The English concord in ansvver to Becane's English iarre: together with a reply to Becan's Examen of the English Concord. By Richard Harris, Dr. in Diuinitie.

BECAN. Exam.* 1.1

You say it is fond to thinke that the lawes of Bishops haue as great force & authoritie, as the Apostles lawes bad. Because the Apostles lawes are set downe in holy writte. So was the Ordinance of Assuerus. Heare me speake as the thing is: Humane lawes (such as the Apostles were) receiue not greater force to binde because they are written in this or that book: but because the law maker vseth greater power, & will haue it binde more. According to these two rules; one of Vipian:* 1.2 Quod Principi placuit, legis habet vigorem. That which pleaseth the Prince, hath vigour of law. The other of Ari∣stotle: It mattereth not whether lawes be written, or not written.

D^r. HARRIS Reply.

MY reason to prooue the Apostles lawes and Canons to be of greater force and authority to binde the conscience, was not simply be∣cause they are found written in the Scripture, as the Ordinance of Assuerus is: but because they are set downe there, not only as Canons or Doctrines allow∣ed, but also as Essentiall parts of holy writte and Ca∣nonical Scripture: so neither Assuerus Ordinance was, not any Law or Canon of Bishop, was, is, or euer shall be. According to that of Saint Hierom vpon the 89. Psalme: Quamuis sanctus sit aliquis post Apostolos, quam∣uis disertus sit, non habet authoritatem. No man be hee ne∣uer so holy or eloquent, after the Apostles, hath any au∣thoritie.

The Canons and Doctrines of the Apostles, are the foundations whereupon the Church of Christ is built,* 1.3 and containe that absolute certainety of Di∣uine truth, that If an Angell from heauen should teach o∣therwise he should be accursed. Agreeable to that of Saint Augustine, Contra liter. Petilian. lib. 3. ca. 6. De qua∣cunque re quae pertinet ad sidem vitamque nostram, non di∣cam, si nos, sed si Angelus de coelo nobis annunciauerit, prae∣terquā; quod in Scripturis legalibus et euangelicis accepist is Anathema sit. Bee it of any thing that pertaines to faith or maners, I do not say, if vve, but if an Angel from heauen, preach otherwise, then is set down in the scriptures Legal & Euangelicall, let him be accursed. But of all other Lawes, Canons, and Writings, Origen in his first Homilie vp∣on Hieremy writeth thus: Sensus nostri, et enarrationes sine his testibus non habent fidem. Our iudgements or de∣crees, and our Explanations, vvithout these witnesses haue no credit. And these witnesses saith Augustine De Pec. mer. et Remiss. lib. I. cap. 22. nec falli possunt, nec falle∣re, Can neither deceiue, nor be deceiued. Therefore when Constantine the great had gathered those 318. Bishops to the famous Councell of Nice; by way of instructi∣on, he gaue vnto them the Apostles Canons and Do∣ctrines, set downe in the Scripture, as their Directorie rule, whereby to make and square their Ecclesiasticall Canons. Theodoret lib. 1. cap. 7. reports the wordes thus: Euangelicae et Apostolicae literae &c. The writings of the Euangelists, Apostles, and Prophets do plainely in∣struct vs, in the vvill and minde of God. Therefore laying aside contention, let vs seeke out of those oracles diuinely in∣spired, the vnsolding of things propounded.

Therefore what horrible blasphemy is this in the

Iesuit, to assert first, that the Bishops & their lawes and writings, are of like inspiration, and authority to binde the Conscience, as the Canons and Doctrines of the Apostles contained in the Scriptures? Secondly, that it mattered not, whether those Canons and Doctrines were written in Gods booke or no. Because Aristotle faid of all lawes: Scriptaene sint leges, an non scriptae, in∣teressenibil videtur. Wheras Tertullian saith against that Heretike Hermogenes; Scriptum esse doceat Hermogenis officina. Sinonest scriptum, timeat vae illud adijcientibus aut detrahentibus destinatum. Let Hermogenes shew it written, or else let him feare that curse which is appointed for those vvho adde to, or take from, the Scripture. And touching Philosophers, the same Tertullian in the said book, writes thus in capital letters: Haereticorum Patri∣archae Philosophi. Philosophers are Arch-fathers of Here∣tikes.

Secondly, That the Apostles Canons & Doctrines set downe in Scripture, are but humane Canons and Do∣ctrines. Which, then saith Augustine, de vnitat. Eccl. contr. Petilian, cap. 3. were to be taken away. His words be these: Auferantur de medio, quae aduersus nos inuicem, non ex diuinis Canonicis libris, sed aliunde recitamus. Quaeret fortasse aliquis, cur vis ista auferri de medio? Quia nolo humanis documentis, sed diuinis oraculis, Ecclesiam sanctam demonstrari. Away vvith all those authorities that either of vs alleage against the other, but those that are taken out of Canonicall Scripture: If any aske, why I would haue all other authorities put away? I answere, because I vvould haue the Church demonstrated by Diuine Oracles, not humane documents. Plus aliquid dicam, saith Chry∣sostome in his second Homily, vpon Pauls second E∣pistle

to Timothy: Ne Paulo quidem obedire oportet, si quid dixerit proprium, si quid Humanum. I will say more: Paul him selfe is not to be beleeued, If hee speake any thing of his owne, if he speake only as a man. Therefore Saint Paul of his Canons and Writings saith thus: If any man thinke himselfe to be a Prophet or Spirituall,* 1.4 let him acknowledge that the things vvhich I write to you, are the Commandements of the Lord.

How great is this Iesuiticall impietie and how abho∣minable, too call Diume Oracles, and Gods comman∣dements, Humane documents? But this is not all; The Iesuit addeth out of Vlpian, for a generall rule: That thesole will of the Prince, is sussicient to make a law to be of force, to binde Christians to obey for conscience sake (for of such lawes only we here dispute). Whence this impiety should necessarily follow, that, because Nabuchodonosor the Law-maker vsed all his Monarchi∣call power and authoritie to make a decree, That euery subiect of his should fall downe and worship the golden I∣mage which he had set vp, Sidrach, Mishak, and Abed∣nego, were bound in conscience to fall down and wor∣shippe it.

Heretofore we haue found the Iesuit to be very vn∣learned: but in this passage he declares himselfe to be impious also, and blasphemous.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pag. 167
• * 1.2

  Eth. lib. 10 cap. 9
• * 1.3

  Ephes. 2.20
• * 1.4

  1. Cor. 14.37.