A Trial of the Romish Clergys Title to the Church, Text and commentary · Quoted chapter 5
A. D.
CHAP. V. That there muſt be ſome means prouided by almighty God, by which all ſorts of men may learne this faith, which is ſo neceſſary to ſaluatiō.
A. W.
The title of this Chapter is ſo propounded, that your meaning may eaſily be miſtaken. There muſt be (ſay you) ſome meanes prouided: May not a man gather by theſe words, that as yet there are no ſuch meanes prouided? where as you would hauehave vsus beleeue, that God hath already made prouiſion of fit meanes to that purpoſe.
A. D. §. 1.
As this one, infallible and entire faith is neceſſary to ſaluation, to all ſorts of men, as well vnlearned, as learned: ſo we muſt ſay, that almightie 1. Tim. 2.God, Qui vult omnes homines ſaluos fieri, & ad agnitionem veritatis venire, who would hauehave all men to be ſaued, and to come to the knowledge of truth, hath (for proofe that this, of his part, is a true will) prouided ſome rule or means, whereby eueryevery man learned and vnlearned, may ſufficiently in all points, queſtions or doubts of faith, be infallibly inſtructed, what is to be holden for the true faith: and that the onelyonly cauſe, why any man miſſeth of the true faith, is either becauſe he doth not ſeeke out and find this rule and meanes; or hauing found it, he will not vſe it, and in all points (ſubmitting his owne ſenſe, ſelfe opinion, and proper iudgement) obediently yeeld aſſent vntounto it; as the nature of diuine faith, and the dutie of eueryevery Chriſtian bindeth him to do. This is proued, becauſe if Almightie 1. Tim. 2. 1. Tim. 4. 2. Pet. 3. Aug. lib. de Sp. & lit. c. 33. Proſper. lib. 2. de vocat. gent. cap. 23. 25. 28. D. Ambroſ. ſer. 8. in Pſal. 118. Jren. l. 4. ca. 71.God hath a true will, of his part, to leade all men to this happie end of eternall ſaluation, (as it may be plainly proued that he hath, out of Scripture and Fathers) he muſt needs prouide them ſufficient meanes, by which it may at leaſt be poſſible for them to attaine that end. For we neuer ſay, that God hath a will to do any thing, vnleſſe he do either abſolutely worke the thing, or at leaſt prouide meanes ſufficient, by which it is poſſible to be done. But vnleſſe there be ſuch a rule or meanes prouided, by which eueryevery one learned and vnlearned, may attaine to this one, infallible and entire faith, of which I hauehave ſpoken before, there are not ſufficient meanes prouided, by which it is poſſible for all men to come to ſaluation; ſith (as I proued) without that faith it is vnpoſſible for any one to come to ſaluation. Therefore we muſt needs ſay, that Almightie God hath prouided this rule or meanes, by which eueryevery man, euen the moſt vnlearned, may ſufficiently be inſtructed in matters of faith.
A. W.
Whether your compariſon, by which you propound this point, be of likeneſſe or equalitie, I ſee not what agreement the duplicate page duplicate page one part can hauehave with the other. But to let that paſſe, becauſe it is of no great moment; I am now earneſtly to requeſt all men, Proteſtants and Papiſts, who will vouchſafe to reade my anſwer, that they would giuegive me leaue to examine this treatiſe by the light of true reaſon, and themſelues take a little paines, more then ordinary in the vnderſtanding of it. We are then firſt of all to remember, that the ſumme of this treatiſe was propounded by the author himſelfe in his preface, to this effect: That the faith which the authoritie of the true Catholick Church commendeth to vsus, is, without doubt, to be holden for the true faith: and that the faith which the authoritie of the Church of Rome commendeth to vsus, is that faith. Now then theſe two points being proued, that which was intended, is diſpatched; and either of theſe failing, the matter is ſtill in queſtion. For proofe of the former propoſition or ſentence, he diſputeth on this maner: That we muſt needs admit an infallible authoritie in the Catholicke Church, by reaſon whereof eueryevery one muſt learne of it onelyonly what is the true faith. Now he addreſſeth himſelfe to the proofe of this laſt propoſition, which, as I ſhewed in my anſwer to the Preface, is the aſſumption of his ſecond Syllogiſme: and thus he reaſoneth:
If God hauehave not prouided ſome rule or means, whereby eueryevery man learned and vnlearned, may ſufficiently in all points, queſtions or doubts of faith, be infallibly inſtructed, what is to be holden for the true faith, vnleſſe we admit ſuch an authority, then we muſt needs admit it.
But God hath not prouided any rule or meanes, vnleſſe we admit ſuch an authoritie.
Therefore we muſt needs admit ſuch an authoritie in the Catholicke Church.
The ground of the propoſition, or maior, is this, that God will The Propoſition.hauehave all, as well vnlearned as learned to be ſaued. Which being vnderſtood, I anſwer concerning the conſequence of the propoſition, that it is falſe. I will be as plaine as I can, that eueryevery one may vnderſtand me. If his meaning be, that we muſt admit ſuch an authoritie in the Catholicke Church, becauſe without it there are no ſufficient meanes of ſaluation for eueryevery particular learned and vnlearned man. I deny the conſequence of his propoſition. For neither is it neceſſary to ſaluation, that a man ſhould be infallibly inſtructed in all points, queſtions, & doubts of faith, and God neuer had any purpoſe, that eueryevery particular man ſhould be affoorded that meanes of ſaluation. I will not ſpend time nor labor in this point: it may be proued ſufficiently by this his argument. For theſe means, he imagineth of a viſible Church alwayes continuing, are not ſuch, but that before the comming of our Sauiour, and ſince alſo, many thouſands hauehave liued and died, which could neuer hauehave any ſuſpition or thought of ſuch a Church. Till it pleaſed our Sauiour zMat. 28. 19.to ſend his Apoſtles with a generall commiſſion, the knowledge of him was ſhut vp within aMat. 10. 5. & 15. 24.the land of Iewry, or at the moſt, was heard of but in the countries neare adioyning. After the commiſſion giuen, it asked ſome time for the Apoſtles to diſperſe themſelues ouer the world; and in that time many thouſands muſt needs die, without the knowledge of our Sauiour Chriſt. But what ſpeake I of the beginnings of the Goſpell? How many countries are there, in which no ſteps of the Goſpell hauehave bene, to which no little ſound of it hath come for many hundred yeares? bAuguſt. de vnit. Eccleſ. cap. 14.Auſtin ſayth, that in his time there were many nations, to whom the Gospell had not then bene preached: yea it cAuguſt. Ser. Dom. in monte. lib. 2. Origē. ad Mat. homil. 28.was commonly held amongſt the auncient writers, that the day of iudgement ſhould ſpeedily enſue, after the Goſpell had bene preached in all the world.
If you vrge that d1. Tim. 2. 3.place of Timothie, that God wil hauehave all men to be ſaued: you ſhall be anſwered by one of your owne ſide; that eLuc Brugen. ad Mat. 22.(all) ſignifies all kind of men, not eueryevery man of eueryevery kind: of eueryevery kind many. They are called all (ſaith fFulgent. de incar. cap. 31.Fulgentius) becauſe God ſaueth them out of eueryevery nation, condition, age: out of eueryevery prouince, of eueryevery language. So doth gAuguſt. En. chir. ad Lauren. cap. 103. De correp. & grat. cap. 14.Auſtin expound that text in diuers places, though hee bring alſo ſome other interpretations, but all againſt the conceits of men, that would hauehave all taken for eueryevery one. The like expoſition he giueth of that in the Goſpell, hAuguſt. in Joan. tract. 52. Holk. in 2. q. 1. ad 4. princip. art. 1.I wil draw all to me: All kinds of men, in all languages, in all ages, in all degrees of honor, in all diuerſities of diſpoſitions and wits, in all profeſſions of arts lawful and profitable, &c. Holkot not the meaneſt of your ſchool-men, maketh this ſenſe of thoſe words, God will hauehave all men to be ſaued: that is ſaith he, God hath made all men capable of ſaluation, and giuen commandements, which if all men ſhould obſerue, they ſhould be ſaued. But what need I be long in this matter, when as your ſelfe (as it ſhould ſeeme) ſo vnderſtood it? In the title you ſay, All ſorts of men, in the Chapter you repeate thoſe ſame words, and adde two ſorts, learned and vnlearned; which alſo you do afterward. It may therefore ſeeme ſtrange (perhaps) to ſome man, that I trouble my ſelf and the reader with this exception againſt your propoſition. But I do it not without iuſt cauſe. For although both title and chapter make profeſſion as it were, of that meaning: yet within halfe a dozē lines after, you giuegive me occaſiō to ſuſpect the other ſenſe: where you ſay, God hath prouided meanes whereby eueryevery man learned and vnlearned may ſufficiently be inſtructed. And indeed, whereto elſe tendeth that diſcourſe of the viſibilitie of the Church, ſo much magnified and vrged by you? In that ſenſe then I denie the conſequence of the propoſition. But if you vnderſtand it according to the plaine words, not of eueryevery man, but of all ſorts of men. I ſtill denie the conſequence. For though it be out of doubt, that God hath appointed as wel vnlearned as learned to euerlaſting life; yet it is falſe, that there needeth any ſuch rule or meanes, as of neceſſitie to ſaluation.
I denie your aſſumption. For God hath prouided a rule, To the Aſſumption.whereby a man may be inſtructed in all points and queſtions of faith. Let them that would attaine to ſaluation (ſaith iChryſoſt. ad 1. Cor. hom. 6.Chryſoſtom) beſtow their time in the Scriptures. And againe, kAd Joan. homil. 52.If we ſearch the Scriptures diligently, we ſhall attaine to ſaluation. We are not commaunded (ſaith lIuſtin. in dialog. cū Tryphon.Iuſtin the martyr) by Chriſt to giuegive credit to the doctrines of men, but to thoſe which the holy Prophets hauehave publiſhed, and Chriſt hath taught. Therefore doth mTertul. contra Hermog. cap. 22.Tertullian call Hermogenes to the Scripture, and adore the ſufficiency thereof. By which onelyonly (as nOpus imperf. in Mat. homil. 49.one ſaith) after hereſie once hath poſſeſt the Churches, the true Church of Chriſt is to be found. A little after, He that would know which is the true Church of Chriſt, how ſhall he know it, but only by the Scriptures? From, and in which only, oFirmitatem.aſſurance of faith is to be had, as he ſaith preſently after.
God hath a true will (which alſo certainly taketh effect) that ſome mē of al ſorts ſhold be ſaued, but not that eueryevery particular man ſhould: as I proued before by your reaſon, becauſe he hath not vouchſafed eueryevery one the means. Cōcerning p1. Tim. 2. 3.the firſt place alledged by you, the Apoſtles owne interpretation ſeemeth to allow that which I brought before out of Auſtin, of the diuers conditions and ſorts of men. For ſo himſelfe ſpeaketh. I will ver. 1. 2.that prayers, ſupplications and interceſſions be made for all men: for Kings, and for all that are in authoritie. He ſheweth in theſe laſt words what he meaneth by all men, All ſorts of men. The reaſon why he nameth Kings and magiſtrates, is, becauſe they were at that time, not onelyonly heathen, but alſo enemies and perſecutors: ſo that no ſuch doctrine can be certainly and neceſſarily concluded out of this text, that God would hauehave eueryevery particular man to be ſaued. For the auowing of the former expoſition, we muſt vnderſtand, that the word all is often vſed in Scripture for eueryevery kind. qMat. 4. 23. foreign.Ieſus healed eueryevery ſickneſſe and eueryevery diſeaſe: not eueryevery particular, but all kind of diſeaſes. rMat. 12. 31. foreign.EueryEvery ſinne and blaſphemy ſhal be forgiuen: not eueryevery particular ſinne, but eueryevery kind of ſin, ſaue onelyonly that againſt the holy Ghoſt. We heard before that of Iohn, ſIoan. 11. 32.I wil draw all to me: and tAugust. tract. 52.Saint Auſtins iudgement thereupon. And if it were true, that God had (as you ſpeak) a true wil, that all men ſhould be ſaued, how can that be true, which not we onelyonly, but the learnedſt of your Papiſts hold, according to the Scriptures, that he appointed ſome to damnation, as wel as other ſome to ſaluation; and that there can be no reaſon giuē why this man in particular is vouchſafed faith and ſaluation, that man is not, but onelyonly the wil of God. As it is euidently proued by uThomas ad Rom. 9. in. qq. diſp. de praedeſt. q. 6. art. 2. 1. q. 23. art. 5. in 1. diſt. 41. q. 1. ar. 3. Lombard. 1. diſt. 41. & ibi Petr. de Aliac. Joan. Capreo. & alij.Thomas of Aquin, Rom. 9. and long before him, by S. Auſtin in many places. Ad Simplician. lib. 1. q. 2. de praedeſt. & grat. cap. 46. Enchir. ad Laurent, cap. 32. 99. Epiſt. 105, ad Sixtū: you therfore do Auſtin wrong, who alledge him in your margin, as if he thought that God wold hauehave eueryevery particular mā to be ſaued; againſt which his doctrine xAuguſt. de ſpir. et. lit. c. 33. De correp. & grat. cap. 14.in ſo many places is direct, and which (as I ſhewed before) he purpoſely refuteth. yProſp. epiſt. ad Auguſt. & in reſp. ad excerpt. Genue.Proſper alſo is of the ſame opinion, as hauing defended that doctrine of Auſtin, againſt his aduerſaries: which alſo is the title & matter of a whole chapter zProsp. de voc. gent. lib. 1. c. 12. Lib. 2. ca. 2. 25. 28. cap. 19.in one of his bookes: That the ſaying of the Apoſtle, God wil hauehave all men to be ſaued, is meant of all kind of men. Therfore the place you bring muſt be vnderſtood according to the courſe of Proſpers writings in the ſame treatiſe, that God hath not barred any nation, nor kept back any man from hearing & beleeuing the Goſpel. And farther, hath by his general prouidence and beneſiles affoorded meanes to ſtir vp all to ſeeke God: as himſelf ſpeakes in two of the places you bring, and in ſome other. In aProſper. de lib. arbitr. ad Ruſſia.one place when he had ſaid, that many infants are dead, who certainly hauehave no part in the citie of God; he addeth: And where is that, which by ſome that vnderſtand it not, is obiected to vsus, as contrary hereunto, that God wil hauehave all men to be ſaued, and come to the knowledge of his truth? Are not they to be reckoned among thoſe All men, who heretofore from time to time hauehave periſhed without the knowledge of God? This might ſerue for anſwer to you in this point, concerning Gods will to hauehave all men ſaued. But for your better ſatisfactiō, or if that will not be, for the cloſer ſtopping of your mouth, I will adde that ſolution, which your great Cardinall Bellarmine giues to theſe three places of Scripture that you alledge, though in another queſtion. Theſe places (ſaith bBellar. de grat. et lib. arb. lib. 2. ca. 3. §. 8.Bellarmine) only ſignifie that God hindereth no man from ſaluation, yea that he hath appointed remedies and helps in common, and that he would hauehave the preaching of the word and the ſacraments to be common to all. In the ſame ſenſe is God ſaid to be c1. Tim. 4. 10.the Sauiour of all, becauſe by his generall prouidence he hath care of all, and hath left no man vntoucht, but either by the Goſpell, or by the law, or by nature it ſelfe hath moued him to ſeeke after God; as dProſper. de voc. gent. lib. 2. cap. 25. & ad cap. Gallor. cap. 8. De voc. gent. lib. 2. c. 10Proſper ſaith: yea hath affoorded meanes whereby eueryevery man may be ſaued. This place (as eBellar. de grat. & lib. arb. lib. 2. cap. 5. §. Illud item.Bellarmine ſaith) can hardly hauehave any other expoſition, then that latter. fGloſſinterli. ad 1. Tim. 2. 3.Your Gloſſe expoundeth it of Gods goodnes to all men in reſpect of outward bleſſings, who makes his Sun to ſhine (ſaith it) vponupon good and bad.
The other place of g2. Pet. 3. 9.Peter (as we heard hBellar. de gr. & lib. arb. lib. 2. cap. 3.Bellarmine ſay) ſignifieth no more, but that God keepes no man from being ſaued, but hath vouchſafed the word and ſacraments in common to all. Your iGloſſ. interl. ad 2. Pet. 3.Gloſſe reſtraines that Any to them that are to be conuerted, that is to the elect. That other which are to be conuerted, may be conuertea. kThomas ad 2. Pet. 3. Holk. in 2. q. 1. ad 4. princip. …t. 1.Thomas and Holkot interprete it de voluntate ſigni: of that wil of God, which we may gather by the ſignes he ſheweth: as for example, God calleth all men from danger of damnation, by precepts, counſels, threatnings, rewards. Theſe are ſignes to vsus, that God would hauehave all men to be ſaued: but there is another will called volunt as beneplaciti, the good pleaſure of God, which is indeed truly that which God intendeth. Thomas addeth alſo a ſecond expoſition out of Damaſcen, but it can proue nothing, becauſe it cannot be neceſſarily enforced out of the text, rather then the other, which is alſo more warrantable for the truth of it, as I will ſhew another time, vponupon more iuſt occaſion, if it pleaſe God. lCaietan. ad 2. Pet. 3.Caietan alledgeth three ſeuerall interpretations, that of Damaſcens, a ſecond of All kind of men, whereof before, and a third of the elect, which alſo he doth exemplifie in the perſon of Peter. Thus I hauehave ſhewed, that the maine foundation you build vponupon, is but weak, wanting ground of warrant from the word of God. But admit it were neuer ſo true, that God would hauehave eueryevery man to be ſaued; which in ſome ſenſe, as I hauehave ſaid, indeed is moſt true; yet were not the conſequence of your propoſition proued. For there might be ſufficient meanes for eueryevery mans ſaluation, though there were no meanes to bring him to that ſame one, infallible, entire faith, which you conceit; but onelyonly to ſo much faith and knowledge as is neceſſary to ſaluation, by which he might be ſufficiently inſtructed in matters of faith: which is all that you craftily ſeeme to require in the concluſion of this ſection; whereas before, in your propoſition, no leſſe would ſerue the turne, then infallible instruction in all points, queſtions, and doubts of faith.
A. D. §. 2.
To this purpoſe ſaith S. Auſtin: Si Dei prouidentia praeſidet Lib. de vtil. credendi.rebus humanis, non eſt deſperandum, ab eodem ipſo Deo auctoritatem aliquam conſtitutam eſſe, qua, velut certo gradu, nitentes attollamur in Deum. If Gods prouidence (ſaith he) rule and gouerne humane matters, (as he proueth that it doth) we may not deſpaire, but that there is a certain authoritie appointed by the ſame God, vponupon which ſtaying our ſelues as vponupon a ſure ſtep, we may be lifted vp to God. Saint Auſtin therefore doth acknowledge ſome authoritie to be needfull, as a meanes whereby we may be lifted vp to God. The which lifting vp to God, is first begun by true faith. And becauſe this authoritie is ſo needfull a meanes, he would not hauehave vsus doubt, but that God, whoſe prouidence ſtretcheth it ſelfe to all humane matters, hath not failed to prouide this meanes for vsus, it being a principal matter, and ſo principall, as vponupon which (according to the ordinary courſe) dependeth the ſumme of our ſaluation. We are not therefore (I ſay) to doubt, but that Almghtie God hath prouided a meanes whereby Animalis homo qui non percipit ea que ſunt ſpiritus Dei, a ſenſuall man who hath no vnderſtanding of 1. Cor. 2.the diuine myſteries of faith, may come to know them by a firme and infallible beleefe.
A. W.
To what purpoſe doth mAuguſt de vtil credon. cap. 16.Saint Auſtine bring this? To proue that God hath appointed a rule, by which all men may come to your infallible faith? Nothing leſſe: but to ſhew that where truth is not euident, as to men ordinarily it is not, there God hath prouided meanes to ſtirre them vp to a diligent enquiry after it; or rather (as he plainly affirmeth) to a ridding of themſelues of the cares and pleaſures of this life, which he cals purging of the ſoule, that ſo they may be fit to embrace the truth. Authoritie (ſaith nAuguſt. ibid.Auſtin) is at hand for a man that is not able to diſcerne the truth, that he may be fitted to it, and ſuffer himſelfe to be purged. What is this authoritie? what is the vſe of it? Miracles & multitude make vp this authoritie: whereby men not able to ſee truth, in it ſelf, are moued to a reuerend reſpect of the Church, & ſo to an examination of the doctrine, which vponupon triall is found true. Thus doth the wiſedome of God prouide for mens ignorance, that authoritie of miracles and multitude may draw them to a conſideration of the truth: which, whenſoeuer it ſhewes it ſelfe ſo plainly that it cannot be doubted of, is to be preferred before all other meanes of perſwading a man to beleeue, or holding him in beleefe whatſoeuer; as the ſame oAuguſt. cont. epiſt. Fundam. cap. 4.Auſtin ſaith: we denie not theſe to be good helpes and ſtrong meanes to the ſearching and finding of the truth, but to be ſufficient and infallible grounds of religion, that a man ſhould relie vponupon them, without trying the doctrine by the truth of God reuealed in the Scriptures.
It is indeed out of doubt among Chriſtians, that God hath prouided ſome meanes, by which a naturall man (whom you abſurdly call ſenſuall) whereas pRom. 8. 6. Epheſ. 4. 18.the Apoſtle meaneth a man in his beſt natural eſtate ſince his fal) who cānot diſcerne of Gods truth, nor admit of it, may come to the knowledge thereof. Becauſe it was impoſſible (ſaith qIren. lib. 4. cap. 77.Irenaeus) to learne God without God, he teacheth men by his word (his ſonne) to know God. It is he, that hath vouchſafed vsus this knowledge by the miniſtery of men, & worke of the ſpirit in their hearts, that beleeue according to the word of God in the Scriptures. Let vsus not heare (ſaith rAuguſt. de vnit. Eccleſ. cap. 3.Auſtin) This I ſay, This thou ſayeſt, but let vsus heare, This ſaith the Lord; there are the Lords bookes extant, to the authoritie whereof both of vsus conſent, both of vsus giuegive credit, both of vsus obey: there let vsus ſeeke the Church, there let vsus diſcuſſe our queſtion. Other meanes of triall, then by the Scripture ſAuguſt. cont. Donat. lib. 2. cap. 6.he accounteth, and calleth deceitfull. The Scriptures are tHieron. ad Mich. li. 1. ca. 1the bounds of the Church, beyond which ſhe may not wander. uAd Pſal. 86.Whatſoeuer any man ſince the Apoſtles hath ſeene without warrant of Scripture, let him be neuer ſo holy, neuer ſo eloquent, it is of no authoritie: but onelyonly to mooue vsus to a conſideration of that he ſaith.
A. D. §. 3.
OnelyOnly the queſtion is, what manner of thing this meanes muſt be; and where euerie man muſt ſeeke and finde it, that hauing found it he may (as S. Auſten ſpeaketh) ſtay himſelfe vponupon it, as vponupon a ſure ſtep, thereby to be lifted vp to a true faith, and by faith to God. The which queſtion being of ſo great conſequence, that it being well determined, a man need neuer make more queſtion in matters of faith; I wil (God willing) in the chapters following, endeuor to reſolue it as clearely as I can. And this I purpoſe to do, firſt by ſetting downe what cōditions or properties this rule of faith muſt hauehave: afterwards by proouing particularly, that neither Scripture alone: not any natural wit or humane lerning: nor priuat ſpirit, can be this rule of faith. And finally that this rule which all mē may ſafely, & muſt neceſſarily follow, can be no other, but the teaching of the Catholicke Church.
A. W.
It is onelyonly thus farre agreed betwixt vsus, that there muſt needs be meanes appointed by Almightie God, whereby all ſorts of men may come to ſuch a meaſure of knowledge, and faith, as is neceſſarie to ſaluation, not wherby eueryevery man may be infalliblie inſtructed in all points of religion, that he need neuer make more queſtion in any matter of faith: though we grant that there is ſuch a meanes prouided by God, howſoeuer we in our weakneſſe cannot make ſuch vſe of it.
But that we may vnderſtand matters aright, as we go forward; I muſt intreate the Reader to remember, that if all things to come in this your Treatiſe be ſufficiently prooued; yet you faile much of your maine purpoſe. For this laſt Syllogiſme is the foundation of all yet behinde, concerning one of the principall points which you propoūded in the beginning, viz. That it was neceſſarie to admit ſuch an infallible authoritie in the Catholicke Church. Now the propoſition of this Syllogiſme I hauehave denied, and refuted. Therefore if the aſſumption therof were moſt certainly true, as it is vndoubtedly falſe, yet could your concluſion be nothing ſure: becauſe the ſyllogiſme failes in the propoſition: but let vsus ſee how you prooue the aſſumtion:
If neither the Scripture alone, nor naturall wit or learning, nor a priuate ſpirit, can be ſuch a rule, then God hath prouided no ſuch rule, vnleſſe we admit an infallible authority in the Catholicke Church.
But neither the Scripture alone, nor naturall wit or learning, nor a priuate ſpirit can be ſuch a rule.
Therefore God hath prouided no ſuch rule, vnleſſe we admit an infallible authority in the Catholicke Church.
This propoſition is not ſet downe by you in plaine termes, but neceſſarily and certainly gathered out of the courſe you hold in the fiue next chapters: wherein the aſſumption and concluſion are manifeſtly contained; that in the foure former; this in the tenth.
The conſequence of your propoſition is verie weake: For, To the Propoſition.what if none of theſe (ſeuerally) be ſuch a rule? may not all theſe together be? Sure there is nothing brought by you to the contrary. But if all theſe faile, what can you ſay to the contrarie, why a generall Councell without the Popes authority, ſhould not be ſuch a rule? Or, to goe farther, doe you not thinke that the Pope alone may ſerue the turne? And yet, in your opinion: neither the Councell nor the Pope (ſeuerally conſidered) are the Church. Therefore it ſeemes there may be ſuch a rule, though there be no companie of men, that hath any ſuch authoritie as you ſpeake of.
Secondly, your conſequence is but feeble in an other reſpect. For it preſumeth, that if there be ſuch an authoritie, there is ſuch a rule. Whereas many thouſands in the world may be vtterly without meanes of knowing that there is ſuch an authoritie, and ſo the meanes, as in regard of them, inſufficient. Adde hereunto, that although it were poſſible, and eaſie for eueryevery man to know and ſee the Church: yet the meanes might be inſufficient: becauſe there is no certaine reaſon to perſwade them, that they muſt beleeue this Church in all things: ſo that ſtill, according to your doctrine, the Lord muſt needs hauehave failed much in his prouidence, though he hauehave giuen this authority to the Church: becauſe he hath prouided no meanes whereby eueryevery man may certainly be perſwaded, that the Church hath ſuch authoritie. Will you ſay, He hath appointed that all men ſhould beleeue the Church? What can that helpe, when he hath not prouided meanes, for all men to know, that they muſt beleeue her? Muſt we not come now to a priuate ſpirit, that is, to the teaching of Gods ſpirit in the hearts of particular men? And if this muſt needs be in this one caſe, how prooue you, it may not be ſo in other? To anſwer, we muſt beleeue the Church, is to beg the queſtion, againſt all reaſon.