmen Donat. let none beleeue you nor vs wee are all contending parties Iudges must be sought for if Christians they cannot be giuen on both sides for truth is hindred by affections A Iudge without must bee sought for if a Paynim hee cannot know the Christian mysteries if a Iew hee is an enemie to Christian Baptisme no iudgement therfore of this matter can bee found on earth a Iudge in heauen must bee sought for But why knocke we at heauen when wee haue the Testament of Christ in the Gospell And thus I haue briefly shewed you the deputed Iudges and Interpreters of the Scripture in the Primitiue Church now let vs obserue by what Rule the Scriptures are expounded in the Roman Church SECT IIII. Our aduersaries howsoeuer they pretend by taking an oath to make the Fathers Interpreters of the Scriptures yet indeed they make themselues sole Interpreters of Scriptures and Fathers Bulla Pij quarti Art 2. IT is an Article of the Romame Creed published by Pope Pius the fourth and by the oath their Foreman hath taken all Priestes and I suites are sworne Not to receiue or interpret the Scriptures but according to the vnifoâ—me consent of Fathers It is a large and faire promise and deliuered vpon oath and for my part if the church of Rome can make good the vniforme consent of Fathers for all their twelue newe Articles of Faith which hath been often promised but neuer as yet by any one performed I shall willingly listen to their interpretation and preferre it before any priuate or latter Exposition It was the profession of our late King of famous memory Apolog. for the oath of Alleag pa. 36. What euer the Fathers of the first foure hundred yeeres did with one vnanime consent agree vpon to be beleeued
that Pygmeis being put vpon Gyants shoulders doe see further then the Gyants themselues But Bishop Fisher doth more warily excuse it and with plausible reasons assure vs that Many things Nec cuiquaÌ„ obscuruÌ„ est quin posterioribê° inge niis multa sint tam ex Euangeliis quaÌ„ ex scripturis c. Roffeas Consur Assert Luther Art 18. as well in Gospells as in the rest of the Scriptures are now more exquisitely discussed by later wits and more clearely vnderstood then they haue been heretofore eyther by reason that the yee was not as then broken vnto the Ancients neither did their age suffice to weigh exactly that whole sea of Scriptures or because in this most large field of Scriptures euen after the most diligent reapers some eares will remaine to bee gathered as yet vntouched How forcible motiues these reasons may seeme to other men I will not heere dispute sure I am they are vaine excuses for Romane Bishops and Cardinals who are bound by their generall Councell and the Popes Bull to obey the Exposition of Fathers as an Article of their faith But admit these opinions should bee excused for the particular Tenets of some priuate men let vs see how faithfully the Popes Pastors of these latter times haue interpreted the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers Moses saith Whit. Durae â—s in Camp 9. Reason pag. 269. God made man after his Image Pope Adrian interpreteth therefore Images must bee set vp in Churches Saint Peter saith Behold De obed maior vnaÌ„ sanctaÌ„ c. here are two swoâ—ds Pope Boniface concludes Therefore the Pope hath power ouer the spirituall and the temporall Saint Matthew saith Giue not that which is holy vnto dogs Iewels Defence p â—2 Mr. Harding expounds it Fiet vnum ouile et vnê° Pastor quod quidem de Christo intelligi non potest sâ—d dâ—â—liquo alio Ministroqâ—â— bresâ—t loco eius Ioh de Par sâ—de pot Reg Papati c. 30. therfore it is not lawfull for the vulgar people to reade the Scriptures Saint Iohn saith There shall bee one Fold and one Sheepherd Iohannes de Parisijs tels vs This place cannot bee expounded of Christ but must bee taken for some Minister ruling in his stead The Prophet Dauid saith Thou hast put all things vnder his feet Antoninus expounds it Anton. in sum part 3. tit 22. c. 5. Haebr 2. Thou hast made all things subiect to the Pope the cattle of the field that is to say men liuing in the earth the fishes of the sea that is to say the soules in Purgatory the fowles of the ayre that is to say the soules of the blessed in heauen And lastly whereas our Sauiour Christ witnesseth of himselfe In Concil Later sub Leo 10. p. 671. All power is giuen to me both in heauen and earth Stephen Archbishop of Patraca applyed it to Pope Leo the tenth in the Councell of Lateran in the audience of the Pope himselfe who thankfully accepted it and suffered it to bee published and printed and as it is rightly obserued by learned Du Moulin Pope Innocent the third in his Booke of the Mysteries of the Masse Buckler of faith pa. 30. the booke of sacred Ceremonies Durants Rationalls Tolet and Titleman and others do most ridiculously wrest the Scriptures altogether different from their right meaning and the Expositions of the Fathers as for instance The Scripture saith The Rocke was Christ therefore say they the Altar must bee of stone It is written I am the light of the world therfore Tapers must be set vpon the Altar It is written Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth therefore the Priest must kisse the Altar It is written Thou shalt see my back parts Exod. 33.23 therefore the Priest must turne his backe to the people It is written Laua me ampliús Psal 51. Wash mee againe therefore the Priest must wash his hands twise It is written Exod. 3.5 Put off thy shooes for this place is holy therefore the Bishop at Masse changeth his hose and shooes And lastly the Pope himselfe at the time of his coronation casteth certain copper money amongst the people vsing the words of Peter Siluer and gold haue I none but that which I haue I giue thee These and the like Expositions doe much resemble the strict order of Monkes who reading the words in Matthew Districtissimi MonachoruÌ„ simplicitèr intelligentes fecerunt sibi cruces ligneas easque sibi iugiter humeru circuÌ„ferentes c Ioh. de Polemar orat in CoÌ„cil Basil pag. 385. Hee that taketh not vp his crosse and followeth me is not worthy of mee made themselues woodden crosses and so carried them on their backes continually causing all the world to laugh at them for howsoeuer they may seeme to bee the expositions of some priuate spirits yet hee that makes oath in verbo Sacerdotis to receiue expound the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers and shall render such Expositions of the Text can bee no true Catholique Hieron 24. q 3. cap. Haeresis For whosoeuer doeth otherwise vnderstand the Scripture saith Hierome then the sense of the holy Ghost who is the Penman of the Scripture requires although hee hath not departed from the Church yet hee may bee tearmed an heretique But as the Fryar said wittily in his Sermon the trueth which hee preached was like holy water which euery one called for apace yet when the Sexton cast it on them they let it fall on their backs in like manner the Romanists seemingly call for the Scriptures they commonly vaunt that they expound and receiue them according to the vniforme consent of Fathers but as Vincentius Lyrinensis said of the heretiques of his time When they shall begin not onely to vtter those sayings Vbi caeperuÌ„t illas voces noÌ„ iam proferre sedetiam exponere non ad c. VinceÌ„t Lyrin c. 36. but also to expound them then the bitternesse then the sowernesse and madnesse is perceiued then a new deuised poyson will be breathed out then are prophane Nouelties disclosed then may you see the bounds of the ancient Fathers to bee remooued the Catholique Faith to bee then butchered and the doctrine of the Church torne in pieces Pope Pius the fourth who first published the Articles of the Creed was not ignorant that the Scriptures must be farre fetched and hardly strayned to make them speake for the Trent doctrine hee well vnderstood that it was too generall and strict a tye vpon euery Masse Priest to receiue and interpret the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers knowing well that many Masse Priestes were vtterly ignorant of the Fathers and therefore to qualifie the rigour of that oath adioyned these words to the aforesaid Article Artic. 2. Also that sacred Scripture according to that sense which the Mother Church hath holden whose right is to iudge of the true sense and
interpretation of holy Scripture I doe admit so that by the latter part of the Article they allow the Fathers to bee interpreters of the Scriptures and by the first part they make themselues sole interpreters of the Fathers to which addition an ignorant Priest will sweare with a mentall reseruation that he doeth not receiue nor expound the Scripture but with the vniforme consent of Fathers that is according to the sense and iudgment of the Roman church for it is not to bee doubted but the Church will allow of that sense which is most agreeable to that doctrine and of that interpretation although it bee farre different from the Ancients which is most consonant to their Religion and the rather I incline to this opinion for that Cardinall Hosius doth protest it for a vniversall and Catholike doctrine of his Church Si quis habet interpretationeÌ„ Ecclesia Romana de loco aliquo Scriptura etiamsi nec sciat nec intelligat an quomodo cuÌ„ Scriptura verbis conueniat tamen habet ipsissimum verbuÌ„ Dei. Hos de expresso verb. Dei If a man haue the Interpretation of the Church of Rome of any place of Scripture hee hath the very words of God though he neither know nor vnderstand whether and how it agreeth with the words of Scripture Now if it happen that those which are better instructed by comparing of Scriptures and Fathers doe make a doubt of some place of Scripture which the Church teacheth different from the Fathers Cardinall Cusanus by way of preuention giues him to vnderstand Non est miruÌ„ si praxis Ecclesiae vno tempore interpretetur Scripturam vno modo et alio teÌ„pore alio modo naÌ„ intellectê° currit cum praxi intellectus enim qui cuÌ„ praxi coÌ„currit est spiritus vinificans sequuntur ergo scripturae ecclesiam et non è conuerso Nich. Cusan ad Bohem. Epist 7. that there is Fides Temporum a faith that followeth the time Neither is it any maruell saith hee though the practise of the Church expound the Scripture at one time one way and at an other time another way for the vnderstanding or sense of the Scripture runneth with the practise and that sense so agreeing with the practise is the quickening Spirit and therefore the Scriptures follow the Church but contrariwise the Church followeth not the Scriptures This learned Romanist tells vs it is no wonder that the Scripture is at diuers times diuersly expounded hee tells vs the Scripture attends the Churches pleasure and lastly which is most true hee professeth the Romish Church followeth not the Scripture but the times That this Cardinall speaketh truth I think no Protestant doth make a question but that you may be witnes also of the practise of these times you shall obserue how fitly these men haue applyed the Scripture to their Church whereas it is said to Peter in a vision Arise In voto Baronij contrà Venetos kill and eate Cardinall Baronius being Interpreter will tell you The Pope is Peter and the Venetians are the meate which must bee killed and deuoured In like manner whereas Saint Paul saith Haereticum deuitâ Auoyd an heretique the sillie Fryar applies it to times and persons with this Exposition Erasm Encom Moriae Haereticum de-vitâ tolle kill the heretique meaning the Protestant and in this manner according to the times the sense runneth with the practise or at leastwise I am sure this practise runneth with these times Thus then you haue Fides Ecclesia an Exposition of Scriptures according to the Article of the Romish Creed and Fides tempâ—rum an Exposition sutable to the times and their owne doctrine If therefore we appeale to Scriptures they account them dumbe Iudges without the Exposition of their Church if we require an Exposition with the consent of Fathers they tell vs we must admit that sense which the Church holdeth whose right is to iudge of the true sense of Scriptures If wee shew them that their Expositions are senselesse and disagreeing from the Ancients they tell vs the Scriptures may receiue different Expositions according to the times And thus they make the Scriptures sound like Bells according to their fancies and violate their oath with a Saluo Iure sauing a right to the sense and meaning of their owne Church This way therefore is Via Deuia a Wandring and By-way It resteth in the last and chiefest place to obserue the difference bewixt the Church of Rome and vs touching the intire Canon of Scriptures for without doubt this is the onely and infallible rule of faith and there is a curse denounced by God himselfe against all those that adde to his word Deut. 4.2 Reu. 22.18 or diminish ought from it It shall appeare therefore by many pregnant and infallible testimonies of our aduersaries themselues that the Canon of Scripture which we professe and beleeue was the same which was taught and declared by Christ and his Apostles in the first age the same which was published generally receiued by the ancient Fathers in succeeding ages the same which continued in the bosome of the Romane Church in all ages till the dayes of Luther SECT V. The intire Canon of Scriptures which wee professe without the Apocryphall additions is confirmed by pregnant testimonies in all ages and most of them acknowledged by the Romanists themselues IT was the complaint of Campian the Iesuite that the ancient Canon of Scripture was altered at the comming of Luther and thereupon as a man inraged against the Lutherans Camp Rat. 1. hee makes this open out-crie What incensed Luthers whelps to put out of the true Canon of Scripture Tobias Ecclesiasticus and the two bookes of Maccabees Desperation for by these heauenly oracles they are expressely conuinced as often as they dispute against the defence of Angels as often as they dispute against Freewill as often as they dispute against Praying for the dead as often as they dispute against Praying to the Saints Surely if this Romanist had beene as reall in his proofes as he was vaine glorious in his speeches he had gone beyond all the Romish Proselytes of our age for neuer man made greater flourishes with poorer proofes for it shall appeare that wee haue published no other Canon of Scripture then Christ and his Apostles taught and receiued no other then the ancient Fathers declared to be diuinely Canonicall and those onely Canonicall none other then the learned Doctors and Professors intirely preserued in the bosome of the Roman Church in all ages so that if any curse be denounced against vs for renouncing doctrines of faith deduced from Apocryphall Scriptures I say it shall appeare by the same Decree they haue layd an Anathâ—ma vpon Christ and his Apostles and haue cursed the ancient Fathers and the principall members of their owne Church In the first age to Ann. 100. First then wee must obserue Rom. 3.2 Factique sunt Iudaei depositarii et custodes
sword in the scabberd that is the true sense of the Scripture in the sheath of the letter The Scriptures doe not containe clearely all the mysteries of Religion for they were not giuen to that end to prescribe an absolute forme of faith but Tradition containes in it all truth it comprehends all the mysteries of faith and all the estate of Christian Religion and resolues all doubts which may arise concerning faith and from hence it will follow that Tradition is the Interpreter of all Scriptures the Iudge of all Controuersies the Remouer of all errors and from whose judgment we ought not to appeale to an other Iudge yea rather all Iudges are bound both to regard and follow her judgement Now if we looke backe and consider those blasphemous speeches vsed against the Scriptures and compare those passages with the reuerend regard they giue vnto Traditions wee cannot but conceiue there were some speciall reasons that induced the Pope Trent Councell to set Traditions in the first place Quam TraditionuÌ„ authoritateÌ„ si tollas nutare iam vacillare videbuntur Andrad de Orth. expli lib. 2. Andradius who well vnderstood the state of the Church of Rome being present at the making of that decree giues this generall lesson in their behalfe Many poynts of Romane doctrine would reele and totter if they were not supported by the helpe of Traditions But it may not bee forgotten Sutor de Translat Bibl. c. 22. their owne Monke Petrus de Sutor more particularly shewes one speciall cause why the Scriptures were denied vnto the lay people viz. Because many things being taught by the Romane Church and not contained in the Scriptures would more easily drawe the people from the traditions and obseruances of their Church And another reason why Traditions are in that speciall request aboue the Scriptures is rendred by their owne Bishop Canus Canus loc Theol lib. 3. cap. 3. Because Tradition is not onely of greater force against heretiques then the Scripture but almost all disputation with heretiques is to bee referred to Traditions Thus you see by the confessions of two learned Romanists there was great cause why traditions should haue the first place amongst the Articles of the Creed for the one saith they preuent the reading of the Scriptures which otherwise would discouer the doctrine of their Church the other saith they are more availeable then the Scriptures to confute the doctrine of heretiques These testimonies premised for the honour and authoritie of Papall Traditions let vs examine what are meant by Traditions and next which are those Traditions that are of that high esteeme in the Romane Church for if their Traditions bee of equall authoritie with the Scriptures and yet are not contained in the Scriptures there is great reason they should bee approoued by testimonies and witnesses aequiualent to the Scriptures Kellis Suruey l. 8. c. 3. Doctor Kellison tells vs that Tradition is nothing else but an opinion or custome of the Church not written in holy Scriptures but yet deliuered by the hands of the Church from time to time from Christians to Christians euen to the last age And Saint Austen declareth more properly VVhatsoeuer the Vniuersall Church doth hold Aug. lib 4. contra Donat c. 24. not being ordained by Councells but hath beene euer held that is beleeued most rightly to be an Apostolicall Tradition It appeares therefore that Papall Traditions which are of equall authority with the Scriptures must haue Vniuersalitie of Churches and consent of ages or to vse the wordes of their Trent Councell Such as are preserued by a continuall succession in the Catholike Church All doctrinall Traditions of this nature are receiued by the Reformed Churches for wee all professe with the same Father Conc. Trid. Sess 4. Whatsoeuer is vsed by the Church throughout all the world is to bee obserued and it would bee most insolent madnesse to dispute against the same Let vs heare therefore out of their owne mouthes what are those Traditions which are not written in any Apostolique Authour and yet haue those requisite conditions and speciall characters of the Roman Church viz. Antiquity Vniuersality and Succession Pet. à Soto in lib. cont Brentium Petrus à Soto giues vs to vnderstand that the sacrifice of the Altar the vnction of Chrysme Inuocation of Saints Prayers for the dead the Popes Supremacie Consecration of water in Baptisme the whole Sacrament of Confirmation Orders Matrimony Penance Extreame vnction Merit of workes Necessitie of satisfaction and confession to a Priest are all Traditions of the Romane Church Canis in Catech. c. 5. de precept Eccles Coster in refut script Wallesij antith 6. Canus loc Theol. li 3. ca. 3. Canisius and Costerus referre to Traditions the worship of Images set times of fasting all the Ceremonies of the Masse Melchior Canus tells vs the imploring helpe of holy Martyrs and celebrating their memories the worshipping of Images the consecrating and receiuing of the body and blood of Christ by the Priest the Sacraments of Confirmation and Orders not to bee reiterated are no where happily to bee found in Scriptures but amongst all the Romanists as it is obserued by reuerend Whitakers there is none doth so fully and punctually set downe the Traditions of the Romane Church as their Bishop Lindan who amongst other Traditions Whit. coÌ„tr 1. c. 5. quest 6. mentions the Reall presence the Communion vnder one kinde priuate Masse Indulgences Purgatory Peters liuing and dying at Rome All or most of these Traditions are substantiall and fundamentall poynts and the denyall of them makes a man an heretike in their Church Now it is very obseruable in the first place that no vnwritten Tradition hath any ground or foundation in the Scripture Peres de Tradit p 4. for Tradition is so taken saith Peresius that it is distinguished against the doctrine which is found in the Canonicall bookes of Scripture and consequently touching all or any of the Papall Traditions there is no vse at all of Scriptures Herein then stands the difference betwixt the Church of Rome and vs Multa pertinere ad Christianorum doctrinam et fideÌ„ quae nec apertè nec obscuâ—è in sacris literis coÌ„tinentur Canus loc Theol. ca. 3. fund 3. There are many things saith Canus belonging to the doctrine faith of Christians which are neyther contained in the sacred Scriptures manifestly or obscurely and this he vnderstands by the Traditions of his owne Church There is no point of Faith taught in our Church which is not expressely contained in the Scriptures or by necessarie consequence deduced from thence and if we receiue the witnesse of men yet the witnesse of God is greater 1. Ioh. 5.9 But that which is incongruous to common sense and altogether different from the Romish doctrine those men which generally professe that vnwritten Traditions are so called because they are distinguished from the word written as Bellarmine confesseth
as a necessary poynt of saluation I will beleeue it also or at leastwise will bee humblie silent not taking vpon mee to condemne the same I speake not this as if we should decline the practise of the ancient Church in expounding Scripture by Scripture Concil Trid. Sess 1. but to demonstrate to the world that our aduersaries in this poynt of their faith haue neither followed the ancient Church nor the Decree of their Trent Councell whereby it shall appeare that either this Article was newly created or the former Popes and Councels haue disagreed from the latter Cardinall Caietan was so farre from subscribing to the Popes Creed in this poynt that on the contrary hee giues this Praemonition to the Reader of the Scriptures Not to loathe the new sense of the holy Scriptures for this Nullus itaque detestetur nouuÌ„ sacra scripturae seÌ„sum ex hoc qd dissonat à priscis Doctoribus sed fcrutetur perspicacius textuÌ„ ac cótextuÌ„ Scripturae si quadrare inuenerit laudet DeuÌ„ qui noÌ„ alligauit expositionem ScripturaruÌ„ sacrarum priscoruÌ„ Doctorum sensibus Caiet in Genes 1. that it dissenteth from the ancient Doctors but to search more exactly the Text and coherence of the Scriptures and if hee finde it agree to praise God that hath not tyed the exposition of the Scriptures to the sense of the ancient Doctors This Protestant doctrine is farre different from the Tenet of the Roman Church insomuch that Bishop Canus his fellow Romanist was much troubled that a prime Cardinall should oppose an Article of the Romane Creed one while he chargeth him that acutiùs multò quam foelicius hee expounded the Scriptures in some places more wittily then happily an other while he would so seeme to excuse him that hee might be convinced by this or the like argument To follow the Fathers in all Canus ibid. were to condemne our owne witts and depriue our selues of the meanes to finde out the trueth What arguments might preuaile with the Cardinall I cannot tell but sure I am his doctrine disagreed from the Article of the Roman faith And Doctor Payna Andradius a principall Pillar of the Trent Councell rebuketh Canus for his rash reproouing of Caictan and defendeth his Tenet with the same doctrine Andra. def fid Tricen lib 2. Hee teacheth that when the Fathers seeke the literall sense of the Scriptures they doe not alwayes find them but giue diuers senses one vnlike to an other Hee professeth Wee may forsake their senses all and bring a new vnlike to theirs He addeth further that experience forceth vs to confesse vnlesse wee will bee vnthankefull to most excellent wits that very many things in Moses and the Prophets are in this our age expounded more exactly through the diligence of learned men then euer they were before And thereupon he concludeth that the holy Ghost the onely and faithfull Interpreter of the Scriptures would haue many things to bee knowne to vs which our Ancestors knewe not and hath wrought by meanes vnknowne to vs knowne to him that the Fathers noted good and godly mysteries out of very many places of the Scriptures whereof the right and naturall sense hath been found out by posteritie And thus Canus against Cajetan and Andradius against Canus and Cajetan and Andradius both against the Trent Article allowe the Exposition of Scripture by Scripture and somtimes against the streme of Fathers I proceed to the examination of more witnesses and I call Cardinall Bellarmine to testifie the same doctrine that neither hee nor his associates doe holde themselues tyed by their new Article of faith to the Exposition of the Fathers It is one thing saith hee to interpret the Law as a Doctor Aliud est interpretari legem more Doctoris a liud more Iudicis c. Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 3. cap. 10. an other thing as a Iudge of the one is required Learning of the other Authoritie the opinion of the Doctors is to be followed according to reason but the Iudges opinion is to bee followed of necessitie Saint Austen and the Fathers in their Expositions supplyed the places of Doctors Scripta PatruÌ„ noÌ„ sunt Regulae nec habent authoritatem obligandi Idem ibid. which we may follow as wee see cause the Pope and Councell supply the places of Iudges with a Commission from God and therefore they must be obserued and followed of necessitie Thus we haue seene three seuerall Iudges and Expositors of the Scriptures First the ancient Fathers made the Scriptures the onely Iudges and true Interpreters of themselues next the Trent Doctors decreed the ancient Fathers for Interpreters and now at length the later Schoolemen haue proclaimed their Popes and Councels for their chiefest Iudges and best Interpreters of the Scriptures and These say they must bee followed of necessitie Durum telum Necessitas Pardon them Necessitie is a deadly dart there is no necessitie by their doctrine to obey the expositions of Fathers which is the second Article of their Faith but there is a necessitie to obey the authoritie of their late Popes and Councels in their Exposition which is but matter of opinion and from hence it will follow that either the Articles of the Râ—man Creed were newly created by Pope Pius the fourth and that creation was not in his power or that those Doctors and Cardinals had not the oath administred vnto them or we may iustly suspect they haue forsworne themselues Neither was this the opinion of these particular men onely but the Roman Church notwithstanding their solemne protestation by which they are enioyned to interprete the Scriptures doth in many things by her owne confession waue the Interpretation of the Fathers Sanctissimos Patres quos Doctores Ecclesiae ob illoruÌ„ sublimem eruditionem meritò nominamus quantuÌ„libet spiritus sancti gratia prae aliis imbutos liqueat in interpretatione scripturaruÌ„ non semper ac in omnibus Catholica Ecclesia sequitur Baron Ann. Tom 1 ad ann 34 nu mar 213 It is the testimony of Cardinall Baronius Although the most holy Fathers whome for their great learning wee rightly terme the Doctors of the Church were indued aboue others with the grace of Gods holy Spirit yet the Catholique Roman Church doth not follow them alwayes and in all things expounding of the Scriptures Here is an other confession of a great Cardinall who was not ignorant of the Articles of his faith that notwithstanding the Trent Decree and the Popes Bull the Church did not alwayes follow the exposition of the Fathers Now if any shall require a reason why the Pope and Cardinalls of former ages dissent from others of these later times in expounding of the Scriptures Frier Stella who doth not condemne the Exposition giuen by the ancient Doctors Benè tameÌ„ scimus Pygmaeos gygaÌ„tum humeris impositos plusquaÌ„ ipsos gygantes videre Stel. enarrat in Luc. ca. 10. protesteth Hee knoweth full well
aduersaries I say to seeke for the knowledge of infallible Trueth or to search for the soundnesse of true sauing faith in Generall or Prouinciall Councells is but Via Dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way it is Via Deuia a wandring and By-way It resteth for our Aduersaries last and best refuge to flye to the Sanctuarie of their Church for in trueth whatsoeuer pretence is made of Scriptures of Fathers of Councells yet if there bee sent out a Melius inquirendum for the Authour of their newe Creed and Trent doctrine they must returne a Non est inuentus and seeke him onely in the Church SECT XVII In the Romane Church which our Aduersaries so highly extoll aboue the Scriptures there is neither safetie nor certaintie whether they vnderstand the Essentiall or Representatiue or the Vertuall or the Consistoriall Church CAmpian the Iesuite who formerly made his claime to all Fathers and Councels now in the name of the Church insults against the Protestants in this manner Audito nomine Ecclesiae hostis expalluit Campian Rat 3. So soone as the Aduersarie heard the Church named he waxed wan and pale Indeed I confesse it would terrifie a religious and sober minded man to heare such daily blasphemies vttered against the Maiestie of Gods word and to sound out nothing but the honour and authoritie of the Church who can but wax wan and pale out of pitty charity to heare the Church named and see that she hath kept the name only and lost her wonted nature who can but waxe wan and pale to see her spoiled and bereft of her Iewels treasurie of the sacred Scriptures and retaine onely the caskets and boxes the bare name of a Church where those Iewels lay Looke vpon the best learned of the Roman Church and tell me if they will not astonish a true beleeuing Christian and make him change his countenance to heare such odious comparisons betwixt the Scriptures and the Church In altiori genere viz in genere causae efficientis atque adeò aliquâ ex parte formalis Stapl Relect contro 4 q. 4. ar 3. 9. 3. ar 1. The Church saith Stapleton is an infallible foundation of faith in a higher kind then the Scripture for the Scripture is but a foundation in testimonie and matter to be beleeued but the Church is the efficient cause of Faith and in some sort the very formall In Relect. princ fid dog cont 4. q. 5. nay more if both of them bee properly considered and compared together the Church is a more noble subiect then the Scripture Eam Ecclesia authoritateÌ„ esse quia et scripturas quoque ipsas laxaÌ„di et consignaÌ„difacultateÌ„ c Idem Princip Anal. Pio sensupieque dici potest scripturas si de stituantur ecclesiae authoritate non plus valere quaÌ„ Acsopi fabulas Hos li. 3. de autho sacr Scripturae yea the Church hath such authoritie that shee may set at libertie or seale vp the Scriptures themselues yea saith Hosius a man may speake it in a good a godly sense the Scriptures are of no more account without the authority of the Church then Aesops fables Neither let this seeme strange that the Romanists insist principally vpon the authoritie of the Church for he that shall looke back and obserue how the sacred Scriptures are condemned of Obscuritie and Insufficiencie he that will consider how the holy Fathers are censured and reiected by them as counterfet or erronious he that shall note the Decrees and Canon of Councells condemned as spurious or superfluous these things I say considered it is no maruell our aduersaries flie to the Roman Church Dicitis praecepto Christi obediendum esse primo loâ—o deinde ecclesiae et si aliter praeceperit Ecclesia quam Christus noÌ„ Ecclesia sed Christo obedie oduÌ„ esse certè in hoc est omnium praesumptionuÌ„ initiuÌ„ quaÌ„do iudicant particulares suuÌ„ sensum indiuinis praeceptis coÌ„formâ—areÌ„ quaÌ„ vniuersa Ecclesiae Nich. Cusa ad Proem Epist 2. and for this speciall cause aduance the name of the Church aboue all Cardinall Cusanus by way of obiection puts the question to the Bohemians whether they were better obey the Word of God or the Church You say wee must first obey Christs Commandements and afterwards the Church and if the Church command vs to doe otherwise then Christ commandeth wee must obey Christ and not the Church It is true that the Protestants rightly propose that question which without all question cannot otherwise bee resolued but heare what answere hee makes them Verily herein standeth the beginning of all presumption when particular men thinke their owne iudgement to bee more agreeable to Gods commandements DicetuÌ„ forsitan quomodò mutubuntur pracepta Christi authoritate Ecclesia vt tuÌ„c sint obligatoria quando Ecclesia placu erit Dico nulla esse Christi pracepta nisi quae per Ecclesiam protalibus accepta sint Mutato iudicio Ecclesiae mutatuÌ„ est Dei IudiciuÌ„ Idem Epist 3. then the iudgement of the vniuersall Church nay hee puts the question further Perhaps you will say How shall Christes commandements be changed by the authoritie of the Church that they shall binde vs when the Church shall thinke it good I tell thee saith hee there is nothing to bee taken for Christs commandements vnlesse it bee to bee so allowed of the Church when the Church hath once changed her iudgement Gods iudgement is likewise changed Cardinall Hosius giues his consent with Cardinall Cusanus and morâ— plainly resolues the question in few words Quod Ecclesia docet expressum Deiverbum est et quod contra sensum et consensum Ecclesia docetur expressum Diaboli verbum est Hos de expresso verbo Dei Whatsoeuer the Church teacheth is the expresse word of God and whatsoeuer is taught against the sensâ— and meaning of the Church 〈◊〉 the expresse word of the Deuill To say nothing of the doctrine of Deuils viz. the forbidding of Meats and Marriage foretold by the Apostle and now fulfilled in the Church of Rome I will giue you an instance or two in the word of God and the doctrine of the Romane Church that you may the better discerne whether the Church changing her iudgment there be any variablenesse or shadow of turning with Christ and whether the doctrine of the Roman church bee not expressely against the Word of God Etsi Apostolus lingua intellectâ preces velit celebrari tamen sanctaÌ„ EcclesiaÌ„ iustissimis de causis coÌ„tra statuisse Bened. Mont. in 1. Cor. 14. Touching Prayer in an vnknowne tongue it is the confession of Benedict Montanus a Parisian Doctor Etsi Apostolus c. Although the Apostle thought good to haue Prayer in a knowne tongue yet the Church vpon good causes hath decreed the contrarie Touching Adoration of Images Licet in lege veteri prohibita fuissent lege diuinâ imagines visibiles nedum ipsius Dei
1. Kings 21. the greatest number were Idolaters In Ieremies time the Priests and Prophets Ierem. 7.4 which were the chiefe in authoritie were false teachers yet like the Romanists in these dayes they cryed out The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord. 1 Kings 19.14 In the time of Elias there was a generall Apostacie in the Church of Israel insomuch that hee being a Prophet could not discerne it so that a visible and illustrious Church may appeare to bee the true Church when shee beareth but the visor and title of a true Church the Church of God may so lie hid that the principall members yea and eminent Pastors themselues may bee ignorant where to finde it for God hath not tied his Church to a visible company that are known to all to be true professors at all times neither hath hee commanded a Register to bee kept of their names that hee might call the Church after their names for if any should call for the names of professors in all ages nay if any one should demand but the name of any one of those seuen thousand which neuer bowed to Baal and were vnknowne to the Prophet himselfe it would seeme a mysterie vnsearchable and a man past finding out Neither was this backesliding or falling away in the Church caused for want of Gods promises for they were gracious far exceeding those promises to the Church of Rome The Prophet tells vs that the glorie of God did sit between the Cherubins in the Sanctuarie and God had promised that there should be his seat and yet the Priests did corrupt it with superstition God left the place without any Holinesse Hee extends his promises further I will walke saith he in the midst of you I will haue my Tabernacle amongst you for euer my name shall bee in Hierusalem I haue sanctified it that my name may be there for euer yet of this Church to which so many promises were annexed the Prophet complaines Esay 56.10 11. The watchmen are become blinde they do no good they are dumbe dogs they are shopheards that cannot vnderstand Now as you see the Extent and promises of his Church were large so you must know they were all alwayes annexed to a condition If you be my people if you serue mee if you walk in my commandements if you aske counsell at my mouth agreeable to the answer of the Prophet Osea Osea 4.6 Because thou hast reiected knowledge I will reiect thee that thou shalt be no Priest to mee seeing thou hast forgotten the Law of thy God I will also forget thy children Now as you haue heard the Law was perished from the Priests and Counsell frō the Ancients as if there had been a second deluge of People and Pastors so now the earth shall bring foorth her increase that is as Hierom expounds it the blessed Virgin which comes of the earth shall bring foorth the blessed fruit of her sanctified wombe that what was lost by the first Adam might bee repaired by the second and surely it was high time to rectifie the ancient Doctrine for the leauen of the Pharises had almost sowred the whole lumpe neither doth Christ deferre the time by reason of his minoritie for at 12 yeeres old hee disputeth with the great Rabbies in their Synagogues but obserue what entertainment they gaue him Hee calleth for a reformation of life and doctrine they replyed he would destroy the Temple he vrgeth and layeth open to them the Scriptures they plead their owne Traditions he discouers shewes vnto them their false glosses they answer he had a Deuill hee preached to them of the kingdome of heauen they accuse him for speaking against the Maiestie of Caesar yet this Church of Hierusalem if you regard Antiquitie they were descended from Abraham if Calling they were Priests and Scribes if Place their Temple was the LORDS House if Councels they had solemne Assemblies and meetings but if I should demand where or in whom was the true Church before Christs comming as our aduersaries question ours before Luthers they may answere the Iewes had a visible Church in regard of Gods promises Simeon Anna. Ioseph and Mary Zachary Elizabeth but I dare promise for them they can giue vs the names of a very small number Compare then the church of Hierusalem the Church of Rome together the Church of Hierusalem had her Priests and Caiphas the High Priest and Sacrifices and Councells and a Temple and Traditions and Moses Chaire and the Oracles of God The Church of Rome hath her Priests her Sacrifice of the Masse her Caiphas the Pope that is guided by the Spirit of prophecie shee hath her Temple Traditions and Peters Chaire and last of all because it is least with her in request she hath the Gospel of Christ Now when we cal vpon the Church for a reformation of doctrine they answer Their Church is Catholike cannot erre wee lay before them the word of God for a Rule to examine their Doctrine they answere the Word is not sufficient without the helpe of their Traditions wee shew them their false glosses in Exposition of the Scriptures they answere that it is the right of their Church to iudge of the true sense of the Scriptures But if we shall demand of them where or by whom all their twelue new Articles published within the memorie of man by Pope Pius the 4 were receiued and beleeued as Articles of Faith before the Councell of Trent I am more then confident they shall not find so many professors of that Faith and doctrine at Luthers comming as there were true beleeuers in the Church of Hierusalem at Christs comming And for the better manifestation of this Tenet I will beginne from the time of Christ and his Apostles and briefly relate the courses and changes the Visibilitie and obscurity the alteration and long wished for Reformation of the Roman Faith and Doctrine in all ages till the dayes of Luther SECT XXIIII The latencie and obscuritie of the true Church is prooued by pregnant testimonies of such who complained of corruptions and abuses and withall desired a Reformation in all ages from the time of Christ and his Apostles to the dayes of Luther 2 Thess 2.7 IN the First age the Apostle St. Paul giues vs to vnderstand that the Mysterie of iniquitie began to worke And St. Iohn tells vs of dangerous Heretiques in his time 1 Iob. 2.19 saying They went out from vs but they were not of vs. Now as Iniquitie did closely worke so likewise Errour began to spread it selfe insomuch as both those who were called and those also who were chosen by Christ did erre grieuously both in manners and doctrine and through their fall followed a latencie and obscuritie in the true Church Iudas erred in Manners being called when through couetounes hee betraied Christ The Apostles erred in Manners being chosen whē they forsooke Christ Nay more the Elect Apostles
his heauenly Angels to witnes that notwithstanding you obtrude the invisibility of our church as a stumbling blocke to the ignorant notwithstaÌ„ding your great brags of an outward face of an eminent and glorious Romane Church yet your Trent faith and doctrine vvas far froÌ„ the knovvledge of Christ his Apostles nay more if any Iesuite or all the Iesuites aliue can proue your Roman Faith had Antiquity Vniuersalitie and Succession in al ages and that your Trent Articles were plainly commonly and continually taught receiued de Fide as Articles of Faith before Luther let all the Anathema's in your Trent Councel fall vpon my head And as touching the great noise and rumors of your Catholike Church if you wil consider and vveigh it vvith wisdom and moderation you shall find it wholly depends vpon tvvo doubtfull and vncertain coÌ„clusions viz. The Infallibilitie of the Pope and the Intention of the Priest These are but tvvo slender threds to vphold the Vniuersall faith of all Christians and therfore blame not vs if such things seeme harsh and vntunable in our eares that many millions of soules shold depend vpon the Infallibility of one man that man by your own supposall may draw vvith him innumerable soules to hell That man vvho hath the name and nature of Antichrist in his person in the one as he is against Christ and his doctrine in the other as he claimes to be Christs Vicar sit in his stead for the very name of Antichrist imports both Anti-Christ signifies Against Christ and to be in the place of Christ That man vpon vvhose forehead by the testimonies of learned Authors the vvord Mysterie Dr. Iames in his Epist Dedicatory of the Corruption of the Fathers c. the very mark of the Beast was sometimes writteÌ„ That man who is pointed at by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be that Antichrist by his habitation seated vpon seuen hills Reuel 17. That man who hath the character of the man of sin 2. Thess 2.4 which aduaÌ„ceth himselfe aboue all that are called Gods I haue said you are Gods Psal 82.6 viz the Kings and Princes of the earth That man who hath published the doctrine of Deuils 1. Tim 4. by forbidding of meats and Marriage vnto Priestes Lastly that man whose Infallibility Conc. Flor. in Decret Eugenij whose Succession whose Orders whose Baptisme and Christianitie it selfe depends vpon the Intention of a silly Priest Bell de Iustif li 3. â— 8 of whose Intention none can be assured by your owne confessions It is not the great souÌ„d of a visible Church that must outface the truth for the emptiest vessels make the greatest souÌ„d neither is it the name of Catholike which you wholly appropriate to your selues sufficient to proue your Church Catholike nay more your pretences of Scriptures of Traditions of Fathers of Councels of an Infallible Church are but figge-leaues to couer the nakednesse of your nevv borne faith for it shall appeare by this small Treatise that your chiefest scriptures on which you build your Trent doctrine are Apocryphal your Traditions which you haue equalled to the Scriptures are Apostaticall your Fathers which you assume for Interpreters of the Scriptures are spurious and counterfet your Councels which depend vpoÌ„ the Infallibilitie of the Popes iudgment are erronious doubtful and your preteÌ„ded Catholike Church which is made the onely rule of Faith is neither a whole nor yet a sound member of the Catholike and Vniuersall Body This way therefore which you take is a cloke colour to darken truth by outward shewes and specious pretences and therefore Via Deuia a vvandring and By-way Neither is it your bitternesse and inuectiues against a Lay man shall make me silent in Gods cause for I say with Moses Num. 12.29 Would God al the Lords people could prophecie and I hope there will neuer be wanting a Mildab a Medab to assist Moses and Aaron that may bee able to vindicate Gods Honor and Truth ease our painful Pastors and Ministers which most laboriously performe the work of an Euangelist and conuert soules by preaching which yours peruert by Controuersies of Disputations I hope I say there wil be alwaies some who wil publish to the shame of your Romish Pastors the palpable ignorance of the Laitie who with an implicite faith inuolued obedience resigne vp their sight and senses to blind guides Let the Trueth of God and his Church flourish no rayling accusation of an Aduersary shall deterre mee from my seruice to his cause In the meane time I will appeale to your own consciences whether it bee Catholike doctrine or sauour of Christian Charitie which your Iesuites teach viz. Haereticos non magis audiendos esse etiamsi vera et sacris literis coÌ„sentanea dicant aut doceant quaÌ„ Diobolum Mald. in Math. 16.6 That the Reformed Churches are no more to be heard then the deuill himselfe although they speake trueth and agreeable to the Scriptures nay more I speak it with shame and griefe Discept Tâ—â—ol Sect. 2. the Pope at this day allowes the Talmud of the Iewes and yet prohibites the Books of Protestants Giue mee leaue therefore to speake to you as somtime S. Austen spake to the Donatists Aug. contr Petâ—l lib. 3. cap. 59. If you will be wise vnderstand the trueth it is well if otherwise it shall not grieue mee that I haue taken this paines for you for though your hearts returne not to the peace of the Church yet my peace shall returne to mee in the Church The cause is Gods the labour is mine if you wil reade it impartially and can shew me any error clearely faithfully and moderately I wil make a work of Retractations and professe openly with righteous Iob Iob 31.35 36. O that mine aduersary would write a Booke against mee I would take it vpon my shoulder and bind it as a Crowne vnto me H. L. The Contents Sect. 1. THe safest and onely infallible way to finde out the true Church is by the Scriptures Pag. 1. Sect. 2. Our Aduersaries pretences from the obscuritie of Scriptures and inconueniences of the Lay peoples reading them answered p. 16. Sect. 3. The Scripture according to the Iudgement of the ancient Fathers is the sole Iudge of Controuersies and Interpreter of it selfe p. 43. Sect. 4. Our Aduersaries howsoeuer they pretend by taking an oath to make the Fathers Interpreters of the Scriptures yet indeed they make themselues sole Interpreters of Scriptures and Fathers p. 58 Sect. 5. The intire Canon of Scriptures which wee professe without the Apocryphall additions is confirmed by pregnant testimonies in all ages and most of them acknowledged by the Romanists themselues p. 86 Sect. 6. Our Aduersaries pretences from the Authorities of Fathers and Councels to proue the Apocryphall Bookes Canonicall answered p. 122 Sect. 7. The Romanists in poynt of Traditions contradict the truth and themselues grounding
all Antiquitie from the Text it selfe if there bee brought no peruerse or preiudicate opinion against it to conclude whether thou wilt or no thou shalt beleeue it from the Popes owne Sentence and determination To this Church then lyeth an appeale from Scriptures from Councels from the Essentiall Church and for that cause Cardinall Bellarmine proclaimes it as the Popes Champion Bellar. de Concil author lib. 2. cap. 17. Nos defendimus Wee maintaine that the Pope is simply and absolutely aboue the vniuersall Church and aboue Generall Councells and as great men sometimes loue to bee soothed vp in their greatnesse and are led with opinion of their Parasites to beleeue that for a trueth which is but a suggestion of falsehood so it came to passe touching the Popes power in these latter dayes they did so much atatribute to his Authoritie and Infallibilitie deriued from Peter that Cardinall Zabarella rightly obserued and ingenuously confessed They haue made the Popes beleeue Persuaserunt Pontificibus quod omnia possunt sic qd facerent quicquid liberet etiam illicitet sint plusquaÌ„ Deus Zabarella that they might doe all things whatsoeuer they listed yea notwithstanding they were things vnlawfull and thus saith he they haue made him more then God Bishop Begnius in the last Councell of Lateran speaking to Pope Leo cryes out in admiration of his Holinesse Ecce venit Leo Behold heere commeth a Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda the Root of Dauid Te Leo beatissime saluatoreÌ„ expectauimus apprehende scutum c Concil Later 5. Sess 6. in orat Begn ad Leon. 10. behold hee hath raised vp a Sauiour which shall deliuer the people of God from the hand of the destroyer Thou art hee O most blessed Leo whom we haue expected as a Sauiour take vp thy sword and buckler and arise in our defence And thus by degrees first Vox populi the common people by admiring his greatnesse then Bishops Cardinals by their flattering suggestions haue at last ascribed infallibilitie of Iudgement to his Authoritie which I am verily perswaded neuer Pope did beleeue in himselfe and hereby they haue aduanced him aboue Fathers aboue CouÌ„cels aboue the Church and now at last made him the whole Church in so much that some of his own side are not ashamed to professe Beard Mot. 6. vide in Iewel p. 49. that the Pope may dispense against the Apostles yea against the new Testament vpon good cause and also against all the precepts of the Old Syluester Prierias Master of the Popes palace goeth further hee giues vs to vnderstand that the authoritie of the Roman Church QuicuÌ„que noÌ„ innititur doctrinae Romanae ecclesiae ac Romani Pontificis tanquaÌ„ Regulae Dei infallibili à quâ etiam sacra Scriptura robur trahit et authoritatem hereticê° est Sylu. Prier contra Luther and of the Bishop of Rome is greater then the authoritie of Gods Word and therupon he concludes Whosoeuer leaneth not to the doctrine of the Roman Church and of the Bishop of Rome as vnto the infallible Rule of God of which Doctrine the holy Scripture taketh force and authoritie he is an heretike And for a further confirmation of this beliefe Gretzerus the Iesuite makes this conclusion Id solum pro verbo Dei veneramur ac suscipimus qd nobis Pontifex ex Cathedra Petri c. Def c. 1. l. 1. de Verbo Dei p. 16. Wee doe receiue and reuerence that onely for the Word of God which the Pope as supreame Master of the Christians and Iudge of all controversies doth determine in the Chaire of Peter Now if it happen that some Proselyte of a tender conscience should make some scruple whether the Pope ought to be heard and obeyed when hee is a murderer a Sorcerer and a wilfull subuerter of the truth as some Popes haue been Hosius their Doctour wisheth them not to trouble theÌ„selues with such idle curiosities Iudas ne sit an Petrus au Paulus Deus atteÌ„di non vult sed soluÌ„ hoc qd sedet in Cathedrâ Petri de cuius ore legem requirere iussus est Hoc soluÌ„ spectari vult Hos in Confess Petricouien ca. 29. God will neuer haue thee consider saith he whether the Pope bee a Iudas or a Peter or a Paul it is sufficient onely that he sitteth in Peters chaire that hee is an Apostle that he is Christs Ambassadour that he is the Angell of the Lord of Hostes from whose mouth thou art commanded to require the Law This thing onely Christ would haue thee to consider Againe admit a Councel a whole congregation of men should make a doubt whether the Pope may erre and by reason of that scruple would not readily obey him Cardinall Bellarmine by way of preuention Si autem Papa erraret praecipiendo vitia vel prohibendo virtutes teneretur Ecclesia credere vitia esse bona et virtutes malas nisi vellet contra conscientiaÌ„ peccare Bell de Pont. li. 4. c. 5. giues them this lesson If the Pope should so farre foorth erre as to command vices and forbid vertues the Church were bound to beleeue that vices are good and vertues are euill vnlesse shee will sinne against her owne conscience Heere is an implicite faith commanded let the Popes doctrine bee true or false if the Romanists will resigne vp their senses and vnderstanding to this Vertuall Church which is the Pope they shall haue a Priest Cardinall for their Tutors but by their leaue they may make shipwracke of their faith by being their Disciples I proceed from an implicite faith to a blinâ— obedience and therein I will giue you a remarkeable example from another Schooleman who aboue all things doeth honour and commend a blinde obedience to the Church that is to the Pope Gregorie de Valentia tells vs of an Italian Merchant of Placentia who reasoned and resolued with himselfe in this manner I hold it is better to professe the Romane Religion Laurent disceptatio Theolog. pag. 5. then the Lutheran First because I can briefly learne the Roman faith for if I say what the Pope sayes and deny what the Pope denies and if he speake and I hearken vnto him this alone is sufficient for mee but if I should bee a Lutheran I must learne a Catechisme I must search the Scriptures which in trueth I cannot intend when I must look after the Ships of Italy and my Merchandise beyond the Seas You haue heard the reason why this Layman did dislike the Protestants Religion and what was the rule of his Roman faith now heare what iudgement this learned Schooleman giues concerning this Merchant DeuÌ„ nihil habiturum God saieth he will haue nothing to lay to the charge of this man at the dreadfull day of Iudgement To say nothing of this presumption I pray God that Pagans Infidels who knew not Christ arise not vp in Iudgment against them that teach such doctrine for whereas
that the Pope can do more then God can do for God cannot lye saith the Apostle Howsoeuer the Pope in this is much beholding to this Cardinall for without this exception of sinne the Pope could not haue beene Antichrist since hee must bee The man of Sinne. Neither is this man different in opinion from his fellow Romanists for Cornelius Bitonto pronounced openly in the Councell of Trent Conc. Trid. sub Paulo 3. Orat. Cornel. Ep. Bitont Who will so vniustly weigh things but he will say the Pope is the light that commeth into the world Thus the Cardinal hath equalled him with God the Father excepto peccato and the Bishop hath giuen him the proper attribute of Christ and that an Infallibilitie might be granted him Salmeron the Iesuite proclaimes it for a certaine trueth Tom. 1. prolog 9. princ 5. Can. 1. c. 1. ad Hier. The Lord promised his Spirit to Christs Vicar and the successor of Peter and by his authoritie hee determines all matters of Faith So that from these seuerall assertions wee may confidently affirme that either the Pope hath the Office of the holy Ghost giuen him to leade him into all truth Reuel 13.5 7. or certainly There was giuen vnto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies to make warre with the Saints and to ouercome them First therefore let vs examine vpon what ground the Popes infallibilitie may be prooued and whether it bee receiued as a doubtfull opinion or as an Article of faith Touching the first according to their seuerall fancies Non Cathedra facit SacerdoreÌ„ sed Sacerdos CathedraÌ„ Chrysost the Romanists haue deuised seuerall reasons some pretend that the truth is annexed to the Chaire as if Christ had prayed for his Tribunals Courts Consistories others deriue it from the example of Caiphas who being High Priest by vertue of his office rightly prophecied of Christ and consequently QuaÌ„do Deus voluit etiaÌ„ matuÌ„ immentum rationabilitèr loquutuÌ„ est Nec ideò admoniti sunt homines in deliberationibê° suis etiam Asinina expectare consilia Aug Epist 58. the Pope cannot faile in Iudgement A wittie argument no doubt and available for the Deuill himselfe for by the same reason the Deuil may conclude that he hath also the Spirit of God for he testified of Christ I know thou art Christ the Son of the liuing God Now the Apostle doth witnesse accordingly that No man can say the Lord Iesus but in the spirit of trueth 1 Cor. 12. He therfore that shall reade in the 11. of Iohn that Caiphas did not speake of himselfe but as High Priest was guided by the spirit of prophesie let him take his answere from Saint Matthew Math. 26. that Caiphas himselfe the very same yeere being high Priest did publikely and Iudicially pronounce our Sauiour a blasphemer and I thinke none will say that this iudgement of his proceeded froÌ„ the holy Ghost vnlesse he wil say when the Pope speaketh the truth he doth it vnawares like Caiphas when his heart and purpose was bent to ouerthrow the truth There are others that coÌ„fesse the Pope may erre as man but not as Pope as if his Manhood his Popedome had two capacities and were in two distinct persons Plato a heathen Philosopher did note it as a thing ridiculous that one in his dayes did maintaine Plato de Repub. lib. â—â—thuasm A Magistrate could not erre as Magistrate nor Prince as Prince And their owne Alphonsus à Castro scoffes at the Dominicans Eos non vereri coram â—opulo iactare et dicere qui semel habitum illius Ordinis susceperit non posse in fide errare deficere Alph. lib 1. de haeres cap 9. for that they were wont to brag before the people that those which haue once vsed the habit of their Order could not erre nor faile in faith Shall we say then that this new Diuinitie was learned from some old Philosopher or that the Pope is chosen out of the Order of Dominicans which haue the gift of Infallibilitie Glaber Rodolphus who was liuing in the time of Benedict the Ninth tells vs that Benedict was chosen Pope at ten yeeres olde shall wee say then that this child had infallibilitie and could not erre or must wee beleeue the Trueth was annexed to his Chaire and that he was able to guide the whole Church and direct a whole Councell when hee knew not the principles of Religion Againe what shal we say of hereticall and wicked Popes who haue neither Faith nor Religion If we peruse the Councell of Basil Eugenium contemptorem sacroruÌ„ Canonum pacis et veritatis Ecclesiae Dei perturbatorem notorium c. Conc Basil Sess 34. Baron ann 985. n 1. we shall find Pope Eugenius condemned and deposed for a despiser of the holy Canons a Symonist a forsworne man a man incorrigible a schismatike a man fallen from the faith and a wilfull heretique Boniface the seuenth saith Baronius was a verie villaine a Church-robber a sauage thiefe the cruell murderer of two Popes and the invader of Peters Chaire Iohn the 13 was accused and detected in a Synode of Bishops Sigon reg Ital lib. 7. ann 963. for murders adulteries incests periuries and other vices of all sorts Alexander the sixth Mach. de Princ c. 18. gaue his mind to nothing but villeny and fraud Mart. Pol. ann 986. Platin. in Syluest 2. whereby to deceiue men Syluester the second leauing his Monastery betooke himselfe wholly to the Deuil by whose helpe hee gate the Popedome vpon condition that after his death he should be the deuils both body and soule Must wee beleeue these Popes were guided by the holy Spirit and led into all truth that the trueth was annexed to their Chaire and not to their Persons must wee acknowledge for what vertue wee know not that these Bishops were the Virtuall and totall Church were these the right successors of Peter in faith and doctrine or shall we say they erred as men but not as Popes they erred in their Pallace but not in their Consistorie they erred in matters of fact but not in matters of Faith These things are so groundlesse in themselues that they rather deserue laughter then an answer Aliud stans Aliud sedens they are riddles without sense that a man not a Pope in a stoole not in the Chaire in a company not in a Councel may failâ— and not erre wander but not goe astray misse the trueth but not doe amisse Cardinal Cusanus was so far from the beliefe of this new doctrine that hee ieasted at Pope Eugenius and vnder that pretext derided the Infallibilitie of the Pope Quomodo potest Papa Eugenius dicere hoc veruÌ„ esse si ipse velit et non alitèr Cusan de Concord Cath. lib. 2. cap. 29. How can Pope Eugenius saith heâ— tell this is true if he will haue it so and not otherwise as though the inspiration