The Buckler of the Faith, Part · Article 3

The Buckler of the Faith · Part · Article 3

p. 2THE THIRD ARTICLE. Wherein the canonicall Scriptures are spoken of.

All this holy Scripture is contained and comprehended in the canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament, videlicet, The fiue bookes of Moses, which are, Genesis, Exodus, Leuiticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomie: Iosua, Iudges, Ruth, the first and second bookes of Samuel, the first and second bookes of Kings, the first and second bookes of Chronicles, (otherwise called Paralipomenon) the first book of Esdras, Nehemia, the booke of Hester, Iob, the Psalmes of Dauid, the Prouerbes or Sentences of Salomon, the booke of Ecclesiastes, called the Preacher, the Canticles of Salomon, the bookes of Esay, Ieremie, the Lamentations of Ieremie, Ezechiel, Daniel, Osea, Ioel, Amos, Abdias, Ionas, Michea, Nahum, Abacuc, Sophonia, Aggee, Zacharias, Malachie, the holy Gospels of Saint Mathew, Saint Marke, Saint Luke, and Saint Iohn, the second booke of Saint Luke, otherwise called the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles of S. Paul, one to the Romans, two to the Corinthians, one to the Galathians, one to the Ephesians, one to the Philippians, one to the Colossians, two to the Thessalonians, two to Timothie, one to Titus, one to Philemon, one to the Hebrewes, the Epistle of Saint Iames, the first and second Epistles of Saint Peter, the first, p. 3second and third Epistles of Saint Iohn, the Epistle of Saint Iude, and the Apocalyps or the Reuelation of Saint Iohn.

OF THE BOOKES CALLED APOCRYPHA.

ARNOVX.

Section. 1 Out of this Canon they cut off the bookes of Tobie, Iudith, Baruch, Ecclesiasticus, the Wisdome of Salomon, and the Machabees, and all whatsoeuer displeaseth them, out of the Scriptures.

MOVLIN.

He that can reade the Hebrew tongue, knowes well that this accusation is false and vntrue. The Hebrew Bible is the originall of the old Testament; for it was necessary and conuenient, that those bookes which containe in them the doctrine of the people of God, should be written in the naturall language of the people of God. Now the bookes of Tobias, and of Iudith, &c. are not found in the Hebrew Bible, how then can we cut those bookes out of the Bible, which were neuer therein? The Apostle Saint Paul in his third Chapter to the Romans, verse 2. saith, that The diuine Oracles of God were committed vntounto the Iewes. Now the Iewes neuer acknowledged these books. They were not read in their Synagogues, neither did the Priests nor the Scribes euer expound them to the people.

The testimony of the Church of the old Testament is of more credit touching the bookes of the old Testament, then the Romane Church that now is. For here I speake of the Iewes; not such as they are at this day, but then when they onelyonly were the Church and people of God. Reade Iosephus against Appion, alledged by Eusebius, lib. 3. cap. 10. There you shall see, that the Iewish Church did not receiue these bookes of Iudith, Tobias, &c. And Iesus Christ himselfe and p. 4his Apostles, who often and many times alledge the bookes of the old Testament, neuer alledge those bookes: (M. Arnoux that saith,Pag 21. of His answer. that Iesus Christ and his Apostles alledged them in the new Testament, should produce examples for the same.) But those that speake but by here-say, commonly are most bold in their assertions. Iesus Christ in the last of Saint Luke, verse 44. comprehendeth all the Scriptures vnderunder the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalmes. VnderUnder any of these parts, neither the bookes of Tobias, Iudith, Ecclesiasticus, Susanna, nor the Machabees are contained. Hereunto let vsus adde the false fables which in these bookes are set downe vntounto vsus for truth. In the fifth Chapter of Tobias, the Angell Raphael is falsely said to be one of the Tribe of Nephtaly, captiues in Nineue.

The Author of the booke of Iudith, in the fourth Chapter thereof, verse 2. and Chapter 5.16. speaketh as if this historie happened after the destruction of the Templo, and after the returne from captiuitie: and yet in the first and second Chapters, this historie is recited as hauing hapned vnderunder the reigne of Nabuchodonosor reigning in Nineue, dead aboue sixtie yeares before; King Arphaxad reigning in Media: but then there was no king Arphaxad, for one king then raigned both in Assiria and Media: and likewise Nineue at that time was destroyed, witnesse the last verse of the booke of Tobias, conformable to the prophesie of Nahum: and not long before it had bene taken and destroyed by Cyaxares King of Media, as Herodotus writeth in his first booke.

In the 49. of Genesis, I…cob lying vponupon his death bed, condemneth the spoyling and murther of the Sichemites, done by Simeon and Leui, as an impudent and cruell action. Neuerthelesse, Iudith in the ninth Chapter praiseth and exalteth that action. There also she desireth grace of God to deceiue with her lips: and purposely, being curiously and brauely attired, to moue the Pagan Prince to be in louelove with her, she commendeth his valour and braue spirit, saith that she cannot refuse to do any thing that he requesteth. Cap. 12.13. She p. 5promiseth to conduct and guide him throughout all Iudea, and to place his throne in Ierusalem, cap. 11.16. so farre as falsely to interpose the Name of God for a couerture of her lies, verse 13.14. and 15.

Saint Augustine in his second booke of Retractations, saith, that the booke of Wisedome was not made by Salomon. Saint Hierome attributeth it vntounto Philo the Iew, in his Preface vponupon the bookes of Salomon: neuerthelesse the Author of the booke affirmeth himselfe to be a King: and speaketh as if he were Salomon.

Saint Hierome in his Preface vponupon the Commentaries of Daniel saith, that the booke of Susanna, Susannae Belisque ac Dragonis fabulas non contineri in Hebraico.and of Bell and the Dragon are fables. And what apparence or likelihood is there, that a handfull of Iewes, captiues in Babilon, should hauehave Israelites for Iudges in Babilon, that should command one absolutely to be executed to death without appeale, and that a child should make himselfe a Iudge of Iudges, who without other forme of proceeding were condemned to die? Who knowes not, that in Babilon, the vulgar language was Chaldean, and not Greeke?foreign. and yet the Historie of Susanna with her Greek allusions vponupon the etimologies of the Holme and the Masticke trees, presupposed that the ordinary language which they vsed in iudgments and publike actions was Greeke.

In the bookes of Machabees, Antiochus the famous died three times in seuerall manner: in the first booke cap. 6. he died at Babilon in his bed. But in the first Chapter of the second booke, he died in the Temple of Nannaea ouerwhelmed with stones: and in the ninth Chapter of the same booke he died in the mountaines, falling out of his chariot as he returned out of Persia; and all that is said to happen in the time of Iudas Machabeus, in whose time there was but one onelyonly king Antiochus.

In the eight Chapter of the first booke of Machabees, it is said, that the Romans had taken king Antiochus the Great prisoner, and that they had giuen the Indies to Eumenes. All that is false. The Romans ouerthrew Antiochus in three battels, p. 6but neuer tooke him prisoner. They neuer had any part of the Indies, their greatest Empire neuer extended it selfe much beyond the riuer Euphrates. See Saint Ierome vponupon Daniel, Appian Alexandrine, Zozimus and Iustin.

Little children know, that then the Romans eueryevery yeare made two Consuls that had soueraigne power: but in the sixteenth verse of the eight Chapter of the first book of Machabees it is said, that the Romans eueryevery yeare committed the gouernment of their Seigniorie to one man alone.

In the twelfth Chapter of the first of Machabees, there is an excellent thing to be noted, which is, a letter written by Arius king of Sparta, to Onias the high Priest of the Iewes, wherein it is said, that they of Sparta, (which are the Lacedaemonians,) are of Abrahams race. Can there be a foolisher thing alledged? And it is to be found, that in the time of Onias, there was no such king Arius in Sparta. For Arius (as Pausanias in his Laconiques, and Plutarch in the life of Pyrrhus say) liued aboue eightie yeares before that.

In the first Chapter of the second booke, and nineteenth verse, it is said, that the Iewes were led captiues into Persia, in stead of saying, into Babylon.

In the second Chapter it is said, that Ieremie hid the Arke of the Lord in a ditch, that it might be found againe when God should reassemble the people, whē they returned out of captiuitie: which is contradicted by Ieremie himselfe in the third Chapter and sixteenth verse,Rabbi Shelomo, larki mino prophetiae Aggaei, v. 8. where it is said, In those dayes, saith the Lord, they shall say no more, the Arke of the couenant of God. And in the Temple built againe by Zorobabel the Arke was no more there.

And at the end thereof, the Author acknowledging his weakenesse, doubteth whether he hath said well or no. If (saith he) I hauehave done well, and as it is fitting the Historie: and a little after, If I hauehave spoken slenderly and meanely, it is that which I could attaine vntounto. The Spirit of God doubteth not whether he hath said wel, excuseth not his style, nor confesseth his imbecillitie. In the vulgar translation the Author asketh pardon, saying, If I hauehave not spoken as I should do, you must pardon p. 7me. Is it a conuenient thing for the Spirit of God to aske pardon of men? And which is more, in the second Chapter, verse 19. he aduertiseth vsus what account we should make of his booke, saying, We will assay to abridge the fiue books of Iason the Cirenien into one volume. What, shal the abridgment of a prophane booke be a Canonicall booke? To follow the inspirations of the Spirit of God, must we follow the steps of a prophane booke? He also saith that he hath made that abridgment with great labour and much watching, as if he had taken extreme paines to make a small booke ful of fables.

The booke of the rest of the Historie of Hester, in many things contrarieth the booke of Hester which is in the Hebrew Bible. In the first Chapter it is shewed that it happened in the second yeare of king Artaxerxes, which in the true Historie, cap. 2. vers. 16. is placed in the seuenth yeare of Assuerus. Haman is called a Macedonian, cap. 6. verse 10. who in the true Historie is said to be an Agagien, that is, an Amalekite. And this lying booke in the foureteenth verse saith, that Haman sought to transport the Empire of the Persians to the Macedonians. As if one should say, that some French man should hauehave enterprised to transport the Empire of the Turkes to the king of Iuetot: for then the kings of Macedonia were little kings, vnknowne to the Persians, and of no power.

ARNOVX.

Section. 2 They quote no text in the margent. This Canon of the Scriptures made according to their pleasures, and without authoritie, hath no proofe in the Scripture, by the which they can iustifie this enormous abridgment of the number of the bookes in times past receiued in the ancient Church. Therefore I challenge this fundamentall article to be false, and nought worth.

MOVLIN.

This discourse is as much as nothing, for it hath no ground. This Doctor requireth of vsus a passage in the holy Scriptures, which containeth the catalogue & number of the canonicall p. 8bookes. I answer, that as to proue there is but foure Euangelists in the new Testament, it is not necessary to produce a passage which saith, that there is but foure bookes of the Gospell, that is, Saint Mathews, Saint Markes, Saint Lukes and Saint Iohns, but it is sufficient to reade the titles, and to looke ouer the inscriptions of the bookes: so to proue by the Scripture, the number of the canonicall bookes, it sufficeth to take the Bible in the originall tongue, and looke ouer the titles of the bookes. By this meanes you shall there finde all the bookes contained in the article of our Confession: & there you shall not find Tobias, Iudith, the Machabees, &c So the Apostles Creed is found by peeces in the Scripture, although it be not found whole in any one passage alone. The holy Scripture saith, that God is Truth, Rom. 3. Then it followeth, that bookes full of lies, as Iudith, and the Machabees, are not the word of God. Then touching this Discourse made by M. Arnoux, we will, as he doth, say nothing.

ARNOVX.

Section. 3 Contrary places of Scripture, Apocalyps 22. verse 19. If any man shal diminish of the words of the booke of this prophesie, God shall take away his part out of the booke of life, and out of the holy Citie, and from those things which are written in this booke, Deuter. 12.32. What thing soeuer I command you, obserue to do it, thou shalt not adde thereto nor diminish from it. And more plainely, Chap. 4.2. You shall not adde vntounto the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish ought from it. These passages according to the sence which they giuegive vntounto them, and according to the vse whereunto they imploy them, without reply ouerthrow the third article quoted before: because they hauehave no force against our traditions: which is an argument against him that so hardly presseth vponupon them. For if by these passages they ordinarily dispute against our traditions, as peeces that are out of the formall passage of the holy Scriptures, by the same passages I reuerse their Canon, whereof I finde no formall passage, which to hauehave, it is necessary that the excluding p. 9of the passages which they reiect, must be formally marked in some place of the Scripture; with the numbring of all those bookes which they receiue.

MOVLIN.

I hauehave already answered to that, and shewed that the numbring of the canonicall bookes is expressely prooued by the Scriptures: whereby the passages which condemne those that adde or diminish, to, or from the word of God, touch not vsus at all; but are as many thunder-bolts against the church of Rome, which establisheth traditions, and an vnwritten word, to be of like authority with the holy Scriptures: but that shall be made more euident in the Section following.

ARNOVX.

Section. 4 Then I say, That the Canon of the Scriptures is an article of the faith.

MOVLIN.

To speake properly; The articles of the faith, are the doctrines of Christian religion. In this sence, the numbring of the canonicall bookes is no article of the faith, but a declaration and numbring of the bookes from whence the articles of the faith and the instructions of Christian religion are drawne. In the same maner, as the numbring of the books of Hippocrates and Galen is not a precept of Phisicke, but an assignement to the places and the bookes wherein the precepts of Phisicke are to be found; and that is the meaning of our Confession. For seeking by order to set downe the articles and doctrines of Christian faith, at the beginning it declareth from whence these doctrines are drawne. Which declaration is no addition to the Scripture: first, because that this numbring of the catalogue is proued by the Scripture, as we hauehave shewed. Secondly, by this, that to declare that such bookes are canonicall, (that is, rules of our faith,) it is not to adde any thing to those sacred bookes, but rather to declare that we must not adde any thing vntounto them. It is an acknowledgement that we make of their perfection, and of p. 10our obedience. When we say that the Scripture is sufficient to saluation, thereby we vnderstand, that we must reiect all those doctrines which adde any thing to the Scriptures. Now to say that these bookes are canonicall, is not to adde any thing to the Scripture, but to declare that we must not adde any thing thereunto. Then it is false that maister Arnoux saith, that setting down this number of the canonicall books, we adde something to the Scripture, seeing that on the contrary we thereby declare, that we must adde nothing thereunto; for that those bookes are the canon and rule of our faith.

Of the testimony which the Church giueth of the Canonicall bookes.

ARNOVX.

Section. 5 Then I say: The Canon of the Scripture is an article of the faith, and being an article of the faith, either they receiue it immediatly from the Church of God, (whether it be Iudaicall or Christian,) or from the holy Scripture. If from the Church, they do vainly attribute the discretion and knowledge of this Canon, to the interior perswasion of the Spirit, and falsely teach in their fift article, that the Scripture is the rule of all that which we ought to beleeue. If from the Scripture, let them quote some formall passage, together with the booke and the chapter, where this Canon is set downe, and the excluding of the rest of the bookes which the Church receiueth: which because they neither do nor can, let them confesse, that this Canon, which is the foundation of all their Beleefe, is grounded vponupon nothing, and not vponupon the word of God, and by them added to the Scripture.

MOVLIN.

We hauehave already confuted that, and proued that the numbring of the canonicall bookes,Before, 4. Section. contained in the article of our Confession, and the excluding of the rest that are apocrypha, p. 11is clearely proued by the Scripture; and that, if it could not be proued by the Scripture, yet this numbring doth not adde any thing to the Scripture. Touching that which he demandeth, whether we receiue the canon of the Scripture immediatly from the Church of God: I acknowledge, that eueryevery one receiueth the holy Scriptures immediatly from the Church in his country where he dwelleth, whether it be a pure, or an impure and hereticall church; as the Apostles receiued the bookes of the old Testament from the High priests and the Scribes, enemies to Iesus Christ. So the Nestorians and the Eutychians gaue the Scriptures to those whom they taught: but therein the Church (be it pure or impure) onelyonly dorh the office of a witnesse, and not of a Iudge. She attesteth onelyonly, that those bookes are sacred and canonicall, but she maketh them not sacred, nor yet giueth them any authority. The tradition of the Church testifying that those bookes are diuine and canonicall, is but a protestation of her subiection to the Scriptures, and not an addition to their imperfection, nor an vsurpation of authority ouer the written word of God. The Booke-seller that sheweth a chapman a booke of the ordinances and laws of this Realme, doth not thereby authorise those ordinances. He that sheweth the King to a stranger, is not therefore aboue the King, neither giueth authority to the King. An inferior may testifie before a greater person then himselfe. And it hath often times fallen out, that a man hauing receiued the Scriptures by the hands of the church in his country, by the same Scripture hath corrected and iustly condemned the same Church of heresie, from the which he receiued the Scripture. That which is most worthy to be considered of in this place, is, that as the Church attesteth that these books are the holy Scriptures, so the holy Scripture attesteth, that there must be a Church in the world; and that the Scripture abundantly teacheth what Church it ought to be, and prescribeth lawes vntounto it. So it appeareth, that the testimony which the Scripture giueth of the Church, is much stronger then that which the Church giueth of the Scripture. For the witnesse which the p. 12Church giueth of the Scripture, is a simple declaration to acknowledge those bookes to be the word of God, and a protestation to obey them. But the witnesse which the Scripture giueth to the Church, is a rule, and a law, making the Church subiect thereunto: for by the Scripture we vnderstand not the paper and the letters printed thereon, but the diuine instructions contained therein. The Church is compounded of men, who both in grosse and retaile, are subiects to this word, and shall one day be iudged by the same, howsoeuer they (with abhominable pride) brag and boast themselues to be Iudges of the holy Scripture, and giuegive authority thereunto. Touching particular inspiration, and the perfection of the holy Scriptures, it shall be spoken of hereafter.

What the beleefe of the ancient Church was touching these Canonicall books. And whether the Church is the infallible Iudge of the sence of the Scriptures.

ARNOVX.

Section. 6 As for vsus, in this respect we are out of danger, because we receiue the Scriptures and the interpretations, Canon, and true sence of the same from the hand of Gods Spouse, and freely confesse that this Canon is a tradition, whereby we hauehave the truth, and the puritie of the holy Scriptures.

MOVLIN.

Our aduersaries to couer themselues against the Scripture, hauehave recourse to the Church, which Church neuerthelesse they belie, and openly contrary it. Master Arnoux saith, that he hath receiued the Canonicall books from the Church, and in the meane time he opposeth himselfe against the number of the Canonicall bookes, and openly contradicteth the consent of all the ancient Church, as well of the old as the new Testament.

p. 13Touching the Church of the old Testament, we hauehave shewed, that by it the bookes of Tobias, Iudith, Wisdome, Machabees, &c. were neuer receiued, nor holden to be canonicall.

Touching the Church of the new Testament, Iesus Christ and his Apostles neuer vsed nor alledged them. The Councell of Laodicea holden about the same time that the first Councell of Nice was holden, maketh a catalogue of the bookes of the old Testament, wherein the bookes of Tobias, Iudith, Ecclesiasticus, Wisedome, Susanna, and the bookes of the Machabees are not numbred.

S. Ierome in his Preface vponupon the bookes of Salomon, speaking of Ecclesiasticus and the Wisedome of Salomon, saith; As the Church readeth the bookes of Iudith, Tobias, and the Machabees, but receiueth them not among the canonicall Scriptures; so also let her reade these two volumes, but not to confirme the faith of the Church. Note here that he saith, that it is the beleefe of the Church. He saith the same in his Prologue.

Saint Cyprian, or rather Ruffin, in the booke of the Exposition of the Creed, after he had made a catalogue of the canonicall bookes, saith: Ye must vnderstand that there are other books which the ancient Church did not call canonicall, but Ecclesiasticall; as the Wisedome of Salomon, Ecclesiasticus, Tobias, Iudith, and the bookes of Machabees. All which they would hauehave to be read in the Church, but not to be cited for the confirmation of the authoritie of the faith. Saint Athanasius in his booke entitled Synopsis, names all the books of the old Testament, conformable to the Hebrew Bible, and then addeth, and saith: Besides these, there are other bookes of the old Testament, which are not canonicall, which are read onelyonly vntounto Catechumenians, as the Wisedome of Salomon, the Wisedome of Iesus the sonne of Syrach, Iudith, Tobias, &c.

Eusebius in his Chronicle vponupon the 117 Olympiade, saith, The Hebrew history of the Machabees reckens from hence the reigne of the Grecians, but those bookes are not receiued among the diuine Scriptures.

p. 14Pope Gregorie the first, in the 19. of his Morals vponupon Iob, cap. 19, seeking to alledge a passage out of the Machabees, excuseth himselfe in these words: Of which thing we speake not without reason, if we produce the testimonies of the bookes that are not canonicall, but written for the edification of the Church.

Meliton Bishop of Sardis, in an Epistle to Onesimus, recited by Eusebius in the fourth booke of his historie, cap. 25. numbreth the bookes of the old Testament, wherein he placeth not Iudith, Tobias, Ecclesiasticus, nor the Machabees.

Origen, in Eusebius, lib. 6. cap. 24. Saint Hilarie in his Preface vponupon the Psalmes, Gregorie Nazianzen in his verses of the holy Scripture, Eusebius lib. 3. of his historie, cap. 10. Epiphanius in his booke of Measures, and diuers others, make catalogues of the bookes of the old Testament, and put not Iudith, Tobias, Ecclesiasticus, Wisdome, nor Machabees into them, but all with one accord say, that there are but twentie two bookes in the old Testament, agreeable to the letters in the Hebrew Alphabet.

The fourth Councell of Carthage, in their Latine copies put the bookes of Machabees among the Canonicall books; but in their Greeke copies they are not found to be there. It is most …ertaine, that there is no booke more falsified nor corrupted then the Latine tomes of the Councels.

Against this so vniuersall a consent of the ancient Church, they oppose the onelyonly testimonie of Saint Augustine, who lib. 2. of Christian doctrine, cap. 8. putteth Tobias, Iudith, and the Machabees among the canonicall bookes. But ye must vnderstand, that in the same place he maketh two sorts of canonicall bookes, the one of greater, the other of lesser authoritie; the one really receiued, the other receiued by some Churches of lesse authoritie.In Canonicis Scripturis Ecclesiarum catholicarum quamplurium quamplurium authoritatem sequatur. In eis quae non accipiuntur ab omnibus, praeponat eas quas plures grauioresque accipiunt, eis quas pauciores minorisque authoritatis Ecclesiae tenent. Imago Samuelis mortui Sauli regi vera praenunciauit. See the 15 Chapter of the booke, de cura pro mortuis. Hoc tanquam non Canonicū definiunt omittendum. In matter (saith he) of the canonicall Scriptures, we must follow the greater number of Catholicke Churches. And a little after, Among those which are receiued of all, we must make more account of those, which more Churches, and of more authoritie receiue. And he himselfe in the 23. cap. of his 2. booke against Gaudentius, saith, p. 15that the booke of Machabees is not vnprofitably read, if it be read discreetly: & that the same book is none of those wherof Iesus Christ witnesseth. Also in the same place of the 2. book of Christian doctrine, he acknowledgeth that the book of Wisdome was not made by Salomon: which is a proofe that the Author thereof lyeth, which affirmeth himselfe to be Salomon. And in the same place he omitteth the booke of Susanna, and the historie of Bell and the Dragon, as not being canonicall. And in the three and twentieth Chapter of the same booke, as also in diuers other places, he beleeued not that Samuel appeared to Saul, but is of opinion that it was his image, and a diuellish illusion: therein contrarying the booke of Ecclesiasticus. In the seuenth tome Hilarie Bishop of Arles writeth to Saint Augustine, and telleth him, that diuers seruants of Christ in France did not thinke well of him, that he had alledged a passage of Ecclesiasticus in his booke: They define (saith he) that the same passage ought to be omitted, as not being canonicall. It is to no purpose to say, that diuers Fathers alledge these bookes, for they also alledge the third and fourth bookes of Esdras, which the Councell of Trent receiueth not for canonicall. Ambrose alledgeth them in the tenth Chapter of his booke of the benefit of death, cap. 10: and Augustine in the sixth Chapter of the fourth booke to Boniface. The allegations of particular persons are no publicke rules, nor the opinion of the vniuersall Church; a man may alledge a booke which is not holden to be canonicall, S. Paul alledged Aratus and Epimenides Pagan Authors.Acts 17.28. Tit. 1.12.Acts 17:28Titus 1:12

Now it appeareth whether M. Arnoux hath any knowledge of Antiquity, & whether he hath reason to say, that he hath receiued the Canon of the Scriptures from the Church: seeing that all the ancient Church reiecteth those bookes which the Church of Rome receiues for canonicall.Baron. Annal, anno 1076. sect. 33. Quod nullum capitulum, nullus{que} liber Canonicus habeatur absque illius authoritate. But now at this day, when we speake of the Church, we must by the Church vnderstand the Pope. For the Councell of Rome, holden in the yeare 1076. vnderunder Gregorie the seuenth, ordained, that no chapter nor booke should be held to be canonicall, without the Popes authority. Must we hauehave an approbation p. 16from the Pope to receiue the fiue bookes of Moses, and the foure Euangelists for canonicall? What is he that doth not abhorre the impious words of the Romish decree, in the 19. distinction of the Canon, In Canonicis: whereof the superscription is,Inter canonicas Scripturas decretales epistolae connumerantur. That the decrees of Popes are reckoned among the canonicall bookes? Which they proue by a passage out of Saint Augustine, wickedly falsified.

With the like impietie, at this day, they will hauehave the Church to be iudge of the sence of the Scriptures. There are two kindes or sorts of iudgements, the one a iudgement of discretion, the other a iudgement of authority. By the iudgement of discretion we iudge of meats, not to prescribe lawes, but to discerne what is good for vsus. Of this iudgement the Apostle speaketh in the first of the Corinthians, chap. 10. verse 15. I speake as vntounto them which hauehave vnderstanding, iudge ye what I say. By this iudgement, Saint Iohn in his first epistle chap. 4. will hauehave vsus not to beleeue eueryevery Spirit, but that we should trie the Spirits. But there is another kinde of iudgement, which is a iudgement of authority; which serueth for a law, and which maketh decrees, against the which it is not lawful to resist: In that maner the court of Parliament iudgeth capitall crimes. Between these two kinds of iudgemēts, there is a third kind, which participateth with the other two, which being a iudgement of discretion, in the meane time hath a kinde of authority: As when diuers learned and wise men giuegive their aduice vponupon any difficult matter; specially if they be men, to whom, by the iudgement of God, we owe respect and reuerence. Whom, (although subiect to erre) and though that they pronounce not iudgement with soueraigne authoritie and infallible certainty, we are neuerthelesse ashamed to contradict; and we are bound to be content with their iudgement, vntill the thing be better knowne and examined. Such is the iudgement of diuers Pastors assembled in a nationall or a prouinciall Synode. Whose iudgement neuerthelesse is not soueraigne, but subiect to be examined by the word of God: as latter Councels oftentimes correct precedent Councels. But to esteeme that the Church may iudge of p. 17matters of faith, and of the sence of the Scriptures, with a iudgement of soueraigne authoritie, and with infallible certainty; it is a thing not onelyonly vniust, and absurd, but also impossible. For, in the question whether the Church is iudge, or not, is it possible that the Church should be soueraigne and infallible Iudge therein? And when question is made, to know what the duety of the Church is, is it reasonable that the Church should be Iudge, with full authority of deciding the same? for by this meanes, she shall be bound to do no more then she will her selfe, and to obey those lawes which she shall giuegive vntounto her selfe. And when question is made of the infalliblenesse or authority of the Church, if the Church be Iudge thetein, she shall be Iudge in her owne cause. Seeing therefore, that all the Prelates of the Church are sinners, and by consequence culpable, and punishable by the Law, what apparence is there, that criminalls should be soueraigne and infallible Iudges of the sence of that Law which concerneth their crime? by this meanes they shall neuer be condemned. It is a ridiculous and prophane conceit, to imagine that transgressors of the Law should be infallible Iudges of the same Law whereby they ought to be iudged. If the Church were an infallible Iudge of the sence of the Scriptures, her authority should be much greater then that of God: for such an interpreter would be much more obeyed then the law-maker; for that the people should not be subiect to the words of the law, but to the sence and the interpretation which that interpreter would giuegive thereunto: which is the meanes whereby the Pope hath made himselfe so great, and so rich; for still he interpreteth the word of God for his profit, and hath proceeded so farre, that in the Romish decrees, there are glosses that say, that the Pope may dispense with the Scriptures, by interpreting rhe same.

Neuerthelesse,Causae 25. quaest. 1. Can. sunt quidam. Dispensat in Euangelio interpretando ipsam. let vsus say that so absurd and impossible a thing is iust and receiuable; yet, before the authority of a Iudge & an infallible interpreter of the Scripture be referred to a Church, wee ought to be well assured, that the same Church is sound of iudgement, and pure in faith. Into the p. 18which examination, if we enter by the Scriptures, then such a Church is subiect to be iudged by the Scripture. Or if to know, whether such a Church is pure in faith, men refer themselues to the iudgement of the same Church, she will be sure not to condemne her selfe. And there is no Church, how corrupt soeuer it be, which vaunteth not of her selfe to be pure. And among diuers Churches, as the Syrian, the Greeke, the Romaine, and the Affricane, who all draw their successions from the Apostles, and boast that they hauehave Saint Peters chaire; why should one be iudge rather then the other? Then we must necessarily hauehave recourse to the Scripture, which is one, and receiued by all; and an vncorrupted Iudge, and wherein, that which is cleare and euident, hauing no need of an interpretation, is sufficient to saluation. Where, if in things necessary to saluation, there are any obscure passages, they are found to be interpreted and expounded in diuers other cleare passages. For no man but the Law-giuer, can giuegive interpretations to the Law, that are of equall authority with the Law. And if there be any obscure passages found in the Scriptures, which are not expounded elsewhere, it is better to be ignorant, then to presume to be infallible Iudges of the sence of the Word, by the which God shall iudge vsus: for that which therein is cleare and manifest, is sufficient to saluation.