necessary for him to believe it who hath such knowledge of it from the Word of God And because the holy Scriptures do promise everlasting life and salvation to all them which truely believe in Jesus Christ as he is revealed and manifested in them we thereby further argue and conclude thus That such doctrine of the Scripture is not onely necessary but also wholly sufficient unto salvation so that no other singular doctrine besides the holy Scripture is necessary unto salvation Which also the Primitive Church both in its doctrine and universal practice doth abundantly testifie that they held the sacred Scripture to be satisfactory unto salvation even for the most-able and best-learned men and the Five aforesaid Symbols or Fundamental Articles sufficient for all Unlearned Ignorant Christians as we could prove it by many evident testimonies of the Ancient Fathers which having heretofore already been done by many others we thought it superfluous to enlarge our selves therein at this present Whether and how far the Tradition and Doctrine of the Church is necessary Yet next and besides the Scripture we do not decline and reject the Word and Doctrine of the Church not as the principal Ground and rule of our Faith for that is meerly and solely grounded upon this Because the Lord said it but not upon this Because the Church or their teachers said it but as requisite means whereby the Word of God is preached and taught unto us and as a testimony of that what is declared therein Wherein notwithstanding we must exactly distinguish betwixt that what the whole Vniversal Christian Church hath with an unanimous Consent taught and believed out of the Word of God at all times especially in the Primitive times and that what perhaps but one or other Particular Church hath taught in the later times Whatsoever the whole Christian Church especially in the first hundred yeers immediately after the Apostles hath unanimously taught and believed out of the Word of God as necessary unto salvation that same is an Infallible mark and testimony that it is certainly and undoubtedly the true sense and meaning of the Word of God and consequently is necessary for all Christians to believe and receive it Because there is no doubt but the true Primitive Church beside the holy Scripture hath received also from Christ himself and his Apostles the true sense and meaning thereof at least in all necessary Fundamental Points of the Christian doctrine Contrariwise whatsoever the Primitive Church hath not taught that same is an evident signe and testimony that it is not so expresly set down in the holy Scripture that all Christians of necessitie should know and believe it unto salvation because many thousands of the Primitive and best Christians have been saved without such doctrine But this testimony of the Primitive Church of whatsoever it hath taught or not taught is of such a nature that it is not to be understood by all Christians but onely by those who are well versed and have read the Volumes of the Ancient Fathers which even very few of the Teachers and Ministers are able to do Wherefore the greater part of Christians especially when the doctrine and meaning of the Primitive Church is drawn into Controversie ought to fix themselves and adhere closely to the evident testimony of the holy Scripture without which they cannot have any certain ground of their faith and salvation For whatsoever not the Universal onely but one or some Particular Churches have believed and taught especially in the later times whether it were done in their Councils and Synods or else by their publike Confessions or other writings doctrines and witnesses that very same though it is a testimony of the belief and doctrine of the particular Churches yet it cannot oblige other Churches or generally all Christians nor be necessary for all unto salvation neither ground and confirm their faith any further then the certain and indubitable Word of God hath demonstrated unto them and they themselves have received it as consonant and agreeable to Scripture Since it is granted on all sides that the particular Churches may erre in their own particular opinions and that the Christian Faith must not be grounded upon the word of one particular Church but meerly and onely upon the Word of God Neverthelesse the Word and Authority of the particular Churches doth binde at least their fellow-members thus far that they ought not rashly to contradict their doctrine and declarations unlesse it be contradicted by a more evident testimony of Gods Word and by an Unanimous doctrine of the Primitive Church For otherwise this would prove a Presumptuous judging or at least an Unnecessary scandalous contradicting We hope now Why not a certain specifâ—â—â—tion may be made of all the Points of Doctrine that are necessary unto salvation by all these things that are said it doth plainly and manifestly appear What and how far it is necessary and not necessary unto salvation although we do not specifie all points of Doctrine nor precisely determinate what and how much might be necessary and sufficient to every one in particular which is almost impossible to do for these Reasons First because we cannot directly know how far the capacitie of every one or the most unlearned and ignorant Christians and how far Gods mercy may reach and extend above their understanding and therefore ought not rashly to condemn any man in his ignorance to whom peradventure God may shew mercy Secondly because none can obtain a true knowledge and faith in Christ but he must somewhat strive and labour for it that he may encrease and thrive therein Like as we cannot describe and set a certain measure to the height and bignesse of a young childe because yet it must needs daily grow if it be alive and in health till it hath attained his full and perfect age so may we neither circumscribe and limit any Christians knowledge within a certain measure because he ought to grow and augment still in the knowledge faith and doctrine of Christ if he be a true Christian till he is come to a perfect man of stature of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4.13 Thirdly because we cannot fail sooner in any thing then when we presume to regulate and measure all other mens capacities by the measure of our own understanding and do imagine that what peradventure we think to be clear and evident in the Word of God that very same must likewise be as clear to all others and therefore as certain and necessary for all which is also the chief and principal reason of all Unseasonable judging in matter of faith yea the source and fountain of all divisions and dissentions in the Church of God Wherefore it is sufficient for our purpose to know in general which no Christian can deny That all and onely that is necessary unto salvation what necessarily belongeth to the saving Faith in Christ which worketh by love and cannot subsist without true repentance
and conversion from sin and without new obedience to Christ Commandments Which all is so plainly and expresly taught in the undoubted Word of God especially in the Five aforementioned principal Points that every Christian may sufficiently understand them unto his salvation and hath been unanimously professed in the Primitive Apostolike Church But whatsoever is not so clearly and expresly taught in the Word of God as a necessary Article of Faith Love and Obedience towards Christ nor hath been understood and taught out of the same in the Primitive Church That very same though it dependeth from it by a necessary consequence and therefore may be true doctrine and agreeable to Scripture yet it cannot be necessary for them who do not understand it as yet and retain onely the Fundamental doctrine it self the saving faith and love towards Christ at least so long till God enlighteneth and bringeth their understanding to a fuller knowledge of the Truth which they in the fear of God ought daily to search into Whereby we do conclude further that We ought also not to judge one another according to the aforesaid rule of the Apostle in these doctrines Especially when the other may produce Motives and reasons to the contrary and such which are taken not from natural reason but from the Word of God and therefore bindeth not onely his understanding but also his conscience that he cannot receive such doctrines for fear of sinning against God and his Word but must at least doubt of them For in such a case we must say Whosoever doubteth if he eateth if he receiveth them is damned by his own conscience And rather according to the Apostle's exhortation in such controversies of doctrines We must receive him that is weak in faith but not to doubtful disputations Who art thou that judgest another mans servant To his own master he standeth or falleth Let us therefore not judge one another any more but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling-block or offence of conscience in his brothers way CHAP. IV. That the Romane Catholike Church hath no ground to Judge and condemn the Protestant Reformed Evangelical Churches as Heretical HAving laid this ground we may easily and as much as is necessary for every ones conscience unto salvation deliver our Judgement and Opinion concerning the Modern differences and dissentions in matters of Religion which among the Christians that make on all sides profession of the written Word of God contained in the Old and New Testament are fomented and aggravated meerly out of an Unseasonable and Uncharitable judging and condemning with such vehemency and bitternesse yea with such great effusion of blood and lamentable devastation of Countreys that never the like was heard of any other Religion in the world At this present I will make but a short Application to the Three principal divided and dissenting Churches Differences betwixt the Romane Catholikes Lutheran and Reformed Churches which are dispersed in the Occidental Christian World thorowout whole Provinces and Kingdoms As first the said Romane Catholikes or Papists so called who besides the holy Scriptures are grounded upon the traditions of the Church and especially upon the Councel of Trent and generally are altogether subjected and depend on the Pope of Rome as being their Supreme Head and Judge in matters of Religion and Conscience as the Churches in Italy Spain and the greater part in France Germany and Poland Then the Protestant Evangelical Lutherans as they themselves will be called who besides the holy Scripture professe Confessionem Agustanam Saxonicam formulam Concordiae as their Symbolical and Universal Books of doctrine not that they ground principally their Faith and Religion upon them but that they hold the doctrine and opinions of them conformable to Scripture and necessary unto Salvation as in Germany especially in high and lowe Saxony some Churches in Swaben Francony Westphaly Hessen c. and without Germany the Churches in Denmark Sweden and Prussia although there is some difference perceived betwixt them because some have not received hitherto as yet the said formulam Saxonicam and some of them have collected their own peculiar Corpora doctrinae Confessions and Books of Doctrine Thirdly those Evangelical Christian Protestants who because they will not be bound and tied to any man's whether it be Luther's Calvin's Zuinglius or any other's Doctrine or Books and therefore not be named by any man's name but have purged and reformed their Doctrine and Religion from the abuses of Popery onely according to the written Word of God are commonly called Reformed by some Papists they are called Biblists or Scripture-men of which name they need not to be ashamed because they are grounded on and refer themselves wholly to the holy Bible as the Churches in England Scotland Helvetia the United Provinces of the Low-Countreys all the reformed Churches in France with some particular Churches in Germany Poland Hungary c. Which though they have collected and framed also their peculiar Confessions yet not with the intent to binde other Christians consciences even to their word but onely to testifie their Unanimous consent and Uniformitie first and principally in the necessary fundamental Points of salvation out of the manifest Word of God then secondarily in the confutation and rejecting of the erroneous By-doctrines especially those of the Popish Churches which have no ground in the Word of God but are è diametro opposite to it by a necessary consequence And withal to decline and refute all sorts of calumnies and slanders of their Adversaries Wherefore also they by a special Confession of theirs do not reject the Confession of others especially that of Augspourg though there be some difference in words remaining much lesse do presume to condemn other Eastern and Western Churches because of some different opinions or Ceremonies if onely they do agree with them in the fundamental points of doctrine and for the rest withhold themselves from condemning others And even for these very same reasons have I hitherto addicted my self to the Confession of these Reformed Churches and am resolved with Gods assistance to persevere in it even unto death not onely because I acknowledge in the controverted Points the doctrine of these Churches I say Their own doctrine which they themselves Vnanimously professe to be consonant and agreeable to Scripture but especially because besides the Indubitable Universal Fundamental Doctrines and necessary Articles of faith which they with one consent receive they do not maintain or impose upon others any other doctrine as necessary unto salvation which in it self and by Gods command is not but impart and permit to every one the due libertie of Conscience and also do neither deny pervert or mutilate any part or articles of the true Gospel of Christ nor introduce any other By-Gospel or By-articles or judge or condemn others for it Whereas other Churches principally the Papists and partly the Lutherans if they do not quite deny any necessary point of true
Christianitie yet do very much transgresse the true limits and rules both of Gods truth and Christian Charitie seeing they Adde many of their Doctrines and impose them upon others as necessary unto salvation or judge and condemn them therein as Hereticks which neverthelesse in themselves and by Gods command are not necessary yea false and not agreeable to Scripture I do not deny but there be some such sort of people found in our Churches which are too too zealous and obstinate in their own opinions and undertake to judge others who will not altogether give their assent to them Which is not sutable to the unanimous Doctrine of our Churches and therefore may not be imputed to the whole Universal Church But that we may well know which of these three divided and dissenting Churches judgeth the other or is judged by them aright or wrong I will first declare but briefly and onely as much as may conduce to the information of the Unlearned Whether the other two the Romane Catholikes and the Lutherans have any sufficient and well-grounded reason to judge and condemn our Reformed Churches as Heretical Then shall I take an opportunitie to shew in the Second Part of this Apostolical Direction Whether and how far our Churches ought to judge and condemn the other Two the Papists and the Lutherans That the Romish Church hath no sufficient ground to judge and condemn our Reformed or Lutherane Churches as far as they agree with us to be heretical we make it good by reasoning thus Because they cannot accuse us or make us believe that our Churches either deny any Article of the Ancient Apostolike Catholike Faith or do introduce and condescend to any false heretical Point But they do condemn us meerly for this because we do not receive some articles of their Modern Doctrine and Religion which they cry up for Vniversal or Catholical and yet either are not necessary unto salvation as they must confesse themselves of the greater part of them or false erroneous and superstitious as we are convinced by the Word of God in our own Consciences For in the first place although they charge and accuse us of all sorts of new Calumnies and slanders of the Papists against the Evangelical Protestants Un-catholike false and partly heretical damnable blasphemous Doctrines As that we make God to be the Author of sin That we do deny all free-will of man even after his regeneration That according to our Doctrine it is impossible even to the believers to keep the commandments of our Saviour That by Faith onely we may be saved and justified though we live never so sinfully That all sins shall be forgiven us if we do but believe that they are forgiven though we do still continue in them That the Justification is wrought meerly by an external imputation without internal renovation and sanctification That Repentance and confession of sins and new obedience and good works are quite unnecessary That we reject all Fasting all Vows and Church-discipline Dignities Orders and Traditions of the Church yea obedience to Magistrates Annihilate the Sacraments or hold them to be but naked bare Signes Blaspheme and despise the Saints in heaven and such-like Points Against which our Churches have always solemnly protested both in their Confessions and Apologies that such was not their faith and opinion but that all these are but meer slanders detractions and mis-constructions Whereupon they have declared themselves with one accord that they would not acknowledge nor hearken to any new doctrine but onely adhere closely to the Ancient doctrine of the primitive Apostolike Church as it is principally grounded upon the sacred Scripture being the main rule of our Faith and as it hath been declared out of the Word of God against all Sects and Heresies with an Unanimous consent of the Primitive Church especially in the General Christian Synods of Nicene Ephesus Chalcedone and Constantinople whose Universal confession of Faith they unanimously maintain of which the Romish Church it self confesseth in the last Council of Trent Concil Trid. sess 3. to be the buckler and shield against all Heresies the Principle whereunto necessarily he must agree that will professe the Christian Faith yea the solid and sole foundation against which the gates of hell shall not prevail Wherefore our Churches cannot justly be charged with any new heretical doctrine because though one of our Divines should defend any new opinion or exposition of the Scripture yet they do not binde themselves to it much lesse enforce it upon others as necessary unto salvation but give way to be examined according to the rule and square of the Word of God When now for all this the Romane Catholikes persist to condemn our Churches as heretical because we will not receive besides such Ancient true Catholike Christian Faith all their modern new-fangled Doctrines and Traditions which they have since added and invented in their Council of Trent and other Popish Councils of late times or in the Decrees of the Popes It behoveth them first to prove and shew firm and certain grounds that those Doctrines of theirs are grounded upon the holy Scripture and the Primitive Church is necessary unto salvation Principal Controversies betwixt the Romane Catholikes and Evangelical Protestants For Example Will they condemn us in our exteriour Service or Worship and Ceremonies because we have no Images of the holy and blessed Trinitie of our Saviour of the Saints deceased nor do adore them That we do not pray and call on the holy Angels and the souls of the Saints in heaven especially the Virgin Mary yea that we do not digg and take their bones or other reliques out of their graves and worship them nor pay Vows or make Pilgrimages to them That we do not buy or purchase the Popes Indulgencies celebrate no Masses for the souls of the dead nor make any distinction of meats on certain days or a general weekly Fast neither admit of any Auricular confession to the Priest of every particular sin That we do not administer the holy Communion under one but both kindes or elements of Bread and Wine both to Lay and Clergie-men nor celebrate any Masses without Communicants neither make use of the rest of Ceremonies which they against the first Institution of Christ have forged for their Sacrifice of Masse especially the adoration of the consecrated hostia in the holy Sacrament That we do not observe their great Feast called Corpus Christi-day and the holy days of the Saints That we perform our whole Publike Service not in the Latine Tongue which is unknown to the Laicks but in the known Mother-tongue nor forbid to any Lay-man the reading of the holy Bible in his Mother-tongue but exhort rather every one in general unto it That we tell not our Prayers to God on Beads by fifties and hundreds use not the sprinkling of the holy water nor wear about us Agnus Dei or such like consecrated reliques That we allow not of the Orders
then to be extracted out of the same by consequence But if we desire to have a certain undoubted and necessary Exposition of these words Christ himself and the Apostle Paul hath declared it unto us That the breast and wine is called the Body and Blood of Christ because it is the New Testament and the Communion of his Body and Blood and because we ought to eat and drink it in remembrance of him If we desire also to know how we ought worthily to eat and drink the Body and Blood of Christ Christ himself hath taught it so plainly Joh. 6 that our Adversaries themselves must confesse that not onely the afore-mentioned Spiritual eating of the Lords Supper is principally required but also is the onely true and saving eating without which the oral manducation is rather noxious then profitable and wholesome Wherefore we hold this declaration of Christ sufficient unto Salvation and him that onely standeth to it or giveth us but libertie to stand to it we will in like manner not compel necessarily to receive our interpretations and expressions which we acknowledge to be conformable to the words and exposition of Christ much lesse will we judge or condemn any man for an Heretick because of the verbal alterations and disceptations in Schools whether what Figure or Tropus Metonymia or Synechdoche or praedicatio inusitata it may be called Likewise it is clear and manifest that Jesus Christ hath promised to be present with us and all Believers as true God and Man with his assistance and grace Spirit and gifts power and operation which no Christian can deny But to infer and conclude thereby that also his body flesh and bones must necessarily be present with us all creatures on earth That is no ways plain and evident so that some of their own Divines do contradict it themselves by other manifest and plain testimonies of the Scripture And thus much may we say of all other different Points of Doctrine betwixt us and them and also of the Controversie of Predestination and Election and what doth depend on it wherein we next to the holy Scripture not onely refer our selves to Augustine Prosper Fulgentius and other Ancient Fathers and withal to the principal Scholastick Authors and Divines among Papists Thomas Scotus and others that followed them especially to the Modern Dominicans but also to Dr Luther himself and many Ancient learned Lutheran Divines Brentius Herbrand Flacius Hofmann Spannenberg Althamer Heshusius and others CHAP. VI. Which is the chief and principal Question in this present Difference of Religion and what are the safest means for the settlement of a Christian Vnity COnsiderirg exactly every thing that hitherto hath been declared it is apparently manifest thereby that all differences in matter of Religion that now adays are in agitation betwixt the said Christians especially betwixt those who acknowledge the holy Scripture to be the onely perfect Rule of their Faith and Religion meerly reside in this chief and cardinal question which if it were rightly and unanimously answered on all sides no doubt all such Contention and Controversie or all uncharitable Judging and Condemning would fall of it self and a happie Unitie might be setled among all Christians in Doctrine and Religion as much as may be necessary unto their salvation Namely Whether besides the holy Scripture it self such Interpretations and Consequences or Inferences which by some Teachers or Particular Churches that follow them are collected and deduced out of the Word of God according to the understanding they have for their part in the Scripture and held and received for certain undoubted or necessary expositions and consequences although they are not so plain and manifest that all other knowing and understanding Christians besides them may conceive them or as the Primitive Christian Church hath unanimously and undoubtedly received and taught ought yet to be absolutely necessary for all men unto salvation insomuch that all those that do not acknowledge and receive such Interpretations and Inferences as agreeable to Scripture may therefore be judged and condemned for Hereticks To which we directly answer No such matter But supppse that such Interpretations or Inferences were certain and true or in themselves necessary to be received by those that understand them yet they are not necessary for those that do not comprehend and conceive them as yet in their consciences neither can they therefore be judged as Vnbelievers but ought to be received as weak in faith according to the Apostles admonition Them that are weak in faith receive you but not to doubtful disputations not to judge their thoughts and to distract their consciences The main cause of all dissentions and differences in the Church of God I think rather even this to be the main and principal source and origine of all Divisions and Tyrannie in the Church of God that men set upon their own Interpretations Illations Comments Glosses Formula's Expressions which peradventure they pretend themselves to infer out of the Word of God according to the profunditie of their understanding or else adde thereunto out of Humane Traditions and Opinions as high nay a higher estimate and price and insist as vehemently thereupon as upon the Indubitable Word of God it self As if their words and expositions were as certain and necessary unto salvation as the Word of God yea as if they were able in some points to utter and deliver more plainly expresly fully and considerately the heavenly Mysteries then the holy Ghost hath expressed them in the whole Scripture Or as if all men did see whatsoever they think themselves to see and to know in the depth of their Understanding or though they do not see it yet were obliged to believe upon their word This this is the main and chief cause of all Divisions and Dissentions and of all unreasonable judging and condemning in the Universal Christian Church This is also the true fundamental point of Popery The Fundamental Point of Popery whereon all the Disputes and Controversies betwixt us and them depend That the Pope with his Prelates pretend to be an Infallible Judge of all different and doubtful Doctrines whose sentence and decision all men upon pain of damnation as certainly ought to believe and obey as the Word of God it self Upon this One onely ground all Popery is built And principally for this Point we are constrained to abandon it For otherwise for our part we could well yeeld to him his Primatum or Supremacie above all Bishops yea above Emperours and Kings as long as it pleaseth them upon condition he would not presume to take upon him Dominatum and ruling over mens consciences and expound also the Word of God the best he can and propound his sentence and opinion to his children within his Bishoprick or also to others that will believe and obey him if he would but acknowledge withal that he as well as others could erre and fail in those things which are not expresly and plainly
in their Doctrine and Religion or to separate themselves from them or to reform them Which Treatise having been so happy to peruse by the communication of my worthy Friend and Countrey-man Master Jaspar Godeman whom I always in his frequent conversation perceived a singular Well-wisher to an Ecclesiastical Unitie I have immediately betaken my self to the Translation thereof much animated and incouraged by his and divers others good advice accompanied with these two pregnant Motives The One That this subject is the most necessary and profitable of all Theological Controversies and Questions that now adayes are in agitation and may much conduce if not to the advancement of an Universal Peace and Unitie of all Churches which though it was always earnestly desired of men truely zealous and Christians so that Learned Calvin offering his Service therein to that worthy man Doctor Cranmer said It would not grieve him to saile over ten Seas to such a purpose yet proved a work of insuperable difficultie and altogether impossible in mens eyes at least to promote the Christian agreement and reconciliation or mitigation of the distractions of all Kingdoms Principalities and Free-States that have abandoned the Superstitions and pernicious Leaven of the Romish Church For the effecting whereof not onely the Protestant Churches and Divines in Germany have had in former times several Conferences at Marpurg Wittenberg and of late at Leipzig but also at these present times that Famous and Reverend Divine Master John Durey first stirred up by that excellent Instrument Master James Godeman Father of the worthy Gentleman aforementioned One of His Majesty the King of Sweden's Privy Counsellor and President of his Court of Appellations in the Precinct of Prussia and then seconded with hearty wishes tnd prayers of many pious and learned Divines in England France and Scotland hath these fifteen yeers to my knowledge imployed his indefatigable endeavours and singular industry in Germany Sweden Denmark and Low-Countreys and not without hopeful successe having at length prevailed so much with the Lutherans especially in Sweden that they not onely have given over their slanders and calumniations in the Pulpit but also are contented to be called Evangelical Protestants agreeing with us in the mean time in the name and walking by the same Rule so far as they have already attained till God reveal unto them what is remaining The Other Motive is That also this subject would be most seasonable for these tempestuous and turbulent times which the Church and State of England at this present groaneth and laboureth under and which if we will seriously inquire into doth proceed originally from no other cause then uncharitablenesse and acrimony in judging and condemning one another And consequently Reverend Sirs it will be useful and profitable for every one in particular whereby being peradventure carried away with rashnesse and vehemency as naturally all men are inclined and prone unto to judge and condemn others as unfaithful that erre rather out of humane weaknesse and meer ignorance then obstinacy and malice in indifferent matters and in the circumstance much good he may here learn and be advised how to moderate and temperate his passions and affections with more charity and peaceablenesse and stedfastly maintain the benefit of the substance viz. the Universal Christian saving Faith and sincere love and obedience of Christ as the onely fundamental and necessary Doctrine unto Salvation lest in rashly presumptuously and rigorously condemning others he may be inexcusable and condemn himself And contrarywise being either thrust out of the way which the Lord our God hath commanded him to walk in or falsly and contumeliously judged slandered reviled excommunicated and persecuted for the true Orthodoxal Doctrine Faith and Religion by an incompetent Judge on Earth he may know without beleeving and obeying their words and offending thereby both his own and other true beleeving or erring consciences how to appeal first to the Word of God it self and unanimous consent of the Primitive Apostolical Church or to any legal and impartial Ecclesiastical Convocation Synod or Consistory or if he cannot be heard there to the Supream Judge in Heaven himself being the onely Law-giver who is able to save and destroy and in his good time will judge those Judges themselves and pronounce a definitive Sentence against all Heresies Schisms and Divisions and establish an Universal Harmony and Unitie in the Christian Church Whereas now these two Motives have induced me to this slender endeavour without regard to any other interest or respect but that which might be conducible to the advancement of an Ecclesiastical Peace and Unitie amongst Evangelical Protestant Churches lest the Wel-wishers and Furtherers thereof might not be too long debarr'd from the lustre and use of so rare a Jewel I thought fit and expedient to dedicate it to your Patronage as being suteable and adequate to your zeal and piety relying herein upon Sir Edwin Sandys judgement delivered in his Book called A View of the state of Religion in the Western parts of the World pag. 173. where he writeth thus The end of the differences between the Evangelical Protestant Churches will be that their enemies shall laugh when themselves shall have cause to weep unlesse the graciousnesse of God stir up some worthy Princes of renown and reputation on both sides to interpose their Wisdom Industry and Authority for the uniting these Factions or at least for reconciling and composing those differences in some tolerable sort A work of immortal fame and desert and worthy of none but them of whom this wicked base World is not worthy And hoping that this weak attempt of my labour though some of the Vulgar sort will perhaps either carelesly or censoriously entertain it will be neverthelesse as favourably accepted by you as it is affectionately and heartily tendred by REVEREND SIRS Your humble and devoted Servant PHILIP FREHER London the 23th of March 1646. The Contents of this Book are reduced to these twelve Chapters I. Of judging one another in general II. Wherein we ought not to judge one another in matters of Religion III. What is necessary and not necessary unto Salvation IV. That the Roman-Catholick Church hath no ground to judge or condemn the Protestant Reformed Evangelical Churches as Heretical V. That the Lutherans have no ground to judge the Reformed Churches to be Heretical VI. Which is the chief and principal Question in this present difference of Religion and what are the safest means for the settlement of a Christian Vnitie VII That even these are the safest meanes to restrain all Erroneous Sects VIII That in the Reformed Churches no new Doctrine as necessary to Salvation is taught IX Whether and how far we ought or are bound in conscience to judge others in matters of Religion X. Whether or how far Protestant Churches ought or are bound to judge the said Roman-Catholicks in their Doctrine or Religion or to separate themselves from them or to undergo any Reformation XI Whether or how
all Christians to know and at all times especially in the Primitive Church of the Apostles have been unanimously received taught and believed by all true Christians as the aforementioned Fundamental doctrine of salvation with all that is evidently and undoubtedly depending from it so that no man can reject it without he rejecteth also the Fundamental doctrine it self But some are but Theological Doctrines which are not necessary for all Christians but onely for some to know to whom God hath imparted before others a fuller measure of knowledge and more excellent gifts and charge from whom also he will require more then of others according to the rule of Christ To whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required Luk. 12.48 So that it is sufficient for one to know and to believe onely implicitely in the principal General Articles that what another doth know and believe explicitely in many Special Points which are comprehended therein For the one that he should believe and do that which in it self and directly is necessary unto salvation for the other that which he knoweth to be consequently necessary or to be inseparably annexed thereunto Yea for one it is necessary to believe many Truths whereof he hath good ground and knowledge out of the Word of God which neverthelesse for another who wanteth such knowledge are either not so necessary or not so profitable to believe without ground yet are necessary not to deny or contradict them obstinately out of carnal affections because he cannot but have lesse ground to deny them and rather ought to search the Truth diligently in the fear and worship of God and to be ready to receive and acknowledge it with thankfulnesse when it is demonstrated unto him out of the Word of God Otherwise the Obstinate denying which is incompatible and inconsistent with true faith and love to Christ and his Word and proceedeth meerly from carnal affections whereby the understanding in the knowledge of the Truth is darkened and eclipsed would prove damnable unto him not onely by reason of the errour it self but rather because of his Obstinacie Thirdly and principally we must discern what is necessary or not necessary in regard of the revealed Word 3. In regard of the revealed Word of God being the rule and means whereby we may know what we ought to believe and to do Which Word though properly there is nor ought to be but onely one yet is delivered to the Believers in a Twofold manner by Preaching and Writing From whence we must distinctly consider Whether and how far the written Word of God and whether and how far the preached and ministerial Word or the traditions and doctrines of the Church and their teachers ought to be the rule of our Faith and life But since this is the Point that principally is controverted and debated betwixt the Romane Catholikes and the Evangelical Protestants we intend at this present to lay down the ground-work of that which is undoubtedly agreed on by both Parties As first of all That the Books of the Prophets and Apostles of the Old and New Testament which we on all sides acknowledge and receive for Canonical are the undoubted Word of God and the perfect and infallible rule of our Faith and life and that consequently every thing that is taught in them so clearly and manifestly that every understanding Christian certainly and undoubtedly may know and conceive it must be necessary for all unto salvation so that though they do not know explicitè and particularly all things yet are ready to believe and receive undoubtedly all things assoon at they do apprehend them The Sum of the Articles we must believe unto salvation is briefly collected in the Apostolical Creed into which all Christians are baptized and received as fellow-members of the Christian Church What we must Morally do is exhibited in the Commandments of the First and Second Table concerning the love and duty towards God and our neighbour But what we must Ceremonially and Sacramentally perform is contained in the words of the Institution of the holy Baptism and the blessed Communion or Supper of the Lord being the Two Sacraments of the New Testament ordained by Jesus Christ himself as it is generally and undoubtedly agreed on And lastly what we ought to desire and ask of God is included in the Lords Prayer In which Five Fundamental Points of Christian Religion viz. in tribus Symbolis doctrinalibus credendorum faciendorum petendorum what we ought to believe to do and to ask and in duobus Symbolis Sacramentalibus regenerationis nutritionis spiritualis how we ought to be regenerated and as Children of God in Christ spiritually nourished unto a new and eternal life doth consist the whole Catechism which we for our part think generally necessary for all Christians yet all is to be understood in that sense which is most clearly taught and expressed in the Scripture yea also whatsoever so evidently and necessarily doth depend from the said Fundamental Points that every Understanding Christian though he is not able to conceive the Divine Mysteries by his natural reason may yet certainly and undoubtedly apprehend the doctrine or meaning of the Scripture or the necessary consequence of it Therefore although any Controversie should be raised and moved about these Fundamental Articles which in the Primitive Church had not been sufficiently declared or unanimously taught yet they could not be generally necessary unto salvation for all Christians but onely their unanimous and undoubted meaning Moreover besides that what directly in it self is necessary there are yet many other points of doctrine partly Theological partly Historical and partly Philosophical yea in general whatsoever is clearly taught in the holy Scripture though its consequence and dependence from these Fundamental Articles is not of such necessitie and therefore not directly necessary unto Salvation yet it is necessary for us to believe it because it is thus certainly and clearly revealed in the Word of God For Example That our Lord Jesus Christ suffered under the Emperour Tiberius and under the Governour Pontius Pilate as it is expressed in the Apostles Creed or that the mother of the Lord was called Mary or that our Lord rose from the dead the Third and not the Fourth day c. These are such circumstances in the historie of the Birth and Death of Christ which though directly they are not necessary for us to believe and know unto salvation yet they are necessary for us to believe because they are as clearly and expresly set down in the Word of God as the Articles themselves so that no man that knoweth them may deny or make a scruple of them unlesse he would also deny together the whole Word of God Likewise that in the last times the great Antichrist shall come That at Christs coming to judge the world not all men shall die but the rest be changed which though it is not absolutely necessary unto salvation to know yet it is
of Monks and Nunnes but in stead thereof we teach that the revenues of Monasteries ought rather to be converted to the use of miserable poor wretches that are not able to work or employed for the maintenance of Churches and Schools That we give liberty for Marriage both to Ecclesiasticks and Laicks nor use the Confirmation and Extreme unction or the holy Orders for making Ministers in such a manner as it usually is amongst them That we permit no Temporal Jurisdiction or Dominion to our Spiritual Pastors nor will have them submit to a Supreme and Universal Pope neither exempt them from the jurisdiction and judicature of civil Magistrates and such like observations and assertions of their exteriour Worship Will they therefore I say judge and condemn us as hereticks it is fit then to prove first by certain and undeniable Arguments and Warrants and such which we may understand and satisfie our consciences withal that the said Points are necessary to the saving Faith and Obedience of Christ Except they would yeeld and confesse that they do condemn us for unnecessary things But now the Papists themselves will hardly affirm the aforesaid Points the Images the Invocation of the Saints the Indulgences c. to be directly and in themselves necessary unto salvation They commend and extol onely their singular good use and benefit but do not enjoyn their necessity Or in case they would in one or other point as in the Auricular confession Adoration of the consecrated Hostia c. intrude a necessity yet they cannot make it appear so upon any pretence nor ground But we may have evident proofs from the Word of God to the contrary that they are not necessary because they were not used by the Apostles and Primitive Christians Likewise in Points of Controversies and articles of Faith and Doctrine That we have the affiance and assurance to be justified and saved before God not through our own merits and satisfaction but onely through meer mercy and grace by a true and lively faith in the onely perfect Sacrifice of propitiation and merits of our Lord Jesus Christ That also in the whole work of our conversion and salvation we ascribe nothing at all to our own natural strength of free-will but all to the meer grace and assistance of God without which we are able to do nothing that is good how can they then condemn us as hereticks for it whereas they must at length confesse themselves Bellarm. lib. 5. de Justificat cap. 7. Propos 2 3. this to be the safest and surest way not to confide and trust in our own strength works merits but onely in Gods meer grace and mercy and the precious merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ If this be the surest way we must certainly and necessarily conclude that our Doctrine in this point is not heretical nor damnable and their Doctrine of own merits and strength not necessary unto salvation but rather that our Doctrine is the surest and safest whereby all honour and praise is denied to man and attributed to God alone and their Doctrine dangerous and pernicious ascribing all honour to man and denying it to God Moreover that we cannot be induced to believe the transformation of the bread or Transubstantiation as they call it in the Supper of the Lord or a true Sacrifice though without blood of the transubstantiated Body and Blood of Christ both for the quick and the dead or the Purgatory They cannot condemn us for unlesse they do convince us first that such Doctrines are necessary unto salvation so that Christs Sacrifice upon the Crosse and the Spiritual eating thereof profiteth us nothing and the Blood of Christ cannot cleanse us from sins except we believe also the Sacrifice of Masse and the Purgatory which neverthelesse I hope they will not assert or never be able to prove since they partly confesse themselves that they could not have been assured in those and such like points onely by the words of our Lord Jesus unlesse the declaration and determination of the Church had given to them satisfaction therein And this is their main Objection Whether such Points of Doctrine though not necessary in themselves are yet necessary for all Christians by reason of the determination of the Church That the afore-mentioned and such like Controversies of their Doctrine and Religion though they be not directly and in themselves necessary unto salvation yet are necessary even for this reason Because they have been thus taught and ordained by the Catholike Church which ought to be believed and obeyed in all things But here we ask first the question What they mean by the Catholike Church If they understand the Universal Christian Church which since the Apostles hath been at all times and in all places dispersed as the word Catholike doth imply it then we confesse as we have already declared it heretofore that whatsoever it teacheth with one accord as necessary unto salvation to be undoubtedly necessary But they themselves will not assert this of most of the aforesaid Points and though they should assert it of some yet can they not prove it neither from the Word of God nor by the true and undoubted Writings of the Ancient Fathers Whereas by this very same ground we can rather make appear the contrary that the most and principal points thereof must be either false and erroneous or at least unnecessary because they have not been taught thus in the Primitive Church Neither hath the Primitive Church ever presumed and taken upon it self such a power as if it might or should teach or ordain some new Doctrine unto salvation and so impose on the Christians a heavier yoke and prescribe them a narrower way to salvation then it hath received from Christ and the Apostles Whereby also consequently is made void whatsoever they object concerning the Vnwritten Word of God being not able to produce any certain ground or warrant that it was received by the Primitive Church Although otherwise we do not absolutely reject the Traditions of the Church which either are grounded upon the Scripture or are counted onely as Useful Ordinances of the Church and not as necessary unto salvation Constat omnem doctrinam quae cum illis Ecclesiis Apostolicis matricibus originalibus fidei conspiret veritati deputandam id sine dubio tenentem quod Ecclesia ab Apostolis Apostoli à Christo Christus à Deo suscepit reliquam verò omnem doctrinam de mendacio praejudicandam Tertull. de Praescr c. 21. Ex ipso ordine manifestatur id esse Dominicum verum quod sit prius traditum id autem extraneum falsum quod posterius immissum Id. 32. Viderint qui Stoicum Platonicum Dialecticum Christianismum protulerunt nobis curiositate non est opus post Jesum Christum nec inquisitione post Evangelium Cùm credimus nihil desideramus ultra credere Hoc enim prius credimus non esse quod ultra
we could punctually explain it and many of our Divines have already abundantly and often spent their studie and labour in it Wherefore we refer to the serious consideration of all Christian and pious hearts Whether men have cause and ground to judge and condemn us as Hereticks We for our part are assured that what hath not been for the first Christians necessary unto salvation in so many hundred yeers without which so many thousand Martyrs and so many millions of Christians are piously departed out of this life that cannot be also necessary for us in these last times and we may live and die as religious Christians without it For we need not any other Faith or Religion besides that wherein the Apostles and the Primitive Christians lived and died We have with them obtained like precious faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1.1 The old Commandment which they had from the beginning 1 Joh. 2.7 The great Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him Heb. 2.3 The Faith which was once delivered unto tae saints Jude vers 3. And this is the true Catholike What is to be true Catholike or the Universal Christian Faith which hath been at all times especially in the Primitive times and as long as we stand fast to it we are indeed the true Catholike Christians Whereas those that adde thereunto any new Doctrine of Faith and Life as necessary which in the Primitive Church was not in use though they bear and boast of the Catholike name yet they are not true Ancient Catholike Christians but New-Catholikes which are equivalent with Vn-Catholikes And that Church which by its own Command imposeth such Doctrines and Traditions as necessary unto salvation though Christ had not commanded but rather forbidden them by his Apostles and yet will condemn and persecute other Churches doth thereby discover it self not to be a true Christian but rather Anti-Christian Tyrannical Church Which also hath need to stand in fear of the Apostolical curse If any man preach any other Gospel unto you though an Angel from heaven then that the Apostles have preached unto you let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 9 And if any man shall adde unto the Word of God God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in it and if any man shall take away from the Word of this book God shall take away his part out of the book of Life Rev. 22.18 19. But we hope that all understanding and conscientious men and such as love Truth and Peace amongst the Romane Catholikes will beware of this malediction and taking seriously to heart this Declaration of ours abstain hereafter from presumptuous judging and condemning us as Hereticks much lesse persecute us with Fire and Sword and Losses of our Goods and Honours as hitherto they have done which certainly doth not proceed from the Spirit of Christ but undoubtedly from the Devil who is that Arch-lyer and Murderer Of which the Apostle also doth faithfully warn us and especially the Romane Church lest it might imagine some special priviledges before others Those that are weak in faith receive you but not to doubtful disputations judge not their thoughts Who art thou that judgest another mans servant To his own master he standeth or falleth But if this warning will do no good to them certainly the other shall at length be fulfilled in them Be not high minded but fear For if God spared not the natural branches the City and Church of Jerusalem take heed lest he also spare not thee Behold therefore the goodnesse and severity of God On them which fell severity but towards thee goodnesse if thou continuest in his goodnesse otherwise thou also shalt be cut off Rom. 11.21 22. CHAP. V. That the Lutheranes have no ground to judge the Reformed Churches to be Heretical WHat we have spoken now of the Romish Church concerning its judging and condemning us the same we may partly well say of the Lutherans which indeed together with us have protested against this judging and condemning of Papists in the forenamed points of controversie and yet no lesse although in fewer points from whence also the Evangelical Churches and estates generally all are called Protestants do judge and condemn our Churches or Teachers as hereticks under the most-odious mens names who neverthelesse rely not upon any man but upon the Nature Word and Doctrine of Christ To whom according to the aforesaid Apostolical Rule we may make appear yet more plainly then to the Papists that they have no ground thus to judge and condemn us and the doctrine of our Church and Worship The principal points of Controversies betwixt Lutheranes and Reformed Protestants 1. In Ceremonies For in the first place what concerneth some controversies about Ceremonies both of their and our worshipping of God as that we use not in the holy Baptism the exorcism or conjuring of the devil to come forth out of the infants or young children because we do not hold them either spiritually or corporally possessed by the devil although they naturally are born in Original sin and we have no warrant to cast the devil out of them by such conjuring and therefore do justly abhor from taking therein Gods holy Name in vain That we have no such Images in our Churches which by their own confession are abused in Popery unto Idolatry but rather approve and justifie the taking away of them if it be done by Christian Magistrates in an orderly way after the example of the Kings Hezekiah and Josiah That also in the holy Communion we use not the Hosties or Wafers but ordinary nourishing bread and observe the breaking of it how can they judge us therefore whereas they themselves hold their Exorcism Images Hosties not even absolutely necessary nor the breaking of the bread in it self erroneous but onely to be adïaphora indifferent things Although we for our part do not account them absolutely indifferent matters but in some regard necessary partly because of Gods command partly because of the example of Christ the Apostles and the Primitive Apostolical Church At least for our selves who should sin if we should against our consciences use the Exorcism or the Images or without any urgent cause omit the breaking of the bread Yet since we judge not nor condemn according to the above-mentioned Apostolical Rule those that do not judge the breaking of the bread necessary but give way to their pretended liberty It were fit they also should not condemn us therein but to impart to us so much freedom that we may herein follow the example of Christ which we may do more safely and without any sin as we likewise permit them to omit it and in stead thereof to follow the example of the Papists In like manner that we in our Catechism punctually retain all the Commandments as they are set down Exod. 20. Deut. 5 and do not omit 2. In the Doctrine
mistake should they judge us presumptuously in our misconstruction of their pretended understanding neither should they bewray any malice and obstinacie in their contradictions But also that they together with us should adhere to the words and meaning of the holy Scripture as far as they are clear and plain to all And diligently enquire further in the fear and worship of God into the true understanding of whatsoever they do not comprehend yet or doubt of And in the mean time walk by the same rule as far as we have already on both sides attained minding the same thing and giving no offence till God reveal unto them and us even what is remaining Phil. 3.15 16. And this doubtlesse is the safest and onely way What are the best and safest means to settle and maintain a true Unitie amongst all true Christians whereby the true unitie of Spirit may be maintained amongst all pious and religious Christians For all those that now adays have the name of Christians on earth do agree therein to this very hour that they acknowledge and receive the Canonical Books of the Prophets and Apostles whereof those of the Old Testament were originally written in Hebrew those of the New Testament in Greek for the Word of God and oblige themselves with one consent to submit their Faith and Consciences unto it So that those that practise it not onely with words but also with true and sincere hearts may without any difficulty in all things agree that are plainly and expresly taught therein nay they are already united therein by the holy Ghost and those that agree in one minde have all whatsoever is necessary to believe and to do unto salvation and are true fellow-members of the Onely Apostolike Catholike Church if together with this Universal Christian Faith they do but tolerate and receive one another as weak Brethren in Faith and other things Chap. 5. that are not so manifest in the Scripture wherein they may thorowly and generally agree Besides this we know no other means on earth that either God hath given and ordained for us or may be invented by mans wit whereby a true Universal Unity may be setled and maintained The pretended Supremacy and Infallibility of the Pope is no fit means for Unity but rather the principal cause of all the Divisions in the Christian Church For as much as concerneth the Supreme Jurisdiction and Infallibility of the Pope which the Jesuites cry up for the onely means of the Catholike Uniformitie That same is rather the principal cause and impediment whereby the Unitie amongst all Christians both in the Eastern and Western Churches is cut off and made impossible in mens eyes Seeing that it is absolutely impossible and inexcusable withal that all Churches and all men of the world should subject and submit in every thing their consciences who acknowledge no other Lord and Master but Jesus Christ to One man Solely who hath no charge and warrant for the same from God Which though they urge and presse as the most necessary point to Salvation and Unitie yet could not obtain it of some Romane Catholikes themselves who extol the General Councels above the Pope Neither the general Councels are sufficient means for Unity in these last times Nor are Concilia Vniversalia in these last times the true means for Unitie For it hath been a meer Impossibilitie in these last thousand yeers since the Ancient Romane Empires destruction and division in the East and West and shall be impossible till the end of the world to indict and gather any true Universal Councel composed of all Christian Churches of the whole world And grant that they could be called yet they could not establish any other Unitie then by reiteration and renovation of that which with one accord hath been taught in the Primitive Universal Christian Church out of the evident and undoubted Word of God For the whole Christian Church on earth though its meeting at once in one place were possible could not presume to take upon it self such power to astrain and oblige its posterity to any other Doctrine and Religion further then they are bound by their Predecessors or rather by God himself through our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles If any man though an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you then that ye have received let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 9. Nor the Confessions formulae of any particular Church And so shall neither the Protestants or any other particular Churches in any place of the world and much lesse other dispersed Sects to and fro be able to establish a tolerable Ecclesiastical Peace and Unitie either by their vehement disceptations and disputes or exhortations to Peace or by Colloquia and conferences or by National and Provincial Synods or per Synodales formulas or any other means as long as they insist and adhere to their own particular Interpretations Consequences and manner of expressions and will of necessity judge others thereby Seeing chiefly it is not to be expected nor desired nor approved that all Christians of the whole world should submit and agree unto any particular Church or to the Interpretations of their Teachers which are not manifest and evident to all by warrants from the Scripture But far more will thereby the Divisions and Separations about the Interpretations and Inferences in making necessary Articles of Faith thereof by endlesse altercations and disputes as woefull experience doth sufficiently testifie increase and grow dangerous even to their final ruine and destruction For Chap. 7. if you bite and devoure one another take heede that yee be not consumed one of another Gal. 5. v. 15. And how many thousand Christians yea whole Churches are in the East South and West which know nothing or can know any thing either of the Decrees of the Popes or of the Councell of Trent nor of the Confession of Augspourge or of other confessions of the Protestant Churches in Europe much lesse of the Formula Concordiae Saxonicae how is it then possible that we should undergoe to settle by such meanes and writs a true Unity in the Universall Church of Christ or to bind and oblige other Churches thereunto Now notwithstanding wee conceive also no hope to obtaine a totall and universall reconcilement of the modern unhappy differences and divisions in matters of Religion Even by an Vniversall consent and agreement upon the holy Scripture as far as it is plain and evident to all sides Amongst those that are inclined and given to contradictions and contentions because God himself by his just judgement sendeth Divisions Heresies and Sects partly for punishment partly for triall 1 Cor. 11. v. 19. Yet I make no doubt In what manner how far the manifest word of God is the onely meanes of Vnitie but all Pious and religious hearts which love Truth and Peace whereof yet a great number is to be found every where and even in the middest
and necessary articles of saving fundamentall Doctrine so that they cannot directly be accounted unfaithfull Heathens or damned Hereticks but held yet for weak beleevers and erring Christians then the said Reformation ought by no means to be put on against their will before they are bitter informed especially the errours being such which have not been rejected or condemned by the Word of God in the Primitive Church Neverthelesse lest the true beleevers out of want of an universal Reformation may be scandalized and offended in their own Conscience They have good reason yea are bound for their part to avoid the communion of such acknowledged dangerous errours and abuses yet in such a manner that they do not directly separate themselves in the remainder of the true doctrine and worship from the erring Congregation as long as they may be tolerated in it but rather for the avoiding of the Schisme or Division of the Church be carefull to maintain the bond of Christian charity and unity till God may open the eyes of the erring party to acknowledge their errours But when the true-beleevers themselves are not tolerated by the erring party as it happeneth oftentimes but excommunicated or condemned because of the rejecting of their errours Then they have not only very good reason but in some regard are compelled to settle separately their Assembly and Religion and consequently a particular Reformation because they are not obliged quite to omit and set the exercise of Religion aside for the erring parties sake which they exclude from their Congregations if not from the hearing of Gods word yet from the use and communion of the holy Sacraments Where again not those that are of necessity compelled to separate themselves but these that reject Whether and how farre the Magistrates may undertake the reformation without the consent of the subjects and excommunicate those are guilty of this Schisme Especially the Christian Magistrates may no wayes be restrained or blamed if they acknowledging by the Word of God such like errours and abuses though their subjects will not hearken to any Reformation yet at least do reform the said errours for their families and fellow-beleevers without compulsion of the others Like as Joshua denounced to the people of Israel though they should forsake the Lord to serve other gods yet he and his house would serve him Jos 24. v. 15 16. And like as some godly Kings in Juda and David himself though they could not restrain the people from sacrificing in high places yet they for their own persons with those that followed them walked upright in the eyes of the Lord not departing and turning aside from his House and Ordinances 1 Reg. 3. vers 2. 1 Reg. 15. vers 14. 22. vers 43 2 Chron. 20. v. 33. For if it doth not stand with reason and equity that the Magistrates should compell the true-beleeving or erring subjects against their Conscience How much more unreasonable and unjust would it then be that subjects * The Author in this place speaketh of the Prince Elector of Brandenbougs case with his Lutheran subjects who endeavor to stop him his reformed attendants from the free exercise of Religion though true-beleevers should stop and restrain the Magistrates and their dependents from their liberty of Conscience and publike exercise of Religion which they under their protection and in their errours enjoy And all this is chiefly to be observed in such difference and dissention of the Church which concern partly the fundamental doctrin it self But the condemning and separation is so much more to be taken heed of when the difference and dispute ariseth not from any one point of the fundamentall Doctrine or from any Idolatry and Superstition in Religion but only from the by-points in Doctrine or Ceremonies though the errours and abuses in them ought to be avoided as much as is possible lest a little leaven may at length leaven the whole lump Where it may come to passe that the erring which in their errour neverthelesse conserve the bond of charity in unity are not only tolerated as brethren but also accounted for better Christians then those who though they do not erre in the controverted Doctrine yet procure thereby a Schisme and Division by reason of their unseasonable judging and condemning who although they keep on both sides the grounds of Faith yet overthrow therwith the foundation of Christian love which is most of all requisite Whereof we read in the Ancient Ecclesiasticall Histories about the year after Christ 250. a very memorable example of Cyprian and his followers on one side and of Stephen Bishop of Rome and his dependents on the other side Whereas though Cyprian together with the Bishops in Africa erred in his opinion that the Hereticks being converted should be re-baptized Yet because he did not by such erroneous opinion of his condemn others who defended the contrary but inviolably maintained the bond of Christian unity Servatur à nobis patienter firmiter charitas animi collegii honor vinculum fidei concordia sacerdotii Epist 73. He was therefore much lesse to be blamed then Stephen who though he did not erre in the Doctrine yet condemned Cyprian and the others for it was by the Bishops sharply reproved for such unchristian judging and unnecessary separation Tu Stephane haereticis omnibus pejor â—s lites dissensiones quantas parasti per Ecclesias totius mundi Peceatum verò quà m magnum tibi exaggerasti quando te à tot gregibus scidisti Excidisti enim te ipsum noli te fallere Siquidem ille est verè schismaticus qui se à communione Ecclesiasticae Vnitatis Apostatam fecerit Dum enim putas omnes à te abstinerâ— posse solum te ab omnibus abstinuisti Non pudet Stephanum propter haereticos asserendos fraternitatem scindere insuper Cyprianum Pseudo-Christum Pseudo-Apostolum dolosum operatorem dicere qui omnia in se esse conscius praevenit ut alteri ea per mâ—ndacium objiceret qua ipse ex merito audire deberet Apud Cypr. Epist 75. Otherwise this said Cyprian notwithstanding such errour hath been alwayes accounted for a godly teacher and Martyr in the Universall Christian Church But when afterwards the Donatists in Africa not only followed him in such errour but also condemned and separated themselves from other true-beleeving Churches They not without reason were rejected as pernicious Schismaticks because they followed Cyprian in his errour Chap. 10. but not in his charity and peaceablenesse and caused therby a most scandalous breach and schism in the Church as it evidently appeareth by the writings of Augustin and Optatus Milevitanus against the Donatists By all which I hope we may sufficiently discern whether or how farre men ought or are bound in Conscience to judge others in Doctrine or Religion or to separate themselves from them or to reform them Which to confirm and illustrate with more grounds and examples in each point
I think it needlesse at this present Seeing it is for the most part agreed on in Thesi or position of it But in Hypothesi or application of it each one favoureth his side best and transferreth the fault and cause of all dissentions and divisions upon his adversary Wherefore for the conclusion thereof we must apply such common and generall Doctrine to the modern differences and controversies and especially to the three dissenting parties afore mentioned without any partiality and passions CHAP. X. Whether or how farre the Protestant Churches ought or are bound to judge the said Roman-Catholicks in their Doctrine and Religion or to separate themselves from them or to undergo any Reformation AMongst all Schismes and Divisions in Churches which ever since the Apostles times arose amongst the Christians we shall hardly find any one which hath been fomented with more vehemency and fiercenesse then that which in our Predecessours dayes sprung originally in Germany and afterwards was spread over all Europe and at this present is divulged witnesse our own eyes to a most lamentable desolation and destruction of Christendom so that some long continuance thereof which is feared will draw at length upon the necks of all Western Churches like punishment and oppressions as formerly the Eastern suffered under the Turks Tartars and other Barbarous Nations unlesse the Lord doth shorten and prevent them by the day of his apparition Wherefore every one hath good reason to be carefull and to search out which side properly is guilty and the cause of such pernicious Schismes that we may know to which to give assent and to which not Whereby it is not imaginable that one side should be only and totally guilty and the other absolutely innocent and guiltlesse For it may well be that there hath been faults on both sides either in the excesse or defect whereby their minds were exasperated and the divisions grown to such a high pitch And the differences and disceptations in Churches are much like the warre or judiciall law-businesse where many times the most just and equitable cause is very ill managed and commonly prolonged and extended to a great inconvenience if not to the utmost ruine of both disagreeing parties But since indifferences in Religion especially when a resolute Schisme and Division is already formed in the Church no Neutrality nor therefore a totall separation from the Christian Church or the settlement of a peculiar Church is admitted but assent is to be given either to one or the other side in the saving Doctrine and Religion though not all its actions may be approved At least thus far must be determined of the guiltinesse and innocency of the different parties to the end that men may know which Church is to be imbraced and which not Which subject fully and punctually to handle and maintain would require a peculiar book in regard that all modern writings whether they concern Divisions and Dissensions or Ecclesiasticall Unity are in some kind directed to this scope But we shall here be constrained only to touch it in a short and compendious way as much as will conduce to our present intention and to declare it briefly by the aforementioned principles And first whether and how farre we have reason to judge their Doctrine and Religion to separate our selves from them or to reform them Then secondly whether therefore by any means we ought to judge and condemn the persons or whole Churches I. Where then first it is to be exactly examined How farre the Protestants are separated from the Romish Church how farre the Protestant Churches have separated themselves from the Roman-Catholicks Seeing they have not withdrawn themselves one from another in al points of Christian Doctrine and Religion but remain still united in many great and weighty Articles which have been unanimously acknowledged of both sides out of the Word of God For both sides professe and receive the whole Vniversall Apostolicall Creed whereunto we are Baptized on all sides Likewise both sides retain the ten Commandements and the Prayer of the Lord And although they omit in their Catechismes the second Commandement concerning Images yet they retain it at least in their Bibles so that we remain undivided at least according to the letter in three most necessary Symboles or Articles of the Universall Christian Religion credendorum faciendorum petendorum what is necessary to beleeve to do and to aske as was mentioned heretofore And notwithstanding they have added many other human Ceremonies and Traditions to the holy Sacraments which Christ himself hath instituted yet we acknowledge that they have thus farre kept the true Baptisme being the most necessary Sacrament that we nor they desire to rebaptize those that were baptized by us and them Moreover they receive and acknowledge with us the whole Sacred Scripture of the Old and New Testament to be the indubitable Word of God whose Interpretation and meaning in many sound Doctrines yea I dare say in the most is unqestioned betwixt us and them Yea likewise in the Symbols of the Primitive Church of the first and principall Councels which we receive on both sides agreeable and warrantable by Scripture and finally in all points of their Doctrine and Religion which are true Vndoubted Ancient Catholick we remain as yet united with them against all other erroneous Sectaries as hath been declared before Wherefore we cannot nor will judge them Hereticks but rather we must judge and determine by those undoubted and undeniable grounds of both sides all other differences in Doctrine that are left And if we only might be tolerated by them without compulsion of Conscience we nor they had then no cause to separate and with-draw our selves one from another And we would sufficiently find in the said articles whatsoever is necessary unto salvation II. Neither do we judge and condemn them in those things which we generally and on all sides acknowledge and receive as free indifferent matters which neither directè or indirectè in the Word of God are commanded nor forbidden to beleeve or to do but rather confesse that men ought herein to conform themselves to each Church and Lawes of the Countrey Customes and Ceremonies lest because of unnecessary things a separation and scandall be caused according to Augustins rule Quod neque contra fidem neque contra bonos more 's injungitur indifferenter est habendum pro eorum inter quos vivitur societate servandum est Epist 118 But in such things which We for our part account for free indifferent matters but they for necessary either out of custome or because of the Tradition of their Church or out of a mis-apprehension of the Word of God as for example in Fasts and Holy daies we ought to judge the matter thus far lest according to the rule of the Apostle we may cast a stumbling block or scandall before them by our liberty and knowledge in their pretended necessity but rather dispense with our exteriour liberty in such
pretence or warrant from the word of God that all other Churches and Nations of the whole world necessarily should be subjected to the Italian or Romish Church insomuch that they must be tyed to those palpable abuses they have introduced nor dare alter or remove them Whereas yet much more in each particular Church aswell they that have the charge over it whether they be Ecclesiasticall or Temporall as the whole Congregation is obliged in its Authoritie and Dutie and by Gods precept to purge themselves from all pernicious leaven in Doctrine practise and worship and to conforme themselves as much as is possible to the word of God the Doctrine and example of the Primitive Apostolicall Church Whereunto they are also every where most earnestly admonished as well from the Prophets whose reproving and warning Sermons are mearly altogether directed to this end as from the Apostles who labour to anticipate and prevent thereby the future calamities and miseries Rom. 16. v. 17 18. 1 Cor. 1. v. 10. 5. v. 7.13 Gal. 1. v. 7 8 9. 5. v. 1.7.9.10 Phil. 2. v. 2.15 3. v. 2. 4. v. 8 9. Colos 2. v. 7 8.16.18.20.22 23. Revel 2. v. 4 5.14 15 16.20 3. v. 1 2 3. For as every Christian is obliged to clense and purge his own Conscience from all pollution of sinfull Doctrine and life and needeth not to expect any other mans consent in that which God hath commanded Also every congregation ought and is bound to purge and reforme it selfe according to the word of God as much as is possible from all pollution and scandall in Doctrine Life and Worship in spight of the whole world But that Church which resisteth such Reformation with a violent power and force discovereth it selfe manifestly thereby to be herein not a true-Christian but rather anti-Anti-christian Church Although the Reformation of the Protestant Churches is not blamelesse yet it may not therefore be rejected and disapproved as Hereticall Moreover though the Reformation may be culpable either in the manner or in some circumstances yet the maine worke in it selfe being grounded upon the Word and Ordinances of God cannot be found fault withall Since we willingly acknowledge and confesse that also in the Reformation of the Protestant Churches within and without Germany not alwaies the true moderation was used And do not imagine that even in our Churches an absolute and perfect Reformation without any defect and blemish is to be found We cannot approve it that the Reformation in some places was begun with a Tumult and Insurrection of the vulgar people by demolishing and destroying of Images Altars and Monasteries and such other violent proceedings Much lesse that Armes were taken up against Legall Magistrats with the intent to Reforme withall Neither can we excuse that the Laity under colour of Reformation hath seized and transferred ad prophanos Vsus the Monasteries and Ecclesiasticall revenues Chap. 11. which should have been rather addicted and dedicated for the maintenance of Churches and Schooles and for the reliefe of widdows and fatherlesse and other poore and then if somewhat remaine for the incident and urgent necessity of the Country and Common-wealth Nor can we deny but that in the Church-government since that it is devolved from the Bishops for the most part to Lay-men in many places great defects occurre in the disposition and Administration of Ecclesiasticall Functions Wee complaine also oftentimes that the wholesome Church-discipline of the Church is quite gone down and decayed and wish nothing more but that it might flourish and revive againe after the example of the Primitive Church Likewise we hartily desire that in stead of the Reformation and removall of Popish abuses in Fasts Confessions Vows c. The true Christian Fasting with other practices of repentance and devotion especially the Christian Doctrine of the Catechisme might be more diligently and earnestly performed both for the Instruction of the Youth and the Idiots and Ignorants in Bouroughs and villages Lastly We willingly acknowledge that many superfluous and unnecessary Disputes in the Doctrine it selfe have bin moved by the Divines on both sides which rather should be referred to the Schools and discerned from the necessary Universall Doctrine of the Church But because of these and such like defects which are also perceived in the Reformed Churches though in one more then in the other Wee cannot blame the principall worke in it selfe but must rather acknowledge it to be most necessary and profitable that the chiefest abuses of Popery both in Doctrin and in Idolatrous or Superstitious Ceremonies be removed and in stead thereof the true-saving Doctrine and wholesome use of the Blessed Sacraments according to Christs Institution restored againe and so purged from manifold Traditions and Rudiments of men that the Papists themselves have no ground to pretend why they might not with a safe Conscience have Communion with us in our Religion or else it must of necessity follow that they could have had no communion with the Primitive Catholicke Church being that all our outward religion and Worship is absolutly conformable to the first Apostolicall Simplicitie which hath been preserved afterwards for a long time as Justin Martyr Tertullian and other Ancient Fathers informe us Die qui dicitur solis omnium qui vel in oppidis vel ruri degunt in eundem locum conventus fit et commentaria Apostolorum aut scripta Prophetarum quoad tempus fert leguntur Deinde lectore quiescente praesidensoratione populum instruit ad imitationem tà m pulchrarum rerum cohortatur Sub haec consurgimus communiter omnes precationes profundimus precibus peractis profertur panis vinum aqua Praepositus autem quantum pro virili sua potest preces gratiarum actiones fundit populus faustè acclamat dicens Amen Et distributio communicatioque fit eorum in quibus gratiae sunt actae cuique praesenti c. Justinus Martyr in Apolog. 2. pro Christianis Vid. Tertullianum in Apologet. CHAP. XI Whether or how farre the Reformed Churches ought or are bound to judge the Lutherans in their Doctrine and Religion or to separate themselves from them or to reforme them WHat hath beene said in the precedent Chapter of the Romish Church That wee may likewise apply to the doctrine and worship which is controverted and disputed though in fewer points betwixt the Lutherans and other reformed Churches Where we first willingly confesse and give thankes to God that as wee differ in fewer Articles yea fully agree in the most of them against the Papists and other Sectaries we have also much lesse reason to judge the Lutherans or to separate and with-draw our selves from them then from the Papists because of such differences which are rather fomented by some contentious Divines then by the Church it selfe Why the reformed Churches have hitherto sought a Reconcilement Vnity with the Lutherans For though we cannot but judge in our Conscience some
principally guilty of the pernicious Schisme and Division betwixt Evangelicall Churches By which also without any further inlargement sufficiently appeareth that the native and genuine cause and fault of the long continued Schism and Division of all the Protestant Evangelicall Churches and consequently of all the miseries and calamities from thence arising principally refideth not in the Reformed but in the Lutherans and especially in their Divines yet not generally in all but onely in those who condemne us as Hereticks and therefore hitherto have refused and stopped without any reasonable ground the reconciliation we sought and offered to them For although they use to pretend for their excuse many damnable doctrines yea many terrible Blasphemies of the reformed Chap. 2. yet partly and most of them consist in such slanders and aspersions which the reformed Churches never professed but rather many times have expresly and unanimously rejected So that those doe but aggravate their fault before God and man who restrain and hinder the Ecclesiasticall peace by false testimonies or by their own Vnreasonable mis-construction of strange words and doctrine from which yet they might be easily diverted if they would but give way to a peaceable Conference Partly they consist of such controverted points of doctrine as have been demonstrated in the fifth Chapter before which cannot afford any sufficient cause for the condemning and excommunicating of the reformed neither for division and separation from them And suppose wee did erre in such points of doctrine yet this would only exempt us from all hereticall damnable errours that wee besides the universall undoubted fundamentall doctrine doe not make any wayes our owne particular opinions to be a By-ground as the Lutherans nor impose them on any man as necessary unto salvation except so farre as hee acknowledgeth them himselfe to be agreeable to the word of God and the saving doctrine and that hee is obliged thereunto not by our word but by the word of God Wherefore also Whether the Lutherans may not with a safe conscience have communion fellowship with the religion of the reformed Congregations although we for our part are of necessitie compelled to separate our selves from the Lutherans as long as they condemne and reject us because of their different and controverted opinions yet they cannot pretend any reasonable cause why they must be separated from our Church and Religion and should have no communion with us in it In regard no man on our side is constrained to beleeve or to doe somewhat against his conscience if hee but standeth firme to the Vniversall fundamentall doctrine and doth not disturbe the Church with his owne opinion but laboureth according to the Apostles admonition to prove all things and to hold fast that which is good 1 Thess 5. v. 21.26 To which end also some few yeares agoe it was decreed in a publick Synod of the reformed Churches in France at Charenton Anno 1631. that the Lutherans desiring to participate of the holy Communion with them should not be excluded from it if they did but otherwise behave themselves peaceably and without scandall For those Lutherans who refuse not to take the holy Communion with us doe even testifie thereby that they condemne not our Church and Religion And although they adhere to their opinion of the reall and corporall presence and orall manducation of Christs body yet so that they do not hold them as necessay articles of faith but receive us also in our opinion as fellow-members and Christians If they were generally all thus minded the Ecclesiasticall peace were soone concluded and the way prepared to a totall unitie and reconciliation For in this manner wee should not have any further cause to separate our selves from their Communion and other godly exercises but would be ready for peace and Unitie sake to tolerate the other defects and according to the Apostles exhortation to walke with them as brethren minding the same thing by the same rule whereto we have already attained Phil. 3. v. 15 16. Till God may reveale unto us on both sides even what is remaining Chap. 11. wherein wee disagree But those that will by no meanes condescend unto this shall not with all their Sophistry and arts winde themselves out from bearing before God and man the guiltinesse of the long continued most pernicious Schisme and of all the miseries that may hereafter ensue thereupon Causes of Reformation of the Doctrine and Ceremonies of the Lutherans Now what hath been said of the causes of our Separation that same declareth and sheweth unto us the cause of Reformation in all places where both a generall and particular Reformation was settled For where the whole congregation acknowledgeth with one consent the errour and abuse of the Lutheran Doctrine and Ceremonies in the different and controverted points There no fault can be found with its unanimous and generall Reformation Wherein it may not be hindred though some few private men dissent from the whole Congregation and had rather adhere to their Lutheran Opinion in regard they have the liberty of their Conscience no waies restrained But where the Congregation in any City or Province disagreeth so that a great part of it doth not onely not acknowledge the errour but adhere so closly to their Lutheran opinions concerning Oral manducation and omni-presence of Christs body Exorcisme Images Hosties and such like things that they therefore condemne as Hereticks the other partie which will not allow of them There these since they of necessity must Separate themselves from their condemners are forced also to a particular Reformation of their religion to the end that they for their part might discharge it towards God according to his Word and Ordinance with a safe conscience Especially when the Christian Magistrate whom the worke of Reformation after the example of Kings Asae Josaphat Hiskia Josia chiefly dependeth upon giveth assent to the true-beleeving partie Wherein neither they may be restrained by any Temporall Constitution or Ordinance of their Predecessours who have no dominion over the Consciences of their Posterity nor can tye them to any erroneous Doctrine and Religion which is undeniable amongst Christians on all sides who do not ground or build their Religion upon Temporall Ordinances like the Heathen and Mahumetans but relie only upon the word of God And although such Reformation most commonly cannot be settled without greatly offending the erring partie Yet a more speciall care is to be taken of scandalizing first their owne Conscience then the Conscience of other true-beleevers and lastly the Conscience of the erring least they may be confirmed in their errours then of offending and scandalizing the affections of the erring whereby others are carried away with zeale to their errours though with indiscretion Which zeale neverthelesse I hope shall never prevaile so far with the Lutherans that they against their legall Magistrats who have given them the libertie of their Conscience and Religion without any impediment should
therefore tumultuously rise when they maintaine and use the like libertie for themselves and them that are of the same confession and Faith Being the Lutheran Divines and confessours have hitherto not as yet attributed to themselves the power and as I hope will never do it to absolve and discharge the Subjects from their Oath of Allegiance towards the Magistrats who have renounced the Obedience of the Popish See and Supremacy as is sufficiently evident by the examples in France and England Besides it would be thought in it selfe an unheard of injustice if Subjects should not suffer their Magistrats to have as much liberty of conscience and Religion as they themselves enjoy under their protection Neverthelesse if the Christian Magistrats might but so much obtaine of the Lutheran Divines and Congregations of their Jurisdiction that they might not calumniate or condemne the Doctrine of our Church but receive us also as fellow-brethren and Christians in our Faith and Confession unto the Ministery of the Word of God and use of the Holy Sacraments in their Assemblies I willingly then confesse that men should not rashly undertake such a particular Reformation in Ceremonies whereby a Division may be occasioned but rather tolerate such defects because of the Ignorant and weake in Faith who do little apprehend and discerne the Discrepancy of the Doctrine and at the alteration of Ceremonies presently imagine a quite new Religion whereas they should insist upon the found information of Doctrine till they at length without offence and division either might be corrected with an unanimous goodly consent or each one enjoy his owne libertie therein To which purpose it conduceth also what Augustine saith of such like alterations Ep. 118. Ipsa mutatio consuetudinis etiam quae adjuvat utilitate novitate perturbat That many times the alteration doth not profit and edifie as much as the Division doth hurt and destroy CHAP. XII Whether or how far we may judge or condemn the persons in matters of Religion BY all this what hitherto hath been declared of judging the matter it self in different and controverted Doctrine and Religion and of Separation and Reformation which ariseth from it We may easily now understand whether and how far we ought to judge the persons For as far as we must discern the matter what is sound and true or false and erroneous Doctrine or Worship So far we can and must also extend our judgement to the persons according to the Word of God which of them teacheth true or false Doctrine to the end that we may know whom and how far we ought to follow lest they become not to us or others a stumbling block or an occasion to fall seeing that that judging of the Doctrine cannot be performed without this judging of the persons who maintain the Doctrine yet so that we ought not instantly to condemn the erring persons because of their errour though it be damnable in it self but rather alwayes hope for their amendment as much as is possible As First Those that maintain ignorantly such an errour which by a necessary consequence is repugnant to the saving fundamental Doctrine and yet stand steadfastly to the fundamental Doctrine it self and build not their salvation even upon such an errour and therefore do not condemn us and our Churches which maintain the very same ground Those I say no doubt notwithstanding their errour they may be saved if they do but labour to testifie also their Faith in Christ by the works of Christian charity and godly conversation And that such an errour which would be damnable unto us that have the knowledge of it if we should receive it against conscience yet is not damnable to them by the grace of God who will judge them according to their Faith and works and not according to their ignorance Secondly Those also which condemn us yet if they do it not out of malice as those false Apostles Gal. 1. and 3. and 4. but out of humane weaknesse and meer ignorance either because they are not truely informed of our Doctrine and Faith or esteem it to be repugnant to the Word of God and the Doctrine of the Primitive Apostolical Church Those I say we ought not to condemn although they condemn us with indiscretion but rather pray for them and hope the best of their salvation as long as they hold fast the ground of Faith and the love of Christ which we presume not without reason the greatest part of them do Thirdly Those likewise who ground and build their salvation upon erroneous and false Doctrine and Religion which in some manner all those are enforced to do who account them for necessary fundamental Doctrine and indeed sufficiently testifie that they do not condemn us meerly out of infirmity but out of an uncharitablenesse and malice and also retain not the true ground of Faith nor the love of Christ Those we may judge by the Word of God as all other men who passe their life in notorious sins and vices without true repentance that they are in a damnable condition which is to say That God could condemn them of right in their blindnesse and malice and shall undoubtedly condemn them unlesse they repent Finally we may proceed also with them after the rule of Christ and the Apostles A man that is an Heretick reject let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and a Publicane Matth. 18. v. 17. after the first and second admonition knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself Yet we ought not therefore utterly to condemn them but rather still pray for them hoping God may convert them yet before their last gasp For although the Apostle saith 1 John 5. vers 16. There is a sin unto death for which we shall not pray Yet he saith not that we shall not pray for the sinner much lesse condemn him unto death we being not able exactly to know nor ought to judge whether he hath committed the sin unto death viz. the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost or in other sins is given over to a hardned and an obdurate unbeleef and impenitency With one word We must absolutely resigne and commit the judgement of eternal damnation to God alone being the onely Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy Jam. 4. v. 12. Who art thou that judgest another mans servant to his own Master he standeth or falleth yea he shall be holden up for God is able to make him stand Rom. 14. v. 4. Which we now may easily apply to our often-mentioned twofold Adversaries God forbid that we should condemn all Roman-Catholicks much lesse all Lutherans in general or even one single and particular man For first concerning the Papists Whether and how far the Papists may be saved in their Religion like as a twofold Doctrine and Religion is maintained amongst them viz. partly the true Primitive Catholick Apostolick Doctrine wherein they with us and we with them do agree partly the new Popish