of such particular places of Scripture as teach the Articles of our Creed expresly will come more fitly into the unfolding of the Articles themselves The second general part of the first Book SECT I. Of Observations internal or incident unto Scriptures without Reference to any relations or events other then are specified in themselves ALthough the Experiments confirming the truth of Scriptures be as I have said many and divers yet all may be reduced into these general heads or kindes They may be found either in the Stile or Character of these writings themselves the Affections or dispositions of their Writers or in Events or Experiments whatsoever the course of times affords answerable to the Rules set down in Scriptures CAP. IV. Of Historical Characters of Sacred Writings TO any man indued with reason not perverted the Books of Moses give more perfect proof of matters done and acted then any other Historie in the World can possibly do albeit we set aside the secret Characters of Gods Spirit speaking in them which we suppose can be discerned of none but such as have the mark of the Lamb answerable to it engraven upon their hearts But now we seek such inducements to Belief as may perswade the natural unregenerate man of the Historical truth of these sacred Volumes 2 The prejudices arising from the strangeness of matters related by him the Reader shall finde mitigated in the next discourse In the mean time I must request him to suspend his judgement of them and onely to intend the lively Characters of Historical truth in other relations of matters neither strange nor incredible in themselves Either Moses wrote a true Historie or else his words are but a Fiction either Poetical to delight others or Political to advantage himself or his successors Let such as doubt of their Historical truth duly examine whether many things related by him can possibly be referred to any of these two ends As for example if these relations Gen. 4. 1. and the 25. had not been either real Adjuncts of some Famous Truth then sufficiently known or else appointed by God to be notified for some special purpose to posteritie how could it possibly have come into any mans thought or to what end should it have gon thence into his Pen to shew the reason why Evah should call her first son Cain or her third Seth 3 He that would set himself to contradict might reply Moses his invention was so copious as to forecast that those insertions might make his History seem more probable or that he spake unawares according to the Custom of the times wherein he lived But why then should he omit the like in all the generations from Cain and Seth unto Noah the reason of whose name given him by his father he likewise specifies Genesis 5. 29. Genesis 5. 29. Then Lamech begat a son and called his name Noah saying This same shall comfort us concerning our work and sorrow of our hands as touching the earth which the Lord hath cursed It was doubtless from some diversity in the matter presupposed unto this work not from the workmans choice or invention why the reason of these three mens names should be specified as afterwards will more plainly appear For the positive notes or sure tokens of a true Historie they are most plentiful in the stories of Abraham Jacob and Joseph Each part of which the Divine Providence whereof these are the most Ancient most perfect and most lively patterns would have set out with such perspicuitie of all circumstances that the Reader might be an eye-witness of their Historical Truth The subject and issue whereof is in it self so pleasant as will ravish sober and attentive mindes and allure them to follow the main current of Divine Mysteries which flow from these Histories mentioned as from their first Heads or Fountains To point at some few rather than handle any particulars 4 If we may judge of the truth of mens writings by their outward form or Character as we do of mens honestie by their looks speech or behaviour what Historie in the World bears so perfect resemblance of things done and acted or yeelds without further testimonie then its own so full assurance of a true narration as the stories of Abrahams departure out of his Land his answers to God Sarahs distrust upon misconceit of Gods promises her seeking to fulfil it by giving her Maid to Abraham the manner of her speech upon her Maids contemning her the debate and issue of her controversie the Dialogue between the Angels of God and Abraham with Sarahs Apology for laughing at their Message Abrahams journey to Mount Moriah his servants expedition to Aram Naharim with his Commission to provide his young Master a Wife There appears not in any of these the least surmise of any Political respect not any signe of affected delight or Poetical representations seeing this Author falls immediately into other matters and relates every thing though many of most diverse natures with such natural specification of every circumstance as unless our hearts were prepossest with Belief that he had writ them by his direction who perfectly knoweth all things as well sore-past as present or to come we would be perswaded that most of them were relations of such as acted them uttered to their familiar friends immediately upon the fact whilest all circumstances were fresh in memory 5 How others are affected I cannot tell me thinks when I reade that story Genesis 34. I am transformed into a Man of the Old World and become a neighbour of old Jacob over-hearing him and his sons debating the slaughter of the Sichemites The old man complains Ye have troubled me and made me stink among the inhabitants of the land as well the Canaanites as the Perizzites and I being few in number they shall gather themselves together against me and so shall I and mine house be destroyed and they answered and said Shall he abuse our Sister as a Whore 6 Or if this description though issuing as naturally out of the real disposition of the true no fained parties described as brightness out of the body of the Sun yet because but short may seem more imitable by Art I will propose a longer Dialogue betwixt this old man and his sons for a pattern of which fairest colours that Art or Invention can put upon any fained Subject will come as far short as Solomons gawdy but artificial attire did of the native beauty of wild Lillies or any dy that Art can give of the natural splendor of finest Pearls the Onix or other more precious stone The storie is is Genesis 42. from the 29. unto the 15 verse of the 43 Chapter The circumstances which I would especially commend unto the Readers consideration are first The old mans jealousie v. 36. upon his sons relation what had befallen them in their journey and the Governours desire of seeing Benjamin v. 31 32 33 34 35. His peremptorie reply v. 33. to Reubens answer
doth the Pope challenge to himself the gift of Prophecie but only of legal Decisions which are no otherwise written then many write and contain no deeper nor more Supernatural Matter then many may invent most of them usually penned in a base and barbarous Logick Phrase his Stile at the best is not peculiar his Character easie to be counterfeited by any man that can pen a Proclamation or frame an Instrument in Civil Courts 7 To recollect what hath been said First seeing God is more to be Believed then Men secondly seeing we have better Arguments to perswade the People that these Scriptures daily read in our Church are Gods own Words then the Priests and Jesuites have that the Tidings which they bring from beyond Sea are the Popes or Churches Decrees or Sentence we may and ought Teach them to relie immediately upon Gods Word preached or read unto them as the surest and most Infallible Rule of Faith the most lively most effectual and most forcible Means of their Salvation Or if the Jesuites will teach them to Believe the Popes Decrees given ex Cathedra or the Churches Opinion indefinitely taken Fide divina by Infallible Faith but the Jesuites or Priests Expositions or Translations of them only Conditionally and with this Limitation If so they be the Pope or Churches Decrees we may in like sort with far greater Reason teach the People to Believe the Scriptures or the Word of God absolutely and our Translations or Expositions of it but Conditionally or with Limitation so far as they are Consonant to the Word of God Seeing it is as probable that we may expound Gods Word as rightly and sincerely as the other can the Church or Popes Edicts we have better Reason to exact this conditional Obedience and Assent in the Vertue and Authoritie of Gods Word which we make the Rule of Faith then they can have to exact the like Obedience by Vertue of the Pope or Churches Edict which is to them the Mistresse of Faith For it is more certain to any man living that Gods Word is most Infallibly True then that the Pope cannot Erre Wherefore if the Absolute Belief of the Popes Infallibilitie and Conditional Belief of the Jesuites or Priests his Messengers Fidelitie or Skill be sufficient to Salvation much more may the Absolute Belief or Assent unto the Infallibility of Gods Word and such Conditional and limited Belief of his Ministers Fidelitie be sufficient for the Salvation of his People who as hath been proved cannot be more certain that the Romish Church saith This or That then we can be of Gods Word For they never hear the Church or Pope speak but in Jesuites or Priests Mouthes And although they knew he said just so as those say yet may a man doubt in Modestie whether the Popes Words be alwayes Infallible but of the Infallibilitie of Gods Word can no man doubt 8 And Here I cannot but much wonder at the preposterous courses of these Romanists who holding an Implicite Faith of Believing as the Church Believes in many Points to be sufficient unto Salvation will yet fasten this implicite Faith upon the present Church of Rome and not refer it rather unto that Church as it was under S. Peters Jurisdiction and Government For if Universalitie be as they contend a sure Note of undoubted Truth then must it needs be more undoubtedly True that S. Peter could not Erre in Matters of Faith then that this present Romish Pope and his Cardinals cannot so Erre For all Papists hold this as True of S. Peter as of this present Pope and all Protestants hold it True of S. Peter not in the present Pope and so did all the Fathers without controversie hold it most True that S. Peter did not teach amisse in his Apostolical Writings So that Universalitie is much greater for S. Peter then for this Pope that now is or the next that shall be 9 For these Reasons fully consonant to their own Positions all Papists me-thinks in Reason should make the same Difference in their Estimate of S. Peter and later Popes which a French Cardinal as the Tradition is at Durham once made betwixt S. Cuthbert and venerable Bede Abeit S. Cuthbert was accounted the greater Saint amongst them whose greater Benefactour he had been in which respect they brought the Cardinal first unto S. Cuthberts Tomb yet because he knew him not so well but only by their Report he praies very warily Sancte Cuthberte si Sanctus es or a pro me But afterwards brought unto Bedes Tomb then in the Consistory because he had been Famous in Forrain Nations from the Commendations of lesse partial Antiquitie he fell to his prayers without Ifs and And 's Vener abilis Beda quia tu Sanctus es or a pro me 10 Proprotional to this Caution in this French-mans Prayers should every modern Papist limit his Belief of the present Popes Infallibilitie in respect of S. Peters And say thus in his heart As for S. Peter I know he Believed and Taught aright And I beseech God I may Believe as he Believed and that my Soul may come whither his is gone as for this present Pope if he believe as S. Peter did be likely to follow him in LIfe and Death I pray God I may Believe as he Believes and do as he Teacheth but otherwise believe me I would be very loath to pin my Belief upon his Sleeve lest happily he run Headlong to Hell to that which should have drawn me up to Heaven For in this Life I walk by Faith and by Faith I must ascend Thither if I ever come There and therefore I dare not fasten my Belief upon any Man whom I would be loath to follow in his Course of Life But most surely might this Implicite Faith be fastned upon Gods written Word contained in the Writings of Moses the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists We know O Lord that Thou hast Taught them All Truth that is Necessary for thy Church to know And our Adversaries confess that thy Word uttered by Them rightly understood is the most sure Rule of Faith for by This they seek to establish the Infallibilitie of the Church and Pope They themselves speak aright by their own Confession where they speak consonantly unto it Wherefore the safest Course for us must be to search out the True Sense and Meaning of it which is as easie for us as them to find as in the Processe of these Meditations God willing shall appear 11 Unto the main Objection concerning the Means of knowing Scripture to be Scripture we have partly answered or rather prevented it in the first Treatise and throughout this whole intended discourse we shall God willing explicate the former general Means or Motives as also bring other peculiar Inducements for the establishing of True Faith unto the particular Articles in this Creed contained For the present Difficultie concerning the Rule of Illiterate Lay-mens Faith or such as understand not those Languages in which
annexed to any peculiar Men or Company of Men distinct from others by Prerogative of Place Preheminence of Succession and from him or them to be derived unto all others set apart for this Ministerie or whether the Ministerie of any men of what Place or Societie soever whom God hath called to this Function and enabled for the same be sufficient for the begetting of true Faith without any others Confirmation or Approbation of their Doctrine 9 Secondly it is questioned how this Ministery of Man which is necessarily supposed ordinarily both for knowing the Word of God and the true Meaning of it becomes available for the begetting of true Belief in either point In whomsoever the Authoritie of this Ministerial Function be the Question is whether it perform thus much only by Proposing or Expounding the Word which is Infallible or by their Infallible Proposal or Exposition of it that is whether for the attaining of true Belief in both Points mentioned we must relie infallibly upon the Infallible VVord of God only or partly upon it and partly upon the Infallibility of such as expound it unto us Or in other words thus whether the Authoritie or Infallibilitie of any Mans Doctrine or Asseveration concerning these Scriptures or their true Sense be as infallibly to be Believed as those Scriptures themselves are or that Sense of them which the spirit of God hath wrought in our Hearts by sure and undoubted Experience 10 These are the principal Roots and Fountains of Difference between us concerning our present Controversie whence issue and spring these following First Whether Christ whose Authoritie both acknowledge for Infallible hath left any Publick Judge of these Scriptures which both receive or of their right Sense and Meaning from whose Sentence we may not appeal or whether all to whom this Ministrie of Faith is committed be but Expositors of Divine Scriptures so as their Expositions may by all faithful Christians be examined Hence ariseth that other Question whether the Scriptures be the Infallible Rule of Faith If Scripture admit any Judge then is it no Rule of Faith If all Doctrines are to be examined by Scripture then is it a perfect Rule 11 Our Adversaries especially later Jesuites Positions are these The Infallible Authoritie of the present Church that is of some visible Companie of living Men must be as absolutely Believed of all Christians as any Oracle of God and hence would they bind all such as proâ—esse the Catholick Faith in all Causes concerning the Oracles or Word of God to yield the same Obedience unto Decrees and Constitutions of the Church which is due unto these Oracles themselves even to such of them as all Faithful Hearts do undoubtedly know to be Gods written Word 12 The Reasons pretended for this absolute Obedience to be performed unto the Church or visible Company of Men are drawn from the Insufficiency of Scripture either for notifying it self to be the Word of God or the true Sense and Meaning of it self Consequently to these Objections they stifly maintain That the Infallible Authority of the present Church is the mosâ— sure most safe undoubted Rule in all Doubts or Controversies of Faith or in all Points concerning these Oracles of God by which we may certainly know Both without which we cannot possibly know either which are the Oracles of God which not or what is the true Sense and Meaning of such as are received for his Oracles one of the especial Consequents of these Assertions is That this Churches Decisions or Decrees may not be examined by Scriptures 13 Our Churches Assertions concerning the knowledge of Gods Word in general is thus As Gods Word is in it self Infallible so it may be infallibly apprehended and Believed by every Christian unto whom he vouchsafeth to speak after what manner soever he speak unto him Yea whatsoever is necessary for any man to Believe the same must be infallibly written in his heart and on it once written there he must immediately relie not upon any other Authoritie concerning it 14 Or if we speak of Gods written Word our former general Assertion may be restrained thus 15 We are not bound to Believe the Authority of the Church or visible Companiâ— of any living men either concerning the Truth or true Sense of Divine Oracles written so stedfastly and absolutely as we are bound to Believe the Divine written Oracles themselves Consequently to this Assertion we affirm 16. The the Inâ—allible Rule whereupon every Christian in matters of written Verities absolutely and finally without all appeal condition or reservation is to relie must be the Divine written Oracles themselves some of which every Christian hath written in his Heart by the finger of Gods Spirit and Believes immediately In and For themselves not for any Authoritie of Men and these to him must be the Rule for examining all other Doctrines and trying any Masters of Faith But because most in our daies in Matters of Faith and Christian Obedience misse the Celestial Mean and fall into one of the two extreams It shall not be amisse while we seek to divert their course from Sylla to admonish lest they make shipwrack in Charybdis CAP. IV. Shewing the Mean betwixt the two Extremities the one in Excesse proper to the Papists the other in Defect proper to the Anti-papist 1 IT is a Rule in Logick that Two contrary Propositions for their form may be both False And hence it is that many Controversers of our times either in love to the Cause they defend or heat of contention not content only to Contradict but desirous to be most Contrarie to their Adversaries fal into Errour with them No Controversie almost of greater moment this day extant but yields Experiments of this Observation though none more plentiful then this in hand concerning the visible Churches Authoritie or Obedience due to Spiritual Pastours 2 The Papists on the one side demand Infallible Assent and illimited Obedience unto whatsoever the Church shall propose without examination of her Doctrine or appeal which is indeed as we shall afterwards prove to takeaway all the Authority of Gods Word and to erect the present Churches Consistorie above Moses and S. Peters Chair On the other side sundrie by profession Protestants in eagernesse of opposition to the Papists affirm that the Church or Spiritual Pastors must then only be Believed then only be Obeyed when they give Sentence according to the Evident and Expresse Law of God made evident to the Hearts and Consciences of such as must Believe and Obey them And this in one word is to take away all Authoritie of Spiritual Pastors and to deprive them of all Obedience unto whom doubtlesse God by his written Word hath given some special Authoritie and Right to exact some peculiar Obedience of their Flock Now if the Pastor be then only to be Obeyed when he brings evident Commission out of Scripture for those particulars unto which he demands Belief or Obedience
hold the Scriptures to be the Rule of Faith 1 WHen we affirm that the Scriptures are the only infallible Rule in matters of Faith and Christian Obedience we understand such a Rule in those matters as Aristotles Organon may be said of Logick supposing it were sound and free from all suspicion of Errour in every point and contained in it all the general and undoubted Principles from which all true Forms of Argumentation must be deduced and into which all must be finally Resolved To illustrate this Truth by a known Practise Our younger Students are bound to yield their absolute Assent unto Aristotles Authoritie in matters of Logick but not unto any Interpreter that shall pretend it save only when he shall make evident unto them that this was Aristotles Meaning And while they so only and no otherwise yield their Assent they yield it wholly and immediately unto Aristotle not to the Interpreter although by his Means they came to know Aristotles Meaning which once known without any further confirmation of other Testimonie or Authoritie commands their Obedience and Assent But ere they can fully Assent unto this great Master or throughly perceive his Meaning they must conditionally Assent unto their private Tutors or other Expositors and take his Sense and Meaning upon their Trust and Credit In like manner say we in all Matters Doctrines or Controversies of Faith and Christian Obedience we are bound to yield our Assent directly absolutely and finally unto the Authoritie of Scriptures only not unto any Doctor Expositor or other whosoever he be that shall pretend Authoritie out of Scripture over our Faith save only when he shall make it clear and evident unto us that his Opinion is the true Meaning of the Scripture And thus yielding our absolute Assent unto the Truth explained by him we yield it not to him but unto the Author of Truth whose Words we hold to be Infallible in whose Mouthes soever and once known to be His words they need not the Testimonie or Authority of him that did bring us to the true Knowledge of them And before we be brought to see their Truth with our own eyes and feel it by our sense by the effects or experiments of it upon our own Souls we are to limit our Assent and Obedience as it is set down before according to the Probabilities or unpartial Inducements which we have of the Expositors Skill and Sincerity in dispensing Divine Mysteries And these Motives or Inducements which we have of his Skill and Sincerity must be framed according to the Rules or Precepts of Scripture not according to our Affections or Humours we may not think him most to be Believed that is in highest Place or hath the greatest stroke in other Affairs For as the Faith of Christ so must our Perswasion of the faithful Dispensers or skilful Seeds-men of Faith be had without respect of persons 2 If we yield Assent or Obedience unto any Expositor or other otherwise then upon these Conditions and Limitations then as we said before whilest we yielded absolute Obedience unto his doctrine that perswaded us to true Belief because we perceived that which he spake to be the Word of God we did not yield it unto him but unto Gods Word delivered and made known unto us by him so here again by the same Reason only inverted it will evidently follow that if we Believe any mans Doctrines or Decisions to be the Word of God because he speaks it or because we hold his Words to be infallible we do not truly and properly Believe the Word of God suppose his doctrine were the Word of God but his Words and Infallibilitie onely Hence again it follows that if we yield the same absolute and undoubted Assent unto his Authoritie which we would do unto Gods Word immediately known in it self and for it self or relie upon his Infallibility in expounding Gods Word as fully as he doth upon the Word which it is supposed he knows immediately in it self and for it self by doing thus we rob God of his Honour giving that unto Man which is only due to Him For the Infallibility of this Teacher hath the same Proportion to all that thus absolutely Believe him as the Infallibilitie of the Godhead hath unto him his Words the same Proportion to all other mens Faith that Gods Word hath unto his Gods Word is the Rule of his and his Words must be the Rule of all other mens Faith Or to speak more properly God must be a God only to him and he a God to all other men 3 Here it will be demanded how men altogether Illiterate can examin any Doctrine by Scriptures If they cannot Read them how shall they Examin any thing by them not examining the Points of Faith by them how can they be said to be the Rule of their Faith In such a Sense as Aristotles Works supposing them only Authentick and all his Opposites counterfeits or new-fangles may be said to be the Rule of Blind-mens Logick for albeit they cannot read his works yet are they capable of his general and undoubted rules seeing they have as well as other men a natural faculty of discerning Truth from Falshood and can distinguish betwixt rules derived from the pure Fountain of Truth in that kind and Precepts drawn from conjectural erroneous and corrupt Surmises of shallow Brains if both be distinctly proposed unto them And the rules of Truth once fully apprehended and embraced serve as a Touchstone to discern all Consequences and Conclusions which shall be suggested unto them by others so as they wil admit of nothing for sound true Logick but what may be resolved into the former or some other Principles which they can perspicuously and immediately discern to have been drawn from the Fountain of Truth by the same natural Facultie or Ability by which they did discern the former for the faculty will still be like affected with all Principles of like Nature Use and Perspicuity In like sort must the first and general Principles of Faith be derived from Scriptures the only pure fountain of Supernatural Truths unto all illiterate hearts by the Ministery of the learned For Hearts though Illiterate once illuminated by Gods Spirit are as apt to discern Spiritual Principles from falshood or carnal Conjectures as the natural Man is to discern natural Truths from Errours of the same kind And these general and fundamental Principles of Faith engrafted in their hearts serve as infallible rules for discerning the Consonancie or Dissonancie of such Particulars as shal be suggested unto them as shal God willing hereafter be declared nor may they without Injury to Gods Spirit or inward Grace admit any other precepts into the same rank or society with these but either upon evident and distinct deduction from them or sure Experiments of their like Spiritual fruit and Use for the amendment of Life and procuring that peace of Conscience which no Natural Man can conceive much lesse can it be caused
by meer Natural precepts For we suppose what afterwards wil manifest it self that all Truths necessary for men to Believe have a distinct relish from all falshood or other unnecessary or superfluous Truths and may be known by their fruit so men wil be careful to preserve the Sincerity of their Spiritual Taste 4 Gods written Word then is the only pure Fountain and Rule of Faith yet not such immediately unto all as it is written but the Learned or Spiritual Instructors only whose Hearts and Consciences must be ruled by it as in all other spiritual duties so especially as they are Instructors in this That they may not commend any Truths or principles of faith unto the illiterate but such as are expresly contained in Gods written Word or at least are in substance the self same with these written Truths If the Unlearned through Gods just Judgement absolutely admit of other principles and equalize them with these such shal lead them into Errour and pervert their faith If they doubt of any mans Doctrine whether it be truly Spiritual or consonant to the foundation of faith they may appeal to Scriptures as they shal be expounded to them by others Finally they are tied to no visible Company of men whom they must under pain of damnation follow but for their Souls Health they may trie every Spiritual Physitian If they wil be Humorous they may but at their own peril both for Temporal Punishment in this life and for Eternal in the life to come 5 For conclusion the Scripture according to our doctrine and the general Consent of Reformed Churches is the only Infallible rule of faith in both respects or conditions of a Perfect Rule First in that it contains all the principles of faith and points of salvation So that no Visible Church on earth may commend any doctrine to others as a doctrine of Faith unlesse it be commended to them for such by the Scriptures by which every ones doctrine that acknowledgeth God for his Lord must be examined as by a Law uncontrollable Secondly in that these principles of faith are plainly perspicuously and distinctly set down to the Capacities of all that faithfully follow their practical rules most plain most perspicuous and easie to all capable of any rule or reason So that this Sacred Canon needs no Associate no Addition of any Authoritie as equally infallible nor more perspicuous then it self to supply what it wants only the Ministery of men skilful and industrious in the search or Exposition of it is to be supposed And all these be they never so excellent and wel conversant in them are unto Scriptures but as the ordinary Expositors of Classick and Authentick Books are unto the chief Authors or Inventors of the science contained in them Supposing that the first Authors were men of extraordinary and infallible skil and their Expositors as they usually are but of ordinary Capacity or Experience in those faculties 6 Finally the Books of Scriptures are to be reputed a more absolute Rule for all Matters of Faith and Divine Mysteries then any Books or Writings of men are for natural sciences or secular professions as in sundrie other Respects so in This that they give as more facile so more infallible directions for finding out their true Sense and Meaning then any other Writings do or Writers could have done who though present could not be so fully Assistant but cannot so much as affoord their presence to their Expositours in the search of Truths rather professed then fully conceived much lesse infallibly taught by them whereas the Spirit of Truth which first did dictate is every where present alwayes Assistant to such as seriously and sincerely seek the Truth contained in these Divine Oracles conducting them from Knowledge to Knowledge both by all such Means as Artists have for increasing their skil and by other Means extraordinary such as none in any other Faculty can have nor any may hope for in the Search of Scriptures but only such as Delight in and Meditate upon them Day and Night SECT II. That the pretended Obscurity of Scriptures is no just Exception why they should not be acknowledged the absolute Rule of Faith which is the Mother-Objection of the Romanist CAP. XII How far it may be granted the Scriptures are Obscure with some Premonitions for the right state of the Question 1 IT is first to be supposed that these Scriptures for whose Soveraignty over our Souls we plead against the pretended Authority of the Romish Church were given by God for the Instruction of all succeeding Ages for all sorts of Men in every Age for all Degrees or divers Measures of his other Gifts in all several sorts or Conditions of Men. This diversitie of Ages and Conditions of Men in several Callings who so wel considers may at the first sight easily discover our Adversaries Willingnesse to wrangle in this point whose usual practise as if they meant to cast a Mist before the weak-sighted Readers eyes is to pick out here and there some places of Scriptures more Hard and difficult then Necessary or requisite to be understood of Every man perhaps of Any man in this Age. The Knowledge of all or any of which notwithstanding those that live after us though otherwise peradventure men of far meaner gifts then many in this present Age shall not therefore need to give for lost or desperate when they shall be called unto this Search For God hath appointed as for every thing else so for the Revelation of his Word certain and peculiar Times and Seasons Daniel though full of the Spirit of Prophecie and one that during the Reign of Nebuchadnezzar and Balthasar his son had as it were continually travelled of Revelations concerning the Estate of Gods Church and the affairs of forrain Kingdoms for many generations to come yet knew not the approaching Time of his peoples deliverance from Captivity until the first year of Darius son of Ahashuerosh And this he learned by Books even in the first year of his Raign I Daniel understood by Books the number of the years whereof the Lord had spoken unto Jeremiah the Prophet that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolation of Jerusalem And of his own Revelation he saith And Daniel was commanded to shut up his words and seal up his book unto the end of the Time or as some read unto the appointed Time and then many shall run to and fro and Knowledge shall be increased For at the Time appointed as he intimates in the words following others though no Prophets were to know more of this Prophecy then the Prophet did himself Then I heard it but I understood it not then said I O my Lord what shall be the end of these things And he said Go thy way Daniel for the words are closed up and sealed till the end of the Time 2 The Prophets of later Ages did see Revelations of matters which had been hid from the Ancient
intreat the Christian Reader to consider well upon whom their usual Objections of Scriptures Obscurity are most likely to fall Upon us for whose good they were given Or upon God the Father who gave them his Son that partly spake them his Holy Spirit who only taught them his Prophets Apostles Evangelists or other his blessed Ministers which wrote them CAP. XV. The Romanisis Objections against the Scriptures for being Obscure do more directly impeach their first Author and his Messengers their Pen-men then us or the Cause in hand 1 THat these Scriptures which our Church holds Canonical and we now maintain to be the Rule of Faith were given for the good of Christs Church or Multitude of faithful men throughout the World our Adversaries wil not deny or if they would the Scriptures which expresly to deny they dare not bear evident Testimony hereof Infinite places are brought to this purpose by such as handle that Question Whether the written Word contain all Points necessary to Salvation 2 Saint John saith he wrote his Gospel that we might Believe By what Authority did he undertake by whose Assistance did he perform this Work Undertaken it was by Gods appointment effected by the assistance of his Eternal Spirit to the end we might Believe the Truth what Truth That which he wrote concerning the Mysteries of mans Salvation But how far did he intend this our Belief of such Mysteries should be set forward by his pen Unto the first Rudiments only or unto the midway of our Course to Heaven Questionlesse unto the utmost Period of all our Hopes for he wrote these things that we might Believe yea so believe in Christ as by Believing we might have Life through his Name Was he assisted by the Eternal Spirit who then perfectly knew the several tempers and capacities of evey Age And did he by his direction aim at the perfect Belief of succeeding Ages as the end and scope of all his Writings And yet did he write so obscurely that he could not be understood of them for whose good he wrote Out of Controversie his desire was to be understood of all for he envied no man Knowledg nor taught he the Faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons He wished that not the great Agrippa's or some few choice ones only but all that should hear or read his Writings to the Worlds end might be not almost but altogether such as he was Faithful Believers From his fervent desire of so happy an end as the Salvation of all he so earnestly sought the only correspondent Means to wit Posterities ful instruction in the Mysteries thereto belonging And for better Symbolizing with the ignorant or men as most of us are of duller capacity in such profound Mysteries his Paraphrase upon our Saviours speeches is oft-times so copious as would be censured for polixity or Tautology in an Artist But seeing the common salvation of others not his own Applause was the thing he sought he disdains not to repeat the same thing sometimes in the same otherwhiles in different words becoming in speech as his fellow Apostle was in Carriage All unto all that he might at leastwise of every sort gain some oft-times solicitous to prevent all occasion of mistaking our Saviours Meaning though in matters wherein Ignorance could not be deadly nor Errour so easie or dangerous as in those other Profundities of greatest moment which he so dilates and works upon as if he would have them transparent to all Christian eyes 2 Do not all the Evangelists aim at the same end do they not in as plain 〈◊〉 as they could devise or we would wish divulge to all the world the true Sense and Meaning of our Saviours Parables which neither the promiscuous Multitude to whom he spake nor his select Disciples or Apostles themselves until they were privately instructed understood aright as they themselves testifie so little ashamed are they to confesse their own so they may hereby expel or prevent like ignorance in others Tell me were not our Saviours Parables expounded by his blessed mouth as plain Rules of Life as may without prejudice to his all sufficiency be expected from any other mans Are not his similitudes wherein notwithstanding are wrapt the greatest Mysteries of the Kingdom drawn from such matters of common Use as cannot change whilest Nature remains the same for the most part so plain and easie as wil apply themselves to the attentive or wel-exercised in Moralities Strange it seemed unto our Saviour that his Disciples should not at the first proposal understand them Perceive ye not this Parable how should you then understand all other Parables Yet happy were they that they were not ashamed to bewray their Ignorance by asking when they doubted though in a point of little Difficulty This good desire of progresse in their course begun brought them within the Hemisphere of that glorious light whereby they were enabled afterward to discern the greatest Mysteries of the Kingdom And unto their Question concerning the meaning of that great Parable of the Sower which is one of the Fundamental Rules of Life Our Saviour immediately replies To you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God but unto them that are without all thing are done in Parables that they hearing may hear and not understand lest at any time they should turn and their sins should be forgiven them 4 Had our Evangelists only set out the Text and concealed the Comment it might have ministred matter of suspicion whether all Christians throughout all generations whilest this Gospel shal endure should be taught of God from the greatest to the least of them or whether Christ had not appointed some great infallible Teacher as his Vicar general to supply the same place successively in the Church that he himself had born amongst his Disciples One on whose living Voice all the Flock besides were in all Doubts or Difficulties to rely as the Apostles did on Christs in the unfolding of this Parable But seeing they have plainly revealed to us in writing what was revealed to them concerning the Meaning of this and other Parables of greatest Use from our blessed Saviours Mouth Their written Relations of these mysteries with their Expositions must be of the same Use and Authority unto us as Christs living Words were unto them And as they were not to repair unto any other but their Master alone for the Word of Eternal Life not to omit any other infallible Teacher for declaration of his Meaning so may not any Christian to this day infallibly rely upon any mans Expositions of his Words already expounded by himself and related by his Apostles these laid up like precious seed in our hearts the diligent labours of Gods ordinary Ministers only supposed would bring forth the true and perfect Knowledge of other Precepts of life in abundance competent to every man in his rank and order 5 For seeing what
Sathans head and put him to flight why should his faithfull followers despair by the same Weapons to foyl and slay Sathans servants so they will be as industrious to use them as the others are to abuse them Nor will you I hope deny that Christ is present perpetually to his true Church as well as Sathan is to Hereticks Say then what you can or dare why ye should think it strange or impossible that he should teach all faithfull Souls the true Sense and Meaning of his Word immediately by his Blessed Spirit working with the Ministery of Saints without a Vicar general on earth as well as Sathan doth Hereticks the counterfeit sense or false but fair-seeming Meaning of it immediately by himself or his wicked spirits For we never heard that Sathan had any Vicar general by whom he teacheth Hereticks all their cunning unlesse this be the Pope which if he be then is he not Vicar general unto Christ 6 Seeing beloved Christians we are compassed about with such a cloud of Witnesses whereof not one without open Infidelity can be impeached let us not disdain to take the practise of Christ Jesus the Authour and Finisher of our Faith as a Pattern well befitting our imitation Not to be as industrious in searching the inward Sense and secret Meaning as Hereticks in urging the outward letter of the Law were not to follow the footsteps of a victorious Lord most good and gracious to his followers with as great alacritie as vanquished Sathans wicked instruments do his both if not detested by us as the foulest shame that in this life can befall us will breed our everlasting Confusion in the life to come 7 That I may dispute with such as make a jest of Scriptures according to their childish follie if by this means I might possiblie cure their Impietie Tell us I pray ye Doctors of Rome many of whom I know to be men of learning wit and spirit and for this reason as I should think more unwilling to make your selves palpablie ridiculous to every child or novice in Arts howsoever unto all sorts you strive to make Christs Practise such Tell us what is your Counsel in this choice Shall we forsake Christ Our us Saint Peters bâ—st Master to become Scholers unto your Staphilus or Hoâ—… Câ—… who if their reports be true did sooner put the Devil to silence with this Doctrine of your Churches Infallibilitie then Christ did for all his Scriptures for the Devil as the Evangelist tels us departed not from our Saviour before the Third Blow Avoid Sathan able to abide the Coalier but Two or rather one a little doubled I believe as the Church believes and the Church believes as I believe So much by your Doctrine doth the Devil fear the very Name of your Church though in a Coaliers mouth more then the Word of God albeit uttered by the Son of God himself 8 But we know the Proverb too well Like to like Children and ignorant people are not ignorant that the Devil will be commanded by such as studie the black-Art no marvail if he suffer himself upon good termes to be put down by a Coalier And as I will not peremptorily denie but the Story might be true so questionlesse such as most believe it mightily mistake the true cause of Sathans sudden silence for the truer the Story were the likelier were it he should hold his peace as soon as he heard the Coalier believe as he would have him This is a Catechism in it kind so perfect and absolute so well suiting to the old Serpents purpose that if Hell might have a general vacancie from all other imployments for time as long as hath been since Luâ—â—sers fall not all the Powers therein could devise what one word might be added what detracted unlesse perhaps they would expresse what the Coalier happily understood I believe as the Church Romish believes and the Church Romish as I believe whose Consequence is Both shall believe whatsoever Hell would have them The use of such rustick weapons as these was perhaps on your part not unnecessary in that rude World wherein Lindan's Panoplie went for approved harnesse or Ecchius Bolts for good Artillerie but should you use the like now every Punie in our Schools that knows but how to manage an Argument of which God be praised we have enough for a whole Army shall match your great Goliath whilest they thus keep aloof and lay your stoutest Champions in the dust by returning their own or like shot upon them CAP. XXI The pretended Excellencie of the supposed Roman Rule for composing Controversies impeached by the frequencie of Heresies in the Primitive Church and the imperfection of that Union whereof since that time they so much boast 1 BUt let us leave off skirmishing afar off and come a little nearer to the Point You are content to joyn with us in This That it hath been the Practise of Hereticks from time to time to stand much upon the Authority of Scriptures Then were not Luther and Calvin the first that ever made this Odious Comparison betwixt Gods Word and the Popes Nay you will nor deny but this Practise of urging Scripture was most frequent and the Truth most troubled hereby in the Primitive Church If a man might ask you where was this your supposed Infallibilitie then in the swadling-clouts or unborn If then unborn it is too young to make younger Brethren of all Congregations else too young to cause Christian Kings and Emperours subject their Crowns unto your upstart Mitre If then born albeit but in its Infancie yet such an Herculean Power as you professe yours to be which puts an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to all Christian mens thoughts in Points of Faith for to this purpose your Controversors cite that place of Scripture as your Vulgar reads it Verba Sapientum sunt tanquam clavi in altum fixi per Magistrorum consilium conscripta à Pastore Uno data viz. the Pope istis amplius Fili mi ne requires might in all congruitie have taken Hercules Motto for its Word Cunarum labor est angues superasse mearum though it had lain then sleeping in the Cradle yet might it were it such as you would make it easily have crusht this Seed of Serpents in the very nest wherein they bred and not have suffered them to grow up to flying Dragons to pester the World far and near with their deadlie poison 2 I would have you here to consider this Incongruity well which I must farther prosecute in the next Dispute You plead the necessity of your Churches Infallibility for composing all Contentions and varietie of Opinions about Scripture-sense and yet we evidently see which you cannot deny that such bitter Contentions and dangerous varieties of Opinions about Scripture-sense were most rife most eagerlie prosecuted and maintained when this Title of your Churches Infallibilitie if it were just might have been best known and soonest assented unto For sure the Ancient
The â—esuits unwillingnesse to acknowledge the Churches proposal for the True Cause of his faith Of differences and agreements about the final Resolution of faith either amongst the adversaries themselves or betwixt us and them 464 27 That the Churches proposal is the true immediate and prime cause of all absolute Belief my Romanist can have concerning any determinate divine revelation 468 28 Discovering either the grosse ignorance or notorious craft of the Iesuite in denying his faith is finally resolved into the Churches veracitie or infallibility that possibly it cannot be resolved into any branch of the First Truth 471 29 What manner of causal dependance Romish belief hath on the Church that the Romanist truely and properly believes the Church onely not God or his Word 478 30 Declaring how the first main ground of Romish faith leads directly unto Atheisâ— the second unto preposterous Heathenism or Idolatry 484 31 Proving the last assertion or generally the imputations laid upon the Papacie by that authority the â—esuites expreslie give unto the Pope in matters of particular Fact as in the Canonizing of Saints 495 32 What danger by this blasphemous doctrine may accrew to Christian States that of all heresies blasphemies or idolatries which have been since the world began or can be imagined 〈◊〉 Christ come to judgement this Apostasie of the Iesuites is the most abominable and conâ—…ous against the blessed Trinity 499 BLASPHEMOUS POSITIONS OF JESUITES And other Later ROMANISTS Concerning the Authority of their CHURCH The Third Book of Comments upon the CREED SECT I. Containing the Assertions of the Romish Church whence her threefold Blasphemy springs HAving in the former dispute clearly acquitted as well Gods Word for breeding as our Church from nursing Contentions Schisms and Heresies we may in this by course of common equity more freely accuse their injurious calumniators And because our purpose is not to charge them with forgery of any particular though grossest Heresies or Blasphemies though most hideous but for erecting an Intire Frame capacious of all Villanies imaginable far surpassing the Hugest Mathematical Form human fancy could have conceived of such matters but only from inspection of this real and material patern which by degrees insensible hath grown up with the Mysterie of Iniquity as the Bark doth with the Tree Such inconsiderate passionate speeches as heat of contention in personal quarrels hath extracted from some one or few of their private Writers shall not be produced to give evidence against the Church their Mother whose trial shall be as far as may be by her Peers either by her own publick determinations in this controversie or joynt consent of her authorized best approved Advocates in opening the Title or unfolding the contents of that Prerogative which they challenge for her 2 Our accusations are grounded upon their Positions before set down when we explicated the differences betwixt us The Position in brief is This That the infallible authority of the present Church is the most sure most safe undoubted rule in all doubts or controversies of faith or in all points concerning the Oracles of God by which we may certainly know both without which we cannot possibly know either which are the Oracles of God which not or what is the true sense and meaning of such as are received for his Oracles whether written or unwritten 3 The extent of divine Oracles or number of Canonical books hath been as our Adversaries pretend very questionable amongst the Ancient though such of the Fathers as for their skil in antiquity were in all unpartial judgments most competent Judges in this cause were altogether for us against the Romanists and such as were for their opinion were but for it upon an errour as thinking the Jews had acknowledged all those books of the old Testament for Canonical Scripture which the Churches wherein they lived received for such or that the Christian Church did acknowledg all for Canonical which they allowed to be publickly read Safe it was our adversaries cannot deny for the Ancient to dissent one from another in this question or to suspend their assent till new probabilities might sway them one way or other No reasons have been produced since sufficient to move any ingenious mind unto more peremptory resolutions yet doth the Councel of Trent bind all to an absolute acknowledgement of those Books for Canonical which by their own confession were rejected by S. Hierom and other Fathers If any shall not receive the whole Books with all their parts usually read in the Church and as they are extant in the old vulgar for sacred and Canonical Let him be accursed So are all by the same decree that wil not acknowledg such unwritten traditions as the Romish Church pretends to have come from Christ and his Apostles for divine and of authority equal with the written word 4 So generally is this opinion received so fully believed in that Church That many of her Sons even whilest they write against us forgetting with whom they have to deal take it as granted That the Scriptures cannot be known to be Gods word but by the Infallible authority of the present Church And from this supposition as from a truth sufficiently known though never proved they labour in the next place to infer That without submission of our faith to the Churches publick spirit we cannot infallibly distinguish the orthodoxal or divine sense of Gods Oracles whether written or unwritten from heretical or human 5 Should we admit written Traditions and the Church withal as absolute Judge to determin which are Apostolical which not little would it boot us to question with them about their meaning For when the point should come to trial we might be sure to have the very words framed to whatsoever sense should be most favourable for justifying Romish practises And even of Gods written Oracles whose words or characters as he in his wisdom hath provided cannot now be altered by an Index Expurgatorius at their pleasure That such a sense as shall be most serviceable for their Turn may as time shall minister occasion be more commodiously gathered the Trent Fathers immediately after the former decree for establishing unwritten Traditions and amplifying the extent of divine written Oracles have in great wisdom authorized the old and vulgar translation of the whole Canon Which though it were not purposely framed to maintain Popery as some of our writers say they have as frivolously as maliciously objected yet certainly as well the escapes and errors of those unskilful or ill-furnished interpreters as the negligence of transcribers or other defects incident to that work from the simplicitie of most ancient the injuries or calamities of insuing times were amongst others as the first heads or petty springs of that raging sloud of impiety which had well nigh drowned the whole Christian world in perdition by continually receiving into its chanel once thus wrought the dregs and filth of every other error under heaven
given in Heaven and in earth hath got an interest in the chief Kingdoms of the World disposing such as he can best spare or worst manage to any potent Prince that wil fall down and worship him and his copartner the Prince of darknesse who of late years have almost shared the whole World betwixt them the one ruling over insidels the other over professed Christians And seeing the Pope because his pomp and dignity must be maintained by Worldly wealth and revenews dares not part with the propriety of so many Kingdoms at once as Satan who only looks for honour profered he hath found out a trick to supply his wants for purchasing like honour and worship by his office of keeping S. Peters keys if earthly Provinces or Dominions fail him Gods Word his sons bloud and body all shal be set to sale at this price Fall down and worship him For no man we may rest assured no Nation or Kingdom whom he can hinder shal ever taste of the Lords Cup unlesse they wil first acknowledge lawful authority in him to grant deny or dispose of it at his pleasure which is an homage wherewith the Devil is more delighted then if we did acknowledge him Supream Lord of all the Kingdoms of the Earth for that were as much lesse prejudicial to Christs prerogative royal as a damage in possession or goods would be to a personal disgrace or some foul maim or deformity wrought upon a Princes body CAP. VI. Propounding what possibly can be said on our adversaries behalf for avoiding the force of the former arguments and shewing withal the special points that lie upon them to prove as principally whether their Belief of the Churches authority can be resolved into any divine Testimony 1 UNto all the difficulties hitherto proposed I can rather wish some learned Priest or Jesuite would then hope any such ever wil directly answer point by point For the Readers better satisfaction I wil first briefly set down what possibly can be said on their behalf and after a disclosure of their last secret refuge draw forth thence the dead and putrified darknesse of Romish faith which unto the ignorant and superstitious that cannot uncover the holes and clefts wherein these impostors upon every search are wont to hide it may yet seem to live and breath as the Fable went of S. John the Evangelists body after many years reposal in the grave or as the blinded Jews to this day brag the scepter of Judah yet flourisheth beyond Babylon in Media or some unknown part of India whither no European is likely to resort for a disproval of his relation 2 Unto the Demonstrative Evidences as wel of their error in expounding Scriptures pretended for as of other Scriptures rightly alledged by us against their former or like Decrees they wil be ready to oppose what Bellarmin hath done That the Church must judge of Scriptures Evidence and private errours in expounding it not private men of the Churches expositions Unto the objected dreadful 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 Son and Holy Ghost a sin as hainous as mangling of Christs Last Will and Testament as Idolatry On the contrary to obey the Church even in her negative decrees and naked decisions unguarded with any pretence of Scripture much more where this loving Mother for the education of her children wil vouchsafe what she need not to alledge some clause or sentence of Holy writ we obey not the Church only but Gods Word also though not in those particular places which in our judgements either contradict the former or like decrees or else make nothing at all for them yet in texts produced for the Churches transcendent general authority As he that adores the consecrated host in procession because his holy Mother commands him so to do or accounts want of Christs bloud no losse because denied him by her authority although unto private spirits he may seem to contradict that Law Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve doth yet sincerely obey the Holy Ghost and rightly observe the true sence and meaning of these his dictates Peter I have prayed for thee that thy faith should not fail Peter feed my sheep Thou art Peter and upon this rock will I build my Church From these places once firmly believing the Church possibly cannot erre he must not question whether the the practises by it injoyned contradict the former laws both being delivered by the holy spirit who cannot contradict himself This I take it is the sum of all the most learned of our adversaries can or would reply unto the former difficulties Not to draw faster but rather remitting the former Bonds wherein they have inextricably intangled themselves by their circular progresse in their resolution of faith admit their late doctrine left any possibility of knowing Scriptures acknowledged by both to be Gods word or of distinguishing humane testimonies written or unwritten from divine The present question we may draw with their free consent unto this issue whether their belief of the Churches infallible authority undoubtedly established as they pretend in the fore-cited places can be truly resolved into any branch of the First Truth or into humane testimonies only If into the later only the case is clear that absolutely obeying the Romish Church in the former or like decrees which her authority set aside to all or most mens consciences would seem to contradict Gods principal laws we believe and in believing obey men more then God humane authorities laws or testimonies more then divine 4 The strength or feeblenesse of Roman faith wil best appear if we try it in any one of these joynts Whether by Divine testimony it can be proved that S. Peter had such an universal infallible absolute authority as these men attribute unto the Pope Whether by like infallible testimony it can be proved the Popes from time to time without exception were Peters undoubted successours heirs apparant to all the preheminencies or prerogatives he injoyed Whether either the soveraignty or universality of their authority supposed probable in it self or to themselves or particular injunctions derived from it can be so fully notified to all Christians as they need not question whether in yielding obedience to decrees of like consequences as were the former they do not grievously disobey Gods Word For though the Popes themselves might know this truth by Divine revelation or otherwise their internal assurance unlesse generally communicable by divine testimonies could be no warant unto others for undertaking matters of fearful consequences whereof they doubt not only out of secret instinct or grudging of their consciences but from an apprehension of opposition betwixt the very forms of laws papal and divine 5 First it is improbable that he to whom our Saviour said If thy brother trespasse against thee dic Ecclesiae
purpose in whose will or pleasure the finall cause of any natural effect alwayes consists And seeing nothing in Nature can preoccupate his will no cause can be precedent to the finall This consideration of naturall effects tending as certainly to their proposed end as the arrow flyes to the mark caused the irreligious Philosopher to acknowledge the direction of an intelligent supernatural agent in their working the accomplishment of whose will and pleasure as I said must be the finall cause of their motions as his will or pleasure which bestows the charges not the Architect unlesse he be the owner also is the final cause why the house is built Finally every End supposeth the last intention of an intelligent Agent whereof to give a reason by the Efficient which onely produceth works or meanes thereto proportioned would be as impertinent as if to one demanding why the bell rings out it should be answered because a strong fellow puls the rope 7 Now that which in our Adversaries Doctrine answers unto the cause indemonstrable whereinto final resolution of Natures works or intentions of intelligent agents must be resolved is the Churches Authority Nor can that if we speak properly be resolved into any branch of the first Truth for this reason besides others alledged before that all resolutions whether of our perswasions or intentions or of their objects works of Art or Nature suppose a stability or certainty in the first links of the chain which we unfold the latter alwayes depending on the former not the former on the latter As in resolutions of the latter kind lately mentioned imitating the order of composition actual continuation of life depends on breathing not breathing on it breathing on the lungs not the lungs mutually on breathing so in resolutions of the other kind which inverts the order of composition the use or necessity of lungs depends upon the use or necessitie of breathing the necessitie or use of breathing upon the necessity or use of life or upon his will or pleasure that created one of these for another Thus again the sensitive faculty depends upon the vital that upon mixtion mixtion upon the Elements not any of these mutually upon the sensitive faculty if we respect the order of supportance or Natures progresse in their production Whence he that questions whether some kinds of plants have sense or some stones or metals life supposeth as unquestionable that the former have life that the second are mixt bodies But if we respect the intent or purpose of him that sets Nature a working all the former faculties depend on the sensitive the sensitive not on any of them For God would not have his creatures indued with sense that they might live or live that they might have mixt bodies but rather to have such bodies that they might live to live that they might enjoy the benefit of sense or the more noble faculties 8 Can the Jesuite thus assigne any determinate branch of the First Truth as stable and unquestionable before it be ratified by the Churches authority Evident it is by his positions that he cannot and as evident that belief of the Churches authority cannot depend upon any determinate branch of the First Truth much lesse can it distinctly be thereinto resolved But contrariwise presse him with what Divine precept soever written or unwritten though in all mens judgements the Churches authority set aside most contradictory to their approved practises for example That the second Commandement forbids worshipping Images or adoration of the consecrated Host he straight inverts your reason thus Rather the second Commandement forbids neither because the holy Church which I believe to be infallible approveth both Lastly he is fully resolved to believe nothing for true which the Church disproves nothing for false or erroneous which it allowes Or if he would answer directly to this demand To what end did God cause the Scriptures to be written He could not â—â—sonâ—â—t to his tenents say That we might infallibly rely upon them but rather upon the Churches authority which it establisheth For Gods Word whether written or unwritten is by their Doctrine but as the testimony of some men deceased indefinitely presumed for infallible but whose material extent the Church must first determine and afterwards judge without all appeal of their true meaning Thus are all parts of Divine truthes supposed to be revealed more essentially subordinate to the Churches authority then ordinary witnesses are to royal or supreme judgement For they are supposed able to deliver what they know in termes intelligible to other mens capacities without the Prince or Judges ratification of their sayings or expositions of their meanings and judgement is not ordained for producing witnesses but production of witnesses for establishing judgement Thus by our adversaries Doctrine Gods Word must serve to establish the Churches authority not the Churches authority to confirm the immediate soveraigntie of It ever our souls 9 Much more probably might the Jew or Turk resolve his faith unto the First Truth then the modern Jesuited Papist can For though their deductions from it be much what alike all equally sottish yet these admit a stabilitie or certainty of what the First Truth hath said no way dependant upon their authority that first proposed or commended it unto them The Turks would storme to hear any Mufti professe He were as well to be believed as was Mahomet in his life time that without His proposal they could not know either the old Testament or the Alcoran to be from God So would the Jews if one of their Rabbines should make the like comparison betwixt himself and Moses as the Jesuite doth betwixt Christ and the Pope who besides that he must be as well believed as his Master leaves the authority of both Testaments uncertain to us unlesse confirmed by his infallibility But to speak properly the pretended derivation of all three heresies from the First Truth hath a lively resemblance of false pedegrees none at all of true Doctrine and resolutions Of all the three the Romish is most ridiculous as may appear by their several representations As imagine there should be three Competitors for the Roman Empire all pleading it were to descend by inheritance not by election all pretending lineal succession from Charles the Great The first like to the Jew alledgeth an authentick pedegree making him the eldest The second resembling the Turk replies that the other indeed was of the eldest line but long since disinherited often conquered and enforced to resigne whence the inheritance descended to him as the next in succession The third like the Romanist pleads it was bequeathed him by the Emperors last Will and Testament from whose death his Ancestors have been intit'led to it and produceth a pedegree to this purpose without any other confirmation then his own authority adding withall that unlesse his competitors and others will believe his records and declarations written or unwritten to be most authentick they cannot
instruction have more Saints in their private Kalenders then all the world knows of Bellarmine grants the Pope may commend some under the title of Saints unto a set Province or Diocess though he enjoyn not the whole Church so to esteem or at least not so to entertain them That Saints reputed not Canonized may be privately adored That in this case a general custome may prescribe and breed just presumption of the Popes tacit appâ—â—bation though he give no direct injunction for the practise nor positive signification of his consent For many were adored as Saints before the solemnitie of â—â—nonizing was in use first practised as far as this great Clerks reading serves him by Pope Leo the third 3 Now as their projects are of another mould and their means to effect them more desperate then heretofore so these intimations make it more then suspicious lest secretly they crown such of every sort as have been best qualified for their purposes or have adventured farthest for the Churches dignity with the Titles of Saints to encourage others to like attempts And if turbulent or ambitious spirits greedy of â—ame may be fed with hopes of being eternized in Jesuitical Kalenders if men male-contented with this present may have sweet promises of everlasting happiness in the life to come upon what mischiefs will they not adventure when as the one sort is weary of life the other curbed onely with fear of present shame or disgrace after death otherwise ready to rush into any danger or avow most desperate out-rages Albeit the parties proposed to be worshipped had been in their life times not so bad but rather incited to bold enterprizes by their ardent zeal yet who would not desire to imitate the adventurous actions of them whose memory he adores And yet this longing desire of imitating such extraordinary enterprizes as others of noble spirits have been thrust upon by secret instinct is alwaies dangerous and in men not so well qualified as their Authors were prepostorous For it will find occasions of like practise when none is given vertue shall be the object of despite because in factious oppositions contempt of it may afford matter of glory Hatred and malice to Princes persons shal be accounted zeal and devotion to the Church But if Powder-plotters or publick Assasinates may be dignified with Titles of Saints or proposed for imitation the Christian world may perceive the height whereto this mischief may grow when it will be too late to controul it It is an excellent caâ—â—at which old Gerson hath not impertinent to this purpose though intended by him especially for private use Amongst other Sophismes used by Satan to ensnare mens souls That Topick of examples or similies affords as many experiments of fallacies as there be men whilest every one strives to imitate any one and professeth to frame his life by the example of such 〈◊〉 either the Church doth Canonize or their Superiers Governors Doctors or men of fame approve What doth the Son say some but what he sees the Father do 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 exâ—â—ple some of them stick not to say Paul commended himself Paul had visions in a trance and why may not God in these daies work the like effects in others Hence are Prophecies faigned hence are admonions by miracles hence are damned persons adored by the multitude witness the Legend yea and Vienna can bear witness of a dead dogs adoration Let the sacred Roman See therefore beware let the Pope that sits therein beware upon what grounds or motives they canonize any 4 Rather let all Christian States beware least they give such authority to either For if the danger were not alwaies imminent from their trayterous and blood-thirsty mindes that profess this Doctrin in any Kingdom Yet from divine justice the plagues upon Prince and People that authorize and permit the profession of it wil be one day publick and grievous For better might they nurse all other kindes of enchantments or magical practises better might they give harbor to all other heresies broched since the world began then susser this Ocean of all mischiefs whether flowing from errors in manners or matters of doctrin to encroach upon their coasts And here let not the Reader deceive himself by imagining the Holy Ghost had used a Metaphor rather then strict propriety of speech when he called the Whore of Babylon a Witch or Inchantress For the faith whereby the Romanist boasts he believes the Scriptures as elsewhere God willing shal be shewed is meerly magical this doctrin we now dispute against the very Idea of infernal superstition or as they term it vana observantia in respect of the essence and quality and for the extent of mischief whereto it leads as the main Sea of sorcery and all other kindes of magical superstition as so many brooks or rivers For whence springs sorcery properly so called Either from express compact with evil spirits or from the soleâ—â— performance of certain blind ceremonies which are but sacrifices unto infernal powers wherein they gaâ—n interest in the sacrificers souls in witness whereof they sometimes bear their marks in their bodies But if we look into the mystery of this iniquity the Jesuites by subscribing unto this doctrin of the Churches transcendent authority and taking the solemn oath of their order enter a covenant though not so express or immediate yet more sirm and desperate then other Magicians usually do For they swear and teach others to swear absolute obedience to the Pope they think themselves bound and would bind others not to examin his decrees to esteem of his Pardons though desâ—itute of all warrant srom Gods word as highly as the Magicians do of Charms for which they can give â—o reason either in art or nature to offer up their prayers and other religious worshiâ— unto such as he shal appoint them albeit for ought they know or as they justly may suspect damned miscreants which is a more hellish sacrifice then any other Magicians use And though witches do yet all sorts of sorcerâ—â—s enter not express covenant with the Prince of darkness And it is all one whether like witches they give their souls to him immediately or thus absolutely betroth them to his Proxy or principal Agent here on earth For as the Apostle instructs us by thus worshipping the Beast they worship the Dragon his Master 5. Lastly in respect of this mouth of blasphemy Mahumetism and Gentilism are as a Toy The ancient Heathen out of their inbred ignorancâ—… and want of external means for right information of their understanding changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of corruptible things often taxed by meer Philosophers for their grossness These blasphemers though professing the worship of the everliving true and onely God though partakers of â—is written word and all the helps his gracious providence from time to time hath afforded for manifestation of it right senâ—e and meaning abuse Philosophy wherein they excel with all other gifts of art and nature to transform the most essential attributes of the diviâ—e nature to turn his truth into
of their vanity dispose our minds to embrace the stability of Gods Word with greater stedfastnesse We know the vertue and benefit of the Sun not so much by looking upon it self continually or directly as by the variety of other objects or colours all pleasant with it to the eye but altogether invisible or indistinguishable without it so for mine part I must professe that such historical narrations poetical fictions or other conceits of Heathens as they themselves knew little use of nor should I have done had I been as they were being compared with this heavenly light of Gods Word did much affect me even in my best and most retired meditations of sacred mysteries their observation as it were tied my soul by a new knot or fest more surely unto that truth which I knew before to be in it self most sure most infallible Yea even in points wherein my heart unto my seeming was best established it much did nourish augment and strengthen belief already planted to observe the perfect consonancie of profane with sacred Writers or the occasions of their dissonancie to be evidently such as Scriptures specifie that of many events wondred at by their Heathenish relators no tolerable reason could be given but such as are subordinate to the never-failing rules of Scripture And whosoever will may I presume observe by Experiment the truth of what I say There is no motive unto belief so weak or feeble but may be very available for quelling temptations of some kind or other either in speculation or practise oft-times such as are absolutely more weak or feeble more effectuall for expelling some peculiar distrust or presumption then others farre more forcible and strong for vanquishing temptations of another kinde in nature most grievous Many half students half gallants are often tempted either to distrust the commendations of this Eden which we are set to dress or distaste the food of life that grows within it from delights suggested by prophane books wherewith commonly they are first acquainted and hence much affect the knowledge their Authors profer as likely to Deifie them in the worlds eies Our proneness to be thus perswaded is a witness of our first parents transgression and these suggestions as reliques of Satans baits whereby he wrought their bain But what is the remedy not to tread in any heathenish soil lest these serpents sting us rather the best medicine for this malady would be a confection of that very flesh wherein such deadly poyson lodged Other arguments may more perswade the judicious or such as in some measure have tasted the fruits of the spirit But none the curious artist better then such as are gathered from his esteemed Authors Even such as are in faith most strong of zeal most ardent should not much mispend their time in comparing the degenerate fictions or historical relations of times ancient or modern with the everlasting truth For though this method could not add much encrease either to their faith or zeal yet would it doubtless much avail for working placid and milde affections The very pencilmen of sacred writ themselves were taught patience and instructed in the waies of Gods providence by their experience of such events as the course of time is never barren of not alwaies related by Canonical Authors nor immediately testified by the spirit but oft times believed upon a moral certainty or such a resolution of circumstances concurrent into the first cause or disposer of all affairs as we might make of modern accidents were we otherwise partakers of the spirit or would we mind heavenly matters as much as earthly Generally two points I have observed not much for ought I know if handled at all by any writer albeit their fruit and use would fully recompence the best pains of any one mans life-time though wholly spent in their discussion whose want in my mind hath been the bane of true devotion in most ages The first is an equivalencie of means in the wisedome of God so proportioned to the diversity of times as no age could have better then the present howsoever they may affect the extraordinary signs and wonders of former generations Of this argument here and there as occasion shall serve in this work elsewhere at large if God permit The second is an equivalencie of Errors Hypocrisie Infidelity and Idolatry all which vary rather their shape then substance in most men through ages nations and professions the ignorance of God remaining for the most part the same his attributes as much though in another kind transformed by many in outward profession joyned with the true Church as in times past by the Heathen The truth of which assertion with the original causes of the error and means to prevent it are discussed at large in the article of the God-head Many likewise for ought their conscience because not rightly examined will witness to the contrary are strongly perswaded they love Christ with heart and soul and so detest as well the open blasphemy or professed hatred which the Jew as the secret enmity the Jesuit or other infamous Hereticks bear against him when as oft times the onely ground of their love to him is their spite to some or all of these as they are deciphered to them in odious shape the onely original of their despite to these the very dregs of Jewish Popish or other Heretical humours in themselves by some light tincture of that truth which they outwardly profess exasperated to more bitter enmity against them with whose internal temper they best agree then otherwise they could conceive as admission to place of credit or authority makes base minds conscious of their own forepast villanies more rigid censurers of others misdemeanors or cruel persecutors of such malefactors as themselves in action have been and in heart yet are were all occasions and opportunities the same then any moderate or sincere man in life and action could be Of the original of this disease with the crisis and remedy as also the tryal of faith inherent in the articles concerning Christ and remission of sins From the manner of Jerusalems progress to her first destruction and discovery of the Jews natural temper the principal subject of my subcisive or vacant hours from these meditations and other necessary imployments of my calling I have observed the original as well of most states as mens miscariages professing true religion to have been from presumption of Gods favour before dangers approach and distrust of his mercy after calamities seiz upon them The root of both these misperswasions to be ignorance or error in the doctrin of Gods providence whose true knowledge if I may so speak is the fertil womb of all sacred moral truths the onely rule of rectifying mens wils perswasions and affections in all consultations or practises private or publick Unto this purpose much would it avail to be resolved whether all things fall out by fatal necessity or some contingently how fate and contingency if compatible each
of final judgement By this beloved Reader thou mayst perceive my journey is long and may well plead my excuse for setting forth so soon but from that course which I have chosen or rather God hath set me I trust nor hopes of preferment nor any desires of worldly wealth nor affectation of popularity by handling more plausible or Time-serving arguments shall ever draw me away So far I am from aiming at any such sinister end That since I begun to comment upon the nature of Christian faith I never could nor ever shall perswade my self it possibly can find quiet lodging much less safe harbour but in an heart alike affected to Death and Honour alwaies retaining the Desires and fear of both either severally considered or mutually compared in equal ballance Both are good when God in mercy sends them both evil and hard to determin whether worse to unprepared minds or whilest procured by our sollicitous or importunate suit or bestowed upon us in their Donours anger Onely this difference I find death is mankinds inevitable doom but worldly preferment neither so common to all nor so certain to any the less in reason should be our endeavors either for providing it or preparing our selves to salute it decently though comming of it own accord to meet us But what meditations can be too long or what endeavors too laborious for gaining of an happie end or giving a messenger of so importunate and weighty consequence as death one way or other brings correspondent entertainment This Christian modesty I have learned long since of the heathen Socrates to beseech my God he would vouchsafe me such a portion of wealth or whatsoever this world esteems as none but an honest upright religious mind can bear or to use the words of a better teacher That of all my labours under the sun I may reap the fruit in holiness and in the end the End of these my present meditations Everlasting Life Thine in Christ THOMAS JACKSON A Table of the Several Sections and Chapters in the 2. Books following The first Book divided into two general parts The one explicating the nature of Belief in general the other shewing the Method how our Assent unto the divine truth of Scriptures may be established The first general part contained in the first and second Sections SECT I. CAP. 1. THE definition of Belief in general with the explication from parag 1. to the 12. The diverse objects and grounds thereof and by what means it is increased parag 12 c. Page 2 SECT II. CAP. 2. Of Assent unto objects supernatural or unto what a natural Belief of such Objects or a bare acknowledgement of Scriptures for Gods Word binds all men pag. 7 CAP. 3. Of general incitements to search the truth of Scriptures or Christian Belief 9 The second general part containing the Heads or Topicks of such observations as may confirm the divine truth of Scriptures of which some are External some Internal SECT I. Of Observations internal or incident unto Scriptures without reference to any relations or events other then are specified in themselves 13 CAP. 4. Of Historical Characters of sacred Antiquities 13 CAP. 5. Of the Harmony of sacred Writers 17 CAP. 6. Of the Affections or dispositions of sacred Writers 19 SECT II. Of Experiments and Observations external answerable to the rules of Scriptures page 25 CAP. 7. Containing the Topick whence such observations must be drawn 25 CAP. 8. That Heathenish Fables ought not to prejudice divine truths 26 CAP. 9. Observations out of Poets in general and of dreams in particular 27 CAP. 10. Of Oracles 30 CAP. 11. Of the apparitions of the heathen Gods and their Heroicks 34 CAP. 12. The reasons of our mistrusting of Antiquities 37 CAP. 13. Of the diversity of events in different Ages 39 CAP. 14. Of the original and right use of Poetry with the manner of its corruption by later Poets 42 CAP. 15. Of some particular Fables resembling some true stories of the Bible 47 CAP. 16. Of Noahs and Deucalions floud with other Miscellane observations 50 CAP. 17. Of Sacred Writers sobriety and discretion in relating true miracles compared especially with later Heathens vanitie in coyning fruitless wonders 57 The third SECTION of the second general Part. Containing Experiments drawn from the revolution of States or Gods publick judgements but especially of the estate of the Jews from time to time 61 CAP. 18. Of the state of these Jews before our Saviours time gathered from heathen Authors with Tullies objection against them 61 CAP. 19. The ill successe of Pompey the great for his going into the Sanctum sanctorum the manner of his death witnessing his sin the miscariage of Crassus parallel likewise to the manner of his offence against Jerusalem with the like disasters of other Romans that had wronged or molested the Jews 63 CAP. 20. Tacitus objections against the Iews refuted by their palpable grosseness and more competent testimony of other heathen writers 69 CAP. 21. The means of these Iews thriving in captivity In what sence they might peculiarly be termed a mighty people wherein they did exceed or were exceeded by other nations 73 CAP. 22. That all the heathens objections against or doubts concerning the Iews estate 〈◊〉 prevented or resolved by Iewish writers 78 CAP. 23. The fulfilling of Moses and other prophesies touching the desolation of â—ewrâ— and destruction of Ierusalem and the Signes of the Time witnessing Gods wonderful hand therein 83 CAP. 24. The fulfilling of our Saviours prophecie Matth. 24 with others concerning the time ensuing Ierusalems destruction That those signes in the Sun and the Moon are long since past as may appear from our Saviours words expounded parag 3. compared with the Prophet Joels parag 8. 90 CAP. 25. That the Saracens are the true sons of Ismael Of their conditions and manners answerable to Moses prophecie 103 CAP. 26. The beginning and progresse of Ismaels greatnesse 107 CAP. 27. The persecutions of the Iews by Traian and the desolation of their Country by Adrian their scattering through other Nations foretold by Moses 111 CAP 28. Of the Iews estate after the dissolution of the Roman Empire generally thorowout Europe until their coming into England 114 CAP. 29. Of the fulfilling of other particular prophecies of Moses in the Iews persecutions in England Germany France and Spain 120 CAP. 30. General collections out of the particular histories before mentioned the strange dispositions of the Iews and Gods judgements upon them all testifying the truth of divine Oracles 129 LIB I. SECT IIII. Of Experiments in our selves and the right framing of Belief as well unto the several parts as unto the whole Canon of Scriptures 140 CAP. 31. Shewing the facility and use of the proposed Method by instance in some whose belief unto divine Oracles hath been confirmed by Experiments answerable unto them 140 CAP. 32. Containing a brief resolution of doubts concerning the extent of the general Canon or the number of integral parts
CHAP. III. Of general incitements to search the truth of Scriptures or Christian belief 1 WE may hence clearly see how inexcusable even in the judgement of flesh and blood all men are that either by hearing or reading have any accesse unto the Gospel and do not use the best endeavours of their natural wit if God as yet have touched their hearts with no better grace to search out the truth thereof For seeing in the Scriptures are proposed to every mans choice everlasting life or everlasting death what extream madness is it for men to enter into any course of life or to undertake any matter of moment which may exact their chief imployments before they have diligently looked to the main chance before they have tried the utmost of their wits and others best advise to know the tenour of their own estate We see daily what great pains men of no small account do take in the studie of Alchymie spending their spirits and most of their substance in trying conclusions and searching out the truth of those things for which they have but weak grounds of Philosophie or reason onely the conceit of the good they aim at which is rather possible then probable for them to attain inforceth a kinde of hope and encourageth them to go forward 2 To speak nothing of the good the Scripture promiseth the very conceit of eternal death me thinks should move either the Chymicks which spend much gold only upon hope of getting more or any other man whatsoever to spend all the treasure whatsoever either this their Art or all other could yeeld to secure themselves from such horrible torments as the Scriptures threaten to their Contemners or negligent Hearers And why should not all men then in reason bestow most time and pains in searching the truth of those things which concern their souls estate whose securitie in all reason they should purchase with the highest hopes and utmost aim of all other travails in this life Here then as I said the full height of mans Iniquity and his inexcusable Madness is most plainly discovered that having these two motives which in natural reason do sway all Humane Actions offering themselves to encourage him in searching the Scriptures yet notwithstanding most men bestow less labor in them then in other ordinary Studies First if we compare the good they set before us as a recompence and reward of our travails it is beyond all comparison greater then the scope of any other Trade or Science For here is a double Infinity of solid Good First they promise Joy two wayes Infinite both in Degree and Continuance Secondly they threaten unto their Contemners despisers death torments doubly infinite both in Degree and Continuance Now if the probabilities of the truth of Scriptures were far less than is usually found in other studies or Humane hopes yet could this in Humane reason be no reason why we should labour less in them than in other affairs seeing the incomparable excess of the good they promise doth abundantly recompence this But if the Probability of the truth of Scripture be in natural reason equal to the probabilities which men usually take for their grounds in many greatest attempts then certainly not to bestow as great pains and travail in trying the truth of their promises as in any other Human attempts or affairs doth argue infinite Madness Ask we the Chymick what reason he hath to toil so much in the study of Paracelsus or other intricate Writers of his Faculty the like we may say of any Physitians their answer as you may reade in their writings is this Many Philosophers in former ages have laboured much in this study and have set down good rules of their experiments who as is probable would never have taken such pains upon no ground And verily this tradition or the authority they give to their Writers is their chief motive For I think few of their Ancient Authors have bequeathed to their successors any Gold made by this Art thereby to encourage them If then tradition consent of time or approbation of Authors or relation of experiments be an especial inducement for men to adventure their charge pains and travel in this Faculty as in all other affairs without all controversie the Scriptures in all these motives have an especial Prerogative above all other faculties or sciences albeit humane reason were admitted judge For the Authority of Gods Church is far more general then the consent of any Writers in any one faculty whatsoever The consent of time likewise is greater For no Age since Christs time in these civil parts of the World but by the report of other Writers as well as Christians hath yeelded obedience unto Scriptures as the Word of God Men of most excellent spirits and learning in every Age have addicted their studies unto this truth About the time of our Saviours coming Curious Arts and other civil disciplines did most flourish The Grecians sought after Wisdom and secular Philosophy with the like the Romans after Policy State knowledge and discipline of war all the World almost above others those places wherein Christianity was first planted was then set upon Curious Arts yet we see how the study and search of Scriptures in short time did prove as Aarons Rod amongst the Magitians Serpents It hath devoured all and brought them to acknowledge Allegiance unto it using the help of best secular Arts as it were Nutriment for the growth of Christianity and expelling the rest as Excrements out of the Church Nor can the Atheist name any Age wherein the Heathen had an Oliver to oppugn our profession but we had a Rowland to defend it If they had a Porphyrie or Celsus to oppose Philosophy against it we had an Origen a Man by their own confession of the most rare wit and hope for Philosophy then living to forsake Philosophy and follow Christianity It was not despair which made him and many other excellent Scholars Christians but the sure hope which they found in this profession made them contemn all other hopes and cleave to it with their hearts and souls albeit their souls should for so doing be violently separated from their bodies This trial I am perswaded few of their greatest Philosophers would have endured but they had the Potentates of the World as readie to applaud them as to disgrace the Christians and yet the Christians multiplyed as the Israelites did by oppression in Egypt How resolute they were if we may not be believed bearing witness of our own profession let Pliny testifie in whose judgement Constancie and Resolution was the onely crime in our Profession deserving punishment And for this cause he took want of resolution in such as had been accused before him under the name of Christians as a sufficient Argument that they were not Christians in deed or heart For such as he had been enformed could not be inforced to any such idolatrous practise as he perswaded these men unto
v. 37. The manner of his relenting chap. 43. v. 6. upon necessitie of their going for more food and his sons peremptory refusal to go without Benjamin in the five first verses of the 43 Chapter * His condescending v. 11. upon their just Apologie for mentioning their youngest brother to the Governour and Judahs undertaking for Benjamins safe conduct back and forth in the 10. 9. 8. and 7. verses lastly the close or Epiphonema of his speech v. 13. and 14. Whilest I compare one of the circumstances with another and all of them with other precedent and consequent chiefly with Judahs speech to Joseph Genesis 44. from the sixteenth verse to the end of the Chapter although I knew no other Scripture to make me a Christian this one place would perswade me to become a Pythagorean and think that my soul had been in some of Jacobs sons where it had heard this controversie rather then to imagine that it could have been fained by any that lived long after 7 Or if we consider not the particular relations onely but the whole contrivance and issue of this storie what patern of like invention had Moses to follow If the Atheist grant such a Divine Providence as he describes let him tell us whence he learned it If from any more ancient description let this be suspected for artificial if not let this be acknowledged for the first natural representation of it Without either a former patern to imitate or true resemblance of such a Divine Providence in events immediately to be related how could such a Supream Power governing and disposing all things contrary to the designes and purposes of man be by mortal man conceived More probable is the Poets fiction that Minerva should be conceived in Jupiters brain then that Humane Fancie should bring forth a more Omnipotent more wise or excellent Deity than the Poets make their Jupiter without any true image of his Providence manifested in the effects But after the manifestation of it in the story of Joseph and the live-picture of it taken by Moses all imitation of it was not so difficult though he that would seek to imitate him fully should herein come as far short of the solid marks of his historical truth as the Egyptians Juglers tricks did of true Miracles 8 As all these and many other places yeeld undoubted Characters of true Historical narrations so do his speeches unto this people Deut. 29. 30. 31. Infallible symptoms of a dving man and one that indeed had born this mighty Nation as an Eagle bears her voung ones upon her wings These admirable strains of his heavenly admonitions and divine prophesies compared with the live images of former truths witnsse that he was the Janus of Prophets Vates oculatus tam prateritorum quain futurorum one that could both clearly see what had been done beso â—… what should fall out after his death Both which shall hereafter God willing better appear by matters related and event foretold by him 9 But to proceed the whole Historical part of the Bible not Moses his Books alone yeeld plenty of such passages as being compared with other circumstances or the main drift and scope of the entire stories whereof they are parts leave no place for imagination either why they should or how possibly they could have been inserted by Art or Imitation or have come into any mans thoughts not moved by the real occurrence of such occasions as are specified in the matters related And seeing all of them are related by such as affect no Art many of them by such as lived long after the parties that first uttered or acted them we cannot conceive how all particulars could be so naturally and fully recorded unless they had been suggested by his Spirit who giveth mouth and speech to man who is alike present to all successions able to communicate the secret thoughts of forefathers to their children and put the very words of the deceased never registred before in the mouths or pens of their successors for many generations after as distinctly and exactly as if they had been caught in Characters of Steel or Brass as they issued out of their mouths 10 When I reade that speach in Ovid. 4 Metam Fab. 8. Sive es mortalis qui te genuere beati Et Mater foelix fortunata profectò Si qua tibi Soror est quae dedit ubera Nutrix If mortal thou thrice happy sure thy Parents be Or if thou any Sister hast thrice happy she Thrice happy Nurse whose breasts gave suck to thee I see no inducement to believe this for a true Story because I know the end and aim of his writing was to invent Verisimilia to feign such speeches as best besitted the persons whose part he took upon him to express thereby to delight his hearers with variety of lively representations But when I reade that narration of our Saviours Apology for himself against the Jews which said he had an unclean spirit Luke 11. 14. and a woman coming in with her verdict Now blessed is the womb that bare thee and the paps that gave thee suck v. 27. This unexpected strain with our Saviours reply unto it Yea rather blessed are those that hear the word of God and keep it v. 28. so briefly inserted into the Story inforce me to think that it was penned by one that sought onely to relate the truth part of which was this womans speech But with the means of knowing the New Testament to be the Word of God I will not here meddle the Old Testament sufficiently proveth it besides many other experiments to be prosecuted in the unfolding of sundry Articles CAP. V. Of the Harmony of sacred Writers AN other Inducement for believing the truth of the Old Testament is the Harmony of so many several writers living in such distance of Ages handling such diversity of arguments and covering them with stiles for the majesty of some and the familiarity of others more different then Virgils verses and the rudest countrymans talk and yet all of them retaining the self same relish Whiles we reade Tully Virgil Livie Salust and Ovid though all living near about one time yet their writings differ as much as Flesh and Fish Many learned men like some one or few of these and yet much mislike others reputed as excellent writers in their kinde living about the same time much more might he that should have read the common or vulgar Historiographers Poets or Orators of that time have contemned them as base in respect of the former But the Prophets of the Old Testament and the Historiographers of the same though differing infinitely in degrees of stile and invention yet agree as well in the substance or essential quality of their writings as the same Pomander chafed and unchafed There is the same odour of life and goodnesse in both but more fragrant and piercing in the one than in the other And no man that much likes the one can mislike
meditation doth prepare our Hearts to Christian Belief so there is a kinde of Suspition by which we may out-reach the old Serpent in his subtiltie and prevent his former Method of deceit So whilest we read or hear varietie of reports concerning any notable Event or many Writers beating about one matter every one of which may seem improbable in particular Circumstances or else their diversitie such as makes them Incompatible we should be Jealous that there were some Notable Truth whose Belief did concern us which Satan hath sought to disparage by the mixture either of gross improbable fruitless fables or else of dissonant probabilities 2 Truth is the Life and nutriment of the world and the Scriptures are the Veins or Vessels wherein it is contained which soon corrupts and putrifies unless it be preserved in them as in its proper Receptacles as both the fabulous conceits of the Heathen and foolish practises of the Romish Church in many points may witness But as from Asphaltites or the dead sea we may finde out the pleasant streams and fresh springs of Jordan so from the degenerate and corrupted rellish of decayed Truth which is frequent in the puddle and standing lakes of Heathen Writers we may be lead to the pure Fountain of Truth contained in these sacred Volumes of Scripture 3 The Experiments which now we seek or would occasion others chiefly young students to observe are such as the Heathen did guess at or men out of the works of nature by reading of Poets or Ancient Writers may yet doubt of whereas the true resolution of them onely depends upon the Truth set down in Scripture CHAP. IX Observations out of Poets in general and of Dreams in particular 1 THe most exquisite Poems are but a kinde of pleasant waking dream and the art of Poetrie a lively imitation of some delightful visions And as nothing comes into a mans Fancie by night in dreams but the parts or matters of it have been formerly in his outward senses for even when we dream of golden Mountains or Chimeras the several ingredients have a real and sensible truth in them onely the frame or proportion is such as hath no sensible example in the works of nature so in Ancient Poems which were not made in imitation of former as pictures drawn from pictures but immediately devised as we now suppose from the sensible experiments of those times as pictures drawn from a living face many parts and lims have a real and senble truth onely the composition or frame is Artificial and fained such as cannot perhaps be parallel'd in every circumstance with any real events in the course of times And albeit the events which the most Ancient Poets relate through long distance of time seem most strange to us yet is the ground of their Devises especially Such as upon better search may alwaies be referred to some Historical truth which yielded stuff to Poetical structure as daies spectacles do unto nights visions This Aristotle had observed out of the practise of the best Ancient Poets and prescribes it as a rule to Poets to have alwaies an Historical truth for their ground Nor durst Poets have been so audacious in their fictions at the first seeing their profession was but either to imitate nature or adorn a known truth not to disparage any truth by prodigious or monstrous fictions without any ground of like experience For this is a fundamental law of their Art Curandum ut quando non semper Vera profamur Fingentes saltem sint illa Simillima Veri Though all 's not true that faining Poets sing Yet nought on Stage but in truths likeness bring None I think will be so foolish as to take Homer in the literal sence when he tels us how Iris by day and Sleep by night run Errands for the greater Gods and come with these and the like messages unto Kings chambers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why will by counsel guide a State Must early rise and lie down late Yet with such Artificial and painted plumes oftentimes are covered true and natural bodies though the messengers be Poetical and fained yet these kindes of night-messages had an Historical truth for not the Poets onely but many great Philosophers of the old world have taken Nocturnal presages for no dreams or fancies Hence did Homer usurpe his libertie in faining his Kings and Heroicks so often admonished of their future estate by the gods he presumed at least that these fictions might carrie a shew of truth in that age wherein such admonitions by night were not unusual And his conceit is not dissonant unto the sacred storie which bears record of like effects in Ancient times and gives the true cause of their expiration in later 2 So usual were dreams among the Patriarchs and their interpretations so well known that Jacob could at the first hearing interpret his young son Josephs dream Gen. 37. 10 11. What is this dream that thou hast dreamâ—… Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren come indeed and fall on the ground before thee Nor did he take it onely for a Fable no more then his brethren had done his former for a Fancie for as the Text saith his brethren envied him but his father noted the saying And Joseph himself coming to riper year was as expert in interpreting Pharaohs and his servants dreams Gen. 40. verâ—… 12 13. Then Joseph said unto him this is the interpretation of it The three branches are three dayes within three dayes shall Pharaoh lift up thine head and resiore thee unto thine office and thou shalt give Pharoahs cup into his hand after the old manner when thou wast his Eutler And verse 19. Within three dayes shâ—… Pharaoh take thine head from thee and shall hang thee on a tree and the birâ—… shall eat thy flesh from off thee These considerations will not suffer me mistrust divers Ancient Historiographers making report how Princes and Fathers of Families have had fore-warnings of future events either concerning themselves their Kingdoms or Posteritie Nor were all dreams among the Heathens illusions of wicked spirits for Elihu spake out of the common experience of those Ancient times wherein he lived God speaketh once or twice that is usually and one seeth it not In dreams and visions of the night when sleep falleth upon men and they sleep upon their beds then he openeth the ears of men even by their corrections which he had sealed that he might cause man to turn away from his enterprise and that he might hide the pride of man and keep back his soul from the pit and that his life should not passe by the sword A lively experiment of Elâ—hu his observation we have Gen. 20. 3. When Abimelech King of Geâ—ar had taken Sarah Abrahams wife God came to him in a dream by night and said to him Behold thou art but dead because of the woman which thou haji taken for she is a mans wife And again verse 6 7.
the Turks by Adoption Heires of the same promise So truly doth the Scripture tell us the truth of all antiquitie and the true causes of Nations encrease but of this elsewhere To conclude this story of Noah 6 The former Argument drawn from the suddain increase and propagation of men the scarcitie of Arts Civil Discipline and Inventions with other Experiments better known to them then us enforced certain of the Ancient Philosophers to hold a perpetual Vicissitude some of General some of Particular Deluges whereby the works of Antiquitie once come to perfection had been and continually should be defaced either generally throughout the World or in sundry Countries according to the extent of the Inundation This Opinion might seem more safe because not eaâ—â—e to be disproved in that Old World in which the wisest living besides the people of God had no distinct Knowledge of any thing that had happened 100 year before his own Birth much lesse what mutations should follow after his death but unto us their Prognostication is like unto some late Prophecies of Dooms-day confuted by a world of witnesses even by the continuance of every thing after that time which by their prophecies should have imposed a fatal end to all things We may truly use the Mockers words to these mockers of truth Since the old Philosophers died all things continue alike Seed-time and Harvest have been still distinct nor hath there been any Floud to destroy either the Whole Earth or any entire Nation thereof For Assurance of which promise the Almightie hath set his Bow in the Cloud whose Natural Causes though the Philosophers can in some sort assign and shew the manner how diversities of colours arise in it yet the Ancient Poets saw more then either they themselves have left exprest or later Philosophers sought to conceive when they feigned Iris to be Thaumantis Filia the Daughter or as we of this age would say the Mother of Wonderment the Messenger of the great God Jupiter and his Goddesse Juno The occasions of this Fiction had they been well acquainted with them might have informed Philosophers that the Rain-bow had some better use then a bare Speculation how it was made some Final besides the Material and Efficient Cause unto whose search the Admirable Form or composition of it did incite men naturally And the Ancient Philosophers who were for the most part Poets and endued with more lively notions of the First and Supreme Cause of all things did usually assign a Final Cause commonly Supernatural of such effects as proceeded from Efficient and Material Natural Causes As the Pythagoreans thought the Thunder whose matter form and efficient they well knew was made to terrifie such as were in Hell not erring in the general that it had some such like use though mistaken in the particulars whom it was made to terrifie Natural Philosophie gives us the Material and sensible Efficient Causes the Scripture onely the true and Supernatural End which leads us to the Immortal Invisible and Principal Efficient Cause of all natural effects even of Nature it self And Aristotle acknowledgeth the motions or dispositions of the Matter to depend upon the End or Final Cause albeit he gives no Final cause at all of main principal much lesse the Supreme or Principal Final cause of all natural effects but confounds the Form with the End against his own principles and contrary to the Analogie between Nature and Art which is the ground of all his Discourse about the Matter Form and Efficient For the Artificial Form is not the End of the Artists work but rather incites the Spectator to view and admire his Skill from which his gain or fame may redound And these one or both are the Principal end of all his labours so is the Glory of the First and Supreme Efficient Cause the Principal and utmost End of all the works of Nature and Nature itself if I may so speak the Art or Skill of the First and Supernatural Cause But as Aristotles Philosophie is imperfect because it leades us not either unto the First Cause or Last End of all things so it is fully sufficient to confute such Divines as think there were Rainbows before the Floud Which opinion hath no pretence of Scripture to enforce it and grounds in nature it can have none unlesse they will avouch this evident untruth That every disposition of the Air or every Cloud is fitly disposed to bring forth the Rain-bow And if other Natural Causes with their motions and dispositions depend upon the Final such as acknowledge the truth of Scripture have no reason to think that either the Clouds or Air had that peculiar disposition which is required unto the production of the Rain-bow before the Floud when this wonderful Effect could have no such use or end as it hath had ever since For it was ordained as the Scripture tels us to be a Sign or witnesse of Gods Covenant with the New World a Messenger to secure mankind from destruction by Deluges Now if it had appeared before the Sight of it after the floud could have been but a silly comfort to Noahs Timorcus Posteritie whose mistrust lest the the like inundation should happen again was greater then could be taken away by any ordinary or usual Sign if we may believe such Testimonies of Antiquitie as we have no reason to suspect I omit the discussion of their Opinion who think the Rain-bow doth naturally argue such a temper of the air as is unapt for the present to conceive any Excessive Moisture Either from these reasons in nature then well known or from the Tenour of Gods forementioned Covenant communicated to the Ancient Heathen people by Tradition doth Jupiter in Homer make Iris the messenger of his Peremptorie command unto Neptune to desist from aiding the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From Jove I come a messenger to him that Neptune hight His pleasure is that thou henceforth ne come in field or fight But hence to Heaven or to wide Sea address thy speedy flight 7 The true Mythologie of which Fiction I should from the circumstance of the Storie conjecture to be this The swelling of waters and abundance of moisture did advantage the Grecians and annoy the Trojans for whom fair weather was best as having greatest use at that time of service by Horse For this reason is Neptune by Iris commanded to get him into the Sea which â—s as much as to say the Over-flow of waters and abundance of moisture was now to be asswaged and Apollo on the other side sent to encourage Hector and his Trojans The meaning is that Jupiter would now have fair and drie weather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go to prepare the Troops of Horse for they must do the deed And charge thine enemies at
have been so frequent among the Nations presently after Jerusalems destruction and the Extirpation of the Jews were added as so many Seals to assure the Truth of the Prophets and Gospel and to testifie both to Jew and Gentile That if either the one did follow his Jewish Sacrifice or the other his wonted Idolatrie after the Truth of Gods new Covenant with Mankind was Sealed and proclaimed There remained no more sacri fice for sins but a fearful looking for of judgement and violent fire that there was no other name under Heaven able to save them from such everlasting Flames as they now had seen some Flashes of but only the Name of Jesus whom the Jew had crucified So the Prophet Joel concludes Whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord that is of Jesus for now all Israel might know for a surety that God had made that Jesus whom they had Crucified both Lord and Christ He shall be saved The fruits of calling upon the name of the Lord and that distinction betwixt the state of the Elect and Reprobate intimated by the Prophet in the last Verse of that Chapter shall be most fully manifested in the Day of Judgement For such as have watched and prayed continually alwayes expecting their Masters Coming shall upon the first apprehension of his approach lift up their Heads as knowing that their Redemption draweth neer But for the Riotous or carelesse liver he shall not be able to stand before the Son of Man instead of calling upon his Name he shall cry unto the Hills Cover me and to the Mountains Fall ye upon me Yet was the same distinction between the Reprobate and the Elect truly notified by the confident Carriage of the Christians in those fearful times lately mentioned which did so much affright the Heathen as we may gather from Antoninus the Emperours Decree inhibiting the Christians persecution by the Commons of Asia It seems the other had accused the Christians as Hurtful Persons and offensive to the Gods unto which the Emperour makes Reply in this manner I know the Gods are careful to disclose hurtful persons for they punish such as will not worship them more grievously then you do those whom you bring in trouble confirming that opinion which they conceive of you to be wicked and ungodly Men It shall seem requisite to admonish you of the Earthquakes which have and do happen amongst us that being therewith moved ye may compare our estate with theirs They have more Confidence to God-wards than You have I will shut up this Discourse for the present with that Saying of our Saviour Remember Lots Wife and His Exhortation Take heed to your selves lest at anytime your Hearts be oppressed with Sâ—rfetting and Drunkennesse and Cares of this Life and lest that Day come on you unawares for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the Face of the whole Earth So did the former Calamities in Titus and Trajans time which were as the Dayes of Noah They ate they drank and rose up to play and when they said Pax tutaomnia suddain destruction came as an unexpected Actor upon the Stage For as you heard before one Cause of the great Concourse unto Antioch at that direful Season was to see Playes and Prizes and in the former under Titus two whole Cities were overwhelmed with the Tempest of Gods Wrath while the Citizens were sitting in the Theatre So must all such Fruitlesse Spectacles or pleasant but unseasonable Comedies be concluded with their Spectators Tragedie in the Catastrophe of this great and spacious Amphitheatre All that follows till you come at the 9th Paragraph was An APPENDIX in the former Edition yet set before the whole Book and so must be accounted and allowed for in the Reading ALbeit Lawful in every Age it hath been to Vary if without dissension from former Interpreters in unfolding divine Mysteries without Censure of Irregularity so the Explication be Parallel to the Analogie of Faith yet partly to clear my self from all Suspicion of Affecting Novelties partly more fully to satisfie the ingenious and unpartial Reader I have thought good to acquaint him with Some Observations which have almost beâ—â—othed my mind unto that exposition of our Saviours Words related by Saint Matthew and Saint Luke which I here commend to his Christian consideration That happily will cause others to suspend their Judgements which for a long time did retard my Perswasion and inhibit my Assent unto the Truth I here deliver For albeit the Reasons alledged seemed very probable whilest weighed apart but far more pregnant from comparing the Concurrence of all Circumstances which led me to that opinion yet on the other side strange it seemed that my best grounds being borrowed from the relation of Antiquity no Ancient Writer living shortly after those times should have observed the like But whilst I considered again how the Almighty whether in his just Judgement for the Sins of that present or in his Wisdom and Mercy for the greater good of future Generations had deprived us of all their sacred Meditations that lived about Titus's time or immediately after both Effects as I conceived might have One the same just Cause though secret and onely known to God not fit for us to make any further Inquiry after theâ—… might stir us up to true Admiration of his Wisdome And truly Admirable his Wisdom seemed in this that the Canon of the new Testament being finished in the most known Tongue then extant in the World in which respect besides others The Gospel of the Kingdom might be truly said to be preached through The Whole for a witnesse to all Nations he would have it Severed from all other Writings as well by the Subsequent as Precedent Silence of Ecclesiastical Sacred Writers He that would not have any Prophet in Israel after the Erection of the Second Temple would not for the same Cause onely known to Him have any Writings of men otherwise most religious and devout to be extant in the Age immediately following the Gospels Promulgation that it thus shining like a Solid or compact glorious Star in the Transparent Sphere Environed every where with Vacuity might more clearly Manifest â—t Self by its own Light to be Supercelestial Necessary it was the Period of that Generation wherein our Saviour lived and died should have the Divine Truth of his Gospel confirmed unto them by Signs as the Prophet speaks In the heavens and in the earth to increase their Care and diligence in commending it to Posterity who were to rely on it immediately not on their Fore-fathers relation of Signs past The like or more effectual and as fully answerable to the Rules set down in it they could not want so long as they carried souls or minds careful to observe and practise what is prescribed And who knows whether the Lord had not appointed that the serious consideration of those Prodigious Signs which followed the publishing of the
some whose Belief unto Divine Oracles hath been confirmed by Experiments answerable unto them 1 THe Method is such as the Simplest Christian may easily learn and the greatest Professors need not to contemn For S. Peter himself that great Doctor of the Circumcision did profit much by this Practise He had often heard that God was no Accepter of Persons This truth was acknowledged by Elihu who had never heard nor read the written law of God He accepteth not the person of Princes and regardeth not the rich more then the poor for they be all the work of his hands The like hath the Wise man from the same reason He that is Lord over all will spare no person neither shall he fear any greatnesse for he hath made the small and great and careth for all alike The same in substance is often repeated in the Book of Life and no man could denie it that had heard it but once proposed if he did acknowledg God for the Creator of all Notwithstanding the fresh Experiment of Gods calling Cornelius to Christian Faith comfirmed S. Peter in the right Belief of Divine Oracles to this effect and as it seems taught him the true meaning of that place Deut. 10. 16. Circumcise therefore the fore skin of your heart as if he had said Glorie not in the circumcision of the flesh and harden your necks no more for the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords a great God Mighty and Terrible which accepteth no persons From this place alone the proud Jews might have learned that the Lord was God of the Gentiles as well as of Them and from the Abundance of his inward Faith enlarged by the forementioned Experiment S. Peter burst out into these Speeches Of a truth I perceive that God is no accepter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth him is accepted with him 2 The same Method the Lord himself hath commended unto us in many places of Scripture wondering oft times at the dulnesse of his peoples hearts that could not from the Experiments of His Power Might and Majestie shewed in them or for them acknowledge those Principles of Faith which Moses commended unto them in writing O saith he that they were wise then would they understand this they would consider their later end how should one chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight except their strong God had sold them and the Lord had shut them up And again Eehold now for I am He and there is no Gods with me Why should they Believe this They were to take none for gods but such as could do the works of God What were these Such as God avoucheth of himself in the next words I kill and I give life I wound and I make whole neither is there any that can deliver out of my band These and like Effects specified in the former place often manifested amongst this People might have taught them the truth of the former Oracle albeit Moses had been Silent For so the Finger of God manifested in Naamans the Syrian Generals cure which was but one part of the former effects appropriated unto God did write this divine Oracle as distinctly in his heart as Moses had done it in the Book of the Law For after he was cleansed from his leprosie he turned again to the man of God he and all his company and came and stood before him and said Behold now I know there is no God in all the world but in israel And again thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt sacrifice nor offering unto any other God save unto the Lord. This was as much as if he had said Behold now for the Lord is He and there is no other Gods with Him He woundeth and he maketh whole 3 If the cure of Leprosie contrary to Humane Expectation could so distinctly write this divine Oracle in an uncircumcised Aramites heart without any patern or written Copie whence to take it out how much more may the Lord expect that the like Experiments in our selves should imprint his Oracles already written by Moses and other his Servants of old in our hearts and consciences that have these paterns of Naaman and others registred to our hands admonishing us to be observant in this kind But alas we are all by nature sick of a more dangerous leprosie then Naaman knew and yet the most of us far sicker of Naamans Pride then of his leprosie If Gods Ministers shall admonish the curious Artists or Athenian wits of our times as Elisha his Prophet did Naaman they reply with Naaman in their hearts We looked they should have called upon the name of the Lord their God and made us New Men in an Instant and now they bid us wash our selves again and again in the water of life and be clean Are not the Ancient Fountains of Greece that nurse of Arts and Mother of Eloquence and the pleasant Rivers of Italy the School of delicate modern Wits better then all the waters of Israel Are not Tullie and Aristotle as learned as Moses and the Prophets Thus they depart from us in displeasure 4 But if the Lord should command us greater things for our temporal Preferment or for the avoidance of corporal Death or torture would we not do them How much rather then when he saith unto us Wash your selves often in the Holy Fountain the Well of life and ye shall be clean even from those sores which otherwise will torment both body and soul eternally Yea but many read the Scriptures again and again and daily hear the word Preached publickly and yet prove no purer in life and action then their Neighbours The reason is because they hear or read them negligently not comparing their Rules with Experiments daily incident to their course of life their preparation and resolution are not proportionable to the weight and consequence of this sacred Businesse their Industrie and alacritie in observing and practizing the prescripts commended to their Meditations by their Pastors do in no wise so far exceed their care and diligence in worldly matters as the dignitie of these Heavenly Mysteries surpasseth the pleasures or commodities of this brickle earthly life and not thus Prepared to Hear or Read the Scriptures to Hear is to Contemn to Read is to Profane them even the often repetition of the words of life without due reverence and attention breeds an insensibility or deadnesse in mens souls Yet should not such mens want of Sense breed Infidelitie in others rather this Experience of so much hearing and little doing Gods will may confirm the truth of his word concerning such Teachers and Hearers Many in our times not Monkes and Friars only but of their stern Opposites not a Few Having a 〈◊〉 of godliness but denying the power thereof crept into houses and lead captive simple Women laden with sins and lead with divers lusts ever hearing and never able to come to
the knowledge of the truth And as the Philosopher said of his moral Auditors Indocilitie that it skilled not whether he were Young or of Youthful affections so is it not the difference of Sex but resolution that makes a good Scholler or non proficient in the School of our Saviour JESUS CHRIST Many men have weak and Womanish and many women Manly and Heroick resolutions towards God and godlinesse 5 The infirmitie which vexed the religious Hanna was not so grievous as that of Naamans she was in our corrupt language as many honest women at this day are by nature Barren or if we would speak as the Prophet did in the right language of Canaan the Lord had made her barren weary she was of her own and according to the ordinary course of nature she saw no hope of being the author of life to others Yet in this her distresse she prayed unto the Lord her God and he granted her desire From this Experiment of Gods Power though not altogether so remarkable in ordinarie estimation as Naamans cure she fully conceives not only the truth of the former Oracle acknowledged by Naaman but more Emphatically expressed by her There is none Holy as the Lord yea there is none besides thee and there is no God like our God nor that other Attribute only of Wounding or making whole so lively uttered vers 6. The Lord killeth and maketh alive bringeth down to the grave and raiseth up but Gods Word planted in her heart by her fresh Experience grows up like a grain of Mustard-seed and brancheth it self into a faithful acknowledgement of most of his Attributes The Lord is a God of knowledge and by him enterprises are established the Bowe and the mighty men are broken and the weak have girded themselves with strength they that were full are hired forth for bread and the hungry are no more hired so that the barren hath born seven and she that hath born many children is feeble the Lord maketh poor and maketh rich bringethlow and exalteth he raiseth up the poor out of the dust and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill to set them among Princes and to make them inherit the seat of glory for the Pillars of the earth are the Lords and he hath set the world upon them He will keep the feet of his Saints and the wicked shall be silent in darknesse for in his own Might shall no man be strong Nor doth it contain it self within the bounds of ordinary Belief but works in her heart like new wine filling it not only with Songs of Joy and Triumph over her envious Enemies Mine heart rejoyceth in the Lord my mouth is enlarged over my enemies because I rejoyce in thy salvation but also with the Divine Spirit of Prophecy The Lords adversaries shall be destroyed and out of Heaven shall he thunder upon them the Lord shall judge the ends of the world and shall give power unto his King and exalt the horn of his Anointed verse 10. 6 The like docilitie was in the blessed Virgin of whom perhaps Annah was the Type both of them verified that saying Verbum sapientisat est One Experiment taught them more then five hundred would do most of us The reason was because their hearts were so much better prepared For as heat in some bodies by reason of the indisposition of the matter causeth heat and nothing else in some scarce that in others brings forth life and fashioneth all the Organs and Instruments thereof so Experiments of Gods power in some mens hearts breed onely a perswasion of his Might or operation in that particular as in those foolish Aramites who vanquished in Battel by the Israelites whom he favoured questioned whether he were a God as well of the Vallies as of the Mountains in others the same or lesse Apprehension of his Power or Presence begetteth life and fashioneth this image in their hearts which thence will shew it self unto others in such ample and entire Confession of his Attributes as Hannah and the blessed Virgin uttered Some again are so ill disposed and indocile that the whole Moral Law of God might sooner be engraven in hardest Marble or Flint then any one precept imprinted in their hearts by such wonderful Documents of his Power as would teach the godly in an instant both the Law and Prophets Imagine some men in our dayes had been cured by like means of such a maladie as Naaman was or some women blessed from above with fruit of their wombes after so long sterilitie as Hannah endured Who could expect that one of ten in either Sex should return to give like thanks to God in the presence of his Priests or Prophets Were Elisha now living he must be wary to work his cure by his bare word and so perhaps he should be censured for a Sorcerer in any case he might not use the waters of Jordan or other like second causes otherwise curious wits would find out some hidden or secret vertue caused in them at least for the time being by some unusual but Benign â—â—â—ect of some Planet or Constellation in whose right they should be entitled either ful Owners or Copartners of that glory which Naaman ascribed wholly unto God And poor Hannah in this Politick Age should not be so much praised for her devotion or good skill in divine Poesie as pitied for a good Hâ—â—â—st wel-meaning silly Soul that did attribute more to God then was his due upon ignorance of Alterations wrought in her Body by natural causes For it is not the custome of our Times to mark so much the ordering or disposition as the particular or present operation of such Agents If any thing fall out amisse we bid a Plague upon ill Fortune or curse mischance if ought aright we applaud our own or others Wits that have been employed in the businesse or perhaps thank God for Fashion sake that we had Good Luck He is to us in our good successe as a friend that lives far off who we presume wisheth well to such projects as he knows in general we are about being unacquainted with the particular means that must effect them or no principal Agent in their contrivance Hence do not I marvel though many do if such men in our times as reap the fruits of the fields which God hath blest in greatest Abundance make no conscience of returning the Tenth part to him that gave the whole when as not one of a thousand either in heart or deed or out of any distinct or clear apprehension of his power or efficacie or true resolution of all effects into the First Fountain whence they flow doth attribute so much as the Tenth nay as the Hundreth part to Gods doing in any Event wherein the industrie of man or operation of second Causes are apparant We speak like Christians of matters past recorded in Scripture but in our discourses of modern affairs our Paganismes and more then Heathenish Solecismes bewray the
Studies whose Principal End is delight can under go long toyl and great pains never attaining to exact Knowledge but by Believing their Instructors and taking many Theoremes and Conclusions upon Trust before they can make Infallible Trial of their Truth and yet in matters of their Salvation which cannot be exactly Known but only Believed in this life and whose Belief must be got by Practise not by Discourse demand Evidence of Truth and infallible Demonstration before they will vouchsafe to Believe or adventure their pains on their Practise and finally so Demean themselves in speech and resolution as if God Almightie should think himself highly graced and our Saviour his Son much beholden to them that they should Deign to be his Scholars sooner then Mahomets or Machiavels But we that are his Messengers must not debase His Word nor Disparage our Calling by Wooing them upon such Terms or professing to shew them the Truth before they be willing to learn it One first Principle whereof is this That such as will seek may find starting holes enough to run out of Christs Fold and escape his Mercies profered in his Church And as many reasons are daily brought sufficient to perswade a Right-disposed understanding of the Truth of Scriptures so no Argument can be found of force enough to convince a Froward Will or perswade perverse Affections These are they which make a many altogether uncapable of any Moral most of all of any Divine Truth and must be laid aside at the first Entrance into the School of Christ and continually kept under by the Rod of his Judgements and Terrours of that Dreadful Day Unto such as account these Consequents lesse dreadful or their dread lesse probable then that they should for a time at least lay aside all Perversitie of will or Humour of Contradiction to make sure trial of those divine Oracles for their Good we can apply no other Medicine but that of Saint John He that is Filthy let him be Filthy still Rev. 22. 11. 2. Thus much of general Inducements to Belief In the Observation and Use of all these and others of what kind soever we must implore the Assistance of Gods Spirit who only worketh True and lively Faith but ordinarily by these or like means These Scriptures are as the Rule or Method prescribing us our Diet and Order of life these Experiments joyned with it are as Nutriment and the Spirit of God digesteth all to our Health and Strength Without It all other means or matters of best Observation are but as good Meat to weak or corrupt Stomacks With It every Experiment of our own or others Estate taken according to the rules of Scriptures doth nourish and strengthen Faith and preserve our spiritual Health Many in our dayes uncessantly blame their Brethrens Backwardnesse to Entertain the Spirit or rely upon it only being more Blame-worthy themselves for being too forward in Believing Every Spirit and seeking to discern Canonical from Apocryphal Scriptures by the Spirit and again to Trie True from False Spirits by the Scriptures without serious Observation and setled Examination of Experiments answerable unto sacred Rules Such mens fervent Zeal unto the Letter of the Gospel is like an hot Stomach accustomed to light meats which increase Appetite more then Strength and fill the body rather with bad Humors then good Bloud 3 The Spirit no doubt speaks often unto us when we attend not but we must not presume to understand His Suggestions by His immediate Voice or Presence only by His Fruits and the inward Testimony of an appeased Conscience which he alone can work must we know him He that seeks as †Ignatius Ignatius Loyola taught his sons to discern Him without more ado by his manner of breathing may instead of him be troubled with an unwelcome Guest alwayes ready to invite himself where he sees preparation made for his Better and one I am perswaded that hath learned more kinds of Salutations then Loyola knew of able to fill empty Breasts or shallow Heads unsetled in Truth with such pleasant mild and gentle Blasts as are apt to breed strong perswasions of more then Angelical Inspirations 4 God grant the carriage of ensuing Times may argue these Admonitions needlesse which further to prosecute in respect of times late past and now present could not be unseasonable but thus much by the way must now suffice me purposed hereafter if God permit to Treat of the Trial of Spirits and certain apprehension of inherent Faith about the general means of whose production and establishment the Question most controversed in these days â—s Whether beside the Testification of Gods Spirit which as all agree must by these late mentioned or other means work Faith in our hearts the Testimony or authority of others besides our selves be necessary either for ascertaining our Apprehension of the Spirit thus working or for assuring the truth of Experiments wrought by it in our Souls or if no other besides the testimony of Gods Spirit and our own Conscience be necessary either after their Sentence given or whilest they give it How far the Authoritie or Ministery of men is necessary or behoveful either for bringing us acquainted with the Spirit of God or for the assistance and direction of our Conscience in giving right Sentence of the Truth or true meaning of Gods word Of these questions and others subordinate to them we are to dispute at large in the Books following How far the Ministry of Men is Necessary for PLANTING True Christian Faith and retaining the Unity of It PLANTED The Second Book of Comments upon the CREED AS in the first Intention so after some Prosecution of this long work my purpose was to refer the full Examination of the Romish Churches pretended Authoritie in matters Spiritual unto the Article of the Catholick Church Which with those three others of the Holy Ghost Communion of Saints and forgivenesse of Sins for more exact Methods sake and continuation of matters in nature and sacred writ most united I have reserved for the last place in this Frame of Christian Belief annexing the Articles of the Bodies resurrection and Everlasting life unto that of Final Judgement whereon these Two have most Immediate and most direct Dependance 2 But after the Platform was cast and matter for Structure prepared upon evident discovery of the Jesuites Treachery in setting up the Pope as a secret Competitor with the Blessed Trinity for Absolute Soveraignty over mens Souls and for this purpose continually plotting to have the Doctrine of their Churches Infallibilitie planted as low and deep as the very first and Fundamental Principles of Belief albeit in laying the former Foundations I had come to ground firm enough if free from undermining to bear all I meant to build upon it I was notwithstanding in this place constrained to Bare the whole Foundation and all about it unto the very Rock on whose strength it stands lest this late dismal Invention concerning the Popes
And may not we I pray you say as much if thus much would serve for us Might not we by the self same Reason teach the People to admit of Translations but only Conditionally as far forth as they shall be perswaded that this was the Meaning of the Scripture or the Word of God For Questionlesse it is more certain that God cannot Erre then that the Pope cannot And it is more necessary unâ—o Christian Belief to hold that God the Father Son and Holy Ghost neither can nor will speak a Lie then that the Pope cannot or will not teach us amisse That the Pope and his Cardinals do arrogate thus much unto themselves is more then the Lay and unlearned People can tell but only by yours and others Relation But that the God of Heaven neither can nor will Teach amisse is a Principle not controversed by any that thinks there is a God 4 Let it then first be granted That God is freer from Errour from Deceiving or being Deceived in Points of Faith or matters of Mans Salvation then the Pope is although he speak ex Cathedra From this Position it followes most directly and most immediately that if the Lay unlearned People of this Land have as good Means and better to know that these Books of Scrpture are Gods own Words then they can have to know that this or that Canon in any Councel was confirmed by the Popes teaching ex Cathedra then must the same People Believe the One more stedfastly then the Other to wit Gods Word as it is read unto them in our Church more stedfastly then the Popes Interpretations Injunctions or Decrees Let us compare the Means of knowing Both. First if the Popes Decrees be a certain Means of knowing any Truth they are as certain a Means of knowing those Scriptures which our Church admits to be Gods Word as of any thing else for the Pope and his Councel have avoucht Them for Such although they adde some more then we acknowledge 5 If the worst then should fall out that can be imagined as if we had Reason to despair of all other Translations save onely of the Vulgar yet that it were the Word of God we might know if by no other Means yet by Consent of the Romish Church and all the People of this Land might be as certain of this Decree as of any the Pope can give But take the same Scripture as it is Translated into our English the People may be as certain that it is the Word of God as they can be that the Trent Councel was Lawfully called or by the Pope confirmed yea much more certain The Jesuites may tell them that these very words being first englished were spoken in the Trent-Councel and confirmed by the Pope Why should they believe it Because they avouch it seriously whom they think able to understand Latin Suppose not only one or two or three but the whole Assembly of our Clergie tels the same People that these reciting the Points of our Salvation are the very Words of God Himself and are for Substance all one in the Hebrew Greek Latin and English What Difference can you here imagine That the Trent-Councel decreed thus the modern Jesuites have it but from Tradition of this Age That God spake thus we have the Consent of all Ages Yea but it is easier to render the Trent-Councels Meaning out of Latin then the Meaning of Gods Word out of Hebrew or Greek Whether it be so or no the unlearned People cannot tell but by hearsay yet if we would take the Vulgar Latin this foolish Objection were none for It is as easie to be Rendred as the Trent-Councel and if the Trent-Councel be true It is the Word of God All then is equal concerning the Difficulties that may arise from the Skill or Ignorance of the Translators of the one or other the Popes Decrees or Scripture Our Ministers know to Render the Meaning of Scripture as well as yours do the Meaning of the Councels Let us now see whether it be as likely that our Ministers Fidelitie in telling them as they are perswaded and as they Believe themselves be not to be presumed as Great To call this in Question were extream Impudencie and Uncivilitie especially seeing we Teach that the people should be throughly instructed in the Truth whereas you hold it for good Christian Policie to hold them in Ignorance Our permitting the free Use of Scriptures to all doth free us from all suspition of Imposture of Guile of which in the Jesuite or learned Papist the denail of like Libertie is a foul Presumption Further let us examin whether from the Matter or Manner of the Popes Decrees there can be any Argument drawn to perswade the People that these are his Decrees and no other Mans more then can be gathered from the Matter and Manner of Scripture Phrase to perswade a man that these are Gods and can be no Mans Words And Here certainly we have infinite Advantage of you For no man of Sense or Reason but must needs suffer himself to be perswaded that it is a far easier matter to Counterfeit the Decrees of the Lateran or Trent-Councel or the Popes Writs Interpretations or Determinations then Artificially to imitate the Invincible and Majestical Word of God either for the Matter or the Manner 6 The Sequel is this that if the Scriptures received by us be obnoxious to any the least Suspition of being Forged then from the same Reasons much more liable to the same Suspition are those which we account the Popes Decrees and therefore in respect of us much lesse to be Believed although otherwise we should grant the Pope Decrees which without controversie were his Decrees indeed to be as Infallible as the Eternal and Immutable Decrees of the Almightie Gods Word oft-times unto Atheists hath discovered it self by the Majestie of Stile and Sublimitie of Matter to be more then Human and therefore Divine not able to imitated by any lying Spirit If any Jesuite will deny this let him make trial of Imitation in the Prophecie of Isaias the Beginning of S. Johns Gospel the Relation of Joseph and his Brethrens Dialogues the Book of Job c. The Majestie of Speech and other Excellencies which appears in them especially if we consider the Time wherein most of them were written doth argue a Divine Spirit in whose Imitation the most accurate Writers of later Ages albeit no man writes excellently but from some Beam of Divine Illumination in the Facultie are but Apish if we read the same Scriptures in the Tongue wherein they were written or in sundry modern Tongues capable of the Divine Splendor which shines in the Original with which the Latin especially in Prose hath greatest Disproportion of all Learned or copious Tongues As for the Popes Decrees they bewray themselves both for the Matter and Manner to be only Human and therefore easie to be imitated by the Spirit of Man subject to many Errours Nor
consequence as Inferiour Ministers may If they could but duly consider and unpartially esteem the Goodnesse which accompanies Obedience which is better then sacrifice and the evil of Disobedience which is as the Sin of Witchcraft these two laid together would be more then equivalent to any evil that Lay-men or Inferiours usually conceive in such Actions as they deny Obedience in unto their Pastors Nay in this unbelieving Age wherein it is more to be Complemental then Religious it is thought an answer good enough so it be complementally performed unto their Pastors We would do as you Advise or Injoyn us in Christs Name if we certainly knew that it were Christs Will or agreeable to Gods Word Whereas in truth in giving such Answers when neither they certainly know nor are careful to learn whether their Advise be contrary to Gods Word or no they sin directly against Christian Faith advancing their own Humours above Gods Word which commands Obedience unto Pastors preferring the Liberty of their unruly Wils before the safety of their Consciences And it is preposterous to plead Ignorance of Gods Will before them whose Instructions therein they are bound duly to Hear and hearing to Obey until they can light on better or find them false upon serious and due examination that is They must Obey them not absolutely and irrevocably but with Limitation and Caution And questionlesse if men did infallibly Believe or absolutely from their hearts Obey that which they undoubtedly know to be Gods Will they would never make question but that for which they have Presumptions that it is part of Gods Will or that which is commended unto them for his Will by such as he hath appointed to be Messengers of the same should be conditionally Believed and without caution Obeyed especially when it is delivered solemnly upon deliberation and premeditation or out of that place whence he hath appointed them to learn his Wil. Did not Priests as the Proverb is forget that ever they were Clerks or such as take themselves for great proficients that they were sometimes Novices in the School of Christ they might remember how they came unto that absolute and infallible Belief of those Christian Principles by which they hope for Salvation by entertaining this conditional Belief which we speak of and by yielding like Obedience unto Divine Truths now fully but at the first imperfectly known for such And albeit such general Articles of Christian Faith as are necessary for all to Believe neither increase nor diminish their Number yet if we descend unto the Diversity of mens Estates and Callings and Difference of Time and Place Christian Faith receiveth perpetual increase not only in its proper Strength or as we say by way of Intention but in extent also unto many particulars either directly contained though not so easie to be discerned as essential parts under the former general Principles or else annexed unto them collaterally as limbs or borders Besides all Christian Duties or Matters of Practise are not promiscuously fir for every Time or Place but must be severally proportioned to their diversitie Again the same duties I mean of the same kind must be performed in different measure according to the different exigence of Time Place Persons or other Occurrents In all these and many more respects is this conditional Assent and Obedience unto Pastors most necessary And ere men can retain stedfastly that which is best they must make triall of all or many things of different kinds and yet trial of Spiritual Medicines without Spiritual Physitians prescripts is so much more dangerous to ordinary mens Souls then like trial of Physick-conclusions is to their Bodies by how much such men are more ignorant of the state of their Souls then of their Bodies The necessity and use of what hath been delivered concerning Obedience in general will appear in sundry points to be discust hereafter In respect of which especially of that point concerning the manner how we may know the Sense of Scriptures and that concerning the nature of Christians Faith some further unfolding of this Conditional Assent and Obedience will be likewise necessary CAP. IX Of the Nature Use Conditions or Properties of Conditional Assent or Obedience 1 THe first step in the way to Life is from this Infallible Ground of Nature Whatsoever God hath revealed concerning Matters of Mans Salvation is most True and by all means to be Obeyed This Principle All Men absolutely capable of Reason acknowledging a God do Believe and from their absolute Belief hereof they yield a conditional Obedience and Reverence unto those Books which we call Scripture From the trial of whose Truth we rise a step or degree higher and undoubtedly acknowledge Certain General Principles contained in Scripture without whose Belief no man ordinarily can be saved for the Oracles of God or Divine Revelations and unto them we yeeld absolute Obedience This second step brings men within the Lists or Borders of Christianitie where no Christian man is to set up his Rest Even the meanest that bears that Name once come to years of discretion or capable of Instruction must hold on his Progresse still thus resolving with himself Though I must be as a Child for Innocencie yet not in knowledge of Gods Will A shame it were I should alwayes be a Babe in that Profession which of All is onely Necessary a 〈◊〉 should accustome my self to Milk for this were to nourish unexpert 〈◊〉 in the Word of Righteousnesse A Christian I was from my Cradle and now as 〈◊〉 a Christian as a Man but strong Meat is fit for them that are of Age which have or should have their Wâ—â—s exercised through long 〈◊〉 to â—… 〈◊〉 Good from Evil Not the fundamentall Principles of Christian Religion onely without which none can be saved not be that hath professed Christiâ—… but an hour These are Grounds which once surely laiâ— must as the Apostle speaketh be left that we may be led on to perfection not always haâ—mering upon the foundation of Repentance from â—â—ad works of Faith towards God or of 〈◊〉 of Laying on of hands of the Resurrection from the dead and of eternall judgement but seaking to Build upon these whatsoever is bâ—â—ating present times or seasons 〈◊〉 may make our Eleâ—â—ion sure And thâ—r who laid the former foundations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heart seek yet my farther Edification in many Points of whose Truth 〈◊〉 Conscience as yet hath no such firm Perswasion or lively taste as it now hath of the former but is so affected towards these later as it was to the other before better acquaintance with them Should I for this Reason forthwith deny Obedence to my Instructors or withdraw Assent from matters proposed by them God forbid For he hath Comman ' ed all not exâ—epting me to Obey their Overseers in the Lord Must we Obey them whilest they Plant and may we Disobey them whilest they Water how then can I expect that God should give Increase unto
that faith which they have planted in my heart heretofore I trusted them and I found their Sayings true even the Oracles of the Living God All which I so esteem as I had rather 〈◊〉 this present World than utterly disclaim any which upon like triall might prove such What if I know not this Particular to be such I may in good time be as well Perswaded of it as of the former if so I will vouchsafe to make like triall of it by sincere religious Obedience 2 Nor doth the greater stedfastnesse or Infallibility of the Point beleeved necessarily exact either Obedience of an higher Nature or more intention or Alacrity in the Act than may without Offence be performed unto some other Points of Doctrine lesse Infallible or lesse evident to their Consciences who must Obey Infallibility of it self exacts onely a more full and absolute Title over our Obedience than Probabilities or Presumptions can expect For that which is infallibly and absolutely Beleeved for a Divine Truth exacts such Obedience both for Qualitie and Degree as is conformable to the Nature of the thing proposed without all Limitation Condition or Reservation that is Perpetual and absolute Allegiance That which is but probably or conditionally assented unto as Divine Truth whatsoever the Nature of the thing proposed the End or Consequence pretended or Exigences of other circumstances be can exact onely conditional or cautionarie Obedience yet Obedience for the qualitie sutable to the Nature of the thing proposed and for the Alacritie or Intention of the Act proportionable to the End or Consequence pretended and avouched by Gods Embassadours So that if they commend it unto us as sit to be entertained in some higher rank of Goodnesse or as most necessarie for the present time albeit we our selves do not apprehend the same as expresly commanded by God yet may we perform Obedience both as sincere for the Quality and entire for Degree as we do unto some other things which we stedfastly Beleeve to be commanded in Gods Word But we must not tender our Obedience under the same stile or title Absolute Obedience of what kind soever we may not yeeld unto it untill it be absolutely known for Gods Will. When it is once known for Such we must absolutely yeeld up the same Obedience which before was but conditionally yeelded as a man may pay the same summe upon caution before he be thorowly perswaded of the demanders Right unto it which after his Right be fully known he paies absolutely In this Case these four things must be considered 3 First the Assurance or Probability which we can have that the Thing proposed is Gods Word Which sometimes may be grounded upon Reasons either communicated unto us by our Pastor or others or conceived by our selves as well as upon Authoritie sometimes all the Assurance which men of lesse Capacitie can have is onely from the Pastors Authoritie Secondly the Title or pretended Nature of the Truth Proposed Thirdly the Act or Qualitie of Obedience Fourthly the Manner or limitation of our Obedience 4 The Act or quality of our Obedience so we be more probablie perswaded that it is Gods Word than otherwise or know nothing to the contrarie must be proportioned to the Title or Nature of the thing proposed which is commended unto us as a spiritual Good So that our Obedience must be Religious and Spiritual not meerly Civil although our best Motive why we hold it to be a Divine Oracle or Spiritual Good be the Authoritie of our Teacher which is but Humane But now he exacts not Obedience to His own Authoritie but unto Gods Word as he affirms which because we know is Divine therefore we must yeeld religious Obedience to it and therefore religious albeit conditional Obedience unto this Precept which we probablie know to be Divine and assent unto Conditionallie as such The Act of our Obedience in this particular must proceed from the same Habit from which our Acts of Obedience unto such Truths as we infalliblie Beleeve for Divine do for even this very Act is performed primarilie and absolutely to Gods Word in general unto which we owe Religious and Spiritual Obedience and unto this Particular enjoyned by our Pastor only secondarilie and upon supposition that it is Part of Gods Word So as if the Particular by him enjoyned should in the event prove no part of Gods Word yet obeying it onelie upon the former Motives it might be truly said we had obeyed Gods Word not it as he that shews kindnesse to a Stranger upon presumption that he is a Brother or Alliance of his dear and familiar Friend albeit he were mistaken herein may be said to have done a friendly Office rather to his known Acquaintance for whose sake he used the Stranger kindlie than unto the Stranger himself thus kindly used upon a mistake But albeit the Quality be such as Gods Word absolutely known requires yet the Manner of our Obedience must be limited by the degrees of Probabilitie or moral Certaintie which we have of this Particular that it is Gods Oracle Where the Probabilities are lesse and the Inducements for Belief of this Particular weaker there the condition of our Assent and reservation of our Obedience must be more expresse that is we must stand further off from yeelding absolute and be more enclined to renounce this present conditional Obedience which we yet perform upon lesser Motives to the contrarie then we would if our Probabilities for Believing it were greater Where the Probabilities or Inducements for Belief of this particular are greater and stronger there we must the more encline unto absolute and â—…cable Obedience or Assent unto the same Particular and be more unreadie or unwilling to recall our Assent or renounce our Obedience but upon greater and more evident Reasons Onely there we are to six our Belief absolutely Onely there we may safely undoubtedly and fully passe over our â—ull and absolute Obedience unto it without all condition limitation oâ—… or reservation when the Truth of it shall be as fully confirmed and manifested to our Consciences as the others are unto which we have formerly yeelded absolute Obedience without appeal or reservation or when we can as clearly disâ—… and as stedfastly Believe the Consonancie of this Particular with the formers as we can the formers with Gods Word 5 And whereas we said before that the onely Motives which some men have to Believe the Sense and meaning of sundry Doctrines necessary perhaps unto them in particular at some seasons when God shall call them to some extraordinarie Point of Obedience might be the Authority of their Teachers this Authoritie may be greater or lesse according to the Qualitie of the Minister or Spirituall Governour As the World goes now adaies this Function is committed to some in whose Mouth the Word of God or any good Doctrine may rather seem to lose its Vertue and Power than â—is any way bind men to Obedience unlesse besides his
so great let him tell his flock for whose Souls he must answer that they must do Thus and Thus if they will be saved they can be diligent perhaps to hear him and say he spake exceeding well i. e. Very ill of others as they conjecture but not of them or their Adherents If for his good Lessons in the Pulpit he have good words returned at Table he seeth the best fruits of his labour For if one of his Flock shall have an advantage against his Neighbour or have picked a Quarrel with his Lease or let a Gentleman be disposed to put off his Tenants or inhance their Rents to their utter undoing let any gengle or mean have but good hope to make his own great Gain by some others Losse Here if we trie him and charge him upon his Allegiance unto Christ to remit his Hold to let go all Advantage and be good unto his Fellow-servant or poor Brother these are matters the Minister must meddle no more with than an other man the Law can determine whether he do Right or Wrong and this Case belongs properly unto the Lawyer As if the Power of Gods Spirit or Authority of his Ministers did consist onely in Words and required no other Obedience than a formal speculative Assent unto their general Doctrine not a full Resignation of mens Wills or heartie Submission of Affections unto such Rules as they shall prescribe for the preservation of a good and upright Conscience in particular Actions or entercourse of Humane Affairs Or if one of a thousand will be so good as to grant that he is to Obey the Precepts of Christ before the Customes of our Common-Law or other Civil Courts yet even the best of such when it comes to Points of private Commoditie will dispense with his Pastor and replie I would do as you admonish me if I saw any expresse Command for it in Gods Word or any evident Necessity that should bind me to renounce that Right which Law doth give me but for ought I can perceive I may prosecute my Right in this present Case with a safe Conscience and you do not know all particular Circumstances which belong unto this matter if you did or were in my Case I am perswaded you would be of my Mind This although it be the onely shelter under which the Infidelitie of later Ages takes its rest the onely Dormitory wherein Hypocrisie sleeps profoundly and never dreams of further Danger yet is it a most sillie Excuse and shamelesse Apologie in the judgement of any that knows or knowing rightly esteems the Principles of Christianitie For suppose thou see no Evidence that Christ hath commanded thee to confesse his Name in this particular doth the law lay any necessity upon thee to make thee prosecute thy supposed Right If it did charge thee upon pain of Death so to do thou hast some pretence to Obey it albeit thou shouldest fear him more that could Condemn thee and the Interpreters of it to everlasting Death but the Law doth leave it to thy Choise whether thou wilt use the Benefit of it or no and thy Pastour upon penaltie of incurring Christs displeasure commands thee that thou use it not Thou repliest Thou seest no Evidence that Christ Commands thee But dost thou absolutely and infallibly know that he doth not call thee at this time to trie thy Obedience in this Particular If thou canst out of sincerity of Heart and Evidence of Truth fullie inform thy Conscience in this Negative so the End of thy proceedings be good thou maist be the bolder to disclaim thy Pastours Summons If thou canst not how wilt thou answer thy Judge when thou shalt appear before him why thou out of the Stubbornnesse of thy Heart didst more respect thy private Gain than his heaviest displeasure For suppose thy hope of Gain were great as it is usually to such as thou art more great than certain yet cannot the greatnesse and certaintie of it countervail the least danger of incurring His Wrath nor could the certaintie of worldly Gain counterpoise much lesse oversway the least surmise or probabilitie of incurring thy Souls destruction unlesse thy Mind had been set more on Gold than upon thy God more enclined to private Commoditie and Self-love than unto Christ thy Redeemer Or shall thy answer stand for good in his sight when thou shalt say unto his Messenger It is more then I know that Christ Commands me Then should the damned be justified at the Day of Judgement when they shall truly replie they knew not that ever Christ did supplicate unto them sub forma panperis Most of them we may safely swear had lesse Probabilities to Believe this in their life time than thou hast now to perswade thee of this particular although thy Pastours Authoritie and frequent Admonitions were set aside which make thee so much the more Inexcusable For thou mightest have known by him that God had Commanded thee as much unlesse thy bad Desires had made thee Blind But neither shall theirs or thy Ignorance herein help For Ignorance which is bred of bad Desires corrupt Affections or greedy Appetites brings forth hardnesse of Heart and Infidelity so that seeing thou shalt not see and hearing thou shalt not hear nor understand the Warnings for thy Peace because thou hast formerlie shut thine ears at thy Pastors Admonitions or Raged at his just Reproof And the Law of God binds thy Soul upon greater penaltie and better hopes than all Laws in the World besides could bind thy Bodie even upon of everlasting Life and penaltie of everlasting Death to lay aside all Selfe-love all worldlie Desire for the finding out of the true sense and meaning of it as well as to Obey it when thou knowest it And when any point of Doctrine or Practise either in general or particular is commended to thee by thy Pastour Gods Word doth bind thee to search with all Sobrietie and Modestie the Truth and force of all Motives Inducements or Probabilities which he shall suggest unto thee all private respect laid aside lest thou become a partiall Judge of evil thoughts and if thou canst not find better Resolution it binds thee to relie upon his Authoritie And even in this again Gods Word so perfect a Rule is it doth rule thy thoughts to discern the Fidelitie Sinceritie or Authoritie of thy Teacher Unto such as approve themselves as Saint Paul did to every mans Conscience in the sight of God or to such as make not a Merchandize of the Word of God but speak in Christ as of sinceritie and as of God in the sight of God Christian People are bound to yeeld greater Obedience Generallie unto such as in their Lives expresse those Characters of faithfull Dispensers set down by Saint Paul and other Pen-men of Gods Word everie Auditor is bound to yeeld greater Obedience than unto others in Points wherein he hath no other Motives to Believe beside his Pastors Authority For this is a dictate of
common reason and cannot but command the Assent of every sanctified Mind That such Men are most likely to have the Meaning of Gods Spirit which walk according to Gods Spirit and seek not their own Gain Glory or pleasure but Christs Glory his Will and peoples Good and such again are most likely to use greatest sincerity in delivering the Truth which they know without partiality or respect of persons Again men are bound caeteris paribus to Believe them best and Obey them most of whose skil and sincerity in dispensing the Mysteries of faith they have had most comfortable and spiritual Experience For the Article of Gods providence binds us hereto and wils us to reverence our Fathers in Christ either such as by his Word first begot faith or nourished it in us more then others Thus much concerning this point I have thought good to insert in this place because the true and sincere Practise of Obedience according to that measure of Truth or Belief which men have though but imperfect is the excellentest Means for attaining the clear sight of Divine Truth and that perfect Measure of sanctifying Belief which in this life can be looked for as shall God willing afterwards appear CAP. X. Wherein this Conditional Belief differeth from the Romans implicite Faith That the one is the other not subordinate to Gods Word or Rule of Faith 1 AS this Opinion of conditional Assent unto Divine Truthes not absolutely known for such holds the Mean betwixt the two Extreams or contrary Errours above mentioned So is this conditional Assent it self a Mean betwixt that absolute Belief which all acknowledge to be necessarie in some principal Points of Christian Faith and that implicit Belief which the Romish Church exacts in all points whatsoever Our Assent unto many Articles of Faith is actually and expresly absolute The implicit Belief of the Romanists is but potentially or rather vertually and implicitely absolute This conditional Belief hitherto mentioned not so much as potentially much lesse implicitely or virtually absolute That properly is Believed by an implicite Faith which is not actually and expresly Assented unto in the particular but yet is so essentially and immediately contained in some general Article or Point of Faith absolutely or expresly Believed that this Particular likewise is Assented unto in grosse whilest we Assent to it and may be as absolutely as expresly and distinctly Assented unto as the General when it is once explicated and unfolded In this Sense we say the Conclusion is implicitely contained in the Premisses the Corollarie in the Theorem or the immediate Consequent in his necessarie Antecedent For he that grants One of these absolutely must upon the same terms grant the Other at the first proposal of it unto him But this conditional or reservative Belief may be of such Points as are not certainly and infallibly contained in any Principle of Faith absolutely expresly actually or infallibly acknowledged much lesse so essentually and immediately contained in any that a man cannot absolutely grant it but he must absolutely Believe them And albeit off-times they may be infallibly deduced from known undoubted Principles of Faith yet is not the deduction so immediate as can be made clear and evident to all Capacities at least not at the first sight without any further increase of Knowledge in Spiritual Matters And before the deduction be made as evivident and apprehended asinfallible as are the general Articles whence they are deduced the Particulars deduced from them may not be so infallibly and absolutely Believed as the Generals are The Papists besides their Explicit Belief of some few main Points demand an Implicit Belief of as many Particulars as the Church shall propose so as whatsoever the Church shall propose with them once proposed admits no conditional Belief all must be Absolute albeit the parties Believing cannot discern any necessary or probable deduction of the particulars from general Points absolutely and expresly believed It is enough that they know them to be proposed by the Church For once Believing Whatsoever the Church saith is most Infallible which is the main Article of Roman Faith no man can denie any particular proposed by it to be infallible more then he can deny the Conclusion for certain after he hath granted the Premisses for such Consequently to these Positions they make the Visible Church the Rule and Mistresse of mens Faith as they speak For albeit a man at this present think otherwise of many Points of greatest Moment then the Church or Pope doth or though he think not at all of many things which they in time may propose unto him yet after they have proposed either a contrarie Opinion to that which his Conscience tels him is Gods Word or a new and strange Position which he never thought of he must without more ado Believe both absolutely and expresly and so finally retract extend enlarge abridge direct and frame his Faith according to that Rule or Standard which they shall set him Hence God willing shal appear the Madness of some great Schollers among them who holding the Church to be such a Rule of Faith would perswade us if we would be so simple that their last Resolution of Faith is not into the Churches Authoritie but into the Scripture For nothing can be resolved beyond it rule to make the Churches authority such an absolute authentick unquestionable rule of faith as the Papists do and withal to seek the resolution of any point of faith further then it or to derive it from Scripture doth argue such a medley of Folly Impietie as if some gullish Gentleman desirous to prove the Antiquitie of his House should draw his Pedigree from Adams great Grandfather and yet hold the Records of Moses for most undoubted and true which affirm Adam to have been the first Progenitour of all Mankind Whether they seek to resolve their Faith into the Scriptures acknowledged by us and them or into other Unwritten Revelations pretended for Divine Truths their Folly will still appear the same so long as they hold that impious and blasphemous Opinion making the Churches Authoritie such a Rule of Faith as hath been said Their Injuries and Contumelies unto Gods written Oracles as hath heretofore been intimated are especially Two First they deny them to be any intire Rule for the number of Precepts Secondly they make those very Precepts which are acknowledged for Divine insufficient for the establishment of true Faith unto themselves without the Churches Authority We acknowledge them every way sufficient for the Edification of Christs Church in Faith and Manners and consequently both to our Positions and the Truth we teach that all Matters of Faith must be finally resolved into these Divine written Verities which for this reason we acknowledge the only Infallible Rule of Faith The Meaning of which Assertion is here to be further explicated that so the Truth may be maintained against their Objections CAP. XI In what Sense we
Rule of Life shall inlighten them unrepented of no other Rule or Authoritie shall teach them the way to Life 4 Since we thus grant that the Scriptures may be Obscure to most men by their own default but perspicuous to others free from like fault or Demerit it remains we further enquire whether the same Scriptures do not most plainly set down First the Causes why they are so Obscure to some and Perspicuous to others Secondly the Remedy or means how their Obscurity or difficulty may be prevented If they plainly teach these two Points this is a sure Argument that they are if not that they cannot be so excellent a Rule of Faith as we acknowledge them For this very Point That the Scriptures in respect of diverse Persons are Obscure and Perspicuous though Obscure to none but through their own Default is a Principle of Christian Faith and therefore must be plainlie set down in the absolute complete Rule of Faith And to omit others in their due place to be inserted what can be more perspicuonsly taught either by Scriptures or other Writings than this Truth God giveth grace to the Humble and resisteth the proud or this He will confound the Wisdom of the Wise or such as Glory in their Wisdom These and like Rules of Gods Justice in punishing the proud and disobedient hold as true in the search of Scripture as in any other matter yea especially herein Thus were the Scribes and Pharisees men of extraordinary skill in Scriptures blinded in the most necessary Points of their Salvation though most plainly set down in Scriptures For what could be more plainly set down then many Testimonies of their Messias Many places of far greater Difficultie they could with Dexteritie unfold how chanced it then they are so Blinded in the other They were scattered in the proud Imagination of their hearts and glorious conceits of their Prerogatives in being Mosis Successours and in their stead simple and illiterate but humble and meek spirited Men raised up to be infallible Teachers of the Gentiles to unfold those Mysteries of Mans Redemption which the Scribes and Pharisees could not see with evidence of Truth to enlighten the sillie and ignorant and convince the Consciences of their learned proud Oppugners By their Ministerie Prophetical and Mosaical Mysteries became a Light unto the Gentile whose life had been in the shadow of death whilest a Veil was laid before the hearts of the most learned Jewes so that even whilst the Sun of Righteousnesse which enlightens every man that comes into the World did arise in their coast and ascend unto their Zenith they groap their way as men that walk in dangerous Paths by dark-night 5 Was the Scripture therefore no Rule of Faith unto these Jews to whom it was so Dishcult and Obscure Or is it not most evident that this Blindnesse did therefore come upon Israel because they hated this Light being carried away with Lowd cries of Templum Domini Templum Domini as the Papists now are with The Church The Church And for words of supposed Disgrace offered to It onely upon a Surmise that Christ had said he would destroy and build It up again brought to seek the destruction of the Glory of It even of the Lord of Glory Thou that wouldest make others beleave the Pope is such dost thou beleeve the Scriptures to be Infallible How is it then whilest thou readest Gods Judgements upon thy Brother Jew thou doest not tremble and quake lest the Lord smite thee also thou painted wall with like Blindnesse seeing thou hast justified thy brother Pharisees stubborn Pride wilfull Arrogancie and witting Blasphemie in oppugning Scriptures And as for all such whose hearts can be touched with the terrour of Gods Judgements upon others in fear and reverence I request them to consider well whether one of the greatest Roman Doctours were not taken with more than Jewish madnesse in mistaking Scripture in it self most plain and easie who to prove the Scriptures Obscurity to be such as in this respect it could not be the Rule of Faith alledgeth for his proof that place of the Prophet And the vision of them all is become unto you as the word of a Book that is sealed up which they deliver to one that can read saying Read this I pray thee then shall he say I cannot for it is sealed 6 The Prophet relates it as a wonder that they should not be able to discern the Truth What Truth an obscure or hidden Truth Impossible to be understood This had been a wonderfull Wonder indeed that men should not be able to understand that which was Impossible to be understood Wherein then was the true Wonder seen In this that they whose eyes had formerly been illuminated by the evidence and clearnesse of the Divine Truth revealed by Gods Messenger should not be able to discern the same still alike clear and perspicuous but now to be shut up from their eyes as appeareth by the similitude of the sealed Book whose Character was legible enough but yet not able to be read whilst sealed A man might as well prove the Sun to be dark because Polyphemus after 〈◊〉 had put out his eye could not see it as the Scriptures by this place to be Obscure The Prophets words entire are these Stay your selves and Wonder they are blind and make you blind they are drunken but not with wine they stagger but not with drink For the Lord hath covered you with a spirit of slumber and hath shut up your eyes The Prophets and your chief Seers hath he covered And the vision of them all is become unto you c. And more plainly Therefore the Lord said because this people come near me with their mouth and honour me with their lips but have removed their heart from me and their fear towards me was taught by the precepts of men doth he not mean the Blind Obedience of Modern Papists as well as ancient Jews Therefore behold I will do a marvellous work in this People even a marvellous work and a wonder For the Wisdom of the wise men shall perish and the understanding of the prudent man shall be hid The Lord himself foretels it as a wonder that this People should be so ignorant in the Word of God and yet will the Jesuite make us beleeve the Word of God is so Obscure that it cannot be unto us the Rule of Faith when as without the knowledge and light of it not which it hath in it self but which it communicates to us there is no Vision no Knowledge in the Visible Church but such wonderfull Darknesse as the Prophet here describes 7 Let the Reader here give sentence with me whether it were not wonderfull Jewish Blindnesse or wilfull Blasphemie in Valentian so confidently to avouch that the Veil which Saint Paul saith is laid before the Jews hearts was woven a great part out of the Difficulty of Scriptures such Scriptures as the
mocked him 3 That all honest-minded men should be able to understand all Places of Scriptures we never affirmed that without the Ministerie or help of others they should ordinarily understand any aright we never taught This notwithstanding we constantly avouch Without this Condition of doing Gods Will not men otherwise furnished with the best Gifts of Art and Nature can ever be competently qualified for spiritual Instructors By performing it the simple and illiterate shall be made capable of good Instructions and enabled to discern true Doctrine from false By our Saviours Rule in the very next words more infallible than any other pretended Infallibilitie can be we may discern the Pope of all others to be no true much lesse any infallible Teacher unlesse of Lies and Antichristian deceit For he that seeketh his own glory as what Pope is there doth not so many seek the Popedome by their predecessors bloud he speaks of himself not the Word of him whose Viear he boasts himself to be 4 To place the Apostle S. Pauls Authority next in sile unto our Saviours Fashion not your selves saith he unto his beloved Romans like unto this present world but be ye changed by the nenewing of your mind that ye may prove what is the good Will of God and acceptable and perfect Being fashioned like unto the present World they were altogether disproportionable unto the Kingdom of heaven uncapable of heavenly Mysteries but being renewed in their minds they might prove taste and relâ—… aright the Meaning of Gods Word revealed Of such as disanul the Scriptures for being the Rule of Faith and transfer this Canonical Dignity upon the Pope I would gladly be resolved whether this his Holinesse Infallibility can take away the Veil which is laid before the Jews hearts or this Desire which raigns in most men of fashioning themselves unto this present World whether he can in all such as professe Christianity root out those Lusts and Concupiscences those corneae fibrae stiff and stubborn heart-strings as are the very the eeds whereof this Veile is made which makes the Scriptures so Difficult and so eclipseth their Light in respect of men If he cannot well may he make them understand or believe his own Decrees but never rightly apprehend or stedfastly embrace the Spiritual Mysteries of their Salvation That Rule of S. Pauls is still most infallible The Natural or Carnal Man is altogether uncapable of the things of Gods Spirit of those things which are in themselves most evident Neither can be know them If you wil not believe his Authority as infallible he gives you a Reason for the truth of the Conclusion for they are spiritually discerned Is it then the Popes Infallibility or the framing of our lives according to Gods holy Word that must purge the Errours of our young and wanton dayes and make us cease to be homines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Natural or Carnal men and become Spiritual If the Popes infallibility cannot perform this to what use doth it serve The Scriptures wil be difficult stil and their sense insipid to such as have not their hearts thus cleansed If without his Infallibility by the Industry of faithful Pastours attentive Hearing and serious Meditation of his sacred Word our lives may be amended and we of Carnal men become Spiritual we shal discern the things of God what is his Wil and mercy towards us in Christ we shal know of every Doctrine necessary unto our Salvation whether it be of God or no much better then the Pope and his Cardinals can do if they be Carnals For our Apostle adds The Spiritual man judgeth or discerneth all things and is judged of none The sense of which words some of your School-men much mistake when they hence gather that the Pope may judge Princes but the Spirituality so in common talke we cal the Clergie may not be judged by any Temporal or Lay Power Our Apostle means nor wil a learned Interpreter though a Papist deny it that in matters of Faith and in the Truth of Divine Mysteries the truly spiritual that is such as are renewed in the inner man not such as bear the Name or Title of Spiritual men in their corrupt language see and understand those things which the Wisdom of God hath hidden from the wisest and most glorious Teachers of the World from all Carnal men of what Gifts soever they may be in other matters as appears by our Apostles Discourse in that place Which Doctrine of our Apostle how truly it is verified in the wise men of Rome the Jesuites I mean to give them what by our Proverb we are bound to give their Master their due men of famous industry and excellent reach in all subtile and profound Arts but how ignorant and besotted in matters of Faith and Mysteries of mans Salvation their Doctrine in this present Controversie being compared with this Axiom of our Apostle may abundantly witnesse to the Astonishment of all sober-minded Christian Readers 5 They cannot deny That matters of Faith and Christian Life the Mysteries of mans Salvation are matters belonging to the Spirit of God and that a lewd naughty ambitious luxurious man an Heretick is homo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Carnal Man they will not offer to call in question Again that many of their Popes be such as I have said naughty wicked luxurious men they openly confesse Some of them grant that Honorius was an Heretick Valentian will not dispute this particular de facto whether he were one or no but that the Pope or Popes may hold Heretical Opinions he granteth albeit thus tainted with Heresie they cannot propose their Heresies ex Cathedra to be Believed by others believe Valentian herein who list for God by his Providence would prevent this Mischief But howsoever the Pope and his Cardinals may by their own Confession be Carnal Men with a witnesse Now S. Paul saith plainly Homo animalis non potest cognoscere ea quoe sunt Spiritus Dei No Carnal or Natural man can conceive the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. for this indefinite Proposition in materia necessaria may have this Universal Note Homo animalis non potest cognoscere no Carnal Man can perceive The Jesuites affirm the Contradictory unto S. Pauls Doctrine as an undoubted Article of Faith The Pope say they albeit homo animalis though a most wicked man though otherwise an Heretick the worst of Carnal Men cannot but discern the things that belong unto the Spirit all the Mysteries of Mans Redemption all points whatsoever necessary to Mans Salvation For he cannot erre in deciding such Matters if he speak ex Cathedra More unhappy man Honorius more Fools have the whole generation been that ever would shut their mouthes or cease to speak ex Cathedra even to the last gasp 6 That sundâ—y lewd and wicked men may learnedly discourse of spiritual matters and deduce necessary Consequents out of Truths supposed or
take up Our Saviours next words imply the contrary but of this Question we shal take occasion hereafter Only now I say the Jesuites of all other are most uncapable of this Plea For they hold â—ree-Wil in men whereby they may Assent unto Grace offered and if men have Free-Wil and Christ offer his Grace unto such as use it wel the learning of Humility and taking up his Yoak wil be easie through Grace though impossible to Nature But let this Question concerning Grace and Free-Wil stand stil as it doth in Controversie betwixt us and them and the Lutherans This is granted by all that if Christ grant his grace to all that wil endeavour to follow his Precepts then it is easie to all to learn this first Lesson of Christianity Lowlinesse and Meeknesse the Rudiments of true Knowledg in Scripture without which all other Learning in them is but Verbal As this is confessed by all so would I be resolved by any Jesuite whether if it be Christs pleasure to deny his Grace to any it be not altogether impossible for him to learn this Lesson perfectly or to become a good Proficient in the School of Christ although the Pope their supposed infallible Teacher should vouchsase to Catechize him ex Cathedra What hath this Jesuite got then by his fierce objecting this difficulty of learning Humility for to make the Scriptures seem Obscure If the same Obscurity the same Impossibility of understanding them aright stil remain albeit the Pope himself should stretch his plenary Power to illustrate them with his infallible Authority 13 Or wil it not be more hard for the Pope being so highly placed in Secular Honour and Dignity as he is to stoop so low as a little Childe for Lowlinesse of mind then it wil be for us poor and silly men If it be more hard for him then us so to do we are more likely to become better Schollers in Christs school then his infallible Holiness more likely to be more certain of the true sense or meaning of Scriptures then he can be much more certain in all necessary Points hereof then he can be of his Infallibility For this Lesson of true Humility must of necessity be learned ere we can proceed in the true Knowledge of these Mysteries Suppose this be a very hard Lesson to learn yet caeteris paribus it wil be harder as mens Places are higher or their dignities greater hardest of all to men of highest Place and greatest Dignities especially if their advancements to such Preeminencies be as many Popes and Cardinals have been per saltum or ab extremo in extremum sine medio like lazy Beggers sodainly mounted on stately steeds shal then this Difficulty late objected deprive these Scriptures of this Dignity which we plead for Shal this debar them from being the infallible Rule of Faith or rather do they not in giving this very Rule of learning Humility and thus forewarning of their Impossibilitie to be understood without it approve themselves to be an excellent Rule of Faith a more excellent Rule for these superexcellent Divine Mysteries then any other Rules are for ordinary petty or trivial Arts For suppose Bellarmine or any other more exquisite though he an excellent Teacher of the Hebrew Tongue should in his Grammer have given this Caveat easie to be confirmed by sound Reason and Experience that whosoever would become perfect in that Language should begin his study in his younger days before he were engaged to subtile or profounder Studies or given to deep meditations of Realties otherwise it would be very hard for him to descend again unto Grammer Rules and begin like a School-boy to conn Declensions Conjugations without which and many other petty Rules about altering of Vowels he could never hope to be an absolute Hebrician Had Bellarmin set down these or like Caveats more at 〈◊〉 should this Admonition be accounted any just Exception why his Grammer otherwise supposed Authentick should not be a perfect Rule for learning Hebrew or must we for this reason have stretched our wits to invent some infallible Teacher of Hebrew for such men I am sure he that should have found the truth of his Admonitions by Experience in himself or Observation in others would commend his Judgement herein and think so much better of his Grammer or wish that he himself had known or others would observe these Admonitions whiles they were young and rather use Bellarmin then Experience for their School-master in this point 14 Doubtlesse it is for want of acquainting Youth and Childhood with the former Rules of Scripture which make the Scripture generally either seem Obscure or Difficult or causeth men mistake them seeming evident For when they are grown to mans Estate or be embarked in worldly Affairs or invested in secular dignities before they have studied Scriptures or practised the former Precepts this seeming difficulty either moveth them to seek for other Rules more easie to their Capacity or not to care for any Rule of Faith at all or else to transform this which God hath given for reforming his Image in them into the nature of their corrupt Affections Were this Lesson of becoming like little Children throughly planted in our hearts when we were Children true Knowledge in other parts of Scriptures would grow with us and Faith once planted in Humility while our hearts were tender and easie to be wrought upon by this plain and easie Precept albeit at the first but like a Grain of mustard-seed yet having got the start of Pride and desire of secular glory in the Spring should afterwards flourish in all heavenly Knowledge and fructifie in every good and acceptable Work without the husbandry lopping or pruning of an infallible Teacher But if we either through our own Wilfulness or Parents Negligence have perverted the Wayes of our Youth that they wil not parallel this straight and easie Rule shal Gods Righteousnesse be prejudiced by our Iniquity shal not his Wayes this Way of Life be equal because our Wayes be unequal Must we become like Seneca's blind Woman who accused every place wherein she could not see for being too dark must the Scriptures for our Blindnesse of heart be thought Obscure not in themselves saith the Jesuite but unto us how unto us or unto which of us only to such as are therefore become Blind because they have not in time been made acquainted with this Light For otherwise the Scriptures were written to Enlighten us not themselves or such as wrote them And unto such as are Blinded in their own desires Difficult they are and Obscure without any respect of Persons to the Pope as wel as to any meaner Man not more Proud or Carnal then He. Thus we see our Adversaries cannot offer one Blow against us in this point but we can make it fal more heavy upon themselves And wel were it if their Objections did light heavy only upon the Objecters themselves for they have deserved it But here I must
our Saviour imparted to his Disciples in private is now by Gods Providence plainly communicate unto us This is an Argument beyond exception that we are not in their Case who in that Parable are said to be Without but of their Number to whom it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God unlesse we wil in Life and manners imitate Hypocrites rather then Christs Disciples And lest we should prove like these Jews which having ears to hear would not hear though invited thereto by our Saviour our Evangelists inculcate again and again the Causes of this Dulnesse in hearing or conceiving what is heard or Aversnesse from the Truth in some sort conceived They tell us the Jews sometimes for Ambition sometimes for Convetousnesse generally for Presumption Pride and Hypocrisie in saying they had Abraham for their Father did make themselves uncapable of saving Knowledge To what purpose do men guided by the Spirit of God inclucate these or like Admonitions so oft That the growth of such carnal Assections might in all succeeding Ages be prevented That Christian Parents fore warned by the lamentable Issue of this stubbornnesse in Abrahams Seed might teach their Children these heavenly Lessons which had been so distastfull to the Jews before these or other inveterate Humours had brought them to the same or like Distemper For as I observed before and this Parable directly proves might celestiall Seed take root in Childrens hearts before these Secular Weeds sprung up their Souls should continually receive Blessing from God and daily drink in these Streams of Life which found no entrance into such Jewish barren Soyl as did bear nothing but Thorns and Brambles whose end was to be burned as altogether unworthy of more watering 6 Shall either the World Devil or Flesh be able to breed the least Suspition in any Christian Heart whether God who enabled the Apostles and Evangelists to speak so plainly to the Capacitie of all sorts of men in every Nation cannot either by increasing internal Docilitie in succeeding Ages or sublevating their dull Capacitie by facilitie and plenty of external Means repair whatsoever the Injuries of time might detract from the Perspicuitie of Writings Apostolical or Evangelical So that although the decay of Dialects absolutenesse of Phrase or Alterations of Customes whereunto they allude as well known then because in use might breed some difficultie unto Posteritie yet unlesse true Faith be decayed with them or all Characters of Gods Providence worn out of our hearts how can we distrust whether He by whose Wisdom as well Divine Mysteries unheard before as skill to utter them in every Language were extraordinarily and immediately infused into illiterate Souls without the help or Ministery of Man cannot or will not by his good Blessing upon our endeavours in the ordinary Course of attaining skill in Sacred Tongues continue the use of Tongues and all other good Means whatsoever necessarie or expedient either for our right understanding or communicating the infallible Truth alreadie taught without any others infallible Assistance besides his who can teach us as infallibly by Means in themselves not infallible as he hath done others without any Means at all To doubt of Gods Providence in this Point were to doubt whether he were the same God still and if the same he will albeit by other Means perform the same Effects still unlesse the sins of the Christian World deserve the contrary and pull that Blindnesse which in our Saviours time reigned in those Jews upon themselves by like Hardnesse of heart Pride or Hypocrisie And if so they do what shall this supposed Infallibilitie of the Pope avail Is his Teaching more infallible then Christs was shall he Loose where God hath Bound shall he disanull what the Almighty hath ratisied shall he make the Scriptures clear to them before whose hearts the Lord hath laid a Veil Or shall he give Sight where he that made the eye hath called for Blindnesse Oh that they could remember this who have forgotten their God and cannot see that whosoever accuseth the Scriptures of Disheultie or Obscurity doth indict the Omnipotent of Impotencie in not being able to perform what by his Apostles he intended CAP. XVI That all the Pretences of Scriptures Obscuritie are but Mists and Vapours rising from the Corruption of the flesh and may by the pure Light of Scriptures rightly applied easilie be dispelled 1 UNto this and all Demands of like nature if the Scriptures be not Obscure how chanceth it that so many find such Difficulties in them even in those places which seem to contain in them matters of Faith The Answer is already given It was the Almighties good pleasure to Decree that the Scriptures should be plain and easie to such as faithfully practise their most plain and easie Precepts but hard and difficult to be understood aright of such as Wilfully transgresse them or knowing them to be Gods Word do not glorifie them as his Word Most difficult most impossible to be understood of such as acknowledging by what Spirit they were written yet renounce their Authority or disclaim them for the Rule of their Faith All such though for the clearnesse of their understanding in other Speculations they may seem to have Angelicall Heads yet for Divine Mysteries have but Jewish or obscure Hearts and being Blinded in their mindes they imagine the Scripture wheron they look to be Obscure This Answer notwithstanding though most true will not satisfie all For seeing this Blindnesse in most men is not Voluntary at the least not Wilfull or affected the Captions will yet demand How shall they help it The Scriptures plainly teach how they may be holpen What can be more plain then that Rule If any man want Wisdom let him ask of God Yea many do so and yet go without it So they must as the Scripture telleth us if they ask amisse Doth the Scripture then serve as a streight Rule to direct them how they should ask aright Yes For what Rule can be more plain then that of Saint John Whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandements and do those things which are pleasing in his sight The Promise indeed is plain but the Condition hard for the first thing we would ask of God is Grace to keep his Commandements But what hope have sinners to receive this seeing he heareth onely such as keep his Commandements Will this or any other Rule of Scripture help us out of this Labyrinth It will not fail us nor forsake us For if we have but a desire to amend our lives Christs words are as plain as forcible He quencheth not smoaking flix a bruised reed he will not break And this is his Commandement that we trie the Truth of this and other like Sayings of Comfort by relying upon his mercy or if we do but seek after Repentance we do that which is pleasing in his sight For he is not pleased in the
Bellarmine prove that Law was Obscure to him which as he himself confesseth had given Light unto his eyes If it were not why did he pray to God to understand it Then I perceive the Jesuites drift in this present Controversie is to establish a Rule of Faith so easie and infallible as might direct in all the wayes of Truth without Prayer to God or any help from Heaven Such a one it seems they desire as all might understand at the first sight though living as luxuriously as their Popes or minding worldly matters as much as their Cardinals Nili velint nimium esse â—aeci unlesse they would as Valentian speaks desire to be Blinde 5 Surely more blind then Beetles must they be that can suffer themselves to be perswaded that ever God or Christ would have a Rule for mans direction in the Mysteries of Salvation so plain and easie as he should not need to be beholden to his Maker and Redeemer for the true and perfect understanding of it This is a Wisdom and Gift which cometh onely from above and must be daily and earnestly sought for at the hands of God who we may rest assured will be alwayes more ready to grant our Petitions herein with lesse changes then the Pope to give his Decisions in a doubtfull Case â—ad David ask a this Wisdom of him that sate in Moses Chair we might suspect the Pope might be sued unto But Davids God is our God his Lord our Christ our Redeemer and hath spoken more plainly unto us then unto David who yet by his meditations on Gods written Laws added Light to Moses Writings as later Prophets have done to his All which in respect of the Gospels Brightnesse are but as Lights shining in dark places yet even the least conspicuous amongst them Such as will give manifest evidence against us to our eternal Condemnation if we seek this Wisdom from any others then Christs his Prophets and Apostles Doctrine by any other Means or Mediatourship then David did his From Gods Law written by Moses 6 Let us now see what Valentian can say unto the fore-cited Testimonie and to that other like unto it We have also a most sure word of the Prophets to the which ye do well that yee take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a â—…k place untill the day dawn and the day-Star ariseth in your hearts It is true saith the Doctor the word of God is a Light and this Light is clear and illuminates the eyes But it must be considered how it comes to enlighten our eyes Do you su pos that it effects this in as much as every man doth comprehend it within the 〈◊〉 of his private wit or industry as it were in a little bushell Nothing lesse But â—… it as it is placed in the Authority of the Catholick Church as in a Candlestick where it may give Light to all that are in the house For we shall shew saith he â—… place that this Authoritie of the Church is the living Judge and Mistresse of â—…th 〈◊〉 therefore is it necessary that she should carrie this Light which is contâ—… Holy Wâ—it and shew it unto all that associate themselves to her and remain â—… bosome although they be unlearned men and such as are not able by themselves to behold this Light as it is contained in the Scriptures as in a Lanthorn 7 He that could find in his heart to spend his groat or go a mile to see a Camel dance a Jigge let him but lay his finger on his mouth that he spoil not the Pageant with immoderate laughing and he may without any further cost or pains be partaker of as prettie a Sport to see a grand demure School-Divine laying aside his wonted habit of Metaphysical Proof turned Doctour Similitude on a suddain and swaggering it in the Metaphorical Cut. For what one joynt or strain is there in this long laborious vast Similitude that doth any way encline unto the least semblance of Truth or can be drawn to illustrate any such Meaning as this man intended or any way to break the force of our Writers Arguments drawn from the forecited places For first what Semblance is there between a private mans Interpretation or Comprehension of Scripture-sence and the putting of a Light or Candle under a Bushel For what though some one some few or more such men will apprehend this or that to be the full Meaning of some controversed place in Scripture I am by our Churches Doctrine no more bound to Believe them then I am to Believe the Pope of Rome whom I never saw nor knew I am bound to Believe neither of them more then if they should tell me that the whole Light of that candle which shines alike to all were onely comprehended in their eyes For by our Doctrine I may behold the same Light of Scriptures which they do as freely as they Judge of it by mine own eyes and Sense as well as they not onely submit my Sense and judgement unto theirs But if we should as this â—esuite would have us permit the judgement of all Scripture-sence wholly and irrevocably unto the Pope and his Cardinals as if their Consistorie were the compleat Hemisphere or rather the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sphere the whole sphere wherein this heavenly Lamp doth shine then indeed we should see no more of its Light then we could of a Candle put under a Bushell or locked up in some close Room In which Case we might Believe others that it did shine there still but whether it did so or no we could not Judge by our own eyes And in like manner would this Doctor perswade us that we should judge of this Light of Scriptures onely by the Testimonie or Authoritie of such as see it shine in the Consistorie at Rome not with our own eyes Had the Lord permitted but one grain of good wit to have remained in this Bushel of Bran not Impudencie in grain could without Plushing have offered to accuse our Church for hiding the Light of Scriptures under a Bushell when as we contend the free Use of it should be permitted to the whole Congregation But he disputeth of the Light as Blind men may of Colours He lived at Ingolstade and the Light of Gods Word was at Rome lockt up within the compasse of the Consistorie so that he could not see to make his comparison of it Secondly what Proportion is there between the Churches Authority such Authority as he claims for his Church and a Candlestick Let the Consistory be supposed the Candlestick wherein the word of God doth shine as a Light or Candle Doth it indeed shine there unto whom To all that will associate themselves to that Church Come then let every man exhort his Neighbour to repair to the Mountain of the Lord. Shall we there immediately see the Truth of Scriptures clearly and distinctly with our own eyes because the Pope or Trent-Councel holds out unto us the Books
of Canonical Scripture May private Spirits discern their true Sence in matters of Faith as clearly as if they were a Light indeed to thee Oh no you quite mistake his meaning in making such Collections Let Valentian explicate himself in the end of this fourth Paragraph 8 After the Church hath once gathered any Opinion out of Scriptures and thereupon opposeth the Scripture thus understood by it according to the Apostolical Tradition unto contrary Errours It is extream Impiety and wickedness to desire any more either concerning the Authority or Interpretation of that parcel of Scripture under what Pretence soever of Difficulty Obscurity or the like To that Scripture I pray mark his words wel which is commended and expounded unto us by the Authority of the Church that Scripture now ea jam even for this Reason hoc ipso is most Authentick and shines most splendently mojt clearly like a Light videlicet as we have formerly expounded put upon a Candlestick Nay in good sooth just like a Candlestick put upon a Light or Candle For in this Countrey wherein we live we see the Candlestick by vertue of the Light not the Light by means or vertue of the Candlestick And yet if your Church be the Candlestick as you suppose and the Scripture the Light as you expresly acknowledge we must by your Doctrine discern the Light of Scriptures only by the Commendation Explication or Illumination of your Church the Candlestick And this Illumination is only her bare Asseveration for Scriptures she seldom expounds but only by Negatives or Anathemas The best Correction that can be made of this untoward crooked unwieldly Similitude would be this whereas this Doctor supposeth the Pope to be the Church and saith further necesse est ut lumen illud si dei quod in divinis literis splendet praeser at Ecclesia Let him put lucem for lumen and so the Pope being by his Assertion the Church may be truly called Lucifer And then as when Cloth shrinks in the wetting men shape their Garments accordingly making sometimes a Jerkin of that which was intended for a Jacket so out of this unhandsome ill-spun similitude which was marred in the making we may frame a shorter which wil hold exceeding wel on this fashion Even as Satan being the Prince of Darknesse doth to mens seeming transform him self into an Angel of Light Just so doth the Roman Lucifer being by Valentians Confession but the Candlestick labour to transform him self into the Light it self and would be taken for such a Light or Candle as should make the very Light of Heaven it self Gods Word to shine most splendently and clearly by the glorious Beams of his Majestical Infallibility once cast upon it For otherwise unlesse the Supernatural Glory of his Infallibility do infuse Light or adde fresh Lustre to this Light or Lantern of Truth the Candlestick naturally gives no increase of perspicuity to the Light or Candle Which wil shine as clear in a private Mans hands so he wil take the pains to hold it as in a Publick Candlestick But that which I would have the serious Reader to observe especially is this Speech of his Scripture as once commended unto us or expounded by the Churches Authority becomes thereby most Authentick and shines most clearly and most splendently For this same Doctor if a Doctor may be said the same affirming and denying the same in the beginning of that Dispute would gladly shuffle so as he should not be taken with that Trick which wil discredit their Cause for ever and descry their villanous Blasphemy in this Doctrine of their Churches Authority There he would perswade us that he doth not allow of this Speech I believe this or that to be a Divine Revelation because the Church doth tell me so or of this the Church is the Cause why I believe the Divine Revelations whereas this Speech of his Quae Scriptura per Authoritatem doth infer the Authority of the Church to be the very principal and immediate Cause of our Assent unto Scriptures 9 Secondly I would have the sober Christian Reader to observe what an unhallowed and unchristian Conceit it is to admit the Scriptures for a Lantern and yet to affirm that Christians cannot behold the Light therein contained but only as the Church of Rome doth hold it out what is this else but to call the People from the marvailous Light of the Gospel unto the fearful Lightnings of the Law And to make the Pope that Mediator which the People implicitely did request when they desired that Moses might speak to them not God If we be in Christ then are we not called into Mount Sinai to burning Fire Blindnesse Darknesse and Tempests this Light of the Gospel is not environed with a fearful Cloud or Smoak threatning Destruction if we should go up into the Mount to hear the Lord himself speak we have an Advocate with the Father and need not look for a Moses to go up for us while we stand trembling a far off For as our Apostle tels us Heb. 12. 22. We are come unto the Mount Sion and to the City of the living God the celestial Jerusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels and to the congregation of the first-born which are written in heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the Spirits of just and perfect men and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Testament and to the bloud of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel What is the Consequence or Effect of this our Calling Our Apostle makes this Inference verse 25. See therefore that ye despise not him that speaketh Whom did he mean The Pope or Cardinals But they would be but of like Authority as Moses was but he that Speaketh untous is of far greater For so our Apostle collects See that ye despise nâ—t him that speaketh for if they escape not which refused him that spake on Earth much more shall we not escape if we turn away from him which speaketh from Heaven The Israelites I suppose had despised Moses if they had admitted any other infallible Teacher besides him whilest he was alive or believed any other as wel as his Writings after his death but only so far forth as they could discern their Words to be consonant unto his If Moses Writings were to these Jews a plain Rule of Faith then much more must Christs Word registred by his Apostles and Evangelists by the Rule of Faith unto us That Moses Doctrine was their Rule of Faith a Rule most plain and easie these places following abundantly testifie CAP. XVII That the Mosaical Writings were a most perfect Rule plain and easie to the Ancient Israelites 1 SO perfect Directions had Moses left for Posterities perpetual instruction that a great Prophet in later Ages desirous to bring Gods people into the right Paths which their Fathers had forsaken and for this purpose professing to impart to them whatsoever he had
anus Christiana quae non sciat Christum natum incarnatum fuisse Saint Pauls Cospel was sufficiently known in this mans Sense of his words because there is neither Christian childe nor old wife but knows that Christ was incarnate and born Too many I fear of his and his fellows catechizing know Christ no otherwise then old Wives or little Children know ordinary matters or Stories past that is only by old Wives Tales lying Legends or Tradition And on this fashion and better did the Jews Know Moses and Believed on him yet did they neither Know Him nor his Doctrine as they should have done nor in such a Sense as the Scripture useth this word Knowledge Such as he would have us content our selves withall is rather blindnesse then Knowledg and makes a man never a whit the better Christian but a greater Hypocrite 2 Let Bellarmines Answer stand thus far for true that the Knowing of Christ and Belief of the Gospel are manifest to all that are not given over to Jewish Blindnesse And what it is to Know Christ or believe the Gospel in Saint Pauls Phrase by Gods assistance we shall further explicate in the Articles following To Know Christ was all Saint Paul desired because it contained all Knowledge of Scriptures and whether Saint Paul did not desire to Know Scriptures or whether he had not his Desire herein 〈◊〉 Christian Consciences judge 3 And because I must conclude this Point as I promised with this Testimony of Saint Paul Beloved Christian whosoever thou art that shalt read these Meditations ask Counsel of thine own Heart Consult with thy Conscience consider well and give Sentence betwixt me and this Romish Doctor what kind of Knowledge Saint Paul here meant whether an Implicite or Hear 〈◊〉 Knowledge of Christ and his Kingdom in grosse or an expresse distinct true Knowledge raised from Moses and the Prophets consonancy with the Gospel of Scriptures necessary to Mens Salvation in their several Courses of life I 〈◊〉 not wrong thy Judgement so much as to seek Arguments or Authorities of Expositors for thy information in this plain undoubted caâ—e It shall sussice to rehearse the Words of that Law about whose Sence we now contend and by which we must be tried from the twelfth verse of the third to the sixth verse of the fourth Chapter of the second to the Corinthians 4 Seeing then we have such trust we use great Boldnesse of Speech and we are not as Moses which put a Veil upon his face that the Children of Israel should not look unto the end of that which should be abolished Therefore their minds are hardened For until this day remaineth the same Covering untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament Yet was the Old Testament the only Scripture in those times easie to be understood but for this Veil And this Veil as the Apostle adds verse the fourteenth put away these Scriptures then which were so difficult to the Jew are Easie to all that are in Christ by whose death the Veil was rent and that Light which shone on Moses face as the Sun upon the Eastern skie in the dawning was fully manifested to the Inhabitants of the earth since the Sun of righteousnesse did appear For the publishing of the Gospel is the putting away of the former Veil But for the Jewes even until this day saith the Apostle When Moses is read the Veil is laid over their hearts Neverthelesse when their hearts shall be turned unto the Lord the Veil shall be taken away For this Doctrine of Saint Paul as often hath been said was in their Hearts and in their mouthes Deut. 30. 14. The Apostle concludes Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty Liberty indeed in respect of that Servitude which was under the Law then they were Servants because they knew not their Masters will John 15. 15. but since the Ministry of the New Testament We all behold as in a Mirrour the Glory of the Lord with open face Verse 18. Out of our Apostles discourse this is most evident that it was the Glory of his Ministry and Evidence of Doctrine which made him so consident in the execution of this Function God saith he hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 6. And this compared with the Ministry of the Old did far exceed it in Glory and Perspicuity as he proves from the sixth verse to the eighteenth 5 The judicious Reader though not admonished would of his own accord observe how the Apostle takes Clearnesse and Perspicuity as an Adjunct of the New Testament's Glory the Jesuites quite contrary would make the Scriptures Dignity and Majesty Mother of Difficulty and Obscurity But because it was so much more glorious and perspicuous then the Ministery of the Old Testament was The Apostle infers 2 Cor. 4. 1 2. Therefore seeing we have this Ministery of the New Testament so glorious and perspiâ—uous as we have received mercy we faint not but have cast off the cloak of shame and walk not in craftinesse neither handle we the Word of God deceitfully for why should any when it will approve it self but in declaration of the Truth approve our selves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God What Proof could he make to their Consciences but only from the Evidence of that Truth which he taught and his Sincerity in teaching it These two would bind all such as made any conscience of their wayes to admit his Doctrine Whence he infers in the very next words verse 3. If then our Gospel be bid c. Briefly refuting all the Romanists Objections in this Argument before they were conceived punctim even to an hairs breadth For this would have been their common place had they lived in Saint Pauls time You may boast and say your Doctrine of the New Testament is evident and manifest but what wise man will believe you when a great many as good Schollers as your self think the contrary most true Unto this Objection of the Jews then of the Jesuites now of Satan both now and then and alwayes frequent in the mouth of Hell our Apostle answers directly as from his Doctrine we have done all the Jesuites Arguments If the Gospel be hid as indeed to some too many it is Yet it is hid only to them that perish whose Minds the God of this World hath blinded that the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the Image of God should not shine unto them 6 The Gospel then did shine yet not to Blinded eyes to whom then only to such as were indued with the Spirit of Liberty seeing the New Testament as he said was the Ministry of the Spirit of which these Jews were not partakers because they followed the Letter or Outside of the Law and had Moses Writings as children Lessons they understand not at their Tongues end not in their Hearts SECT
III. That The continual practise of Hereticks in urging Scriptures to establish Heresie and the diversity of opinions amongst the Learned about the Sense of Them is no just Exception why They should not be acknowledged as the Sole Entire and Compleat Rule of Faith OUt of the former Discourse their other Objections are almost answered already and they be especially Two The first If the Scriptures be plain and easie how comes it to passe that there should be such Contentions amongst the Learned about them Or whence is it that every Heretick is so forward to urge Scriptures for his Opinion even to the Death The Second lies as it were in the womb of this as this did in the former's and drawn out in its proper shape is thus There can be no certain Means of taking up controversies or contentions in the Church but only by admitting an Infallible Authority for deciding all controversies viva voce seeing the Scripture is alwayes made a party on all sides in such contentions 2 In the former Objection they indict the Scriptures as the Principal in the later our Church as an Abetter of such Quarrels and Contentions as it breeds For our Church we shall answer in the next for Gods Word in this present Section CAP. XIX Containing the true State of the Question with the Adversaries General Objections against the Truth 1 IT cannot be denied that alwayes there have been and alwayes will continue Contentions amongst learned men in Points of Faith or Doctrine or about the true Sence or Meaning of Scriptures in these other Cases For thus much these Scriptures themselves do plainly witnesse Oporâ—… esse haereses For there must be Heresies even among you that they which are approved among you might be known But the Question is not whether there have been now are or alwayes shall continue many Contentions about the Sense of Scripture but First Whether the Scriptures have not plainly set down the original Causes and nurses of such Contentions and the Means how to avoid them so men will be ruled by them most plain for this purpose or Secondly Whether not submitting their wils desires and affections unto these plain and perspicuous Rules of life this supposed Infallible Rule of the Romish Church can prevent remove or compose all such Contentions according to the Truth and cause men stedfastly hold the Unity of Faith in the Bond of Peace 3 The Causes of Contentions about the Sence of Scriptures are the very same with the fore-mentioned which made the Scriptures unto sundry seem Obscure or the same which make men to mistake their true Sence and Meaning For even these Wars and Contentions whereof we speak specially these arise from Lusts which sight in our members †we lust and have not we envy and have indignation and cannot obtain we fight and war and got nothing not the Truth which we seek because we ask it not Do not such as contends most about the true Sence ask it most doth not every Heretick the earnester he is professe that he prayes for the Truth so much the more servently yea but such men receive not that which they so earnestly ask because they ask it amisse They desire skill in Scripture to advance their own Conceits and maintain their foolish and carnal Affections otherwise asking they should have and seeking they should find especially the true Sence and Meaning of Gods Word which must instruct us how to frame all our other Petitions unto God aright 4 These and infinite like places we acknowledge plainly declaring the Causes of Contentions and as many more some of which shall be here and there inserted directing us how to avoid all occasions of striâ—e and debate Both which if we observe Contentions will quickly cease Which those not observed must increase as a just punishment of Truth neglected coâ—…icted or low esteemed notwithstanding the best indeavours of any Authority upon earth imaginable to the contrary 5 But some perhaps will demand Is there no use of Humane Authority in this Case yes As for the begetting of true and lively Faith we supose the live-voice of an Ordinary Ministery as the Organ whereby the written Word must be conveyed to our Spirits so for retaining the Unity of this Faith in the Bond of Peace for suppressing or preventing all Occasions of Schismes Heresies or Contentions we acknowledge the necessary Use of a Lawfull Magistracie yet no infallibilitie in either The proper end and use of Both is to espouse mens Souls with an indissoluble knot of Love and Loyaltie unto the written Word the only Infallible Rule of that Faith whereby they live The One by unfolding the generall Points or Maximes of Christian Faith The other by constraining them at least to a civil Practise of undoubted Principles acknowledged by all and inhibiting such Courses as the Moral Precepts of this Canon have defected for Causes and Nurses of Contention Our Adversaries whether out of wilfull malice or oversight or out of both according to the diversities of their tempers have taken occasion to traduce our Churches Doctrine as if it admitted no Means for preventing or composing Contentions but onely the bare letter of Scripture Whereas we all teach that the written Word is the onely Means Infallible not the onely Means Simplie for effecting Both. Nor doth it skill how necessary either Ministerial Expositions or Juridical Decisions be for bringing us unto or retaining us in the Unitie of the Truth professed for not Necessity of Means but Infallibility of Direction is the proper unseparable Condition of the Rule of Faith And seeing Gods Word only endures for ever and therefore onely is Infallible it must be the Sole Rule of Faith how many or how necessary soever the Means be that must bring us to the true Knowledge of it 6 Valentian and Saero-boscus think it all One to acknowledge no Ecclesiasticall Authority or use of Ministerie and not to acknowledge an Infallibility in Both. But this is a Position devoid both of Sense and Reason For As our Senses though of themselves onely capable of particular and Material Objects subject to change and contingencie are the necessary and onely ordinary Means whereby our Intellective Facultie is brought to apprehend Universal and immaterial Principles whose Truth is necessary everlasting and immutable So may the Ministery and Magistracie though both in themselves fallible and obnoxious to Errors be the necessary and onely ordinary Means whereby we are brought as it were by a sensible Induction to the infallible Acknowledgement of the supernatural divine eternal Truths which are the proper Object of the illuminated or spiritual as immaterial and universal Principles are of the natural understanding which shall God willing be declared hereafter In this place I onely thought good to forewarn the Reader of this Hiatus in our Adversaries Collections whereunto the blind and ignorant English Papist led by such blinded forraign Guides as Valentian and Sacro-â—osâ—â—â— who either
ravenous mouths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is as you interpret Rule my sheep or Petre macta manduca kill and eat Now all the pretended glorious Promises of the Gospel or large hopes of Liberty which you had given them before are sodainly contracted in these two main Commandments the chief Supporters of your Religion on which your Law and Gospel hang If any thing be proposed to be Believed Believe or be burnt If to be Acted Do or die 5 But as I was saying such kind of Weapons must be used only towards such as are admitted unto Christs Fold unto them the Popes Authority must be a Rule for they must be ruled by his iron Rod. But let us suppose a Christian either wel minded Protestant or Papist a Jew or Mahumetan all zealous in their kind and of carriage moderate should meet together in some Principles of Belief they all agree all acknowledge the old Testament to be the Word of God but differ in the true Sence and Meaning of it What means would you prescribe to win either of these two Unbelievers to the Truth I am sure ye would not begin with the Popes Authority Were it not the readiest way to win a Mahumetan to shew him that the greatnesse of that kingdom in which he glorieth was ordained by God to punish the Christian world as Nebuchadnezzars was to plague the Jews and should decay would Christians amend and the strength of his affection to the prosperity of that Empire abated to propose the carnal Affection of Mabomet and his Religion most of which is lothsom to the ears of such as have any notion of any Religion whereas the Purity of Christs Gospel is such as a sober minde once therewith acquainted would Reverence albeit he could not obey 6 This or the like Method is used by sundry learned Papists to diâ—… Mahumetium If they reply that they first seek to make them acknowledge the Scriptures that they may thence learn to rely upon the Popes Infallibility they utterly deface their own pretended Glory in converting so many Aliens unto the Faith For all this pains in such as follow this supposed Method is but to purchase a double portion in the Pharisees Wo For â—… passing Sea and I and to make others of their profession The Pharisees in such Conversions did as it were â—uadrate the measure of Proselytes sins multiplying Gentilism by Pharisaism The Jesuites make up the â—ul Câ—… 〈◊〉 they produce Mahumetism which is but a medley of Gentilism and Judaiâ—m into Jesuitism which is the sublimation of Pharisaism mixed with malignant Atheism For it is impossible that this Conversion should abolish the form or essential Quality of the Mahumetans former carnal corrupt Religion but rather intend the bad temper of it by superaddition of this second in quality more malignant And yet for the effecting of this Change they make Christ lesus their crucified Lord and God but a Stale for the advancement of His Kingdom that by their own confession may be for life and manners far worse then Mahomet Suppose then a convert-Mahumetan should know what manner of men most of their Popes be how could he chuse but either repent of his Conversion or turn treacherous Atheist to out-â—â—e the Jesuite in such villanous Gulleries as this wherein he useth Mahomets beastly life as an Argument to disswade his followers from his Religion and yet useth the Word of God whose Sanctity both acknowledge but as a bait to bring men on to fasten their Faith upon a more deâ—esâ—able Son of Perdition This were indeed the best way to harden the Mahumetan in his preposterous Belief That Mahomet though as we object a notorious Impostor might be sent from God to win the world unto that Truth by the sword whereunto Christ could not bring it by his godly Life and most essectual kinde of Preaching And I do not see what else but this or the like Conclusion can with any probability be gathered from any Arguments brought by the Papists to prove the necessity of the Popes or their corrupt Churches infallible Authority for supplying the defect of Christ and his Apostles Writings Finally to bring either Mahuâ—â—etan or Pagan to acknowledge the Truth of the New Testament or Christ for their Saviour that they might afterwards relie upon such men is but to lead them into the entry of the Kingdom of Heaven that they may finally shut the door on them when they have one foot within it which is indeed the sole entire formal effect of this supposed Infallible Key But my good liking of industry though of our greatest Adversarie in this slothful Age makes me hope God grant I fail not in my hopes that in remote Countries whose air is not pestered with the noisom and Ioathsom Scent of Rome their Mothers whoredom even Jesuites are inspired with more pure and hallowed Cogitations and that they use not Valentian Bellarmin or others of their Italianated fellows Methods in catâ—chising Converts or if they do yet God I trust wil be merciful unto such poor souls as thus adore the Pope not knowing what manner of Creature he is but rather in charity presume him for such in the Concrete as the Jesuites make him in the Abstract even a second-Christ or Holinesse it self 7 Were not the best Method to win the Jew to compare the Prophecies of the Old Testament with the History of the New and Experiments of Gods judgements upon that nation Some Jews have been brought unto the Truth by these means who have done the Church of Christ excellent service in the exposition of Prophecies concerning Christ labouring to win their Country-men unto him by comparing the Old Testament with the New If the Scripture may be a Rule to compose the diversity of these Opinions most repugnant amongst themselves may it not much more be a Rule to compose all Controversies amongst professed Christians who agree in far more Principles of Faith and Rules of Scripture then the former did if Christians would be as soberly affected and not stand upon the Authorities and Customes of men the special Obstacle that keeps the Jews from Christianity 8 It is usual with your Writers to argue thus We cannot know Scriptures to be the Scriptures but by the Authority of the Church therefore we cannot know the true Sense and Meaning of them but by the infallible Authority of the same The Antecedent of which Argument as we have partly shewed and hereafter God willing shal shew to be most false so for the Argument it self I only now say that it may be far more probably inverted upon you thus The Jews may come to acknowledge the New Testament for the very Cospel of their Messias and to Believe in heart and Profess with their mouthes the Mysteries therein contained by sober and diligent comparing them with the Prophecies of the Old without the infallible Authority of your Church therefore they may know the true sense and meaning of the Gospel
Delusions and Appearances as well as the true their divine Illuminations whence the Contention amongst the professed Prophets themselves was as great as any now amongst the learned Interpreters of Prophecies or other Scriptures And from this Contention amongst the Prophets the unlearned or rather all in that people not Prophets were by the Romanist Objections against us were they pertinent to waver and halt between the contrariety of Illuminations and Visions professed as well by the false Prophets as the true Nor will any Jesuite I think be so bold as to deny lest every man might perceive him to deny more then possibly he could know that those lying Spirits in the mouthes of Ahabs Prophets were then as cunning in imitating true Revelations as now in counterfeiting Orthodoxal Interpretations of Truth revealed Or if this they cal in question let them resolve us why Idolatry in those Ages wherein true Prophets flourished most should be as frequent and various as Heresies in later times wherein the preaching of the Gospel is most plentiful The true Reason whereof as we suppose is this These lying Spirits were alike apt to imitate Gods several manner of speaking whether by means ordinary or extraordinary in divers Ages At all times if we compare either their native Capacity or acquired skil with our own though in matters wherein we have been most conversant if to their sagâ—…y we adde their malicious Temper and eager Desires of doing ill which alwayes adde an Edge unto Wit in mischievous Invention In all these they so far exceed the sons of seduced Adam that unlesse the Almighty did either 〈◊〉 us by his Holy Spirit or restrain them in the exercise of their skil especially in Spiritual matters wherewith the natural man hath no acquaintance who could in any Age be able to discern their Jugling much less to avoid their snares alwayes suited to the present season Notwithstanding most evident it is that in Ahabs as in all other times tainted with the like or a quivalent Sins the Almighty gives them leave to do their worst to practise with such cunning in every kind as leaves men so disposed as these false Prophets were until they amend no more possibility of distinguishing Devilish Suggestions from Divine Oracles then Ahab had without repentance to escape his doom read by Elias and Michaiah For he had not fallen unlesse his Prophets had been first seduced Their Errour therefore was by Gods just judgement as Fatal as his Fall both absolutely inevitable upon supposition of their obstinate Disobedience to the undoubted Mandates of Gods written Law Thus no one tittle of our Adversaries Objections how the learned should be sure of their interpretations when others as learned as they are as strongly perswaded to the contrary but is as directly opposite unto the Certainty of true Prophets Revelations seeing many yea most of that Profession and in the judgement of man men of better gifts and places then such as proved true Prophets were otherwise perswaded usually such as the people esteemed best strangeliest deluded 3 That from this Variety of Opinions amongst the Prophets about their Illuminations others not endued with the gift of Prophesie were in the self same case the unlearned people throughout the Christian world are in wheresoever or whensoever Dissentions arise amongst the learned admits no question but amongst wranglers For albeit the excellent Brightness of Divine Truth did necessarily imprint an infallible Evidence in their apprehension to whom it was immediately by Means extraordinary revealed yet could they not communicate this Evidence or Certainty unto the people but by preaching the Word revealed after the self same manner we do Yea sometime it was only communicated unto them by the Ministery of others no Prophets Here let any Jesuite or other Patron of the Romish Churches Cause answer me to these Demands First whether the People were not bound to believe the true Prophesies either delivered by the Prophets own mouthes or read by others or directed to them in writing to be the Word of GOD and to reject the contrary Doctrine of false Prophets as Delusions Secondly whether if the ordinary People of those times could by any Christians though private men in later may not by the same Means distinguish the Word of God being in like sort read or expounded or preached unto them from the Word of Man The Word remains stil the same the Truth of it better confirmed unto the World by the continuance of it in power and strength throughout all Ages intermediate wherein Gods Spirit by which it was first manifested to the Prophets and written in the Peoples hearts hath been more plentiful then before especially since the Revelation of the Gospel most plentiful in this present if I may so speak the second time of Grace Our Argument then stands good A fortiori If every private man amongst GODS People of Old might and ought Believe and believing Obey his Word revealed to others only read or expounded unto him rejecting all contrary or erroneous Doctrines the People of this Age must do the like and all Objections possible against the judgement of modern private Spirits conclude as much against all private persons of Ancient times For their Means of knowing the Prophets Illuminations or Visions were ordinary such as we have now liable to all exceptions that can be made against our knowledge or perswasion of the true Sense of Scripture But neither theirs nor our Imbecillity in knowing or Facility of erring was or is any just Exception why the Scripture should not be a Rule to both Albeit all the Papists Arguments might be urged with far greater probability against them who were to Believe Prophetical Writings first For more easie it is to Assent unto Particulars contained in a general Canon already established by the approbation of former Ages and confirmed by joynt consent of Parties most adverse and contrary in the interpretation of several parcels then to admit the general Canon it self for the undoubted Word of GOD or yield obedience to the Particulars therein contained Yet were the Ancient people bound to admit the Prophesie of Isaias Jeremiah as the undoubted Word of God albeit unknown to their Ancestors but only in the generality of Moses doctrine much more as we conclude may Christians now living assent unto the true expositions or particular contents of these Prophesies or other Scriptures of whose absolute Truth in general they do not doubt and of whose 〈◊〉 articulars they may now behold the sundry Opinions and Expositions of divers Ages 4 To presse the former Arguments more fully parallel'd to our present Controversie a little farther I would demand of any Jesuite whether the Word of God taught by the Prophets who were to win credit by their skil not presumed skilful for their Authority in the Church or credit in Common-weal or the definitive sentence of the High-Priests or others in eminent place were to be the Rule of Israels Faith Whether the
Peoples distraction in following some one false Prophet some another fewest of all the true Prophets most their High-Priests and men in Authority might exempt any from acknowledgement of such Prophesies as in the issue proved Divine for the Rule of their Belief If that People either upon the Variety of Opinions or the Authority of the Priests or others might reject the Word of God either preached unto them by the Prophets or read by others or appeal from It to any visible company of men on whose decrees they might safely rely then may the Romanists with some probability teach men to rely upon the decrees of their Church for their infallible Rule not upon Scriptures only But if the People of those times were bound to rely upon MOSES Law and the Prophets Writings against all the World besides albeit joyntly conspiring to teach them otherwise though with Glozes and pretences of Moses Authority then much more must these Writings be of like Authority unto us And all the Mimical Objections which the Jesuites can frame to this or like purpose If the Scripture be the Rule of Faith and must be discerned by private Spirits how comes it to passe that Calvin expounds it one way Luther another Zwinglius a third and yet all think they have the Spirit are the very same in effect with the false Prophet Zedekiah's Exception against Michaiah When went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee 5 Zeclekiah had four hundred more of his opinion and this People had been very dull if conscious of their own factious greatnesse they could not have pleaded all the Papists Arguments against Michaiah all that can be drawn from the Universality or Authority of the Church All which have meer ignorance or incogitancy of a Divine Providence for their Root but branch themselves in their after-grouth into positive Atheism and contradictious Infidelity First their Authors the Priests and Jesuites erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the Power of God able to lead men unto Life by this written Way though narrow and private yet straight and plain Afterwards as if they were Satans sworn Takers or authorized Purveyoâ—â—s to furnish Hell with guests observing some who rather idly wish or loosly profer then seriously purpose or earnestly strive to enter in at the streight Gate either sail in their first Adventures or finally miscarry they watch hence all opportunities of haling Passengers to their broad beaten Catholick Way which almost all heretofore have gone as they brag wherein a blind man so he will follow his Guide cannot easily trip so I think until both come at the very Pit-brink of Destruction whereunto it tends directly and infallibly But is this your Catholick Way more plain or better beaten then rebellious Israels or Judahs was Could not these also whilest backed by their blinded Guides have mockt at private Spirits and bestowed Titles upon Gods true Servants because in number fewest and most opposite to their Prelates as foul and odious as Sectaries Schismaticks or Hereticks Or did these willingly and wittingly go astray as knowing their wayes to be the wayes of death Therefore my people is gone into captivity saith the Lord because they had no knowledg Ignorance the Nurse of your Devotion was the true Mother of their Superstition and Idolatry yet was this want of Knowledge which thus proved the fertile Seed of all their insuing Misery the native Fruit of their former Negligence in not practising the known Precepts of Moses Law And because increase of Ignorance in Gods Word did breed in them a greater delight of hearing Lies and pleasant things then the Truth he gave them their Lust as he had done their Forefathers Quails in his displeasure Son of man saith the Lord unto his Prophet these men have set up their Idols in their heart and put the stumbling Block of their Iniquity before their face should I being required answer them Therefore say unto them Thus saith the Lord God Every man of the House of Israel that setteth up his 〈◊〉 in his heart and putteth the stumbling Block of his Iniquity before his face and cometh to the Prophet I the Lord will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his Idols That I may take the House of Israel in their own heart because they are all departed from me through their Idols 6 This evidently proves that unlesse the Moral Law be duly practised and those stumbling Blocks which the wicked set before their faces removed to seek after such a facile inerrable Rule as the Papists have framed for direction in points of Faith is to solicit a snare for their own Souls as no doubt God gave the Romans for their distast of his Word and that longing after Genulism before mentioned this broken Reed whereon to this day they rely as he had done the Israelites a King in his wrath And though in every Age since the Goths and Vandals over-ran the Empire God hath raised up some poor Michaiah to withstand their state-Prelates Yet those lying Spirits which possessed Ahabs Prophets have ever born greatest sway in that Church seducing Princes and People as they had done Ahab by multitude of Voices to their own Destruction That the Romanists can produce men of great fame and note through many Generations for their defence in some one point or other it skils not much For as God in times past suffered Prophets or Dreamers to take opportunity from their strange Predictions of inticing his people to Idolatry forbidden by his written Law so in every Age his Providence permits men of excellent Gifts and great skill in Scriptures to have yea to seek to establish their plansible Errours under pretences of Revelations secret Assistance or abundant measure of his Spirit that by this means he may try our Fidelity in searching Scriptures and Diligence in trying Spirits as he did the Israelites by such presumptions of Divine Prophesies or Visions And if amongst this great Variety of Opinions I might deliver mine as freely as I willingly submit it to each sober Prophets Censure much more to the Correction of my lawful Superiours I should for ought I yet see to the contrary avouch first that no Christian in any Age but is oft put upon his Trial Whether he love God or the great Ones of this world more Whether he will Confesse or Deny Christ before men Secondly That during these dayes of Peace and Security which we now enjoy our Acquital or Condemnation in both the Two former main Interrogatories stands especially upon our abandoning or abetting their Errours in some points of Danger whose Worth in others we justly admire So much addicted are we for the most part to such mens persons as have been Gods Instruments for our good that upon often experience of those wholesome Medicines wherewith their shops are plentifully furnished we swallow down whatsoever there we find when as perhaps the disease they had to deal with or some other
circumstances of the time were such as required an extraordinary Medicine which whilst we administer without mixture of like Ingredients or not upon the same Occasions we may chance to poyson both our selves and our Patients Others of us again are so much accustomed to politick Observation that we commonly make no other trial of Divine Truths then by some such forinsecal form of proceeding as is used in secular Inquisitions wherein determinations go by calculation of most Voices But unlesse the Lord did suffer us to have plausible shews and goodly inducements in the worlds sight for Believing that which is contrary unto Truth our Faith should not be sincere nor as an Armour of proof to resist all temptations seeing there is no man almost but is apt by Nature to follow a multitude to do that which publick Laws have judged evil much more to think or Believe as most men or men most esteemed do On the contrary if we look into our Calling Not many wise men after the flesh not many noble are chosen of God Such as are His ought to be like Him in this that they see not as men not as Natural men be they never so many see nor judge not as they judge 7 The stay whereupon they as in all other Difficulties so especially in this Trial of Spirits must rely is his Providence which in time wil bring the Truth to light and daily diffuseth the odour of life able were not our Senses dull or prepossessed with the fragrant Smel of earthly Pleasures to lead us to that invisible Truth which in this life we must follow not by View but by Faith Yet not by Faith if we take the Jesuites for our Guides who in this present Controversie play false Huntsmen alwayes seeking to bring us from the Prints of Gods Providence unto the Pathes and foot-steps of Men that have corrupted their wayes casting the form of secular Proceeding before our eyes so to withdraw us from following him who hath sweetned the 21 wherein we breath with the words of Eternal Life If men would be so mad as to frame their lives according to their Doctrine Hell it self could not wish a more Devilish Means to make men Christians in conceit and At heists or Infideis in heart And yet besides the Impiety of all other kinds of Heresies or Infidelities that are or have been this of theirs is the most palpably absurd and most contradictory to the Rules of Reason and Principles of Arts received by all For if the Arguments they bring against us conclude any thing at all they conclude as much against all Certainty of secular or natural Sciences 8 And because whether purposely or as meer Instruments managed by Satan to what use they know not they still labour to make civil Modesty but a mask for Infidelity rightly judging though to a wrong end ingenuous Humility and mens lowly conceipts of their own worth the fittest disposition whence utter distrust of Gods Favour towards such poor Creatures as men so minded deem themselves can be wrought and if once wrought and deeply planted in soft minds or humble hearts the only sure Foundation whence they can hope to raise their Blind Implicit Faith It shall not be amiss whilst we prosecute the second Branch of their immoderate Folly last mentioned to discover withall and partly dissolve The Snares which they have set for the Simple and Ingenuous CAP. XXV How far upon what terms or grounds we may with Modesty dissent from the Ancient or others of more excellent Gifts then our selves That our Adversaries Arguments impeach as much the Certainty of Human Sciences as of private Spirits 1 LEt it be granted that many Places of great Moment are diversely expounded by learned men what will hence follow That not the greatest Schollars in reformed Churches can be as sure of their true Sense and Meaning as the Pope Not unlesse you first can make it evident that Learning or Subtility of wit is the only Means whereby the true sense of Scriptures can be found out And this being proved you must assure us that the Pope is alwayes better learned then others otherwise he may fail as wel as they Or if you admit not Learning for the only Means of distinguishing Doctrines as indeed it is not yet must you secure the world that the Pope hath all those other good Qualifications whose want caused the learned to erre Or if you require neither one nor other of these you must prove that the best Gifts of God the peculiar Attribute of whose Glory is to be no Respecter of persons are infallibly entailed to a certain succession of men without all respect of Learning Wit or Honesty Lastly you must prove that the Holy Ghost was a Private Spirit and might erre when he said The Lord giveth Grace to the Humble Or the Law of the Lord Wisdom unto the Simple And that our Saviours words Ventus spirat ubi vult did not import as he meant that his Spirit might enlighten whom he pleased For if all these and that Deus cujus vult miseretur be true who can hinder Him or His Spirit to open the eyes of some less learned to behold clearly the true Sense and Meaning of that Scripture wherein many excellent Writers have either erred or been overseen or who can hinder God if these places be true to reveal his Will to little ones and keep it secret from the wise and mighty because it is his pleasure so to do and that for this end that men should learn to rely upon his Mercy and Providence not upon the Authority or Skill of Men. Or who can hinder his Omnipotency even in this Age to make his Power seen in our Weaknesse If this his Power be not limited now then may he stil both reveal the true Sense and Meaning of his Word in some points unto men of lesse Capacity in others and furnish them with ability too for demonstrating by Evidence of Argument and surest Grounds of Reason unto others that this sense must needs be the true sense and that all other Interpretations given of the same places by men otherwise excellent for their Learning and Skill in Scripture cannot stand with those Principles of Christian Faith which all sorts of Believers stedfastly Believe Must such a man or those to whom God reveals the Truth by his Ministry doubt of the Evidence of the Truth revealed and mistrust Gods Word because others as learned or more learned then either he that hath the Truth revealed unto him first or they that take it from him are of another mind He must verily by this Objection For a Jesuite would say Why should he not think others as likely to have the Spirit as himself Let him esteem of them as far better Scholars and men indued with as great or greater Measure of Gods Spirit then himself for so the Scripture teacheth us not to be wise in our own conceipt but to think better of others then
of our selves And again the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets 2 And yet both these Rules concern the greatest Scholars and most skilful Interpreters in some degree as well as the meanest For none is so absolutely good none so far exceeds another but in part may be exceeded by him Nor doth this Christian Modesty which the Scripture thus teacheth bind any Christian soul or ingenuous mind to such absolute servility as the Objection must inforce upon all if it prove ought For there is no ingenuous man especially of meaner gifts but will in heart and conscience acknowledge many both Ancient and modern for far more excellent Scholars then himself and yet be fully perswaded in Conscience that in sundry particulars he hath the Truth on his side which they oppugne and the true sense of Gods Spirit in some points wherein they have erred or were ignorant For neither wil an indefinite Proposition in matters whose revelation depends upon the free Wil and Liberty of Gods Spirit and are in respect of us contingent infer every particular nor will one or sew particulars in any point infer an Universal Proposition or such as we call vera ut plurimum true for the most part Now to say believe that such a man is a better Scholar and of far more excellent gifts is but indefinite not infinite for the extent of his Scholarship or gifts beyond mine Wherefore it wil not hence follow that he is a better Scholar or interpreter in this albeit he be so in many or in most other particulars much lesse will it follow that I am a better Scholar or interpreter then he because I am better seen in this one or few particulars The Consequence or Corollary of which two Assertions is again as evident I may without breach of Modesty think I have the Truth on my side in sundry particulars against him that is far better seen in Scriptures and other Sciences then my self For albeit he were much better seen in both then he is yet are his gifts measured as well as mine although God hath given him a greater measure of such gifts then me Wherefore as I would willingly yield unto him in infinite others so may I safely dissent from him in this or â—…r particulars that are contained in the small measure of Gods gifts upon me without any just censure of Arrogancy or breach of Modesty for entring the lists of Comparison with him absolutely For now we are to be compared but in this one or few Cases not according to the whole measure of Gods gifts in us which I acknowledge far greater in him and reverence him as my Superiour for them And as I acknowledge him absolutely for my better so is he in these particulars in some sort to yield Superiority unto me Christian Modesty teacheth every man not to be hasty or rash in gain-saying the Doctrine of the Ancient or other men of Worth but rather binds him to diligence in examination of the Truth to use deliberation in gain-saying the Opinions of men better learned then himself But Christianity it self binds all Christians not to believe mens Authority against their own Consciences nor to admit of their Doctrines for Rules of Faith be they never so excellent unlesse they can discern them to be the Doctrine of that great Prophet Cui DEUS non admetitur Spiritum He cannot fail in any thing and whatsoever He saith or what his SPIRIT shall witnesse to my Spirit to have proceeded from Him I am bound to Believe But for men to whom God gives his Spirit but in measure albeit in great measure because I cannot know the particulars unto which it extends I neither may absolutely refuse nor absolutely admit their doctrines for true until I see perfectly how they agree with or disagree from his Doctrine of whose Fulnesse we have all received And even the Truth of their Writings to whom he hath given his gifts in great measure I am to examin by their Consonancy unto that small measure of his undoubted gifts in my self so far as they concern my self or others committed to my charge And in the confidence of Gods Promises for the increase of Faith and Grace to all such as use them aright every Christian in sobriety of spirit may by the Principles of Faith planted by Gods singer in his heart examin the Sentences and Decrees of the wisest men on earth to approve them if he can discern them for true to confute them if false to suspend his judgement and limit the terms of his disobedience unto them if doubtful and finally to admit or reject them according to the degrees of their Probability or Improbability which he upon sober diligent and unpartial search directed and continued in reverence of Gods Word and sincere love of Truth shall find in them 3 All the Arguments which they can heap up from the Variety of Opinions amongst the learned albeit they could make a Catalogue of Confusion in this kind as long as the tower of Babel was high can only prove thus much That no man especially no man indued with the gift of interpreting may rely upon any other mans Opinions Expositions or Decrees without further examination of them but only upon the Scripture it self which never varieth from it self nor from the Truth for this cause to be admitted as the only Infallible Rule of all Divine Truths whereunto every man must conform his Belief and Perswasions For even this Variety of Opinions about the particular Sense or Meaning of this Canon of Truth amongst such as joyntly acknowledge the Infallibility of it in general is a sufficient Reason to disclaim any mans Authority for the Rule of Faith seeing Experience shews such Variety and Partiality in them and the general Foundation of Faith held by all thus dissenting binds every man to Believe that the Scripture is not subject to any of these Inconveniences This undoubted certainty of it when it is rightly understood and perceived should incourage all to seek out the right Sense and Meaning of it which once found is by all mens consent the surest foundation of Faith for by our Adversaries consent it is the Ground of the Churches Faith and where they cannot presently attain unto it to suspend their judgements and not to follow mens Authorities but onely in Particulars whose Generals are contained in Scripture lest they may lead them against the true Sense and Meaning of it And if men generally should have no other Ground but mans Authority or Believe this or that to be the Meaning of Scripture because such a man or companie of men doth tell him so besides his wronging of Gods Spirit herein he should also wrong many other men oft-times far better learned and skilfull in Scriptures more dear in the sight of God and better acquainted with his Spirit then are they on whose Authoritie he relies Every one to whom God hath given a wise heart and Power in Scripture might
taken as a typical Prophesie of the Popes Infallible Authoritie such a Prophesie of it I mean as the History of the Paschal Lamb was of Christs Passion if they will hold the first member of the former division That the Holy Ghost doth first teach us Infallibly to Believe these Scriptures which they urge for the Infallibility of their Church and having once made us infallibly to Believe them refers us to the Churches Infallibilitie taught and Believed by them for the Rule of Faith in all other Articles 11 Sed quia hac non successit alia aggredien lum est via Let us now see whether they be like to find any better successe by following the second member of the forementioned Division i. If they should say We must infallibly Believe the Churches Infallibilitie in expounding Scriptures or Points of Faith before we can infallibly Believe them to be the Word of God or to contain in them Doctrines of Faith This indeed they must say if they hold their Churches Authority to be the Rule of Faith or whereby infalliblie to distinguish Divine Truth from Apocryphal 12 Let us first take the Proposition supposed for Disputations sake viz. We must believe the Churches Infallible Authority before we can believe the Scripture to be the Infallible Oracles of God Secondly let us consider but this one part of the Churches infallible Authority which all the Modern Papists acknowledge That the Scriptures cannot be known infallibly to be the Word of God but by the confirmation of the present Church And let us see how these two Assertions can stand together By the first the Churches infallible Authority must be infalliblie Believed before Scriptures By the second which contains the chief part of the Churches Infallibilitie the Scriptures cannot be infallibly acknowledged or believed to be the Word of God but upon former supposal of Believing the Churches Infallibilitie confirming this Truth unto us 13 Here let all whose Brains are not intoxicate with the wine of Fornication pause a while and contemplate what Babylonish giddinesse hath possest their Brains that have run round about so long though alwayes staggering in urging Scriptures for to prove that as an Article of Belief which must be infallibly Believed before those places of Scriptures which they urge for it or else nor they nor any other Scriptures can ever be stedfastly Believed to be the Word of GOD or to have sufficient Authoritie in them to cause stedfast Belief unto that which they teach For this is the Issue of all our Adversaries Arguments in this Point That such matters as are contained in Scriptures cannot be stedfastly acknowledged or Believed for Supernatural or Divine Truths until they be confirmed by this Infallible Authority of the present Church Where again I would have the Reader call to mind what was before observed out of Bellarmines Positions That this Infallibility of the Church consists directly in this that it is perpetually assisted by the Holy Ghost and it is all one with them to say We Believe the Churches infallible Authority in matters of Faith and to say We Believe the Church is perpetually assisted by the Holy Ghost Again by all the later Jesuiteâ— Positions it is all one to say We Believe the Church is perpetually assisted by the Holy Ghost in determining matters of Faith and to say We Beleeve that the Pope speaking ex Cathedra is assisted perpetually by the Holy Ghost in determining matters of Faith 14 Out of these Assertions compared with the Proposition supposed The Churches infallibilitie must be Believed before Scripture or other Articles of Faith this will immediately and directly follow We must Believe that the Holy Ghost the Supreme Judge of Scriptures and matters of Faith doth infalliblie assist the Church or Pope speaking ex Cathedra before we can Believe that there is an Holy Ghost For this is one Article of Faith taught in Scriptures which Scriptures say our Adversaries cannot be Believed but by the confirmation of the Churches Infallible Authority and this infallible Authoritie consists as we said before in this that it is infallibly assisted by the Holy Ghost wherefore the Conclusion of this absurd Position is That we must first Believe the Holy Ghost is perpetually resident in the Popes breast or Consistory of Rome before it can be Believed that there is an Holy Ghost or Divine Trinitie in Heaven If we consider the Practise of our Adversaries in urging Scripture to prove their Churches Infallibility to be the Rule of Faith they should in Reason admit the first member of the fore-mentioned Division and hold that the Scriptures must be infallibly Believed for the Word of God before the Infallibilitie of the Church which they seek to prove by Scriptures can be infallibly Believed But again if we consider their assertions concerning the Churches Infallibilitie That the Scriptures cannot be known to be the Scriptures but by It and that It is the Rule of Faith they must of necessitie admit the second member of the fore-cited Division and maintain that the Churches Infallibilitie must infallibly be Believed before we can Believe the Scriptures to be the infallible Oracles of God For Regula semper est prior regulato but the Churches Infallibilitie is the Rule of Faith by their Positions and to Believe the Scripture to be the infallible Oracles of God is a main Point of Faith and necessary to Salvation for This is the Iesuites principal Topick to disprove the Scriptures Sufficiencie for being the Rule of Faith in all Points because it containeth not this one Point viz. that the Scriptures are the infallible Oracles of God It is hence evidently proved that neither of the two first members of the former Division can stand either with Reason the Allegators Practise or Positions For the first quite overthrows their Positions concerning their Churches Infallible Authoritie The second proves their Practise to be most absurd in urging Scriptures for to prove it And yet the third member is of all the three the most absurd albeit not so dissonant to their Positions or Practise in this Point because as are they so is it Senselesse both which will evidently appear by the bare proposal of it 15 The third member was That we must infallibly Believe the Scriptures to be the Oracles of God and the Churches Infallibilitic both together without any Prioritie of Time order or nature First if this Assertion be true then cannot the Churches Infallibility serve as a Rule to know the Scriptures to be the Word of GOD infalliblie because regula prior est regulato But by this Assertion there is no Priority in the Churches Infallibilitie their supposed Rule in respect of our knowing or Believing the Scriptures to be the Oracles of GOD. Secondly if the former Assertion be true then neither can the Scriptures prove the Churches Infallibility nor the Churches Infallibility prove the Scriptures to be the Word of God unto any Believer For all Means or
uncertain Of the infallible Church But her Infallibility is called in question and any Church may challenge this Prerogative as wel as theirs unlesse they can shew a better Title Without Revelation from above it is stil uncertain fide divina whether we are to Believe any Churches Infallibility concerning Scripture Or if any which of all Revelations from above we acknowledge none but the written Word they acknowledge Traditions as wel as It yet so as the Scriptures by their Confession are as certain as Tradition which they make equal only with the written Word acknowledged by us not above it Wherefore if the Scriptures be in themselves by their Objections uncertain then is Tradition as uncertain What shall assure us of the Truth of either The infallible Church But this can assure no man unlesse he first Believe it for certain and infallibly What shal make it certain to us The Scriptures But they are uncertain say our Adversaries and the Church must confirm their certainty unto us Though this Circle wherein Valentian and Sacroboscus have run giddie were of force to raise up all the Spirits in Hel and though they raised should sift all the Jesuites Brains in the world yet should not all the invention of Man with the help of Devils be able to find out the least Probability of avoiding the former Inconvenience Nay they should far sooner make ropes of the sand in the Adriatick Sea so strong as would hale Italy unto the Islands of Devils before they could teach all the Jesuites in the world so much Geometry as to make one of these Uncertainties support another CAP. XXXI The Unsufficiency of the Roman Rule of Faith for effecting what it aims at albeit we grant all they demand the ridiculous use thereof amongst such as do acknowledge it 1. WHen I was a Child as our Apostle saith and spake as a child understood as a child I thought some great matters might be contained under those Hyperbolical and swelling Titles of the Romish Church where-with mine ears were often filled And although I had been instructed to the contrary yet could I have wished her doctrine true such was my Affection to her shape as it was falsely represented to my childish Fantasie But after the Day-star had shined in mine heart the former Humour wherewith the eye-sight of my infant mind had been corrupted was quickly dispelled Once able to look more narrowly into the subtilest of her School-mens Disputes and examin her learned Clerks Apologies for her by the Gospels Light I saw clearly how by presenting meer shews or shadows of Truth they led weak-sighted Souls into Error as it were in a mist in the beginning of their works usually inserting pretended Grounds here and there as they espie occasion of their intended Conclusions supported with some sleight Reasons for the present feeding us with expectation of better Proofs either in some other work or a great way after in the same which may stay our minds til we come at them where they return us back again to what is past that being now far off and most particulars out of mind may seem not altogether nothing to such as wil not take pains to review it And thus in fine as the mist so their Proofs seem every where somewhat til a man come near them but then so vanish as he shall see nothing of that he looked for 2 Bellarmins books de verbo Dei compared with those others of his de Romano Pontifice c. and Valentians Analysis fidei wil easily approve this observation to him that shal read them through with Attention Both of them in the beginning of their works promising great matters made me expect some extraordinary proof in the processe but finding them best at the first always ambitions in producing multitude of Allegations to little purpose copious in bestowing glorious Titles and Prerogatives upon their Holy Church and yet finally contracting her Universalitie and sacred Catholickship into one mans breast who by their own Confession may be so carnally grosse that he cannot draw any spiritual breath their former goodly Encomions ending thus made me call to mind how crafty companions cozen children of what they love or stay their crying at what they dislike by promising them some Gallant â—ine Gâ—â—die Trim Goodly Brave Golden New Nothing Such brave Epithets so ravish a childs thoughts as at the first hearing he parts with any thing he hath or forbears to seek what otherwise he would have in hope of such a gay reward never looking into the substance of what is promised which was indeed just nothing With like bombast outsides do modern Priests Jesuites terrifie silly souls men or women meer children in understanding from all communion with our Church leading them through such painted Forefronts or fained but sightly Entrances into their vast imaginary empty Paradise wherein grows nothing but forbidden Fruit. Though Volums they write huge and large and in the sublimity of their speculative imaginations fetch Arguments from beyond the Moon yet unto him that hath but the eye of ordinary Reason in his head not blinded by their juglings their best Collections prove in the end but like the drawing of a net spread far and wide in the open air able to retain nothing of what it had compadded only such as looked a far off or had brains so weak or sight so ill disposed as could not distinguish betwixt the element of air and water making more then an ordinary stir in fetching so huge a draught might happily suspect some goodly Catch 3 Suppose we should grant that the Pope whiles he speaks ex cathedra cannot erre who shall I am sure no Jesuit or private Spirit can without all ambiguity and pretence of gainsaying determin directly and absolutely what it is to speâ—k ex cathedra And it is not to be expected that the Pope will ex cathedra define what it is to define a thing ex cathedra in such sort as shall leave â—…sion to excuse his Errour if he should be urged with a Sentence ex cathedraâ— which to the Major part of professed Christians might seem doubtful whether it were palpably erroneous or no. But suppose we knew directly and authentically what it were to speak ex cathedra and when the Pope did indeed so speak when not which no man can know but only by hear-say unlesse such as hear him give Sentence yet what Assurance can the Jesuites give unto the Christian World that his Holiness shal so determin or speak as often as the Peace of Christs Church or Weal of Christendom shal require That he shal speak de sacto ex cathedra whensoever the Church stands in need of a Decision the Papists themselves do not hold as any part of his Infallibility but only that he is able so to speak when his Infallibility wil. And â—… on 〈◊〉 arâ—umâ—ntum No man in their judgement can or ought â—…rain him to a â—…cision except he list And seeing they
adventure Thus might Divines dispute without any danger to 〈◊〉 Souls if the Romanists had not been so lavish in coyning matter for Contention rather then in searching Scriptures for Edification of Christs Church Or if the Laitie would be as carefull of their Spiritual as Bodily Health and not take their Physick blind-fold at such Mountebanks hands as Jesuites Priests and Seminaries be who minister none but such as either shall intoxicate the Brain or inflame the Heart with preposterous zeal Nor should variance in Points of Doctrine amongst Divines breed any danger or disturbance to Common-weals if they would not be Statists or Underminers of States as the Jesuites be If their Contentions were for the manner uncivil or bitter as are all contentions which the Jesuites breed the Supreme Magistrate whether Ecclesiastick or Civil might bind their Tongues and Pens to good abearance were it not for these Romish Wolves which in Sheeps cloathing convey themselves into the Fold of Christ and once crept in will admit of no triall but in the Lions Den unto which they are sworn Purvevors for whose maintenance like their Master that great Accuser of Gods Children they compasse Sea and Land and fetch their range about the World 10 Who can imagine any other Cause besides this their insolent challenge of Soveraigntie over all others Faith why the Scripture might not be admitted Judge over all Controversies of Divinitie much better then Hypocrates or Galen of all Controversies in Physick without any infallible Physitian perpetually resident in the World to give sentence viva voce It is no Paradox to hold that God which made us these Souls and gave the Scripture for their Health did much better know what was necessarie for them then either Hippocrates or Galen did what was good and wholesome for mens Bodies one hair of which they neither made black or white Even what they best knew they knew not otherwise to communicate unto Posteritie then by these dumb Characters or atramentarie instructers Whatsoever our Adversaries can urge to the prejudice of Scriptures Sufficiencie or Abilitie of Gods Spirit is true of these great Authours and their Writings all other Means of teaching though their dearest Schollers died with them now not able either to strengthen or consolidate the weak or shallow brain or illuminate darkned understandings they cannot so much as take notice of their Followers towardly pains and industrie or reward such as are most devoted to their Memorie and use their Aphorismes as infallible Rules of Bodily life and health with any blessing of Art or Nature But our God lives for ever and knows best who are his alwayes ready to Reward such as love him And as there is none living but hath received some Gift or other from him so hath he promised to give more and more unto all such as well Use what he hath already given If Nature be dulled so it be not slothfull withall in good courses he can sharpen it by Art though both be defective yet can he so inflame the heart with Zeal as it shall pierce more deeply into the Mysteries of mans Salvation then the acutest unregenerate Wit that Nature yeelds or Art can fashion His Spirit cannot be bound but bloweth where he listeth and giveth life to whom he pleaseth and can inlighten our mindes to see that Truth now written which he taught others to Write for our good 11 Physitians look not Hippocrates or Galen should stand on earth again Vessalius like to read Anatomy-Lectures upon their Followers live-tongues or other instruments of breath and speech abused to debate and strife or blowing the coals of bitter Dissention about their Meaning But we all look if we Believe aright that Christ Jesus who hath left us these his Sacred Lawes and Legend of his most blessed Life as a Patern whereby to frame our own free from contention peaceable humble and meek will one day after which shall be no more exact a strict accompt of every idle Word much more will he punish such Tongues or Pens as have been continually set on fire by Hell with the everlasting flames of that brimstone lake 12 Were our exorbitant Affections brought within compasse by hope and fear answerable to the Consequences of the former sweet Promises made to such as rightly use and terrible Threats against all such as abuse the good Means ordained by God for knowing his Will his infâ—… wordâ— from whose mouth soever uttered yea though but privately read with attentive silence would instruct us how to demean our selves in the search of Truth inform us how to direct fasten or inhibit finally how in all Mysteries of our Salvation to moderate our Assent much better then this supposed infallible Authoritie residing usually in men most like to Heathen Idols Though Mouthes they have as they pretend infallible yet fearce speak they once in two ages whose words when they are uttered portend more danger to the Christian World then if brute beasts should speak like men 13 No Christian Common-wealth but either hath or might have good Lawes for composing Contentions or establishing Unitie in the studie of Truth To see what should be done is never hard would strength of Authoritie be as willing to enforce men unto a Civil and orderly observation of Means known and prescribed Our Statutes are much more absolute and complete then Israels were when it was a sin to enquire after other Means either more easie or effectual for their conduction unto that true Happinesse whereat all States aim but onely such shall light on as put these Sacred Lawes in execution It is the common Errour of all corrupted mindes to seek that far off which as the Lord told his people is within them even in their Hearts and in their Mouthes so they would be Doers not Hearers onely of the Law Many Heathens have used such diligent care and unrelenting Resolution for just execution of their defective erroneous Laws as would the coactive Power every where resident where Christianity is professed use the like for establishing an uniform and unpartial though but an external and civil Practise of the ten Commandements and other Sacred Moral Precepts of whose Truth no Christian doubts about whose Meaning nor Protestant nor Papist nor any Sect this day living do or can contend fallible Judges might effect what the Papists pretend as infalliblie as if every particular Congregation had such a true infallible Teacher as they falsely deem or fain their Pope to catechise them ex cathedra thrice a week For who could better resolve us in all Points of Moment or retain our hearts in Unitie of Faith then Truth it self once clearly seen or made known unto us yet is it in it self much brighter then the Sun we daily see which it likewise herein exceeds That whilest Gods Word endures amongst us it still remains above our Horizon and cannot set onely grosse and foggie Interpositions raised from exhalation of such foul Lusts and reeking sins as
severe unpartial execution of known Lawes might easily restrain usually eclipse or hide it from us Such as are not so Eagle-sighted as to behold the brightnesse of every Divine Truth in it proper Sphere might yet safely behold the reflexion of it in one part or other of the sacred Fountain were it not troubled with the muddy conceipts of unsetled and unquiet Frains or were not such men oftentimes in great places as minding nothing but earthly things alwayes mingle filth and clay with the Chrystal-streams of the Water of Life Happie is that man of God that in this turbulent Age can in points of greatest moment see the Divine Truth himself small hope have any of causing others to see it whilest carnal mindes may every where without fear of Punishment but not without terrour of such Ecclesiastick Power as shall controul them foam out their own shame and overcast the face of Heaven whence Light should come unto their Souls with blasphemous unhallowed Breath whilest dunghill-Sinks may be suffered to evaporate the abundance of that inward Filth which is lodged in their hearts as it were of purpose to choak the good Spirit of God whilest it seeks to breath in others Mouthes whose Breasts it hath inspired with Grace 14 In brief lest my Adversary should challenge me of Partialitie As the Means which our Church from Gods Word prescribes for establishing mens hearts in the Unity of true Faith were the execution of known Lawes any way correspondent might as is said infallibly effect what the Papists falsely pretend so in truth it cannot without Hypocrisie be dissembled that whiles our Practise is so dissonant to our Doctrine and our Publick Discipline so loose though in detestation of their Errours we have turned our backs upon them with Protestation to follow a contrary Rule yet for the most part we jump with them at the journeys end To omit more finall agreements of our Contrarieties elsewhere shewed They wholly permit the Keyes of the Well of Life to ones mans hands who for his own advantage we may be sure will lock it up so close as none shall look upon it but with Spectacles of his making For as the Head is such we must expect the Eyes will be if the one the other must be universall too such as will leave nothing to be seen by private or particular eyes but what they have seen before or in one word if we admit one absolute visible Head his must be the onely Eyes of the Church We not through default of publick Constitutions nor so much by connivence of Ecclesiastick Magistrates as by presumptuous disobedience of Inferiours are so far from committing the custodie of this Sacred Fountain into one or few mens hands that the Flock for the most part never expect the Pastors marshalling but rushing into it without order trample in it with unclean feet If any Beam of Truth have found entrance into one of their Souls though quickly eclipsed or smothered by earthly cogitations he straight-way presumes Gods Word more plentifully dwels in him then in all his Teachers whence if his Purse be strong it is with him as with an Horse when Provender pricks him he kicks against all Ecclesiastick Authority and spurns at his poor Overseer that should feed him like the wanton Asse in the Fable that seeing the Moon lately shining where she was drinking suddenly covered with a cloud upon imagination she had drunk it up ran winsing out ere her thirst was quenched and threw her Rider 15 Thrice happie is that Land and State where Civil Policie and Spiritual Wisdom grave Experience and profound Learning in whose right Commixture consists the perfect Temperature of every Christian State do rightly symbolize These where they mutually clasp in their Extreams without intermedling in the Essence of each others Profession are like the Side-postes or Arches in the Lords House and the awfull respect of Christ Jesus the Judge of both and that dreadfull Day continually sounding in their ears by the voice of Gods faithfull and sincere Ministers would be as the Binding-stone or Coupling to fasten them surely in the joyning But whilest these each jealous of other start asunder that Breach is made whereat the Enemies of the Church and State hope for speedy entrance to the utter ruine of both CAP. XXXII Brieflie Collecting the Summe of this second Book 1 TO draw a brief Map of these large Disputes As the Occasions that breed so the right Means to avoid all Contentions and Schismes are most perspicuously set down in Scriptures Amongst others most necessary for this purpose for the plantation increase and strength of true and lively Faith sincere Obedience to Spiritual Authoritie is the chief For more willing and chearful performance hereof Choice should be made of Pastors or Overseers qualified as Scripture requires men of so high a Calling should be men not given to Quarrels or strife men of mild and lowlie Spirits fearing God and hating Covetousnesse men esteeming the hidden treasure of a good Conscience at so high a rate as neither Fear of man nor Hopes of any Worldly favour can move them to hazard or adventure it Were these Rules by such as have the oversight of Gods Flock as faithfully practised as they are by Scripture plainly taught the knowledg of Gods Word should daily encrease Piety Devotion and Christian Charitie continually flourish all Strife and Dissention quickly fade 2 But if through the default of Princes or Potentates no fit choice be made of spiritual Governours if by their negligence worse be made of inferiour Ministers the cause comes not by devolution to be reformed by the Congregation What then must they be altogether silent at such abuse No the Scripture hath given as plain a Rule for their imployment as for the others The more or more often Higher Powers offend the more fervently frequent should the lower Sort be in pouring out supplications prayers and intercessions for Kings and for all that are in Authority that they may Rule according to Gods Word In the mean time albeit they Rule otherwise Inferiours should consider that GOD gives them such Superiours for their pronenesse to disobedience scurrilitie scoffing at lawfull Authoritie or other like sins expresly forbidden by his Word To every People as well as Israel he gives such Rulers in his wrath as shall not seek them but theirs not his Glory in their salvation but their own Glory by their harm 3 But as the Tongues of Inferiours must be tied from scoffing or jesting at men in Authorities bad proceedings so must not the Word of God be bound If their Consciences rightly and unpartially examined direct them otherwise then their Governours command they must notwithstanding their Superiours checks speak as they think until Death command them silence if for the freedom of their Speech upon good warrant of Conscience they be punished Vengeance is Gods he will repay Superiours for it unto whose lawfull Authority whilest Obedience is denied upon
perswasions receive increase of strength from addition of probabilities But his words are more general and concern not onely uncertain but all perswasions that a faithfull man in this life can have of Gods Word at least of those Writings which we and they acknowledge for such and the mark he aims at is That no perswasion in Divine matters can be certain without the Churches confirmation as he expressely addeth in his answer to the next Argument 3 If the Reader will be attentive he shall easily perceive that not our Writers Objections but Bellarmias Answer is tainted with a quivecation For this speech of his The Church doth judge whether that which the Scriptures 〈◊〉 be true or false hath a double and doubtfull sence It may be meant either Of Scriptures taken indefinitely or indeterminately for that which God hath spoken whatsoever that be Or Of those particular Scriptures which we and they acknowledge or any determinate written or unwritten precepts questionable whether they were from God or no. 4 If we speak of Scriptures in the former sence Bellarmins answer is true For the Romish Church doth not take upon her to judge whether that which is supposed or acknowledged by all for Gods Word be most true in it proper and native but indeterminate sence seeing this is a Maxim unquestionable amongst all such as have any notion of a Dietie Whatsoever God hath spoken is most true in that sense wherein he meant it But if we descend to any terminate speeches written or unwritten 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 upon her absolutely to judge of all and every part of them For this is the very Abstract or abridgement of that infinite Prerogative which she challengeth All man must infalliblie believe That to be Gods Word which she commends That not to be His Word which she disclaims for such So as onely the former transcendent and indeterminate truth Whatsoever God saith is true is exempt from the Popes unlimited transcendent royal sentence no other word or syllable of truth which we can imagine God hath or might have spoken since the World began either by his own or his Sons mouth by the Ministery of his Angels Prophets Apostles or Evangelists but is every way absolutely subject to the Popes Monarchical censure 5 And here let not the Reader mistake it as any argument of our Adversaries ingenuitie that they will for their own advantage vouchsafe to grant what no Heathen Idolater did ever deny Whatsoever God saith is true For unlesse this were granted by all the Pope could have no possible grounds of pretence or claim to his absolute Infallibilitie or infinite supremacie over all And that which his hirelings seek to build upon the former foundation is Whatsoever the Pope hath said or shall say ex cathedra is most true because if we descend to any determinate truths we must believe that God hath spoken all and onely that which the Pope hath already testified or when any question ariseth shall testifie he hath spoken In fine the present Pope by their Positions is Gods onely living Mouth onely alsufficient to justifie or authentically witnesse all his words past all which without him are unto us as Dead Whence they must of necessity admit the same proportion betwixt the present Popes and Gods acknowledged written Word or supposed unwritten veritie which in civil matters we make betwixt a credible mans personal avouchment or living testimony of what he hath seen heard or known by undoubted experience and another mans heresay report either of the matters he spake of his speeches themselves or their true sence and meaning after his death For the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists to use their words are dead and Christ is absent so as we can neither be certain what they have spoken or what they meant in their supposed speeches but per vivam vocem Ecclesiae by the living voice of the present visible Church whose words are altogether as unfallible as Gods own words were And for this reason must be acknowledged a most absolute Judge of Gods written and unwritten words aswell of their Spiritual Sence and meaning as of their outward frame or visible Character This is the height of their iniquitie and will infer more then our purposed Conclusion in this Section That even of such places as are acknowledged by them for Gods Word we must not believe any determinate sence or meaning but what the Pope shall expressely give or may be presumed to allow of 6 This Doctrine as I would request the Reader to observe brings the second and third Person in Trinity on the one Partie and the Pope on the other to as plain and evident competition for Rule or Soveraignty over professed Christians faith as God and Baal were at in Elia's time This their Doctrine thus in shew grounded upon in deed and issue most opposite to Scriptures is the true Spiritual Inquisition-house whereof that material or bodily one is but a Type These following are the joynts or limmes of that rack of Conscience whereunto all such as are or would be true members of Christ but willing withall to hold their Union with the Pope as Visible Head of the Church are daily and hourly subject 7 First their souls are tied by surest bonds of faith and nature unto this Principle Whatsoever God hath said is most true the Jesuites again seek to fasten their faith and conscience as strongly unto this God speaks whatsoever the Pope speaks ex cathedra This third likewise must be believed as an Oracle of God even by Papists for the Pope hath spoken it ex cathedra The Books of Moses the Prophets the four Evangelists are Gods Words Whatsoever these have spoken we contend all should believe for Gods own Word upon such grounds as Saint Peter did from experience of their life-working sence communicate unto them by hearing reading meditating or practise But the Pope upon some controversies arising propounds a sence of these Writings or of some part of them quite contrary to that which brought the former comfort to our souls a sence to all unpartiall sences contradictory to the places joyntly acknowledged for Gods Word A sence the more we think on in sobriety the more we dislike a sence the more earnestly we pray to God for his Spirits assistance and other good means for the right understanding of his Word and encrease of faith the more still we distast and loath Here unlesse we let go some one or more of the mentioned holdfasts of faith either the first whatsoever God saith is true or the second Whatsoever the Pope saith God saith or the third The Mosâ—â—cal Evangelical and Apostolical Writings or those particular places about whose senâ—e the Controversie is were spoken by God our souls are put to more violent torture then Raviliacks bodie was But
the true Papists are wise enough to slip the third or last so as it shall not pinch them and have a trick withall to make the First yeeld what way they please who are resolved to follow what way soever it shall please the Popes Authority whereunto their souls indeed are onely tied to lead them But of such as ever had or hope to have any tast or relish of Gods Spirit if any should resolve absolutely to believe his interpretation of any place of Scripture contrary to that life-working sence which must be in every heart endued with hope of seeing God that mans disloyalty towards God and his Holy Spirit is as impudent as if a poor subject should replie unto his Prince commanding him in expresse termes to do thus or so I will not believe your words have any such meaning as they naturally import but a contrary such as one of my fellow-servants hath already acquainted me withall whatsoever you say I know your meaning is I should believe him in all things concerning your will and pleasure and whatsoever he shall enjoyn that will I do 8 That neither the Church can prove the Scriptures nor the Scriptures the Churches Authoritie was proved in the fourth Section of the former Book That such as hold this damnable Doctrine against which we dispute do not at all believe God speaking in the Scriptures shall be evinced in the third Section of this The present inconvenience which now will they nill they we are to wrest from their resolutions of faith is That in deed and conscience they either acknowledge no Authoritie in the Church or Scriptures or else greater in the Church then in Scriptures CAP. III. Inferring the general 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 inconvenience it will not be amisse to propose Bellarmines resolution of a Roman Catholicks faith One especial Objection of our Writers as he frameth it is That Faith if depending on the Churches judgement is grounded but upon the word of man a weake foundation for such an Edifice that the Scripture was given by the Spirit of God and must therefore be understood by the same not by the Churches Spirit Hereunto Bellarmine answereth The word of the Church 〈◊〉 of the Councel or the Pope speaking ex Cathedra is not the bare word of man He means no word obnoxious to errour but in some sort the Word of God in as much as it is uttered by the assistance and Government of the Holy Ghost I adde saith he that Hereticks are they which indeed do lean upon a brokenreed For we must know that a proposition of Faith must be concluded in this or the like Sâ—llogisme Whatsoever God hath revealed in Scripture is true but God hath revealed this or that in Scriptures Ergo this or that is true The first proposition in this Syllogisme is certain amongst all the second likewise amongst Catholicks is most firm as being supported by the testimonie of the Church Councel or Pope of whose immunity from possibilitie of erring we have expresse promises in the Scriptures as It hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us I have prayed for thee thy faith should not fail But amongst Hereticks the second or minor proposition is grounded onely on conjecture or judgement of a private Spirit which usually seems but is not good Whence seeing the conclusion must follow the weaker part it necessarily followes that all the faith of Hereticks such in his language are all that will not relie upon the Church is but conjectural and uncertain 2 A dreadfull imputation could it be as substantially proved as it is confidently avouched And the consequence of his resolution generally held by all his fellows is of no lesse importance then this That no man can be infallibly assured either of the truth or true sence of any particular proposition in the whole Canon of Scriptures received by us and them unlesse he have the Churches Authority for confirmation of both For unto us that onely which the Church avoucheth is certain and unfallible that sence of it which the Church gives onely sound if we speak of any particular or determinate truths 3 How certain and unfallible Assent unto all or any Scriptures may be wrought in mens hearts without any infallible teacher already hath been and hereafter shal be God willing in more particular sort exemplified In this place it stood the Jesuite upon to have given a better solution to the doubt objected which he is so far from unloosing that he rather knits it faster as shal appear if the Reader wil first cal to mind That for the establishing of firm and undoubted assent to any truth proposed it skils not how infallible the truth in it self or the proposer be unlesse they whose Relief or Assent is demanded be as infallibly perswaded of this Infallibility in the truth or the proposer In this respect our adversaries plead their immunity from errour as an Article necessary to be infallibly Believed for confirmation of Gods Word alwayes most infallible as all grant in it self but not so as they affirm to us until it be avouched by Infallible authority 4 Herein they concur with us Both with the truth That if we believe it only as probable that God spake all those words which we acknowledge to be most infallible because his our belief notwithstanding is not infallible but probable or conjectural For as a man may have bad desires of things essentially good so may he have uncertain perswasions of truthes in themselves most certain It is not therefore the supposed Infallibility of the Church or Pope howsoever but infallibly apprehended and believed that must strengthen our faith which otherwise as is pretended would be but conjectural And by the former principle acknowledged as wel by them as us it necessarily follows that if we be only probably not infallibly perswaded the Pope or Church cannot erre our assent unto the minor proposition i. unto any determinate part of Gods Word is only probable not Infallible For by the Jesuites Doctrine we cannot be certainly perswaded that God spake this or that but by the Churches testimony The immediate consequence of which two assertions compared together is we cannot be more certain that God hath spoken this or that then we are of the Churches Infallibility If then we be only probably not infallibly perswaded that the Church is infallible our Belief of the minor proposition that is of any determinate truth which men suppose God hath spoken must be only probable or conjectural not infallible Consequently to these collections the learned Papists generaly hold that the Churches Infallibility must be absolutely and infallibly believed as you heard before out of Canus Bellarmin and Valentian otherwise as Bellarmin would infer our Belief of the Minor in any
is essentially subordinate CAP. IV. Containing a further Resolution of Romish faith necessarily inferring the authority of the Romish Church to be of greater authority then Gods Word absolutely not only in respect of us IF we rack the former syllogism a little farther and stretch it out in every joynt to its ful length we may quickly make it confesse our proposed conclusion and somewhat more The Syllogism was thus What soever God hath spoken is most true But God hath spoken and caused to be written all those words contained in the Canon of Scriptures acknowledged by opposite religions of these times Therefore these words are most true The certainty of the Minor depends as our adversaries wil have it upon the present Romish Churches Insallibility which hath commended unto us these Books for Gods Word Be it then granted for disputations sake that we cannot know any part of Gods Word much lesse the just bounds extent or limits of all his words supposed to be revealed for our good but by the Romish Church The Spiritual Sense or true meaning of al most or many parts of these determinate Volums and visible Characters as yet is undeterminate and uncertain whereas all ponts of belief must be grounded on the determinate and certain sence of some part of Gods Word revealed for our adversaries acknowledg all points of Faith should be resolved into the First Truth Hence if we descend to any particular or determinate conclusion of Faith it must be gathered in his Syllogism Whatsoever the Church teacheth concerning the determinate and true sence of Scriptures whereon points of Faith are grounded is most trâ—â— But the Church teacheth thus and thus for example That her own authority is infallibly taught by the Holy Ghost in these words Peter feed my sheep Peter I have prayed for thee that thy faith should not fail ergo this sence and meaning of these words is most true And as true as it is must the sence likewise of every proposition or part of Scripture by this Church expounded or declared be accounted 2 The Major proposition of this Syllogism is as undoubted amongst the Roman Catholicks as the Major of the former was unto all Christians but as yet the Minor The Church doth give this or that sence of this or that determinate place may be as uncertain indeed as they would make our belief unto the Minor proposition in the general Syllogism before it be confirmed by the Churches authority For how can we be certain that the Church doth teach al those particulars which the Jesuites propose unto us we have Books indeed which go under the name of the Trent Councel but how shall we know that this Councel was lawfully assembled that some Canons have not been foisted in by private Spirits that the Councel left not some unwritten tradition for explicating their decrees after another fashion then the Jesuites do who shall assure us in these or like doubts The present Church All of us cannot repair to Rome such as can when they come thither cannot be sure to hear the true Church speak ex Cathedra If the Pope send his Writs to assure us what Critick so cunning as to assure us whether they be authentick or counterfeit Finally for all that can be imagined in this case only the Major of the Catholick syllogism indefinitely taken is certain and consequently no particular or definite conclusion of Faith can be certain to a Romanist because there are no possible means of ascertaining the Minor What the true Church doth infallibly define unto his Conscience 3 Or if they wil hold such conclusions as are ordinarily gathered from the Trent Councel or the Popes decisions as infallible points of faith they make their authority to be far greater then the infallibility of Gods written word yea more infallible then the Deity This Collection they would deny unlesse it followed from their own premisses These for example That a conclusion of faith cannot be gathered unless the minor God did say this or that determinately be first made certain But from the Pope or Churches infallibility conclusions of faith may be gathered albeit the minor be not certain de Fide For who can make a Jesuites report of the Popes Decrees or an Historical relation of the Trent Councel certain de fide as certain as an Article of faith And yet the Doctrine of the Trent Councel and Popes Decrees must be held de fide upon pain of damnation albeit men take them only from a Priests mouth or upon a Jesuites faith and credit 4 This is the madnesse of that Antichristian Synagogue that acknowledgeth Gods Word for most infallible and the Scriptures which we have for his word if it self be infallible For it tels us they are such yet wil not have collections or conclusions with equal probability deduced thence so firmly believed by private men as the collections or conclusions which are gathered from the Churches Infallibility An implicit faith of particulars grounded upon the Churches general infallibility so men stedfastly believe it may suffice But implicit faith of particulars grounded only upon our general Belief of Gods infallibility providence or written word sufficeth not This proves the authority of the Church to be above the athority of Scriptures or the Deity absolutely considered not only in respect of us that is all besides the Pope and his Cardinals For that is of more authority absolutely not only in respect of us which upon equal notice or knowledge is to be better believed more esteemed or obeyed but such is the authority of the Church in respect of the divine authority such is the authority of the Popes Decrees in respect of Gods Word For the Minor proposition in both the former Syllogisms being alike uncertain the conclusion must be more certain in that Syllogism whose major relies upon the Popes infallibility then in the other whose Major was grounded upon the infallibility of the Deity 6 Briefly to collect the sum of all The authority of the Church is greater then the authority of Scriptures both in respect of Faith and Christian Obedience In respect of Faith because we are bound to believe the Churches decisions read or explicated unto us by the Popes messenger though a Sir John Lack-latin without any appeal but no part of Scripture acknowledged by us and them we may believe without appeal or submission of our interpretation to the Church albeit the true sence and meaning of it seem never so plain unto private consciences in whom Gods Spirit worketh Faith The same argument is most firm and evident in respect of Obedience 6 That authority over us is alwayes greatest unto which we are to yield most immediate most strict and absolute obedience but by the Romish Churches Doctrine we are to yield supream and most absolute obedience to the Church more supream and absolute then unto Gods word therefore the authority of the Church is greater over us The Major is out of controversie seeing
causes so to do Without any sure warrant of Scripture to perswade it they bind all likewise to believe this Bare Negative That neither our Saviours Words at his institution of the Sacrament nor any other place of Scripture enjoyn the use of the Cup as necessary by way of precept or commandment Nor doth Christs words in the sixth of John howsoever we understand them according to the diverse interpretations of Fathers either of Sacramental or Spiritual eating enforce any such necessity Will you hear their reasons for this bold Assertion He that said Unlesse ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drick his blood you have no life in you said also If any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever And he that said Whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life said also The bread which I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the World He that said Whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwels in me and I in him hath said withall He that eateth this bread shall live for ever 11 Gods Precepts must be very peremptory and conceived in formall termes ere any sufficient authoritie to enjoyn obedience in what subject soever will be acknowledged in them by these men that dare thus deny a necessity of communicating Christ in both kinds imposed upon all in these words Verily verily I say unto you except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood you have no life in you onely because it is said in the words going before If any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever Of how much beter insight in Scriptures then these grand Seers of Rome would blind Homer had he lived in their time have proved For he never denied his fained Gods their Nectar because Ambrosia was an immortall meat And would he or any man not more blind in heart and mind then he was of bodily sense collect against Christs expresse words that his blood the true Heavenly Nectar was not necessary because his flesh doth strengthen to eternall life especially if he considered their captious interpellation against whom in that place he disputes which caused him not to expresse his mind so fully there as elsewhere he had done albeit afterwards he ingeminates the necessary of drinking his blood as well as eating his flesh in such precise and formall termes as if he had even then bethought himself that such Antichristian Spirits as these Trent Fathers might happily dare to elude his most sacred Precept by such Satanical glosses as in that Decree they have done 12 He had told the Jews as much as was pertinent to their Objection that he was the living bread which came down from Heaven much better then Minna which their Fathers had eaten Bread he called himself in opposition unto Manna not restraining this to his body or flesh onely albeit what he meant by bread he expounds partly by his flesh And the bread which I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the World Besides that bread in the Hebrew Dialect contains all sorts of food the manner of giving this Ambrosia was such as did affoord Heavenly visible Nectar too For whilest he gave his flesh upon the Crosse he poured out his blood withall But the Jews catch at this speech ere he had expounded his full meaning How can this man give us flesh to eat Then Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you Which words considered with the former circumstances to any mans capacity not infatuate import thus much Do ye murmur that I should profer you my flesh Verily I say unto you and ye may believe me Unlesse ye drink my blood as well as eat my flesh ye have no life in you For so he addes my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed that is both are as necessarie to eternal as meat and drink to corporal life 13 For these and many like reasons necessarily arising from the text some as well of their greatest Scholers as best interpreters denie the former places to be meant of Sacramental eating otherwise unable to conceive any possibilitie either of avoiding the inconveniences urged by us or of defending their infallible Church from errour in this Decree Yet saith the Councel howsoever they be understood according to the diverse interpretations of Fathers they infer no such necessity No not if most Fathers as Maldonate contends did hold them to be directly meant of Sacramental eating Why then did Jansenius and Hesselius renounce the Fathers in this surely to defend their Mother whose credit they have much better saved upon supposition that these words are meant onely of spiritual manducation then Maldonate otherwise acute but most perversely sottish in his Apologie for this Decree hath done And yet to speak the truth the same inconvenience will follow as necessarily though not so perspicuously at first sight albeit we grant them to be meant of spiritual Eating primarily For in that they are meant primarily of spiritual they cannot but be meant of Sacramental Eating also seeing these two as elsewhere I have observed are not opposite but subordinate Whence if we grant that Christs Blood as well as his Flesh must be communicated to us by Faith or spirituall manducation the Consequence will be Therefore the Cup as well as the Bread must be administred in the Sacrament because Christ saith in the institution that the Cup is his Blood and the bread his Bodie or flesh that is the one is the sure pledge or instrument whereby his flesh the other whereby his blood which we must spiritually eat as well in the Sacrament as out of it must be communicated unto us For as the Ancient Fathers have observed our Saviour Christ did in his Institution exhibit that unto us sensibly which before he had promised as invisible so that the precept of eating Christs bodie and drinking his blood sacramentally doth bind all capable of this Sacrament as strictly as that other of eating his bodie and drinking his blood Spiritually seeing this latter is the seal and assurance of the other And as our Adversaries acknowledge an absolute necessitie of Precept for eating Christ Sacramentally and Spiritually though that Precept concern not Infants so in all reason they should grant an equall necessity of Precept for eating his flesh and blood distinctly in the Sacrament though this be not necessary to all men at all times if without negligence or contempt they cannot be partakers of both For impossibilitie upon what occasion soever not caused through their own default exempts them from that generall Precept of eating Christ under both kinds as want of yeers or discretion doth children from any injunction divine or humane of communicating so much as in one kind For notwithstanding the
they become their chief accusers That opinion which at first brought in neglect of the Chalice and as the Trent Councel presumed would have warranted them in making this decree doth most condemn them for the measure of their iniquity could not have been so fully accomplished unlesse they had held a transubstantiation of the wine into Christs bloud 19 What part of Scripture can we presume they wil spare that dare thus countermand the most principal of all Gods Commandments what reckoning may we think they make of our Saviour Christ that adventure thus shamefully to disanul and cancel his last wil and testament defrauding almost the whole Christian World of half their Lord and Masters royal allowance partly without any shew of Scriptures either to restrain or otherwise interpret these Soveraign precepts partly upon such idle and frivolous allegations as may further witnesse their sleight estimate of Gods Word save only so far as it may be wrested to serve their turns 20 But grant the places there alledged by the Councel did so mitigate either the form of the institution or the peremptory manner of our Saviours speeches in the sixth of John as to make it disputable in unpartial judgments whether they did plainly injoyn any necessity of communicating under both kinds the former decree notwithstanding would manifestly infer an usurpation of Soveraignty over Gods word quite contrary to the general Analogie of faith reason and conscience by all which in cases doubtful and for the speculative form of truth disputable with equal probability affirmatively or negatively we are taught to frame our choice when we come to practise according to the difference of the matter or of consequences which may ensue more dreadful one way then the other alwayes to prefer either a greater good before a lesse or a lesse evil before a greater though both equally probable Suppose then these two contradictory propositions The denial of the Cup is a mutilation of Christs last will and testament the denial of the Cup is no mutilation of Christs last will and Testament were for their speculative probabilities in just examination equipendent yet the doctrine of faith delivered in Scripture reason and conscience without contradiction instructs us that to alter abrogate or mutilate the son of Gods last Will and Testament is a most grievous most horrible most dreadful sin but to permit the use of the Chalice hath no suspition of any the least evil in it Had the Trent Fathers thus done they had done no worse then our Saviour then his Apostles then the Primitive Church by their own confession did This excesse of evil without all hope of any the least compensative good to follow upon the denial should have swaied them to that practise which was infinitely more safe as not accompanied with any possibility or shew of danger although the speculative probability of any divine precept necessarily injoyning the use of the cup had been none Thus peremptorily to adventure upon consequences so fearful whereto no contrary fear could in reason impel nor hopes any way comparable allure them thus imperiously to deprive the whole Christian World of a good in their valuation testified by their humble supplications and frequent embassages to that Councel so inestimable without any other good possible to redound unto the deniers save only usurpation of Lordly Dominion over Christs heritage plainly evinceth that the Church is of far greater authority with them then GODS Word either written in the Sacred Canon or their hearts then all his Laws either ingrafted by nature or positive and Supernatural For 21 Admit this Church representative had been fully perswaded in conscience rightly examined and immediately ruled by Scripture that the former decree did not prejudice the institution use or end of this Sacrament yet most Christians earnest desire of the Cup so publickly testified could not suffer them to sleep in ignorance of that great scandal the denial of it needs must give to most inferiour particular Churches Wherefore the rule of charity that moved the Father of the Gentiles to that serious protestation If meat offend my brother I will eat no flesh while the world standeth that I may not offend my brother should in all equity divine or humane have wrought these Prelates hearts to like profession If want of their spiritual drink offend so many Congregations and such a multitude of our brethren we will rather not use our lawful authority acknowledged by all then usurp any that may be offensive or suspicious unto others though apparantly just unto our selves for they could not be more fully perswaded this decree was just then Saint Paul was that all meats were lawful to him 22 But may we think these Prelates had no scruple of conscience whether the very form of this decree were not against our Saviours expresse command Bibite ex hoc omnes drink ye all of this For mine own part whiles I call to mind what else-where I have observed that the Jews were never so peremptory in their despightful censures of our Saviours doctrine nor so outragiously bent against his person as when their hearts were touched in part with his miracles or in some degree illuminated with the truth he taught The Councels extraordinary forwardnesse to terrifie all Contravenaries of this decree makes me suspect they were too conscious of their own shallow pretended proofs to elude Gods word whose light and perspicuity in this point had exasperated their hardned hearts and weak-sighted faith to be so outragious in the very beginning of that session as if they had meant to stifle their consciences and choak the truth lest these happily might crosse their proceedings or controul their purposes if this cause should once have come to sober and deliberate debatement For as theeves oftentimes seek to avoid apprehension by crying loudest Turn the Thief so these wolves hoped wel to smother their guilt and prevent al notice taking of their impiety by their grievo us exclamations against others monstrous impious opinions in this point interdicting all upon penalty of the causes following ere they had determined ought to teach preach or believe otherwise then they meant to determin 23 Yet though the Councel accurse all that hold communication under both kinds as a necessary doctrine it doth not absolutely inhibit all use of the Chalice but leaves it free unto their Lord the Pope to grant it upon what Conditions he please either unto private men or whole Nations Upon what conditions then may we presume wil it please his Holinesse for to grant it upon any better then Satan tendred all the Kingdomes of the Earth unto our Saviour For this fained servant of Christ a true Gehazi repining at his Lord and Masters simplicity that could refuse so fair a profer made after Satan in all haste saying in his heart I wil surely take somewhat of him though my Master spared him and pretending a message in his name to whom all power was
for after a long and various deliberation used by the Councel Caiaphas who now sate as chief being the High-Priest pronounced that sentence where unto almost all at the least the major part agreed It is expedient that one die for the people and that the whole nation perish not upon which speech the Evangelist forthwith addes This he spake not of himself but being High-Priest for that yeer he prophesied Whence it follows faith Canus that our Prelates lives and actions may perhaps be contrary to our Lord Jesus but their judicial decrees or sentences such as are confirmed by the Pope who must be president in their Councels as Caiaphas was shall prove true and profitable unto Christians as instituted by God for the peoples good yea they shall proceed from the Holy Ghost for the reason which we have learned of the Evangelist to wit because such as give them are Prelates of Christs Church And this is all I have to say unto the second Argument 12 It is easie indeed for them thus to answer to whom it is most easie and most usual to blaspheme That the Popes aswell as Caiapha's prophecies may in the Event prove true and profitable to Christs Church we do not doubt because unto such as love God or are beloved of him all things even Sathans malice that had suborned Caiâ—phas and his brethren against Christ and his members turn to the best But he that had taken this High-Priest whilest he uttered this sentence for an infallible Prophet of the Lord had been bound in conscience to have done so to our Saviour at his as the people did to Baals Priests at Elias's instigation If our adversaries will permit us to interpret the Trent Councels Decrees as the faithfull of those times did Caâ—aâ—bus prophecie we will subscribe unto them without delay It is expedient we grant and profitable with all unto the Church that there should be such Decrees whereby the faith of others might be tried But as it was not lawfull for the people to imbrue their hands in Christs bloud though the greatest benefit that ever 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 clearly testifie the truth of his word concerning Antichrist Canus said more in this then was needfull according to his supposed principles in his answer to the next argument But God who ruled the mouth of Caiâ—phas and made him speak the truth when he intended nothing lesse dâ—â— also direct Canusâ—s pen to vent what upon better consideration he would have concealed Yet herein he wrote but out of the abundance of his own and most of his fellows hearts who hold that the Priests and 〈◊〉 â—â—re onely in a matter of Fact not in any point of Faith when they 〈◊〉 Christ For conclusion of this consider with me Christian Reader how great cause we have to thank our gracious God that the sâ—â—t of 〈◊〉 or â—abble of Predicants were not founded in our Saviours daveâ— for thâ—… doubâ—â—e the Devil had picked a traitor out of that crue whose impudenâ— sophistical Apologies for open Blasphemie and unrelenting perseverance 〈◊〉 traitâ—rous plots might have outfaced the world that the delivering of Chriâ—… into his enemies hands had been no â—uch sin as Jâ—… testified it waâ—… his pâ—nitent speech and desperate end CAP. XIV What it would disadvantage the Romish Churâ—h to â—eny the infallâ—…lity of the Synagngue THat any visible company of men before our Saviour Christs time dâ—… challenge such absoluâ—e authority over mens faith as the Pore doth would be very hard for them to prove and no question but the high-Pâ—… and â—…ers amongst the Jews did oftentimes challenge more then they had If the Rom mist should say that they had no such infallible authority in deciding all controversies as their Church now challengeth the assertion would be as improbable in it self as incongruous to their positions For unto any indifferent man such Infalliâ—ilitie in the Watch-Tower of Sion mâ—… quisite during the time of the Law then since thâ— promulgation of the Gospel â—e it granted the points to be expresly believed of the anâ— ent people were but few yet even such of them as were most necessary to salvation were more enigmatically and mystically set down then any in the new Testament aâ—e and the measure of Gods Spirit upon every sort of men the vulgar especially in thâ—se times much lesse For this câ—use God raised uâ— Prophets to instruct them whose authority though it was not such as the Roman Church now challengeth but given to supply the ignorance and negligence of the Church representative in those dayes yet much greater thâ—n is ordinarily required in the light of the Gospel by which as the doctrine of salvation is become most conspicuous in it self so is the illumination â—… Gods Spirit more plentifull then before it had been And since the Prophets have been so clearly expounded by the Apostles and the harmony of the two Testaments so distinctly heard the ordinary Testâ—… of â—esuâ—â—… 〈◊〉 to the spirit of Propheâ—ie Allowing then these infinite ods on our pâ—rts that enjoy the labours of former ages with the ordinary preaching of the Gospel an infallible oecumenical authority is much 〈◊〉 needfull now then it was in the Law 2 Or if our adversaries will be so wayward as to deny the like infallibility to have been requisite in the ancient Jewish Church they shall hereby thwart evidently themselves disanull their chief title and utterly disclaim the main plea hitherto used for their own infallibilitie Foâ—… them do uâ—ge Gods promises made unto that Church to prove aâ—… of 〈◊〉 a like authority in theirs And if these promises made to the Jews admit any distinction condition or limitation whereby tâ—… absolute infallibilitie as they suppose it may be impaired then may all the promises made or supposed to be made unto their Church admit the same or like But besides the weakning of their title by debarring themselves of this plea drawn from the example of the ancient Jewish Church no man that reads their writings can be ignorant that all their chief and principal arguments wherewith they carry away most simple souls and importune such as almost neither fear God nor man to give sentence for them and their Church against us are drawn from these or the like Topicks unlesse God had ordained one supreme Judge or infallible Authority that might decide all controversies in matters of faith viva vâ—ce he had not sufficiently provided for his Church yea which were most absurd he had left it in worse estate then civil Estates are for ordinary matters for they besides their written Laws have Judges to determine all cases or controversies arising And seeing that Monarchical Government is of all others the best and in any wise mans judgement most available for avoiding all dissention and keeping the unity of
much as is intimated in the words following was their inordinate desire of having an earthly King that might rule the nation with an iron rod. ‖ When Jesus therefore perceived by their forwardnesse to professe the former truth that they would come and take him to make him a King he departed again into a mountain himself alone for the same cause no doubt which the Evanâ—elist speciâ—… the former place But Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew them all and had no need that any should testifie of man He knew such as upon these glimpses of his glory were presently so stifly set to believe in him upon hopes of being fed with dainties or mighty protection against the Heathen would be as violently â—eâ—t against him even to crucifie him for a seducer â—tter they had discovered his constant endeavours to bring them both by life and doctrine unto conformity with his cross mortification humility contempt of the world patience in affliction with other like qualities despiseable in the worlds eyes yet main principles in his school and elementary grounds of salvation so his country-men of Nazareth sodainly admiring the gratâ—ous words which proceeded out of his mouth after he begun to upbraid them with unthankfulness as speedily attempt to throw him headlong from the top of the hill whereon their City was built By this it may appear that of the â—ewish people in ancient times some did sin in being backward others in an immature forwardnesse to believe prophetical doctrines But the fountains or first heads whence these swift motions of life were depraved in the one was inordinate assection or intrinsick habitual corruption the root whence such deadnesse was derived into the actions of the other was hardnesse of heart precedent neglect of Gods word and ignorance of his wayes thence ensuing Which presupposed the parties so affected did not amisâ—e in not believing the true Prophets without examination but in not abandoning such dispositions as disenabled them for believing all parts of truth proposed with constancy and vniformity making them fit instruments to be wrought upon by seducers Hence saith our Saviour I come in my fathers name and ye receive me not if another shall come in his own name him will ye receive How can ye believe which receive honour one of another and seek not the honâ—â—r that cometh of God alone Nor Prophetical nor Aposâ—olical nor Messiacal much lesse could Papal authority make them believe the doctrine of life intirely and sincerely whilest their hearts were hardned whose hardnesse though might easily have been mollisied by laying Moses law unto them while they were young and tender 4 It is a rule as profitable for our own information in many points as for â—â—â—utâ—tion of the adversary that The commendation of necessary meâ—ns is alwayes included in the commendation of the end which how good or excellent soever it be our desires of it are preposterous all earnest endeavours to attain it turbulent unlesse first addressed with proportionable alacrity to follow the means that must produce it Sober spirits alwayes bound their hopes of accomplishing the one by perfect survey of their interest in the other as minds truly liberal determine future expences by exact calculation of their present revenews Even in businesses of greatest importance though requiring speediest expedition a wise man will moderate his pace according to the quality of the ground whereon he goes otherwise the more haste may cause worse speed The Jews were as we are bound to believe truths proposed without delay but both for this reason most strictly bound to a continual uniformity of practising divine precepts already known without dispensing with this or that particular though offensive to our present disposition without indulgence to this or that special time without all priviledge sought from the pleasure or displeasure of men Both bound so to frame our lives and conversations as to be instantly able to discern the truth proposed not by relying upon their authority that propose it but for it self or from a full and lively though a quick and speedy apprehension of immediate homogeneal consonancy between the external and the internal word For if any part of Gods word truly dwel in us though secret it may be and silent of it self yet wil it Eccho in our hearts whilst the like reverberates in our ears from the live-voice of the Ministery Thus had the Jews hearts been truly set to Moses law had their souls delighted in the practise of it as in their food they had resounded to the Prophets call as a string though untouched and unable to begin motion of it self wil yet raise it self to an unison voice or as the fowls of heaven answer with like language to others of their own kind that have better occasion to begin the cry In this sense are Christs sheep said to hear his voice and follow him not every one that can counterfeit his or his Prophets Call 5 The issue of all that hath been said is that none within the prâ—cincts of these times whereof we now treat from the Law given unto the Gospel were bound to believe Gods messengers without examination of their doctrine by the precedent written word Only this difference there was such as had rightly framed their hearts to it did make this trial of Prophetical doctrines as it were by a present taste which others could not without interposition of time to work an alteration in their distempered affections For this reason do the Prophets alwayes annex Mosaical precepts of repentance to their predictions of future events as knowing that if their hearts to whom they spake were turned to God their sight should forthwith be restored clearly to discern the truth For further manifestation of the same conclusion it appears sufficiently from sundry discourses in the former book that Israels incredulity unto their Prophets was finally to be resolved into their neglect their imperfect or partial observance of Moses precepts Wherefore not the live-voice of them whose words in themselves were most infallible and are by the approbation of time with other conspicuous documents of Gods peculiar providence preserving them in divine estimation so long become an undoubted rule of life unto us but the written word before confirmed by signs and wonders sealed by the events of times present and precedent was the infallible rule whereby the prophetical admonitions of every age were to be tried and examined 6 The words of the best while they spake them were not of like authority as now written they are unto us nor were they admitted into the Caâ—on but upon just proof of their divine authority That one speech which Fsay uttered was an Axiom so well known as might bring all the rest to be examined before admission To the Law and to the Tescimony if they speaâ— not according to this word it is because there is no light in them For Gods Wil already known and
you cannot that God can and what if he should expresly grant such authority as the Pope now challengeth would your arguments conclude him to be Antichrist or the Doctrine we teach to be blasphemous On the contrary seeing our Saviour Christ did never either practise or challenge seeing neither Moses nor the Prophets did ever so much as once intimate such absolute power should be acknowledged in that great Prophet of whom they wrote we suppose the imagination of the like in whomsoever cannot be without real blasphemie Yet suppose Christs infallibilitie and the Popes were in respect of the Church Militant the same The Popes authority would be greater or were their authority but equall his priviledges with God would be much more magnificent then Christs That which most condemned the Jews of infidelity in not acknowledging Christ as sent with power full and absolute from God his Father were his mighty signes and wonders his admirable skill in Gods Word already established but chiefly his sacred life and conversation as it were exhibiting unto the World a visible patern or conspicuous modell of that incomprehensible goodnesse which is infallible Now if we compare Christ his power fulnesse in words and wâ—… with the Popes imperfections in both or his divine vertues with the others 〈◊〉 strous viâ—es to equalize their infallibilities were to imagine God to be like man and Christ at the best but as his faithfull servant the Pope his â—inâ—on his Darling or Son of his age For such is our partiality to our own flesh that oft-times though the Wise man advise to the contrary a lewd and naughty son in that he is a son hath greater grace and priviledges then the most faithfull servant in the Fathers house So would the Jesuites make God dote upon the Pope whose authority be his life never so ungracious if they should deny to be lesse then Christs in respect of us their practises enjoyned ex Cathedra would confute them For much sooner shall any Christian though otherwise of life unspotted be cut off from the Congregation of the faithfull for denying the Popes authority or distrusting his decrees then the Jews that saw Christs miracles for contradicting him in the dayes of his flesh or oppugning his Apostles after his glorification Nor boots it ought to say They make the Popes authority lesse then Christs in respect they derive it from his rather because they evidently make it greater then Christs was it cannot be truly thence derived or if it could this onely proves it to be lesse then the other whilest onely compared with it not whilest we consider Both in respect of us for Christs authority as the Son of Man in respect of us is equall to his Fathers whence it is derived For the Father judgeth no man but hath ommitted all judgement unto the Son 2 But wherein do they make the Popes authority greater then Christs First in not exempting it from trial by Christs and his Apostles doctrine neither of which were to be admitted without all examination of their truth for as you heard before Gods Word was first uttered in their audience established by evident signes and wonders in their sight and presence of whom Belief and Obedience unto particulars was exacted And it is a rule most evident and unquestionable that Gods Word once confirmed and sealed by Experience was the onely rule whereby all other spirits and doctrines were to be examined that not Prophetical visions were to be admitted into the Canon of Faith but upon their apparent consonancie with the Word already written The first Prophets were to be tried by Moses the latter by Moses and their Predecessors Christs and his Apostles by Moses and all the Prophets for unto him did all the Prophets â—… The manifest experiments of his life and doctrine so fully consonant to their predictions did much confirm even his Disciples Belief unto the former Canon of whose truth they never conceived positive doubt 3 Again there had been no Prophet no signes no wonders for a long time in Iudah before our Saviours birth yet he never made that use either of his miracles or more then Prophetical spirit which the Papists make of their imaginary publick spirit he never used this or like argument to make the people relie upon him How know ye the Scriptures are Gods Word How know ye that God spake with Moses in the wildernesse or with your Fathers in Mount Sinai Moses your Fathers and the Prophets are dead and their writings cannot speak Your present Teachers the Scribes and Pharisees do no wonders Must you not then believe him whom daily you may behold doing such mighty works as Moses is said to have done that Moses as your fathers have told you was sent from God that Gods Word is contained in his writings otherwise you cannot infallibly believe that there was such a man indeed as you conceive he was much lesse that he wrote you this Law least of all can you certainly know the true meaning of what he wrote He that is the onely sure foundation of faith knew that faith grounded upon such doubts was but built upon the sand unable to abide the blasts of ordinary temptations that thus to erect their hopes was but to prepare a Rise to a grievous Downfall the ready way to Atheisme presumption or despair For this cause he doth not so much as once question how they knew the Scriptures to be Gods Word but supposing them known and fully acknowledged for such he exhorts his hearers to search them seeking to prepare their hearts by signes and wonders to embrace his admirable expositions of them And because the corruption of particular moral doctrines brought into the Church by humane tradition would not suffer the generality of Moses and the Prophets already believed to fructifie in his hearers hearts and branch out uniformely into lively working faith he laboured most to weed out Pharisaisme from among the heavenly seed as every one may see that compares his Sermon upon the Mount with the Pharisees glosses upon Moses If the particular or principal parts of the Law and Prophets had been as purely taught or as clearly discerned as the generall and common principles His Doctrine that came not to destroy but to fulfill the Law in words and works had shined as brightly in his hearers hearts at the first proposal as the Sun did to their eyes at the first rising For all the moral duties required by them were but as dispersed rayes or scattered beams of that divine light and glory which was incorporate in him as splendor in the body of the Sun Nor was there any possibility the Jews Belief in him should prosper unlesse it grew out of their general assent unto Moses Doctrine thus pruned and purged at the very root Had all believed Moses saith our Saviour 〈◊〉 would have believed me for he wrote of me but if ye believe not his writings how soâ—â—l ye believe my words For
met them as live-like as they themselves were Was he to them a Prophet mighty in word and deed and yet not able to perform what he had constantly spoken But what was the chief matter of their just reproof That they had not believed his words nor given due credence to his works Dull no doubt they had been in not esteeming better of both unwise in not learning more of Him that taught as never man taught but as in them he teacheth us most dul and most unwise even Fools and slow of heart in not believing all that the Prophets had spoken Ought not Christ to have suffered these things as if he had said Is it possible your ignorance in them should be grosse as not to know that Christ was thus to suffer and so to enter into his glory 2 You wil say perchance they did not wel in giving so little attention and credit to the Prophets whose light should have led them unto Christ but now that they have light on him in person without their help only by his seeking them shall not he who was the end and scope of all prophetical writings teach them all He will but not by relying only upon his infallible authority This Edifice of Faith must be framed upon the Foundation laid by the Prophets For this reason happily our Saviour would not bewray himself to be their infallible teacher until he had made them by evidence of Scripture by true sense and feeling of his spirit believe and know the truth which he taught to be infallible He had opened their hearts by opening the Scriptures unto them before their eyes were open to discern his person for he began at Moses and at all the Prophets and interpreted unto them in all the Scriptures the things which were written of him Stedfast Belief then of any mans authority must spring out of the solid Experience of his skil and truth of his doctrine These two disciples might now resolve their hearts that this was he who John said should baptize with the holy Ghost and with fire when by the working of his spirit their hearts aid burn within them whiles he talked with them and opened the Scriptures unto them Though before they had received John Baptists witnesse of the truth as a Tie or Fest to stay their fleeting Faith yet now they would not receive the record of man there is another that beareth witnesse of him the spirit of truth which hath imprinted his doctrine in their hearts 3 Would the Pope who challengeth Christs place on earth amongst his living members and requires we should believe his words as wel as these Disciples did Christs but expound those Scriptures unto us which Christ did to them with like evidence and efficacy could he make our hearts thus burn within by opening the secret mysteries of our salvation we would take him for Christs Vicar and believe indeed he were infallibly assisted by the Holy Spirit But seeing he and his followers invert our Saviours method by calling the certainty of both Testaments in question telling us we cannot know them to be Gods word unlesse it shal please this Roman God to give his word for them or confirm their truth seeing this his pretended confirmation is not by manifesting the mysteries of our salvation so distinctly and clearly as Christ did unto these Disciples nor by affording us the true sense and feeling of the spirit in such ardent manner as they enjoyed it and yet accurseth us if we believe not his words as wel as they did their Redeemers we may hence take a perfect measure of that mouth of Blasphemies spoken of by S. John according to all the three dimensions contained in the three assertions prefixed to the beginning of this Section Nor can the reader imagin either any other forepassed like unto it or yet to come likely to prove more abominable if it shal but please him to survey the length and breadth of it but especially the profundity 4 The length of it I make That assertion The Pope must be as well believed as either Christ was whilst he lived on earth or his Apostles after his glorification The breadth His absolute authority must be for extent as large and ample as Christs should be were he on earth again or as that commission he gave unto his Disciples Go Preach the Gospel to every creature his directions must go forth throughout all the earth and his words unto the ends of the world The depth is much greater then the space between heaven and hell For if you would draw 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 conceive a greater The depth I gather partly from the excesse of Christs worth either arising from his personal union with the Godhead his sanctity of life and conversation or from his Hyperprophetical Spirit and abundant miracles For look how much he exceeds any but meer man in all these by so much doth the Pope though supposed as not obnoxious to any crime make his authority and favour with God greater then Christs which is the Semidiameter of this Mouth of Blaspemies The other part equal hereunto in quantity but for the quality more tainted with the dregs of Hell ariseth from that opposition the Popes spirit hath unto Christ or from the luxury and beastly manners of the Papacy erected by Satan as it were of purpose to pollute the world with monstrous sins and to derogate as much from mankind as true Christianity doth advance it finally to make the Christian world as much more wicked as Christs Disciples Apostles and faithful followers are better then the heathen Nor doth the Pope exact Belief only without miracles or manifestation of a prophetical spirit but contrary to all notions of good and evil common to Christians and Heathens and as it were in despight of the Prophesies that have deciphered him for Antichrist What heathen Philosopher could with patience have endured to hear that a dissolute luxurious tyrant could not though in matters of this life give wrong sentence out of the seat of Justice The Jesuites teach it as an Article of faith that the Pope albeit a dissolute and ungracious tyrant Mankinds reproach the disgrace of Christianity cannot possibly give 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 grieve the souls of ingenuous men unlesse they also grieve their God seeking as it were to crosse his spirit by holding opinions not only contradictory but most contrary to his sacred rules they importune the Christian world with tumultuous clamours to take that which the spirit hath given as the demonstrative Character of great Antichrist the old serpents chief confederate for the infallible cognisance of Christs Vicar the very signet of his beloved Spouse Nor wil they I know
be so authentick in his doctrine Is it not the pretended priviledge of the same spirit which exempts the Pope from privatenesse and makes his authority oecumenical and infallible Whosoever then by participation of this spirit understands the Prophesies either immediately or expounded by others whomsoever his conceit of them or their right interpretation is not private but authentick And Canus though a Papist expresly Teacheth That the immediate ground or Formal Reason of ours and the Apostles Belief must be the same both so immediately and infallibly depending upon the testimony of the spirit as if the whole world beside should teach the contrary yet were every Christian bound to stick unto that inward testimony which the spirit hath given him Though the Church or Pope should expound them to us we could not infallibly believe his expositions but by that spirit by which he is supposed to teach so believing we could not infallibly teach others the same for it is the spirit only that so teacheth all The inference then is as evident as strong that private in the fore-cited place is opposed to that which wants authority not unto publick or common The Kings promise made to me in private is no private promise but wil warrant me if I come to plead before his Majesty albeit others make question whether I have it or no. In this sense that interpretation of scriptures which the spirit affords us that are private men is not private but authentick though not for extent or publication of it unto others yet for the perfection of our warrant in matters of salvation or concerning God For where the spirit is there is perfect liberty yea free accesse of pleading our cause against whomsoever before the Tribunal seat of justice especially being wronged in matters of the life to come To this purpose saith our Apostle But â—e that is spiritual discerneth all things yet he himself is judged of no man In those things wherein he cannot be judged by any he is no private man but a Prince and Monarch for the freedom of his conscience But if any man falsly pretend this freedom to nurse contentions or to withdraw his neck from that yoak whereto he is subject he must answer before his supream Judge and his holy Angels for framing unto himself a counterfeit licence without the assured warrant of his spirit And so shal they likewise that seek to command mens consciences in those matters wherein the spirit hath set them free This is the height of iniquity that hath no temporal punishment in this life but must be reserved as the object of fiercest wrath in that fearful day the very Idea of Antichristianism CAP. XXIV That S. 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 wel as other Apostles had the gift of miracles which amongst Barbarians or distressed souls destitute of other comfort likely to be won to grace by wonders he did not neglect to practise but sought not to enforce belief upon the Jews by fearful signs or sudden destruction of the obstinate albeit he had power to anathematize not only in word but in deed even to deliver men alive unto Satan When he came to Thessalonica he went as his manner was into the Synagogue and three Sabbath dayes disputed with his country-men by the Scriptures opening and alledging that Christ must have suffered and risen again from the dead and this is Jesus Christ whom I preach to you These Jews had Moses and the Prophets and if they would not hear them neither would they believe for any miracles which to have wrought amongst such had been as the casting of pearls before swine What was the reason they did not believe because the Scriptures which he urged were obscure but Saint Paul did open them Rather they saw the truth as Papists do but would not see it They rightly believed whatsoever God had said was most true that he had said what Moses and the Prophets wrote and yet Saint Paul taught nothing which they had not foretold But that was all one these Jews had rather believe Moses and the Prophets meant as the Scribes and Pharisees or other chief Rulers of their Synagogues taught then as Paul expounded them albeit his expositions would have cleared themselves to such as without prejudice would have examined them But the Beroeans were of a more ingenuous disposition so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports they were not vassals to other mens interpretations or conceits but used their liberty to examin their truth They received the word with all readinesse and searched the Scriptures whether these things were so or no. If they believed in part before their practise confirms the truth of our assertion that they were not to believe the infallibility of Paul but of his doctrine albeit they were wel perswaded of his personal authority If they believed neither in part nor wholly before they saw the truth of his doctrine confirmed by that Scripture which they had formerly acknowledged their ingenuity herein likewise confirms our doctrine and condemns the Papists of insolent blasphemy for arrogating that authority unto the Popes decrees which is only due unto Gods word already established 2 I would demand of any Papists whether the Beroeans did wel 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 Unlesse the Reader bite his lip I will not promise for him he shall not laugh at Bellarmines answer albeit I knew him for another Heraclitus or Crassus Agelastus who never laughed in all his life save once when he saw an Asse feed on thistles Surely he must have an Asses lips that can taste and a swines belly that can digest this great Clerks Divinity in this point I answer saith he albeit Paul were an Apostle and could not preach false doctrine thus much notwithstanding was not evident to the Beroeans at the first nor wore they bound forthwith to believe unlesse they had seen some miracles or other probable inducements to believe Therefore when Paul proved Christ unto them out of the Prophetical Oracles they did well to search the Scriptures whether those things were so If Saint Paul had thought miracles a more effectuall means then Scriptures for begetting faith in such as acknowledged Moses and the Prophets no doubt he had used miracles rather then their authority Or if the Pope cannot expound the Scriptures as effectually and perspicuously as Saint Paul did why doth he not at the least work miracles are we bound absolutely to believe him and is he bound to do neither of these without which the people of Beroea were not bound as Bellarmine acknowledgeth to believe Saint Paul But if his reason be worth belief Christians which know the Church
cannot erre in explicating the doctrine of faith are bound to embrace it without questioning whether the places alleadged be to the purpose or no. Let such Christians as believe the Pope cannot erre in the name of God believe whatsoever he shall teach without examination yet remember withall that thus to believe is to worship the Dragon by giving their names unto the Beast But unto what Christians is the Popes infallibilitie better known then Saint Pauls was to the Beroeans Not unto us whose fathers have forsaken him for his Apostasie from God and taught us to eschew him as Antichrist to hold his doctrine as the very doctrine of devils Unto us at least his Holinesse should seek to manifest his infallibility by such means as Saint Paul did his even unto such as had seen his miracles and had experience of his power in expounding Scriptures Besides Saint Pauls conversation in all places was continually such as did witness him to be a chosen vessell full of the spirit of grace He did not make marchandise of the Word of God as most Popes do but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God so he spake through Christ he did not walk in craftinesse yet who greater Polititians then Popes Nor did he handle the Word of God deceitfully but in declaration of the truth he did approve himself to every mans conscience in the sight of God This one amongst others he accounts as an especiall motive to perswade men of his heavenly calling in that he did not preach himself but Christ Jesus and himself their servant for Iesus sake For so our Saviour had said He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory The Pope that we might know him to be Christs opposite seeks almost nothing else nothing so much as to be absolute Lord over all other mens faith If this any Jesuite will deny let him define what Prince amongst the nations what Tyrant in the World did ever challenge greater soveraignty in affairs of this life then the Pope doth in all matters whatsoever concerning the life to come 3 But it may be Bellarmine was either afraid or ashamed of this answer wherefore he adds another as wise to keep it from blushing I â—â—de saith he albeit an Heretick sin in doubting of the Churches authority into which he hath been regenerate by Baptisme nor is the case the same in an Heretick which hath once made profession of faith and in a Jew or Ethnick which never was Christian yet this doubt which is a sin being supposed he doth not amisse in searching and examining whether the places alleadged by the Trent Councell oat of Scriptures or Fathers be true or pertinent so hâ— do this with an intent to finde the truth not to calumniate A man at the first sight would deem Bâ—llâ—rmine for his own part at least had given us leave to examine the Popes doctrine by Scripture but that as you heard before he absolutely denies nor will he I am sure pawn his hat that he which searcheth the Scriptures and Fathers alleadged and cannot find any such meaning in either as the Trent Councell would thence infer shall be freed by their Church from heresie although he be not so uncivil as to calumniate the Pope but onely salvareverentia ingenuously professe that he thinks on his Conscience the Scripture meant no such matter as the Councel intended This none of their Church dare promise for dubius in fide by their doctrine est haereticus he that doubts after sâ—uch an authentick determination is condemned for an heretick and yet without such assurance of being freed from heresie this permission of reading Scriptures is not worth God a mercy seeing he must at length be constrained to believe the Scripture saith just so as the Pope saith albeit his private conscience informe him to the contrary so that by reading them he must either wound his own conscience more then if the use of them had been denied him or else use them but as a court favour or grace bestowed upon him by the Pope for which he must in good manners yeeld his full assent to his doctrine with infinite thanks for his bounty Howsoever if he be doubtfull in their tenents he may not read the Scriptures with Calvin Beza or any of our Writers Expositions or in any Edition save such as they approve or with the Rhemish animadversions or glosses or according to the analogy of that faith wherein the Jesuites have catechized him So that the reading of Scriptures if their opinions be erroneous as we hold the Popes decisions are serves to as good purpose for confirming one of their catechizing in the right faith as the ringing of bells doth to bring a melancholy man out of some foolish conceit which runs in his mind both of them will believe their former imaginations though never so bad the better because the one thinks the bells ring the other that the Scriptures speak just so as he imagines This Bellarmine cannot dissemble in his next words Bound he is to receive the Churches doctrine without examination but better he were prepared unto the truth by examining then by neglecting it to persist still in his blindnesse His meaning in plain English is this He and his fellows could wish Reformed Churches would all come off at once and believe as Romanists do without all examination whether they believe as Christians or Magicians but if we will not be so forward as they could wish we were they could in the second place be very well content to admit us into their Church again though after a yeer or two's deliberation rather then lose our company for ever 4 The learned Doctor Whitakers of famous memory out of the former place gathered these two corollaries Every doctrine is to be tried 〈◊〉 Scripture The Apostle taught nothing but what might have been confirmed out of Moses and the Prophets Sacrâ—boscus reply to these Orthodoxal collections confirmes me in that conceit I entertained of Romish Schoolmen when I first began to read them They seemed to me then much more now to handle matters of greatest moment in divinity after the same fashion for all the world nimble Artists do Philosophical Theorems in the Schools whiles they are coursed by such as would triumph in their disgrace Be the argument brought in it self never so good or forcible to evince the contradictory to their tenents yet if the opponent in his inference of what was last denied chance but to omit some petty terme or clause impertinent to the main question or make his propositions more improbable by framing them more universal then he needs occasion will quickly be taken to interrupt his progresse and put him off especially if the Answerer be so well provided with some shew of instance to the contrary or absurdity likely to follow if all were true his Antagonist would seeme to prove Nor do I censure this as a fault in youth or whilest we are in
proposition must finally be resolved Every conclusion of faith as is before observed out of Bellarmine must be gathered in this or like Syllogisme Whatsoever God or the first Truth saith is most true But God said all those words which Moses the Prophets and the Evangelists wrote Therefore all these are most true The Major in this Syllogisme is an Axiom of Nature acknowledged by Turks and Infidels nor can Christian faith be resolved into it as into a Principle proper to it self The Minor say our Adversaries must be ascertained unto us by the Churches authority and so ascertained becomes the first and main principle of faith as Christian whence all other particular or determinate conclusions are thus gathered Whatsoever the Church proposeth to us for a divine Revelation is most certainly such But the Church proposeth the Books of Moses and the Prophets finally the whole volumes of the old and new Testament with all their parts as they are extant in the vulgar Roman Edition for divine revelations Therefore we must infallibly believe they are such So likewise must we believe that to be the true and proper meaning of every sentence in them contained which the Church to whom it belongs to judge of their sence shall tender unto us 2 For better manifestation of the Truth we now teach the young Reader must here be advised of a Twofold Resolution One of the things or matters believed or known into their first parts or Elements Another of our Belief or perswasions concerning them into their first Causes or motives In the one the most general or remotest cause In the other the most immediate or next cause alwayes terminates the resolution The one imitates the other inverts the order of composition so as what is first in the one is last in the other because that which is first intended or resolved upon by him that casteth the plot is last effected by the executioner or manual composer In the former sence we say mixt bodies are lastly resolved into their first Elements houses into stones timber and other ingredients particular truths into general maximes conclusions into their immediate premisses all absurdities into some breach of the rule of contradiction Consonantly to this interpretation of final resolution The First Verity or divine infallibility is that into which all Faith is lastly resolved For as we said before this is the first step in the progresse of true Belief the lowest Foundation whereon any Religion Christian Jewish Mahometan or Ethnick can be built And it is an undoubted Axiom quod primum est in generatione est ultimum in resolutione when we resolve any thing into the parts whereof it is compounded we end in the undoing or unfolding it where nature begun in the composition or making of it But he that would attempt to compose it again or frame the like aright would terminate all his thoughts or purposes by the end or use which is farthest from actual accomplishment Thus the Architect frames stones and timber and layes the first foundation according to the platform he carries in his head and that he casts proportionably to the most commodious or pleasant habitation which though last effected determines all cogitations or resolutions precedent Hence if we take this ultima resolutio as we alwayes take these termes when we resolve our own perswasions that is for a resolution of all doubts or demands concerning the subject whereof we treat A Roman Catholicks faith must according to his Principles finally be resolved into the Churches infallibility For this is the immediate ground or first cause of any particular or determinate point of Christian faith and the immediate cause is alwayes that into which our perswasions concerning the effect is finally resolved seeing it onely can fully satisfie all demands doubts or questions concerning it As for example if you ask why men or other terrestrial Creatures breath when fishes do not to say they have lungs and fishes none doth not fully satisfie all demands or doubts concerning this Subject For it may justly further be demanded what necessity there was the one should have lungs rather then the other If here it be answered that men and other perfect terrestrial creatures are so full of fervent blood that without a cooler their own heat would quickly choak them and in this regard the God of nature who did not make them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or give them life in vain to be presently extinct did with it give them lungs by whose respiration their naturall temper should be continued This answer doth fully satisfie all demands concerning the former effect For no man of sense would further question why life should be preserved whose preservation immediately depends upon respiration or exercise of the lungs and is therefore the immediate cause of both and that whereunto all our perswasions concerning the former subject are lastly resolved Or if it should be demanded why onely man of all other creatures hath power to laugh to say he were indued with reason doth not resolve us for a Philosophical wit would further question Why should reasonable substances have this foolish faculty rather then others A good Philosopher would perswade us the spirits which serve for instruments to the rational part are more nimble and subtle and so more apt to produce this motion then the spirits of any other creatures are But this I must professe resolves not me for how nimble or subtle soever they be unlesse man had other corporeal Organs for this motion the spirits alone could not produce it and all organical parts are framed for the operation or exercise of the faculty as their proper end Whence he that would finally resolve the former Problem must assigne the true final cause why reasonable substances more then others should stand in need of this motion Now seeing unto reason onely it is proper to forecast danger and procure sorrow and contristation of heart by preconceit of what yet is not but perhaps may be it was requisite that our mortality through reason obnoxious to this inconvenience should be able to correct this contristant motion by the contrary and have a faculty to conceive such pleasant objects as might dilate the heart and spirits that as man hurts his body by conceited sorrow whereto no other Creature is subject so he might heal it again by a kind of pleasance whereof he alone is capable 3 Answerable to this latter acception of final resolution if you demand a Roman Catholick why he believes there is a Trinity there shall be a resurrection or life everlasting his answer would be because God or the First Verity hath said so but this doth not fully satisfie for we might further question him as he doth us why do you believe that God did say so Here it sufficeth not to say This truth is expresly taught in Canonical Scriptures for the doubt whereby he hopes to stagger us most is this Why do you believe
be certaine whether ever there had been such an Emperour as they plead succession from or at least how far his Dominions extended or where they lay This manner of plea in secular controversies would be a mean to defeat him that made it For albeit the Christian World did acknowledge there had been such an Emperour and that many parts of Europe of right belonged unto his lawfull heir Yet if it were otherwise unknown what parts these were or who this heir should be no Judge would be so mad as finally to determine of either upon such motives Or if the Plaintiffe could by such courses as the World knows oft prevail in judgement or other gracious respects effect his purpose he were worse then mad that could think the finall resolution of his right were into the Emperours last Will and Testament which by his own confession no man knows besides himself and not rather into his own presumed fidelitie or the Judges apparant partiality So in this Controversie whatsoever the Pope may pretend from Christ all in the end comes to his own authority which we may safely believe herein to be most infallible that it will never prove partiall against it self or define ought to his Holinesse disadvantage 10 Here again it shall not be amisse to admonish younger Students of another gull which the Jesuite would put upon us to make their Churches Doctrin seem lesse abominable in this point lest you should think they did equalize the authority of the Church with divine revelations Valentian would perswade you it were no part of the formal object of faith It is true indeed that the Churches authority by their Doctrine is not comprehended in the object of Belief whilest it onely proposeth other Articles to be believed No more is the Sun comprehended under the objects of our actual 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 unto us unlesse it self were the first and principal visible that is unlesse it might be seen more clearly then those things which we see by it so we would direct our sight unto it so would it be impossible the Churches infallible proposal could make a Roman Catholicks Belief of Scriptures or their Orthodoxal sence the stronger unlesse it were the first and principal credible or primary object of his Beliefe or that which must be most clearly most certainly and more stedfastly believed so as all other Articles besides must be believed by the belief or credibility of it This is most evident out of Sacroboscus and Bellarmines resolution or explication of that point how the Churches proposal confirmes a Roman Catholicks belief To give this Doctrine of their Churches infallibility the right title according to the truth it is not an Article of Catholick Belief but a Catholick Axiom of Antichristian unbelief which from the necessary consequences of their assertions more strictly to be examined will easily appear CAP. XXIX What manner of casual dependance Romish Belief hath on the Church that the Romanist truely and properly believes the Church onely not God or his Word 1 THe two main assertions of our Adversaries whence our intended conclusion must be proved are these often mentioned heretofore First that we cannot be infallibly perswaded of the truth of Scriptures but by the Churches proposal Secondly that without the same we cannot be infallibly perswaded of the true sence or meaning of these Scriptures which that Church and we both believe to be Gods Word How we should know the Scriptures to be Gods Word is a Probleme in Divinity which in their judgement cannot be assoiled without admission of Traditions or divine unwritten verities of whose extent and meaning the Church must be infallible Judge It is necessary to salvation saith Bellarmine that we know there be some books divine which questionlesse cannot by any means be known by Scriptures For albeit the Scripture say that the Books of the Prophets or Apostles are divine yet this I shall not certainly believe unlesse I first believe that Scripture which saith thus is divine For so we may read every where in Mahomets Alcoran that the Alcoran it self was sent from heaven but we beliefe it not Therefore this necessary point that some Scripture is divine cannot sufficiently be gathered out of Scriptures alone Consequently seeing faith must rely upon Gods Word unlesse we have Gods word unwritten we can have no faith His meaning is we cannot know the Scriptures to be divine but by Traditions and what Traditions are divine what not we cannot know but by the present visible Church as was expresly taught by the same Authour before And the final resolution of our believing what God hath said or not said must be the Churches Authority To this collection Sacroboscus thus farre accords Some Catholicks rejected divers Canonical Books without any danger and if they had wanted the Churches proposal for others as well as them they might without sin have doubted of the whole Canon This he thinks consonant to that of Saint Austin I would not believe the Gospel unlesse the Churches authority did thereto move me He addes that we of reformed Churches making the visible Churches authority in defining points of faith unsufficient might disclaim all without any greater sin or danger to our souls then we incurre by disobeying some parts of Scripture to wit the Apocryphal books canonized by the Romish Church The Reader I hope observes by these passages How Bellarmine ascribes that to Tradition which is peculiar to Gods providence Sacroboscus that to blind belief which belongs unto the holy Spirit working faith unto the former points by the ordinary observation of Gods Providence 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 be able to read Scriptures but to understand them but the Scripture is often so ambiguous and intruate that it cannot be understood without the exposition of some that cannot erre therefore it alone is not sufficient Examples there be many For the equality of the divine persons the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son as from one joynt original Original sin Christs descension into Hel and many like may indeed be deduced out of Scriptures but not so plainly as to end Controversies with contentious spirits if we should produce onely testimonies of Scriptures And we are to note there be two things in Scripture the Characters or the written words and the sence included in them The Character is as the sheath but the sence is the very sword of the spirit Of the first of these two all are partakers for whosoever knowes the Character may read the Scripture but of the sence all men are not capable nor can we in many places be certain of it unlesse Tradition be assistant It is an offer worth the taking
that here he maks That the sence of Scriptures is the sword of the spirit This is as much as we contend that the sence of the Scripture is the Scripture Whence the inference is immediately necessary That if the Romish Church bind us to believe or absolutely practise ought contrary to the true sence and meaning of Scriptures with the like devotion we do Gods expresse undoubted commandements she prefers her own authority above Gods Word and makes us acknowledge that allegiance unto her which we owe unto the spirit For suppose we had as yet no full assurance of the spirit for the contradictory sence to that given by the Church we were in Christian duty to expect Gods providence and invoke the spirits assistance for manifestation of the truth from all possibility whereof we desperately exclude our selves if we believe one mans testimony of the spirit as absolutely and irrevocably as we would do the manifest immediate testimony of the spirit yet Sacroboscus acknowledgeth he believes the mysterie of the Trinity as it is taught by their Church onely for the Churches authority and yet this he believes as absolutely as he doth yea as he could believe any other divine Revelation though extraordinarily made unto himself 3 In both parts of Belief above mentioned the causal dependance of our faith upon the Churches proposals may be imagined three wayes either whilest it is in planting or after it is planted or from the first beginning of it to it full groweth or from it first entrance into our hearts untill our departure out of this world How far and in what sort the Ministery of men in the Church is available for planting faith hath been declared heretofore Either for the planting or supporting it the skill or authority of the teacher reaches no further then to quicken or strengthen our internal tast or apprehension of the divine truth revealed in Scriptures or to raise or tune our spirits as Musick did Elishahs the better to perceive the efficacy of Gods spirit imprinting the stamp of those divine Revelations in our Hearts whose Characters are in our Brains The present Churches proposals in respect of our Belief is but as the Samaritan womans report was unto the men of Sichar Many saith the Evangelist believed in him for the saying of the woman which testified he hath told me all things that ever I did But this Beliefe was as none in respect of that which they conceive immediately from his own words For they said unto the woman Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed The Christ. The 〈◊〉 saith Job trieth the words as the mouth tasteth meats Consonant hereto is our Churches doctrine that as our bodily mouthes taste and trie meats immediately without interposition of any other mans sense or jugement of them so must the ears of our souls trie and discern divine truths without relying on other mens proposals or reports of their rellish No external means whatsoever can in either case have any use but only either for working a right disposition in the Organ whereby trial is made or by occasioning the exercise of the faculty rightly disposed How essentially faith by our adversaries doctrine depends upon the Churches authority is evident out of the former discourses that this dependance is perpetual is as manifest in that they make it the judge and rule of faith such an indefectible rule and so authentick a Judge as in all points must be followed and may not be so far examined either by Gods written law or rules of nature whether it contradict not it self or them 4 It remains we examin the particular manner of this dependance or what the Churches infallibility doth or can perform either to him that believes or to the object of his belief whence a Roman Catholicks faith should become more firm or certain then other mans It must enlighten either his soul that it may see or divine revelations that they may be seen more clearly otherwise he can exceed others only in blind Belief The cunningest Sophister in that school strictly examined upon these points wil bewray that monstrous Blasphemy which some shallow brains have hitherto hoped to cover We have the same Scriptures they have and peruse them in all the languages they do What is it then can hinder either them from manifesting or us from discerning their Truth or true meaning manifested Do we want the Churches proposal we demand how their present Church it self can better discern them then ours may what testimony of antiquity have they which we have not But it may be we want spectacles to read them our Church hath but the eyes of private men which cannot see without a publick light Their Churches eyes are Cat-like able so to illustrate the objects of Christian faith as to make them clear and perspicuous to it self though dark and invisible unto us Suppose they could Yet Cats-eyes benefit not by-standers a whit for seeing colours in darkness albeit able themselves to see them without any other light then their own The visible Church saith the Jesuite is able to discern all divine truth by her infallible publick spirit How knows he this certainly without an infallible publick spirit perhaps as men see Cats-eyes shine in the dark when their own do not Let him believe so But what doth this belief advantage him or other private spirits for the clear distinct or perfect sight of what the Church proposeth Doth the proposal make divine Truths more perspicuous in themselves Why then are they not alike perspicuous to all that hear read or know the Churches testimonie of them Sacroboscus hath said all that possibly can be said on their behalf in this difficultie The Sectaries albeit they should use the authoritie of the true Church yet cannot have any true belief of the truth revealed If the use of it be as free to them as to Catholicks what debars them from this benefit They do not acknowledge the sufficiencie of the Churches proposal And as a necessary proof or medium is not sufficient to the attaining of science unless a man use and acknowledge it formally as necessary so for establishing true faith it sufficeth not that the Church sufficiently proposeth the points to be believed or avoweth them by that infallible authority wherewith Christ hath enabled her to declare both what books contain Doctrines Divine and what is the true sense of places controversed in them but it is further necessary that we formally use this proposal as sufficient and embrace it as infallible 5 The reason then why a Roman Catholick rightly believes the Truth or true meaning of Scriptures when a Protestant that knows the Churches testimonie as well as he rests in both points uncertain is because the Catholick infallibly believes the Churches authority to be infallible whereof the Protestant otherwise perswaded reaps no benefit by it but continues still in darkness
much grieved at the Trent Councels impietie but now I wonder at these grave Fathers folly that would trouble themselves with prescribing so many Canons or overseeing so large a Catechisme when as the beginning of Protagoras Book one or two words altered might have comprehended the entire confession of such mens faith as rely upon their Fatherhoods The Atheist thus began his Book De dijs non haâ—â—o quod decam utrum sint necne Concerning the Gods or their being I can say nothing A private Roman Catholick might render an entire account of his faith in termes as brief De Christo Christiana fide non habeo quod dicam utrum sint necne Whether there be a Christ or Christian Religion be but a Politick Fable I have nothing to say peremptorily yea or no the Church or Councel can determine whom in this and all other points wherin God is a party I will absolutely believe whilest I live if at my death I find they teach amâ—e let the devil and they if there be a devil decide the controversie Yet this conceit or conditional Belief of Christ and Christianity conceived from the former serves as a ground colour for disposing mens souls to take the sable dye of Hell wherewith the second main stream of Romish impietie will deeply infect all such as drink of it For once believing Gods Word from the Churches testimony this absolute submission of their consciences to embrace that sence it shall suggest sublimates them from refined Heathinisme or Gentilisme to diabolisme or symbolizing with infernal spirits whose chiefest solace consists in acting greatest villanies or wresting the meaning of Gods written Lawes to his dishonour For just proof of which imputation we are to prevent what as we late intimated might in favour of their opinion be replied to our former instance of light and colours 9 Some perhaps well affected would be resolved why as he that sees colours by the sun sees not only the sun but colours with it so he that believes the Scriptures by relying upon the Church should not believe the Church onely but the Scriptures too commended by it The doubt could hardly be resolved if according to our adversaries Tenent the Churches declarations did confirm our faith by illustrating the Canon of Scriptures or making particular truths contained in it inherently more perspicuous as if they were in themselves but potentially credible and made actually such by the Churches Testimony which is the first and Principal Credible in such sort as colours become actually visible by illumination of the principal 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 Sun though most necessary unto sight is yet necessary onely in respect of the object or for making colours actually visible which made such or sufficiently illuminated are instantly perceived without further intermediation of any other light then the internal light of the Organ in discerning colours alwayes rather hindered then helped by circumfusion of light external For this reason it is that men in a pit or cave may at noon day see the starres which are invisible to such as are in the open air 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 objects either actually visible in themselves or sufficiently illuminated are better perceived in darknesse then in the light But so our Adversaries will not grant that after the Church hath sufficiently proposed the whole Canon to be Gods Word the distinct meaning of every part is more clear and facile to all private 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 available to right belief in respect not of the object to be believed Scriptures but of the party believing For as hath been observed no man in their judgement can believe Gods Word or the right meaning of it but by believing the Church and all belief is inherent in the believer Yea this undoubted Belief of the Churches authority is that which in Bellarmine and Sacroboscus's judgement makes a Roman Catholicks belief of Scriptures or divine truths taught by them much better then a Protestants If otherwise the Churches declaration or testimony could without the belief of it infallibility which is inherent in the subject believing make Scriptures credible as the light doth colours visible in themselves a Protestant that knew their Churches meaning might as truely believe them as a Roman Catholick albeit he did not absolutely believe the Church but onely use her help for their Orthodoxal interpretation as he doth ordinary Expositors or as many do the benefit of the Sun for seeing colours which never think whether colours may be seen without it or no. For though it be certain that they cannot yet this opinion is meerly accidental to their sight and if a man should be so wilfull as to maintain the contrary it would argue only blindness of mind none of his bodily sight Nor should distrust of the Romish Churches authority ought diminish our Belief of any divine Truth were her declarations requisite in respect of the object to be believed not in respect of the subject believing 10 Hence ariseth that difference which plainly resolves the former doubt For seeing the Sun makes colours actually visible by adding vertue or lustre to them we may rightly say we see colours as truely as the light by which we see them For though without the benefit of it they cannot be seen yet are they not seen by seeing it or by relying upon it testimony of them Again because the use of light is onely necessarie in respect of the object or for presenting colours to the eye after once they be sufficiently illuminated or presented every creature endued with sight can immediately discern each from other without any further help or benefit of external light then the general whereby they become all alike actually visible at the same instant The Suns light then is the true cause why colours are seen but no cause of our distinguishing one from another being seen or made actuallie visible by it For of all sensible objects sufficiently proposed the sensitive faculty though seated in a private person is the sole immediat supreme Judge and relies not upon any others more publick verdict of them On the contrary because the Romanists supposed firm belief of Scriptures or their true meaning ariseth only from his undoubted belief of the Churches veracicie which is in the believer as in it subject not from any increase of inherent credibilitie or perspicuitie thence propagated to the Scriptures Hence it is that consequently to his positions most repugnant to all truth he thinks after the Church hath sufficiently avouched the Scriptures divine truth in general we
mulierum exercendis illorum impietas 〈◊〉 â—o processisset ut pro communi omnium incolumitate expediret tanti vim morbi celeri remedio coercere omnino 〈◊〉 tejiciendos ex civitatibus decrevit Hieron Rubeus lib. 11. hist Raven Of the â—… some â—… which â—… Moses and the Prophets Such speeches do not import an Absolute Cause of the thing but of our instruction or perswasion concerning it A comparison of the â—… Jews â—… with the stedfastnesse of Abrahams faith Deut. 29. 19. * Vide Socratem lib. 7. cap. 16. Krantzium lib. 10. Wandalorum c. 18. PapiriuÌ„ Masson lib. 3. p. 335. ex Villaneo Vide Hollinshead An. 40 Hen. 3. alibi At Prage in the year 1240. or thereabout they crucified a Christian Die Sacra Parasceves Krantzius lib. 7. Wandalorum c. 40. Vide Ezah 6. * Vide 〈◊〉 cap 〈◊〉 â—â—gr 〈◊〉 Gods Favours to the Ancient Israelites Parallel'd by like Blessings upon the Gentiles Exod. 25. 40. Heb. 8. 5 †Matth. 16. 3. Luke 12. 54. The Jews 〈◊〉 is an especial Light unto the Gentile Rom. 11. 25. â—…4 〈◊〉 Esay 5. 4 6. The Desolation of the Jews the most Effectual Sign for confirming Christian Faith Levit. 16. 44. A Parallel of the Israelites deliverance from Egyptian and Ours from Rome Babrlonish Ihraldom * Interim si Pontificii omnino cum Judaeis signuÌ„ habere velint accipiant hoc quod nos suâ— rhi miraculi loco habcmus unicum virum eumque miserum Monachum absque omni mundana vi Romanorum Pontificum tyrannidem quae tot seculis non tantùm potentissimis Regibus sed Toti Orbi Formidabilis fuit oppâ—gnasse superesse prostravisse juxta Elegantissimos versiculos Harmon Evangel cap. 59. ‖ Dolebat sanctissimo viro non solum vitam eorum quibus religionis confessio mandata erat nefariis sceleribus inquinari sed serpere etiam in religionem maximos errores Ideò de illis everteÌ„dis plurimum laborabat Sed quod tandem â—dcsct râ—pae authoritatem quousque processisset diffideret ne unos homo tanto negotio par esset de seipso spem â—… opravit ut omnes docti viri conjunctis studiis papam in ordinem redigerent Idem dixit quum paulo ante â—… infâ—â—â— us Lutheri propositiones de indulgentiis vidisset Lurherum in bonam causam ingressum esse sed unius â—… vires nihil valere ad tantam pontificis potentiam infringendam quae nimium invaluifâ—eâ— Et lectis approâ—… propofitionibus Luthâ—â—i exclamasse fertur Frater c. Johan Wolf in prafat ad Kranizii opera S. Peters Belief of known Orâ—dâ—â—â—nsâ—meâ—â— Eâ—pâ—… Jâ—â— 34 19. Wisd 6. 7. Acts 10. 34. Deut. 32. 29 30 39. Naaman without the written word by Experiment confirmed in the truth of what was written in the word 2 Kings 5. 15. Verse 17. 2 Tim. 3. 5 6 7. Beâ—… effects of Experiments lesse wonderful in Anna. 1 Sam. 2. 2. * De Prophetiâ Hannae vide AugustinuÌ„ lib. 17. de Civ Dei c. 4. Different Operations of like Experiments in diverse parties with their causes †1 Kings 20. vers 23. General directions for the right making of Experiments in our selves The causes why so many in â—ur dares have little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Experience of the truth of divine 〈◊〉 * The testimonies of the Ancient Israelites and modern Jews for the Canon of the old Testament is most Authentick For even those Aâ—… Fathers which our adversaries alledge to ackknowledg some more Books for Canonical then our Church doth did it only upon this Errour that they thought there had been more in the Canon of the Hebrew upon whose testimonies they relied as will be made clear against the Papists 〈◊〉 â—…at Mâ—… 11. 1◠〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 phâ—…â—â—â—nem c. That is their writinâ— wâ—re the complâ—at 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and infallible means of salvaâ—ion until John Yet can it not be proved that any Book held by our Church for Aâ—…al 〈◊〉 contained either undeâ— thâ— Law 〈◊〉 Proâ—â—â—ts 〈◊〉 the Historical books of the Hebrew Canon are Evident it is that the bâ—â—ks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Mâ—…s were writ since Mâ—lâ—chies time from whom till John no Prophet was to be expected â—ut Mosâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 recorded in Histories and prophetical commentaries till Malachies time Inclusive was to be the immediat◠〈◊〉 for dâ—…ning the Great â—rophâ—â— See Lib. 2. c. 17. numb 3. 4. l. 1. c. 17. ‖ The divine Authority of Some Books in the new Testament especially the Apocalypse doubted of by the Ancient brought to light in later times Wherein the Testimony of the Rimish Church in discerning some Canonical Books is most available †How our firm Assent to some Principal mat ters revealed in Scriptures 〈◊〉 our Faith unto their whole Canon * This is that Circle which the Adversary 〈◊〉 as a Counterâ—… to us whilest we seek to overthrow their Circular â—… The Objects 〈◊〉 may justly be 〈◊〉 upon the Enthusiast but not on Our Church as shall appear in the 〈◊〉 Section of the Second Book †Proficiâ—â—tibus ut admonet P. noster Ignatius L. Exercit de dignosc spirit Spiritus malus se dure implacide violenter quasi cum strepitu quodam ut imber in saxa decidens infundit Bonus vero iisdem leniter placide suaviter sicut aqua irrorat spongiam Illis vero qui in deterius proficiunt experientia docet contrà evenire Delrius disquisit Magic lib. 4. cap. 1. q. 3. sect 6. 2 Tim. 3. 16. The Romanists 1. Objection set down here is answered in the next Chap. c. * This 〈◊〉 is answered Chap. 19 â—…c 〈◊〉 2. †This is R◠〈◊〉 and an sâ—… Chap. â—… ‖ Answered Chap. 12. * Tot verò traÌ„slationes mutationes sinc gravissimo periculo incoÌ„modo non fierent Nam non semper inveniun cur idonei in terpretes atque ita multi errores coÌ„mitterentur qui non possint postea sacilè tolli Cum neque Pontifices neque Concilia de tot linguis judicare possint Bellarm lib. 2. de verbo Dei cap. 15. in Fin. * Were their Objections against us pertinent not the Popes Infallibilitie but the Priests and Jesuites Honestie or Fidelity should be the Rule of mose Lay Papasts Faith †Concil Trident Sessione quarta Granting the Pope to be as infallible as God himself yet were not his Decrees related by his messengers to be so much believed as Gods written Word received by us them because it is more free from suspition of Forgerie then they can be harder to be Counterfeited then they are †A brief Answer to the Objection concerning the Illiterate In what Sense the Scripture or written Word may be said to be the Rule of their Faith-see chap. 11. parag 3. and 4. How far such are to rely upon their Instructors Authority see chap. 8. ‖ See chap. 16. * The want of skill in sacred tongues in former ages was for their ingratitude towards God and loving of Darknesse more then
the Obscuritie or Difficulty of Scriptures cannot be meant of all Scriptures in respect of all Ages or all Men. â—…rs degrees of Scriptures Perâ—… arising from the Diversity of mens Conditions or Callings * ‖ Scripture more or lesse difficult to men of the same Profession from the different Measure of their natural Capacities or Gods Gifts bestowed upon them * This is a Point to be obsâ—…ved because the Weaknesse and 〈…〉 of all our Ad 〈◊〉 Ar 〈◊〉 will 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 if 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—all 〈◊〉 by the particulars in this and the next Section * Prov. 3. 34. James 4. 6. 1 Pet. 〈◊〉 5. †〈◊〉 29. 14. 1 Cor. 1 19. 1 Cor. 3. 19. †* Esay 29. 9 10 c. ver 13. * Velamen quod ipse Paulus 2. Cor. 3. 15. assiâ—mat usque in hodiernum diem cum legitur Moses esse positum supra cor Judaeorum profecto textum ut ita dicam bona ex parte est ex difficultate Scripturarum illarum Valent. tom 3. in Aquin disp 1. quaest 1. punct 7. parag 4. He addeth immediately Hoc enim ut antea monuimus est scripturam essedifficilem ejusmodi eam esse tam multa ut illa intelligatur requâ—ri ut proclive fuerit Judaeis 〈◊〉 aliis omnibus non percipere veram ejus sententiam quod quia dare nobis coguntur velint nolint sâ—ctaâ—ij rectè ac 〈◊〉 inde concludimus communem illam regulam magistram fidei quam necesse est esse propositam fidelibus 〈◊〉 non esse scripturam cum non sit cognitu facilis ipsis hominibus Huc illud Isaiae 29. pertinet †So our Saviour expoundeth it Matth. 15. verse 8 9. O Hypocrites Esaias prophesied well of you saying This People c. using the words before cited out of the 13. verse of Esay cap. 29. Out of both places it appears that their Hypocrisie and disobedience is the Truth known caused this Blindnesse and what the Prophet threatned ver 14. our Saviour ratifieth Mat. 15. ver 12 13 14. For when his Disciples said unto him Perceivest thou not that the Pharisâ—es are offended in hearing this saying He answered Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up let them alone they be blind leaders of the blind and if the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the ditch So the Prophet had said in the 14. ver The wisdom of their wise men to wit the Pharisees shall perish and the understanding of the prudent shall be hid and in the 9. verse They are blind and make you blind For this cause our Saviour in the fore-mentioned place calleth not them as be did the multitude to hear and understand verse 10. Nor expounds the Parable unto them as he did to his Disciples verse 15. * Jâ—hn 7. 17. * Our Saviour fully confirmeth this Truth unto us which the Psalmist had before in effect delivered Psal 25. ver 14. The secret of the Lord is revealed unto them that fear him and his Covenant to give them understanding and vers 9. Them that be Meek will he guide in judgement and teach the Humble his way vide etiaÌ„ vers 10. 12. This evidently confuteth their folly who think or rather say our Saviour spake in this place of his own peculiar Doctrine and Authority Albeit Canus amongst others might be excused by such as would salve his credit by the common Answer non locutus est ex sua sententia as appeareth by the manner of his replie Lib. 2. de Loc. Theol. cap. 8. †Non hoc dicit Dominus ut ostendat omnes viros bonos per se intelligere posse omnia loca Scripturarum sed ut doceat viros probos carere quibusdam impedimentis propter quae alij quidem nec per se nec per alios fidei veritatem intelligere possunt ut Johan 5. 44. Luke 16. 14. Bellarm. Tom. 1. Lib. 3. cap. 10. Canus in his first Answer to this place seems willing to assent unto the Truth Concediâ—us inquit liberaliter doctrinam cusque in sua vita statu necessariam illi fore perspectam cognitam qui fecerit voluntatem Dei. Sicut enim gustus bene affectus differentias saporum facilè discernit sic animi optima affectio facit ut homo doctrinam Dei ad salutem necessariam discernat ab errore contrario qui ex Deo non est Quae vero Ecclesiae sunt communia nec ad judicium nec ad fidem spectant singulorum ea non à quovis discerni judicari possunt quantumcunque is Dei faciat voluntatem In his second Answer he bewrayes a willingnesse to dissent from us or perhaps a fear not to say somewhat against us and therefore to such as will not be satisfied with the former he gives a second Answer in effect the same with Bellarmines We â—ay admit both their Conclusions without harm to our Cause From that which Canus granteth of private men both in his Answer to the second and third Argument we may conclude against him thus As God giveth them the Spirit of discerning true from false Doctrine in Points necessary to Salvation without all respects of persons so likewise will be by his Providence direct the learned or spirituall Overseers in every Nation without respecting Person Place or other Pâ—…gative for discerning Apocryphal from Canonical Books Nor is there any more Reason to appropriate their Discretion to the Pope or Clergie of Rome more then to appropriate the gift of discerning Truth from Falshood in Points reâ—… to Salvation to their Servants V. Can. Lib. 2. de Loc. Theol. Cap. 8. Responsione ad secundum terâ—… * Râ—m 12. 2. Vâ—â—n which place He whom Bellarmin â—… laterâ—… â—… saith thus Per 〈◊〉 â—â—vationem â—… per â—idem in Christum accepistis â—… ut sic â—eddamini apâ—… quid à vobis 〈◊〉 per toâ—… at Deus Quid gratum sit beneplaâ—… Deo Simile quiddam dâ—cet â—… Prebantâ—s quid sit 〈◊〉 placitum Deo â—… cupiditates caâ—nis noâ—â—â—ae â—… nâ—i ut in actionibus nostris inâ—… voluntas Dei sed quod nostro â—… aâ—rider interpâ—… in id esse voâ—… Dei Sâ—… in 〈◊〉 â—… Vide annotat â—… Beâ—a ad paragraph 5. * * Denique quòd Honorius nonnulli alii Pontifices in errorem lapsi fuisse dicuntur quanquam de nullo prorsus satis compertum est pertinaciter erravisse id quidem utcunque res habeat non nisi ad privatum attiner personarum vitium atque adeo nihil nobis obstare potest ut qui non tam ipsas personas quà m authoritatem illam Apostolicae sedis in definiendo defendimus siâ—… supra Augustini etiam exemplo respondebamus Valent. Tan. 3. Disp 1. Quaest 1. Punct 7. Paragr 41. Casu 11. ‖ Valentianus loco citato Ad fidelitatem Dei erga Ecclesiam speciat ut impediret in eo casu quo minus per Pontificem illum controversia
falsò definiretur Id quod facere Deus possit aut Pontificem de medio tollendo ne ipse sed successor potius rem decerneret aut interna mentis illustratione vel alio aliquo modo Pontificem ab errore revocando Neque vero 〈◊〉 providentia Dei in similibus casibus miraculosa esset consenda â—â—d esset potius quidam effectus ejus legis ordinatiae qua Deus per promissiones de veritate factas sese obstriuxit Ecclesiae Ac â—… hujus rei exemplum illud proferri potest quòd cùm Joannes xxij existimareâ— sanctorum animas ante diem â—udicii divinam essentiam non videre idque eo tempore quo in Ecclesia sicut Canus etiam lib. 6. de locis Theologicis cap. ult ad 1. argument notavit nondum erat satis explicata haec controversia ad rem definiendam sese compararet prinsquam id faceret è vita excessit Benedictus successor contrariam sententiam definivit Homines Animales cum additamento †Quis autem carnalis animalis homo non per phantasmata sui cordis evagetur constituat sibi Deum qualis ei pro suo carnali sensu placuerit atque ita credit tantum longè aliter quam Deus est quantum à veritate vanitas distert Veristimam quippe sententiam dixit Apostolus plenus lumine veritatis Animalu inquâ—t homâ— non percipit quae sunt spiritus Dei. Et tamen de iis faec dicebat quos jam â—uisse baptizaâ—os ipse manifestat Beda in hunc locum ex Augustino l. 3. de Baptismo This Opposition betwixt the Spirit and the Flesh is as we say in Schools Formal or directly contrary so as this Rule and that other late mentioned Rom. 12. hold as true in the Pope as in any If he fashion himself as much to this he is as disproportioned to the world to come as any other If he be as Carnal as other men he is altogether as incompetent a Judge of things belonging to the Spirit of God as others are whosoever Beda in the same place addeth Ad animales pertinet vetus Testamentum ad ad spirituales novum Veteris aâ—tem Sacramenta ceâ—averunt sed concupiscentiae tales non ceâ—â—averunt In illis enim sunt quos Apostolus jam per Sacramentum novi â—… adhuc tamen dicit animales non posse percipere quâ— sunt Spiritus Dei * No â—…al â—… or Desire habiâ—uate but harbour â—… â—f the Soul be well searched or â—… directly crossed as â—hall â—… hereafter appear so that men of â—… â—â—ly conceive well either of such Spiâ—…â—ot directly opposite to their peculiar â—… else of such Generalâ—…es as may be prosecuted â—… to their Affections †The matter of â—… against the Holy Ghost was their â—… in whâ—m he rested with an unclean â—… Maâ—k cha 3. vers 22. â—0 The â—… if I may so speak of that Sin in them was â—… of that conceit against the Evidence of â—… Christs Life and Actions bearing â—… of his Sanctification by the Blessed Spirit The â—… in the Jew and modern Jesuite is all â—… self same impiety only inverted to say 〈◊〉 think the Deâ—il is Author of Goodnesse or the Holy Gâ—…â—f 〈◊〉 tâ— make the Devil a Familiar of the Sâ—n â—… and the Son of Satan an Associate of the Holy Spirit Whether the Popes Works do not oft-times as truly â—… his Impurity as Christ did his Sanctity The Adâ—… will scarce question I will not conclude but God 〈◊〉 the â—…suites Paâ—asitical Eâ—comioâ—s of their Popes Saâ—red Authority â—e not wilful as were the Jews Deâ—… of our Saviour ‖ That the 〈◊〉 hath no such aâ—sâ—lute Authority 〈…〉 from S. Peter pâ—â—ved â—y Sâ—… a * Acts 8. 20. * Mark 4 24 25. And he said unto them take heed what ye hear with what measure you mete it shal be measured unto you and unto you that hear more shall be given For unto him that hath shal be given and from him that hath not shal be taken away even that he hath ‖ Jer. 31. 34. †Apostolus autem spiriâ—â— sancto 〈…〉 scientiam tunc prodesse cum chariâ—as inest sine hac autem infâ—are id est in superbiam 〈…〉 extollere Augustin lib. 9. de Civit. Dei cap 20. The like Affection in the Pope or Clergy of Rome maketh thâ—m arrâ—gate 〈◊〉 â—nto themselves in this businesse of establishing Belief That which S. Austin addeth in the same place seemeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of them Est ergo in daemonibus scientia sine charitate ideo tam 〈…〉 religionis servitutem quam vero Deo deberi sciunt sibi sategerint exhiâ—eri quantum 〈◊〉 apud quos possâ—â—t adhuc agunt And again Contra superbiam porro Daemonum qua pro meritis possidebatur genus humanum Dei humilitas quae in forma servi appaâ—uit quantam virtutem habeat animâ— hominum nesciunt immunditia elationis 〈◊〉 daemonibus similes superbia non scientia * The first of the Coâ—…th 3. Chapt. vers 18. Vid. Jâ—b 37. vers 24. †Mat. 18. 3. 〈◊〉 Simpliâ—ity such as the 〈◊〉 meant when he said Oâ—…e officium simplex est and Plain Dealing are Qualities best Symbolizing with the inteâ—nal Propriety of Scriptures Psal 19. 7. ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 11. 25. Vers 27. a Oâ— if they â—… * Insâ—… iâ—quit aniâ—… 〈◊〉 in scriptuâ—as sacras 〈◊〉 videâ—… quales 〈◊〉 Et â—cce vâ—… deo rem non compeâ—taÌ„â—uperbis neque â—… humilâ—m â—… dedignaâ—ar esse parvulus fastu turgidus mihi grandis esse videbar Aug. lib. 3. Confess cap. 5. †An vâ—ro â—â—lliâ—s â—…tatis reâ—… ab hoc tumore vitiorum vacuum esse eorumqueâ—uligâ—e velatum cor inâ—â—ar Judaeâ—… non 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ac docilem discipulum ad hujusmodi Spiritus sancti disciplinam capessendaâ—â— Valentian Tom. 〈◊〉 â—… Purct 7. Sect. 4. ‖ S. Austin supposeth the Scriptures to contain in them the Words of Life â—ut intimateth â—… which either the Scripture should become more plain or the saving Truth which they taught be otherwise â—… then only by practising suâ—h Rules as the Scriptures prescribe for their right understanding whence â—… Râ—… Doctor may again appear See the second part of this last Folly in the annotations unto the third â—… Sixteenth Chapter a Tâ—… Pâ—… such as observe the former Rules proved from the End why they were writter and the Evangelists careful endeaâ—… to make them plain * 〈◊〉 20 31. 〈◊〉 2. 1. †1 〈◊〉 9. 22. ‖ * Mark 4. 13. Mat. 15. 16. †Mark 4. 11. These words confirm the Truth of the state of the Question proposed by us ‖ John 6. 68. a Mark 4. 9. * John 5. 44. 12. 42. †Luke 16. 14. ‖ John 8 39. Matth. 3. 9. Hebr. 6. 8. * James 1. 5. †1 Job 3. 22. ‖ Matt. 12. 20. * â—sd â—… 1â— 5. â—…â—â—mparâ—ns Apostolus Petrus habemus inquit certiorem Pâ—… lâ—câ—â—uae lâ—centi in
whether the Pope alone speaking ex Cathedra be the Church for that he was to dispute of afterwards and he and all his fellows do and must acknowledge it as shall in due place be shewed That in this place he grants the communication of that Spirit by which the Scriptures were written unto private men doth not argue any agreement with us but rather his disagreement from sâ—me of Eis own profession who urge the necessity of the Churches Proposal so much and so far that not Gods Prophets or others to whom his Word was â—…dinarily revealed could without it be certain Vide Bellar. lib. 3. de justif cap. 3. * The Papists Assertions whence the proposed Conclusion is gathered â—… The general Points of Difficultie how either the Church can ascertain the Divine Truth of Scripture unto us or the Scripture the Churches infallible Authority ††John 16. 7. ¶ Verse 12. * 〈◊〉 Valenâ—… cap. 22. Valentians attempted Evasion out of the inchanted Circle of Roman Faith resuted * Ut breviter quae susius disputata sunt de resolutione fidei colligamus placet modum tradere quo quis de fide inteâ—rogatus debeat respondere Igitur siquis rogetur v. g Quare credat Deum esse trinum unum distinguat utrum viz. firmiter infallibiliter id credat vel de causa ob quam acceptaverat eam fidem Si primum respondeat qui a Deus revelavit Si rursus interrogetur unde cognoscat Deum revelasse respondeat se quidem non nosse id clare credere tamen eadem side infallibiliter id quidem non ob aliam revelationem bene tamen ob infallibilem propositionem Ecclesiae tanquam ob conditionem ad id credendum requisitam Si rursus unde cognoscat propositionem Ecclesiae esse infallibilem similiter dicat se claâ—â— non nosse credere tamen fide infallibili ob revelationem Scripturae testimonium perhibentis Ecclesiae cui revelationi non credit ob aliam revelationem sed ob seipsam quamvis ad hoc ipsum opus sit Ecclesiae propositione ut conditione requisita Valent. tom 3. in Aquinat Disp 1. quaest 1. punct 1. Sect. 10. †Neque in sic respondeÌ„do erit aliquis vitiosus circulus Tum quia reveâ—atio propter quam dicitur credi infallibilitas propositianis propasitio ob quam dicitur credi revelatio non habent unum idem objectum sed aliud aliud Objectum n. propositionis est ipsa revelatio objection autem revelationis est ipsa veâ—…redita ut Deum esse trinum unum aut propositionem Ecclesiae esse infallibilem Tum quia cum ex revelatione redditur ratio credendi propositionem reditur per causam revelatio enim est causa assensus fidei cum autem ex propositione Ecclesiae redditur ratio credendi revelationem ratio redditur non per causum credendi sed per conditionem ad id requisitam ita vitatur vitiasus circulus solum reditur ratio connexotum vicissim ex ipsismet connexis sub diversatione id quod omnino licet Valent. ibid. * In matters of Knowledge or Belief Reason and Curse are Synonymal and every Cause in 〈◊〉 goes before the Effect And even when we demonstrate the Cause by its proper Effect the Effect must needs be first known to us seeing it is the reason or Cause of our knowing the Cause though no Cause of the real Cause it self †Sacrobosous intangled in the former circle and caught in his own share ‖ Sed quaeris num quando quis credit ali quid propter authoritatem Ecclesiae necessariaÌ„ sit priâ—â—…pore vel saltem natura formaliter explicite credat ipsam Ecclesiam esse infallibilis authoritatis quemadmodum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conclusion propter Praâ—… necesse est ut prius assentiamur ipsis praemistis Respondeo id minime 〈◊〉 â—…rium nam actus fidei ferâ—… in suem objectum modo simplici ut visus in suum itaque sicut visus per spe 〈◊〉 albi v. g vider album non videndo ipsam speciem sic potest quis per Ecclesiae authoritatem credere ita ut 〈◊〉 prius formaliter explicite credat Ecclesiae Authoritatem Christophorus à Sacrobosco Dubliniensis è Societ Jesu 〈◊〉 128 139. A good examiner may know this fellow to be a Jesuite by his Answer so full stuft with mental Reservations 〈◊〉 Evasions and ambiguities First he will not resolve us whether men ordinarily must Believe the Church before Scriptures 〈◊〉 a man may Believe the Scriptures although he do not first Believe the Church explicitè or formally And in the very next 〈◊〉 be impertinently adds that Believing the Scriptures we cannot but implicite and vertually Believe the Church Which ar 〈◊〉 that the Scriptures must be Believed before the Church But say we could not Believe the one but â—e must upon equal termes 〈◊〉 the other this proves that neither could be any infallible or effectual Means of Believing the other For there is no man â—… twice 4 make 8 but knows as well twice 2 make 4 yet is neither a Means of knowing the other for both are immediately 〈◊〉 of themselves This shews the impertinency of their Answer that matter they know not what as if the knowledge of points of 〈◊〉 did resemble habitum principiorum rather then habitum conclusionis If so they do then cannot the Churches Infal 〈◊〉 being by their Positions a point of Faith be any Means of knowing the Scriptures to be Drvine which is a main point of faith * This 〈◊〉 of his doth very well illustrate our former â—… Chapâ— 12 concerning the Use of an ordinary â—… And the Visible Church may â—… the shapes and resemâ—… are called visible being indeed by naâ—… and are visible only by external demonstratâ—â—… as much as they present colours to 〈◊〉 sight â—… visible Were they really visible being received into our eyes they would hinder â—… of all colours so doth this admission of a real â—… in the Church exclude all infallible Belief of â—… * Jisdem serè argumeÌ„tis efficitur neque solam traditioneÌ„ viâ—… vocis eorum qui olim vita desuncti sunt esse judicem sufficientem fidei quae valeat per 〈◊〉 fine alia aliqua insallibili ac praeâ—…te authoritate omnes oâ—…ino definite fidei quaeâ—… Nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sicut de an thoritate iâ—sius 〈◊〉 neceâ—… 〈◊〉 per aliquam aliâ—… au hâ—ritatem conâ—… iâ—â— etiam 〈◊〉 authâ—… traditionis siâ—… quoâ— revocetur in dubium Non enim traditio loquitur etiam ipsa clarè perspicuè de sese ut neque ipsa scriptura Deinde cum traditio scriptis ferè doctorum orthodoxorum in Ecclesia conservetur quaestiones ac dubia moveri possunt de 〈◊〉 illius sicut dubitatur saepe de sensu mente doctorum Valentianus Tom. 3. Disp 1. quaest 1. de objecto sidei punct 7. Sect. 12. * The politick Sophisines of the Papists in their Councels
another manner then the Lacedâ—monians did Lycurgus laws were from Apollo For when the Law which enjoyns the worship of one God was given unto the people it did appear as far forth as the divine providence did judge sufficient by strange signs and motions whereof the people themselves were spectators that the creature did perform service to the Creator for the giving of that Law But we must believe as firmly as this people did Moses that all the Popes injunctions are given by God himself without any other sign or testimony then the Lacedemonians had that Lycurgus laws were from Apollo Yet is it here further to be considered that the Israelites might with far lesse danger have admitted Moses laws then we may the Popes without any examination for divine seeing there was no written law of God extant before his time whereby his writings were to be tried No such charge had been given this people as he gives most expresly to this purpose Now therefore hearken O Israel unto the ordinances and to the Laws which I teach you to do that ye may live and go in and possesse the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you Ye shall put nothing unto the word which I command you neither shall ye take ought there from that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you But was the motive or argument by which he sought to establish their belief or assent unto these commandments his own infallible authority no but their own experience of their truth as it followeth Your eyes have seen what the Lord did because of Baal-Peor For all the men that followed Baal-Peor the Lord thy God hath destroyed every one from among you but ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day so gracious and merciful is our God unto mankind and so far from exacting this blind obedience which the Pope doth challenge that he would have his written word established in the fresh memory of his mighty wonders wrought upon Pharaoh and all his host The experiment of their deliverance by Moses had been a strong motive to have perswaded them to admit of his doctrine for infallible or at the least to have believed him in his particular promises When the snares of death had compassed them about on every side and they see no way but one or rather two inevitable wayes to present death and destruction the red sea before them and a mighty host of bloud behind them the one serving as a glasse to represent the cruelty of the other they as who in their case would not cry out for fear He that could have foretold their strange deliverance from this imminent danger might have gotten the opinion of a God amongst the Heathen yet â—… confidently promiseth them even in the midst of this perplexity the utter destruction of the destroyer whom they feared Fear ye not stand 〈◊〉 and behold the salvation of the Lord which he will shew to you this day for the Egyptians whom you have seen this day you shal never see again The Lord shal fight for you therefore hold you your peace Notwithstanding all this Moses never enacts this absolute obedience to be believed in all that ever he shall say or speak unto them without farther examination or evident experiment of his doctrine For God requires not this of any man no not of those to whom he spake face to face alwayes ready to feed such as call upon him with infallible signs and pledges of the truth of his promises For this reason the waters of Mâ—rah are sweetned at Moses prayer And God upon this new experiment of his power and goodnesse takes occasion to re-establish his former covenant using this semblable event as a further earnest of his sweet promises to them If thou wilt diligently hearken O Israel unto the voice of the Lord thy God and wilt do that which is right in his sight and wilt give ear unto his commandments and keep all his ordinances then wil I put none of these diseases upon thee which I brought upon the Egyptians for I am the Lord that healeth thee As if he had said This healing of the bitter waters shal be a token to thee of my power in healing thee Yet for all this they distrust Gods promises for their food as it followeth cap. 16. Nor doth Moses seek to force their assent by fearful Anathema's or sudden destruction but of some principal offenders herein For God wil not have true faith thunder-blasted in the tender blade but rather nourished by continuance of such sweet experiments for this reason he showres down Manna from heaven I have heard the murmuring of the children of Israel tell them therefore and say At evening ye shall eat flesh and in the morning you shall be filled with bread and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God For besides the miraculous manner of providing both Quails and Manna for them the manner of nourishment by Manna did witnesse the truth of Gods word unto them They had been used to grosse and solid meats such as did fill their stomacks distend their bellies whereas Manna was in substance slender but gave strength and vigour to their bodies and served as an emblem of their spiritual food which being invisible yet gave life more excellently then these grosse and solid meats did So saith Moses Therefore he humbled thee and made thee hungry and fed thee with Manna which thou knowest not neither did thy Fathers know it that he might teach thee that man liveth not by bread only but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord. 6 Yet in their distresse so frail is our faith until it be strengthned by continual experiments they doubt and tempt the Lord saying Is the Lord amongst us or no Nor doth Moses interpose his infallible authority or charge them to believe him against their experience of their present thirst under pain of eternal damnation or sufferance of greater thirst in hell such threats without better instruction in Gods word and the comfort of his spirit may bring distrusts or doubts to utter despaire and cause faith to wither where it was wel nigh ripe they never ripen and strengthen any true and lively faith Moses himself is fain to cry unto the Lord saying What shall I do unto this people for they be almost ready to stone me As the Papists would do to the Pope were he to conduct them thorow the wildernesse in such extremity of thirst able to give them no better assurance of his favour with God then his Anathema's or feed them only with his Court-holy-water or blessings of wind But even here again God feeds Israels faith with waters issuing out of the rock making themselves eye-witnesses of all his wonders that so they might believe his words and promises nay himself from their own sense
and feeling of his goodnesse and truth of his word 7 Though no Law-giver or Governour whether temporal or spiritual especially whose calling was but ordinary could possibly before or since so well deserve of the people committed to his guidance as this great General already had done of all the host of Israel were they upon this consideration forthwith to believe what soever he should avouch without further examination sign or token of his favour with God without assured experience or at the least more then probable presumptions of his continual faithfulnesse in that service whereunto they knew him appointed Albeit after all the mighty works before mentioned wrought in their presence they had been bound thereunto the meanest handmaid in that multitude had infallible pledges plenty of his extraordinary calling lockt up in her own unerring senses But from the strange yet frequent manifestation of Moses power and favour with God so great as none besides the great Prophet whom he prefigured might challenge the like the Lord in his al-seeing wisdom took fit occasion to allure his people unto strict observance of what he afterwards solemnly enacted as also in them to forwarn all future generations without express warrant of his word not absolutely to believe any governour whomsoever in al though of tried skil and fidelity in many principal points of his service That passage of Scripture wherein the manner of this peoples stipulation is registred wel deserves an exact survey of all especially of these circumstances How the Lord by rehearsal of his mighty works so epassed extorts their promise to do whatsoever should by Moses be commanded them and yet will not accept it offered until he have made them ear-witnesses of his familiarity and communication with him First out of the Mount he called Moses unto him to deliver this solemn message unto the house of Jacob Ye have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you upon â—agles wings and have brought you unto me Now therefore if you will hear my voice indeed and keep my covenant then ye shall be my chief treasure above all people though all the earth be mine After Moses had reported unto God this answer freely uttered with joynt consent of all the people solemnly assembled before their Elders All that the Lord commanded we will do was the whole businesse betwixt God and them fully transacted by this Agent in their obsence No he is sent back to sanctifie the people that they might expect Gods glorious appearance in Mount Sinai to ratifie what he had said upon the return of their answer Lo I come unto thee in a thick cloud that the people may hear whilest I talk with thee and that they may also believe thee for ever They did not believe that God had revealed his word to Moses for the wonders he had wrought but rather that his wonders were from Gâ—d because they heard God speak to him yea to themselves For their principal and fundamental lawes were uttered by God himself in their hearing 〈◊〉 Moses expresseth These words to wit the Decalogue the Lord spake unto â—… 〈◊〉 â—ulâ—â—tude in the â—ouâ—t out of the midst of the fire the cloud and the 〈◊〉 with a great voice and addâ—d no more And lest the words which they had heard might soon be smothered in fleshly hearts or quickly slide oâ—â— of their brittle memories the Lord wrote them in two Tables of stone and at their transcription not â—oses onely but Aaron Nadaâ— and Aâ—thâ— with the seventy Elders of Israel are made spectators of the Divine glory ravished with the sweetnesse of his presence †They saw saith the Text thâ—… of Isrâ—â—l and unâ—er his feet as it were a work of a Saphire stone and as the 〈◊〉 hâ—aâ—â—n when it is clear And upon the Nobles of the children of Israel â—e 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 also they saw God and did eat and drink After these Tables through Aâ—â—sâ—s anger at the peoples folly and impiety were broken God writes the 〈◊〉 same words again and renews his Covenant before all the people promising undoubted experience of his Divine assistance 8 Doth Moses after all this call fire from heaven upon all such as distrâ—â—t his words â—aron and Mâ—riam openly derogate from his authority which the Lord consirmes again viva voce descending in the †pillar of the 〈◊〉 coâ—…ng these dâ—tractors in the doore of the Yabeâ—â—acce Wherefore were you 〈◊〉 aâ—raid to spâ—ak against my servant even against Moses Thâ—â—s the Lord was 〈◊〉 aâ—gâ—â—e and depaâ—tâ—d leaving his mark upon Miriam cured of her leprosie by Moses instant prayers No marvell if Korah Dathan and â—â—irams judgements were so grievous when their sin against Moses after so many documents of his high calling could not but be wilfull as their perseverance in it after so many admonitions to desist most malitious and obstinate Yet was Mâ—sâ—s further countenanced by the appearance of Gods glory unto all the Congregation and his authority further ratified by the strange and fearfull end of these chief malefactors †foretold by him and by fire iâ—luing from the Lord to consume their confederates in offering incense ungratefull to their God Tantae molis erat Judaeam condere gentem So long and great a work it was to â—…ie Israel in true faith But without any like miracle or prediction such as never saw him never heard good of him must believe the Pope as well as Israel did their Law-giver that could make the Sea to grant him passage the clouds send bread the windes bring flesh and the hard rock yeeld drink sufficient for him and all his mighty host that could thus call the heavens as witnesses to condemn and appoint the earth as executioner of his judgements upon the obstinate and rebellious yet after all this he inflicts no such punishments upon the doubtfull in faith as the Romish Church doth but rather as is evident out of the places before alledged confirms them by commemoration of these late cited and like Experiments making †God 's favours past the surest pledges of his assistance in greatest difficulties that could beset them To conclude this people believed Moses for Godâ— testimony of him we may not believe Gods Word without the Popes testimony of it He must be to God as Aaron was to Moses his mouth whereby he onely speaks distinctly or intelligibly to his people CAP. XVII That the Churches authority was no part of the rule of faith unto the people after Moses death That by Experiments answerable to his precepts and predictions the faithfull without relying upon the Priests infallible proposals were as certain both of the divine truth and true meaning of the Law as their fore-fathers had been that lived with Moses and saw his miracles 1 TO proceed unto the ages following Moses How did they know Moses law either indeed to be Gods Word or the true sence and meaning of it being indefinitely known
which cause they were in conscience bound to examine his doctrine by Moses and the Prophets otherwise they might have believed the saving truth but falsly and upon deceitfull grounds The stronger or more absolute credence they had given unto his words or works without such examination the more they had ensnared their souls and set their consciences upon the Rack by admitting a possibility of contradiction betwixt two doctrines both firmly believed without any evidence of their consonancy or Both conspiring to the same end The speedier and higher this edification in Christ had been the sooner it might have ruinated that foundation which God by Moses and the Prophets had reared in Israel unlesse this new work had been orderly squared well proportioned closely layed and strongly cemented unto the former In secular schooles he is held an unwise answerer that will admit Socraticall Interrogations for albeit there appear no difficulty in any one proposed apart yet in the processe a respondent may be easily brought to grant Conclusions from which he knows not what Consequences may be drawn because their Consonancie with the Problem whose defence he undertakes is not so evident nor immediate as upon a sodain may be fully examined And not examining the consonancie of every other proposition with the principles of that faculty whereto the Problem belongs the best answerer living may be made either grant what he should not or deny what should be granted Now Christs doctrine was to Mosaical and Prophetical as the Conclusion to the Promises or as the Corollary of greatest use unto the Speculative Theorem Suppose then a Jew well skilled in Moses and the Prophets should instantly upon the first hearing of our Saviours Sermons or sight of his miracles have admitted him for such an infallible teacher upon termes as absolute and irrevocable as the Jesuite would have the Pope acknowledged by all Christians a good disputant might easily have staggered him by these or 〈◊〉 Socratical demands Do you steafastly believe Moses writings for Gods word Gâ—â— forbid I should doubt of this Do ye believe this new doctrine confirmed by miracles as firmly What if I do Do you know as certainly whether both agree as well as one part of Moses writings with another What if I do not Untill you be fully resolved in this your belief in both cannot be sound for in case they should disagree the one must needs be false and if choice were given you whether in sooth would you disclaim Here a wise man that as the wise King speaks had eyes in his head and would not be led by a blind faith would have paused a while and thought with himself This is a point that should be looked to for if these new doctrines should prove incompatible as for any just examination hitherto made they may I cannot see whâ—ther deserves more credence Whiles I consider Moses writings and call to mind those mighty wonders our fathers told us with like continuall experiments of their divine truth nothing can seem more certain then they again whiles I behold these new miracles me thinks his authority that works them should be as great as Moses was yet if they should happen to disagree the one must be better believed then the other or else for ought I see there can be no certainty of either for if this mans possibly may be why might not Moses doctrine likewise be false or if our fathers were deceived by his signes and wonders why may not we be so served by this mans miracles But if upon just triall they shall be found fully to agree in every point as I trust they do then doubtlesse both are from God and I shall stedfastly believe this new doctrine to be divine if such as Moses had foretold and withall more evidently acknowledge then before I could that Moses spake by the Spirit of the all-seeing everliving God if this Jesus of Nazareth be in all points like to him and so qualified as he foretold the great Prophet should be But in the interim till the triali â—e made it is best to lay sure hold on Moses and the Prophets For prior tempore potior jure their writings doubtlesse were from God because hitherto they could not be destroyed time and they shall trie whether Jesus and his doctrine be so or no whether he be that great Prophet that should come or we are yet to look for some other 4 Thus when John Baptist sent his Disciples to our Saviour with this very question Art thou he that should come or shall we look for another The answer he returned again whether for confirmation of Iohns own faith or as the most interpreters think of his Disciples was this and no more Go and shew Iohn what things ye have seen and heard that the blind see the halt go the lepers are cleansed the deaf hear the dead rise again and the Gospel is preached to the poor and blessed is he that shall not be offended in me These or other of their fellow Disciples had enformed their Master Iohn before of Christs healing the Centurions servant by his word or command though absent of his raising the widows son from death to life of the rumours spread abroad of him thorowout all Judea and the regions round about and upon this report as Saint Luke tells us did John make the former solemne demand But some will yet demand how could he or his Disciples be confirmed by the answer given them wherein is little more then formerly both had heard for the raising up of the widowes son which especially occasioned their coming 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 prove him to be the Messias Had he told them as much in plain termes they might have beleeved him because this great work did witnesse him to be a Prophet and therefore one that could not lie But by this answer how could they gather more then the people upon the astonishment of that accident had said for when the dead man sate up and spake fear saith the Evangelist came on them all and they glorified God saying A great Prophet is raised up among us and God hath visited his people Luke 7. 16. 5 Yet this objection at least the solution confirms the truth of my former assertion that by his miracles alone considered they were not bound absolutely to believe he was the Messias but by comparing them with other circumstances or presupposed truths especially the Scriptures received and approved prophesies of the Messias though no one for the greatnesse of power manifested in it could of it self yet the frequencie of them at that time and the condition of the parties on whom they were wrought might absolutely confirme John and his Disciples because such they were in these and every respect as the Evangelical Prophet had foretold Messias should work for this reason our Saviour delivers his