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
and nasus simus is al one so in their language is the Church and the Church of Rome This Church tels him he may not take vpon him to trie of what spirit the Pope is not examine his determinations decisions or interpretations of any Scripture by other known places of Scripture or the analogie of faith acknowledged by all Vnto this decree or sentence of the Church although hee haue it but at the second hand or after it haue passed through as many Priests and Iesuites mouthes as are Post Townes from London to Edenburgh hee yeeldes absolute obedience without acknowledgement of farther appeale either vnto Scriptures or other authoritie whatsoeuer further manifestation of Gods will hee expects none Let all the reformed Churches in the World or all the Christian World besides exhort threaten or adiure him as he tenders the good of his owne soule as hee will answere his Redeemer in that dreadfull day of finall iudgement to examine the Church or Popes decrees by Gods written Lawes his answere is he may not he cannot doe it without open disobedience to the Church which to disobey is damnation of soule and bodie But O fooles and slow of heart to beleeue and obey from the heart that doctrine whereunto yee were deliuered Know ye not that to whomsoeuer yee giue your selues as seruants to obey his seruants ye are to whom yee obey whether it bee the man of sinne vnto death or obedience vnto righteousnesse Ofall Mankinde are onely Roman Catholiques not bought with a price that they may thus alienate their soules from Christ and become seruants of men that they may consecrate themselues by solemne vow to the perpetuall slauerie of most wicked and sinfull men euen monsters of Mankind CHAP. IIII. That in obeying the Romish Churches decrees wee doe not obey Gods Word as well as them but them alone in contempt of Gods principall Lawes 1 BVt the simple I know are borne in hand by the more subtile ort of this generation That thus obeying sinfull men they obey Christ who hath enioyned them this obedience vnto such That thus beleeuing that sence of Scripture which the Church their mother tenders vnto them they doe not beleeue her better then Scriptures because these two beleefes are not opposite but subordinate that they preferre not her decrees before Christs written Lawes but her interpretation of them before all priuate expositions This is the onely Citie of refuge left them wherein prosecuted by the former arguments they can hope for anie succour but most of whose gates alreadie haue beene all shortly shall bee shut vpon them 2 That they neither beleeue nor obey Gods Word whilest they absolutely beleeue and obey the Church without appeale is euident in that this Church vsually bindes men not vnto positiue points of Religion gathered so much as from any pretended sence of Scripture expounded by it but to beleeue bare negatiues as that this or that place of Scripture either brought by their aduersaries or conceiued by such amongst themselues as desire the knowledge of truth and right information of conscience haue no such meaning as the Spirit of God not flesh and bloud as farre as they can iudge of their owne thoughts hath reuealed vnto them 3 But the Spirit may deceiue priuate men or at least they may deceiue themselues in their triall of Spirits They may indeed and so may men in publique place more grieuously erre in peremptorie iudging priuate men because obnoxious to errour in the generall erroneous in this particular wherein they ground their opinions vpon Gods Word plentifull to euince it at least very probable reasons they bring manie and strong whereunto no reasonable answere is brought by their aduersaries whose vsuall course is to presse them onely with the Churches authoritie which appeares to be of farre greater waight then Gods word vnto all such as yeeld obedience to her negatiue decrees without any euidence or probabilitie either of Scripture or naturall reason to set against that sence and meaning of Gods Lawes wherevnto strength of arguments vnrefuted and probable pledges of Gods Spirit vndisproued haue long tied their soules Doe wee obey God or beleeue his word whilest we yeeld obedience to the Church in such Commandements as to our consciences vpon vnpartiall examination seeme condemned ere made by the very fundamentall Lawes of Religion and all this oftimes without any shew or pretence of Scripture to warrant vs that we doe not disobey God in obeying them 4 But doth the Romish exact absolute obedience in such pointes as if it were possible they could bee false may endanger the very foundation of true Religion without euident demonstration that their daily practise neither doth nor can endanger it Yes For what can more concerne the maine foundation which Christians Iewes and Mahumetans most firmely hold then those precepts in number many all plainely and peremptorily forbiding vs to worship any Gods but One or any thing in the Heauen or Earth but him onely The Romanists themselues grant that cultu latriae God alone is to bee adored that so to adore any other is Idolatrie and Idolatrie by their confession a most grieuous sinne O how much better were it for them to hold it none or Gods Word forbidding it of no authoritie then so lightly to aduenture the hourely practise of it in contempt of such fearefull threatnings as they themselues out of Gods Lawes pronounce against it vpon such broken disioincted surmises as are the best they can pretend for their warrant 5 To beleeue Christs flesh and bloud should bee there present where it cannot be seene or felt yea where we see and feele another bodie as perfectly as wee can doe ought is to reason without warrant of Scripture but a sencelesse blinde beleefe But grant his bodie and bloud were in the Sacrament rightly administred yet that out of the Sacrament either should bee in the consecrated host whilest carried from Towne to Towne for solemne shew more then for Sacramentall vse is to reason ruled by Scripture to say no worse more improbable Now to worship that as God which to our vnerring sences is a Creature vpon such blind supposals that Christs bodie by one miracle may be there by another vnseene is worse then Idolatrie committed vpon delusion of sence So to adore a wayfer onely a wayfer in all appearance without strict examination nay without infallible euidence of Scriptures vrged for the reall presence is more abhominable then to worship euerie appearance of an Angell of light without triall what spirit it were Sathan or some other that so appeared And if we consider the olde Serpents vsuall slight to insinuate himselfe into euery place wherein inveterate custome or corrupt affection may suggest some likelihood of a diuine presence vnto dreaming fancies as he did delude the old World in Oracles and Idols the probabilitie is farre greater his inuisible substance by nature not incompatible with any corporeall quantitie should be annexed to the
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
did acknowledge him Supreme Lord of all the Kingdomes of the Earth for that were as much lesse preiudiciall to Christs prerogatiue royall as a damage in possession or goods would bee to a personall disgrace or some foule maime or deformitie wrought vpon a Princes bodie CHAP. V. Propounding what possibly can bee said on our aduersaries behalfe for auoiding the force of the former arguments and shewing withall the speciall points that lie vpon them to prooue as principally whether their beliefe of the Churches authoritie can bee resolued into any diuine testimonie 1 VNto all the difficulties hitherto proposed I can rather wish some learned Priest or Iesuit would then hope any such euer will directly answere point by point For the Readers better satisfaction I will first briefly set downe what possibly can be said on their behalfe and after a disclosure of their last secret refuge draw forth thence the dead putrified carkasse of Romish faith which vnto the ignorant and superstitious that cannot vncouer the holes and clefts wherein these impostors vpon euery search are wont to hide it may yet seeme to liue and breath as the fable went of Saint Iohn the Euangelists bodie after many yeares reposall in the graue or as the blinded Iewes to this day bragge the scepter of Iudah yet flourisheth beyond Babilon in Media or some vnknowne part of India whither no European is likely to resort for a disprouall of his relation 2 Vnto the demonstratiue euidences aswell of their errour in expounding Scriptures pretended for as of other Scriptures rightly alleaged by vs against their former or like decrees they will be readie to oppose what Bellarmine hath * done That the Church must iudge of Scriptures euidence and priuate errours in expounding it not priuate men of the Churches expositions Vnto the obiected dreadfull consequences of their decrees could these possibly be erroneous they would regest disobedience to the Church that to disobey it is to disobey God Father Sonne and Holy Ghost a sinne as hanious as mangling of Christs last will and Testament as Idolatrie On the contrarie to obey the Church euen in her negatiue decrees and naked decisions vngarded with any pretence of Scripture much more where this louing Mother for the education of her children will vouchsafe what shee need not to alleage some clause or sentence of Holy writ we obey not the Church onely but Gods Word also though not in those particular places which in our iudgements either contradict the former or like decrees or else make nothing at all for them yet in textes produced for the Churches transcendent generall authoritie As he that adores the consecrated hoste in procession because his holy Mother commands him so to doe or accoūts wāt of Christs bloud no losse because denied him by her authoritie although vnto priuate spirits he may seeme to contradict that Law Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue doth yet sincerely obey the Holy Ghost and rightly obserue the true sence and meaning of these his dictates Peter I haue prayed for thee that faith should not faile Peter feed my sheep Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church From these places once firmely beleeuing the Church possibly cannot erre hee must not question whether the practises by it inioyned contradict the former lawes both being deliuered by the holy spirit who can not contradict himelfe This I take it is the summe of all the most learned of our aduersaries can or would reply vnto the former difficulties Not to draw faster but rather remitting the former bonds wherein they haue inextricably intangled themselues by their circular progresse in their resolution of faith admit their late doctrine lest any possibilitie of knowing Scriptures acknowledged by both to bee Gods word or of distinguishing humane testimonies written or vnwritten from diuine The present question we may draw with their free consent vnto this issue whether their beleef of the Churches infallible authoritie vndoubtedly established as they pretend in the fore cited places can bee truly resolued into any branch of the first truth or into humane testimonies onely If into the latter onely the case is cleare that absolutely obeying the Romish Church in the former or like decrees which her authoritie set aside to all or most mens consciences would seeme to contradict Gods principall lawes wee beleeue and in beleeuing obey men more then God humane authorities lawes or testimonies more then diuine 4 The strength or feeblenesse of Romane faith will best appeare if wee trie it in any one of these ioynts Whether by Diuine testimonie it can bee proued that Saint Peter had such an vniuersall infallibe absolute authoritie as these men attribute vnto the Pope Whether by like infallible testimonie it can bee proued the Popes from time to time without exception were Peters vndoubted successors heires apparant to all the preheminencies or prerogatiues he inioyed Whether either the soueraigntie or vniuersalitie of their authoritie supposed probable in it selfe or to themselues or particular iniunctions deriued from it can bee so fully notified to all Christians as they neede not question whether in yeelding obedience to such decrees of like consequences as were the former they doe not grieuously disobey Gods Word For though the Popes themselues might know this truth by Diuine reuelation or otherwise their internall assurance vnlesse generally communicable by diuine testimonies could be no warrant vnto others for vndertaking matters of feareful consequences whereof they doubt not onely out of secret instinct or grudging of their consciences but from an apprehension of opposition betwixt the very formes of lawes papall and diuine 5. First it is improbable that he to whom our Sauiour said If thy brother trespasse against thee di◠Ecclesiae was the Church vnto which all must from which none may appeale Or if Peter the Pope if he will be Peters successor must in causes of controuersie appeale vnto the Church How is he then as our aduersaries contend the Church or such a part of it vnto whom all euen Peter himselfe were he aliue must appeale Must others appeale to him as Iudge in his owne cause or he vnto himselfe alone Not as alone but so a late Papist to my remembrance answeres Gerson as accompanied with his fellow Consull his Chaire which is to him as Caesar was to Iulius and so shall Gods word be to both as Bibulus was to Iulius Caesar a meere pretence or bare name of authority nothing else Yet if that word auouch that neither S. Peters or his successors faith could euer faile in determining controuersies we contradict it not the Popes decisions only if we doe not in all doubtfull doctrines fully rely vpon them CHAP. VI. That neither our Sauiours prayers for the not fayling of Peters faith Luke 22 ver 32. nor his commending his sheepe vnto his feeding Ioh. 21. ver 15 proue any supremacy in Peter ouer the Church from
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
Waters whereon the great Whoore sits From what historie therefore doe they beleeue the Pope is Peters successour from historie canonicall or diuine no Secular Monkish or Ecclesiasticall at the best vpon which the best faith that can be founded is but humane and their professed villanie in putting in and out whatsoeuer they please into what writing soeuer Gods word only excepted makes it more then doubtfull whether many ancient Writers did euer intimate any such estimate of the Romish Church as is now fathered vpon them or rather this foule iniquitie late reuealed whilest some haue beene taken in the manner hath beene long time concealed as a mysterie of the Romish state But they beleeue not this succession from expresse written historie but from Tradition partly From Tradition of whom Of men what men Men obnoxious to error and parties in this present controuersie yet neither partiall nor erroneous while they speake ex Cathedra saith the Iesuit But who shall assure vs what they haue spoken ex Cathedra concerning this point The Councels What Councels Councels assembled by the Pope Councels of men for the most part as ill qualified as carnally minded and so palpably carried away with faction that to attribute any diuine authoritie vnto them were to blaspheme the holy Spirit Councels which the Papists themselues acknowledge not of sufficient authoritie vnlesse they follow the Popes instructions from whom likewise they must receiue their approbation The Pope must assure vs the Councell which perhaps elected him reiecting a Competitor euery way more sufficient doth not erre But that the Pope is lawfully elected that so elected he cannot erre in this assertion who shall assure vs hee himselfe or hâ—s Predecessors This then is the last resolution of our faith if it relie vpon the Church 8 We must absolutely beleeue euery Pope in his owne cause First that he himselfe is secondly that all his Predecessors vp to Saint Peter were infallible When as many of them within these few hundred years late past by their owne followers confession were such as whatsoeuer must deriue it pedigree from them may iustly be suspected to haue first descended from the father of lies such as not speaking ex Cathedra were so far from the esteeme of absolute infallibility that such as knew them best did trust them least in matters of saecular commodity and if they were found vnfaithfull in the wicked Mammon who will trust them in the true Not Papists themselues vnlesse they speake ex Cathedra Then belike our Sauiour did not foresee this exception from his generall râ—ie or Iudas by this knacke might haue proued himselfe or any other knaue as faithfull a Pastor as S. Peter 9 But if a Pope shall teach ex Cathedra that he is Peters lawfull successor and therefore of diuine infallible authority in expounding all the former places wee must notwithstanding our Sauiours caueat belieue him Why Because it must bee supposed he hath diuine testimony for this assertion As what either diuine history diuine tradition or diuine reuelation Diuine history thy disclaime nor can impudency it selfe pretend it It may bee hee hath the perpetuall traditions of his predecessors But here againe wee demaund what diuine assurance they can bring forth that euery Pope from Saint Peter downewards did giue expresse cathedrall testimony to this perpetuall succession in like authority Suppose what no Iesuite dare auouch vnlesse hee first consult his superiours whether hee must not of necessity say so for maintenance of the Popes dignity that this assertion had beene expresly conueyed from Saint Peter to the present Pope without interruption yet if any one of them did receiue it from his predecessor hauing it but as a priuate man or vpon his honesty hee might erre in deliuering it to his successor so might the third in belieuing him For no beliefe can bee more certain then it proper obiect or immediate ground If That bee fallible the beliefe must needs be vncertaine obnoxious to error and at the best humane No better is the Popes testimony vnles giuen ex Cathedra and no better is the ground of his owne beliefe of what his Predecessors told him vnlesse they tolde it him so speaking Wherfore though this present Pope should teach ex Cathedra viua voce that hee is Peters lawfull successor yet vnlesse hee can proue that none of his predecessors did euer neglect so to auouch the same truth it is euident that hee speakes more then hee can possibly know by any diuine testimony either of history or vnwritten tradition It is euident againe hee bindes vs to beleeue that by diuine faith which hee cannot possibly know himselfe but onely by faith humane For the onely ground of his assertion is this supposed perpetuall tradition and this is but humane vnlesse it bee perpetually deliuered ex Cathedra No is there any other meanes possible vnder the sunne nay either in heauen or earth for to know matters of this nature forepast but either the testimonie of others that haue gone before vs who either were themselues or tooke their relations vpon trust from such as were present when the things related were acted or else by reuelation from him who was before all times and is a present spectatour an eye witnesse of euery action 10 Our knowledge of matters forepast by the former means though Popes themselues be the relators vnlesse their relation bee cathedrall as hath been proued are but humane and fallible Things known by immediate reuelation from God are most certaine because the immediate Relator is most infallible Doth the Pope by this meanes know what his Predecessors or Saint Peter thought concerning this perpetuall succession or generally all matters concerning this point long since forepast He may as easily tell vs what any of his successors shall doe or say an hundred yeers hence And thus much if this present Pope will vndertake the Christian people then liuing may safely belieue what the Pope then being shall say of this or both of their predecessors But to belieue man as an infallible prophet of things past which cannot approue himselfe a true foreteller of things to come were to inuert Gods ordinance and mocke his word For it hath been a perpetuall law of God that no maÌ„ should euer be belieued more then man or by any faith more then humane though in matters present whereof hee might haue beene an eye witnesse vnlesse he shewed his participation of the diuine spirit by infallible praediction of things to come or euidencie of miracles fully answering to the prediction of Gods word already written as shall bee shewed at large in the next section 11 If wee put together the first elements of Romish faith as they haue beene sounded apart they make no such compound as the simple and ignorant Papists who in policy are taught to read this lesson as little children vntaught will by gessing at the whole in grosse without spelling the parts belieue they
the man Christ Iesus not excepted This conclusion followeth immediately out of three positions generally held and stifly maintained by that Church The first that the Pope liue hee as hee list cannot erre in matters of faith and manners when hee speaketh ex Cathedra that we are bound infallibly to belieue whatsoeuer he so speakes without examination of his doctrine by Gods word or euident externall signe or internall experiment of Gods spirit speaking in him The second that wee cannot assure our selues the Scriptures are the Oracles of God but by the infallible testimony of the Visible Church The third that the true sense and meaning of Scriptures in cases doubtfull or controuersed cannot be vndoubtedly known without the infallible declaration of the same Church CHAP. I. What restraint precepts for obedience vnto the Priests of the Law though seeming most vniuersall for their forme did necessarily admit And how vniuersall Propositions of Scriptures are to be limited 1 SEing wee vndertake to proue that no such authority as the Romish Church doth challenge was euer established on earth The answering of those arguments drawne from the authority of the Priestes in the olde Testament may to the iudicious seeme at the first sight needlesse yet because such as they set the fairest glosses vpon if wee looke into the inside or substance are fullest fraught with their owne disgrace and ignominy It will not be superfluous to acquaint the Reader with some particulars prefixing some generall admonitions to the yonger sort for more commodious answering of all that can be brought of like kind 2 Their common places of consening the world especially smatterers of Logicke or schoole learning with counterfeit proofes of Scripture is either from some vniuersall precept of obedience to the people or generall promises of infallibility made to the Priests in the old Testament Such as come vnto the Scriptures hauing their mind dazled with notions of vniuersale primum or other Logicke rules true in some cases thinke the formerprecepts being for their forme vniuersall may admit no exception limitation or restraint otherwise the holy Ghost might breake the rule of Logicke when as they admit many restraints nor alwayes from one but ofttimes from diuerse reasons from these following especially God sometimes inioynes obedience as wee say in the abstract to set vs a patterne of such true accurate obedience as men should performe vnto authority it selfe or vnto such gouernours as neither in their liues nor in the seat of iudgement would decline either to the right hand or to the left but square all their proceedings to the exact rule of Gods word Vnto such gouernours continuall and compleat obedience was to bee performed because the parties gouerned vpon examination should alwayes finde them iumpe with the law of God vnto which absolute obedience as hath beene shewed is due Nor doth the word of God in setting out such exact obedience lie open to that exception which Polititians take against Philosophers as if it as Philosophers doe did giue instructions onely for happy men of Aristotles making or for the Stoickes wise men who can no where bee found but in Platoes common-wealth whose Metropolis is the Region of Eutopia For the ancient Israel of God had this prerogatiue aboue al the nations of the earth that their Priests lips whilest they themselues were clothed with righteousnesse and bare holinesse vnto the Lord in their breasts should still preserue knowledge and bee able to manifest the will of God vnto the people not onely by interpreting the generall written law but by reuelations concerning particular facts of principall moment as may bee gathered from that law Also thou shalt put in the breast plate of iudgement the Vrim and the Thummim which shall be vpon Aarons heart when hee goeth in before the Lord And Aaron shall beare the iudgement of the children of Israel vpon his heart before the Lord continually 3 To omit the various interpretations and diuers opinions of this brest-plates vse why it was called the breast plate of iudgement Iosephus and Suidas in my mind come neerest the truth That the Reuelation by it was extraordinary that Gods presence or iuridicall approbation of doubts proposed was represented vpon the pretious stones that were set therein is probable partly from the aptnesse of it to allure the Israelites vnto Idolatry partly from that formality which the Egyptians in imitation of the Ephods ancient vse amongst the Iewes retained long after in declaration of the truth in Iudgement For Diodorus tels vs that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or chiefe Iudge in that famous and venerable Egyptian high Court or Parliament did weare about his necke in a golden chaine Insigne a tablet of pretious stone or if the Reader bee disposed to correct the translator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they called as the Septuagint did Aarons breast-plate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on which hee stedfastly looked while matters were debating as Suidas saith the High Priest did on his breast plate whilest they asked counsell of God and whilest hee gaue sentence turned it vnto the beter cause exhibited as the fashion was in that Court in writing in signe the truth it selfe did speake for it that the Vrim or Thummim were more then an Embleme yea an Oracle of iustice and right iudgement is apparant out of Scripture When Ioshua was consecrated to bee Israels chiefe gouernour in Moses stead he was to stand before Eleazar the Priest ordained to aske counsell for him by the iudgement of Vrim before the Lord So did Abiathar certifie Dauid of Sauls malitious resolution against him and the Lords of Keylahs treachery if hee should trust vnto them So againe Dauid is assured of victory by the iudgement of Vrim and I Thummim if he would follow the Amalakites that had burnt Ziglag 4 Such Priestes as these were to bee absolutely obeyed in answeres thus giuen from the mouth of God And it is most probable that the parties whom these answeres did concern had perfect notice of the Reuelation made to the Priests howsoeuer the truths of such answeres being confirmed by experiment in those dayes they were to vndertake what the Priests appointed and to obey his aduice at least by cautelous obedience vntill the euent did proue the truth But neither was this certaine manifestation of Gods will so absolutely promised vnto the Priests but not liuing according vnto the direction of Gods law hee might faile in his Oracles Nor was this peoples prerogatiue aboue others without all limit that if they liued no better then others did they should as often as they asked counsell of God infallibly know whether the answere were from him or no albeit there were no defect in the Priest For this reason the Lord answered not Saul when hee asked counsell of him neither by dreames nor by visions nor by Vrim nor by the Prophets for Saul was now cast off by God not willing to vouchsafe
grace it selfe would rather haue held the Negatiue For if wee beleeue as the Papists generally instruct vs that wee our selues all priuate spirites may erre in euery perswasion of faith but the Church which onely is assisted by a publike spirite cannot possibly teach amisse in any Wee must vpon termes as peremptory and in equall degree beleeue euery particular point of faith because the Church so teacheth vs not because wee certainely apprehend the truth of it in it selfe For wee may erre but this publike spirite cannot And consequently wee must infallibly belieue these propositions Christ is the Redeemer of the world not Mahomet There is a Trinity of persons in the diuine nature for this reason only that the Church commends them vnto vs for diuine reuelations seeing by their arguments brought to disproue the sufficiency of Scriptures or certainety of priuate spirites no other means possible is left vs. Nay were they true wee should be onely certain that without the Churches proposall wee still must be most vncertain in these and all other points because the sonnes are perpetually obnoxious to error from which the mother is euerlastingly priuiledged The same propositions and conclusions we might condicionally belieue to be absolutely authentike vppon supposall they were Gods word but that they are his word or reuelations truly diuine wee cannot firmely belieue but onely by firme adherence to the Churches infallible authority as was in the second Section deduced out of the Aduersaries principles Hence it followes that euery particular proposition of faith hath such a proper causall dependance vpon the Churches proposall as the conclusion hath vpon the premisses or any particular vpon it vniuersall Thus much Sacroboseus grants 3 Suppose God should speake vnto vs face to face what reason had wee absolutely and infallibly to belieue him but because wee know his words to bee infallible his infallibility then should be the proper cause of our beliefe For the same reason seeing he doth not speake vnto vs face to face as hee did to Moses but as our aduersaries say reueales his will obscurely so as the Reuealer is not manifested vnto vs but his meaning is by the visible Church which is to vs in stead of Prophetes Apostles and Christ himselfe and all the seuerall manners God vsed to speake vnto the world before he spake to it by his onely sonne this Pantheas infallibility must bee the true and proper cause of our beliefe And Valentian himselfe thinks that Sara and others of the old world to whom God spake in priuate eyther by the mouth of Angels his sonne or holy spirit or by what meanes soeuer did not sinne against the doctrine of faith or through vnbeliefe when they did not belieue Gods promises They did herein vnaduisedly not vnbelieuingly Why not vnbelieuingly because the visible Church did not propose these promises vnto them 4 If not to belieue the visible Churches proposals be that which makes distrust or diffidence to Gods promises infidelity then to belieue them is the true cause of belieuing Gods promises or if Sara and others did as Valentian sayth vnaduisedly or imprudently in not assenting to diuine truthes proposed by Angels surely they had done only prudently and aduisedly in assenting to them their assent had not beene truely and properly beleefe So that by this assertion the Churches proposall hath the very remonstratiue roote character of the immediat and prime cause whereby wee beleeue and know matters of faith For whatsoeuer else can concurre without this our assent to diuine truthes proposed is not true Catholike beliefe but firmely beleeuing this infallibility we cannot erre in any other point of faith 5 This truth Valentian elsewhere could not dissemble howsoeuer in his professed resolution of faith hee sought to couer it by change of apparrell Inuesting the Churches proposall onely with the title of a condition requisite yet withall so dissonant is falsity to it selfe making it the reason of beleeuing diuine Reuelations If a reason it be why wee should belieue them needs must it sway any reasonable mind to embrace their truth And whatsoeuer inclines our minds to the embracement of any truth is the proper efficient cause of beliefe or assent vnto the same Yea efficiency or causality it selfe doth formally consist in this inclination of the mind Nor is it possible this proposall of the Church should moue our minds to embrace diuine Reuelations by any other meanes then by belieeuing it And beliefe it selfe being an inclination or motion of the mind our minds must first be moued by the Churches proposall ere it can moue them at all to assent vnto other diuine truthes Againe Valentian grants that the orthodoxall or catechisticall answere to this interrogation Why doe you belieue the doctrine of the Trinity to be a diuine reuelation is because the Church proposeth it to me for such Hee that admits this answere for sound and Catholike and yet denies the Churches proposall to bee the true and proper cause of his beliefe in the former point hath smothered doubtlesse the light of nature by admitting too much artificiall subtlety into his braines For if a man should aske why do you belieue there is a fire in yonder house and answere were made Because I see the smoake go out of the Chimney should the party thus answering in good earnest peremptorily deny the sight of the smoake to bee the cause of his beleefe there was a fire hee deserued very well to haue eyther his tongue scorched with the one or his eyes put out with the other Albeit if wee speake of the things themselues not of his beliefe concerning them the fire was the true cause of the smoake not the smoake of the fire But whatsoeuer it be Cause Condition Circumstance or Effect that truly satisficeth this demand Why doe you belieue this or that it is a true and proper cause of our beleefe though not of the thing beleeued If then we admit the Churches proposall to bee but a condition annexed to diuine reuelations yet if it bee an infallible medium or meane or as our aduersaries all agree the only mean infallible whereby we can rightly beleeue this or that to be a diuine reuelation it is the true and only infallible cause of our beleefe That speech of Valentian which to any ordinary mans capacity includes as much as we now say was before alleadged That Scripture which is commended and expounded vnto vs by the Church is eo ipso euen for this reason most authentike and cleare He could not more emphatically haue expressed the Churches proposall to be the true and prime cause why particular or determinate diuine reuelations become so credible vnto vs. His second Sacroboscus hath many speeches to be inserted hereafter to the same effect Amongst others where Doctor Whittaker obiects that the principall cause of faith is by Papists ascribed vnto the Church he denyes it onely thus far What we beleeue
recordes and declarations written or vnwritten to be most authentique they cannot be certaine whether euer there had beene such an Emperour as they plead succession from or at least how farre his Dominions extended or where they lay This manner of plea in secular controuersies would be a meane to defeate him that made it For albeit the Christian World did acknowledge there had beene such an Emperour and that many parts of Europe of right belonged vnto his lawfull heire Yet if it were otherwise vnknowne what parts these were or who this heire should bee no Iudge would be so mad as finally to determine of eyther vpon such motiues Or if the Plaintiffe could by such courses as the World knowes oft preuaile in iudgement or other gracious respects effect his purpose hee were worse then madde that could thinke the finall resolution of his right were into the Emperours last will and testament which by his owne confession no man knowes besides himselfe and not rather into his owne presumed fidelitie or the Iudges apparant partialitie So in this controuersie whatsoeuer the Pope may pretend from Christ all in the end comes to his owne authority which wee may safely beleeue herein to bee most infallible that it will neuer prooue partiall against it selfe or define ought to his Holinesse disaduantage 10 Here againe it shall not be amisse to admonish yonger Students of another gull which the Iesuite would put vpon vs to make their Churches doctrine seeme lesse abominable in this point lest you should thinke they did aequalize the authority of the Church with diuine reuelations Valentian would perswade you it were no part of the formall obiect of faith It is true indeed that the Churches authority by their doctrine is not comprehended in the obiect of belieefe whilest it onely proposeth other Articles to bee beleeued No more is the Sunne comprehended vnder the obiects of our actuall sight whilest we behold colours or other visibles by the vertue of it But yet as it could not make colours or other things become more visible vnto vs vnlesse it selfe were the first and principall visible that is vnlesse it might bee seene more clearely then those things which wee see by it so wee would direct our sight vnto it so would it bee impossible the Churches infallible proposal could make a Romane Catholikes beliefe of Scriptures or their orthodoxal sense the stronger vnlesse it were the first and principall credible or primary obiect of his beliefe or that which must bee most clearely most certainely and most sted fastly belieued so as all other Articles besides must be belieued by the beliefe or credibility of it This is most euident out of Sacroboscus and Bellarmines resolution or explication of that point how the Churches proposall confirmes a Roman Catholiques beliefe To giue this doctrine of their Churches infallibility the right title according to the truth it is not an Article of Catholike beleefe but a Catholike Axiome of Antichristian vnbeliefe which from the necessary consequences of their assertions more strictly to be examined will easily appeare CHAP. IIII. What maner of causall dependance Romish beleefe hath on the Church that the Romanist truly and properly beleeues the Church onely not God or his word 1 THe 2. main assertions of our aduersaries whence our intended conclusion must be proued are these often mentioned heretofore First that wee cannot be infallibly perswaded of the truth of Scriptures but by the Churches proposall Secondly that without the same wee cannot bee infallibly perswaded of the true sense or meaning of these scriptures which that Church and we both belieue to be Gods word How wee should know the Scriptures to be Gods word is a probleme in Diuinity which in their iudgement cannot be assoiled without admission of Traditions or diuine vnwritten verities of whose extent and meaning the Church must be infallible Iudge It is necessary to saluation saith Bellarmine that wee know there bee some bookes diuine which questionlesse cannot by any meanes be knowne by Scriptures For albeit the Scriptures say that the Books of the Prophets or Apostles are diuine yet this I shall not certainely belieue vnlesse I first belieue that Scripture which saith thus is diuine For so wee may read euery where in Mahomets Alcoran that the Alcoran it selfe was sent from heauen but wee belieue it not Therefore this necessary point that some Scripture is diuine cannot sufficiently be gathered out of Scriptures alone Consequently seeing faith must rely vpon Gods word vnlesse wee haue God word vnwritten we can haue no faith His meaning is wee cannot know the Scriptures to be diuine but by Traditions and what Traditions are diuine what not wee cannot know but by the present visible Church as was expresly taught by the same Author before And the finall resolution of our belieuing what God hath said or not said must bee the Churches authority To this collection Sacroboseus thus farre accords Some Catholiques reiected diuers Canonicall Books without any danger and if they had wanted the Churches proposall for others as well as them they might without sinne haue doubted of the whole Canon This he thinks consonant to that of Saint Austin I would not belieue the Gospell vnlesse the Churches authority did thereto moue me He addes that we of reformed Churches making the visible Churches authority in defining points of faith vnsufficient might disclaime all without any greater sinne or danger to our soules then wee incurre by disobeying some parts of Scripture to wit the Apocryphall books canonized by the Romish church The Reader I hope obserues by these passages How Bellarmine ascribes that to Tradition which is peculiar to Gods prouidence Sacroboscus that to blind beliefe which belongs vnto the holy Spirit working faith vnto the former points by the ordinary obseruation of Gods prouidence and experiments answerable to the rules of Scriptures 2 Consequently to the Trent Councels decree concerning the second assertion Bellarmine thus collects It is necessary not onely to bee able to read Scriptures but to vnderstand them but the Scripture is often so ambiguous and intricate that it cannot bee vnderstood without the exposition of some that cannot erre therefore it alone is not sufficient Examples there be many For the equality of the diuine persons the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne as from one ioint originall Originall sinne Christes descension into Hell nd many like may indeed be deduced out of scriptures but not so plainely as to end controuersies with contentious spirits if we should produce onely testimonies of Scriptures And wee are to note there bee two things in Scripture the Characters or the written words and the sense included in them The Character is as the sheath but the sense is the very sword of the spirite Of the first of these two all are partakers for whosoeuer knowes the Character may reade the Scripture but of the sense all men are not capable nor can wee in
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
of faith Bellarmines prescription in this case is iust as if a Phisitian or Surgeon should seeke to ease the paine by ending of the Patients dayes Lest a man should sinne against his conscience this a Doctor aduiseth him to belieue the Church cannot teach amisse 14 To conclude then Hee that absolutely belieues the Pope as Christs Vicar generall in all things without examination of his decrees by Euangelicall precepts neither belieues Christ nor his Gospell no not when this pretended Vicar teacheth no otherwise then his Masters lawes prescribe For thus belieuing a diuine truth onely from this mans authority hee commits such Idolatry with him for the kind or essence as the Heathen did with Mercury their false Gods supposed messenger though so much more hainous in degree as his generall notion of the true God is better whose infinite goodnesse cannot entertaine an interpreter no better qualified then most Popes are did his wisdome stand in need of any But if when the Pope shall teach the doctrine of Diuels men absolutely belieue it to be Christs because his pretended Vicar commends it to them in thus beleeuing they commit such preposterous Idolatry as those of Calecut which adore the Deuill vpon conceit doubtlesse of some celestiall or diuine power in him as the absolute Papist doth not adore the Pope but vpon perswasion he is Christs Vicar and teaches as Christ would doe viua voce were hee again on earth And lesse it were to bee lamented did these Pseudo Catholiques professe their allegiance to Sathans incarnate Agent as to their supreme Lord by such solemne sacrifices onely as the inhabitants of Calicute performe to wicked spirits But this their blinde beliefe of whatsoeuer hee shall determine vpon a proude and foolish imagination he is Christs Vicar emboldens them to inuert the whole law of God and nature to glory in villany and triumph in mischiefe euen to seeke prayse and honour eternall from acts so foule and hideous as the light of nature would make the Calicutians or other Idolaters blush at thier very mention It is a sure token hee hath not yet learned the Alphabet of their religion that doubts whether Iesuiticall doctrine concerning this absolute beliefe extend not to all matters of fact And if out of simplicity rather then policy so they speake I cannot but much pitty their folly that would perswade vs it were not the fault of Romish Religion but of the men that professe it which hath inticed so many vnto such diuelish practises of late I would the Iesuite were but put to instance what kind of villany eyther hath beene already acted on earth or can yet possibly bee hatched in the region vnder the earth so hideous and vgly as would seeme deformed or odious to such as are wholly led by this blind faith if it should but please the Romish Clergy to giue a milde or fauourable censure of it No brat of hell but would seeme as beautifull to their eyes as young todes are to their dammes if their mother once commend the feature of it or acknowledge it for her darling Did not some of the Powder-plotte after Gods powerfull hand had ouertaken them and sentence of death had passed vpon them euen when the Executioner was ready to do his last office to them make a question whether their plot were sinnefull or no So modest were some of them and so obedient sonnes to the Church of Rome that they would not take vpon them to say eyther the one or other but referred the matter to their mothers determinations hereby testifying vnto the world that if the Church would say they would beleeue so great an offence against their Country were none against God One of them was so obstinate as to sollicite his fellow whilest both were drawne vpon one hurdle to the gallowes not to acknowledge it for any sinne Or if these must bee reputed but priuate men not well acquainted with their Churches tenents and therefore no fitte instances to disapproue her doctrine let the ingenuous Reader but peruse their best Writers answeres to the obiections vsually made against the Popes transcendent authority and hee shall easily perceiue how matters of fact are included in the beliefe of it how by it all power is giuen him in heauen and earth to peruert the vse and end of all lawes humane or diuine I will content my selfe for this present with some few instance out of Valentian CHAP. VI. Prouing the last assertion or generally the imputations hitherto laide vpon the Papacy by that authority the Iesuites expresly giue vnto the Pope in matters of particular fact as in the canonizing of Saints 1 HOw oft soeuer the Pope in defining questions of faith shall vse his authority that opinion which hee shall determine to bee a point of faith must bee receiued as a point of faith by all Christian people If you further demand howshall wee know when the Pope vseth this his absolute authority this Doctor in the same place thus resolues you It must bee belieued that he vseth this his authority as often as in controuersies of faith hee so determines for the one part that he will binde the whole Church to receiue his decision Lest stubborne spirits might take occasion to calumniate the Pope for taking or the Iesuites for attributing tyrannicall authority vnto him this Iesuite would haue you to vnderstand that the Pope may auouch some things which all men are not bound to hold as Gospell nay hee may erre though not when hee speakes ex Cathedra as head of the Church yet when hee speakes or writes as a priuate Doctor or expositor and onely sets down his owne opinion without binding others to thinke as hee doth Thus did Innocent the third and other Popes write diuers books which are not in euery part true and infallible as if they had proceeded from their Pontificiall authority Yea but what if this present Pope or any of his successors should binde all Christians to belieue that Pope Innocents bookes were in euery part infallibly true whether must wee in this case belieue Valentian or the Pope thus determining better If Valentian in the wordes immediately following deserue any credite wee must belieue the Pope better then himselfe yea hee himselfe must recant his censure of Pope Innocents works For so in the other part of his distinction hee addes Secundo potest Pontifex asserere The Pope againe may auouch something so as to bind the whole Church to receiue his opinion and that no man shall dare to perswade himselfe to the contrary And whatsoeuer hee shall thus auouch in any controuersie of Religion wee must assuredly belieue hee did auouch it without possibility of error and therefore by his Pontificiall authority His proofe is most consonant to his assertion I will not recite it in English lest the meere English Reader should suspect any able to vnderstand Latine could be possibly so ridiculous 2 These lauish prerogatiues of the
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
againâ—â— which wee dispute doe not at all beleeue God speaking in the Scriptures shal be euinced in the third Section of this The present inconuenience which now will they nill they we are to wrest from their resolutions of faith is that indeed and conscience they either acknowledge no authoritie in the Church or Scriptures or else greater in the Church then in Scriptures CHAP. II. Inferring the generall conclusion proposed in the title of this Section from Bellarmines Resolution of faith 1 ASwell to occasion the learned Readers further consideration of their ill-grounded and worse builded faith as for deducing thence the proposed inconuenience it wll not bee amisse to propose Bellarmines resolution of a Roman Catholikes faith One especiall obiection of our Writers as hee frameth it is That faith if depending on the Churches iudgement is grounded but vpon the word of man a weake foundation for such an edifiâ—e that the Scripture was giuen by the Spirit of God and must therefore bee vnderstood by the same not by the Churches Spirit Hereunto Bellarmine answereth The word of the Church i. of the Councell or the Pope speaking ex Cathedra is not the bare word of man He meanes no word obnoxious to errour but in some sort the word of God in as much as it is vttered by the asistance and gouernment of the Holy Ghost I adde saith hee that Heretiques are they which indeede doe leane vpon a broken reed For we must know that a proposition of faith must be concluded in this or the like Syllogisme Whatsoeuer God hath reuealed in Scripture is true but God hath reuealed thus or that in Scriptures Ergo this or that is true The first proposition in this Syllogisme is certaine amongst all the second likewise amongst Catholickes is â—ost firme as being supported by the testimonie of the Church Councell or Pope of whose immunitie from possibilitie of erring we haue expresse promises in the Scriptures as It hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and vs I haue prayed for thee thy faith should not â—aile But amongst Heretikes the second or minor proposition is 〈…〉 onely on coniecture or iudgement of a priuate Spirit which vsually seemes but is not good Whence seeing the conclusion must follow the weaker part it necessarily followes that all the faith of Heretikes such in his language are all that will not relie vpon the Church is but coniecturall and vncertaine 2 A dreadfull imputation could it be as substanstially proued as it is confidently auouched And the consequence of his resolution generally helde by all his fellowes is of no lesse importance then this that no man can be infalliby assured either of the truth or true sence of any particular proposition in the whole Canon of Scriptures receiued by vs and them vnlesse he haue the Churches authoritie for confirmation of both For vnto vs that onely which the Church auoucheth is certaine and vnfallible that sence of it which the Church giues onely sound if we speake of any particular or determinate truthes 3 How certaine and vnfallible assent vnto all or any Scriptures may bee wrought in mens heartes without any infallible teacher alreadie hath beene and hereafter shall be God willing in more particular sort exemplified In this place it stood the Iesuit vpon to haue giuen a better solution to the doubt obiected which he is so farre from vnloosing that hee rather knits it faster as shall appeare if the Reader will first cal to minde That for the establishing of firme and vndoubted assent to any truth proposed it skils not how infallible the truth in it selfe or the proposer be vn-vnlesse vnlesse they whose beleefe or assent is demanded be as infallibly perswaded of this infallibilitie in the truth or the proposer In this respect our aduersaries pleade their immunitie from errour as an article necessarie to be infallibly beleeued for confirmation of Gods Word alwayes most infallible as all grant in it selfe but not so as they affirme to vs vntill it bee auouched by infallible authoritie 4 Herein they concurre with vs both with the truth That if we beleeue it onely as probable that God spake all those wordes which wee acknowledge to bee most infallible because his our beleefe notwithstanding is not infallible but probable or coniecturall For as a man may haue bad desires of things essentially good so may he haue vncertaine perswasions of truthes in themselues most certaine It is not therefore the supposed infallibilitie of the Church or Pope howsoeuer but infallibly apprehended and beleeued that must strengthen our faith which otherwise as is pretended would be but coniecturall And by the former principle acknowledged aswell by them as vs it necessarily followes that if we be only probably not infallibly perswaded the Pope or Church cannot erre our assent vnto the minor proposition i. vnto any determinate part of Gods Word is onely probable not infallible For by the Iesuites Doctrine we cannot bee certainly perswaded that God spake this or that but by the Churches testimonie The immediate consequence of which two assertions compared together is wee cannot bee more certaine that God hath spoken this or that then wee are of the Churches infallibilitie If then wee bee onely probably not infallibly perswaded that the Church is infallible our beleefe of the minor proposition that is of any determinate truth which men suppose God hath spoken must bee onely probable or coniecturall not infallible Consequently to these collections the learned Papists generally holde that the Churches infallibilitie must be absolutely and infallibly beleeued as you heard before out of Canus Bellarmine and Valentian otherwise as Bellarmine would inferre our beleefe of the minor in any Syllogisme wherein a proposition of faith is concluded can be but coniecturall 5 The proposed inconuenience wee may deriue from this difficultie How the Papists themselues can attaine to the infallible beleefe of the Churches infallible authoritie The Church they thinke hath a publique spirit and publique spirits they know are infallible hence they may perswade themselues the Church is infallible only vpon the same termes they beleeue it hath a publique spirit if their beleefe of this latter be but coniectural their assent vnto the former can be no better Seeing then they must of necessitie grant for this is the principall marke they aime at that all must infallibly beleeue the Church hath a publique spirit the difficultie remoues to this point how this infallible perswasion is or may bee wrought in them Either it must be grounded vpon Scriptures or not auouched vnto them and wrought in their hearts it must be either by a publique or priuate spirit Let vs examine all the parts of this diuision 6 First if priuate mens infallible perswasion of the Churches publike or authentike spirit be not grouÌ„ded vpon Scriptures acknowledged by vs and them the Churches authoritie without all controuersie is much greater then the authoritie of Scriptures if it by this assertion can be any
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
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
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
was shall proue true and profitable vnto Christians as instituted by God for the peoples good yea â—hey shall proceed from the holy Ghost for the reason which wee haue learned of the Euangelist to wit because such as giue them are Prelates of Christs Church And this is all I haue to say vnto the second argument 12 It is easie indeed for them thus to answere to whom it is most easie and most vsuall to blaspheme That the Popes aswell as Caiaphas prophecies may in the euent proue true and profitable to Christs Church wee doe not doubt because vnto such as loue God or are beloued of him all things euen Sathans malice that had suborned Caiaphas and his brethren against Christ and his members turne to the best But hee that had taken this High-Priest whilest hee vttered this sentence for an infallible Prophet of the Lord had been bound in conscience to haue done so to our Sauiour at his as the people did to Baals Priests at Elias instigation If our aduersaries will permit vs to interprete the Trent Councels decrees as the faithfull of those times did Caiaphas prophecie wee will subscribe vnto them without delay It is expedient wee grant and profitable withall vnto the Church that there should bee such decrees whereby the faith of others might bee tried But as it was not lawfull for the people to imbrue their hands in Christs bloud though the greatest benefite that euer befell the world was by his death so neither is it safe to admit the Trent Canons though a wonderfull blessing of God they should be set forth because they so clearely testifie the truth of his word concerning Antichrist Canus said more in this then was needfull according to his supposed principles in his answere to the next argument But God who ruled the mouth of Caiaphas and made him speake the trueth when hee intended nothing lesse did also direct Canus penne to vent what vpon better consideration hee would haue concealed Yet herein hee wrote but out of the abundance of his owne and most of his fellowes hearts who hold that the Priests and Pharises did erre onely in a matter of fact not in any point of faith when they condemned Christ Of which in the next Chapter For conclusion of this consider with me Christian Reader how great cause we haue to thanke our gracious God that the sect of Iesuites or rabble of Predicants were not founded in our Sauiours dayes for then doubtlesse the Diuell had picked a traitor out of that crue whose impudent sophisticall Apologies for open blasphemie and vnrelenting perseuerance in traiterous plots might haue outfaced the world that the deliuering of Christ into his enemies hands had beene no such sinne as Iudas testified it was both by his penitent speech and desperate end CHAP. IIII. What it would disaduantage the Romish Church to deny the infallibility of the Synagogue 1. THat any visible company of men before our Sauiour Christs time did challenge such absolute authority ouer mens faith as the Pope doth would bee very hard for them to proue no question but the High-Priest and Rulers amongst the Iewes did oftentimes challenge more then they had If the Romanist should say that they had no such infallible authority in deciding all controuersies as their Church now challengeth the assertion would be as improbable in it selfe as incongruous to their positioâ—s For vnto any indifferent man such infallibility in the Watch-Tower of Sion must needes seem more requisite during the time of the law then since the promulgation of the Gospell Bee it granted the points to be expresly beleeued of the ancient people were but few yet euen such of them as were most necessary to saluation were more enigmatically and mystically set downe then any in the new Testament are and the measure of Gods spirit vpon euery sort of men the vulgar especially in those times much lesse For this cause God raised vp Prophets to instruct them whose authority though it was not such as the Romane Church now challengeth but giuen to supply the ignorance and negligence of the church representatiue in those dayes yet much greater then is ordinarily required in the light of the Gospell by which as the doctrine of saluation is become most conspicuous in it selfe so is the illumination of Gods spirit more plentifull then before it had beene And since the Prophets haue beene so clearely expounded by the Apostles and the harmony of the two Testaments so distinctly heard the ordinary testimony of Iesus is become equiualent to the spirit of Prophesie Allowing then these infinite ods on our parts that enioy the labours of formers ages with the ordinary preaching of the Gospell an infallible oecumenicall authority is much lesse needfull now then it was in the law 2 Or if our aduersaries will bee so wayward as to deny the like infallibility to haue beene requisite in the ancient Iewish Church they shall hereby thwart euidently themselues disanull their chiefe title and vtterly disclaime the maine plea hitherto vsed for their owne infallibility For most of them doe vrge Gods promises made vnto that Church to proue a necessity of admitting a like authority in theirs And if these promises made to the Iewes admit any distinction condition or limitation whereby this most absolute infallibility as they suppose it may bee empaired then may all the promises made or supposed to bee made vnto their Church admit the same or like But besides the weakning of their title by debarring themselues of this plea drawne from the example of the ancient Iewish Church no man that reades their writings can bee ignorant that all their chiefe and principall arguments wherewith they carry away most simple soules and importune such as almost neither feare God nor man to giue sentence for them and their Church against vs are drawn from these or the like tropicks vnlesse God had ordained one supreme Iudge or infallible authority that might decide all controuersies in matters of faith viua voce he had not sufficienly proued for his Church yea which were most absurd hee had left it in worse estate then ciuill Estates are for ordinary matters for they besides their written lawes haue Iudges to determine all cases or controuersies arising And seeing that Monarchicall gouernment is of all others the best and in any wise mans iudgement most auaileable for auoiding all dissention and keeping the vnity of faith there should bee no question but God hath ordained such an authenticall manner of deciding all controuersies If hee haue not it must needes bee either because hee could not establish such an infallible authority and vncontroleable power or else because he would not To say he could not were to deny his omnipotency open blasphemie to say he would not were little better for this were to deny his goodnesse and loue to his Church both which the Scriptures testifie to bee great nay infinite 3 But how great soeuer his loue to his
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
they had ensnared their soules and set their consciences vpon the Racke by admitting a possibility of contradiction betwixt two doctrines both firmely belieued without any euidence of their consonancie or bothes conspiring to the same end The speedier and higher this edification in Christ had beene the sooner it might haue ruinated that foundation which God by Moses and the Prophets had reared in Israel vnlesse this new worke had been orderly squared well proportioned closely layed and strongly caemented vnto the former In secular schooles hee is held an vnwise answerer that will admit Socraticall intertogations for albeit there appeare no difficultie in any one proposed apart yet in the processe a respondent may bee easily brought to grant conclusions from which he knowes not what consequences may bee drawne because their consonancy with the probleme whose defence hee vndertakes is not so euident nor immediate as vpon a sodaine may bee fully examined And not examining the consonancy of euery other proposition with the principles of that faculty whereto the probleme belongs the best answerer liuing may bee made either grant what hee should not or deny what should bee granted Now Christs doctrine was to Mosaicall and Propheticall as the conclusion to the premisses or as the corollarie of greatest vse vnto the speculatiue theoreme Suppose then a Iew well skilled in Moses and the Prophets should instantly vpon the first hearing of our Sauiours sermons or sight of his miracles haue admitted him for such an infallible teacher vpon tearmes as absolute and irreuocable as the Iesuite would haue the Pope acknowledged by all Christians a good disputant might easily haue staggered him by these or like Socraticall demands Doe you stedfastly belieue Moses writings for Gods word God forbid I should doubt of this Doe yee belieue this new doctrine confirmed by miracles as firmely What if I doe Doe you know as certainely whether both agree as well as one part of Moses writings with another What if I doe not vntill you bee fully resolued in this your beliefe in both cannot be sound for in case they should disagree the one must needes be false and if choice were giuen you whether in sooth would you disclaime Here a wise man that as the wise King speakes had eyes in his head and would not be led by a blind saith would haue paused a while and thought with himselfe This is a point that should bee looked to for if these new doctrines should proue incompatible as for any iust examination hitherto made they may I cannot see whether deserues more credence Whiles I consider Moses writings call to mind those mighty wonders our fathers told vs with like continuall experiments of their diuine truth nothing can seeme more certaine then they againe whiles I behold these new miracles me thinkes his authority that workes them should bee as great as Moses was yet if they should happen to disagree the one must bee better belieued then the other or else for ought I see there can bee no certainety of either for if this mans possibly may bee why might not Moses doctrine likewise be false or if our fathers were deceiued by his signes and wonders why may not we bee so serued by this mans miracles But if vpon iust trial they shal be found fully to agree in euery point as I trust they doe then doubtlesse both are from God and I shall stedfastly belieue this new doctrine to be diuine if such as Moses had foretold withal more euidently acknowledge then before I could that Moses spake by the spirit of the all seeing euerliuing God if this Iesus of Nazareth be in all points like to him and so qualified as hee foretold the great Prophet should bee But in the interim till the triall bee made it is best to lay sure hold on Moses and the Prophets For prior tempore potior iure their writings doubtlesse were from God because hitherto they could not bee destroyed time and they shall trie whether Iesus and his doctrine be so or no whether he be that great Prophet that should come or we are yet to looke for some other 4 Thus when Iohn Baptist sent his Disciples to our Sauior with this very question Art thou hee that should come or shall we looke for another The answere hee returned againe whether for confirmation of Iohns owne faith or as the most interpreters thinke of his Disciples was this and no more Goe and shew Iohn what things yee haue seene and heard that the blind see the halt goe the leapers are clensed the deafe heare the dead rise againe and the Gospel is preached to the poore and blessed is hee that shall not be offended in mee These or other of their fellow Disciples had enformed their Master Iohn before of Christs healing the Centurions seruant by his word or command though absent of his raising the widows sonne from death to life of the rumors spread abroad of him throughout all Iudea and the regions round about and vpon this report as Saint Luke tels vs did Iohn make the former solemne demand But some will yet demand how could he or his Disciples bee confirmed by the answere giuen them wherein is little more then formerly both had heard for the raising vp of the widdowes sonne which especially occasioned their comming was the greatest of all in this Catalogue and yet as great as this some of the ancient Prophets had done how could it then proue him to be the Messias Had he told them as much in plain terms they might haue beleeued him because this great worke did witnesse him to be a Prophet and therefore one that could not lie But by this answere how could they gather more then the people vpon the astonishment of that accident had said for when the dead man sate vp and spake feare saith the Euangelist came on them all and they glorified God saying A great Prophet is raised vp among vs and God hath visited his people 5 Yet this obiection at least the solution confirms the truth of my former assertion that by his miracles alone considered they were not bound absolutely to belieue hee was the Messias but by comparing them with other circumstances or presupposed truths especially the Scriptures receiued and approued prophesies of the Messias though no one for the greatnesse of power manifested in it could of it selfe yet the frequency of them at that time and the condition of the parties on whom they were wrought might absolutely confirme Iohn and his Disciples because such they were in these and euery respect as the Euangelicall Prophet had foretold Messias should worke for this reason our Sauiour deliuers his answere in the Prophets owne words as elsewhere he himselfe did read them then best interpreted by the signes of the time that Iohn might see by the euent he was in the man of whom Isaiah speakes He whom the Lord had annointed to preach the Gospel to the poore whom
he had sent to heale the broken hearted to preach deliuerance to the Captiues and recouering of sight to the blind to set at liberty such as were bruised and that hee should preach the acceptable yeare of the Lord. The multitude of blind men restored to sight in their presence was a good preparatiue to dissolue that suffusion which had blinded their hearts the releasing of so many from the possession of vncleane spirits was an ocular demonstration hee was the man appointed to preach deliuerance to the Captiues plagues sicknesses then cured by him in great abundance were sure pledges to the obseruant that hee was the great Physition of body and soule so often spoken of by Isaiah Besides Iohns mouing this doubt at that very instant wherein such varietie of miracles of all or most of which his Disciples one or other were eye-witnesses did concurre all so well suited to the seuerall predictions of Isaiah and these as Iohn could instruct them all vnquestionably meant of the Messias was an infallible argument of Gods vnspeakable prouidence in thus disposing times seasons for their fuller resolution The like disposition of the diuine prouidence might the ingratefull Nazarites haue obserued First that when he stood vp to reade in the Synagogue they should deliuer the booke of the Euangelicall Prophet before any other afterwards that hee should at the first opening light vpon that very place wherein his late miracles yet rise in all mens mouthes as appeareth by Saint Marke were foretold especially if they had diligently marked the meannesse of their own estate the manner of his comming thither moued as the Euangelist saith by the spirit which as the Prophet had foretold was to bee vpon him and did manifest it selfe at that time by his strange escaping his turbulent countrimens desperate attempts against him This melodious harmony betwixt his works and Gods word already established and this sweet disposition of the diuine prouidence in causing the one sound in mens eares whilest the other were in their eyes were in his heauenly wisdome the best meanes to establish true and liuely faith hee neuer exacted blind obedience which who so suffers to be imposed vpon him by others or seekes to enforce vpon himselfe striues to put out that light of nature or inferiour grace whereby he should view and marke the wayes of God alwayes confirming his truth alreadie reuealed by experimentes and signes of the time proportioned to them 6 From these instances to omit others the Reader may resolue himselfe in what sence Christs workes are saide to beare witnesse of his Diuinitie or condemne the Iewes of infidelity Both which they manifestly did yet not in themselues not as seuerally considered or sequestred from all signes of times and seasons but as they inuolued such concurrence of Gods prouidence or presupposed such propheticall predictions as haue beene intimated Euery miracle was apt of it selfe to breed admiration beget some degree of faith as more then probably arguing the assistance of a power truely diuine But seeing Moses had forwarned God would suffer seducers to worke wonders for the tryall of his peoples faith who besides him that gaue them this libertie could set them bounds beyond which they should not passe who could precisely define the compasse of that Circle within which onely Sathan could exercise the power he had by that permission Bee it granted which is all men otherwise minded concerning this point demaund that Beelzebub himselfe with the helpe of all his subiects can effect nothing exceeding the natural passiue capacity of things created hee must be as well seen in the secrets of nature as these subtle spirits are that can precisely define in all particulars what may bee done by force of nature what not Hardly can wee without some admonitions to obserue their carriage discern the sleight of ordinary Iuglers much more easily might the Prince of darkenesse so blind our naturall vnderstanding as to make vs belieue were the light of Gods word taken away that were effected by his power which had bin wroght by the finger of God that secret conueighance of materials else where preexistent into our presence were a new creation of them 7 For mine owne part vntill I bee by some others better instructed I rest perswaded our Sauiour taught the same doctrine I now deliuer thus much at least Such signes and wonders might be wrought by seducers that such as would gaze on them and trust their owne skill in discerning their trickes should hardly escape their snares If any man say to you loe here is Christ or loe he is there belieue it not For false Christs shall arise and false Prophets and shall shew signes and wonders to deceiue if it were possible the very elect And possible it was to haue deceiued euen these if it had been possible for these not to haue tried their wonders by the written word Wherefore necessarie it was that which immediately followes should bee written for our instruction But take you heed this he spake to his elect Apostles behold I haue tolde you all things before Much easier it was for such seducers to counterfeit his greatest wonders with deceitfull sleights vndiscouerable for the present then in these plaine distinct predictions of matters so farre aboue the pitch of ordinarie obseruation so to imitate him as time should not detect their impostures nor experience conuince them of open folly or their soothsaying of grossest falshood And consequently this very Oracle compared with the euent was of more force to establish true faith then any one miracle hee euer wrought considered alone Yea this foolish expectation the Iewes had their Messias should worke mighty but pompous and vaine-glorious wonders did make them not prefashioned in mind to those descriptions the Prophets had made of his first comming in humility vndervalew both his true miracles and heauenly doctrine Euen such as are said to haue belieued in him for the works they had seene him doe seemed doubtfull whether to acknowledge him for some great Prophet or for their long looked for Messias Many of the people saith S. Iohn belieued in him and said When the Christ commeth will he doe moe miracles then this man hath done And as the same Euangelist elsewhere tels vs such as had tasted of his miraculous goodnesse and in huge troupes followed him for their dayly food that had no where to lay his head by night desire a further signe that they might see and belieue the father had sent him His late satisfying fiue thousand hungry soules with fiue loues they deemed much lesse then Moses sustaining sixe hundred thousand so long with Manna a meate immediately sent from Heauen not made by multiplication of such bread as they might haue bought of ordinary Bakers Nor doth our Sauiour seeke to winne them by outuying Moses in multitude or magnificence of his miracles but by alluring them to taste and proue his
of the Messias did a many of that City conceiue faith from the womans report but moe because of his own words And they said vnto the woman Now we belieue not because of thy saying for wee haue heard him our selues and know that this is indeed the Christ the Sauiour of the world From the like but more liuely experience of his discouering secrets did his Disciples make that confession Now know wee that thou knowest all things and needest not that any man should aske thee By this we belieue that thou art come out from God 16 The manifestation of this Propheticall spirit did giue life vnto his greatest miracles in working faith for his Disciples belieued in him after his resurrection because he had foretolde his reedefying the temple in three dayes space Which speech of his the foolish Iewes not knowing his body to bee the true temple wherein their God did dwell after a more excellent manner then betweene the Cherubins take as meant of the materiall Temple which had beene 46. yeeres in building But saith Saint Iohn Assoone as he was risen from the dead his Disciples remembred that he thus said vnto them and they belieued the Scripture and the word which Iesus had said Nor did they compare these two together by chance for our Sauiour often inculcated this Methode as of purpose to imprint the former oracle of Isaiah in their hearts To assure them of his going to his father he expresly tels them Now I haue spoken vnto you before it come that whē it is come to passe yee might belieue Foretelling the persecution of his Disciples he addes These things haue I told you that when the howre shall come ye might remember that I told you them That glory likewise which God had professed hee would not giue to any other he foretels should bee giuen him and so demands it as if He that did glorifie and He that was glorified were both one Father Glorifie thy Name Then came there a voice from heauen saying I haue both glorified it and will glorifie it againe How had hee glorified it before By glorifying this great Prophet who did fully expresse but farre exceede Moses in all thinges wherein former Prophets did resemble him but came farre short of him When was hee so glorified At his transfiguration vpon Mount Tabor which none without sacrilegious impiety could haue foretolde as likely to befall himselfe saue hee alone that had not as Moses onely seene the similitude of the Lord but being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to bee equall with him Yet this Prophet of whom we speake though like to his Brethren in shape and substance to assure them hee should come in the glory of his father foretelles his Disciples that some of them should not die vntill they had seene the Kingdome of God come with power which was accomplished in that transfiguration where as Saint Peter witnesseth He receiued of God the father honour and glory when there came such a voyce vnto him from the excellent glory This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased Yea so wel pleased as for his sake the world might henceforth know how ready he was to heare all that through faith in his name should call vpon him euen such as had displeased him most For this cause the Codicill annexed to the diuine will and Testament here signified immediately after to be sealed with the blood of this best beloued soune was that reciprocall duety before intimated in the Law Heare him as is specified by three Euangelists For more publike manifestation of his Maiesty as then reuealed but to a few was that glorious commemoration of it lately mentioned celebrated againe in the audience of the multitude This voice saith our Sauiour came not because of me but for your sakes And in that place againe after his wonted predictions of things should after come to passe as of his victory ouer death he testifies aloud to all the people that he was the great Prophet foretold by Moses sweetly paraphrasing vpon his words And Iesus cried and said He that belieueth in me belieueth not in mee but in him that sent me And if any man heare my words and belieue not I iudge him not for I came not to iudge the world but to saue the world Hee did not accurse such as would not acknowledge his authority or derogated from his person or miracles nor needed he so to do for he that refuseth him and receiueth not his words hath one that iudgeth him the word which he had spoken it shall iudge him in the last day This was that which Moses had said And whosoeuer will not hearken vnto my words which he the great Prophet shall speake in my Name I will require it of him to wit in the last day of accompts For I haue not spoken of my selfe but the Father which sent me hee gaue me a commandement what I should do and what I should speake And I know that his commandement is life euerlasting the things therefore that I speake I speake them so as the Father said vnto me VVhat is this but that speech of Moses improued to it ful value according to the circumstances and signes of those times and as it concerned the Lord and Prince of Prophets I will raise them vp a Prophet frō among their brethren like vnto thee and will put my wordes in his mouth and hee shall speake vnto them all that I shall commaund him 17 This being the last conference our Sauiour was willing to entertaine with the Iewes this his last farewell giuen in Moses words warrants mee to construe that speech of S. Iohns though hee had done so many miracles before them yet belieued they not on him as I haue done the like before to wit that not his miracles considered alone but with Mosaicall and Propheticall writings or common notions of the Messias thence conceiued or especially as they concurred with his owne predictions did immediatly condemne the Iewes Vnder the name of workes his words are comprehended such at the least as foretell his admirable works or in generall all those solemne inuocations of his Fathers name in such predictions as had hee not beene the sonne of God would rather haue brought speedy vengeance from heauen vpō his head then such glorious testimonies of his Diuinity And to me our Sauiour seemes to call his very words works in that speech to Philip Beleeuest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me the words that I speake vnto you I speake not of my self but the father that dwelleth in mee hee doth the workes Howsoeuer as all the workes of God were created by this eternall word so did his words giue life vnto his greatest workes his Diuinations were to his miracles as his humane soule was to his body And no question but the conception of their faith
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
spirit which exempts the Pope from priuatenesse makes his authority oecumenical and infallible Whosoeuer then by participation of this spirit vnderstands the Prophesies eyther immediately or expounded by others whomsoeuer his conceit of them or their right interpretation is not priuate but authentique And Canus though a Papist expresly teacheth that the immediate ground or formall reason of ours and the Apostles beliefe must be the same both so immediately and infallibly depending vpon the testimony of the spirit as if the whole world beside should teach the contrary yet were euery Christian bound to sticke vnto that inward testimony which the spirit hath giuen him Though the Church or Pope should expound them to vs wee could not infallibly belieue his expositions but by that spirit by which hee is supposed to teach so belieuing wee could not infallibly teach others the same for it is the spirit onely that so teacheth all The inference then is as euident as strong that priuate in the forecited place is opposed to that which wants authority not vnto publike or coÌ„mon The Kings promise made to me in priuate is no priuate promise but will warrant mee if I come to pleade before his Maiesty albeit others make question whether I haue it or no. In this sense that interpretation of scriptures which the spirit affordes vs that are priuate men is not priuate but authentique though not for extent or publication of it vnto others yet for the perfection of our warrant in matters of saluation or concerning God For where the spirite is there is perfect liberty yea free accesse of pleading our cause against whomsoeuer before the Tribunall seate of iustice especially being wronged in matters of the life to come To this purpose saith our Apostle But hee that is spirituall discerneth all things yet hee himselfe is iudged of no man In those things wherein hee cannot be iudged by any hee is no priuate man but a Prince and Monarch for the freedome of his conscience But if any man falsly pretend this freedome to nurse contentions or to withdraw his necke from that yoke whereto hee is subject hee must answere before his supreme Iudge and his holy Angels for framing vnto himselfe a counterfeit licence without the assured warrant of his spirit And so shall they likewise that seeke to command mens consciences in those matters wherein the spirite hath set them free This is the height of iniquity that hath no temporall punishment in this life but must bee reserued as the obiect of fiercest wrath in that fearefull day the very Idea of Antichristianisme CHAP. XIIII That Saint Paul submitted his doctrine to examination by the Words before written That his doctrine disposition and practise were quite contrary to the Romanists in this argument 1 SAint Paul as well as other Apostles had the gift of miracles which amongst Barbarians or distressed soules destitute of other comfort likely to bee wonne to grace by wonders hee did not neglect to practise but sought not to enforce beliefe vpon the Iewes by fearefull signes or sudden destruction of the obstinate albeit hee had power to anathematize not onely in word but in deed euen to deliuer men aliue vnto Sathan When hee came to Thessalonica hee went as his maner was into the Synagogue three Sabboth daies disputed with his countrimen by the Scriptures opening and alleadging that Christ must haue suffered and risen againe from the dead and this is Iesus Christ whom I preach to you These Iewes had Moses and the Prophets and if they would not heare them neither would they belieue for any miracles which to haue wrought amongst such had been as the casting of pearles before swine What was the reason they did not belieue because the Scriptures which hee vrged were obscure but Saint Paul did open them Rather they saw the truth as Papists doe but would not see it They rightly belieued whatsoeuer God had said was most true that hee had said what Moses and the Prophetes wrote and yet Saint Paul taught nothing which they had not foretold But that was all one these Iewes had rather belieue Moses and the Prophets meant as the Scribes and Pharisees or other chiefe Rulers of their Synagogues taught then as Paul expounded them albeit his expositions would haue cleared themselues to such as without preiudice would haue examined them But the Beroeans were of a more ingenâ—ous disposition so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports they were not vassals to other mens interpretations or conceites but vsed their liberty to examine their truth They receiued the word with all readinesse and searched the Scriptures whether these things were so or no. If they beleeued in part before their practise confirms the truth of our assertion that they were not to belieue the infallibility of Paul but of his doctrine albeit they were well perswaded of his personall authority If they beleeued neither in part nor wholly before they see the truth of his doctrine confirmed by that scripture which they had formerly acknowledged their ingenuity herein likewise confirmes our doctrine and condemnes the Papists of insolent blasphemy for arrogating that authoritie vnto the Popes decrees which is onely due vnto Gods word already established 2 I would demand of any Papists whether the Beroeans did well or ill in examining Saint Pauls doctrine if ill why hath the spirit of God commended them if well why is it not lawfull and expedient for all true Christians to imitate them Vnlesse the Reader bite his lippe I will not promise for him hee shall not laugh at Bellarmines answere albeit I knew him for another Heraclitus or Crassus Agelastus who neuer laughed in all his life saue once when he saw an Asse feed on thistles Surely he must haue an Asses lippes that can taste and a swines belly that can digest this great Clerks Diuinity in this point I answere saith he albert Paul were an Apostle and could not preach false doctrine thus much notwithstanding was not euident to the Beroeans at the first nor were they bound forthwith to belieue vnlesse they had seene some miracles or other probable inducements to belieue Therefore when Paul proued Christ vnto them out of the Propheticall Oracles they did well to search the Scriptures whether those things were so If Saint Paul had thought miracles a more effectuall meanes then Scriptures for begetting faith in such as acknowledged Moses and the Prophets no doubt hee had vsed miracles rather then their authority Or if the Pope cannot expound the scriptures as effectually and perspicuously as S. Paul did why doth he not at the least work miracles are we bound absolutely to belieue him is he bound to doe neither of these without which the people of Beroea were not bound as Bellarmine acknowledgeth to belieue Saint Paul Wee are if his reason be worth beliefe Christians which know the Church cannot erre in explicating the doctrine of faith are bound to embrace
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
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
existence necessary Whatsoeuer is besides is but a shadow or picture borrowed from his infinite being Amongst created entities all essentially depending on Him Accidents haue a kind of existence peculiar to themselues yet cannot so properly bee saide to exist as their subiects on whom they haue such double dependance Nor can the Moone so truely say my beauty is mine owne as may the Sunne which lends light and splendor to this his sister as it were vpon condtion shee neuer vse it but in his sight For the same reason that for which wee belieue another thing is alwayes more truely more really and more properly belieued then that which is belieued for it if the one beliefe necessarily depend vpon the other tam in facto esse quam in fieri from the first beginning to the latter end For of beliefes thus mutually affected the one is reall and radicall the other nominall or at the most by participation onely reall This consequence is vnsound Intellectiue knowledge depends on sensitiue therefore sensitiue is of these two the surer The reason is because intellectiue knowledge depends on sensitiue onely in the acquisition not after it is acquired But this inference is most vndoubted Wee belieue the conclusion for the premisses therefore we belieue the premisses the better because beliefe of the Conclusion absolutely depends vpon the premisses during the whole continuance of it This is the great Philosophers rule and a branch of the former Axiome And some iustly question whether in Scholastique propriety of speech wee can truely say there is a beliefe of the conclusion distinct from the beleefe of the premisses or rather the beliefe of the premisses is by extrinsical denomination attributed vnto the conclusion This latter opinion at least in many Syllogismes is the truer most necessarily true in all wherein the conclusion is a particulall essentialâ—y subordinate to an vniuersall of truth vnquestionable As hee that infallibly belieues euery man is a reasonable creature infallibly belieues Socrates is such Nor can wee say there be two dictint beliefes one of the vniversall another of this particular for he that sayeth All excepteth none If Socrates then make one in the Catalogue of men hee that formerly knew all knew him to bee a reasonable Creature all he had to learne was what was meant by this name Socrates a man or a beast After he knowes him to be a man in knowing him to bee a reasonable creature hee knowes no more then he did before in that vniuersall Euery man is a reasonable Creature The like consequence holdes as firme in our present argument He that beleeues this vniuersall Whatsoeuer the Church proposeth concerning Scriptures is most true hath no more to learne but onely what particulars the church proposeth These being knowne we cannot imagine there should bee two distinct beleefes one of the churches generall infallibility another of the particular Truthes or points of faith contained in the Scripture proposed by it For as in the former case so in this He that from the churches proposall beleeues or knowes this particular The Booke of Reuelations was from God receiues no increase of former beleefe for before hee beleeued all the church did propose and therefore this particular because one of all 4 The truth of this conclusion may againe from a maine pinciple of Romish faith be thus demonstrated Whatsoeuer vnwritten traditions the Church shall propose though yet vnheard of or vnpossible otherwise to be knowne then onely by the Churches asseueration all Romanists are bound as certainly to beleeue as deuoutly to embrace as any truths contayned in the written word acknowledged by vs the Iewes and them for diuine Now if eyther from their owne experience the ioynt consent of sincere antiquitie or testimonie of Gods spirit speaking to them in priuate or what meanes soeuer else possible or imaginable they gaue any absolute credence vnto the written word or matters contained in it besides that they giue vnto the churches generall veracitie the Scriptures by addition of this credence were it great or little arising from these grounds peculiar to them must needs be more firmely beleeued and embraced then such vnwritten traditions as are in themselues suspitious vncapable of other credit then what they borrow from the Church For in respect of the Churches proposall Which is one and the same alike peremptory in both Scriptures and traditions of what kinde soeuer must be equally beleeued And if such traditions as can haue no assurance besides the Churches testimony must be as well beleeued as Scriptures or diuine truthes contained in them the former conclusion is euidently necessary that they neyther beleeue the Scriptures nor the Truthes contained in them but the Churches proposall of them onely For the least beleefe of any Diuine truth added to beleefe of the Churches proposall which equally concernes written and vnwritten verities would dissolue the former equalitie But that by the Trent Councell may not bee dissolued Therefore our aduersaries in deede and verity beleeue no Scriptures nor Diuine written Truth but the Churches proposall onely concerning them And Sacroboscus bewrayes his readinesse to beleeue the Church as absolutely as any Christian can doe God or Christ though no title of the New-testament were extant For that the Church cannot erre was an Oracle reuealed by God proposed by the Church and beleiued by the faithfull before any part of the New testament was written Now hee that without the Gospel of Iesus Christ would beleeue the Doctrines of faith as firmely as with it beleeues not the Gospel which now he hath but their authorities onely vpon which though wee had it not he would as absolute rely for all matters of doctrine supposed to be contained in it 5 Or further to illustrate the truth of our conclusion with this Iesuits former comparison which hath best illustrated the Romish churches tenent That Church in respect of the Canon of Scriptures or any part thereof is as the light is to colours As no colour can be seene of vs but by the light so by his doctrine neyther the Canon of Scriptures or any part thereof can be known without the Churches testimonie Againe as remoueall of light presently makes vs loose the sight of colours so doubt oâ— deniall of the Churches authoritie depriues vs of all true and stedfast beleefe concerning Gods Word or any matter contained in it God as they plead hath reuealed his will obscurely and vnto a distinct or cleare apprehension of what is obscurely reuealed the visible churches declaration is no lesse necessary then light to discernment of colours The reason is one in both and is this As the actuall visibilitie of colours wholly depends vpon the light as well for existence as duration so by Iesuiticall Doctrine true beleefe of Scriptures wholly depends on the visible Churches declaration as well during the whole continuance as the first producing of it By the same reason as we gather that light in it selfe is more
it reall Atheists or Infidels and Christians onely in conceit or vpon condition If the Church whose authority they so highly esteeme be as infallible as is pretended Heretofore I haue much grieued at the Trent Councels impiety but now I wonder at these graue Fathers folly that would trouble themselues with prescribing so many Canons or ouerseeing so large a Catechisme when as the beginning of Protogoras booke one or two words altered might haue comprehended the entire confession of such mens faith as rely vpon their fatherhoods The Atheist thus beganne his booke De dijs non habeo quod dicam vtrum sint necne Concerning the Gods or their being I can say nothing A priuate Romane Catholike might render an entire account of his faith in termes as briefe De Christo Christiana fide non haebeo quod dicam vtrum sint necne Whether there bee a Christ or Christian Religion bee but a politike fable I haue nothing to say peremptorily yea or no the Church or Councell can determine whom in this and all other points wherein God is a party I will absolutely belieue whilest I liue if at my death I finde they teach amisse let the diuell and they if there be a diuell decide the controuersie Yet this conceit or conditionall beliefe of Christ and christianity conceiued from the former serues as a ground colour for disposing mens soules to take the sable dye of Hell wherewith the second maine streame of Romish impiety will deepely infect all such as drinke of it For once belieuing Gods word from the Churches testimony this absolute submission of their consciences to embrace that sense it shall suggest sublimates them from refined Heathenisme of Gentilisme to diabolisme or symbolizing with infernall spirits whose chiefest solace consists in acting greatest villanies or wresting the meaning of Gods written lawes to his dishonour For iust proofe of which imputation wee are to preuent what as wee late intimated might in fauour of their opinion bee replyed to our former instance of light and colours 9 Some perhaps well affected would be resolued why as hee that sees colours by the sunne sees not onely the sunne but colours with it so hee that belieues the Scriptures by relying vpon the Church should not belieue the Church onely but the Scriptures too commended by it The doubt could hardly bee resolued if according to our aduersaries tenent the Churches declarations did confirme our faith by illustrating the Canon of Scriptures or making particular truthes contained in it inherently more perspicuous as if they were in themselues but potentially credible and made actually such by the Churches testimony which is the first and principall credible in such sort as colours become actually visible by illumination of the principall and prime visible But herein the grounds of Romish doctrine and the instance brought by Sacroboscus to illustrate it are quite contrary For the light of the Sunne though most necessary vnto sight is yet necessary onely in respect of the obiect or for making colours actually visible which made such or sufficiently illuminated are instantly perceiued without further intermediation of any other light then the internall light of the Organe in discerning colours alwaies rather hindred then helped by circumfusion of light externall For this reason it is that men in a pitte or caue may at noone day see the starres which are inuisible to such as are in the open aire not that they are more illuminated to the one then the other but because plentie of light doth hinder the organ or eye-sight of the one Generally all obiects eyther actually visible in themselues or sufficiently illuminated are better perceiued in darkenesse then in the light But so our aduersaries will not grant that after the church hath sufficiently proposed the whole Canon to be Gods word the distinct meaning of euery part is more cleare and facile to all priuate spirits by how much they lesse participate of the visible Churches further illustration For quite contrary to the former instance the Churches testimony or declaration is onely necessary or auaileable to right beliefe in respect not of the obiect to be beleeued Scriptures but of the party beleeuing For as hath beene obserued no man in their iudgement can belieue Gods word or the right meaning of it but by beleeuing the Church and all beliefe is inherent in the belieuer Yea this vndoubted beliefe of the Churches authority is that which in Bellarmine and Sacroboscus iudgement makes a Roman Catholicks beleefe of Scriptures or diuine truthes taught by them much better then a Protestants If otherwise the churches declaration or testimony could without the beliefe of it infallibility which is inherent in the subiect belieuing make Scriptures credible as the light doth colours visible in themselues a Protestant that knew their churches meaning might as truely belieue them as a Romane Catholike albeit hee did not absolutely belieue the church but onely vse her helpe for their Orthodoxall interpretation as hee doth ordinary expositors or as many doe the benefite of the Sunne for seeing colours which neuer thinke whether colours may bee seene without it or no. For though it bee certaine that they cannot yet this opinion is meerely accidentall to their sight and if a man should be so wilfull as to maintaine the contrary it would argue onely blindnesse of mind none of his bodily sight Nor should distrust of the Romish churches authority ought diminish our beliefe of any diuine truth were her declarations requisite in respect of the obiect to bee beleeued not in respect of the subiect beleeuing 10 Hence ariseth that difference which plainely resolues the former doubt For seeing the Sunne makes colours actually visible by adding vertue or lustre to them wee may rightly say wee see colours as truely as the light by which wee see them For though without the benefite of it they cannot be seene yet are they not seene by seeing it or by relying vpon it testimony of them Againe because the vse of light is onelie necessary in respect of the obiect or for presenting colours to the eye after once they bee sufficiently illuminated or presented euery creature endued with sight can immediately discern each from other without any further helpe or benefite of externall light than the generall whereby they become all alike actually visible at the fame instant The Sunnes light then is the true cause why colours are seene out no cause of our distinguishing one from another beeing seene or made actually visible by it For of all sensible obiects sufficiently proposed the sensitiue faculty though seated in a priuate person is the sole immediate supreme Iudge and relies not vpon any others more publike verdite of them On the contrary because the Romanists supposed firme beliefe of Scriptures or their true meaning ariseth onely from his vndoubted beliefe of the churches veracity which is in the belieuer as in it subiect not from any increase of inherent credibility or perspicuity
vniuersall If charged they be vnder paine of damnation secretly to worship this or that damned villaine it will be held a formall deniall of faith either not to performe what is enioyned or to bewray what they performe We may well suppose the Iesuites and others of their instruction haue more Saints in their priuate Kalenders then all the world knowes of Bellarmine grants the Pope may commend some vnder the title of Saints vnto a set Prouince or Diocesse though he enioyne not the whole Church so to esteeme or at least not so to entertayne them That Saints reputed not canonized may be priuately adored That in this case a generall custome may prescribe and breede iust presumption of the Popes tacit approbation though he giue no direct iniunction for the practize nor positiue signification of his consent For many were adored as Saints before the solemnitie of canonizing was in vse first practized as farre as this great Clerkes reading serues him by Pope Leo the third 3 Now as their proiects are of another mold and their meanes to effect them more desperate then heretofore so these intimations make it more then suspitious least secretly they crowne such of euery sort as haue beene best qualified for their purposes or haue aduentured farthest for the Churches dignitie with the titles of Saints to encourage others to like attempts And if turbulent or ambitious spirits greedie of same may bee fed with hopes of being eternized in Iesuiticall Kalendars if men male-contented with this present may haue sweet promises of euerlasting happinesse in the life to come vpon what mischiefes will they not aduenture when as the one sort is wearie of life the other curbed only with feare of present shame or disgrace after death otherwise readie to rush into any danger or auow most desperate outrages Albeit the parties proposed to be worshipped had been in their life times no so bad but rather incited to bold enterprises by their ardent zeale yet who would not desire to imitate the aduenturous actions of them whose memorie he adores And yet this longing desire of imitating such extraordinarie enterprises as others of noble spirits haue been thrust vpon by secret instinct is alwaies dangerous and in men not so well qualified as their Authors were preposterous For it will finde occasions of like practize when â—one is giuen vertue shall be the obiect of despite because in factious oppositions contempt of it may affoord matter of glorie Hatred and malice to Princes persons shall be accounted zeale and deuotion to the Church But if powder-plotters or publique Assasinats may be dignified with titles of Saints or proposed for imitation the Christian world may perceiue the height whereto this mischiefe may grow when it will be too late to controuse it It is an excellent caueat which old Gerson hath not impertinent to this purpose though intended by him especially for priuate vse Amongst other sophismes vsed by Satan to ensnare mens foules That Topicke of examples or similies affoords as many experiments of fallacies as there bee men whilest euery one seekes to imitate any one and professeth to frame his life by the example of such as either the Church doth Canonize or their Superiors Gouernors Doctors or men of same approue What doth the sonne say they but what he sees the father doe and yet these mates follow not the best but the worst Fathers at least that in them which is worst for them to follow by this example some of them stick not to say Paul commended himselfe Paul had visions in a trance and why may not God in these dayes worke the like effects in others Hence are prophecies faigned hence are admonitions by miracles hence are damned persons adored by the multitude witnesse the Legend yea and Vienna can beare witnesse of a dead dogs adoration Let the sacred Roman See therefore beware Let the Pope that sits therein beware vpon what grounds or motiues they canonize any 4 Rather let all Christian States beware least they giue such authoritie to either For if the danger were not alwayes imminent from their trayterous and bloud-thirstie mindes that professe this doctrine in any Kingdome yet from diuine Iustice the plagues vpon Prince and People that authorize or permit the profession of it will be one day publique and grieuous For better might they nurse all other kindes of inchantments or magicall practizes better might they giue harbour to all other heresies broched since the world beganne then suffer this Ocean of all mischiefes whether flowing from errours in manners or matters of doctrine to encroach vpon their coasts And here let not the Reader deceiue himselfe by imagining the holy Ghost had vsed a Metaphore rather then strict proprietie of speech when he called the whoore of Babylon a Witch or Inchantresse For the faith wherby the Romanist boasts he beleeues the Scriptures as elsewhere God willing shall be shewed is meerly magicall this doctrine we now dispute against the very Idea of infernall superstition or as they terme it vana obseruantia in respect of the essence and qualitie and for the extent of mischiefe whereto it leades as the maine Sea of sorcerie and all other kindes of magicall superstition as so many Brookes or Riuers For whence springs Sorcerie properly so called Either from expresse compact with euill spirits or from the solemne performance of certayne blinde ceremonies which are but sacrifices vnto infernall Powers whereby they gaine interest in the sacrificers soules in witnesse whereof they sometimes beare their markes in their bodies But if we looke into the mysterie of this iniquitie the Iesuites by subscribing vnto this doctrine of the Churches transcendent authoritie and taking the solemne oath of their order enter a couenant though not so expresse or immediate yet more firme and desperate then other Magicians vsually doe For they sweare and teach others to sweare absolute obedience to the Pope they thinke themselues bound and would binde others not to examine his decrees to esteeme of his pardons though destitute of al warrant from Gods word as highly as the Magicians doe of Charmes for which they can giue no reason either in arte or nature to offer vp their prayers and other religious worship vnto such as hee shall appoint them albeit for ought they know or as they iustly may suspect damned miscreants which is a more hellish sacrifice then any other Magicians vse And though Witches doe yet all sorts of Sorcerers enter not expresse couenant with the Prince of darkenesse And it is all one whether like Witches they giue their soules to him immediately or thus absolutely betroath them to his Proxy or principall Agent here on earth For as the Apostle instruct vs by thus worshipping the Beast they worship the Dragon his Master 5 Lastly in respect of this mouth of blasphemie Mahumetisme and Gentilisme are as a toy The ancient Heathen out of their inbred ignorance and want of externall meanes for right information
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