A collection of the works of that holy man and profound divine, Thomas Iackson ... containing his comments upon the Apostles Creed, &c. : with the life of the author and an index annexed.

CAP. III.

Inferring, the general conclusion proposed in the Title of this Section from Bel∣larmines Resolution of faith.

1 ASwell to occasion the learned Readers further consideration of their ill-grounded and worse builded faith, as for deducing thence the pro∣posed inconvenience: it will not be amisse to propose Bellarmines resolution of a Roman Catholicks faith. One especial Objection of our Writers, as he frameth it, is, That, Faith (if depending on the Churches judgement) is grounded but upon the word of man, a weake foundation for such an Edifice; that the Scrip∣ture was given by the Spirit of God, and must therefore be understood by the same, not by the Churches Spirit. Hereunto Bellarmine answereth, The word of the Church 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the Councel, or the Pope speaking ex Cathedra, is not the bare word of man. He means no word obnoxious to errour, but in some sort the Word of God: in as much as it is uttered by the assistance and Government of the Holy Ghost. I adde (saith he) that Hereticks are they, which indeed do lean upon a brokenreed. For we must know, that a proposition of Faith must be concluded in this or the like S••llogisme; a Whatsoever God hath revealed in Scripture is true, but God hath revealed this or that in Scriptures, Ergo this or that is true. The first proposition in this Syllogisme is cer∣tain amongst all; the second likewise amongst Catholicks is most firm, as being sup∣ported by the testimonie of the Church, Councel, or Pope: of whose immunity, from possibilitie of erring we have expresse promises in the Scriptures, as, † It hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us: ‖ I have prayed for thee thy faith should not fail. But, amongst Hereticks, the second or minor proposition, is grounded onely on conjecture, or judgement of a private Spirit; which usually seems, but is not, good. Whence, seeing the conclusion must follow the weaker part, it necessarily followes, that all the faith of Hereticks (such in his language are all that will not relie up∣on the Church) is but conjectural and uncertain.

2 A dreadfull imputation, could it be as substantially proved, as it is con∣fidently avouched And the consequence of his resolution (generally held by all his fellows) is of no lesse importance, then this; That no man can be infallibly assured, either of the truth, or true sence of any particular proposition, in the whole Ca∣non of Scriptures received by us and them, unlesse he have the Churches Authority for confirmation of both. For, unto us, that onely, which the Church avoucheth, is certain, and unfallible; that sence of it, which the Church gives, onely sound; if we speak of any particular or determinate truths.

3 How certain and unfallible Assent unto all, or any Scriptures, may be wrought in mens hearts, without any infallible teacher already hath been, and hereafter shal be (God willing) in more particular sort exemplified. In this place, it stood the Jesuite upon, to have given a better solution to the doubt objected; which he is so far from unloosing, that he rather knits it faster; as shal appear, if the Reader wil first cal to mind; That for the esta∣blishing of firm and undoubted assent to any truth proposed, it skils not how infallible the truth in it self or the proposer be, unlesse they, whose Relief or Assent is demanded, be as infallibly perswaded of this Infallibility in the truth, or the proposer. In this respect, our adversaries plead their immunity from errour, as an Article necessary to be infallibly Believed, for confirmation of Gods Word, alwayes most infallible (as all grant) in it self, but not so (as they affirm) to us, until it be avouched by Infallible authority.

4 Herein they concur with us, Both with the truth; That if, we believe it only as probable, that God spake all those words, which we acknowledge to be most infallible, because his; our belief notwithstanding is not infallible, but probable or conjectural. For as a man may have bad desires of things essentially good; so may he have uncertain perswasions of truthes in them∣selves most certain. It is not therefore the supposed Infallibility of the Church or Pope, howsoever, but infallibly apprehended and believed that must streng∣then our faith, which otherwise (as is pretended) would be but conjectural. And by the former principle, (acknowledged as wel by them as us) it neces∣sarily follows, that if we be only probably, not infallibly perswaded, the Pope or Church cannot erre; our assent unto the minor proposition. i. [unto any determinate part of Gods Word,] is only probable not Infallible. For, by the Jesuites Doctrine, we cannot be certainly perswaded, that God spake this, or that, but by the Churches testimony. The immediate consequence of which two as∣sertions, compared together, is, we cannot be more certain that God hath spo∣ken this or that then we are of the Churches Infallibility. If then we be only pro∣bably, not infallibly, perswaded, that the Church is infallible: our Belief of the minor proposition (that is of any determinate truth which men suppose God hath spoken) must be only probable, or conjectural, not infallible. Consequent∣ly to these collections, the learned Papists generaly hold, that the Churches Infallibility must be absolutely and infallibly believed; (as you heard before out of † Canus, Bellarmin, and Valentian) otherwise, as Bellarmin would in∣fer, our Belief of the Minor in any Syllogism•…•…, wherein a Proposition of Faith is Concluded, can be but Conjectural.

5 The proposed inconvenience we may drive from this difficulty; How the Papists themselves can attain to the infallible belief of the Churches infallible authority? The Church, they think, hath a publick spirit; and publick spi∣rits they know are infallible; hence they may perswade themselves the Church is infallible, only upon the same terms, they believe it hath a publick spirit, if their belief of this later be but conjectural; their assent unto the former can be no better. Seeing then they must of necessity grant (for this is the principal mark they aim at) that all must infallibly believe the Church hath a publick spirit: the difficulty removes to this point, how this infallible perswasion is, or may be wrought in them. Either it must be grounded up∣on Scriptures, or not: avouched unto them and wrought in their hearts it must be, either by a publick or private spirit. Let us examin all the parts of this division.

6 First, if private mens infallible perswasion of the Churches publick, or Authentick spirit, be not grounded upon Scriptures acknowledged by us and

them: the Churches Authority without all controversie, is much greater then the authority of Scriptures; if it, by this assertion, can be any, and the Churches not all in all. For unto that which men cannot know, whether it be true or false, they cannot be bound to yield absolute or immediate obe∣dience: unto that authority, which they absolutely believe as infallible, they are bound to yield infallible assent, and absolute obedience directly, in it self and for it self. But by this supposition men cannot know Scriptures in∣fallibly without the Churches authority, and yet they must infallibly believe the Churches authority without Scriptures; The Scriptures authority there∣fore is either lesse then the Churches, or none at all.

7 But be it supposed that private mens infallible Belief of the Churches publick spirit is grounded upon Scriptures, acknowledged by us and urged by them to this purpose, as upon these, it seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and us; I have prayed for thee thy faith should not fail: The question whereunto we demand an answer, is, whether this infallible Belief of the Churches au∣thority grounded upon these places, must be wrought in mens hearts by a private or publick spirit. If by a private spirit only Bellarmin believed the Churches publick spirit, or those Scriptures truth, or true meaning, whereon he grounds it: He, and all other Papists (such as he was when he delivered this Doctrine) neither Bishops nor Cardinals, are subject to the same incon∣veniences, which he hath condemned us for, as Hereticks. For all private spirits, by his positions are abnoxious to errour, unsufficient to plant any in∣fallible perswasion in matters of faith; yet such is this article of the Churches Authentick spirit, of which unlesse men be so perswaded, infallibly perswa∣ded, they cannot be of the minor proposition in any Syllogism; wherein a point of faith is concluded: and uncertain of the minor, they cannot be cer∣tain of the conclusion, which, as Bellarmin rightly observes, alwayes fol∣lows the weaker part. The infallible conclusion therefore of Bellarmin's re∣solution, is; unlesse private men may have publick spirits to warrant the truth of Scriptures, and the Churches infallibility thereon grounded; they cannot truely believe any conclusion of faith. It remains then we inquire; what in∣convenience wil follow, if they admit private men to be partakers of publick spirits.

8 Diversity of such spirits they acknowledge not. If therefore private mens Infallible Assent unto the truth, or true sense of those particular Scri∣ptures whence they seek to prove their Churches Infallibility, must be plant∣ed by a publick spirit, planted it must be by the same spirit, which guides, and guiding makes the Church and Pope authentick and infallible, both in their proposal of Scriptures and declaration of Scriptures sence. Seeing this spirit is one and the same, if it can make the Church or Pope infallible in all: why may it not make all private men (by this supposition partakers of it) alike in∣fallible, at the least in the right understanding of those places, which warrant the Churches Infallibility or publick spirit. For our adversaries, I hope, wil easily grant, that the Churches publick and Authentick spirit must be most infallibly Believed, because so expresly taught in those Scriptures cited by Bellarmin to this purpose. If this publick or Authentick spirit, can work such infallible apprehension of those places true meaning in private hearts, why not in all others as necessary for them to know; that is, in all necessary to salvation? And if thus it do, why are we bound to believe the Pope, more then the Pope us, we being partakers of a publick and infallible spirit as wel as he?

9 Or if they hold it no absurd••ty to say; we must believe two or three

places, [It seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and us: Peter feed my sheep,] by a publick and authentick spirit, teaching us from these to rely upon the Pope in all other parts of Gods Word, because (as it must be supposed) we have but a private spirit for their assurance: by this supposition the Popes autho∣rity, in respect of us, must have the same excesse of superiority unto Scri∣ptures, that a publick spirit hath unto a private; or the Pope (who believeth all Scriptures by a publick spirit) hath unto a private man. This publick spirit. whereof they vaunt, is the same which did inspire the Scriptures to Atoses, the Prophets and Apostles; and must (by this position) be the Pope or Churches immediate Agent for establishing this inviolable league of abso∣lute allegeance with mens souls unto them, but of none so absolute to their Creator and Redeemer; and the rest of whose written laws, and eternal de∣crees, must be communicated unto them by a private spirit, and subscribed unto with this condition, If the Pope shal witnesse them to be his laws, or to have this or that meaning.

10 Nor can our adversaries deny the truth of this subsequent collection, If it were possible for the Pope in matters controversed to teach contrary to Gods Word: we were bound to follow him; For they themselves argue thus. If the Pope could erre in matters of Faith; Faith might perish from the Earth; all Christians bound to erre, be∣cause bound to obey him. This proves that our Assent to any Scriptures (besides those which teach the Popes authority) cannot in it self be perfect and absolute, but subject to this condition [if the Pope be infallible.] And even of those places, which (as they pretend) witnesse him to be such, there yet remains a further difficulty. These the Pope believes not, because they are confirmed to him by his predecessor, but directly and immediately, by his publick spirit: But may private men be∣lieve them so too? No. For these, especially, and the † Churches infallibility contained in them, are (by all our adversaries consent) propositions of Faith, in respect of us, and need (by their doctrine) the proposal or te∣stimony of the Church, whereon all private mens faith must be immedi∣ately grounded: believing this we shal from it (at least conjoyned with Scri∣pture) believe all other parts of Gods Word necessary to salvation, as wel as the Pope doth these former from the testimony of his publick spirit. Wherefore his authority must be unto us altogether as great, as the authority of the Godhead is unto him; which is far greater unto him, then it is or can be to any others; for even that which is acknowledged for Gods Word, both by him and us, must be lesse authentick unto us then the words of this mor∣tal man.

11 For though we pardon our adversaries their former absurdities, in seeking to prove the Churches authority by the Scripture, and the Scriptures by the Churches; though we grant them all they can desire (even what shal appear in due place to be most false) That, whiles they believe the Popes particular injunctions, or decisions, from a presupposal of his universal tran∣scendent authority, they do not only believe him, or his words, but those

parts of Gods Word, upon which they seem to ground his infallibility: yet our former argument holds stil most firm; because that absolute Assent, which private men must give unto the supposed grounds of their Religion, before other portions of Scripture, is not grounded upon any preheminencie incident to these words as they are Gods, as if they were more his then the rest, in some such peculiar sort, as the Ten Commandments are in respect of other Mosaical Laws; nor from any internal propriety flowing from the words themselves, as if their secret character did unto faithful minds, bewray them to be more divine then others; nor from any precedent, consequent, or comitant circumstance, probably arguing that sence, the Romish Church gives of them, to be of it self more perspicuous or credible, then the natu∣ral meaning of most other Scriptures, all inspired by one and the same spi∣rit, all, for their form, of equal authority and perspicuitie. All the pre∣rogative then, which these passages can have before others, must be from the matter contained in them; and that, by our adversaries position, is the Chur∣ches Infallibility. Wherefore, not because they are Gods word, or were gi∣ven by his Spirit, in more extraordinary sort then others; but because they have more affinity with the Roman Lord, in late years exalted above all that is called God, Father, Son, or Holy Ghost: these places above cited, must be more authentickly believed, then all the words of God besides. As I have read of pictures, though not more artificial in themselves, yet held in greater estimation amongst the Heathen, and freer from contemptuous censure then any other of the same Painters doing, only because they represented their great God Jupiter.

12 Another difficultie, whereunto we demand an answer is, whether, whiles they assent, as they professe, not only to the Infallibility taught (as they suppose) in the fore-cited places, but also unto the Infallibility of Scri∣ptures which teach it: they acknowledge two distinct assents, or but one. If but one, let them shew us how possibly the Church can be said to con∣firm the Scriptures: if two, let them assign the several properties of either; whether is more strong; whether must be to the other as Peter to his brethren; or if neither of them can confirm the other, let them declare how the one can be imagined as a mean or condition of believing the other.

13 An Hereticks Belief of the Minor proposition in the former Syllogism (saith Bellarmin) is but weak: A Romanists Belief of the same most strong. Let this be the Minor. Peter feed my sheep, or Peter I have prayed for thee that thy faith should not fail: what reason can be imagined, why a Romanists Re∣lief of these Propositions should be so strong, and ours so weak? The one hath the Churches Authority to confirm his Faith, the other hath not. What is it then to have the Churches Authority, only to know her Decrees concerning those portions of Scriptures? If this were all, we know the Romish Chur∣ches Decrees as wel as the Romanists: but it is nothing to know them, if we do not acknowledge them. To have the Churches Authority then is, to Be∣lieve it as Infallible: and for this reason is a Roman Catholicks Belief of any portion of Scripture, more certain and strong, because he hath the Te∣stimony of the Church, which he Believes to be most Infallible: and belie∣ving it most infallibly he must of necessity Believe, that to be Scripture, that in every place, to be the meaning of the Holy Ghost, which this Church commends unto him for such. Let the most learned of our adversaries here resolve the doubt proposed; whether there be two distinct assents, in the be∣lief of the forementioned propositions: one unto the truth of the proposition

itself, and another unto the Churches infallibility. It is evident by Bellarmins opinion, that all the certainty a Roman Catholick hath above a Sectary, is from the Churches Infallibility. For the proposition it self he can believe no bet∣ter then an Heretick may, unlesse he better believe the Church, i. e believe, the Churches exposition of it, or the Churches infallibility concerning it, bet∣ter then the proposition it self in it self and for it self. And so it is evi∣dent that the Churches authority is greater, because it must be better be∣lieved.

14 Suppose then one of our Church, which believes these propositions to be the word of God, should turn Roman Catholick, his former belief is by this means become more strong and certain. This granted, the next question is, what should be the Object of this his strong Belief; the propositions belie∣ved: Peter feed my sheep, I have prayed for thee: or anyother part of Gods writ∣ten word; or the Churches authority; not the propositions themselves, but only by accident, in as much as the Church confirms them to him. For sup∣pose the same man should estsoones, either altogether revolt from that Church, or doubt of her authority, his belief of the former propositions becomes hereby as weak as it was before: which plainly evinceth, that his belief of the Church and this proposition, were two distinct Beliefs, and that this strong Belief was fastened unto the Churches authority, not unto the pro∣position it self immediately, but only by accident, in as much as the Church which he believeth so firmly, did teach it; for his Belief, if fastened upon the proposition it self, after doubt moved of the Churches authority, would have continued the same, but now (by Bellarmins assertion) as soon as he be∣gins to disclaim his belief of the Churches infallibility, his former strong be∣lief of the supposed proposition begins to fail, and of this failing no other rea∣son, then already is, can be assigned. The reason was, because the true, direct, and proper object of his strong belief was the Churches authority, on which the belief of the proposition did intirely depend, as the conclusion doth upon the premisses, or rather as every particular doth on the universal, whereunto it is essentially subordinate.

Notes

• Respoundeo, verbum Ec∣clesiae, id est, Concili••, vel Pontificis do∣centis ex Ca∣thedia, non esse omnino verbum ho∣minis, id est, verbum errori obnoxium, sed aliquo modo verbum Dei, id est, prolatum gu∣be••nante & assistente spi∣ritu sancto, imo dico, Hae∣reticos esse qui revera ni∣tantur baculo arundineo. Sciendum est enim, proposi∣tionem fidei concludi tali Syllogismo. Quicquid Deus revelavit in Scripturis, est verum: hoc Deus revelavit in Scripturis, ergo hoc est verum. Ex propositionibus hujus Syllogismi prima certa est apud omnes, secunda apud Catholicos est etiam •…•…ima: nititur enim testimonio Ecclesiae, Concilij, vel Pontificis, de quibus habemus in Scripturis apertas promissiones ••••od errare non possint. Actorum 15. Visum est Spiritui Sancto & nobis. Et Luc. 22. Rogavi pro te, ut non deficiat fides 〈◊〉〈◊〉. At apud Haereticos nititur solis conjecturis, vel judicio proprij spiritus, qui plerumque videtur bonus, & est malus▪ Et cum conclusio sequatur debiliorem partem, sit necessariò, ut tota fides Haeretico••um sit conjecturalis, & incerta. Bellar 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Dei interpret. lib. 3. cap. 10. resp. ad 15. arg.
• a

  Bellarmins Catholick Syllogisine, wherein all Conclusions of Faith must be gathered.
• †

  Acts 15. ver. 28.
• ‖

  Luke 22. ver. 32.
• †

  Cap. 1. The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ulty in then opinion whence our our for∣mer conclusion may be deduced
• S•• volunt, Pontishcem, in rebus alioqui omnino con∣troversis, id est, non satis expresse in Ecclesia com∣pertis, ac determinatis, definite posse, ut personam publicam, errorem re ipsa contra fidem: erraut ipsi in side gravissimè. Posset enim, into teneretur tunc Ecclesia universa Pontificem de re controversa do∣centem, ac nondum haeresi manifestè notatum, pro Pastore suo agnolcere, atque adeo ipsum omnino au∣dite. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sieret ut si tunc errare possit, Ecclesia etiam universa possit, immo teneretur erra••e. Va∣leitiam Tem. 3. de object. Fid. Disp. 1. Quaest. 1. Pu••ct. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Paragraph. 41. Bellarmin from the same grounds Collects that the Pope cannot err in matters of man∣ners.
• †

  Vide Librum 2. Cap. 30. Paragraph. 14. Nam sides Catholica docet, omnem virtutem esse bo∣nam, omne vitium esse malum, si autem Papa erra∣••et pracipiendo vitia, vel prohibendo virtutes, tene∣retur Fedesia credere vitia essa bona, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 virtutes malas, nisi vellet contra conscientiam peccare. Tenetur enim •…•…bus dubiis Ecclesia acquiescerè judicio sum∣•…•…, & sacere quod ille praecipit, non sacere quod ille prohibet ac ne forte contra conscientiam •…•… bonum esse, quod ille praecipit, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, quod ille prohibet. Bellarmin. Lib. 4. de Roman. P•…•… Cap. 5.