A replie to Iesuit Fishers answere to certain questions propou[n]ded by his most gratious Matie: King Iames By Francis White D: of Div· deane of Carlile, chaplaine to his Matie. Hereunto is annexed, a conference of the right: R:B: of St Dauids wth the same Iesuit*

ANSVVER. [ C]

The sequel of the Maior is denied. It followeth not, that al∣though the mayne and substantiall points of faith must be firme∣ly knowne and beleeued, before we can securely reade and truely vnderstand the holy Scriptures, in the particular texts and secti∣ons thereof: therefore the said substantiall points are not belee∣ued vpon Scripture, but vpon Tradition vnwritten.

The reason of the inconsequence is, for that the mayne and substantiall points of faith, may be knowne and beleeued by the doctrine of the Scripture, touching the said points deliuered to [ D] people, by those which haue faithfully collected the same into a Summarie, out of the particular and distinct sentences of the ho∣ly Scriptures. And they that beleeue this doctrine of the Scrip∣tures, may attaine the knowledge and faith of substantiall points of Christianity, before themselues can reade and vnderstand the said Bookes: yet they resolue not their faith into vnwritten Tra∣dition (according to the Popish meaning, where by vnwritten Tra∣dition is vnderstood doctrine of faith, neither expresly nor inuoluedly contained in holy Scripture) but into the doctrine of the Scripture, collected and deliuered vnto them by others, and vertually and [ E] immediately into the holy Scripture it selfe (as I haue formerly shewed, in answer to the second Argument.)

That which followeth in the obiection touching the rule of faith, prooueth not that Christian beliefe is resolued lastly and

finally into vnwritten Tradition: because the rule of faith, is not [ A] such vnwritten Tradition, as is neither exprefly, nor by conse∣quent contained in Scripture: but a Summarie of the principall Articles of Christian 〈◊〉〈◊〉 contained in the Apostles Creed; and which may be gathered out of the plaine texts and sentences of holy Scripture a, and therefore all they which resolue their faith into the said rule, refolue the same also into the plaine do∣ctrine of the Scripture. And that the rule of faith is such, it ap∣peareth.

First, by the branches and Articles of that rule, which are; [ B] I beleeue in God, the Father Almighty, &c. And in Iesus Christ, his onely Sonne our Lord, &c. With the rest of the Articles of the Apostles Creed, reade 1. Cor. 15.1, 2, 3.1. Tim. 3.16. And Tertull. in the place alleaged by the Iesuite b, and in his Booke d. vel. virg. c rehearsing the ancient rule of faith, doth not mention any one Article, which is not expresly or by deriuation contained in holy Scripture.

Secondly, the rule of faith extendeth not it selfe beyond the bounds of the Gospel, Gallath. 1.8. Tertul. de prescript. c. 6. d but all the mayne and substantiall Articles of faith necessary to bee [ C] beleeued generally to saluation, are contained in the plaine places of Euangelicall Scripture; as both 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Augustine e and learned Pa∣pists themselues affirme f: wherefore if the rule of faith be only a summarie comprehension of the mayne and substantiall Arti∣cles of Christianity, and all these Articles are contained in holy Scripture; then it followeth, that the rule of faith, is not vn∣written Tradition alone (according to the Popish meaning) but a Summarie of beleese contained in the plainer sentences of ho∣ly Scripture, either expresly, or by deduction.

〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉, li. 3. d. doct. Christ. c. 2. saith, a Let [ A] a man seeke the rule of faith, which he hath learned of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 places of Scripture, and of the authoritie of the Church: now the plainer places of Scripture, are a part of Scripture; and the authority of the Church exceedeth not the bounds of the Scrip∣ture, according to S^t. Hierom. b com. Mich. c. 1. And Durand the famous Schooleman, 2. dist. 44. q. 3. n. 9. c

Out of the former definition of the rule of faith, it follow∣eth, That because according to our Aduersaries doctrine, the be∣leefe of Christians touching all maine and substantiall points of [ B] faith, is resolued into the rule of faith: and the said rule, excee∣deth not the limits of holy Scripture, being onely a summarie comprehension of the principall heads of Christian doctrine, collected from the plainer places of Scripture, and propounded by the authority of the Church confined to Scripture, that therefore the finall resolution of faith is not made into Tradition vnwritten, as the same signifies Doctrine, neither expresly nor in∣uoluedly contained in holy Scripture, but into the Scripture, or doctrine of the Scripture it selfe.

Notes

• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 d. Ecclesia pa. 220. Fides in suo exordio adhuc lan∣guida, multis eget adminiculis donec astipuletur & sub∣mittat se Scriptu∣ris. At vbi ad matu∣ritaté suam fuerit progressa, amplius haud perindè opus habet illis externis presidijs sed tum veritaté ex ipsamet Scriptura liquidius aspicit, internis quae in ea latent argu∣mentis, omni hu∣mano modo subli∣miorib' ducta at{que} permota, atq, sic fi∣des illa 〈◊〉〈◊〉 confir∣mata suo proprio nititur sundaméto nec fulcitur ampli' solis externis ad∣miniculis.
• a

  Chrys. in symb. Hom. 1. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. d. Trinit. c. 1. ca. 9. ar. 9. Aug. d. Temp. Ser. 119. Chrysolog. Serm. 61. In symb. Leo. Serm. 11. d. pas∣sione Dom. Alex. Hal. 3. q. 82. m. 5. ar. 2. Creatorem caeli & terrae: à capite Scripturae accipit illud, &c. Qui con∣ceptus est de spiri∣tu sancto: sumitur iste articulus de Math. 1. Inuenta est habens in vte∣ro, &c. Cassian. d. Incarnat. li. 6. c. 3. Quicquid per di∣uersum diuinorum voluminū corpus, immensa 〈◊〉〈◊〉 copia, totum in symboli colligitur breuitate perfecta. Paschas. d. spirit sancto prefat.
• b

  Tertul. prae∣script. c. 13. Regula est autem fidei, vt iam quid credamus profiteamur. Illa [ D] scilicet, qua credi∣tur, vnum omninò deum effe, nec alium preter mundi crearorem, qui vniuersa de nihilo produxerit per verbum suum, primò omnium emissum. Id verbum filium eius appellatum, in nomine Dei varie visum Patriarchis, in Pro∣phetis semper auditum, postremò delatum ex spiritu Dei Patris, & virtute in Virginem Mariam, carnem factum in vtero eius, & ex ea natum hominem, & esse Iesum Christum, exindè predicasse nouam legem, & nouam promis∣sionem regni caelorum, virtutes fecisse, fixum cruci, tertia die refurexisse: in caelos ereptum sedere, ad dexteram Pa∣tris, misisse vicariam vim spiritus Sancti, qui credentes agat, venturum cum claritate, ad sumendos sanctos, in vitae aeternae & promissorum caelestium fructum, & ad prophanos iudicandos igni aeterno, facta vtriusque partis re∣suscitatione, cum carnis resurrectione. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 regula à Christo instituta, &c. Iren. lib. 1. c. 3. August. Enchyr. cap. 56.
• c

  Tertul. d. vel. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. c. 1. Regula quidem fidei, vna omninò est, sola immobilis & irreformabilis, credendi seilicet in vnum Deum omnipotentem mundi creatorem, & filium eius Iesum Christum, natum ex Virgine Maria, crucifixum sub Pontio Pilato, terto die resuscitatum, à mortuis receptum in caelis, sedentem nunc ad dexteram Patris, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 iudicare viuos & mortuos, per carnis etiam Refurrectionem.
• d

  Ibid. cap. 6. Nobis curiositate opus non est post Iesum Christum: nec inquifitione post Euangelium, cum credimus nihil desideramus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cre∣dere. [ E] Hoc enim prius credimus, non esse quod vltra credere debeamus.
• e

  August. d. doctrina Christ. lib. 2. cap. 9. In eis quae 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in Scriptura posita sunt, Inueniuntur illa omnia, quae continent fidem moresque vi∣uendi, spem scz. atque charitatem.
• f

  Bellarm. d. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Dei li. 4. c. 11. Scripta sunt ab Apostolis ea omnia quae absolute necessaria sunt ad salutem omnium 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. d. Ecclesia dogm. lib. 2. cap. 3. pag. 60. Gerson. d. sensu sacr. Scrip. propos. 9.
• a

  Consulat regu∣lam fidei, quam de Scripturarum pla∣nioribus locis, & Ecclèsiae authori∣tate percepit.
• b

  Ecclesia Christi quae 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bene & in 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 Ec∣clesias possidens, spirit' veritate 〈◊〉〈◊〉 est, & habet vibes legis 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 & Apostolorū: Non est egessia de fini∣bus suis, id est de Scripturis 〈◊〉〈◊〉, &c.
• c

  Ecclesia licet habet dominatio∣nem Dei in terris, illa tamen non ex∣cedit limitationem Scripturae. Cusanus Concord. Cathol. li. 2. ca. 6. In loco congregatio∣nis 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ponebantur, Sacra Euan gelia &c. Secundum testimonium 〈◊〉〈◊〉 decreuit [ C] Synodus.