to performe what hee had constantly spoken But what was the chiefe matter of their iust reproofe That they had not beleeued his wordes nor giuen due credence to his workes Dull no doubt they had beene in not esteeming better of both vnwise in not learning more of him that taught as neuer man taught but as in them hee teacheth vs most dull and most vnwise euen fooles and slowe of heart in not beleeuing all that the Prophets had spoken Ought not Christ to haue suffered these things as if hee had said Is it possible your ignorance in them should be so grosse as not to knowe that Christ was thus to suffer and so to enter into his glory 2. You will say perchance they did not well in giuing so little attention and credite to the Prophets whose light should haue led them vnto Christ but now that they haue light on him in person without their helpe onely by his seeking them shall not hee who was the end and scope of all propheticall writings teach them all He will but not by relying onely vpon his infallible authoritie This aedifice of faith must bee framed vpon the foundation laide by the Prophets For this reason happily our Sauiour would not bewray himselfe to be their infallible teacher vntill he had made them by euidence of Scripture by true sence and feeling of his spirit beleeue and knowe the truth which he taught to be infallible Hee had opened their hearts by opening the Scriptures vnto them before their eyes were open to discerne his person for he began at Moses and at all the Prophets and interpreted vnto them in all the Scriptures the things which were written of him Stedfast beliefe then of any mans authoritie must spring out of the solide experience of his skill and trueth of his doctrine These two disciples might now resolue their hearts that this was he who Iohn said should baptize with the holy Ghost and with fire when by the working of his spirit their hearts did burne within them whiles hee talked with them and opened the Scriptures vnto them Though before they had receiued Iohn Baptists witnesse of the trueth as a tie or fest to stay their fleeting faith yet now they would not receiue the record of man there is another that beareth witnesse of him the spirit of trueth which hath imprinted his doctrine in their hearts 3. Would the Pope who challengeth Christs place on earth amongst his liuing members and requires we should beleeue his wordes as well as these Disciples did Christs but expound those Scriptures vnto vs which Christ did to them with like euidence and efficacie could hee make our hearts thus burne within by opening the secret mysteries of our saluation wee would take him for Christs Vicar and beleeue indeede hee were infallibly assisted by the holy spirit But seeing hee and his followers inuert our Sauiours methode by calling the certaintie of both Testaments in question telling vs we cannot knowe them to be Gods word vnlesse it shall please this Romane God to giue his word for them or confirme their trueth seeing this his pretended confirmation is not by manifesting the mysteries of our saluation so distinctly and clearely as Christ did vnto these Disciples nor by affoording vs the true sence and feeling of the spirit in such ardent manner as they enioyed it and yet accurseth vs if we beleeue not his words as well as they did their Redeemers wee may hence take a perfect measure of that mouth of blasphemies spoken of by Saint Iohn according to all the three dimensions contained in the three assertions prefixed to the beginning of this Section Nor can the reader imagine either any other forepassed like vnto it or yet to come likely to proue more abominable if it shall but please him to suruay the length and breadth of it but especially the profunditie 4. The length of it I make that assertion The Pope must bee as well beleeued as either Christ was whilest hee liued on earth or his Apostles after his glorification The breadth His absolute authoritie must be for extent as large and ample as Christs should be were he on earth againe or that commission he gaue to his Disciples Goe Preach the Gospell to euery creature his directions must goe foorth throughout all the earth and his wordes vnto the endes of the world The depth is much greater then the space betweene heauen and hell For if you would drawe a line from the Zenith to the Nadir through the Center it would scarce be a gag long enough for this monstrous mouth so wide as hell cannot conceiue a greater The depth I gather partly from the excesse of Christs worth either arising from his personall vnion with the Godhead his sanctitie of life and conuersation or from his hyperpropheticall spirit and aboundant miracles For looke how much he exceedes any but meere man in al these by so much doth the Pope though supposed as not obnoxious to any crime make his authoritie and fauour with God greater then Christs which is the semidiameter of this mouth of blasphemies The other part equall herevnto in quantitie but for the qualitie more tainted with the dregges of Hell ariseth from that opposition the Popes spirit hath vnto Christ or from the luxury and beastly manners of the Papacie erected by Satan as it were of purpose to pollute the world with monstrous sinnes and to derogate as much from mankinde as true Christianitie doth aduance it finally to make the Christian world as much more wicked as Christs Disciples Apostles and faithfull followers are better then the heathen Nor doth the Pope exact beliefe onely without miracles or manifestation of a propheticall spirit but contrary to all notions of good and euill common to Christians and Heathens and as it were in despite of the prophecies that haue deciphered him for Antichrist What heathen Philosopher could with patience haue endured to heare that a dissolute luxurious tyrāt could not though in matters of this life giue wrong sentence out of the seate of Iustice The Iesuites teach it as an Article of faith that the Pope albeit a dissolute and vngracious tyrant Mankinds reproach the disgrace of Christianity cannot possibly giue an erroneous sentence ex cathedra no not in mysteries of religion But as if it were a small thing thus impudently to contradict nature and grieue the soules of ingenuous men vnlesse they also grieue their God seeking as it were to crosse his spirit by holding opiniōs not onely contradictory but most cōtrary to his sacred rules they importune the Christian world with tumultuous clamours to take that which the spirit hath giuen as the demonstratiue character of great Antichrist the olde serpents chiefe confederate for the infallible cognisance of Christs Vicar the very signet of his beloued Spouse Nor will they I know though friendly admonished cease henceforth to vrge their outworn arguments drawne from antiquity vniuersality from that reuerence
many places bee certaine of it vnlesse Tradition be assistant It is an offer worth the taking that here he makes That the sense of Scriptures is the sword of the spirit This is as much as wee contend that the sense of the Scripture is the Scripture Whence the inference is immediately necessary That if the Romish Church binde vs to belieue or absolutely practise ought contrary to the true sense and meaning of Scriptures with the like deuotion we doe Gods expresse vndoubted commandements she preferres her owne authority aboue Gods word and makes vs acknowledge that allegiance vnto her which we owe vnto the spirit For suppose wee had as yet no full assurance of the spirit for the contradictory sense to that giuen by the Church we were in christian duty to expect Gods prouidence and inuoke the spirits assistance for manifestation of the truth from all possibility wherof wee desperately exclude our selues if wee belieue one mans testimony of the spirit as absolutely irreuoucably as we would do the manifest immediate testimony of the spirit yet Sacroboscus acknowledgeth hee beliues the mystery of the Trinity as it is taught by their Church onely for the Churches authority and yet this hee beleeues as absolutely as hee doth yea as hee could belieue any other diuine Reuelation though extraordinarily made vnto himselfe 3 In both parts of beliefe aboue mentioned the causall dependance of our faith vpon the Churches proposals may be imagined three wayes eyther whilest it is in planting or after it is planted or from the first beginning of it to it full growth or from it first entrance into our hearts vntill our departure out of this world How farre and in what sort the Ministery of men in the Church is auaileable for planting faith hath been declared heretofore Eyther for the planting or supporting it the skill or authority of the teachers reaches no further then to quicken or strengthen our internal taste or apprehension of the diuine truth reuealed in Scriptures or to raise or tune our spirites as Musicke did Elishahs the better to perceiue the efficacy of Gods spirit imprinting the stampe of those diuine Reuelations in our hearts whose Characters are in our braines The present Churches proposals in respect of our beliefe is but as the Samaritan womans report was vnto the men of Sichars Many sayth the Euangelist belieued in him for the saying of the woman which testified he hath told mee all things that euer I did But this beliefe was as none in respect of that which they conceiue immediately from his owne words For they saide vnto the woman Now wee belieue not because of thy saying for we haue heard him our selues and know that this is indeede the Christ. The eare sayeth Iob tryeth the words as the mouth tasteth meates Consonant hereto is our Churches doctrine that as our bodily mouthes taste and trie meates immediately without interposition of any other mans sense or iudgement of them so must the eares of our soules trie and discerne diuine truthes without relying on other mens proposals or reports of their rellish No externall meanes whatsoeuer can in eyther case haue any vse but onely eyther for working a right disposition in the Organ whereby triall is made or by occasioning the exercise of the faculty rightly disposed How essentially faith by our aduersaries doctrine dependes vpon the churches authority is euident out of the former discourses that this dependance is perpetuall is as manifest in that they make it the iudge and rule of faith such an indefectible rule and so authentique a Iudge as in all points must be followed and may not be so far examined eyther by Gods written law or rules of nature whether it contradict not it selfe or them 4 It remaines we examine the particular maner of this dependance or what the Churches infallibility doth or can performe eyther to him that belieues or to the obiect of his beleefe whēce a Romane Catholikes faith should become more firme or certaine then another mans It must enlighten eyther his soule that it may see or diuine reuelations that they may be seene more clearely otherwise he can exceed others onely in blinde beleefe The cunningest Sophister in that schoole strictly examined vpon these points will bewray that monstrous blasphemy which some shallow braines haue hitherto hoped to couer Wee haue the same Scriptures they haue and peruse them in all the languages they doe What is it then can hinder eyther them from manifesting or vs from discerning their Truth or true meaning manifested Doe we want the Churches proposall we demand how their present Church it selfe can better discerne them then ours may what testimonie of antiquity haue they which we haue not But it may be we want spectacles to read them our Church hath but the eyes of priuate men which cannot see without a publike light Their Churches eyes are Cat-like able so to illustrate the obiects of Christian faith as to make them cleare and perspicuous to it selfe though darke and inuisible vnto vs. Suppose they could Yet Cats-eyes benefit not by-standers a whit for seeing colours in darknes albeit able themselues to see them without any other light then their owne The visible Church saith the Iesuite is able to discerne all diuine truth by her infallible publique spirit How knowes he this certainly without an infallible publique spirit perhaps as men see Cats-eyes shine in the darke when their owne doe not Let him beleeue so But what doth this beleefe aduantage him or other priuate spirits for the cleare distinct or perfect sight of what the Church proposeth Doth the proposall make diuine Truthes more perspicuous in themselues Why then are they not alike perspicuous to all that heare reade or know the Churches testimonie of them Sacroboscus hath said al that possibly can be said on their behalfe in this difficultie The Sectaries albeit they should vse the authoritie of the true Church yet cannot haue any true beleefe of the truth reuealed If the vse of it be as free to them as to Catholikes what debarres them from this benefit They doe not acknowledge the sufficiencie of the Churches proposall And as a necessary proofe or medium is not sufficient to the attayning of science vnlesse a man vse and acknowledge it formally as necessary so for establishing true faith it sufficeth not that the Church sufficiently proposeth the points to be beleeued or auoweth them by that infallible authoritie wherewith Christ hath enabled her to declare both what bookes containe Doctrines Diuine and what is the true sense of places controuersed in them but it is further necessary that wee formally vse this proposall as sufficient and embrace it as infallible 5 The reason then why a Romane Catholique rightly beleeues the Truth or true meaning of Scriptures when a Protestant that knowes the Churches testimonie as well as he in both points vncertaine is because the Catholique infallibly beleeues the Churches authority to bee
this Apostasie of the Iesuites is the most abhominable and contumelious against the blessed Trinitie pag. 300. THE TRIPLICITIE OF ROMISH BLASPHEMIE OR THE THREE DEGREES OF ANTICHRISTS EXALTATION Against all that is called GOD. THE THIRD BOOKE SECT I. Contayning the assertions of the Romish Church whence her threefold blasphemie springs HAuing in the former dispute clearly acquitted as well Gods word from breeding as our Church from nursing contentions schismes and heresies wee may in this by course of common equitie more freely accuse their iniurious calumniators And because our purpose is not to charge them with forgerie of any particular though grossest heresies or blasphemies though most hideous but for erecting an intire frame capacioâ—s of all villanies imaginable farre surpassing the hugest mathematicall forme humane fancie could haue conceiued of such matters but only from inspection of this reall and materiall patterne which by degrees insensible hath growne vp with the mysterie of iniquitie as the barke doth with the tree such inconsiderate passionate speeches as heat of contention in personall quarrells hath exstracted from some one or few of their priuate Writers shall not be produced to giue euidence against the Church their Mother whose triall shall be as farre as may be by her Peeres either by her owne publike determinations in this controuersie or ioynt consent of her authorized best approued Advocates in opening the title or vnfolding the contents of that prerogatiue which they challenge for her 2 Our accusations are grounded vpon their Positions before set downe when wee explicated the differences betwixt vs. The position in briefe is this That the infallible authoritie of the present Church is the most sure most safe vndoubted rule in all doubts or controuersies of faith or in all points concerning the Oracles of God by which we may certainely know both without which wee cannot possibly know either which are the Oracles of God which not or what is the true sense and meaning of such as are receiued for his Oracles whether written or vnwritten 3 The extent of diuine Oracles or number of Canonicall bookes hath beene as our Aduersaries pretend very questionable amongst the ancient though such of the Fathers as for their skill in antiquitie were in all vnpartiall iudgements most competent Iudges in this cause were altogether for vs against the Romanists and such as were for their opinion were but for it vpon an error as thinking the Iewes had acknowledged all those bookes of the old Testament for Canonicall Scripture which the Churches wherin they liued receiued for such or that the Christian Church did acknowledge all for Canonical which they allowed to be publikely read Safe it was our aduersaries cannot denie for the Ancient to dissent one from an other in this question or to suspend their assent till new probabilities might sway them one way or other No reasons haue beene produced since sufficient to moue any ingenious mind vnto more peremptorie resolutions yet doth the Councell of Trent binde all to an absolute acknowledgement of those Bookes for Canonicall which by their owne confession were reiected by S. Hierome and other Fathers If any shall not receiue the whole Bookes with all their parts vsually read in the Church and as they are extent in the old vulgar for sacred and Canonicall let him be accuâ—sed So are all by the same decree that will not acknowledge such vnwritten traditions as the Romish Church pretends to haue come from Christ and his Apostles for diuine and of authoritie equall with the written word 4 So generally is this opinion receiued so fully beleeued in that Church That many of her Sonnes euen whilest they write against vs forgetting with whom they haue to deale take it as granted That the Scriptures cannot be known to be Gods word but by the infallible authoritie of the present Church And from this supposition as from a truth sufficiently knowne though neuer proued they labour in the next place to inferre That without submission of our faith to the Churches publike spirit wee cannot infallibly distinguish the orthodoxall or diuine sense of Gods Oracles whether written or vnwritten from hereticall or humane 5 Should we admit vnwritten Traditions and the Church withall as absolute Iudge to determine which were Apostolicall which not little would it boote vs to question with them about their meaning For when the point should come to triall wee might be sure to haue the very words framed to whatsoeuer sense should bee most fauourable for iustifying Romish practises And euen of Gods written Oracles whose words or characters as hee in his wisedome hath prouided cannot now be altered by an Index Expurgatorius at their pleasure That such a sense as shall bee most seruiceable for their turne may as time shall minister occasion bee more commodiously gathered the Trent Fathers immediately after the former decree for establishing vnwritten Traditions and amplifying the extent of diuine written Oracles haue in great wisedome authorized the old and vulgar translation of the whole Canon Which though it were not purposely framed to maintayne Poperie as some of our writers say they haue as friuolously as maliciously obiected yet certainely aswell the escapes and errors of those vnskilfull or ill-furnished interpretors as the negligence of transcribers or other defects incident to that worke from the simplicitie of most ancient the iniuries or calamities of insuing times were amongst others as the first heads or pettie springs of that raging floud of impietie which had well nigh drowned the whole Christian world in perdition by continually receiuing into it channell once thus wrought the dregs and filth of euery other error vnder heauen with the corrupt remainder of former heresies for these thousand yeares and more And vnto many grosse errors in Romish religion which this imperfect translation did not first occasion it yet affords that countenance which the pure Fountaines of the Greeke and Hebrew doe not but rather would scoure and wipe away were they current in that Church Finally though it yeld not nutriment to enlarge or feed yet it serues as a cloake to hide or couer most parts of the great mysterie of iniquitie 6 Yet besides the fauourable construction that may be made for that religion out of the plaine and literall sense of this erroneous translation the Church will bee absolute Iudge of all controuersies concerning the right interpretation thereof So as not what our consciences vpon diligent search and iust examination shall witnesse to vs but what the Church shall declare to them must be absolutely acknowledged for the true intent and meaning of Gods word as it is rendred by the vulgar interpretor To this purpose is the very next decree 7 Moreouer for brideling petulant dispositions it is decreed That no man in confidence of his owne wisdome or skill in matters of faith and manners making for the edification of Christian doctrine shall dare to interpret Scriptures wresting them to his
Gods working in miracles effected by his owne immediate peculiar power without the coagencie of any inferiour or created cause he may resolue of himselfe alone not consulting his Cardinals Bishops or others This power and libertie the Trent Councell it selfe seemes to giue vnto the Pope as it were for an vp-shot to all the fooles thunderbolts they had let slie before And least any man should thinke this absolute acknowledgement of the Popes plenarie power to be a Counsell rather then a necessarie precept The Cathechisme published by the Trent Councels authoritie hath inserted amongst the Articles of faith That the present Pope is the sole visible head of the whole Christian Church though Christ the inuisible The meaning of which if I mistake not is this That the Pope concerning the points aboue mentioned hath as absolute power in Christs absence as Christ himselfe should haue were he present or shall haue in that day of finall iudgement wherein if these mens positions bee true he shall haue nothing to doe in matters of saith but onely to ratisie what the Pope hath defined who must not be called to any account of his Spirituall as Kings and Monarchs must be for their Temporall Stewardships nor shall it be said to him as it must be to some of them Well done thou good and faithfull Seruant For such men onely by our aduersaries Doctrine doe well as might haue done ill but the Pope liue as hee list cannot possibly doe a misse in determining matters of Faith which are of all that are of greatest difficultie and consequence 14 When first I reade Iosephus Acoste I much wondred to see a man otherwise of an ingenuous spirit and of partes so excellent so zealous withall for the Popes Supremacie But now I perceiue the reason was all priuate Catechismes were to bee conformed vnto that publique one authorized by the Councell and Pope Amongst other contents of that Article of the Catholique Church almost quite omitted in the former Indian Catechismes Acostaes aduise is to haue this inserted as an essentiall part That the Pope is head of the Catholique Church Christs Vicar on earth indued with his plenarie power to whom all other Christians Kings and Princes not excepted owe obedience These allegations may testifie our sinceritie in proposing the state of the question and points of difference betwixt vs gathered not out of one or two but the generall agreement of best Romish Writers and whereunto Valentian were hee aliue would willingly subscribe For he as since I haue obserued proposeth the title of his maine Controuersie concerning the Churches authoritie in tearmes aequiualent to those I vsed Lib. 2. Section 1. Cap. 3. and Lib. 1. Parag. Vlt. SECT II. The first branch of Romish blasphemie in preferring humane authoritie before Diuine AGainst these late recited and infinite other aequiualent assertions frequent in their publique determinations and best priuate Writers our Writers vsually obiect If the Church be iudge of Scriptures her authoritie must be aboue the Scriptures If the sense of Scripture without the Church or Popes asseueration or proposall be not authentique nor apt to beget most firme beleefe then the word of God must receiue strength and authoritie from the word of man Some Romish Writers grant the inference with this restraint In respect of vs and yet wipe their mouthes with the whore in the Prouerbe as if they had neither commited Idolatrie nor spoken blasphemie But Bellarmine was too cunning a Baude to expose his mothers foule face to publique view without more artificiall painting CHAP. I. Bellarmines Reply to the maine obiection iointly vrged by all Reformed Churches against the Romish the Equiuocation which hee sought in the obiection apparently found in his Reply 1 THE former argument howsoeuer much esteemed by such as bring it yet in Bellarmines iudgment is very weake and as hee suspects sicke of his owne disease Totum in aequiuocatione versatur The aequiuocation he seeketh to vnfold with this distinction The former speeches may admit a double sence First their meaning may bee that the Church doth iudge whether that which the Scriptures teach be true or false Or SecoÌ„dly This sure foundation of faith being first laid The words of Scripture are most infallible and true The Church doth iudge which is the true interpretation or meaning of them This distinction he applieth thus The former obiectuns were pertinent if we held the Pope or Councell to determine of Scriptures in the former sence but taking our right meaning they are meere calumnies For we affirme the Church to iudge Scriptures onely in the later and so to iudge them doth not set the Church or Pope aboue Scriptures but aboue the iudgment of priuate men Nor doth the Church by this assertion become a Iudge of Scriptures truth but of priuate mens vnderstanding Neither will it hence follow that the word of God recetueth strength from the word of man but priuate mens knowledge may and doth receiue strength and infallibilitie from the Church Finally the Scripture or Word of God as Bellarmine thinkes is neither more true or certaine because it is expounded by the Church but euerie mans opinion is more true and stable when it is confirmed by the Churches exposition or decision Hee hath said as much as the whole Councell of Trent could haue said for themselues But let vs see if this be enough 2 A priuate mans opinion saith Bellarmine is truer when it is confirmed by the Church If we had only an opinion of the truth or sence of Scriptures the consent of others especially men skilfull in such maters would indeede much confirme vs for all opinions or vncertaine perswasions receiue increase of strength from addition of probabilities But his words are more generall and concerne not onely vncertaine but all perswasions that a faithfull man in this life can haue of Gods Word at least of those writings which wee and they acknowledge for such and the marke he aimes at is That no perswasion in diuine matters can be certaine without the Churches confirmation as hee expressely addeth in his answere to the next argument 3 If the Reader will be attentiue hee shall easily perceiue that not our Writers obiections but Bellaâ—mines answere is tainted with aequiuocation For this speech of his The Church doth iudge whether that which the Scriptures teach be true or false hath a double and doubtfull sence It may be meant either Of Scriptures taken indefinitly or indeterminately for that which God hath spoken whatsoeuer that be Of those particular Scriptures which wee and they acknowledge or any determinate written or vnwritten precepts questionable whether they were from God or no. 4 If we speake of Scriptures in the former sence Bellarmines answere is true For the Romish Church doth not take vpon her to iudge whether that which is supposed or acknowledged by all for Gods word be most true in it proper natiue but
indeterminate sence seeing this is a Maxim vnquestionable amongst al such as haue any notion of a Dietie Whatsoeuer God hath spoken is most true in that sense wherein he meant it But if we descend to any determinate speeches written or vnwritten either acknowledged or supposed for Gods Word or such as can but ground any possible question whether they are Gods Words or no the present Romish Church doth take vpon her absolutely to iudge of all and euerie part of them For this is the very abstract or abridgement of that infinite prerogatiue which she challengeth all men must infallibly beleeue that to be Gods Word which she commends that not to be his Word which she disclaimes for such So as onely the former transcendent and indeterminate truth Whatsoeuer God saith is true is exempt from the Popes vnlimited transcendent roiall sentence no other word or syllable of truth which wee can imagine God hath or might haue spoken since the World began either by his owne or his sonnes mouth by the Ministery of his Angels Prophets Apostles or Euangelists but is euery way absolutely subiect to the Popes Monarchichall censure 5 And heere let not the Reader mistake it as any argument of our aduersaries ingenuity that they will for their owne aduantage vouchsafe to grant what no heathen Idolater did euer deny Whatsoeuer God saith is true For vnlesse this were granted by all the Pope could haue no possible grounds of pretence or claime to his absolute infallibility or infinite supremacie ouer all And that which his hirelings seeke to build vpon the former foundation is Whatsoeuer the Pope hath said or shall say ex cathedra is most true because if we descend to any determinate truthes wee must beleeue that God hath spoken all and onely that which the Pope hath alreadie testified or when any question ariseth shall testifie he hath spoken In fine the present Pope by their positions is Gods onely liuing mouth onely alsufficient to iustifie or authentically witnesse all his wordes past all which without him are vnto vs as dead Whence they must of necessitie admit the same proportion betwixt the present Popes and Gods acknowledged written word or supposed vnwritten veritie which in ciuill matters we make betwixt acredible mans personall auouchment or liuing testimonie of what he hath seene heard or knowne by vndoubted experience and another mans heresay report either of the matters he spake of his speeches themselues or their true sence and meaning after his death For the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists to vse their words are dead and Christ is absent so as we can neither be certaine what they haue spoken or what they meant in their supposed speeches but per viuam vocem Ecclesiae by the liuing voice of the present visible Church whose words are altogether as vnfallible as Gods owne words were And for this reason must bee acknowledged a most absolute Iudge of Gods written and vnwritten words aswell of their Spirituall sence and meaning as of their outward frame or visible character This is the height of their iniquitie and will inferre more then our purposed conclusion in this Section That euen of such places as are acknowledged by them for Gods Word we mus not beleeue any determinate sence or meaning but what the Pope shall expressely giue or may be presumed to allow of 6 This Doctrine as I would request the Reader to obserue brings the second and third person in Trinitie on the one partie and the Pope on the other to as plaine and euident competition for Rule or Soueraigntie ouer professed Christians faith as God and Baal were at in Elias time This ther Doctrine thus in shew grounded vpon indeed and issue most opposite to Scriptures is the true Spirituall Inquisition house whereof that materiall or bodily one is but a Tipe These following are the ioynts or limmes of that racke of conscience whereunto all such as are or would bee true members of Christ but willing withall to hold their Vnion with the Pope as Visible head of the Church are daily and howerly subiect First their soules are tied by surest bondes of faith and nature vnto this principle Whatsoeuer God hath said is most true the Iesuites againe seeke to fasten their faith and conscience as strongly vnto this God speakes whatsoeuer the Pope speakes ex cathedra This third likewise must be beleeued as an Oracle of God euen by Papists for the Pope hath spoken it ex cathedra The Bookes of Moses the Prophets the foure Euangelists are Gods Wordes VVhatsoeuer these haue spoken we contend all should beleeue for Gods own Word vpon such groundes as Saint Peter did from experience of their life-working sence communicate vnto them by hearing reading meditating or practize But the Pope vpon some controuersies arising propounds a sence of these writings or of some part of them quite contrarie to that which brought the former comfort to our soules a sence to all vnpartiall sences contradictorie to the places iointly acknowledged for Gods Word A sence the more wee thinke on in sobrietie the more wee dislike a sence the more earnestly we pray to God for his Spirits assistance and other good meanes for the right vnderstanding of his Word and encrease of faith the more stil we distaste and loath Here vnlesse we let goe some one or more of the mentioned holdfasts of faith either the first Whatsoeuer God saith is true or the second Whatsoeuer the Pope saith God saith or the third The Mosaicall Euangelicall and Apostolicall writings or those particular places about whose sence the controuersie is were spoken by God our soules are put to more violent torture then Rauilaicks bodie was But the true Papists are wise enough to slippe the third or last so as it shall not pinch them and haue a tricke withal to make the First yeeld what way they please who are resolued to follow what way soeuer it shall please the Popes authoritie whereunto their soules indeede are onely tied to lead them But of such as euer had or hope to haue any tast or relish of Gods Spirit should resolue absolutely to beleeue his interpretation of any place of Scripture contrarie to that life-working sence which must bee in euery heart endued with hope of seeing God that mans disloialtie towards God and his Holy Spirit is as impudent as if a poore subiect should reply vnto his Prince commanding him in expresse termes to doe thus or so I will not beleeue your wordes haue any such meaning as they naturally import but a contrarie such as one of my fellow seruants hath alreadie acquainted mee withall whatsoeuer you say I know your meaning is I should beleeue him in al things concerning your will and pleasure and whatsoeuer he shall enioyne that will doe 8 thâ—â— neither the Church can prooue the Scriptures nor the Scriptures the Churches authoritie was proued in the fourth SectioÌ„ of the former Book that such as hold this damnable doctrine
some part of Gods Word reuealed for our aduersaries acknowledge all points of faith should bee resolued into the first truth Hence if wee descend to any particular or determinate conclusion of faith it must be gathered in his Syllogisme Whatsoeuer the Church teacheth concerning the determinate and true sence of Scriptures whereon points of Faith are grounded is most true But the Church teacheth thus and thus for example her owne authoritie is infallibly taught by the Holy Ghost in these wordes Peter feede my sheepe Peter I haue prayed for thee that thy faith should not faile goe this sence and meaning of these wordes is most true And as true as it is must the sence likewise of euery proposition or part of Scripture by this Church expounded or declared be accounted 2 The Maior proposition of this Syllogisme is as vndoubted amongst the Roman Catholiques as the maior of the former was vnto all Christians but as yet the minor The Church doth giue this or that sence of this or that determinate place may be as vncertaine indeed as they would make our beleefe vnto the minor proposition in the generall Syllogisme before it bee confirmed by the Churches authoritie For how can we be certain that the Church doth teach all those particulars which the Iesuites propose vnto vs wee haue Bookes indeede which goe vnder the name of the Trent Counsell but how shall wee know that this Counsell was lawfully assembled that some Canons haue not beene foisted in by priuate Spirits that the Councell left not some vnwritten tradition for explicating their decrees after another fashion then the Iesuites doe who shall assure vs in these or like doubtes The present Church All of vs cannot repaire to Rome such as can when they come thither cannot bee sure to heare the true Church speake ex Cathedra If the Pope send his Writs to assure vs what Critcicke so cunning as to assure vs whether they be authentike or counterfeite Finally for all that can bee imagined in this case onely the Maior of the Catholicke syllogisme indefinitely taken is certaine and consequently no particular or definite conclusion of faith can be certaine to a Romanist because there are no possible meanes of ascertaining the Minor What the true Church doth infallibly define vnto his Conscience 3 Or if they wil hold such conclusions as are ordinarily gathered from the Trent Councell or the Popes decisions as infallible points of faith they make their authoritie to be farre greater then the infallibilitie of Gods written word yea more infallible then the Deitie This Collection they would denie vnlesse it followed from their owne premisses These for example That a conclusion of faith cannot be gathered vnlesse the minor God did say this or that determinately be first made certaine But from the Pope or Churches infallibilitie conclusions of faith may be gathered albeit the minor be not certaine de fide For who can make a Iesuites report of the Popes Decrees or an Historicall relation of the Trent Councell certaine de fide as certaine as an Article of faith And yet the Doctrine of the Trent Councell and Popes Decrees must bee held de fide vpon paine of damnation albeit men take them onely from a Priests mouth or vpon a Iesuites faith and credit 4 This is the madnesse of that Antichristian Synagogue that acknowledgeth Gods Word for most infallible and the Scriptures which wee haue for his word if it selfe bee infallible For it tels vs they are such yet will not haue collections or conclusions with equall probabillitie deduced thence so firmely beleeued by priuate men as the collections or conclusions which are gathered from the Churches infallibilitie An implicit faith of particulars grounded vpon the Churches generall infallibilitie so men stedfastly beleeue it may suffice But implicit faith of particulars grounded onely vpon our generall beleefe of Gods infallibilitie prouidence or written word sufficeth not This prooues the authoritie of the Church to be aboue the authoritie of Scriptures or the Deitie absolutely considered not only in respect of vs that is all besides the Pope and his Cardinals For that is of more authoritie absolutely not onely in respect of vs which vpon equall notice or knowledge is to be better beleeued more esteemed or obeyed but such is the authoritie of the Church in respect of the diuine authoritie such is the authoritie of the Popes Decrees in respect of Gods Word For the Minor proposition in both the former Syllogismes being alike vncertaine the conclusion must bee more certaine in that Syllogisme whose maior relies vpon the Popes infallibilitie then in the other whose Maior was grounded vpon the infallibilitie of the Deitie 5 Briefly to collect the summe of all The authoritie of the Church is greater then the authoritie of Scriptures both in respect of faith and Christian obedience In respect of faith because we are bound to beleeue the Churches decisions read or explicated vnto vs by the Popes messenger though à Sir Iohn Lack-lattin without any appeale but no part of Scripture acknowledged by vs and them we may beleeue without appeale or submission of our interpretation to the Church albeit the true sence and meaning of it seeme neuer so plain vnto priuate consciences in whom Gods Spirit worketh faith The same argument is most firme and euident in respect of obedience 6 That authoritie ouer vs is alwayes greatest vnto which wee are to yeeld most immediate most strict and absolute obedience but by the Romish Churches Doctrine wee are to yeelde supreme and most absolute obedience to the Church more supreme and absolute then vnto Gods word therefore the authoritie of the Church is greater ouer vs. The Maior is out of controuersie seeing greatnesse of authoritie is alwayes measured by the manner of obedience due vnto it The Minor is as euident from the former reason Our obedience is more absolute and strict vnto that authoritie from which in no case we may appeale then vnto that from which wee may in many safely appeale but by the Romish Churches doctrine there lies alwayes an appeale from that sence and meaning of Scriptures which Gods spirit and our owne conscience giues vs vnto the Churches authoritie none from the Churches authoritie or meaning vnto the Scriptures or our owne consciences 7 Our Sauiour Christ bids vs search the Scriptures Saint Paul trie all retaine that which is good Saint Iohn trie the Spirits whether they bee of God or no Suppose a Minister of our Church should charge a Romanist vpon his allegiance to our Sauiour Christ and that obedience which he owes vnto Gods Word to search Scriptures trie spirits and examine Doctrines for the ratifying of his faith he will not acknowledge this to be a Commandemēt of Scripture or at least not to be vnderstood in such asense as may bind him to this practise What followes if our Clergie charge him to admit it he appeales vnto the Church And as in Schooles simus
supposed hoast then Christs reall body vncapable for any thing wee know of ioinct existence in the same place with any other howsoeuer most disproportionable to such base effects as must proceede from the substance contained vnder the visible shape of bread such as no accident could either breed or support 6 This is a point as is elsewhere obserued wherein Satan seemeth to triumph ouer the moderne Papists more then ouer all the Heathens of the old World whose sences onely hee deluded or bewitched their reason but quite inuerts all vse of these mens sence faith and reason making them beleeue Christs bodie to be present in the Sacrament after a supposed miraculous manner quite contrarie to the knowne nature of bodies and yet more preposterously contrarie to the very end and essence of miracles For what miracles were euer wrought to other purpose then to conuince the imperfect collections of humane reason by euidence of sense God vsing this inferiour or brutish part thus astonished by his presence to confute the curious folly of the superiour or diuine facultie of the soule as hee did sometimes the dumbe Asse to rebuke the iniquitie of the Prophet her Master But so preposterously doth Sathan ride the moderne Papists that hee is brought to beleeue a multitude of miracles against the euidence of sence or reason contrarie to the rule of faith all offered vp in sacrifice vnto the Prince of darknesse that he hauing put out the eyes of sense reason and spirit at once may euer after lead them what way he list And as vnhappie wagges or lewd companions may perswade blind men to beg an Almes as if some great personage did when as a troupe of more needie beggers then themselues passe by so is it much to bee dreadded least the Deuill perswade the blinded besotted Papist that Christ is present where he himselfe lies hid that hee may with heart and soule offer vp those prayers and duties vnto him which belong properly vnto God and worship in such manner before the boxes whereinto he hath secretly conuaid himselfe as the Israelites did before the arke of the Couenant 7 Vasquez thinkes we may without offence adore that bodie wherein the Deuill lurkes so we direct not our worship vnto him but to the inanimate Creature as representing the Creator Suppose this might be granted vpon some rare accident or extraordinarie manifestation of Gods power in some particular place in case men were ignorant or had no iust presumptions of any malignant spirits presence therein Yet were it damnable Idolatrie daily to practise the like especially where great probabilitie were of diabolical imposture which the solemne worship of any Creature without expresse warrant of Scripture will inuite Yet sense doth witnesse that Christ is not no Scripture doth warrant vs that he or any other liuing Creature vnlesse perhaps wormes or such as spring of putrifaction is present in their processions Notwithstanding all the expresse Commaundements of God brought by vs against their practise the Trent Councell accurseth all that denie Christs reall presence in procession or condemne the proposall of that consecrated substance to be publikely adored as God not so much as intimating any tollerable exposition of that Commandment which forbids vs to haue any Gods but one 8 To omit many more another instance sutable to the former and our present purpose wee haue in the decree of communicating vnder one kind Our Sauiour at his institution of this Sacrament gaue the cup aswell as the bread and with the cup alone this expresse iniunction Bibite ex hoc omnes Drinke all of this albeit none of his Disciples were consicients or such as did consecrate S. Paul recites the same institution in like words continued the practise in such Churches as he planted The Trent Councel acknowledgeth that the vse of the cup was not infrequent or vnvsuall in the Primitiue Church indeed altogether vsuall and the want of it for many hundered yeares after Christ vnknowne The onely instance that can from Antiquitie bee pretended to proue it lawfull and which in all likeli-hood did partly occasion it argues the Ancients vse of it in solemne assemblies to haue beene held as necessarie For euen in cases of greatest necessitie when the cup could not bee carried to parties sicke or otherwise detained from publique Communions they had the consecrated bread dipped in it And Gregorie of Towres relates the poysoning of King Clouis sister Queene to Theodoricke by her owne daughter in the Chalice so as he intimates withall the ordinarie vse of the cup at that time aswell amongst French Catholickes as Italian Arrians Onely this was the difference The Arrians did not as the Catholiques drinke of the same cuppe with their Princes 9 It may be feare conceiued vpon this or like example least the Priests should in a more proper sense prooue conficients not of Christs but of Lay Princes bodies made them afterwardes more willing to forbeare the Cup and the people either in manners would not or otherwise could not be aduanced aboue them at this Heauenly banquet Turonensis reason against these Heretiques I thinke did hold no longer then his life few Princes afterwardes durst haue aduentured to trie the truth of his conclusion Whether poyson drunke in the Sacrament administred by the supposed true Church would haue wrought For vnlesse my memorie faile mee Ecclesiastike Princes Popes themselues haue beene as surely poysoned in Catholike Chalies as the forementioned Queene was in the Arrian cup. 10 But what occasions soeuer either mooued the laitie of themselues to imbrace or the Cleargie to enioyne this Communion vnder one kind the Trent Councell specifies none and yet accurseth all that will not beleeue the Church had iust causes so to doe Without any sure warrant of Scripture to perswade it they bind all likewise to beleeue this bare negatiue That neither our Sauiours wordes at his institution of the Sacrament nor any other place of Scripture enioyne the vse of the cup as necessarie by way of precept or commandement Nor doth Christs words in the sixth of Iohn howsoeuer we vnderstand them according to the diuerse interpretations of Fathers either of Sacramentall or Spirituall eating enforce any such necessitie Will you heare their reasons for this bold assertion He that said vnlesse yee eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud you haue no life in you said also If any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer And he that said whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life said also the bread which I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the World Hee that said whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwels in me and I in him hath said withall hee that eateth this bread shall liue for euer 11 Gods precepts must bee very peremptorie and conceiued in formall tearmes ere any sufficient authoritie to enioyne obedience
owne conceipt or sense against that sense or meaning which the holy Church our Mother to whom it belongs to iudge of the true sense and interpretation of sacred writ heretofore hath held or now doth hold albeit hee neuer purpose to publish such interpretations 8 It is further added in the same place because I take it had beene specified a Synode before that no man shall dare to interpret Scriptures against the vnanimous consent of Fathers Which I thinke were impossible for any man to doe though were it possible few or none would attempt besides the Papists For neither can it be knowne what all of them hold in most places wher vpon are grounded controuersies of greatest moment and in such as wee haue best plentie of their interpretations albeit they doe not contentiously dissent yet absolutely agree each with other they doe not Euen one and the same Father oftimes thinkes of many interpretations sundrie alike probable most of them vnwilling by their peremptorie determinations one way or other to preiudice the industrious search of others though their farre inferiours for finding out some more commodious then any they bring oftentimes intimating their doubts or imperfect coniectures in such manner as if they would purposely incourage their successors to seeke out some better resolution then they could finde Whence it is euident that we should not alwayes interprete Scriptures against the ioint consent of Fathers albeit wee went against all the particular interpretations which they haue brought because they were more desirous to haue the truth fully sifted then their coniecturall probabilities infallibly beleeued Nor were it possible more to contradict most of them then by following their interpretations vpon such strict tearmes as the Romanists would binde all men to doe when they seeme to make for their aduantage Not the least surmise or coniecture of any one Father but if it please them must suffice against the ioinct authoritie of all the rest For in all the three points aboue mentioned they admit the Church as may appeare from the decrees cited for a Iudge so absolute That no man may imbrace any opinion vpon what grounds or probabilities soeuer but with humble submission to her censure Whatsoeuer she shall inioyne in all or any of these points albeit we haue reasons many and strong not to hold it to hold not one besides her bare authoritie yet must all beleeue it alone as absolutely as if wee had the apparant vnanimous consent of Fathers yea of Prophets Apostles or Euangelists and all good writers in euery age 9 Hence Bellarmine reiects as dissonant to the former decree this resolution of Luther That albeit the Pope and Councell conclude points of faith yet haue priuate men a free arbitrement so farre as it concernes themselues whether they may safely beleeue their conclusions or no. Luther giues two reasons for his assertion both most forcible The one because the Pope shall not answere for priuate men at the houre of their death The other because none are competent Iudges of false Doctrines but men spiritually minded when as it often fals out that in their Councels there cannot be found one man much lesse a maior part of men without which how many soeuer there were all were as none that hath any the least relish of the Diuine Spirit The like assertion doth the Iesuit condemne in Brentius 10 It is not lawfull saith Brentius for any man in a point of saluation so to relie vpon anothers sentence as to imbrace it without interposition of his owne iudgement The reason is there intimated because euerie man is to be immediately iudged by his own conscience and may for auoiding the iust censure of condemnation by it safely disclaime their opinions the execution of whose sentence or bodily punishment hee may not decline seeing they are as was obserued before publique and lawfull yet fallible Iudges of controuersies in Religion And Bellarmine bewrayes either grosse ignorance or great skill in wrangling when he exclaimes against this position of Brentius as absurd and repugnant to it selfe That the supreme Magistrate or publique Iudges may bee bound to command where the subiect or inferiour is not bound to obey For as well the Prince in commanding as the people in obeying must follow whither their consciences lead them Both may and in case they disagree the one or other cannot but erre in the precedent information of their consciences and herein properly doth their sinne consist not in doing what erroneous conscience vpon so strict tearmes as penaltie of eternall death doth vncessantly vrge them to 11 The people saith Canus did absolutely not vpon condition beleeue God and his seruant Moses and vnlesse men so beleeue the Church they mak it of no authoritie Nor is it enough to beleeue it to be infallible in points of moment or such as might ouerthrow faith vnlesse it bee acknowledged so absolutely inerrable in al as it cannot either beleeue or teach amisse in any question of faith for if in any seeing there is one and the same reason of all it might aswell faile in receiuing some books indeed not such for Canonicall and Diuine Whereupon it would follow that this argument would not follow The Church acknowledgeth Saint Matthewes Gospel for Canonicall therefore it is Canonicall The deniall of which consequence is most impious and absurd in this mans censure fully consonant to Valent. before cited That Scripture which is commended vnto vs and expounded by the authoritie of the Church is now euen in this respect because the Church commends it most authentique 12 Vnto these and farre more grosse conclusions all their moderne Writers for ought I can find thinke themselues bound by the former decrees of the Trent Councell But what if any should dissent from these great Champions in the interpretation of it Who should iudge betwixt them or whither were they to repaire for resolution To the place which God hath chosen to wit to the Sea Apostolicall or in other tearmes to Rome So saith the Pope that confirmed this Councell As if there were onely a translation of the Sea none of the Priesthood sometimes established in Ierusalem where all were to worship And if Rome haue that place in Christendome which Ierusalem had in Iewrie the Pope must be such a Lord to all Christians as Hee that dwelt betwixt the Cherubins was to the Israelites both their answeres of like authoritie 13 But when we repaire to Rome who shall there determine what the Councell meant the Pope alone or with his Cardinals with his Cardinals if he please himselfe alone without them or any other if he list all after as he shall find himselfe disposed to vse his ordinary or plenary power by the former of which answerable to Gods working with natural agēts he determines of matters by the vsuall course of lawes prouided for that purpose vsing the aduise or councell of his assistants by the other correspondent to
and the Churches not all in all For vnto that which men cannot know whether it bee true or false they cannot be bound to yeeld absolute or immediate obedience vnto that authoritie which they absolutely beleeue as infallible they are bound to yeeld infallible assent and absolute obedience directly in it selfe and for it selfe But by this supposition men cannot know Scriptures infallibly without the Churches authoritie and yet they must infallibly beleeue the Churches authoritie without Scriptures The Scriptures authoritie therefore is either lesse then the Churches or none at all 6 But be it supposed that priuate mens infallible beleefe of the Churches publike spirit is grouÌ„ded vpon Scriptures acknowledged by vs and vrged by them to this purpose as vpon these it seemeth good to the Holy Ghost vs I haue prayed for thee thy faith should not faile The question whereunto wee demaund an answere is whether this infallible beleefe of the Churches authoritie grounded vpon these places must be wrought in mens heartes by a priuate or publique spirit If by a priuate spirit onely Bellarmine beleeued the Churches publique spirit or those Scriptures truth or true meaning whereon he grounds it Hee and all other Papists such as hee was when hee deliuered this Doctrine neither Bishops nor Cardinals are subiect to the same inconueniences which he hath condemned vs for as Heretiques For all priuate spirits by his positions are obnoxious to errour vnsufficient to plant any infallible perswasion in matters of faith yet such is this article of the Churches authentique spirit of which vnlesse men be so perswaded infallibly perswaded they cannot bee of the minor proposition in any Syllogisme wherein a point of faith is concluded and vncertaine of the minor they cannot be certaine of the conclusion which as Bellarmine rightly obserues alwayes followes the weaker part The infallible conclusion therefore of Bellarmines resolution is vnlesse priuate men may haue publique spirits to warrant the truth of Scriptures and the Churches infallibilitie thereon grounded they cannot truly beleeue any conclusion of faith It remaines then we inquire what inconuenience wil follow if they admit priuate men to be partakers of publike spirits 7 Diuersitie of such spirits they acknowledge not If therefore priuate mens infallible assent vnto the truth or true sence of those particular Scriptures whence they seeke to prooue their Churches infallibilitie must be planted by a publique spirit planted it must be by the same spirit which guides and guiding makes the Church and Pope authentique and infallible both in their proposall of Scriptures and declaration of Scriptures sence Seeing this spirit is one and the same if it can make the Church or Pope infallible in all why may it not make all priuate men by this supposition partakers of it alike infallible at the least in the right vnderstanding of those places which warraÌ„t the Churches infallibilitie or publique spirit For our aduersaries I hope will easily grant that the Churches publique and authentique spirit must be most infallibly beleeued because so expressely taught in those Scriptures cited by Bellarmine to this purpose If this publike or authentique spirit can worke such infallible apprehension of those places true meaning in priuate heartes why not in all others as necessarie for them to know that is in all necessarie to saluation And if thus it doe why are wee bound to beleeue the Pope more then the Pope vs wee being partakers of a publique and infallible spirit aswel as he 8 Or if they hold it no absurditie to say wee must beleeue two or three places It seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and vs Peter feed my sheepe by a pubâ—ique and authentique spirit teaching vs from these to relie vpon the Pope in all other parts of Gods Word because as it must be supposed we haue but a priuate spirit for their assurance by this supposition the Popes authoritie in respect of vs must haue the same excesse of superioritie vnto Scriptures that publike spirit hath vnto a priuate or the Pope who beleeueth all Scriptures by a publike spirit hath vnto a priuate man This publike spirit wherof they vauÌ„t is the same which did inspire the scriptures to Moses the Prophets and Apostles and must by this position be the Pope or Churches immediate ageÌ„t for establishing this inuiolable league of absolute alleagance with mens soules vnto them but of none so absolute to their Creator and Redeemer and the rest of whose written lawes and eternal decrees must be communicated vnto them by a priuate spirit and subscribed vnto with this condition If the Pope shall witnesse them to be his lawes or to haue this or that meaning 9 Nor can our aduersaries dense the truth of this subsequent collection If it were possible for the Pope in matters controuersed to teach contrarie to Gods Word wee were bound to follow him For they themselues argue thus If the Pope could erre in matters of faith faith might perish from the Earth all Christians bound to erre because bound to obey him This prooues that our assent to any Scriptures besides those which teach the Popes authoritie cannot in it selfe be perfect and absolute but subiect to this condition if the Pope be infallible And euen of those places which as they pretend witnesse him to be such there yet remaines a farther difficultie These the Pope beleeues not because they are confirmed to him by his predecessor but directly and immediatly by his publique spirit But may priuate men beleeue them so too No. For these especially and the Churches infallibilitie contained in them are by all our aduesaries consent propositions of faith in respect of vs need by their doctrine the proposall or testimonie of the Church whereon all priuate mens faith must be immediately grounded beleeuing this we shall from it at least conioyned with Scripture beleeue all other parts of Gods Word necessarie to saluation aswell as the Pope doth these former from the testimonie of his publique spirit Wherefore his authoritie must be vnto vs altogether as great as the authoritie of the Godhead is vnto him which is farre greater vnto him then it is or can be to any others for euen that which is acknowledged for Gods Word both by him and vs must be lesse authentique vnto vs then the wordes of this mortall man 10 For though we pardon our aduersaries their former absurdities in seeking to prooue the Churches authoritie by the Scripture and the Scriptures by the Churches though we grant them all they can desire euen what shall appeare in due place to be most false That whiles they beleeue the Popes particular iniunctions or decisions from a presupposal of his vniuersal transcendent authoritie they doe not onely beleeue him or his wordes but those partes of Gods Word vpon which they seeme to ground his infallibilitie yet our former argument holdes still most firme because that absolute assent which priuate men must giue vnto these supposed grounds of their Religion before
other portions of Scripture is not grounded vpon any preheminencie incident to these words as they are Gods as if they were more his then the rest in some such peculiar sort as the Tenne Commaundements are in respect of other Mosaicall Lawes nor from any internall proprietie flowing from the wordes themselues as if their secret character did vnto faithfull mindes bewray them to be more Diuine then others nor from any precedent consequent or comitant circumstance probably arguing that sence the Romish Church giues of them to be of it selfe more perspicuous or credible then the naturall meaning of most other Scriptures all inspired by one and the same spirit all for their forme of equall authoritie and perspicuitie All the prerogatiue then which these passages can haue before others must be from the matter contained in them and that by our aduersaries position is the Churches infallibilitie Wherefore not because they are Gods word or were giuen by his Spirit in more extraordinarie sort then others but because they haue more affinitie with the Roman Lord in late yeares exalted aboue all that is called God Father Sonne or Holy Ghost these places aboue cited must bee more authentikely beleeued then all the wordes of God besides As I haue read of pictures though not more artificiall in themselues yet helde in greater estimation amongst the Heathen and freer from contemptuous censure then any other of the same Painters doing onely because they represented their great God Iupiter 11 Another difficultie whereunto we demand an answere is whether whiles they assent as they professe not onely to the infallibilitie taught as they suppose in the fore cited places but also vnto the infallibilite of Scriptures which teach it they acknowledge two distinct assents or but one If but one let them shew vs how possibly the Church can bee said to confirme the Scriptures if two let them assigne the seuerall properties of either whether is more strong whether must bee to the other as Peter to his brethren or if neither of them can confirme the other let them declare how the one can be imagined as a meane or condition of beleeuing the other 12 An Heretikes beleefe of the minor proposition in the former Syllogisme saith Bellarmine is but weake A Romanists beleefe of the same most strong Let this bee the Minor Peter feed my sheepe or Peter I haue prayed for thee that thy faith should not faile what reason can be imagined why a Romanists beleefe of these propositions should bee so strong and ours so weake The one hath the Churches authoritie to confirme his faith the other hath not What is it then to haue the Churches authoritie onely to know her decrees concerning those portions of Scriptures If this were all we know the Romish Churches decrees aswel as the Romanists but it is nothing to know them if we doe not acknowledge them To haue Churches authoritie then is to beleeue it as infallible and for this reason is a Romane Catholikes beleefe of any portion of Scripture more certaine and strong because hee hath the testimonie of the Church which he beleeues to be most infallible and beleeuing it most infallibly he must of necessitie beleeue that to be Scripture that in euery place to be the meaning of the Holy Ghost which this Church commends vnto him for such Let the most learned of our aduersaries here resolue the doubt proposed whether there bee two distinct assents in the beleefe of the forementioned propositions one vnto the truth of the proposition it selfe and another vnto the Churches infallibilitie It is euident by Bellarmines opinion that all the certaintie a Roman Catholique hath aboue a Sectarie is from the Churches infallibilite For the proposition it selfe he can beleeue no better then an Heretique may vnlesse hee better beleeue the Church i. he beleues the Churches exposition of it or the Churches infallibilitie concerning it better then the proposition it selfe in it selfe and for it selfe And so it is euident that the Churches authoritie is greater because it must be better beleeued 13 Suppose then one of our Church which beleeues these propositions to be the word of God should turne of Roman Catholique his former beleefe is by this meanes become more strong and certaine This granted the next question is what should be the obiect of this his strong beleefe the propositions beleeued Peter feed my sheepe I haue prayed for thee or any other part of Gods written word or the Churches authoritie not the propositions themselues but onely by accident in as much as the Church confirmes them to him For suppose the same man should estsoones either altogether reuolt from the Church or doubt of her authoritie his beleefe of the former propositions becomes hereby as weake as it was before which plainely cuinceth that his beleefe of the Church and this proposition were two distinct beleefes and that this strong beleefe was fastened vnto the Churches authoritie not vnto the proposition it selfe immediately but onely by accident in as much as the Church which he beleeueth so firmely did teach it for his beleefe if fastened vpon the proposition it selfe after doubt mooued of the Churches authoritie would haue continued the same but now by Bellarmines assertion assoone as hee begins to disclaime his beleefe of the Churches infallibilitie his former strong beleefe of the supposed proposition begins to faile and of this failing no other reason then alreadie is can be assigned The reason was because the true direct and proper obiect of his stronge beleefe was the Churches authoritie on which the beleefe of the proposition did intirely depend as the conclusion doth vpon the premisses or rather as euery particular doth on the vniuersall whereunto it is essentially subordinate CHAP. III. Containing a further Resolution of Romish faith necessarily inferring the authoritie of the Romish Church to bee of greater authoritie then Gods Word absolutely not only in respect of vs. IF we racke the former syllogisme a little farther and stretch it out in euerie ioynt to it full length wee may quickly make it confesse our proposed conclusion and somewhat more The Syllogisme was thus Whatsoeuer God hath spoken is most true But God hath spoken and caused to be written all those wordes contained in the Canon of Scriptures acknowledged by opposite religions of these times Therefore these wordes are most true The certaintie of the Minor depends as our aduersaries will haue it vpon the present Romish Churches infallibilitie which hath commended vnto vs these Bookes for Gods Word Bee it then granted for disputations sake that we cannot know any part of Gods Word much lesse the iust bounds extent or limits of all his words supposed to be reuealed for our good but by the Romish Church The Spirituall sence or true meaning of all most or many parts of these determinate Volumes and visible Characters as yet is vndeterminate and vncertaine whereas all points of beleefe must bee grounded on the determinate and certaine sence of
in what subiect soeuer will bee acknowledged in them by these men that dare thus deny a necessity of communicating Christ in both kindes imposed vpon all in these wordes Verely verely I say vnto you except yee eat the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke hisâ— bloud you haue no life in you onely because it is said in the words going before If any man eat of this bread he shall liue for euer Of how much better insight in Scriptures then these graund seers of Rome would blind Homer had he liued in their time haue proued For he neuer denied his fained Gods their Nectar because Ambrosia was an immortall meate And would hee or any man not more blinde in heart and minde then he was of bodily sence collect against Christs expresse wordes that his bloud the true heauenly Nectar was not necessary because his flesh doth strengthen to eternall life especially if hee considered their captious interpollation against whom in that place hee disputes which caused him not to expresse his minde so fully there as elsewhere hee had done albeit afterwards he ingeminates the necessitie of drinking his bloud aswell as eating his flesh in such precise and formall tearmes as if he had euen then bethought himselfe that such Antichristian Spirits as these Trent Fathes might happily dare to elude his most sacred precept by such Satanicall glosses as in that decree they haue done 12 He had told the Iewes asmuch as was pertinent to their obiection that hee was the liuing bread which came downe from Heauen much better then Manna which their Fathers had eaten Bread he called himselfe in opposition vnto Manna not restrayning this to his bodie or flesh onely albeit what he meant by bread he expounds partly by his flesh And the bread which I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the World Besides that bread in the Hebrew Dialect containes all sorts of food the manner of giuing this An brosia was such as did affoord Heauenly visible Nectar too For whilest hee gaue his flesh vpon the crosse hee powred out his bloud withall But the Iewes catch at this speech ere he had expounded his full meaning How can this man giue vs flesh to eate Then Iesus said vnto them verely verely I say vnto you except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you Which wordes considered with the former circumstances to any mans capacitie not infatuation import thus much Doe yee murmur that I should profer you my flesh verily I say vnto you and yee may beleeue me Vnlesse ye drinke my bloud as well as eate my flesh yee haue no life in you For so hee addes my flesh is meate indeede and my bloud is drinke indeed that is both are as necessarie to eternall as meat and drinke to corporall life 13 For these and many like reasons necessarily arising from the text some aswell of their greatest Schollers as best interpretors denie the former places to be meant of Sacramentall eating otherwise vnable to conceiue any possibilitie either of auoiding the inconueniences vrged by vs or of defending their infallible Church from errour in this decree Yet saith the Councell howsoeuer they be vnderstood according to the diuerse interpretations of Fathers they inferre no such necessitie No not if most Fathers as Maldonate contends did hold them to be directly meant of Sacramentall eating Why then did Iansenius and Hesselius renounce the Fathers in this surely to defend their mother whose credit they haue much better saued vpon supposition that these wordes are meant onely of spirituall manducation then Maldonate otherwise acute but most peruersely sottish in his Apologie for this decree hath done And yet to speake the truth the same inconuenience will follow as necessarily though not so perspicuously at first sight albeit we grant them to be meant of spirituall eating primarily For * in that they are meant primarily of spirituall they cannot but be meant of Sacramental eating also seeing these two as elsewhere I haue obserued are not opposite but subordinate Whence if we grant that Christs bloud aswell as his flesh must bee communicated to vs by faith or spirituall manducation the consequence will bee Therefore the cuppe as well as the bread must bee administred in the Sacrament because Christ saith in the institution that the cup is his bloud and the bread his bodie or flesh that is the one is the sure pledge oâ— instrument whereby his flesh the other whereby his bloud which wee must spiritually eate as well in the Sacrament as out of it must bee communicated vnto vs. For as the auncient Fathers haue obserued our Sauiour Christ did in his institution exhibit that vnto vs sensibly which before hee had promised as inuisible so that the precept of eating Christs bodie and drinking his bloud sacramentally doth binde all capable of this Sacrament as strictly as that other of eating his bodie and drinking his bloud Spiritually seeing this latter is the seale and assurance of the other And as our aduersaries acknowledge an absolute necessitie of preâ—pt for eating Christ Sacramentally and Spiritually though that precept concerne not infants so in all reason they should grant an equall necessitie of precept for eating his flesh and bloud distinctly in the Sacrament though this bee not necessarie to all men at all times if without negligence or contempt they cannot be partakers of both For impossibilitie vpon what occasion soeuer not caused through their one default exempts them from that generall precept of eating Christ vnder both kindes as want of yeares or discretion doth children from any iniunction diuine or humane of communicating so much as in one kind For notwithstanding the former precept except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee haue no life in you as peremptorie as any can be for communicating aswell sacramentally as spiritually in both kindes it were vncharitble to mistrust Gods mercie towardes such poore soules as long for the cup of saluation which no man giueth them yea which the Romish Church hath by decree as peremptorie as she could make denied to all the Laitie without exception to al the Cleargie except such as may by a peculiar right challenge his bloud as their owne by way of exchange because they haue made him a bodie which hee had not before 14 Yet is it a small thing with this great whore to depriue the Christian World of the Lords vnlesse shee vrge it instead thereof to pledge her in the cup of Deuils full of the wine of fornication coloured with her adulterate Scriptures authorized no doubt for such purposes Where our Apostle Saint Paul saith that he and his fellow Ministers were stewards of the mysteries of God the vulgar Romane edition renders the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Latine dispensatores and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rightly rendred in this place
Christ and them For it only stands by faith and confidence immediatly fastened vpon the foundation or supporters If then we may not so fasten our faith either vpon Peter or his successors we can receiue no other strength from them then wee doe from Christs other Apostles and that is only from their Ministeriall function in squaring and fastening vs vnto this liuing stone To this purpose sayth Saint Paul Other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid which is Iesus Christ. Whosoeuer was himselfe builded on him albeit he neuer heard of Saint Peter albeit the doctrines hee heaped vpon this foundation were but hay and stubble or matter alike apt to take fire yet the flame wherein these idle speculations of his braine were to perish should but singe his cloathes not deuoure his substance because by faith vnited vnto that liuing stone which without any other intermediate sconce or fence doth quench the flames of hell and keepe them from scorching any euen the last and vppermost that shall bee built vpon him vnto the worlds end For the same Apostles rule is vniuersall both in respect of time and persons If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt belieue in thine heart that God raised him vp from the dead thou shalt be saued 8. But did Saint Paul by speciall reuelation vtter this as a mystery altogether vnknowne before vnto the faithfull Rather by participation of the same spirit which spake in the Prophet he onely vnfolds the Oracle late expounded I must confesse without distinct apprehension of so good warrant them as is now suggested For the Apostle to proue his former assertion vrgeth that place of the Prophet Whosoeuer belieues in him shall not bee ashamed So then with Saint Paul it is all one to belieue in Christ raised from the dead or in the corner stone reiected of men allowed of God And it seemes the declaration made vnto Saint Peter that Christ whom he confessed howsoeuer a Rocke to fall vpon to both the houses of Israel was the sure foundation of the fathfull which the Prophet foretold should bee laid in Sion made his ignorance to say no worse in disswading his master from suffering such disgrace and ignominy of the Elders high Priests and Scribes more inexcusable because it had beene so plainely foretold that the corner stone was to bee basely esteemed of them ere aduanced of God Hence our Sauiour reproues him so sharpely Then hee turned backe and said vnto Peter Get thee behind me Sathan thou art an offence vnto me because thou vnderstandest not the things that are of God but the things that are of men As if hee had said shall this Rocke become a stumbling stone vnto thee also vnto whom it was first reuealed What I now tolde thee the Prophet long since foretold It was the Lords doing and should haue beene maruellous not offensiue in thy sight Hast thou neuer read how the builders must first refuse that stone which the Lord will afterwards appoint chiefe in the corners From remembrance of this checke Saint Peter it may be whiles hee paraphrased vpon this place vsed not the Psalmists but our Sauiours wordes Yee come saith he as vnto a liuing stone disallowed not by the builders but of men chosen not of the Lord but of God howsoeuer elsewhere hee more fully paralels these two as Saint Paul had done Christ crucified and raised againe the stone cast aside and constituted as hâ—ad of the corner Be it knowne vnto you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Iesus Christ of Nazaret whom yee haue crucified whom God raised againe from the dead euen by him doth this man stand here before you whole This is the stone cast aside of you builders which is become the head of the corner neither is there saluation in any other for among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby wee must be saued Then is there no other whose name imported as much as a Rocke or stone to support men against all commotions the powers of hell could raise against them 9 So our Sauiour takes the husbandmen killing of the Lord of the Vineyeards sonne and the builders reiecting the head stone of the corner as equiualent First hee demaunds When therefore the Lord of the Vineyeard shall come what will hee doe to those husbandmen that had slaine his sonne they reply hee will cruelly destroy those wicked men and will let out his Vineyeard vnto other husbandmen which shall deliuer him the fruits in their seasons And this iudgement they had giuen against themselues hee ratifies by the like expresse sentence which the Lord already had past vpon them Read yee neuer in the Scriptures the stone which the builders refused the same is made the head of the corner This was the Lords doing and it is maruellous in our eyes Therefore say I vnto you the Kingdome of God shall be taken from you and shall bee giuen to a nation which shall bring forth the fruits thereof and whosoeuer shall fall on this stone shall be broken but on whomsoener it shall fall it wil grinde him to powder 10 This may suffice for proofe that Saint Peters confessing the sonne of man to be the Christ the sonne of the liuing God was all one with our Sauiours declaration Vpon this Rocke will I builde my Church c. because Christ and the liuing stone which God had promised to found in Sion are vnto sacred Writers and all participants of that spirit by which they wrote the selfe same Nor is there any thing more vsuall with the holy Ghost then to referre like speeches of our Sauiour vnto places of Scripture more different in words then the two former alleadged albeit there bee no such identity of persons time and place or continuation of diâ—course to manifest their mutuall coherence but onely equiualency of their inward meaning This Method the holy Spirit vseth the rather I thinke because hee would accustome vs â—o investigate his sense and meaning not so much by the like forme or character of words as by the analogy of faith For as the Apostle saith the letter killeth because it vsually leadeth such as rely vpon it to strange and vnholesome senses as the identity of our Sauiours and Saint Peters name in the Syriacke or their vicinity in the Greeke and Latine made the Rocke of saluation become a Rocke of fence vnto the Romanist who by his stumbling at the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 falles vpon the stone laid in Sion and shall bee broken yea for this disobedience to this eternall word and seeking to lay another foundation then what was laid already that stone shall fall vpon him and grind him at least his doctrine to powder as will more fully appeare if wee compare their exposition of that donatiue they suppose he did bestow vpon Saint Peter with that Disciples doctrine whom
he loued 11 As wee haue shewed from Saint Peter and Saint Paul and the generall analogie of faith that Simon the sonne of Ionah had his name of Cephas or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his affinity with the Rocke of saluation or chiefe corner stone hee being as the first wrought stone in that aedifice so doth Saint Iohn whose doctrine pregnaÌ„tly confirmes our former exposition of these words Thou art Peter c. make that very confession which Peter vttered as the surest square or line the perfect Index whereby to try and examine all other stones whether fitting or rightly proportioned to this euerlasting structure Dearely beloued saith he belieue not euery spirit but trie the spirits whether they are of God for many false Prophets are gone out into the world How should they know true Prophets from false such as were true were of God such as were false of Antichrist how should they know such as were of God from such as were of Antichrist Hereby shall yee know the spirite of God euery spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the â—lesh is of God 12 But is euery spirit of God that can frame an orthodoxall conceit of this great mystery and outwardly confesse what they inwardly assent vnto as vndoubtedly true So should the wicked spirits be of God for a spirit of an vncleane Diuell openly said as much in effect as Peter did what he knew by arguments more sure then most Popes doe I know who thou art euen the holy one of God yea many came out of the possessed crying what Peter afterwards confessed Thou art the Christ the sonne of God The mystery it seemes they had conceiued aright because our Sauiour giues them the like iniunctions his Disciples had vpon Peters confession the one he rebuked and would not suffer to say the other hee charged they should tell no man that he was Iesus the Christ because this Rocke was not as yet to be plainely manifested to the world Although it is most probable hee would not haue the vncleane spirits at any time to be proclamers of this mystery for vnto the wicked said God What hast thou to do to declare mine ordinances that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my words behind thee c. If vncleane spirits may not be permitted to promulge this or like diuine mysteries by the mouthes of men whose bodily members they so possesse as to cause them vtter they know not what may wee without exception safely admit all their cathedrall decisions whose soules and minds they haue wholly transformed into the similitude of their vncleannesse for heauenly oracles for embassages of saluation immediately sent from God for foundations of faith and manners Christ by the same Psalmist hath said To him that disposeth his way aright will I shew the saluation of God 13 But to proceed by our Apostles former rule from which and others of his fully paralell thereunto it is euident that for a iust triall of a spirit speaking by God there must bee both a platforme of doctrine rightly proportioned to the former foundation Christ come in the flesh and a correspondent edification not of verball or schoole consequences but of reall and materiall workes proceeding from liuely faith and inward sanctititie so testifying the habitation of Christ the liuing stone in the confessors heart as Christs owne workes and doctrine did the Godheads bodily dwelling in him the Apostle addes Euery spirit which confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God that is is opposite vnto the spirit of God but this is the spirit of Antichrist of whom yee haue heard how that he should come and now already hee is in the world A spirit of Antichrist then is manifested by a contrariety in the forme of doctrine or by an hostility between the very foundations which hee and the spirit of God endeavour to lay so as the edification of the one doth in the issue menace the demolition of the other And as this opposition vnto Gods spirit is greater or lesse so doth it argue the partie in whom it is to participate more or lesse of the spirit of Antichrist In both these respects of opposition or hostility in the foundation or in the issue or consequences of all hereticall temples or congregations that hetherto haue beene or can bee imagined as possibly future the structure of the Romish Church doth most fully answere to the Idea or platforme of that edifice which the Apostle hath foretold great Antichrist should erect 14 For demonstrating which conclusion wee onely suppose what euery one must grant that if the spirit of vncleane diuels hee whose comming is by the power of Sathan in guile and deceit may without preiudice to his grand hostility against Christ in formall tearmes confesse the great mystery of saluation Christ manifested in the flesh for seeing hee must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposite vnto Christ not by way of negation or contradiction but by a positiue contrariety or hostility Christian Religion and Antichristianisme must as all other contraries agree in some one kind or matter and the kind or matter in matters of Religion must bee the obiect If wee here onely set aside an agreement with true professors in that generall transcendent obiect that Christ is the sonne of the liuing God the very first principle of Romish Religion eueÌ„ the specifical difference which makes it Romish is as contrary with the first Element of true orthodoxall christian Religion as fire to water heate to cold For if to confesse Christ come in the flesh put to death and raised againe be as is proued all one as to acknowledge him the chiefe corner stone reiected of men but aduanced by God if this bee the maine foundation of Christianity so all-sufficient that without it no other must bee laid How were it possible more to deny this truth in effect or consequence more to oppugne the whole edifice of our faith then by planting another Rocke another foundation without communication wherewith none can bee supported by the former against the gates of hell 15 But perhaps wee mistake oâ— maligne the Romanist in charging him with shufling in another foundation besides Christ in that sense the Apostle denies any other foundation can be laid Wee rather by too much pressing them with that axiome of his make him contradict himselfe for elsewhere hee saith Wee are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets I will not here dispute whether Saint Paul in that place mean wee are built vpon the persons of the Prophets and Apostles they being placed nearer the rocke or maine foundation it selfe then wee or rather vpon the maine foundation which both the Prophets and the Apostles iointly had laid besides which no other can bee laid Christ crucified and glorifiea For he is both the foundation which wholly supporteth and the
doe First their prerogatiues they giue to Peter are blasphemous Secondly their allegations to proue that their Popes succeede as full heires to all Peters prerogatiues are ridiculous Whence it must needes follow that their faith is but a compost of folly blasphemy This pretended perpetuity of tradition or suspitious tale of succession from Peter is the best warrant they haue the Church doth not erre in expounding the places alleadged for her infallability and their beliefe of their infallibility in such expositions the onely security their soules can haue that obeying the former decree of worshipping the consecrate host of cōmunicating vnder one kind they doe not contemptuously disobey Gods principall lawes mangle Christs last Will and Testament vilifie his pretious body and bloud Seeing then they themselues confesse the places brought by vs against their decrees to be diuine and we haue demonstrated that mens beliefe of that infallible authority in making such decrees to bee merely humane the former conclusion is most firme that whilest men obey these decrees against that naturall sense and meaning which the former passages of scripture suggest so plainly to euery mans conscience that the Churches pretended authority set aside none would euer question whether they could admit any restraint they obey men more then God humane lawes more then diuine and much better belieue the traditions of humane fancy of whose forgery for others worldly gaine there bee strong presumptions then the expresse written testimony of the holy spirit in the especiall points of their owne saluation 12 Or if vnto the testimony of Gods spirit recorded in Scriptures wee adde history tradition Councels or former Popes decrees or whatsoeuer possibly may be pretended to proue the present Popes authority it must still bee supposed greater better knowne then all that can be brought for it or against it as will appeare if we apply our argument vsed before That authority is alwayes greater which may trie all others and must bee tried by none but such is the Popes declaration or determination of all points in controuersie whether about the canon or sence of Scriptures ouer those which are brought for it whether about the truth true meaning or authority or vnwrittē traditions whether about the lawfulnes of councels or their authentique interpretations in one word his determinations are monarchical may not be examined as S. Austen or others of the ancient fathers writings may by any law written or vnwritten So Bellarmine suteable to the Trent Councell expresly auoucheth The Fathers were onely Doctors or expositors the Pope is a iudge What then is the difference betweene a Iudge and an expositor To explane as a Iudge there is required authority to explane as a Doctor or expositor onely learning is requisite For a Doctor doth not propose his sentence as necessary to bee followed but onely so farre as reason shal councell vs but a Iudge proposeth his sentence to bee followed of necessity Whereof then will the Pope bee Iudge Of expounding Scriptures these places of Scripture which make for his pretended authority Must his sentence herein of necessity be followed By Bellarmine it must albeit wee see no reason for it either out of Scripture or nature It is for Doctors to bring reasons for their expositions but the Pope needs not except hee will nor may wee exact it of a Iudge So hee addes more expresly We admit not of Bartolus or Baldus glosses as wee doe of Empecours declarations Austine and other Fathers in their Commentaries supply the places of Teachers but the Councell and Popes exercise the function of Iudges whereunto God hath designed them But how shall we know that God hath committed all iudgement vnto them seeing wee haue beene taught by his word that hee hath committed all iudgement vnto his sonne Because all men should honour the sonne as they honour the father We reade not of any other to whom the like authority is giuen by God or his sonne yet of one whose very name shall import the vsurpation of like authority that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christs Vicar generall vnto whom the Sonne as must bee supposed doth deligate the same iudiciary power the Father deligated vnto him 13. But may a Princes declaration in no case be examined by his subiects Yes though in ciuill matters it may so farre as it concernes their consciences as whether it be consonant to Gods word or no whether it make more for the health of their soules to suffer what it inflicts vpon the refusers or to act what it commands To controle contermaund or hinder the execution of it by opposition of violence or contrary ciuill power subiects may not But for any but man to vsurpe such dominion ouer his fellow creatures soules as earthly Princes haue ouer their subiects goods lands or bodies is more then Monarchicall more then tyrannical the very Idea of Antichristianisme And what I would commend vnto the Reader as a point of especiall consideration this assertion of Bellarmine concerning the Popes absolute authoritie directly proues him as was auouched before to be a supreame head or foundation of the selfe same ranke and order with Christ no way inferiour to him in the intensiue perfection but onely in the extent of absolute soueraigntie For greater soueraignty cannot be conceiued then this That no man may examine the truth or equity of commands or consequences immediately deriued from it though immediatly concerning their eternall ioy or miserie No Prince did euer deligate such soueraigne power to his Vice gerent or deputy nor could he vnlesse for the time being at least he did vtterly relinquish his owne supreame authority or admit a full compere in his kingdome Bellarmines distinctions of a primary and secondary foundation of a ministeriall and principall head of the Church may hence he described to be but meere stales set to catch guls Their conceit of the Popes copartnership with Christ is much better resembled and more truly expressed by the Poets imaginations of Iupiter and Augustus Caesars fraternity Diuisum imperium cum Iove Caesar habet Ioue and Caesar are Kings and Gods But Ioue of heauen that 's the onely ods That Christ should retaine the title of the supreame head ouer the Church militant and the realitie of supremacie ouer the Church triumphant ouer aduersaries are not offended Because there is small hope of raising any new tribute from the Angels and Saints in heauen to the Romish churches vse and as little feare that Christ should take any secular commodity from it which aunciently it hath enioyed 14. But though it were true that we were absolutely bound to obey an absolute Monarchie of whose right none doubts yet may we examine whether euery Potentate that challengeth Monarchicall iurisdiction ouer others or giues forth such insolent edicts in ciuill matters as the Pope doth in spirituall do not goe beyond his authority in these particulars albeit his lawfull prerogatiues in respect of others be
had that Lycurgus lawes were from Apollo Yet is it here further to be considered that the Israelites might with farre lesse danger haue admitted Moses lawes then wee may the Popes without any examination for diuine seeing there was no written law of God extant before his time whereby his writings were to bee tryed No such charge had been giuen this people as he giues most expresly to this purpose Now therefore hearken O Israel vnto the ordinances and to the Lawes which I teach you to doe that yee may liue and goe in and possesse the land which the Lord God of your fathers giueth you Yee shall put nothing vnto the word which I command you neither shall yee take ought there from that yee may keepe the commandements of the Lord your God which I command you But was the motiue or argument by which hee sought to establish their beliefe or assent vnto these commandements his owne infallible authoritie no but their owne experience of their truth as it followeth Your eyes haue seene what the Lord did because of Baal-Peor For all the men that followed Baal Peor the Lord thy God hath destroyed euerie one from among you but yee that did cleaue vnto the Lord your God are aliue euery one of you this day so gracious and mercifull is our God vnto mankind and so farre from exacting this blind obedience which the Pope doth chalenge that hee would haue his written word established in the fresh memory of his mighty wonders wrought vpon Pharaoh and all his host The experiment of their deliuerance by Moses had beene a strong motiue to haue perswaded them to admit of his doctrine for infallible or at the least to haue beleeued him in his particular promises When the snares of death had compassed them about on euery side they see no way but one or rather two ineuitable wayes to present death and destruction the red sea before them and a mighty host of bloud behind them the one seruing as a glasse to represent the cruelty of the other they as who in their case would not cry out for feare He that could haue foretold their strange deliuerance from this eminent danger might haue gotten the opinion of a God amongst the Heathen yet Moses confidently promiseth them euen in the middest of this perplexity the vtter destruction of the destroyer whom they feared Feare yee not stand still and behold the saluation of the Lord which he will shew to you this day for the Egyptians whom you haue seene this day you shall neuer see againe The Lord shall fight for you therefore hold you your peace Notwithstanding all this Moses neuer enacts this absolute obedience to be belieued in all that euer he shall say or speake vnto them without farther examination or euident experiment of his doctrine For God requires not this of any man no not of those to whome hee spake face to face alwayes ready to feed such as call vpon him with infallible signes and pledges of the truth of his promises For this reason the waters of Marah are sweetned at Moses prayer And God vpon this new experiment of his power and goodnes takes occasion to reestablish his former couenant vsing this semblable euent as a further earnest of his sweet promises to them If thou wilt diligently hearken O Israel vnto the voice of the Lord thy God and wilt doe that which is right in his sight and wilt giue eare vnto his commandements and keepe all his ordinances then will I put none of these diseases vpon thee which I brought vpon the Egyptians for I am the Lord that healeth thee As if hee had said This healing of the bitter waters shall bee a token to thee of my power in healing thee Yet for all this they distrust Gods promises for their foode as it followeth cap 16. Nor doth Moses seeke to force their assent by fearefull anathemaes or sudden destruction but of some principall offenders herein For God will not haue true faith thunderblasted in the tender blade but rather nourished by continuance of such sweet experiments for this reason he shewers down Manna from heauen I haue heard the murmuring of the children of Israel tell them therefore and say At euening ye shall eat flesh and in the morning you shall be filled with bread and yee shall know that I am the Lord your God For besides the miraculous manner of prouiding both Quailes and Manna for them the manner of nourishment by Manna did witnesse the truth of Gods word vnto them They had been vsed to grosse and solid meates such as did fil their stomackes and distend their bellies whereas Manna was in substance slender but gaue strength and vigour to their bodies and serued as an embleme of their spirituall food which being inuisible yet gaue life more excellently then these grosse and solid matters did So saith Moses Therefore hee humbled thee and made thee hungry and fed thee with Manna which thou knewest not neither did thy Fathers know it that he might teach thee that man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord. 6 Yet in their distresse so fraile is our faith vntill it be strengthned by continuall experiments they doubt and tempt the Lord saying Is the Lord amongst vs or no Nor doth Moses interpose his infallible authority or charge them to belieue him against their experience of their present thirst vnder pain of eternall damnation or sufferance of greater thirst in hell such threates without better instruction in Gods word and the comfort of his spirit may bring distrusts or doubts to vtter despaire and cause faith to wither where it was wel nigh ripe they neuer ripen strengthē any true and liuely faith Moses himselfe is faine to crie vnto the Lord saying What shall I doe vnto this people for thy be almost readie to stone me As the Papists would doe to the Pope were hee to conduct them through the wildernesse in such extremity of thirst able to giue them no better assurance of his fauor with God then his Anathemaes or feed them onely with his Court-holy-water or blessings of mind But euen here againe God feedes Israels faith with waters issuing out of the rocke making themselues eye-witnesses of all his wonders that so they might belieue his wordes and promises nay himselfe from their owne sense and feeling of his goodnesse and truth of his word 7 Though no Law-giuer or Gouernour whether temporal or spirituall especially whose calling was but ordinary could possibly before or since so well deserue of the people committed to his guidance as this great General already had done of al the host of Israel were they vpon this consideration forthwith to belieue whatsoeuer hee should auouch without further examination signe or token of his fauour with God without assured experience or at the least more then probable presumptions of his
if they would haue bound the Almighty to haue followed most voices in bestowing victory perswade the King to goe vp against Ramath Gilead But my former assertion is fully ratified by Michaiahs reply to the others demand When went the c. Thou shalt see saith hee in that day when thou shalt goe from chamber to chamber to hide thee No question but such as were neuters before after they see his prophesie fulfilled in Ahabs ouerthrow did take Michaiah for a Prophet as true as Zedkiah was false 3 In like manner when Ieremy a poore Prophet and Priest of Anathoth had come vnto Ierusalem among the Prelates and prophesied the truth but truth offensiue to the State That all the euils which God had pronounced should be brought vpon that City and her townes Pashuâ— the sonne of Immer the Priest which was appointed gouernour in the house of the Lord intreats him worse then Zidkiah had done Michaiah Hee could haue flouted him with as good applause of his complices as the Inquisitors can a Protestant now You that can read State fortunes a farre off can you tell where you shall lodge your selfe this next night if you cannot take him for a better Prophet that can And by Pashurs Prophesie hee was to take vp his lodging in his way home in the Stockes that were in the high gate of Benâ—amin neare vnto the house of the Lord. whose desolation hee had threatned The like entertainement hee found againe at the whole multitudes hands but by the Priests and Prophets instigation Now when Ieremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speake vnto all the people then the Priests and the Prophets and all the people tooke him and said Thou shalt die the death Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the Lord saying This house shall bee like Shiloh and this City shall bee desolate without an inhabitant As if the Church of God could possibly erre or the gates of hell preuaile against the splendor of it would the Romish Clergie adde should the Lord send a Prophet with such tidings vnto Rome And did they not learne this interpretation of Christs promise vnto his Church from the hypocriticall Iewes their predecessors which made the like comment in Ieremiahs time vpon Gods wordes as pregnant for the high-Priests succession as Saint Peters Come aud let vs imagine some deuise against Ieremiah for the Law shall not perish from the Priest nor counsell from the wise nor the word from the Prophet come and let vs smite him with the tongue and let vs not giue heed to any of his words Away with the heretique The manifestation of like affection in the Prelates towards Gods Prophets did embolden Shemaiah the Nehelemite to write from Babylon vnto Zephaniah the high Priest and his associates to this effect The Lord hath mad thee Priest for Iehoiada the Priest that yee should bee officers in the house of the Lord for euery man that raueth and maketh himself a Prophet to put him in prison and in the stocks Now therfore why hast not thou reproued Ieremiah of Anathoth which prophesied vnto you This captiuity is long built houses to dwell in and plant gardens and eate the fruites of them 4 But when Pashur found the Omen of that name which Ieremiah gaue him when hee and his mates proued indeed Magors Missabibs a terror to themselues and all about them when they saw with their eyes all the miseries there expressed then was Ieremiah held for a true Prophet especially by such as outliued the captiuity to see the truth of his prophesie for thier good as exactly fulfilled as this had heen for their harme whilest according to his prediction Shemaiah and his seed were rooted out from amongst Gods people happily replanted in their natiue soile For from the reasons set downe before posterity did alwayes better iudge of prophesies then the age wherein their Authors liued at the least the younger and meaner sort of that age which out-liued the euent vsually better digested their doctrine then the ancient or men of dignity that enuied them credite amongst the people yet were not such as lesse maligned them greater belieuers vniuersally as was said before but onely of some few particulars For if a new Prophet should haue risen amongst theÌ„ hee was almost as euill entreated by the present Clergy or others whose humors he contradicted This is euident by the Scribes and Pharises and the chiefe Rulers of the Iewish Church in our Sauiours time They builded the tombs of the Prophets garnished the sepulchres of the righteous and said as they verily thought If wee had been in the dayes of our fathers we would not haue beene partakers with them in the bloud of the Prophets yet made they the people of their owne time so mad as to be partakers with theÌ„ in the bloud of that great Prophet their long desired Messiah the onely Sauiour of the world Throughout the whole Story almost of the old Testament the truth proposed may appeare that the visible Church if it be taken in such a sence as the Romanists take it was the most corrupt Iudge either of the truth or true meaning of Gods word that the people seduced by their goodly shewes and glorious titles of Moses successors were still brought into the combination of bloud vntill they brought vpon themselues their posterity and the holy City All the righteous bloud that was shed vpon the earth from the bloud of Abel the righteous vntil the bloud of their Messiah 5 But though their cruelty and hypocrisie be so notoriously knowne as it euen seemes to point out the like in the moderne Romanist yet some honestly minded will perhaps demand how the people of those ages wherein the Prophets liued could possibly know the truth of their Prophesies seeing for the most part they saw a maior part of men in Ecclesiastique authority bent against them This happily may tempt vnseÌ„tled minds to thinke the Lord had determined his Prophets should haue Cassandraes fates neuer to bee belieued till remedy were past The peoples mistâ—king of their predictions was in a sort fatall yet not necessary but vpon supposition of former neglect God sent them Prophets for their good but their wickednesse turned his blessings into cursings their hypocrisie and folly made them so blind that they could not discerne the signes of the times vntill wofull experience the fooles onely Schoolemaster began to teach it them when their time for lore was ended A prudent man saith the wise-man seeth the plague and hideth himselfe but the foolish go on still and are punished But wherein doth that prudence consist which might haue preuented this plague surely in reading Gods law and continuall meditation thereon for this giues wisdom to the simple Men in this case should haue asked counsell of their own heart for there is no man more faithfull vnto thee then it for a
the sanctuary But iust in this manner doth the Mimicall Iesuite reply to the former truth I demaund saith he whether the Doctour would approue this consequence Paul preaching to the Athenians confirmed his Doctrine with the testimonie of the Poet Aratus and the Athenians had done well if they had sought whether Aratus had said so or no therefore all Doctrines must be iudged by Poets But what if the Beraeans practise considered alone or as Iesuites doe Scriptures onely Mathematically doe not necessarily inferre thus much The Learned Doctors charitable minde would not suffer him to suspect any publique professor of Diuinitie as Sacroboscus was could bee so ignorant in Scriptures as not to consider besides the different esteeme of Prophets and Poets amongst the Iewes what Saint Paul had else where expressely said I obtained helpe of God and continue vnto this day witnessing both vnto small and great saying none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Vnlesse he could haue proued Christs resurrection other articles of Christian faith out of Moses and the Prophets the Iewes exceptions against him had beene iust For they were bound to resist al Doctrines dissonant to their ancient ordinances especially the abolishment of Rites and Ceremonies which Paul laboured most as knowing the Lawgiuer meant they should continue no longer then to the alteration of the Priesthood but in whose maintenance his adversaries should haue spent their bloud whiles ignorant they were without default of the Truth Paul taught as not sufficiently prooued from the same authority by which their lawes were established Nor was any Apostle either for his miracles or other pledges of the Spirit that hee could communicate vnto others to bee so absolutely beleeued in all things during his life time as Moses and the Prophets writings For seeing the gift of miracles was bestowed on hypocrites or such as might fall from any gifts or grace of the spirit they had though the spectators might beleeue the particular conclusions to whose confirmation the miracles were fitted yet was it not safe without examination absolutely to rely vpon him in all thinges that had spoken a diuine truth once or twice In that he might be an hypocrite or a dissembler for ought others without euidence of his vpright conuersation and perpetuall consonance to his former Doctrine could know he might abuse his purchased reputation to abet some dangerous errour Nor doe our aduersaries though too too credulous in this kinde thinke themselues bound to beleeue reuelations made to another much lesse to thinke that he which is once partaker of the Spirit should for euer bee infallible Vpon these supporters the forementioned Doctours reason which the Iesuite abuseth to establish the Churches authoritie stands firme and sound I absolutely belieue all to be true that God saith because hee saith it nor doe I seeke any other reason but I dare not ascribe so much vnto man least I make him equall to God for God alone and hee in whom the Godhead dwelleth bodily is immutably iust and holy Many others haue continued holy and righteous according to their measure vntill the end but who could be certaine of this besides themselues no not they themselues alwayes And albeit a man that neuer was in the state of grace may oft times deliuer that Doctrine which is infallible yet were it to say no worse a grieuous tempting of God to rely vpon his Doctrine as absolutely infallible vnlesse we know him besides his skill or learning to be alwayes in such a state Though both his life and death bee most religious his Doctrine must approue it selfe to the present age and Gods prouidence must cōmend it to posterity Nor did our Sauiour though in life immutably holy for doctrine most infallible assume so much vnto himselfe before his ascension as the Iesuits giue to the Pope For he submitted his doctrine to Moses the Prophets writings And seeing the Iesuits make lesse acount of Him then the Iewes did of Moses it is no maruell if they be more violently miscaried with enuious or contemptuous hatred of the Diuine truth it selfe then the Iewes were against our Sauiour or his doctrine These euen whē they could not answere his reasons drawn from scriptures receiued though most offēsiue to their distemperate humor were ashamed to cal Moses the prophets authority in questiō or to demand him how do ye know God spake by thē Must not the Churches infallibility herein assure you and if it teach you to discerne Gods word from mans must it not likewise teach you to distinguish the diuine sense of it from humā This is a straine of Atheisme which could neuer finde harbor in any professing the knowledge of the true God before the brood of Antichrist grew so flush as to seeke the recouery of that battaile against Gods Saints on Earth which Lucifer their Father and his followers lost against Michael and his holy Angels in Heauen CHAP. XV. A briefe taste of our aduersaries blasphemous and Atheisticall assertions in this argument from some instances of two of their greatest Doctours Bellarmine and Valentian That if faith cannot be perfect without the solemne testification of that Church the raritie of such testifications will cause infidelitie 1 FOR a further competent testimonie of blasphemies in this kinde wherewith wee charge the Church of Rome let the Reader iudge by these two instances following whether the Christian world haue not sucked the deadliest poyson that could euaporate from the infernall lake through Bellarmines and Valentians pennes Valentian as if he meant to outflout the Apostle for prohibiting all besides the great pastor Christ Iesus for being Lords ouer mens faith will haue an infallible authoritie which may sit as Iudge and mistresse of all controuersies of faith and this to be not the authoritie of one or two men deceased not peculiar to such as in times past haue vttered the diuine truth either by mouth or pen and commended it vnto posteritie but an authoritie continuing in force and strength amongst the faithfull throughout all ages able perspicuously and openly to giue sentence in all controuersies of faith Yet as these Embassadors of God deceased cannot bee Iudges shall they therefore haue no saye at all in deciding controuersies of faith You may not thinke a Iesuite would take Iesus name in vaine he will neuer for shame exclude his Master for hauing at least a finger in the gouernment of the Church Why what is his office or what is the vse of his authoritie registred by his Apostles and Euangelists Not so little as you would weene For his speeches amōgst others that in their life time haue infallibly taught diuine truthes by mouth or pen may be consulted as a witnesse or written law in cases of faith but after a certaine sort and manner eyther to speake the truth or somewhat thereto not impertinent as shal bee declared in due place The place he
Paul Without the helpe or ministery of man We maintaine as wel as they God is not a father to such as will not acknowledge the Church for their Mother Notwithstanding thus we conceiue and speake of the Church indefinitely taken not confined to any determinate place not appropriated to any indiuiduall or singularised persons Now to verifie an indefinite speech or proposition the truth of any one particular sufficeth As hee that should say Socrates by man was taught his learning doth not meane the specificall nature or whole Mankind but that Socrates as others had one man or other at the first to instruct him The same Dialect wee vse when wee say euery one that truely cals God father receiues instructions from the Church his Mother that is from some in the Church lawfully ordained for planting faith vnto whome such filiall obedience as else where wee haue spoken of is due The difference likewise betweene the Romanists and vs hath partly beene discussed before In briefe it is thus We hold this Ministery of the Church is a necessary condition or mean precedent for bringing vs to the infallible truth or true sense of Gods word yet no infallible rule whereon finally or absolutely wee must relie eyther for discerning diuine Reuelations or their true meaning But as those resemblances of colours which wee tearme Species visibiles are not seene themselues though necessary for the sight of reall colours so this Ministery of the Church albeit in it selfe not infallible is yet necessarily require for our right apprehension of the diuine truth which in it selfe alone is most infallible yea as infallible to vs as it was to the Apostles or Prophets after it be rightly apprehended The difference is in the manner of apprehending or conceiuing it They conceiued it immediately without the Ministery or instruction of man so cannot wee This difference elsewhere I haue thus resembled As trees and plants now growing vp by the ordinary husbandry of man from seedes precedent are of the same kind and quality with such as were immediately created by the hand of God so is the immediate ground of ours the Prophets and Apostles faith the same Albeit theirs was immediately planted by the finger of God ours propagated from their seed sowne and cherished by the dayly industry of faithfull Ministers 3 Neither in the substance of this assertion nor manner of the explication doe we much differ if ought from Canus in his second booke where he taxeth Scotus Durand and others for affirming the last resolution of our faith was to be made into the veracity or infallibility of the Church The Apostles and Prophets sayeth he resolued their faith into truth and authority diuine Therfore wee must not resolue our faith into the humane authority of the Church For the faith is the same and must haue the same formall reason For better confirmation of which assertion hee addes this reason Things incident to the obiect of any habite by accident do not alter the formall reason of the obiect Now that the Articles of faith should bee proposed by these or these men is meerely accidentall wherefore seeing the Apostles and Prophets did assent vnto the Articles of faith because God reuealed them the reason of our assent must bee the same Lastly hee concludes that the Churches authority miracles or the like are onely such precedent conditions or meanes for begetting faith as sensitiue knowledge exhortations or aduise of Masters are for bringing vs to certaine knowledge in demonstratiue faculties Had eyther this great Diuine spoken consequently to this doctrine in his 5. Booke or would the Iesuites auouch no more then here hee doth wee should bee glad to giue them the right hand of fellowshippe in this point But they goe all a wrong way vnto the truth or would to God any way to the truth or not directly to ouerthrow it Catharinus though in a manner ours in that question about the certainety of saluation sayeth more perhaps then they meant whom Canus late taxed Auouching as Bellarmine cites his opinion that diuine faith could not be certaine and infallible vnlesse it were of an obiect approued by the Church Whence would follow what Bellarmine there inferres that the Apostles and Prophets should not haue beene certain of their Reuelations immediately sent from God vntill the Church had approued them which is a doctrine well deseruing a sharper censure then Bellarmine bestowes on Catharinus Albeit to speake the truth Bellarmine was no fitte man to censure though the other most worthy to bee seuerely censured Catharinus might haue replyed that the Prophets and Apostles at least our Sauiour in whom Bellarmine instanceth were the true Church as well as they make the Pope Nor can Valentias with other late Iesuites opinions by any pretence or shew hardly Bellarmines owne be cleared from the same inconueniences he obiectes to Catharinus as will appeare vpon better examination to bee made hereafter CHAP. II. That the Churches proposall is the true immediate and prime cause of all absolute beliefe any Romanist can haue concerning any determinate diuine Reuelation 1 WHereas Valentian and as he sayes Caietan deny the Churches infallible proposal to be the cause why we belieue diuine Reuelations This speech of his is equiuocall and in the equiuocation of it I thinke Valentian sought to hide the truth The ambiguity or fallacie is the same which was disclosed in Bellarmines reply vnto vs obiecting that Pontificians make the Churches authority greater then Scriptures In this place as in that the word of God or diuine reuelations may bee taken eyther indefinitely for whatsoeuer God shall hee supposed to speake or for those particular Scriptures or Reuelations which wee suppose hee hath already reuealed and spoken Or Valentian may speake of the obiect of our beliefe not of beliefe it selfe If wee take his meaning in the former sense what hee sayth is most true For the Churches infallibility is no cause why wee belieue that to bee true which wee suppose God hath reuealed nor did wee euer charge them with this assertion This is an Axiome of nature presupposed in all Religions yet of which none euer knew to make so great secular vse as the Romish Church doth But if wee speake of that Canon of Scripture which wee haue or any things contained in it all which wee and our aduersaries iointly suppose to haue come from God the onely cause why wee doe or can rightly belieue them is by Iesuiticall doctrine the Churches infallibility that commends them vnto vs. 2 If that Church which Valentian holdes so infallible should haue saide vnto him totidem verbis you must beleeue the books of Maccabes are canonicall euen for this reason that your holy Catholike Mother tels you so hee durst not but haue belieued as well the reason as the matter proposed To witte That these Bookes were Canonicall because the Church had enioyned him so to think albeit his priuate conscience left to Gods
to stagger vs most is this Why doe you belieue or how can you know those Bookes which yee call Scriptures were from God The last and finall answere according to the Iesuiticall Catechismes wherein as you heard before out of Bellarmine they thinke they haue great aduantage of vs would be this The holy Church our Mother doth so instruct giuing vs this expresse admonition withall his amplius fili mine requiras Here vpon God their Father and the infallible Church their mothers blessing their soules are bound to rest without further doubt or demand Whence vnlesse they vse so me mentall reseruation or seeke to shrowd themselus in the former aequiuocation hetherto vnfolded they must of necessity account themselues accursed if they deny the last or finall resolution of their beliefe to be into the Churches infallibility or veracity Againe what reasonable man would demand further resolution of any doubts incident to his faculty bee it reall or verball speculatiue or practicke then into the prime and immediate rules He should surely be lasht in a Grammer schoole that eyther for quantity of syllables right accent construction of wordes or the like would seeke a fuâ—ther reason then a knowne generall rule which admitteth no exception So should he with disgrace bee turned ouer the Barre amongst the Lawyers that would demurre or seeke a deuolution of an euident ruled case which by his owne confession could neuer alter Much more grosse would his absurdity appeare that in the Mathematiques or other demonstratiue science should attempt to resolue a probleme or conclusion further then into an vnquestionable theoreme or definition Finally might wee haue a centumâ—irall Court of all professions vnder the sunne our aduersaries would bee condemned with ioint consent eyther of intollerable folly or impudency if they should with Valentian deny the last resolution of their faith to bee into the Churches infallibility seeing they make it such a Catholike inerrable perpetuall rule of Christian faith as admits no exception no deuolution from it no appeale It is to them more then he said of Logicke Ars artium scientia scientiarum a faculty of faculties a Rule of Rules able rightly to resolue all doubts concerning the very Canon of Scriptures or Gods word written or vnwritten or the true sense or meaning of both briefly able most authentically to determine define all controuersies in Religion of what kind soeuer 4 Nor will it boot them ought to say that Gods word in the Churches mouth is the Rule whereinto faith is finally resolued seeing the Church defines nothing but by Gods word eyther written or vnwritten For this is more then the party which beleeues it can know nor hath hee any other motiue to belieue it besides the Churches definition or assertion Suppose then wee should conceiue so well of a temporall Iudge as to presume hee did neuer speake but according to the true meaning eyther of statute or customary law yet if wee could not know eyther the one or the other or their right interpretation but onely by his determinations the law were little beholden to him vnlesse for a floute that should say he were resolued iointly by the Iudge and it For seeing the Law is to him altogether vncertaine but by the Iudges auouchment or interpretation his last resolution of any act of iustice must bee onely into the Iudges skill and fidelity This inference Sacroboscus would nor deny hee himselfe hath made the like to proue that not the Scripture but the Church must bee the infallible rule of faith You will obiect saith he when the Church defines it alwayes defines according to the word of God eyther written or vnwritten New reuelations it receiues none the promised assistance of the spirit helps it onely to know what is alreadie reuealed Therefore from the first to the last that which determines controuersies and is the Iudge in all questions of faith is the word of God To this obiection thus hee answeres because we cannot be certaine of the true sense of Gods word but by the voice of the Church which heares our controuersies and answeres them The Church is Iudge although it iudge according to Gods word which vpon examination and by the spirits assistance it alwayes vnderstands a right And if euery one of vs should haue the infallible gift of vnderstanding Gods word wee should not neede any other Iudge The Reader I hope will remember what was said before that those flowting hypocrites would faine beleeue the Pope saith nothing but what God saith that God may be thought to say all he sayes which is the most abhominable blasphemie that euer Hell broacht worse then worshipping of Diuels as shal appeare hereafter 5 It may be some Nouice in Artes that hath late read some vulgar Logicians vpon the demonstrations might here frame this doubt in fauour of the Romish Churches Doctrine As the finall cause may be demonstrated by the efficient and the efficient by the final so may the Church be infallibly proued by Scriptures and the Scriptures againe by the Churches authority both infallibly beleeved each for others sake as both the former demonstrations are true and certaine and yet mutually depending one vpon the other 6 This obiection had some late Logicians vnderstood what they said would carry some shew of truth to countenance Valentians former circular resolutioÌ„ but they lace their M rs rule vttered by him Pingui Minerua too too straightly For taking it as they do we shold admit of circular demoÌ„strations the conceit wherof can haue no place but in a giddy braine To demonstrate the finall cause in any worke of Nature were to assigne a Counsailor to the infinite wisdome of the God of Nature in whose intention the end is first and is the cause of all operation or efficiency Who could giue or who would demaund a naturall cause why life should be prescribed for this is the will of him that gaue it If question were made of the manner how the life of man and other creatures is preserued when as their heat might seeme to choake them A man might truly answere by respiration and respiration is from the lungs But it is one thing to aske how or by what meanes another for what end any effect is produced The former is an inquiry of the efficient within these precincts of meanes or motions alwayes prime and independent The later of the final cause absolutely indemonstrable becauses it implies a contradiction to giue a reason why that should be for whose sake all other things of that ranke haue being Nor is the end it selfe to speake properly euer produced though oftimes in common speech we take the effect immediately thereto destinated because most sensible for the end it selfe as we doe the starre next to the pole because visible for the pole or point immoueable Thus we confound respirations or actuall preseruation of life with the finall cause why men haue lungs when as both are effects of the lungs
infallible whereof the Protestant otherwise perswaded reapes no benefit by it but continues still in darknesse labouring in vaine to see the truth of Diuine reuelations without it as much in vaine as if a man should striue to see colours without light For this is Sacroboscus instance Besides the habite of faith seated in the vnderstanding and the supernaturall concourse of the Holy Spirit due to all endued with the habite of faith but necessary in respect of the subiect or partie two things more are requisite on the behalfe of the obiect of which if eyther bee wanting the facultie can neuer performe it proper function Of these two the one is that the proposition to be beleeued be reuealed by God the other that there be a sufficient proposall made to vs that God hath reuealed it For an vnsufficient proposall of any obiect is as none as may appeare by the example of light which proposeth Colours to bee seene For when the light is weake or scant we cannot discerne Colours not that wee want a visible obiect but because we want light sufficient to illuminate the obiect or the space betwixt vs and it Hee addes withall such as disclaime the Churches authoritie and are content with this That Truths of faith are reuealed by God in his Word and hence promise themselues the supernaturall concourse of the Holy Ghost for producing acts of faith are destitute of a sufficient proposer and their presumption such as if a man should perswade himselfe because hee hath Colours before his eyes and God readie to affoord his ordinary concourse as oft as he is disposed to exercise his visiue facultie hee should bee able to see them without light For saith this Iesuite the Prophets are dead Apostles dead Christ goâ—e to Heauen and in stead of al Prophets Apostles or himselfe hath left vs his Church Nor is it to bee expected that God will euery where vpon all occasions supply the want of the externall proposals by the aboundance of internall illuminations as hee did to our first parent or Saint Paul who had his Gospell neyther from man nor by man but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ For those are priuiledges 6 The calumnie intended in this last instance hath often heretofore beene preuented Wee neuer denyed eyther the necessity or sufficiency of the Churches proposall as an externall meane wee accompt no other of that ranke and nature is or could bee eyther more necessary or more sufficient Saint Paul we grant had an extraordinary priuiledge and yet for his priuate information had the Truth proposed vnto him by Ananias though the gifts of his publique Ministery were immediately from God Both the measure of his faith and manner of attayning it were vnvsuall but his faith it selfe once attained no otherwise independent of any externall proposall then ours is and all Christians must be Wee should haue beene more beholden to this professor had he distinctly told vs what it is in their language to haue a sufficient proposer albeit this wee may gather from his wordes late cited and these following The Sectaryes take vpon them to correct the Churches sentence as oft as they list and then they oppose Christ to the Church as if the Church did propose one thing and Christ teach another If they admitted any Church as a sufficient proposer they were bound to conforme their opinions to it in all things As you heard before out of Bellarmine That the Popes decrees may not bee examined whether consonant or contrary to Gods word or the foundations of faith already laid in our hearts and out of Canus That we must beleeue the Church absolutely without ifs or ands Thus beleeuing we haue Gods Word sufficiently proposed without this beleefe or acknowledgement of such authoritie in the Church we haue no sufficient proposall of it but striue as foolishly to heare God speake as if wee sought to see Colours without the light 7 It appeares I hope as clearely to the Reader as to mee that the Churches testimonie or authority by our aduersaries Doctrine benefits none but such as stedfastly and absolutely beleeue it in all things But hee that so beleeues it may by it easily beleeue all other points as he that can perfectly see the light may see Colours by it Want of this radicall beleefe in vs makes our faith in their opinion so vnstable or rather blinde and dead Yet can I hardly perswade my selfe all of them will grant the Church addes any inherent or participated splendor to diuine reuelations whereby they become perspicuous in themselues as Colours are made visible by irradiation of the Sunne Thus much notwithstanding all of them I know willingly would subscribe vnto A Protestant can neyther of himselfe be infallibly perswaded of the Truth of Scriptures or other conclusions of faith nor doth he asolutely beleeue any others that are infallible in their determinations but a Roman Catholike albeit by his priuate spirit he cannot infallibly beleeues them yet he infallibly beleeues the Church which cannot erre in beleefe All then that a Papist hath more then a Protestant is this his beleefe of the Church if once he doubt of this he is where he was Which in plaine termes is as much as to say he beleeues the Church concerning Scriptures not Scriptures That this is the true interpretation of their tenent may easily be gathered from their owne writings For Bellarmine expressely contends and all of them suppose that saying of Saint Austine Non crederem Euangelio nisi me commoueret Ecclesiae authoritas I would not beleeue the Gospell vnlesse the Churches authoritie did thereto moue me to bee true as well after faith is produced whilest it continues as whiles it is in planting Now if a man should say Non crederem Francisco nisi me commoueret Petri fidelitas I would not trust Frances but for Peters word this speech resolued into it naturall or proper sense is aequiualent vnto this I doe not trust Frances but Peter that giues his word for him And in case Peter should proue false or bee distrusted by him that tooke his word for Frances as yet not beleeued but for Peters sake the creditor could haue no hold of eyther Thus if Bellarmine and his fellowes bee as they would seeme to make Saint Austine minded not to beleeue the Gospell but for the Churches authoritie or proposall of it let them speake plainly and properly not in parables or metaphors and so we shall know their meaning to be That they indeed beleeue not the Scriptures but the Church or the Church truly and really the Scriptures onely by extrinsecall denomination 8 Nor can they reply eyther consequently to Sacrobosâ—us instance or their generall tenents that as he which sees colours by the light truly sees colours not the light onely so hee that beleeues Scriptures by the Churches infallible proposall beleeues not the Churches proposall onely but Scriptures as truely and properly The
thence propagated to the Scriptures Hence it is that consequently to his positions most repugnant to all truth hee thinkes after the church hath sufficiently auouched the Scriptures diuine truth in generall wee cannot infallibly distinguish the true sense and meaning of one place from another but must herein also rely vpon the churches testimony and onely belieue that sense to bee repugnant that consonant to the analogie of faith which shee shall tender albeit our priuate consciences bee neuer so well informed by other Scriptures to the contrary The truth then of our former conclusion is hence easily manifested For seeing they hold both the Scriptures and their distinct sense to bee obscure and vnable to ascertaine themselues vnlesse the Church adde perspicuity or facility of communicating their meaning to priuate spirits such after the Churches proposall cannot possibly discerne them any better or more directly in themselues then they did before but must wholy rely vpon their Prelates as if these were the onely watchmen in the Tower of Gods church that could by vertue of their place discerne all diuine truth Others must belieue there is an omnipotent God which hath giuen his law a Mediator of the new Testament but what the meaning either of Law or Gospell is they may not presume otherwise to determine then weake sights do of things they see confusedly a farre off whose particular distance or difference they must take onely vpon other mens report that haue seene them distinctly and at hand 11 To illustrate these deductions with the former similitude of the prime and secondary visibles Let vs suppose for disputations sake that the Sunne which illuminates colours by its light were further indued as wee are with sense and reason able to iudge of all the differences betweene them which it can manifest to vs and hence challenge to bee a Pope or infallible proposer of colours This supposition the Canonist hath made lesse improbable For Deus fecit duo luminaria God made two lights that is by his interpretation the Pope and the Emperour Or if you please to mitigate the harshnesse of it let the Man in the Moone whom we may not imagine speechlesse bee supposed the sunne or Pope of colours Mercurie or Nuncio As the Papists say wee cannot know Scriptures to be Scriptures but by the infallible proposall of the Church so it is euident wee cannot see any colour at all vnlesse illuminated or proposed by the Sunnes light But after by it wee see them suppose wee should take vpon vs to discourse of their nature or determine of their distinct properties as now wee doe and the sunne or Pope of colours by himselfe or his Nuncio should take vs vp as Duke Humphrey did the blinde man restored to sight which hee neuer had lost Yea who taught you to distinguish colours were you not quite blinde but now as yet you cannot discerne any colours without my publike light and yet will you presume to desine their properties and distinguish their natures against my definitiue sentence knowne Must not hee that enables you to see them enable you to distinguish them seene Must you not wholly rely vpon my authority whether this bee white or that blacke If a man vpon these Motiues should absolutely belieue the sunnes determinations renouncing the iudgement of his priuate senses could hee truely say that hee eyther knew this colour to be white or that blacke or another greene Rather were he not bound to say I neither know white from black nor blacke from blew nor blew from greene but I know that to be white which the Sunne the onely infallible Iudge of colours saith is white that onely to bee blacke that blew and that greene which he shall determine so to be I may thinke indeed that the snow is white or coales blacke but with submission to the Sunnes determination 12 And yet as you haue heard at large out of the Trent Councell and best Apologies can bee made for it the Church must bee the infallible Iudge of all Scripture sense and must absolutely be belieued without all appeale to scriptures not conditionally as shee shall accord with them The conclusion hence issuing is most infallible and on their parts most ineuitable Whosoeuer absolutely acknowledgeth this authority in the Church or Consistory yelds such obedience vnto it in all determinations concerning the Canon of Scriptures doth not belieue eyther this or that determinate proposition of faith or any definite meaning of Gods word The best resolution hee can make of his faith is this I belieue that to bee the meaning of euery place which the Church shall define to bee the meaning which is all one as if hee had said I doe not belieue the Scriptures or their meaning but I belieue the Churches decision and sentence concerning them Hee that belieues not the Church saith Canus but with this limitation if it giue sentence according vnto Scriptures doth not belieue the Church but the scriptures By the same reason it followes most directly he that belieues not the true sense and meaning of scriptures but with this reseruation If the Church so thinke or determine doth not belieue them but the Church onely For as the Schoolemen say Vbi vnum propter aliud ibi vnum tantum He that serues God onely because hee would bee rich doth not serue God but his riches albeit he performe the outward acts of obedience Or if wee loue a man onely for his affinity with another whom wee dearely loue wee truely and properly loue but the one the other onely by way of reflexion or denomination in such a sense as wee say a man appeares by his proxie that is his proxie appeares not he In like sort beleeuing the sense of Scriptures onely from the supposed authentique declaration of the church or because wee belieue it wee infallibly belieue the Church alone not the Scriptures but onely by an extrinsecall denomination 13 Yet as a man may from some reasons lesse probable haue an opinion of what hee certainely knowes by motiues more sound or as we may loue one in some competent measure for his own sake and yet affect him more entirely for anothers whome wee most dearely loue so may an absolute Papist in some morall sort belieue the Scriptures for themselues or holde their orthodoxall sense as probable to his priuate iudgement albeit hee belieue them most for the Churches sake and that sense best which it commends But this his beliefe of the Church being by their doctrine more then morall or conditionall doth quite ouerthrow all morall or probable beliefe hee can possibly haue from what ground soeuer of scriptures themselues For as I said before when the Church shall determine ought contrary to his preconceiued opinion the more probable or strong it was the more it encreaseth his doubt and makes his contrary resolution more desperate yea more damnable if habituall because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extremely contrary to the doctrine
of their vnderstanding changed the glorie of the incorruptible God into the similitude of corruptible things often taxed by meere Philosophers for their grossenesse These blasphemers though professing the worship of the euer-liuing true and only God though partakers of his written word and all the helps his gracious prouidence from time to time hath affoorded for manifestation of it right sense and meaning abuse philosophie wherein they excell with all other gifts of arte and nature to transforme the most essentiall attributes of the diuine nature to turne his truth into lyes his goodnesse into all abomination For hauing this naturall notion in their braine Whatsoeuer God saith is true whatsoeuer he approues most iust and good their next presumptuous assumption is But God saith whatsoeuer the Romish Church or Pope saith ex Cathedra whatsoeuer hee alloâ—es God allowes the same And this assertion which thus confounds the limits of Gods truth and the Popes that the Christian world cannot discerne one from another once wrought in mens hearts what vntruth or falshood what heresie can be hatched so dangerous what villanie conceiued so abominable but may be presently fathered vpon that holy One from whom proceedes nothing but good Thus may bloudy and prodigious massacres be inuested with the most glorious titles the best of Christs Saints euer enioyed for their best deedes Iust reward for matchlesse impieties that benefit them may bee set forth to the world as the crowne of Martyrdome Finally their gaine is hereby made the measure of goodnesse their pompe and glory the rule of piety and end of euery Christians faith vnto which he must not stick to sacrifice his soule as an Holocauslum euer burning neuer consuming in that brimstone lake If it shall please the Pope to authorize murther though of the Lords annointed God the Sonne must be the chiefe Assasinate to giue power and strength and heauen for the reward vnto the Actor If pleased hee bee to giue way to incest as for the Vnckle to marrie the Niece a fornication not named but with distaste amongst the ancient Heathens I would abhorre to speake it would they bee ashamed to giue iust occasion the holy Ghost must not disdaine to be his Bawd or Pander If disposed to dispense with periurie God the Father must be as his Vassall to suffer disgrace at his appointment to recall the sentence of vengeance which the partie swearing by his name did imprecate vpon his owne head if he relented Though this be the greatest iniurie that can be offered to so great a Maiestie vnto whom execution of iust vengeance properly belongs yet must the Almightie at the Popes appointment bee content to put it vp 6 It is a qualitie in Kings very commendable saith Paulus Quartus Legate and Nephew vnto Henrie of France Religiously to obserue their oathes but when the Popes dignitie comes into danger religion it selfe is in hazard and a preposterous course it were religiously to obserue an oath vnto the ouerthrow of Religion With these and the like suggestions impiously acute did this sweet Cardinal by commission from the Pope his Master authorize and animate this French King to violate the league lately confirmed by solemne oath betwixt him and Philip of Spaine Might hee not as iustly though not so politikely in plaine termes haue told him either you must dishonour God or suffer the Pope to be disgraced choose which you list Doubtlesse in the language of Gods spirit which searcheth the heart hee that dispenseth with an oath of this nature especially solemnely taken is greater then he by whom men sweare and is in heart and deede so esteemed by such as acknowledge his authoritie in thus dispensing or sue vnto him for like dispensations But as if wilfull and open periurie without deepe and hellish hypocrisie were a sinne too plaine and simple for the Man of sinne to countenance the Legate first inuests this besotted Prince with the glorious title of Defensor Ecclesiae Romanae and in witnesse hereof deliuers him a sword consecrated by his Holinesse owne hand ere he make him forsweare himselfe and forsake his God who hath now forsaken him and for his sinne scarce expiated vnto this day plagued the Realme of France For as the iudicious Historian who hath the Articles of this perfidious confederacie yet in his custodie well obserues this was the roote of all the miseries haue since befalne that flourishing Kingdome and by Gods iust iudgements exposed it to the insolencies of the Spaniard through their meanes especially that wrought the King to breach of his oath with Spaine for entring this new confederacie with the Pope 7 Whilest reading this storie I called to minde the perfidious and cruell vsage of that renowned Admirall in the Parisian massacre the treacherous impietie of his politique enemies seemed highly to extoll the wisdome and iustice of his God calling him to suffer his chasticement in this life that hee might not perish with the wicked or such as were impenitent for their former grieuous sinne wherein this worthy Counsellor had in some sort though with griefe yet for the good of others I must vtter it communicated with the Pope and his periured Soueraigne For knowing the breach of peace was fully resolued vpon by the State of France he thought it a point of warlike wisedome to begin with the enemie in his owne Land rather then expect his onset vpon notice of warre proclaimed and faire opportunity as he apprehends it being offered from an insinuating Heremites discouering of the situation and readiest way of expugning Doway he attempts the surprisall of it but preuented of his purpose by an old woman that awaked the Garrison he deemed it a shame to return home with emptie hands though fill them he could not but with iust imputation of being the first that had actually broken the league as afterwards his venerable person was the first vpon whom those perfidious Assasinates and Actors in the Parisian massacre did practice their intended butcherie contrary to the oath and faith which they had giuen him God grant such as in reformed Churches doe most detest be neuer tempted by like opportunities to imitate the wordly policies of the Papacie that all our consultations to preuent their malice may alwayes rellish more of the Doues innocencie and integritie then of the Serpents subtlety 8 He that would accurately obserue the weake supportance of the Roman See at that time when the French could not relieue it how since that time the Popes haue shuffled themselues into the Spaniards fauour to the great preiudice of France who in loue to them had brought it selfe so low may by these moderne stories easily discerne the Papacies aduancement in times past to haue beene wrought by such meanes as our Writers out of ancient records haue deciphered Especially by sowing enmitie betwixt Christian Princes by seeking supportance now from one then from another as seuerall Popes for the most part by-standers
articulerum 〈◊〉 indicium atque desinitio emnium side 〈◊〉 quae vnquam oriri possunt Valent. Tom. 3 in Aquin Disp 1. Quaest 1. Punct 7. in Tit. Puncti The generall obiection of Reformed Churches against the former assertions Respondeo hoc argumentum quod ab haereticis plurimi sit â—otum in aequiuocatione versari nam duobus modis potest intelligi Ecclesiam iudicare de Scripturis Vno modo quod iudicet verumne sit an sassum quod Scripturae docent Alterò modo quod posito vt fundamento certissimo Scripturae verba esse verissima iudicet quae sit vera corum interpretatio Et quidem si primo modo Ecclesia iudicaret verè esset supra Scripturam sed hoc non dicimus quamuis Haeretici calumnientur id nos dicere qui passim vociserantur nos subijcere Scripturam pedibus Papae At secundo modo iudicare Ecclesiam vel Pontificem de Scripturis quod nos asserimus non est Ecclesiam esse supra Scripturam sed supra iudicia priuatorum hominum Non enim iudicat Ecclesia de veritate Scripturae sed de intelligentia tua mea et aliorum Neque hinc sumit verbum Dei abquod robur sed intelligientia nostra Non enim Scriptura est verior aut certior quia sic ab Ecclesia exponitur sed mea seatentia est verior quando ab Ecclesia confirmatur Bellar. de verb. interpret Lib. 3. Cap. 10. Raesp ad 14. Arg. * Vide Chap. 2. Parag. 7. In what sence as impertineÌ„t as true Gods word by Romanists is acknowledged of greater authoritie then the Church * Sacrobos and Valentian both vse the like speeches The Romish racke of conscience Least they might in any doubt goe against their conscience they are taught to beleeue that whatsoeuer the Pope shall command is good and cannot hurt the conscience See the Annotation out of Bellarmine cap. 2. §. 2. * Respondeo verbum Ecclesiae id est Concilij vel Pontificis dâ—centis ex cathedra non esse â—emnino verbum hominis id est verbum errori obnoxium sed aliquo modo verbum Dei id est si prolatum gubernante assistence spiritu sancto imo dico Haereticos esse qui reuera nitantur baculo arundineo Sciendum est enim propositionem fidei concludi tali Syllogismo Quicquid Deus reuelauit in Scripturis est verum hoc dens reuelauit in Scripturis ergo hoc est verum Ex propositionibus huius Syllogismi prima certa est apud omnes secunda apud Cathelicos est etiam firmissima nititur enim testimonio Ecclesiae Concilij vel Pontificis de quibus habemus in Scripturis apertas promissiones quod errare non possint Actorum 15. Visum est spiritui sancto nobis Et Luc. 22. Regaui pro te vt non deficiat fides tua At apud Haereticos nititur solis coniecturis vel iudicio proprij spiritus qui plerumque videtur bonus est malus Et cum conclusio sequatur deteriorem partem sit necessariò vt tota fides Haereticorum sit coniecturalis incerta Bellar. de verb. Dei interpret Lib. 3. Cap. 10. Resp ad 15. aâ—g Bellarmines Catholicke Syllogisme wherein all conclusions of faith must be gathered a Act. 15. v. 28. b Luk. 22. v. 32. * Sect. 1. Parag. 1. Seq The first difficultie in their opinion wheÌ„ce our former coÌ„clâ—sion may be deduced * Si volunt Pontificem in rebus alioqui omnino controuersis id est non satis expressè in Ecclesia compertis ac determinatis defiâ—ire posse vt personam pubâ—cam errorem re ipsa contra fidem errant ipsi in fide grauissiâ—è Posset enim imo teneretur tunc Ecclesia vniuersa Pontificem de re controuersa dicentem ac nondum haeresi manifestê notatum pro Pastore suo agnoscere atque adeo ipsum omnino audire Ita fierat vt si tunc errare possit Ecclesia etiam vniuersa possit immo teneretur errare Valentian Tom. 3. de obiect fid Disp 1. Quaest 1. Punct 7. Paragraph 4â— Bellarmine for the same grounds Collects that the Pope cannot erre in matters of manners * Vide Librum 2. Sect. 4. Cap 5. Paragraph 14. Nam fides Catholica docet omnem virtutem esse bonaÌ„ omne vitium esse malum si autem Papa erraret praecipiendo vi tia vel prohibendo virtutes teneretur Ecclesia credere vitia esse bona virtutes malas nisi vellet contra conscientiam peccare Tenetur enim in rebus dubijs Ecclesia acquiescere iudicio summi Pontificis facere quod ille praecipit non facere quod ille prohibet ac ne sorte contra conscientiam agat tenetur credere bonum esse quod ille praecipit malum quod ille prohibet Bellarmine Lib. 4. de Roman Pont. Cap. 5. Wherein the Papists make the Popes authoritie greater then Gods Iâ—h 5. 7. 1 Thess 5. 21. Ioh. 1. Epist 4. The grosse impietie of the Romish Church in binding men to beleeue negatiues without any tollerable exposition of those Scriptures which seeme to contradict her decrees in matters damnable to aduenture vpon without euidence of truth on her part The fearefull dangers whervnto mens soules are exposed by the Trent Councels decree for worshipping the consecrated hoast For to aduenture on such practizes with any scruple or doubt is damnable because contrarie to the Doctrine of saith And yet to enforce a beleefe vpon our selues that Christ is their present without warrant of Scripture is more damnable for this were to affect ignorance for cloaking Idolatrie V de lib. 2. Sect. 1. cap. 7. * De adorand lib. 3. disp 1. c. 5. * The knowne experiments of such Creatures arising from corruption of their consecrated host haue enforced the Schoolemen to inuent new miracles how they should come there Some thinke per creationem nouae materiae prima others that the quantitie of the late deceased consecrated host Supplet locum materiâ—e primae which is the greatest miracle in the Sacrament as Pererius thinks vide Pere dispu 16. in 6 tom Jobannis Sâ—ares Met. disp 20. § Si quis dixerit in sancto Eucharistiae Sacramento Christum vnigenitum Dei filium non esse cultulatriae etiam externo ad orandum alque ideo nec festiua peculiari celebritate venerandum neque in procâ—ssionibus secuudum laudabilem vniuersalem Ecclesiae sanctae ritum consuetudinem solemniter circumgestandum vel non publicè vt adoretur populo proponendum eius adoratores esse Idololatras anathema sit Concil Trid. Sess 13. Can. 6. * The impious decree of the Trent Councell for communicating in one kind against the expresse Commandement of Christ the practise of his Apostles and the Primitiue Church a Session 21. 20. * Erant autem sub Arriana secta viuentes quia consuetudo eorum est vt ad Altarium venientes de alio calice Reges communicent de alio
commissum fuisset in eo culpam agnoscere solicitèque deprecari quam ex vestra hoc est sacerdotum Romanorum vt liberè loquar negligentia veraÌ„ causam afferre quos nimirum â—rigere nihil minus quam de cogendo concilio cogitare video cuius vt spes me prius acuebat incitabat sic desperatio iampridem hebetat atque retardat quos enim maximè in publicam Ecclesiae salutem excubare atque eius dignitatis â—ugendae nullam occasionem praetermittere oportebat abijs Concilij rei salutaris si vnquam aliâ—s nunc maximè necessariae mentionem fieri non alio tempore video quam cum bellum aut geritur inter Principes Christianos aut impendet Sepul Lib. 2. Epist 27. In his pijs deliberationibus illud pervetustum iustissimum decretum inprimis vsurpari renouarique solet ne quae haeresis in aliquo rite coacto Concilio priorum sententijs damnata in dubium ac disputationem reuocetur Cuius sacrosancti decreti ea vis est vt hoc vno cuncta dogmata Lutheranorum corruant Quid enim noui excogitarunt ingeniosi artifices quid vero afferunt quod non hauserint ex veterum haereticorum damnata sententia Haec cum ita sint religionis morumque summam in huiusmodi controuersia paucorum doctorum hominum disputationi quasi certamini aequatis vtrinque classibus quidem loco nostrorum iniquiore Pontificis Maximi voluntate permitti nonne simile est ac si quos capitalium manifestorum scelerum reos quos liceat iustissimis legibus grauissime cum summae auctoritate damnare summus Magistratus sic suam causam agentes audiat vt crimina plaene confessi in leges receptas sacro sanctas que argute disputent cum iustitiae innocentia virtutes omnes in discrimen vocent easdemque devetere sua paternaque possessione iudicibus quoque damnatis pellere nitantur Sepulveda L. 2. Epist 28. a Cha 6. parag 5. Sect. 4. * In the beginning of the second Section * Valentian Tom. 3. in Aquin dis 1. q. 1. de obiect fidei puncto 1. Vide verba integra L. 2. Sect. 4. c. 5. parag 16. 17 * In what sence it is true hee that hath not the Church for his mother hath not God for his father * Lib. 2. Sect. 1. cap. 46. 7. seq a Lib 2 sect 3. cap. 1. Parag. 6. * The obiect of the Apostles faith and ours the same though the manner of our appâ—ehending it differ Eorum hic errorem dissimulare non possum qui asserunt fidem nostram eò tanquam in vltimaÌ„ credendi causam reducendam esse vt credamus ecclesiam esse veracem cui prius inquiunt assen timur per fidem acquisitam quam per infusam Quod si verum esset prima ratio formalis infusae fidei non esset veritas increata sed creata Praeterea Apostâ—li Prophetae resoluebant vltimo fidem suam in diuinaÌ„ authoritatem veritatem Ergo nos in humanam Ecclesiae authoritatem fidem nostram non resâ—luimus Eadem enim fides est idemque proinde habet obiectum rationemque formalem Confirmat autem hoc vel maximè quod ea quae per accidens contingunt obiecto alicuius habitus non variant illius obiecti formalem rationem sed articulos credendos proponi per hos aut illos homines per accidens omnino contingit Cum erga Prophetae Apostoli assentirentur articulis fidei quia Deus reuelauit eandem quoque nos credendi rationem habebimus Nisi fortè fides nostra non est virtus Theologica cuius videlicet prima formalis ratio si his credimus non diuina sed humana veritaâ— est Canus Lib. 2. de loc Theol. * At inquit Catharinus soli fidei Catholicae conuenit vt ei fallum subesse nequeat quoniam est de obiecto probato ab Ecclesia Fidei autem diuinae particulari falsam subesse potest quoniaÌ„ est de obiecto non probato ab Ecclesia Respondeo nouam atque inauditam hanc esse doctrinam vt fidei diuinae possâ—â— subesse falsum antequam eius obiectum probatum fuerit ab Ecclesia Probatio enim Ecclesiae facit vt omnibus innotescat obiectâ—m illud esse reuelatum à Deo propter hoc certum indubitatum non autem tribuit firmitatem verbo Dei aliquid reuelantis Itaque implicat contradictionem vt aliquid sit reuelatum à Deo possit ei subesse falsum siue illud ab Ecclesia probatum sit siue non sit Alioqui quod CHRISTVS Paralitico Magdalenae dicebat Remittuntur tibi peccata tua poterat esse falsum quia nondum fuerat ab Ecclesia approbatum quis ita desipiat vt verba CHRISTI ab Ecclesiae approbatione pendere arbitretur Et si quis infantem baptizet cum intentione vere baptizandi nonne hereticus censebitur si dabiâ—et an 〈◊〉 ille su verè iustisi catus Et tamen non est hoc obieâ—â—um ab Ecclesia approbatum c. Bell. lib. 3. de iustific cap. 3. * Vide â— seq Parag. 3. * Sect. 2. cap. 1. * Vide Chap. 4. Paragr 2. * Vide Chap. 4. Paragr 2. * Cap. 8. Parag. 4 c. 2. Parag. 10 * The place is quoted in the second Annotation Parag. 5. * Vide Annot. cap. 4. Parag. 5. * Ex quo intelligitur eos qui in Scriptura reprehenduntur quod priuatis reuelationibus non crediderint vt Sara Genes 18. Zachaerias Lucae 1. non propter infidelitatem propriè vt est vitium contra fidem Catholicam reprehendi sed propter imprudentiam duritiem â—ordis Pertinet enim ad prudentiam infusam ad donum Consilij eiusmodi reuelationibus priuatis assensum praebere vel negare consideratis circumstantijs quae docent eas esse à Deo vel non Et illae personae commemoratae ex prudentia dono consilij credere illis debuissent Valent. Disp 1. Quaest 1. De obiecto fidei Punct 1. The ground of this Position is because Sola Diuina Reuelatio ab Ecclesia proposita est obiectum fide * Vide lib 2. Sec. 4. cap. 5. Parag. 19. Ratio credendi est causa credendi * Valent. Tom. 3 in Aquin. Disp 1 Quaest 1. De obtest fidei Punct 1. His words are quoted lib. 2. sect 4. cap. 5 Parag. 16. * Lib. 2 Sect. 2. Cap. 5. §. 8. Voluit igitur de fide supernaturali indistinâ—le lâ—qui prout differt à fide naturali acquisita vim generandi fidem habere quicquid ad actum siue ex parte potentiae siue ex parte obiecti est necessarium Verum tunc vt Scripturae vis haec concedi potest sic nequaquam debet excludi Ecclesia quae respectu nostri est causa proponens vt est supra explicatum And a little after authoritas Ecclesiae proponentis loquentis