The Jesuits Shifts and Evasions, Chapter 3 – Chapter 4
CHAP. III. The fiue manners or wayes of Euaſions, ſet downe by Mr. Arnoux to confute the Miniſters.
THe carefull and zealous reading of the holy Scriptures; and the ancient doctors; the vnderſtanding of the Latin, Greeke, and Hebrew tongues, and the knowledge of hiſtories and of Philoſophie, are things required to be in a Diuine. But the onelyonly intelligence of the Scriptures ought to ſuffice if all of vsus were wiſe, and of one accord; But the ſickeneſſe of this age, and the ſtarting-holes which error hath digged, are the cauſes that diuers other things are required in a Diuine. Father Gontri deceaſed, acknowledging that, and feeling himſelfe to be deſtitute of many neceſſary aides therin, as of the knowledge of the Greek & Hebrew tongues, & yet deſirous to win reputation, inuented certaine means and wayes whereby an ignorant perſon, voide of all learning, might maintaine a diſputation, and to that end publiſhed diuers ſmal Pamphlets, which ſerue to forme and frame the manner and order which thoſe that diſpute or conferre with vsus, ſhould hold, to whom he giueth theſe two counſels: The firſt is neuer to yeeld to make any anſwere, nor to binde themſelues to defend the Romiſh Religion, but alwayes to put queſtions, and to force vsus to the defence of our confeſſion. And if they be preſſed to proue their beleefe by the Word of God, inſtead of anſwering vsus, that they ſhould ſay, It belongs not to you to examine me of my beleefe, for I am in poſſeſſion, and you hauehave no commiſſion to examine me; Seeing you are reformers, it belongs to you to reforme mee, and to produce your proofes. And, who told you that this is the holy Scripture?
The other counſell which hee giueth is, that when wee come to make obiections, and to produce our proofes, not to allow of any thing whatſoeuer we ſhall ſay, if wee ſhew it not in the Scripture in as many words and ſyllables as wee alledge it; and that, if we frame an argument whereof both the propoſitions are in the Scriptures, to deny that they are bound to allow the concluſion, becauſe Ariſtotles rules doe not binde the faith: And that, if in our diſcourſe we ſhall happen to vſe theſe words. That is to ſay, or, by conſequence, they ſhould force vsus to finde thoſe words, That is to ſay, and, by conſequence in the Scripture: And that if we produce a place in the Scripture for the clearing and interpretation of another place in the Scripture, they ſhould ſay vntounto vsus, ſhew mee a third place in the Scripture, which ſaith, that this place ought to be expounded by that place: And that, if we doe not anſwere them to their deſires, then that they ſhall breake off conference, and thereupon make and raiſe clamors and ſlanderous libels, full of triumphant words, that they hauehave brought the Miniſters to their Shifts of that is to ſay, and, by conſequences, and to ſay that a Caroach alſo is a conſequence, becauſe it followeth the horſes.
There is no Cobler in the Countrey, but that in a quarter of an houre he may become a Diuine, if it be ſufficient alwayes to put queſtions, and neuer to anſwere. Certainely all this is but a ſmall maſſe or lumpe of ſcould-like wrangling, which onelyonly learneth a man to defend himſelfe with his clawes like a Cat, and to prolong a diſputation, neuer entring into the matter. But this dreſſer of craftineſſe and deceit, neuer reaped any benefit by his proceedings; for at the firſt encounter with the leaſt of the Miniſters, his noſe fell a bleeding, and all his craft vaniſhed away, like a tempeſt driuen backe with the winde of a Hatte, and ſo withdrawing himſelfe like a light horſeman vnhorſt, went into another towne, there to be dealt withall in the like manner.
If we would giuegive the like meaſure to thoſe that vſe theſe iugling trickes, we could at the firſt word that they ſpeake, aske them, who they are, and who ſent them, and vponupon their anſwere, that they are Prieſts and Doctors of the Church, ſay vntounto them, what know wee whether there muſt bee a Church or not, or that there is a Church? and thereupon if they ſpeake any thing, ſay vntounto them, ſhew that in as many words in the written or vnwritten word. And if they chance to come out with Therefore, or, for that cauſe, ſay vntounto them, ſhew me that word in the vnwritten word, and who ſhall be Iudge? &c. And ſo like them vſe that ſimple wrangling which is fit onelyonly for mad-men and malitious wranglers, that feare the touch, and dare not ſhew their faces in open field.
Mr. Arnoux followeth this inſtruction, fit for a man that is meanely furniſhed, and decking himſelfe with other birds feathers, hath drawne theſe ſubtilties into a kinde of Art, and reduced them into fiue heads, intitling his diſcourſe, Meanes, or, wayes of euaſion; Wherevnder pretence to diſcouer our ſhifts, as they ſay, hee ſheweth his owne, and frames a diſcipline of ſmall and ſlender ſubtilties, fitter rather to ſtay and hinder diſputation, then to inſtruct. To each of theſe Euaſions, we will ſay ſomewhat, that we may not let any thing paſſe without replying.
CHAP. IIII. The firſt way of Euaſion.
THe firſt of our wiles which he noteth, is, that when we are put from a place of Scripture, we produce our own interpretations, and ſaue our credits by, That is to ſay. Whereunto I reply, That if the interpretation which we giuegive to a place in the Scripture, be drawne out of the Scripture it ſelfe, it is not we that are the interpreters, but God himſelfe interpreteth: For example, when to hauehave the vnderſtanding of theſe words, This is my Body, wee expound the word This, by the bread which I breake, and theſe words, my Body, by the remembrance of my Body, we are not the interpreters, but the Apoſtle S. Paul, and Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe, which giuegive vsus this interpretation.
So when the Apoſtle to the Hebrewes 13.16. ſaith for with ſuch ſacrifices God is well pleaſed; We deny that thoſe ſacrifices whereof he ſpeaketh are maſſes, and ſay, that he ſpeaketh of doing good and of Chriſtian liberalitie, and proue it by the ſame verſe, where he ſaith, But to doe good, and to communicate forget not, for with ſuch ſacrifices God is well pleaſed. But, in Mr. Arnoux iudgement ſuch expoſitions are not allowable, if I bring him not another place of Scripture that ſaith, that the ſame interpretation is true, and that this place ought to be expounded by that place. So, it is requiſite that ſome of the bookes of the Scripture ſhould be commentaries vponupon the other bookes, and that in the Scripture there ſhould be a Commentary vponupon the Pſalmes, and another vponupon the Prophets, that ſhould expound eueryevery verſe ſeuerally, and that ſhould ſay, that ſuch and ſuch a verſe ought thus to bee interpreted: but ſeeing there are no ſuch Commentaries in the Scriptures, it appeareth that Mr. Arnoux hath no other intent but to inquire abſurd and impoſſible things of vsus, and ſo neuer to hauehave the Scripture to be interpreted by the Scripture, and thereby to impeach and hinder all inſtruction. For example, of our, That is to ſay, Mr. Arnoux produceth the 2. verſe of the 16. Pſalme, where word for word according to the Hebrew. It is, My goodneſſe extendeth not to thee: And wee ſay that thereby Dauid acknowledgeth that the good which he doth is no benefit vntounto God, and that God hath no need thereof, which ouerthroweth merits. Mr. Arnoux reiecteth this interpretation, (which notwithſtanding is the interpretation of his owne Bible) which is tranſlated, Bonorum meorum non eges, thou haſt no need of my good deeds. This man with a blinde zeale giueth a blow to eueryevery thing, and to contradict vsus, contradicteth himſelfe.
That which Mr. Arnoux addeth, that eueryevery one of vsus boaſteth of a particular Spirit, and of a Iudgement ſounder then that of the vniuerſall Church is a ſlander, none of vsus attribute ſuch a ſpirit vntounto our ſelues, ſuch a particular ſpirit is an vniuerſall folly.