A TREATISE CONCERNING THE GROUND OF FAITH WRITTEN In Latin, by the Reverend Father james Gordon Huntley of Scotland, Doctor of Divinity, of the Society of JESUS. And translated into English, by I. L. of the same Society. The second Part of the second Controversy Permissu Superiorum, M. DC. XIV THE FIRST CHAPTER. Whether the Church be the foundation and ground of our faith? And of the true state of this Question. IF the pertinacy of our Adversaries were not so great, it were an easy matter to define this question out of those few words of the Apostle, affirming, that the Church is the Pillar and ground of truth: for seeing that our faith relieth upon truth (that is to say, upon the most true word of God) and that 1. ad Tim. 3. v. 15. the Church is the Pillar and ground of this truth, it must needs follow that the Church is the Pillar and ground of our faith, as afterward we will declare more at large. But because our Adversaries go about to ob●…ure this great and renowned praise of our Church, we will treat of this matter more exactly: especially Cap. 13. seq. §. 16. because this is a question of great importance, seeing that thereon dependeth our whole faith. For every thing relieth and dependeth of his foundation. Moreover, hereby is declared the great excellency and authority of the Church. Hence also other opinions of our faith are to be proved which our Adversaries deny, their errors confuted, and they themselves very easily convinced: but that the true state of this Controversy may the better be understood, three things are to noted. 2. The first is, that every science and doctrine hath her grounds & principles, out of which all other things are deduced, proved, and depend: wherefore we must here diligently examine and search out the true principles of our faith, lest otherwise our faith become doubtful and uncertain. 3. The second is, that there are two principles of our faith, the one, that God is true, and the Author of truth, the other that these things which we believe are spoken and revealed unto us by God. There is less difficulty of the former principle. For all who confess that there is a God, may easily know even by natural reason, that he is true, or rather the very Truth itself. And seeing that he is the chiefest good, he can deceive no body, and seeing that he is Wisdom itself, he Ad Hebr●… 6. v. 18. cannot be deceived. Hereupon the Apostle taketh this as a principle manifestly known by itself, It is impossible for God to lie. 4. But the doubts and difficulties which we conceive concerning matters of faith do especially arise of the second principle, to wit, because we know not certainly that such things as we believe, are revealed by God: for hence ariseth the whole controversy with jews, Turks, & Heretics. For all do confess that God is true, but the Turks say that their Alcoran was revealed unto them by God, the jews their Talmud, the Anabaptists their bible, corrupted & maimed by them; the Antitrinitarians their blasphemies uttered against the Blessed Trinity; the Lutherans their opinions, the Caluinists theirs, and the Catholics theirs. And hence it is that we need greatly some sure foundation, principle, rule, and means, whereby we may know certainly which is the doctrine indeed revealed by God, and which is not, otherwise our faith will always remain doubtful and uncertain. 5. The third is, that God is accustomed three ways to assure his Church of this his revelation. The first way is, when God himself appeareth from heaven and speaketh to his Church, for so in times past he spoke unto all the children of Israel, when he gave them the tables of Exod. 20. v. 22. his Law in the mount Sinai. 6. The second is, when God speaketh to one alone from heaven, and he sendeth him to the Church, that he may reveal unto the whole Church such things as God hath spoken unto him. So in times passed in the old Testament God spoke by himself to Moses, and Moses revealed Exod. 24. v. 2. 3. Ad Gal. ●…. v. 12. the same things to the people. And in the new Testament Christ in this manner revealed his Gospel to S. Paul, which he afterward revealed unto others. But these two ways are extraordinary, and are ceased, as all do cōfesse, excepting only a few Anabaptists, and Swenkeldiani, whose madness and folly all men disprove. 7. The third way is ordinary, which always remaineth in the Church, and whereof the whole controversy is. For almost all Lutherans & the purer sort of Caluinists will have the sole Scripture to be the foundation and rule, whereby we may certainly know the true revelation of Calu. l. 1▪ Inst. cap. 7. sect. 1. & 2. God from the false. But Calvin himself at the first blush seemeth to attribute this to the sole Scripture, and very contumeliously inveigheth against Catholics who deny it, whom therefore he calleth brawling and sacrilegious persons: yet a little after he reduceth the principal Calu. eod●… c. 7. sect. 4. in fine. & sect. 5. and chiefest certainty of Scriptures, and of our whole faith to the particular and private spirit of every belecuer. The late Caluinists do put two grounds and rules of faith, to wit the Scripture, and this private spirit: But Catholics do teach that neither the Scripture alone is sufficient, nor this private spirit together with the Scripture: but moreover the spirit, and authority of the whole & visible Church is necessary. And this is the true state of of this question. 8. We will therefore explicate four things, that this whole controversy may more clearly be defined. First what are the properties and conditions of the ground of faith, for by these the ground itself will easily be known. For even as by the properties of a man it may be known who is a true man, and by the properties of any other thing, the thing itself may be known. So by the properties of the ground of faith, the ground itself willbe known. Secondly it shallbe proved that the Scripture alone is not a sufficient ground or rule of faith. Thirdly, that neither any private spirit will suffice. Fourthly that the authority of the Catholic Church, is the most true ground and rule of faith. CHAP. II. The properties of the ground and rule of our faith are alleged. THERE are ten properties of the ground or rule of faith, and they are so manifest and certain, that none can doubt thereof. The first is the continual, and never interrupted duration thereof to the end of the world. For even as faith and the Church do always endure & continue; so must also the ground of faith, seeing that nothing can consist without his foundation and ground. 2. The second property is the most certain and undoubted truth thereof, in so much, that it neither can deceive any, nor be deceived in any thing appertaining necessarily to salvation, for otherwise it should be uncertain and doubtful, yea also the faith itself should be false and hurtful unto us. 3. The third property is the certainty thereof on our part. For it is necessary that the true faith be not only certain in itself, but also to us. Because error and uncertainty is engendered in us, if the thing be ambiguously and obscurely proposed, how certain soever it be in itself. 4. The fourth property is, the strength & immutability thereof, so that this ground can by no means be depraved, changed, or corrupted. For otherwise truth will sometime perish, & there will arise some error against faith. 5. The fifth property is the fullness & sufficiency of those things which are to be believed, that is to say, it must contain all things appertaining to the Catholic faith, seeing that nothing can consist without his ground or foundation. 6, The sixth property, is the necessity thereof, that is to say, it must necessarily be received of all, who have the true faith, and because without it, true faith cannot consist, even as the building cannot continue without the foundation. 7. The seventh property is, that it is a manifest sign and token, whereby Christians are distinguished from Infidels. For he which wanteth the ground and rule of faith is an infidel, but he who retaineth it, is a true believer. 8. The eight property is▪ that in every article and conclusion of faith, this principle and ground is virtually contained, seeing that out of it all things are to be deduced, & they receive the certainty from it. 9 The ninth property is, that it not only move Christians to believe, but that it also convince the infidels. For otherwise the way to faith and eternal salvation, should not be known, or open to Infidels. 10. The tenth property is, that it be contained expressly in the Apostles Creed, wherein all the first grounds of our faith are contained: for the Apostles after they had received the holy Ghost, were not so forgetful that in the Creed or Summary of faith which they set down to be believed of all, they would let pass the first and chiefest ground of faith. And thus much of the properties of the ground of faith. CHAP. III. That the Scripture alone is not the ground or rule of faith. THAT the Scripture alone is not the ground of our faith, we have already declared by the properties of the ground of faith, before alleged. For of those ten properties the Scripture hath only one, to wit, Truth; but all the other properties are wanting unto it. The which we clearly demonstrate in this sort. First of all, a perpetual duration, and continuance is wanting. For the holy Scripture begun first under the old law in Moses' time, whereas two thousand years before, there were both true believers and a Church. In like manner in the new law the Apostles began to write some years after they had received the holy Ghost. 2. Secondly, the certainty on our part Supra contro. 1. c. 5. & infra hac x 6. cap. 15. is wanting, seeing that we know not which is the Canonical Scripture by the Scripture itself, but by the authority of the Church, as we have proved before, and will also more at large declare hereafter. 3. Thirdly, the foresaid strength & immutability is wanting; for every part of the holy Scripture considered in it own nature, is subject to many alterations and falsifications. For it may be destroyed, Supra. Controu. 1. cap. 4. it may be corrupted, it may be wrested to contrary senses, whereof we have spoken before. 4. Fourthly, that fullness and sufficiency is wanting, because all things necessary to salvation are not expressly contained Supra controvers. 1. c. 26. & sequent. in holy Scriptures, as we have also declared before. 5. Fiftly, the foresaid necessity is wanting. For without the holy Scripture there were in the law of Nature for the space of two thousand years many true believers. And also long after Christ, yea even till the time of S. Irenaeus, that is to say, almost two hundred years, there were many Nations who sincerely believed in Christ, without any holy Scripture, S. Irenaeus l. 3. cap. 4. as S. Irenaeus himself testifieth. Lastly, albeit Infidels should burn all the Bibles, yet the faith of Christians should not therefore perish, or be wholly overthrown. Therefore our faith doth not necessarily depend of the Scripture. 6. Sixtly, the seventh property is also wanting: for by the holy Scriptures the true Christians are not distinguished from Infidels, because almost all Heretics do both now receive the holy Scriptures, and in times passed also received them. 7. seventhly, the eight property is wanting, for there are many points of faith which rely upon the Traditions of Supra Contr. 1. c. 26. & 27. the Church only, without any express Scripture at all, as we have declared before. 8. Eightly, the ninth property is wanting. For Turks and other Gentills who are only lead by natural reason, are very seldom or never converted by Scriptures only: but we add also some other natural reasons and persuasions that they may be converted. For there are many things in holy Scriptures which s●…me opposite to natural reason, as the mysteries of the Blessed Trinity, Incarnation, & Resurrection of the dead etc. 9 Ninthly, there wanteth last of all the tenth property, for there is nothing extant of the Scripture in the Apostles Creed. 10. The holy Scripture indeed is the ground and reason, why we believe many points of faith, but not the ground why we believe all. Moreover neither is it the first ground of all that we believe by it. For the Scripture itself is proved by some other more general ground, to wit, by the authority of the Church. Wherefore the Scripture is only a particular ground and not a general: a mediate, and not immediate: a secondary, and not the first, and chiefest rule of faith. CHAP. FOUR That the private or particular spirit of every one, is not the ground or rule of faith. THAT no private spirit of any can be the ground of our Faith, is far more evident by the same properties now alleged. For none of these ten properties doth agree with the private spirit of every one that believeth, the which we declare in these arguments. 1. First there wanteth the foresaid continuance. For there is no private or particular person, who hath continued from the beginning of the world, or shall endure till the end thereof, as faith hath continued. 2▪ Secondly, there wanteth truth, because there is no private man to be found which cannot err and be deceived, for as witnesseth the Apostle, Every man is Ad Rom. 3. v. 4. a liar. 3. Thirdly, there wanteth certainty in proposing matters of faith unto us, because none can be certain that any private person can have such a spirit, yea even in our adversaries judgements. For the predestinate only in their opinion have this spirit, even as they only in their judgements have the true faith: but the predestinate are known to none but only to God, according to that of the Apostle God knoweth who are his. The which Calvin 2. ad Tim. 2. v. 19 Calu. l. 4. Instit. c. 1. sect. 2. expressly teacheth. 4. Fourthly, the foresaid strength and immutability is wanting, for that a private man hath not that strength and immutability of his doctrine. Our Adversaries themselves confess, and experience teacheth us, that they often times change their interpretations of Scriptures, and at divers times they teach plain contraries; yea they confess, that this their private spirit is not permanent with them, but often times leaveth and forsaketh them; the which they prove out of that place of the 29. or 30. Psalm, the eight verse▪ Thou hast turned thy face from me▪ and I became troubled. For thus they affirmed in that Vide disp▪ Paris an. 1566. in disp. 1. diei sub finem. famous disputation had at Paris▪ Anno 1566. 5. Fiftly, there wanteth that fullness & sufficiency, because no private man can define all points of faith: seeing that many were defined before he was borne against the ancient heretics, and there willbe many things defined in the Church after his death, assoon as there shall arise any new heresies. 6, Sixtly, there wanteth necessity▪ For before there was any private man which now liveth, there was true faith, and the same faith will continue after he is dead. 7. Seavently, there wanteth the seventh property of the rule of faith, seeing that by this private spirit a Christian cannot be distinguished from an Infidel▪ But in truth all heretics do brag, and boast that they have this private spirit▪ whereas notwithstanding one condemneth or rather damneth another▪ 8. Eightly, there wanteth the eight property. For no point of faith can be certainly deduced out of this private spirit only, seeing that it is oftentimes uncertain and deceitful. 9 Ninthly, there wanteth the ninth property▪ For it is a ridiculous thing for one to endeavour to convert an infidel to the faith by bragging only, that he hath this private spirit, the which none can either see or understand. 10. Tenthly, there wanteth the tenth and last property, because there is no mention made of this private and particular spirit in the Apostles Creed. 11. And the true spirit of faith which is in every faithful soul▪ whereof the Apostle speaketh when he saith, that we have the spirit of faith, is not the 2. ad Cor- inth. 4. v. 13. ground or reason of faith we here speak of, but it is the help of God, or the supernatural gift of faith, whereby our understanding is helped to believe, and it is in regard of our understanding, as it were the efficient cause of the acts of faith. But we speak in this place of the formal cause or reason of faith, as it appertaineth to the object of faith which is the word of God, and by which we know what is the true revealed word of God, and what is not. For albeit the holy Ghost and the gift of faith move us to believe, yet they do not rashly move us without any reason or ground. Eccles. 19 v. 4. For he, as the wise man saith, who believeth quickly is light of heart, but with a solid and sure ground according to those words of 1. joan. 4. v. 1. S. john: do not (dearly beloved) believe every spirit, but prove the spirits whether they be of God. But this proof, and trial necessarily requireth some good reason and sure ground, whereof we will speak in the next Chapter. 12. Lastly it is to be considered, that we do here dispute of the Catholic faith as it is necessary to all to attain their eternal salvation, & not of the special faith of one or other, ●…he which we know very well may arise or proceed from some particular or extraordinary revelation of God: but this is not the Catholic faith, nor an ordinary, but an extraordinary faith, not to be admitted generally of all, till it be approved and received by the Church, as presently we will declare more at large. CHAP. V. That the Catholic Church is the ground or rule of our Faith. THAT the Catholic and visible Church is the most solid and true ground of our faith is manifestly proved by the former properties of the Ground of faith. For all those ten properties do very well agree to the Church, and to nothing else beside. The Church hath the first property, to wit, a continual and never-interrupted duration. For the Church hath always Supra cap. 3. huius Controu. continued as we have already proved even by the testimony of our Adversaries. 2. The Church also hath the second property, that is to say, a most certain and undoubted truth, because she can never Supra cap. 7. huius Controu. err in faith, as we have proved before. 3. She hath also the third property, that is to say, the infallible certainty on our parts, because in the doctrine of the Church, we may have the greatest certainty, perspicuity, and evidency that possibly we can desire. Seeing that the Church is always present, who explicateth always her mind unto us in plain and manifest words. And if at any time there arise any doubt or Controversy in her decrees, she presently declareth it no otherwise, then if the Prophets & other writers of the old and new Testament were yet alive, and would clearly explicate their minds unto us in their own proper words. For it is the same holy Ghost who in times past spoke by the mouth of the Prophets and Apostles, and who speaketh now by the mouth of Matth. 10. v. 20. the Church: for it is not you that speak, but the spirit of your Father that speaketh in you. 4. The Church hath the fourth property. For there is exceeding great strength and immutability in the doctrine of the Church. For this truly can never be corrupted, falsified, or changed, because the Church is always present, who always giveth most clear and evident testimony of her own doctrine. This doctrine also of the Church remaineth always constant and immovable, because the holy Ghost is always present who will not permit the Church to err, according to those words of Christ: I will joan. 14. v. 1●…. ask my Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may remain everlastingly with you. 5. The Church hath the fifth property, that is to say, the fullness and sufficiency of doctrine. For the Church teacheth all things necessary to salvation, according to that promise of Christ: When the spirit of truth shall come, he will teach you all truth. So that the joan. 16. v. 13. Church hath hitherto condemned all heresies, and hereafter also will condemn all errors arising and oppugning the Catholic faith. In like manner she always answereth to all doubts and difficulties proposed unto her, because she is always present and always liveth. 6. The Church hath also the sixth property, that is to say, necessity. For no doctrine must be recevued as a point of faith, unless it be received and approved by the Church, as we have declared Supra c. 8. huius Controu. Gal. 1. v. 12. before by the example of S. Paul, who although he received his Gospel immediately from God by the revelation of Christ, yet he was commanded by revelation to go to the visible Church, and to confer the Gospel which he preached with those who were in the visible Church, lest perhaps in vain he should run, or had run. 7. Yea and others could not safely believe him unless his doctrine had been approved by the Church, as Tertullian, S. Hierome, and S. Augustine well note. The Apostle S. Paul (saith S. Augustine) called from heaven, if he had not found the Apostles with whom by conferring his Gospel he might appear to be of the same Society, the Church would not at all believe him. Thus S. Augustine. And much more the gospels of S. Mark and S. Luke, who were not Apostles, but only their disciples, stood in need of this approbation of the Church. Here upon saith Tertullian, If he from whom S. Luke received Tertul. l. 4 contra Marci. c. 2. S. Hier. Ep. 11. S. Aug. Tom c. contra Paustum Manich. l. 28. c. 4. Te●…t. loco citato. Gal. 2. v. 2 his light, desired to have his faith and preaching authorized by his predecessors; how much more reason have I to desire the like for the Gospel of S. Luke, seeing the same was so necessary for the Gospel of his Master? Thus far Tertullian. 8. And hence it is, that the revelations of S. Brigit, and S. Catherine of Sienna, albeit they were truly revealed unto them by God, yet they do not appertain to the Catholic faith, because they are not approved by the Church, as the undoubted and certain word of God. 9 Even as also in the Apostles time many before S. Luke wrote the acts of Christ, as S. Luke himself testifieth, and Luc 1. v. 1. yet notwithstanding the gospels only of two of them, to wit S. Matthew, and S. Marks are authentical, for it is well known that S. john wrote his Gospel long after S. Luke: but the gospels of the rest who wrote before S. Luke do not appertain unto faith, because they were never approved by the Church. Whereby it sufficiently appeareth, how necessary the approbation & authority of the Church is. 10. The Church hath the seventh property of the ground of faith, for by the Church and her conjunction & communion, a true believer may be distinguished from an Infidel: for he who believeth the Church and heareth her, is a true believer, but he who doth not hear her, is an Infidel: if he will not hear the Church, saith our Lord, let him be unto thee as Matt. 18. v. 17. 1. joan 4. v. 6. an heathen or publicam. And S. john saith: he which knoweth God heareth us, he which is not of God, doth not hear us. 11. The Church hath the eight property. For whatsoever we believe with our Catholic faith, we believe it, because it is revealed unto us from God by Calu. l. 4. Instit. c. 9 sect. 1. & Bezac. 4. suae confess. sect. 27. the Church. But God now revealeth nothing to every member of the Church immediately by himself. Yea even our Adversaries do well admonish us to labour most of all, that no way, or leave be granted to such fantastical revelations. 12. The Church hath the ninth property. For the Church convinceth also Turks and Infidels by natural reasons, of which sort there are many extant in S. S. Thom. 〈◊〉 4. libro contra Gent. Infra cap. 19 huius Controu. Thom. We prove also the Church by the very signs and marks of the Church, which are manifest unto all, even Turks and Infidels, whereof we will spoke more hereafter. 13. The Church hath also the tenth property, because in the Apostles Creed there is expressed an article of the Church: For presently after the faith of the true God the Father, the Son and the holy Ghost, first of all is set down this article, I believe the holy Catholic Church. 14. Moreover that the Church and her preaching is the ground of faith, evidently appeareth by the words of holy Scripture. For when S. Paul disputeth of that faith whereby all are to be saved, he reduceth this whole faith to the preaching Ad Rom. ●…0. v. 14. & seq. of the Church, & unto her sending & calling of others to her Ecclesiastical offices. 15. So this Apostle in another place declareth, that God always appointed some Pastors and Doctors in his Church, that we be not children, wavering in faith, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, but that we may be stable and constant always in one and the same faith, and confession of the Son of God. 16. Lastly those words of S. Paul are most evident, wherein he affirmeth, that the Church is the pillar and ground of 1. ad Tim. 3, v. 15. truth. Where we are to consider, that every foundation of any building hath two offices, that is to say, to uphold the house, & to strengthen it. The Apostle here attributeth them both to the Church, the one, when he calleth her the pillar of truth, the other when he calleth her the ground of the same truth. For the pillar Io●…. 9 v. 6. Psalm. 74. vel▪ juxta Hebr●…s 7●…. v. 4. also of the earth according to the Hebrew phrase, doth signify the lowest foundations of the earth. So God is said to shake the pillars of the earth, & elsewhere to strengthen the pillars of the earth, that is to say, the very foundations thereof. 17. These so manifest and perspicuous words of the Apostle do compel Calvin Calu. in 1. ad Tim. 3. v. 15. at the last to be of our opinion; albeit after his accustomed manner at the first, he wrongfully slandereth us, affirming that catholics hold, or to use his own words, do blab out, this horrible blsaphemy, that is to say, that the truth of God is not strong enough, unless it be uphoulden by the shoulders of men, and that the word of God is uncertain till by humble prayers, as it were, it borroweth some certainty from men. And afterward he affirmeth that the Apostle in this place would nothing else, but that the truth of God is supported by the pure preaching of the Gospel. But that which he said first is a mere slander, for we do not say, that the truth or the word of God absolutely, and considered precisely in itself, receiveth it certainty and strength from the Church, for in this sense it receiveth a most perfect strength and large authority from God himself, but in regard of men and in consideration of our knowledge, it receiveth it certainty from the Church, Infra hac Controu. cap. 16. in fine. as afterward▪ we will declare more at large: the which also Calvin in the words immediately following, acknowledgeth to be most true, when he writeth in this sort: S. Paul simply understandeth (saith Calu. loco citato. Ad Rom. 10. v. 17. Calvin) that which in other words he saith in the tenth Chapter to the Romans, because faith is by hearing, there willbe no saith, unless there be some that preach. Therefore in regard of men, the Church supporteth the truth, because it maketh it famous by her praise and commendation, because the retaineth it in sincerity and purity, and because she delivereth and sendeth it to her posterity. Thus Calvin. 18. But that which secondly he addeth that the truth of God, is supported and upholden by the pure preaching of the Church is indeed most true: but he should have considered that this pure preaching of the Gospel cannot be found but only in the Church, and that, no others but men can preach the pure Gospel. Wherefore if the truth of God be sustained by the pure preaching of the Gospel, it necessarily followeth also that the Church must be sustained by men, and consequently that the Church of Christ is the ground of truth, albeit not absolutely, yet in regard of us and our knowledge. So as Beza also is forced to Beza in 1. ad T●…. 3. v. 1●…. confess the same, explicating those words of the Apostle, the pillar and ground of truth: Understand this, saith Beza, not simply in itself but in regard of us. Thus he. 19 It is therefore manifest as well out of Calvin, as Beza, that the Church in regard of us is the ground of truth, or of the word of God, and consequently of our faith which relieth thereon. But that which in regard of men is the ground of our faith, that is the true ground thereof, because our faith cannot well, nor must not be considered but in regard of men, seeing that our faith cannot be found but in men only: if therefore in regard of men the Church is the ground of truth, it is also most truly and necessarily the ground of our faith. 20. Furthermore, that the ancient Church of the holy Fathers did constantly hold the preaching and authority of the Catholic Church to be the ground of our faith, those excellent words of S. Augustine do manifestly declare, when he S. Aug. Tom. 6. contra Epist. Manichaei cap. 5. Calu. l. 1. Instit. sect. 3●… writeth thus, disputing against the Manichees. ay▪ saith he, would not believe the Gospel, but that the authority of the Catholic Church moved me thereunto: this sentence of S. Augustine vexeth our adversaries very much. Calvin goeth about to persuade the ignorant people, that S. Augustin speaketh of himself as yet remaining a Manichean heretic, and not of himself as being converted and made a Catholic. But this is a ridiculous evasion, for the words which follow a little after do show, that this is a false interpretation of Calvin, If thou dost hold thyself to the Gospel (S. Augustine soeaketh unto a Manichean heretic) I would hold myself to those, by whose commandment I believed the Gospel. He speaketh therefore of himself, as now being a Catholic: and after a few words. Whose authority, saith he, being infringed & weakened, I could not now even believe the Gospel itself. Where he showeth plainly that our faith doth so depend of the authority of the Church, that it being weakened or taken away, it could not remain or continue by any faith of the Gospel. Whereby it is manifest, that it is false which junius writeth, that S. Augustine did only speak of the accidentary and not of the necessary cause. 21. Others say, that S. Augustine did speak of this, or that book of the Gospel, and not of the whole Gospel in general. But the very words of S. Augustine do teach the contrary, because he speaketh every where of the Gospel itself in general. Moreover one and the same reason is of one book of the Gospel, and of all the rest, as concerning faith. 22. Others lastly do answer, that S. Augustine did not speak of the Church of his time, but of the primitive Church, wherein were the Apostles who approved the gospels. But this solution is also easily refuted out of the words next following: to whom, faith S. Augustin, I have obeyed, saying, Believe the Gospel; why should I not obey them then, saying unto me, Do not believe Manicheus. But it is manifest that the primitive Church spoke nothing of Manicheus, but that Church only which was in S. Augustine's time said unto him, do not believe Manicheus. For Manicheus lived many years S. August. Tom. 6. contra Faustum l. 13. c. 4. after the primitive Church, yea even after S. Cyprian, that is to say, almost three hundred years after Christ, as the same S. Augustine testifieth, and it is otherwise sufficiently well known that the Manichean heresy was unknown in the world before the year 277. See Baronius in his 2. Tom. in the year 277. in the 2. number and others following. CHAP. VI The arguments of our Adversaries are confuted. NOw it remaineth we answer to the arguments of our Adversaries, for by our answers the difficulty of this whole controversy, willbe more perspicuously resolved. Their first argument is, if the authority of the Church were the ground of faith, than it would follow, that our faith relied upon men and not upon God, for the Church consisteth of men. Our Adversaries do often repeat and inculcat this argument unto us. I answer, that the same argument, if it were any thing worth▪ would also prove that we should not believe Scriptures, because all those who wrote the books of the Bibles were also men; but as we do believe their writings not because they were men, but because they had a certain peculiar assi●…ance of the holy Ghost who did so govern and direct the that they could not err: so in like manner we believe the Church, and make it the ground of our faith, not as it consisteth of men, but as it hath a special and continual assistance of the holy Ghost, by whom she is continually governed and directed: whereby it cometh to pass that she can never err as we have proved Cap. 7. precedent. a little before. 2. Wherefore to make the Church the ground of our faith is nothing else then to make the holy Ghost and Christ himself the ground thereof. For it is he who speaketh unto us by the mouth of the Church according to that saying of S. Paul: Seek you an experiment of him that speaketh in me, Christ? And in another place speaking of his own 2. ad Corinth. 1●…, v. 3: 1. ad Thes. 4. v. ●…. doctrine he saith: therefore he that despiseth these things, despiseth not man but God, who also hath given his holy spirit in us. But our Adversaries do think & speak too basely of the Church, as though it consisted of men only▪ as the Churches of infidels and Heretics, seeing that the chief part of the true Church of Christ is the holy Ghost, who is as it were the soul and spirit of the Church. 3. But neither is this to make the Scripture or the holy▪ Ghost subject & inferito our men (as our Aduersarise are wonr to cavil) but only to show▪ that the holy Ghost is every where conformable to himself, & that in all things he never differeth or disgreeth from himself. Whether he speak unto us by the holy Scripture, or by the mouth of the Church, as Calvin acknowledgeth Calu. l. 1. just. c. 9 sect. 2. disputing against the Anabaptists and Libertines, who by such an argument went about to reject the holy Scriptures, to wit, lest the holy Ghost might be made subject, and inferior unto them. 4. The second argument is, that Christians may and aught to judge and examine all things, as the Apostle saith, therefore the spirit of every Christian ought to be the ground of all things. I answer, that by the 1. ad Cor●…nt. 2. v. 15. same argument the Anabaptists & Libertines rejected all the Scriptures, that they might only retain the spirit, as witnesseth Calvin, but badly: for even as Christians must discern and judge all things, so must Calu. c. 9 citat. sect. ●…. they also observe the rule and method in judging which the Scripture doth prescribe unto them, and which himself appointed; but this rule is not every ones private spirit, but the spirit of the whole Church. For it is altogether necessary that the rule of faith be most certain & free from all errors, as the spirit of the whole Church is, and not that of every 1. joan. 4. v. 6. private man. Hereupon saith S. john, He which knoweth God heareth us, he who is not of God, doth not hear us: in this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. We must therefore judge of every man, by that they either hear or do not hear the Church, etc. because they either agree or disagree from the spirit of the Catholic Church. 5. The third argument is, that Catholics prove the Church and the authority thereof by the Scripture, therefore Scripture is rather the ground of faith than the Church. I answer first, that the proof of the Church which is taken out of Scriptures, when we dispute against heretics, is an argument called by Philosophers ad hominem, and it is deduced out of the premises already granted, in which manner also the first principles or grounds of every science may be proved, and out of those things also which of themselves are not very strong and certain. So out of the old Testament against the jews▪ we prove the new testament, albeit this also is the ground of our faith: because the jews do admit and receive the old Testament but not the new, yea also even out of the jewish Talmud we prove many things against the jews, because they admit and approve it as the word of God, but yet their Talmud is not the ground of our faith, because this only is, as ●… said, an argument deduced out of such things as they grant unto us. So in like manner because almost all heretics admit the Scripture, and reject the authority of the Church, therefore when we dispute against them, we prove the authority of the Church by the Scriptures, as premises already granted by them. But if we were to deal with Infidels or others who do not admit the Scriptures, than the said Scriptures were to be proved by the authority of the Church and not contrariwise. For it is a thing far better and more commonly known, that there Infra. c. 18. huius conir. ●…. 10. is a Church, then that there are the holy Scriptures, as afterward we will show more clearly. 6. Secondly I answer, that there is so great connexion betwixt the Scripture and the Church, that the Scripture may very well be proved by the authority of the Church, and again the church by the authority of the Scripture. Neither should this seem strange to our Adversaries. For Logicians also know very well that, that which by it own nature is more certain & better known, may be proved by that which is more certain and better known unto us, by a demonstration, called by them à posteriori. And contrary wise that which is better known unto us, may be proved by that which is better known and more certain in his own nature, by a demonstration called à priori. So the cause is proved by the effect & the effect by the cause; as fyte is proved by heat à posteriori, and heat by the nature of fire à priori. So in like manner by the authority of the Church, the which in regard of us, is more certain and better known, we prove the Scripture, as it were à posteriorl, and by the authority of the Scripture which in it own nature is more certain, we prove the true Church of Christ as it were à priori. 7. The fourth argument. S. Paul testifieth, that the Church is supported by the ground and foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, that is tosay, by their Prophetical and Apostolical doctrine, but if the foresaid doctrine be the ground of the Church, it necessarily followeth that this doctrine appeared to be certain in itself, before the Church began to be. The Church therefore must▪ be that which giveth certainty to the doctrine or writings of the Apostles, but rather their doctrine and writings do afford sufficient certainty to the Church. So Calvin. Calu. lib. 1 just. c. 7. sect. 2. Beza in 2. c. ad Ephes. v. 20. I answer first, if we will follow the intemrpretation of this place alleged by Beza, Calvin's argument willbe nothing worth. For Beza will have this to be the sense of those words, that the Church is built upon Christ who is the ground and foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, and he will have only Christ to be the groundwork, and the Apostles and Prophets, he saith, were only as the Architects and builders of this Church, as also all faithful Ministers of Christ are at this day, but not the ground itself. Beza also addeth, that he is truly Antichrist who attributeth that unto himself which belongeth only to Christ, that is to say, to be the ground and foundation of the Church. 8. Out of which doctrine of Beza it followeth manifestly, that Calvin is truly Antichrist. For he attributeth unto all Ministers Calu. loco citato. of the Church, and to their doctrine, and consequently unto himself and his own doctrine, that they are the foundations of the Church, but according to Beza whosoever attributeth this unto himself is plainly Antichrist, because he attributeth that unto himself which only belongeth unto Christ. 9 Secondly I answer, that yet whatsoever Beza saith, Calvin's exposition is the S. Chrysost. Hom. 6. in c. 2. ad Ephes. S. August. Tom. 8. in. Psal. 86. ad v. ●…. Theophil. & alij in c. 2 ad Ephes. truer, agreeing therein with S. Chrysostome, S. Augustine, Theophilact and other ancient Fathers, that is to say, that S. Paul in this place calleth the Apostles and Prophets, the ground and foundation of faith, or that which is all one, their doctrine: for in the same place he compareth Christ to the chief coner stone, and the foundation of this spiritual building doth consist of many stones▪ but there is one lowest and chiefest, to wit, Christ jesus, who supporteth all, and who is that cornerstone which uniteth Ad Ephes. 2. v. 14. the jews and Gentills together, as S. Paul saith in the same Chapter. 10. Hence it is that S. john in the Apocal. 21▪ v. 14. Apocalyps affirmeth that this heavenly City hath twelve foundations and not only one, and Christ notwithstanding is the chiefest of all the foundations, and the foundation of foundations, as S. Augustine S. August●… Tom. 8 in. Psal. 86. in initio. saith that is to say, of all those twelve foundations he is the foundation. 11. And here the Apostle useth the Hebrew phrase in which it is all one to say, Upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets & to say, Upon the Apostolical and Prophetical foundation. For the Hebrews often use the genitive case of the substantive, Psal. 5. v. 7. for the adjective, as a man of blood & deceit, in the fifth Psalm signifieth, a bloody and deceitful man. 12. Furthermore, that which Calvin saith that the Apostolical and Prophetical doctrine hath it certainty of itself before the approbation of the Church, that indeed is true, but this is the certainty which it hath of it own nature from God himself, but in regard of us it receiveth Cap. 13. precedent. §. 17. & 19 it certainty from the Church, as Calvin and Beza witness, & as we have already declared. 13. But Calvin erreth in this, that he thinketh S. Paul to treat in this place of the Scripture only of the Apostles and Prophets. For not only the Apostolical Scripture is the ground of our faith, but all the doctrine of the Apostles. And few of the twelve Apostles, to wit, only five, have written any thing, but of the other seven, there are no writings extant, but yet they all taught; the Apostle therefore speaketh of the Apostolical doctrine and not only of the Scripture. 14. But neither do we deny that faith dependeth of the Apostles doctrine yea more than that we say that our faith dependeth of the doctrine of the present Church. For when we affirm that the Ad Rom. 10. v. 17. Church is the ground of our faith, we do not understand by the Church, the shoulders or bodies of them who are in her, but their authority doctrine, and preaching; for by these things faith is engendered, and as the Apostle witnesseth, faith is by hearing. 15. But whensoever we treat of the true Church of Christ we do not speak of that which wanteth true faith, which is deaf, dumb, or foolish, and which also either neglecteth, or not understandeth the Word of God or Scriptures, for such a Church is not the true Church of Christ. But we speak of that which believeth, which speaketh, which preached the pure word of God, which keepeth and expoundeth the Scriptures most faithfully, and which fitly applieth them in Sermons & Exhortations. Among us therefore all these words have one and the same signification, the Church, the faith of the Church, the preaching and doctrine of the Church, the word of God preached by the Church, and the truth of God proposed unto us by the Church. And we understand all these things by the name of the Church, when we say, that she is the ground of our faith. For all these things are either properties, actions, or offices of the Church which cannot be separated from her. 16. Wherefore our Adversaries do err exceedingly when they separate every one of these from the Church, and oppose or object it against her▪ as though it were a quite distinct thing from her, nay of the true Church of Christ they make her the Synagogue of Satan. Therefore the Apostolical & Prophetical doctrine must not be separated and made opposite unto the Church, as Calvin doth, seeing that it is an essential part of the visible Church. Calvin therefore disputeth as if one should make this argument. A man without his soul neither seeth, speaketh, nor understandeth; therefore a man neither seeth, speaketh, nor understandeth. 17. But peradventure some will say▪ We have said a little before, that faith is the ground of the Church, and now we Supra c. 7. say, that the Church is the ground of faith, whereof the one seemeth to be contrary unto the other. I answer, that here there is no contrariety. For there are two kinds of faith, the one is the particular faith of every Christian, whereby together with hope and charity, every one is justified, the other is the general and common faith of the whole Church. The particular faith of each one relieth upon the Church, to wit, upon the faith▪ preaching, and authority of the whole Church. But she herself relieth upon the general faith and profession▪ and preaching▪ thereof in the whole Church▪ which is an essential part of the visible Church. When therefore we say that the Church is the ground of faith, we speak of the particular faith of every Christian. But when we say, that faith is the ground of the Church, we speak of the general faith of the whole Church. 18. There are other arguments of our Adversaries, but we may easily answer Canus l. 2. de locis Theol. c. 8. Bellarm. l. 3 de verbo Dei c. vl●…. thereunto by that which hath been already said, the which Melchior Canus and Bellarmine doth prosecute and handle more at large, unto whom we refer the Reader. For they are borrowed of the Anabaptists & Libertines, whereby the authority of the holy Scriptures themselves is no less diminished and infringed then that of the Church. CHAP. VII. That the Church doth not only give a bare testimony, but also authority to the Scripture. THIS matter is here briefly to be examined, that it may more clearly be understood how necessary the Church's approbation is to the establishing of the authority of the holy Scriptures. But to the end that it may more clearly appear whereof we dispute in this place, it is to be considered, that seeing that our Adversaries cannot deny, but that the Church affordeth some testimony to the holy Scriptures, they affirm, that this testimony of the Church is only a bare testimony, and not a testimony of authority. 2. For there are two kinds of testimonies. The one is called a testimony of authority, because upon it, the truth of the things testified dependeth. It is called also a necessary testimony, because without it the thing in question is not sufficiently testified. The other is called a bare testimony and not necessary, that is to say, when such a testimony is not so necessary, because the matter is otherwise joan 1. v. 7 sufficiently testified. Such a testimony was that, which S. john Baptist gave of Christ. For Christ had sufficient testimonies beside. 3. Of the former testimony of authority Christ saith. But I do not receive my joan 5. v. 34. Eodem. c. 5. v. 36. testimony from men, to wit, the testimony of authority & necessary. For of the bare testimony he had spoken a little before: You sent unto john, and he hath given testimony to truth. But this was a bare testimony: wherefore Eodem c. 5. v. 36. Cap. 5. Christ a little after said, I have a greater testimony than john, for the works which the Father hath given me to profit them: the very works which I do, give testimony of me, that the Father hath sent me. And the Father that sent me, himself hath given testimony of me. All which saith Christ of the testimony of authority. Our Adversaries therefore say, that the Church giveth only a bare testimony to the Scriptures, as S. john gave to Christ, but she giveth not a necessary testimony or that of authority. 4. But that the testimony of the Church, is altogether necessary, as that Matth. 3. v. ult. Matth. 17. v. 5. whereof the authority of the Scriptures dependeth, is very manifest by that which is said in the former Chapter. And by that also which we alleged in the first disputation, where we show that there is now no firm testimony whereby we may know certainly, which book is canonical and which not, besides the testimony of the Catholic Church. For now neither are the miracles wrought which God did in times past, neither doth God speak immediately by himself, as he spoke in the baptism and transfiguration of Christ. Wherhfore there remaineth only the third ordinary manner, whereby God speaketh by the mouth of the Church. The Church therefore doth not give a bare testimony only to the holy Scriptures, but the testimony of authority, to wit, that whereof the authority of the Scriptures dependeth, as concerning us and our knowledge. 5. Moreover if the doctrine of S. Paul stood need of the Church's approbation, as we have already proved out of Suprac. 8. & 13. huius Controu. the Scriptures, much more S. Luke's Gospel who was only S. Paul's scholar stood need thereof, as Tertullian witnesseth, especially because S. Luke received not those things Tertul. l. 4 contra Marci. c. 2. Luc. 1. v. 2. which he wrote by revelation from God, as S. Paul did, but by tradition from others, as he himself writeth. And the same also may be said of S. Mark, whose Gospel, as S. Hierome writeth, the Apostle S. Peter approved, and by his authority he commanded it should be read in the Church. 6. But neither is it true that some say, that the authority of approving the Canonical books was only resident in the Apostles and the primitive Church; but the ensuing Church hath is not. For the Apostles did not approve all the Canonical books of the new testament. For if they had done so, there had remained no doubt of many of them for many ages after the death of the Apostles, even among Catholic good men as we have noted before: But many years after the Apostles time by the general councils and Decrees of the Church, some Supra cap. 5. Contr. 1. books were approved, whereof there was before some doubt. 7. Yea more than six hundred years after Christ, there were many Catholics who did not receive the authority of the Toletanun Concil. c. 16. Apocalyps, as appeareth out of the fourth Toletane Council. 8. And that which is more before the Council of Trent, the were many Catholics who thought that it was lawful for them to doubt of all the books of the new Testament, the which in times past: S, Hierome seemed to judge as doubtful; as are the Epistles of S. james, the second of S. Peter, the second and third of S. john, the Epistles of S. Jude, the Epistles to the Hebrews, and the Apocalyps. And if it had not been for the Council of Trent, or some other new Decree of the Church, none would as yet condemn them as Heretics, who called those books in question. 9 By that which hath been said it appeareth manifestly, that the Canonical Scriptures receive their strength and authority, not from the approbation of the primitive Church, but rather from the approbation of the Church succeeding; yea even of this present Church, to wit, of the Council of Trent. 10. Lastly albeit the present Church should not have the authority of approving Scriptures, as these men say, yet notwithstanding for three other reasons the authority & testimony of this present Church is necessary. First, because we know not certainly what books the primitive Church hath either written, or not written, approved or rejected, but by the testimony of the present Church. Secondly, neither do we know whether those books came uncorrupted unto us or Noah, but by the same testimony. Thirdly, because we cannot otherwise know which is the true sense of those books. CHAP. VIII. The Argument of our Adversaries are confuted. THE first argument of our Adversaries is: The Church is grounded upon the word of God; and by the word also of God it is engendered, nourished, and governed, and it is subject to the word of God as to the words of her spouse. I answer, our Adversaries do in a manner confounded the written word of God, with the word of God in general, the which they should not do: for there are three sorts of the word of God to wit, that which is believed, preached, and written. The believed word is in the heart of the Church, that which is preached is in her mouth, and that which is▪ written is in her books. Of the believed and preached word, the Apostle saith: the word is in thy mouth, and in thy heart, this is the word of faith which we preach. We Rom. 20. v. 8. confess, that in the believed and preached word the Church is founded, because by the same it is engendered, nourished, Ad Ro●…▪ ●…0. v. 10. Ibid. v. 14 ●… and governed, and that unto this word it is subject and obedient, as unto the Words of her spouse. For indeed this kind of word is necessary for the Church. For with our heart (saith the Apostle) we believe unto justice, but with the mouth confession is made to salvation. And again, How shall they hear without a preacher? 2. But the nature of the written word is far different; for this is neither altogether necessary for the Church, seeing that the Church was without it more than two thousand years; neither can the written word be profitable to the Church, unless it be also rightly preached, and believed. For what doth it profit a man to have the Bible, unless he rightly believe and understand it? 3. But the Scripture whereof we now dispute, doth only contain written word, but the believed and preached word are contained in the visibe Church, as the necessary and essential parts thereof: seeing the one is as it were the life in the heart of the Church, the other as it were the speech in her mouth: neither can they ever be separated from her, according to that saying and promise of God: The words which I have put in thy month shall not Isaiae 59 v. v●…. depart from thy mouth nor from the mouth of thy seed; nor from the mouth of thy seeds seed from hence forth for evermore. 4. Wherefore this argument doth prove the quite contrary, for seeing that the written word receiveth it pro●… and authority from the rightly believed and preached word, which are the parts of the Church; it is necessary that the written word receive that authority and ●…ity from the Church, as that, wherein only the word rightly preached and believed is to be found. 5. The second argument. If the Church should teach any thing contrary to the Scriptures we were not to believe the Church. Therefore the Scripture doth not rece●…ue that authority from the Church, but rather the Church from the Scripture. I answer, that in the same manner it may be said, that if the Scripture should contain any thing against truth, we should not also believe it; if the holy Ghost should utter and speak any lie, we should not believe him. But these conditions are indeed impossible, and blasphemous against God; wherefore they are not only, to be admitted but not even to be proposed of Christians. For it is impossible that the Church should teach any thing contrary to the Scriptures, for then the holy Ghost should lie, because he should teach one thing by the Church▪ and the contrary by the Scriptures. 6. The third argument, if the Scripture receive that authority from the Church, than the Church should be above the Scripture▪ which seemeth to be very absurd▪ 〈◊〉. That the Church is above the Scripture, may be understood two ways. First, because the Church exceedeth the Scripture in dignity and excellency, and in this sense, without all doubt, the Church is above the Scripture, for the Scripture is made for the Church, and 1. ad Cor. 4. v. 15. not contrariwise. All things (saith the Apostles) are done for you. Christ died for the Church, and not for the Scriptures: the Church believeth, hopeth, loveth and praised God, but the Scripture doth none of these: The Church shall reign and live everlastingly with Christ in heaven: the Scripture shall perish after the day of judgement. Lastly the Church containeth in it the word of God rightly believed, preached, and the holy Ghost itself, all which do far exceed the written word in excellency and dignity▪ 7. Secondly it may be understood that the Church is above the Scripture, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she may change the Scripture, or of Scripture make no Scripture, or lastly she may teach somewhat contrary to Scri●…▪ or depart from the true sense of Scripture: In which sense the Sectaries of this time say, that we affirm the Church to be above the Scripture. And thus it is falso that the Church is above the Scripture: but neither is there any Catholic which in this sense will affirm that the Beilarm l. 3. de verbo Dei c▪ ult. in resp. ad 14 argum. Church is above the Scripture, as Bellarmine truly affirmeth. For if the Church were in this sense above the Scripture, the Church should err, and be opposite unto herself, because in that, the Church hath once approved the Scripture she cannot any more reject and disprove it unless she contradict herself, which is impossible. 8. The fourth argument. The holy Scripture receiveth her authority immediately from God himself because he is the Author of the Scripture, therefore it doth not receive it authority from the Church. I answer, that there two kinds of certaynties; the one of the thing in it own Nature; the other in respect of us: so also there are two kinds of authorities; the one of the thing considered in it▪ self, and this hath the Scripture from her principal Author, to wit, God himself: the other is in respect or us▪ and this it hath from the Church; as we have Cap. 13. precedent. §. 17. & 1●… proved before out of Calvin and Beza●… For we know not otherwise that God is the Author of the Scripture with any certainty of faith, but by the testimony of the Church. 9 And that which we have said of the Scripture, may also be evidently seen in Christ our Lord, who is above the Scripture. For Christ was forced to prove his authority by miracles, that it might the better be known and allowed of men▪ For otherwise the jews had not been joan. ●…5. v. 24. S. August●… Tom. 9 Tract. 91. in joan. bound to have admitted his authority. Hereupon, saith Christ, speaking unto his disciples of the jews, If I had not done among them works, that no other man hath done, they should not have sinned, that is to say, of Infidelity, not believing in Christ, as S. Augustine very well expoundeth. And in another place speaking unto the jews, he saith, If I do not the works of my Either, believe me not. joan. 10. v. ●…7. 10. But if the authority of Christ which was most excellent in itself and immediately from God, stood in need of those means whereby it might become known unto us, to the end it might oblige us to believe it; much more▪ the authority of the Scripture will stand in need of it, albeit it be immediately from God, to the end it be made manifest unto us. For otherwise we should not be obliged by the authority thereof. But this is not done now by miracles, nor by the immediate or extraordinary revelation of God: Therefore it resteth that we say it is done by the ordinary & mediate revelation of God, that is to say, by the Church, or rather by the holy Ghost, which speaketh unto us by the Church. CHAP. IX. That the Church is the judge of all Controversus in matters of Faith. SING that there arise daily so many disputations and controversies of matters of faith, none can deny, but that there must necessarily be some judge appointed, who must define, end, and determine such controversies, for otherwise there will never be an end of such matters But it is a great difficulty who must be this judge. The Sectaries of this time almost all refuse the judgement of the Church. For they see very well, that if they admit her as judge all their errors willbe quit overthrown. Wherefore some of them affirm that the sole Scripture must be the judge of all Controversies, and this was the first doctrine of our Adversaries, to wit, Luther & Zuinglius. 2. But our later Adversaries when they consider, that it is an absurd thing Cap. 18. Contr●…. ●…. to make the Scripture (being a thing without life) the judge, as we have declared before, they fly unto their private spirit, the which they will have the judge of all Controversies. But lest they may seem to attribute too much unto themselves, they endeavour to colour their private spirit with the famous title or name of the holy Ghost, affirming the holy Ghost to be the only judge of all controversies. 3. Wherefore there are three things here to be proved. First, that the Scripture cannot be judge. Secondly, that neither the private spirit can be it. Thirdly, that the Catholic Church is the only, and most true judge of all Controversies. 4. As concerning the first, whereas our Adversaries every where teach, that nothing is to be believed which is not expressly to be found in holy Scriptures, it is a strange thing, that they would persuade men that the Scripture is the judge of all Controversies: whereas we read no such thing in any place of holy Scripture. 5. Yea even in these, testimony is only attributed to the Scriptures, and not judgement. Search the Scriptures (saith Christ) joan. 5. v. ●…. and the same are they that give testimony of me. And hence it is, that the law of God is often called in Scripture in the Hebrew phrase Eda, or Eduth, or Teuda, that is to say, Psalm. 1●…. a testimony; yea even in one Psalm it is called above twenty times by that name. 6. Moreover in the Prophet Isay in the same place falsely cited by our Adversaries, that they may prove thereby the Scripture to be the judge of Controversies, it is called a witness, or a testimony, and not a judge, nay rather to the Isaiae 8. v. 20. Law, saith the Prophet, and to the testimony. 7. Furthermore, nothing is more absurd then in matters of such moment to appoint such a deaf and dumb judge, and who may also be corrupted for both parties, and whose sentence either party useth indifferently. But it is manifest, that the Scripture is such a judge, for it can neither speak nor hear: and so in like manner do all Heretics ancient and modern also use the Scriptures. Lastly almost all our Adversaries do see, how absurd these things are, and therefore they fly unto their own private spirit, the which they call the holy Ghost. Wherfore-let us come now to the second point. 8. As concerning therefore this private spirit, first there is none who doubteth but that the holy Ghost is the chief judge of all controversies. But the question is, where this holy spirit is to be found, and in whom it remaineth. 9 Moreover it is certain, that the holy Ghost doth not remain, or is to be found in any book (lest peradventure our Adversaries should send us to their Bibles) but in the hearts of the believers. Now we ask whether this holy Ghost which is the judge of all be in the heart of every believer, or rather in the heart of the whole Catholic Church. If they say in the heart of the Catholic Church, we have our desire: if they say in the heart of every private man, it will follow that no private person can err in his own judgement, seeing that the holy Ghost cannot err in his judgement. here truly we seek for that judge which cannot err. 10. Furthermore every private man shallbe come the judge of the whole Church, if every such private person have this spirit, which is the judge of the whole Church: whereupon there will ensue a great confusion in the Church of God. 11. Besides that, if every believer be the judge, them our Adversaries must needs admit the ancient Fathers as judges of all Coutroversies, the which they will never do, for they dare not deny, but that the ancient Fathers were true believers: why therefore do they attribute unto themselves that which they so vehemently deny to all the ancient Fathers? 12. Moreover, if every believer cannor err in his judgement, much less can a great many such err, and least of all can the Church of all believers err. Wherefore whatsoever our Adversaries say, they willbe forced to confess and grant, that the holy Ghost is the judge as he remaineth in the whole Church, speaking and judging by the mouth thereof, and in this manner even out of our adversaries doctrine we gather by a necessary consequence our opinion. 13. Lastly, that which they affirm that the private spirit of every particular person is judge, is thereby declared to be false, that they themselves acknowledge that there is no private man which at some times cannot err in his judgement: but here we inquire for a judge which cannot err. For otherwise in matters of such moment, and of which our eternal salvation dependeth, we should dangerously be forced to have recourse to an erroneous judge, whose judgement is variable, uncertain, deceitful, and often times manifestly false. 14. But now as concerning the third point, that the Church is the judge of all Controversies, we prove by these arguments. First, the Church hath all the properties of a fit judge, for first she hath an exact knowledge, the holy Ghost Ioa●… 16. v. 13. shall teach you, saith Christ, all truth. 15. Secondly, the Church cannot be corrupted by any gifts or prayers. For she is as the Apostle witnesseth, the 1. ad Tim. 3. v. 15. pillar and ground of truth. 16. Thirdly, the Church heareth, speaketh, giveth her judgement, and examineth the testimonies of Scriptures and Fathers, as experience itself teaeheth us. 17. Fourthly, we are bound to stand to the judgement of the Church, Who will not hear the Church, saith our Lord, let Matt. 18. v. 17. him be unto thee as an heathen and publican. 18. Fiftly, the Church hath power and authority to punish. What, will you, 1. ad Cor. 4. v. ult. 2. Cor. ult. v. 2. 2. Cor. ult. v. 10. saith the Apostle, that I come unto you with a rod, or in charity, and with the spirit of mildness? And in another place, If I come again I will not spare. And again, that being present, I may not deal hardly according to the power which our Lord hath given me unto edification, and not unto destruction. 19 Sixtly, the Church absolveth, bindeth, and retaineth sins, excommunicateth, Matth. 18. v. 19 joan 20. v. 23. as the holy Scriptures do expressly testify, and our Adversaries do also confess, all which acts belong unto judges, but the Scripture doth none of them. 20. The second argument. The holy Scripture expressly affirmeth, that the Church doth sometimes judge. 1. Cor. 5. v. 34. &. 5. I indeed absent in body, but present in spirit have already judged, at present him that hath so done, in the name of our Lord jesus Christ, you being gathered together, and my spirit, with the virtue of our Lord jesus Christ, to deliver such an one to Sathàn. And a little after, Do not you judge 1. Cor. ●… v. 〈◊〉. of them that are within: where the Apostle plainly saith, that the Pastors of the Church judge those which are in the Church. 21. The third argument is taken from their common practice of the Church, aswell in the old as in the new Num. 11. v. 16. 17. & 25. Deut. 17. v. 8. & seq. 2. Par. 19 v. 10. & 11. Testament. For in the old Testament the chief judgement of all causes was ordained by God himself: first in the book of Numbers, and afterward it was confirmed in Deuteronomy, in which judgement the priests did sit as judges, and the chief judge who did give his sentence, for in all things which were doubtful by the express commandment of God, the common people were sent to this judgement of the Church, and not only to the holy Scriptures or to the private spirit of any. 22. Moreover till the coming of Christ, this manner of judging continued in the old Law. For of it Christ himself said, Upon the chair of Moses have sitten the Scribes and the Pharifies. All things therefore whatsoever they shall say to you, observe ye and do ye: this Council or judgement, in the years following, by corrupting the Greek word, the jews called Sanhedrin, Mat.. 2 v. ●…. & 3. as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is to say, an assembly or Council. 23. In like manner in the new Testament when there arose that controversy about the observation of the legal ceremonies or customs, the Apostles did not Act. 15. v. 28. send their disciples to the holy Scriptures only, or to the private spirit of any, but they assembled themselves together, and defined what was to be believed. It seemed good (say they) to the holy Ghost and us. For Act. 15. v. ult. &. Act. 16. v. 4. the holy Ghost is as it were the soul of the Church. And this Decree of the Apostles S. Paul and S. Barnabas did diwsge and promulgate every where, as appeareth by the same Chapter, and the next following, where these determinations of the Apostles, are called Decrees or according Act. 21. v. 25. to the Greek Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is to say things already judged: whereupon Act. 21. vers. 25. the Apostles do say, that judging and decreeing they had written this. 24. In the same manner in the next ages, the Arians the Macedonians, the Nestorians, Eutychians, and other old Heretics were judged and condemned by the Catholic Church in the general councils holden at Nice, Constantinople, Chalcedon, and others. 25. Lastly, our Adversaries in their consistories and assemblies do vsurp●… unto themselves, the authority of judges, neither do they refer the judgement to the Scriptures alone, or to the private spirit of any. 26. Yea Calvin convinced by these reasons confesleth, that the writings of every private person must be submitted to the judgement of the Church. Where he also concludeth thus: Neither therefore, saith Calu. in Antid. contra Concil. Trid. sess. 1. in fine. he, do we condemn, or aiminith the authority of the Church, neither do we give liberty to every froward fellow to do what ●…sieth. I would to God, they would show us such a Church, as the holy Scripture doth paint or describernto us, we would easily agree about the honour thereof. Thus he. But we will show in the ensuing Chapters such a Church as the Scripture describeth: I wish also we may agree concerning the honour and authority thereof. 27. There are two principal arguments of our Adversaries: the first is, that the holy Ghost is not tied unto men, but judgeth freely in whatsoever it pleaseth him, therefore he is not tied unto the Church. But the same argument would prove, that there is no certainty in the holy Scriptures. For they who wrote the Scriptures were men, unto whom, according to our adversaries opinion, the holy Ghost was not tied. I answer therefore that the holy Ghost is not absolutely bound or tied unto men, but he is tied to his own, Promise, as also to the words and promises of Christ. For neither the holy Ghost, nor Christ himself can deceive us in not performing their promises, because as the Apostle Ad Titum 1. v. 2. saith God cannot lie. But God hath promised that he willbe with his Church, not only one or two days, or one year, but even till the end of the world. Math. vit. v. vit. He promised, that he would give the holy Ghost to remain and stay with us, not for one on two years only, but everlastingly. It is needful therefore that he perform and stand to his promises. 28. The second argument. If those things which we have said of the Church as judge, were true, it would also follow that the Church is judge of the holy Scripture, and consequently of the word of God in general. I answer that the word of God in general cannot be called in question or doubted of by any which professeth Christ. For the divine faith cannot be without some word of God, but where there is no controversy, there is no need of any judge. But if of any one part of the word of God, whether it be written or not written, there arise any controversy, as for john 14. v. 16. example, of the true sense of the written word, without doubt we must recurre unto the judgement of the Church: for it belongeth unto her to judge of the true sense of the holy Scripture, and of the exposition thereof (which is the chiefer part of the written word) as also of any doubtful letter of the holy Scripture: for seeing that in times: past, there have been many controversies of divers books of holy Scripture, and of the particular Chapters and parts thereof, as also of the true sense of the letter, and other written points of saith, it is manifest, that no other judge but the Catholic Church hath ended or defined all these controversies. 29. But in this judgement of the Church there are two things to be considered; the one, that the Church doth not judge of any part of the word of God out of her own proper sense and judgement, Council Trident. sess. 4. Calu. l 4. Instit. c. 8. sect. 13. or at her own pleasure without the word of God, as her Adversaries, and namely Calvin doth wrongfully slander her, but by one part of the word of God which is better known, she judgeth of that which is less known, ●…nd manifest unto us: as for example by the word of God delivered by Traditions, she judgeth of the written word of God, and of the true sense thereof. 30. The other thing to be considered, is, that when the Church doth Act. 15. v. 28. judge of these things they are not men only which judge as our Adversaries pretend, but the holy Ghost also himself who judgeth and speaketh unto us by the Church. It seemed good, say the Apostles, to the holy Ghost and us. For even as the actions of a man's body, are not so properly the actions of the body, as of the soul which quickeneth and moveth the body: so the actions of the whole Catholic Church, are not so much to be attributed unto men, who are as it were the body of the visible Church, as unto the holy Ghost, who is as it were the soul which giveth life and motion to the body of the Church. They therefore who deny this judgement of the Church, are not only injurious to the Church, but also to the holy Ghost. Hitherto of the properties, offices, and power of the true Church of Christ. It remaineth now we show such a Calu. in Antid. contra 4. sess. Concilij. Trid. in 〈◊〉. Church, as the Scripture declareth, and describeth unto us, the which Calvin, as we have said before, earnestly desired of us. FINIS.