The pseudo-scripturist. Or A treatise wherein is proued, that the wrytten Word of God (though most sacred, reuerend, and diuine) is not the sole iudge of controuersies, in fayth and religion. Agaynst the prime sectaries of these tymes, who contend to maintayne the contrary. Written by N.S. Priest, and Doctour of Diuinity. Deuided into two parts. And dedicated to the right honorable, and reuerned iudges of England, and the other graue sages of the law.

That Heresies in all ages haue bene mayntained by the supposed warrant of Scripture. CHAP. XII.

NATVRE (the seale of Almighty God im∣pressed in these Elementary bodies) is not only indued with a generatiue power, ther∣by to eternize or perpetuate herselfe; but hath withall this annexed priuiledge; to wit, that euery indiuiduall body which is produced, beareth a great resemblance, as we see both in man, and other creatures (if so the secondary causes be not found defectiue) to that body, by the which it was begotten. And this secret or mystery of producing the like to itselfe, is extended euen to arts and sciences; hence it proceedeth, that in Logike (the artificiall refiner of reason) true Propositions euer be∣get true Conclusions, and out of false premises result false and erroneous illations. Neyther doth this ground rest heere, but passeth further, it being in like sort iustifiable in all generall Axiomes and principles, which are the Basis, or foundation of any Doctrine; which Principles being true, good, and expedient, then must all that, which as necessary effectes are ingendred therby, be of the same nature. But if they be false, wicked and pernicious, the rest then, which is builded therupon, participateth of the same quality. So as to take a Synopsis, or view in generall of the state or nature of such grounds and principles, it shalbe sufficient (without recurring particularly to them) only to rest in the speculation of such propositions & o∣ther poynts of Doctrine, which thence do deseend, and are (as it were) propagated by them.

2. Now then it being thus, that we are able to glasse the Fathers look in the childes face, the premises in the cōclu∣sion, and the causes in the effectes; I doubt not, but who∣soeuer

will call to mynd some few of those blasphemous and wicked heresies, which haue bene ingendred, hat∣ched, and nourished by this Principle and ground: That the Scripture interpreted by the priuate spirit, is the true and sole iudge of Controuersies; will at length haue iust reason to pronounce, that the sayd heresies are the defor∣med and prodigious brood of so vgly and monstrous a parent, since there was neuer yet any heresy but it could support it selfe for the tyme, by misconstruction of Scrip∣ture. And therfore no maruel if euery Sectary did so much couet to make his refuge to Gods sacred word: Hoping that in this sort (by disclaiming from all other proofes whatsoeuer) he was able so to varnish ouer his heresies, with some misapplyed and forced texts therof, as that to a credulous and mistaking eye, the grayne of them should appeare most faire, specious and regardable.

3. But let vs particularize this point in some few ex∣amples: who knoweth not that the Arians (a) 1.1 who labou∣red to ouerthrow in effect the whole frame and Systema of Christian Religiō, by teaching that Christ was not God, did with this their blasphemy inuade, and ouerrunne whole countries, through the supposed warrant of ma∣ny texts of the holy Scriptures, themselues still peruer∣ting the sense therof? He that doubteth of this, let him consider the texs heere (b) 1.2 noted in the margent which they (among many other like places) alledged. So shal he grant that these heretikes pressed Scripture against him, who is the authour of Scripture. In like sort Eutiches (c) 1.3 who taught, that our Sauiour had but a phantasticall and imputatiue body, through the conuersion of his diuinity into his flesh, was not altogether depriued of all proofes through his misconstruction of Gods (d) 1.4 word. Nestorius (e) 1.5 the former heretikes diametricall enemy in Doctrine (so easy it is for this priuate spirit, by misconstruction, to extract both fire and water, from one and the same word

of God) so deuided Iesus from Christ, as that he affirmed Ie∣sus to be only pure man, and him who was borne of the blessed Virgin, and suffred death, but Christ to be the Son of God. This man neyther wanted diuers passages (f) 1.6 of holy Scripture interpreted by his owne spirit, for the en∣amiling of this his execrable blasphemy.

4. Wicliffe (g) 1.7 and Husse (h) 1.8 to the great preiudice of secular Princes, taught that temporal Magistrats commit∣ting any mortall sinne, did, ipso facto, cease to be Magi∣strates, and being in that state, might be deposed by their subiectes. Which false and wicked Doctrine they were not affraid to confirme with certaine vsurped testimonies of Gods word. The (i) 1.9 Waldenses (Luthers Prodromi, and pre∣cursors) & the Anabaptistes (k) 1.10 would not brooke, that chri∣stian Magistrates should make any lawes, eyther to pu∣nish the wicked, or to appeale to any court of iustice for redressing of wrongs; affirming, that such proceeding did take away all Christian liberty: and these fellowes made in like sort the holy Scriptures (l) 1.11 their sanctuary: So dā∣gerously they erred herein, through a vitious affectatiō of ouermuch patience and innocency. These (loe) & such like, are the adulterate ofspring (of which I spake afore) ingendred and brought forth by that former principle of the Scriptures sole Iudge; sucking from the same ground (tanquam ex traduce) all that falshood and impiery, which is found in them. In which poynt, we see, how sollici∣tous and carefull the chiefe Patrones thereof were (as it were) to legitimate them, with so many detorsions and

misapplyed testimonies of Gods sacred writ. Thus haue the Scriptures (through the want of the true sense) occa∣sioned heresies, as the Sunne through absence of it heat, may be sayd to be the cause of cold; which heresies, ac∣cording to Tertullian (m) 1.12 dum sunt, habent posse, & dum pos∣sunt, habent esse.

6. And heere now I would demaund of our Aduer∣saries, who acknowledge (at least in wordes) all the for∣mer opinions for damnable heresies, what prerogatiue and priuiledge themselues may take, whiles they make their sole recourse to the Scriptures, as the supreme Iudge, in defence of their late appearing fayth, which the for∣mer Here••••kes may not with the like freedome, and with as iust she•• of reason challenge to themselues? Wil they obiect to the former heretiks want of Scripture for proofe of their Doctrine? We haue seene, how luxuriant and ryotous (as it were) they shewed to be in alledging the same for the better dogmatizing of their errours; in so much, that for iustifying of some of their heresies (if we respect not the sense, but the number) they were able ••∣uen to vye text for text against the orthodoxall Doctrine. Will they say, they were ignorant in the primitiue ton∣gues, and vsed not conference of Scripture; the two ack∣nowledged meanes conducing to the true vnderstanding therof? Concerning the first, diuers of them had some of the tongues euen from their cradle; and as for the o∣ther, they were so studious and painfull therin, as that they spent a great part of their life in diligent searching, comparing, and applying of seuerall passages of the Scrip∣ture.

6. To conclude, will they reply, that notwith∣standing all this, they wanted true humility and prayer, which (they say) with the former conditions are (as it were) the Media wherin the Species of the high mysteries of fayth are multiplyed, before they can enter into the eye of our vnderstanding, and consequently enioyed not this reuealing spirit, wherof themselues are assured? they would, if in their life time, they had ben accused her∣in

haue laboured to haue quyt themselues (as well as our Sectaries do in these tymes) from that imputation, and would, as fully charge all other with the like wants, who should interpret the former alledged texts diuersly from their constructions, and did no doubt, as boldly, when they were liuing, vaunt of the certainty and infallibili∣ty of their spirit, as any of our Protestants can do at this present. Seing then, that our Aduersaries, as flying to the Scriptures alone, can alledge nothing in their owne behalfe, for the patronizing of their Caluinian fayth, but that the former recorded Heretiks actually did, & might, as well, and as truly apply vnto themselues, for the de∣fence of their impieties: It may therfore be de••••••••red as a most certaine and infallible Position, that it is impossible, and repugnant no lesse to the prouidence of God, then to naturall reason it selfe; that truth of fayth and religiō (the which the Protestants professe to mayntaine) should be seated vpon those grounds (and only those grounds) which euery heresy may with the like reason and proba∣bility indifferently assume to it selfe.

7. Adde hereto, as a resultancy out of the whole contents of this Chapter, that seeing (as we haue shewed) it is the proper Scene of the Heretikes, euer to flye to the Scripture (vnder the wings therof to shrowd their wic∣ked Doctrines) that therfore by the Scripture they are not sufficiently condemned, and consequētly that the Scrip∣ture is not the proper iudge of Controuersies: since no man, that this guilty of any fault, doth willingly appeale to that iudge, still remayning in his former sentence, by whome he was afore clearly and euidently conuicted.

Notes

• (a) 1.1

  Teste. Epiphan. haeres. 69.
• (b) 1.2

  Pater maior me est. Ioan. 14. & 18. Descendi de caelo, non vt faciam voluntatē meam, sed eius qui misit me. Ioan. 6. vt agnoscant te solum ve••ū Deū, & quem misisti Iesū Christum Ioan. 17. Nobis au∣tem vnus est Deus Pater. 1. Cor. 18. vi∣de etiam 1. Cor. c. 15. & 1. Tim. 2. & Act. 2.
• (c) 1.3

  Apud Leonem e∣pist. Fla∣uiani, & epist. Leo∣n•• 97.
• (d) 1.4

  Verbū caro factū est. Ioan 1. As after the same phrase we read, Aqua vinum facta est. Ioan. 2. wherin we find the water to be made wine by a true conuersion of the one into the other.
• (e) 1.5

  Eu••∣grius l. 1. c. 2. & Theodoret. l. 4. haeret. fabularum prope finem.
• (f) 1.6

  In simi∣litudinem hominum factus, & habitu in∣uentus vt homo. Phi. 2. Est sine matre, sine genealogia. Heb. 7. where Christ is thus descri∣bed. Deus meus vt quid de∣re••quisti me? Math. 27. And else where it is ••ayd: Pater cla∣rifica me hac hora. Ioan. 12. Both which sayings might be taught to be disagre∣able to the forme of God.
• (g) 1.7

  Thomas VValdens. l. 2. Doctrin. Fidei. c. 81.
• (h) 1.8

  as appeareth out of the Councell of Constance. sessione 15.
• (i) 1.9

  Ipsi regnauerunt & non ex me principes exti∣terunt, & non cognoui: argentum & aurum suum fecerunt sibi idola, vt interi∣merēt. Osee 8. Regnū à gente in gentem transfertur propter iniustitias. Eccles. 18.
• (k) 1.10

  They are charged here with euen by Caluin lib. 4. Institut. 2. 20.
• (l) 1.11

  Si quis voluerit te••um iudicio contendere, & tunicam tuam tollere, da ei & pallium. Math. 5. Delictum est in vobis, quod iudicia habebitis inter nos, cur non magis fraudem patimini? quare non magis iniuriam accipitis? 1. Cor. 6. Dictum est anti∣quis, oculum pro oculo, dentem pro dente; ego autem dico vobis non resistere malo. Math. 5. Omnes qui acceperint gladium, gladio peribunt. Math. 26. Si quis te per∣cufferit in vn••m maxillam, praebe ei & alteram. Math. 5.
• (m) 1.12

  Ter∣tul. de Pu∣dicitia.