Conference Between Rainolds and Hart, Discussion of conclusions 1

Conference Between Rainolds and Hart · Discussion of conclusions 1

p. 681ALthough I am not ignorant (right worshipfull audience) that Cato the graue Censour reprooued a certaine Roman ▪ who taking vponupon him to write a storie in Greeke had rather craue pardon of his fault in dooing it, then kéepe himselfe cléere from committing that fault: yet so it hath hapned to me at this present, yelding shal I say thereto, or refusing it, surely some what against my will, but so it hath hapned, that I who could not choose but commit a faut, am forced to request you to pardon my faut. For both the weakenes of my voice, because it is not able to fill the largenesse of this place, wil discontent perhaps them who heare me not: and the vnripenesse of my abiliti…, which I feare me will not answere the solemnitie of this assemblie in handling those things that are to be debated, will of likelihoode be reproued by them who heare me. How much the more earnestly I am to request, by word, you that heare me; by will, the rest who heare me not: that either you wil be no Censours at all, or els be more fauourable Censours then Cato; least either you iudge me to hauehave dealt vnwisely who did not kéepe my selfe from fault; or impudent, who first commit it▪ and then request you not to blame it. Neither do I dout but I shal finde defense, for the weakenes of my voice, in your frendly curtesi… before whom I speake: for the vnripenes of my abilitie, in the goodnes of the cause which I hauehave to speake off. For, that your curtesie will condemne me of that fault, which I could not eschew, I néede not to feare. And the goodnes of the cause hath in it such euident and cléere light of trueth, that (I doo not dout) it will defend it selfe though no man pleade for it. Wherein I hope also that you euen your selues either doo already or will agrée with me: if you shall heare me open as briefly as I may the meaning of the thrée Conclusions that I h…ld, the perfection of the scripture, the infirmitie of the Church, the autoritie of them both. For, as for the praise and commendation of Diuinitie, whereof the beginning is from heauen; the maiestie, diuine; the office, to be an instrument of saluation to mankinde; which was ordeyned by God the father, reueled by Iesus Christ, registred in writing by the holy Ghost: I cannot speake thereof p. 682as I would, according to the woorthines of the thing; as I may, according to my power, I ought not. In the one, I hope, you approue my good will: in the other, I beséech you, take my iudgement in good part. For I do… not say, by way of amplification colourably, that I refraine therefore from the praising of it, because my woundering at it dooth dasell (like the brightnesse of the sun-beames) the eyes of my minde: as aaCic. pro Dei…tar.Tully faineth of Caesar that the people shewed not their good will toward him by ioyful clapping of their hands, because that they being amazed with woondring at him could not stirre themselues. But as bbEsay. 6.….Isa 6the prophet Esay witnesseth of God, that, when he behelde his maiestie, he was dismaied, because he was a man of polluted lips, vnworthie to behold the king and Lord of hostes: so may I protes… from my hart in trueth, that, when I consider the highnes of Gods worde, I holde my peace as amazed, because I am a man of polluted lips, vnfitte to touch the noblenesse of a thing so woorthie. Wherefore I willingly leaue these Iuy-garlands to be hanged vp by them, who vent the wine of Philosophie, Physike, and Lawe: which artes very profitable, but for the life that fadeth; excellent, but humaine; commendable, but transitorie; beutifull, but brittle, I dout not but already the learning and eloquence of men well séene therein hath made you wel to like of in this exercise of disputations. Now I take a greater enterprise in hand, for the valour of the thing which I am to deale with: though nether with better witte, nor deeper iudgement then they whom I folow in the course of dealing. Liu. lib. 21.Liuie reporteth that Annibal, hauing purposed to fight…with the Romans, did cause certaine couples of captiues to fight one with an other hand to hand, before he set his souldiers in battaile aray: that his Carthaginians might, by that pastime of the captiues combat, addresse them selues with better consideration and courage to the serious and set battaile. In like sorte there hauehave béene brought before you (gentle audience) to the combat sundrie opinions of sundrie artes, as it were cooples of captiues: which whether they liue or dye, be so or not so, it skilleth not greatly; the state of the realme is not ventured vponupon it. But now from that sporting conflict of light matters there cometh to the battaile for earnest tryall of thinges of weight, host against host, truth against falshood, religion against errour: wherein if p. 683we swarue out of the right way, it is the death not of captiues, but of Carthaginians; not opinions of men, but the truth of God is hazarded; not life, not health, not wealth and possessions, but the inheritance of heauen and saluation cometh into controuersie. Lend me therefore (I pray you) the presence of your mindes, and patience of your eares, to that which shall be spoken: remembring that we hauehave, not toyes, as on a stage, but serious thinges in hand. And because we handle the matters of the Lord, I pray him to sanctifie with his holy spirit our tongues, and your eares, and the mindes of all: that neither we dispute to any other end then to bring foorth the truth into light by conference of reasons; neither you in hearing hauehave any other minde then to beléeue the truth when it shalbe brought foorth, and proued.

To beginne therefore with the first Conclusion, The first conclusiō.and so runne ouer the rest briefly: the holy scripture teacheth the Church all things necessarie to saluation. God the father of eternall goodnes and mercy did choose of his frée and singular fauour (before the foundations of the world were laide) a great number of men, whom he would indue with euerlasting life, and make them heires of heauenly glory. Now, that the chosen might come to this inheritance: they were to be made the children of God by adoption through Iesus Christ. For this hath euer béene the onelyonly way to saluation. In consideration whereof, the holy ghost, speaking of the company of such as God hath chosen, termeth them ddRom. 8. ver. 16.Rom 8:16sometime the children of God, by adoption, not by nature, yet ccver. 17.felow heires with Christ; sometime ffReu. 19.7.Rev 19:7the wife of the Lambe, which is indowed with al the wealth of her husband; some time ggEph. 5.23.Eph 5:23the body of Christ, by the power and vertue of whom as of a head they are gouerned, and moued; sometime hhReu. 22.2.Rev 22:2the citizens of heauen, appointed to bee inhabitants of the new Ierusalem; finally, Christ him selfe (to omit the rest) doth call them his Church, iiMat. 16.1….Matt 16:1which the gates of hell shall not preuaile against. This Church then, euen the company of the elect and chosen, the children of God, the wife of the Lambe, the body of Christ, the citizens of heauen, that is to say, the holy Catholike Church; as it is chosen and ordained by God to life euerlasting: so hath it béene alwayes taught by his worde the way of saluation, whereby it might come to the possession of that life. His word being vttered in old time sundry wayes, was published at p. 684length in writing. And so it came to passe that the holy writinges of God did teach the Church such thinges as must be knowne for the obteining of saluation. For who could reueale the way to obtaine the inheritance of the kingdom of God, but God alone? And he reueled it to his Church, as first without writing, in such sort as séemed best to his wisdome; so afterwarde in writing, by the hand of his seruants inspired with the holy Ghost: without writing, to Adam, and from Adams time till Moses; in writing, to Moses and from Moses forwarde till the ende of the world. Wherfore in these writings giuen out by the holy Ghost, and penned by the seruants of God, which writings S. kk2. Tim. 3.26.2 Tim 3:26Paul calleth scripture, by an excellencie, as you would say the writings which surpasse all others: the way of saluation whereby wee come to heauen, the light of our soules which shineth in this worlds darkenesse, the foode of life which nourisheth vsus to grow in Christ, is deliuered to the Church. For cléerer proofe whereof, let vsus diuide the Church into the olde and the new: the olde, before Christ; the new, since Christ was borne. The Prophets taught the old Church the way of saluation: the Apostles with the Prophets together teach the new more plenteously and fully. The doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles is comprised in the holy scripture. The scripture therefore teacheth the Church whatsoeuer is behoofefull to saluation. For the Church is the company of the elect and chosen. Now they who are elect, are llEph. 2. ver. 19Eph 2:19of the houshold of God: and they of his houshold mmver. 20.are built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes, Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone. But, this foundation of the Apostles and Prophets is the doctrine touching Christ which they preached to the Church. And that doctrine which they preached is enrolled in scripture. Wherefore the scripture teacheth the Church all thinges that for saluation are requisite to be knowne. Moses (to beginne with the first of the Prophets) hauing published the law of God to the Israelites: nnDeut. 4.2. & 12.32.Deut 4:2Deut 12:32GiueGive eare (saith he) O Israel to the ordinances which I teach. Ye shall not adde to the worde which I command you, nor shall you take from it: but whatsoeuer I command you, that shall ye obserue to doo, that ye may keepe the commandements of the Lord your God. Now the Israelites were to labour for the obtaining of saluation. But they might do nothing p. 685which was not prescribed by the law of God. Therefore the writen law of God did deliuer whatsoeuer was needfull for the saluation of the Israelites. And there is no dout but the Israelites were the Church. The law then did teach whatsoeuer was needfull for the saluation of the Church. The Prophets, who folowed, were expounders of the law: that as they were inspired with the same spirit by which Moses wrote, so they neither added any thing to his law, nor tooke from it; onelyonly they vnfolded it to the edifying of the Church, as it séemed best to the holy ghost. I let passe Dauid: in whom there are not many mo ooCh…e…ly the 19. & 119. Psal.Psalmes then there are testimonies of the sufficiency of the law. Esay examineth both the faith and life of the Priestes and people, by ppEsai 1.22. & 8.20.Isa 1:22Isa 8:20the law and testimonie. Idolaters are condemned by the Lord in Ieremie, for dooing in their sacrifices qqIer. 19.5.Jer 19:5thinges which he commanded not. In Malachie the last Prophet God willeth his people to rrMal. 4 4.Mal 4:4remember the law of Moses: that he as a schoolemaister may leade them to Christ, whose forerunner should be Elias. But these thinges could not hauehave beene spoken by God or the seruants of God, vnlesse the law of Moses had shewed the whole and perfit way of saluation. The law of Moses therefore did wholy and perfitly instru… the Church therein. Which if the law of Moses did performe alone: much more all the Prophets together with Moses. How may it then be douted, but the olde Church was taught out of the scriptures the way of saluation wholly and perfitly? S. Iohn (to passe ouer from the Prophets to the Apostles) after that the sunne of righteousnesse was risen, not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it, and to bring a brighter and cléerer light into the worlde, declareth in the gospell how Iesus Christ our Sauiour, doing the office of our soueraine Prophet, Priest, and King, accomplished our saluation, by teaching, by dying, by rising from the dead. Our saluation then is fully wrought by Christ. But is it fully written by S. Iohn? Let vsus heare him selfe speake. ssIohn 20.31.John 20:31These things (saith he) are writen, that ye may beleeue that Iesus is the Christ, the sonne of God, and that in beleeuing yee may hauehave life through his name. In which wordes the summe and end of the gospell is set downe by Iohn: the summe, that we may beleeue that Iesus is the Christ, **foreign.the Christ, that is, the soueraine Priest, Prophet, and King, the Sauiour of men: the end, that we beleeuing in p. 686Christ, the sonne of God, may through him hauehave life, euen that which alone is called life rightly, to wit, eternall life. Which things being so, as the Euangelist him selfe teacheth: it must néedes be granted, that those things which are writen in the gospell are sufficient for vsus, both to the way of life, and to life. As much then as sufficeth to faith and saluation, so much is writen in the gospell. For if the things which are writen had not béene sufficient to faith, and saluation, there were ttIoh. …0.30. & 1….25.mo thing…, which might hauehave bene writen, so many as the world could not hauehave conteined. But these were omitted by the spirit of God, because the other were enough for his purpose. For he giueth this reason why mo were not writen: these things are writen that yee may beleeue, and in beleeuing may hauehave life. There is contained therefore in S. Iohns gospell so much as is sufficient to faith and saluation. Then if S. Iohns gospell alone hauehave sufficient: how plentifully hath Christ prouided for his Church, as a most bountifull Lord for his houshold, to which he hath giuen so many Apostles, and Euangelists, witnesses and expounders of the same doctrine? Wherefore the scripture doth not onelyonly teach the Church, but also amply and plentifully teach it, all things behoofull to saluation. For although the substance of the Christian faith be single and the same, wherewith as with meate the seruants of God are fedde to life eternall: yet, as the ages of the seruants differ, and in ages different their cases differ too; so was it méete there should be sundry sortes and waies to diuide that meate, and as it were to season it, for ech one his part as it might best agrée with him. Whereof that we might hauehave a true & liuely paterne set foorth by Christs owne spirit in the word of life for the féeding of the faithfull: therefore hée gaue sundry woorkemen (so to terme them) and writers of his faith, that although they deliuered all the same foode, yet they did not dresse it all in one sort. And so it cometh to passe, that, in those writers of the faith of Christ, both the vnitie of doctrine in the diuersitie of deliuering yeldeth a swéete tast in the spirituall mouth of the godly minde; and the manifold vse ministreth holesome nourishment to eueryevery mans stomake; & the euident plainnesse in the groundes of faith maketh that euen they who are of deintiest mouthes can not refuse it for the toughnes; and the hidden wisedome in the secretes of scripture both trieth the strongest, and satisfieth them p. 687who are sharpest set; and (to say that in a word which no wordes can expresse enough) the infinite treasures bring infinite fruits to the faithfull, to procure them a blessednes that is exceeding great and infinite. Wherefore it is a thing so cléere, and so sure, that those secretaries of the holy Ghost (ioyned togither) doo open to the Church in the holy scriptures all things behoofefull to saluation: that he, who knoweth it not, may be iustly counted ignorant; hée who acknowledgeth it not, lewde; hée who dissembleth it, vnthankfull; hée who denieth it, more then wicked. For what can there be in cléerenesse more euident, or in peise more weightie, or in strength more sound, or in truth more certaine, then that generall principle which S. Paul deliuereth, not as Moses, of the law; not as Iohn, of the gospell; but of the whole scripture and holy writt, to Timothee: uu2. Tim. 3.16.2 Tim 3:16The whole scripture is giuen by inspiration of God, and is profitable to teach, to improue, to correct, to instruct in righteousnes, that the man of God may bee furnished, throughly furnished to eueryevery good worke. Thus, if you demaund of what autoritie scripture is, it came from God by inspiration; if you regard what vse it hath, it teacheth, improueth, correcteth, instructeth; if you would sée to what end, it is, that the man of God may be furnished. Our dutie in Christ Iesus, is xxGal. 5.….Gal 5faith woorking by louelove. Faith embraceth sound doctrine: louelove requireth a godly life. Soundnes of doctrine is held, if true things be taught, and false refuted. Godlines of life is kept, if we fly from euill, and folow good. But the holy scripture teacheth the truth; improueth errour; correcteth iniquitie; instructeth to righteousnes: as it appéereth by the Apostles wordes. Therefore it setteth foorth a mans whole dutie in Christ Iesus: that is, (as I suppose,) so much as sufficeth to saluation. For it is not onelyonly profitable to these things, (as some doo mince the matter,) but sufficient too: in so much that it is yy2. Tim. 3.15.2 Tim 3:15able to make a man wise to saluation through faith, and to furnish him. Yea, to furnish what maner of man? the man of God: that is, the Lordes interpreter, the Minister of the worde, the teacher of the Church, the Pastour of the flocke, euen zz1. Tim. 6.1….1 Tim 6:1Timothee himselfe: much more the flock of the faithfull, in whom so great furniture of wisdome is not necessary. Howbeit the Apostle neither so contented with saying, that the man of God may be furnished: addeth (to beat the absolute p. 197perfection of the scripture into our mindes and memories, (with as many reasons, as he vseth wordes,) that the man of God may be 11foreign.furnished, 22foreign.throughly furnished, to euerie good worke. Whereupon it foloweth that there is nothing at all that can be wished for, either to soundnes and sinceritie of faith, or to integritie and godlines of life, that is, to mans perfection, and the way of saluation: which the scripture geuen by inspiration of God doth not teach the faithfull seruantes of Christ. It is the iudgement therefore of the holy Ghost, whose sentence I defend, as I am bound by duetie: that the holy scripture teacheth the Church all things necessarie to saluation. Here, if some perhaps desire the testimonies of the Fathers, though, to what purpose, sith ye hauehave heard the Father of Fathers? notwithstanding, if any would heare the scholers iudgement when he hath heard the masters, he shall heare the iudgement not of this or that man of whom he might dout, but of the whole Church and of all the Saints. For they, with one agréement and generall consent, hauehave termed the bookes of scripture, Canonicall, of the word Canon, which signifieth a rule: because they containe a worthy rule and squire of religion, faith, and godlines, according whereunto the building of the house of God must be fitted. Which opinion touching the Canon of the scripture, (allowed by aaDefens. …id. Tilden. lib. 3.Andradius himselfe the chiefest patrone of the Popish faith) hath béene so well liked of the ancient Doctors: that bbDe doctr. Chri…tian. lib. 2. c. 9.Austin saith, that all things concerning faith and maners are contained in those, I say not which are, but which are plaine in scripture: ccIn 2. ad Thessalon. hom. 3.Chrysostome auoucheth in the like maner, that eueryevery thing is cleere and euident by the scriptures; and whatsoeuer things are necessarie, they are manifest: ddContr. Hermogen.Tertullian pronounceth that himselfe honoureth the fulnes of the scriptures; and denounceth a woe to Hermogenes the heretike, if he take ought from those things which are writen, or adde to them: eeContr. Heluidium.Ierom, in the controuersie which he had with Heluidius, doth turne the reason in and out, we beleeue it because we reade it, we beleeue it not because we reade it not: ffIn euang. Ioh. lib. 12. cap. 68.Cyrill obserueth, that such of the things doon by Christ are writen, as the writers thought to be sufficient for maners and doctrine: ggSerm. de Fid.Basil affirmeth, that it is a manifest reuolting from the faith, either to disallow p. 172any thing that is writen, or to bring in any thing that is not writen: to be short, all the Fathers (vnlesse it were when some humaine infirmity ouertooke them) agrée with one minde, and say with one voice, that all things which God hath willed vsus to beléeue and doo, are comprehended in the scriptures. For, as touching that some of them sometimes, as hhDe sanc. spir. cap 29.Basil and iiContr. …aer. lib. 2. tom. 1. haer. 61.Epiphanius, assaying all sortes of helpes against heretikes, will hauehave certaine things to be contained in traditions, whereto by the iudgement of scripture it selfe there must no lesse credit be geuen then to scripture: I take not vponupon me to controll them, but let the Church iudge, whether they considered with aduise inough those sayings of S. Paul, by which they were induced perhaps to this opinion, at least they séeke to prooue it. For Epiphanius groundeth vponupon these wordes of his to the Corinthians: kk1. Cor 11.2.1 Cor 11:2as I deliuered to you; and, I hauehave deliuered so in the Churches; and, ll1. Cor. 15.1.1 Cor 15:1if ye keepe it, except ye hauehave beleeued in vaine. And Basil gathereth it to be Apostolike doctrine, (that we must hold fast vnwriten traditions,) by his wordes to the Thessalonians: mm2. Thes. 2.15.2 Thess 2:15hold the traditions which ye hauehave been taught either by word or by our epistle. Now if S. Paul meant in both these places by [deliuered] and [traditions] his doctrine, deliuered to them by word of mouth, yet comprised in scripture too: then must it be granted that they were deceiued who thought that vnwriten traditions were approoued by S. Pauls traditions. But the former point is true, that he meant so. Therefore the later also is true which foloweth of it. For he dooth expound it himselfe, to the Corinthians, considering that nn1. Cor. ….23. … 2.13. & 7.17. & 11.23. & 14.40.▪ and so foorth in the rest of the epistle.he writeth the summe of those things which he had deliuered; and, what oo1. Cor. 11.2….1 Cor 11:2he deliuered, that he receiued (he saith) of the Lord; and ppLuk. 22.19.Luke 22:19that which he receiued of the Lord, is writen; and in plaine termes qq1. Cor. 15.3.1 Cor 15:3he witnesseth himselfe to hauehave deliuered that vntounto them, which he had receiued according to the scriptures, to weet, that Christ died for our sinnes according to the scriptures, and that he was buried and that hee rose the third day according to the scriptures. As for the Thessalonians, what the things were, which he deliuered vntounto them by word, it is shewed in therrAct. 17.2.Acts 17:2 actes of the Apostles: where we reade that Paul being come to Thessalonica, taught the Iewes out of the scriptures, that it behooued Christ to suffer, and to p. 690rise again from the dead, and that this Iesus whom (said he) I preach to you, is the Christ. In which words it is opened both what Paul deliuered to the Thessalonians by word, and from whence: from whence? out of the scriptures: what? that it behooued Christ to suffer, and rise againe, and that Iesus is **As before, Ioh. 20.31.John 20:31the Christ. The tradition therefore, which Paul dooth exhort the Thessalonians to hold, is the tradition of the gospell, as ssAmb. in 2. ad Thes. cap. 2.Ambrose calleth it very wel. Which the reason also doth proue, that Ambrose noteth, that Paul doth there gather: tt2. Thess. 2. ver. 14.2 Thess 2:14God hath raysed you to saluation by our gospell; uuver. 15.therefore stand ye fast, and hold the traditions which ye hauehave been taught either by word or by our epistle: as if he should say, see therefore that ye stand stedfast in the gospell, which I, as well by word of mouth as by writing, hauehave deliuered to you. Thus S. Pauls traditions are the gospel deliuered. And the gospel (I hope) is writen. Therfore S. Pauls traditions are writen. But the saluation of y^e Thessalonians was contained in the traditions which S. Paul had taught them by word & by epistle. The scripture then informeth the Church of so much as is necessary to saluation. Wherfore auant heretikes out of y^e schoole of Christ, ye Valentinians, Marcionites, and Gnostikes: who (as xxAduers. haer. lib. 3. c. 2.Irenaeus reporteth) did deny that the truth may be learned out of the holy scriptures by them who know not tradition. Auant Iewes, by whom the Cabala of the Rabbins; auant Montanists by whom the new Comforter; auant Anabaptists, by whom reuelations; auant ye yyConcil. …rid. Sess. 4. Decr. 1.Trent-councell-fathers and ye Papist…, by whom traditions beside scripture are falsly reputed to be necessarie to saluation. Our saluation is Christ; the way to saluation, faith; the guide of the way, scripture: whereof the light and lanterne directeth our steps, the food nourisheth our soules, the preseruatiue keepeth vsus from diseases, the sword killeth our enimies, the plaister healeth our woundes, in a word the safe conduit doth bring vsus vntounto eternall life.

The second conclusion.The second Conclusion, which I am next to treate of, doth vndertake to shew that the militant Church may erre both in maners and in doctrine. In maners, against the Puritans: Aug…st. de haeres. ad Quod…ultd. cap. 33.who, chalenging to them selues a singular kinde of holinesse, denyed repentance to such as had fallen. In doctrine, against the Papists: aaCatechis. Concil. Trid. in ….who for a defense and shield of their errours hold p. 691forth this bugge to fright vsus out of our wits, The Church can not erre. Here, that the truth may be the better opened, the name of Church must be distinguished. For, as Thrasylaus, (a frantike man amongst the Greekes) bbAthenaeus Dipnosophist. lib. 12.whensoeuer he saw any ships ariue into the hauen at Athens, thought them all his owne, and tooke an inuentory of their wares, and met them with great ioy: after the like maner certaine frantike Romanists, ccAlbert. Pigh. in eccles. hierar. Bristow in his Motiues and Demaunds.wheresoeuer they see the name of the Church in the holy scripture, they take it to be theirs, and booke the treasures of it, and boast thereof as of their owne, crying, the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it. But to remoue these frantike men out of the hauen, and deliuer the marchants ech their owne ships, & set the Church it selfe in possession of the Church, the name of the **foreign, of foreign.Church in Gréeke (the natiue language of the new testament) cometh from a verbe which signifyeth to call out, thereby to note a company called out, as you would say. So that the Church of Christ be tokeneth a company called out from amongst the multitude of other men to life euerlasting through faith in Christ Iesus. But they who are called out of the refuse and filth of mankinde to this state and honour, are not of one sort all. For same of them are called effectually, and doo come: some, that are called, doo not yéeld them selues obedient to the calling. They whom God hath chosen, are called, and doo come: they, who being called come not, are not chosen. That spéech of our Sauiour Christ doth touch them both: ddMat. 20.16.Matt 20:16many are called, but few are chosen. The many, that are called, are named the Church: but (to speake distinctly for instructions sake) the visible Church: because we sée the companies of men which are called to the faith of Christ, which professe that they would enioy eternall life. The few, that are chosen, are named the church also, but the church inuisible: not for that we sée not those whom God hath chosen, but because we can not discerne by sight who be the chosen; only the Lord knoweth who are his. Now, of this Church which we call inuisible, parte is in present possession of heauenly glory, part not hauing yet attained thereunto abideth on the earth. That part which is entred into the ioy of their Lord, is commonly termed the triumphant Church: the other which lyeth in campe and wayteth for the victory, is called the Church militant. But as it falleth out in campes of worldly warfare, that eyther for couetousnes, p. 692or feare, or fauour, there are with faithfull souldiers such as are vnfaithfull, some who neuer minde to come into the field, some who will betray their felowes to their foes, some readie to stirre vp the souldiers to mutinies, some perhaps that traiterously will set vponupon their owne captaine: so the militant church, which hath none but faithfull souldiers of Christ in that respect that it is matched with the Church triumphant, yet, while it abideth in the campe of warfare, there hang about it slipp…ry marchants; who pretend that they also are of Christes souldiers, but vnderunder souldiers coates they beare the heartes of enimies, being such, as they of whom In Cantic. …ermon. 33.Bernard saith, They are in Christes liuery, but they do seruice vntounto Antichrist. Sith therefore to discerne the faithfull souldiers from vnfaithful it belongeth to him alone who shal one day seuer the shéepe frō the goats: we, measuring a souldier by the profession that hée maketh, & othe that bindeth him to warfare, call that the militant Church which is inrolled & billed to serue vnderunder Christ, part wherof doth faithfully sight the Lords battailes, part making shew to serue him doo fight the battailes of the deuill. And this is the militant Church which I meane in the point proposed: the militant Church may erre both in maners and in doctrine. To the ripping vp whereof we must obserue, that it is proper to God alone by nature, to be holy, true, perfit, and free from errours: as contrari-wise man by nature is vncleane, a lyer, vnperfit, prone to deceiue and be deceiued. For ffRom. 3.4.Rom 3:4eueryevery man is a lyer: God alone is true. And ggMark. 10.18.Mark 10:18none is good but God: he is naught therefore that is a méere man. But of grace God bestoweth vponupon man the gift of perfection, holines, and truth, as it were a beame of the sunne shining into a house of clay, to giuegive vsus light and warmth. Howbeit this beame, though the more the sunne of righteousnes ascēdeth and cometh daily néerer vsus, the greater light and warmth it yeldeth: neuerthelesse it shal not ouershine vsus with full light of truth, and warmth of holines, vntill we be taken out of our houses of clay, and go into the open heauen vntounto God. The militant Church hath the beames of the sunne, but as in a house, not in the open heauen: sometimes it is shadowed and made dimme with darknes, sometimes it waxeth faint through cold. The triumphant Church hath the sunne it selfe, not within doores, but a broad; not on earth, but in heauen: where neither any darknes doth hinder the light, nor any cold abate p. 693the warmth. Thus it is made proper to the Church triumphant, to be without all spot: as the spowse is told (in the song of Salomon) by her welbeloued, speaking thus vntounto her; hhCant. 4.7.Song 4:7thou being all faire, my louelove, and no spot in thee, shalt come with me from Lebanon, O spouse, with me from Lebanon. For thereby wée learne that as soone as the Church being fully cleansed from spot of all errours shall hauehave attained that excellent fairenesse and perfection, whereto she is fyned by litle and litle in this life: she is taken out of Lebanon, (as you would say, the forest) of this world, and ioyned to her bridegrome in that blessed mariage, to enioy eternall glory with God. But that excellent fairenesse she atteineth not, while she warfareth on the earth. The militant Church therefore is not fully cleane from spot of all errours. Shée shall be iiEph. 5.2.7.Eph 5:2Eph 5:7a Church not hauing spot or wrincle when shée shall be glorious: as Paul declareth to the Ephesians. Wherefore sith to promise that gloriousnesse in this life, is, to sound the triumph before the conquest be gotten: it foloweth that the Church shall hauehave spot and wrincle so long as she doth liue in warfare. But, ouer and besides all this, because the Church, while it is in warfare, hath vnfaithfull souldiours in it amongst the faithfull, who as they are vnlike either to other, so is their case vnlike too: therefore as the men that are in the Church, so the kindes of errours must be discerned and distinguished, that it may the better appéere to what errours what part of the Church is subiect. To erre then is to swarue and turne out of the way, which God by the word of life (the holy scripture) hath willed vsus to walke in. Which way sith it containeth soundnes of doctrine, and godlines of maners, as I hauehave shewed before: therevpon it foloweth that they who offend, either in maners, or in doctrine, doo erre and go out of the way. Wée erre in maners therefore, when we doo ill: we erre in doctrine, when we iudge falsely. Now these errours of the minde are of like condition in comparison of life eternall, as are diseases of the body in comparison of life temporall. So that as amongst diseases of the body some are curable, some are deadly; curable I call them whereof we recouer, deadly, whereof we dye: in like sort amongst the errours of the minde some are curable, which doo not bereue vsus of saluation; some deadly, which bring vsus to euerlasting death. In the Church militant they whom God hath chosen may erre in maners p. 644and doctrine: but their errour is curable, they can not erre to death. But they who are called onelyonly, and not chosen, may erre in maners and doctrine, euen with a deadly errour, which neuer shall be cured. That the chosen may erre in maners and doctrine: it is euident by the Apostles. For they did erre in maners, when kkMatt. 26.56.Matt 26:56they forsooke Christ, at the time that Iudas the renegate betrayed him. They did erre in doctrine, when llAct. 1.6.Acts 1:6they thought the kingdome of Christ to be not heauenly, but earthly: not spirituall, but like the kingdomes of this world; presently to come, not after to be looked for: proper to Israel, not common to all nations by vertue of the promises. Yea, that more is, when they had receiued the holy Ghost in greater measure from heauen, mmGal. 2.14.Gal 2:14Peter went not rightly to the truth of the Gospell: nnReu. 19.10. & 22.8.Rev 19:10Rev 22:8Iohn would hauehave worshipped an Angell once or twise: ooAct. 11.2.Acts 11:2the Apostles & brethren who were in Iudaea thought that the word of God was not to be preached to the Gentiles. But yet al these errours of the Apostles were curable. For both they returned to Christ when he was risen againe from death to life: and first them selues acknowledged, then they taught others the state of his kingdome: and Peter being reproued by Paul, did yeeld vntounto him: and Iohn stayed himselfe vponupon the Angels admonition, and the Apostles with the brethren being taught the truth, were glad y^t God had graunted to the Gentiles also repentance vntounto life. Wherein that is performed which was promised by Christ, when Peter hauing made that worthy profession of faith, he said vntounto him: ppMat. 16.18.Matt 16:18Thou art Peter, and on this stone will I build my church, and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it. The gates of hell 11foreign.shal not preuaile against the church: they shall not preuaile. They 22foreign as y^e Apostle mentioneth. foreign which he preuail…th against …. Cor. 10.4.shall bée of strength then against the Church: but they shall not preuaile by strength. For the elect and chosen of God may take a fall: but fall a way they can not. Perhaps they build stubble: but they build on the foundation. And the foundation is Christ Iesus, from whom they shall neuer be plucked away. For, as Fabius saith in qqLiu. lib. 22.Liuie, that right doth faint often, as being not able well to proue the truth, but it neuer dyeth: so men, who cleaue to right and truth, are oft assaulted, but they are neuer conquered. The rrLuk. 15.4.Luke 15:4sheepe of Christ may go astray in the wildernes: but ssIoh. 10.28.John 10:28they can not perish. The ttLuk. 15.12.Luke 15:12prodigall sonne may go away from his father: but p. 695he shall come againe. The uuLuk. 22.32.Luke 22:32faith of Peter him selfe did sowne, as you would say: but it failed not. Hée was turned away a while from the Lord, whom he denied too: but he was turned againe vntounto him. To conclude, the faithfull are sorely pressed often, by many enemies, and mightie: but they shall neuer be suppressed. xxPsal. 12….1.Ps 12:1Often hauehave they assaulted mee from my youth vp, may Israel now say, often hauehave they assaulted mee from my youth vp: but they hauehave not preuailed against me. It is certaine therefore that the elect and chosen, though they be made the children of God by adoption, yet are subiect to errour. Howbeit, of the other side, they are subiect so, that they are freed from the gilt of errour by Christ, and are accepted as holy of God, because they are in part holy. yyCant. 1. ver. 4Song 1:4I am blacke, ô yee daughters of Ierusalem, saith the spowse, yet I am comely: as the tentes of Kedar, yet as the hangings of Salomon. Yea farther the bridegrome saith, that zzver. 14.shee is faire, nay (that is more) aaver. 7.the Fairest, but the fairest of wemen: not simply the fairest, (as Bernard well noteth) but in comparison of wemen, but in respect of earthly creatures. To teach the Church thereby, least shée waxe proude, that, bbBernard. in Cant. serm. 38.as long as she liueth in the tabernacle of the body, she goeth on towardes, but is not yet come to the perfection of fairenes: and therefore that she is **Non pul…ra om…imodo.not (I vse S. Bernardes wordes) faire altogither, though shee be therefore commended for her fairenesse because shee walketh after the spirit not after the flesh. But here peraduenture some man will obiect (an argument which Papists are euer hammering on) that ccIoh. 14.16. & 15.26. & 16.1… ▪John 14:16John 15:26John 16:1the holy Ghost is promised and giuen by Christ to the elect; and the holy Ghost is the Ghost or spirit of holines and truth: whereof it may seeme to be well gathered that they can neither erre in doctrine, nor in maners. To this, (if it be obiected) thus I answere: that the holy Ghost hath filled with the vnmeasurable abundance of his grace none but Christ onelyonly, ddIoh. 1.1….John 1:1of whose fulnes we all receiue: Christ in déed hath giuen the holy ghost to the elect, but he hath giuen it eeIoh. ….34.by measure, (as I may say with Iohn;) not to this effect that they may not erre, but that they may not erre to death. For it is a sentence not onelyonly proued by Philosophers, but also knowen to simple men by common experience, that whatsoeuer thing is receiued of an other, it is receiued according to the capacitie of that which receiueth it. p. 696We receiue therefore the gifts of the holy Ghost, according to the simple capacitie of mans weakenesse, not to the maiestie of Gods spirit. There is water enough in the maine sea to quench the raging flames that waste a whole towne: but a small dish can not containe enough to asswage the fier that burketh one house. Men, who are begotten **Gen. 5.3.Gen 5:3in the image and likenes of their father Adam, doo flame, & burne as the ffPsal. 57 4.Ps 57:4Prophet speaketh. Though they be ggIoh 3.5.John 3:5borne anew of water and of the spirit: yet the water of the spirit d…th not quite put out all sparkes of faultes and ouersights. For there remaineth hhRom. 7.22. Gal. 5.17.Rom 7:22Gal 5:17a strife betwéen the spirit and the flesh euen in the godly; and the remnants of the flesh stick in the hart and mind both; and ii1. Cor. 13.12.1 Cor 13:12now (while we liue) we know but in part, and kk2. Cor. 12.9.2 Cor 12:9the power of God is perfitted in weaknes; and Ieremie praieth, llIer. 17.14.Jer 17:14heale me O Lord and I shal be healed; and Paul acknowledgeth of himselfe that mmPhil. 3.12.Phil 3:12he is not yet perfitte, though labouring hard toward the marke; and Iames saith generally concerning the faithfull, nnIam. 3.2.Jas 3:2In many things we all offend, and our Sauiour witnesseth that ooIoh. 13.10.John 13:10he which is washed hath neede to wash his feete. Wherefore though the chosen and elect of God be renued by the holy Ghost: yet they are not clensed so in this life from all peruersenes of hart, and blindnes of minde, that they can neither swarne from dooing their duetie, nor be deeeiued in iudgement. For ppIoh. 13.16.John 13:16the holy Ghost, no dout, (as Christ promised,) dooth leade thē into all truth, yea I say farther into all holines: but so, as S. Paul professeth to the Ephesians, that qqAct. 20. vea. 27.Acts 20he shewed them all the counsell of God. Now, he shewed them all the counsell of God, not absolutely and simply, but rrver. 20.so farre as was profitable for them. The holy Ghost therefore doth lighten the mindes and sancti…e the harts of the elect and chosen so farre, as is expedient for their saluation. But it is expedient for vsus to erre in some things: that we may geue all ss1. Tim. 1.17.1 Tim 1:17glory vntounto God alone; that, knowing what we are, ttRom. 11.20.Rom 11:20we be not high minded; that we may be taught to uuGal. 6.2.Gal 6:2beare ech others burdens; that we may xxPhil. 2.12.Phil 2:12worke forth our own saluation with feare; that we may learn with Paul, that yy2. Cor. 12.9.2 Cor 12:9the grace of God is sufficient for vsus; that we may zzMark. 9.24.Mark 9:24sharpen our trust in him, aaLuk. 7.47.Luke 7:47stirre vp our louelove towardes him, and pray vntounto him hartily, bbLuk. 17.5.Luke 17:5increase our faith, ccLuk. 11.4.Luke 11:4forgeue our sinnes; in a word, that we may runne p. 697the whole race of our life with greater stedfastnes and constancie. Then sith these things are thus, it is to be concluded, that the godly are lead by the holy Ghost into all trueth and holinesse, euen to saluation: but to this saluation they are so lead, that they are not frée from all spot and wrincle, either of maners or of doctrine. Touching which point, on the one side in respect of maners ddDe perfect. obed. leg. Dei.Sebastian Castellio hath erred very shamefully, holding this hereticall opinion (amongst others) that the regenerate are able to performe the law of God perfitly: which thing it is blasphemous to affirme of any but of Christ onelyonly. On the other side in respect of doctrine, eeContr. B…ntium lib. 3.Hosius the Cardinall hath ouershot him selfe as fowly, saying that euerie one of the elect may erre, as by S. Cyprians example he sheweth: but, that all the faithfull gathered together in one, cannot erre; which is a fansy of a man that would build castles in the ayre. It is a matter therefore most sure and out of dout, that the elect and chosen may erre, as in maners, so in doctrine too: though in such sort that they shall not die, but liue notwithstanding, and be cured of their errors. Marry, that they who are not chosen, but onelyonly called, may erre euen to death, as well in doctrine as in maners: in maners, it appeereth by the example of ffMatt. 26.15.Matt 26:15Iudas, who was brought through couetousnes to betray Christ; in doctrine, we may sée by those monstrous heretikes, of whom S. Iohn saith, gg1. Ioh. 2.1….1 John 2:1they went out from vsus but they were not of vsus. Wherefore sith both the chosen and the called may erre, the one, to their triall; the other to their destruction; and the church militant consisteth of none but of the called and the chosen: that which I proposed is prooued sufficiently, that the militant church may erre not onelyonly in maners but in doctrine also. If any man for proofe thereof require examples: hée hath the churches of hhGal. 1.6.Gal 1:6Galatia, of ii1. Cor. 11.18. & 15.12.1 Cor 11:181 Cor 15:12Corinth, of kkReu. 2. ver. 15.Rev 2:15Pergamus, of llver. 20.Thyatira, of mmReu. 3. ver. 2.Rev 3:2Sardis, and of nnver. 15.La…dicea. All the which (to omit examples of our owne time) the scripture witnesseth to hauehave erred, some of them in maners, some in doctrine, some in both. Yea, the very church of ooReu. 1.12.Rev 1:12Ephesus it selfe, which Christ shewed to Iohn in the figure of pp1. Tim. 3.15.1 Tim 3:15a candlesticke, because it held the light of life: which Timothee abode in, when Paul wrote vntounto him, that pp1. Tim. 3.15.1 Tim 3:15the church is the piller and ground of the truth: euen this church of Ephesus was impaired so greatly by qqReu. 2. ver. 4.Rev 2:4leauing of her p. 698first louelove, that Christ did therefore threaten her rr…r. 5.he would remoue her candlesticke out of his place vnlesse shee repented. She repented not, but by litle and litle became woorse & woorse, and heaped faut vponupon faut, yea many fautes vponupon one, both in maners, and doctrine. Therefore Christ remoued her candlesticke out of his place: the chosen, who shined with the light of faith, he gathered to himselfe; the called, who hated the light, he gaue ouer to darkenes & the shadow of death; the godly **Reu. ….….he made pillers in the temple of his God: the hypocrites (the filth of the temple) he cast out to the dunghill of the vngodly; and he left the citie of Ephesus desolate to wicked Mahomets impietie. Now, that may befall to eueryevery one (as they say) which may befall to any one. Then looke what hath befallen to the Church of Ephesus, that may to eueryevery Church. But the Church of Ephesus was shaken first and crased, afterwarde quite ouerthrowne: and being hereft of the light of Christ is now a Church no longer. Then is there no Church vponupon the face of the earth, howsoeuer it flatter it selfe with those titles of the candlesticke of Christ, & piller of the truth: there is no Church (I say,) whose bodie, that is the chosen, may not be ouertaken with faintnesse and darkenesse: whose dregges, that is the hypocrites, may not be consumed with rottennesse and destruction: finally whose whole frame & constitution may not be depriued both of strength and beautie. I know that the Papists answere hereunto, that the militant Church may erre for the flockes, the people, that are in it: but the guides and Pastours (whose assemblie is called the Church by Christ, saying, ssMatt. 18.1….Matt 18:1tell the Church,) can not. Which is false and fond. For, as there are sheepe and goates in the flockes: so the Pastours of them are good, hirelinges, or theeues. The good ones do slumber sometimes, as the Apostles: the ttIoh. 10. ver. 12.John 10:12hirelinges fly assoone as the woolfe commeth: the uuver. 10.theeues come to steale, to kill and to destroy. Wherefore no Pastour is exempt from danger of erring more or lesse. And, for the former point that they may erre in maners, what néede I bring Apostles or Prophets to proue it? The complaint of Bernard is fresh, I would to God it were not too fresh: xxBernard. in …antic. Ser. 33.there creepeth an owgly rot at this present through the whole body of the Church. Which wordes being spoken in reproof of the life and conuersation of the Prelates, that is, of the Bishops p. 699& Pastours of the Church, doo shew, that not a common disease, but a rot; and that not small, but ougly; and that creeping on, not kéeping at a stay; may infect, not onelyonly this or that member, but the whole body of Pastors for their maners. Now, that they may also be ouerseene in doctrine, and erre in pointes of faith: it is plainely proued by those Corinthian Pastours, yy1. Cor. 3.10.1 Cor 3:10who built hay and stubble vponupon the foundation that S. Paul had layde: by them of whom S. Peter foretelleth, that zz2. Pet. 2.1.2 Pet 2:1there should be false teachers in the new Church, as in the old there were false prophets: by aaEuseb. hist. eccles. l. 7. c. 22.Samosatenus, bbTheodoret. hist. eccles. lib. 1. cap. 2.Arius, & ccSocrat. hist. ecc. l. 7. c. 29. & 32.Nestorius, Pastors of famous Churches, and autors of most heinous heresies: yea, by ddTheodoret. hist. eccles. lib. 2. cap. 16.the Bishops of the whole world, who all were Arians in a maner, when there were scarce left a few Catholiks, when eeHieron. dial. cont. Lucifer. cap. 7. & in Chronico. Athanas. epist. de synod. Arim. & Seleuciae.the whole world did grone & wonder at it selfe, that it was become an Arian. But the Papistes will reply, that when they say the Church cānot erre, they meane the Church in that sense in which the Schoole-men call it representatiue, that is, Bishops and Prelates representing the whole church in a generall Councell. What? And hath that Church (I meane, a generall Councell) this priuilege that it can not erre? They hold so in deede. But what will they say of so many Councels of the Arians? which caused ffIn epist. ad Procopium.Gregorie Nazianzene to despaire that any good would be doon by Councels. But they deny these to hauehave béene lawfull Councels. What will they answere then to those which them selues confesse to hauehave béene lawfull. The Councell of ggCan. 59.Laodicea (though a prouinciall Councell, yet allowed by hhConstantinop. in Trul. can. 2. Concil. Nicen. secund. can. 1.a generall) did set downe the same Canon of the scriptures which both the olde Church had, and our Church doth hold. The third Councell of iiCan. 47.Carthage (which therein the Councel of kkSession. 4.Trent subscribeth to) did adde the bookes of Maccabes & the rest of the apocrypha to the old Canon. The llCan. 6.Councel of Nice appointed boundes and limits, as wel for the Bishop of Romes iurisdiction, as for other Bishops. The Councell of mmCapit. 5. apud Innocen…. tert.Lateran gaue the soueraintie of ordinarie power to the Church of Rome ouer al other Churches. The Councell of nnSess. 4. & 5.Constance decréed that the Councell is aboue the Pope, and made the Papall power subiect to generall Councels. Which thing did so highly displease the Councell of Florence, that ooAene. Silu. de Concil. Basil. Concil Flor. & Ferrar. in Cō cilij indict.it vndermined the Councell of Basill, and guilefully surprised it, for putting p. 700that in …re against Pope Eugenius. Upon the which pointes it must needes be graunted that one side of these generall Councels did erre: vnlesse we will say that thinges which are contrarie may be true both. Wherefore, to make an end, sith it is apparant by most cléere proofes, that both the chosen and the called, both the flockes, and the Pastours, both in seuerall by them selues and assembled together in generall Councels, may erre: I am to conclude, with the good liking (I hope) of such as louelove the truth, that the militant Church may erre in maners and doctrine. In the one point whereof, concerning maners, I defend our selues against y^e malicious sclanders of the ppBristow Motiu. 3 and Demaund. 8.Papists: who charge the Church of England with the heresie of Puritans, impudently, and falsly. In the other, concerning doctrine, I doo not touch the walles of Babilon with a light finger, but raze from the very ground the whole mount of the Romish Synagogue.

The third conclusiō.Whose intolerable presumption is reproued by the third Conclusion too: wherein it resteth to be shewed, that the holy scripture is of greater credit & autoritie then the Church. And although this be so manifestly true, that to hauehave proposed it onelyonly, is, to hauehave proued it: yet giuegive me leaue I pray to proue it briefly with one reason, I will not trouble you with many. All the wordes of scripture be the wordes of truth: some wordes of the Church be the words of errour. But he that telleth the truth alwayes, is more to be credited, then he that lyeth sometimes. Therefore the holy scripture is to be credited more, then is the Church. That all the wordes of scripture be the wordes of truth: it is out of controuersie. For qq2. Tim. 3.16.2 Tim 3:16the whole scripture is inspired of God: and rrTit. 1.2.Titus 1:2God can neither deceiue nor be deceiued. That some wordes of the Church be the wordes of errour: if any be not perswaded perhaps by the reasons which I hauehave brought already, let him heare the sharpese and most earnest Patrone of the Church confessing it. ssDe…ens. …id. …ri…. lib. 1.Andrad…us Payua, a Doctor of Portugall, the best learned man (in my opinion) of all the papists, reherseth certaine pointes wherein Councels also may erre, euen generall Councels: in so much that he saith that the very generall Councel of Chalcedon, one of those four first which ttRegistr.. lib. 2. …nd. 11. ep. 10.Gregorie professeth him selfe to receiue as the foure bookes of the holy Gospell, yet Andradius saith, that this Councell erred, in that it did 11Temer…, & nulla ratione.rashly and without reason (these are his p. 701own wordes) ordeine, that the Church of Constantinople should be aboue the Churches of Alexandria and Anti…he. Neither doth he onelyonly say that the Councell of Chalcedon erred, and contraried the decrees of the Nicen Cuncell: but he addeth also a reason why Councels may erre in such cases, to weete, because they folow 22Non afflatu… sancti spiritus.not the secret motion of the holy ghost, but 33Rumoris auram inanem.idle Blastes of vaine reportes, and 44Hominum opiniones sallaces.mens opinions which deceiue oft. A Councell then may folow some times the deceitfull opinions of men, and not the secret motion of the holy ghost. Let the Councels then giuegive place to the holy scriptures: whereof no part is vttered by the spirit of man, but all by the spirit of God. For if some cauiller (to shift of this reason) shall say that we must not account of that errour as though it were the iudgement of the generall Councell, because the Bishop of Rome did not allow it and approue it: I would request him, first of all, to weigh, that a generall Councell and assemblie of Bishops must néedes be distinguished from this and that particular Bishop; so that, what the greater part of them ordeineth, that is ordeined by the Councell: next, to consider, that the name of Church may be giuen to an assemblis of Bishops and a Councell, but it can not be giuen to the Bishop of Rome: lastly, to remember, that the Bishop of Rome, Honorius the first, was condemned of heresie by uuConcil. 6. …nor. Constan…inop. action. 13.the generall Councell of Constantinople allowed and approued by Agatho Bishop of Rome. Wherefore, take the name of Church in what sense soeuer you list, be it for the company either of Gods chosen, or of the called too, or of the guides and Pastours, or be it for the Bishop of Rome his owne person, though to take it so it seemeth very absurd: the Bishop of Rome him selfe, if he were to be my iudge, shall not be able to deny (vnlesse his forhead be of adamant) but that some of the Churches words are wordes of errour. Now if the Bishop of Rome and Romanistes them selues be forced to confesse, both that the Church saith some things which are erroneous, and that the scripture saith nothing but cleere truth: shall there yet be found any man, either so blockishly vnskilfull, or so frowardly past shame, as that he dare affirme that the Church is of greater credit and autoritie then the holy scripture? xxEcclesiast. hi…rar. l. …. c. ….Pighius hath doon it, in his treatise of the holy gouernment of the church. Where though he in … …llify with gallant salues his cursed spéech: yet, to build the p. 702tower of his Church, and Antichrist, with the ruines of Christ and of the holy scripture: first he saith: touching the writings of the Apostles, that they were giuen to the church, **Non vt praeessent sed vt subcisent.not that they should rule our faith and religion, but that they should bee ruled rather: and then he concludeth that the autoritie of the church is not onelyonly not inferiour, not onelyonly equall, nay, it is superiour also after a sort to the autoritie of the scriptures. yyHistor. natur. lib. 36. cap. 10.Plinie reporteth that there was at Rome a certaine diall set in the field of Flora to note the shadowes of the sunne: the notes and markes of which diall had not agreed with the sunne for the space of thirty yeares. And the cause thereof was this, as Plinie saith, that either the course of the sunne was disordered and changed by some meanes of heauen, or els the whole earth was slipt away from her centre. The Church of Rome séemeth to be very like this diall in the field of Flora. For she was placed in the Roman territorie to shew the shadowes of the sunne, euen of zzMal. 4.2.Mal 4:2the sunne of righteousnes, that is, of Christ: but her notes and markes hauehave not agreed with Christ these many yeares togither. Not that there is any faute in the diall, I meane in the Church, (for that can not be, as Pighius proueth pretily:) but because perhaps either Christ him selfe hath tooke an other course, and is altered I know not by what changeablenes of God, or els the whole scripture is slipt from the point in the which it stood. But let vsus (right woorshipfull) who know that the dials and clockes doo mysse often, but the course of the sunne is certaine and constant, let vsus make more account of the sunne, then of a diall; of heauen, then of Plinie; of the Zodiake circle, then of the field of Flora; of God, then of men; of Christ, then of Pighius; of the holy scripture, then of the church. For God forbid there should be any (amongst vsus) so beastly a monster in the shape of man, as to set vp Antichrist in the temple of God aboue God: and to attribute more to any, either man, or multitude of men, then to the Lord of maiestie. But so doo they, no dout, who hauehave the Church in greater regard then the scripture. For the voice of the scripture is the voice of God: the voice of the Church is the voice of men. Then if it be impious to set vp men aboue God: doubtlesse, to set vp the Church aboue the scripture, it is Antichristian. Nor yet doo I deny that the Churches voice is sometimes the voice of God. For, in appeasing the offenses p. 703and reprouing the sinnes of brethren, aaMat. 18.17.Matt 18:17if thy brother (saith Christ) refuse to heare the church, let him be to thee as a heathen man, and a Publican. But the holy spirit, that is the spirit of truth, doth speake, both alone, and alwaies, in the scripture. An humaine spirit, that is a spirit of errour, hath a part sometimes in the spéech of the Church. Both which pointes I hauehave proued by the word of God, the euidence of the thing, and the confessions of our aduersaries. Why doo we not then acknowledge that the royall prerogatiue of this priuilege, to bee altogither exempt from all errour, is due to scripture onelyonly; and confesse, as bbDe bapt. conc. Donatist. lib. 2. c. 3.Austin doth against the Donatistes, that it is peculiar and proper to the holy canonicall scripture, that all things which are writen therein be true, and right: but the letters and writings of Bishops, as of Cyprian, yea the very Councels, not prouinciall onelyonly, but also full and generall, hauehave often times somewhat that may be amended. I, for my part, doo gladly both allow this sentence of Austin, and iudge it woorthy to be allowed, as agréeable to the trueth. And therefore I conclude the point which I proposed, that the holy scripture is of greater credit and autoritie then the church. Thus you hauehave my iudgement (right learned Inceptors) touching the Conclusions which are to be disputed of; opened in more wordes perhaps, then your wisedome; in fewer, then the weight of the things required. But I hauehave waded so farre in the opening of them, as I thought the Proctors might wel giuegive me leaue by the straitnes of time. As for that which néedeth to be discussed farther: I will assay to open it, as well as I can (if occasion serue,) when the aduersarie arguments shall bée proposed in disputation.