The design of Stapleton, De Principiis Fidei, controver. 4, lib. viii. cap. 1, is to prove, "impossibile esse sine speciali gratia, ac dono fidei divinitus infuso, actum veras fidei producere, aut ex veri nominis fide credere," — which he there proves with sundry arguments, — namely, "that it is impossible to produce any act of faith, or to believe with faith rightly so called, without special grace, and the divine infusion of the gift of faith." And Bellarmine speaks to the same purpose: " Argumenta qua? articulos fidei nostrse credibiles faciunt non talia sunt ut fidem omnino indubitatam reddant, nisi mens divinitus adjuvetui-," De Grat. et Lib. Arbit., lib. vi. cap. 3; — " The arguments which render the articles of our faith credible are not such as produce an undoubted faith, unless the mind be divinely assisted.
Melchior Canus, Loc. Theol., lib. ii. cap. 8, disputes expressly to this purpose: " Id statuendum est, authoritatem humanam et incitamenta omnia ilia praedicta, sive alia quaecunque adhibita ab eo qui proponit fidem, non esse sufficientes causas ad credendum ut credere tenemur ; sed praeterea opus esse interiori causa efficiente, id est, Dei speciali auxilio moventis ad credendum;" — " This is firmly to be held, that human authority and all the motives before mentioned, or any other which may be used by him who proposeth the object of faith to be believed, are not suf- ficient causes of believing as we are obliged to believe; but there is, moreover, neces- sary an internal efficient cause moving us to believe, which is the especial help or aid of God." And a little after he speaks yet more plainly, " Externse igitur omnes et humanae persuasiones non sunt satis ad credendum, quantumcunque ab homi- nibus competenter ea quae sunt fidei proponantur ; sed necessaria est insuper causa interior, hoc est, divinum quoddam lumen, incitans ad credendum, et oculi qui- dam interiores Dei beneficio ad videndum dati;" — " Wherefore, all external human persuasions or arguments are not sufficient causes of faith, however the things of faith may be sufficiently proposed by men; there is, moreover, necessary an inter- nal cause, that is, a certain divine light, inciting to believe, or certain internal
APPENDIX 115
eyes to see, given us by the grace of God." Yea, all other learned men of the same profession do speak to the same purpose.
The other assertion, also, they do no less comply withal : " Arcanum divini Spi- ritus testimonium prorsus necessarium est, ut quis ecclesiae testimonio ac judicio circa Scripturarum approbationem credat," saith Stapleton ; — " The secret testi- mony of the Spirit is altogether necessary, that a man may believe the testimony and judgment of the church about the Scriptures." And the words of Gregory de Valentia are remarkabje: " Cum hactenus ejusmodi argumenta pro authoritate Christianas doctrinae fecerimus, qua? per seipsa satis prudentibus esse debeant, ut animum inducant velle credere; tamen nescio an non sit argumentum iis omnibus majus, quod qui vere Christiani sunt, ita se animo affectos esse, quod ad fidem attinet, sentiunt, ut pnecipue quidem propter nullum argumentum, quod vel hac- tenus fecimus vel ratione similiter excogitari possit, sed propter aliud nescio quid, quod alio quodam modo et longe fortius quam ulla argumenta persuadet, ut ad fir- miter credendum [trahi] se intelligant," torn. iii. in Thom., disp. 7, qu. 1, punc. 4, sect. 2. Let any man compare these words with those of Calvin, Institut. lib. i., cap. 7, sect. 5; which, as I remember, I have cited before, and he will know whence the sense of them was taken. " Whereas," saith he, " we have hitherto pleaded arguments for the authority of Christian doctrine, which even by themselves ought to suffice prudent persons to induce their minds to belief, yet I know not whether there be not an argument greater than they all, — namely, that those who are truly Christians do find or feel by experience their minds so affected in this matter of faith, that they are moved (and obliged) firmly to believe, neither for any argument that we have used, nor for any of the like sort that can be found out by reason, but for somewhat else which persuades our minds in another manner, and far more effectually than any arguments whatever." And to show what he means by this internal argument and persuasion, he affirms elsewhere that " Deus ipse im- primis est, qui, Christianam doctrinam atque adeo Scripturam sacram veram esse, voce revelationis sua? et interno quodam instinctu et impulsu, humanis mentibus contestatur ;" — " It is God himself who, by the voice of his revelation, and by a certain internal instinct and impulse, witnesseth unto the minds of men the truth of Christian doctrine or of the holy Scripture."
These few testimonies have I produced amongst the many that might be urged to the same purpose, not to confirm the truth which we have pleaded for, which stands on far surer foundations, but only to obviate prejudices in the minds of some, who, being not much conversant in things of this nature, are ready to charge what hath been delivered unto this purpose with singularity.
2TNE2I2 nNEYMATIKH"
THE CAUSES, WAYS, AND MEANS OF UNDEMANDING THE
MIND OF GOD AS KEVEALED IN HIS WOED,
WITH ASSUEANCE THEEEIN;
A DECLARATION OF THE PERSPICUITY OF THE SCRIPTURES, WITH THE EXTERNAL .MEANS OF THE INTERPRETATION OF THEM.