moderate Papists which begin to open their eyes at the light of the Gospell from joyning with us whilst they observe that we cannot or which is worse will not joyne among our selves Lastly they scarce seem to acknowledge that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that beleeveth who because of these controversies lately started make a separation from other Reformed Churches as if there were no hope of the Salvation of all those Christians which have not attained an exact knowledge of these Controverted points For my part I conceive it no great difference whether we place unwritten Traditions in joint commission with the holy Scriptures or whether we enforce our Controversies on all Churches to be knowne and beleeved under the same necessity of Salvation with the solid and manifest doctrin of the Gospel We ought therfore to beware lest whilst the Pastors of the Reformed Churches on both sides command theirs to depart from the Tents of those wicked men Num. 16.26 as infucted with heresie the Romish Wolves break in upon both and drag both Sheep and Shepheards to their Dens Indeed if Divines could calmly debate these disputes with brotherly minds some good or lesse evill at least would redound to the Church But seeing that experience for so many yeares hath approved that this can scarce if at all be done better were these disputes buried in silence than that the discussing of them should teare and mangle so many Churches into peeces For the Christian Church may now take up the old complaint of Hilary Dum propter haec alter alteri Anathema esse coepit nemo â—eâ—e Christi est Whilst for these things each accounted other occursed searce any were of Christ. Seeing these and worse grievances arising from the discords of the Reformed are obvious to every ones eyes Let us enquire what first might cause these bitter and hurtfull strifes betwixt Learned Wise and Godly men what since did daily increase them what now doth perswade them to entaile these Controversies as hereditary on their Posterity The nature of supernaturall knowledge and heavenly things gave the cause or occasion rather to these our contentions For as it is easie for minds inlightned and sanctified to embrace with Obedience to the Faith all things needfull to be knowne to Salvation which are plainly delivered in the holy Scriptures concerning God and Christ and all things to be beleeved and practised so to desire to dive deeper into the Mysteries of Faith than is fitting and thence to draw consequences by the help of our Reason and to annexe them to the fundamentall Articles is a matter of difficulty and danger and the necessary occasion of contentions For 't is impossible but that the wits of men must often differ and sometimes erre in those things which are collected by the mediation of humane understanding Meane time there is none but dotes on the darlings of his own Braines as beautifull and entitles them to be borne of the Bowels of the Scripture hating the reasonings and inferences of others as deformed and springing from the puddles of Reason corrupted Thus whilst men desire to see more in the Mysteries of Faith than is clearely showne in the Glasse of Gods Word rather the heat of their dissentions than light of their knowledge is increased It would apply some plaister to this soare if the Divines of both sides would remember that although all the Articles of the Catholique Faith are plaine and perspicuous as written in Gods Word with capitall Letters so that he that runneth may read them yet what thence is extracted by the chymistry of mans understanding are divers and of different kinds most of them so obscure that they escape the eyes of the most sharpe sighted Divines We must therefore confidently leane with all our weight on what the Scriptures have decided but not lay so much stresse on the consequences of our own deduction * Luth. Tom. 1. in Disp pag. 413. R. C. Facessant Dialectici ubi credendum est Piscatoribus Nam in Mysteriis fidei majestas materiae in Angustias rationis seusyllogismorum includi non potest Luther said well out of Ambrose Away with Logicians where wee must beleeve Fishermen For in the mysteries of Faith the majesty of the matter will not bee pent within the narrow roome of Reason nor come under the roof of Syllogismes wherfore the same Luther wisely admonisheth us that in matters surmounting the capacity of humane Reason we beware of Etymologies Analogies Consequences and Examples Also the imperfection of humane knowledge chiefly when puffed up with a false opinion that it is perfect in us affords a necessary occasion of endlesse contentions Wee all only know in part and in part apprehend Divine matters Wherefore wee ought to conceive that we may as well as others be deceived in that part which we know not wherein we apprehend not If wee were perfect Good Men could not fall out with good Men but those may which as yet are not perfect yea they cannot but fall out except they continually remember this their imperfection That therefore these discords may be avoyded al ought always to remember the Apostles admonition Rom. 12.3 Not to think of themselves more highly than they ought to thinke but to thinke soberly To which this is to be added quietly to beare with them who are of a different opinion from us praying dayly to God that he would be pleased to reveale unto us his truth as yet not fully knowne But in the meane time whereto we have already attained Phil. 3.16 let us wâ—lke by the same rule and be well affected each to others That these things are most true and profitable we cannot deny which being granted why then neverthelesse are these controversies dayly increased Why do these wounds grow more and more raw and bleed a fresh If one may speak the plaine truth there is in all mortall men an inordinate love of themselvs and of their own inventions and pleasing conceits this fault causeth that we see not at all the falshood of those opinions we have once entertained nor vouchsafe admittance to the truth which is shewed unto us by others * August contra Julianum l. 1. Periit siquidem judicium postquam res transiâ— in affectum nostram qualemâ—unque quia nostra jam facta est praevalere volumus sententiam For judgement perisheth when the matter is passed into the affections and wee desire that our opinion whatsoever it bee because now it is made ours may prevaile For where this Selfe-love doth rule Divines whatsoever they pretend will study more to tune the Scriptures to their opinion than their opinions to the Scripture and by head and shoulders drag the Fundamentall Articles of the Christian Faith to the supporting of their doctrines not Fundamental If any could find a cure for this Epidemicall disease we should presently see many controversies and all contentions at least
the Fundamentall Points can scarce or not at all to be brought to a set number First of al that which hinders is this that according to the diverse conceits of diverse men the formes of Propositions are altered and one Divine breaks that into two which another makes up into one Proposition Hence of necessity must arise an uncertainty of their number Which wee see to have happened in the very Articles of the Creed Aquâ—n 2. 2. quaest 1. aâ—an coâ—p which Divines commonly count to be twelve and yet some reckon them up fourteen What shall I say that as yet Divines are not well agreed amongst themselves of the very distinction of a Fundamentall point Some restraine this name to those Doctrines alone which with an expresse Faith are to be beleeved of all Christians to the obtaining of Salvation and eternal life by Christ and this I professe to bee mine opinion Yet are there some most learned and famous Divines which terme all Propositions Fundamental Doctrines which they themselves by good and strong Consequence inferre out of the former Fundamentals although few or none bee found in their neighbouring Churches who plainely perceive the Truth of these Consequences Many things deterre me from being of this opinion but this most especially that this would bee a necessary and everlasting cause of an unnecessary and everlasting Rent betwixt the Churches of Christ Lastly there never were nor will bee wanting some who will require that it may bee reckoned amongst the Fundamentals whatsoever themselves unlearnedly and erroneously dreame that they have digged and drawn out of the Word of God And these for the most part are those hatefull and troublesome Brawlers who presently give out the Alarum that the Foundations of Religion are pluckt up from the very roots if any dare shake their imaginary Fundamentals Whilst the very nature and definition of a Fundamentall Doctrine flotes in this manner it is no more impossible to count the waves of the Sea than it is percisely to define the set and certaine number of Fundamentall Doctrines ebbing and flowing according to mens severall opinions But least I might seeme wholly to wave and decline the marking out of Fundamentall Doctrines I will shew plainely what was the opinion both of Ancient and Moderne Divines in this matter by publique producing of their testimonies As touching things to be beleeved all Foundations of the Christian Faith are comprised in the Apostles Creed neither shall he who from his heart professeth that he affordeth beliefe to all and every thing therein contained be deficient in any thing so farre as concernes things to be beleeved to the partaking of Salvation in Christ and retaining of Communion with the brethren of Christ Now let us see how honourably the ancient Fathers did both thinke and speake of this Creed Irenaeus saith That the Church dispersed thorow the whole World received this Faith from the Apostles Lib. 1. cap. 2 3. and carefully kept it so that by consent in this Faith they as it were dwell all in one house and have one heart And hee sheweth that this Faith doth suffice for the Vnity of all Churches together amongst themselves as the Dutch Spanish French Easterne Egyptian Lybian in a word all Christian Churches Irreformabâ—â—em lib. de Virgin velan Tertullian calleth this Creed the one Rule of Faith sole immoveable and which need not or may not be altered or reformed Hilary tyred with the contentions of the Arians takes breath with this speech Ad Conslat August It is most safe for us to retaine the first and sole Evangelicall Faith Confessed and Vnderstood in our Baptism Augustine cals this Creed the comprehension and Perfection of our Faith Tom. 10. de temp Serm. 2. Domâ— in Ramis palmar pag. 849. Serm. 131. adding with all that it is plaine short and full so that the plainenesse doth provide and take order to helpe the homelinesse of simple Auditours The shortnesse easeth the memory and the fulnesse compriseth all Doctrine In another place he cals it the certain rule of Faith by which Beleevers may hold the Catholique Truth and by which they may convince all hereticall wickednesse Russinus saith Exposit in the Creed that this Creed may also be called the Triall or Touchstone if we meet a man we doubt of do but examine him by this Creed and he will presently discover himselfe whether he be a foe or a Friend Lastly Serm of the Creed Maximus Taurinensis writes that the Apostles did deliver the mystery of Faith to the Church of God that because there was to be diversity of Beleevers under the one name of Christ the privy signet of the Creed should distinguish the Faithfull from the Vnbeleevers Come we now to see what was the Schoolmens Judgement of this Creed Alexander of Hales brings this reason why the Creed was composed Parte 3. quaeâ— 69. mâ—mb 2. That it might be the Instruction of the Faithfull in one Vnderstanding and Confession of the Truth and Devotion of Religion in which the nature of Man is to obtaine blessednes Somewhat after To instruct in the Faith was the cause of making the Apostles Creed for to this purpose was it composed that the Faithfull might be taught in one Faith to beleeve all things necessary to Salvation Aquinas determines that as touching these first believables 2.2 quaest 2. art 5. in corp whith are the Articles of the Faith every one is bound explicitely to beleeve them but as concerning other believables he is bound only implicitely to beleeve them and in the Preparation of his mind that is having his Heart in readinesse to imbrace them when it shall appeare to him that they are contained in the Doctrin of the Faith Bonaventure saith Sent. l. 3. dist 25 qu. 1. in conclu respâ—ad 2. When it is demanded whether the Doctrin of the Faith be sufficiently contained in the Apostles Creed we may answer that if we speak of the Doctrin of Faith in respect to those things which therein are most principall and proper they are sufficiently contained in the Creed Neither is there any thing to be beleeved which may not be reduced to the Articles contained in the Creed as the principles and stable foundations I passe other Schoolemen because it is their generall judgement that the plaine and unfolded beliefe of the Apostles Creed is enough for Common Christians for the attaining of Salvation though a greater measure of Knowledge bee required from men of greater Learning Whence the Master of the Sentences after hee had concluded Sent. lib 3. dist 25. That in the time of Grace all things ought to be beleeved which are contained in the Creeds afterwards hee addeth that it is one thing to know only what a Man ought to beleeve to obtaine eternall lift and another to know how the same may be maintained and defended against wicked men opposing it which Knowledge many Faithfull men cannot skill of and yet they
Church conceive the Roman may be hindered and broken off and yet by no default of ours as often as it shall demand and require that we should approve or exercise any Idolatrous Acts in the publike service of God or should command or compell us to acknowledge or receive any doctrines repugnant to Scriptures or Godly mens consciences Yet in the meane time that Church which is counted no whit sound or Orthodox is to be esteemed a visible Church of Christ and to be ranked amongst the particular Christian Churches Yea as much as lies in us wee are to afford to the same all offices of brotherly Charity although our Actuall and outward Communion with the same be neither suffered of them nor may be retained of us because of the false doctrine and superstitious worships prevailing in the same Now out of those things which we before have disputed concerning the difference of Fundamentall points from those which are not Fundamentall we will endeavour to shew that those things are not Fundamentall about which hitherto there hath been such strife with so great heate of mens minds betwixt Protestants Those points onely are to be owned for Fundamentall Reas 1 which being overthrown or not at all beleeved no congregation of men can worship God so as to obtaine from him Pardon Grace and Glory But no point controverted is of this nature Therefore not Fundamentall None will call our Major Proposition into question because it is cleere that those who start asunder from the very foundations of saving Faith are not capable of those benefits which are promised to the Faithfull alone As touching the Minor If any dare affirme that no hope of pardon Grace or Glory doth shine to them who are otherwise minded than the rest in these controverted Doctrines him I conceive to sin more against charity than any of the Protestant Churches sin against verity Yea I dare adde this if any converse or persisteth in this errour alone he more shakes the foundation of the Protestant Truth than those whom he rashly chargeth to have violated the foundation for other errours whatsoever in controversall Divinity Those Points Reas 2 whereabout Protestants contend were neither Preached to the whole world by the Apostles as all those things were which were absolutely necessary to be known and believed to the salvation of Christians neither were they for such recommended by the succeeding Churches universally to Christian People whatsoever therefore divers Churches diversly determined concerning the Truth of these opinion yet ought they all to agree in this That they ought not to be reckoned with the fundamental articles of the Christian Faith If any man can cast and contrive any head of controverted divinity betwixt Protestant Churches into a short and no whit doubted of Proposition and truly affirme thereof This Proposition was maintained by the Apostles was received of the Vniversall Church amongst the Articles of Catholike and saving Faith I yeeld up the bucklers and grant the cause I will call it a Fundamentall Doctrine and I will pronounce those Churches which reject it to have fallen off from the Foundation and I will adjudge them unworthy of Brotherly communion with other Churches But if no Protestant can doe this none ought to call that a fundamentall Doctrine which himselfe defends or to challenge the Divines of other Churches being of another opinion of overthrowing the Foundation much lesse for this cause to deny the Rites of brotherly communion to whole Churches The affirming of Fundamentall Doctrines is so cleerly set down in the holy Scriptures Reas 3 that none of the unlearned much lesse of the learned can fall into the contrary damned opinions except they bee very negligent in learning the Catholike Faith or such as will not learne the Faith it selfe which is manifest in the Scriptures which is truly observed of Augustine De Agone Christi 6.28 But it is plaine to all that in these Doctrines whereabout Protestant Churches dissent that at the least on the one side numberlesse Christians are deceived and they men godly pious and most desirous of the Truth yea many Divines of the first ranke being versed and exercised in reading and meditating of the Scriptures through the whole course of their life Neither let any here object against me that the modern Anti-Trinitarians daily doe search the Scriptures and yet neverthelesse persist in the obstinate deniall of a Fundamentall Article for they are not only negligent in learning the Catholike Faith and drawing it out of holy Scriptures but also they are wilfully contemptuous in opposing the Catholike Faith and furiously bold in recalling the manifest Doctrine of the Scripture to the account of their doating and giddy Reasons subject to an erroneous Vertigo therefore to them agrees that of the Apostle 2 Thes 2.11 For this cause God shall send them strong delusion c. But none can passe the same sentence upon those Christians which adhere either to the Saxon or Helvetian Churches None therefore ought to set downe that those Doctrines are Fundamentall or necessato be known to Salvation in which it is probable that now this side now that side is deceived but impossible that both should be in the right as often as they contradict one another It is no Fundamentall point which Reas 4 cannot otherwise bee extracted or deduced out of the Scriptures than by the hard and long pathes of controversies alwayes untraceable to simple Christians sometimes scarce sometimes not at all evident even to the learned themselves Such are all those things which are in controversie betwixt Protestant Churches whose connexion with the Foundations of the Catholike Faith the Disputants on both sides say they see plainly necessary but the Adversaries on both sides cry it down that they see no connexion at all but plaine people ignorant of the art of Logick oftentimes give a blinde assent to their Doctors being themselves in the meane time altogether uncertaine of the strength of such consequences Things that in this manner are by their Doctors extracted and propounded to Christians may sometimes be true but can never be fundamētall that is absolutely necessary for every Christian to be known and beleeved for the obtaining of eternall life For even as they may enjoy the light and benefit of the Sun who cannot perceive the Mathematicall demonstrations of the bignesse and motions thereof so those may enjoy the light and benefit of fundamentall Doctrines to Salvation who cannot behold the Theologicall inferences and deductions drawn out of them Therefore they are not Fundamentalls but things rightly deduced in some mens Judgements from the Fundamentalls which are so much urged to be beleeved from the Divines which strive amongst themselves It is not the part of wise Divines Reas 5 so to swell and increase the number of Fundamentall points that all Christians as well learned as unlearned should be wholly uncertaine and ignorant what and of what kinde those be which are adjudged properly to belong to the