The Sovereign Judge of Controversies in Matters of Religion, Chapter 5
CHAP. 5.
The proposall of the meanes of nullity against the foresaid allegations, and the verifying of the first meanes against the first and second allegation.
NOW let vsus consider their arguments alleadged against the sufficiencie of the judge before whom they are summoned, which if they are not, 1 Contrary to their owne designe. 2. to the truth. 3. If they do not tend to the subversion of Christian Religion: the accusers refuse not to accept of them. But if they be found incompatible, 1. with the cause for the defence of which they are alleaged, 2. with the truth, 3. with the authority of Christian Religion; No body will condemne the accusers of false dealing, if they keepe themselues to their first citation and appeale.
But we are confident that all these meanes of nullity mayThe eight reasons retorted against the adversary. easily be verified: and that wee may proceede in order, let vsus beginne with the first, and let vsus consider all these reasons, one after another, if they do not oppose that cause in favour of which they are produced.
1 And as for the first, if God speaking in the Scriptures, or by the Scriptures is as if hee speake not at all, vnderunder a colour that the Scripture is dombe, and giuing no sound, ought wee not vponupon the same reason to say that the Fathers speaking in their writings, the Church speaking in the Canōs of the Councells, the Pope in his decrees, and decretalls, in his breefes and in his bulls and indulgences: it were all one as if the Fathers, Church, and Pope speake not at all? And ought not the writings of the Fathers, the Canons of the Councels, the decrees and decretals, the briefes, bulls, and indulgences bee propounded and applyed? nay and that by such who are not qualified for iudges, to wit the particular or Ecclesiastical persons who may erre, as not hauing the promise of infallibility. Every one a part, as they are in their pulpitt's, in their states, or lesse solemne exhortations proposing the traditions of the Fathers, the Canōs of the Councels, the decrees & constitutions of the Popes, their breefes, bulls and indulgences.
This first reason then drawne from the nature of the Scripture that it is dumbe, that it hath neede to be propounded and applyed, cannot be admitted, vnlesse they will vponupon the same grounds annihilate the authority of the Fathers, Councels, Popes, in whose words the very pretended defects are to be found, as plainly …ppeareth.
2 And for the secōd allegation touching the obscurity of the Scripture, it cānot be maintained, but it must be withal averred, that all the proofes drawne from this word are likewise obscure and consequently that the Romish Religion cannot be gathered from the Scripture, but by guesses and coniectures: So that all the proofes drawn from this Scripture, to maintaine the Doctrine of the Romish Church, shall be meere coniectures and guesses: And are they not to blame then vponupon this reckoning, not to bind those that accuse the Romish Church of reuolt, to keepe themselues to the iudge before whom they hauehave made their appeale? seing hee speakes so obscurely on the accusers side, that hee will never iustifie his accusation, neyther condemne the party accused, who being in possession, whereas the accuser is the plaintife, if the evidences by which hee pretends to verifie his accusation be obscure, and intricate, ought rather oblige him to produce them, then oppose or hinder that hee should make vse of them. For hee that accuseth, and for proofe of his accusation, alleageth reasōs too hard to be vnvnderstood, that hee may seeme to speake Welch, or Irish, both iustifies the party accused and makes himselfe worthy to be laughed at.