from the communion of the Church is no longer a member of the sayd Church 4. This verity to wit That Schismaticks are not members of the Church of Christ is besides the former proofes warranted with the authorityes sentences of the ancient Fathers And first S. Cyprian thus purposely writeth of Schismatikes Qui (h) Lib. 4. ep 9. ad FloreÌ„ cum Episcopo non sunt in Ecclesia non sunt Those who agree not with the Bishop meaning the supreme Bishop of Gods Church are not in the Church And againe the sayd (i) Lib. de vnitate Ecclesiae Father most elegantly coÌ„pareth Schismatikes to Beames diuided from the sunne to Boughs cut off from the tree to Riuers wholy separated from their springes Saint Chrysostome discoursing of Schismatikes thus sayth Schismatis (k) Hom 3. in ep 1 ad Cor. significantia satis eos arguit c. The very signification of this word schisme is a sufficient and vehement condemnatioÌ„ of them c. Which Father in another (l) Hom. 13. in ep ad Ephes place compareth a schismatike to the hand cut off from the body which thereupon ceaseth to be a member and expressely affirmeth that Schismatiks though they consent with the Church of Christ in doctrine yet are not in the Church of Christ but in altera Ecclesia meaning in a Church different from the Church of Christ S. Hierome distinguishing schisme from heresy thus discourseth Inter (m) In c. 3. ad Tit. heresim schisma hoc interesse arbitramur c. VVe take this to be the difference betweene heresy schisme that heresy maintayneth a peruerse and false doctrine whereas schisme ab Ecclesia pariter separat in like manner separateth a man from the Church in regard of dissention and disobedience towardes our Bishop S. Augustine thus wouÌ„deth a Schismatike Haeretici (n) lib. de side simbol c. â—0 Schismatici congregationes suas Ecclesias vocant c. Heretiks and Schismatikes do call their congregations the churches But Heretikes doe violate their fayth in beleeuing falsely touching God whereas Schismatikes though they beleeue the same points which we beleeue yet through their dissentions they do not keep fraternall charity wherefore we conclude that neyther an Heretike belongeth to the Catholike church because he loueth not God nor a Schismatike because he loueth not his Neighbour To conclude Fulgentius (o) lib. de fide ad Petrum cap. 38. 39. agreeth with the former Reuer Father in this point saying Firmissime tene c. Beleeue for certaine and doubt not that only Pagans but also Iewes Heretikes and Schismatikes who dye out of the Catholike church are to go to euerlasting fire 5. And thus farre touching Schismatikes who because they be not of the Church of Christ cannot obtaine saluatioÌ„ which point being made euident by so many authorityes both diuine and human then much more strongely may we conclude that Heretikes as exceeding the Schismatikes in prauity and malice and being excluded in like sort with theÌ„ out of the Church of Christ cannot he saued But before I end this Chapter giue me leaue good Reader to expatiate a little beyonde my designed limits O then you Schismatikes heere in our owne country whose soules are so wholy absorpt in earthy muddy considerations cast your eyes vpon your owne states vse some small introuersies vpon your selues You see what a dangerous censure the ancient Church of Christ by the mouthes of its chiefe Pastors Doctors hath thundred against you It sayth You are not of Christs church you are aliens and strangers therto It further pronounceth That dying in such your state you are all depriued of all hope of saluation Good God what stupor dulnes of yours is this Are you Christians Preferre then Christ before the world Feare your God more then man Giue then to God what is Gods to Caesar what is Caesars Reflect vpon these ensuing principles of the Catholike therefore your owne Religion 6. The one that God ordinarily deriueth his grace vnto mans soule by the conduicts of his sacraments and giueth absolution of ones sinnes particulerly by the sacrament of Pennance and confession you wilfully depriue your selues of the participation of the Sacraments and therby of grace of the remission of your sinnes are you not then as dryed branches void of that heauenly grace which giueth life to the soule You waÌ„t the grace forgiuenes of your sinne s where then is your hope of eternall life Remember the Apostles wordes be afraid Gratia Dei vita aeeterna do not disioyne those asunder which S. Paul hath so inseparably vnited 7. The second the vncertainty of any particuler mans saluation which point is able to strike you dead through feare the rather since it is noe small signe of mans future damnation deliberatly and willfully yeare after yeare to diuide himselfe from the Church of Christ and from al the spirituall influences streaming from thence 8. The third that there is a Purgatory the paines wherof though terminable yet are insupportable Suppose then the best that is that you finally dye with true repentance and reconciled to Gods Church which yet is not in your power but out of the maine Ocean of Gods mercy neuertheles your owne fayth assureth you that you must suffer in that place euen insufferable tormeÌ„ts for your former dissimulation that your continuance in thus dissembling with God serue but as bellowes the more to blowe that dreadfull fire Oh how great interest then are you to pay in the end for the enioying of this your mispeÌ„t time If you be Catholikes though but in hart you beleiue all here said and therfore may the more assuredly presage of your owne future misery If you doe not beleiue these three former points of Catholik Religion then are you lesse damned for want of true faith then otherwayes by your vnchaungeable schismatical liues for want of due conformity to the Church of Christ therefore I wishe you to awake out of that schismaticall letargy of the soule and dayly meditate of that of the Apostle Rom. 10. Corde creditur ad iustitiam ore fit confessio ad salutem With the hart we beleeue vnto iustice but with the mouth confession is made to saluation But I will stay heere my penne remembring my vndertaken subiect and will proceed to the next head The same proued by arguments drawne from reason CHAP. VIIII TO passe from the authority of Gods sacred word his holy Church the ancient Fathers the pillars therof touching the nature of heresy and of Heretikes as also touching the vnity and infalibility of the same Church and the persons disincorporated and separated from it from all which heades it hath beene euidently euicted that a man obstinatly defending any one errour in fayth and Religion cannot expect saluation It now remayneth that the same be made euident by force of reason that therby all men
transibunt verba autem mea non transibunt Math. 24 Heauē and earth shall passe away but my wordes shall not passe 5. But to proceede further touching the foresaid want of vnity disagreements if euery Christian might be saued in his owne Religion then might those be saued which beleiue the articles of the Creed in a most differēt sence manner then which what can be more rashly exorbitātly spoken For seeing there is but one true intended sence by the Apostles of the Creede which if we attaine not then doe we beleiue that which is false but to beleeue the Creede in a false sence is no better then not to beleiue it at all as is aboue said and therefore it would followe by way of inference that he might be saued who beleiued not any one article of the Creede at all Now that the Catholikes Protestants do beleiue the articles of the Creede in different or rather contrary senses and consequently that the one side beleiueth it in a false and erroneous sense is aboue proued in the fourth chapter 6. If it be here replyed that the maintainers of this doctrine do so farre yeald that they only are to be saued which in a true sence beleeue the Creed yet by this their restrainct they condemne all those others which beleeue it in any other sense different from that intended by the Holy Ghost and the Apostles and consequently they condemne in their iudgment and depriue of saluation either the Catholikes or the Protestants since of necessity the one of these do beleeue the Creed not in its true sense but in a false and hereticall sence and construction different from that of the Apostles 7. But granting that the Catholikes and Protestants beleeue the Creed in one true sence intended by the holy Ghost yet if our Newtralists would haue the Creed the square or rule thereby to measure our fayth then marke the absurdityes following For by this doctrine one might be saued who beleeued 1. Not that there were any Scriptures at all written by the Prophets Apostles since the Creed maketh no mention of any such diuine writinges 2. In like sort he might be saued who did not beleeue there were any Angells or Diuels 3. Or that there is a materiall place of Hell 4. Or that the paynes thereof are eternall 5. Or that Adam did presently vpon his creation fall from grace and therby transported original sinne vpon all his posterity 6. Or that our Sauiour whilest he conuersed heere vpon earth wrought any miracles 7. Or made choice of certaine men to be his Apostles to preach the Christian fayth throughout the whole worlde 8. Or that Circumsicion is now forbidden and antiquated 9. Or that there are any Sacraments of the new testament as Baptisme the Eucharist c. 10. Or that finally before the dissolution of the world a designed ennemy of Christ shall come who is tearmed Antichrist I say by our Newtralists Religion he should be saued who beleeued none of the foresayd articles seeing not any one of them is expressed or set downe in the Apostles creed and yet the beliefe of the sayd articles is necessarily exacted required to saluation both in the iudgments of the Catholikes the Protestants both which partyes do with an vnanimous consent teach the necessity of beleeuing the sayd articles 8. But to proceed further to come to the different articles of fayth differently beleeued by the Catholikes Protestants and yet not expressed in the Creed articles of such nature as that they are houlden by the Catholikes to be instituted by our Sauiour as subordinate yet necessary meanes of the grace of God and of saluation whereas the Protestants as not beleeuing at all the sayd articles do wholely disclayme from acknowledging all such meanes These articles I haue recited aboue to wit 1. That Sacraments in generall do conferre grace 2. That a childe dying without baptisme cannot be saued 3. That mortall sinne is not remitted without the sacrament of Pennance and confession 4. That we are to adore with supreme honour the Blessed Sacrament 5. That not only fayth but also workes do iustify man 6. That a Christian by thinking himselfe to be iust is not thereby become iust 7. That euery Christian hath sufficient grace offered by God to saue his soule that therefore God on his part would haue all men saued 8. That without keeping the tenne commandements a man cannot be saued 9. Finally that all Christians ought vpon payne of eternall damnation to communicate in sacraments and doctrine with the church of Rome and to submit themselues in al due obedience to the supreme pastour of Gods church In al which points the Protestants do beleeue directly the contrary condemning vs of heresy superstition yea idolatry for our belieuing the foresayd points Now I say seeing the former articles do immediatly touch concerne either remission of our sinnes or grace of our soule or our iustification or our due honour adoration to our Sauiours body being accompanied with his diuinity or lastly our communion with Christ his church and the head therof in any of which as concerning so nearely our eternall happines who erreth cannot possibly be saued 9. And seeing the Protestants as is sayd do in all the sayd points maintaine the iust contrary to the Catholikes and thereby do abandone the Catholikes acknowledged meanes of their saluation I heare aske in all sobernes of iudgment what can be reputed for a greater absurdity then to affirme with our Newtralists that the Catholikes and Protestants notwithstanding their so different and contrary beliefe and answearble practise in the former articles so neerely touching mans saluation may both be saued Seeing it must needs be that either the Catholikes shal be damned for setting downe certaine means of our saluation contrary to Christs mind and institution supposing the sayd means to be false or that the Protestants shal be damned for reiecting the former meanes of Saluation instituted by Christ admitting them to be true 10. But to passe forward If euery Christian might be saued in his Religion in beleuing only the fundamentall points of the Trinity the Incarnation c. then hath the Church of Christ euen in her primitiue dayes at what time the Protestants themselues (h) See of this acknowledgement the defence of the Apology of Englād written by Doctor Iewel Kemnit in exam Concil Trid. par 1. p. 74. the cōfess of Bohemia in the harmony of confess pag. 400. besides diuers others doe exempt her from errour most fondly intollerably erred in condemning certaine opinions which are not fundamentall for Heresies and the maintayners for Heretikes and consequently the scripture and Christ himselfe haue deceaued vs by ascribing vnto the Church an infallibility (i) Math. 18. Luc. 10.2 Tim. 3. of erring in her definitions of Faith and cōdemnation of heresies and by commanding vs to obey the churches authority and sentence in all thinges as
taken from the former definition of fayth as that the Apostle himselfe presently after the former wordes beginning to instance in the seuerall obiects of fayth among diuers other examples setteth downe that to belieue Noas flood or the deluge of the world by water for sinne is an article of fayth for thus he sayth By fayth Noah hauing receaued an answere concerning those thinges which as yet were not seene fearing framed the Arke for the sauing of his house 16. But to proceed further if the articles of the Trinity the Incarnation and the like be the only essentiall points of a true Christian fayth it is more then wounderfull that the Apostle vndertaking to set downe the true definition of an auaileable fayth and exemplifying it in seuerall obiects should wholely and silently omit the sayd articles of the Trinity Incarnation Passion c. he in that chapter not expressely speaking one word of them And thus much touching the definition of fayth giuen by the Apostle from which definition we conclude that who seeketh to haue a true fayth necessary to saluation besides the mysteryes of the Trinity the Incarnation c. must belieue diuers other dogmaticall articles of Christian Religion And therefore answearably heerto we assure our selues that when our Sauiour sayd He (q) Marc 16. that beleeueth not shal be condemned He did speak of the belieuing at least implicitly of the whole corps of Christian fayth and doctrine and not only of any one part thereof for so in this latter manner it would be both false absurd In like sort where our Blessed Sauiour in the same chapter sayth to his Apostles Preache the Ghospell to all Creatures He did vnderstand the whole Ghospell which contayneth many other points besides the Trinity Incarnation Passion c. 17. In this next place we will descend to those passages of holy Scripture which do much magnify the efficacy and vertue of fayth And accordingly hereunto we find it is sayd He (r) Mare vltimo that beleeueth and is baptized shal be saued but he that beleeueth not shal be condemned Againe our Sauiour sayd to the blind men praying to receaue their sight According (s) Mat. 9. to your fayth be it vnto you And further Without (t) Heb. 11. fayth it is impossible to please God And more Our fayth is the victory which ouercōmeth the world 1. Ioan. 1.5 Now in these many other such texts for breuity omitted I demaund what fayth is vnderstood or meant If it be answered a true entyre and perfect fayth belieuing al points of Christian Religion proposed by Gods Church it is true and that which I seeke heere to proue if an vnperfect and mungrill fayth beleeuing some point of Christian Religion and reiecting others and so an erroneous fayth being partly false and partly true I say it can neuer deserue these prayses giuen by the Euangelists and Apostles neither can it produce such supernatural effects aboue specifyed no more then darkenes can produce light since Truth himselfe hath taught vs that (u) Luc. 6◠we cannot gather figges of thornes nor grapes of bushes 18. Now in this third place we will touch that inseparable attribute of true Christian fayth which is vnity in fayth and doctrine This marke is so indissolubly annexed to the true fayth of Christ as that we find his Apostles euer ready most seriously to inculcate the same to their disciples Thus accordingly the Apostle exhorteth the Ephesians saying Be you (x) Ephe 4. careful to keep the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace And immediately againe There z is one Lord one fayth one Baptisme Where we see that vnity in fayth is expressely set downe As also in another place I beseech (a) 1. Cor. ◠you that you all speake one thing bee you knit togeather in one mind and one iudgment and as this was the exhortatiō of the Apostle so we read that the first belieuers followed the same of whō S. Luke Acts c. 4. thus sayth The multitude that beleued were of one hart one soule And hēce it proceedeth that the Church of Christ which comprehendeth the professours of this vnanimous fayth is styled by Gods holy writ to be one (b) Rom. 12. Cant. 6. Ioan. 10. body one spouse and one flocke of sheep a truth so euident as that besides the frequent testimonyes of (c) Atha orat 1. con Aria Chrys op imperf in Mat. ho. 20. Tert. de praescript Irenaeus d. 1. c. 5. confirming the same euen the Protestants do subscribe in iudgment hereunto For thus Luther himselfe to omit others writteth A (d) Tom. 3. Wittē in psal 5. fol. 166. kingdome deuided in it selfe shall not stand neyther haue any Heretikes at any tyme beene ouercome by force or subtilty but by mutuall dissention neyther doth Christ fight with them otherwayes then with a spirit of giddines and disagreement 19. Now then this vnity of fayth is so to be vnderstood as that it is not repugnant therto that one and the same point should at one tyme not be houlden as necessarily to be beleeued the which after it hath vndergone a definitiue and sententionall decree of Gods Church is necessarily to be belieued As for example it was not necessary in the beginning of Christianity to beleeue that the booke of the Machabees the Epistle of S. Iames S. Iude the second epistle of S. Peter the 2. and 3. of S. Iohn to be Canonicall Scripture till they were defined so to be by the third Councell of Carthage Can. 47. at which S. Augustine was present But after this Councell had by the assistance of the holy Ghost defined them to be Canonicall then it was and is heresy to deny them to be Cononical And the reason of this disparity is because it is Gods good pleasure and wisedome not to reueale to his Church al articles of fayth in the beginning and at one tyme but at seuerall tymes and vpon seuerall occasions as to his diuine maiesty best seemeth expedient Thus the fayth of a Christian is capable of dilatation and of a more lardge vnfoulding or exposition but not of any contrariety in beliefe change or alteration And thus to insist in the former example it may well stand with Christian fayth in the beginning not to accept the former bookes for canonicall till the authority of the Churche had pronounced them for such but it standeth not with true fayth that one man should positiuely beleeue as an articie of fayth that the Machabees and the rest of the bookes aboue specifyed are not canonical Scripture but the prophane writtinges of man And another man should at the same tyme beleeue as an article of fayth that they are canonicall Scripture since the one of these contrary beliefes must be Heretical 20. This verity then of the vnity of fayth being warranted by the word both of God and man as is aboue sayd we will take into our consideration the Catholike and
Christ who is God of God and equall with his Father a Sauiour who suffred death quoad sufficentiam for all mankind and who accomplished the functioÌ„ of his Sauiourship only according to his humanity a Sauiour who dyed only in body and not in soule finally a Sauiour who from his first conception was endued with all knowledge wisedome prouidence and exempt from all ignorance passion and perturbation wheras the Protestants doe belieue in Christ as their Sauiour who according to their fayth is God of (h) D. Whitak approueth this opinion alleadging Caluin in proofe thereof cont CaÌ„p p. 121. himselfe and (i) MelaÌ„ in loc com edit 1561. p. 41. inferiour to the Father who dyed only for the (k) D. Willet in his synops printed 1600. p. 780. as also Caluin and Beza in whole treatises elect who performed his mediation not only according to his humanity but also according to his (l) MelaÌ„ supra D Fulk diuinity though in the iudgment of all learned men true diuinity is impassible who in the time of his Passion besides the death of the body as insufficient for our saluation suffred in soule the (m) Cal. instit l. 2. c. 16 sect 10. D. Whitak cont Duraeum l. 8. p. 556. (m) Beza in respon ad acta Colloquij Montisb part 1. pag. 147. D. Willet in his synopsis p. 599. 600. D. Sutliffe in his reueu of D. Kellisons suruay printed 1606. p. 55. torments of hel briefly who laboured with n ignorance passion and euen desperation it selfe 5. Touching the article of Christs descending into hell the Catholikes doe belieue hereby that Christ descended in soule after his passion into that part of hell which is called lymbus Patrum to deliuer from thence the soules of the iust there detayned till his comming of which iudgement are also some learned (o) D. Bilson in his suruay of Christs sufferings and descent to hell p. 650. 651. 652. and the Lutherans are generally of the same opinion ProtestaÌ„ts but the greatest part of Protestants doe interpret this article of Christ descending into his (p) D. Willet in lymbomastix D. Fulke so alleadged by VVillet in synopsi pag. 605. 606. graue soe by the worde hell vnderstanding the graue but (q) Lib. 2. instit cap. 16. §. 20. Caluin teacheth that by Christs descending into hell is vnderstoode that Christ apprehended God to be most angry and offended with him for our sakes and that thervpon Christ suffred great anxiety and griefe of soule and which is more most blasphemously Caluin teacheth that Christ vttered words of desperation in saying my God why hast thou forsakeÌ„ me Touching the article of Christs ascending into heauen we Catholikes and the Caluinists doe belieue hereby that Christ truly in body ascended vp into heauen wheras (r) Luth l. de sacr Coenae Domini tom 2. f. 112. saying credimus quod Christus iuxta humanitateÌ„ est vbique presens Brentius in Apolog. pro cons VVittem Illyricus l. de asceÌ„ Domini and finally by all LutheraÌ„s Lutherans doe teach that Christs body is in all places with the diuinity and that therefore it did not really after his passion ascend vp into heauen it being there both before after his passion thus the Lutherans both in ours and the Protestants iudgments doe destroy by this their construction the whole creede and particulerly Christs incarnation natiuity passion death ascending into heauen and his comming to iudgment seeing supposing Christs body to be in all places all these articles were but apparantly or phantastically and not truly or really performed 6. Touching the article of Christs iudging the quicke and dead wee Catholikes doe beleeue that Christ at his comming to iudgment will so iudge man as that his good workes receauing all their force from our Sauiours passion shal be rewarded whereas the Protestants denying all (s) Cal. l. 3. instit c. 5. §. 2. Bucer in actis collo quij Ratisb Beza Zuingli and most other Protestants merit of workes as iniurious and derogatory to his death and passion do hould that Christ shall then reward only a bare and (t) Calu. in Antid Concil Trident. Kemnitius in exam Con. Trid. and most other Protestants speciall fayth 7. Concerning the Article I belieue in the Holy Ghost Whereas all Catholikes and many Protestants do beleeue that the Holy Ghost is the third person in the most Blessed Trinity Caluin howsoeuer he was persuaded of the truth or falshood therof much lamenteth notwithstanding to auoyd the force of arguments drawne from the chiefest places of Scripture and vsually alleadged by all Antiquity in proofe of the holy Ghost being the third person in the Trinity Thus we find that (u) Iust l. 1. c. 13. §. 15. Caluin will not haue contrary to all Antiquity that passage of Scripture Psalm 33. By the word of the Lord the heauens were made and all the host of them by the spirit of his mouth to be vnderstood of the diuinity of the holy Ghost In like sort he reiecteth the argument (x) See of this subiect against the Trinity Iluumus a Protestant in l. Caluin IudaizaÌ„s drawne from that other most remarkable Text 1. Ioan. 5. There be three that giue testimony in Heauen the Father the VVord and the holy Ghost and these three be one Caluin vpon this place thus saying therby to take away from thence the proofe of the Holy Ghost Quod dicit tres esse vnum ad essentiam non refertur Luth. in l. contra Iacobum LatomuÌ„â—omo 2. Wittem 〈…〉 diâ—â— anno 1552. sed ad consensum potius Finally Luther was so farre from acknowledging the Holy Ghost to be the third person in the Trinity or to acknowledge the Trinity it selfe that thus he writteth Anima mea odit hoc verbum homousion vel consubstantialis My very soule doth hate the worde homousion or consubstantial 8. Concerning the article I beleeue the holy Catholike Church The Catholikes do beleeue this to be a visible company of meÌ„ professing the present Roman Catholike fayth of which some are predestinated others reprobated The ProtestaÌ„ts do belieue this Church to consist only of the elect and (y) Confess Aug. act 5. Luther l. de Concilijs eccles Cal. l. 4. inst c. 1. §. 2. predestinated 9. Touching the article The Communion of Saints The Catholikes do heereby beleeue such a communion to be betweene the Saints in Heauen the soules in Purgatory men vpon earth that the one part doth helpe the other with their most auaileable prayers and intercessions The Protestants deny all such intercourse of benefites betweene these seuerall partes of the Church of Christ accounting (z) Caluin l. 3. inst c. 5. § 6. Conturiatoreâ— Ceâ—â— 1. lib. 2. c. 4. col 460. Brentius in conses Wittenberg c. de Purgatorio the Catholike doctrine heerein superstitious and sacrilegious 10. Lastly touching the article of Forgiuenes of sinnes we Catholikes do beleeue
particuler choise to insist vpon omitting some others of like nature because wee see that most or all of them do immediatly and principally as is aboue sayd touch the meanes of purchasing of grace of remission of our sinnes and obtayning of saluatiō being maintayned for such by the Catholikes but vtterly denyed reiected by Protestants And here I now vrge two things First if these former doctrines as they are beleeued by the Catholikes do immediatly concerne saluation and become necessary meanes thereof then cannot the Protestants as reiecting all such doctrines and such meanes both in beliefe practise be saued But if by a supposall they be not of that nature but false in themselues and the contrary doctrines true then cannot the Catholikes as beleeuing false doctrines immediatly touching mans saluation and accordingly practising them be saued From which forked argument it may most demonstratiuely be inferred that it is impossible that both the Catholiks and the Protestants the one part beleeuing the other part not beleeuing the foresayd doctrines should both be saued for who neglecteth necessary meanes shall neuer attayne to the designed end of the sayd meanes Secondly I vrge that a false beliefe not only in these articles but also in any other Controuersyes betweene the Catholikes and the Protestants is plaine Heresy And this because euery false beliefe is comprehended within the definition of heresy as being in it selfe an electiō choise of a new or false doctrine wilfully maintayned against the Church of God and therefore it followeth that eyther the Catholikes or Protestants for their persisting in this false beliefe or heresy shal be damned 10. But heere I will stay my selfe wading no further in the disquisition and search of the great dissentions betweene Catholikes and Protestants touching Fayth and beliefe only I will reflect a little vpon the premises of the two last Chapters And heere since it is made most euident first that the Protestants and Catholikes do mainly differ in the sense and construction of the articles of the Creed and consequently seeing the sense and not the wordes make the creed that they both do not beleeue one and the same Creed but haue to themselues seuerall Creedes From whence sufficiently is discouered that want of vnity in fayth among them both which vnity is so necessarily required to mans saluation as in the precedent Chapter is demonstrated Secondly that though by supposition they did beleeue the Creed the sense therof with an vnanimous consent yet it is proued that there are diuers other articles not contayned in the Creed which are indifferently beleeued as necessary to saluation both by Catholike and Protestant Thirdly seeing also there are sundry Controuersies in Religion as is aboue exemplifyed which immediatly concerne saluation being houlden as necessary meanes thereof by the catholikes but disclaymed from and abandoned by Protestants as mayne errours and false doctrines that therefore it is a manifest errour to make the Creed the sole rule of fayth 11. Therefore from all the former premises I do auerre that he who maintayneth that both Catholikes Protestants and consequently men of any Religion notwithstāding that the one side doth necessarily beleeue and maintaine Heresy can be saued or that euery Christian can obtaine heauen is wholy depriued of all true iudgement reason and discourse and for want thereof may deseruedly be ranged among them of whome the Psalmist speaketh Nolite fieri sicut equus mulus quibus non est intellectus Do not become as Horse and Mule which haue no vnderstanding CHAP. VI. The same proued from the authority and priuiledges of the Church in not erring in her definitions and condemnation of Heresies and first by Councells FROM the inuiolable vnity of Fayth we wil next descend to the priuiledges of Gods true church of which priuiledges I will at this tyme take only one into my consideration which is that the church of God is indued with a supreme prerogatiue in not erring in her definitiō of faith or condemnation of heresy This point is warranted by innumerable texts of holy Scripture as where it is sayd Vpon thy wales O Hierusalem I haue set watchmen all the day and all the night they shal not be silēt Isai 72. But God did not set watchmen ouer his Church to teach errours And againe the (a) 1. Tim. 3. Church of God is the pillar and foūdation of truth what more perspicuous And further whereas each man is commaunded to repaire in difficulties euen of lesser consequences to the Church it is threatned by Christ himselfe that who will not heare the Church shal be accounted as an heathen or publican according to that his condemnation Si Ecclesiam non audierit (b) Matt. 18. sit tibi sicut Ethnicus Publicanus where we find no restriction but that in all things wee are to heare the Church Againe Christ himselfe speaketh to his Apostles and in them to the whole Church (c) Luc. 10. He that heareth you heareth me But if the Church could erre neyther would Christ referre vs to the Church especially vnder so great a penalty neyther by hearing the Church could we be iustly sayd to heare Christ Finally the Church is so gouerned by Christ as its head or spouse and by the holy Ghost as its soule as therfore we find the Apostle thus to write (d) Ephes ◠therof God hath made him head speaking of Christ ouer all the Church which is his body And againe one (e) Ephes 4. body and one spirit and yet more The (f) Ephes 5. man is the head of the Church From which Texts it followeth that if the Church should erre in its definition or resolution of Fayth and condemnation of Heresy this erring must iustly be ascribed to Christ and to the holy Ghost and consequently it followeth that the Apostles in making the Creede would haue omitted that Article I belieue the holy Catholike Church For why should we be bound to belieue the Church if the Church could erre 2. This truth I meane that the Church of Christ cannot erre in her sententionall decrees is so illustrious and euident that Tertullian speaking of certaine Heretikes of his time obiecting the erring of the whole church thus figuratiuely or Ironically writeth Age (g) Lib. de preser omnes errauerunt nullam respexit Spiritus sanctus that is goe to belike all the Churches haue erred the holy Ghost hath respected or looked vpon no one Church And S. Augustine Disputare (h) Epist 118. contra id quod Ecclesia vniuersa sentit insolentissimae insaniae est To dispute against any point maintained by the whole Church is extreme madnes To whose iudgement herein most of the more sober and learned Protestants doe indisputably subscribe since diuers of (i) D. Bācroft in ser 1588 Fox act Mon. 464 h. art 4. the deuines of Geneua in their propositions and principles disputed pag. 141. diuers others them
the Primitiue Church and in them the whole Church of God haue maintained then either the Protestants or Catholikes for their disentions houlding of cōtrary doctrines touching freewill Purgatory Prayer to Saints sacrifice c. are to be accounted heretiks and consequētly both cānot be saued in their Religon For that Heretikes continuing Heretiks cannot be saued is demonstrated first from those fearefull threats comminations of the Apostles thundred out against Heretikes of which point I haue discoursed aboue Secondly from the authority of Christs church which excludeth all Heretiks as I haue showed from all hope of saluation And lastly to omit many other reasons from that principle That Heretikes are no members of Christs church of which point we are to dispute in the next place Now if the sayd false doctrines be not heresyes then haue the Fathers of the primitiue church generally erred in defyning them for heresyes and consequently the whole Church of God represented in the Fathers as in her Pastors and Doctors hath also therein erred which is repugnant to the holy (o) Math 18. Ioan. 16. 3. Ephes 1. Scripture and our Sauiours promise 20. The second thing to be aduertised is that of the former authorityes of the Fathers against heresy not any of them are restrayned by them to be heresies touching the Trinity the Incarnation of Christ his Passion the Articles of the creede for of these heere is made no mention or intimation in their authorityes within which compasse our Formalists in Religion seeke to cōtaine their fayth but they are implicitly by the Fathers extended to all heresies whatsoeuer whether they concerne the supreme and fundamental points of Christian Religion or any other secondary and lesse principall point of the same Religion The same proued from that principle that neither Heretikes nor Schismatikes are members of Christs Church CHAP. VIII IN this last place concerning the Church we will set downe another principle of Christian fayth and after will deduce from thence by way of most necessary inference our conclusion heere handled The principle is this That Heretikes houlding any heresyes whatsoeuer are no members of the church of Christ The deduction is that Heretikes therefore cannot be saued since none can be saued but such as are members of Christes church This principle is proued as aboue is intimated out of Gods holy word as where it it (a) 1. Tim. 1. sayd Certaine men made shipwracke touching fayth that is they fell out of the ship of the Church by forging of Heresies And againe They (b) 1. Io. 2. went out of vs that is as S. Augustine expoundeth out of the Church of which we are The expositions of which texts are warranted euen by force of reason for seeing the Church is an vnited multitude for it is one Spouse Cant. 6. one Kingdome and one Body this vnion chiefly consisteth in the profession of one fayth it is repugnant to reason that they should be reputed as members of the body of the Church who haue no coniunction at all in the chiefest matters with the sayd body 2. If we proceed to the testimonyes of the ancient Fathers we shall find them of an vnanimous iudgment herein to wit That Heretikes are no members of the Church and therfore cannot be saued And first occurreth S. Irenaeus (c) Lib. 3 Cap. 3. who sayth that Policarpe did conuert many Heretikes vnto the Church therefore it may be concluded that those Heretikes before their conuersion were out of the Church S. Cyprian (d) Epist ad Iubainum sayth Heretikes though they be out of the Church do challenge to themselues the authority of the Church after the manner of Apes who not being men yet would be accounted to be men The same Father thus plainly writeth in another place Cum (e) lib. de vnitate Eccles Deo manere non possunt qui in Ecclesia Dei vnanimes esse noluerunt They cannot remaine with God who dissent in iudgment from the church of God And yet more fully in the same place Non peruenit ad Christi praemia c. He arriueth not to the rewards of Christ who leaueth the church of Christ he is an alien he is prophane he is an ennemy for he cannot haue God to his Father who hath not the Church for his Mother And S. Hierome sayth Quê non (f) In dialog con Lucifer à Domino Iesu Christo sed ab alio c. VVho take their denomination or name not from our Lord Iesus Christ but from some other as the Marcionists Valentinians Montenses c. are not the Church of God but the synagogue of Antichrist Finally S. Augustine for I haue already dwelled ouerlong in the authority of the Fathers pronounceth that Nihil sic (g) Trae 27. in Ioann formidare debet c. A Christian ought to feare nothing so much as to be separated from the body of Christ which is his Church and which is one and Catholike for if he be separated from the body of Christ he is not a member of Christ if no member of Christ then is he not strengthned with his spirit But who hath not this spirit of God the same mā is not of God Thus farre S. Augustin with whome euen the Protestants do ioyne heere in iudgment for D. Doue in his booke of persuasions thus sayth This proposition that Heretikes are not to be communicated withal is vndoubtedly true And D. Sutcliffe in his Examen of petitions pag. 9. alleadgeth the Laodicean Councell can 31. 32. 33. in proofe thereof thus concluding The Laodicean Councell doth directly condemne communion with Heretiks eyther in marriage or prayer 3. This already alleadged may serue to proue that Heretikes are no members of the Church of Christ consequently cannot attaine saluation since it is agreed among all learned men that only the members of the church of Christ can find saluation in Christ we will in this place descend to Schismatikes who if they be neyther of the Church of God nor can iustly expect any saluation during such their state then à fortiori no Heretike can expect any saluation since a Schismatike beleeuing all articles of Christian fayth doth only diuide himselfe by disobediēce in not communicating with the Church in prayer Sacraments Whereas an Heretike as is aboue sayd willfully contumaciously maintayneth errours false opinions cōdemned by the Church Now that a Schismatike is not a member of Christs Church is first proued from the Texts of Scripture aboue in part touched where the Church is called one fould of sheep Ioan. 10. One body Rome 12. One spouse and one Doue Cant. 6. But now Schisme according to its Etimology deuideth that which was one into parts for Schisma being a greeke word commeth of the verbe Schizo which is scindere therefore as a member being cut off from the body is no longer a part of the body so a Schismatike diuiding himselfe by his owne disobedience
enioying the faculty of reason may the more easily subscribe to so vndeniable a verity say with the Psalmist heerein Psal 92. Testimonia tua credebilia sunt nimis Well then the first and chiefest reason is taken from the causes of true fayth where for the better conceauing thereof we are to vnderstand that fayth is a supernaturall habite not obtayned by the force of Nature and that who resteth doubtfull or staggering of any one article is charged by the Canon-law with flat infidelity according to that Dubius (b) Iure Canon c. 10. de Haeretic in fide infidelis est Therfore to the beliefe of any one article of fayth two things doe concurre the one is the first reuealing verity as the schoolemen speake which is God himselfe the second is the Church propounding the article to be beleeued Now when we beleeue any point of fayth God who is the first reuealing verity as is sayd reuealeth it to the Church and the Church propoundeth it so reuealed to vs to beleeue and thus we beleeue a point of fayth thorough the authority of God reuealing and the Churche propounding And this is most consonant and agreeing with that most admirable and infallible rule of fayth set downe by the most ancient Vincentius Lyrinensis in the beginning of his Commonitorium deseruing to be stamped in characters of gold I (c) Initio commonitorij haue demanded sayth this Authour very many thinges of many men excelling renowned for learning and sanctity of life how and by what way I might fortify my fayth in tyme of heresyes arysing and I euer receaued this answere of all or in manner of all that whether I or any other desirous to auoyd the snares of Heretikes and to continue sound in the Catholike fayth he must by Gods assistance Fidem munire duplici ratione fense his fayth with a double reason Sacrosancti Canonis authoritate deinde Ecclesiae Catholicae traditione First by authority of Gods word secondly by tradition of the Catholike Church Thus farre Vincentius Thus we see where we beleeue any thing though it be materially true and not through this former authority this is not supernaturall beliefe in vs but only an opinion grounded vpon other reasons inducements Euen as the Turke beleeueth that there is one God Creatour of the world yet this his beleefe is no true fayth but only an opinion of a thing which is true since this his beliefe is grounded only vpon his Alcoran being otherwise a fabulous booke though of the being of one God it speaketh truly 2. Now to apply this to my purpose This first reuealing verity which is God through whose authority wee ought to beleeue euery article of fayth doth with one and the like authority reueale all articles of Christian Religion so as it is as forcibly to be beleeued that there is for example a Purgatory or that we may pray to to Saints suppose these articles to be true as that there is a Trinity or that Christ was incarnated From whēce it ineuitably followeth that who beleeueth in the Trinity and yet doth not beleeue that there is a Purgatory or that we may pray to Saints hath no true and supernaturall beliefe of the Trinity but only beleeueth that there is a Trinity because he is persuaded thereto only by his owne reason or through some other humane authority For if he did beleeue that there is a Trinity or that Christ was incarnate through the authority of God so reuealing this truth so to be beleeued by the same authority he would haue beleeued that there is a Purgatory and that we ought to pray to Saints seeing both the articles of the Trinity and of Purgatory or praying to Saints are equally and indifferently alike propounded by God and by his Church to be beleeued 3. And seeing to the same authority euer the same reuerence affiance and credit is to be giuen thus we may demonstratiuely conclude that what Protestant doth beleeue in the Trinity and yet doth not beleeue that there is Purgatory Praying to Saints Freewill the Reall presence admitting them once to be true or any other points controuerted betweene the Catholikes and the Protestants the same man hath no true fayth of the Trinity of the Incarnation and consequently for want of a true and supernaturall fayth cannot be saued since we reade Qui non (d) Marc 16. credit condemnabitur VVho beleeueth not shal be condemned And from this former ground it it proceedeth that S. Thomas (e) 2. 2. q 5. art 3. and all learned schoolemen teach that who beleiueth not only for Gods authority so reuealing any point whatsoeuer great or small fundamental or not fundamental the same man belieueth not any other article at all with a true and supernaturall faithe And hereto accordeth those words of (f) Lib. de prescr Tertulliā against Valentinus an Heretike Some thinges of the law and Prophets Valentinus approueth some thinge he disaloweth that is he disallowech all whilest he disproueth some Which sentence of Tertullian must of necessity be true since who reiecteth the authority of God in not beleeuing any one article propounded by God to be beleeued the same man begetteth a suspition or doubt of Gods authority for the beleeuing of any other article how fundamentall soeuer 4. Another reason may be taken from a distinction of fayth vsed by the learned which faith is of two sorts the one they call Explicite fayth the other Implicite Explicite fayth is that which all men vnder paine of damnation are bound expressely to beleeue as the Trinity the Incarnation of our Sauiour his passion the Decalogue or ten Commandements c. Implicite fayth is that which comprehendeth all those pointes which a man is not bound expressely and distinctly to beleeue in particuler though he be expressely boūd not to beleeue any thing contrary therto but is to rest in the iudgment of the Church cōcerning all such points and what the Church of Christ houldeth therein implicitly to beleeue This distinction is warranted not only in the iudgment of all Catholike schoole men but also in the iudgement of the most learned (g) D. Baro. l. de fide eius ortu p. 40. Hooker in Eccles politia in praefat p. 28. by Maelanct l. 1. epist epist ad Regem Angliae Protestāts though they forbeare the phrases of Explicite and Implicite fayth and particulerly of D. Field who in these wordes following giueth the reason therof saying For seeing (h) In his Treatise of the Church in his epist dedicatory to the Archbishoppe the Controuersies of Religion in our tyme are growne in number so many and in nature so intricate that few haue tyme and leasure fewer strength of vnderstanding to examine them what remayneth for men desirous of satisfaction in things of such consequēce but diligently to search out which among all the societyes of men in the world is that blessed company of holy ones that househould
of fayth that spouse of Christ Church of the liuing God which is the pillar and ground of truth that so they may imbrace her communion follow her directions and rest in her iudgments Thus Doctor Field 5. Now this distinction being presupposed I thus argue both these kinds of faith are necessary to saluation Explicite faith because it comprehendeth all those fundamental and supreme points of Christian Religiō without the expresse and articulate knowledge of which a man cannot be saued And these be those only which Newtralists in Religion hould necessary to be belieued Implicite faith of other points also is necessary to saluation because otherwyse then beleiuing implicitely inuoluedly what the Church teacheth therin we cannot according to the former Doctours wordes find out that blessed company of holy ones the househould of fayth the spouse of Christ Church of the liuing God And seeing Implicite fayth is necessary to saluation we must graunt that this Implicite fayth hath some obiect the obiect is not the article of the Trinity the Incarnatiō the Decalogue c. since these are the obiects of Explicite fayth as is aboue intimated therfore articles seeming of lesser importance are the obiect of implicite fayth the which as a man is bound implicitly to beleeue in the fayth of the Church so is he bound not to beleeue any thing contrary to the sayd articles Seeing then diuers controuersies betweene the Catholikes and the Protestants are included vnder this implicite faith and that the Church of God houldeth but one way of them it followeth that one side of the cōtrary beleiuers of those points doth erre in their beliefe and consequently through want of this true necessary implicite fayth cannot be saued 6. A third reason may be this It is proper peculier to vertues infused such be Fayth Hope Charity that euery such vertue is wholely extinguished by any one act contrary to the sayd vertue Thus for exāple one mortal sinne taketh away al charity grace according that He (i) Iacob cap. 2. that offendeth in one is made guilty of all One act of despaire destroyeth the whole vertue of Hope then by the same reason one heresy wholely corrupteth extinguisheth all true fayth Therefore seeing Fayth is a Theologicall and infused vertue this fayth is destroyed with one act of heresy whether it be about Purgatory Prayer to Saints Freewil or any other cōtrouersy between the Catholiks the Protestants therfore whoseuer denyeth Purgatory or any of the rest granting their doctrins to be true is depriued of all infused fayth touching any article of Christian Religion whether they concerne the Trinity or the Incarnation or any other fundamentall point which he may seeme to beleeue but without fayth that is without true infused and Theological faith it is impossible to please God as the (k) Heb. 11. Apostle assureth vs. 4. Another reason may be this These Newtralists in Religion doe not agree euen in the general grounds of Christian faith to wit in the Articles of one God of the Trinity of Christ c. with any other Christiās This is proued because as all other Christians do beleeue in these general heads so doth each of them particulerly agree that these generall principles are to be limited bounded to euery ones particuler secte as the Protestant for example beleeueth otherwayes in God the Trinity and Christ then the Catholikes doe as is els where demonstrated But now these our Newtralists doe not limit the foresayde principles to any particuler sect or in any particuler manner therefore it euidently followeth that they haue no true beliefe euen of those generall and fundamentall articles 5. A fift reason shal be this It is most certaine that what generall propension Nature or rather God himselfe by nature as his instrument hath ingrafted in all men the same is in it selfe most true certaine and warrantable As for example Nature hath implanted in ech mans soule a secret remorse of Conscience for sinnes and transgressions committed as also a feare of future punishement to be inflicted for the sayd sinnes perpetrated therefore from hence it may infallibly be cōcluded that sinne it selfe is to be auoyded that after this life there is a retribution of punishment for our offenses done in this world since otherwayes it would follow that God should insert in the soule of man idly vainly and as directed to no end certaine naturall impressions instincts which to affirme were most derogatory to his diuine maiesty and wisedome repugnant to that anciently receaued Axiome God Nature worketh nothing in vaine Now to apply this we find both by history and by experience that diuers zealous and feruent Professours of all Religions whatsoeuer both true and false haue beene most ready to expose their liues in defence of any impugned part or branch of their Religion from which vndaunted resolution of theirs we certainly collect that this their constant determination of defending the least point of their Religiō proceedeth partly from a generall instinct of God impressed in mans soule teaching each man that death it selfe is rather to be suffered then we are to deny any part of fayth and Religion in generall And thus according hereto we find that the Athenians who were Heathens though they did erre touching the particuler obiect herein as worshipping false Gods were most cautelous that no one point should be infringed or violated touching the worshiping of their Gods The like religious seuerity was practised by the Iewes as Iosephus (l) Cont. Apion witnesseth And God himselfe euen in his owne writtē word threatneth that VVho (m) Apo. 22. shall eyther adde or diminish to the booke of the Apocalips written by the Euangelist from him he will take away his part out of the booke of life Now if such dāger be threatned for adding to or taking frō more or lesse thē was set downe by the Euangelist in this one booke how can then both the Catholiks and Protestants haue their names writtē in the booke of life Since it is certaine and granted on all sides that eyther the Catholike addeth more to the fayth of Christ then was by him instituted or the Protestant taketh from the sayd fayth diuers articles which Christ his Apostles did teach But to returne to our former reason From al this we deduce that no points of true Religion are of such cold indifferēcy as that they are not much to be regarded or that they may be maintayned cōtrarywayes by contrary spirits without any danger to mans saluation but that they are of that nature worth dignity as a man is to vndergo all torments yea death it selfe before he yeald or suffer the least relapse in denying any of the sayd verityes 6. The sixt and last reason to proue that the maintayning of false doctrins now questioned betwene the Christians of these tymes are most preiudicial hurtful to the obtaining of our heauēly blisse
death Conradus Schlussenburge a famous Protestant thus writteth Deus (m) In Theolog. Caluinis l. 1. f. 72. manu sua potenti c. God with his mighty hand did visit Caluin for he despaired of his saluation called vpon the Diuels and gaue vp his soule swearing and blaspheming Caluin dyed being eaten away with lice for they so bred about his priuy members that none about him could endure the stench and smell Thus farre the foresayd Protestant 3. Now then seeing all these men beleeued all the fundamentall points of Christian Religion as the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. seeing also they were the most principal men that first introduced and after disseminated Protestancy throughout the world spending their whole liues in spreading defending the same by their writings Finally seeing God did cut them off by such most miserable calamitous and prodigious deaths which is to be feared were but presages of the eternall deaths of their soules who can otherwaies be persuaded but that all this was wrought by the iust hand of God Not so much for their personall sinnes proceeding of humane frailty for there were many others as great sinners as they who haue escaped such dreadfull ends but for their first inuēting maintaining preaching of the Protestant faith and Religion infecting all countreyes with such their false and sensuall doctrines which being granted how then can it with any touche of reason be supposed that the positions of Protestancy impugned by the Catholikes should containe nothing but matters of indifferency Or that a man whether he beleeue them or not beleeue them may alike and indifferently be saued The same proued from the doctrine of Recusancy taught by Catholikes and Protestants CHAP. XII I Haue thought good to draw another argumēt from the common taught and approued doctrine of Recusancy in euery Religion though this head may seeme to haue a speciall reference to the reason aboue touched in part be therin implicitely included wherein is shewed that nature her selfe hath imprinted in the professours of all Religions a religious care punctually to keep preserue euery article of their Religion both in beliefe practise Now here we are to premonish that if in the iudgment of all learned men both Catholikes and Protestants it is thought an action most wicked and vnlawfull and not to be performed but without finall repentance vnder paine of eternall damnation that a man should communicate only in going to the Church to heare but a sermon contrary to that Religion which himselfe beleiueth to be true though this may seeme to be coloured vnder pretence of obseruing the Princes commandements and for feare of loosing our temporall estates I say if this action be thought vnlawfull wherein neuerthelesse the performers therof doe punctually vndertake not to maintaine or to beleeue any one hereticall or erroneous position how then can it be reputed as consonant to reason that men beleiuing different opinions of faith and promiscuously communicating in prayer with a contrary Religion to their owne should neuerthesse all be saued since the first fault consisteth as some would interpret though falsely only in an externall and materiall as the schoolemen speake going to the Church of a different Religion wheras the others do directly and openly sinne in defending articles of Religion contrary to the truth of Christian Religion for such is the case herein either of Catholiks or protestants 2. Now that this kind of going to Church of a different Religion is wholely condemned as most vnlawfull and wicked I first proue from the iudgments of the Protestants secondly from the resolutions of the Catholikes And to begin with the Protestants we find this kind of Recusancy I meane to be present at the sermons or prayers of a different Religion is taught by (a) De vitandis superstitio extant in tract Theolog. p. 584. Caluin by the (b) Alleaged by Sleydan in com englished l. 7. f. 87. Deuines of Germany by (c) In cōcil Theol. p. 628. Melancthon by (d) In his discourse hereof recited in Melanct. treatise de concil Theolog. pa. 934. 635. Peter Martyr and finally to omit others by D. Willet (e) In synops printed 1600. p. 612. 613. c. who for the better fortifying and warranting of the sayd opinion produceth his testimonyes from the authorityes of Latimer Bradford Philpot Ridley and others diuers of which according to this their doctrine suffered death in Queene Maries tyme as appeareth out of Foxes acts and Monuments And thus much for the Protestants That the Catholikes do with the like or greater feruour teach practise this recusancy is cleare by the example in our owne Countrey where since Protestancy was first planted many stores of venerable and learned Priests haue chosen rather to suffer death then they would change their Religion or goe once to the Protestants Church their liues being commonly proferred them if so they would conforme themselues and leaue their recusancy In like sorte many hundred of the laity pay yearely great sommes of money for their recusancy diuers of them enduring further oppressions disgraces and imprisonement only for the same cause through the rigour malice and couetousnes of subordinat Magistrates his maiesty whose clemency is most remarkeable whome God long preserue in his gouernement ouer vs being herein mightily wronged through the false and most iniurious informations of their aduersaryes 3. Now that the doctrine of learned Catholikes is answearable to the practise heerein appeareth from the frequent testimonies of diuers learned men of the Catholike Church of this tyme yet for greater breuity I will insist in the authorityes only of three to wit Cardinall Baronius Cardinall Bellarmine the two late lampes of Gods Church and of Mutius Vitellescus then but Prouinciall now Generall and head of the order of the Iesuits dispersed throughout all Christendome For some yeares past their iudgments being demanded whether the Catholiks of Englād for the sauing of their goods liuings and liberty might goe to the Protestant Church or not to heare a sermon though otherwayes they did not communicate in prayers and sacraments with the Protestants these three learned holy men besides diuers others most eminent Doctours and writers whome I heere omit did giue their negatiue sentence therein whose particuler wordes in latine I haue thought good heere to set downe The iudgment of Cardinall Baronius Visis consideratis quae superius diligenti peruestigatione in vtramque partem disputata reiectis omnino exsufflatis quae pro parte affirmatiua fuere proposita quod scilicet liceret Catholicis adire Ecclesias Haereticorum vt superius sunt proposita inhaeremus saniori sententiae posteriori ab Ecclesia Catholica antiquitus receptae vsu probatae quod scilicet ita facere pijs non liceat quam rogo nostros Catholicos Anglos amplecti ex animo Caesar Card. Baronius tituli SS Nerei Achillei Presb. I hauing seene and
stiling her the pillar and foundation of truth And further it should follow that the Church should thus insufferably erre both in generall Councells as also in the priuate authorities and sentences of all the learned Fathers in the firste times 11. And thus for example the Councell of the Apostles should haue erred (k) Act. 15. in decreeing it vnlawfull to eate in those times blood and strangled meates In like sort the first Councell of Nice (l) Euseb l. 6 hist c. 33. should haue erred in condemning the Quartodecimani for heretikes because they would not keepe Easter day according to the custome of the church The councell of Rome vnder Cornelius for condemning the heresie of the Nouatians who reiected the Sacrament of Pennance as also for condemning the errour of Anabaptisme The councell (m) Vt patet in act 2. of Calchedon for condemning the Heresie of Eutiches and for prohibiting the mariages of Monkes and Virgins and the first Councell of Ephesus (n) Socra l. 7. c. 34. for condemning the heresy of Nestorius both which Heretikes beleiued in the most holy Trinity and acknowledged Christ for their Redeemer The fourth councell of Carthage (o) Can. 79. for sententionally decreeing that prayer and sacrifice for the dead was according to the true faith of Chirst and for pronouncing the denyers therof for Heretikes And finally to omitt other Coūcels the councell of Constantinople (p) Zonaras in vita Constantini Nicephorus l. 17. c. 27 should haue erred for condemning the Heresie of Origen who taught that the Diuels in the end should be saued And thus farre of councels condemning points of seeming indifferency for open wicked heresyes 12. But now graunting that the sayd points as they were houlden by the maintainers of thē were not Heresies that the beleiuers of them might be saued then two maine absurdityes doe ineuitably follow The first is the erring of the whole Church of God in condemning them for heresies they being not Heresies but true doctrines as is said The second the inconsiderate carriadge of the church in these matters For to what purpose or end were all these councells consisting of many hundreds of the most graue and Reuerend men of all christendome celebrated with such labour and trauaile out of all countries and infinite chardges if the doctrines for the impugning resisting condemning wherof they were gathered might be indifferently maintayned and defended on all sides without breach of true faith or danger of saluation The erring of the Church is no lesse manifested in the sentences and condemnation giuen by many of the most ancient famous learned Fathers in the primitiue Church not any one orthodoxall Father contradicting them therein against diuers maintayning opinions that seeme in regard or the Trinity the Incarnation c of small importance if so these opinions be not heresies nor the beleiuers of them Heretikes but men in state of saluation 13. And thus according hereto Florinus though he taught God to be the authour of sinne might be saued In like sort the Heretikes who in S. Hieromes dayes denyed the possibility of the Cōmandements the Manichees who denyed Free-will the Eunomians who taught that only faith did iustify The Aerians who denyed prayer and sacrifice for the dead and tooke away all fasting-dayes Vigilantius who taught that Priests might marry that we ought not pray to Saints Iouinian who helde mariadge to be better then virginity The Donatists who taught the inuisibility of the Church And finally to omit many others for breuity sake The Pelagians who denyed the necessity of Baptisme in Children All these men I say might be saued notwithstanding the former doctrines if so euery one might expect saluation in their Religion And yet we finde that the foresaid men were branded for wicked Heretikes their doctrines for damnable Heresies as in the seauenth chapter aboue is showed by S. Irenaeus S. Hierome S. Epiphanius Philastrius S. Augustine Theodoret and others diuers of these holy Fathers wryting Catalogues of Heresies did place the foresaid doctrines and their authours within the said Catalogues and this they did without any reluctation or gainesaying of any other ancient and learned Father of their tymes 14. From which consideration I do gather that if those opinions were not iustly condemned for heresies and their authours for Heretikes then not only the Church did fondly erre in so great a matter but also the aforesayd alleadged Fathers to wit S. Irenaeus S. Hierome Epiphanius S. Augustine with many such others should deseruedly be reputed for Heretikes for their condemning of true doctrines for heresies and the beleeuers of them for heretikes and on the contrary side Florinus the Maniches the Eunomians Vigilantius Iouinian the Donatists Pelagius and many other such should be accounted for their teaching of true doctrins orthodoxall Fathers and authours and might haue iustly complayned of their insupportable wronges and indignityes proceeding from the pennes of the foresayd Fathers an absurdity which I thinke no man enioying the benefit of his fiue senses will allow And yet the admittance of our Newtralists paradox inauoydably draweth on this inference 15. Another absurdity accompanying the former doctrine is that Heretikes should be true members of Christs church This I deduce For seeing by the consent of all learned men none can be saued but such as be members of Christs Church for otherwayes Turks and Iewes dying in that state might be saued and seeing the foresayd registred doctrines and the authours are condemned for heresies and Heretikes both by the authority of Gods Church and according to the true definitiō of heresy aboue set downe for the foresayd Heretikes made choyce of those their heresies and did maintaine them most frowardly against the whole Church of God not submitting their iudgments to it it must of necessity follow that if those men could be saued then Heretikes continuing Heretikes are members of Christ his Church then which what paradox in it selfe can be accounted more absurde or in the iudgment of learned men more incredible Considering with what acerbity of comportement the Apostles all the orthodoxall learned pious Fathers both in their writings otherwise haue in all ages entertained Heretikes as aboue I haue manifested in the sixth Chapter 16. Againe supposing the truth of the doctrine of the Omnifidians as I may tearme thē yet obserue how repugnant it is to all reason otherwise absurd euen in its owne nature I will heere passe ouer diuers reasons alleadged in the precedent chapter and insist a little in some few of them The first It is certaine that that faith which belieueth some articls yet belieueth not others which are no lesse true such is the faith of our Newtralists is no true supernatural fayth seeing it beleeueth nothing thorough the authority of God his Church both which reueale and propound all articles alike indifferently to al men to be beleeued Now what more crosse to
peculierly ascribed the name Catholike Catholicum (c) Pacianus epis ad SympronianuÌ„ quae est de nomine catholico istud nec Marcionem nec Apellem nec Montanum sumit anthores That fayth is which was prophecyed to be of that dilating and spreading nature as that to it all (d) Isa 2. expouÌ„ded in the English bibles aÌ„no 1576 of the vniuersality of the Church or fayth of Christ Nations shall flow and which shall haue the (e) Psal 2. expounded of the Churches vniuersality by the foresayd English Bibles 1576. end of the earth for its possession from sea (f) Psal 72. to sea beginning (g) Luc. 24. at Hierusalem among al Nations That fayth the Professors wherof shal be a (h) Dan. 2. in which is included the continuance of the churche without interruption Kingdome that shall neuer be destroyed but shall stand for euer contrary to the short currents of all heresies Of which S. Augustine thus writteth Many heresies are allready dead they haue continued their streame as longe as they were able Now they are runne out and their riuers are dryed vp The memory of them that euer they were is scarce extant That faith the members whereof in regard of their euer visible eminency are stiled by the holy Ghost A (i) Psal 57. mountaine prepared in the top of mountaines and exalted aboue all Hilles with reference wherto to wit in respect of the Churches continuall (k) Isa 2. whereby is proued the churches euer visibility visibility the aforesaide S. Augustine coÌ„pareth it to a tabernacle placed in the sunne (l) Tom. 9. in ep Ioan. tra 2. That faith whose vnion in doctrine both among the members therof and with their head is euen celebrated by Gods holy writte since the Church of God is therefore called One (m) Rom. 17. Cant 6. Ioan. 10. which places â—oâ— proue the Churches vnity body one spouse and one sheepe-fould which preuiledge S. Hierome acknowledgeth by his owne submission in these wordes I (n) Epist ad Damae sum do consotiate or vnite my selfe in communion with the chayre of Peter I know the Church to be builded vpon that Rocke whosoeuer doth eate the lambe out of this house is become prophane That faith for the greater confirmation wherof God hath vouchsafed to disioint the setled course of nature by working of diuers stupendious and astonishing miracles according to those wordes of our Sauiour Goe (o) Mat. 10. in which words our Sauiour maketh miracls a marke of true faith or the Churche preach you cure the sicke raise the dead cleanse the leapers cast out Diuels A prerogatiue so powerfull efficacious with S. Augustine that he expressely thus confesseth of himselfe Miracles (p) Tom. 6. contra epist. Manich c. 4. are amongst those other things which most iustly haue houlden me in the Churches bosome To conclude omitting diuers other characters as I may tearme them or signes of the true fayth that fayth which is of that force as to extort testimony and warrant for it selfe euen from its capitall and designed ennemyes answerably to that Our (q) Deut. 32. which words include the confession of the aduersary to be a note of truth God is not as their Gods are our ennemyes an euen witnesses Whereunto the Protestants heerein seeme to yeald since no lesse from their owne (r) This is proued in that Protestants do not rebaptize infants or children of Catholike Parents afore baptized Now these Infants are baptized in the fayth of their parents as all children are by the doctrine of all learned Protestants But if this fayth of Catholike parents be sufficient for the saluation of their children dying baptized therein then much more is it sufficient for the saluation of the Parents themselues since it is most absurd to say that the Catholike fayth of parents should be auaileable for their children or infants dying baptized therein and yet not auayleable for the Parents practise then from their acknowledgement (s) See thereof D. Some in his defence against Penry pag. 182. and D. Couell in his defence of M. Hookers fiue bookes of Ecclesiasticall pollicy pag. 77. in wordes they ascribe to our Roman fayth the hope of saluation To this faith then good Reader with an indubious assent adhere thou both liuing and dying Flye Newtralisme in doctrine as the bane of all Religion Flye Protestancy as the bane of Christs true Religion and say with (t) Epist ad Symphronianum Pacianus Christianus mihi nomen est Catholicus vero cognomen Illud me nuncupat istud me ostendit A Christian is my name a Catholike my surname that doth denominate me this doth demonstrate me The contents of the Chapters THat a man who beleiueth in the Trinity the Incarnation the passion c. and yet beleiueth not al other articles of Christian faith cannot be saued And first of the definition of Heresie and of an Heretike Pag. 9. 2 The foresayd verity proued from the holy Scripture p. 15 3 The same proued from the definition nature and proprietie or vnity of faith pag. 29. 4. The same proued from the want of vnitie in faithe betweene the Catholikes and the Protestants touching the Articles of the Creede And from that that the Catholike Protestant do agree in the beliefe of diuers articles necessarily to be beleeued and yet not expressed in the creed pag. 33. 5. The same made euident froÌ„ the like want of vnity in faith betweene the Catholike and the Protestant in articles necessary to be beleiued and yet not expressed in the creed pag. 48. 6. The same proued from the authority or priuiledge of Gods church in not erring either in her definitions of faith or condemnation of Heresies and first by councells pag. 56. .7 The same proued from the like infallible authority of the church in not erring mainfested from the testimonies of particuler Fathers pag. 67. 8. The foresaid truth euicted from that principle that neither Heretikes nor Schismatikes are members of the church of God pag. 81. 9. The same proued from arguments drawne from reason pag. 90. 10. The same proued from the different effects of catholike Religion and protestancy touching vertue and vice pag. 102. 11. The same verity proued from the fearefull deaths of the first broachers of protestancy pag. 115. 12. The same confirmed from the doctrine of recusancy taught by catholikes and Protestants pag. 118. 13. The same manifested from the writings of the Catholiks and Protestants reciprocally chardging one another with heresy And from the insurrections warres and rebellions begunne only for Religion pag. 126. 14. The same proued from the Protestants mutually condeÌ„ning one another of heresy pag. 13. 15. Lastly the same demonstrated from the many absurditye necessarily accompanying the contrary doctrine pag. 142. 16. The conclusion pag. 165. FINIS
Treatise I haue thought good to entitle it with the words of our Sauiour Qui non credit condemnabitur (e) Marc. 16. He that beleiueth not shal be condemned as being a sentence which best sorteth to the matter here handled and which indeede really though breifly inuolueth in it selfe the truth here discussed The sourse from whence this Libertinisme beleife did take its first emanation and flowing is the contempt of the authority of the Catholike Church for thus reasoneth our Newtralist in Doctrine 4. Both Papists and Protestants doe agree in beleiuing the Trinity the Incarnation the Paession c. but they mainly dissent touching Purgatory Praying to Saints Freewill the sacrifice of the Masse Iustification c. therfore I will embrace and follow that doctrine meaning the doctrin of the Trinity the Incarnation Passion c. and hould it necessary to saluation in which all sides doe agree But since the dissentions and disagreements in Religion are of these secondary lesse principall points to wit Purgatory Praying to Saints c. and since it is impossible that both the Papist and Protestant should teach truly in the said articles for they teach meere contrary doctrines therin And further seeing I haue no more reason to belieue the one side then the other and it is impossible for me to belieue both therfore my resolution is contemning the authority of Gods Church in its definitions of these articles peremptorily to stand to neither but will hold the doctrine of Purgatory Praying to Saints and all other controuerted points of fayth at this day betwene Papists and Protestants matters meerly of indifferency and of that nature as that neyther the true nor false beleife of them can eyther further or hinder a mans saluation Thus disputeth our Newtralist And thus whilest he wil be of all Religions he wil be of no Religion Then which as if Religion were only but an intentionall and no reall name or word what can be inuented more impious and Atheistical in it selfe more repugnant to sacred scriptures more crosse to the practice of all antiquity and as herafter shal be proued more adueise to all naturall reason so dangerous it is for a Christian once to dismember himselfe by pertinacy of iudgmeÌ„t from the Church of Christ and so truly is verified of such a man that sentence of Optatus Deserta (f) Lib. contra Parmentan matre Catholica impij filij dum foras excurrunt se separant errando rebelles abscedunt Our mother the Catholike Church being once forsaken her wicked children do goe out and depart from her and thus being become Rebells through erring do hyde themselues Thus we see how these all reconciling Omnifidians doe carry themselues who through the pretended immensity of their pretended charity forsooth can promise saluations to al Religions and who seeke to introduce a peace into Gods Church by compounding al controuersies of faith farre more dangerous then are the warres contentions of Heretikes 5. Now seeing all such men make no more accompt of diuersity of Religions then others doe of wearing suits of apparrel of different coulours and seeing by such their lukewamenes in matters of faithe they seeme to be all Laodiceans therfore wee may asure our selues that the commination and threat denounced against the Church of Laodicea registred by the (g) Apoc. cap. 3. Euangelist shall without finall repentance fall vpon them Because thou art lukewarme and neither colde nor hot I will vomit thee out of my mouth But good Reader as vnwilling to transgresse the accustomed limits of a preface I will detaine thee noe longer only I haue thought good to put thee in mind and so to end with the sentence and iudgment of Saint Augustine passed vpon the Pelagians as for some delibation and tast of the subiect herafter handled who beleeued in the Trinity in Christ and his Passion were men of moral and honest conuersation yet for houlding that only by the force of nature without the assistaunce of Gods grace a man was able to exercise vertue and flye vice a point no more fundamentall theÌ„ most of the controuersies betweene the Catholikes and the Protestants they are registred for Heretikes by the saide S. Augustine consequently not to be in state of Saluation his words (h) Epist. 129. â—37 are these Nec tales sunt Pelagiani quos facile contemnas sed continenter viuentes atque in bonis operibus laudabiles nec falsum Christum sed vnum verum equalemque patri coeter num veraciterque hominem factum venisse credentes venturum expectantes sed tamen ignorantes Dei iustitiam suam coÌ„stituere volentes Heretici sunt In English thus Neither are the Pelagians such men as are easily to be contemned for they doe liue continently and are laudable for their good workes They further doe belieue not in a false Christ but in one true Christ who is equall coeternall with his father and who was truly made man They beleeue that he is allready come and they expect him hereafter to come yet because they are ignorant of the iustice of God and would make it their owne iustice meaning because they taught it might be obtained by their owne naturall force therfore they are Heretikes Thus farre Sainct Augustine with whome I end leauing thee Good Reader to the deliberate and studious perusall of these ensuing leaues and intreating most earnestly the praiers of all good Catholikes for the remission of my manifould and infinite sinnes and for an happy houre of the dissolution of my ould and decaied body Your soules well-wishing friend William Smith QVI NON CREDIT CONDEMNABITVR MARC 16. That a man who belieueth in the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. and yet beleeueth not all other articles of Christian Faith cannot be saued And first of the definition of Heresy and an Heretike CHAP. I. BEFORE we come Good Reader to dispute particulerly of the subiect of this discourse I hould it most conuenient in place of a short Prologomenon or Preface to prefixe and set downe the true definition of Heresy or an Heretike since this method wil giue light to the whole ensuing Treatise and wil best manifest what opinions be Heresies and what men Heretikes and consequently seeing heresy is incompatible with saluation cannot stand with the purchase of heauen will demonstrate that not any one Religion professinge the name of Christians though it maintaineth but one heresy can iustly promise to it selfe the hope of saluation or eternall life Well then Heresy or Heresis as we tearme it in latine is a greek word signifying as much as Electio Election or choyce comming of the greeke Verb aireo in latin Eligo to choose or make choice of So as this word Haeresis originally and primatiuely signifyeth election or choice as is sayd in generall yet because they who deuide themselues by maintayning false opinions from the Church of Christ doe make choyce of these their
the hearers From which it euidently followeth that these Heretikes continuing and dying in the foresayd heresy could not be saued since that fayth which erreth from the truth and which subuerteth the true fayth of others and which in killing and destroying the soule resembleth a Canker cannot afford saluation to its Professors 8. Another passage which heere I will vrge is that of S. Iohn who calleth certaine Heretiks Anti-Christs saying Now (m) 1. Ioan. c. 2. there ate become many Anti-Christs who went out of vs but were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they had remayned with vs. These Heretikes belieued in the Trinity in the Incarnation of Christ that he dyed for the saluation of the whole world only they erred touching the person and natures of Christ and yet they are figuratiuely styled Anti-Christs and are sayd to departe out of the church of Christ But no saluation is reserued for Anti-christs such as departe from the Church of God And thus much out of Gods holy writ expresly touchinge Heretikes in general and in particuler 9. To these Texts I will adioyne though not immediatly and directly ranged vnder the former head a place in S. Peter in my iudgment most vnanswerable and by necessary inference euicting the point heere vndertaken The place is those wordes in the 2. epistle of S. Peter cap. 3. where he sayth thus In the Epistles of Paul there are certaine thinges hard to be vnderstood which the vnlearned and vnstable do peruert vnto their owne destruction Now here I thus argue But these things hard to be vnderstood in S. Pauls epistle do not concerne the doctrine of the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. and yet the misvnderstanding of them doth cause as the Text sayth the destruction that is the damnation of these who misunderstand them therefore farre lesser points then the denyall of the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. doe iustly threaten to the false belieuers of them damnation and consequently that a bare beliefe of those supreme points are not only necessary to saluation 10. That those difficulties in S. Pauls epistles intimated by Sainct Peter doe not concerne the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. I proue seuerall wayes first because S. Peter maketh no such mention which no doubt he would haue done if the subiect of them had touched only those supreme mysteries and were not to be extended to other inferiour points 11. Secondly it is acknowledged by the commentaries and writings of all the fathers besides that the epistles themselues showe no lesse that Saint Paul is most euident and cleare in all his epistles touching the Trinity the Incarnatiō the Passion c. and therfore there is no reason why the difficultyes in them should be applied to those articles muchlesse restrained to them alone 12. Thirdly the Fathers do vnderstand those difficultyes in Saint Pauls epistles insinuated by Saint Peter cheifly touching Iustification as appeareth by the testimony euen of S. Augustine himselfe in his booke de fide operibus lib. 12. who particulerly instanceth in that place 1. Cor. 3. If any man builde vpon this foundation golde siluer c. Which Text treateth of Iustification and works and expressely saith (n) Lib. de fide operibus cap. 15 16. that this is one of the difficult passages intended and meant by Saint Peter With whome Saint Hierome may seeme wel to agree who in those worden Epistola ad Romanos Nimijs (o) Epist. ad Algasiain quest 8. in epist ad Rom. obscuritatibus inuoluta est Intimateth no lesse for it is found that the epistle to the Romans most intreateth of Iustification and of faith and workes Fourthly and lastly the Protestants themselues doe vnderstand the said obscurities of Saint Pauls epistles touching Iustification as appeareth to omit the testimonies of all others herin from the wordes and comment of M. Doctor Fulke against the Rhemists Testament vpon the foresaid place of S. Peter and thus far of this text where we find by an ineuitable deduction that a false faith touching Iustification only cānot stand with saluation 13. The same is proued from the definition and propriety of faith In this place we will take into our consideration the definition of fayth set down by S. Paul secondly the dignity worth of faith much celebrated by diuers of the Apostles thirdly the inseparable propriety of fayth which is vnity for so doth the Scripture delineate and describe fayth from all which it will ineuitably follow that the fayth which saueth man is not to be restrayned only to the Trinity the Incarnation and other such sublime points of Christian Religion though in other points it be erroneous but is extended to all other pointes whatsoeuer which the Church of God propoundeth to be belieued 14. And to beginne with the definition of fayth giuen by the Apostle he thē defineth fayth thus Fayth (p) Heb. cap. 11. is the substance of thinges to be hoped for the argument of thinges not appearing The sense whereof is this first that fayth through an infallible certainty causeth those thinges to subsist and haue a being in the mind of man which thinges are yet to come being but hoped and looked for secondly that fayth causeth the vnderstanding to giue assent to those points which it vnderstandeth not acknowledging them to be more certaine then any thinges whatsoeuer according to those wordes of S. Thomas Multo magis (q) ◠2. q. 4. a. 8. homo certior est de eo quod audiuit a Deo qui falli non potest quam de eo quod videt propria ratione quae falli potest Now heere I trust no man will deny but the Apostle defineth that fayth of a Christian which saueth him This being graunted for to deny it were both impious in the denyer and most iniurious to the Apostle we are to remember the nature of euery true definition set downe by the Logitians to wit as is aboue mentioned that the thing defined and the definition be of one and the same extent and latitude so as whatsoeuer is comprehended vnder the definition the same is also contayned vnder the thing defined This then being presupposed by force of all reason for Logicke is but an artificiall and seruiceable handmayd vnto reason we find that this definition of fayth compriseth in it selfe not only the doctrine of the Incarnation the Trinity and the like and this not articulately but only by way of deduction but also it contayneth al secondary points of Religiō seeing the former definition doth predicate or may be sayd of all the sayd secondary lesse principall points of Religion controuerted betweene Christians at any tyme. 15. Therfore the thing heere defined which is the sauing fayth of a Christian is in like sort to extend it selfe to all the sayd secondary pointes of Religion how indifferent soeuer they seeme in mans iudgment This inference is so demonstratiue being
that this remission of sinnes is performed when the soule by a true and inherent iustice and by infused guifts of God enioyeth a renouation of her selfe and therby becommeth truly iust in the sight of God the Protestants disallowing all inherent iustice doe only acknowledge an imputatiue (a) Kemnitius in exam Concil trid Caluin l. 3. instit c. 11. iustice or righteousnes which consisteth in that the iustice of Christ is as they teach only imputed vnto sinners so as wee remaine still sinners though sinnes be not imputed vnto vs through the iustice of Christ a doctrine most iniurious to the most meritorious passion and death of Christ Thus haue wee runne ouer the articles of the creede from whence wee collect that seeing as is aboue intimated he only belieueth auaileably truly the creede who belieueth it in that sence in which the Apostles did wryte it seeing there are meere different or rather contrary constructions of each article giuen by the Catholikes and Protestants so that if that construction of the Catholiks be true it followeth necessarily that the other of the Protestants befalse or contrarywise We may therefore ineuitably conclude that it is not sufficient to saluation for any one to say that he belieueth the creede who belieueth the words of it in generall without restrayning them to any peculier construction giuen eyther by the Catholikes or Protestants except he belieue it in that one particuler sence and none other which was intended by the holy Ghost when it was first framed by the Apostles 11. Now in this next place we are to demonstrate that graunting for a tyme by an Hypotesis or supposall that a man did beleeue the articles of the creed in their true sense or construction yet followeth it not that this beliefe though it be necessary were sufficient alone for a man to obtaine his saluation thereby and the reason heerof is because it is most certaine that there are diuers points of Christian Religion houlden necessarily to be beleeued in the iudgment both of Catholikes and Protestants accordingly are beleeued ioyntly both by Catholikes and Protestants and yet the sayd points are not contayned or expressed in the Creed Among others I will insist in these following 12. First That there are certaine diuine wrytinges of infallible authority penned by the holy Ghost which we commonly call the Scriptures of the oulde new Testament of which Testament we find no mentiō in the Creed and yet all men are bound vnder payne of damnation to beleeue that such wrytinges there are since otherwayes abstracting from the authority of the Church there were not sufficient meanes left to beleeue that it were a sinne to breake any of the ten Commandements or which is more that Christ Iesus was the true Sauiour of the world 13. Secondly That there are spirituall substances which we call Angels which now enioy the most happy sight of God and that many thousands of them did fall presently after their creation and are become those malignant spirits which vsually are tearmed Diuells 14. Thirdly That there is any materiall place of Hell where the wicked are tormented of which wee find nothing in the Creed in the iudgment of Protestants for although the word Hell be mentioned in that article He descended into Hell yet by the worde Hell the Graue is vnderstood by most of the Protestants 15. Fourthly That the paines of the damned shal be for all eternity and not for a certaine tyme only 16. Fifthly That Adam did presently vpon his creation fall from the grace of God and thereby transferred Originall sinne vpon all mankind So as by reason of his fall all men are borne in Originall sinne 17. Sixthly That the world was once drowned for sinne which innundation is commonly called Noës floode 18. Seueanthly That our Sauiour whilest he conuersed heere vpon earth did many miracles 19. Eightly That S. Iohn Baptist was our Sauiours Precursor or forerunner and that our Sauiour did chose to him certaine men for his Apostles which did first preach and plante the Christian fayth through out the whole world 20. Ninthly That Circomcision is now forbidden as a thing most vnlawfull and vngodly 21. Tenthly That there are any sacraments of the new Testament instituted by Christ for the spirituall good of mans soule 22. Eleuenthly That before the ending of the world Antichrist shall come who shall be a designed ennemy of Christ so as he shall labour to subuert and ouerthrow all Christian Religion 23. These points besides some others all Christians aswell Protestants as Catholikes do beleeue and doe hould that the beliefe of these points is necessary to saluation and yet not any one of all these articles is expressed or set downe in the Apostles Creed whence I conclude that the Apostles Creed cannot be a sufficient boundary to containe and limit an auaileable fayth For what hope can that man haue of his saluatiō who beleeueth that there are neither any diuine Scripture nor any Decalogue commonly called the ten Commandements nor that Christ did worke any miracles nor that he instituted any Sacraments nor that there is any place of hell for the damned nor finally to omit the rest that there is any eternity of punishment 24. And heere I am to premonish the Reader that it is no sufficient answere to reply that most of al the foresayd points are expressed in the Scripture and therefore are to be beleeued this I say auaileth not seeing heere I dispute against those who maintaine with wounderfull pertinacity of iudgment that it is sufficient to saluation to beleeue only the articles nothing els which are contayned in the Creed but not any of the former articles are contayned therein Againe seeing to beleeue that there are any diuine Scriptures is not expressed in the Creed it conduceth nothing to the answering of this our argument to say that the forementioned articles are proued out of Scripture and therfore are to be beleeued 25. Neither secondly can the force of our sayd argument be auoyded in replying that al the former articles are implicitly comprehended in that article I beleeue the holy Church because the Church teacheth that all these articles are to be beleeued this is no warrantable answere by reason that as these may be reduced to this article of the Creed so also may al other points controuerted betweene the Catholikes and the Protestants be in like manner reduced to the sayd article seeing the Church of God setteth downe what is the truth what is to be beleeued in the sayd Controuersyes binding her children vnder payne of damnation aswell to beleeue the truth in the Cōtrouersyes of our dayes as to beleeue the former articles mentioned which are not expressed in the Creed And yet these our Newtralists in Religiō who make the creed the sole square of their faith do not thinke that those questions of Religion insisted vpon betweene Catholikes and the Protestants are in beleeuing or not beleeuing of
reason then that a bare opinion not relying vpon any supernaturall grounds as hauing neither God for its Reuealer nor the Church for its propounder conceaued only through moral inducements therefore euer standing obnoxious to errour and mistaking should be able to purchase eternall saluation to mans soule 17. Againe how aduerse is it to all true iudgment to auerre that it is no preiudice or hinderance to mans saluation to beleeue those principle of Religion which teach aduance all liberty sensuality in conuersation and manners do depresse and disparadge all chastity fasting voluntary pouerty keeping of the commandements all rigorous and painefull workes and labours of vertue piety and mortification For it is most contradictory in the very tearmes and no lesse repugnāt to Gods sacred word that that doctrine which transferreth (x) Iud◠vers 4. the grace of God into wantonnes should be accounted the (y) Mat. 7. Luc. 13. strict way which leadeth vnto life 18. Furthermore can it be conceaued as sorting to Gods most mercifull proceeding with man that he should cut off the liues of those mē with most feareful sodaine prodigious deaths who first broached the doctrines of Protestancy if the sayd doctrines had eyther bene true in thēselues or at least of that coldnes or indifferency as that they might stand with the soules saluation No God is iust and withall mercifull therefore neuer extraordinarily punisheth but for extraordinary sinnes poore men that these were who compare as it should seeme both in the diuulging of their mendacious and lyinge doctrines as also in their vnexpected and sodaine death with the false Prophets of (z) 3. Regum Achab. 9. But to hasten to an end in the ennumeration of the Absurdities following the foresaid paradox of saluation in euery Religion and to come to that which within its owne lardgnes inuolueth many improbabilities For if Catholikes and Protestants notwithstanding the disparity of their fayth can both attaine to Heauen in vaine then is the doctrine of recusancy taught ioyntly on both sides and in vaine haue so many sortes of Reuerend and learned Preists others of the laity in our owne Country whose blessed soules I beseech to pray to God dayly for the remission of my many sinnes suffred cruell deaths in the late Queenes raigne only because they refused to present themselues to the sermons of the Protestants but they are gone most happely gone since Clauis (a) Tert. de prescr Paradisi sanguis Martyrum In vaine likewyse these later yeares haue diuers lay persons endured contrary to his Maiesties naturall inclination most prone to mercy and commiseration great losses disgraces and imprisonements only for the same cause But who can thinke that learned men should be so prodigall of their liues and blood and English Catholikes so insensible of their temporall states children and posterity as that they would willfully precipitate and cast themselues into those miseries only for not beleeuing and exercising points of indifferency such as may stand with their soules eternall happines In vaine also then haue the learned men on both sides spent out their whole liues in defending each man his owne Religion in their most paineful and voluminous bookes writtings if so they dissented one from another in matters of such supposed small importance Finally in vaine and without iust cause therefore most cruelly haue many forren states in Christendome imposed proscriptions bannishments and other insupportable disgraces to such of their owne subiects as will not imbrace their owne doctrine and Religion though both sides did conspire and agree in the fundamentall points of faith In vaine also both in former times and at this present haue there beene are such Insurrection of subiects against their Princes such bloody implacable warres betweene absolute Princes themselues such deuastation depopulation of whole Countries such mayne battells feilds fought with losse of diuers hundred thousands liues and lastly such incessant vninterrupted beseiging takinge of great Citties and townes with effusion for the most part of much innocent blood of weomen and children and all this originally and principally for matter of Religion I say in vaine most iniuriously haue all these attempts and actions beene vndertaken if the disagreement in Religiō for which they are vndertaken between Catholikes Protestants were of that reconcileable nature as that the professours on both sides notwithstanding their diuersity of faith might ioyntly be saued 20. What can we now reply hereto in behalfe of our Newtralists Shall we say that the most learned men of all Religions the Kings Princes States and all their subiects of all Christendome were and still are actually madd and out of their senses in managing these their deplorable attemptes for Religion and that our all reconciling and peaceable Newtralists who through his pliable sterne of disposition in these spirituall matters is become in kindred as aboue is touched of the halfe blood with the Atheist and who is commonly deprehended to want learning grace and vertue is peculiarly enlightened by God in setting downe what articles of fayth are only necessary to mans saluation and what are to be reputed but as accessary and of smaller importance To such straites we see is the defence of the former doctrine driuen vnto Seeing therefore this doctrine of our Omnifidians or Nullifidians for indeed while they seeme to allow all Religions they take away all Religion is encompassed on all sides with so many notorious absurdityes as are displayed in this Chapter seeing it cannot be true except there be a retrogradation of all matters heere on earth and a turning of the world as they say vpside downe that is except the most learned become most madd and the most ignorant most wise And except truth in doctrine be necessarily to be accompanyed with infinite grosse absurdityes and errour and falsehood fortifyed and countenaunced with store of proofes both diuine humane as if God did purposely lay trappes to ensnare mans iudgment Therefore since such comportement and carriage of things is not sutable and correspondent to Gods prouidence and charity towardes mankind let euery man who thinketh he hath a soule to saue or loose vndoubtedly assure himselfe that there is but one true fayth or religion wherein he may auayleably expect saluation and that this fayth of Christ wherewith the soule is clothed is like to the inconsutible garment of Christ both being incapable of diuision renting or partition 21. Now for the greater illustration of this point by way of similitude and as tending towards the closure of this treatise Imagine that a man pretendeth right and title to certaine lands and taketh aduise of all the learned Lawyers and Counsailours of the whole Realme to whome he showeth all his euidences of which some do cary a title only in grosse and in general others proue a more particuler and more restrayned right to the sayd lands Imagine further that