of the best learned Romanists, The reading of the Bible makes more heretical Lutherans, then Roman Catholiques. If therefore the Scriptures are such pregnant and plaine testimonies in behalfe of the Romame Faith (as some Romanists pretend) why do they condemne the translating of them? why do they not permit the people to reade them? and if all places of Scripture make for them, and none for us, how comes it to pass, that by reading them, many Papists by their own confession become Protestants? It is the blasphemous assertion of Albertus Pigghius, that the Apostles have written certain things, but not to that end their writings should rule our faith, but rather that they should be under, and ruled by our faith and Religion*. And heere upon hee quarrels with all those that submit their knowledge to the authoritie of the Gospell: If thou shalt teach (saith hee) that those things must be put to the Judgement of the Scriptures, thou shewest thyselfe to bee voyd of common reason: for the Scriptures are dumbe Judges, and cannot speaket. Neither is this the opinion of some private spirits, which of late have declined the authority of the Scriptures but if wee looke beyond Luther, we shall finde that almost 300 yeeres before his dayes, Non ut scripta illa præessent fidei et Religioni nostræ, sed potiùs ut subessent. Pig. Hierar. lib. 1. c. 2. + Si dixeris hæc referri oportere ad judicium Scripturarum communis te sensus ignarum esse comprobat, sunt enim scripturæ muti Judices. Pigh. cont. 3. de Eccles. the the Romanists did endeavor by all meanes to extinguish the light of the Gospell. About the yeere 1255, there was a great contention betwixt the Universitie of Paris, and the Order of Franciscan Fryars, in which dissention the Fryar Mendicants published a book called Evangelium æternum, the eternal Gospell. In this. Book it was declared, that "The Gospell of Christ was not the everlasting Gospell; that it was to cease and determine as the olde Law did at the comming of Christ; that the Gospell of Christ should from that time continue but 50 yeares;. and that their new Gospell did containe as much or more, then the whole Bible; that their's was the Gospell of Christ, and the eternall Gospell." Neither was this wicked blasphemy published by one man, but by a whole Order of Monkes and Fryars. Neither were they upstart opinions (like mushromes growne up in a night) but they were set afoot fifty-five yeares before that time. This and much more of the like doctrine is to bee read in Mathew Paris, and more particularly in that excellent Treatise of the Succession and state of Christian Churches †. Thus the Romish Priests of the former and latter ages, agree like Pilate and Herod, both to the condemnation of Christ and his Word; and as Herod (saith Ambrose) burnt the Scriptures, lest by meanes of such ancient Records, some doubt * Mat. Paris. in Hist. An. 1256. + B. Usher de Eccles. Success. et Statu. cap. 9. p. 278. might afterwards be made of his posterity*; in like manner our late Romanistes have silenced the Scriptures, lest by such ancient Evidences their new Articles of Faith should be discovered; and had it not beene for feare or shame, I am verily perswaded, they had fulfilled in a sense to litterall the words of the Apostle: The fire shall trie every man's worke, of what sort it is. Now can any man imagine why these men should bee so angry with Christ and his Apostles? Can they say the Scriptures are subject to errours, and neede an Inder Erpurgatorius? No, they dare not, they will not say so; but they say, they are dead characters, a killing letter without life, a matter of contention, a wood of theeves, a shop of heretiques, imperfect, doubtfull, full of perplexitiest, not t obe permitted to the common people: for this were all one (saith Hosius) as to give that which is holy unto dogges, and cast pearles before swine‡. Nay more, Cardinall Bellarmine assures us, that the people will not onely reape no benefit, but detriment, by reading them: for they would easily take occasion to erre both in manners and doctrine. And for confirmation of his assertion, among other * Ambr. in Luc. lib. 3. + Lind. lib. 2. Strom. c. 2. &c. Laicis lectionem scripturarum permittere esset sanctum dare canibus et margaritas antè porcos projicere. Hos. de express. verbo Dei. § Populus non solum non caperet fructum ex Scripturis, sed etiam caperet detrimentum. Bell. de verbo Dei. lib. 2. cap. 15. proofes, proofes, he gives this instance: "If an ignorant layman should reade of the adultery of David, of the incest of Thamar, of the lyes of Judith, and many such like things contained in the Scriptures, either it would cause him to imitate their examples, or hee would thinke them to bee lying inventions, or being not able to resolve them, would be in danger to beleeve nothing at all *.” These and the like examples (which in trueth concerne the lives and manners of men, not the doctrine,) are registered by the will and mercie of that good God, to prevent despaire in others, who may unhappily fall into the like sinnes; and yet that no man might presume to commit the like sinnes, by their examples. Hee who reades of the adultery of David, shall read likewise of the punishment allotted to his sinnes: and he that reads the particular examples of Thamar and Judith, shall findesuch severe and fearefull judgements in generall denounced against those sins, that he shall have little cause or comfort to follow their examples in such particulars; but from hence rather we may observe the sinceritie of the Pen-men of the Holy Ghost, who impartially set downe the vices of the best men, and greatest Patriarkes, as well as their vertues and by this declaration of the sinnes of the regenerate, and best servants of Christ, wee are taught to humble ourselves, and to flie to our Saviour for mercy and grace, that every tongue may confesse to thee, O God, Thou onely * Bell. de verbo Dei. lib. 1. cap. 15. art Hee art holy. And certainely from hence (I meane from these and the like examples,) Saint Austen, Saint Hierom, and the ancient Fathers, confuted the Pelagian Heretikes, who with Bellarmine and his associates maintained the perfection of righteousnesse in this life. But admit these and many such like places were hard to be understood in Scriptures, yet there is milke for babes, as well as stronger meate for stronger men: there is depth (saith Gregorie) for the Elephant to swimme, and shallow fords for the lambe to wade in. that gave a heart and wisedome to the Apostles to preach that heavenly word, opened the heart of Lydia, (a poore ignorant woman) to understand it and for that purpose (saith Chrysostome) the Spirit of God hath so ordered and disposed the Scriptures, that Publicanes, and Fishers, and Tentmakers, and Shepheards, Apostles and unlearned men, should be saved by those bookes: and to that ende no ignorant man should pretend obscuritie for his excuse, it is ordained that the labourer and servant, the widow woman, and the most unlearned man, by hearing them, should, reape some benefit. Nay more (saith he) to whom are the Scriptures obscure, who is there that heareth the words, Blessed are the meek, Blessed are the merciful, Blessed are the pure in heart, and the like, that shall need an Expositor? Est fluvius planus et altus, in quo agnus ambulet, et elephas natet. Greg. ad Leand. præf. Joh. cap. 4. + Chrys. in Conc. 3. de Lazaro. Besides |
