The third booke of commentaries vpon the Apostles Creede contayning the blasphemous positions of Iesuites and other later Romanists, concerning the authoritie of their Church: manifestly prouing that whosoeuer yeelds such absolute beleefe vnto it as these men exact, doth beleeue it better then Gods word, his Sonne, his prophets, Euangelists, or Apostles, or rather truly beeleeues no part of their writings or any article in this Creede. Continued by Thomas Iackson B. of Diuinitie and fellow of Corpus Christi College in Oxford.

CHAP. IIII.

What it would disaduantage the Romish Church to deny the infallibi∣lity of the Synagogue.

1. THat any visible company of men before our Sauiour Christs time,* 1.1 did challenge such ab∣solute authority ouer mens faith, as the Pope doth, would bee very hard for them to proue; & no question but the High-Priest and Rulers a∣mongst the Iewes, did oftentimes challenge more then they had. If the Romanist should say, that they had no such infallible authority in deciding all controuersies, as their Church now challengeth: the assertion would be as improba∣ble in it selfe, as incongruous to their positio••s. For vnto any in∣different man such infallibility in the Watch-Tower of Sion, must needes seem more requisite during the time of the law, then since the promulgation of the Gospell. Bee it granted, the points to be expresly beleeued of the ancient people, were but few: yet euen such of them as were most necessary to saluation, were more e∣nigmatically and mystically set downe, then any in the new Te∣stament are; and the measure of Gods spirit vpon euery sort of men, (the vulgar especially) in those times, much lesse. For this cause God raised vp Prophets to instruct them, whose authority

though it was not such, as the Romane Church now challengeth (but giuen to supply the ignorance and negligence of the church representatiue in those dayes:) yet much greater then is ordina∣rily required in the light of the Gospell, by which as the doctrine of saluation is become most conspicuous in it selfe, so is the illu∣mination of Gods spirit more plentifull then before it had beene. And since the Prophets haue beene so clearely expounded by the Apostles, and the harmony of the two Testaments so distinctly heard, the ordinary* 1.2 testimony of Iesus is become equiualent to the spirit of Prophesie. Allowing then these infinite ods on our parts, that enioy the labours of formers ages, with the ordinary preaching of the Gospell, an infallible oecumenicall authority is much lesse needfull now, then it was in the law.

2 Or if our aduersaries will bee so wayward,* 1.3 as to deny the like infallibility to haue beene requisite in the ancient Iewish Church: they shall hereby thwart euidently themselues, disanull their chiefe title, and vtterly disclaime the maine plea hitherto v∣sed for their owne infallibility. For most of them doe vrge Gods promises made vnto that Church, to proue a necessity of admit∣ting a like authority in theirs. And if these promises made to the Iewes, admit any distinction, condition, or limitation, whereby this most absolute infallibility (as they suppose it) may bee empai∣red: then may all the promises made or supposed to bee made vnto their Church; admit the same, or like. But besides the weak∣ning of their title, by debarring themselues of this plea (drawne from the example of the ancient Iewish Church) no man that reades their writings can bee ignorant, that all their chiefe and principall arguments (wherewith they carry away most simple soules, and importune such, as almost neither feare God nor man, to giue sentence for them and their Church against vs) are drawn from these, or the like tropicks [vnlesse God had ordained one su∣preme Iudge, or infallible authority, that might decide all con∣trouersies in matters of faith viua voce, he had not sufficienly pro∣ued for his Church, yea, which were most absurd, hee had left it in worse estate, then ciuill Estates are for ordinary matters; for they, besides their written lawes, haue Iudges to determine all cases or controuersies arising. And seeing that Monarchicall go∣uernment is of all others the best; and in any wise mans iudge∣ment

most auaileable for auoiding all dissention, and keeping the vnity of faith; there should bee no question, but God hath or∣dained such an authenticall manner of deciding all controuersies. If hee haue not, it must needes bee, either because hee could not establish such an infallible authority, and vncontroleable power; or else, because he would not. To say he could not, were to deny his omnipotency, open blasphemie: to say he would not, were little better; for this were to deny his goodnesse and loue to his Church, both which the Scriptures testifie to bee great, nay in∣finite.

3 But how great soeuer his loue to his Church, and chosen be (as we acknowledge it to bee infinite and euerlasting) if these or the like arguments make any things for the infallibility of the pre∣sent Romish; they proue as much, and as directly, for the ancient Iewish Church. For that was a visible company of men, not of oxen and Asses, and of them God had a care also. Nay they were his owne peculiar people, and (without al controuersie)* 1.4 the one∣ly visible Church, which hee had on earth. Wherefore all the former arguments, if they conclude any infallible authority in the present Romish Church; they conclude much more for the like infallibility of the Iewish. And by necessary consequence, if I proue that the Church had no such authority, my assertion stands sure; That this infallible authority which the factors of the Ro∣mish Church doe challenge, is greater then any visible Company of men had before our Sauiour time. And by the same proofe, shall the Romish Church bee debarred for euer, of both the two former pleas; either drawne from the authority of the Priests, or from the best forme of gouernment.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Such infallible authority as the Iesuites plead for more necessary in the time of the Law, then of the Gospell.
• * 1.2

  Reuel. 19 10.
• * 1.3

  Vnlesse the Iewish Church were infalliable our aduersa∣ries principall arguments, to proue the Ro∣mish churches infallibility are apparantly false.
• * 1.4

  Yet I know not what Bel∣larmine should meane, when he makes it a particular Church, his folly confutes it selfe, and it shall be suffici∣ent to propose it Bellar. de Ecc. milit. l. 3. c. 16. Ad tertium, de tempore Eliae, ne∣gat? consequen∣tia & antece∣dens huius ar∣gumenti. Conse∣quentia quidem, quia non est eadem ratio populi Iudaeorum, & populi Christianorum: nam populus Iudaeorum non erat Ecclesia vniuersalis vt est ••opulus Christianorum, sed particularis, & propterea etiam extra illum populum in∣ueniebant fideles & iusti, vt Melchisedech, Iob, & postea Counclius Centurio, & Ennuchus Candacis Regi∣ne, & alij nonnull. Ita{que} etiam si ••niuersa Synogoga Iudae••rum defecisset, non continuò omnis Ecclesia Dei in terris defec. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Sed antecedens etiam negat? Non enim estendi potest, vnquam Synagog••m Iudaeorum defecesse omnino vs{que} ad Christi aduentum, quo tempore eti••m non tam defecit, quam mutata 〈…〉〈…〉 His compari∣son holds right thus. None were saued then but Israelites, none now but Christian in heart▪ diuers were saued then, though not Israelites by outward profession, or solemne association to the people of God: so are m••••y now, that are not professed members of the true visible Church, whether that be theirs or ours. They drinke many amongst vs ignorant of theirs, and wee in charity hope many a∣mongst them ignorant of our Churches tenents, yet ready to imbrace them when it shall please God to reueale them: are elected to saluation. But it was a prettie Sophisme in so great a Clerke to com∣pare not Israelites in heart, or in the sight of God, but the visible Church of Israel with Christians in heart, not with any visible Christian Church.