The triple cord or a treatise proving the truth of the Roman religion, by sacred scriptures taken in the literall sense expounded by ancient fathers. interpreted by Protestant writers. With a discouery of sundry subtile sleights vsed by Protestants, for euading the force of strongest arguments, taken from cleerest texts of the foresaid scriptures.

SECT. V. That the Scriptures are obscure, it is further proued by sun∣dry reasons.

IN Scriptures we may consider, either the things there spoken of, or the manner wherwith they are spoken, both which are obscure: for the matter therin contayned, it is concerning the blessed Trinity, the Incarnation of Christ, the Sacraments, the hidden working of God in the soule of man, sundry Prophecyes not to be accomplished so many hundred yeares after their first prediction, and other the like. All which being high Misteries, must of necessity be difficult.

Now the manner wherwith they are set downe is no lesse obscure, for first many things seeme to be contrary,(1) as, I am the Lord thy God &c. visiting the iniquity of the Fathers vpon the Children. And the(2) Soule that shall sinne, the same shall dye: the sonne shall not beare the Iniquity of the Father. S. Matthew and S. Luke report,(3) that our Sauiour sending his Apostles to preach, forbad them to take a Rod. But S. Marke recordeth that,(4) he commanded them that they should take nothing for the way, but a Rod only. S. Paul affirmeth that,(5) In the Arke of the Testament, there was a goulden pot hauing Manna, and the Rod of Aaron that had blossomed, and the Tables of the Testament. And yet in the third Booke of kings, and elswhere it is said,(6) In the Arke there was nothing but two Tables of stone. Againe in the Acts of the Apostles it is said,(7) The men that went in company with (Paul) stood amazed, hearing the voyce, but seeing no man. And yet in the same Actes, S. Paul sayth,(8) They that went with me, saw the light indeed, but the voice they heard not of him that spake with me. So likewise in S. Luke, Christ said to Peter,(9) The Cocke shall not crow to day till thou deny thrice that thou knowest me. And yet S. Marke relateth that,(10) After the first deniall the Cocke crew, and that after another deniall, immediatly the Cocke crew againe, all which, with many(11) other such like, are seeming Contrarieties. Which must needs argue greatest

difficulty for their right vnderstanding, seeing, that we are bound to belieue, that they are not truly contrary, but all true in themselues.

In like sort there are many speaches so obscure & doubt∣full, as that the learnedst Interpreters do vary and are trou∣bled therwith. When the Iewes said,(*) Who art thou? Iesus said to them: The beginning who also speake to you: here Beginning in Latin (Principium) is of the newter gender, and the Rela∣tiue which (qui) of the Masculine: And which is more, in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Beginning, is the Accusatiue case, both which according to our ordinary conceipt, would seeme a most manifest incongruity.

There are also in the sacred Scriptures obscure figures and parables almost innumerable. And if we be to examine and determine Controuersies by the Originalls, we shall fynd the Ambiguity, of the Hebrew especially, most intri∣cate, one and the same word or Phrase being oftentymes indifferent to receiue diuers significations, whereof great incertainty groweth among the learned, and to the igno∣rant in tongues, a difficulty inuincible.

And if (as Luther affirmeth)(12) the Scriptures be more cleer then the Commentaries of all the Fathers, and as other Prot. make so easy, that the vulgar people may vnderstand them by their owne reading, to what end then the Fathers not only heertofore, but euen Protestants now continually do write so many Commentaries in explanation thereof? But chiefly seeing Prot. decyde all Controuersies only by Scrip∣ture, how aryse so daily and deadly dissentions among them∣selues, concerning things taught and set downe in the Scri∣ptures, if the Scriptures be so easy as is pretended?

To these demands two things are vsually answered; first, that though the Scripture be most cleer, yet it is darke to the proud and vnbelieuing, by reason of their blindnes, and wicked affection. Secondly, that though in some pla∣ces it be obscure, yet the selfesame thing is cleerly set down in other places. But by the first it followeth, that Luther himselfe (who giueth these reasons) is a Proud man and In∣fidel, it being euident, and for such euen by Prot. acknow∣ledged,

that he taught and maintayned sundry grosse errors, and in all for his defence pretending Scriptures. And by the like reason the same crymes of Pride and Infidelity incurre all Lutherans, by the iudgement of Caluinists, and all Cal∣uinists by the iudgement of Lutherans; & so the like may be affirmed of our Protestants and Puri••ans, euery one of these condēning the other of false doctrine in sundry points, and yet all building their opinions vpon the Scriptures.

And against the second I vrge first, that sundry obscure places, haue not coherence with any other place; as the greatest part of the Apocalyps, and the beginning and end of the Prophet Ezechiel. Secondly though it were true, yet a true conference of places amongst themselues, is a thing of it selfe very difficult; for that place which a Caluinist would thinke to be cleere, and therefore other places con∣cerning the same matter to be expounded thereby; a Luthe∣ran will auouch to be obscure, and other places to be more plaine. Besides this, it is also very difficult alwayes truly to discerne whether the places so conferred do speake of one and the same thing, seeing the same word, and almost the same phraze is vsed in Scriptures to signify diuers things, as the Scripture(13) it selfe testifyeth, and S. Austine(14) ob∣serueth. But because this conference of Scripture is accoun∣ted by Protestants so auaylable for the making of Scriptures easie to be vnderstood, and to be our Iudge of Controuer∣sies; I will therfore treat therof more largely in this Section following.

Notes

• (1)

  Exod. 20.5.
• (2)

  Ezech. 18.20.
• (3)

  Mat. 10.10. Luc. 9.3.
• (4)

  Mark. 6.8.
• (5)

  Heb. 9.4.
• (6)

  C. 8 9.2. Paralip. 5.10.
• (7)

  C. 9 7.
• (8)

  C. 22.10.
• (9)

  C. 22.34.
• (10)

  C. 14.68.72.
• (11)

  See Mar. 15.25. & Io. 19.44. Also Luc. 3.35.36. & Gen. 11 12. See also Hook. l. 5. sec. 19. p. 30.
• (*)

  Io. 8.25.
• (12)

  Praef. assert. Artic. à Leone dam∣natorum.
• (13)

  Baptisme is someti∣mes vsed for the Sa∣crament of Baptisme, othertimes for Pen∣nance or Martyr∣dome. See Mar. 1.4.1. Cor. 15.29. & Mar. 10.38. Luc. 12.50.
• (14)

  L. 2. de Doctr. Chri∣sti. c. 24 25. 26.