uniforme consent of Fathers, (knowing well, that many Masse Priestes were utterly ignorant of the Fathers) and therefore to qualifie the rigour of that oath, adjoyned these words to the aforesaid Article. Also that sacred Scripture, according to that sense which the Mother Church hath holden, (whose right is to judge of the true sense aud interpretation of Holy Scripture) I doe admit*. So that by the latter part of the Article, they allow the Fathers to bee interpreters of the Scriptures; and by the first part, they make themselves sole interpreters of the Fathers; to which addition an ignorant Priest will sweare, with a mentall reservation, that he doeth not receive nor expound the Scripture, but with the uniforme consent of Fathers, that is, according to the sense and judgment of the Roman church: for it is not to bee doubted, but the Church will allow of that sense which is most agreeable to that doctrine, and of that interpretation, (although it bee farre different from the Ancients,) which is most consonant to their Religion, and the rather I incline to this opinion; for that Cardinall Hosius† doth protest it for a universall and Catholike doctrine of his Church. If a man have the Interpretation of the Church of Rome, of any place of Scripture, hee

* Artic. 2.

'Si quis habet interpretationem Ecclesiæ Romanæ de loco aliquo Scripturæ, etiamsi nec sciat nec intelligat an et quomodò cum Scripturæ verbis conveniat, tamen habet ipsissimum verbum Dei. Hos. de expresso verb, Dej.

hath

hath the very words of God, though he neither know nor understand, whether and how it agreeth with the words of Scripture. Now if it happen that those which are better instructed, by comparing of Scriptures and Fathers, doe make a doubt of some place of Scripture, which the Church teacheth different from the Fathers, Cardinall Cusanus, by way of prevention, gives him to understand, that there is Fidés Temporum, a faith that followeth the time: Neither is it any marvell, (saith hee) though the practise of the Church expound the Scripture at one time one way, and at another time another way; for the understanding or sense of Scripture runneth with the practise, and that sense so agreeing with the practise, is the quickening spirit; and therefore the Scriptures follow the Church, but contrariwise the Church followeth not the Scriptures*.. This learned Romanist tells us, it is no wonder that the Scripture is at divers times diversely expounded hee tells us, the Scripture attends the Churches' pleasure; and lastly, which is most true, hee professeth the Romish Church followeth not the Scripture, but the times.

That this Cardinall speaketh truth, I think no Protestant doth make a question; but that you may be witness also of the practise of these times,

* Non est mirum si praxis Ecclesiæ uno tempore interpretetur Scripturam uno modo et alio tempore alio modo, nam intellectus currit cum praxi, intellectus enim quicum praxi con. currit est spiritus vivificans, sequuntur ergo scripturæ ecclesiam et nou è converso. Nich. Cusan. ad Bohem. Epist. 7.

you

you shall observe how fitly these men have ap plyed the Scripture to their Church. Whereas it is said to Peter in a vision, Arise, kill and eate:" Cardinall Baronius being Interpreter, will tell you: The Pope is Peter, and the Venetians are the meate which must be killed and devoured*. In like manner, whereas Saint Paul saith, Hæreticum devitá, Avoyd an heretique: the sillie Fryar applies it to times and persons with this exposition: Hæreticum de vitá tolle, Kill the heretique*, meaning the Protestant and in this manner according to the times, the sense runneth with the practise; or at leastwise I am sure, his practise runneth with these times.

Thus then you have Fides Ecclesiæ, an Exposition of Scriptures according to the Article of the Romish Creed, and Fides temporum, an Exposition sutable to the times, and their owne doctrine. If therefore we appeale to Scriptures, they account them dumbe Judges, without the Exposition of their Church if we require an Exposition with the consent of Fathers, they tell us we must admit that sense which the Church holdeth, whose right is to judge of the true sense of Scriptures: if wee shew them that their Expositions are senselesse, and disagreeing from the Ancients; they tell us the Scriptures may receive different Expositions according to the times. And thus they make the Scriptures sound like Bells, according to

* In voto Baronii contrà Venetos.

Erasm. Encom. Moriæ.

their fancies, and violate their oath with a Salvo Jure, saving a right to the sense and meaning of their owne Church. This way therefore is Via Devia, a Wandering and By-way.

It resteth in the last and chiefest place, to observe the difference betwixt the Church of Rome and us, touching the intire Canon of Scriptures (for without doubt this is the onely and infallible rule of faith,) and there is a curse denounced by God himselfe against all those that adde to his word, or diminish ought from it". It shall appeare therefore by many pregnant and infallible testimonies of our adversaries themselves, that the Canon of Scripture which we professe and be leeve, was the same which was taught and declared by Christ and his Apostles in the first age; the same which was published, and generally received by the ancient Fathers in succeeding ages; the same which continued in the bosome of the Romane Church in all ages, till the dayes of Luther.

* Deut. iv. 2. Rev, xxvii, 18.

SECT.

SECT. V.

THE INTIRE CANON OF SCRIPTURES WHICH WEE PROFESSE, (WITHOUT THE APOCRYPHALL ADDITIONS) IS CONFIRMED BY PREGNANT TESTIMONIES IN ALL AGES, AND MOST OF THEM BY THE ROMANISTS THEM

ACKNOWLEDGED

SELVES,

Ir was the complaint of Campian the Jesuite, that the ancient Canon of Scripture was altered at the comming of Luther; and thereupon as a man inraged against the Lutherans, he makes this open out-crie: What incensed Luther's whelps, to put out of the true Canon of Scripture, Tobias, Ecclesiasticus, and the two bookes of Maccabees? Desperation: for by these heavenly oracles they are expressely convinced, as often as they dispute against the defence of Angels, as often as they dispute against Freewill, as often as they dispute against Praying for the Dead, as often as they dispute against Praying to the Saints*. Surely, if this Romanist had beene as reall in his proofes, as he was vaine glorious in his speeches, he had gone beyond all the Romish Proselytes of our age; for never man made greater flourishes with poorer proofes: for it shall appeare, that wee Camp, Rat. 1.