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.

D^r. HARRIS Reply.

HAinric, in his Becane Baculus, defending this found doctrine, and orthodoxall, which Be∣can heere brings in, set downe by his Maiesty in his Praeface Monitorie; cudgelled soundly this Ie∣suit, for his impious scoffing at that holy & good doc∣trine, as is there to bee seene in many pages: yet this shamelesse Iesuit, dare heere affirme, that Hainric dis∣senteth from his Maiestie heerein.

If this be Becans English Iarre, thè is his English Iarre, in truth, the most vniforme Concord. For I dare avow, that not onely Hainric, but all other Protestant Eng∣lish Writers doe embrace, as true, ancient, catholicke, and Apostolick doctrine, that which the Iesuit tran∣scribeth heere from his Maiesties Praeface Monito∣rie.

Moreouer, wee may heere behold the footsteps of that old Serpent, wherein this serpentine brond, viz. this Iesuit treadeth. His Maiestie, following his Mai∣ster Christ, aduised Princes, To take from the Scripture (diligently read ouer by them, and so, well vnderstood by them) the rule of their faith: vvhereby they might place the foundation of their faith, in their owne certaine knowledge, to weet, solidly grounded vpon the Scrip∣tures; and not in the vncertaine opinion of others.

This pure doctrine, the Iesuit with the aspersion of his leauen, adulterateth thus: This is all one, as if the King had said, There is no certain Iudge in the matter of faith, but euery one is to rest in his owne proper iudgement: wheras his Maiestie cleane contrary asser∣teth,

that GOD hath prouided to euery one of his Saints on earth, a certaine Iudge in matter of their faith, to weet, the holy Ghost, and holy Scripture; the certaine knowledge whereof, as touching matter of faith, the holy Ghost, working together with the sa∣cred meanes of hearing, reading, meditaring, confer∣ring, praying, &c. giueth & sealeth vp in their soules: So that they shall not place the foundation of their faith, in the vncertaintie either of their owne proper iudgements, or of the opinions of others; but in the certaine testimo∣nie of the foresaid Iudge.

Of which Iudge, Saint Iohn, 1. Ioh. 2. v. 27. vvri∣teth thus:

And the annoynting vvhich yee haue receiued of him, dwelleth in you: and yee need not that any man teach you, but as the same annointing teacheth you of all things; and it is true, and not lying: and as it taught you, yee shall abide in it.

So that euery Christian is to rest, not in his owne pro∣per iudgement, for that is vncertaine; but in the cer∣taine iudgement of the forsaid annointing: working in the Saints that certaine knowledge, vvherein to place the foundation of their faith; vvhereof his Maiestie spea∣keth.

Constantine the great, and first Christian Emperor, found in himselfe, by gracious effect, the certainty of this said doctrine, heere averred by our King; for thus hee writeth in his Epistle to Sapor, King of Persia, registred by Theodoret, Lib. 1. cap. 24. Marking the diuine faith, I obtaine the light of truth: and following the light of trueth, I acknowledge the diuine faith.

The certaine truth of this doctrine, is so apparant, that is bath expresse testimony and acknowledgement

thereof, from the very Popish VVriters themselves, as is to bee seene by diuerse of them, in Beoano-Ba∣culus.

Therfore, I will here instance in one onely, and that no meane one, viz. Stapleton, who in his second admo∣nition to Maister D^r. Whitakers, set before his Triplica∣tion, writeth thus: In libro meo 3. Principior ŭ fidei, Spi∣ritus sancti internam persuasionem, ad quodlibet fidei ob∣iectum credendum, ita necessariam, ita efficacem esse do∣cui, vt nec absque illa, quicquam a quoquam creds possit, et∣si milliei Ecclesia attestetur: et per illam solam quodlibet credendum credi queat, tacente prorsus, et non audita Eccle∣sia. In my 8. booke of the Principles of faith, I have taught, that the invvard persuasion of the holy Ghost is so necessa∣rie, and so effectuall for the belieuing of euery obiect of faith, that vvithout it, neither can any thing bee belieued by any man, though the Church testified vvith it a thou∣sand times; and by it alone any thing that is to be belieued, may be belieued, though the Church kept silence, and never vvere heard.

Is not the force of this truth great, and must needs preuaile, sith the Aduersaries themselues, write so fully and directly for it?

To shut vp this point, and to shut the Pope cleane out, from this supreme Iudgeship, Panormitan the Abbat, in De Elect. et Elect potest. ca. Signisicasti; very iudici∣ously writeth thus: Plus credendum est vni priuato fi∣deli, quam toti Concitio et Papa, si meliorem habeat au∣thoritatem, velrationem. Wee ought to giue more credit to one priuate lay man, then to the vvhole Councell, and the Pope, if hee bring better authoritie, and more rea∣son.

And to the same effect, writeth Picus Mirandula, in the question, Whether the Pope be aboue the Coun∣cell; thus: Simplici potius rustico, et Infanti, et Anicula magis, quam Poncifici maxima, et mille Episcopis creden∣dum est, si••sti contra Euangelium, illi pro Euangelio faci∣unt. More credit is to be giuen to a simple plaine Rusticke, to an Infant, or to an old vvoman, then to the Pope, or a thousand Bishops, if the Pope and the Bishops speake against the Gospell, and the others speake with the Gospell.

What a silly supreme iudge, and absolute in all con∣trouersies of faith, is the Pope, vnto whom, (as often∣times it may, and hath fallen out) lesse credit is to bee giuen, then to a priuat man, then to a woman, then to an Intant?