Of these six meanes, which they be. SECT. 1.

THOVGH, according to S. Hierome, Hierom. Haereses ad originem reuocare, refut are est: To reduce heresies to their origen, is to refute them, that is, to shew not only the tyme when they did begin, but also the head, or foūtaine from whence they did spring, is a sufficient proofe, both of their nouel­ty and falsity; & so to haue shewed the Priuate Spirit to haue beene the origen, & Mother which hath begot all late he­resyes, [Page 2] which as a brood of such a Damme, haue descended from her (which in the first Part is fully performed) is a suf­ficient proofe that the same heresyes are degenerate from all diuine Verity, and are as so many poisoned streames descen­ded from an infected fountaine. And though all Sect-mai­sters, who disclaime & delude the vsual receaued grounds of Christian religiō, such as are, Scripture, Tradition, Church, Councels, Sea Apostolike, and Fathers, and appeale euery man to his owne Priuate Spirit, do make this their Spirit the origē of their fayth (which also in the former part is, I hope sufficiently and copiously conuinced, that the chiefe and prime Protestants before cited, haue done) might suffice to conuince their doctrine of falsity, for that it is descended frō a Mother of such impiety: Though (I say) this, that hath beene thus proued, might be a sufficient motiue to breed a dislike of this Priuate Spirit, and of the doctrine springing from it; yet because, that out of it all sorts and sects of here­syes, especially lately engendred, haue issued as so many vi­pers out of a dunghill: and because the confutation of it is the confutation of all heresies in their origen, and as it were a brusing of all late nouell opinions in the head, or a strang­ling of them togeather wiih their Mother in her wombe, (for to proue the fountaine to be poisoned, is to proue the streame to be infected, and to conuince the Mother of adul­tery, is to proue the child liable to basta [...]dy;) it is a worke profitable, and (I hope) worth the labour to descend into a particuler confutation of this Priuate Spirit, and by speciall and seuerall kindes of arguments (such as are the authority of holy Scripture, the testimonies of auncient Fathers, the principles of holy Fayth, the euidency of solid reason, & the absurdities both doctrinall and practicall that ensue vpon it, and the fruits and effects which haue beene produced by it) to lay open the deformity, falsity, and impiety of this Pri­uate spirit, and to shew the inconueniences, absurdities, and blasphemies which ensue vpon the making it the whole ground of Fayth, the sole interpreter of Scripture, and the only iudge of all controuersies of Faith & Religion, which (as is before in the former part shewed) all Protestants haue [Page 3] done, and yet do.

For the better performance of which vndertaken taske, and the more, both orderly to proceed, and more clearely to vnderstand the same, as in the former part we proued six groundes of Christian and Catholike fayth, vpon which it is built; and shewed, that as the Catholikes do imbrace them all, the Protestants do reiect and delude them all: so it will not be amisse in this part, first (before we enter the particu­ler confutation) to propose to the iudicious Readers consi­deratiō, also six helps or meanes, Six meanes or helpes to attain faith by which ordinarily God vseth to worke true & Catholicke fayth, in the hart of eue­ry true beleeuer; and to shew that, as they are all, and euery one of them concurring to the true fayth of euery Catholik, so they are all wanting to all sortes of Protestants, and to their faith and religion, whereby both Catholikes & Pro­testants may discerne, as well by what kind of causes and meanes true Fayth is produced, as vpon how solid a groūd and foundation the same is builded; and so al may the better be enabled to iudge whether of the two Religions, that is, Catholike or Protestant, be not only more solidly groūded, but also more diuinely produced.

For which we may note, that as these six Meanes or helpes are necessary to Fayth, so three of them are necessary in respect of the Obiect belieued, and three in respect of the Subiect belieuing. In respect of the Obiect, 1. The ma­terial obiect what we do belieue. the first is the Ma­teriall obiect, or articles to be belieued, which as they are su­pernatural, and aboue the capacity of our vnderstanding, so are they to reason not euident and cleare, but obscure, both in their verity that they are true, and in their reuelation, that they are reuealed by God, and therefore are by fayth, for the authority of God affirming, belieued. And these are the B. Trinity, the Incarnation, Resurrection, Transub­stantiation, Iustification, Glorification, and the rest which we belieue.

The second meane is the Formall Obiect, 2. The for­mall obiect or reuelatiō why we be­lieue. or motiue why we belieue, which is the prime verity, reuelation, or testi­mony of God, who, as he hath reuealed all mysteries that we are to belieue, and as we are to belieue them, because [Page 4] God hath reuealed them; so did he at the first reueale them all to the Prophets, and Apostles, from whome we are to receaue by Scripture, or Tradition all reuelations of all my­steries of Fayth, whatsoeuer are by any, till the worlds end, belieued, without expectance of new reuelations, by any new spirit; for so did Christ himselfe make knowne to the Apostles, Ioan. 15.15. All which he heard of his Father &c. And therupon the Apostles Mat. 16.15. are cōmanded to preach the Ghospell to all creaturs. And all faithfull are sayd Eph. 2.10 to be built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, that is, vpon the reuelations made by Christ vnto them, and by them deliuered by 2. Thes. 2 14. Scripture, or tradition to vs.

The third Meane is the Proponent cause, or condition ne­cessarily required to our beliefe, which, as an infallible rule and iudge, 3. The pro­ponēt cause declaring the certain­ty of what, and why we belieue. is immediatly to propose to vs the verity, & cer­tainty, both of the articles reuealed, and of the reuelation of them; for as the articles are aboue our capacity, and the re­uelation may to vs be doubtfull, and both are obscure; and as the Scripture, and Tradition are not only hard & obscure, but also mute, and vnable either to explicate themselues, or expresse to vs the resolution of al doubts which may arise: therefore some Iudge, or Proponent cause in respect of vs, is necessary, which must be not only infallible, and vniuersall in it selfe, and able without errour to satisfy all doubts, but also knowne and visible vnto vs, that by it we may know the verity of all, both articles, and reuelation, as also Scrip­ture, & Tradition: which proponent cause except God had prouided and left vs, he had left vs destitute of a necessary meanes to fayth, which is to deliuer and declare to vs what God hath reuealed, and so had not prouided vs sufficient helps to attaine to the certainty of beliefe: And this is the authority of the Church of God, 4 Credible Testimo­nies to con­uince the Vnderstan­ding, of the probability of fayth. or the Spouse of Christ, as afterwards shall be proued. And thus, are necessary in res­pect of the obiect, 1. the Materiall obiect, what we belieue. 2. the Formal obiect, why we belieue, 3. the Proponent cause, to assure vs of the verity both of what, & why we belieue.

In respect of the subiect, who belieues, are also neces­sary other three helpes: First, a Speculatiue iudgement of the [Page 5] Vnderstanding, grounded vpon credible Testimonyes and probable reasons of perswasions, which doe make appeare euident to mans natural iudgmēt, that this faith is credible, and worthy of beliefe, and prudently may be accepted as more credible, & more worthy of beliefe, then any other of Pagans, Iewes, or Heretikes whatsoeuer, though it be not as yet for these reasons belieued as true. These euident te­stimonyes of credibility (which according to diuers disposi­tions, doe diuersly moue, and perswade some of them one person, and some another, and which are only humane not diuine, and leaue as yet an impression only of euident credi­bility, not of diuine verity) as they are in Scripture requi­red, Psal. 25 Thy testimonies are made credible exceedingly; so are they ordinarily to men of reason so necessary to their conuersion, that the Will, which is not moued but with reason, or shew of reason (for nihil volitum nisi praecognitum) cannot giue con­sent to any Verity of fayth, except it first be perswaded by some direction of these motiues of credibility. Wherupon or­dinarily those who are conuerted from infidelity to Christi­anity without some one or other of these motiues, may be sayd to be too credulous; for qui cito credit leuis est corde, Eccles. 15.4. He that giueth credit quickly is light of hart; as on the contrary, they who are not moued by them sufficiently proposed, Luc. 24.25. are Stulti & tardi corde ad credendum; Foolish and slow of hart to belieue, and thereby are vnexcusable from sinne; but they who with desire and deligence, with deuotion, humiliati­on, and resignation do endeauour, and duly doe enquire & seeke out the truth of Religion, are by inuincible ignorance excused from all sinne of positiue infidelity, vntill their vn­derstanding be conuinced by euident reasons of perswasion that the one religion is false, and damnable, the other true and infallible. Thus these reasons of credibility are the first help or meanes in the subiect to illustrate the vnderstanding and conuince it of the credibility of the thinges belieued.

Secondly a pious motion, affection, or disposition of the Will, which directed by the former motiues of credibility, and inspired by the speciall guift of grace, either preuenting or infused, doth first it selfe giue consent, and submit itselfe [Page 6] to obedience of fayth, then doth determinate the Vnderstā ­ding to giue assent to the verity of the mysteries proposed. This pious disposition, The pious disposition of the will disposed by grace to giue consēt to the veri­ty. first is supernaturall, proceeding frō the grace of God, Phi. 2.23. who workes in vs both to will, and to accō ­plish; Phi. 16. And begins in you a good worke, and so our first motion to fayth, is of grace. Seconly, it is free, proceeding from our free power and will, Mar. 16.26. He that beleeueth and is baptized, shal­be saued, but he that belieueth not shallbe condemned. And so our free will concurs also to fayth and saluation, or resists by in­credulity to damnation. Thirdly, it is necessary to the con­uersion of the faithfull, & is the cause why some who haue slender (yet sufficient) motiues of credibility, & weake mo­tions of grace, are freely conuerted; whereas others, who haue stronger both motiues and motion, do obstinatly resist & will not be conuertd, according to that: Act. 28.24. Certaine belie­ued these things which were spoken (by Paul) certaine beleeued not. And, Matt. 23 37. How often would I gather togeather thy children, & thou wouldest not? And this is the second help, or meane working in the will.

The guift or habit of faith cocur­ring to the act of assent or beliefe.The third, and last help, or meane in the Guift, or habit of Fayth, which 1. is a permanent guift, or quality produced by God, & infused into our Vnderstanding; 2. It doth ena­ble and lighten the Vnderstanding (which otherwise of it selfe is as able to see and belieue the high mysteries of fayth, as the eye without light is to see colours) to giue assent, and beliefe to whatsoeuer articles are by holy Church proposed, as reuealed by God: Heb. 11.3. By fayth we vnderstand, or belieue that God is. It is the beginning and first ground of saluation & iu­stification, by which we first know God. Rom. 1.17. The iustice of God is reuealed by fayth: by which we liue in God. Ibid. The iust liueth by fayth: and by which we are prepared to iustifi­cation. Rom. 10.10. VVith the hart we belieue vnto iustice: We are iustify­ed by Rom. 5.1 fayth. It is sometimes both obtained before grace of iustification be had, and also kept, after that is lost: so that many haue this habit of fayth, who haue not the habit of Charity. Ioan. 12.42. Many of the Pharises belieued in him, but did not con­fesse him. 1. Cor. 13 24. If I should haue all fayth, and haue no Charity &c. It may be lost, & that only by infidelity, or refusing to belieue, [Page 7] as it was in 1. Tim. 1.20. 2. Tim. 2.17 Hymenaeus & Philetus, and in those 1. Tim. 6.10. who erred from the fayth: 1. Tim. 10.19. Made shipwracke about the fayth. Heb. 6 5. And fell from fayth.

And thus it is lost in all Heretikes, who fall from fayth into heresy, and so loose their habit, by which in Baptisme they were enabled afterwards to belieue truely. And these three, to wit, The credible testimony, to conuince the Vn­derstanding, to accept the articles as credible: The pious af­fection of the will, to encline the will to obedience of faith: And the guift or habit of Faith, to enable both Will and Vn­derstanding, to consent and assent to the diuine reuelations, are those which are required on the part of the subiect, or person who belieues.

The order and necessity of the former meanes. SECT. II.

THE second Consideration may be, to ponder, first, The order & manner of operatiō of rhe six meanes of fayth. the order and manner of proceeding. Secondly, the necessity and efficacy of these six helpes or meanes of Fayth, all as they are compared one with another, and all, as they haue their operation in vs. And first, for the order, we may obserue, that the māner which by God ordinarily is vsed, ac­cording to these meanes, to prepare and help an Infidell, or Heretike of discretiō, to his conuersion to true fayth, is this: 1. Mans Vnderstanding by reason of credibility, & motiues of perswasion is induced and disposed to accept this fayth, 1. Credible testimonies persuade. as credible, and such as in prudence may, and is before any o­ther to be beleiued; and his iudgement by certaine markes, and signes apparent and easy to euery ones capacity, is per­swaded that this Church and company of belieuers is rather then any other, the true Church of Christ, by which he is to be directed in all particulars of his beliefe. 2. 2. The churches autho­rity propo­seth. He is directed by the Churches authority, how to discerne betweene the verity and falshood of thinges declared, and betweene cer­tainty of reuelation diuine, & illusion diabolicall. And by it is proposed and declared to him what in particuler he is to beleeue as true, and what to condemne as false. 3. 3 Grace in­clin [...]th the will. The wil [Page 8] is inclined by grace to subiect it selfe vnto obedience, in con­senting to fayth, & to determine the vnderstanding to yield assent to fayth. 4. The habit of faith en­ableth the Vnderstan­ding to be­lieue the ar­ticles reuea­led, and the reuelation of them. 4. The guift, or habit of faith, is infused into the Vnderstanding, that it may yeild a firme, and infallible beliefe, or assent to the articles of fayth, thus made probably credible, by reasons of credibility, thus proposed by the Churches authority, and thus made of infallible verity, for the authority or testimony of God reuealing, and affirming them to be true. In which act of assent consistes the essence, and perfection of diuine and supernaturall fayth.

By which is apparent both the manner, and order how ordinarily God workes true Fayth in euery Christian, by these meanes, and also how faith is resolued and grounded vpon euery one of these meanes in particuler. How fayth is resolued Dispositiuè. For if we res­pect the disposing meanes by which we are prepared to ac­cept of our fayth as credible, it dependes vpon the exteriour motiues of credibility, and so our fayth is resolued into them dispositiuè. If we respect the directing meanes, which pro­pose and declare to vs in particuler, what we are to belieue, our faith depends vpon the authority of the Church, and so it is resolued into it directiuè. Directiuè. If we respect the efficient meanes by which it is wrought in vs, it depends vpon the guift, or habit of faith, and so is resolued into it effectiué. Effectiue. But if we respect the formall meanes, and finall resolution, why we doe belieue it, it depends vpon the diuine reuelatiō of God, and so is resolued into it, formaliter, Formaliter. and finaliter. Of which the preparatiue meanes, that is, the Credible testimonies are precedent to faith, and leaue only an human perswasion of the credibility of the verityes. The Directiue meanes, that is, the Churches authority, is also precedent, exteriourly pro­posing what in particuler, and why we are to belieue. The Effectiue meanes, that is, the habit of faith, doth interiourly cō ­curre with the Will and Vnderstanding to the act of beliefe. And the Formall motiue, or meanes, that is, reuelation of God, is the formall, finall, and last resolution why we belieue in­fallibly such verityes to be true. So that if one aske, by what we are before prepared, and disposed to belieue the truth, it is by the credible testimonies; if by what we are directed & [Page 9] guided to know the truth, it is by the Churches propositiō; if by what we are assisted, and enabled to assent infallibly to this truth, it is by the habit of Faith; if for what, and why we doe actually, formally, and finally assent, & belieue the same truth, it is for the reuelation of God. As therefore the Samaritans at the first were prepared by the womans rela­tion (who told them, that surely it was the Messias who had told her all that she had done) to thinke it probable that he might be the Messias, and the woman was as it were a pro­ponent, or propounding cause to them of him, Ioan. 4.39: Many of the Samaritans belieued in him, for the word of the woman, giuing testimony, that he told me all thinges whatsoeuer I haue done. But afterwards hauing heard and conuersed with our Sauiour himselfe for two dayes, they now sayd: Vers. 42. Not for thy saying O woman, do we belieue, for our selues haue heard, and do know, that this is the Sauiour of the world indeed. So all Christians are first prepared by credible testimonies, & directed by Church authority, to the knowledge and certainty of that truth: but afterwards when the diuine reuelation it selfe, as the word of our Sauiour, is made knowne to them, then do they now (formally and finally) not for the testimonies of credibility, or Church proposition, but for the diuine reuelation it self, giue firme and infallible assent, and beliefe to the verityes or articles of fayth.

And thus Catholike fayth is that, which is for probable testimonies accepted as credible, by Church proposed as in­fallible, by an infused habit effected as supernaturall, by diuine verity reuealed as truth infallible, and necessary to be belieued. This fayth is that, which is the beginning and ground of iustification, the way and gate to saluation: Effects of Fayth. vpō which the Church of Christ is founded, and is as the life and soule of it, which maketh vs members and partes of Christs Church, we being by it, and Baptisme inserted into his my­stical body, which maketh vs certainly & infallibly belieue, either expresly, or implicitè, all whatsoeuer articles of sayth God hath reuealed to his Church by his Apostles, which is a necessary meane, instrument, or dispositiō to our iustifica­tion, and saluation; without which none are iustified, and [Page 10] by which, informed with charity, all are iustifyed: which is one, & entire fayth in all faithfull, who for one motiue, and by one proponent cause, do belieue all one doctrine, which being one and entire, belieue as they ought, eyther all arti­cles of fayth explicitè or implicitè, or none at all, which (by refusing to assent to any one article (in which is questioned the ground of all) is by infidelity lost to all: and to conclude which distinguisheth a Catholike from an Heretike, in that whosoeuer hath this fayth is a Catholike, and whosoeuer wants it, or looses it, is an Infidell, or Heretike, and so out of state of grace and saluation. And thus much for the order and manner of Gods working of fayth, by these meanes, in vs.

The necessi­ty of these six meanes of Faith.Secondly, for the necessity and efficacy of these meanes (though all and euery one in particuler be ordinarily neces­sary to true and diuine supernaturall faith) the credible te­stimonies, as exteriour motiues, to conuince our Vnderstan­ding, Of credible testimonies Of the pi­ous disposi­tion of the habit of Fayth. Of the ma­teriall ob­iect. Of the for­mal obiect. Of the pro­ponēt cause that it may prudently accept of this faith, as credible and worthy of beliefe: the motion of grace, and habit of fayth, as interiour assistants, that the Will may not resist, but piously incline to consent, & determine the Vnderstā ­ding to assent, and that the Vnderstanding may obediently yeild assent to the misteries of fayth: the materiall obiects, as those which we are to belieue, and the formall, as that, why we are to belieue; all which are absolutly necessary to make fayth credible, free, and supernaturall, and without them, all faith is but humane, false, or fained: yet in respect of vs, and of our certainty of beliefe, a proponent cause, and that infallible, which can be no other but the Churches au­thority, is most important and necessary. And first, that a proponent cause is needfull all grant, because faith Rom. 10 17. being by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ, some preacher, or teacher is necessary, to propose, and teach vs what is to be belieued by vs; for as fayth depends not vpon reason, but vpon authority, & that of God, affirming this, or that to be true, and commanding it to be belieued; so this authority, thus affirming this verity, must be made knowne to vs, by some directing or proponent meanes, or els we cannot come [Page 11] to the knowledge of it. 2. That this directing and propo­nent cause must be infallible, so that it cannot erre it selfe, Infallibility nor propose to vs an errour, or falshood to be belieued for a truth, is proued: for since God requires of vs a certainty & infallibility of fayth, and this our certainty must be had by some direction, and proposition, by which it is proposed & made knowne to vs, what we are certainly to belieue; it must needes follow, that this Proponent cause must be cer­taine and infallible, or els our fayth directed and guided by it, cannot be certaine. Thence it followes, Aug. de vtil. credendi. Which is church pro­position. that they who admit a proponent cause (as the Protestants do their church) and yet do admit it to be fallible and subiect to errour (as all of them do their Church) cannot haue any certaine and in­fallible fayth at all, as wanting a necessary, certaine, and in­fallible meanes to propose, and teach them this certaine and infallible fayth, which is confirmed by S. Augustine, who sayth, That if Gods prouidence rule and gouerne humane matters, we may not despaire, but that there is a certaine authority appointed by the same God, vpon which staying our selues, as vpon a sure step, we may be lifted vp to God.

Thirdly, this certaine & infallible proponent, or dire­cting cause is Church-authority, which Church that it may infallibly direct vs, & we securely rely vpon it; first, Iesus Christ selected, and made it, not only his inheritance, Psal. 32 12 Which he hath chosen; Matt. 28 1.20.20. Or his house which he builded and gouer­ned; 1. Cor. 13.16.17.19. Or his Temple of which himselfe is Priest: Cant. 4.8 Ioan. 3.19. but also, his dearest spouse; Ose. 2. VVhich he espoused to himselfe alone in fayth and truth; 2. Cor. 11.2. As a Virgin pure and vnspotted, without corruption; Rom. 12.5. Eph. 4.4 Yea, as his owne body; And one body with him; Ephes. 5.25.29. VVhich as head he nourisheth, cherisheth, and sanctifieth, making her glorious with­out spot; Act. 20.28. And which he hath purchased with his pretious bloud. Secondly, he priuiledged it first with his owne presence, promising to be Mat. 28.20. with it all dayes, euen to the consūmation of the world. Next, with the presence of the Holy Ghost, Ioan. 14.16. The spirit of truth that he may abide with you for euer; Esa. 59.21. And shall not depart out of thy mouth, and out of the mouth of thy seed, and out of the mouth of thy seeds seed for euer. And for what end? Ioan. 14.16. That he may teach you all thinges; Ioan. 16 13. That spirit of truth, shall teach you [Page 12] all truth. Thirdly, he armed it with all power and authori­ty; Matt. 16 18. To remit, or retaine all sinnes, to bind or loose whatsoeuer is to be bound or loosed in earth or in heauen; 1. Cor. 4.21. to correct & punish with the rod of correction; 1. Cor. 5.3. To excommunicate and deliuer vp to Sathā; Act. 15.28. And to determine all questions, or controuersies, as it should seeme good to the Holy Ghost, and it. Fourthly, he established and cō ­firmed it; 1. Tim. 3 15. As the pillar and foundation of truth, that being in it selfe grounded in truth, and also grounding others in the same, it should stand so firmely, Matt. 16.18. that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it. Fifthly, he gaue to it commission and charge Matt. 15 15. to teach all nations, and to preach the Ghospell to all creatures. Sixtly, he gaue vs warrant and security, that we might safely heare and obey it; Luc. 10.16. He that heareth you, heareth me. Seauenthly, he gaue vs charge, and command by precept of obligation, that whatsoeuer Matt. 13 2. they shal say to you (speaking of the Scribes and Pharisies in Moyses chaire, but à fortiori, of the Pastours and Prelats in Peters Chaire) that doe you. Eightly, he threats and terrifyes vnder great punishment; first of danger, and of contempt of himselfe, by contemning it, Luc. 10.16. He that despiseth you, despiseth me. Secondly, of infidelity, and losse of his fa­uour and grace; Matt. 18 17. He that will not heare the Church, let him be to thee as the Heathen, and the Publican. Thirdly, of hell and damnation for euer; Mar. 16.16. He that belieueth not, shalbe condemned.

All which doe proue, not only an authority, and that infallible in the Church to direct and teach vs; The church that is, the pastours of it. but also an obligation in vs to obey & submit our selues for fayth, to the direction and instruction of it. And least any should doubt of this Church, what it is, the holy Ghost explicates the mea­ning of our Sauiour, & tells vs, that it is; Ephe. 4.11. Some Apostles, & some Prophets, and other some Euangelists, and other some Pastours and Doctours, to the consumation of the Saints, vnto the worke of the ministery, vnto the edifying of the body of Christ, vntill we meet all into the vnity of Fayth. Which Pastours he will giue vs, accor­ding Ier. 3.15 to his owne hart, who shall feed vs with knowledge, & do­ctrine. And how shall they feed vs? by preaching and propo­sing to vs the doctrine of fayth; for as hearing is a necessary meanes to belieuing; Rom. 10. How shall they belieue him, whome they haue not heard? so preaching, and proposing what is to [Page 13] be belieued by Church-pastours, is necessary to hearing, & so to belieuing; Rom. 10.14. How shall they heare without a Preacher? By which is apparently proued the necessity, and infallibility of Church authority for a propounding and directing cause, in matters of fayth and Religion.

All which may be confirmed: First, by authority of ho­ly Fathers, among whome I will cyte S. Irenaeus, Church propositiō cō ­firmed by Fathers. and S. Au­gustine for the rest. Irenaeus that learned Doctour, and holy Martyr, sayth: VVe ought not to seeke among others the truth, which we may easily take and receaue from the Church, seeing that the Apostles haue most fully layd vp in her, Iren. lib. 3. cap. 4. all thinges which are of truth, that euery man that will, may take out of her the drinke of life. For which those thinges that are of the Church, are with dili­gence to be loued, and the tradition of truth is to be receaued. Aug. lib. 1. cont. Crescō. cap. 33. S. Au­gustine sayth: The truth of the Scripture is holden of vs, when we do that which pleaseth the vniuersall, or whole Church, the which is commended by the authority of the Scriptures themselues, that, be­cause the Holy Scriptures cannot deceaue, whosoeuer feareth to be deceaued with the obscurity of this question, let him require the iud­gement of the Church, which without any ambiguity, the holy Scrip­ture doth demonstrate. In which is affirmed: First, that all truth is left by the Apostles in the Church, not in Scripture only. Secondly, that the same truth is to be learned and re­ceaued of all by the sayd Church. Thirdly, that the truth thus receaued, is most true, and is to be loued, and followed of all. See more of the Fathers aboue in the first part, to whome I add a confirmation out of Luther, against himselfe, and his followers, who sayth, that, The Church neither can, Luth. de anti. Eccl. tom. 7. fol. 562. Ger. 2. part. 10.40. nor ought to teach errours, no not in the least thinges, since God is the mouth of the Church, and as God cannot lye, so neither can the Church.

Secondly, by Reason; for since of all the rest of the means and rules also of fayth, there may be, and often is question & doubt, as for example, of the articles which be true, which not; of reuelation which is reuelation of God, & which an illusion of the enemy; of the motion of the spirit, which is of God, which of nature, & which of Sathan; of the inclina­tion of the Will, which is a pious disposition, and which an [Page 14] illuding affectation; of tradition, which is diuine, Aposto­licall or Ecclesiasticall, which not; of Scripture, which is true, which false; of true, which is the incorrupted transla­tion, which corrupted; of the incorrupted trāslation, which is the true sense, which is false; and of the true sense, which is to be belieued as fundamentall, and necessary, which is not to be belieued as fundamentall, but only voluntary. Of all which, since, I say, there euer hath beene, and now is great question & contentiō, some infallible directing iudge, & propounding cause is a necessary meane, to end these & all like controuersies, and to settle and resolue vs in the assu­red certainty of the one or other, or els will the contention be euer endlesse, and we in our opinions restlesse. Among which seeing no other can be assigned but the Church, and that God hath giuen so large commission, and priuiledge for that end to it, as we haue produced; it remaines that the Church and Church authority, is, of all necessary meanes of fayth, the most necessary for vs, to settle and satisfy vs, in the certainty of our diuine fayth. And thus much of the order & necessity of these six meanes, and chiefly of Church-propo­sition, or the Proponent cause.

How the Protestants want all these six meanes of Fayth. SECT. III.

THE third Consideration, is to reflect how that of all these six meanes necessary to diuine fayth, The Prote­stants want all the mea­nes of faith. the Prote­stants haue not any one, but are defectiue in all. These mea­nes are either External as the credible testimonies, which by euidence of reason conuinceth that such a faith is credible, and may prudently be belieued, Externall. and Church proposition, which by the credit of authotity, assures, that the same is true, and is to be belieued, both which are externall to the person belieuing; or Eternall, Eternall. as the articles which are be­lieued, and the reuelation why they are belieued, both which are of eternal verity and certainty; or Internal, Internall. as the pious disposition of the will by grace preuenient, and the a­ctuall [Page 15] assent to fayth in the Vnderstanding, by the infused guift of Fayth, both which grace and guift, do operate and cooperate to the act of diuine, supernaturall, and catholike fayth: That these, I say, all and euery one of these meanes are wanting in Protestants to their fayth & beliefe, I proue.

And first, that they want all testimonies of credibility, Protestants want credi­ble testimo­nies, which are such as either may. which may perswade any man prudently to accept of their fayth, we may suppose, and note, that these testimonies, or motiues are of three sortes. 1. such as may perswade Iewes, and Gentils to become Christians. 2. such as may confirme Catholikes to continue Christians. 3. such as may induce Heretikes to returne to be Catholikes. Of the first sort are many alleaged, by ancient Fathers Dionysius Areopagita, 1. Confirme Pagans, & these are, Iusti­nus, Martyr, Clemens Alexandrinus, Tertullian, Cyprian, Lactan­tius, Chrysostome, & Augustine, against the Gentils, all cited & proued by Valentia tom. 3. dis. 1 q. 1. art. 4. pag. 87. &c. Valentia. As for exāple in respect of Christ, the dignity of his person, the efficacy of his preaching, the ve­rity of his predictions, and the vertue of his miracles. In res­pect of Christian doctrine, the manner of the propagation of it, not by power, eloquence, nobility, or liberty, but by the simplicity of simple, poore, and vnlearned mens preaching, In respect of Christ. and that to a faith aboue reason, & contrary to the inclina­tion of flesh, and bloud. The confirmation of it by miracles, Of Christiā doctrine. martyrdome, prophecies, sanctity of doctrine, and order of discipline; the opposition of it by the violence, and persecu­tion of Iewes and Pagans, and by the eloquence, Of holy Scripture. & reasons of Rethoricians, and Philosophers, all in vaine. In respect of the Scripture, the antiquity of it, as extant before any writings of any Philosophers, & the consonancy of it, Of Christiā Professours. in the agreement of the old testament with the new, and of both in themselues. In respect of the Professours, 2. Or may confirme Catholikes, such as are, their excellent wit, eloquence, learning, and vertue in it, their conuersions from infidelity to it, their wonderfull constancy, and forti­tude in defending, and dying for it. All which haue beene vrged as strong motiues, against Gentils to conuert them to it. Of the second sort which may confirme Catholikes, Aug. lib. cont. epist. Funda. cap. 4. or such as confirmed S. Augustine in his catholike beliefe against the Maniches, which he recites to haue beene, 1. the consent [Page 16] of people and Nations. 2. Authority begun by miracles, nourished by hope, Consent. Authority. Succession. Name Ca­tholike. increased by charity, and confirmed by antiquity. 3. The suc­cession of Priests from the seate of Peter, to the then present Bishop of Rome. 4. The name of Catholike, neuer vsurped by Heretikes, spea­king to strangers, but vsually attributed by them to Catholikes: all which did iustly keep me (sayth he) in the bosome of the Catholike Church.

Of the third sort, which may reduce Heretiks, are such as the Nicen Councell, in the Creed, S. Augustine, Aug. de vnit. Eccl. c. 7. tom. 7. Concione 2. in Psalm. 30.12. and o­thers did alledge to conuince the Heretikes of their tyme, that is, 1. Vnity of the present Church with the ancient in doctrine, and vnity of the partes with the head by fayth, & vnity among themselues by charity, and to their Pastour by obedience. 2. Sanctity of doctrine, which induceth sinners to holinesse, 3. Or may reduce He­retiks, such as are, and conuerts Infidells to christianity; and sanctity of persons, who exercise good workes of piety, & confirme their doctrine and holinesse by miracles and prophecies. 3. Vniuersality, in name by which it is called Catholike. In place by being or hauing been extended, Vnity. in preaching, or profes­sing to all or most Nations, Sanctity. at the least successiuely. In tyme, by being ancient in beginning from the Apostles, and con­stant in continuing from them vntill this present, against al persecution of Gentils, vniuersality Iewes, or Pagans. 4. Succession of Pastours and Prelats, who by lawfull succession from some Apostolicall sea, Succession. or from some who haue authority from it, and by lawfull ordination from them who are lawfully or­deined, can deriue their succession and ordination from the Apostles. These are markes and testimonies, which distin­guish the true Church of Christ from al conuenticles of He­retikes, & do conuince euidently that to be the true church where they are to be found, and that to be false, where they are wanting.

Which supposed, it is to be proued. First, that the Pro­testants want all these testimonies of credibility, Protestants want testi­monies of credibility. which should make euident the credibility of their fayth, and reli­gion, either to Pagans to conuert them, or to Heretikes to reduce them, or to their owne followers to confirme them. And first, because it will be to tedious to touch euery one in [Page 17] particuler, we will select the most principall; and for the first sort, which may conuert Pagās, it is certaine, 1. To con­uert Pagans that what­soeuer of the former motiues the Protestants can alleadge, either concerning Christ his doctrine, his Scripture, or his Professours, to proue Christian Religion credible to a Pagā, they receaued them all from vs, and our Church; (from which they haue receaued what they haue, either of Christ, of Scripture, of Sacraments, of Christian religion in gene­rall) therefore what these proue or confirme, they proue & confirme our Church and doctrine, not theirs.

For the first of the rest, if we seeke Vnity of doctrine, 2. To con­uince Here­tikes. a­mong them it is not to be found. They haue not Vnity, ei­ther with the Primitiue Church, and Fathers, whose do­ctrine they reiect in free Will, Merit, Iustification, As vnity▪ with the primitiue Church. Prayer to Saints, and most points now in controuersy, as in the first part is at large proued; nor with any head, or supreme Go­uernour, of which sort they admit none on earth, but dis­claime all supremacy in any person whatsoeuer for matter ecclesiasticall; nor yet among themselues, Or among themselues. who are diuided into many diuisions and subdiuisions of Sects and Heresies, that long agoe the number exceeded a hundreth, & now are so many, that they cannot be numbred. In all which as they want all Vnity, so they want all meanes to settle any vnity, in that they admit no iudge to decide any controuer­sy, and to silence any persons contentious. Sanctity of doctrine. If we seeke for Sanctity, either of doctrine, or of persons, by holynesse of life or miracles, it is not to be expected among them; for their doctrine (which is for example, that euery motion, though naturall, of concupiscence is sinne, as well without, as with consent, that all workes, though the best, are sinne, that no good Workes doe merit, that no Iustice is inherent, but im­putatiue, that only Fayth iustifies, that the Commande­ments are impossible, that Man hath not Free-will, that God ordaines, and creates Men to saluation or damnation, without respect to their endeauour or workes:) This do­ctrine I say, is a speciall retractiue to detaine any man from attaining to any sanctity and perfection of life, as impossible and not in his power. For any kind of Miracles, Of miracle they are so [Page 18] destitute of them, to confirme their new doctrine, that they disclaime all; and because they haue none, they affirme that none are now wrought, or if any be wrought, that they are false, feygned, or diabolicall. For Holinesse of life, they con­fesse it to be so far from them, that as Luth. conc 2. Domin. 1. Aduentus. Luther confesseth: Men are dayly worse, being possessed now with seauen Diuells, more then before, yea with whole troupes of Diuells, and are more coue­tous, crafty, cruell, and wicked, then when they were Papists. And the like is confessed by Caluin, Musculus, and others cyted by Becan. de fide cap. 6. num. 4. Becanus, and the Protestants Apology. If we seeke for V­niuersality, they are ashamed to stile themselues by the name Catholike, Vniuersali­ty. which is vniuersall, but by the name of Protestant, or for distinction of Protestants, by the name Lutheran, Cal­uinist, Of name Catholike. or the like. Vniuersality of place they cannot challenge, because their doctrine neuer extended out of the limits of a few Northern countryes in Europe, nor euer entred Afri­ca, Of place. Asia, or America. Vniuersality of tyme they cannot cha­lenge, because their Church had its first being but about an hundred yeares agoe, Of tyme. and this so apparently, that we can no­minate the yeare when, the authour who, the place where, the opinions what, the mantainers and abetters by whome this doctrine had first being in the world, and the opposers who at first did, & yet continue to gainsay it: so as they dis­claime expresly from this marke, not only denying it to be any marke of the Church, but also confessing that their Church was, according to some of them, seauen hundred, to others a thousand, to others twelue hundred, to o­thers foureteene hundred yeares, euer from Christ (as be­fore is proued) either not at all, or altogether latent and inuisible. Succession of Ordina­tion. If we seeke for Succession of Ordination from the Apostles, they either beg it from the Romā Church, which they account Antichristian, or els take vp a new one at their owne handes, and are Prelates and Pastours of their owne creation; and for want of ordinary vocation from Christ, are content with an extraordniary of their owne inuention. By which, And Voca­tion. and much more for breuity omitted, is euident, that all testimonyes of credibility sufficient to make their doctrine seeme probable, and worthy of credit, are wanting [Page 19] to them, and their Church.

2. Protestants want Chur­ch-infalli­ble proposi­tion, in that they That the Protestants want the two externalll meanes of fayth, which is Church-infallible proposition, by which they should be assured & confirmed in the certainty of their diuine reuelation, & mysteries reuealed, in the cer­tainty of their spirit and motions by it, and in the certainty of their Scripture, and meaning of it, is proued: because whether we take the Church Authoritatiue, for the chiefe Pastours and Prelates by whose authority it is gouerned, or Representatiue, for the general Councels in which the whole body in the assembly of Bishops is represented, or Collectiue, for the whole multitude of all faythfull belieuers through the whole world dispersed: Take it, I say, in which of these senses you will (in all which it is the true Church of God, and of infallible authority) yet in none of these doe the Pro­testants receaue any infallible direction or confirmation frō it. For if we respect their Pastours and Prelates, Disobey their Pa­stours. they are not directed by them, or obedient in fayth to them, but, by the liberty and priuiledge of their spirit, euery priuate person hath authority to censure and iudge them. If we respect ge­nerall Councells, they disclaime all, as before is proued, Disclaime generall Councels. or if they approue any, it is so farre as their Decrees do agree with the fancy of their spirit, to which they subiect them, and so longe as they are pleased to obserue what is commā ­ded by them, in which they will be free without obligation to obey them. And con­demn their whole Church of errour. If we respect the whole body of the Church they in their generall Tenents doe generally hould, that it may erre and faile in doctrine and fayth, and for practise do boldly affirme, that for many ages it hath fallen, and failed not only in doctrine of Idolatry, superstition, and heresy, but also in very extancy, and being of a Church, as hauing beene inuisible not extant, but dead, buried, and corrupted for so many ages togeather, as in the first part is proued: and thus they cut off al infallible authority of Church propositi­on, which more then the other meanes, Protestants want a pi­ous disposi­tion of the Will. they do in plaine tearmes expresly reiect and condemne.

3. That the Protestants want the first internall means of Faith, that is, a pious disposition, or inclination to belieue [Page 20] what is proposed by the Church, as reuealed by God, is pro­ued; because as a pious inclination of the will, moued by the grace of God, doth apply and determine the Vnderstanding of a willing and well disposed person, either to labour and seeke out such motiues, & testimonies, as do make the truth of Religion seeme probable, or to assent to such as are alrea­dy proposed vnto it: By obstina­cy by which so the obstinate disposition of a willful Protestant, doth refuse to giue any credit, or beliefe to any reasons, though neuer so euident, or to any definition of the Church, though euery way most certaine; but resolues with out amendement to persist in his preiudicate opinion, not­withstanding any reason or authority to the contrary. By which his obstinacy, They fal in­to heresy. 1. He fals into heresy, by willfully fol­lowing his owne opinion which he chooses, and carelesly contēning the authority of the Church, Loose their fayth. in that it defines. 2. He looseth his fayth which he receaued in Baptisme, & fals into infidelity, partaking with Heretikes. 3. He belieues no articles of fayth (to which he assentes, though truly, firm­ly, Belieue no truth by a­ny diuine Fayth. and for the testimony of God) by any diuine and Catho­like fayth, which depends vpon an infallible meane, that is Church proposing authority; but by humane fayth, wholy relying, and lastly resoluing his beliefe, eyther vpon the au­thority of some deceauing maister, or vpon the testimony of some wrested Scripture, or vpon the euidency of some delu­ding notes and markes, or vpon the seeming apparency of his owne spirit, Separate themselues frō Christ. and conceit. 4. He separates himselfe from the vnion of the body of Christ, from the benefit of the me­rits of his passion, from the communion of his Saints, both in earth and heauen, and from all participation of hope of glory in Gods Kingdome to come, & so remaines as a dead member, cut from the body, as a dry bough deuided from the tree, as a darke glimse of light separated from the Sunne, & as a small streame stopped from the current of the foun­taine; all which as they do presently decay and dry, or come to nothing, so he.

Protestants want an in­fused guift of Fayth.4. That the Protestants want the two internall meanes and help of Fayth, that is, the infused and permanent guift of fayth inherent in the Vnderstanding, and both enabling [Page 21] and illuminating it to the producing of the act of diuine su­pernaturall fayth, is proued: Because Protestants who hold that Fayth doth iustify, and that Iustification is not by any inherent guif and quality, but by the extrinsecall fauour of God, not imputing our sinnes vnto vs, must needs by con­sequence hould, & so for the most part do hould, that there are no infused and permanent guiftes, or habits of fayth, which concurre or help to our Iustification, but that all is wrought by the motion of a transeunt spirit: which motiō, as it worketh (according to them) in them by it selfe only, & wholy, all internall good workes, without any cooperatiō of man, or mans freewill; so it is only a motion which wor­keth in whome it will, when it will, and how it will, al, and whatsoeuer it wil, in man to his iustification and salua­tion: by which it is euident, that as in all their opinions, they are neyther constant nor permanent, but are wafted with euery wind of new doctrine, and so fly from the be­liefe of one thing to another: so they are not guided by any permanent guift or quality, Protestants want the material obiects, or ar­ticles of Fayth: be­cause they belieue not Traditions, nor many partes of Scripture in which they are reuea­led. but by certaine flashes & moti­ons of an vncertaine spirit, which leads them from one vn­certainty to another, and so leaues them in al, vncertaine.

5. That the Protestants want the first of the eternall meanes or helps of Fayth, that is, the materiall obiects or articles of beliefe, which are to be belieued, as reuealed by Christ vnto the Apostles, and by the Apostles left to their Successours, and by them to vs, and posterity, is proued. 1. Because they belieue many thinges as obiects of Fayth, which are not reuealed, eyther in Scripture, or Traditions, of which are many instances giuen in the former parte; so do they not belieue many articles which are reuealed both in Scripture and Tradition; for which cause they reiect all tradition, and in it, many mysteries of fayth, which the A­postles left only by Tradition, Nor many articles be­lieued by ancient Church and Fathers. and refuse many partes of Scripture, and that chiefly, because they containe many points of doctrine, which they will not belieue. 2. Because as they admit many points of doctrine, into the number of their articles of fayth, which the ancient Church condem­ned for heresies, as contrary to Apostolicall doctrine (wit­nesse [Page 22] the ancient condemned heresies of Heluidius, Vigilanti­us, Arius, Iouinian, and others by them reuiued;) so they cō ­demne many pointes of doctrine as erroneous, superstiti­ous, or idolatrous, which the ancient Church receaued for articles of Fayth as agreable to Apostolicall tradition (wit­nesse all the poyntes of doctrine, which the Magdeburgenses and others before cyted condemne as errours, and staines in the ancient Fathers in euery age since Christ) in both which they erre in the materiall obiects of Fayth, as well in recea­uing condemned heresies for Apostolicall verities, as in cō ­demning receaued Apostolicall verities reuealed by Christ for erroneous heresyes. Not any ar­ticle by di­uine fayth. 3. Because, as they admit speciall Fayth only (whose obiect is only their remission of sinnes and iustification) for diuine Fayth, by which they are iusti­fied; so all other fayth, by which they belieue, for exam­ple, the B. Trinity, Incarnation, Passion, and Resurrecti­on, and Ascension of Christ, with the rest of the articles of faith vsually belieued, they acknowledge for no other, but for a general Faith, common as well to the damned and Di­uells, as to them; which faith in the Diuel, and damned as it is no voluntary and free act, proceeding from a pious dis­position of the Will, nor a diuine and supernaturall worke, depending vpon any authority of God reuealing; but a meere naturall and necessary act of knowledge [...], conuin­cing their vnderstāding eyther by force of experience, or by euidence of reason, or by apparent and euident notes of cre­dibility, or by some manifestly knowne testimonies of God, of the verity of that which they belieue and tremble at; so in the same manner, their Faith of the same articles, by their owne confession, is not diuine but a meere humane fayth, grounded vpon some generall receaued opinion, or vpon some meere human authority: and so what they conceaue of the generall articles of faith, Protestants want the formall ob­iect of faith or diuine reuelation: they do not receaue them as any articles of doctrine and supernaturall fayth; but as ge­nerall receaued positions, humane coniectures, and their owne selfe-seeming and chosen opinions.

6. That the Protestants want all diuine Reuelation, for which as the formall cause and the finall resolution, they [Page 23] should belieue al which is by God reuealed, is proued. 1. Be­cause what they belieue, they belieue not for that it was reuealed to the Apostles by the Holy Ghost, eyther at Pen­tecost, when it did visibly teach and confirme them, As not de­pending v­pon the re­uelations made to the Apostles, but to them selues by their priuat spirit. or in successe of tyme, when vpon occasion (as at the conuersion of Gentils) it did reueale to them all the mysteries euer after to be belieued (which Reuelation made to the Apostles is the formall cause of fayth;) nor yet, for that it is proposed to them by Church infallible authority, as a condition neces­sary to know what is reuealed; but for that, it is reuealed to them a new, by their owne priuate spirit, from which they receaue all their directions and certainty, both what is reuealed, why it is reuealed, and also by what meanes it is reuealed. 2. Because the meanes by which Christ doth manifest and declare vnto vs his diuine reuelations, they eyther plainely reiect, or wholy subiect to their priuate spirit; for the authority of traditions, by which part of the diuine reuelations are deliuered to vs, and the Proposition of the Church, by which we are secured of the certainty of them, they reiect and deny. The authority of the Scrip­ture, which is an other meane by which God hath reuealed his truth, and which they chalenge as the only means both of knowledge & certainty of diuine reuelations, they who­ly subiect to their priuate spirit, by which they are assured, which is true Canon, which is true edition, which true trās­lation, which true sense of it. And so for diuine reuelation they haue neyther any at all, nor yet any meanes to know or attaine vnto it. And thus much of the Protestants want of all the necessary helps & meanes, by which true and di­uine supernaturall Catholike fayth is produced, conserued, and increased in the soule of euery faithfull belieuer, and member of Christs holy body, and Church.

How the Catholikes and Protestants differ in these six meanes; and how the Protestants make their priuate spirit the only meanes of all. SECT. IIII.

Catholikes aduantage of the Pro­testants.THE fourth consideration is to reflect vpon the aduan­tage, which we Catholiks haue against the Protestāts, and the difference that is betweene vs and them, in these meanes of Fayth; and how that the Protestants do substitute one only deluding and deceitfull meanes, that is, this their priuate Spirit, in place of all the six former meanes of fayth.

And first for the materiall obiect, they professe to be­lieue, [...]. In the materiall ob­iect belie­ued, as be­lieuing, not only what is reuealed in scripture interpreted by their owne spirit: 1. only the doctrine which is reuealed in scripture. 2. that only which is reuealed, in that one parte of Scripture, which they are pleased to accept as Scripture by their spirit. 3. that only, in that part of Scripture, which is according to their precōceaued opinion, so interpreted by their spirit: so that Scripture alone, and that not in whole, but in part; and that part of Scripture, as it is expounded by their pri­uate spirit, containes all the articles of their fayth. We Ca­tholiks do professe to belieue, first, al that which haue been wrot by the Apostles, or Prophets in holy Scripture, & that in the whole bookes of Scripture, as anciently they were by a Councell of Carthage, But what is reuealed, or declared in Scripture, S. Augustine, & others receaued, & all in that sense as it was by ancient Church expounded. 2. all that which hath been by the same Apostls deliuered to posterity, by word of mouth, and tradition. 3. all that which hath beene declared to vs out of Scripture or Tradi­tion, Tradition, by definition of generall Councells. Councells, 4. all that which by continuance of practise hath beene by holy Church euer reuealed. Church-practise, 5. all that which by vnanimous consent of holy and learned Doctours, Fathers, and Saints, hath beene be­lieued: in this we differ and haue the aduantage for the ar­ticles we belieue. Fathers.

[Page 25]Secondly, for the formall obiect of finall resolution of Fayth, they belieue what they belieue, 2. In the formall obiect which we make, not sense reasō, or the pri­uate spirit. eyther for that their sense doth so perceaue it, or for that their reason doth so per­suade it, or for that their priuate spirit doth so suggest it, and so they make their sense, or their reason, or their owne pri­uate spirit and phantasie, the formall motiue, and finall re­solution of their Fayth. We belieue what we do belieue, for that God hath reuealed it, and that not a new, and to some one in particuler, but anciently to the Apostles, But reuela­tion. and by them generally to all their successours, and by successiō to vs, so that our doctrine, and our beliefe of it, is grounded not vpon any our owne sense, our owne reason, our owne priuate conceit, all most fallible and most subiect to illusion and deceit; but vpon Gods diuine reuelation, as he is the prime verity, and verity it selfe; and that not newly, but of ancient euer since Christ reuealed; that, not personal, Ancient. made to me or one alone, but Apostolical, first reuealed to the A­postles themselues; that, not priuate to euery one seuerally, but generall to all faithfull vniuersally; that, General. not interrup­ted, & at certaine tymes, & by fits, and to certaine persons made knowne, but continued, Continued. & by succession, at all times by all faithfull, and in all places receaued; that, not fallible without ground & subiect to priuate illusion, but most in­fallibly grounded vpon diuine reuelation and Church pro­position, & subiect neither to be deceaued, Infallible. nor yet do de­ceaue: and in this we differ, 3. In the in­ternall assi­stance of grace, Pro­testants de­pend only vpon a mo­tion of pri­uate spirit. and haue the aduantage for the meanes of Fayth eternall.

Thirdly, for the inward assistance of Gods grace, and the cooperation of it, they challenge only certayne motions or flashes of a fickle spirit, which whether it be by illumi­nation, or illusion, whether of grace, or nature, whether supernaturall of God, sensuall of nature, or diabolicall of Sathan, they haue no meanes to discerne, or ground to be certaine, and by it, as dust by a whirle wind, they are car­ryed vp and downe in a round, without freedome, reason, We vpon a permanent guift & se­uerall helps of Grace. or operation of their owne, to what fancy and conceit, it violently wheels and forces them. We are assisted and ena­bled by the diuine guift of an internall and permanent spi­rit [Page 26] or habit of faith, which infused into vs, and alwayes re­mayning in vs, is, at any instant, ready with vs, and the cooperation of grace in vs, to worke both a pious inclina­tion of the will, to dispose it without obstinacy, obediently to consent; and also an actuall assent of the vnderstanding, illuminating and enabling it, firmely to assent to what is reuealed and proposed. Also we admit and receaue, besides this habituall Grace, other actuall, and diuers motions of grace, and of it, some either excitant, first to excite & moue vs; or adiuuant, to assist vs, being moued; some either operant, which workes in vs without vs, and our cooperation; or cooperant, which workes in vs, togeather with vs, and our cooperation with it; some either sufficient, by which we are enabled to be conuerted; or efficient, by which we are actu­ally conuerted. And in this we differ from them, and haue the aduantage for the meanes of faith internall, both for the will and vnderstanding.

Fourthly, for the credible testimonies and motiues of persuasion, 4. In the credible te­stimonies, they haue none. which may in reason persuade any man pruden­tly to accept any religion, as worthy of credit; They haue not any which may, either induce any which was neuer of it, nor reduce any which are fallen from it, or establish any who are entred into it, that their faith, doctrine, and reli­gion is credible, as is before proued. We haue many, & those forcible reasons, perswasions, and credibilities which may in prudence persuade any Pagan neuer admitted to it, or Heretike reuolted from it, or Catholike setled in it, that our faith, doctrine, religion, and Church, may and ought prudently to be accepted, is credible, and worthy of beliefe. We haue, We haue Vnity with the ancient Church. Vnity with the ancient and primitiue Church, with the learned and holy Doctours, and Fathers, with the holy Saints, and Martyrs, whose faith and life we professe, to imbrace & imitate. We haue Vnity with one head, our chiefe Bishop and Pastour, whose definitiue sentence doth resolue our doubts, With one head. doth decide our controuersies, & doth end our contentions in faith and manners. We haue Vnity of faith a­mong our selues, VVith our selues, all of vs, though distant in place, though dif­ferent in manners, though contending for temporall state, [Page 27] or dominion, yet liuing, and agreeing in obedience, to one spirituall Superiour, in vnity of one faith, in conformity of one seruice, sacraments, and ceremonies. We haue Sanctity and Holynesse, both of doctrine, which giues holy precepts, Sanctity of doctrine. and rules to auoid sinne, for the loue of God, & feare of hel, to seeke perfection, by mortification; internall, supressing our selfe-will, selfe-loue, and selfe-conceit; and externall, taming our passions, & affections, with pennance of fasting, watching, discipline, and the like. And also of Good life, Sanctity of life. by frequent exercise of prayer, meditation & contemplation; by dayly practise of pennance, & of patience in persecution; & by perfect resignation to holy Obedience, Pouerty & Cha­stity. We haue Miracles, Of miracle [...] & those frequent & apparent, of pro­phesying, & curing of all diseases, raising dead, dispossessing of Diuels & the like, all wrought in confirmation either of our faith, or sanctity, all for the conuersion of Pagans and Heretikes; of which in all ages & tymes, we haue many, & memorable of most nations now Christian conuerted to our Religion. We haue Vniuersality, Vniuersali­ry of name. not only of Name by retay­ning the title of Catholikes, by which we are vsually distin­guished from al sects, & no sect doth vsurpe it, to distinguish them one from another; but also of Place, Of place. as being generally dispersed in all the parts of the world, Europe, Asia, Africa, & America; and also of Tyme, Of tyme. as being reputed the old Religion, and being indeed so old, as haue byn yeares since Christ & his Apostles, who institued and imbraced it. We haue con­tinued Succession and Ordination of Prelates, and Bishops ma­nifestly & orderly deduced, Succession of Ordina­tion, and Doctrine. without interruption of per­sons or chang of doctrine, by a perfect enumeration of suc­cessours, & Apostles, and Apostolical Seas, vntill this pre­sent tyme, & these our present Prelates, Patriarches, and Popes. We haue the rare examples of millions of Martyrs, Exampls of Martyrs, Cōfessours, Doctours, & Virgins▪ Confessours, & Virgins, who haue with their bloud & life defended and honoured our confessed Faith, & Doctrine; & the strange punishments of persecuting Pagans, Iews, He­retikes, who haue with their sword and cruelty, opposed and persecuted it. In all which we differ from them, and haue the aduantage of them, in credible motiues.

[Page 28]5. For infallible proponent cause, as they do not require or assigne any, 5. In the in­fallible pro­ponēt cause they haue none at all. yea (as before) do expresly reiect all, chiefly the true, that is Church authority; so they cannot produce any which either can be a proponent cause, or if it could, is yet either infallible, or so much as credible, for them selues and their Religion. For their scripture is not to them a pro­ponent, but (if it were true scripture) a reuealing cause, be­cause in it is reuealed truth, of which reuelatiō there is need of a proponent cause to declare, which is scripture, & which is, among many, the true sense of it. Their priuate spirit (which yet they make their proponent cause) is so farre from being either infallible or credible, that it is not only most fallible and subiect to deceaue, yea and actually doth de­ceaue, and hath deceaued so many; but also most incredible without any apparence of probability, eyther to them, who haue it, or to others who follow it, that it can be true, or direct, We haue infallible Church au­thority. and declare any truth at all. We haue a proponent cause, so certaine and infallible, which is Church authority, that it hath for the infallibility of it, the predictions of Pro­phets, the promises of Christ, the declaration of the Apostls, the confirmation of miracles, the approbation of holy Fa­thers, the practise of all antiquity, & what not? all to proue the verity, and infallibility of it, in directing, and declaring to vs, what, and why we are to belieue. And in this pro­ponent cause also we differ, and that principally from the Protestants: and so haue the aduantage & prerogatiue ouer them, in the externall meanes, and so in all the meanes re­quired to fayth.

For the priuate spirit, in particuler, if it were a sole & ne­cessary ground, The priuate spirit might as well be chalenged by Catholi­kes, as Pro­testants. & meanes of fayth (as the Protestants with­out ground suppose it;) if euery Christiā lawfully might, & necessarily ought to rely vpon it (which yet none can) for the certainty of his Fayth & Religion; if it were a secure ground to build vpon, and a certaine meanes (as it is not) to attaine to true fayth and saluation: yet with as great reason, yea & with more probability, might we Catholikes both chalenge it, & rely vpon it, then the Protestants may or cā.

And 1. for the certainty of the spirit, that they haue infal­libly [Page 29] the spirit of God more then we, what can they chalēge for it more then we? What certainty can they claime more then we? If they alleadge their bare word, & say they haue it, we can alleadge ours, and say also we haue it. If they al­leadge Scripture, & say, they haue it for them; we also can alledge the same, and say we haue it for vs, yea, and had it before them, for that they had, what they haue of it, from vs. If they alleadge they haue the true sense of Scripture for them, and their priuate spirit, we can alleage, we haue the same, and the same meanes to attaine it, as they: many of vs haue as great learning and knowledge in tongues as they, as great a care and desire of truth as they, as diligent paines and industry as they, as feruent prayer and deuotion to find, and obtaine it as they. If they alleadge the sense and feeling of this spirit within them; we can alleadge, and feele as much sensible deuotion, and more spirituall; as many inspiratiōs, & illuminations, & these more certain; as great promptnes and readines, to obey Gods motions, & that with more hu­mility then they; yea in all these, we haue and can alleadge more then they. 1. The conformity in iudgement, with the ancient Fathers, Councels, and Church, with whome we agree. 2. The direction, and authority of our holy Mother the spouse of Christ, our Church, which we obey. 3. The subordination and vnion of our selues, with our Pastours & Superiours of the Church to whome we are subiect & su­bordinate. And all this haue we more then they, all making vs more certaine then they, all better grounded then they. 2. Cor. 11. [...] So that we may confidently say with the Apostle, In quo quis audet, audeo & ego. VVhat they dare, we dare; what they can, we can; what they may chalenge for the probability of their spirit, we can & may chalenge the same, yea more then they, plus ego, with more reason and probability, vpon bet­ter safety & security. In the certainty therfore of this spirit (if it be secure) we are equall with them, yea many degrees aboue them.

Secondly. About the necessity of the spirit. For the necessity of hauing the true spirit of God in vs, and the efficacy or effect of the operation of it with vs, we Catholikes are so far from denying either, that [Page 30] we hould a necessity, and that absolute, of both; affirming & that as a principle of our faith, that no person whatsoeuer cā truly and duly belieue any article of faith, much lesse al, nor do any one worke auailable to saluation, Catholikes, & Protest­ants agree. much lesse saue his soule, without the special presence & assistāce of the grace or spirit of God in him. In as much therfore as concerns the ne­cessary being, and working of this spirit of grace of God in vs, in some thinges, we, and the Protestantes agree, & in other we differ. We agree, 1. In that both of vs graunt, and require an operation and assistance of this spirit of God, not only to true faith, but also to good life, 2. In that both of vs do graunt, & require this operatiō to be so necessary in eue­ry one, that neither right faith, nor vpright life, can be at­tained, or performed, but by it, & that as the prime, & prin­cipal cause, and agent. 3. In that both of vs do graunt, & re­quire this necessary and operating spirit, to be so priuate, particuliar, & internall in euery one, that it hath an effectu­al operation, or cooperation in him: & that so effectual, that to it is attributed the effect of our conuersion, & saluation. And thus farre we agree.

Thirdly. We differ frō them, in these. 1. In the name & vsual manner of appellation; for we cal it the grace of God, which as before, Differ, 1. in the name. is of diuers sortes; some gratis giuen, as the guift of languages, cures &c. some iustifying, as Faith, Hope, & Charity; some actuall, as excitant, adiuuant, operant & co­operant, sufficient, & effectual, & the rest before mentioned. They call it, the spirit, or priuate spirit, or motion of God, as inspiring and working, whatsoeuer good is wrought in them. 2. We differ in the extension of it; for we affirme this grace to be extended, offered, and giuen sufficiently, though not effectually, 2. In the v­niuersality of it. to all; so that all, and euery one of reason haue sufficient meanes, and ability to know God by Faith, and to loue him by Charity, so far as is needfull for their saluation. They affirme their spirit, to be restrayned, offered, and giuen, only to the elect, & faithfull (whome they make all one) and that all others neither haue, nor can haue it; 3. In the mā ner of ope­ration of it. but are by the absolut will and decree of God debar­red from it, & therby made incapable of it. 3. We differ in [Page 31] the manner of operation of it; for we affirme that grace doth worke, or cooperate with vs, and we with it, so that the grace of God, and our Free-will, as two concurring causes (though Grace the more principall) do ioyntly effect, and produce euery good worke of Faith, Hope, or Charity, or the rest in vs; whereby our good works haue of grace, that they are diuine, & supernaturall, and of our selues that they are voluntary, and free, & of both, that they are meritori­ous, of more grace present in vs, and of glory in heauen, to come to vs. They doe attribute so much to the worke of their spirit in them, that they take away all cooperation of our free-will in vs, wherby they make man as dead, with­out all action, or operation, to any spirituall, and good wor­kes; & make the spirit so [...]e, & whole worker of all, in man.

Fourthly. We differ in the nature and permanency of this grace, or spirit; 4. In the permanency of it. for we acknowledge grace to be an in­herent quality, & permanent guift infused into our soule, which doth enlighten, & enable our vnderstanding to giue assent by faith to the diuine mysteries proposed, and inspire our will to be sorrowfull by contrition for our sins commit­ted; which guift once infused, is not so permanent, & per­petuall, but that the habit of Charity is lost by mortall sinne against Charity, the habit of Hope, by desperation against hope, & the habit of faith, by infidelity against faith. They, or many of thē, deny all infused guifts of faith, hope, charity, or the rest, & admit only a transeunt motion, or operatiō of the spirit, which working in man, without mans cooperati­on, when, what, how, and in whome it pleaseth, is neuer totally or finally lost after it be receaued, doth make a man alwayes faythfull and beloued of God, and doth giue that vertue to all his workes, though neuer so bad, that they make them gratefull and acceptable to him: so that accor­ding to them, no worke of a faithfull man, though neuer so bad, can make any enmity betweene God & him, God nei­ther imputing it as an offence to him, 5. In the ef­fect of it, what Catholiks assigne. nor man incurring the displeasure of God for it.

Fiftly. We differ in the effect and operation assigned to it; for we assigne the function, and office, for example, [Page 32] Of the guift of faith, to be the eleuation, & enabling of our Vnderstanding to giue assent to what is reuealed by God, deliuered in scripture, or tradition, and proposed by Church authority: Of the guift of hope, to be the inflammation of the soule, to loue God as our chiefest end, to desire him, as our greatest Good, to hope for him, as our good absent, and to delight in him, as our good present: Of the guift of cha­rity, or grace, to be the forgiuenes of our sinnes, the sanctifi­cation of our soule, adoption to be the sonnes of God, title and right to the kingdome of heauen, and a valew, & dig­nity of merit to our good workes. What Pro­testants as­signe. They assigne to their pri­uate spirit a double effect, the one of proposing the obiect; the other, of working in the subiect. In respect of the obiect it proposeth to them, In respect of the ob­iect. what they are to belieue, and why they are to beleeue it, and how they are to know both. In respect of the subiect, it workes in them (say they) a firme and infallible assurance of all the former thinges belieued, so that they stand sure and certaine, not only of the Scripture & the sense of it, In respect of the sub­iect. and of their doctrine, and verity of it; but also of their spirit, that it is of the Lord, and of their saluati­on, that it is as due to them, as it is (to vse Caluins owne words) due to Christ, and that they can no more loose heauen, then can Christ, [...]alu. 4. Inst. 17.2. in the French editiō. nor be no more damned, then can Christ. In which they attribute to their priuate spirit all the reason of credibility exteriour, and all the operation interiour, both in the will and vnderstanding, which they haue of the certainty of all their faith, and saluation. By all which is apparent, that as they made it the sole ground & foundation (which is in the former part at large proued) on which their faith is built: so they make it the sole meanes (as is here proued) and the totall cause, materiall, formall, finall and efficient, both ex­teriourly reuealing, proposing, and persuading, and interi­ourly working, or rather deluding them in the obstinacy, rather then certainty, of their supposed faith. And this pri­uate spirit, and this effect of it, is that, which they rest vpon, and that which in this second Part we intend, by the assi­stance of Gods grace, to confute, and disproue.

Out of 1. S. Iohn 4. 1. S. Paul 1. Tim. 4.11. Act. 20.30. 2. S. Pet. 2. describing this Spirit. SECT. I.

THE holy Ghost, in holy Writ borh fore­seeing, and also forshewing to vs, the abuse of this priuate spirit, the better to forewarne vs of it, & to arme vs against it, doth not only in generall, as it doth many other abuses: but euen in particu­ler, and as it were on set purpose, both plainely decipher, and describe it, & al­so fully confute, and condemne it. Out of it therefore, we will draw our first arguments of confutation, and by it con­uince [Page 34] of falsity, this deceitfull, and deceauing spirit. And first to begin with the new Testament, for the more full in­struction of our selues, and the plainer confutation of this spirit, I will for one proofe conioine in one argument, the testimonies of the chiefest Apostles, that is, of S. Iohn, S. Peter, and S. Paul.

First S. Iohn 1. epist. chap. 4 v. 1. doth plainely giue ad­monitions against this spirit, The priuate spirit not to be belieued (1) Belieue not euery spirit; (2) but try the spirits if they be of God. Secondly both S. Iohn, and S. Paul doe giue the reasons why we should not belieue, but try these spirits. The reason. S. Iohn v. 2. Because many false spirits are gone out into the world. S. Paul, 1. Tim. 4.11. Because in the last tymes certaine shall depart from the fayth, attending to spirits of er­rour, and doctrine of Diuells. Againe, 2. Cor. 11.14. For that Satan himselfe, doth transfigure himselfe, into an Angell of light, that is, doth make shew of workes of piety, iustice, and de­uotion, thereby to allure men, by opiniō of him, to his traps of errours & damnation. The effect of it. Thirdly, both S. Peter, & S. Paul, do shew in what sortes of persons is this spirit, & what fruits and effects it produceth in them. S. Paul briefly calls the persons, Act. 20.29.3. Rauening wolues, who after his departure will enter a­mong them; and men who arising out of themselues, will speake per­uerse thinges, and draw many disciples after themselues. S. Peter more fully describes the effects of it, shewing, 2. Pet. 2.1. That it makes false Prophets, and lying maisters, who bring in Sectes, or (as it is in the Greeke) heresies of perdition. v. 2. Who blaspheme the way of truth; v. 10. walke in the concupiscence of vncleanesse, contem­ne dominion; v. 14. allure vnstable soules; v. 19. promise liberty; v. 18. speake proud thinges of vanity; v. 20. entangle those, who flye from co-inquinations of the world; v. 21. and turnes from the holy Comman­dement, and knowne way of Iustice; 2. Pet. 3 16. and being vnlearned, & vnstable, depraue the Scriptures to their perdition. These are the effects of this spirit, which that we should not belieue, for the foresayd reasons, the Apostle did giue the foresayd caue­at, or admonition.

Reasōs why it cannot be belieued.In which we may note. First, for the former admoni­tion, that there are diuers reasons, why we are not to belie­ue euery spirit. 1. Because there are so many, and diuers [Page 35] spirits: As one 1. Cor. 2▪ 12. the spirit of God, which is of God. Another 1. Cor. 2.11. the spirit of man which is in man. Another 7. Cor. [...]·12. the spirit of the world, which is of worldly thinges. Another 1. Reg. 16.14. the spirit of the Diuell, which is euill. One Ioan. 15.16. which is the spirit of truth. Another 2. Paral. 18.22. 1. Tim. 4.1 the spirit of lying, and errour. One Es. 11.2 the spirit of wisedome and vnderstanding. Another Es. 19.14. the spirit of giddinesse. 2. Because the effects of these spirits are often doubtfull, & not certaine of what spirit they proceed. 3. Because the similitude and manner of their operations, & motions is many tymes great, and hard to be discerned. 4. Because the art and meanes how to discerne, and iudge of them, is very hard, & not cer­taine. 5. Because the guift of discerning them is extraordi­nary, rare, and giuen to few (of all which is fully treated in the ensuing Chapters,) therefore great reason there is, not to belieue the suggestion of euery spirit: great danger there is in following the direction of euery priuate spirit, & great discretion must be vsed, before that any man, though lear­ned and holy, much more simple and sinnefull, can either in wisedome and prudence giue credit; or with safety, and se­curity, rely himselfe, his fayth, and saluation vpon any pri­uate spirit, or motion of it. Reason therfore, and experience confi [...]mes the doctrine, and caueat of S. Iohn, That we should not belieue euery spirit.

Secondly, we may note for the tryall of these spirits. 1. How & by what rule spirits are to be tryed. How, and by what rule, this tryall is to be made. 2. Who, and what sort of persons, are to make it, and apply the rule. For the rule and meane of trying these spirits, Catholikes assigne it to be the spirit of Gods Church, or of the chiefe Pa­stours in it, & gouernours of it, as consenting, Catholikes rule. or at the least not dissenting one with another: and as vnited, and no way separated by schisme, or heresy from their head; so that what spirit soeuer is squared by this spirit, directed by it, and con­formable in fayth, and manners to it, is infallibly the spirit of God. And what spirit of whomesoeuer is contrary to it, diuided from it, or separated from communion or society of it, is certainly not the spirit of God, but of man, the world, or the Diuell. And this is a way certaine to try spirits, and discerne which is true, or false; good, or bad; of God, or the [Page 36] enemy. For sith the spirit of God is (as God is) one and not diuided, 1. Cor. 12 4.11.13. One God, one Lord, one spirit, one and the same spirit. In one spirit we are baptized into one, and in one spirit made all to drinke; And sith the Church of God is directed by this one, and the same spirit, this spirit of truth, this Ioan. 14 16.26. Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, which shall teach all truth: It followes that whoso­uer are partes of this Church, and members of this body 1. Cor. 12 2. You are the body of Christ, and members of member; must haue their spirit vnited with it, ordered by it, and subordinate to it. And see whatsoeuer spirit is contrary to it, or diuided from it, cannot be the spirit of God, but the spirit of the enemy of God. This is apparent out of authority of holy Scripture.

Protestants rule.The Protestants for the most part will haue this rule of triall to be Scripture; for so is their common Tenet, that al spirits are to be tryed by the word of God: yet some of them, of more quick insight, finding this to be insufficient ( Because (sayth Caluin) they who say thus, Cal. in 1. Ioa. 4. v. 1. say somewhat, but not all; for except we haue the spirit of prudence to discerne, it will little auaile to haue the Scripture on the fingers ends) therefore they assigne the consent of Church, or Councel, for vnity sake (thus saith Caluin) to be this publicke rule, or meanes, against those mad men who bragge of the spirit. But being vrged (yea Caluin vrges it himselfe) whether a man shall rest on the Councels deter­mination? he resolues, Noe. For (sayth he) euery spirit of euery priuate belieuer shall iudge of this decree, and determination of the Councell. If so, then as the publicke Councell shall try and iudge the spirit of euery priuate man, so the spirit of euery priuate man shal againe try & iudg the spirit of the Councel. And then what end or pause wil be of trying and iudging, betweene euery priuate mans spirit, & the Councells spirit? And what certainty can be in either? This therefore is a round, or circle, no meanes or rule to try spirits, if they be of God, as in the eight Chapter is more fully declared. And this for the rule of trying spirits.

Who are to try spirits according to Catholi­kes.For the persons who by office haue right to try spirits, and apply this rule and meanes; though the Catholikes prohibit none, yea perswade all for their owne satisfaction, to do it, so they do it by the direction of the former rule, & [Page 37] according to the modell of it: yet the proper office, & fun­ction to do it, they assigne only to the Pastours, and dire­ctours in Gods church, who by the authority of their fun­ction, and the ability of their learning, should in reason be more fit to discerne these spirits, and direct the people, in the discerning of them, and also by this direction, establish & keep a subordination of inferiours to Superiours, or of the sheep to the Pastour, and nourish and maintaine an vnity of of Faith and doctrine among both. According to Prote­stants. The Protestantes giue this right and office of discerning spirits, to all, and euery faythfull person, to whome they giue liberty euery one to try and iudge their Pastour, yea all Pastours, Prelates, Coū ­cels, and their spirits. Whereby, as they infringe all Eccle­siasticall subordination, so they are expresly contrary to S. Paul, who doth assigne for one of the guifts of gratiae gratis giuen, (which is not common to all) the guift to discerne spirits; & thereby also do open gappe to all confusion, and dissentiō: and thus faile, not only in the meanes how, but also in the persons by whome spirits are to be tryed.

Out of all which▪ I reason thus; Conclusiō. That spirit which we are forewarned not to belieue, which is to be tryed by ano­ther spirit, and that spirit by another in infinitum: That spi­rit into which Sathan Matt. 24 4.5. transfigureth himselfe, deceauing ma­ny, and making many false Prophets and rauenous wolues: That spirit which brings in 2. Pet. 2.1 Sects of perdition, drawing many out of the Church, which causeth so many to Ib. v. 2. blaspheme the way of truth, to walke in concupiscence, 2. Pet. 2.10. to contemne domi­nion, Ib. v. 14. to allure vnstable soules, Ib. v. 19. to promise liberty, to speake proudly, 2. Pet. 3.16. to depraue Scriptures, Ibid. to turne from the Comman­dement, Act. 20.30. and to draw disciples after it: That spirit which can­not be discerned, whether it be the spirit of God, man, or the Diuell; whether of truth or falshood; of wisedome or giddines, and in regard it hath so great similitude, in effect and operation, one with another; That spirit, I say cannot be an infallible rule and iudge to interprete Scripture, iudge of fayth, decide controuersies, and direct euery man in the way of his saluation; this is euident, and needs no proofe.

But such is the priuate spirit, which euery priuate per­son, [Page 38] and sect-maister challenges to himselfe, as is before proued, and by experience confirmed; in that euery Here­tike, ancient, or late, hath by force of it separated himselfe from Gods Church, broached so many blasphemous opini­ons, contemned so highly all Church-authority, promised licentious liberty of the Ghospell, depraued so fowly holy Scriptures, and drawne so many into perdition after them, (all which shall more at large afterwardes be confirmed:) Therefore it doth follow, that this priuate spirit, cannot be a rule of fayth, able to assure and secure euery one in his be­liefe, and saluation. And thus much of the first proofe out of Scripture, against this priuate spirit.

Out of 2. Pet. 1.20. making the same spirit authour and interpreter of Scripture. SECT. II.

THE second proofe is out of S. Peter, who, 2. Pet. 1.20. The second proof out of S. Peter. prouing the power, and present cōming of Christ, first by the eye-witnesse of some, in his Transfiguration, next by a more firme testimony, in respect of the Iewes, that is, The scrip­ture is to be interpreted by the same spirit, by which it was penned the holy Scripture, (which he commends for the effect, which is to lighten, as light in a darke place, and for the au­thour which is the Holy Ghost) hath among the rest, these wordes: Vnderstanding this first, that no prophecy of Scripture, is made by priuate interpretation, for not by mans will, was prophecy brought at any tyme, but the holy men of God spake, inspired with the Holy Ghost. In which wordes S. Peter makes first a serious premonition, Vnderstanding this first, as a point of principall, and important consideration. Secondly, he layes downe his assertion in wordes plaine & powerful, against this priuate spirit, That no prophecy of Scripture, that is, no sense and mea­ning of Scripture (for so are they called, Ephes. 4. some Prophets, because they did expound the secret hidden mysteryes of Scripture, and foretell the ioyes of heauen to the iust, as S. Ambrose, Chrys. hom. de spir. sanct. a­dorando. and S. Anselme, with all others do expound it) is made by priuate interpretation, that is, according to S. Chryso­stome, Not by the spirit, which many bragge of, as the spirit of God, [Page 39] but falsly pretending it, do speake that which is their owne. Clem. ep. 5. Accor­ding to S. Clement: Not according to the proper vnderstanding of our owne wit. Yea according to Caluin: Not by our owne pro­per sense; for what we produce out of it, is prophane. Cal. in Cōm. in hunc locum The sense therefore according to the plaine wordes, and generall con­senting interpretation of all, is, No priuate spirit, of any pri­uate man expounding Scripture, according to his owne pri­uate sense, and proper conceit, and fancy, is a fit meanes to interpret Gods holy word, of which thirdly he giues this reason, because not by mans will, or by any selfe seeming hu­mane conceit, was prophecy brought at any tyme, that is, the sa­cred and holy sense of Gods holy word, neuer at any tyme brought forth and penned, but the holy men of God, the Pro­phets, and Apostles spake, and dictated, what they wrote, inspired with the Holy Ghost: that is, Because the Holy Ghost was the author of the wordes and sense of holy Scripture, in the mouth, and handes of those, who first penned it; Ther­fore must the same holy Ghost be the expositour of the sense of it, in the mouthes of them, who rightly vnderstand it. And this to be the true sense of this place, witnesse, besides the former testimonies, not only the Rhemists, Bellarmine, Bellar. l. 3. c. 6. de interpr. verbi Dei. and others, but also Caluin himselfe, saying: The spirit which spake by the Prophets, is the only interpreter of himselfe.

Out of which place and wordes I inferre, first, that as the true text of Scripture it selfe, so also the true sense, Inference. and meaning of it, is a meane and ground of Christian religion, first and principally to be knowne. Secondly, that this true sense is not to be made by any priuate interpretation of the priuate spirit of euery priuate person. Thirdly, that it is to be made by the same spirit of God, which was the first au­thour, and dictatour of it. Conclusiō. And out of this inference and eui­dence of wordes I argue thus. That spirit which must be the true and infallible interpreter of holy Scripture is, and must be the same, which was the first author and writer of it, as is heere proued; but that spirit which first wrote the text of holy Scripture, was not a guift or spirit communicated to e­uery priuate person, though faythfull, but only to the Pro­phets, and Apostles, the first and prime pillars, and Pastours [Page 40] of Gods Church, as is euident. Therefore this, and the same spirit, or guift, which is giuen to expound the same scrip­ture, is not a spirit giuen to euery priuate belieuer, but only to the Pastours and pillars of Gods Church, who as they are the successors of the former first pillars, and Apostles: so al­so they receaue the same spirit, to interprete the same Scrip­ture, which their Predecessours wrote. As therfore the true spirit resided chiefly in the first Pastours, & pillars of Christs Church, to write holy Scripture; so also the same spirit re­sides chiefly in their succeeding Pastours and Prelates to ex­pound it, and not in euery faythfull, and simple belieuer, who can only read it.

Out of 1. Cor. 12.18. prouing the interpretation of of Scripture to be a guift, gratis giuen, not com­mon to all faythfull. SECT. III.

THE third proofe is taken out of those places of Scrip­ture, The third proofe out of S. Paul. which attribute this guift of interpreting Scrip­ture, not gratiae gratificanti, or to iustifying grace, which is common to all faythfull belieuers, and adopted children of God: The guift of interpre­ting scrip­ture is gra­tia gratis da­ta. but, gratijs gratis datis, or graces freely bestowed, which are speciall to some persons only, and those not al­wayes Saints, & holy men. For which we may note, that S. Paul, 1. Cor. 12.18. of the 9. guifts of the Holy Ghost which there he recounts, and of which foure, to wit, 1. curing dis­eases, 2. working miracles, 3. prophecy of future euents, 4. discer­ning of spirits, are transeunt motions; and fiue, to wit, 1. Wi­sedome, 2. Knowledge, 3. Fayth, 4. Kindes of tongues, 5. Inter­pretation of languages, are according to Deuines, permanent habits: of these I say doth S. Paul assigne 5. both them, and their proper function, to be about the deciding, or explica­ting of matters of beliefe, & interpreting of holy Scripture, that is, 1. Wisedome, which is to explicate the high mysteries of the Trinity, Incarnation, predestination, and the like. 2. Knowledge, which is to explicate either matters of manners, [Page 41] what we are to do, and how to liue; or mysteries of fayth, by examples, comparisons, and philosophicall reasons. 3. Fayth, which is eyther without feare to professe, and preach what is belieued, or by contemplation, to penetrate and ex­plicate the deep mysteries of beliefe. 4. and 5. to wit, Kindes of tongues, & interpretation of languages, which is to explicate obscure and hard places of Scripture, to interprete hymnes, and prophecies in strang languages, and to translate the Scripture into other tongues. All which in their seuerall function, and in diuers manners, are imployed in discerning iudging, and interpreting of mysteries of fayth, & difficul­ties of scripture.

Secondly, we may note, that these guifts, doe not ne­cessarily depend, and follow vpon iustifying Grace, It is not cō ­mon to all faythfull. and so are not common to all faythfull, or true children of God, but are speciall guifts & graces bestowed, some vpon one per­son, some vpon another, euery one as the spirit of God pleases. v. 11. not all vpon euery one. This is apparent, first out of the text, which sayth: That to one, certes, by the spirit, is giuen the word of VVisedome; to another the word of Knowledge; to another Fayth; to another Interpretation of languages; to another Grace of doing cures, of miracles, of prophecy, of tongues, of discerning of spi­rits. v. 8.9.10. &c. Againe: Are all Apostles? as heades; Are all Prophets? as eyes; Are all Doctours? as tongues; Are all mi­racles, and hauing the grace of doing cures? as handes; Do all speak with tongues? Doe all interprete the Scripture? as Maisters; no surely. For he hath giuen some, not all, to be Apostles; Some, not all, to be Prophets; Other some, not all, to be Euangelistes; O­ther some, not all, to be Pastours, and Doctours, to the consumma­tion of the Saints, into the worke of the ministery &c. Eph. 4.11. Secondly the same is apparent by the comparison of this my­sticall body, with a naturall body, which also the Apostle vseth, v. 14. &c, for as all members haue not the same ope­ration, but some haue one, some another, the eyes to see, the hands to worke, the feet to walk, the head to discourse; so in the mysticall body, all and euery one though faythfull, haue not the same and all guiftes, but some one, some ano­ther; as some haue the guift of cures, some of miracles, some [Page 42] of tongues; so also some haue the guift of Wisedome, Science, and Interpretation, but all haue not euery one of them; ther­fore some must as Maisters, teach; some as Scholers learne; some as heades direct and instruct; some as members be di­rected, and instructed: so that, as all members, are not one member, so neither hath one member all operations, or fun­ctions; but according to diuision of graces, is also diuision of ministrations, and operations. v. 4.

Inferences.Out of which it doth follow, first; that the guift of in­terpretation of holy Scripture, and explicating of high my­steryes of fayth, is a guift, not generall and common to all the faythfull, as depending and following necessary vpon Fayth, or grace, but speciall and particuler to some, as gratis giuen, to whome it pleaseth God to giue it. Secondly, that all faythfull, and iust persons, cannot be directed by this ex­traordinary guifte, in their iudgement of fayth, decision of controuersies, and interpretation of scripture, because it is not giuen to euery iust man, as is proued: not yet only to the iust, Matth. 7.22 but sometymes to the vniust, as to those who cast out Diuells, in our Sauiours name, and yet he knew them not, that is, Conclusiō. did not approue, and commend them. And out of these I argue thus.

To interprete Scripture, and decide Controuersies of Fayth, is a guift, not giuen generally to all the iust or faithfull, by vertue of their iustification: but extraordinari­ly bestowed vpon some only, as a grace, gratis data: but the priuate spirit, according to the Protestant doctrine, is a guift giuen to all, and euery faithfull, by vertue of their iu­stification, not gratia gratis data: to some therefore the Pro­testant priuate spirit cannot be a guift, giuen to interprete, in euery one, the holy Scripture, and iudge of all contro­uersies of fayth. The Maior, is the doctrine of the Holy Ghost. The Minor, is the doctrine of the Protestants. And so the conclusion following out of both, is most certaine.

Out of Ezech 13. describing, in false Prophets, this priuate spirit, with the effects & punish­ment of it. SECT. IIII.

THE fourth proofe is out of the Prophet Ezechiel, who chap. 13. doth describe, and decypher to vs, 1. This priuate spirit what it is. 2. the persons in whome it is. 3. 4. Proofe out of Eze­chiel. the effects which it worketh. 4. the punishment which ensues vpon it. Therefore he describes, that spirit to be the same, with this priuate spirit, that is, The spirit of their owne hart, By whom is described. which the Prophets follow. v. 3.2. This spirit is in the men-prophets, The Prophets of Israell, that prophecy. v. 2. The spirit. & in the women-prophets, The daughters of the people, which prophecy v. 17. both of them being the people of God, The persōs. and chosen Isra­elites. 3. The effects of it, The effects. are. 1. Blindnes, they see nothing ▪ v. 3. 2. Vanity, They see vaine thinges. 3. Lyes, They diuine lyes, saying, Our Lord sayth, whereas I haue not spoken, v. 7. & chap. 22.28. saying: Peace, and there is not peace, v. 10. 4. Fraud, which, as Foxes in the desertes, v. 4. tyed by the taile of malice, and seuered in the heades of doctrine, doe destroy the vinyards of Christ. Cant. 2. as dawbing of a wall, made by the dawbers of clay or morture, but without temper of chaffe or straw, v. 11. As cushions and pillowes, made by delicious women, and layd vnder mens heades to lull them in security, and catch their soules. In both which with faire exteriour shew, and hopefull promises they deceaue the people, feeding some with a security of future good, & ter­rifying others with danger of future euill, that they might kill the soules, that is, denounce that they shall be killed: who dye not, and viuificate the soules, that is, declare that they shall liue: which liue not, lying to the people that belieue lyes. v. 19.4. The puni­shmēt of it. The punishment it brings with it, is woe to the foolish Pro­phets, v. 3. woe to them that sow cushions, and make pillowes: I will destroy the wall, and accomplish my indignation in it: my hand shall be vpon the Prophets; in the councell of my people, shall they not be; and in the Scripture, of the house of Israell, they shall not be [Page 44] written; neither shall they enter into the land of Israell. v. 9. They shall diuine no more, and I will deliuer my people out of their hands. v. 21.23. Loe, heere is described the nature, the authour, the effect, and the punishment of this spirit.

In all which, if we compare spirit with spirit, person with person, effect with effect, and punishment with puni­shement, The spirit of false Pro­phets and Protestants compared. we shall find the priuate spirit of the Protestants properly described, in this false spirit of the false Prophets. This false spirit of the false Prophets was a spirit of their owne, a spirit of their owne hart, that is, of their owne inuention, ac­cording to their fancy, because, as sayth the Prophet Hiere­my: Hierem. 29.8. They did falsely prophecy to you in my name, and I sent them not, sayth our Lord. The priuate spirit of the Protestants, is a spirit of euery mans owne, and his owne hart, euery one hath his owne spirit, and that priuate, and singular to him­selfe. Euery one sayth, his spirit is of the Lord, whereas our Lord hath not sent either them, or their spirit. These false Prophets were some men, some women, all Prophetes of Israell v. 1. Daughters of my people, v. 17. all reputed among the faythfull children of God, and yet false Prophetes, and false Prophetesses were they both. The Protestants, who chalenge this spirit, The persōs. are all Prophets, that is, interpreters of the word of God: they are (in their opinion) all faithfull & elect children of God, all endued with this spirit, which is giuen to all, & common to al men & women, & by it euery one of them doth prophecy, and interprete Scripture. The fruits and effects of this spirit, were Blindenesse, Vanity, Lying and Deceit, by which they in hypocrisy made faire shew of piety: but within wanted temper of good morter, of true pi­ety to daw be their wall; and with flattery layd soft cushiōs of hopefull promisses vnder the elbowes of euery mans hu­mour, to please their fancy, and all to catch soules, and deceaue Gods people. v. 10.18. The Protestants spirit which vaunts so much of knowledge, verity, sincerity, and piety, what is it, but a trappe baited with so many faire baites, to catch so many soules? Their Church, what is it, but a wall without temper, or morter of the true spirit, or word of God, to vp­hould it from falling and erring? Their doctrine, what is it, [Page 45] but cushions, and pillowes of faire promises, of certainty of truth, and saluation, deceauing all who belieue it, Killing or denouncing damnation to them who dye not, and Viuifica­ting, or assuring saluation to them who liue not? Their Prea­chers or Prophetes, what are they, but as their blind, vaine, lying, and deceitfull spirit, by which they are guided? that is, men most blind in errours of doctrine, most vaine in ostē ­tation of truth, most lying in falsely accusing others, and most deceitfull in shifts & euasions, against manifest truth. The effects. Lastly as the punishment which fell vpon these Prophets, & their blind, lying, vaine, & deceitfull spirit, was not only a woe and a curse of Gods indignation against them, a diuision, & dissolution of the wall among themselues: but also a separa­tion of them from the councell of Gods people, from the house of Israel, and from entrance into the land of promise; so the punishment which fals vpon this spirit, & them who are deluded by it, is no lesse then a dissolution of all vnity in Religion; a separation from the Church of God, from the body of Christ, from the society of Saints; from the vnity of whose spirit, by the singularity of this their priuate spirit, as they are separated in this life, so by incurring the woe & indignation of God against them, as well as the former Pro­phets, they must needs be diuided from him, and his king­dome in the next life. And this is the fruit of this spirit in all Prophets, and professours of it: and the end, and punish­ment of them who are conducted by it.

Out of which it followes. 1. That as this priuate spirit, Inferences. was in the old Prophets; so it is in these new Preachers, & interpreters of the word of God: as in them it inuented new and false prophecies, and predictions; so in these it deuiseth new and false errours in fayth, and vaine, and deceitfull ex­positions of scripture. 2. That as in them, it was a spirit of blindenesse, lyes, vanity, and deceit, by which many were lead into dangerous and damnable errours, & fell into great and grieuous punishments; so in these Preachers and inter­preters, it hath the same effect, and brings vpon them the like punishments. 3. That as then, before Christ, Women se­ducers. this spirit possessed, and seduced both men, and women, prophets & [Page 46] prophetesses; so now, & euer since Christ, it hath done the same, Hier. epitom. 1. epist. ad C [...]esiph. as S. Hierome notes of the tymes before him: Simon Ma­gus had his Helene; Nicolaus his troupes of women; Marcion, his Minion, sent before him to Rome; Montanus, his Prisca, & Priscilla; Ptolomeus, his Flora; Apelles, his Philomela; Arius, the Emperours sister; Donatus, his rich Sucilla; Elpidus, his Agape; and Priscilianus, his Galla; all prophetesses of like spirit with the prophets, all hands and helpers to diuulge their heresies. So in these our later dayes, euery new maister had his mi­stris, and euery Preacher his partner, all participant of the same spirit; thus had Dulcinus his Margaret; Luther his Cathe­rine; Caluin his Ideletta Buraea; Beza his Candida; and euery new Doctour, as Carolostadius, Oecolampadius, Bucerus, Mar­tyr, Conclusiō. Sanctius (and who not?) euery one his sister, and yoake-fellow in the spirit of the Lord. Out of all which I conclude & argue thus. That spirit cannot be a fit interpreter of scrip­ture, nor a sufficient iudge of controuersyes, which is a spi­rit of euery ones owne hart, a spirit blind, lying, vaine, and deceit­full, a spirit seducing men, & women, a spirit which separates from the society of the faythfull, and infers a woe and indignation of God. But such is the priuate spirit which in the old Law seduced false Prophets, and in the new Law deludeth the false Prea­chers, as holy Scripture of the former, & experience of the later doe both testify: Therfore this priuate spirit cannot be a sufficient iudge of Fayth, & a fit interpreter of holy Scrip­ture.

Out of Iob 32. declaring in Eliu, his friends spirit, the manner of proceeding of this priuate spirit. SECT. V.

The fifth proof out of Iob.A Fifth proofe is out of Iob 32. The patience of Iob ha­uing beene tryed in the losse of his cattle, his family, his children, and in the vexation of his body, & vpbraiding by his wife, was after all this assaulted by his friends. These (sayth the Glosse) represent the fashions of Heretikes, who vnder the shew of aduising, vse the arte of seducing; for which, Iob before he began to dispute with them, sayd, he [Page 47] would shew them to be Fabricatores mendacij, Eliu the Bu­site his pri­uate spirit. & cultores falso­rum dogmatum. 13.4. Framers of lies, and worshipers of false opi­nions. Of these, three of them being conuinced by the spea­ches of Iob, and made silent therby, the fourth, Eliu the Busite, a young man of a more feruent spirit, the sonne of Ram, that is, Excelsus, or Proud, a new maister, riseth vp angry against Iob, because he sayd, he was iust before God, v. 2. & against his friends, because they could not answere Iob with reason v. 3.5. And beginning first to commend himselfe, and his si­lence: Because I was young, I was affraid to speake; and then to condemne his elders, saying, That the ouldest are not the wisest, neither doe the old wen vnderstand iudgment; And lastly (to shew of what race he is come, and to our purpose) he sayes: As I see the spirit is in man, and the inspiration of the omnipotent doth giue vnderstanding, v. 8. and I also will answere my part, and will shew my knowledge; for I am full of wordes, and the spirit of my belly streyneth me: behould my belly is as new wine, without a vent, which breaketh new vessels. I will speake, and take breath a little; I will open my lippes, and will answere. v. 18.19.20. God hath made me, as he hath made thee, chap. 33. v. 6. Heare yee wise mē my words, and yee learned harken to me. cap. 34. v. 2.

Heere is a description of a new spirit, Eliu, & the Protestants spirit alike. and of one full of it, a Caluinist, or Puritan in the highest degree, he hath the spirit of God, the inspiration of the Omnipotent, vnderstan­ding aboue others; his belly is full of the spirit, and words, seeking vent, as wine out of a new vessell; he will speake, talke, and answere that, which his Auncestours and wise men could not; he hath reason, which they had not; he is inspired by the Omnipotent, which they are not; he is in­spired that Iob is vniust, because he sayd, He was iust before God. v. 2. that the ancients are destitute of wisedome and iudgment, of the spirit of God, of all truth & verity; that he hath the spirit of truth, and that all truth is to be learned of him; this spirit, in a hoat Puritan, sayth, as Sedechias the false Prophet (who had a lying spirit in his mouth) sayd to Mi­cheas the true Prophet: Hath the spirit of the Lord left me, 3. Reg. 22.23 and hath it spoken to thee? No sure; for the spirit of God hath for­saken the whole Church (to which yet it was promised by [Page 48] Christ) so that it hath erred, is fallen, and become Antichri­stian; but the spirit is certainly in me, it infallibly teaches me truth, tels me the meaning of scripture, assures, me of saluation; it cannot depart from me, and my mouth, & the mouth of my seed for euer: thus sayth the Caluinist out of his spirit, as this Eliu, and Sedechias sayd out of theirs.

Out of which I argue thus, That spirit which is the same with the spirit of these false Prophets, who were so seduced and armed by it, against the Saintes and Prophets of God, cannot be a fit spirit to interprete Scripture, iudge of doctrin and to make a sole ground of beliefe: but such is the priuate spirit now, and alwayes hath beene in all former Heretiks and false Prophets, therefore it cannot be a fit iudge of con­trouersies, and an infallible interpreter of Scriptures.

The sixth proofe out of S. Paul, admoni­shing, Who is an Heretike. Sanct. lib. 2. mor. c. 7. n. 1.Out of Tit. 3.10. shewing the spirit of an Hereticke. SECT. VI.

THE sixth proofe is taken out of an admonition giuen by S. Paul, against Heretikes, Tit. 3.10. in these wordes: A man that is an Heretike, after the first, and second ad­monition auoid, knowing that he, that is such an one, is subuerted, & sinneth, being condemned by his owne iudgement. In which wor­des we are to note. First, who is an Heretike, that is to be auoided. Aug. ep. 162. Qui senten­tiam suam, quāuis falsā & peruersā, nulla perti­naci animo sitate defē ­dunt; praeser tim inquam non audaciâ presumptionis pepere­runt, sed à seductis & in errorem lapsis parentibus acceperunt: quaerunt autē cauta solicitudine verita­tem, corrigi parati cum inuenerint, nequaquā sunt inter haereticos, deputandi. 2. The reason why he is to be auoided. First ther­fore as Heresy is a voluntary errour in the vnderstanding a­gainst some verity of Fayth, obstinatly defended by him who hath once belieued; so an Heretike is he, who hauing once professed the Christian fayth, doth erre in some arti­cle of it, & doth with obstinacy defend his errour: for which is requisite. 1. That he haue receaued the Christian fayth, at least in Baptisme by professing it. 2. That he erre in some point, or points of fayth, not in al, for then he is an Apostata. 3. That he be obstinate in his opinion, or errour, of which sort, are not they who according to S. Augustine, defend their opinions, though false and peruerse, with no stubborne stomack, [Page 49] or obstinate hart, especially if it be such as themselues by bold presumption broached not, but receaued it of their deceaued parents: Aug. l. 18. de ciuit. Dei c. 51. Qui in ecclesia Dei morbidū a­liquod pra­uum (que) sapi­unt, si cor­repti vt sa­num rectū ­que sapiāt, resistunt cō ­tumaciter, sua (que) pesti­fera & mortifera dog­mata emē ­dare nolūt, sed defensa­re persistūt, haeretici fiūt & foras ex­euntes, ha­bentur in exercētibus inimicis. and doe seeke the truth warily and carefully, being ready to be reformed, if they find it such. These are not to be reputed among obstinate Heretikes. But those according to the same S. Augustine: Who in the Church of God haue any crazed and peruerse opinion, if being admonished to be of a sound and right opinion, they resist obsti­natly, and will not amend their pestiferous opinions, but persist in the defence of them, are thereby become Heretikes, going forth out of the Church, and are counted for enemies that exercise vs. Againe: He i [...] an Heretike, that when the doctrine of the Catholike fayth is made plaine and manifest to him, had rather resist it, and chose that which himselfe held. According to whome, and the Doctours of our tyme, he is sayd to be obstinate in heresy, who willing, & witting doth maintaine any thing against the Catholike Church, or which is all one, who knowes and reflectes that his opinion is contrary to the sentence of the Catholike Church, and yet neglecting the authority of the Church, which proposeth it for true, doth persist in his opinion. And this is an Heretike, who after admonition being growne thus obstinate, is to be auoyded, reiected, and refuted.

Secondly, the reason why we are to auoyd an Heretike is, because that such an one sinneth in obstinacy, and is sub­uerted without hope of amendement, being condemned by his owne iudgement, [...], that is, sayth Tertullian: Aug. l. 4. de Bapt. cont. Donat. c. 16. Be­cause he chose that, for which he is damned, by willfully adher­ring to his owne opinion, and conceit, where the origen of his sinne, subuersion and condemnation is his prefering his owne selfe-seeming conceit, Why an he­retike is to be auoided. before the determination of the whole Church of God; which is proper to those who rely vpon their owne spirit, and prefer it before all, euen the whole Church of God. Out of which it followes first, Tert. de pres­cript. cap. 6. quia in quo damnatur sibi clegit. that the origen of all heresies, is a mans owne proper and priuate conceit, which he preferring before the iudgement of the whole Church, chooseth to follow his owne opinion, ra­ther then the determination of the Church. And out of this I argue thus. All who rely and build vpon their owne pri­uate spirit, iudgement, and opinion, Conclusion for matters of fayth & [Page 50] religion, preferring it before the sentence of the whole Church and Pastours of it, are Heretikes sinnefull, subuerted, & to be auoided, according to S. Paul: but such are all those, who make their priuate spirit the rule, and iudge of their fayth, religion, and exposition of Scripture, as is apparent, because neglecting the direction of the spirit of God, which directs his whole Church, they preferre before it their own priuate spirit, which directs themselues; therefore are iustly condemned, and so to be auoided as Heretikes.

Of the diuersity of Spirits. SECT. I.

IN the former Chapters we haue con­futed the Protestāt priuate spirit by au­thorityes of holy Scripture, and by te­stimonies of ancient Fathers: it remai­nes that we doe the like by euidence of reason; and in this Chapter, by reasons drawne frō the difficulty of discerning of spirits, of which if the priuate spirit be not able to discerne and iudge which be good or bad, which true or false; much lesse is it able to discerne & iudge [Page 70] the motions and effects of them, that is, which Scripture, & the sense of it, is true or false, which fayth and doctrine is good or bad.

Diuersity of Spirits.For the better vnderstanding of which difficulty of dis­cerning of Spirits, we may note first how many sortes of va­rieties and distinctions of spirits there be. 1. According to the nature and property of spirits, S. Gregory distinguishes them thus. Greg. lib. 4. Dial. cap. 3. Some are without mixture of body, some with mix­ture. In nature and essence. Spirits without mixture, are either increate, as God the Father a spirit, God the Sonne a spirit, God the Holy Ghost a spirit, all one God, al one spirit, good without qua­lity, great without quantity, euery where without place, alwayes without tyme, doing all without action, mouing al without motion, containing all, and contained in nothing, and present in all by his essence, power, and presence, and yet aboue all: or els create, which are either happy in glory as the Angells in heauen, which are as Heb. 1.14. administring spirits for vs; or els damned in hell, as the Diuels, who as 1. Pet. 5. roaring Lyons seeke to deuoure vs: both which doe differ either in specie or kind, or at the least in degrees of power and greatnes, some being in the highest, some in the midle, some in the lowest Hierarchy, euery Hierarchy hauing his order, and e­uery order his particuler Angels, and Diuels belonging to it. Spirits mixt with bodies & flesh, are either such as are mixed with flesh, and dye with it, as the sensuall soule of birds and beastes; or such as are mixt with flesh, but dye not with it, as the reasonable soule of man, which is a meane betweene Angells to whome he is inferiour, and beastes to whome he is superiour, communicating with the one in the immortality of soule, with the other in mortality of flesh. 2. According to their estate, In state and condition. and condition; these spirits are some good, as God, Angels & Saints; others bad, as Diuels & men wicked, aliue, or damned in hell; others indifferēt, as the natural spirit of man, and sensuall of beastes: some are blessed in heauen, as Angells and Saints, others damned in hell, as Diuels, and the damned soules; others in the way, and out of danger, as the soules in purgatory; or in the way and in danger, as the soules of men liuing; some are meere [Page 71] intellectuall, as God and Angells; others more sensuall, as beasts; others rationable mixed of both, as man; some al­wayes without bodyes, as Angels and Diuels; In worke & operation. others al­wayes with bodyes, as beastes and birdes; others somety­mes with body, and sometymes without, as the soule of man liuing, or dead, before and after resurrection. 3. Ac­cording to the effect and operation, S. Bernard. serm. de 7. spiritibus. S. Bernard distinguishes six kindes of spirits. 1. Diuine, of God, 1. Ioan. 4.2. the spirit is God. 2. Angelicall, of Angels, Psal. 103 4. he hath made spirits his Angells, which alwayes worke good. 3. Diabolical, of the Diuell, Psal. 77.49. he sent immissions by euill Angells. 4. Carnall, of the flesh, Psal. 77.49. puffed vp by the sense of the flesh. 5. Worldly of the world, Col. 2.18 you haue not receaued the spirit of this world, which worke al­wayes bad. 6. Humane, of man, 1. Cor. 2.11. the spirit of man which is in man, which of all is indifferent, and when it is assisted with grace is good, when stayned with sinne is bad. 1. Cor. 2.12. To which may be added the spirit of truth, and of lying, the spirit of wise­dome, and giddines, and the spirit of the knowledge of truth, and errour, of which is spoken before cap. 2. Of which spirits for our purpose, these chiefly are to be noted, that is, the spirit of God, of Angells, of Diuells, and the spirit of the soule of man dead, in heauen, in hell, or in purgatory; and of man liuing, according to the dictamen, either of our naturall reason, or of the light of diuine fayth and grace. And thus much of the variety and differences of the nature of spirits, which are to be discerned.

Secondly, we may note, that these seuerall sortes of spi­rits haue seuerall sortes of operations in man, and do seuerall wayes manifest and shew themselues in him and to him; for as in the naturall life of man, besides the powers vegitatiue and sensitiue, by which he liues and moues, God and Na­ture hath prouided certaine more subtile spirits, that is, the vitall spirits in the hart, which passing through the arteries, do help to vitall operation, as nutrition, and augmentation; and sensible spirits in the braine, which passing through the veines do assist to the sense of feeling, touching, and the rest: so also in the spirituall life of a Christian man, besides the permanent guifts of the Holy Ghost, and habits of faith, [Page 72] hope, Diuers sor­tes of appa­ritions. and charity, infused in Baptisme, and Pennance, to­geather with grace; God doth communicate also certaine extraordinary helpes and guifts to the soule, which as cer­taine beames of his diuine light, and sparkles of his celestiall loue, assist and enable it to a higher knowledge of God, and good thinges, and to a more perfect practise of vertue and perfection: and these are diuine illuminations, inspirations, or visitations and visions, which are of two sortes, the one meere spirituall, and internall; the other sensible and ex­ternall. Spiritual & internall. The first sort of spirituall motions, arise immedi­atly from foure heads. 1. From God, who (illuminating the Vnderstanding with a heauenly light, clearely to discerne what is true or false, what good or bad; inflaming the will with an ardent desire to loue sincerely him and his goodnes, and to doe his holy will and commandement; and enabling the rest of the faculties with an inuincible fortitude, to per­forme couragiously what is to his greater honour & glory) doth, when, or how he pleases, and by meanes, and in tyme best fitting, as prayer, meditation, reading, or such spiritu­all practises, speake, instruct, and direct the soule by speciall illustrations, inspirations, and confortations. 2. From the good Angell, who by good cogitations and motions, exciting the dulnesse and drowsinesse, conforting the infirmity and weaknes of the soule; and conseruing the same from danger of enemies, is alwayes ready to assist vs in prayers, and good workes, and to defend vs from all occasions, and temptati­ons. 3. Frō the Spirit of grace, which with the light of fayth, & flame of charity inhabiting in vs, doth continually knock at the dore of our heart, and in our sleep awakes vs, in our sicknesse strengthens vs, in our distraction so recollects vs, that with alacrity we may proceed in all exercises of piety, and with facility ouercome all assaults of our enemy. 4. Frō the Dictamen of reason, and light of nature, which pricked forward by the synderesis of a good conscience, doth as a Preacher continually exhort and moue to a prosecution of good, and an auersion from euill; and as a Maister doth still direct and instruct vs how to behaue our selues in our com­bat against the law of sinne, and the Angell of Sathan, [Page 73] which make continuall opposition against it; all which, as a vigilant watchman, doe still watch at the superiour part of the soule, to wit, the Memory, Will, and Vnderstanding, eyther by an infused light, or by species, formed and framed in the phantasie, and do inwardly knocke, awake, admo­nish and incite our soule, to the knowledge of truth, & the operation of God.

The other sort of Spirits is sensible, and visible, Sensible & externall. by visi­ons, and apparitions; and these are sometymes Imaginary, presenting inwardly to the phantasie, and imagination, In the ima­gination. a shew and apparition either of wordes spoken, or of persons appearing in their own person, or in some other like to thē, or in some figure representing them: others sometymes are Visible and corporall, seene, heard, or felt in some corporall body, formed and framed of the ayre, and assumed & moued by a spirit which in them speakes, walkes, and exercises sen­sible actions, as though it were a true and liuing person, both which kindes happened often to the Patriarches and Prophets of old, and to many in these later tymes; sometims waking, sometymes in their sleep, By Oracles. and are both of them, ei­ther by way of Oracles (as S. Augustine calles them) when some graue person appeares and fortells what is to be done, Aug. de spir. & lit. c. 25. as did Onias, and Hieremy, to Iudas Machab [...]us; or by way of visions, By Visions. when thinges haue the euent indeed, as they appeare in shew, as happened to S. Peter, who Act. 15. saw an Angell, whē indeed the Angell did free him out of prison; or by way of Dreames, By dreames when apparitions of mysteries are shadowed in fi­gures, not vnderstood in sense and signification, such as was Pharao his Eares of corne, and Nabuchodonoz [...]r his Statua.

All which, whether interiour or exteriour, though they be properly diuine, of God, and good Angels (of which is frequent mention, and examples both in the old and new Testament) yet because they are sometymes diabolicall, of the Diuell, who by suggestions and illusions doth imitate them; and sometymes naturall dispositions or diseases of bo­dy, whose affections and imaginations are not much vnlike to them: And because of the later sortes, that is, visions and apparitions, of which is the greatest difficultie, examples [Page 74] in scripture, and ancient histories (for I will forbeare latter tymes) are many and authenticall, how sometymes God, sometymes Angells, sometymes Diuells, sometymes Soules out of Limbo, Paradise, Purgatory, Hell, & Heauen haue appeared: therefore I will first produce some examples of euery one, Apparitiōs of God. and then shew, what difficulty there is in dis­cerning one of them frō another. 1. For apparitions of God, we haue examples, how he appeared to Gen. 3. Adam in Para­dise, to Gen. 6. Noe in the Arke, to Gen. 17. Abraham in Haram, in Mā ­bre, in the mountaine, to Exod. 3. Gen. 6. Gen. 20. Moyses in the fiery bush, in Aegipt, in the mountaine, and in the Tabernacle, and to Gen. 32. Agar, in the desert, to Exod. 11. Samuel in the Temple, and to all the Prophets, and many of the Patriarches; in all which it is sayd, Our Lord spake, our Lord appeared, which he did in the shape, now of a man, as to Adam; now of three men, to Abrahā; now of a Wrestlar; to Iacob; now of a fire, to Moyses; now of a Cherubim to Ezech. 6. Ezechiel; now of Isa. 6. a Thorne, to Isaias; now of Dan. 7. an old man in a white Vestement to Daniel, (though it be more proba­ble, that not God in person, but an Angel representing God, did appeare.) 2. For apparitions of Angells, we haue exā ­ples expresly of them, how they appeared to Gen. 21. Lot, to forewarne him of the destruction of Sodome; to Gen. 23. Iacob, to encourage him against Esau; to the Iosue 2. Israelites, to direct them through the desert; to Iudic. 6. Gedeon, to make him Cap­taine against Madian; to Tobie 6. Tobie; to accompany him in his iourney; to 4. Reg. 1. Elias, to send him to reprehend Ochozias; to 2. Reg. 14 Dauid, punishing and killing the people; to Luc. 1. In what places. Zachary, and to the Virgin Mary, reuealing secret mysteries to thē. Which apparitions, if we respect the place, were made ei­ther in the garden, as to our Luc. 22. Sauiour; or in the fieldes as to Gen. 32.25. Iacob; or in the desert, as to Gen. 32. Agar; or in the house, as to Iud. 6.12 Gedeon; or in the fornace, as to the three Dan. 3. Childrē; or in the Temple, as to Luc. 1. Zachary; or in prison, as to Act. 10. Peter; To what kind of per­sons. or at the Sepulcher, as to Mary Magdalene. If the state of persons, they were made to our Sauiour himselfe; to Christians, as S. Peter; to Iewes, as Ioseph and the Patriar­ches; to Gentils, as Heliodorus, and the three Kinges; to men, as Zachary; to Women, as the Maries; to old persons, as Abra­ham, [Page 75] and Sara; to young, as Daniel; to good persons, as Lot; In what ty­mes. and bad, as the Sodomites. Also some before Christ, some af­ter Christ, some in Christs tyme, some in the law of Nature, some of grace: so that in all tymes, and at all places, Apparitiōs of Diuels in the shape of beasts. & to all sorts of persons these reuelations of Angells haue bin made.

Thirdly, for apparitions of Diuells, (wherof some are sayd to be Pythonici, or South-sayers, some Paredrij, or Fami­liars, some Catabolici, or possessors and tormentors of men, Delrio disqu. lib. 2. q. 30.2. p. 160. some Oniropompi, or dreame makers) we read of their visible apparitions (to omit their imaginary) how they haue appea­red often, and in many shapes; sometymes of Beastes, as of a serpent to Gen. 2. Euah, and Leonard of Mar [...]l l. 5. cap. 7. Corbie; of a Dogge following them, to Iouius in Elench. Simon Magus, and Cornelius Agrippa; of a Horse, to an Earle of Hugo Flor. Chron. Pet. Clun. lib. de mir. Mascon; of a Cocke, to Metaphr. apud Sur­mense Maij. S. Pachomius; of a Crow, to Damian. in eius vitae. S. Romualdus; of a Foxe, to Hieron. in Hilar. S. Hilarion; of a Dragon, to Marulus lib. 5. cap. 7. S. Margaret, and to Gonzales of Castile; of Lions, Buls, Beares, and Wolues to Athan. vita S. A [...]. S. An­thony; of a Dog, to Su [...]. eius vita Maij mense. S. Dunstan; & ordinarily of a Cat to Witches, and of Wolues Remig. c. 13. l. 1. daem. to terrify, & of Bees, and flyes to trouble & distract Ioan. Nid. l. vlt. Forniicae. men. Sometimes of men or women, (and to Sozem. lib. 6. cap. 28. Of women and men. Apelles like a beautifull woman) as to our Sauiour Christ, like a Venerable mā Matth. 4. Beat. Vincen. mag. hist, Stel. in Lucam. Gen. concord. Caiet. 3. parte q. 7. in his tentation; to Saul (in some opinion) as Cyp. de ador. Anast. l. 3. q. 37. 2. Reg. 28. Samuel, by the Pythonise; to Sulpit. vita Martin. S. Martin, as a King with a Diademe; to a Boy (in S. Gregory) as a blacke Greg. 4. Dial. 10. More; to S. Robert the Abbot, as a frisled Sur. t [...]m. [...]. Inn. 7. Ruffin; to S. Maximus, as a Mariner with a ship; to Euagrius, as a Clear­gy man; to Macarius, as a reaper of corne, and an Apotheca­ry; to Nathanael, as a Carrier whiping his Marul. l. 5. c. 7. Sab. exemp. lib. 10. c. 23. horse. In all which he alwayes appeared in some deformity, as either in a body blacke, pale, durty, stinking, or terrible, or with a face foule, blacke, and deformed, or with a nose hooked, a mouth wide, eyes hollow, or fiery, feet club or clouen, toes like clawes, or some great deformity of body, as is Tyreus lib. 1. de apparit▪ c. 5. Se­ba [...]t. Michaelis pneumat. c. 4. Binsfeld. confess. malefic. praelud. 12. obser­ued, God not otherwise permitting it, the better to discouer [Page 76] him; sometymes in the night to men, eyther waking, as to Luth. de Missa abrog. Luther, when he taught him to abrogate the Masse; or sleeping, as to Zuing. de supplem. Eu­charistiae. Zuinglius, in what colour he knew not, when he taught him to expound the wordes of the Sacra­ment, figuratiuely; and to Luth. sup. Oecolampadius, when he kild him in his bed: sometymes in the day, as to Luth. lib. cont. Carol. Carolosta­dius, when in the pulpit he stood by him; sometymes he ap­peared in shape of Saints, Angels, and Christ, and God him­selfe, Of Saints, Angells, Christ and God. Of Incubi▪ Of Chime­ra's. As God. As seruāts. Apparitiōs of soules in Limbo. of which see examples afterwardes; sometymes of In­cubi, and Succubi, lying with men, or women, and by art getting of children; sometyms of Centaur's, Scylla's, Chimera's, Gorgons, Cerberus, Harpyes, and other monsters terrifying mē; sometymes seeking adoration, to be worshipped as Gods, which they require of Witches; sometimes shewing a ser­uiceable obedience, as when to Magiciās they eyther at cer­taine wordes of Magicke, or at certaine constellations of starres, or vpon certaine dayes of the weeke, as Friday at night, they ryse vp, appeare, and disclose thinges secret, as treasures; or foretell thinges to come, as the euents of batels, or the like. All which in what shape they please, & to whō God permits, the Diuells performe.

Fourthly, for apparitions of soules out of Limbo, before Christ, we haue the examples of Moyses from Limbo, and E­lias from Paradise, to our Sauiour, and the three Apostles Math. 1 [...] in the transfiguration; of Onias the high Priest, and Hieremy 2. Mach. 15. the Prophet to Iudas Machabeus ▪ and the people; of Samuel the Prophet Eccl. 46.23. 1. Reg. 28. (according to Aug l. de cura pro mort [...].15. Ambr. lib. in Luc. Basil▪ ep. 80. martyr. S. Augustine, and others) to Saul the King, telling him, sayth Ecclesiasticus, the end of his life, and exalting his voice out of the earth in prophesy, or as it is in the Greeke, after he had slept, or was dead, prophesying.

Fifthly, for apparitions of soules out of Purgatory, we haue ancient exampls; of Paschasius a Deacon seene by Ger­manus▪ Capuanus, in the Bath of Angulanus; of Iustus freed by 30. Masses of his brother Copiosus; of another helping a Priest at the Bathes, and helped out of Purgatory by his Masses, al three cyted by S. Gregory Greg. l. 4. dial. c. 4. & 55. the Great; and of the sisters of Bern. vit. S. Malachiae. S. Malachias, and Anton. 3. p. Chron. tit. 23. cap. 7. S. Thomas of Aquine, both appearing & relating themselues freed by their Brothers masses. With [Page 77] many other of later tymes, too long to be set downe.

Sixthly, for apparitions of the Damned in hell (to omit the apparitions of Infidels, such as are related of Romu­lus to Plin. de viris illustr. Proclus, exhorting the Romās to worship the Gods; of Homer, to Appion the Plin. l. 3. cap. 2. Grāmarian, telling him his owne Country, and friends; of Achilles, to Apolonius; of Seuerus to Philostr. vita Apolonij Heliogabalus; of Castor, & Pollux Phil. in Anton. Val. lib. 1. cap 6. in the Latine Warre; of the Ghost at Athens related by Pliny, to be leane faced, long haired, and handes and feet Plin. lib. 8. epist. chained: To omit, I say these Infidels, we haue of Christians, the examples of Theodoret Greg. Tur lib. 8. cap. 5. the Arrian King, carryed betweene Iohn the Pope, and Symachus the Senatour (both whome he had kil­led) into Vulcans forge; of Chilpericus Greg. l. 4. dial. c. 51. the wicked King of France, seen by Guntran the King, carried between three Bishops into a hoat caldron; of a Bishop of Marulus lib. 1. c. 11. Ancona, seen by Elias an Hermit standing before Gods Tribunal, and ca­ryed to hell; of a Nunne Ado. in chron. aetat. 6 Apparitiōs of Saints. in S. Laurence Church cut in pee­ces before the altar; of (*) Eubronius an Apostata, appearing to one, whome he had vsed cruelly, and carryed into hell-fire. And so many more too pittifull to be remembred.

Seauenthly, for the apparitions of the soules in heauen, we haue the examples first of our Sauiour, to S. Paul in his way to Damascus Act. 9.4. [...]2.7.26.14 1. Cor▪ 15.8.; to S. Peter flying from Rome, and saying he went to Rome to be crucifyed againe Ambros. Anxiat. Bafil de noua trad. Greg. in 4. psal. poenit.; to Carpus Bishop of Crete Dion. Al. ad Demoph. with multitudes of Angells, reprehending him for too seuerly pu­nishing a lapsed Brother; to Peter Bishop of Alexandria, complay­ning that Arrius had torne his coate Sur [...] tom· 5.15. Nouēb; to S. Martin in the halfe coate which the day before he had giuen, for his sake, to one naked: next of our Blessed Lady (I recount only those which are ancient) to Benterus chrō. hisp. c 23 S. Iames in Spaine at Saragossa, for erecting there a Chapell, now in great veneration; to Greg. Nis in vita eius. S. Gregory Thaumaturgus in a glorious shape; to Greg▪ 4. Dial. 14. Musa a Virgin, in S. Gregory his dialogues, for the amendement of her life; to Ioan. Hie­ros. eius vita. S. Iohn Damascen, restoring his hand cut off for defending I­mages; to Niceph. 14. hist. 24. S. Cyrill, admonishing him to be friends with S. Chrysostome; to Niceph. l. 1· hist. c. 1 [...]. Narses, in all his battailes against Toti­la; to Prat. spirit. c. 14. Cyriacus an Abbot, for the burning of Nestorius wri­tings; to the Greg. Turo. gloria martyr. c. 8. Architect of Constantine the Great, building a [Page 78] Church; to the Sonne of a Greg. Tur c. 8. Iew cast into an heat Ouen, by his Father, for receauing the Blessed Sacrament among Christians; to Pope Liberius, and Anton. p. 4. lit. 5. Patricius, about building S. Maria ad Niues; to Trith. l. in Monast. Herson. Rupertus an Abbot, giuing him a quicke wit, and vnderstanding of Scripture. All which are of our B. Lady. Of other, Saints we haue the apparitions of Synod. 7. cap. 2. S. Peter and Paul to Constantine, and curing his leprosie; of Niss. eius vita. S. Philip, & S. Iohn Euangelist to Gregory Thaumaturgus, shewing a worke of piety to be done; of the Procop. l. 6. de aedific. Iustin. Apostles at Constantinople, in thāks of Iustinian building them a Church; of Rudolph. Babēburge de veter. Princ. Germ. zelo. S. Iames to Charles the Great, helping him to recouer Galicia from the Sarazens, and to Rainerus, and Alphonsus Kinges of Spaine, against the Moores; also of Amb. ser. 19. de pas. S. Agnetis. Saint Agnes, to Constantine the Great his daughter; Geruasius Oros. l. 7. cap. 36. and Protasius, to S. Ambrose; Potamie­na Euseb. hist. cap. 5. Origens scholler to the torturer, foreshewing his mar­tyrdome; Aug. lib. de cura mort Felix Nolanus, defēding his Citty Nola; Metaphr. in Theod. martyr. Tho­odore Martyr, admonishing Euxouius to auoid meates sacrifi­ced to Idols; Niceph. 10.12. Cosmas & Damian, curing Iustinian sore sicke; Procop. aedific. Iustin. Delrio disqu. lib. 2. q. 26. sect. 5. Peter and Paul terrifying Attila from sacking of Rome; to omit what is related in this kind by S. Basill of Mamant, by S. Nazianzen of his brother Caesarius, by S. Hierome of Pau­la, by S. Paulinus of S. Ambrose, by Euodius of S. Steuen, by Pru­dentius of Fructuosus and his company, by Lucianus of Gama­liel, by Palladius of Colluthus, by Theodoret of S. Iohn Baptist, by S. Athanasius of S. Ammon. And who desires to see more, may read in Delrio, the like apparitions in euery age of christ, how some appeared, as our Sauiour, and Valeria in the first. How Potamiena, and others in the second. How our Blessed Lady, S. Iohn, S. Cyprian, and diuers African Martyrs in the third. How our B. Sauiour, our B. Lady, S. Peter, P. Paul, S. Agnes, S. Agatha, Spiridion, Artemius, Caesarius, Triphillus, two Bishops and others, in the fourth age. How S. Iohn Baptist, S. Martin, S. Geruase and Protase, S. Ambrose, S. Eulalia, S. Fructuosus, S. Felix in the fifth age. How our B. Lady, S. Iohn, S. Peter, and Paul, S. Bartholomaeus, S. Steuen, S. Euti­chius, S. Tetricus, S. Iohn Silentiarius, in the sixth age. How our B. Lady, S. Iuuenall, S. Eleutherius, S. Leocadia, in the seauenth age; and so downeward in all ages vntill this pre­sent [Page 79] tyme, or neere. All which being not only ancient for the tyme, as being within the first 600. years, but also made credible, by the sanctity of them who did appeare, by the grant of them to whome they did appeare, and by the au­thority of them who belieued, and related that they did thus appeare; may in prudence and piety be credited, and cannot without leuity and temerity, be condemned or reiected. And thus much of the variety of spirits, and the certainty of their apparitions. It remaynes that we shew the difficulty in discerning these spirits, and the apparitions of them, and by the same conuince the insufficiency & inhability of Pri­uate Spirit to discerne good spirits from bad, reuelations frō illusions, and true fayth & doctrine, from false & erroneous.

Of the difficulty to discerne these Spirits. SECT. II.

THE first difficulty of discerning thes spirits ariseth vpō the difficulties which are in particular about these seue­rall sortes of spirits, & the apparitions visible made by them. Difficulties in discer­ning of any spirit. And first of the spirit of God, great difficulty hath anciently beene made, whether God did appeare in his owne proper body, or in one assumed, that is, whether he had such a body, About the spirit & ap­paritions of God. or such partes of a body as appeared in shew, and are by scripture attributed to him; that is, whether he had head, eyes hands, feet, and the rest of the partes of a body, or not? Also as yet great difficulty is made, supposing (as it is most cer­taine) that he is a meere spirit, whether God himselfe did ap­peare in assumed bodies, or some Angell in his place, repre­senting his person: & if himselfe should haue appeared, whe­ther the Father, the Sonne, or the holy Ghost? And if the holy Ghost, whether he assumed that flesh of a Doue, or of Tongues (for example) in which he appeared? In the like manner as the second person assumed the nature of man, and of this Doue thus assumed, whether it may be adored and prayed vnto, as God, and the holy Ghost, which assumes it?

Of the spirits of Angels, Of Angells. great difficulties are made of [Page 80] their nature, whether it be corporall or meere spirituall: if spiritual, whether all be of the same, or of diuers species, or kinds, whether all be incorruptible by nature or by grace, whether made before, or with the world; how they can know God, and things on earth; how they know things to come or contingent; and how they can vnderstand one an­other; how, & by what vertue they moue themselues, and other things; how they are distinguished in orders and Hie­rarchies; how they haue and performe the custody of men. Concerning their assumed bodies, it is doubtfull & difficult whether they informe them, or assist only in them; how, and of what matter they doe make, and frame them; how, and what operation or motion they exercise in them; whe­ther any vitall or externall operations, as of eating or drin­king; or any sensual, or external, as of hearing, or seeing; or any internall, as of passion or affection; or any intellectual, as of discoursing and discussing, of sinning and meriting; how they illuminate one another, the higher the lower; how they present visions, and cogitations to men; whe­ther to their phantasie only, & by the phantasie to the soule, or imediately to the superiour part of the soule also.

Of Diuells.Of the Diuels, great difficulties be made, how they fell frō grace, by what sinne, of pride or enuy, into what place; of hell only, or the aire & earth also; in what number, mo­re then the blessed, or fewer; how they are tormented with materiall fire; and how they carry their tormēts with them, while they torment others, and yet the fire torments not those others in whome they are; how they enter, possesse, and torment men, in what number, by whole legions; in what manner, with such instruments of tortures; how they frame and assume bodies, whether of dead men, of beastes, and the like, or made of the ayre; how they can abuse wo­men, and beget children; how they cause thunders, lighte­nings, & stormes; how they tempt men, oppose the Angels, hate God, and all good; how they are deuided into orders, & Hierarchies; how a subordination, and confusion stands a­mong them, with many such like?

Of soules departed.Of the soules departed are many difficulties; as whether [Page 81] in person Samuel himselfe, or a Diuell for him, appeared be­fore Saul; whether Moyses from Limbo, and Elias from Para­dise before Christ; whether their apparitions be internall only to the phantasie, and imagination, or externall cor­porally to the senses also? If internal, whether the soules can, or Angels for them do, produce these phantasies? If ex­ternall, whether their apparitions be personal, in their own presence, or representable by Angells for them? If personall in their owne presence, whether the soules in Purgatory ō ­ly, or those in heauen, and hell also, do in presence perso­nally appeare? If all of them, whether present in their own bodies in which they liued, or in others by them assumed? If in assumed and made bodies, whether made by themsel­ues, or by Angels for them? If in bodyes made by Angells, whether they can informe and giue life, or els inhabite, & giue only motion to them? If only motion, what quantity they can moue, greater then their owne body was, or lesse? to what distance, further off or neerer? By what vertue, na­turall, or superadded they can moue them? What operation they can exercise in them, whether naturall of working & mouing; or vitall also of eating and sleeping; or sensual also of delectation, or auersion, and which is most intellectuall, of reasoning & speaking? If they vse reason, whether they know what is done on earth, how they know it, by reue­lation from God, or by relation from Angells, or by Species or formes of their owne retayned of old, or acquired anew? Whether they vnderstand where they are, and what they doe? Whether they in Purgatory can by prayer and satisfa­ction be freed? Whether they who are in heauen, or hell, can increase their ioyes, or paines? With many more such like.

Of all which, if one should aske any ones priuate spirit, or the diuers spirits of diuers ones, and seeke for a certaine resolution of them; what answere would their spirit affoard? Or what agreement would be among them, or their an­swers, or what certainty can be builded vpon any of them? Surely such is the difficulty in all these, and many more doubts, that let any one spirit of one man, or many spirits of [Page 82] many men resolue them, the hearer shall find such oppositi­on in their resolution, and so great difficulty in discerning which of these is a good spirit, which a bad; which vision is imaginary, which corporall; which effect is of God, which of the Diuell; which is to be belieued and followed, which to be forsaken and abhorred, that he shall find himselfe more doubtfull then before, and deeper plunged in difficultyes, the further he proceeds in inquiries. And thus much of the first reason of difficulty, to discerne the difference of spirits.

Of the difficulty, and vncertainty of the rules of discerning Spirits. SECT. III.

Difficulties of discer­ning spirits vpon the vncertainty of the rules of discer­ning them.THE second difficulty of discerning these spirits ariseth vpon the variety and multiplicity of the rules & mea­nes, which on the one side men, holy, learned & experien­ced, after much practise of deuotion, great labour of study, & long experience of tyme, either by illumination frō God, or by diligence, industry, or by subtility of obseruation haue made, obserued, and in large Treatises left to posterity, for the discerning of these Spirits. Vincent. Ferr. tract. de vita spirit. cap. 22 And which, on the other side are so vncertaine and doubtfull, that what by the infirmity of man to discerne them, what by subtilty of the euill spirit to deceaue in them, few can with any certainty, and infalli­bility rely, Turrecremat. praefat. de­fens. reuelat. D. Brigittae. and depend vpon them.

First therefore for my owne, and the Readers instru­ction, I will set downe the rules, out of diuers and large treatises collected, which vsually are giuen for discerning these spirits; Carlerius p. 1. sportae fragment. and next, shew the grounds and reasons of the vncertainty and fallibility of them; and out of both, inferre the insufficiency, and inability of euery mans priuate spirit, to make an infallible estimate and iudgment of them, and therby to rely, Ferrar. compend. re­uel. for himselfe and his estate of saluation, vpon this his spirit, and the opinion of it. Ioan. Francis. Picus lib. vltimo de praenotion. Ribera lib. 1. vitae S. Teresae. Gerson tract. de distinct. verarum reuelat. lib. de probat. spirituum. Bonauentura proces. relig. tract. 1. Puent. dux spiritual. tract. 1. cap. 23.24. Delrio disquisit. lib. 4. c. 1. quest. 3. sect▪ 1.

Of the subtilty of Sathan in deceauing, by the si­militude of Spirits. SECT. IIII.

THE third difficulty of discerning these spirits, The Diuells subtilty. ariseth from the subtilty, the malice, and the power of the Diuell; for as the Diuell is in subtilty of knowledge a ser­pent, which was more subtile then all the beastes of the earth; in venime of malice, a Dragon, out of whose mouth Apoc. 16.13. frogges (of venime▪ and poison) did proceed; and in power, that great Behemoth, Iob. 40▪ 11.18. whose taile being as trees of Cedar, and his bones as barres of brasse, doth deuour riuers, and swallow Iordan, in at his mouth: So whatsoeuer the deepest Vnderstanding that euer discoursed, can inuent, whatsoeuer the extremest malice that euer was conceaued, can exagerate, and whatsoeuer the greatest power that euer was preualent in any creature can execute, all ioyned with the longest experience that tyme can affoard; the same is couched togeather in this our mor­tall and potent enemy, the Diuell; who as Iob sayth of him, Iob. 1. [...]. Compasseth the earth: And as S. Peter sayth, Seeketh whome he may deuoure like a Lyon; 1. Pet. 5. [...] ▪ all which is imployed to deceaue vs poore, and miserable men, against whome, in enuy to God, whose image we carry, he layes his trapps, Iob. 1. 1. Pet. 5. and sets his snares to catch our soules, and carry them into the pit of perdition.

The difficulty to discerne Spirits, proued by scripture. SECT. V.

THE last reason, The diffi­culty to dis­cerne spirits proued by authority of scripture. to proue the difficulty of discerning spirits, is authority (which is a confirmation to all the former experiences and examples) of holy Scripture, and holy men, placing the guift of discerning of spirits among the guifts of graces gratis giuen ( to some the discerning of spirits) doth shew, that as the rest of the guifts, to wit, miracles, [Page 108] tongues, prophesies, and interpreting of Scripture (of which before) and the rest, are rare, extraordinary, and gi­uen to few, and that vsually and necessarily conioyned with grace, or fayth in euery faithfull belieuer: so also this of dis­cerning spirits is in like manner, a guift not cōmunicated to euery faythfull belieuer, who hath the spirit of God, but rarely and extraordinarily to some, who haue the priuiledg of this benefite bestowed vpon them, for the benefit of o­thers. For as it is proper to God both to be, and to be called. Pro. 16.2 Ponderator spirituum, The weigher, and discerner of Spirits, in the same manner as he is the knower of harts, 3. Reg. 8.39. VVho only knowes the hartes of all the children of men: so doth he commu­nicate this guift to some speciall persons, whome he makes, as the Prophets cal them, Iere. 6.27 Proouers, and strong proouers in my people, who shall know and prooue their wayes, in the same man­ner as in the common wealth are tryers of gold to discerne true, from false. And to these by a speciall prerogatiue he giues this guift, that they 1. Ioan. 4 1. may prooue spirits if they be good, and Psal. 63.10. try them, as Gold is tryed in the fire, and Iere. 15.19. separate the precious, from the vile, declaring when it is good, or a good Angell who knocks at the doore, and when it is Sa­than, and the bad Angell, who transfigures himselfe into an Angell of light. And as this guift is rare, & giuen only to some; so it is for the most part giuen to Superiours, 2. Cor 11.14 who are to direct others in the way of vertue and perfection; & amōg these, to them who are men humble, as Cassianus affirmes, and very spirituall also, because, Not the sensuall man, but the spirit of God perceaues the thinges which are of God. 1. Cor. 2.11.14. These partly by long experience, partly by wholesome documents, part­ly by diuine inspirations, attaine to this perfectiō of discer­cerning spirits. By which is apparent, that the science of discerning spirits is hard and difficult, because it requires so speciall and supernaturall a guift, which is so rare and ex­traordinary, and that to speciall kind of persons for the good of others,

Of holy men.Which is also confirmed by the testimony of holy men, who haue laboured much, and beene experienced long in this science. S. Bernard, a man extraordinarily spirituall, [Page 109] confesseth that he knew not, VVhen the spirit entred, or when it departed; which way it came, or which it went; Bernar. serm. 74. in Cant. sometyms he could perceaue it to be present, or to haue beene present; but neither when it came, or how it went. Gerson a man learned, who laboured and writ much about this discerning of spirits, Gers. de pro­bat. spirituū. Difficillimū est tam multos decer­n [...]re, cùm in diuersis spiritibus multa simi­litudo repe­riatur. after much discussion, sayth: That it is a most hard thing to discerne among so many spirits, since in diuerse and contrary spirits there is sush a simi­litude of inspirations. Thomas à Kempis, one much enlight­ned in spirituall affaires, sayth: Marke the motions of thyne own nature and my grace; for in very contrary and secret manner these are moued, and can hardly be discerned, but by him that is spirituall, and inwardly enlightned. Ludouicus Puentes also a maister in spirituall wayes, sayth: That it seemes often an inspiration of God, which is an impulsion of Sathan, and it often carryes a shew of spirituall loue, which is indeed false and carnall loue. Puentes dux spiritu. tract. 4. c. 2. sect. 1. And thus it remaines conuinced by reasons drawne from the verity and similitude of spirits by the subtilty and craft of Sathan, who so often and many wayes, transfigures himselfe into an An­gell, by the infirmity of mans vnderstanding so vnable to penetrate them; and by authority of Scripture, and testimo­ny of holy men so experienced in this science, that the art of discerning of spirits is most hard and difficult in it selfe, and aboue the reach and capacity of euery priuate mans abi­lity. Inferences.

Out of all which it doth follow. First, 1. What vi­sions & ap­paritiōs are not to be much estee­med. that visions and apparitions are often tymes doubtfull and dangerous, and so rather to be feared, whether they be true or false, and to what end they do tend, then to be desired, or esteemed as signes of holynesse and perfection. For as the guifts gratis gi­uen, Prophesy, Curing of diseases, and Dispossessing of Diuells &c. are giuen sometymes to persons lesse perfect in vertue, if not vicious in life, and vnbelieuers for fayth: witnesse the pro­phesyes of the Sybils (being Gentils) of Christ; Of Num. 24.17. Baalam a sorcerer, of the starre of Iacob; Of Ioan. 11.50. Caiphas most wicked, of Christ dying for all; Of 1. Reg. 1 [...] 6. & 2. Reg. 22.12. Saul a reprobate, who had the spirit, and was among the Prophets; All which had the gift of prophesy. Witnesse also the sonnes of the Matt. 1 [...].2. Pharisies, who cast out Diuels; & the seauen sonnes of Act. 19.13. Sceua, with [Page 110] the exorcists of the Iewes, who dispossessed many of Diuels; so also these visions and apparitions are neither so proper to holy men, but that often they are communicated to bad and wicked, nor yet so certaine that they are alwayes of God, or good Angells, but that they often proceed from Satan; and as the visions of those spirits, so also the guift of discerning the same, is neyther so proper omni, and soli, to all, and only the good and faythfull, but that it is sometymes giuen to them who are lesse holy, and more wicked of life. Whereu­pon holy, and wise learned men, as S. Augustine, S. Bona­uenture, and Gerson, aduise and persuade, that not only such visions and apparitions are to be feared, yea auoided, and not desired; but also ordinary persons who haue them, and make shew or ostentation of them, are not to be applauded or admired for them as pious, but seuerely to be reprehended suspected as proud and dangerous, who are not content to tread the high way and beaten path to perfection, but will seeke out new by-wayes, and walke in wonders aboue thē ­selues. Also many holy persons who haue beene extraordi­narily visited from God with them, haue alwayes with that warinesse accepted of them, that they did vse great dili­gence to examine them, before they would confide in thē. Thus Gen. 37.12. Iacob secretly and diligently considered the visions of Ioseph his sonne related to him. Ios. 5.13. Iosue doubted, & ther­upon examined the Angell who did appeare to him like an armed man, whether he was of their side, or of the aduer­saries. 1. Reg. 3 9. Samuel heard our Lord when he called him in the night, Samuel, Samuel, but did not answere till he rose and went to Heli the high Priest, to know what he should do. 3. Reg. 19 12. Elias seriously deliberated whether our Lord did appeare in the whirle wind, or in the commotion, or in the fire, or in the soft whispering wind. And our Luc. 1.19. B. Lady (cogitabat) did muse or study, that is, maturely, and long (sayth Euthy­mius) consider what kind of salutation that was, whether of God, or the Diuell. And the like did the Bishop of Cyprus, at the apparition of S. Barnaby. And S. Ambrose at the inuē ­tion of Geruasius and Protasius. And other holy Saints in all such like occasions, fearing alwayes illusions of Sathan in­steed [Page 111] of apparitions of Angells.

Secondly. It doth follow, that it is necessary, to auoid all these and such like dangers, Necessity of a spirituall maister. to haue euery one a spirituall directour and Maister, on whome as better experienced by practise, & more illuminated by God in his place & functiō, he may more securely rely, then vpon his owne spirit or iud­gment. For as the wayes in which men walke are many, & the right way to heauen not easy to be found; as in the way being found there are many either pits to fall in, or theeues to robbe, and spoile vs; as the science we are to learne is very heard and intricate, to which our natural wit cannot attaine, and the diseases & infirmities of our body are many & great for which we are vnable to trauell so long and laborious a iourney: So haue we need, & great need of a guide to lead vs in a way so vncertaine and dangerous; of a Maister to in­struct vs in a trade so hard and vnknowne; and of a Phisitian to cure vs of so many infirmities and diseases. And as no man hath power to absolue himselfe of his sinnes, as no man is made Iudge in his owne cause, as no man is permitted to minister phisicke to his owne body; so God hath ordained that no man shal be instructer & directour of his owne soule, nor conductour of himselfe in his way to life, but stil depend vpon others to direct and instruct him in the same. For thus our Sauiour first himselfe, for example, Luc. 2.4 [...]. would sit hea­ring and asking among the Doctours, as though he were a scholler. For this cause he sent his vessel of election S. Paul, Act. 9.6. to be instructed by Ananias, and would not immediatly himselfe direct him what to doe. For this, God would not instruct Moyses in the mountaine himselfe, but sent him to Iethro a gen­till, by him to receaue direction, how to gouerne his people. Exod. 18.2 [...] For this S. Augustine being old refused not to be instructed by his Companions yet yong. And thus we read that some who haue had familiar conuersations with Angels, Sophron. pra. spiritua. cap. 109. were yet per­mitted by them to hould some errours in doctrine, till they humbled themselues to others, and by them were instructed. For which it is a generall rule, that he who will not be a dis­ciple to another shalbe a maister of errour, and that he who makes himselfe maister to himself, puts himselfe to be scholler [Page 112] to a foole. All which if it be true in morall sciences, & myste­ries of faith; most true it is in discerning of these spirits, in which the difficulty is greater, & the dāger of errour no lesse.

3. To conclude, it doth follow, that since there is such variety of spirits, some good, as of God, of Angels, and of Saints; Conclusion That the priuate spi­rit cannot be a discer­ner of spi­ [...]its. and some bad, as of diuels, of the damned, of the flesh, and of the world: Sith there be so diuers kinds of motions, & apparitions of these spirits, some intellectuall, some imagi­nary, some sensible and visible: Sith there are so great diffi­culties to be resolued about these seuerall apparitions, so great similitude in their motions, and apparitions, so many rules and differences, vpon long experience, haue beene gi­uen to discerne them, and so great skill & cunning is requi­site to apply them: Sith there be so many, and so dangerous wayes to take, as of Pagans, Iewes, Turks, Heretikes, all differing & condemning one another, all depending vpon the motions of these spirits: Sith such and so high is the ex­cellency of the nature of these spirits to be discerned, such and so weake the infirmity of man to discerne them, & such and so subtile, malicious, and powerfull is mans enemy the Diuell, to deceaue in them, by counterfeit dissimulation of piety, or by forged illusions insteed of reuelations, or by outward apparitions in forme of Saints, Angels, or God, all by verity of examples confirmed: Sith so speciall & extraor­dinary, so rare and vnvsuall is this gift of discerning these spirits: Sith, I say, all this is so as is proued; with what reason and iudgment can any man make this priuat spirit, or rather selfe-seeming conceit of his owne braine, a competent, suffi­cient and infallible iudge to discerne and decide al these que­stions and difficulties arising vpon them? What braine-sicke madnesse, & senslesse presumption is it, for euery silly, simple and vnlearned person, man or woman (all of which challēg this spirit) to assume so much to themselues, and presume so farre vpon their owne conceit, as to discerne, and declare which of euery one of these spirits is of God, the deuill, or na­ture? which is good or bad? which true or false, either in thē ­selues or others? and vpon this presumption, to ground the certainty of their religion, faith, and saluation?

[Page 113]What greater temerity and rashnes can there be, then to build a worke so great and important, as is the eternity of saluation or damnation, vpon no more solid and certaine a ground, then is the proper conceit of euery priuate motion of an vncertaine spirit? Surely, if men were not blind, or bewitched, and that either willfully or foolishly blinded or bewitched, and both so deeply, that they eyther will not, or cannot see what both sense & reason doth dictate to their owne conscience, what both authority and testimony of God, and holy men doth lay before them, what both exam­ples & experience of so many ages doth confirme vnto thē; surely, they could not but often doubt, and distruct, & ma­ny tymes stagger and relent (their owne iudgment & con­science, doubtlesse pricking them) in this their ostentation of the certainty of their spirit; they could not but sometyms enter into consideration, yea and feele a sensible touch of trepidation in soule, and stand in a wonder and amazemēt at themselues, how they dare venture so far, and stand so confidently in so weighty a matter, vpon the judgement of so vncertaine, vnconstant, & vnwarranted, yea corrupted, deceitfull, and partiall a Iudge, as is this their priuate spirit, conceit, & imagination. What man of reason and discretion, or of care & conscience, will not hould it farre more secure and safe in these points of eternity, with euery good Catho­like, to ioyne his spirit with the spirit of the Saints and ser­uants of God, now reigning in heauen, to subiect his spirit to the spirit of Gods holy Church heere on earth, guided in­fallibly by an infallible spirit of God, and by conforming themselues to this spirit, to imbrace and follow that Fayth and religion, that doctrine and discipline, that sacrifice and sacraments, which so many Saints and holy men, so many Confessours and learned Doctours, so many Churches and Councells in all ages, throughout all Countryes, belieued in their harts, professed by their liues, defended by their wri­tinges, and sealed and confirmed with their liues & bloud? And thus much for the first reason against the priuate spirit, drawne from the difficulty to discerne spirits.

VVhat Interpretation, Authority, and meanes are necessary & infallible for the sense of Scripture. SECT. I.

That the priuate spirit cannot haue this infallible authority, and be this infallible meanes. SECT. II.

THESE being supposed for the finding out the autho­rity certaine, and meanes necessary, for true interpre­tation of holy scripture; it remaines to be proued that the priuate spirit of euery particular man, neither hath in it any [Page 131] certainty or authority, nor yet can be a fit meanes vpō which any certaine and authenticall exposition of scripture can be grounded. Which is to be performed two wayes. 1. By reasons drawne from the property and condition of the holy scripture, and the sense and meaning of it. 2. By reasons drawne from the property and condition of the priuate spi­rit, and the vncertainty, and deceitfulnes of it.

The properties of a Iudge of Fayth. SECT. I.

THOVGH the Iudge of the sense of Scripture, and of controuersies of faith, be all one, and therfore that which hath beene spoken of the one, might also suffice for the other: yet because faith ex­tends it selfe larger then the scripture, & because the true Iudge of faith, from the false, may be the more clearly discerned, & the functiōs of this priuate spirit may be also more plainly confuted; therfore I adde in this Chaprer these reasons, drawne from the office of a Iudge of Controuersies, to shew the insufficiency of this spirit to be a iudge of thē. In which [Page 145] we may note, for this iudiciary power and authority. 1. What it is, and what properties, and conditions it requires. 2. In whome it is, and who are to exercise this authority. 3. How it is to be ordered, and what rules are to be followed in the exercise of it: which being distinctly and fully consi­dered, the inability, and insufficiency of this spirit, to make a Iudge of faith, will more clearly appeare.

First therfore, we may note, that as in a temporall Com­mon-wealth (where contentions arise, A iudge of fayth neces­sary. offences are com­mitted, and tittles are questionable) that besides the lawes established, there are necessary also Iudges to determine cau­ses, to decide titles, and to punish offences: so also in the spirituall Common-wealth of the Church, where contro­uersies are of a higher nature, questions no fewer in number, and the offences more grieuous in quality, some personall Iudge, or iudges are no lesse, yea more necessary to discerne verity in all doubts, to establish vnity in all contentions, and to punish obstinacy in persons who offend. Some Iudge therfore is necessary, as well in spirituall causes, as in tem­porall; as well for matters of doctrine, as of iustice; and as well in pointes of faith, as of manners. This Iudge, because all faithfull belieuers are obliged to belieue, How farre the iudge of fayth is to be obeyed. and obey his sentence as true and iust, though not in consequences, & ap­pendixes of faith, yet in materiall and substantiall foundati­tions of faith; though not in schoole questions, & pulpit con­ceites which infringe not the solidity of faith, yet in maine articles and principall mysteries of faith, vpon which is cō ­posed a complet edifice of true religion; though not in proba­tions, and allegations for the proofe of pointes of faith, yet in the determinations, and conclusions of the points, or ar­ticles themselues; though not in case, when is intended only to confirme the weake, to satisfy the curious, or to confound the proud, yet in case when is intended to condemne any doctrine as heresy vnder anathema, and to declare and define expresly, for the common and publicke good of the whole Church, any verity of doctrine, formerly by the practise of the Church receaued, or by the assent of the faithfull at the least, virtually belieued. Because, I say, all faithfull are [Page 146] obliged to belieue and obey this Iudge, and his sentence in pointes, and articles substantiall, defined, and concluded by sentence definitiue against heresy, for the good of the whole Church; therfore it is necessary that this Iudge (vpon whome depends the verity of beliefe, and the saluation, or damnation of so many who by a true, or false faith are saued, or damned) haue these properties or conditions in him, & in his authority. 1. That he be visible, and manifest in person, so that he may know, and be knowne, heare and be heard, speake and be spoken vnto, and therby haue a publicke Court, giue publick audi­ence, examine publicke causes, & pronounce publicke sen­tence betweene parties who contend, and in contentions which are debated. 2. That he haue power, and authority, warrant, and commission, to giue Iudgment, pronounce sentence, and to compell parties to obedience, and perfor­mance. 3. That he haue warrant of infallibility in this his sentence, that he cannot erre, or determine errour, deceaue, or be deceaued in this his verdit, corrupt, or be corrupted by partiality in his iudgment. All which, are as it were es­sentially necessary for this iudge; for if he be not publicke & knowne in person, others cannot haue accesse to him, nor he vnderstand the causes of others; if he be not certaine and in­fallible in his sentence, he cannot determine matters of cer­tainty, nor can others be secured by him; if he want autho­rity, and power to oblige, and compell, he cannot end the controuersy, and establish peace, and vnity in the Church, which is the end of his iudgment.

Further, because this Iudge is to haue this infallible au­thority, The pro­perties of a rule to iudge by. and that all are obliged to rely vpon him, and his iudgment, that he may the more securly proceed in his iu­dgment, and others more confidently rely vpon it; therfore he must haue some Rule likwise infallible, and certaine, by which he may be directed in his iudgment; and some solid foundation, vpon which he may build his definitiue sen­tence. This rule, or foundation, because it is to be a rule & ground of iudgment, and that for persons in number so in­finit, and for causes in substance so important, therfore it can require no lesse then these and such like properties, for the [Page 147] solidity of it, and the security of iudgment by it. In respect of it selfe. 1. That it be so certaine & infallible that it can nei­ther deceaue, or be deceaued. 2. That it be so continued, and not interrupted, that it cannot decay, or perish. 3. That it be so firme, and immutable, that it cannot be changed, or corrupted. In respect of the persons whom it is to direct. 4. That it be so knowne and visible, that it may be discerned by all sortes who haue need of it. 5. So markable, & notable that it may be a signe distinctiue, to distinguish true, from false beleeuers. 6. So necessary and important that without it, no certainty can be had. 7. So vniuersal & general, that it may satisfy all sortes of people, Iewes, or Infidels, Hereti­kes, or Catholikes, yong, or old, vnlearned, or learned. In respect of the matter or mysteries which are to be deter­mined. 8. That it be so fundamentall, that it be contained among the chief articles of the Creed, or plainly expressed in scripture. 9. So sufficient, that it be able to explicate & determine all articles and doubtes in religion. 10. So com­plet, that it containe virtually, & be able to resolue plainly all questions, and conclusions of Faith which may at any time vpon any occasion arise. All which are necessary for such a rule, and foundation, vpon which so important a matter, as faith and religion, is grounded. And this is the first thing to be obserued for the properties, and conditions both of the Iudge, and his rule of faith.

The whole body of the Church cannot be this Iudge. SECT. II.

SECONDLY, We may note, that this infallible au­thority, to iudge of controuersies of faith, is giuen, nei­ther to the whole body, and congregation of the Church of God, as the rigid Lutherans with Brentius do hould▪ nor to the secular Princes and Parlamentes, as all the Lutherans at first, and the State-Protestants of England do yet defend; nor to the lay-people, and priuate persons, as Caluin, and the Caluinists do maintaine; nor yet is it residing in the wordes, [Page 148] and text or scripture, as the ordinary preachers pretend: but only is giuen to the Pastours, and Prelates of the Church of Christ, who are lawfully, by authority from Apostolicall succession, ordained, and Catholickly continue, without diuision of heresy or schisme, in the same; and among them, principally to the chiefe head, and Pastour, the successor of Peter, and Bishop of Rome. All which, concerning euery one, shall be briefly proued.

First therefore, although the whole body of the Church collected, The whole body of the Church is not Iudge of fayth. haue the infallible assistance of the holy Ghost that it cannot erre, or be deceaued in faith; yet hath it not the same assistance, that it may, & ought to be iudge & determi­ner of faith. For as in a naturall body the soule doth informe and giue life to the whole body, and euery member of it; but doth not discourse, and giue vse of reason to the whole, or euery part, but only to the head: so the spirit of God assistes the whole Church with the priuiledge of freedome from er­rour in faith, but doth not likewise giue to it the priuiledg [...] of authority to teach, and iudge of faith, and direct others in the same; for which cause God hath giuen a measure of do­nation, Ephes. 4.7. 1. Cor. 12.4.5. Ephes. 4.11. diuisions of graces, and ministrations, and made some, not al, Apostles, Doctours, & Prophets, that some may rule, & others be ruled; some teach, and others be taught; some be superiours to iudge, and direct, others be inferiours to be iudged and directed; and so an order, and subordination, a peace, and vnity, may be obserued and kept in the whole body among the members of Christs Church. Whereof see more in the next fourth Section.

Secular Princes cannot be this Iudge. SECT. III.

Secular Princes, Kinges, Emperours, are not iud­ges of faith.THIRDLY, That this infallible authority is not in secular Princes, or their Assemblies, and Parlaments, either as particuler members of the Church, against Melan­cthon, or as Princes, and Superiours among the rest, against Brentius, so, that they can, and may lawfully, and infallibly [Page 149] iudge of Controuersies, make ecclesiasticall lawes, giue au­thority to preach, and prescribe a forme of doctrine, a man­ner of seruice, and an order of Sacraments and sacrifice; though it be largely by many proued, against the suprema­cy of Princes in causes Ecclesiasticall, and requires a treatise more large, yet in briefe it shall by these reasons be proued.

First, They are sheep not Pastours. because Kinges and Princes are in the Church of God, and spirituall affaires, as sheep, to be ruled and orde­red; not as sheepheardes, to rule and gouerne: they are Ioan. 21.15. Lambes to be fed by Peter; Ioan. 10.1. Sheep of the fold of Christ; Members of the Church of God, and seruants of the family of Christ. Thus did the ancient and holy Fathers freely tell, and ad­monish them, and the Christian and good Emperours them­selues acknowledged it. S. Gregory Nazianzen Naz. ora. ad subditos ti­more percul­sos, & Impe­ratorem iras­tentem. Non suscipitis sermonem liberum, & quòd lex Christi vos meae pote­stati, meo (que) subiecit tri­bunali: scio te ouem esse mei gregis sacri sacrā. told Va­lentinian, That the law of Christ did subiect them (Emperours) to his power, and Tribunall, and that they were holy sheep of his holy fold. S. Ambrose Amb. ep. 31. Quid honorificentius quàm vt Imperator Ecclesiae filius esse dicatur? Imperator enim bo­nus intra Ecclesiam, non supra Ecclesiam est. told Theodosius the Great, that he was a sonne of the Church, and that a good Emperour is within, not aboue the Church. Theodoret Theod. lib. 1. hist. cap. 1. Tan­quam filius amantissimus, Episcopis & Sacerdotibus velut Patribus proposuit. sayes of Constantine the Great, that as a louing sonne, he did propose busines to the Bishops and Priests, as Fathers. Constantine himselfe cōfesses, that God gaue Priests power to iudge of Emperours, witnesse Ruff. lib. 1. cap. 2. Vobis dedit de nobis iudicandi. Ruffinus: that they were bishops within the Church, he without it, witnes Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 14. Vos intra Ecclesiam, ego extra Ecclesiam à Deo constitutus sum. Eusebius. Valentinian the elder confesses, that he, as a laye man, might not interpose himselfe in Church affaires, but the Bishops and Priestes had care of such affaires, witnes Zozem. lib. 6. c. 3. Sibi qui vnus e numero laicorum erat non licere, se eiusmodi negotijs in­terponere, & ideo Sacerdotes & Episcopi quibus haec sunt, inter se conueniant. Sozom. And that himselfe was to submit himselfe to them, witnes Paul. Diac. lib. 7. cap. 12. Eligant Episcopos quibus nos qui gubernamus im­perium, sincer [...] capita nostra submittamus. Paulus Diaconus. And Theodosius the Great obeyed S. Ambrose Ambr. epist. 32. his excommuni­cation, departed out of the Chancell at his command, and cō ­fessed, that thereby he had learned to know what difference there [Page 150] was betweene an Emperour, and a Bishop, witnes Theod. l. 5. cap. 17. Se didicisse quid inter Imperatorē inter [...]it, & Episcopum. Theodoret, and Nic. l. 12 cap. 12. Their authority is tem­porall, not spirituall. Nicephorus.

Secondly, because the offices of the Bishops and Empe­rours are diuers, and distinct, the one of bodyes and goods, the other of soules, and fayth; the one of life, and death for offences against the King, and common-wealth; the other of sinnes, and sacraments belonging to Gods lawes, & mans conscience; the one is temporall of the kingdome and com­mon-wealth, the other is spirituall of the Church, & flocke of Christ; which the hereticall Emperours forgetting, were stoutly and zealously admonished, and reprehended by the holy Bishops vnder them, for the same. As for example Cō ­stantius the Arian, 1. by Hosius Athan. ep ad solitariam vitam agen­tes. Ne te misceas Im­perator, re­bus Ecclesi­asticis, ne (que) nobis inhoc genere prae­cipe, sed po­tius ea à no­bis disce: ti­bi Deus im­perium cō ­mifit, nobis quae sunt ec­clesiae concredidit. of Corduba, willing him not to medle with Ecclesiasticall affaires, nor to commaund them, but to learne of them; because to him God had committed the Empire, but to them the Church. 2. By Suidas verb. Leont. Miror quomodo ad alia vocatus, alijs rebus te imisceas militaribus enim & politicis rebus praefectus, in his quae ad so­lo; Episcopos pertinent praeesse vis. Leontius of Tripolis, because being ruler of military and politicke affaires, he should not rule in thinges that belong only to Bishops. 3. By Hilar. Prouideat tua Clementia vt ad ōnes vbi (que) Iudices prouinciarum ad quos sola cura publicorum negotiorum pertinere debet, scribatur, ne posthac praesumant atque vsurpent cognoscere causas Cleri­corum. S. Hilary of Arles, wishing him to writ to Iudges of Prouincies, that they should not presume, or vsurpe to intermedle with the causes of Clergy men. 4. By Ath [...]. ep. ad solit. vitam agentes, versus finem. Quid hic quod Anti­christi fit, omisit? Siquidem iam denuo in locum Ecclesiasticae cognitionis suum Palatium tribunal earum causarum constituit, seue earum litium summum Principem & authorem facit. Et paul [...] post. Quis videns eum in decernendo, principem se facere Episcoporum, & praesidere iudicijs Ecclesiasticis, non me­ritò dicat illum eamipsam abominationem desolationis esse, quae à Daniele praedicta est. S. Athanasius of Alexandria, that he, and such who will be Presidents in ecclesiasticall iudgments, who will make the Tribu­nals of the Court the seales of deciding ecclesiasticall causes, & them­selues Princes and Authours of Church affaires, are the abomination of desolation, yea euen Antichrist himselfe. Valentinian the yon­ger seduced by his wife, was told by Ambros. epist. 33. Noli te grauare Imperator, vt putes te in ea quae diuina sunt imperiale aliquid ius habere: noli te extollere, scriptum est, date quae Dei sunt Deo, quae Caesaris sunt Caesari. Ad imperatorē Palatia pertinent, ad Sacerdotem Ecclesiae. S. Ambrose of Mi­lane, That he had no Imperiall right in thinges that are diuine; for [Page 151] the Court doth belong to the Emperour, but the Church to the Priest. Si tractan­dum est, tractare in Ecclesia di­dici, quod Maiores fe­cerunt mei: [...]i conferen­dū de fide, Sacerdotum debet esse i­sta collatio, ficut factum est sub Cō ­stantino, qui nullas leges ante praemisit sed liberum de­dit iudiciū Sacerdotibus. Quando audisti, clementissime Imperator, in causa fidei laicos de Episcopo iudicasse? Ita ergo quadam adulatione curuamur, vt Sacerdotalis iuris simus immemores? Et quid Deus donauit mihi, alijs putem esse creden­dum? At certè, si scripturarum seriem diuinarum, vel vetera tempora retractemus, quis est qui abnuat in causa fidei, in causa inquam fidei, Episcopos solere de Im­peratoribus Christianis, non Imperatores de Episcopis iudicare? Athan. epist. ad solit. vitam agentes. Si iudicium est Episcoporum, quid cum eo habeat Impera­tor? Sin contra ista minis Caesaris conflantur, quid opus est hominibus titulo Episcopis? Quando à condito aeuo auditū est, iudicium Ecclesiae ab Imperatore authoritatem suam accepisse? aut quando vn quam hoc pro iudicio agnitum est? Plurimae antehac Synodi fuere, multa iudicia Ecclesiae habita sunt; sed neque Patres istiusmodi res Principi persuadere conati sunt, nec Princeps se in rebus Ecclesiasticis curiosum praebuit. Paulus Apostolus amicos in Caesaris familia ha­bebat, non tamen eos in iudicio socios assumpsit. Theod. lib. 4. cap. 16. Nunquid cum imperio est etiam sacerdotij dignitatem Imperator consequu­tus? Nos vero pastorem habemus, cuius nutum sequamur. Gelasius epist▪ ad Anast. Nosti sili clementissime, quòd licet praesideas humano generi dignitate rerum ter­renarum, tamen Praesulibus diuinarum deuotus colla submittis. Subdi te debe­re cognoscis religionis ordine potius quam praeesse. Nosti itaque ex illorum te pendere iudicio, non illos posse redigi ad tuam voluntatem. And being called by the Emperour to reason with Auxentius the Arian, he answered: That if a conference was to be made of fayth, it was to be made by the Priestes, as it was vnder Constan­tine, who prescribed no lawes, but gaue free iudgement to Priests. That it was neuer heard, that in a cause of fayth Lay men did iudge of Bishops. That if we looke into Scripture or ancient tymes, Bishops vsed to iudge of Christian Emperours, not Emperours of Bishops. Thus S. Ambrose imitating S. Athanasius, who sayd: When was it euer heard, that the iudgement of the Church did receaue au­thority from the Emperour? Many synods and iudgements haue beene, & yet did neither any Bishops persuade any Emperour any such thing, nor any Prince shew himselfe curious in any Ecclesiasticall affaires. Valens the Arian, was asked by Eulogius the Priest in Edessa, Hath the Emperour the dignity of Priesthood? we haue a Pastour, whome we must obey. Anastasius the Eutichian, was told by Gelasius the Pope, That though he did rule ouer mē in earthly things yet he did subiect his necke to the Prelates in diuine thinges. Thou [Page 152] knowest that thou oughtest to be ruled, nor to rule in order of religi­on; Greg. l. 4. ep. 31. ad Ma [...]. Sacerdotes esse quosdā Deos inter homines, & propterea ab omnibus etiam Re­gibus ho­norandos. thou knowest that thou art to depend of this iudgement, not they to be brought to thy will. S. Mauritius was admonished by S. Gregory the great, That Priests are as Gods among men, & there­fore ought to be honoured of all Kinges. And Michael was let vn­derstand the same by the Nicolas 1. Leo the Image-breaker was told by S. Iohn Damas. orat. 2. de i­magin. Non Regijs regu­lis, sed Pa­trum insti­tutis, tam scriptis, quā non scriptis Ecclesiam censeo con­stitui & gu­bernari o­portere. Damascene, That the Church ought to be ruled, not by lawes of Kinges, but by the written, and not writ­ten, institutions of Ancestours. And to conclude, S. Iohn Chryso­stome sayd freely to his owne Deacon: If any Duke, Consull, or the Emperour himselfe come vnworthily, represse, repell him, thou hast greater power then he. Where we may note, that these Emperous were thus by these Fathers reprehended, for assu­ming Ecclesiasticall iudgment, either as Heretiks, or as Ty­rants; nor yet for doing it alone without the Bishops, but on­ly and simply as Emperours, who hauing only temporall power, ouer the common-wealth, did assume Ecclesiastical ouer the Church. Which also is further proued by the confes­sion, and practise of the best of the Christian Emperours; for Constantine the Great acknowledged, that Ruffn. lib. 1. c. 2. hist. the Bishops had power to iudge him, and when he did iudge of the cause of Cae­cilianus Bishop of Carthage, he did it so, that he asked pardon of the Bishops for Aug. ep. 262. Sacris Antistibus veniam petitur. it. Valentinian the elder would haue them to iudge in a cause of fayth and ecclesiasticall order, who are not vnlik either in office or title, that is, Priests of August. epist. 32. Sacerdotes de Sacerdotibus voluit iudicare. Priests. Marcians commissioners referred themselues to the Councell of Calcedon to be taught in fayth, and himselfe wills that Priests determine what is to be obserued in Concil. Chal. act. 3. Concili­um ipsum nos docet de fide sancta, Sacerdotes quod in religione obseruari de­beat perspicua decisione docuerunt. Act. 5. Non ad ostendendam potentiam, sed fidem confirmandam ad praesent [...]m synodum venimus, exemplo religiosi Constantini. Amb. ep 32. Nullas leges praescripsit, sed liberum indicium sacerdo­tibus dedit, seipsos interpretes constituit Sacerdotes. Religiō. And though he himselfe went to the Councell, Chrysost. hom 83. in Matt. Si Dux quis piam, si Cō ­sul, si is, qui diademate ornatur indignè adeat, cohibe & coerce; maiorem tu illo habes pote­statem. Emperours themselues reclaime this spirituall authority. yet it was not to determine, but confirme the fayth, not prescribing lawes (sayth S. Ambrose) but leauing the Priests free iudgement, and making the Priests them­selues [Page 153] Iudges, as he did in the Councell of Aquileia. Cyril. tom. 4. ep. 17. Grat. dist. 6. c. Satis. Misit comi­tem Candi­dianum▪ sed in nullis quae facien­da sunt, de pijs dogma tib [...]s quaesti one [...] com­municare. Ilucitum nam (que) esse eum qui no est ex ordi­ne Episco­porū Eccle­siasticis im­miscere tra­ctatibus. Theodosius the second sent to the Councell of Ephesus, but not so much as to talke of matters of Fayth, holding it vnlawfull for those who are not of Episcopall order, to medle in Ecclesiasticall affaires. The same did Iustinian in his Constitutions, and Basil in the eight gene­rall Councell.

Thirdly, because power not only to preach, but much more to iudge of doctrine of fayth (for the authority to iud­ge, is Heb. 5.14 the strong meat of perfect men, whose senses are exercised to the discerning of good and euill) was committed to Bishops (as of greater difficulty then the office or preaching giuen to Priests) and is a spirituall grace, or guift, giuen by imposition of handes, to spirituall men, according to that of the Apostle: Neglect 1. Tim. 4 14. not the grace that is in thee, which is giuen thee by pro­phecy, with imposition of the handes, of Priesthood. Therefore as power to minister Sacraments, is proper to Priests: so also to iudge of Controuersies, is proper to Bishops, lawfully or­dained by authority, successiuely descending from the Apo­stles. For which cause, to Priests and Prelates, not to Kings and Princes, it is sayd: Thou Mat. 2.7 shalt seeke the law out of the mouth of the Priest. My Isa. 9.21. wordes shall not depart out of thy mouth, and out of the mouth of thy seed, and out of the mouth of thy seedes seed for euer. I Luc. 21.15. will giue you mouth, and wisedome, which all your aduersaryes shall not be able to resist. It Math. 10 20. is not you that speak but the spirit of my Father which speaketh in you. He Luc. 10.16. that hea­reth you, heareth me. He 1. Ioan. 4.6. that knoweth God, heareth vs. He Ioan. 11.50. that is not of God, heareth vs not, sayth one of the spirituall Pa­stours; for which guift, Caiphas prophesy was a guift of his functiō, or priesthood, according to Aug. tra. 49. in Ioan. & 16. cont. Faust. 23. Hoc in eo egit per propheticum Chrisma, vt prophetaret hoc è vita impia, vt nesciens prophetaret. S. Augustine, though his ill life was the cause of ignorāce of what he prophesyed.

Lastly, because many inconueniences, and absurdities would follow, if this authority were annexed to the kingly Scepter, not to the priestly function; for it would follow, that Fayth could not continue one and the same, neither in all persons, nor in all tymes, nor in all Countryes, because Princes, in all tymes and places, are of disposition various; in iudgement different; in faction opposite; and in subor­dination [Page 154] neither depending one of another, nor alwayes respecting Religion, or Religious persons, more then may besteed them for their temporall and priuate endes, and v­ses. Wherefore as Ieroboam of old, and Queene Elizabeth of late, Absurdities that follow vpon regall authority to iudge of Fayth. did relinquish the old, and introduce a new Religion, for reasons more politicke then diuine, rather to establish their doubtfull titles, then religiously to serue God; so would Kinges by vertue of this their authority (if it were in them) either in policy, or vpon affection, be still al­tering Religions, and setting vp new, most for their owne endes and dispositions; by which we should haue as many alterations of Religion, as of Kinges, and as ma­ny Churches as are Kingdomes, and as great opposition in Faith, as is in States, and Common-wealthes. All which may appeare by an example in Englād, where while the au­thority in iudging in matters of faith was in the Prelats, re­ligion continued 900. yeares the same, from Ethelbert till Henry the eight; but after that power of iudging was assumed to the scepter by King Henry the 8. the supremacy by one & the same King, was in three yeares thrice changed, from the Pope to the Clergy, from the Clergy to the Archbishop, from the Archbishop to the King, and afterwards as many religions were a new broght in as Kings were a new crow­ned, to wit, one by King Henry, another by King Edward, a third by Queen Mary, a fourth by Queen Elizabeth; & a fifth of Puritans would haue been vnder the same Queen, if po­wer had not preuented it; and what may be, yet lies in the power of the King and Parlament. It would also follow that a man should be obliged alwayes to follow the religion of the King, to change with the King, and so should not be obliged to be certaine of any, or to dy, or suffer for any reli­gion, but should belieue and preach, obserue and practice, what the King prescribes, and the Parlament ordaines: all which are against vnity and certainty of al faith and religiō. Lastly, it would follow that for 300. years after Christ, whē the Emperours were pagan and not Christian, either pagans must be iudges and deciders of the true sense of scripture, and of all controuersies of faith, or that there was, for that time, [Page 155] no iudge of them at al: also when Princes become hereticks, as Constantius and Valens did, or Apostata's as Iulian did, that either true Christians should be obliged to obey, and follow Pagans & Apostata's, as iudges and vmpiers of their faith, or else, that they, by falling into heresy or apostacy, should loose their regall power and authority, and subiects should be freed from their duty and obedience to them. None of which our Protestants will admit, as being indeed too too absurd.

The Lay-people cannet be this Iudge. SECT IIII.

FOVRTHLY, that this infallible authority is not in the lay people, and priuate persons of the Church, The Lay-people are not iudges of Contro­uersies. is pro­ued. 1. Because they want knowledge, and vnderstanding to discusse, and penetrate, either the articles, which are be­lieued, or the meanes, for which they are to be belieued, as being, for the most part, men simple, and vnlearned; for which cause they were neuer admitted to any Councels, as Arbitrators, or Iudges of faith: but alwaies directed by their Pastours in their obedience to faith. 2. Because they haue no warrant, or commission giuen them for this end, either ex­pressed in any Scripture, or approued by any Tradition, or practise of the Church, or mentioned by any testimony of Fathers, or Councels; therfore are not to assume or exercise it, till they proue it. 3. Because of al sortes they are the most fallible, vncertaine, and vnconstant in their opinions, and practises, and therfore are left alwayes to be ruled, & orde­red, as the people are in the temporall common-wealth, & not to rule and gouerne as Magistrates, and Iudges. 4. Be­cause it would follow that all should be Iudges, & Pastours to determine, none should be subiects to obey, or sheepe to be fed; that the Church gouernment should be Democrati­call, of people which of all is the worst; that euery mā should haue a religion of his owne, without any vnion with any, or subordination to any; that the people should preach, and minister Sacraments, as well as Priests or Prelates; should [Page 156] excommunicate, censure, and punish one another, as well as Bishops, & make decrees for faith and manners, as wel as Councels. In respect of all which inconueniences, and ab­surdities (which are so many testimonies against this autho­rity of the people) our Sauiour did speake to the people in para­bles, Mat. 13.34. and without parables he did not speake to them: but to the Apostles and Pastours Math. 13.11. Matth. 20. Ioan. 14. he gaue knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen. To the people he spake of things easy, and publicke, as their sins, and vices, vertues, & good life; but to the Apostles (and that, separated from the people,) of his death, resurrection, the holy Ghost, the day of iudgment, and such like mysteries. With the people he did conuerse before his death, not after his resurrection; he Act. 10.6 manifested not himselfe to all the people, but to the Apostles as Pastours, and witnesses preordained of God; he appeared after his resurrectiō Act. 10.42. did eate, and drinke with them, and commaunded them only, not the vulgar sort, Act. 10.43. to preach to the people. To the people it is said, O­bey Heb. 13.17. your Prelats & be subiect to them: but to the Pastours, take Act. 20.28. heed to the whole flocke, wherin the holy Ghost hath placed you Bishops, to rule the Church of God. To the people it is said, suffer Math. 13 30. the cockle to grow: but to the Pastours, 1. Cor. 5.13. take away the euil one, from among your selues. To the people it is said, do Math. 23 3. that which they (the Pastours) say: but to the Pastours, He Luc. 10.16. who heareth you, heareth me; and he 1. Ioan. 4.6. that knoweth God heareth vs. By hea [...]ing of them is knowne which is the spirit of truth, which of errour. Of the people it is said, How shall they be­lieue him whome they haue not heard, how shall they heare without a preacher? But of the Pastours, Rom. 10.19.. How shall they preach, vnlesse they be sent? All which conuince that our Sauiour intended to make the people, not Pastours, but sheep; not rulers, but subiects; not iudges to commaund, but seruants to obey, in matters of faith, and religion.

The Scripture cannot be this Iudge. SECT. V. The scrip­ture is not a Iudge of fayth.

FIFTLY, That the scripture cannot be this iudge to determyne and end al controuersies is proued. 1. Because [Page 157] this scripture, in respect of vs, requires a iudge it selfe to de­termine, and assure vs which is true Canon, true originall text, true translation, true sense, & the rest as before; there­fore to vs it cannot be a iudge. 2. Because all, or the greatest difficulties; all, or the maynest questions; and all, o [...] the hoatest contentiōs which haue passed either among Catho­like Doctours, or betweene Catholicks and Hereticks, are about the scripture, and the sense of it, none of which scrip­ture it selfe could euer yet end, and decide without some other iudge and vmpier, plainly to pronounce sentence in the cause; and immediatly vnder punishment to oblige the parties to belieue, and obey the sentence. 3. Because the scripture is mute, dumbe, & vnable to speake, heare or pro­nounce sentence, and is apt, not only to be lost, alteted, and corrupted, as de facto it hath beene; but also to be drawne, wrested, and interpreted to contrary senses and opinions, by any sort of interpreters, in any cause, and question; as the lamentable practise of so many hundred of heresies, & here­ticks in all ages doth witnesse. 4. Because the scripture in it selfe is neither cleare, and euident, nor doth euidently and expresly containe, and declare all the senses of it selfe, all the mysteries of beliefe, all the questions of controuersies, all doubtes in diuinity, many things being both now by Pro­testants, and Catholicks belieued, and hauing beene by all faithfull in all ages practised, which neither for practise were groūded vpō only scripture, nor for the doctrine of thē are expressed in any scripture. 5. Because many haue beene conuerted to faith without any reading, or knowledge of scripture, many controuersies haue beene decided without any sentence of scripture; many faithfull haue liued in the world, and beene directed in their faith before any writing of scripture. As for example; all in the old Law for 3000. yeares before Moyses, all in the new law for a good time after the sending of the holy Ghost, & dispersion of the Apostles; and many nations after Christ for 200. years, who (witnesse Irenaeus) neuer did see, nor heare of the bible; and many thou­sands of saints and soules who did neuer see, read, heare, or vnderstand any Scripture at all, and yet did liue holily in [Page 158] earth, and do raigne gloriously in heauen. 6. In the scripture are two things, Aug serm. 7. de temp. lib. 3. de doctrina Christ. cap. 5. the letter, and the sense; as the body & the soule. The letter, according to S. Augustine, doth kill, that is, the externall litterall sense of the words sometimes doth kill, & cause errour: but the spirit, that is, the true sense, which the holy Ghost intended, 2. Cor. 3.6. doth quicken, & auaileth to saluation. But that neither the letter, nor the spirit, can be a competēt iudge of controuersies, The letter of scripture is not iudge as hauing deceaued, is proued. 7. Not the letter, because the letter, or the words in the bare literall sense are occasion of errour, and heresy, for so they were to the Iewes, who in reading of Moyses & the Law, had the veile set ouer their eyes, and vnderstood not Christ contained and signified in the Ce­remonies of the law. Iewes. And so it hath beene to all Heretickes, who forsaking the sense intended by the holy Ghost, & pro­posed by the Church, 2. Cor. 3.15. Heretikes. and following the letter expounded by their owne spirit, haue falsly vnderstood the scripture, & grosly fallen into errours. Sabellians. Ioan. 10.30 Thus the letter deceaued Sabellius, who expounding that of S. Iohn, I and the father am one, of vnity of persons, not of substance; falsly defended, in the deity to be not three, but only one person, which had three names, offices, or properties of the father, the sonne, & the holy Ghost, creating, redeeming, and sanctifying mankind, &, as the Patripassiās defended, the Father to haue suffered on the Crosse as one and the same person with the sonne. Thus the letter deceaued the Arrians, Arians. Ioan. 14.28. who expounding that of S. Iohn, The father is greater then I, of Christ absolutly and com­pletely as whole Christ, not as man according to his huma­nity; did thereupon deny Christ to be God, equall to the Father. Macedoniās 1. Cor. 2.10 Thus it deceaued the Macedonians, who expounding that of S. Paul, The spirit searcheth all things, euen the profoun­dites of God, concluded, not as they ought, that the spirit pierceth & cōprehendeth all things as God; but thus, that he who searches doubts, who doubts is ignorant, who is igno­rant, is not God; and so the holy Ghost, who searches all, is not God. Manichees. Thus it deceaued the Manichees, who held the old Testamēt to be cōtrary to the new, because, for instance, the old said, that Gen. 1.31 God created all things; That God ceased frō labour Gen. 2.2. the seuenth day; That Gen. 1.27 Man was created according to the I­mage [Page 159] of God. And the new said the contrary, that Ioan. 1.3. the Word created all things; That Ioan. 5.17 God worketh vntill now; And that you Ioan. 8.44. are of your father the diuell. Not conceauing, according to the spirit and true sense, that God created all things by the word, as by an Idaea; that God rested from his worke of crea­tion, and yet worketh by conseruation; that man was crea­ted to the Image of God by nature, and of the diuell by ma­lice. Thus the Pelagians denying originall sinne to haue des­cended from Adam to vs, literally interpreted that of Eze­chiel, (The Ezech. 18 20. sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the father, Pelagians.) not only of sonnes who are not partakers, but also of sonnes who are partakers of the iniquity of the father, as all are of Adams sinne, in whome Rom. 5.12.16.19. all sinned, and who receaued, as head, the promise of keeping, or losing paradise by precept of for bea­ring, or eating the apple for himselfe, and his posterity after him. Thus it deceaued others, who applying literally that of S. Iohn (The flesh profiteth nothing) some, Protestants and others. in the Apostles time to the resurrection of the flesh, others of late to the reall pre­sence in the B. Sacrament; the one therupon denyed the re­surrection of all bodies; the other the reall presence of Christs body; both vpon one ground, not distinguishing the spiri­tuall from the carnall manner of one and the same body. By which they might as well inferre, that the flesh of Christ by his incarnation and passion profiteth no more, then (accor­ding to them) it doth by his resurrection and manducation. By which proofe of authority and examples it is apparent that the external letter of scripture cannot be iudge of con­trouersies.

That the internall sense of Scripture cannot be iudge, The sense of scripture cā not be iudg is likwise proued, because this true sense intended by the holy Ghost is often obscure, hard, and vncertaine; as is cer­taine, and before proued. This obscurity breeds controuer­sies, as experience dayly teaches, and that these controuer­sies cannot be ended & iudged by scripture-sense, is proued. 1. Because scripture-sense is the thing in question, & con­tention, therfore is the thing to be iudged, and decided; The sense is the thing in question. not the iudge who is to giue iudgment, and resolue the parties contending in iudgmēt. As for example, a question is about [Page 160] the sense of those words of the Gospel, this is my body, & of those of the Creed, He descended into hell; Catholikes vnderstand them as the words import, of the reall presence, and of the locall descension, both, of Christs body: Protestants ex­pound them of a figuratiue presence by remembrāce of him in the sacrament; and of an infernall suffering of hel-paines in his soule vpon the Crosse. Now of these senses which is true, which false, the sense of the words cannot iudge be­tweene Catholicks and Protestants, but some other iudge is necessary to confirme the one, and confound the other, & so to end the controuersy. 2. Because many places of scripture are so hard and obscure, Is obscure and hard. as the true sense of them cannot be truly discerned, but by Church practise and tradition, as for example, whether those words of S. Mathew, Teach all nati­ons, Matth. 28.19 baptizing them in the name of the father, and of the sonne, and of the holy Ghost, do proue a necessity of the vocall pronuntia­tion of these wordes, for the forme of baptisme, as all Pro­testants with vs do grant; or require no more but a mentall intention, it sufficing only to baptize in the name of Iesus, as Act. 8.26. Ioan. 3.5. doth insinuate. Whether those of S. Iohn, Except a man be borne againe of water, and the holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdome of God, inferre a necessity of water for the matter of baptisme, as the Lutherans with vs grant, and the words import; or that the water and the holy Ghost be all one, as Caluin expounds. Also why the Protestants should not inferre as well a precept and necessity of a sacrament of washing of feet out of those words of our Sauiour, And you Ioan. 13 14. ought to wash one anothers feet, after the example of Christ, who did, and commanded it; as they do, out of those of S. Mathew, Matt. 26 26. Eat yee, & drinke yee, inferre a necessity of receauing vnder both kinds, because our Sauiour did, & commanded the like. Now these, and such like, require a Iudge to iudge of the sense, A Iudge is necessary as well in spi­ritual, as tē ­porall cau­ses. and reason of them, & cannot themselues iudge, and decide themselues to vs. By which is euident that nei­ther the letter, nor the sense of scripture can be a competent iudge of all controuersies of faith, and scripture.

Lastly, the same is proued by the analogy of a temporal Iudge in causes ciuill, with an Ecclesiasticall Iudge in causes [Page 161] spirituall; for as Controuersies aryse in ciuill causes, & the common-wealth: so do they arise also in matters spirituall, and the Church. As therfore there are customes, lawes, & Iudges to decide causes ciuill: so there is Tradition, Scrip­ture, and a Iudge to decide causes spirituall: and as custo­mes and lawes are a rule, not a Iudge, to decide the one; so also are tradition, & Scripture, a rule, not a Iudge to decide the other. As well therefore is requisite, besides Scripture, some other liuing and speaking Iudge in matters of fayth & religion, to iudge and end the Controuersies among Christi­ās, as is necessary, besids Law, some other personal iudge in affaires of the Common-wealth, to debate and decide con­tentions among Neighbours. The necessity of both which chiefly appeares, when either the parties are contentious and not willing to yield, or that the law is obscure, and wantes explication, or seemes contradictory, and requires reconci­liation, or is penned in tearms generall, and stands need of some restriction in causes particuler. All which sith they fall out as well in Scripture, as in common, or ciuill lawes, some iudge or iudges are as well necessary to expound Scripture, as they are to interprete Lawes, and thereby to end Con­trouersies. And thus is sufficiently proued, that neither Scripture, and the word of God, nor Princes, and Kinges, Gouernours of the Common-wealth, nor the Lay & com­mon people among the Faythfull, nor yet the whole body and congregation of the Church of God, can be a fit iudge to pronounce sentence, and determine matters of fayth and re­ligion.

Bishops and Prelats of the true Church, are this Iudge. SECT. VI.

IT remaines to proue, that this iudiciary power, Bishops & Prelates are Iudges of controuer­sies of faith. and au­thority to heare, and examine, to decide, and determine as a Iudge authentical and infallible, in matters of fayth, be­longs only to Pastours, and Prelates of the Church, and that they hauing receaued lawfull ordination by power successi­uely [Page 162] descending from the Apostles (by which they enter as sheepheardes, not theeues) and still remayning in vnity, without heresy or schisme (by which they continue true Pa­stours, not Wolues) that they, I say, thus ordained and vni­ted, are the only and true Iudges of fayth & Religion. This position as much importing for the certainty of fayth in all persons, and mainly confuting the authority of the priuate spirit in euery priuate person, is fully to be proued. 1. By the authority of the old Testament, & the practise of the Priests in it. 2. By authority of the new Testament, and the pra­ctise of Christ, and his Apostles in it. 3. By authority of the Church euer after Christ, and the practise of all Bishops, & Prelates in it.

First, therefore out of the old Testament, we haue an expresse law made by God himselfe for this iudiciary autho­rity of Priests, Deut. 17.8. Priests, and the high Priest, were Iudges in the old law. in these wordes: If thou perceaue that the iudg­ment with thee be hard and doubtfull betweene blood and blood, cause and cause, leprosy and not leprosy, and thou see that the wordes of the Iudges, within thy gates, do vary; aryse, and go vp to the place, which our Lord thy God shall choose, & thou shalt come to the Priests of the Leuiticall stocke, and to the Iudge that shall be at that tyme, and thou shalt aske of them▪ who shall shew thee the truth of the iudg­ment: and thou shalt doe whatsoeuer they that are Presidents of the place, which our Lord shall choose, shall say and teach thee, according to his law; and thou shalt follow their sentence, neither shalt thou de­cline to the right hand, nor to the left hand, but he that shal be proud, refusing to obey the Commandment of the Priest, which at that tyme ministreth to our Lord thy God▪ and the decree of the Iudge, that man shall dye. In which wordes, 1. The Priests haue autho­rity, and commission to iudge of all causes. 2. The people are willed to go to them, for iudgment in doubtfull causes. 3. Vnder paine of death they are commaūded to stand too, & obey their iudgment, without appeale to any higher Court of Prince or other. The begin­ning of this tribunall. In which we may note, 1. The institu­tion, and beginning of this authority of the Priests in the old Law. 2. The progresse, and continuance of it. 3. The end and cessation of it. 1. The institution of it Paral. 19. [...]0. was for all cases of the Law, of Commandment, of Ceremonies, of iustifications, that [Page 163] is, of the law morall, of the ten Commandments, ceremo­niall of seruing God; and iudicial, of gouerning the people, though in this place be mentioned only two causes, that is, of blood, and leprosy. These causes were determined in two Courts, or Councells, the one greater at Hierusalem cal­led Synedrion, consisting of the high Priest as chiefe, and 70. with him as assistantes, in which, greater causes were iud­ged, and appeales from the lower Councell were admitted, and this was by God himselfe Num. 11▪ 16. instituted. The other lesser in euery Citty, consisting of 23. persons, who had the hea­ring, and determining of smaller causes, and was by Moyses, Exod. 18.13. at the aduice of Iethro his Father in law, instituted. By these two Councells were all causes iudged, of these the Priests were Presidents and Iudges, and of the greater the high Priest, for the tyme, was supreme Iudge, whose sentēce in all causes, The conti­nuance of it. and vnder paine of death all were obliged to obey. 2. The continuance of this law and tribunall-seat doth appeare. 1. By the facts of some of the Kinges, chief­ly of 2. Paral. 19.11. Iosaphat King of Iuda, which repaired this Councel being decayed, and made Amarias the high Priest, President for those things which belonged to God, and Zabadias, for the office of the Kinges. 2. By the wordes of the Prophets, especial­ly of Malachy, who sends the people to the Priests, Mal. 2.7. to re­quire the law from his mouth, because he is the Angell of the Lord of Hoasts. Of Aggaeus, who bids them Agge 2.12. aske the Priests [...]e Law. And of the Wiseman, who Eccle. 12.11.12. wils his sonne to seeke no further, because the words of wisemen are as prickes, and as nailes deeply stricken in, which by the councel of Maisters, are giuē of one Pastour. Therfore this sentence is the last iudgmēt, which admits no appeale. 3. The end & cessation of this law, The end of it. and Tribunall of Moyses, doth appeare by the beginning of a new Tribunal of Christ. For, as with the death of Christ, the obligation of the law, the sacrifices of the Law, and the prophesies vn­der the law ceased, and the verity of them being in his pas­sion fullfilled: so also the iudiciary power both of the Priest, and of the Law diminished, as the greater power of the new law-maker Christ, increased. And the assistance of the ho­ly Ghost, by degrees failed them, and their Councell, as by [Page 164] degrees the power of Christ was more plainely manifested, & the grace of the holy Ghost more abundantly bestowed: of which out of Scripture we haue this proofe, Three Coū ­cels of the Iewes in Christs tym about Christ. and experi­ment; whereas the high Priest, with the Priests, Scribes, and Pha [...]isies gathered three Councells in the life of Christ, all about the person of Christ, 1. In his infancy, at the cō ­ming of the Wise-men, to consult where he was borne, whē Herod would haue killed him, 2. Before his passion, after the raysing of Lazarus, Matth. 24. to aduise about his apprehension, when Caiphas vpon malice aduised his death, and as Priest prophesyed of the Iewes saluation by his Ioan. 11.49. death, 3. At his passion, when by false witnes they condemned him as guilty of death, and thereupon procured his Math. 26▪ 57. death: In the first, the holy Ghost fully assisted them, and their Coun­cell, that their determination was both true and iust: In the second, the holy Ghost assisted in part the high Priest, in that his verdict of the Iewes saluation by one, which verdict pro­ceeded from the guift of prophesy annexed to his Priestly function; and in part forsooke him, in that is was iniust, for that he did vpon malice condemne him: In the third, the holy Ghost quite forsooke them, both in verity of the sen­tence, as falsely accusing Christ of blasphemies; and in the iustice of the same, as wrongfully condemning him to be worthy of death. By which is declared how farre the Priests iudiciary power before Christ did extend it selfe, how long it did endure, in what manner by degrees it did cease and end; & out of all is conuinced, that neither Prince, people, or priuate person, but the Priest in that tyme had power to decide, and iudge all Controuersies of the law, & of fayth.

Secondly, this authority of Priests and Prelates is pro­ued out of the new Testament, Prelates au­thority to iudge of cō trouersies, proued out of the new Testament. and that two wayes. 1. By the commission, & authority which our Sauiour gaue to the Apostles, and by their practise of it. 2. By the same Com­mission giuen to the same Apostles, not only for themselues and their owne tyme, but also for their successours, and all tymes, & ages. That our Sauiour gaue this iudiciary power to his Apostles, and to them only, is proued, 1. By the au­thority, and commission he gaue to S. Peter, as the head. 2. [Page 165] By the same which he gaue to the rest, as the principall mē ­bers and directours of the Church vnder this head. Authority to iudge, giuen to S. Peter. Matt. 16.19 To S. Peter as head, he first promised it, thē he prayed to confirme him in it. 1. He promised it, in that he promised to make him the foundation of the Church, by giuing him the title of a Rocke, saying: Vpon this Rocke I will build my Church; for what a maister is in a house, what a gouernour is in a Citty, what a King is in a kingdome, and what a head is in a body, the same is a foundatiō in a building, & Peter in the Church; therefore to Peter was heere promised, to be the head, the foundation, and the Gouernour of his Church. 2. In that he promised to make him the Gouernour of the Church in a representatiue manner, giuing him keyes of it: Matt. 16.19 To thee I will giue the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen. For as the deliuering vp the keyes of the Citty to any, is a signe of giuing vp the charge and gouernement of it to him: so the promise of gi­uing to Peter the keyes of the kingdome of heauen, was a promise of giuing power & authority to gouerne, as a Iudge, the Kingdome of heauen, that is, his Church. 3. In that he gaue him power to bind and loose, that is, to retaine, or remit, by way of absoluing, or not absoluing; to commaund and punish, by way of dispensation, censure, sentence, or iudge­ment, not only persons whomesoeuer, but also causes whatsoe­uer, whether of crimes, and offences against lawes, or in do­ctrine and opinion against fayth. And so the promise was made, 1. To the person of S. Peter. 2. Of authority to be Iudge and Gouernour. 3. In all causes of doctrine, or offē ­ces whatsoeuer. 4. Christ prayed to his Father for confir­mation of this authority vpon S. Peter: I prayed for thee, Luc. 22.32. that thy fayth faile not, and thou once conuerted, confirme thy Brethren, that is, that he might be firme in his fayth, and thereby with his power confirme, and settle others in the same. Bellar. lib. 3. c. 5. de verb. Dei scripto. Out of which Lucius, Felix, Marcus, Leo, Agatho, & Paschalis Popes with S. Bernard after them, cited by Bellarmine, doe gather the infallibility of S. Peter, and the Popes power in iudg­ment of fayth. Lastly Christ inuested S. Peter in this au­thority and iurisdiction, when he gaue him commission and charge to feed his sheep: Feed my Sheep, feed my Lambes; Ioan. 21.16.17. in [Page 166] which he gaue authority to Peter singularly, as to one whō he calls Simon the sonne of Iohanna, and from whome in parti­culer he drawes before hand a triple confession of his singu­lar loue to him, aboue the rest. He giues also him authority to feed, that is, to exercise all pastorall charge and function, which requires, 1. That he feed with spirituall food, all his sheep within the fold of his holy Church, according to Eze­chiel, Ezech. 34.2. Are not the flocks fed of the Pastours? And Psalm. 22.1. Our Lord doth gouerne me (in greeke, feed me) nothing shalbe wā ­ting to me: he hath placed me there in a place of pasture. 2. That he cure the sheep that are sore, gather those who are disper­sed, reduce them that wander, and defend those who are assaulted by the wolues, Ezech. 34.5. according to that of Ezechiel: And my sheep were dispersed because there was no Pastour, and they came to be deuoured of the beastes of the field, and were dispersed. My flockes haue wandered in all mountaines, and in euery high hill. That which was lost I will seeke, Vers. 16. that which was cast away, I will bring againe, and that which was broken, I will bind vp, and that which was weake, I will strengthen; and that which was fat and stronge, I will feed them in iudgment. 3. That he rule, gouerne, discer­ne, iudge, and chastise, according to that of Scripture: Thou 2. Reg. 5.2. shalt feed (that is gouerne) my people Israel, and be Captaine ouer Israel. Thou Psal. 2.9. shalt rule them in an iron rod. Behould Ezech. 34 17. I iudge betweene beast and beast, of Rams, and of Bucke goates: Be­tweene Vers. 20. the fat beast, and the leane. Out of which is apparent, 1. That our Sauiour gaue to S. Peter, in these wordes, feed my sheep, a pastorall charge ouer al his sheep, that is, all Chri­stians who are the sheep of Christ. 2. That this pastorall charge consists in collecting, curing, directing, defending and iudging these sheep of Christ. 3. That Peter, by this charge, had power to preach, minister Sacraments, correct offenders, and iudge of all doctrine, as chiefe head, and Go­uernour in the Church of Christ. And so it is conuinced, that this iudiciary authority was giuen to S. Peter, as head of the rest.

The same giuen to the Apostles.That the same was giuen also to the rest of the Apostles, is proued, because as Christ did communicate to his Apo­stles power, and authority which was proper to himselfe, to [Page 167] forgiue sinnes: VVhose Mat. 16.18. sinnes you forgiue in earth, shalbe for­giuen in heauen; and to offer Sacrifice, Luc. 22.27. Do this: So also to the same did he communicate these priuiledges proper to himselfe, that as he was Maister of all, One Mat. 23.10. is your Maister Christ: so also he made them Maisters, not Rom. 2.20. only of Infants, but also 1. Tim. 1 11. of Nations, that they should Math. 28 teach all Nations. As he was light of men; so Ioan. 1.4. they should be the light of the world. As he gaue Math. 5.14. testimony to the truth; so Ioan. 1.17.18. they should giue testimony, and be witnesses of him to the end of the earth. That Act. 1.8. as the Father did sanctify him; so Ioan. 10.36. he prayed to his Father to sanctify them. As Ioan. 17.17. he was sent by his Father into the world; so he sent them. As by a voice from heauen it was sayd of him, Ioan. 20.21. heare him; so by his owne mouth he sayd of them, Math. 17 5. he that heareth you, heareth me. The Apostles therefore were appoin­ted for Maisters, specially sanctifyed, made the light of the world, ordained witnesses of his truth, & sent with autho­rity, and commission, as himselfe was, for that end that they should be heard, and obeyed as himselfe was: and the same power they receaued from him, not only themselues chal­lenged and practised after him, and with him; but also their Successours after them, and with them. For as Christ was giuen Luc. 10.16. a light of the Nations; so they, sayth S. Luke▪ were Act. 13.47. also the light of the nations. As Luc. 4.18. the spirit of God was on him to euangelize to the poore; so God chose them, sayth S. Luke, that Act. 15.7 the Gentils by their mouth, should heare the word of the Ghospell, and belieue. As 2. Cor. 5.19. he did reconcile the world to himselfe; so he, sayth S. Paul, placed 2. Cor. 5.19. in them the word of reconciliation. As he came an Embassadour from his Father, to Mat. 12.18. be a mes­senger of iudgment to the world; so, sayth S. Paul, we 2. Cor. 5.20. Ephes. 6 20. are Le­gates for Christ. As our Sauiour sayd of himselfe, He Ioan. 8.47. that is God, doth heare the wordes of God, therefore you heare not, because you are not of God; so doth S. Iohn say of them▪ He 1. Ioan. that knoweth God heareth vs, and he that is not of God, heareth vs not. Therefore as Christ thought it no robbery to be equal to his Father in diuinity; so they thought it no iniury to him to be in some sort, participant with him, in his power, and autho­rity.

And that Christ gaue this authority to the Apostles, not [Page 168] only for themselues, and their owne time; but also for their successors, The same giuen to the successours of the Apo­stles. and for all ages, so that it is to reside and remaine in the Pastours, and prelates of holy Church their successors continually till the end of the world, is euident: for if he haue this authority as necessary for the peace and gouerne­ment of his Church, and if the Church stand as great need of it in all ages, as in that time of the Apostles, as it is certai­ne it doth; then without doubt it was as well giuen to the Pastours of the future tymes of the Church, as to them of the present: for which end, Christ (sayth S. Paul) gaue Ephes. 4.11. some Apostles, some Prophets, some Euangelists, some Pastours and Do­ctours, and for what end? For Ibid. v. 12. the consummation or perfection of Saints, that is, of all faythfull, for the worke of the mini­stery, to teach his truth, for the edification and propagation of his body, to conserue and increase his Church, for Ephes. 4.13. the vnity of fayth vntill all concurre in one; least Ibid. v. 14. men be wauering and vn­certaine in faith like little ones; least they be carryed with euery wind of doctrine; least they be circumuented by craftines in errour. All which dangers as they remaine in all tymes, so the remedy prepared against them must remaine for all tymes. Where­upon S. Peter did not only himselfe exercise this authority, but at his departure gaue the same to the Pastours of Pontus, Galatia, and Bythinia, to whome he writ his Epistles, willing them to 1. Pet. 5.2. feed the flocke of God, which is among them. S. Paul did not only practise it himselfe, but also left it to the Pastors of Ephesus Act. 20.28. to rule the Church of God. To Titus, to Tit. 1.5. or­daine Priests through all Citties in Creet, as he had disposed. To Ti­mothy, to 2. Tim. 2.2. commend to faithfull men, what he had heard of him, and willed the conuerted Iewes, to Heb. 13.17. obey their Gouer­nours▪ and be subiect to them because they watch as being to giue an account of their soules. Whereupon, not of the Apostles only, but of all Pastours, and only of Pastours, it is sayd: Isa. 59.21 My spi­rit which is in thee, and my wordes which I haue put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed, frō this present for euer. What is this word, my Ioan. 14.16. spirit which is in thee; but (to compare the prophesy and the performance) the Paraclete, the spirit of truth, which the Father will giue to you? What are, the wordes in thy [Page 169] mouth, but the wordes and vnderstanding Ioan. 17.8. which thou (Fa­ther) gauest to me, I gaue to them, and they receaued of me? What is, thy seed, and seeds seed, but those who are to Ioan. 17.20. belieue by their word in me? What is, from this tyme for euer, but that, I Mat. 28.20. will be with you euen to the consummation of the world? And so doth the prediction of the Prophet concurre with the per­formance of our Sauiour. To all Pastours, and only of Pa­stours it is sayd: Sonnes Aug. enar. in Psal. lib. 4. epist. 9. are borne to thee for thy fathers, and thou shalt make them Princes ouer all the earth, that is, according to S. Augustine, for Apostles, thou shalt haue Prelates. To al Pa­stours and only to Pastours it is sayd: He Luc. 10.16. that heares you, heares me. And, He Ioan. 4.6. that knowes God, heares vs, and he that is not of God, heares vs not. That is (sayth S. Cyprian) all Cyp. epist 166. Gouernours who by subordination succeed the Apostles. Because, sayth S. Augustin, In Aug. lib. 4. cont. Don. cap. 43. the chaire of vnity he hath placed the doctrine of verity. Of al, and to all Pastours it is sayd: How Rom. 10.15. shall they preach except they be sent? No Heb. 5.4. man assumes to himself honour, but he that is called of God, as Aaron. To all, and only of Pastours it is sayd: If Mat. 18.17. he heare not the Church, let him be to thee as the Heathen, and Publican, that is, sayth Chrys. & Theophil. in hunc locum. Chrysostome, and Theophilact, if he heare not the Pastours of the Church. And if he be worthy to be esteemed so, who despises them, that admonish him of his fault; much more worthy is he to be deemed so, who despises him who instructs him in fayth. To all, and only Pastours it is sayd: That Mat. 16.18. the gates of hell shall not preuaile against the Church. In so much, that all the promises of Church-stability, and perpetuity in fayth, cō ­sists chiefly in this infallible authority of the Pastours, who are to instruct in fayth, direct in fayth, and to iudge of fayth, and what promises are made to the Church, are made chief­ly to the Pastours, as the principall partes of it, and by thē to the rest as inferiour. To them therefore is giuen the 2. Cor. 4 19. word of reconciliation, the 1. Cor. 4.1. dispensation of the mysteries, the Math. 2 [...] function of Embassages, the Act. 1. Matt. 24.14. testimony of truth to all Nations. They are the Fathers who beget spirituall children by the preaching of the word, who nourish them with the food of the Sacraments, who rule them by good lawes and disci­pline, and who defend them with their spirituall power & [Page 170] authority. They only haue the Isa. 22.22. Keyes of the house of Dauid, which they shall open and none shut. The Mat. 16.19. keyes of the Kingdome of heauen, against which hell-gates shall not preuaile, and the 1. Pet. 2.9. kingly Priesthood. All, because in, and by their priestly fun­ction and authority, Christ doth forgiue sinnes, doth recon­cile to him the world, doth make lawes, doth exercise his power, and establish his kingdome of heauen, and doth Luc. 17.35. raigne in the house of Iacob for euer. And thus is the iudiciary authority of the Church in the Pastours, and Prelates of it, lawfully ordained, and peaceably vnited, proued by the te­stimony of holy Scripture.

The same euer practi­sed in the Church.The same is further proued by the practise of the Church in all tymes, and ages; for when any Controuersy did arise, any new opinion did start vp, or any practise was doubtful, and questioned; the decision and iudgment was referred, neither to the whole body of all belieuers, nor to the Prin­ces, Kinges, and Emperours, the chiefe Protectours of the Church, not to the Lay-people the greatest number in the Church, not to the Scripture & written word only, which is a rule, not properly a Iudge in the Church: but to the chiefe Pastours, and Prelates, the Directours & Gouernours of the Church, In councells prouinciall. who collected togeather in some Councell, either prouinciall (which sufficed in cases where the cause was either not important, or other could not be collected) or generall (which was gathered when the cause was great, the aduersaries potent, and the assembling conuenient) had the hearing, examining, and iudging of the cause referred to them, and did censure the persons, and put a finall deter­mination to the cause, & question. Thus we read, that the question about the obseruation of Legall Ceremonies, was determined in the Councell of the Apostles at Hierusalem. Act. 19. The Controuersy about the obseruation of Easter on the 14. day, as the Iewes vsed, or the Sunday after, as is now by Christians vsed, was by diuers Councels decided, as at Rome vnder Pope Victor, at Hierusalem vnder Narcissus, in France vnder Irenaeus, in Pontus vnder Palma, at Corinth vnder Ba­chillus, and lastly at Nice vnder Pope Syluester. Thus was the Nouatians and their sect, denying pennance and absolution [Page 171] to them who failed in persecution, condemned by the Pre­lates, and Bishops of Italy at Rome, of France at Arles, and of Africke at Carthage. Thus was Sabellius, and his heresy, Ann. 255▪ de­nying the Trinity of persons, condemned by the Prelates of Aegypt at Alexandria. The Donatists, and their schisme, Ann. [...]19. de­nying the validity of Baptisme ministred by Heretikes, cō ­demned at Rome, Arles, and Carthage, and other places by the Bishops of the same Countryes. Paulus Samosetanus, Ann. [...]66. and his errour, affirming Christ to be pure man, was condemned by the Bishops of Asia, in two Synodes at Antioch. Thus were the Manicheans condemned at Ancyra, the Archontickes at Neocaesaria; Eustachius at Gangra in Armenia; Priscillianus at To­ledo in Spaine; Pelagius in Palestina, Melitum, Carthage, & Con­stantinople. And Macedonius, Apollinaris, Photinus, Sabellius, & Eunomius at Rome; Berengarius at Vercells, and Rome; Luther, and his fellowes at Ments, Treuers, and Colen in Germany, and Macline, Cambray, and other places in the low-Countryes. All which, and many more were censured, and iudged by the Bishops called in Synodes Prouinciall.

In like manner by the Prelates collected in generall Councells, In councels generall. were censured and iudged the causes of greater heresies, and contentions: As that of Arius, in the first Coū ­cell of Nice, and the diuinity of Christ defended. Ann. 317. That of Macedonius, in the second generall at Constantinople, Ann. 383. and the deity of the Holy Ghost confirmed. That of Nestorius in the third generall at Ephesus, and the vnity of one diuine person in Christ decreed. That of Eutiches, Ann. 430. in the fourth generall Councell of Chalcedon, and the verity of two natures in Christ concluded. That of Peter and Seuerus of Antioch, Ann. 454. Pe­trus of Apamea, Cyrus of Edessa, Anthymius & Acatius of Constā ­tinople, in the fifth generall at Constantinople, Ann. 553. and their per­sons, with Origens errours, condemned. That of Cyrus of A­lexandria, Sergius, Pyrrhus, and Paulus of Constantinople, and their Monothelite heresy of one will in Christ, Ann. 681. in the sixth generall at Constantinople condemned, and the two wills in Christ determined. That of Leo, and Copronymus Emperours, and the Image-breakers with them, in the seauenth at Nice, censured, and the worship of Images defended. Ann. 781. That of [Page 172] Photius, and the deniers of the procession of the holy Ghost from the Sonne, Ann. 870. in the eight generall at Constantinople, re­iected, and Ignatius the Patriarch confirmed. All which were in the Greeke Church. In the latin and West Church Bishops also proceeded, Ann. 1121. Ann. 1139. and iudged in the generall Coun­cels, as in the ninth and tenth generall at Lateran against the Sarazens, Ann. 1180. Ann. 1228. and Anti-popes, vnder Calixtus II. and Innocent II. In the eleuenth and twelfth also of Lateran against the Wal­denses, and Ioachim the Abbot, vnder Alexander the III. and Innocent III. Ann. 1265. Ann. 1274. In the thirtenth & fourtenth of Lyons, against Fredericke the Emperour, and the errour of the Greeks vnder Innocent IV. Ann. 1311. Ann. 1439. and Gregory the X. In the fifteenth at Vienna, a­gainst the Begards, and others, vnder Clement the V. In the sixteenth at Florence, against the Greeks, vnder Eugenius the IV. Ann. 1512. In the seauenteenth at Lateran, vnder Leo the X. against Schismatikes. And lastly in the last at Trent vnder Paul III. Iulius the III. Ann. 1563. and Pius the IV. against the Lutherans, & all Heretikes of late. In all which, and others, examination was made, and iudgment giuen, not by Princes, Lay-people, or the whole body of the Cleargy, but only by Bi­shops, and Prelates, the chiefe Pastours of the Church, who only, and not the former, were, as appeares by authority of Scripture, and the continued practise of the Church, the true, authenticall, and infallible Iudges of controuersies of Fayth, and Religion.

The priuate spirit cannot be this Iudge. SECT. VII.

IT remaynes to proue, that this infallible and authenti­call authority to iudge of controuersies of Fayth, neither doth, That the priuate spirit cannot be a Iudge of controuer­sies of faith. nor can reside in euery particuler faythfull person, nor that the priuate spirit of euery one (which is heer intended) can be a competent Iudge of all controuersies of Religion. This is conuinced by diuers proofes drawne from diuers heades. The first proofe is drawne from the former reasons, which disproue this authority to reside, either in Princes, or in the lay-people, or the whole community of all faythfull [Page 173] belieuers; for all the reasons which proue against them, and their spirit, proue much more against euery priuate person, and this spirit in particuler.

The second proofe, is drawne from the former rea­sons, which proue this authority to be communicated only to the Prelates and chiefe Pastours of the Church; for if the spirit of God, for this end, be giuen only to them, as it was to Moyses, to iudge the people, then it was not for the same end giuen to all and euery one of the common people, and euery ordinary faythfull person among them.

The third proofe, is drawne from the essentiall partes of an authenticall, and infallible Iudge, because in this spirit are to be found neither ability to know persons, nor authority to iudge causes, nor infallibility to pronounce a certaine sentence, and iudgment. First therefore, this spirit cannot know, and examine the state and disposition, The priuate spirit wants ability to know & be knowne. the cause, and question of the person who is to be iudged, nei­ther can the person who is to be iudged, know that this spi­rit remaynes in him, who is to iudge, or that authority by it is giuen to iudge. For this spirit, say they who chalenge it, is knowne, that it is the spirit of God, only to them who haue it; how then shall it be knowne to others, who are to be iudged by it? How shall the people know the spirit of the Pastour that they may be directed by it; or the Pastour know the spirit of the people, that he may direct thē? How shall any conuersation in discipline of good life, any com­munication in doctrine of fayth, any subordination in obe­dience to lawes, be obserued among these person, vncer­taine one of anothers spirit, and authority by it? How shall the sentence of absolution vpon the faythfull, or of condē ­nation vpon the faythlesse be iustly denounced? How shall the doctrine of truth be preached, or the doctrine of falshood be confuted, and the people obliged to belieue the one, and to forsake the other? How shall iustice be ordered, obedi­ence obserued, authority maintained, lawes executed, and penalties inflicted, where neither the inferiour can know the spirit of the superiour, vpon which spirit his authority dependes; nor yet the superiour can any way force, or com­pell [Page 174] the spirit of the inferiour, who yet will chalenge an e­quality of preheminence, and priuiledge of the spirit with him.

Secondly, this spirit cannot challenge to it selfe any such power, or authority, or shew any authenticall warrant from God, 2. It wants authority to iudge. that it is the spirit of God, either in Scripture, Tradition, or practise of the Church, all which, a [...] before, do reiect and condemne it. It cannot exercise any function which belonges to this authority, as to censure, or absolue, to oblige or vnity, to punish or reward any fault cōmitted, or person committing it. It cannot with equality of tryall, heare or examine the cause, nor denounce, and pronounce any sentence which can oblige. It cannot admonish, threa­ten, terrify, and enioyne any punishment by the rodde of iustice. It cannot compell, correct, and punish any delin­quen [...] by way of exteriour iustice, or enforce the one party to yield, subscribe, and submit to the sentence of iustice. It cannot bridle, in the hand of the one, the fury of iniustice, or deliuer to the handes of the other, the right of iustice. It cannot conuince the one of his errour against truth, nor se­cure the other of his possession of truth. It cannot compell the one to cease from wronge, or giue redresse to the other in his wrong. What power hath the spirit of one man, to threaten, to command, to correct, or punish the spirit of an­other? What authority can one spirit alleadge, which ano­ther cannot as well challenge? What prerogatiue of spirit can the Pastour assume, of which the spirit of the people may not as well presume? Vpon what priuiledge can any superiour stand, vpon which, and the same, any inferiour may not, or will not as well insist? The inferiour can as cō ­fidently assure himselfe, as certainly auouch, and as resolut­ly resolue himselfe, that he hath receaued the Rom. 8.11. spirit of the Sonne of God dwelling in him. That he hath the Gal 4.6. spirit of his sonne abiding in his heart, by which he cryeth Abbae Father. That 2. Cor. 5.5. God hath giuen him also the pledge of the spirit; The Rom. 8.15. spirit of a­doption; VVhich Rom. 8.16. doth giue testimony of his spirit. That 1. Cor. 2.10. his spirit doth search all thinges, yea the profundities of God. That 1. Thes. 1 6. his spirit doth try all thinges, yea prophesyes; Doth 1. Ioan. 4.1. try all spirits [Page 175] if they be of God; And that he is 1. Cor. 2.15.16. a spirituall man, doth iudge of all thinges, and himselfe is to be iudged of no man, because he hath the sense of Christ, and knoweth the sense of our Lord, that may in­struct him. Where is then the authority of the Pastour ouer a flocke endewed with this spirit, or the power of the supe­riour to correct a people full of this spirit? How shall the one compell to obey, and the other haue the liberty of the spirit not to obey? What order or subordination, what dis­cipline & gouernement can be established among such spi­rits, or men ruled and directed by such spirits?

Thirdly, this priuate spirit cannot giue any certainty, 3. It wants infallibility to iudge certainely. or infallibility of the verity of his iudgment; for it cannot assure and secure any, that it is a spirit of God not Sathan, of light not darknesse, of truth not falshood, of a true not a false Prophet. It cannot assure & secure any, that his iudgment, for example, of predestination, iustification, certainty of sal­uation of only fayth, is not a presumption, and illusion, and rather hereticall, then Catholike doctrine. It cannot assure and secure others either that the spirit is true, or that the iud­gement of it, is vpright, or that the doctrine of it is true; all sectes, and heresies, whether Caluinist or Lutheran, rigid or milder, whether Protestant or Puritan, whether Brow­nist or Familist, whether Anabaptist or Arian, whether Swenkfeldian or Libertine, challeng it for the certainty of their doctrine as true, are taught, and directed by it as true; and yet some, or all of them must needes be false, as being contrary euery one to another, euery one condemning ano­ther, and all condemned by the authority of Gods Church, and by the spirit of God, instructing and assisting it. By all which it is apparent that the priuate spirit wanting visibili­ty to be knowne, authority to iudge, and infallibility to secure, cannot be an authenticall iudge of controuersies of Fayth.

Fourthly, 4. It wants the proper­ties▪ of a ru­le of Fayth. the fourth reason against this priuate spirits infallible authority to iudge of fayth, is drawne from the properties of a rule, & foundation of fayth, before assigned; all which are wanting in it. For first, it wants the promise of any certainty, and infallibility; it hath no promise, 1. Certainty or [Page 176] warrāt in Scripture, that it is the Pillar 1. Tim. 3 15. and ground of truth▪ the Math. 12 46. house, the temple, the kingdome of Christ; that hell gates shal not preuaile against it; that Math. 13 44. he who heareth it heareth Christ; who Luc. 10.16. contemneth it contemneth Christ; and Mat. 18.17. who obeys it not is as the Heathen and Publican; that Ioan. 14.16.26. it shall remayne with euery man, shall teach euery man all truth, and instruct euery man in all which Christ shall speake to him. All which yet are promised to the holy Church, and the spirit of God in it.

Secondly, It wants continuance, and duration; for as it is a priuate spirit in euery one, and can continue no longer, then the person in whome it is, and with whome it begins and ends, 2. Duration liues, and dyes; so it hath no promise of Scripture to endure from age to age▪ from generation to generation, from Sa­both to Saboth, Isa. 34.10. Isa. 66.23. Psalm 71.8. Eph. 4. as long as the Sunne and Moone shall endure, till the end of the world, to the seed, and seeds seed, for all generations. All which are yet promised to holy Church, and the spirit of God in it.

Thirdly, it wants immutability, and freedome from al­teration or change, for as we see it changes in euery place, tyme, 3. Immuta­bility. and person, yea as often as the Moone, breeding, as S. Hilary sayd of the Arians, a monthly & yearly fayth: and as one of them confesses, What to day they hould you know, but what to morrow, Duditius a­pud Bezam ep. theol. pag. 13. neither you, nor they can know, in what head of religion do they agree, who oppugne the Bishop of Rome: if you exa­mine all from the head to the foot, you shall almost find nothing affir­med by one, which another will not auerre to be wicked; the Deuines do dayly differ from themselues, coyning a monthly fayth. Thus it changes in all doctrines, and in opinions of Scripture, some affirming this part to be scripture, which others deny; some inuenting one sense, and others a contrary; and it so alters from sect to sect; from heresy, to heresy; from Catholike, to Lutheran; from this, to Caluinisme; from that, to Ana­baptisme; from thence, to Arianisme; and so on to Iudais­me, Turcisme, and Atheisme. And as this alteration de facto workes in Protestants; so also it hath no promise of con­stancy, that it is Math. 16.18. a Rocke; a 1. Tim. 3.15. pillar, a foundation; as Psal. 88.38. the Sunne before God; as sure as Isa. 33. the day, and the night; that it hath Isa. 21.4 an euerlasting couenant which shall stand for euer, and for [Page 177] an eternall glory, and not be giuen ouer. All which is yet promi­sed to the Church, and the spirit of God in it.

Fourthly, it wants Visibility, 4. Visibili­ty. and publike manifestati­on to vs, not only that it is the spirit of God, of which be­fore, but much more in whom it remaines: for as that which is in one cannot manifest it selfe to another; so others cannot manifestly know that it is in any one. Aske, for example, the Lutherans who follow Luther, and his spirit; the Cal­uinists who follow Caluin, and his spirit; the Anabaptistes, who follow Rotman, and his spirit; the A [...]ians, who follow Seruetus, and his spirit; the Libertines who follow Quinti­nus, and his spirit; or any Precisian who follow a precise preacher, and his spirit, how they know that Luther doth enioy this spirit, more then Caluin; or Caluin more then Rotman; or Rotman more then Seruetus; or Seruetus more then Quintinus; or any one of them, more then the Pope, and Ca­tholike Church vnder him? They can giue no reason more for one, then for another, shew no cause, why they follow one spirit, more then another, or why they should be per­suaded, confirmed, & directed to the fayth of any one more then another. This spirit therefore hath not the conspicuity and visibility of being Psal. 18. [...] as a tabernacle in the Sunne; Psalm. 8 [...] 38. the Sunne in my light; Math. 5.16. a candle vpon a candlesticke; or Apoc. 2. seauen candlestickes in the Temple; a Math. 5.1 [...]. citty vpon a hill; Isa. 2.2. a mountaine in the top of mountaines eleuated aboue the little hills, that it may be seene, and knowne of all the world. All which yet are agreable to the Catholike Church, and the spirit of God in it.

Fifthly, this spirit wants combination, or connexion, by which it may combine all faithfull in one bond of Vni­ty, and Concord; 5. Vanity. and so distinguish a true Church from a false; a right belieuing Catholike, from a deceitfull here­tike, and a right way to heauen, from an erroneous path to perdition. It is priuate, and particuler in euery man, diuerse and contrary in most men. It did suggest of old one beliefe, for example, in Sabellius, another in Marcion, another in Ne­storius, another in Apollinaris and Eutiches; and it hath sugge­sted of late, one in Luther, another in Zuinglius, a third in [Page 178] Caluin, a fourth in Munzer, a fifth in Seruetus, and aboue 220. in this last age, in so many new Maisters, and founders of new sects, Os. 10.2. all whose hartes are diuided, and Isa. 19.2. like the Aegyptians, run togeather against the Aegyptians; and Luc. 11.17. by diuision make the kingdome of Christ desolate. And yet all of them call this, their spirit of the Lord, all build their beliefe vpon it, all are directed by it in their contrary doctrine and beliefe. Aske any one or all of them how they are instructed, who they follow, by what they are directed; all answere by this spirit, all appeale to this priuate spirit, and yet all want that spirit, which Eph. 4.2. keepeth vnity of the spirit in the body of peace; Phil. 1.27. which should continue them in one minde; A [...]t. 4.32. in one agreement and iudgement; Ierem. 32 Ezech. 11. in one hart and soule, in one way and path; Ioan. 14.10. and make them all one, as Christ was one in his Father. Which spirit notwithstanding resides, and dwels in the Catholike Church.

Sixthly, this spirit wants Vniuersality, as vnable to re­solue all doubts and questions which arise, 6. Vniuersa­lity. either about Scripture, in the obscurity, profundity, and multiplicity of senses, or in the seeming contradictions, figuratiue locuti­ons, and seuerall interpretations of the wordes, the various Texts, and reading, the many dissonance [...] of yeares in num­bring, the different translation of words from the originall, or which arise about the mysteries belieued; as the vnity of the God-head; the Trinity of persons in the Blessed Trini­ty; the person, the natures, the wills, the body, the soule of Christ; the nature of grace, free-will, sinne, iustification, sacraments, Church, prayer to Saints, for the dead, Purga­tory, and thousands such like, which this spirit could neuer decide, and end, either in tymes ancient, or of late, but with contention it begunne all these differences, in contention it proceeded in them, and neuer ceased till by contention it consumed it selfe, and ended them. It cannot sufficiently conuince any one, either Pagan or Infidell, either Turke or Iew, either Heretike or obstinate Person, that they are in errour, and haue not the spirit of God, as well as true Chri­stians. It cannot conuert, reduce, or confirme any to the verity of true fayth, who is either ignorant of Fayth, or [Page 179] staggering in his fayth, or obstinate against faith. It can giue no probable reasons of persuasion, propose no credi­ble testimonies of inducement, deliuer no conuincing argu­ments of certainty of fayth, and doctrine, and in effect can shew no grounds sufficient in prudence to persuade any iu­dicious man to accept, as credible, the religion of Christiās, more then of Iewes, Turkes, or Pagans, therefore it cannot extend it selfe to all Nations, Isa. 54.2 enlarge the place of his Tents, stretch out the skins of his Tabernacles; Isa. 60.16. increase the sea with knowledge; Isa 6 [...].21. sucke the milke of Gentils, and be nursed with the Tette of Kings; 60.6. it cannot conuert the multitude of Iles; Isa 2.2. bring in the riches of the Gentills; Psal. 88. preach pennance, and remission of sinnes; Luc. 24.47. from Hierusalem to the vttermost of the earth; 7. Warrant & commis­sion. Isa. 66.23 from North to South, from Sabaoth to Sabaoth; Act. 1.8. from the ends of the earth. All which yet as they were promised to holy Church so are they performed in it, and by the spirit of God in it.

Seauenthly, this spirit wanteth all warrant, and Com­mission from God, either expressed in holy Scripture, or mentioned in the Creed of the Apostles, or deliuered by any Tradition, or defined by any Councell, or contained in any rule of Fayth, or deduced out of any principle of Reli­gion, or confirmed by any practise of antiquity, that all men must rely on it, be ruled by it, and be obedient to it for the certainty of their Fayth and Religion: we find no preheminence, or prerogatiue attributed to it, that it is either Mat. 13.44. the Kingdome, Matth. 5.15. the Citty, Psal. 22.12. the Inheritance, 1. Tim. 3.15. the House, 1. Cor. 3.17. the Temple, Cant. 4.8 the Spouse, or Rom. 12.5. the body of Christ; which yet the Church of God, by his spirit in it, hath. We read of no authority it hath, either Mat. 16.18. to bind or loose sinnes, Ioan. 16.13. or to offer sacrifice, or to minister Sacraments, or to instruct in all Truth; 1. Cor. [...] 21. to teach all Nations, or to punish offenders with the Rodde of correction, of censure, of excommunication, & giuing vp to Sathan, which yet the Church of God by his spirit hath. We haue no expresse warrant, or commaund to do Math. 23.2. what it shall say to vs, do; to heare and obey it, as Christ him­selfe, and that Luc. 16.16. vnder paine of despising Christ; Math. 18 19. of being an Ethnicke, and Publican, Marc. 1 [...] ▪ 16. and of damnation. All which yet we haue of the Church of Christ, and of the spirit of God, [Page 180] dwelling in it, and directing it. All which properties and conditions since they ought to be in a rule & iudge of faith, as is before shewed, and are all, and euery one wanting in this Protestant priuate spirit, as is heere manifest, it remai­nes euident, that for these reasons it cannot be a sufficient, or competent Iudge of all controuersies of Fayth and Reli­gion.

The properties of Fayth, with the priuate Spirits manner of proceeding. SECT. I.

THIS priuate spirits authority to ex­pound Scripture, and to resolue questi­ons of Fayth, we haue confuted by rea­sons drawne from the nature of an infal­lible, both Interpreter of Scripture, and Iudge of fayth. It remaines, that we cō ­fute the same by reasons drawne frō the nature, and infallible certainty of Fayth, of which this spirit is assigned by the Protestāts to be a prin­cipall, if not a sole, and whole meanes, or instrument to cause it.

For which we may note, that the Protestants doe [Page 182] 1. ground their saluation vpon only fayth, which say they, doth only iustify. 2. They ground this their fayth vpon only Scripture, The priuate spirit is the Protestants ground of Scripture, sense, fayth and saluati­on. which according to thē, containes al things necessary to be belieued. 3. They ground this their Scrip­ture, and the sense of it, only vpon the priuate spirit, by which alone, excluding all authority of Tradition, Church-Councells, or Fathers, they expound the Scripture; so that the priuate spirit is to them the principall, or sole ground of their sense of Scripture, their Scripture-sense, the principal or sole ground of their fayth, & this their fayth the principal or sole ground of their saluation. What certainty therefore they haue of Scripture, Fayth, or Saluation, dependes vpon the certainty they haue of this their spirit, which if it faile, and proue not to be true, and of God, but deceitfull, and of Sathan; then failes with it, the truth of their sense of Scrip­ture, the truth of their Fayth, and Religion, and the truth of their hope, or certainty of saluation. Whereupon it fol­lowes, 1. That they can haue no more certainty of their fayth, and saluation, then they haue of this their spirit, which is the ground of their fayth and saluation. 2. That what conditions, or properties are required to certainty of Fayth, the same are required in this spirit, which is to them the prime, mayne, & in effect the sole meanes, or grounds of faith. 3. That if we demonstrate, that the properties, and conditions which are necessary to fayth, are wanting in this priuate spirit, then we conuince that this priuate spi­rit cannot be, either a sufficient ground, wheron to build faith, or a competent Iudge, wherby to determine con­trouersies of Fayth.

Which being supposed, let vs examine these properties of faith, Faith neces­sary to sal­uation. what, and how many they be, and applying them to the priuat spirit, shew that they are all euery one wan­ting in it. 1. Therfore this diuine, and supernaturall faith, as it is necessary to saluation, (for according to S. Paul, With­out Heb. 11·6. faith, it is impossible to please God. And according to S. Augustine, It is certaine that none can come to true happinesse except he please God; Aug. serm. 8. de tempore. and hat none can please God, but by faith, for faith is the foundation of all good things, faith is the beginning of mans sal­uation, [Page 183] without faith none can come to the fellowship of the children of God, because without it, neither in this world doth any man ob­taine the grace of iustification, nether in the next shal he possesse eter­nall life:) so also it must necessarily haue these properties, or conditions, that is, it must be one, certaine, entire, and Catholike faith, manifested by diuine reuelation, di [...]ulged by Apostolicall mission, and preaching, confirmed by mira­culous operations, and made credible by conuincing testi­monies of credibility. All which, as they are peculiar to true faith, either connexed to it, or concurring with it; so are they all wanting to this priuate spirit, and haue no affi­nity or similitude with it; as in particuler shalbe shewed.

The priuate spirit cannot be a meane of vnity in Fayth. SECT. II.

THEREFORE Fayth is one, witnes S. Paul, One Lord, one Baptisme, one Fayth: witnes S. Leo, Faith is one Except it be one, it is not Fayth. Witnes Irenaeus, Ephes. 4.5. Leo serm. 4. de natiuit. Iren. lib. 1. cap. 3. All belieuing in one and like manner all points; all teaching & deliuering in one and the same manner all thinges; and all hauing one soule, and one hart, which though it differ in language, yet is the same in tradition. One, I say, in all persons, both in the materiall obiect, because the same articles of Fayth are belieued by all; and also in the formall obiect, because for the same motiue, and in the same man­ner, they are belieued by all, in all places, & tymes. Which one fayth, as one soule in many partes of the body, doth make one Church in all the partes of the world.

But that this priuate spirit neither is, nor can be, one in all, who claime and challeng it, as neither inclining, and mouing them all to belieue, either one, and the same thing, or in one, and the same manner, or for one, and the same motiue: nor yet combining them in any vnity, either of one, and the same Church, or of one, and the same discipline, The priuate spirits ma­ny and cō ­trary. or gouernment, or of one, and the same scripture, and sense of it; is apparent and proued.

First, Because this spirit is priuate, proper, and pecu­liar [Page 184] in euery one, without subordination to any, without connexion with any, or without dependance vpon any. It is singular, and seuerall, in euery one, hauing a kind of operation, which is; for the manner, singular; for the mo­tiue, different; and for the effect, opposit in euery one. It wanteth one, and the same, either authority of God for war­rant, or reuelation from God for motiue, or proposition by Church for surety; or direction of one visible head for go­uernment, as a linke and combination of all the spirits in one vnity, either of Sacraments, seruice, or ceremonies; or of faith, discipline, and exposition of scripture. Wherupon it withdraweth al men from the high way of vnity, diuerts them into by-pathes of diuision, G [...]alt. Cro­nolog. saecul. 16. & 17. conducts them into the downfall of schisme, and heresy; and so precipitates them headlong into a gulfe of infidelity, and perdition.

Claud. Sanct. repetit. 1. de Eucharistia.2. Because, as experience teaches vs, it hath hatched all the viperous sects, schismes, and heresies which this last age in such aboundance brought forth into the world. It vpon the first breathing of the new Ghospell, deuided the followers of it into Lutherans, Gordō. con­trou. 1. cap. 28. pag. 202. de Ecclesia. Sacramentarians, & Anabaptists, and subdeuided the Lutherans againe into the Zealous, the Ciuill, and the disorderly Lutherans; and subdeuided yet againe the zealous into 14. the ciuill into 20. and the di­sorderly into 7. Caluin. Com­ment. in 1. Ioan. 4·1. Hoc nostrū saeculū hor­rendasecta­rum pottē ­ta protulit, qua occasi­one multi attoniti hae­rēt, & quor­sum vertere debent nes­cientes, om nē pietatis curam [...]bie­cerunt. ne (que) enim melius inuenerunt cōpendium sese extricandi ab errorum periculo. subfactions and petty heresies. It subdeui­ded the Anabaptists into 13. seuerall factions: and the Sacra­mentaries into so many new opinions, in seuerall Countries, inuented by so many seuerall new maisters, as that within the space of an 100. years & fewer, some, as Gualter, reckon vp 117. others, as Rescius 170. & others, as Hedio a Protestāt, within 30. yeares after Luther 130. all inuented, and nou­rished by this spirit. And for multiplicity of scripture senses, it deuised, as one 50. yeares ago collected, no fewer then 80. and as another since hath obserued, no fewer then 200. seuerall expositions, all out of foure wordes, Hoc est corpus meum. Which dissention, and diuision was euen in Caluins time so memorable, and markable, that he himselfe con­fesses, that this age hath brought forth horrible monstrous sects, so that many staggering, and no [...] knowing which to follow, haue cast [Page 185] away all care of any religion at all. By which is apparent, that this Scripture neither doth, nor can beget any vnity, or con­cord in fayth and religion, and so cannot be a fit instrument to beget, and conserue fayth.

That it cannot be a meanes of certainty of Fayth. SECT. III.

SECONDLY, Fayth must be certaine, Faith is cer­taine. and infallible to vs, more certaine, sayth S. Chrysostome, are we of things we see not, then of thinges we see. Yea so certaine, as that it ad­mits no deliberate and voluntary doubt, not only actuall, Chrisost. ho [...] 12. in epist. ad Rom. but not so much as possible. For as Fayth is an inward as­sent of the mind which we giue to that which God (who is the prime verity, and can neither deceaue, Luth. tom. 5. enar. in 1. Pet. 1. nor be decea­ued) hath reuealed to vs by meanes of the preaching, and teaching of the true Church: so our assent must be as cer­taine as is the verity of God, vpon which it dependes; that is, so certaine, that it admit no more deliberate doubt, Calu. 3. inst. 1.16. Zuing. tom. 1 in actus despu. Tigur. sayes: Deum Pa­trem tantū fauere side­libus, ac ipsi Christo, & tamen cer­tum essenos damna [...]i nō posse, quam Christum non posse. in­certainty, or fallibility, then doth the word of God, vpon which it depends. Which certainty of fayth, because Lu­ther, Caluin, and Zuinglius extend to euery mans particuler saluation, they consequently affirme, that euery man must be as certaine of his saluation, as he is certaine there is a God, & that he can no more loose his saluation, then Christ can loose it.

But that no such certainty can be in this priuate spirit, I proue (besides that which is in the former Chapter shewed) by these reasons. First, because no certaine and infallible rule, or ground can be giuen, certainly and infallibly to know that this spirit, in any man, is a spirit of truth, not of errour; of light, not of darknes; of God, not of Sathan, or not humane; therfore there is no reason why any should build vpon it as certaine.

Secondly, because that they who admit a certainty of it, admit it only in the persons who haue it, The priuate spirit most vncertaine. not in others who follow them who haue it; wherupon all who follow [Page 186] the spirit, and doctrine of any other whosoeuer (as the cō ­mon, both people, and preachers do) follow that which to them is fallible and vncertaine, and so build vpon a ground fallible and vncertaine.

Thirdly, because experience conuinces that this spirit hath deceaued, & doth daily deceaue many; for whatsoeuer either sense of Scripture, or doctrine of faith, or certainty of saluation the spirit of one man doth certainly assure him as true, the spirit of another man doth as certainly assure him that the same is false: as for example, the spirit of Zuin­glius, Oecolampadius▪ Caluin, and other Sacramentaries assures them, that the sense of Hoc est corpus meum, is figuratiue, that the body of Christ is not really, and corporally present in the Sacrament, and that they in this faith are infallibly sure of their saluation: but the spirit of Luther assures him, that the sense of the words is literall, that Christs substance is really and corporally present with the substance of bread, and that the Sacramentaries are heretiks, and damned who hould the contrary. The like doth the spirit of the Anabap­tists, Libertines, and others assure them of other such places against both Lutherans, and Caluinists. And the spirit of the Arians assures them of the like, against all the former. And all this is wrought by this spirit, all conceauing a certainty in it, & yet all opposit and condemning one another by it. What certainty therfore can there be in any of these spirits, what infallibility more in Luther then in Caluin, what in Caluin more then in Rotman, what in Rotman more then in Seruetus, or what in any one of them more then in any other Sectary? What can any one claime, or challenge for the certainty of his spirit, which the other cannot as infal­libly claime, and challenge for the certainty of his? Euery one of these assure themselues that their spirit is of God. Euery one of them, & all are certaine of their sense of scrip­ture, of their faith, and of their saluation by it, & yet euery one defends a contrary faith, inuents a contrary sense of scripture, condemns the contrary part of heresy, & is cer­taine by his spirit of the others damnation; as the other con­ceaue themselues certaine of their owne saluatiō. What cer­tainty [Page 187] therfore can there be amongst so opposit certainties? Surely none, but to be certaine, that all of these spirits are most vncertaine and fallible, yea wicked, and damnable; & that the state of all who depend of them, is pittifull and mi­serable.

That it cannot be meanes of the integrity, and per­fection of Faith SECT. IIII.

THIRDLY, Faith as it is one and certaine, Fayth is en­tire in all points. so it must be entire and Catholicke, that is, the doctrine of it must both in all points be wholy and entirely belieued, & also by all persons be vniuersally and Catholikly professed. It must be in all, and euery point completely belieued, be­cause euery point by God reuealed, and by the Church pro­posed to vs, is of equall verity, certainty, and necessity of beliefe. Therefore as the keeping of all the Commandmēts doth oblige all, and the breaking of any one, is a transgres­sion of the Law: so the belieuing of all articles of faith, ei­ther actually and expresly, as the learned doe; or virtually and implicite as the vnlearned do (who expresly belieuing the principall and most necessary to be expresly knowne, do in not doubting or oppugning the rest, virtually belieue al the rest, in that they belieue them as the Church doth teach them) doth in like manner oblige all; and the voluntary doubting, or misbelieuing of any one, is an heresy against fayth, and doth violate the integrity which should be in Fayth: of which the fundamentall reason is, because all ar­ticles of fayth are belieued for one and the same infalli­ble motiue and reason, that is, for the reuelation of God made knowne by infallible proposition of the Church, of which whosoeuer denies the authority in one point, in­fringes the infallibility of the same in all points; for if the re­uelation of God, or proposition of Church may faile in one, it may faile in all, & so can giue no certainty of any Out of which followes, that an Heretikes, who obstinatly misbe­lieues one article reuealed and proposed, is intensiuè no lesse [Page 188] an Infidell, that is, as destitute of any diuine fayth, as is [...] Pagan, who belieues not any one Christian article at all; because what he belieues in any, he belieues not vpon a right true and solid motiue of beliefe, that is, the reuelation of God, and proposition by Church, which if he did, he would for the same belieue also the rest.

It must likewise be Catholikly and vniuersally belie­ued, Catholike in all persōs that is, what was by the first faythfull, the Apostles, & others in the first ages belieued, must also be by the succee­ding faythfull in the next ages likewise belieued; and what is in most places, and Countryes, and hath been by the most faythfull in most Countryes generally belieued, the same must also by others likewise faythfull in other Countryes be generally belieued. By which Catholik beliefe of the same doctrine in all, or the most places, persons, and tymes, is made one Catholike Church among all persons, in all pla­ces, and all tymes.

But that this Protestant priuate spirit cannot produce any such one, The priuate spirit cānot cause an en­tire & Ca­tholik fayth and the same fayth, either entire, and whole in euery point, or Catholicke and generall in all persons, places, and tymes; that it cannot incline all persons, in all tymes, and places, to belieue all points of one entire Ca­tholike fayth, is proued. First, because it is neither one in all persons, neither hath any lincke or combination of any vnity, to combine in one all persons, as neither proposing to all persons all articles of fayth by one & the same motiue, nor combining all persons dispersed in tyme, and place, in one lincke of one Fayth; for it is singular, seuerall, priuate, and proper in euery one, without any subordination, or connexion among any, as is apparent by the former instā ­ces of Luther, Zuinglius, Caluin, Rotman, Osiander, Illyricus, Quintinus, Seruetus, Blandrata, and others; who all, as so many ruptures out of one Riuer, hauing broke the bankes of Catholike vnity, did at seuerall tymes, and places, diuide themselues into seuerall currents of opposition, and runne al a course contrary one to another without meanes, or hope of euer meeting, or reuniting againe.

Secondly, because it is a spirit of separation, diuision, [Page 189] and disunion; in that, whomesoeuer it possesses, it doth se­parate them as disioynted members from the vnion of Gods holy Church, the spouse and body of Christ; and doth di­uide, and cut them into seuerall peeces and mammocks of sects, schismes, and heresyes. For as euery one receaues a new part, or portion of this new spirit, he chooses to him­selfe a new opinion of doctrine, labours to erect and set vp a new Conuenticle of new belieuers, and makes himselfe the head or follower of a new sect, or heresy; and so all sect-maisters or Heretikes, who in all ages from Christ downewardes, haue separated themselues from his Church and erected a new fayth and Synagogue, haue had their o­rigen and beginning from this spirit, haue made their pro­gresse and proceeding by this spirit, and haue ended them­selues and their dolefull and desperate presumption in the obstinacy of this spirit. In all which the scope and marke they aymed at, was thereby to free themselues from all or­der and subiection, thereby to arrogate to themselues all authority, and dominion; thereby to exercise what liberty they best affected, and to belieue and teach what doctrine they most fancied, and best fitted their conceit & humour.

Thirdly, because this spirit is inuisible, insensible, in­perceptible, and vnable to be knowne, or vnderstood (as they graunt) by others, or any, saue only they who imagine they are possessed with it. And as it is inuisible and vn­knowne, so it is composed of an inuisible and vnknowne company, meeting in inuisible and vnknowne congrega­tions, ministring inuisible and vnknowne Sacraments, making an inuisible and vnknowne Church, consisting of inuisible and vnknowne both Pastors who preached, and people who heard the doctrine of it for many ages togea­ther, of which they can assigne neither tyme when, nor place where, nor people who were taught by them; can produce no acts, or monuments, no recordes, or registers either of people who belieued, & professed this their faith, or of Princes who did honour and defend it, or of persecu­tours who did oppose and persecute it, or of any men, wo­men, or children who were baptized, and liued, or dyed in [Page 190] it. They can nominate no Citty, or Country, no Priest, or Prelate, no Prince or Potentate, no Confessour or Mar­tyr, who belieued, professed, honoured, and defended in paper, or pulpit, by word, or sword, the fayth of this spirit: and why? Because the directour is a spirit inuisible, which compasseth a Church of persons insensible, who preach a doctrine incredible, and performe actions not memorable. All which is nothing els, but an inuinsible argument of an impossible fiction, inuented in the idle braines of braine-sicke spirits to disguise the nouelty of a new, & new deui­sed Religion. And this is all the integrity or vniuersality of Fayth, that this priuate spirit can effect or affoard.

That it cannot be a meanes of Fayth which is got by hearing. SECT. V.

Fayth is by hearing & preachingFOVRTLY, This Faith which is thus one and cer­taine, thus entire and Catholicke, is also ordinarily by one and the same way and meanes, imparted vnto vs, that is, by Hearing: this hearing proceeds from Preaching, & this preaching is deriued frō Mission, Rom. 10.15. according to that of S. Paul, How shal they belieue him whom they haue not heard? how shall they heare without a preacher? how shall they preach except they be sent? So that faith it by hearing, hearing is by preaching of Past­ours, and preaching is by mission from the authority of Su­periours. Of which the reason is, because faith is an argumēt or proofe of things that do not appeare, either to our sense, or reason, but are aboue our vnderstanding, and capacity; ther­fore we cannot attaine to it by euidence of reason, but by credit of authority. To this authority, that we may giue credit, we must conceaue, and heare it; this hearing, that we may be obliged to accept it, must by Church-Pastors be proposed, and preached to vs; and this preaching, that it may the better secure vs of it, must be from lawfull mission by ordinary succession deriued; and so lawfull mission from apostolical authority, infallible preaching or proposition of Pastours, and a pious disposition in vs to heare and belieue [Page 191] what is thus proposed, are the meanes by which, according to S. Paul, true faith is attained.

But this priuat spirit quite ouerthrowes all this excellēt order, and subordination ordayned by Christ Iesus, The priuate spirit ouer­throwes all hearing & preaching. & pro­posed to vs by the holy Ghost. For first, it alone without any disposition of hearing, without any proposition, or preaching of Church Pastours, without any authority of apostolicall mission, and ordination, teaches and directs, in particuler, euery one, man, woman, or child, which is true Scripture, which is true sense of it, and which is true doctrine collected out of it, therfore euery one thus made faithfull by this spirit, stands need neither of disposition to heare what is to be belieued, nor of preaching to belieue what they heare, nor of mission, and ordination to secure them of what is preached; because this spirit supplies the effect of all both ordination, proposition, and disposition of hearing, therfore all order and discipline, all subordina­tion, and subiection, all sacraments, or preaching, are need­lesse, yea fruitlesse in Gods Church. As this spirit secures alone; so without Sacraments it sanctifies alone. As it instructs all in faith; so it corrects all in errours against faith▪ And as it is directed by none, but God; so it is subordinate to none, but God alone, obliged to none, obedient to none; it is immediate (as they which haue it imagine) from God, & it wil be subiect only to God, it will be directed only by God; it alone inspires all what they are to belieue, alone works all what they are to do, and alone secures all that they cannot faile of their end and saluation; and so alone to all is all in all, that is, the beginning, progresse, and end of all grace and goodnesse. Thus is the spirit to them, if you will credit them.

Secondly, It alone hath warrant, and commission, po­wer, and authority, in whomsoeuer it is, whether he be yonge or old, simple or wise, vnlearned or learned, secular or spirituall, to examine & censure, to giue sentence, and iudgment in any cause or Controuersy, ouer any Pastour, or Prelate, vpon any Councell or Church, particuler or generall, present or past, late or auncient. For as Caluin, [Page 192] and Kemnitius, for example, by the prerogatiue of this their spirit, tooke vpon them to censure and correct, by their Examine and Antidote, not only the late generall Councel of Trent, but also the auncient generall Councels of Nice, Con­stantinople, Chalcedon, and Ephesus, yea & the whole Church of God, and all Doctours in it for many ages togeather, (as is before shewed;) so euery bible-bearing Ghospeller, who hath got but a tast of this spirit, and can but read the Scrip­ture in English, will by the same prerogatiue of this spirit, assume to himselfe the same authority to examine the same examiners, to censure the same censurers, and to iudge the spirit of the former iudges, yea to examine, censure, and iudge all Pastours, Doctours, Fathers, Councells, and Churches, and to determine which of them haue erred, what sense of Scripture is to be preferred, and what Fayth, and Religion is to be imbraced. All which as these new Protestant Maisters first practised vpon the ancient Fathers; so these their new discipls haue learned to practise the same vpon them their maisters, and do as well censure them, as they did their Predecessours: and that worthily; for what they taught and practised against their Fathers, is a iust pu­nishment that their children should learne, and practise the same against them.

That it cannot be a meanes of fayth, which requirs credible testimonies. SECT. VI.

FIFTHLY, this fayth as it is obtained by piously hea­ring the infallible preaching of Pastours lawfully ordai­ned and sent; Fayth by credible te­stimonies made pro­bable. so also it requires, besides diuine reuelation, reasons and motiues of credibility, forcible to moue the Vn­derstanding to accept, as probable, this doctrine of Fayth, thus by preaching proposed, and by God reuealed: for (as before) He that giueth credit quickly, Eccles. 19.4. is light of hart. And rea­sons of credibility (such as are miracles, sanctity, vnity, con­uersions of Nations, Cap. 1. sect. 3▪ and such like, before mentioned) doe make a true fayth more credible, according to that of Dauid: Thy testimonies are made too credible. Psal. 92.5.

[Page 193]But that this priuate spirit cannot giue any such credi­ble testimonies, The priuate spirit desti­tute of any credible te­stimonyes. or produce any probable motiue to con­uince any one, that it is a true spirit of God, or a certaine meanes of faith, is proued; Because it cannot alledge any consent of people, and nations, nor any authority of mira­cles, to vse S. Augustines words, nourished by hope, increased by charity, and confirmed by antiquity, Aug. lib. cont. epist. Fund. such as confirmed S. Augustine in his faith it: cannot alleadge any vnity which it causeth either with the head, Christ, or with his body, the Church; not any sanctity which it worketh, by works me­morable for piety, or miraculous for power and vertue; not any consent of vniuersality, by which it hath been imbra­ced in all places, at all times, by all nations, and persons, no not in ancient time, by any persons renowned for holinesse and learning; not any succession of Pastours, prelates, doc­tours, or saints who haue relied themselues, their faith, & saluation vpon it: it cannot produce any one euident, ei­ther authority of holy scripture, or any one tradition of a­postolicall time, or any one practise of auncient Church, or any one decree of generall Councels, or any one testimony of learned Doctours, or any one probable, much lesse con­uincing argument of reason, that either all, or any one man must, or may settle his beliefe in it, interprete the Scripture by it, rely his saluation vpon it, deduce all resolutions of fayth, all questions of Controuersies, all doubts of Religion from it, and giue peremptory iudgment and sentence of all Pastours and Prelates, of all Saints and Doctours, of all Churches and Councells, of all doctrine and religion, accor­ding to the suggestion of it, which yet the precise Protestāts do both in doctrine professe, and in practise performe.

That it cannot be a meanes of fayth, which obliges all to belieue and accept it. SECT. VII.

SIXTHLY, fatyh, to whome it is by God reuealed, by Church proposed, and by credible testimonyes con­uinced, [Page 194] obligeth them to accept it, Fayth obli­geth to hear and accept the meanes of Fayth. and to giue credit, and testimony to it, to be directed and ordered by it, and to sub­mit their iudgement in obedience of fayth vnto it, according to that of S. Paul, bringing into 2. Cor. 10 5. Captiuity all vnderstanding vnto the obedience of Christ; and 1. Pet. 1.14. as children of obedience, Rom. 1.5. re­ceauing grace for obedience to the fayth. Whereupon it is sayd, Marc. 16▪ 16. He that doth not belieue, shalbe condemned. Because when it is sufficiently deliuered & declared what we are to belieue, and do, they who by negligence do not imbrace and follow it, are inexcusable, and so deserue damnation. And as they who are obliged to attaine to the end, are obliged to vse & apply the meanes necessary for that end, without which the end cannot be attained; so, because we Catholikes for our part, do hould a pious disposition to heare that which is au­thentically preached, and proposed by Pastours lawfully or­dained: And because the Protestants, for their part, do hold the motion, and suggestion of the priuate spirit to be a neces­sary meanes for the attaining vnto fayth; it followes that as the one is bound to giue audience, and obedience to al prea­ching of Pastours lawfully sent, and proposition of Church defining what is to be belieued and practised; so the other is bound to heare and obey euery motion, and suggestion of this their priuate spirit speaking in them, and inspiring them what to do, and belieue.

The priuate spirit cānot oblige to accept it.But that this spirit cannot vnder any precept naturall, or diuine, oblige any one, much lesse all men to accept, credit, and rely vpon it, and to make it their rule, and foun­dation; their iudge, and vmpier, the assurer and securer of their scripture-sense, their fayth, their religion, and their saluatiō; as it is of it selfe more euident; so by these reasons it is confirmed.

First, because as it is often before touched, no man hath any certaine meanes, or ground, wheron to build a certaine resolution of the certainty, either of this spirit, or of euery motion of it, that it is of God, not of nature, or Sathan. 2. Because no such precept is intimated in any Scripture, Tra­dition, Councel, or Church-command. 3. Because it would follow, that men should be obliged to belieue and follow [Page 195] spirits contrary, and motions of them contrary, and so senses of Scripture contrary, Fayths and Religions contrary, and opinions of saluation contrary: for as Luther had one spirit, and one motion of it; Caluin another spirit, and a contrary motion of it; Osiander a third spirit, and an opposit motion of it: & so [...]n like manner Swenkfeldius, Rotman, Seruetus, Quin­tinus, Dauid-george, Moore, Hacket, and an hundred more Se­ctaryes, had euery one of them distinct spirits, and contrary motions of them in the sense of Scripture which they ex­pounded, in the articles of their fayth which they belieued, and in the certainty of their saluation vpon which they pre­sumed; so euery one being obliged to belieue and follow their owne spirit, & the motion of it, in the Scripture-sense, fayth and saluation; diuers should be obliged to belieue, and follow contrary spirits, and contrary motions of contrary spirits, and so contrary senses of Scripture, contrary faithes and religions, and contrary certainty of saluation, which is as absurd, as in religion absurd may be. Also, because as the wind blowes, so the spirit moues, sometymes one way, sometymes another, sometymes to this thing, sometymes to to the contrary, suggesting now one meaning of Scripture, now another, now one Fayth, then another, and somety­mes doubts of all Faith, and suggests no fayth at all, & often dispaires of all grace, and leaues no hope of assurance of any saluation at all: It would likewise follow that men should be obliged sometimes to belieue no fayth at all, sometymes to dispaire of all grace, goodnes, and saluation, and some­tymes to haue as deep a conceit of their damnation, as other tymes they haue of their saluation. Whereby still follow­ing a wauering spirit, and tottering motions of it, they should wauer and totter betweene vncertaintyes, and contrarietyes, and remaine alwayes vncertaine in themsel­ues, and contrary to others, and so be like Cloudes without water, carryed with euery ayre, like waues of the Sea tossed with euery wind, foaming out their owne confusion, like wandering stars, Iud. v. 12. to whome a storme of darkenesse is reserued for euer. And thus much of reasons drawne from the nature, and properties of Fayth, which may suffice to conuince, that this priuate [Page 196] spirit, and the motion of it, are so farre from being any ne­cessary meanes of Fayth, and Religion, that they cannot so much as consist with any, but are opposite to all true Fayth and Religion.

Of the nature of a Circle, and the differences of Circles. SECT. I.

NOTHING doth make more pl [...]ine, to a plaine vnderstanding, the absurdi­ty of this priuate spirit, then the absurdi­ties which doe follow vpon it, against both faith, & reason. These absurdities are of two sortes. The one Circular, in­uoluing an absurd manner of proofe, & proceeding by way of a Circle, condem­ned by all principles of Philosophy, and Diuinity. The o­ther Doctrinall (as we may tearme them) inferring a doctrine absurd, and dissonant from all principles of Fayth, piety, and reason. In this Chapter we will shew the Circular ab­surdities, in the next the Doctrinall which doe follow vpon this priuate spirit, and the Protestants doctrine taught by it.

For the Circular absurdities we may note. 1. Of a circle, [Page 198] what a Circle, and a Circular proofe is. 2. The difference betweene a circular proofe lawfull, What a Cir­cle is. & vnlawfull: & 3. ther­by iudge, and make an estimate of the Catholike and Pro­testant mutuall obiection, the one against the other in this kind. First therefore Aristotle, in his demonstrations hauing proued that in euery demonstration we must come to some principles or propositions imediatly knowne of themselues, Arist. lib. 1. posteriorum resolut. cap. 3. and not demonstrable by another medium, or proposition; disproues two sortes of Philosophers, the one affirming that there can be no demonstration of any thing at all; the other contrariwise affirming that there may be demonstrations of euery thing euē of the first principles or propositions, which by a circular demonstration (say they), may be demonstra­ted by the conclusion, as the conclusion is demonstrated by the premises; admitting therby a Circular demonstration of the conclusion by the premises, and of the premises againe by the conclusion. This latter errour of Circular proofe he cōfutes by three reasons. 1. Because it would be petitio prin­cipij, Arist. 2. lib. priorum resol. cap. 5. &. 18. or the begging of the question, which, as before in his former bookes of Resolution, he resolued, was when the medium, or proposition prouing any thing, is either the same which is to be proued, or more obscure, or as ob­scure, or knowne after the thing to be proued. All which inconueniences this Circular manner of probation doth in­ferre, making the probation either the same, or equally, or more obscure then the thing to be proued. 2. Because it would follow, that idem should be prius & posterius, notius & ignotius respectu eiusdem, knowne & vnknowne, first knowne and after knowne in respect of the same. As when the pre­mises do demonstrate the conclusion they must be first and better knowne then the Concl [...]sion. And againe▪ when the conclusion doth demonstrate the premises it should be first and better knowne then the premises & so the same con­clusion shalbe prius & notius, as demonstrating the premises, and posterius & ignotius, as demonstrated and proued by the premises, both being vnderstood of the same premises. 3. Because this Circular proofe, is to proue the same to be the same, because it is the same; as the conclusion to be true, if [Page 199] it be true, or because it is true. As (saith Aristotle) Si A est, B est; si B est, A est; ergo, si A est, A est. In which as A is pro­ued to be A, because it is A; so the conclusion is proued to be true, because it is true. Whereupon Aristotle concludes, that euery Circular proofe and demonstration which is re­gressus ab eodem ad omnino idem, that is, when we returne frō one thing to the same thing againe, and from one proofe to the same proofe againe, is vitious and vnlawfull in Logicke. And thus much of the nature of a Circle.

Secondly, for the difference betweene a proper Circle, Difference betweene a Circle law­full and vn­lawfull. which is bad, and an improper which is good and lawfull, we may note also, that euery kind of Circular and reciprocall proofe is not vnlawfull; for some is reciprocall betweene the cause and the effect, as betweene rationale and risibile, betweene the Sunne & the Day. And thus may be proued the effect by the cause à priori, as Est risibile quia est rationale: est dies quia Sol lucet; or on the contrary, the cause by the ef­fect à posteriori, as Est rationale quia est risibile: or Sol lucet quia est dies. Other proofes are reciprocall betweene two causes of diuers kindes, as betweene the efficient cause and the fi­nall, in which sense we proue Phisicke to be good because, as the efficient cause, it causeth and worketh health; and health to be good, because as the finall cause, or end it mo­ueth to take Phisicke. Or betweene the efficient and mate­riall cause, as when we proue the entrance of the wind to be the cause, that is efficient of opening the window, and the opening of the window to be the cause that is materi­all of the entrance of the wind. Or when we proue the a­boundance of raine by the aboundance of vapours, as by the materiall cause; and the aboundance of vapours, by the aboundance of raine, as by the effect. All which kind of reciprocall or Circular proofe, of the cause by the effect, and the effect by the cause, or of one cause by another, is good and allowed in Logicke, as being improperly a Circle. Only that which is disallowed, and by Aristotle, & all condemned, is that proper manner of Circle, which is, 1. when in the same kind of cause one thing is proued by another, and this againe by the former, which is either [Page 200] idem per idem, or ignotum per ignotius. 2. When this reciprocall proofe is made by one and the same cause, in one and the same manner of proofe. 3. When to one, and the selfe same person this one thing is thus proued by another, and this againe by the former, the one mutually prouing the other: as when the premises demonstrate the conclusion, and the conclusion againe the premises, both being otherwise vn­knowne. As when the maister proues the seruant to be in­nocent, and the seruant the maister, both being before sus­pected as guilty. In which the same thing is notius & ignotius, prius & posterius, that is, more knowne and lesse knowne, first knowne and after knowne, both in one and the same respect, and in respect of one and the same person, and so a thing vnknowne is proued by another more vnknowne, which is that vnlawfull Circle or Circular manner of demon­stration disallowed and condemned by Aristotle. By which is manifest what a Circular proofe is, and of Circular manners of proofes, which is improper & lawfull, and which proper and vnlawfull.

Thirdly, Both Catholicks and Protestantes, do mu­tually accuse one another of this vicious and Circular argu­ing, and manner of proofe. The Protestants accuse the Ca­tholicks because they proue the authority of the scripture by the authority of the Church, and the authority of the Church by the authority of scripture. For aske a Catholicke how he knowes the Scripture to be infallible and true, he will answer, because the Church tels him it is so: aske him how he proues the Church to be infallible and true, he wil answer because the scripture sayes it is so; and so he proues the Scripture by the Church, and the Church by the Scrip­ture. The Catholicks accuse the Protestants because they proue the scripture by the spirit, and the spirit by the scrip­ture: for aske a Protestant how he knowes the scripture to be true, and the true sense of it, he answers because the spi­rit so tels and assures him: aske him how he knowes the spi­rit that it is of God, and speakes truth, he answers because the scripture tels and assures him so; and so he knowes the Scripture by the spirit, and the spirit by the Scripture.

The Catholikes cleared from the obiected Circle, a­gainst their doctrine. SECT. II.

THE question therefore is, whether the Catholiks be­tweene Scripture and Church, The Catho­likes fal not into a circle between the proofe of scripture by the Church, and of Church by Scripture. or the Protestants be­tweene the Scripture and the Spirit, and otherwise, do fall into this kind of vitious argumentation, and proofe, in mā ­ner of a Circle. And that the Catholikes are free from this fault, and do make their proofe to seuerall sortes of persons in seuerall kinds of causes, & by a partiall manner of proofe, and thereby do still proue one thing vnknowne by another more knowne to those persons, is first to be proued.

For which we may note, that the Catholikes require to Fayth (for so much as is for our purpose) two thinges. What is re­quired to Fayth. First, a preparation, to prepare vs to accept the thinges belie­ued as credible, and in prudence worthy to be belieued, which is wrought by credible testimonyes, such as are mi­racles, consent, sanctity, antiquity, and the rest before mē ­tioned, by which our vnderstanding is euidently conuinced to iudge and accept of the Christian Religion, as more wor­thy or credit then any other. Secondly, they require a firme assent or beliefe to the articles of fayth, proposed as true, and of infallible verity, which is wrought by the habit of fayth, and dependes vpon the diuine reuelation of God, declaring in Scripture, or Tradition, and proposing by holy Church, what, and why we are to belieue: vpon which reuelation thus proposed, we settle our last resolution of fayth, and the certainty of it, as vpon the former credible motiues, or hu­mane fayth we setled our preparation, or acceptation of fayth, and the credibility of it. Now, if we compare or ap­ply these togeather, it will euidently appeare, that in nei­ther is committed any Circle, because the former, that is, the acceptation depends vpon credible motiues which are as the Samaritan womans word, making it seeme probable that Christ was the Messias; and the later, that is the assent to Fayth, dependes [...]pon diuine reuelation, which is as our [Page 202] Sauiours word reuealing to them, that he is the true Messias, and so both haue seuerall grounds and principles on which they depend; the one credible testimonies, the other diuine reuelation: wherby comparing them togeather, no appea­rance of any circular proofe can be found betweene them.

For the actuall assent and beliefe it selfe, whereby we in­fallibly belieue the mysteries reuealed, though we belieue the verity of Scripture reuelations by the authority of Church proposition, and Church proposition for the autho­rity of Scripture reuelation, whereby Scripture reuelation doth giue vs testimony of Church proposition, and againe Church proposition of Scripture reuelation; Yet that this reciprocall testimony and proofe, is not any proper and vi­tious Circle, is proued. First, because it is in diuerso genere causa, The mutual proofe of the scripture & Church. in diuers kinds of causes (which before out of Aristotle is admitted for good and lawfull:) for the testimonyes of Scripture reuelation to the infallibility of Church proposi­tion is causall as a cause, 1. In a di­uerse kind of cause. and that formall, why we belieue and assent to Church proposition. But Church proposition is only conditionall, as conditio sine quae non, to know Scripture reuelation; and so they are reciprocall in a different manner of proofe, the one, that is Scripture, à priori, as including di­uine reuelation; the other, that is Church, à posteriori, re­quired only as a condition. The former, as a formall prece­dent cause; the latter, as a subsequent annexed condition. Both of them not much vnlike to our Sauiours testimony of S. Iohn Baptist, and to S. Iohns testimony of our Sauiour: the one as of God and infallible, the other as of an holy man, & credible: or to the testimony of our B. Sauiour, & the wo­man to the Samaritans: the one as giuing certainty, the o­ther as proposing credibility of his being the Messias: Or to the former example of rationale and risibile, of the Sun-shine and the Day, of the Vapours and Raine, of the opening the Window and the entring of the Wind. All which recipro­cally proue one another, as the cause and the effect, or as se­uerall causes. And all which doe much resemble the testi­mony of Scripture to the Church, and of the Church to the Scripture, which is likewise in a seuerall kind of causality, [Page 203] and a different manner of probation.

Secondly, because this reciprocall proofe is not ad om­nino idem, as Aristotle requires to a proper Circle, that is, 2. Is partial and not wholy, and solely of the same. the one is not the totall and sole cause of knowing the other. For Church proposition is not knowne only by Scripture reuelation, and no other way; but also by other proofes, signes, and credible testimonies, conuincing that Church authority is necessary and infallible to distinguish true sense of Scripture from false, and to end Controuersies about Scripture. And therefore as Aristotle admits, that though the premises haue proued the conclusion, yet the conclusion may againe proue the premises, & that in eodem genere causae, so that the conclusion be proued by another medium then by the premises. So, though the Scripture reuelation proue Church proposition, yet Church proposition may againe reciprocally proue Scripture reuelation, so it be knowne by another meanes (as we see it is) then only by Scripture re­uelation; for this, according to Aristotle, is only an impro­per Circle, and not a bad, and vnlawfull Circle.

Thirdly, because this reciprocall proofe is not to one & the same person who is ignorant or doubtful of both: but to diuers persons, and such as suppose the one. For to a Catho­like who admits, as belieued, Church propositiō, we proue by it Scripture-sense, or reuelation, and so an vnknowne thing to him, by another thing supposed and knowne to him: but to a Protestant who admits, as by him belieued, Scripture reuelation, we proue by it Church proposition, & so to him a thing vnknowne by another more knowne. But to a Pagan who admits neither Scripture reuelation, nor Church proposition, we proue neither of them one by ano­ther, but both the one and the other by other probable mo­tiues and credible testimonies, more agreeable to his natural capacity, and by them persuade him, first to accept as credi­ble, Church proposition, and by it Scripture reuelation: by which Scripture and Church, or scripture expounded by Church, we persuade him to assent, and belieue the articles reuealed. In all which we proue ignotum per notius, the vn­knowne by the more knowne to him, and so preparing him [Page 204] to giue credit to one, do by that induce him to belieue the other. By which meanes, we still proceed from a thing knowne, to an vnknowne to that person, and so auoyd the Circle, and begging of the question, into which the Prote­stants runne, and there sticke fast. In which, note the diffe­rence betweene them and vs, for they proue reciprocally and circularly the Scripture by the spirit, and the spirit a­gaine by scripture in the same kind of proofe, to wit formal­ly, as shalbe shewed: We proue scripture by Church, and Church by scripture, in diuers kindes of cause, to wit, the one causall, and the other conditionall, as is shewed. 2. They proue the one by the other, no otherwise knowne then by the other, as the scripture by the spirit, which spirit is only, and by no other meanes, knowne then by scripture, and é contra, as shalbe shewed: But we haue more means to know the Church then by scripture, as is shewed. 3. They proue one by the other to the same person, to wit the Protestant, doubtfull of both: we to diuers persons who suppose & be­lieue the one, & so ( ad hominem) by that we proue the other. Al which as it is true as presently shalbe shewed, so it shewes an apparent difference between the Protestant circular mā ­ner of proofe of scripture by spirit, and of spirit by scripture; and of our Catholike improper Circle, and lawfull manner of proofe of scripture by Church, and of Church by scrip­ture. And thus much to cleare the imputation layd vpon Catholikes for their circular manner of proceeding in their proofe of scripture by the Church, and of Church by scrip­ture.

The Protestants diuers manners of Circles. SECT. III.

Idolatry and Heresy compared; and of foure heads and origens of all late heresies proceeding of the priuate Spirit. SECT. I.

IN the last Chapter we haue shewed the Circular absurdities which do fol­low vpon this priuate Spirit, in the proofe of Protestants groundes of their Fayth and saluation. In this we are to proceed to the Doctrinall absurdityes, which follow vpon the same against all faith, piety, and reason. Wherein first we will lay downe the principall points of the Prote­stant fayth, and the consequences ensuing vpon it; and af­terwardes [Page 218] we will shew what absurdityes do follow, first in generall, out of the same heades and doctrine; next what in particuler do follow, 1. Against the articles of the Creed, and all fayth. 2. Against the petitions of the Pater noster, and all hope and prayers. 3. Against the ten Commandements, & all morall vertue & good life. And lastly by comparing the Catholicke and Protestant doctrine togeather, we wil shew how the one doth giue all honour and glory to God, to Christ, to his Saints, his Church, his Sacraments, his law, his grace, and to man also: and that the other doth as much derogate and take away all honour, and giue all dishonour to the same.

Which, that we may the better vnderstand, we may cō ­ceaue how the Diuell (that Rebell against God, Idolatry what it is. and the enemy of man) as he labours by all meanes to auert man frō the loue of God, and to conuert him to the loue of the crea­ture: so his chiefe desire is to depriue God of his honour due to him, and to deriue the same to his creatures, thereby to draw man to an affectation of Deity, to rob God of his ho­nour, and to giue it to man. Thus in paradise he perswa­ded our first Parents, that they should be as Gods, as himselfe had before in heauen attempted to be like to the highest. For this end this Pluto or Lucifer, of his Proserpina, that is, Infideli­ty his spouse, begat two daughters; the first and eldest is I­dolatry, the next and second, Heresy. Idolatry he begat in the law of Nature, which raigned long, from soone after Adam vntill some yeares after Christ. Heresy he begat in the law of Grace, which presently after Christ rebelled and sought to tyranyze against Christs Church. Idolatry insteed of one God made many, and the true honour of one God diuided to many false Gods. Heresy, insteed of one fayth, introduceth many false opinions, & diuides the vnity of Christs Church in many sects. Idolatry, was ingendred, as snakes of dunge, out of the corruption of vertue and piety, and out of the in­crease of lust, ambition, and cruelty. Heresy, in like manner sprung vp out of disobedience, pride, and lust, & being like (as one egge is to another) to Idolatry, of one Viper begat another; of one Heresy, many, till at length a whole brood [Page 219] and sinke full of viperous Heresies, burst out and infected a great part of the Christian world. When therefore, by the light of iustice Christ Iesus, Idolatry the elder sister, & with her the long night of Pagan darknesse was expelled (accor­ding to that of Apollo, Me puer Hebraeus diuos Deus ipse gubernans, cedere sede iubet tristemue redire sub arc [...]m) and the true light of Christian verity & piety shined in the Church of Christ, then began the second sister Heresy, as an obscure mist, to couer the sunne of true fayth, and to bring in a new darke­nes of nouell and erroneous opinions into the Church of God.

And as Heresy is a kind of idolatry, Heresy is a kind of Ido­latry. both being vipers of one venter, or rather idolatry it selfe (for so do S. Cypri­an, Tertullian, Hierome, Augustine, and other Fathers expresly tearme it, because not only the authour, Cyp. de vnit. Eccles. Tert praescr. cap. 40. Hier. in E­zech. 8. & in Abac. 2. Aug lib. 18. de c [...]uit. Dei cap. 51. but the worke being all one and the same, Heresy doth frame out of mans braine a new Idoll of false opinions, and proposes them as diuine reuelations from God, whereby it either detracts from Christ and his truth, which is simple, totall, and indi­uisible, some point of verity; or els addes to the same some falsity, in the same manner as Idolatry takes from God his true deity, and honour due only to him, and giues the same to man to whom no deity or Godhead is due) so this heresy, following the stepps of Idolatry, hath in this our late age made the same manner of beginning & progresse as Idolatry did in the first age. Wherefore it will not be amisse to ob­serue the manner, and to compare the progresse and fruit of both.

First therefore Idolatry, the first borne of Satans imps, & the greatest enemy of God, hauing raised vpon earth a ge­nerall commotion and rebellion against the only true God and Lord of heauen and earth, Idolatry what num­ber of Gods it begat. and wrought in man a con­ceit of deity and an affectation of the diuine excellency, the­reby to depriue God of his only and all due honour, and to deriue the same vnto man his creature and vassall, Clemens lib. [...]ec [...]gnit. Pe­tri, & itiner. Clem. lib. 10. cap. 6. did first feine in the mindes of men an imagination, that before the world was made, all was a Chaos; that this Chaos made to it selfe finem & fundum, a depth & a bottome, like an egge, which being sitten and hatched, brought forth a man-woman called [Page 220] Planeta; this man woman broughr forth substance, motion, and generation; of these was begot Caelum and Terra, Heauen and Earth. Heauen begat six men called Titans, that is, Oceanus, Ceus, Tyus, Hyperion, Iapetus, and Cronus who was Saturne. The earth begat six women, Thya, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyna, Thetis, and Hebe, which marrying one to another, of Saturne and Rhea were borne Pluto, Neptune, and Iupiter. Saturne re­ceauing from some Oracle, that he should be expulsed by his sonnes, deuoured Pluto and Neptune, & intended to haue done the like to all his male children, but Rhea to saue Iupi­ter, gaue a stone insteed of the child, to be eaten by Saturne, which stone being deuoured thrust out of Saturns belly Pluto & Neptune, the one into Hell, the other into the Sea, wher­by they were made Gods, Pluto of Hell, and Neptune of the Sea, and Iupiter being sent by Rhea his mother to Heauen, was made the God of heauen. Thus were Saturne and Rhea made parents of Gods, Iupiter the chiefe of Gods. and Iupiter the chiefe God; this Iupi­ter was notorious, first for cruelty, for he not only killed his Vncles the Titans, and deuoured his daughter Medea, and tormented his sonnes Tantalus and Titius, His cruelty. but also butchered and tormented his owne Father Saturne; secondly, for lust, he passed so farre, that by incest of his owne sisters Iuno and Ceres, His lust. he begot of Iuno, Vulcan the God of Smithes, and of Ceres, Proserpina the Queene of Hell, as likewise out of his owne braine he begat Minerua, and out of his thigh Bacchus. Also by adultery of other mens wiues, he begat Mercury of Maie the wife of Atlant, Apollo, and Diana of Latona the wife of Cea; the graces Thalia, Euphrosine, and Aglia of Hermion the wife of Cleanus; Eudimion of Phenissa the wife of Alphion; Mu­saeus of Helena the wife of Pandion, with many others. Not thus content he transformed himselfe into diuers shapes, as of an husband, and begat of Alcmena, Hercules; and of Cassi­opeia, Andromedes; of a Sheepheard, and begat of Mnemosyna the nine Muses; of a Satyre, and begat of Anthiope, Amphion & Zetas; of an Eagle, and begat of Egina, Eacus; of a Vulture, and begat of a Nymphe the Palisci in Sicily; of a Swanne, & begat of Hellen, Leda, and of a Goose, Nemesis; like a Bull, he begat of Europa Minous, Rhadamantus & Sarpedon; like a Beare, [Page 221] he begat of Mantea Arctos; and like a pismire Mirmedon of Eu­radremusa; being also transformed and shewing himselfe as a starre he begat Castor and Pollux of Leda; as Gold, Perseus of Danae; as a Shower of raine, Ganean of Manta. Thus a man as wicked as great, was made the greatest God, & his chiefe actions of wickednes, cruelty, parricide, incest, adultery & fraud, were deifyed for diuine. And as the God Iupiter, so also the other Gods begat younge Gods, and made them like themselues Gods; thus Neptune of a Sea-nimph begat Tritō, of Amphitrite the Cyclopes, Brontes, Sterape, & Pyracmon. Thus Venus had by Vulcane, Cupid; by Bacchus, Priapis. Thus Mars begat Cygnus, Apollo, Phaeton &c. And so the Gods begat so thicke and so fast young Gods, that the number of the Gods increased, according to Varro to the number of thirty thou­sand, according to others, to many more, yea to an infinite number. For when thus Idolatry had once taken roote in mēs imaginatiō, it grew vp to that height that it made Gods some greater, some lesser, some of men, some of women; as of the greater Gods of men, Mercury, Mars, Neptune, Saturne, Ioue, Vulcan, Apollo. Of women, Iuno, Vesta, Venus, Ceres, Men Gods. Minerua, Diana: as of the lesser Gods, Bacchus, Eolus, Hercules, were men-gods; & Thetis, Aurora, Bellona women goddesses. Women gods. And it made Gods and adored with diuine honour, not on­ly good men, but bad also, and them for their bad actions, as Iupiter for his former vices, Saturne for parricide, Mars for cruelty, Mercury for fraud, Venus for lust, Iuno for enuy, and dedicated to them, in signe of diuine honour, certaine Creatures, as to Iupiter a Goat, to Diana a Hart, to Am­mon a Ramme, to Ceres Corne, to Bacchus Wine, to Vulcane Fire, to Osiris Water, and to others a fish &c. from which creatures in honour to them, they did either alwayes, or at certaine tymes abstaine. Likewise they honoured their se­pulchers, as the monuments of Gods, as the Syrians did that of Adonis, the Aegyptians that of Osyris ▪ the Troians of Hector, the Lenconissi of Achilles, the people of Pontus that of Patroclus, and the people of Rodes that of Alexander the Great.

Thus did Idolatry deify bad men and women, and for their bad actions make them Gods, and giue them diuine ho­nour: [Page 222] thus it made Gods some common for all, some speciall for particular actions, Cicero de na­tura Deorum. Eric. de ge­nealog. Deor. Pul [...]o de Dijs antiquis. Guauerra di­all of Princes lib. 1. c. 22. Speciall Gods of particuler thinges. and occasions. Of the speciall Gods it made Esculapius a God of the sicke, Februa a goddesse for agu­es, Pauor a God for courage, Bacchus for drunkenes, Siluanus against dangers in sports, Meretrix for harlots, Fessoria for trauellers, Fortuna for good lucke, Simula for good memory, Quies for rest, Murcia for fatnes, Genouia against slouth, The­trica for actions and comedies, Esculanus for gold & siluer, Pecunia for mettals, Iugatinus against thunder, Tutellina a­gainst haile, Flora against frost, Rubigo against wormes and locusts, Agrestis for the fields, Pelonius against the enimies of the earth, Spinenis against weeds in corne, Segetius for sow­ing corne, Matura for ripening corne, Ruana for reaping corne, Belus for warre, Victoria for victory, Honorius for Inne-keepers, Lamentina for dore-hammers, Cadrea for dore barres and hinges, Cloatina for the priuies. And which is most to be admired, this Idolatry so far deluded the wise & valiant Romans, that it perswaded them to build temples & offer sacrifice to these Gods and goddesses for any commodi­ty or necessity, as to Volumnus & Volumna for espoused per­sons, to Cantius for wise children, to Lucina for safe child-bearing, The Gods of Rome. to Opis for the child new borne, to Vaginatus to keepe it from crying, to Ganinus for safety of it in the cradle, to Runinus for good sucking and nursing, to Stellius to pre­serue it from lamenesse, to Adeon that it might loue the mo­ther, to Mentalis that it might be witty and studious, and to Berecinthea the mother of all these Gods. And one of the Ro­mans a Philosopher most famous in Camillus time among thē for his piety & temperance (for it is said of him that for sixty yeares (he liued 113.) he neuer went out of the walles of Rome, neuer was heard speake idle word, neuer spent idle hower, neuer had contention with any, neuer was noted of any publicke crime) by name Bruxellus did so increase and multiply the number of the Gods in the citty of Rome, that whereas he found only fiue Gods receaued [...]mong them, that is, Iupiter, Mars, Ianus, Berecinthea, & Vesta, he left among them 2800. as many as there were families. Thus did Gods multiply and increase among that warlike people, euery fa­mily [Page 223] hauing a speciall God, and many still new Gods vpon any new occasion.

Neither did this Idolatry thus rest, but proceeded on fur­ther, first to deify and make Gods of the passions of men, Mens pas­sions made Gods. as of Ira, Fuga, and Voluptas, which they adored; next to giue di­uine honour to beasts, yea and to sensles creatures: thus did whole nations worship for Gods the Philistines Dagon a fish, the Egiptians Apis an oxe, the Babilonians a dragon and golden statua, the Israelites a golden calfe and a brasen serpent, the Persians the Sunne, the Acacians the Moone, to which they of­fered sacrifice in like manner, as the Romans did to Iupiter, Beasts made Gods the Grecians to Iuno, the Africans to Mars, the Macedonians to Mercury, the Corinthians to Apollo, the Armenians to Bacchus, the Ephesians to Diana.

sayth Sedulius. Thus did others for want of greater, adore as Gods, some (as the Chaldeans) the planets of Saturne, Iupiter, Mars Sol, Venus and Mercury; others (as the Grecians) Oceanus of the sea, Stix & Acaron of riuers: others (as the Egyptians) Eolus of the winds, Herbes in the garden, as of Leekes, Garlike and Oni­ons, yea saith one, the basest wind, Crepitus ventris.

saith Iuuenall of the Egiptians. Of diuers of which in holy scripture mention is made, as of 1. Reg. 31 10. Asteroth the goddesse of the Sidonians, of 3. Reg. 16 31. Baal the God of the Samaritans, of Num. 25.3. Belphegor the God of the Moubites, of 4. Reg. 1.2. Beelzebub of Acaron, of 3. Reg. 11 7. Chamos the God of the Moabites, 4. Reg. 15 8. Rhemnon of the Syrians, of Iud. 17.5. Norgal of the Cutheans, 2. Reg. 17 39. Micha in mount Ephraim, 3. Reg. 15 13. Priapus the God of Maaca the Mother of Asa, 2. Ma­chab. 4.19. Hercules the God of the Tirians, Ezech. 8.14. Adonis of the Israelites which many others. In al which this Idolatry, as we see, ouerflowed so farre the bankes of all reason and religion, that hauing once made a breach, and robbed God of his honour, it bestowed the same vpon the vilest & mea­nest sort of creatures, and that so vnreasonably and senslesly that it is a wonder, how men of reason could be so void of [Page 224] reason as to beleeue, professe and follow it. This was the proceeding of Idolatry.

Heresy in like manner, as the second impe of Sathan which succeeded Idolatry, and was raysed of her ashes and corruption, that it might the better sow the seed of infideli­ty, Idolatry & Heresy compared. and roote it selfe stronger in worldly and carnall affecti­ons, did in imitation of her elder sister Idolatry, seeke to rob Christ Iesus of the verity of his diuine reuelations, and his spouse the Church of the sincerity of true fayth and Religi­on, and transferred the same vnto erroneous and hereticall falsities. For which it inuented and framed in mens conceits an opinion of a priuate spirit which it made the mother and deuiser of all errours and heresies; of which as in the primi­tiue ages of Christs Church it begat in the braine of Manes, Marcion, Sabellius, Arius, Macedonius, Nestorius, Eutiches and o­thers the wicked errours against the B. Trinity, of one God & three Persons in the Deity, against the sacred Incarnatiō of one person, and two natures in the person of our B. Sa­uiour Christ, by which, as by so many bastardes of impiety, such an infinit brood of heresyes haue since that tyme beene ingēdred in the Christian world, that the increase of thē hath filled, or rather defiled a great part of the East Church both in Asia & Africke, and left behind them the stincke of no few­er then 300. rotten heresies, and hereticall opinions: So al­so in this last age of Christ it begat in the braines of an Apo­stata Frier Martin Luther, which it coupled with a like Apo­stata Nunne, and of other Apostataes, Bucer, Martyr, Bale, Knox &c. whome it wi [...]ed in like incestuous bed of double Apostacy, and of all sort of impurity, such a number of brats or rather vipers of hereticall opinions, and errours, as nei­ther the number of them can be recounted (of which some haue found out 300. and more) nor can the mischiefe of dis­sention and cruelty be conceaued, with which they haue pestered the most florishing Kingdomes of Europe, and brought in an horrible confusion and desolation in place of former piety and religion.

In which we may obserue, that as Idolatry made Chaos, or confusion the mother of all; so hath Heresy made the pri­uate [Page 225] spirit (which is nothing but a Chaos, or confused conceit which euery one hath of his owne opinion) the mother and conceauer of all hereticall opinions. As Idolatry diuised that out of Planeta the Man-woman, or fruit of Chaos, issued Heauē and Earth, and of them so many Gods & Goddesses; so hath Heresy caused, that out of the commixtion of a Friars and Nuns concupiscence, such a number of hereticall opinions, and wicked practises should receaue their origen and pro­gresse. As the Pagans made Iupiter, a man of life most wic­ked and exercised in all practise of cruelty, and incestuous carnality, a God, and the chiefest among the Gods; so do the Protestants canonize Luther, a man of a most carnall, proud and enuious both disposition & course of life, as an Apostle, an Euangelist, a Prophet, and a man of God. As Saturne the false God by Idolatry was made the Father of many Gods, chiefly of three, Iupiter, Neptune, and Pluto, who also begat many petty Gods, and filled the world with many innume­rable false Gods, whereby adoration was giuen euen first to men, then to the basest and meanest creatures: so Luther the false Apostle and Prophet, by the instigation of his priuate spirit, did beget and deuise foure most monstruous imps of hereticall doctrine and impiety, out of which as so many vipers, such a number of erroneous and wicked opinions haue flowed, that the light of true fayth and Religion hath beene obscured, and the beauty and splendor thereof hath beene attributed to most false errours & fond heresyes. And thus hath Heresy succeeded and imitated her elder sister Ido­latry.

Now these foure heades or principall heresies, The priuate spirit the mother of all heresies. which the priuate spirit, the eldest daughter of Heresy, did beget in Luther, and his followers braines, and out of which as se­quels issued such a number of falsities and heresies, are these. The first is, that the Church and Bishop of Rome is fallen from being the spouse of Christ, to be the very Antichrist himselfe, as wholy opposite to Christ, The first daughter, cōtempt of Church au­thority. and corrupted with all abominable errours of idolatry and superstition, out of which haue issued these and such like brats of heresy, that therefore the visible and knowne Church was latent, inui­sible [Page 226] and not extant for many ages, and that true fayth and doctrine was banished from the same visible Church, which was only the Roman Church, and that for many ages, some of them say six, some ten, some twelue, some fourteen ages, euen since the Apostles tyme, all which tyme, truth lay smothered, ouerwhelmed and buried in the dregges of An­tichristian errour, superstition, and idolatry. That all the Councels Prouinciall or Generall, were the assemblies of Antichrist. All the Fathers, and Doctours were deceaued and subiected to Antichrist. All the Christian people, Prin­ces, or Prelates, liued in the externall obedience of Anti­christ. That no lawfull mission or vocation, no right ordina­tion or consecration, no continuall succession or deriuation of Pastours was for all this tyme to be found in the Church. That no preaching of the word of God, no administration of Sacraments, no offering of sacrifice, no saying of seruice, no discipline of Church orders and gouernment, was holy and lawfull for so many ages, till God extraordinarily raysed vp Martin Luther, and by his spirit reformed all. Whereupon, since that tyme hath ensued, as the fruits of the wombe of this priuate spirit, and new doctrine, all neglect and con­tempt of Church orders, lawes, or obseruances, as of Masse, and Mattins, of fasting, and festiuall dayes, of single life and chastity, of obedience, and pouerty, of pennance, and mortification, of confession, and satisfaction, of benedi­ctions, and peregrinations, and of all Workes of austerity, piety, and deuotion. Hence hath ensued all rapine, & ro­bing of Churches, Church-goods, and Church-ornaments, all destruction of Monasteries, and Religious houses, all pro­phanation of holy thinges, all cruelty against Priests, & Re­ligious men, all incestuous and sacrilegious lewdnesse a­gainst vowed persons, all rebellion against Princes for Reli­gion, all contempt of them, and their lawes as not obliging in conscience, and all liberty of life and manners, to practise whatsoeuer profit, or pleasure proposed as most plausible to euery mans humour, and disposition.

The second and next ofspring of this spirit was Iustifi­cation by only fayth The second daughter sole Fayth. in which as they all agree in gene­rall; [Page 227] so it hath beene the mother of many notorious new impietyes, from whence, as out of a Troian-horse, issued these and such like prophane paradoxes; as that this fayth is a sole fayth, not informed with charity or good workes, Confess. Saxon. cap. de remiss peccat. Confess. Au­glican. art. 11 Belgi [...]. art. 22 Bohemica art. 6. Augustan [...] cap. de f [...]de Gallica art. 20. Luther. de li­ber. tom. 2. fol. 4. & in Gal. 2. tom. 5. fol. 305. Calu. in Gal. 2.16. & in Act. 13.39. In confess. fi­dei pag. 109. de vera Ec­clesiae reform. pag. 318. In Antidot. Concil. sess. 6. Can. 9. Beza in Rom. 3.20. Pet. Mart. in 1. Cor. 1. f. 32. in 8. Witak. ad rat. 1. Cam. pag. 7. Perk. Catathes. tom. 1. Col. 487. The third daughter, Concupiscence is originall sinne. Luth. in confut. La tom. fol. 220. & tom. 5. in Galat. 1. fol. 227.228. in cap. 2. fol. 231. ibid. de bonis operib. fol. 581. in natal. Christi fol. 374. Calu. lib. 2. cap. 1. §. 8. & lib. 4. cap. 15. §. 10. & in Antidot. Concil. Trid. ad sess. 5. & lib. 3. Instit. cap. 11. §. 3. & lib. 3. Instit. cap. 1. §. 8. & cap. 14. §. 9. lib. 2. Instit. cap. 11. §. 8 & 9. & lib. 3. cap. 11. §. 2. & 3. Vrb. Regius in locis tom. 1. fol. 358. Witak. de peccat. orig. lib. 2. cap. 3. pag. 656. a speciall fayth, assuring certainty of saluation, a perpetuall faith ne­uer lost, a rare fayth giuen only to the Elect, a fayth coue­ring, not curing sinnes, imputing, not making vs iust, ap­prehending, not possessing the iustice of Christ. A faith that admits no good workes, no merit, no profit, no necessity, yea no possibility either of being iustifyed by any, or of ha­uing power to do any good workes at all; because all works, euen the best workes of the best men, are sinnes, and that mortall, deseruing eternall damnation, though by fayth not imputed to the elect. Hence it is, that the keeping of the law is impossible, that no lawes oblige in conscience, that grace is not sufficient, that man hath no free-will, and can­not but sinne and offend, that Sacraments are not instrumēts and meanes, but seales and signes of this iustice, and iustifi­cation by fayth; that Baptisme is to be giuē only to the faith­full, and children of the faythful, that the Eucharist is a signe or figure of Christs body, receaued only by the faythfull, & Elect. With many such like, which hang vpon the former principle.

The third, and next borne impe of this spirit, is the doctrine of Originall sinne, which against the Pelagians, Luther admitting, did yet, against the Catholike Church, maintaine to be naturall Concupiscence, which in the state of corrupt nature remaining in man, is very Origi­nall sinne it selfe. This Originall sinne, say they, doth corrupt and infect the whole man, and all, and euery action in man proceeding from it with sinne, doth cause that a man in all, euen in his best actions doth sinne, and can do nothing but sinne; and so can neither merit by any good [Page 228] worke, nor satisfy for any sinne, doth hinder all internall grace, and iustification, which should abolish sinne, & doth take away all ability of free-will, all possibility of keeping the Commandements, or so much as any one of them; all obligation to performe any precept of the loue of God, or man, morall or diuine; and so all endeauour and labour to do pennance, to seeke perfection, to take vp the crosse of Christ, and mortify our passions, and follow him, as being needlesse, The fourth daughter, Predestina­tion to dā ­nation. Calu. lib. 1. Inst. cap. 18. §. 1. & lib. 3 cap 23. §. 6. & 9. & lib. 2 cap 4 §. 2. & lib. 1. cap. 18. §. 2. &. 4. & lib. 3. cap 23. §. 9. & lib. 1. Inst. c. 17. §. 5. & 18. §. 1.2. & lib. 3. cap. 4. §. 2. & lib 1 Inst. cap. 18. §. 3. &c. 2. §. 10. & lib. 1. Inst. cap. 14. §. 2. & lib. 2. cap 4. §. 5. & lib. 3. cap 23. §. 14. &c. 24. §. 13.14. & lib. 3. cap 24. §. 12. Vide plu­ [...]a infra sect. 5 Subdus. 4. fruitlesse, and impossible by the infection of this concupiscence, which they make to be originall sinne.

The last and youngest bastard-brood of this spirit, is the doctrine of predestination, of which though Luther layd the egge; yet because Caluin did hatch the brood, & maintaine aboue any other before him, it is imputed to him as the first hatcher of it, and as his bastard, is by many Lutherans and Ar­minians reiected. The doctrine of which is this, that God out of his absolute and irrespectiue will, as he predestinated, or­dained, and created some to saluation, so by the same will he like wise predestinated, ordained, and created others to damnation; the one because it was his will that they should be saued; the other meerely because it was his will (with­out any fault, sinne, or demerit in them foreseene) that they should be damned. To which damnation that he might bring them, he did for that end create them, and ordained that first Adam, then all his posterity should sinne, that for this sinne he might execute his sentence of damnation; for which end he did cause Sathan to tempt them to sinne, to moue and force them to sinne, yea did himselfe take from them all liberty not to sinne, and worke in them immedi­atly by his operation all their sinne, and obdurate them in that sinne; and for that end that they should haue no re­medy or help against sinne, he denyed them the benefit of the death of Christ, and his merits, the benefit of vocation to grace, of sufficiency of grace, of iustification by grace, or of glorification by the meanes of grace, to all those whome he had thus appointed to damnation, and to sinne. On the contrary, to them whome he had ordained to be saued, he ordayned likewise the death & Passion of Christ as a meane [Page 229] for that end to them only, and by it gaue effectuall vocati­on, sanctification, and glorification to them only, and of these only (who are his only children) he maks his Church. To these only, let them do what they will, he imputes no sinne, but couers all their sinnes with the cloake of the iustice of Christ, accounts them iust, and notwithstanding all their sinnes, loues them as his children, esteemes them as his darlinges, and enthrones them as heires in his Kingdome of heauen, among his Saints and Angels. All which and such like opinions in number infinit, and in impiety horri­ble, as so many swarmes of locusts and gnates, engendred out of the corruption of all good christianity, and conceaued in the wombe of double Apostacy, and sacriledge between a Frier and a Nunne, by the heat and smoke of this fiery spirit of frensy, haue as so many clouds shaddowed the light of true Fayth, as so many Foxes deuoured the Lambes of Christs sheepfould, as so many rootes of ill weedes ouer­growne and choaked the haruest of Christs fields, and as so many vipers poysoned the soules of an infinit number of Christians: Whereby is left nothing, but ruine and vastati­on of all ancient monuments of piety, nothing but horrour, and confusion in all discipline, and orders of Religion, no­thing but impiety and desolation of all Fayth and beliefe in many flourishing kingdomes of Christianity. Of which as any one in former ages would haue sufficed, as a plague, to haue infected any Country with heresy; so al of them com­piled in one bundell, can bring no lesse then a general mor­tality of all goodnes in so many Countrys infected by thē.

Of absurdities which follow vpon the first head, of contempt of all Church-authority, and relying vpon the priuate spirit. SECT. II.

BVT let vs proceed and consider in particuler what fruits and consequences, and what absurdities, contra­ry to all reason, honesty, and piety do flow, and follow out [Page 230] of these principles & positions. And first to begin with their first principle, Absurdities which fol­low vpon contempt of Church-authority. and the issue following from it, which is their contempt of Church-authority, their condemning the Ro­man Church, as Antichristian, and theit bold affirming the true Church of Christ, for so many ages, to haue decayed, & perished, and to haue beene inuisible not knowne, & who­ly ouerwhelmed with errours of superstition, idolatry, & Antichristianity, 1. The want of a true Church, fayth, and saluation. 1. It followes that for so many ages, that is, 8.10.12. or 14. as before, was neither true Church or congregation, neither lawfull Pastours and Preachers, nei­ther right Sacramēts or Sacrifice, neither any diuine seruice or worship of God among any visible company of people in any part of the Christian world. 2. It followes, that in all those ages, all the Fathers and Doctours, all the Bishops & Prelates, all the Confessours, Virgins, and Martyrs, and all the Councels generall or prouinciall: that all the foure Do­ctours of the Latin Church, and the rest with them, al the Doctours of the East Church, & all the learned among thē, all ancient Bishops of the Primitiue church, & al the Clear­gy vnder them, all the foure first generall Councels, and the other twelue after them, with the prouinciall Councels confirmed by them, 2. The mis­beliefe of al Prelates, Princes, & people. & the Bishops, and Confessours in them; that all the Holy Virgins, Confessours and Martyrs in tyme of most of the ten persecutions, and of the Arian, and image-breaking Emperours; that all the Emperours of Rome, Con­stantinople, or Germany, of the East or West, all the Kinges of Italy, Spaine, France, England, Scotland, Swethland, Denmarke, or Poland, all and euery one, who before Luther were Chri­stians, and professed the christian Religion; that all these with the people, who professed the same Christianity with them, & vnder them, were all seduced by a false fayth, and false Christianity, and all liued and dyed in the seruice, not of Christ, but Antichrist. Into what heart of any Christian can it enter, that for so many ages, no Doctour with his penne, no Prelate out of the pulpit, no Cōfessour in prison, no Martyr at his death, no Councell by their decrees, no Emperour with his sword, no people, or Pastour in any pa­rish should haue publikly professed▪ maintayned, and con­firmed [Page 231] the true fayth of Christ, and true doctrine of saluati­on, but all of Antichrist and damnation.

Thirdly, it follows that all the predictions, 3. The fal­shood of all prophesyes and predi­ctions. Castalio in his preface of the great Latin Bible dedicated to King E­dward 6. 2. Tim. 3.15▪ Dauid Georg in hist. Daui. Georg. prin­ted at Antw­erp: an. 1568 by the Diuines of Basil. & in a Protestant booke intitu­led, Apoca­lipsis infig­niū aliquo­rum Haeresi­archarum. printed Lug duni Bata­uorum ann. 1608. See the Pro­testants Apo­logy Tract. 2. cap. 3. p. 307. 4. The pre­heminence of Iewes & Gentils a­boue Chri­stians. and prophe­cies of the prophets before Christ, all the promises and assu­rances made by Christ himselfe, or by his Apostles to his Church, either of the extension, and amplitude of Christes Church from sea to sea, from North to South, to the vtter­most end of the world, to all people and nations, to all Iles and Kingdomes, to all Kinges and Princes, or of continu­ance & succession of the same as long as the Sunne & Moon shall endure, from Sabaoth to Sabaoth, from age to age, frō generation to generation without interruption, or discon­tinuance from that tyme till the worlds end; or of the Holy Ghosts assistance, and continuance with it, as the Pillar, and ground of truth against all the waues and stormes of the sea of this world, against all the swordes and violence of persecu­tors and Tyrants, and against all principalities and powers the gouernours of this darknesse, and the very gates of hell it selfe: It followes, I say, that all these predictions haue beene false, and not verifyed, as Castalion, and Dauid George both Protestants, conuinced by experience of the not being of a Protestant Church, haue confessed; it followes that the Prophets of the old Testament who foretould them, were false, not true Prophets, that the Apostles of the new Testa­ment who confirmed them, were vnlawfull and faythlesse messengers, and that Iesus Christ who planted, watered, & promised to giue increase to this his Church, was not the only true omnipotent God, but either a false deceauer, who promised that he knew should not be performed, or els a weake worker, who could not performe that which he had promised, to wit, this amplitude, succession, and firmity of his Church, thus wholy frustrated and made void, accor­ding to the former principle and doctrine. All which is wi­kedly confessed vpon the former groundes by Dauid George, Ochinus, and others.

Fourthly it followes, that Turkes, Iewes, and Gentils haue had a more flourishing state of a Church, Kingdome, and Professours, as hauing beene more visible, potent, and [Page 232] dilated, for many continued ages, in many distant partes of the world, then the christians, who haue had neither Prince, Prelate, people, or scarce any publike Professours of true Christianity, for one age together, vnder any one King, in any one prouince of the world. That Mahomet, and Antichrist or the diuel by them, did with more prudence, and power with more piety, and policy, establish, enlarge, & protect their faith and common wealth which so long continued, then Iesus Christ, who is true God and man, did, or could do his faith and Church, which so soone after his departure er­red, failed, and decayed. Where is the greater glory of the se­cond temple, Aggeus 2.10. then of the first? Where is the Psal. 2.8 ends of the earth gi­uen to it for a possession? Where are the Isa 49.23 Kings and Queenes who as nursing fathers, are to haue protected it? Where are the people and nations, who with the Psalm. 71 10.15. gold of Arabia and Saba were to haue inriched it? Where are the Iles, and kingdomes who from the vttermost Isa. 42.4.60.9. ends of the world were to haue waited v­pon this Church of Christ, more then any other of Iews, Turks, or Pagans? What, was Christ lesse true, lesse good, lesse faythfull, lesse able and potent, in the establishing, and pre­seruing his kindgome, then were Moyses, or Mahomet, Cyrus, or Romulus in setling and enlarging their Synagogue, Sect, or Common-wealth? Surely it followes (O horrour and blasphemy) if these positions, and points of the Protestants priuate spirits doctrine, were true and warrantable.

Of absurdities which follow vpon the second head of sole Fayth. SECT. III.

SECONDLY, Out of the second principle, and do­ctrine depending on it (which is that a man is iustified by only faith, Absurdities which fol­low vpon only fayth. which is a faith, speciall of euery ones owne predestination, iustification, and glorification; so certaine, and so sure as that there is a God, or that Christ is saued; so perpetuall, that it can neuer be lost, and peculiar only to the elect, depending vpon their priuat spirit, and the rest before mentioned) it followes, First. That a man is not only [Page 233] without all doubt, or so much as any feare, certaine of his predestination past, iustification present, 1. That eue­ry Protestāt is more certaine of his saluation, then Christ was of his owne. and glorification to come, but also that he is more certaine of it then he is of the B. Trinity, of the Incarnation, Passion, Resurrection, ascension, and coming of Christ; which he belieues only by a faith not supernaturall, and diuine, but historicall, generall, and common, as they say, to the reprobate and diuels; yea more certaine, then Iesus-Christ was of his saluation, whom they affirme to haue feared, doubted, distrusted, and despaired, before his death of his saluation, as is afterward shewed. Yea as certaine must they be, as certaine they are that God is one God, or that Iesus Christ is in heauen or, as if Iesus Christ were present, and so told them; which are their owne words, and comparisons, which is both absurd and impious: absurd, because they haue scripture to auouch the being of one God, and the saluation of Christ; but which a­uouches to euery mā this his saluatiō in particular they haue neither scripture nor reason: Impious, because what greater impiety, and blasphemy can be conceaued, then to make Christ, God and man, doubtfull of his saluation, and them­selues, sinfull and wicked wretches, certaine of theirs?

Secondly it followes, that euery Protestant may, and must by faith belieue as certaine, that, of which neither au­thority of scripture, testimony of Church, 2. That their fayth is not groū ­ded vpon a­ny scripture or authori­ty. or euidence of reason doth yield any argument of certainty; but only his owne priuate spirit and conceit doth suggest, and perswade this certainty of euery one his owne iustification and sal­uation; and yet that the same Protestants may doubt, yea refuse to assent and belieue such articles of faith, as both ex­presse authority of Scripture, euident proposition of Church and confessed testimony of auncient tradition, Fathers, and Councels doth fully and frequently deliuer and approue: such are many articles now in controuersy, as Freewill, merit, good works, reall presence, prayer to saints, for the dead, and such like. All which, for example, Caluin and euery Protestant do as firmly (notwithstanding all the for­mer confessed testimonies) reiect and condemne, as they be­lieue the certainty of their owne saluation, which (notwith­standing [Page 234] that it be not mentioned or motioned in particular, in any such, or the former testimonyes) they do most vn­doubtedly and firmely apprehend and belieue. In which a­mong all absurdities what can be more absurd then without any other reason or testimony, but ones owne conceit, so firmely to adhere to a thing of importance, so vncertaine both in it selfe, and in experience; and yet not belieue ma­ny thinges in themselues so probable, and so mainly by so many testimonies confirmed and approued? Which what is it els, but to belieue what euery one will, and best likes, & to reiect what he will not belieue, or doth dislike him; and so to make euery ones owne will, conceit, or affection the rule of his fayth and beliefe.

3. That all Protestants are as iust as Christ.Thirdly, it followes, that euery Protestant is not only as sure of his own saluation, as he is of Christs, & that he cānot be damned except Christ be damned, which Luth. tom▪ 5. enar. in▪ 1. Pet. 1. Luther, Zuing. to. 1. in art. disp. Tigur. fol. 628. Caluin, & See Kel­lisons examen part. 2. exam 13. cap. 8. Cal. Turcis. l. 3. cap. 12. Zuinglius expresly, though absurdly, hold: but also that he is as iust & holy, as any Confessour, Martyr, Apo­stle, or the Mother of God, yea euen as Iesus Christ himself. For sith all are iust, according to them, not by any iustice in­ternall and inherent in the soule; but externall and imputed by Fayth (which fayth, apprehending the iustice of Christ which was in him, makes it the iustice of euery one in parti­culer, for which he is accounted iust) it followes that this iu­stice of Christ which is equally imputed to all the iust, doth equally couer all sins, maks equally iust all persons, yea all as iust as Iesus Christ, whose iustice is theirs, and with whose iustice they are equally couered, and thereby counted equal­ly iust before God. Whence ensues, that all are as iust at the first instance of their iustification, as Christ was both at first and euer till his ascension, and that they cannot increase in iustice, Apoc. 22.11. & be made more iust, and iustified still; because from the first instant of their iustification they haue all the iustice imputed to them, which Christ had euer inherent till his as­cension in him, Luther. serm. de natiu. vir­ginis, & com­ment. in 1. Pet. 2. & are as iust at the first as he euer was at first or last. Which, though absurd, senselesse, and impious, yet it hath not wanted expresse defenders among them, as Lu­ther who affirmed all faythfull to be as iust as Peter, Paul, our [Page 235] B. Lady, and all Saints. As [...]ucer in Matth. 3. Bucer, who affirmed euery minister to be as iust as was S. Iohn Baptist, then whome was not by the testimony of our Sauiour Math. 11.11. a greater among the borne of women. And Zuin. to. 1. in art. dis. Tygur. f. 628. 4. That all the world shalbe sa­ued, proued by diuers Protestant positions. Zuinglius, who affirmes that God fa­uours no lesse euery faythfull Christian then he doth Christ himselfe, and that euery one hath as great right to heauen, as Christ hath.

Fourthly it followes, that not only all faythfull Chri­stians, but that all people, whether good or bad, Iewes o [...] Gentils, Christians or Pagans, yea all who euer haue liued or euer shall liue in this world, shalbe all saued as sure as Christ is saued. This is deduced out of the Protestant do­ctrine, two wayes; first out of diuers their positions, which by many of them, chiefly by Calu. Inst 6.24. Infās à matris v­tero in foe­dore conti­netur &c. Filiorum haud dubié loco habet eorum fili­os, quorum semini in patrē se for [...] pollicitus est &c. Calu. in An­tidot. Concilij Trid. sess. 6.9.5. Verùm infantes à regno Dei arcere libuit, qui ante erepti sunt ex hac vita, quam offerri ad Baptismum potuerint. Quasi vero de nihilo dictum sit eos nasci sanctos qui ex fidelibus nascuntur. Imò quo iure ad Baptismum eos admittimus, nisi quod promissionis sunt haeredes? Nisi enim ante ad eos pertineret vitae promissio, Baptismum profanaret quisquis illis daret. Quod si Deus in regnum suum eos a­doptauit, quanta iniuria fit promissioni, quasi per se ad eorum salutem non suf­ficiat? Inclusa est infantium salus in promissione, quâ Deus Fidelibus testatur se fore illis, & semini eorum in Deum. Hac ratione sibi nasci pronunciab at, qui ex Abraham ducebant originem. Huius promissionis beneficio recipiu [...]tur ad Bap­tismum, quia censentur Ecclesiae membra. Non à Baptismo igitur initium habet corum salus, sed quae iam in verbo fundata erat Baptismo obsignatur. Calu. ep. 147. & 149. Caluin, are belieued, and taught, as 1. That only fayth doth iustify, and that it being once had cannot be lost. 2. That this fayth is promised to all faythfull and their seed, as it was to Abraham and his seed, & that therefore all the children of the faythfull are sanctifyed in their Mothers wombe, as being within the Couenant made to their Parents and their seed, as Caluin stifly main­taines. 3. That the Sacraments, and chiefly Baptisme, are seales or signes of fayth, and so are to be ministred only to the faithfull, and the children of the faythfull; for which Farellus at Geneua refused to baptize a child, whose parents were Papists, and Caluin approued the fact. 4. That ther­fore the children of the faythfull shalbe saued, though they neuer be baptized, as the English Catechisme teachs, because they are borne of faithfull Parents, & so are in the couenāt, and sanctifyed before they be borne. If al this should be true, [Page 236] it would follow that, because the couenant and promise of fayth and saluation was made, for example, to Abraham and his seed, & that because Abraham had fayth, was sealed with the signe of fayth, was iust by Fayth, must continue in fayth, and was saued by fayth, that therefore his seed Ismael, and Isaac; and as Isaac, so his seed Iacob and Esau; and as Iacob, so all his seed, all the twelue Patriarches his sonnes, were li­kewise included in the couenant, were all borne of fayth­full parents, all sanctifyed in their Mothers wombe, all sea­led as faythfull with the Circumcision, the signe of faith, all made iust by fayth, all continued in the same fayth, and so all saued in heauen by vertue of that fayth. And as they, so their seed, and children, and their childrens children, from generation to generation must be likewise included in the Couenant; be likewise sanctifyed in their Mothers wombe, be likewise sealed with the signe of the Couenant, or Circumcision; be likewise iust by fayth, continue iust in fayth, and be likewise saued by fayth. And the same which it inferred of Iacob, and his children, and childrens children vnto the worldes end, may also be inferred and auouched truly either more generally of Adam, and all his posterity, or more particulerly of any one faythfull, and his posterity for euer. For if Adam and Eue, or this particular faythfull person were faythfull, iust, and saued, then their children after them, and their childrens children for euer were like­wise faythfull, iust and saued, because as the Parents had the promise of fayth made to themselues, and their children; so their children were borne sanctifyed of these faythfull pa­rents, were sealed with the signe of fayth, Circumcision or Baptisme; were made iust, continued iust by fayth, & were saued as iust by fayth; and as these children, so also all their children and childrens children by the same reason were all included in the couenant or promise of Fayth, were al born sanctifyed by fayth, were all to be sealed with the signe of fayth, were all made iust by fayth, all cōtinued iust by fayth, & so are all saued by fayth; and so all the posterity of Adam, Nati natorum, & quotquot nascentur abillis, as they were inclu­ded in the promise of fayth made to their parents and them, [Page 237] and therby were all faithfull, and continued and ended all faythfull, so were they all saued. By which it should follow also not only, that all the whole world should be saued and none damned; but also that fayth, iustification and saluation should descend by inheritance from generation to generatiō as Landes should by entayle, which cannot by any fine or recouery be cut off, sold, or lost. And as they are all thus faythfull, & iust by fayth apprehending the iustice of Christ, and had the iustice of Christ equally imputed to them for their iustice: so are they all equally iust, as iustifyed by the same iustice of Christ, and all equally iust with Christ, as hauing the same iustice theirs which was Christs; and so are all iust and perfect as any Saint, or Christ, are all as certaine of saluation as any Saint, or Christ, and shalbe all as blessed in heauen as is any Saint or Christ, with whome as they had the same iustice in earth, so for the same they shall haue the like glory in heauen. Which absurdity as of all absurdities it is most absurd, so doth it follow out of the same absurd do­ctrine.

Secondly, the same absurdity is inferred out of ano­ther of the Protestants vsually receaued position of doctrine, The same proued out of their do­ctrine, by speciall and only fayth. which is, That euery man shallbe saued by only Fayth, and that by a speciall Fayth, by which he is bound infallibly to▪ belieue that he shalbe saued if he wilbe saued: out of which their re­ceaued doctrine I reason thus.

• Whatsoeuer euery man in particuler is bound to be­lieue as an article of Fayth necessary to his saluation, that is true & certaine, whether he do belieue it or no.
• But euery man in particular is bound to belieue as an article of his faith necessary to his saluation, accor­ding to the Protestants, that he shalbe saued.
• Ergo, That euery man in particuler shalbe saued, is true & certaine, according to the Protestants doctrine, whether he belieue it, or no.

The Maior proposition is true, and not deniable in any diui­nity, because all articles or points of Fayth, which all are bound to belieue as necessary to saluation, and vnder paine of damnation, are most certainly true, & aeternae veritatis ante­cedenter, [Page 238] and before they be actually belieued, whether they be belieued or not by them, who ought to belieue them. For so, that there is a blessed Trinity of three persons & one God, an Incarnation of the Sonne of God, a Resurrection of the body and the like, is certainely true in it selfe, though the Arians, Nestorians, and other Heretikes doe not belieue it, which yet they are bound to belieue as necessary to salua­tion. Therefore if euery man be bound in like manner to belieue his owne saluation as certainly, and as neccessarily as he is bound to belieue the B. Trinity, Incarnation, & Re­surrection, & that as an article of his fayth; it followeth that his saluation is as certainly true as his Resurrection whether soeuer he do belieue, or not belieue either, or both of them; and so it is inferred that he shalbe saued, as well as ryse a­gaine, though he do not belieue it: which is confirmed, be­cause the obiect of Fayth, or thing to be belieued hath in it eternall verity, before the act of mans Fayth doe conceaue or belieue it, and therefore is belieued because it is and be­fore was true, but is not made true because it is now belie­ued; fayth not making, but supposing his obiect, which as it houlds true in the verity of the Resurrection, Incarnatiō, Trinity and others point of fayth which are belieued, be­cause they are true, & are true whether they be belieued or not; so it must hould true in the verity of euery mans saluati­on if it be a point of euery mans fayth. For if the certainty of his owne saluation be the obiect of euery mans fayth which he ought to belieue, then the same certainty or obiect is true before it be belieued; and so it is true that he shalbe saued be­fore he do belieue, and true it is whether he so belieue or no.

Remission of their sins & saluation an article of Protestants Fayth.The Minor Proposition or subsumption that according to the Protestants, euery mā is to belieue his owne Iustificatiō and Saluation, is so certaine that it is their common receaued doctrine, that Only Fayth doth iustify, that this Only Fayth is a Speciall Faith, that this Speciall Fayth hath for his only obiect which it belieues, remission of his sins, his Iustificatiō & sal­uation by Christ, that this beliefe is a diuine fayth, a sauing fayth, as certaine a fayth, as that by which we belieue that there is a God, a Iesus Christ, a heauen or hel, so certaine that [Page 239] it admits no doubt or vncertainty, but includes an infallible & assured confidence of the promises of God to vs of our sal­uation. Thus sayth Caluin Calu. ca­thec. c. de fide. that Iustifying Faith is a certaine knowledge of Gods fauour to vs; that Ibid. in [...] Matt. 21.21 euery one must vndoubtedly be sure that God is mercifull vnto him. Beza, Beza in confess. cap. 7. sect. 8. p. 60. that Fayth is not to belieue in God, or in the word of God, which Fayth the Diuells haue; Idem. in Tim. 4.15. but a firme perswasion of our election in Christ: A Idem in confess. cap. 4 sect. 18. p. 15▪ certainty by which we are more certaine then of any thing, that life euerlasting is due to vs. Luther, Luth. po­stil. in Domi. 3. Aduent. f. 31. that Fayth is a constant & firme perswasion without doubt or wauering of Gods grace & good will due to vs; Idem in Psal. 14. tom 3. fol. 247. so certaine, that it is aboue all other certainty. Bucer, Bucer in Matth. 16. that Fayth is nothing but a certaine perswasion of our saluation of Christ. The Confess. August. 1531 art. 4. Saxon. cap. 16. Luth. disput. tom. 1. f. 53. Cal. in Rom. 10.10. confes. fidei. Lobecius. Par. lib. 3. de Iustif. cap. 4. pag. 643. VVhita. ad r [...]t. 8. Camp. pag. 36. l. 8. contra Dur. sect. 47. conc. vltim. Per. de Bapt. tom 1. col. 810. Reinol. thes. 2. p. 71. Iew. defenc. Apol. part. 2. cap. 6. sect. 3. p. 149. Par. vbi supra. Luth. tom. 5. enar. in 1. Pet. 1. Zuing. tom. 1. in art. disput. Tygur. f. 628. See Kellison exam. part. 2. exam. 13. c. 8. Calu. Turcis. l. 3. c. 12. See aboue chap. 7. sect. 3. Confession of Auspurge, of Saxony, Luther, Lobecius, Pareus, Whitaker, Reynoldes, Perkins, That a man is iustify­ed by belieuing, and that without wauering or feare of his owne in­firmity, that his sinnes ere forgiuen, that he is iust, and shal be saued. Yea (sayth Iewell) he must be so certaine, as if Christ was present and so told him; sayth Pareus, as certaine as that Christ dyed for the remission of our sinnes; sayth Luther, and Zuinglius, as cer­taine as he is of Christs saluatiō, yea so certaine, that except Christ be damned, he cannot be damned. Whereupon they all hould that the obiect of Iustifying Fayth, is not to belieue that Christ is God and Man, was borne, dyed, and rose for vs, nor to be­lieue the Scripture and the word of God in it, which is a generall or historicall Fayth, and common to the reprobate, & the Diuells; but to belieue that himselfe hath his sinnes par­doned him, is iust and shalbe saued, and that God is merci­full to him, doth account him iust, and will saue him, the certainty & assurance of which doth iustify him before God. All which may be seene in the Authors owne wordes in D. Smiths Collation. This is that speciall Fayth by which a­lone Protestants hould that euery man is iustifyed & saued, and without which euery one is damned. Therefore this Faith is necessary to saluation necessitate medij, and as a thing so necessary, doth oblige euery one in particuler vnder pai­ne of damnation to haue it, because by it all are saued, and [Page 240] without it, all are damned. Therefore true is the Minor Proposition, that as according to the Protestants, this faith alone is necessary for euery one to saluation, so euery one is bound to haue, and so to beleeue it vpon paine of the losse of his saluation.

Vpon which premises, which in the first moode and figure inferre the Conclusion, followes, that according to this protestant position of Iustification & Saluation, by only & spe­ciall Faith, that euery one whethersoeuer he belieue or no, whether he be faithful or infidel, elect or reprobate, must be saued. Which absurdityas it is most absurd, so is the same more fully illustrated and deduced out of the same principle after this manner: As well the reprobat as the elect o­bliged to belieue all articles of Fayth. Speciall Faith, or infallible assurance of saluation is necessary to saluatiō, as well to Iudas a reprobat, as to Iames an elect; and as Iames is saued by it, so is Iudas damned for want of it, according to the Protestants: therefore vnder paine of his damnation Iudas is as well bound to haue it, as Iames is; because it being a necessary meane to saluation, the want of it is Iudas damnation, as the hauing of it is Iames his sauation. Iudas therfore (and that which I say of Iudas, I say of all the reprobate) is as much obliged vnder paine of his damnation, to belieue as an article of his faith, that he shalbe saued, as Iames, or any elect is? But whatsoeuer Iudas and all the reprobate or infidels are bound to belieue as an article of faith necessary to their saluation, as wel as Iames and the elect, must needs be true, and that certainly and in­fallibly true, whethersoeuer they do belieue it or no: The­refore it must needs be true, that as well Iudas and all the re­probate shalbe saued, Particuler saluation an obiect of Protestants fayth reuea­led. as Iames and the elect. The fundamen­tal reason of which is this: All diuine Faith (of which kind, and that the most chiefe the Protestants will haue this their Speciall Faith to be) depends vpon diuine reuelation frō God, this reuelation supposeth truth in the obiect or thing reuea­led, the obiect of truth or thing reuealed, is aeterna veritatis and true in it selfe before it be belieued, and so true whether it be belieued or no. The obiect therefore of this speciall faith, which euery one as well reprobate as elect, is bound vnder paine of his damnation to belieue, and which is the [Page 241] remission of his owne sinnes, his Iustification and saluation; is, and must be aeternae veritatis, is, and must be true before it be belieued, is, and must be true whether it be belieued or no; and so it is and must be true, that euery man, as well re­probate as elect, hath remission of sins, iustification and sal­uation, & it is, & was eternally true before it was belieued, and so is true whether it be belieued or no, and so, that his sinnes are remitted, he iustified and saued, whether he be­lieue or no. And as there cannot be giuen an instance in any other article of faith necessary to saluation, in which this reason (which indeed is the ground of all faith) doth not conuince that the article is true whethersoeuer it be belie­ued or no; so no reason, nor answer in any reason accor­ding to the same ground of true faith, can be giuen why it should not hold good also in this act and obiect of this Spe­cial Faith, which if it be diuine faith must participat of the na­ture & essence of all diuine faith. Therefore it must follow that either this speciall faith is no diuine faith, but an illusion and phantasy, or if it be diuine, that this absurd absurdity must follow vpon it, that man may be saued without any faith, and that all shalbe saued whether they haue any faith or none.

Which is yet confirmed further by these two parities, the one diuine, the other humane: the former thus: As the Re­surrection so the par­ticular sal­uation of e­uery one an article of fayth. As the Re­surrection of euery man being an article of faith which euery one is bound to belieue, is true, that is, euery man shall ryse againe whethersoeuer he do beleeue it or no: so the Iusti­fication and saluation of euery man being likewise an article which euery one is bound to belieue or else is damned, is likewise true, that is, he is iustified or saued whethersoeuer he do belieue or no. The reason of both is, because remission of sins, iustification, or saluation of euery one, being as well an obiect & article of ones faith, as the Resurrection of euery one is, they are both presuposed as true to faith, not composed and made true by faith, & so both alike eternally true, both alike true antecedent and before the act of faith, and so both true whether they be belieued or no. The later thus: As King Charles for example (whome God preserue) is right [Page 242] and lawfull King of England, whether he be by all subiects for such belieued and receaued or no, and the obligation that al subiects haue so to acknowledge & receaue him vnder paine of treason, doth suppose him to be their true King, for else it were not truly treason to refuse him: so all articles of faith, and amongst the rest this of proper saluation, are true whether they be belieued or no, and the obligation that euery one hath to belieue them; and so this, vnder paine of damnation, doth suppose them, and this to be true, for else could none vnder paine of damnation be bound to belieue either them, Zuing. tom. 2. in Exposit. fid. Christ. f. 159. b. circa medium. VVhi. his also defended by Gualt▪ in A­polog pro Zu­ing & operib. eius, praefix. tom. operum Zuing. f. 27. a. b. & 28.29. a. b. Vide Simleru [...] in vita Bulling. & see Bullen­gers allowāce of Zuinglius his forsaid Treatise. in Zuing tom. 2 f. 5 [...]0 b. in it. or this of his Saluation. Therefore as King Charles his title and right of being King (supposing that all are bound vnder paine of treason to receaue him) is good whethersoeuer euery one of his subiects do belieue it, and so receaue him or no: so the truth of euery mans saluation, sup­posing euery one is bound vnder paine of damnation to be­lieue it as true, is certaine and infallibly true whethersoeuer euery one do so belieue it or no, and so shall be iustifyed and saued whether they belieue or no. Which absurdity as it is most absurd, so the Protestant principle of sole and speciall fayth, out of which it necessarily followes, must needes be absurd and false.

The same absurdity may be inferred, and is seconded by other like absurd positions of some particuler Protestants, as by that position of Zuinglius, who maintained that Theseus, Hercules, Socrates, and Aristides, all Pagans, are equally with Peter and Paul in heauen; by that of some of M. Fox his mar­tyrs, who as himselfe recordes of them, taught that euen a Mahometan, Turke, or Sarazen may be saued if he trust in God & liue well; by that of Puccius in Germany, of Syr Wil­liam Hickman, and some of his fellowes in Lincolnshire heere in in England (which is also too common in the simple peoples mouths) that all men at the last shalbe saued, Fox Martyr. pag. 495. and that God will suffer none to be damned, whome he created. All which as absurd, do inferre and second the former absurdity.

That a man is iustifyed by a false Fayth.Fifthly, it followeth that a man is iustified by a fayth which is in it selfe, 1. False, 2. Contradictory, 3. Sinnefull, 4. Rash, 5. Presumptuous, 6. Preiudicious to all Hope, Charity, and [Page 243] good life, and 7. Iniurious to Christ as he is a Redeemer, a Law-giuer, a Iudge, a Priest, and also doth make him ignorant, sinne­full, & damned, as shalbe proued by euery one of these heades in particuler. And first, that this Speciall Fayth, is a fayth not true, but false, is proued thus. First, because a true fayth is of thinges reuealed by God in scripture or tradition, and pro­posed by the Church in practise or definition, but that either so many of so contrary religions as Lutherans, Caluinists, Ana­baptists, Familists, Arians, or, that any one, in any one of these professions is predestinated, iustified, & glorified, as they all belieue, is neither reuealed in any Scripture, or Tradition from God, nor confirmed in any practise or declaration of holy Church, therefore not a true but a false fayth. 2. A true Fayth cannot perswade and propose beliefes & doctrines which are contrary, and condemne one another: but this speciall fayth persuades a beliefe, doctrine, and certainty of saluation which is contrary, and condemneth one another, as the fayth and saluation of the Lutherans, Caluinists, Anabap­tists, and the rest in number aboue 100. which are all opposit in fayth, all condemne one another, and yet are all sure of their saluation by this fayth: Ergo it cannot be true.

Secondly, That a man is iustified by a con­tradictory fayth. that this fayth is contrary or contradictory in it selfe, is proued thus; That certainty of Fayth is contradi­ctory which belieueth a fayth and doctrine contrary or con­tradictory; but by this certainty of Fayth the Lutherans, Cal­uinists, Libertines, Anabaptists, Trinitarians, and the rest, do be­lieue fayth and religions contrary and contradictory, as is manifest by the former instances, Ergo. Againe, that fayth is contradictory which doth make the same man belieue cō ­tradictories; but this speciall fayth makes men belieue con­tradictories, as that it doth make him iust, and doth not mak him iust, Ergo. That it maks a man iust they affirme, because by it a man is iustified; that it makes not a man iust, is pro­ued, because by it he belieues that he is iust, therefore he is iust before he belieues it, in the same manner, as God is God before he is belieued to be God. Or thus: A man is iust be­fore he belieue, because his iustice is the obiect of his fayth, and so presupposed to fayth, and yet he is not iust before he [Page 244] belieue, because this iustice is the effect of his fayth, by which he is iustified, and so is after fayth: but to be iust and not iust both, before he belieue, is cōtradictory, Ergo. Againe, that is contradictory which is good, and not good, which doth make a man iust and not iust; but this speciall fayth is good, because it iustifyes, and not good, because it is a sin, and that mortall, Ergo. Againe, it makes a man iust, because by it he is iustified, & not iust, because by it he is made sin­full, it being a sinne as euery good worke is in their grounds. Againe, this fayth doth alone iustify, and doth not alone iu­stify; alone iustify, because Caluin and all Protestants affirme it, & it alone doth not iustify because the same Caluin affir­mes, that Baptisme is a signe of remission of sinnes past and to come, which remission of sinnes to come, dependes vpon the memory of Baptisme past, and so not vpon fayth only. Againe, this fayth according to them being a worke of man wholy infected with original sinne, is a sinne, and so maketh a man sinnefull, & this fayth doth iustify, and so is a good worke: but to make a man sinnefull and iust, are contrary, or contradictory, Ergo. Againe, it affirmes that euery good worke, euen the least of the best person, is a sinne; & so there are no good workes but all sinnes; and it affirmes that fayth cannot be without good workes, and so there are good wor­kes; but to affirme that there are good works, and that there are no good workes, are contradictory, Ergo.

Thirdly, that this faith is a sinne, and makes a man sin­full, is proued thus. Euery good worke, euen the best worke of the best man, according to them, is a sinne, because it pro­ceeds from a fountaine corrupted with sinne: but this faith which iustifieth is such a good worke which consequently is a sinne, therfore it maketh a man sinne, and so a man is saued from sinne by a worke which is sinne; made iust by an act which is iniust, adopted the sonne of God by a worke which offendes God, and is made partaker of heauen by an act which deserues hell.

That a man is iustified by a rash Fayth.Fourthly, That this faith is temerarious, is proued thus. That is rashly and lightly belieued which is belieued with­out any authority of scripture, which according to them is [Page 245] the only meanes of beliefe: but there is no Scripture that assures, for example, that either Caluin, Knox, or Tindall is predestinated, hath his sinnes forgiuen him, and shalbe glorified in heauen, which yet they belieue, say they, more certainly by this speciall faith, then they do the diuinity birth, death, resurrection, or ascension of Christ, which they belieue onely by an historical faith, therfore they rashly and without ground do belieue it. Which is confirmed, be­cause to belieue things they see men haue sense, to belieue morall or mathematicall conclusions, they haue reason and demonstration, and to belieue articles of faith they haue re­uelation of God in scripture: but to belieue euery one that his predestination, iustification, & glorification is certaine to him, is made knowne neither by experience of sense, nor by euidence of reason, nor by reuelation of scripture, or any way else; therefore it is rashly without ground belieued.

Fiftly, That this only speciall faith is presumptuous, That a man is iustified by a presūptuous faith. is proued thus: As that is desperation which will not hope for saluation by grace; so that is presumption (both the extrea­mes of hope) which will hope for it without good works, good life, obseruance of the Commandements, and merits, to which life eternall is promised: but only and speciall faith excludes all good works, all merit, [...]ob. 4.10.11 Psal. 17.25. Rom. 5.19. 2. Tim. 4.8. 1. Cor. 3.8.9. all obseruance of the commandements, as any meanes of saluation, and as not possible to be done. 2. It is great presumption to expect so great and eternall a reward, kingdome, and felicity with­out any labour, and paines for it, without any promise, or warrant of it, and that without any doubt, or feare of the obtaining it; all contrary to expresse scripture, which wish vs, with feare and trembling to worke our saluation Phil. 2.12.: Not to be without feare of sinne forgiuen Eccl. 5.5.: And assures vs, that no man knowes whether he be worthy of loue or hatred Eccl. 9. [...].. And all contra­ry to the practise of all saints, who haue vsed such continu­ance, and feruour of prayer, such rigour, and austerity of penance, such retirement and forsaking of the world, all to obtaine and purchase it at Gods hands. Which yet this spe­ciall faith will obtaine by only assuring and securing a man, most certainly of it, without either condition of works, and [Page 246] good life, without any works of penance or satisfaction, or without any doubt or feare of loosing it, or failing in it.

Sixtly, That this only faith destroyes all hope, Charity, prayer, and good works, is proued thus. No man can hope for that which he hath; no man prayes, and makes suit for that which he hath, That a mā, is iustifyed by a fayth, destroyes hope and Charity. and cannot loose; no man labours to practise that which he deems impossible to performe. But this faith assures them of their predestination, that they are predestinate, and cannot be damned; assures them of Gods fauour that they haue remission of sinnes, and iustification, and cannot loose it: and assures them of glorification, that they shall enioy heauen, and saluation, which is as due to them as to Christ, and can no more faile them then it can faile Christ; where is then any place for hope? It assures thē that good works, and the keeping of the law is impossible; that pennance, and satisfaction is fruitlesse, yea derogating from the merit of Christ; that all merit by grace, or hope of reward for our good deeds is excluded. That such a loue of God is required (to wit, an intensiue loue with all the force of our soule, and an only loue which admits no kind of loue of any thing else) as is possible only in the next life, not facti­ble in this life: therefore by this faith is excluded all hope of reward for good works, all necessity of prayer for obteining the Kingdome of heauen, all vse of saying the Lords prayer for remission of sinnes, all fruit of penance, or satisfaction for the punishment of sinne, all possibility of doing good, liuing well, and louing of God aboue all things, and withall is in­cluded a necessity of breaking Gods Commandements, of sinning mortally, & offending in all actions, euen in the best actions of the best men, as Caluin expresly affirmes; and yet withall this infallible assurance of the Kingdome of heauen is by this faith obteined and confirmed. Who will therfore, or needs, (according to these principles) to pray, to fast, to do pennance, to forbeare sinne, to bridle his concupiscence, to do good works, to loue God, and liue piously, since all are needlesse, fruitlesse, or impossible by this doctrine? Surely whosoeuer doth either preach this doctrine of good life, works, pennance, and charity, as many moderate ministers [Page 247] do, or do practise in their life, and conuersation the same, as many well intending Protestants do, they cannot do it either out of the principles and grounds of their religion, which we see require no such thing, as all opposit to it; but either out of the engrafted light of natural reason, which doth teach it; or out of the good inclination of their natural disposition, which doth moue them to it; or out of the principles or mo­rall vertues which morall Philosophers haue layd for it; or out of the doctrine, or example, & imitation or others whō they see▪ practise it, and for the practise to deserue a lauda­ble comendation and worthy esteeme among men by it.

Seauenthdly, That a man is iustifyed by a faith, which is in­iurious to Christ. that this speciall & only faith doth derogate from the vertue and perfection of the incarnation and passion of our B. Sauiour Iesus Christ, is proued thus: that faith which makes our blessed Sauiour neither generall Redeemer of all, nor so much as to be their sufficient Redeemer, and which makes him neither lawgiuer, nor [...]dge, nor phisitian, nor true sauiour of mankind; and also doth make him ignorant, impotent, vniust, sinfull, desperate, and damned, doth de­rogate from the vertue of the incarnation, passion, resur­rection, and ascension of Christ: but this only and speciall faith, and the assurance of iustification by it, doth all this, ergo.

And first, that it makes Christ no generall Redeemer of all mankind is proued. 1. Which doth derogate from the generality of Christes redemption▪ Because it takes away from him the vniuersality of his redemption, and the extension of his charity to all men. For though Christ shed not his blood for the Angels, neither was a Redeemer of them, whose fall was not generall of all Angells, either in indiuiduo, or in specie (as was mans, who wholy fell and sinned, especially in A­dam) and whose sinne was more voluntary, and very pardo­nable, in that their vnderstanding was greater, and their tēp­tation lesser then was mans, whome the Diuell seduced, & whose sinne was not voluntary in their owne person, but in Adam their first father: yet least Christ should either seeme impotent that he could not, or vnmercifull that he would not shew his mercy to any estate wholy either of Angells, or of men, it did beseeme, and befit the property of his power, and goodnesse that it should shew and extend it selfe to the [Page 248] whole race of mankind at the least; and that he should offer vp his bloud sufficiently for the redemption of all, and chief­ly (as he did) of those who sinned, not actually and willing­ly, but by the sinne, and in the will of another, as all by ori­ginall sinne did in Adam. And as it was conuenient, so it is testified of him, That 1. Tim. 2 6. he gaue himselfe a redemption for all; that 1. Ioan. 2.2. he is a propitiation for our sinnes, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world; that 1. Tim. 2.4. he would haue all saued and come to the knowledge of the truth; that Iohn. 1.29. he is the Lambe of God which takes away the sinnes of the world; and Ioan. 3.16. Calu. 3. iust. 22. & in whome God gaue, his sonne, for the world. Which word ( world) includes rather the wicked, and reprobate, then the elect and iust. But this his generall redemption, and dying for all men is by this special Fayth quite ouerthrowne; in that the defenders of it affirme that Christ dyed only for the elect, not the reprobate; that this fayth is giuen only to the elect, not to the wicked, which infers that Christ was either weake and vnable, and the value of his passion insufficient, Colo [...]. 1. in 1 Ioan. 2. Beza colloq. Mont. Pesul. f. 211.214. &c. Sanch. misc. l 2. pag. 180 to recompence the debt of all mens sinne▪ and that the malice of the sinne was more great in all men, then the vertue of God was powerfull in Christ; or that Christ was more cruell in rigour of his iustice to condemne the greatest part of the world for sinne, then he was mercifull in the tender bowels of his compassion to offer vp his paines, and passion for the redemption of al from sinne.

Which faith derogates from the perfection of Christs redemptiō.Secondly, That speciall faith makes Christ no perfect re­deemer of any, no not of those elect and iust, for whome, according to them, he was borne and suffered, is proued by these 3. reasons. 1. Because they belieue not that Christ who as man did suffer, did also as God ordaine himselfe thus to suffer: nor that Christ, who, as man, did offer his sufferings to God iustly offended, and required satisfaction in iustice e­quiualent to the offence, did also, as God, accept of this suffe­ring for the redemption of mans offence, though performed by a person who was without offence: nor that Christ, as mā did vndergo all paines and torments which the malice of Sathan, and man could inflict for the more copious redemp­tion of man, (to shew therby the goodnes of God, the great­nes [Page 249] of sinne, and the ingratitude of man, whereas any one action, or any one drop of bloud had beene of more worth in dignity and goodnes, then all the sinnes of all men were of value in malice and basenes; did also, as God, giue such a di­gnity, worth, and value to these sufferings, that the least, or any one of them, as proceeding from the person of God, was a price sufficient to haue redeemed all the sinnes of all men, and of as many worldes besides as are men, if so many had beene: (because, I say, they will not belieue this worth and value in the workes and sufferings of Christ, God and Man, to be so much infinitly greater then all the grauity of all sins of all men, as the goodnes of one God is infinitly greater thē the malice of all men; therefore they require in the Passion of Christ the selfe same paines, and an equall degree in the same paines of Christs suffering for men, which was due, & should haue beene inflicted vpon man. Therefore, say they, as man was to suffer in body and soule, so was Christ to suf­fer, and did suffer, not only in body, by shedding his bloud, which as corporall auailed little: but in soule also, which for the sinnes of the soule was to suffer the paines due to the soule. And as man was to suffer the paines of hell in body & in soule, so was Christ to suffer, and did suffer all the same paines of hell, which man should haue suffered, and so was presented before the tribunall of God for man, as guilty of sinne, Feared the iudgment of God against this sinne, Calu. harm. in 26. Mat. 37.46. & in 27.2. Instit. 16. Luth. in Psal 22. tom 3. Witten. ann. 1585. doubted and feared the sentence of his damnation for this sinne, and wauered be­tweene blessing and cursing of God, betweene praysing and blasphe­ming of God, vttered wordes not only of inconsideration and pertur­bation, but euen of desperation, and at last suffered all the paines and torments of hell in his soule vpon the Crosse, which any damned doth suffer, or ought to suffer in his soule for the same sinnes in hell. In which, 1. They deny the fulnesse and perfection of Christs redemption, euen of the elect, in that they deny the in­finite excesse of dignity and value in euery action and passiō of Christ, as proceeding from his diuine person aboue the malice of sinne. 2. They doe derogate from the vertue of Christs bloud shed by his passion (of which the Scripture af­firmes, that Rom. 3.24.25. Rom 1.9. he iustified vs in his bloud; 1. Pet. 1.10. Act. 5.9. that he redeemed vs [Page 250] in his bloud; Apoc. 15.22.14. washed vs in his bloud; Col. 1.10 pacifyed for vs in his bloud; Act. 20.28. purchased vs with his bloud; 1. Cor. 11 25. Luc. 22.20. Mat. 26.28. Ma [...]c. 14.24. and made his new test [...] ­ment in his bloud; in that they affirme Calu. 2. Instit 16.20. nothing had beene done if Christ had dyed only a corporall death. 3. They do extenuate the merit of Christ, in that they auerre, [...]alu. 2. Instit. 17.1. that in the iudgmēt of God there is no place of merit for Christ. 4. They do impose v­pon our B. Sauiour horrible impiety, & blasphemy, in that they auouch him to haue doubted, feared, and wauered in his saluation, to haue beene ready to curse, and blaspheme, and to haue despaired, and suffered all the torments of the damned in hell. In all which as they impose this horrible blasphemy vpon our B. Sauiour Iesus, and make him more sinnefull and vncertaine of his saluation, then they are of theirs; so they do most impiously derogate from the vertue of his death and passion, and from the perfection of his redēp­tion, and in the effect thereof, euen in those elect who ac­cording to them, he only by his death saued & redeemed.

Secondly, because to be a perfect, and full Redeemer of the elect, is requisite that he redeeme them from the serui­tude, and misery into which by sinne they fell, which was the seruitude and misery, 1. Of sinne, into which being de­priued of grace, they of themselues cannot but fall, and of themselues cannot ryse again; you Rom 6.17. & 11. are seruants of sinne. 2. Of Sathan, to whome by sinne they are made captiue, and 1. Tim. 2 cannot of themselues resist his will. 3. Of sensuality, and the Rom. 7.23 law in the members repugning to the law of the mind, which of themselues they cannot maister. 4. Of the law of workes, which of themselues they cannot performe, but by it re­maine vnder Gal. 3.10 the curse. 5. Of hell, which for their owne demerit is due to them, we Isa. 28.15. haue made a couenant with hell. But by this doctrine of sole fayth, that Christ did not redeem euen the elect from any of these captiuityes, and miseries, especially of sinne, Sathan, sensuality, and law of workes, nor yet from Hell, is proued. Not from the seruitude of sin, because the best man in his best workes, according to Cal­uin and Luther, Calu. Instit. 14.4. & 9. Luth. confut. Lat [...]m. cannot but sinne, as before, and because the iust hath no inherent grace or iustice to sanctify him from sinne, but only imputatiue, couering his sinne, and making [Page 251] him seeme and shew iust. Not from the seruitude of Sathan, because he wants Free-will to resist him, and so cannot but yield to his instigation, and because he still remaines in sinne both originall and actuall, and so by sinne remaines Sathās slaue. Not from the concupiscence, because it still remaynes in him, infects euery action proceeding from him; and be­cause, according to Caluin, not to haue concupiscence is im­possible, and according to Luther, Calu. 2. Insti. 7.5. & 6. Luth. tom. 5. serm. de Ma­trimon [...]o. to haue a VVoman is as ne­cessary for a man, as to eate, drinke, sleep, or as to be a man. Not frō the seruitude of the law, because the performance of the law and the doing of good workes is impossible, and because mā, though iust, remaines still guilty of the disobedience of the law. Not from the misery of hell, because while a man re­maines a worker of sinne, a seruer of concupiscence, a trans­gressour of the law, and a slaue of Sathan (as according to the former confessed doctrine, euen the iust and elect do) he cannot but be subiect to hell, and hell be due vnto him: therefore if Christ redeeme not euen the elect, and iust from the seruitude either of sinne, Sathan, sensuality, the law, or hell, as by this their doctrine he doth not, he cannot be a perfect and complete Redeemer, euen of those elect, whom only, say they, he came to redeeme.

Thirdly, that this doctrine makes Christ a bad Phisitiā, Which ma­kes Christ no good Phisitian of soules. & worse Chirurgeon of soules, to cure them of their sinnes, is proued: Because he infuses neither grace into our soares to cure them, nor giues strength to our infirmityes to enable vs, nor extinguishes the poyson of originall sinne which still infects our actions; but only couers our soares, and wounds with a faire cloake of his owne iustice, presents vs thus co­uered before God as iust, and imputes no sinnes vnto vs; though inwardly indeed we remaine vniust, and wicked, in soule, in hart, and in all cogitations, wordes, or actions. What doth Christ therfore? Surely no more then a Chirur­geon, who finding a man wounded, and his woundes fe­stered, and infecting the rest of the body, should only couer the same with a faire cloath, produce, and shew him to the people thus couered, and for this cure accountes both the man safe and sound, and also himselfe a perfect Chirurgeon [Page 252] or Phisitian worthy of honour and reward for his paines. Such a Phisitian or Chirurgeon, according to them, is our Sauiour, and such a cure doth he worke vpon all his elect, whome he cures, and redeemes; & no beter, for he cures not by grace infused, either the ignorance of the vnderstanding or the malice of the will, or the concupiscence of the affecti­ons, or the infirmity of the exteriour faculties: but only couers and hides them with the cloake of his iustice, and so imputes them for no sinnes, and accounts the persons iust, which is all the cure that our Phisitian Christ workes on vs in their new doctrine.

Which ma­kes Christ an vniust [...]aw-giuerFourthly, that this doctrine makes Christ either no law-giuer at all, contrary to the Prophets who call him a Law-gi­uer, and to his disciple S. Iohn who sayes, he gaue a new com­mandement, or els such a law-giuer as makes lawes which are neither iust, vpright, nor agreable to reason, and equity, is manifest; Isa. 33.22. Ioan. 13.34. for either they hould that Christ made no lawes, and was no law-maker at al, but a Sauiour only, who tyed vs to none, but freed vs from all lawes, and cleared our con­science from all obligation to all lawes, from all obedience to all lawes, and from any scruple, or punishment of trans­gressing any law naturall, morall, or diuine, of Church or common-wealth, of God, or of man, and by the liberty of his Ghospell gaue vs freedome to do what we will, to omit, or comit what we will, without condition or obligation, but only to belieue, and assure our selues that we are sure to be saued. Or if they admit any obligation of keeping any lawes, as the morall law of the ten Commandement, or o­ther, they auerre it to be impossible to keep them, euen for the iust and perfect, though assisted with the help of grace, whereby they make God cruell in imposing that vpon vs, which we are not able to performe; vniust in punishing vs for that which he enforces vs to commit; & vnreasonable, in charging vs aboue our ability, & in punishing vs for not doing that which we could not do. As afterward is more at large shewed. Which ma­kes Christ an vniust Iudge.

Fiftly, That this faith doth take from Christ all authority either of iudging at all, or of iudging vprightly, & so makes [Page 253] him either no iudge, or an vniust iudge, is proued; Because in a iudge is requisite, 1. That he vnpartially discusse, and examine the cause. 2. That he duely reward the iust. 3. That he iustly punish the offender. But this doctrine leaues no place for discussion of sinnes, because, according to it, all works are sinnes, as proceeding from originall sinne, and infected with originall sinne, and all sinnes are a like great as equally forbid by the law of sinne, which forbids as well, and vnder as great penalty (at least in generall) of death & damnatiō, the theft of a pin as of a pound: therfore all discus­siō of this difference is needlesse where no difference among them in greatnesse is admitted. 2. It leaues no place for re­ward of God workes, in that it admits neither any workes to bee before God good, nor any persons to be inwardly iust, nor any merit to be possible by any worke, or person, nor any reward to be due to any merit; but where neither worke is good, nor person iust, nor merit deseruing, there can be no iustice of remuneration in rewarding either good works, or iust persons. 3. It leaues no place to the iust punishing of the wicked, for where all persons are either already iudged, Ioan. 3.1 [...] ▪ and sure to be punished, as the Infidels and Pagans are, for he that belieues not, is already iudged; or shall not at all be iudged, nor punished, as all faithfull (Protestants) shall not, who are sure to be saued; where the thing commaunded is impos­sible to be done, or the law commaunding doth not oblige to the doing; where God doth ordeine that thing to be dōne, and compels the person to do it; where the person com­maunded hath neither ability to do the thing commaunded if he would, nor yet fredome of will to do it if he could, there can be no place of iustice in the lawmaker to punish the fact thus committed, or the person committing it. But so it is according to the former Protestant doctrine. Therfore, according to the same, Christ cannot at the day of iudgment iudge any, or at the least not iustly; and cannot be either a iudge, or at least not a iust iudge, according to euery mans works.

Sixtly, VVhich makes Christ no Priest. That this doctrine doth bereaue Christ of his priesthood, and power of sacrificing, and offering for sinnes, [Page 254] is proued thus: As in all states of nature cerimonall, or grace, sinnes were committed; so in all states were sacrifices ordei­ned for remission of sinnes, and priests appointed to offer for the same. In the law of nature the sacrifice was voluntary, & the priest was the eldest of the family. In the law of Moyses the sacrifice was determined to certaine beasts, birds, and meates, and the priests were Aarons posterity, and the tribe of Leui. In the law of grace the sacrifice is the body and bloud of Christ, and the priests are Christs Apostles, and who are consecrated by lawfull orders from them. Christ, as in persō so in his Priesthood and sacrifice, he surpassed both the eldest of the family in the law of nature, and the Leuiticall priests, & the sacrifice of both; for they were only men, he was God & man; they were men sinfull, he was not polluted with sinne, they as men and sinners are far distant from God, to whom, & like to men in sinne for whom, they offer; he as participa­ting of God to whom, and of man for whome, he offers, is one, & imediate with both. They offered often, and many times, as wanting one full price able to make a full redemp­tion at once; he offered once for all, and that a full price & satisfaction sufficient for all. They were annointed with materiall oyle of oliues; he with internall oyle of Deity a­boue his companions. They offered sacrifices many in kind, and meane in quality, all inferiour to themselues; he offered one and that most iust euen himselfe, and his owne body & bloud: of which sacrifice himselfe was, 1. The priest, an­nointed by his incarnation to offer. 1. The sacrifice ordei­ned by himselfe, an hoast to be offered. 3. The temple con­secrated to God for his holy offering. 4. The Altar in his body which was sprinckled with the bloud of this offering; for all which reasons Abraham, and the Leuit [...]all priests in him▪ and in his soines as inferiour, offered tithes to Melchisedech as su­periour, and in Melchisedech to Christ figured by him as the chiefe of all. The sacrifices Christ offered were of two sorts, both of them one, and the same in substance, to wit, his owne body and bloud, but diffe [...]ing and diuerse in the man­ner of offering; the one on the Crosse, the other at the sup­per; the one bloudy, the other vnbloudy; the one, in his [Page 255] owne forme of man, visible, the other, in the forme of bread and wine, inuisible; The one once, and not reitera­ted, as being a sufficient price of our redemption, the other often, as the application of the former, and that often repea­ted as sinnes are often committed. By the one purchasing to himselfe his Church in his bloud, by the other conseruing & sanctifiyng the same to himselfe by his grace. By the one, as a cause meritorious deseruing grace, pacifying God, and re­conciling man to God; by the other as an instrument causing grace, sanctification, satisfaction, and actuall remission of sinnes; for by it, as by Baptisme, is wrought remission of sinnes, and, as by fayth, hope, charity, and other vertues, is obteined grace and saluation,

Now sith it is euident that Christ was, 1. a Priest. 2. Ac­cording to the order, not of Aaron, but of Melchisedech. 3. For euer. Psal. 109.4. Heb. 5.6. Sith it is euident also, 1. That a Priest and sacrifice are corre­latiue and so mutuall, that where the one is, there the other must be. 2. That Melchisedech was a Priest, Gen. 14.18▪ and his sacrifice was in bread and wine. 3. That Christ is compared to Melchise­dech, not only in his kingly authority, as King of iustice and peace as Melchisedech was, nor only in his genealogy, as being without Father as man, and without mother as God, or without predecessor before him, or successor after him in the office of redeemer, as Melchisedech is said to be without Father & mother Heb. 7.3.; but also in priestly function (concealed on pur­pose by S. Paul Heb. 5.11. for the incapacity of the Iews, as a thing of which he hath a speech great and inexplicable to vtter) and in his priestly sacrifice by offering bread & wine as Melchisedech did, and that not for one time, but for euer. Sith, I say, Gen. 14.18. all this is euident, it followes, 1. That Christ is a priest, not ac­cording to Aaron in offering bloud, but according to Melchi­sedech in offering bread and wine, and that not once by him­selfe, but for euer by his Apostles and Priests, to whom he gaue commission to offer the same sacrifice which himselfe had done. 2. It followes, that to verify Christs being priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech, there must be a succession of priests and sacrifice in Gods Church to offer the same sacrifice for euer, & so to make his priesthood continue [Page 256] for euer. But by this former Protestant doctrine is excluded all sacrifice for sinne, all priesthood to offer sacrifice, and all holy orders to consecrat priests; and so this perpetuall priest­hood and sacrifice of Christ according to Melchisedech, is re­iected. First in Christ himselfe and his owne person whome they deny to haue offered any sacrifice at his last supper. Se­condly, in his Priests and deputies, to whome they deny all authority of Priesthood, and all power to offer sacrifice, and so admit no sacrifice at all according to the order of Melchise­dech, either by Christ, or his Church, and why? Because on­ly Fayth doth iustify, satisfy, and apply the merit of Christ, only Fayth doth couer all sinnes by the apprehension of the iustice of Christ, only Fayth doth assure all that they are iust, shall continue, and that they need no other worke, Sacra­ment, or sacrifice to make or keep them iust, but only Fayth, and so this Fayth destroyes all sacrifice, & therby the Priest­hood of Christ.

By a fayth which ma­kes Christ ignorant.Lastly, that this doctrine bereaues Christ of his know­ledge, both beatificall, by which from the first instance of his conception he did clearely see God; and also infused, and that not out of thinges naturall, and by accidents infused, which by nature, and industry may be obtained, but also of thinges supernaturall, and per se infused, of things which are by fayth reuealed to vs, such as are the mysteries we belieue, and the secrets of harts, all which by ancient Deuines is ad­mitted to haue beene in Christ from the first instant of his conception: That, I say, they depriue Christ of all this ex­cellency and knowledge, and make him ignorant, and more ignorant then Adam, who was created as in perfection of sta­ture, and strength of body, so also in perfection of all philo­sophicall and theologicall knowledge in soule, by which he gaue names to all beasts; 3. Reg. 4.30. and more ignorant then Salomon, who was the wisest of men before or after him, is proued: Because they affirme that he Luth. c [...]n­c [...] de natal. Christ. fol. 67 assumed our ignorance, that he was ignorant like other children, was instructed as boyes are, increased in knowledge not only experimentall, but also habituall as others do, learned and profited in artes and sciences humane and diuine as children do; that he was i­ignorant [Page 257] of the place of Lazarus his bur [...]all, Zuing. in cap. 2. [...]uce. Beza in Heb. 5.7. & in colloq mont. pag. 177. Bucer. in cap. 2 [...]. Lucae. Danaeus cont. 2. pag. 143. [...]o [...]st. in anti. Bellarm. pag. 36. VVhitak. ad [...]ation. 8. Camp. p. 35. Serranus cōt. Hayū. part. 3. pag. 284.285.289.290. Cal. harm. in Mat. 9.2. Matt. 21.18. Matt. 24.36. Matt. 26. Luc. 2.40. Paraeus l. 5. de amissi. gratiae &c. cap. 14. pag. 836. & in Coll. The [...]l, 9. disp. 6. of the Iewes fayth who offered the man sicke of the palsy; of the Figge-tree, both of what kind it was, and what fruit it bore; and of the day of iudgment, not only to reueale it to others, but to know it himselfe; that he made farre-fetcht-similitudes, and needlesse illations nothing to purpose, wrested the wor­des and sense of the Prophets, weakly confuted his aduersa­ries, failed in memory, and made prayers and petitions vn­aduised, and not premeditated, forced with the vehemency of sorrow in the garden: all which are by Caluin imputed to him. But if Christ was thus ignorant and blind in his vnder­standing, then might he be deceaued in his iudgement, and so deceaue others, and faile in truth of that he sayd, or reuea­led in Scripture; then may the scripture be false, his fayth and doctrine be false, all Christians be lead into errour and blindnes; then may he be infirme in his operations, and sin­full also in his actions. For if the vnderstanding, which is the light to lighten, and the guide to direct the other facul­ties of the soule, may be blind, ignorant, inconsiderate, and erroneous; then may the will which doth follow the light, and direction of the vnderstanding, and wils nothing but that the vnderstanding knowes, also faile in the election of good, and so will that is ill, and commit sinne; and so may Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, fall into errour, falshood, and sinne, and so erre, deceaue and commit sinne.

To all which if we adde the detestable, and blasphemous assertions boldly auerred by prime Protestants Luther, Caluin and their fellowes against Christ, to wit, that God made him a sinner, vniust, guilty and hatefull to himselfe, that he was cul­pable, a sinner true, and most truly a sinner as other men, Sinnefull. a sinner most great, most vile, and obnoxius to the anger of God, that he carried himselfe vncurteously, and not like a sonne to his mother, that he made a prayer vnpremeditated, a vow abrupte, inconsiderate, con­trary to his vocation, to be corrected, retracted, and renounced; that he renounced his office of mediatour, was forgetfull of our saluation, and the charge committed to him; that he confessed his effeminate ni­cenesse, esteemed himselfe not to be sent of God, did wauer betweene [Page 258] praising and blaspheming of God, did stagger among the waues of ten­tations, vttered words of desperation, was ouercome with desperatiō, did renounce his saluation, knew God was angry at him; that he stood in need of Baptisme, was cursed and execrable as commonly the damned are; Damned. that he suffered the horrour of a conscience feeling Gods eternall wrath, did feare, and highly despaire in his soule in the same manner a [...] the damned, did wauer betweene hell and life, struggle with the horrour of eternall paines; had an horrour of eternall punish­ment, was tormented with the feare of horrible damnation, was hor­ribly afraid of the profound abisse of death, was in feare to be absorpt by death, was stroken with the horrour of the diuine malediction, was tortured with anxiety as if he had God his enemy, feared his saluation, was perswaded that he was vndonne, and was striken with the hor­rour of Gods iudgment more then euer any man was, or could be, in which his horrour consisted the summe of our consolation; that he suffered the same paines of hell which the damned do suffer, tasted, felt, In the pains of hell. and suffered the true paines or dolours of hell, the infernall paines and sorrowes of hell, was in the middest of the torments of hell, suffered the paine of hell, the same paine and punishment with the damned, the horrible torments of a damned man, the eternall paines for the time, the execrable death, the second death which is the death of the soule, the separation from God, felt, tasted, and endured the eternall death, the anguish of hell, the torments in hell after death both in his body and soule: All which are the very summe, and abridge­ment, without adding or agrauating of any one word, of the more ample speaches and sentences of the most famous Pro­testant Doctours, and maisters, as Luther, Melancthon, Illyricus, Reineccius, Lobecius, Hutterus, Vrsinus, Paraeus in Germany; of Caluin, Smitheus col­lat. doctrin. de Christo. cap. 2 art. 11.12. [...]3. & 22. Beza, Daneus in Geneua; of Tilenus Piscator, Molinaeus, Polanus in France; of Vorstius, Homius, in the Low-countries; and of Whitaker, Perkins, and Parkes in England; and may be seene at large in the learned Collation of the Right reuerend Bishop D. Smith.

If I say we adde all these execrable, horrible, and blas­phemous assertions against the eternal Maiesty & goodnesse of the sonne of God, and compare them with the infallible certainty, and assurance which they make euery one of their owne predestination, iustification, and glorification, of [Page 259] which by faith they make themselues so certaine as if Christ had beene present and said they shalbe saued; so sure as they are sure that there is a God, or that Christ is saued, which are likewise at large in the same Author faithfully collected: Smith coll [...]. doctrin. lib. 1. cap. 16. art. 10. pag. 4 47. If, I say, we adde all this impiety, blasphemy, and infide­lity which is vented, and inuented by this priuate spirit, and both practised, preached, and printed by the chief professors of the same, and so diuulged to the vew of the whole world to be belieued and professed of all as the word, and the pure word of God, as the honour, and greatest honour of God, & Iesus Christ; I see not what greater hypocrisy, & dissimula­tion, what deeper blasphemy, and abomination can be vtte­red, or by what meanes a readier or broader way to the sub­uersion of all Christianity, and piety, and the erection of all Atheisme, & Barbarisme can be made, and prepared. And thus much of the absurdities which ensue vpon the priuate spirits doctrine, of sole, speciall, and certaine iustifying faith, & the consequēt points of doctrine depending vpon it.

Absurdities which follow vpon the third head, that is, of Concupiscence being originall sinne. SECT. IIII.

OVT of the third principle, or progeny of this priuate spirit, and the doctrine hanging vpon it, which is, Absurdities which fol­low vpon Concupis­cence being originall sinne. that originall sinne (which they make to be Concupiscence) doth remaine in the regenerate, and iust, is not remitted, or a­bolished by Baptisme; but only not imputed, and couered by faith; doth corrupt the whole man, & all his actions, inter­nall and externall, doth staine with sinne all good works euen the best of the best men; doth strike dead all freewill, liberty to do well; doth strangle all inherent iustice and sanctification; doth stope all merit, satisfaction, and pen­nance; and doth set a stay to all possibility of keeping the cō ­mandements, with such other like now paradoxes ensuing vpon it: out of this, I say, it followes, first. That the whole [Page 260] Protestant Church, and their spouse of Christ which consists only of such elect, 1. That the whole Churche of the Protestants, is a congre­gation of great sin­ners. and regenerat persons as these, is (if we may so tearme it) a kingdome, a Citty, a temple, a house, a spouse, a body of Christ (by which termes the true Church of Christ is stiled) consisting of subiects, Citizens, seruants, persons, and members, who in euery action, euery good worke, euen in the best worke of the best of them, do sinne, nothing but sinne, and cannot but commit sinne, and that mortally; all whose thoughts, words, and deeds are sinnes, mortall sins, damnable sinnes, and they by these sinnes are vncleane, polluted, vniust, and full of malice in the sight of God; who are not able to obserue, keepe, or performe any one, much lesse all the commandements of God, as impossi­ble, and not obliging vpon any condition to saluation; who are idolaters, blasphemers, forswearers, breakers of the sab­both, adulterers, murtherers, theeues, false witnesses, ei­ther in externall action, or in internall desire, in which they must needs breake euery commandement; who cannot by any one act, once in all their life, belieue, feare, praise, or loue God, as they ought; who haue no inward grace, vertue, or iustice inherent, and infused in their soules; but all sinne, deformity, pollution, rebellion, and contumacy against God, and his commandements (which are also the very words of the foresaid Protestants cited by the foresaid authour;) who are as pointed faces, Smit. collat. l. 1. cap. 13. art. 9. p. 246. art. 9. pag. 446. cap. 18. art. 1. p. 474.476. of themselues deformed, and only by colours made to shew faire; as sepulchers of dead men out­wardly whited; but within dead bodies; As wolues couered with the woll of sheep, but inwardly rauenous; As foolish virgins who haue no oyle in their owne lampes, but thinke that others oyle shall suffice them; As bodies stemed, and stinking with corruption of rottenesse, leprosy, and ordure, and only couered with faire cloathes made of the silke of Christs iustice: Such are all elect, iust, regenerate, and holy Protestants; of such consists their congregations, & Church, and with such is filled their kingdome of heauen, & by such are Catholiks condemned and persecuted heere in England.

Secondly, it followes that any faythfull, iust, and regene­rate Protestant may (in respect of any pitt of damnation) as [Page 261] well commit theft, murder, adultery, periury, idolatry, sa­criledge, incest, and all enormous vices, 2. That eue­ry Protest­ant may as well cōmit great sinnes as do good workes, in respect of auoiding damnation. as exercise himselfe in abstinence, continency, iustice, almes-deeds, or, as read the Bible, heare a sermon, receaue the Communion, say his prayers, belieue, loue, or prayse God, and the like. For as both the one, and the other proceed from originall sinne, & are infected thereby with the staine of sinnes, and that mor­tall, deseruing eternall damnation; so are neither the one, nor the other kind imputed to him for sinnes, nor are puni­shed with damnation as sinnes. As both the one, and the o­ther are damnable in the reprobate, and he for both shallbe punished in hell, so neither the one nor the other are impu­ted to the elect, nor he for either can be hindred from heauē. As in both the elect, and reprobate, workes are not distin­guished by the obiect, but by the person, being all mortall sinnes in themselues; so in the reprobate all are mortall; in the elect all veniall, all pardoned, none imputed, none pu­nished. And as the good workes in the elect do not merit a­ny reward of glory, nor satisfy for any punishment of sinne; so the bad workes in the same elect shall not receaue any in­fliction of punishment, neither depriue him of any benefit of iustification; both therefore the good & the bad are in them­selues great sinnes, as proceeding from concupiscence, which is sinne, and as violating the law, but both are by fayth not imputed, both by the iustice of Christ couered, and so both in a sort indifferent to be committed or omitted, as both deseruing, and neither receauing punishment; both being sinnes in themselues, and neither imputed for sinnes by God. Vpon what motiue or ground therefore of religion, either of displeasing God, or of hope of reward, or of feare of hell, can a regenerate Protestant be induced to auoid sinnes, rather then good workes, 3. That the grounds of Protestant Religiō ad­mit great sinners to be perfect Protestants. or to liue vertuously rather then vitious­ly, sith both are mortall sinnes, both mortally offend God, and both equally are not imputed, neither punished.

Thirdly, it followes, that any faythfull and regenerate Protestant may according to the groundes of his fayth, com­mit any, or all the former sinnes, yea all the sinnes which a­ny reprobate doth commit, and yet remaine a iust, regene­rate, [Page 262] and perfect protestant. For if faith only doth iustify, & once had can neuer be lost by any sinne whatsoeuer, & if no sinnes be imputed, but all be by the same faith remitted; then may he cōmit any, or all the said sinnes, and yet retaine faith and iustification, and keep his assurance of saluation, and so continue still a perfect regenerate Protestant, and is as high in perfection, as strong in faith, and as sure of saluation as any Saint is in heauen who neuer committed any of the same. What conscience therefore, or scruple will he make of any the said sinnes, sith he shall receiue by them no losse of faith, no detriment of iustice, no displeasure of God, no punish­ment of hell?

4. That in vaine & to no end, are 1. all pennā ­ce, mortifi­cation, and austeri [...]y of life.Fourthly, it followes, that in vaine, and to no end is all penance and sorrow for sinnes, all chastising of our bodies, which S. Paul vsed for sin, all fasting, sackcloth, hairecloth, or ashes, with Dauid, the Niniuites, Manasses, Achab, and others before Christ vsed for their sins; That in vaine, & to no end is all forsaking the vanities, and pleasures of the world, all abnegation, resignation, mortification, and taking vp the crosse of Christ in deserts. Monasteries, & places secluded from the world, and chosen for practise of pouerty, obedience, & chastity, which S. Marke, S. Hilarion, S. Paul, S. Anthony, S. Gregory Nazianzen, S. Basil, S. Augustine, S. Benedict, S. Ber­nard, and so many ancient and holy Saints, and Religious persons since Christ haue euer vsed 1. because only faith doth iustify, and secure them of saluation, and doth take away all imputation of any sinne, or paine due to sinne, and so makes needlesse all satisfaction for sinne. 2. Because Baptisme, which (according to Caluin, is to be ministred only to the faythfull) doth remit all sinnes past and to come. 3. Because all these actes are sinnes, and that mortall, as well as feasting lusting, deceauing, killing, and the rest.

Fiftly, it followes, that in vaine, and to no end are all lawes either of God, Church, or Commonwealth; in vaine are all Tribunals, 2. All lawes & Precepts of God, or man. and Courtes spirituall, and temporall; in vaine are all Iudges, and Magistrates appointed to correct & punish malefactours; in vaine is all power, and iurisdiction of Princes or Prelates; in vaine is all Regall authority, and [Page 263] commaund of Emperours, Kinges, and Princes, because all obseruance of any law, or of any one commandement, euen the least, is impossible, and a burthen (sayth Caluin) greater then Aetna; because no Prince or Prelate hath any authority to make any law which shall oblige in conscience; because by the liberty of the Ghospell euery Protestant is freed from any obligation in conscience, and from any lawes of any Prince, whereupon any malefactour guilty of murder, theft, or the like, may answere the Iudge, and alleadge their do­ctrine, that the lawes did not oblige in conscience, and were impossible to be performed, no freewill to do otherwise thē God had determined, no obligation in conscience to obey the Kinges Lawes, being freed by the liberty of the Ghospell; that the Iudge hath no authority to execute that which the King had no authority to decree; no iustice to punish him for that which God forced and willed him to do, and which he had no liberty, or power but to do; no reason to hinder the liberty of his spirit graunted by the Ghospell. The traitour and Rebell may answere his King, and alledge out of the same liberty of this Ghospell, the same reasons, and say, that he is as free from obedience to his owne Prince as to a forain Prince, or from the lawes of his owne Country as of a for­raine Country, may resist his Prince and his lawes, ryse and rebell against him, oppose and depose, yea kill and murther his person in case he do not iustice, obserue not his own law, defend not the common-wealth, or giue not free passage to the preaching of their Ghospel. Which (as after shalbe shew­ed) they haue in Germany, France, Scotland, Belgia, Geneua, & other countryes, according to these groundes practised, and approued; and which the Trinitarians, and Anabaptists do ac­cording to the same, yet positiuely maintaine and defend. In vaine therefore did God giue Sap. 6.4. to Kinges power from himselfe and vertue from the highest. In vaine do Prou. 8.15. Kings rule by God & makers of lawes decerne iu [...]t thinges. In vaine is Rom. 13.1. all power from God, and higher powers, to be obeyed. In vaine are we to be Rom. 13.5. subiect to higher powers not only for anger, but for conscience. In vaine are we admonished to 1. Pet. 2.13.14. be subiect to Kinges and Rulers, and sent from God; to be Tit. 3.2. subiect to Princes, and powers, to be [Page 264] Ephes. 6.5. Col. 3.22. obedient to carnall Lordes, and Maisters in feare and trembling; to 1. Tim. 6.1. honour them with all honour; to Matt. 22.21. giue to Caesar that which is Caesars. In vaine is the King made the head, and ruler of the common-wealth. In vaine doth he make lawes, inflict punishments, appoint Iudges, iustices, and Magistrates, sith subiects haue no liberty to obey, or not obey them; no tye in conscience not to violate them; but by the liberty of their Ghospell, are freed from all, and the thinges also are either impossible to be done, or if omitted, it is without any sinne, more then veniall at the most, that is, not imputed. In vaine and foolishly do they condemne Popes for assuming power to declare Princes deposed, or to depose them in case of ex­treme necessary to conserue the true fayth of God, and the right authority of the Church, or to preuent the grieuous calamity of the common good, sith euery one among them may doe the same, and more vpon his priuate authority, to right his owne priuate wronge. In vaine & foolishly doe they accuse, and condemne Popes for deposing Emperours, & Kinges, as Gregory the second did Leo Isauricus, Zachary did Chilpericke the King of France, Gregory the 7. did Henry the 4. Innocent the 3. did Otho the 4. Alexander the 2. did Iohn of En­gland, and the like, since they themselues in so short a tyme haue deposed two Queenes in Scotland, one Bishop of Geneua, and by armes laboured to depose one Queene of England, two Kings of France, three Kinges of Spaine, three Emperours of Germany from their temporall right, and dominion. All which are lawfull, and warrantable, according to these grounds of their Fayth, that no lawes are possible, or oblige in conscience, that no bad workes are imputed, or hinder saluation, that the liberty of the Ghospell makes all actions free and voluntary, that only fayth doth iustify, and cannot be lost, that no man hath freewill, nor can do otherwise thē God hath decreed. Which positions ouerthrow all duety of obedience, and all obligation of duty to any Prince.

3. All con­sultations, exhortatiōs & threats.Sixtly, it followes, that in vaine, and to no end are all consultations, and deliberations of thinges to be done, eithe [...] by priuate persons in their priuate affaires, or by publike Councellours of Princes for the publicke good, because all in [Page 265] both must be as God hath decreed, and man hath no more free-will to do otherwise then he is determined, then he hath not to be a man as he was created. In vaine are all pre­cepts, and lawes of doing or not doing, going or staying, bargayning, buying, or selling, because man hath neither freedome of will, nor obligation in conscience to do them, more then to reach heauen with his fingar. In vaine are all exhortations either priuate or publicke, in sermons or in fa­miliar speaches, by preachers, parents, or friends, either from euill, or to good, to one study or other, to one course of life or other, to one worke or other, because man hath no more power, or freedome of will to choose any of them, then he hath freedome to cure himselfe of the goute, or an ague, or restore his arme that is cut off. In vaine and to no end are ei­ther terrours, and threats of punishment, or promises, and hopes of reward either, prayses & commendations of good, and dispraises and reprehensions of bad deedes, because nei­ther are any deeds in themselues good, but bad before God, nor is any man more free, and able to do the one, rather thē the other, then he is to moue mountaines, or to adde height to his stature. To what end therefore are Maisters offended with the negligence of seruants? Doe parents correct the vndutifullnes of their children? Do Princes punish the re­bellion, or offences of their subiects? Do Preachers reprehēd the vices of their auditours, or exhort them to workes of piety, and charity, disswade them from actions of sinne, and iniquity? Sith the workes be both alike sinnes, do both alike violate the precept, and are both alike forgiuen, and not im­puted, sith the lawes do not oblige in conscience, and are impossible to be kept, sith the parties haue no power, or freedome to do the one, more then the other; but all as by the decree of God, and force of their originall concupiscence are forced, and necessitated to do it.

Seauenthly, it followes, that in vaine, and to no end, 4. All cases and scruple of consci­en [...]. doth any Protestant make any scruple of conscience (which needes not, as a law to direct, as a thousand witnesses to ac­cuse, as a iudge to condemne or cleare, as an executioner to torment and torture him, as it doth other men for their sinnes [Page 266] vnrepēted) because where no sinne is imputed, where no Free-will is admitted, where no good worke, or obseruati­on of any commandement is possible, where no law of God or man doth oblige in conscience to performāce, what needs any conscience to torment, or trouble it selfe with the guilt of any law infringed, with the sting of any iniustice commit­ted, with the scruple of any good worke omitted; since nei­ther the law could be fullfilled, nor the act could be preuen­ted, nor any punishment shalbe inflicted, nor God offended? Why should therfore be studied any cases of conscience? Why should be admitted any Chancery, or Court of conscience? Why should there be any confession of sinnes secret, or any restitution of debts, and monyes secret, any forbearance of wrong secret, when there is no feare or shame of man? Why shall therefore any Protestant in life, or at death trouble his conscience, or haue any scruple of any good worke omit­ted, of any secret murther committed, of any iniustice, rapine cruelty, periury, bribery, sorcery practised, or of any here­sy, idolatry, or infidelity, of any Iudaisme, Turcisme, or Atheisme belieued, followed, or perswaded? Surely he needes not, for one dramme of fayth, of speciall fayth, of ap­prehension of Christs iustice, compounded with an impossi­bility of performing the law, with the necessity of mans wil, with the liberty of the Ghospell, and with the certainty of present and future iustification, will purge all this melancho­ly, feare and scrupulosity, and leaue the soule cleare of any doubt, feare, timidity, or vncertainty of heauen, for any whatsoeuer sinnes, and offences howsoeuer, or by whome­soeuer committed.

Out of all which former absurdities, we may obserue these differences betweene a Protestant and a Catholike, & a iust man of the one, The differē ­ce between a iust Catholike, and a iust Prote­stant. and a iust man of the other; that, 1. A Protestant belieues a fayth which neuer any Prince, Prelate, or people, neuer any Doctour, Confessour, or Martyr, ne­uer any Councell prouinciall, or generall belieued for 1500. and more yeares before Luther. The Catholike belieues the same which all Princes Christian, all Prelates and people re­puted true Christians, all Confessours, Martyrs, and Saints, [Page 267] all Councels generall no fewer then eighten, and all prouin­ciall aboue 100. haue euer since Christ professed and belie­ued. Secondly, a Protestant belieues a fayth which falsify­eth and frustrateth the predictions of the Prophets, the pro­mises of Christ, the preaching of the Apostles, the mission of Pastours, the succession of Prelates, the ordination of Priests the vertue of miracles, the constancy of Confessours, the pu­rity of Virgins, the bloud of Martyrs, and the vnity, sancti­ty, antiquity, and vniuersality of the Catholicke Church▪ the Catholike belieues and professes a fayth which verifies, and confirmes all the former, and in which they agree in be­liefe, and profession with them all. Thirdly, the Protestants belieue a fayth which hath lesse authority, credibility, and motiues of persuasion, such as are miracles, vnity, vniuersa­lity, and others to persuade, and make it credible, then hath the fayth of Iewes, Turkes, or Pagans: the Catholikes be­lieue that which hath vnity, visibility, vniuersality, anti­quity, sanctity, prophecies, miracles, monuments of piety, charity, bounty, and all reasons of probability to persuade, and make it credible. Fourthly the Protestant is made iust by a speciall fayth, of which is no mention either in any Scrip­ture, Tradition, Councell, or Father, and which neither Doctour, Father, Prelate, Prince, Prouince, people or per­son in the world before them belieued, and professed as a sa­uing, and iustifying fayth: the Catholicke is made iust by a Catholike fayth which hath beene generall, vniuersall, & wholy by all people, Prelates, and Princes, in all tymes and places acknowledged, and professed. Fifthly, the Protestāt is made iust by a fayth, by which all the seed and posterity of Abraham, Noe, and Adam, yea all Iewes, Gentils, Turks, He­retikes, & wicked blasphemers, idolaters, murtherers, sacri­legious and incestuous persons which haue beene, or shalbe till the worlds end, may as well be saued and assured of their saluation, as they themselues: the Catholike is made iust by a fayth, by which only they who belieue truly, and liue pi­ously, or repent and amend faithfully, can be iustified and sa­ued. Sixthly, the Protestant is made iust by a speciall fayth, which is false, as belieuing many pointes for true which yet [Page 268] are contrary one to another; which is contradictory, as houl­ding positions contradicting one another; which is sinneful, as being a sinne and that mortall, as all their good works are; which is presumptuous, presuming without grace to be made holy, without merit to attaine a reward, without mās owne labour, and concurrence to be crowned with the glo­ry of heauen; which is iniurious to hope which it destroies by certainty; to charity which it maks impossible to do good workes, all which it turnes into sinnes, and that mortall: The Catholikes are iustifyed by a fayth which admits none of the former absurdities, but is true, humble, vniforme, pious, and a foundation for hope, charity, and good life. Seauenthly, the Protestant is iustifyed by a fayth which de­rogates from the redemption of Christ, making it neither v­niuersall for all, nor perfect for any, nor able to cure one mā; but is only an apprehension of iustice, only a couer for sinne, only a conceit that a man is iust, when he is assured he is vn­iust; which makes Christ neither vpright lawyer, for that he makes lawes impossible to be kept; nor iust Iudge for that he giues neither reward, or punishment according to deedes and deserts; nor perpetuall Priest, for that he offers no sacri­fice at all, or but only that one of the Crosse; which makes Christ ignorant, getting by degrees knowledge as other men; impotent not able to satisfy sinne but with suffering all the paines euen those of hell due to sinne; inconsiderate, as making prayers & vowes vnaduised, and not premedita­ted; sinnefull in staggering between praysing, and blasphe­ming God, betweene hope and feare of saluation, doubting and despairing of his owne saluation, and lastly damned in hell, and suffering all the paines therein which any damned do: The Catholike is iustifyed by a fayth which makes Christ a perfect Redeemer (of his part) of all men from all sinnes, & from all both guilte, and paine of sinne; a iust law giuer in his lawes, which are easy, and in his iudgments which are according to euery mans workes; a potent Sauiour, who by one action of his diuine person is able to satisfy for all sinne; a person alwayes perfect in all knowledge, alwayes imma­culate without any the least spot of sinne, and alwayes bles­sed, [Page 269] and glorified with the vision and fruition of God euen from his conception. And thus much a Protestant and Ca­tholike differ in the points of a iustifying fayth.

Looke further yet into the soule, and persons of the one and the other. 8. A iust Protestant hath originall sinne re­mayning in him; a iust Catholike hath it taken away from him. 9. The one is inwardly infected, corrupted, and rot­ten in sinne; the other is inwardly pure, sound, beautifull, & adorned with grace. 10. The one hath all his actions stained polluted, and made damnable by the infection of his original sinne; the other hath many of his actions gracious, liuely, and made meritorious by grace. 11. The one in all his acti­ons euen the best doth offend and displease God; the other in all his actions which are not bad doth honour & please God. 12. The one by his good actions deserues nothing but eter­nall damnation; the other by his good deedes deserues eter­nall saluation. 13. The one is iust only before man, and by God esteemed iust, though he be internally and indeed vn­iust; the other is iust before God, and internally, and really indeed iust. 14. The one hath no deformity, or guilt of sinne washed, cured, or taken away, but only not imputed; the o­ther hath all guilt washed, cleansed, & abolished by inherent iustice & grace. 15. The one hath neither power, nor liberty to do any good worke; the other assisted by grace, hath free-to do good. 16. The one cannot performe any one comman­dement; the other by grace can performe them all. 17. The one cannot resist but yield to euery motion of concupiscence; the other can, and doth by grace resist ill motions. 18. The one cannot loue God, praise him, feare, or honour him in any action; the other can do it, by Gods grace in all his acti­ons. 19. The one cannot increase in iustice or grace, but is as iust at the first instant of his iustification, as euer; the other can, and doth become more iust, patient, humble, and charitable. 20. The one may commit any sinne, though of murder, adultery, blasphemy, heresy, or idolatry, and yet remaine iust, and not loose his iustice, nor the fauour of God; the other may, and must auoid all the same, or the like sinnes least he loose grace, and be damned. 21. The one, let [Page 270] him do what he will, is sure he shalbe saued, and cannot by any sinne be damned, except Christ be damned; the other with feare and trembling doth labour to make his election and saluation, by good works sure. 22. The one needs to make no conscience of breaking any law of God, or man; be­cause neither oblige in conscience, and both are impossible to be performed: the other thinks himselfe tyed in consci­ence to performe both. 23. The one, though he sinne, needs no more but only by faith to assure himselfe his sinne is coue­red by the iustice of Christ, and not imputed to him: the other, if he sinne, must haue hope, charity, contrition, con­fession, and satisfaction, penance, and purpose of amendment to sinne no more. 24. The one laies all the burthen of his sinnes vpon Christ, and his satisfaction, and himselfe rests idle and secure: the other by the vertue of the same merit of Christ labours with all austerity to satisfy himselfe, as far as by grace he can, and to do his endeauour to pacify God. Now whether of these two estates, the former of the Pro­testant, or the later of the Catholick be more honourable to God, more agreable to piety, more worthy to be esteeme in themselues, and so more to be preferred by man, let the in­different Reader iudge, and make choice.

Of absurdities which follow vpon the fourth head, that is, of absolute predestination to damnation. SECT. V.