A CENSURE ABOUT THE RULE OF BELIEF PRACTISED BY THE PROTESTANTS Written in Latin by the most Reverend Father VALERIAN MAGNI OF MILAN of the order of the Minors, of the Seraphical S. Francis, named Capucins. And translated into English by R. Q. Gentleman. Matthew cap. 18. If he hear not the Church as let him be to thee as the heathen and the Publican. printer's or publisher's device of Laurence Kellam (?) Printed at Douai, By LAURENCE KELLAM, at the sign of the holy Lamb. 1634. THE PREFACE TO THE READER. ALBEIT that all Christians who now inhabit the world believe in God, believe in jesus Christ, believe the holy scriptures, yet they be severed into two parts. The one doubteth not to receive the sense of the sacred text as the Church doth propound & teach, & hereto they conform their faith: And these be called Catholics. The other part supposing the authority of the Church to be fallible & obnoxious to errors, teacheth that each Christian may, yea ought in matter concerning faith censure the doctrine of the whole church by the sacred scriptures, & so either receive or refuse the same: & these, ever were & are now at this present, branded with the name of heretics. which error in regard that many learned divines have clearly confuted and confounded both by the authority of sacred Scriptures as also by that of counsels, fathers & other arguments tending to the purpose; I intent not in such a sense to debate this question, but only to note & set down what absurdities do necessarily ensue the said rule of belief which misbelieving Christians as Lutherans Protestant's Puritans etc. have forged to themselves in the shop of their self conceit to found their faith there-upon; which howbeit many have performed before me, yet (if I be not mistaken) no one, hath on set purpose treated of the same; Therefore I deem not my labour ill spent (though otherwise busied in affairs of imporrance) to impart time to this work which I will do in as few words as may be; And this (as all things else) for the honour & glory of our Saviour Christ & his most holy mother, to whom (not unmindful of their benefits) I have vowed, whatsoever I set down in writing, though near someane & small. Far well friendly reader & recommend me in thy prayers to God. APPROBATIO. TRactatus iste, de regula fidei, scriptus primo Latinè à venerabili viro, P. Valeriano Magni Mediolanensi, Ordinis Sancti, Capucinorum, & in idioma Anglicanum fideliter translatus, nihil habet à fide, bonisque moribus dissonum, sed dignissimus est qui typis edatur ad institutionem eorum, qui diligunt viam veritatis. Ita saluo semper superiorum iudicio censebam. 10. junij. 1634. F. Leander de S. Martino Sacrae Theologiae Doctor, Congregationis Angliae Benedictinorum Prases Generalis, & linguae Sanctae in Academia Duacena Regius Professor. THE FIRST CHAPTER. The question is propounded about the rule of belief. A RULE is an instrument according to which those that draw lines do necessarily draw them straight, which translated to Religion, it is termed the rule of belief, which christians following can not err in Matters of belief. And from this controversy about the rule of belief all other controversies concerning matter of faith, which are between catholics & not catholics, seem to be derivede, which if it were but once well agreed upon, all christians might be reconciled together, & united in one true faith, for all Christians as well catholics as not Catholics, though in many points they disagree from each other, yet in some they also agree, even in this matter itself about the rule of belief, which I will by order set down. First, all do jointly affirm that the written word of God is true & infallible. 2. That who so propoundeth any doctrine contrary to the sacred scriptures, is in no wise to be credited, be he man or Angel, S. Paul, or S. Gabriel. 3. That all and each one, is undoubtedly to be believed in matter of faith, if his doctrine disagree not from the word of God. 4. That no man (be he who he will) can attain to the true sense of sacred writ, except he be inwardly enlightened & taught by the holy ghost. 5. No man can disagree from the word of God if he be inwardly enlightened & taught by the holy Ghost. Seeing then, that not only Catholics but also all sorts of Christians of those that be no Catholics, conspire in the verity of these. 5. propositions, nor is there any one of so self an opinion that can call the same in doubt: It resteth we discuss whom among all these the holy ghost doth certainly & infallibly assist, that they err not in the expounding of the true sense of the sacred scripture. There be two opinions of Christians now adays that strive about this question. The one is of those who certainly & without doubt do believe that the church doth propound unto the Christian world the true sense of the sacred scripture: & these that do thus believe, be called Catholics. The other is of those sects of Christians each one of which doth a part & separately by himself consult the holy ghost out of the scriptures, & so censure what doctrine doth in matter of faith consent to the word of God, and what doth dissent from it: & these are and ever were termed & held of Catholics for heretics, And of these sorts of Christians there are at this present sundry sorts whereof the chief are Lutherans, Caluenists, Protestants, Anabaptists etc. All which be again subdivided & minced into many petty sects whose names for brevity sake I omit; But for as much as all these forenamed Christians consent in this opinion that they make it the rule of their faith to consult the holy ghost out of the bible consisting of the old & the new testament we will hereafter to include them all, grace them with the title of Biblists. The Catholics distinguish the church into two parts, whereof the one, containeth pastors, & the other sheep, They, be termed Bishops, these, all other faithful believers. The jurisdictions of Bishops in the Catholic church, are subordinated, for many Bishops be under one Archbishop, many Archbishops under one patriarch, among whom the Bishop of Room beareth the primacy, & all these may be considered either each one apart, or altogether as they be lawfully assembled in a general council, But a general council is considered as confirmed or not confirmed by the Bishop of Room. This then is the sentence of all Catholics, That the Bishop of Room together with a general council, or a general council confirmed by the Bishop of Room, hath two prerogatives. The first is, that the holy ghost doth infallibly assist the same, in somuch that it is impossible that it descent from the sacred scriptures in deciding & propounding doctrine of belief. The other is, that the said general council have received a supreme authority from jesus Christ to teach in his church, & consequently to excommunicate & anathematise as heretics, all and each of those, who in matters aperteining to faith shall dare to deny or call in doubt any of the decrees of the said general council which concern faith. But, is it to be noted, that when a general council consulteth the holy ghost about the true sense of sacred scripture, it doth not only cite to the said council, all Bishops, Archbishops, Patriarcks, but also the Embassadores of Christian Princes & many times even kings & Emperors themselves, also they call thertoe the learnedst Divines that be extant at that time in the Christian world: & if any masters of heresy be living, they have free permission to come: And When all these be thus assembled in the name of Christ, they proclaim public fasts & prayers to be held, not only in the general council itself, but also throughout all the Christian world, to the end that the whole church jointly together may implore the assistance of the holy ghost in a matter so important. Then they begin to propound the difficulties which be in debate about the sense of the sacred text; each one hath free liberty to speak & dispute, not only Bishops but also divines of inferior quality, & not only Catholics, but also heretics may propound their opinion & freely controvert the same: All which diversity of sentences be throughly discussed, not in a confused manner, but at leisure & in many sessions, & no small space of time, while all the whole senate of Christian princes or their legates be present beholding all, & consenting to what passeth. Lastly after a long inquisition made when the fathers of the council & the Bishop of Room do uniformly consent & subscribe to such and such articles in matter of faith, the said decrees be presently intimated to the universal church & the whole Christian world; & all & each of those who dare to deny or call in doubt the same be anathematised, be they kings or Emperors: which being once done even those fathers of the council be obliged under the pain of an anatheme to admit those decrees concerning faith, neither is it lawful for any man to call in question the same, no not the pope himself. And this authority of the church, as it is set down, all Catholics do certainly believe to be infallible & the true rule of belief; whence it cometh that this is a common proposition among Catholics believe all that which the holy mother church believeth. But now let us see how Biblists square their rule of belief. They grant indeed that there were never wanting in any age of the church some few among Christians who by the assistance of the holy ghost did gather out of the scriptures the true & sincere doctrine of Christ, & these made the church, (say they) in every age, hence they deduce & acknowledge that the true church of Christ cannot err in faith: nevertheless it never was or will be, that this true church of the biblists ever made or will make any decree concerning matter of faith, & therefore the church was never assembled in any general council to which it appertained to discern infallibly & decide without error, which is the true doctrine of Christ, which all other Christians are undoubtedly to hold & profess without any farther inquisition: And upon this maxim of theirs, they do most constantly avouch that all Christians, whether considered asunder or as assembled in a general council, may be forsaken of the holy ghost & disagree from the scripture in doctrine of faith, & so consequently err in faith, yet this withal, they aledg that none can be abandoned of the holy ghost in examining & judging of doctrines of faith out of their Bible, if he as he ought to do, devoutly invoke the grace of the holy ghost. Now they (say the Biblists) who be inwardly enlightened & taught by the holy ghost, do certainly & infallibly gather & know the same, by certain inward peculiar motions, by which their minds be stirred up by the holy ghost, in respect that he witnesseth to their spirit that they be the children of God, whose annointment doth teach them all truth; yet herein the Biblists do deal somewhat modestly; in that, though illuminate & taught by God they think themselves to have no right nor jurisdiction to oblige other Christians to accept that there doctrine which out of the bible each one of them judgeth to be true by inspiration of the holy ghost, albeit in his hart he damneth & condemneth all other doctrines which doth disagree from that doctrine of his, which he surmiseth to be only conform to holy writ. The reason he assigneth is this; That no man is to be trusted in matter of faith, seeing that every man may err, but if some one chance not to err, this proceedeth of an inward assistance of the holy ghost, & is not conspicuous to any one save to him that hath it, neither can any man certainly affirm this or that man to be inwardly illuminated & taught by the holy ghost save he only who receiveth that grace Therefore if a Biblist be demanded wherefore he believeth that IHESUS OF NAZARETH is the son of God? He will answer. Because that God hath revealed it; Whence hast thou this? He will answer? out of the bible. How knowest thou that this is the sense of the bible? He will answer. The holy ghost taught me so. How knowest thou that he who taught the, was the holy ghost? He will answer. My conscience witnesseth so much. I know very well that the annointmens' & illustration which I inwardly perceive in my mind is à supernatural operation of the holy ghost. Thus reply those biblists who as yet retain some glimpse & shadow of faith. Yet there be very many especially Lutherans & Protestants that dare condemn no belief, though they constantly believe that there is no Purgatory & that saints be not to be prayed unto etc. And know the same by the holy ghost witnessing it unto their consciences out of the bible, yet they dare not attach those of error who certainly affirm that their is a Purgatory & that saints be to be prayed unto etc. These the sounder sort of biblists repute as woodcocks & block-heddish asses, & so I pass them. The question then which we are to discuss is in this manner to be propounded, whether the holy ghost doth rather infallibly decide the true doctrine of faith from that which is false by general counsels lawfully assembled expounding the scriptures, or else by each Christian a part, caling upon & consulting the holy ghost out of his bible. THE SECOND CHAPTER. The opinion of the Biblists is propounded and severed into certain propositions. MY meaning is not in this treatise to define this question about the rule of belief, but only to deduce certain consequences necessarily ensuing on the opinion of the Biblists, whose absurdity and insufficiency being perceived we may judge what manner of religion they have so weakly founded: & to what impossibilities they be bound by the belief of their sect, for as touching the Catholic rule of belief, I will make no mention of the same, it being held of no valuation by the biblists. But to the end the consequences I am to deduce out of the antecedents of the biblists, may be more evident; I will set down those antecedents divided into these subsequent propositions, that it may manifestly appear to the view of every biblists eye, how sincearlie & purely I treat the question. Propositions. 1. ALl Christians in general & particular may err in faith. 2. All counsels yea the pastors of the whole church of Christ assembled in a general council & approved by the bishop of Room may err in their decrees about faith. 3. Each Christian if he call upon the holy ghost as he ought to do, m●● examine the doctrine of all men whom soever without error, confronteing the same with the scriptures, & so censure of himself whether the said doctrine of what soever men, even of general counsels do agree with the bible or disagree from it, & then accept or reject the fain. 4. There is no other way to know for certain which is the truth in matter of faith then by the means of praire to consult the holy ghost out of the bible. But in all the subsequent consequences which are to be deduced out of these propositions of the biblists, we require that they grant us this one assertion to wit. 5. That Christian faith excludeth all doubts and is certain & infallible. But we are here to note by the way, that the biblists are wont to moderate the first propositions, for they affirm, that none cann err in faith if he agree with the sacred scripture: also, that none can disagree from the sacred scripture, if the holy ghost do assist him; they aver moreover that none can be forsaken by the holy ghost, if he call upon him as he ought to do, but for as much as they avouch that it may fall out, that some one may not call upon the holy ghost as he ought to do, consequently it may follow that all & each one may be abandoned of the holy ghost & so also consequently disagree from the bible, & err in faith. THE THIRD CHAPTER. Necessary consequences deduced out of the precedent propositions, out of which it is evident what a task each biblist is tied unto. seeing then that this is a biblist task to consult the holy ghost out of the scriptures, for censuring of doctrines which appertain to faith, it makes much to the purpose to set down how great a charge this is which they take upon them & how far it extendeth, lest in so weighty a business as is this of eternal salvation, inconsideration plunge them into perdition. The first consequence. ALl Christians & general counsels may err in faith. Therefore no Christian ought in matter of faith to believe any man or council. Proof. THe consequence I prove thus. Because true & certain faith ought to leave itself on an infallible authority, but the authority of all men & counsels is supposed by the biblists to be subject to errors. Therefore in this case no men ought to be believed. Nor doth it cut the sinews of the consequence to reply, That men & general's council be to be believed so far as their doctrine doth concord to the scriptures, for seeing that they may also disagree from the same, the case becometh doubtful & then the holy ghost is to be consulted out of the Bible to the end we may certainly know, whether they agree to the word of God or disagree from the same; for, that this doctrine consenteth to the bible or dissenteth from it, appertaineth not to the credence of men burr to the holy ghost inwardly teaching us out of the bible what we are to believe. The Second consequence. THere is no other means for certainly to know which is the truth in matter of faith, then by way of devout prayers to consult the holy ghost out of the bible. Therefore no Christian can believe the articles of faith except by a special praire he first consult the holy ghost out of the bible, whether those articles of faith be conform to the same or no? Proof. THe consequence is clear, because the doctrine of all Christians about matters of faith, be they considered several or assembled, can not be iudiged to be either true or false if praire be not first made to consult the holy ghost out of the bible, neither doth the holy ghost otherwise teach Christians the truth, save out of the bible, & therefore it is to be concluded according to this biblist rule, that no Christian can believe the articles of faith if he do not first consult the holy ghost about the same, out of the scripture by a previall praire made to that effect. Nor doth it in validate the consequence to reply, that they credit their ministers propounding unto them the word of God or doctrine glossed out of the bible, for that minister may err in faith, & there fore he that heareth his doctrine is bound in conscience ere he believe the same to consult the holy ghost by praire out of the scripture to know weather it agree with the word of God or not. The Third consequence. NO Christian can believe the articles of faith, except by a previal praire he council the holy ghost out of the scripture. Therefore those Biblists who be under age or want leisure or means to reed the bible, or can not read at all, or can get no bible to reed & consult the holy ghost there out, can not have any true faith. Proof. THis consequence can not be improved because a biblist admitteth, no other rule of belief save this of consulting the holy ghost out of his bible. Nor is it to the purpose to reply that they have their parsons whose charge is to expound them the word of God, for these may be deceived & deceive; wherefore there doctrine is first to be examined by ever Christian whether it agree to the word of God or not, ere he consent to the same which is to be done in consulting the holy ghost out of the bible by prayers first made as biblists say. The Fourth consequence. ALl Christian & general counsels may err in faith (Say the Biblists.) Therefore all Christians & general counsels might also have erred in there decrees about the Canon of the sacred books of the Bible, which granted it may be doubted whether that the biblist have the true scriptures or no. Proof. THe consequence is apparent, for the decree about the Canon of sacred books concerneth matter of faith, yea the weightiest among all the matters of faith. Therefore the church might have erred when in the year of our lord 494. she made a decree in the council held at Room of 70 Bishops under Pope Gelasius the first, touching the canon of canonical books of both testaments, & those that the said council censured for Apocrifa were expelled from the number of the books of the bible, the catalogue of which is as followeth. Books censured for Apocrifa in the council of Room. THe journey of S. Petter the Apostle in 8. books, said to be written by S. Clement. Apocrifa. The acs of S. Andrew the Apostle. Apocrifa. The acs written in the name of S. Thomas. Apocrifa. The acs written in the name of S. Peter. Apocrifa. The acs written in the name of S. Philip. Apocrifa. The gospel written in the name of Taddeus the Apostle. Apoc. The gospel written in the name of S. Peter. Apocrifa. The gospel written in the name of S Mathias Apocrifa. The gospel writ. in the name of Barnabas. Apocrifa. The gospel written in the name of james the less. Apocrifa. The gospel written in the name of S. Andrew. Apocrifa. The gospel written in the name of S. Thomas which the Manicheans use. Apocrifa. The gospel written in the name of S. Bartholomew the Apostle. Apocrifa. The gospel which Lucian falsified. Apocrifa. The infancy of our Saviour. Apocrifa. The gospel which Hesychius falsified. Apocrifa. The book entitled Pastor. Apocrifa. The book of the birth of our Saviour; of his mother & her midwife. Apocrifa. All those books which were set out by Leucius the disciple of the devil. Apocrifa. The book called the foundation; & an other called the treasure, both. Apocrifa. The book of the Genesis of the daughters of Adam, & an other named the nephew, both. Apocrifa. The centimetrum of Christ compiled of Virgil verses. Apocri. The Book of Proverbs written by heretics & set out under the name of S. Sixtus. Apocrifa. The acs of S. Paul the Apostle & Tecla. Apocrifa. The revelation named of S. Paul. Apocrifa. An other revelation under the name of S. Thomas, & a third under the name of S. Steven, & a book named the Assumption of our Lady, & an other called the Testament, al. Apocrifa. The book named the penance of Adam, & an other called the penance of Origin, & a third called the penance of S. Cyprian. Apocrifa. The book under the name ogia the giant, whom the heretics fain to have fought with a dragon after the flood. Apocr. The book called the Apostles lots. Apocrifa. The book called the penance of jannes' & Mambres. Apocri. The book called the praise of the Apostles. Apocrifa. And this decree about the canon of the holy scriptures, was not only received by particular men, but even all subsequent general counsels did approve & accept the same, all which if they could err in matter of faith, could also err in this their decree about canonical scripture, & so it were to be doubted whether they condemned for Apocrifa any gospel that were sacred, or admitted those that were false for books of God; which reason if the biblists did well weigh they Would find themselves marueloussie pussed about their rule of faith, & in doubt whether that those scriptures Which they now at this present have, be true or false, sacred or profane, canonical or Apocrifa. The fift consequence. THe fathers & counsels could err in their decree about canonical scriptures as the biblists will have it. Therefore no biblist can certainly knoW, whether that those books contained in their bibles be made by the holy ghost or not: except they first consult the holy ghost out of the bible touching this question, & so each one determine by his private spirit, which books in the scripture were made by God, and which were not. Proof. BEcause for as much as this question is about the word of God it doth most of all appertain to faith, & therefore can not be decided, except by a previal praire the holy ghost be first consulted out of the bible about the same; Nor is it enough to answer as many bibilsts do, That some books of scripture are held to have been dictated by the holy ghost in the opinion of all men, for all men may err as biblists say; besides all christians do not consent in one opinion about canonical scriptures; for the catholics receive many books of scripture for canonical which the protestans repute for Apocrifa; many also the protestants receive which Luther & his compannions improve, race & deny to be sacred scripture; the like is of other christians, moreover the versions & editions of bibles are diverse & have different senses whereon great difficulties & contentions do arise even in matter of faith. The sixth consequence. NO Biblists can certainly know whether that those books contained in their bibles be dictated by the holy ghost, except by a previall praire he first consult the holy ghost touching this question, which consulting must be fetched from the bible, wherefore according to their own rule each biblist is obliged under the pain of eternal damnation to determine this great & difficile question by praying & consulting the holy ghost, and not rely on their ministers, or their churches. Proof. FOr they admitting no other rule of belief save this of consulting the holy ghost out of the written word of God, seeing that faith is necessary to shun eternal damnation, it most evidently followeth that each biblist is bound under pain of eternal damnation to consult the holy ghost out of the bible to know whether those books contained in the same were dictated by the holy ghost or not, else he cannot under stand out of the said scriptures what he is bound to believe, if he doubt whether those books contained in the bible be canonical or not. The seventh consequence. Each biblist is bound under the pain of eternal damnation, to consult the holy ghost out of scripture by a previall praire whether all & each of those books contained in the bible be dictated by the holy ghost. Therefore each biblist is bound under pain of eternal damnation to reed over all the books of the bible & to throughly examine them together with the diverse editions of the said bibles & manifold versions out of the hebrew, greek, latin, & english, & to confer them together with great diligence & pains, & after all this to give sentence their upon which are canonical books & which are Apocrifa, which versions be true, & which corrupt to the end he may gather there out all the true articles of his faith without error; & he who among the bests of Biblists omitteth to do all this, is in a continual state of damnation. Proof. FOr all these be necessary to determine this great question; except the holy ghost do teach them by some other means then out of the bible, in what and how many books the written word of God is contained, & which versions & editions be true & authentical, & which not. But we have already seen that the sentence of the Biblists is, That the holy ghost is so far forth the judge of the controversies of faith, that he doth not judge of the same nor teach the Biblists otherwise then out of the written word of God, which according to the doctrine of the Biblists, is the sole rule of the judge of controversies about faith & religion. The eight consequence. NO Biblists can believe the articles of faith, except he do first by praire consult the holy ghost out of the bible. Therefore every protestant is obliged under the pain of eternal death, to consult the holy ghost by prair out of the bible concerning all those things, which appertain to the in integrity of faith. Proof. BEcause Biblists will have no other rule of belief than this. To consult the holy ghost out of the bible: in regard they hold that all men & general counsels may err, wherefore seeing that true faith is absolutely necessary to obtain eternal life, & shun eternal death; it evidently followeth, that all Biblists according to their own rule are obliged under the pain of eternal death, to consult the holy ghost out of the scripture, touching all things which appertain to the integrity of their faith, else they can not be saved. The Ninth consequence. EVery Biblists according to his rule of faith, is obliged under the pain of eternal damnation to council the holy ghost out of the bible, touching all those articles which appertain to the integrity of faith. Therefore each Biblist is bound under the pain of eternal damnation having first prayed & counselled the holy ghost out of his Bible to decide all controversies of religion which be in dispute; as touching the notes of the true church, ecclesisticall jurisdiction, The primacy of the Roman Bishop, traditions, the number of sacraments, The possibility of Keeping the law, justification, & innumerable others which were over long to rehearse. Proof. FOr all these (as is evident) do appertain to the integrity of faith. Neither doth it help the Biblists cause to say, That they be taught the same by their ministers, or reed them in their Cathechismies, or learn them out of the doctrine of their churches, or have them set down in the institutions of Caluin or in the treatises of Luther & his compannions. For Luther, Caluin, doctors, ministers, churches, may disagree from the sacred scriptures & err in faith, & therefore are not certainly to be believed, but only so far forth to be credited, as their doctrine agreeth with the scriptures. And therefore each Biblist, is bound to council the holy ghost out of the scriptures, to know whether or no such doctrine as they here to be preached & taught or read in Cathechismies, or is delivered them by their churches be agreeable to the written word of God, or disagreeable the-reto & so decide the same by their private spirit ere they believe, else it is impossible for a biblist to have any true faith. The tenth consequence. ALl Biblists be bound under the pain of eternal damnation having first prayed, to consult the holy ghost out of their bible, about the number, version, & edition of the sacred books of both testaments; Also about all controversies which concern the integrity of faith. Therefore all in general, men & women, doctors & idiots of what condition soever they be, if they be come to the adg of discretion & have sufficient sense & reason, are bound (conform to this Biblists doctrine) under the pain of eternal damnation, To consult the holy ghost out of their bible, touching the number, versions, editions, & integrity of the sacred books of either testament, as also touching all controversies, which appertain to the integrity of faith all which how impossible it is to perform, each judicious biblist may perceive, & by consequenc what an absurd rule they have chosen for to prove true faith by. Proof. BEcause both men & women of what condition soever, if they be come to the years of discretion, are bound under the pain of eternal damnation to have true faith, which true faith for to have, their is no other rule as Biblists say, then by a previal praire to consult the holy ghost out of the Bible. Neither doth it help the Biblists to say, that every Christian, may conceive true faith by hearing of a minister preach, or in reeding of their catechism, for these may err as biblists say, & therefore the holy ghost is to be consulted out of the scripture, to the end they may undoubtedly know, whether that the doctrine of their ministers, cathecismies & churches, do agree to the written word of God, or disagree from the same. The eleventh consequence. ALl Biblists of What sex and condition soever, if they be arrived to the use of discretion, or have their wits, are bound under the pain of eternal damnation, to council the holy ghost out of the bible, touching the number, integrity, version, & edition, of the sacred books of both testaments, as also concerning all controversies which appertain to the integrity of faith. Therefore all Christians of what sex and condition soever they be, if come to the use of discretion, & are sound in their wits are bound (conform to this biblists rule) under the pain of eternal damnation to decide no less, a list of controversies appertaining to religion, than the whole church of Christ, hath decided, in so many general counsels these 1500. years, from the Apostes time till this age of ours. Proof. FOr it hath hethertoe been disputed upon controversies of religion more than these 1500. years, & decided in general council, which articles were catholic & which heretical, what doctrine appertained to faith & what not, All which, the Biblists avouching that the church can err & general counsels can err, do manifestly call into doubt, & therefore all & each of them are obliged to peruse the said doctrine & confer it with their bibles, that they may by the consultation of the holy ghost in the scriptures, sever truth from falsity, to embrace that and reject this, as their private spirit suggesteth unto them. And out of these consequences, each Biblist may perceive what a burhen he layeth on his back, & to what impossibilities he windeth himself, in leaving the authority of the church, & reliing on his own private spirit in expounding of the scriptures, though the scripture contrariwise doth tell us in the epistle of S. Peter, that no scripture is to be declared by private interpretation. THE FOURTH CHAPTER. Other consequences be deduced where by it may evidently appear what means & helps each Biblist may have to ease him of this burden & discharge his duties. I Will here omit to consider what wit, judgement, learning, laisure, & other humane helps each Biblist may have to discharge this task taken upon him of what sex, age, or condition soever he may be, without which helps it is not possible to consult the holy ghost out of the bible, nor decide all those controversies which appertain to the integrity of faith, which have been disputed upon these 1500. years, & decided by the church; Let each of them judge a part by himself what wit, judgement laisure, learning, etc. he may have to fulfil this task and discharge his duty, in the mean time I will suppose that each biblist hath wit learning leisure & books sufficient for this purpose: only noW I intent to inquire, what certain & infallible foundation of faith the Biblists may have out of this their rule of belief. The first consequence. NO Biblist hath any other rule of belief save his private spirit consulting the holy ghost out of the scripture what he is bound to believe in matter of faith. Therefore the faith of the Biblists leaneth on three foundations, to wit,, on praire, on the holy ghost, & on the sacred text of the bible; In so much that the holy ghost is the judge of all the controversies of faith. The bible is the rule with out which that judge doth not teach us, in matter of faith; And praire is the condition with out which the holy ghost doth not certainly instruct us out of the bible. This consequence needeth no proof being evident of itself by grant of the very Protestants themselves & all other Biblists Lutherans, Puritans, Anabaptists etc. The Second consequence. THe rule of belief is no other (say the Biblists) then by praire to consult the holy ghost out of the bible. Therefore those supernatural motions which the holy ghost stirreth up in the minds of the Biblists consulting him by praire out of the scriptures, are a sure argument whence they certainly gather that they be taught by the holy ghost the true sense of the bible. Proof. FOr albeit the certainty of faith be founded on the authority of God revealing the same, neverttheles that this bible contains the pure word of God, & that this be the pure & true interpretation of the said bible no man can certainly & infallibly know, except that the holy ghost give testimony unto him out of the said bible, concerning the same, which testimony (as biblists will) is either a supernatural illumination or some such like divine motion of our minds, by which each one may certainly & infallibly know that the holy ghost doth inwardly teach him out of the holy scripture. Neither doth it infringe this consequence, what some Biblists say, That the text is clear enough of itself, & needeth no gloss nor interpretation, or, that one text doth interprett the other; for if this were so, than the presupposed & granted necessity of an inward annointement of the holy ghost in the minds of the biblists, which doth necessarily include a supernatural & divine motion in their souls, whereby the spirit of God doth witness unto their spirit, that such a sense of the text, which their spirit so conceiveth is most true, certain, & infallible, is quite taken away & annulled. It is moreover most ridiculous & senseless to say, the holy scriptures have a sense so clear that each biblist may of himself conceive & understand the same, when as more than these 1500. years the whole world hath been busied about nothing so much, as in disputing about & debating which is the true sense of the sacred scriptures, & even yet the same is in dispute among Christians, & will be disputed of, till the day of doom. yea even amoung the Biblists themselves, there be deep & deadly debates about the sense of the scripture, which have minced them into many sects each contradicting the other that they resemble the foxes of Samson, who tied all by the talls of their private spirit have their heads of opinions in matters of faith looking contrary ways, which Surely could not happen to them, if the text of the bible were so clear that it needed no interpretation, or that the holy ghost taught them out of the scripture, which is the true sense of the same in regard, that the holy ghost is not a spirit of dissension, but of concord & peace; so that this is but a vain excuse to say, that the scripture is so easy that each idiott may understand the meaning of it; neither doth it further the Biblists cause. The Third consequence. THat supernatural motion of the holy ghost, enlightening the minds of the Biblists consulting by praire the holy ghost out of the scripture, is an argument, whence they do certainly & infallibly draw, that the holy ghost doth inwardly teach them the true sense of the sacred scriptures. Therefore those motions ought to be certain, doubtless, & altogether divine & so free from error, that each idiott woman or man may dare, yea is bound in conscience to believe, under pain of eternal damnation that he is more certainly taught out of sacred writ by the holy ghost to discern true doctrine from that which is false, then were all the Pastors of the whole church of Christ the space of a 1500. years, though gathered together in a general council approved by the Bishop of Room. Proof. BEcause each Biblist (as I said) of what age sex, or condition soever, (save those that are not come to the use of discretion or Want judgement) is bound under pain of eternal damnation, to consult the holy ghost out of the bible, whether the decrees of the whole church gathered together in so many general counsels, do agree to the written word of God, or disagree from the same. Neither is it enough to answer (as many biblists do) that a general council can not err if it agree with the written word of God; for the Biblists say, that it may also disagree from the same, & therefore each Christian ought to consult the holy ghost out of the bible, whether that doctrine of council or church, doth agree thereto, or disagree there from, ere he believe the same. Nor maketh it to the purpose that many Biblists approve the first 4. general counsels, though many do not approve them, as Puritans Anabaptists etc. For the reason why they approve these counsels is because they (as they say) having consulted the holy ghost out of the bible, censure them not to disagree from the written word of God, neither is it of less authority to approve counsels out of the word of God, then to reprove & reject the same. For the cause why Biblists approve the first 4. general counsels, is not for any respect which they have to the said general counsels as if they could not err in faith, but for the testimony of the holy ghost whose wonder full & divine motions each biblist doth so feel in his soul, that he doth infallibly confess himself to be taught by the holy ghost when out of the book of the bible, he judgeth that the said 4. general counsels concord with the scriptures. The Fourth consequence. THe motion which God maketh in the hearts of the biblists consulting the holy ghost out of the scriptures, is certainly & undoubtedly divine, say they, so that each biblist is bound under pain of eternal damnation to believe most constantly that he is more surely & truly taught by the holy ghost, than all the pastors of the whole church assembled together in a general council, approved by the Bishop of Room. Therefore the Biblists do over much presume on the holy ghost. Proof. I Prove my consequence by a comparison & antithesis which may be made between a Biblist & a general council, which I suppose to be celebrated in the manner before rehearsed by me. When a controversy is moved amoung Catholics about any weighty matter concerning faith & that they perilously begin to divide themselves into sects; forthwith a general council is called of all bishops, archbishops & patriarchs of the whole church; princes also do send thither the most learned divines that be in all their dominions; & Princes, kings & Emperors, do either come in person or send their Ambassadors, & all these be gathered together in the name of Christ. Moreover each Bishop in his diocese & the Pope throughout the Christian world-doe give order that public prayers & supplications together with fasts be made, to the end that the holy ghost thus consulted would assist the fathers thus assembled in a general council, that they may certainly & infallibly decide the truth; The fathers also of the council do labour all they cann by prayers, fasts, & holy conversation, to obtain the same assistance of the holy ghost. And so did the fathers of the holy Synod of Trente as appeareth in their decree made & to be read in the second section of that council. And all that great preparation wherein the whole Christian world was then busied tends to no other end, then that the Catholic faith might be kept pure, spotless, & sure, & that no error might creep in about the exposition of any sacred text of scripture; & in these examinations of doctrines, the said council of Trente did not spend an hour a day & so end, but they prolonged the same many months, & this by most ordinated sessions, disputations, conferences, & continual invocation of the holy ghost, by which means the fathers of the council did at length obtain their wished desire, & happily concluding, each one set his hand & subscribed to the decrees made in matter of faith, pronouncing an anatheme against all those who were so bold to gain say their decrees established by them & confirmed by the authority of the Bishop of Room. Now then, having well considered the manner in which general counsels do proceed in deciding controversies of faith, let us compare a Biblist poring upon his Bible, to a general council of the church, to discern the difference. This Biblist is one single man, but the fathers of the council be many in number. This Biblist is a sheep, that is not a Bishop; the fathers of the council Bishops & Pastors. This Biblist prayeth all alone, all that be at the council, yea the whole Christian world pray for it. This Biblist prayeth privately; for the fathers of the council, the whole Christian world make public prayers, fasts, & supplications. This Biblist may be some idiott, clown, oyster-wife or coster mongers maid, they of the council are the most learned divines that be in all the Christian world. This Biblist turneth over his bible & conferreth some one or two texts of scripture together with other text of scripture. These fathers of the council, after a long exercise in study of the holy scriptures, after a number of public and private disputations about religion where in they have been busied; after many sessions held concerning matters of faith, after many devout prayers made to obtain the grace of the holy ghost, may seem to have used all diligence possible to obtain the true sense & meaning of the holy ghost in the scripture. Lastly this biblist doth only decide out of the bible what he ought to believe; but the fathers of the council as judges pronounce an anatheme against all those who believe otherwise then they have decreed. And this comparison is only made between one Biblist & one general council but what might be deemed if we should oppose one Biblist, to wit a cobbler or country fellow (to omit ministers) to all the general counsels that have been celebrated in the church of Christ, or to those only which have been held from the year 456. after the council of Chalcedon which was the forth ecumenical council, & this in behalf of those Biblists that received the first 4. counsels, when I say we shall have compared one silly Biblist to all these counsels, who dareth to condemn them all of errors, & avouch withal that the holy ghost hath given him more light than to all those multitudes of holy fathers, & that he more truly conceiveth the mind of the holy ghost in the Bible than all those general counsels did, may we not say (to speak most modestly) that this Biblist is impudent, arrogant & proud & that he doth toe much presume on the assistance of the holy ghost. Nor doth it weaken the conscquence, that not one alone but an innumerable many of Biblist do reject all general counsels as contrary to the sacred scripture; for no Biblist foundeth his faith on any man's avouchment, They indeed hear what they teach, but believe not till they have consulted the holy ghost out of the scripture whether that doctrine agree with the same or not. And there fore each Biblist conform to his rule of faith, doth not judge of doctrine for the authority & number of his companions, but of the presumption he hath that the holy ghost doth infallibly assist him, & for this reason is moved to condemn all general counsels held since the year of our Lord 456. even to this day, yea the purer sort of Biblists improve, reject, condemn, all counsels celebrated in the Catholic church since the Apostles age, & each of them is not ashamed every moment to judge & condemn the whole Christian world in all ages of errors in matter of doctrine appertaining to faith, because it squareth not, to their fantasy, & can a greater presumption than this be imagined? To conclude then, we may perceive out of these consequences, that the sole foundation where upon the Biblists ground the certainty of their faith: to be certain motions which they say the holy ghost maketh in their minds, which causeth them infallibly to believe that they be taught by the holy ghost out of the scripture; But what a manner of motion or annointment this is, which the Biblists presume ro proceed of the holy ghost, we may in some sort have conjectured out of the foregoing consequences. Seeing then that each Biblist hath taken upon him such a heavy burden & weighty charge as to be bound upon pain of eternal damnation to decide all controversies appertaining to the integrity of faith; They have only two helps for the discharging of their duties, to wit the Bible & praire, whence they fain to fetch the holy ghost who sitting in each Biblists mind as on a bench, doth judge of all doctrines & Bibles whose sentence the Biblists do most certainly & infallibly feel in their souls so clearly pronounced, that they had rather believe that the holy ghost forsook all counsels, & fathers, all doctors & pastors, yea the whole church for a 1500. years then that they be forsaken of the holy ghost in censuring of doctrines. And can a greater arrogancy, or more haughty pride & abominable presumption be devised or imagined then this? & yet even heerto the Biblists be amounted, if they pass not the line. THE FIFTH CHAPTER. Other necessary consequences deduced, whence it may appear, what manner of church that of Christians is assembled together, if it be compacted as the Biblists rule of beelefe would have it. NOw it behowueth us to show out of the Biblists rule of belief, what a manner of church the church of Christ is, if it observe the rule of belief set down by the Biblist, which I will do by consequences drawn out of their rule of belief, that each one may perceive the absurdity of the same & Biblists recant their folly. The First consequence. NO Christian (say the Biblists) is bound to credit any man in matters of faith, whether he be considered single or assembled in a general council, except he having first consulted the holy ghost out of the Bible doth well understand, that the said propounded doctrine of faith doth very well agree with the written word of God. Therefore each Biblist doth believe, that they alone make the true church of Christ; who profess, that doctrine of faith, which each one a part, having first consulted the holy ghost out of the Bible, doth judge to be most conform to the texts of his Bible. Proof. THe consequence I prove, for if any man's doctrine afrer that the holy ghost is consulted out of the scripture, be found to disagree from the word of God, his doctrine is necessarily to be improved, & he to be condemned for an heretic, who would stubbornly maintain such a doctrine dissenting from the Bible. The Second consequence. Each Biblist doth believe that only those Christians make up the true church of Christ, who profess that doctrine as doctrine of faith,, which each one after that he hath prayed & consulted the holy ghost out of his Bible, doth judge to be most conform to the said Bible. Therefore there must needs be so many putative churches of Christ, as there be diversities of brains amoung Christians, who after that they have prayed & consulted the holy ghost, do gather out of the Bible contradictory articles of belief even in doctrine of faith. The consequence is clear & needeth no proof, only this is to be supposed, that, that is said to be one church, in which there is one faith. The Third consequence. THere be so many putative churches of Christ as there be diversity of brains amoung Christians, who after that they have prayed & consulted the holy ghost out of ye Bible do nevertheless fetch from the said Bible contradictory opinions in doctrine of faith As is evident in the Biblists of these our days, for a Lutheran he prayeth & consulteth the holy ghost out of his Bible, and affirmeth that the holy ghost teacheth him that this text of the bible This is my body is meant of the real presence of the body of Christ in the Sacrament, which he termeth the lords supper, which is there present in person (as he saith) jointly with the bread. But a puritan prayeth & consulteth the same holy ghost out of his Bible about the true meaning of the rehearsed words This is my body. And sweareth against the Lutheran, that Christ is only in the Sacrament as in a sign, & a figure, & that there is naught else there save bare bread, & wine, & that the holy ghost taught him so much. A gain the Anabaptist he consulteth the holy ghost out of the scripture, & after a prolix praire made to that effect, findeth that the holy ghost teacheth him out of the scripture, that Children be in no wise to be baptised, because they want belief & therefore must be rebaptised when they come to years of discretion; But the protestant contrariwise looketh into his Bible & after praire & consultation made with the holy ghost, protesteth the Anabaptist to be an heretic for the holy ghost telleth him out of the Bible that even infants may receive Baptism & that they thus baptised are never to be rebaptised. Therefore according to this rule of the Biblists, there be so many putative churches of Christ, as there be diversities of brains amoung Christians, and that there is no public sign in all the whole Christian world, by which the only true church of Christ, which is but one, may be discerned from an innumerable company of others which are falsely thought to be the churches of Christ, when indeed they be but the Synagogs' of Satan, the denns of heresies & babses of confusion. Proof. BEcause no other rule of belief is extant amoung the Biblist, save the private and hidden testimony of the holy ghost in in each Biblist soul censuring the sense of the Bible where with each one being anointed, be he Lutheran, Protestant, Puritan, Arrian, Anabaptist, Trinitarian etc. doth most certainly persuade himself that he is taught by the holy ghost. The Fourth consequence. NO Christian is bound to believe any men in matter of faith be they considered severaley or assembled in a general counsel, except having first prayed and consutled the holy ghost out of the scripture, he understand very well, that the said doctrine propounded, doth agree with the sacred text. Therefore no Christian nor assembly of Christians is extant in the world (according to this Biblist rule) which hath such a jurisdiction of teaching that all other Christians are obliged to believe what they say & decide in matter of faith. This consequence is so manifest that it needeth no proof; for it is not to the purpose to answer that they be bound to believe those doctors which disagree not from the Bible; for no man is to be believed in matters of faith upon his own affirmation that his doctrine is true & disagreeth not from the scripture, else Puritan, Anabaptists, Lutherans, Arrians, Trinitarians, jews, were to be beleeveed. For as these avouch yea swear that there doctrine in matters or faith is most conform to the Bible, but each Christian (as the Biblists opinion is) must consult the holy ghost out of the scripture touching that point, & so judge as he inwardly teacheth, whose doctrine doth agree & whose disagree from the scripture. And therefore there is no Christian nor assembly of Christians in the world, who hath such an absolute jurisdiction of teaching, that all other Christians are bound in conscience to yield belief to what they say & decide about matters of faith: perhaps they may be bound to here others & after examine their doctrine, & so consult the holy ghost out of the Bible, whether it be true or false and that is all. The Fift consequence. NO Christian nor company of Christians is extant in the world (as ensueth on the Biblists proposition) that hath such a jurisdiction to teach matters of faith that all other Christians are bound in conscience to believe what they teach & conform there faith to their decrees. Therefore there is no ecclesiastical jurisdiction at all extant in the world, to wit, jurisdiction of preaching the word of God, of administering Sacraments, of publishing ecclesiastical laws, of exercising ecclesiastical judgements, of inflicting punishments upon transgressors of ecclesiastical laws ctc. which each Christian ere he submit himself to such a jurisdiction is not first bound to pray & consult the holy ghost out of scripture to know, censure, & judge whether such a jurisdiction be just or unjust conform to the word of God or not, & so either submit himself to the same if he like if, or shake of that yoke as unjustly imposed if his private spirit repine & judge it not to agree to the text of his bible. Proof. BEcause, jurisdiction to preach, to administer Sacraments, to make ecclesiastical laws etc. doth manifestly concern faith, & to practise ecclesiastical judgements do the suppose that the judge be not an heretic. But according to the Biblists rule, all questions concerning faith ought to be decided of each Christian out of his Bible he having first prayed & consulted the holy ghost, & consequently if any one preach, administer Sacraments, enacst ecclesiastical laws, or be an ecclesiastical judge; each Biblist is to consult the holy ghost out of the Bible, & so judge of these men's doctrine, of their Sacraments, of their laws, of their judgements, & if his private spitit find them to disagree from his texts of Bible, than he is bound in conscience not to obey, nor believe them, yea rather to burn them, then give his consent unto them. The sixth consequence. THere is no ecclesiastical jurisdiction extant in the world neither of preaching, administering of Sacraments, making of ecclesiastical laws, practising of ecclesiastical judgements etc. which each Christian ere he submit himself to that jurisdiction is not first bound (having consulted the holy ghost out of the bible) to judge whether it be just or unjust & so either accept or reject the same. Therefore (conform to this maxim of the Biblists) all ecclesiastical jurisdiction, yea the whole church of Christ becometh subject to the boisterous & bridles lust & ignorance of all Christians how wicked soever they be, who under pretence of an inward annointment whereby each one boasteth himself to be taught by the holy ghost out of the scriptures, have liberty to sow the world with heresies & distemper all realms & common wealths with debates, strifes, factions & civil wars. Proof. FIrst, because there is no Biblist in the world, which doth not attach of heresy innumerable other Biblists who from him. So one Lutheran avoucheth all Puritans, Hussites, Anobaptists, Arrians, & Protestants, to err in faith: & detesteth them for heretics, neither do the Lutherans consent amoung themselves in matters of faith but these differ from those, so that there is well-nigh as many opinions of faith amoung them, as their be brains to conceive them, and yet each Biblist be he Hussite, Lutheran, Puritan, Anabaptist, Protestant, Arrian etc. doth verily persuade himself that the is taught by the holy ghost out of the Bible. secondly, because it many times fale out that many of these Biblists who often do call upon & consult the holy ghost out of the scripture at diverse times gather contradictory articles of faith out of the said scripture & swear that they were so taught by the holy ghost: How many Biblist ministers have they, who a year before, praying & consulting the holy ghost out of the scripture have publicly taught, and writ, that Bishops were the limbs of Antichrist but this year having a fat bishopric offered them, they praying & consulting the holy ghost out of the scripture, find that the holy ghost inspireth them to accept that dignity with the revenues & that Bishops are conform to the texts of his bible? Others praying & consulting the holy ghost out of his Bible, have dared to preach & write, that to wear a syrpliss, were to conform oneself to the beast, & put on a remnant of Antichrist, as also to receive the communion kneeling were to commit idolatry; & this as from the holy ghost: but some months, or a year after, frighted either with the law, or aluted with reward consulting the said holy ghost out of his Bible, he maketh no scruple both to wear a syrpliss, & receive the communion kneeling & this by inspiration of the holy ghost whom he avowed a while a go, to have forbidden the same, as monstrous idolatry. Therefore he who subiecteth all ecclesiastical jurisdiction, to this annointment & inspiration of the spirit, wherewith each Biblist doth boast himself that he is taught by the holy ghost, doth expose the said eeclesiastical jurisdiction & also the whole church of Christ, to the boisterous lust & ignorance of all lewd & miscreant Christians, to stain the same with heresies as they please. The like may be alleged of Political jurisdiction which by this principal of Biblists doctrine is exposed to all the jeopardy of tumultuous broils & civil wars. The Seventh consequence. ALl ecclesiastical jurisdiction, yea the whole church of Christ becometh subject to the raging lust & ignorance of all miscreant Christians, who under the pretext of an inward annointment, wherewith each one boasteth himself to be taught by the holy ghost out of the scripture, may introduce into the church of God, what perverse heresies & broils he pleaseth. Therefore by such a rule of belief as the Biblists have devised, the whole church of Christ assembled together is necessarily a confused rout of mad bedlam fellows, amoung whom there is no order at all, but an everlasting horror inhabiteth. Proof. THe effect proveth what is said, for that company of Christians which is only thronged together & compacted into one body through this inward annointment of the holy ghost only, which each Biblist presumeth of himself to have, hath no unity of faith, in itself, no constancy of faith in his members, no jurisdiction, nor vocation nor succession of ecclesiastical ministers, but only in all & each of them this inward annointment domineereth by which every one vaunteth himself to have the holy ghost for his tutor. Considere well the true spirit of all the Biblists & thou will find them minced into many different jarring sects of Lutherans, Caluinists, Anabaptists, &c, each of which are again shredded into more sects than there be days in the years, yea well-nigh they have amoung them as many belefes as men, & as the times & seasons change so they change their faiths, as if religion were but a sport & pastime. See if they can spy out amoung them a supreme jurisdiction of teaching the word of God, of administering Sacraments of ordering ecclesiastical ministers, of judging ecclesiastical causes, & you will scarce find any shadow there of, but all things amoung them are exposed to this internal annointment of the holy ghost, which each of them boasteth for to have. Nor doth it prejudice this consequence, that in many places we behold the companies of these Biblists very quiet & in some order amoung themselves, as Lutherans in Saxony, & Protestants in England, for this proceedeth, because that the promiscuous multitude of Biblists in these places, give credit to their ministers, or be constrained to keep quarter by the Augustane Confession, or by the statutes of a parliament, which none for fear of punishment dare openly call in doubt, & for this cause, there be very few, who consulting the holy ghost out of the scripture, have courage to censure whether the doctrines propounded them to believe by ministers, or by the Augustane Confession, or by the statutes of a parliament, do cohere with the word of God, or disagree from the same, They had rather incur guiltienes of conscience, than a proemunire. But indeed to be plain, while these Biblists, not first consulting the holy ghost out of their Bible, do out of negligence or fear, give credit to their parsons, or to parliament edicts or such like statutes, concerning matters of faithtt is impossible for them to have any true faith, in regard they found their faith upon them, who may err in faith, for ministers, Bishop's Parliaments, congregations, general counsels all may err in faith all, be deceived & deceive according to the Biblists rule, yet in those place, where this inward annointment hath free uttrance, and the private spirit domineereth, all things in religion be turned upside down all disquieted & quite put out of order, & so much the more as the wits of those Biblists, which consult the holy ghost out of the scripture, are more subtle & eminent, which is so apparent by daily practice, that to god about to prove the same were to light a candle at mid day. THE sixth CHAPTER. Other necessary consequences be deduced, whence we may gather what a manner of church the church of Christ was from the Apostles times to our days, if it be censured as the Biblists rule of belief doth set down. SUCH (certes as I have deciplered) must the congregation of Christians be, who make one body of a church as the Biblists rule of belief doth set down. Now it resteth to deduce other consequences out of the same rule of belief, werby it may appear what a fasshioned church (according to their rule) was the church of Christ, from the Apostles age downwards even to Luther's revolt, for if following the rule of succession, so many ages even to our days are spread all the world over, surely we must be compelled to deduce thereout most horrible & fearful consequenees, & such as would fright a man to read them. The first consequence. ALl counsels as well generale as national, yea approved & confirmed by the Bishop of Room may err in faith; & each Christian is bound under the pain of eternal damnation before such time as he give credit to any of those general counsels, to consult the holy ghost out of the scriptures & so to judge whether that they do agree to the word of God or disagree from the same. Therefore all general counsels in what manner soever they have been celebrated in the church of God, have usurped & practised most detestable tyranny over the whole church of Christ contrary to the word of God. Because these general counsels did not only excommunicate, but also by the help of secular power did condemn & put to death those Biblists, who consulting the holy ghost out of the scriptures dared to deny or call in doubt the decrees of the said council which concerned matters of faith; Also they moved cruel & bloody wars against those princes, kings, & Emperors, who dared to gain say the doctrine of those counsels in matters of faith. See the cuncell of Nice ann. 325. in which Arrius was condemned, who out of the holy scriptures as he said denied the divinity of Christ. See the council of Constantinople an. 383 in which Macedonius was condemned, who out of the Bible denied the divinity of the holy ghost. See the first council of Ephesus an. 434. in which Nestorius of Constantinople was condemned, who out of the Bible did affirm that there was 2. persons in Christ. See the first council of Chalcedon an. 454. in which Eutyches the Archimandrite, was condemned of heresy, who out of the scriptures said that the images of Christ & his Saints, were not to be honoured. Neither did they condemn one or two, but an innumerable number of Christians, who followed those heresiarches, nor were they of the vulgar sort, but a many of them were Bishops, Archbishops, Patriarches, yea Princes, kings, Emperors, all which those fathers of the council did without any dread condemn for heretics in the name of Christ, and pronouncing an Anathema upon them cut them, quite of from the church of Christ. Both time & leisure would fail me, if I should go about to reckne up, all general counsels, & to show it a perpetual practice & rule of the church of Christ, that General counsels should decide matters of faith, & declare to all Christians what they were bound to believe, & what not to believe, condemning all & each that durst be so bold as to gainsay them or with stand their decrees. Now if those fathers of general counsels had non such right to do this; first at general counsels hither to celebrated in the church of Christ erred in faith, than they always practised a most violent & exectable tyranny ever all the flock of Christ in usurping an unjust jurisdiction by force & might; & in condemning & scoffing at this annointment of the spirit of God, which each Biblist presumeth for to have & to be inwardly taught by the said spirit out of the scriptures. The Second consequence. ALl general counsels in what manner soever they were celebrated in the church of God exercised a detestable tyranny over all the whole church of God contrary to the Bible (according to the Biblists rule. Therefore all heresies that ever were condemned by general counsels be hereby called into doubt whether that they were justly condemned or not. Proof. BEcause that those general counsels had no right to condemn any doctrine, but that office apparteined to each Christian, as also (consulting the holy ghost out of the bible) to examine even the decrees of general counsels themselves. And therefore the sentence of those counsels which condemned heretics in this respect, was unjust because it was utred by those who had no right nor jurisdiction to do it, for that sentence, did by divine right appertain to the censure of the holy ghost, who residing in the mind of each Biblists, as a judge sitting on a bench doth by means of the Bible give sentence out of there mouths about the doctrines of men. But to the end that the Biblists may by some small conjecture perceive how many monstrous heresies would revive again in this church if this there rule of belief were available, I will only mention at this time a certain decree made in the year 494. In the first Roman council under Pope Gela●asius the first. These & all such like heresies we condemn, which were taught by Simon Magus, Nicolaus, Gerinthus, Martion, Basilides, Ebion, Paulus Samosatenus, Protinus, Bonosus, with others who infected with such like errors fell from the church, we also condemn Montanus with his impure followers, Apolinard, Valentinus or Manicheus, Faustus, Africanus, Sabellius, Arrius Macedonius, Eunominus, Novatus, Sabbatius, Caelestius, Donatus, Eustakius, jovinianus, julianus, Gelanensis, Celestinus, Maximus, Priscilianus of Spain, Nestorius of Constantinople, Lampetius, Dioscorus, Eutyches; Both the Peter whereof one defiled the church of Antioch with heresies, the other the church of Alexandria, Acatius of Constantinople with his consorts, and all other heretics & there disciples together with schismatics, with whatsoever they have taught & writ, as also those heretics whose names be not registered, which we command to be not only rejected but also razed out for ever by every Catholic Apostolic & Roman church, whom with all their followers we acknowledge to be everlastingly condemned under the band of an anatheme never to be loosed. Thus Pope Gelasius with the fathers of that council. The Third consequence. NO ecclesiastical jurisdiction is extant whither of Preaching the word of God, nor of administering Sacraments, which each Christian (ere he submit himself to that jurisdiction) is not bound in conscience first to consult the holy ghost out of the scripture, & so judge whether the said jurisdiction be just to which they may submit themselves, or else unjust whose yoacke they may shake of. Therefore even from the Apostles times to our days, no true public worship of God was extant & practised in the church of God. Proof. FOr that worship of God which hath hitherto been publicly practised in the church of God as well concerning the preaching of the word, as the administration of Sacraments & other public ecclesiastical rites appertaining to religion, or the piety of the faithful towards God, was always decided & governed by the Bishops & Pastors of the church, but especially & principaly by the fathers that were assembled in general concels with an usurpation of a supreme power over all Christian believers, which (if conform to the rule of the Biblists) it be a most detestable tyranny contrary to the word of God, no doubt also but such a manner of worship wherewith God was served was execrable & detestable. Nor is it enough to oppose this consequence, to aver, that many Biblists lived in every age who detested that tyrannical dominion, for I grant this; These men I say, were they, whom (as I above mentioned) so many general counsels condemned for heretics, which if the Biblists would have to appertain to there church, let them look, with what conscience or colour they can approve their heresies, when as it is most certain, that in doctrine of faith, they did extremely disagree from the beliefs which the Biblists that be now a days do hold & profess. The Fourth consequence. ALl general counsels in what manner soever they were celebrated in the church of Christ, exercised a tyrannical dominion over the whole church of Christ, contrary to the word of God, neither was there ever extant in the world since the Apostles days any true public worship & service of God. Therefore the true church of Christ, even from the Apostles times, to these of ours, lay hid, lurking in invisiblenes being unknown both to herself & the world. Proof. FOr that assembly of Christians which from the Apostles days downwards to our time, was most conspicuous to the world worshipped & served God (either deceived or compelled to do so) with a detestable tyranny of Bishops that then overswaied the church (as Biblists say) and those only which refused this their tyranny were divided into innumerable sects, dissenting from each others in essential matters of faith, & which by lilte & lilte were reduced to nothing; Therefore lest we be compelled to say. That Chest for so long time had no church at all in the world either we must be forced to say, that the same was the church of Christ, or else for want of better reason, avouch an absurdity & say, that the church, was all that while unknown both to itself & the world, & lay hid lurking in invisiblenes; as many Biblists do not stick to avouch & impudently blabber. THE SEVENTH CHAPTER. The conclusion of the Author. ANd thus far, (Biblist my friend) I have go on to set down those absurdities, which spring out of thy rule of belief, & which each one may with ease deduce at leisure; albeit I have passed by many more difficile, but no less true; Now I would have thee for thy credit & conscience sake, to free this thy rule, from that frightful impiety, & frenzy, with which it seemeth to be branded & this by a more learned answer if thou canst, Which I think will be no small pains to do; & which I do deem can be done by no other means, then either by a flat denial of thine own antecedents, or of my consequences, both which will be fowl enough. But lest thou detain thyself in thine answer, It is not a miss, I admonish thee, that I have laboured whole 26. years about the study of the bible, & have ever sought to find & spy out the truth with a most sincere & spotless intention of mind, & to this end even from my childhood forsook my father, my mother & all the snares, and allurements of my temporal commodities which I might have enjoyed in the world, & loading on my shoulders a sore heavy cross have thus followed Christ; & yet neverheles I have hitherto esteemed & judged out of holy writ, that the authority of the holy church concerning matters of faith is infallible. But now; should I admit a different rule of belief, to wit, that of thine, I perceive full well, what difficulties Would ensue there upon, which are the same mentioned by me, to which I demand of thee a satisfactory reply, though I scarce can imagine what means thou hast to perform the same, except thou wilt persuade me to turn about like a mil-hors from the spirit, to the Bible, & from the Bible, to the spirit, in a perpetual circle; for if thou remit me to praire & the inward annointment of the holy ghost, or to some sacred scriptures, or glosses which thou or thy compannions make upon the Bible's text; friend Biblist I would have thee not to forget, that thou believest both thyself, and all thy comrades to be prone to errors in matters of faith, & may flatly err, & therefore in this important business of faith, I neither ought nor can in conscience give credit unto thee or thine; Nor canst thou gather, (if after that I have examined & cyfted thy sentence about matters of faith ever out of the bible) that the eyes of my mind be dimmed & can not see so clear as thine, because I have not prayed & implored the assistance of the holy ghost, for I would have thee know, that for the space of these 26. years, the 36. part & more of each natural day hath been by me, spent in watchings & prayers, serving God night & day. But should I give, which can not be granted, that the church may fail, & defile itself with errors, & therefore the authority of the same were to be renounced: nevertheless I see no reason wherefore I should presently submit to your opinion, & subscribe to that private spirit by which you boast yourselves to be inwardly inspired & taught: yea rather in this case I should doubt whether that the scripture you follow were sacred or not, for hitherto (with S. Augustin) I had not believed the scriptures, had not the authority of the church moved me. But to fain, that the holy ghost forsook the whole church of Christ so many ages, & is only assistant to me a vile sinner that I only may not stray from the truth where all cuncels & fathers, and Churches erred not rashly as you surmise, fredne Biblist, but prudently abhor & denyt, & esteem it a more than Luciferian arrogance in a man, to sou aunt himself yet should I let this pass as thou wouldst have it, that is that thy rule of belief is both consonant to the scriptured & the inward annoinmen of the spirit, what thinkest thou may be urged in this case? This at least, that unless thou freest the same from the infamy which it hath incurred for the above deduced consequences, I must be forced to affirm, that the Bible is not sacred but profane, your spirit not holy, but hollow, your Christ not a Saviour, but a seducer nor any man of a sound judgement can censure otherwise. Wherefore except you in such sort stint my consequences, that they can not be able to follow the antecedents at the heels, etther (friend Biblist) you must again return to the authority of the Church whence you are departed, or (quod ahsit) quite turn from Christ. Far you well, and see whereto this your spirit aimeth with you Consult so carefully. FINIS.