An apologie for religion, or an answere to an vnlearned and slanderous pamphlet intituled: Certaine articles, or forcible reasons discouering the palpable absurdities, and most notorious errors of the Protestants religion, pretended to be printed at Antwerpe 1600. By Edvvard Bulkley Doctor of Diuinitie

The Pamphlet. The learned Protestants are Infidels. 2. Article.

WHosoeuer buildeth his faith vpon his owne priuate and singular exposition of Scripture, is an Infidel. But all Protestants in England build their faith vpon their owne priuate exposition of Scripture: Ergo, all the Prote∣stants of England are Infidels. The Maior cannot be denied: be∣cause faith must be infallible, and impossible to be either erroni∣ous or changeable: but faith which is builded vpon priuat expo∣sition of Scripture, is subiect to error and change, and conse∣quently vpon better aduice and consideration may be altered.

The minor I proue: for either they build their faith vpon their owne priuat opinion, in expounding of Scriptures, the expo∣sition of the Church, the Fathers, or Councels: but not vpon these three: Ergo, vpon their owne priuate exposition.

Some Protestants allow the Fathers, and their expositions, so farre forth as they agree with Gods word, and no farther: but this is nothing else but to delude the world; for what meane they when they say they will allow them so far forth as they agree with

the Scriptures? Meane they perhaps, that if the Fathers bring Scriptures to proue any poynt of Religion now in controuersie, to allow that poynt as true? If so, why then reiect they S. Augustine * 1.1 and other Fathers, who bring Scripture to proue prayer for the dead? yea and all controuersies almost in Religion, the Fathers proue by Scriptures when they dispute vpon them. Or perhaps they meane to admit the Fathers, when they alleage Scripture, but such as euery Protestant shall allow of, so it be conformable to their fancies, and fit their new coined Gospell: and in this sense who seeth not, that euery paltry companion will make him∣selfe, not only expositor of Christs word, but also will prefer his exposition before all ancient Fathers, when they daunce not after his pipe, and consent not with his heresies.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Aug. lib. de cu∣ra. agen. pro mortui.