Synopsis papismi, that is, A generall viewe of papistry wherein the whole mysterie of iniquitie, and summe of antichristian doctrine is set downe, which is maintained this day by the Synagogue of Rome, against the Church of Christ, together with an antithesis of the true Christian faith, and an antidotum or counterpoyson out of the Scriptures, against the whore of Babylons filthy cuppe of abominations: deuided into three bookes or centuries, that is, so many hundreds of popish heresies and errors. Collected by Andrew Willet Bachelor of Diuinity.

THE FIRST PART OF THE SIXTH QVE∣stion: of the diuerse senses of Scripture.

The Papistes.

[error 7] THere are two straunge Assertions of our aduersaries cōcerning this mat∣ter. First they affirme that the scripture may haue diuerse senses and mea∣nings in the same place. The sense of the scripture is either literall (say they) & historicall, which is the first & most proper sense; or spirituall, that is an higher sense deriued out of the other, and it is of three kinds, Allegoricall, Tropolo∣gicall, Anagogicall: they shew by particular instance and induction, that the scripture besides the literall sense may haue these also.

The Allegoricall sense is, when besides the plaine historicall and literall meaning, somewhat is signified which by an allegorie is referred vnto Christ or the Church, as Gal. 4. beside the truth of the storie of the bond and free wo∣man, S. Paule applieth it vnto the two Testaments, Ergo one place may haue more senses then one.

The Tropologicall sense is, when as there is somewhat signified appertai∣ning to manners, as Deut. 25. Thou shalt not mussell the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne, this by S. Paule is applied to the Ministers of the Gospell, 1. Cor. 9. Ergo, the scripture hath diuerse senses.

The Anagogicall sense is, whē the place is applied to decipher & set forth the kingdome of heauen and eternall things, as Psal. 94. I sware vnto them, if they should enter into my rest: this is literally vnderstood of the rest in Ca∣naan, & spiritually of life eternall, Ergo many senses: thus reasoneth. Bellarmin. lib. 3. de Scriptur. cap. 3.

The Protestantes.

WE affirme that of one place of scripture there can be but one sense, which we call the literall sense, when as the wordes are either taken properly, or figuratiuely to expresse the thing which is meant: as in this place, the seede of the woman shall breake the Serpents head, the literall sense is of Christ, who should triumph ouer Sathan, though it be spoken in a borowed and figuratiue speach. There can be therefore but one sense, which is the lite∣rall: as for those three kinds, they are not diuerse senses, but diuerse applicatiōs onely and collections out of one and the same sense.

1 It shall appeare by a seuerall induction of all these kindes: In the first example of the Allegoricall sense Galathes 4, the Apostle saith not that there is a double sense, but that it may be allegorically applied, which is histo∣rically set downe. There is then but one sense of the place, part whereof consi∣steth in the storie, part in the allegorie: so that the whole sense is conteined in them both. Concerning the second exāple of the Tropologicall: there is not a twofold sense of that place, but one whole generall sense; that as the mouth of the oxe was not to be musled, so the Minister of the Gospell must be proui∣ded for. Likewise of the Anagogicall kind: it is not one sense to vnderstād the rest of Canaan, an other of the kingdome of God: but there is one whole sense, that as they for their Idolatrie were depriued of the land of promise, so we should take heede lest by our disobedience we lose the hope of the kingdome of heauē. So we cōclude that those are not diuerse senses, but one sense diuersly applied.

2 The literal sense is the onely sense of the place, because out of that sense onely may an argument strongly be framed: wherefore seeing allegories and tropes do not cōclude, they are not the senses of the place. An allegorie or type may be part of the literall sense, and then it concludeth: but when an allegorie is framed beside the literall sense, it concludeth not, and therefore is no part of the sense: as to reason thus, the oxes mouth must not be musled, Ergo the Mini∣ster must be maintained, it foloweth well, because it is part of the sense: but allegories deuised beside the sense proue not, though they may illustrate.

The Papistes.

THeir other assertion is this, that it is lawfull to allegorise scripture both in the old and new Testament. Bellarm. lib. 3. cap. 3. They reason thus. Rhe∣mens. [error 8] annot. Heb. 4. ver. 5. The Apostle applieth the rest of the Sabboth to the e∣ternall rest. Ergo, the like applications of the fathers are lawfull. See annot. Heb. 7.2. the Apostle (say they) findeth great misteries, euen in the very names: Ergo it is lawfull to make allegories.

The Protestantes.

WE say, it is daungerous to make allegories of Scripture without the warrant and direction of Gods spirite: this was the occasion that di∣uerse of the auncient fathers greatly erred: as the Iesuite him selfe reprehēdeth Papias, Iustinus, Lactantius, for allegorising that place Reuel. 20. which made them fall into the error of the Chiliastes, by false interpreting of the thousand yeares there mentioned.

To their argumēts our learned countryman D. Fulk answereth. First, it fo∣loweth not, because it was lawfull for the Apostles gouerned by the spirite to make allegories, that it is therfore lawfull for others. Secondly, whē the fathers or any other writers can be assured of the same spirite, which the holy writers had, and of the like dexteritie in vnderstanding and expounding Scripture,

they may likewise be bold to make allegories.

Let vs heare what Augustine saith of this matter. Sicut mihi multum errare videntur, qui nullas res gestas aliquid aliud praeter id, quod eo modo gesta sunt, signi∣ficare arbitrantur: ita multum audere, qui prorsus ibi omnia significationib. alle∣goricis inuoluta esse contendunt. As they are much deceiued, which thinke that the stories in the scripture do signifie no other thing, but that which was done: so they are to rash and bold, that would draw all things to allegories, which they read in scripture. Ergo, it is not lawfull for any to inuent allegories of scripture, as it seemeth good to them selues.