like, and thinkes to be saved by another man's faith, who doeth not understand? Saint Peter, who is pretended to be the Pope's predecessor, taught the Catholiques of former ages another lesson: Be ready (saith hee) alwayes to give an answere to every man that asketh you a reason of that hope that is in you with meekenesse and feare. (1 Pet. iii. 15.)

But observe the policie of the Church of Rome, they pretend that Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion, and therefore (say they) it will be sufficient for the lay-people to beleeve the Priest, and to rest upon the authoritie of the Church; and for that purpose, Bellarmine instructeth his Disciples, that the learned must labour, and search out the mysteries of Religion, but the ignorant may sit and take their ease: The oren did plow and labour, (saith Gregorie) and the assses fed by them: By the oxen (saith the Cardinal) are meant the learned Doctors of the Church, by the asses are meant the ignorant people, which out of simple beliefe rest satisfied in the understanding of their Superiors*. I will not applie the Cardinal's illustration, for I speak not this out of scorne and disgrace, but out of shame and pitie, to see the poore ignorant soule, not onely abused in the name, but in the nature of that thing, which concernes the salvation of his soule.

* Boves arabant et asinæ pascebantur juxta eos, docet per boves significari homines doctos, per asinas homines imperitos, qui simplicitèr credentes in intelligentia majorum acquiescunt. Bell. lib. 1. de Justif. c. 7.

Canus their owne bishop of Canaries, professeth openly, that it was the custome of unlearned men, of Saracens, of Pagans, of Heretiques, to receive the blind and senselesse opinions of their Sects, without judgement and examination*. And Espenceus tells us, It was the Collier's faith, who being demanded what hee beleeved, made answere, he beleeved what the Church beleeved, and the Church beleeved what he beletvedt. Is not this the practise of the Church of Rome at this day? Are they not fully perswaded, that without deepe ignorance of the people, it is not possible for their Church to stand? doe they not in this point particularly urge these and the like Scriptures: Obedience is better then sacrifice: Heare the Church: The Priest's lips preserve know ledge, and the like. How fitly, may I say, prophetically doth St. Hierome reflect upon the Priests of these latter times, wherein they chase the people from the Scriptures, and suffer them utterly to know nothing: These men (saith hee) challenge unto themselves such authority, that whether they teach with the right hand or the left; whether they teach good things or bad; they will not have their disciples with reason to examine their sayings, but onely for to follow them being their leaders. And certainly herein they much resemble the Jewes, who as Lyra reporteth, had that conceit of their great Rabbies, in

* Canus loc. Theol. lib. 12. cap. 4.

+ Espenc. in 2 Tim. iii. Num. xvii.

‡ Nolint discipulos ratione discutere, sed se Præcursores sequi. Hier. in Esay, lib. 9. cap. 30.

SO

so much they made it their open profession, Whatsoever they say unto us, we must needs receive it; yea although they tell us the right hand is the left*. And this is the active authority the Bishop or Parish Priest doth exercise toward the people; and this is the passive obedience, with an implicite faith, the people submits unto the Priest. Give me leave therefore to speak unto the Roman Bishop or Parish Priest in the words of St. Austen the ancient Father: Usque adèo me stultum putas, &c. Doest thou thinke me such a foole, without reason rendered, I should beleeve what you would have me, and what you dislike, I should not beleeve? Shall I beleeve without judgement or reason? shall I not inquire, nor consider, what is, what may bee, what is profitable, what is decent, what acceptable to God, what suitable to Nature, what agrceable to Truth? +"

Since then no humane authoritie can bee the Rule of faith, since there can bee no certaintie, no infallibilitie found in any particular Priest or Bishop, (for particular men may erre,) I will conclude with that safe and infallible rule which St. Chrysostome gave to the Christians of his time: "Let us not have the opinions of many, but let us search the things themselves: for if it bee not absurd for us, not to beleeve and give credit to others in receiving of

* Respondendum est quicquid hoc modo proponitur, etiamsi dicant dextram esse sinistram. Lyra in Deut. ca. 11.

+ Aug. contr. Epist. Manich. c. 5. & Athanas. Tom. 2. iu Serm. contr. eos qui jubent simplicitèr credere quæ ipsi dicunt.

moneys,

moneys, but that we will reckon and tell it after them why doe wee, in matters of greater moment, simply and in good faith follow the opinions of other men, especially seeing wee have the most exact ballance, square and rule of divine Scriptures for the avouching of any authoritie. I request therefore, and beseech you all, to leave and forsake what seemeth good to this or that (particular) man, and of these matters search ye all things, by the Scriptures. And thus briefly I proceed from the doctrine of Papal Infallibility, unto the grand point of the Visibility of the Church.

EMINENT

SECT. XXIII.

AND PERPETUAL VISIBILITIE IS NO CERTAINE NOTE OF THE TRUE CHURCH, BUT THE CONTRARY RATHER, AS IS PROVED BY INSTANCES FROM ADAM TO CHRIST.

THE materials which hitherto have beene brought, have beene imployed onely to the laying the foundation of the Church, wherein I must con

* Obsecro et oró vos omnes ut relinquatis quidnam huic vel illi videatur, deque his à Scripturis hæc omnia inquirite. Chrys. Homil. 13. in 2 Col.

fesse

fesse I have been somewhat long, and yet not without reason: for wee all know, that a good foundation being once layd, the whole frame stands the more sure. Now as Foundations are not verie conspicuous till the building be reared higher; so likewise in succeeding Ages, when the whole building was coupled together, and became a glorious Temple in the Lord; yet, eminent and perpetual Visibilitie was no sure Note of the true Church, as shall appeare both by particular instances, from the time of Adam to the comming of Christ, as also by the testimonies of learned Romanists, who in part were witnesses of a latencie and obscuritie in their owne Church.

I speake not this to decline the Visibilitie of the Church; for their own Joachim Abbot above (400) yeeres since tells us, that The whole Congregation of Saints shall bee hidden, for so shall the Elect of God being wise, be wise unto themselves; so that they shall not presume to practise openly, because that darkenesse shall prevaile: not that they shall leave to animate and exhort the faithfull in secret, but because they dare not adventure to preach publiquely. And Bonaventure another Schooleman, who lived in the Age following †, gives the reason how such obscuritie may befall the true Church, insomuch as it can hardly bee discerned by the true members amongst themselves. The Church (saith hee) may be hindred from our sight, three

* Ann. 1195. Joach. Abbot in Rev. p. 2. † Ann. 1260.

manner