vnwritten tradition or customes commended or ratified by the supposed infallibility of any visible Church That Ecclesiastical Tradition which Vincentius Lirinensis so much commends did especially consist in the Confessions or registers of particular Churches Now the vnanimous consent of so many seuerall Churches as exhibited their Confessions to the Nicene Councell being not dependent one of another not ouerswayed by authority nor misled by faction to frame the Confessions of their faith by imitation or according to some patterne set them but voluntarily and freely exhibiting such Confessions as had beene framed and taught before these controuersies arose was a pregnant argument to any vnpartiall vnderstanding man that this faith wherein they all agreed had beene deliuered vnto them by the Apostles and their followers by the first planters of the Churches thus agreeing a pregnant argument likewise that these first planters had beene inspired and taught by one and the same Spirit Each particular Church was a competent or authentike witnesse of euery other Churches integrity and fidelity in seruando depositum in carefull preseruing the truth committed to their speciall trust On the contrary in that Arius Eutyches Nestorius and other heretikes did obtrude such constructions of scriptures vpon their Auditors as had no where beene heard of before but sprung vp with themselues or from the places wherein they liued this was an argument more then probable that if the Apostles had deliuered the whole forme of wholesome doctrine vnto posteritie a point questioned by no Church in those times these men or the particular Churches which abetted them had not kept the doctrine deliuered vnto them by our Sauiour and his Apostles but had corrupted or defiled it with the idle fancies of their owne braines or with the muddy conceit of their discontented passions To speake more briefly though perhaps more fully The vnanimous consent of so many distinct visible Churches as exhibited their seuerall Confessions Catechismes or Testimonies of their owne and their forefathers faith vnto the foure first oecumenicall Councels was an argument of the same force and efficacie against Arius and other heretikes for whose conuiction these Councels were called as the generall consent and practice of all Nations in worshipping some Diuine power or other hath beene in all ages against the Atheists Nothing besides the ingraffed notion of a Deitie or diuine power could haue inclined so many seuerall Nations so much different in naturall disposition in ciuill discipline and education to affect or practice the dutie of adoration Nothing besides the euidence of truth deliuered vnto the Christian world by Christ and his Apostles could haue kept so many seueral Churches as communicated their Confessions vnto the Councell of Nice and Ephesus c. in the vnitie of the same faith 4 Howbeit this vnanimous Tradition Ecclesiasticke was not in these times held for any proper part of the Rule of faith but alleadged onely as an inducement to incline the hearts of such as before acknowledged the written word for the onely Rule of faith to beleeue that the interpretations or decisions of those Councels did containe the true sense and meaning of the Rule acknowledged by all So that the written Tradition which Vincentius so much commends was not by the Nicene Councell vsed to any such purpose as the Romanist now vse vnwritten Traditions The onely vse of it was to direct the present Church in her examination of the Catholike truth or points of faith The chiefe authority which the visible Church then challenged did consist in the vnanimous consent of Ecclesiasticke Tradition and that as was said before but an inducement to imbrace the interpretations of the present Church and reiect the interpretations of vpstart heretikes 5 But was it a receiued truth in these Primitiue times or a truth acknowledged by Vicentius the pretended patron of Roman Catholike Tradition that the ioynt consent of so many Bishops as were assembled in the first Councell of Nice or the ioynt Confessions of so many seuerall Diocesses as were then deliuered to that Councell should vnto the worlds end continue an argument or inducement of like force or validitie as it then was either for establishment of the Canons which succeeding Councels should make or for condemning such opinions as with the consent of as many or more Bishops as were there assembled should be condemned for heresies No the same Vincentius hath giuen posteritie a Caueat as full of wisedome as of religion in some cases not to admit of his former admonition concerning the triall of Catholike faith either for refelling heresies or for establishing of the truth The limitation of his former admonition is in his owne words thus As for ancient and inueterate heresies they are not in any wise to bee refuted by the former method because continuance of time after heresies be once set on foot may afford Heretikes many opportunities of stealing Truth out of the writings of the Ancient or for exchanging orthodoxall antiquity with prophane nouelties Now what opportunities of falsification did these 800. yeeres last past affoord which the Romane church was not alwaies ready to take The opportunities afforded by dissolution of the Romane Empire and variance of christian Kings first made the Romane Cleargie such sacrilegious Thieues as Vincentius supposeth any opportunitie may make heretikes to be And the Romane church being flesht with the spoile of Christs flocke and christian churches through the West haue not beene wanting vnto themselues in deuising new opportunities in coyning a new art of falsifying Antiquitie of stealing the consent and suffrages of the christian world from orthodoxall and primitiue truth So that if this controuersie may be examined and discussed by Vincentius his rules since the first acknowledgment of the Popes supremacie since the making of Edicts for the acknowledging of it since the exemption of Clarkes from royall or ciuill iurisdiction all the written testimonies or vnwritten traditions which the children of the Romish church doe or can rake together are voyd in law and voyd in conscience there is not so much as one legall single Testimony but all are as a multitude of false and illegall witnesses of parties or conspirators in their owne cause 6 But although heresies of long standing continuance cannot be refuted nor may not be assaulted in Vincentius his iudgement by the former method that is by multitude of suffragants or ioynt consent of seuerall Prouinces is there therefore no other meanes left to conuince them no way left to eschew them yes we may eschew them saith he as already condemned by ancient and orthodoxall Councels or we may conuince them so it be needfull or expedient by the sole authority of Scriptures Now if the Scriptures be sufficient to conuince heresies of long continuance or long standing and to confute such heretikes as want neither wit will nor opportunitie to falsifie ancient records and imprint traditions of their owne coyning with inscriptions of Antiquity I hope the same Scripture was
Church visible or representatiue did first incroach vpon the royall Attributes of the holy Catholike and Apostolike Church For what causes Christians may separate thewselues or suffer themselues to be separated from any visible Church whereof they were sometimes members 111 15. That our Forefathers separation from the Romish Church was most lawfull and iust both in respect of Prince and State and in respect of euery priuate person which feared God or sought to retaine the holy Catholike and Apostolike Faith 118 SECTION III. The visible Church of England retaines the holy Catholike faith which the Romish Church hath defiled 16. That our Chvrch was in the Romish Church before Luthers time and yet in it neither as a visible Church altogether distinct from it nor as any natiue member of it 139 17. That men may be visible members of the holy Catholike and Apostolike Church and yet no actuall members of any present visible Church 149 18. In what sense it may bee granted that the visible Romish Church at the time of our forefathers separation from it was a true Church and yet withall the Synagogue of Sathan the seate of Antichrist and common sinke of heresies 160 19 Whether our Forefathers in separating themselues or suffering themselues to be separated from the Romish Church did any otherwise then Gods Prophets or our Sauiours Disciples had their case and opportunity beene the same would haue done 170 20. Whether the name Catholike can in good earnest bee pleaded or pretended for an vnseparable marke of the true visible Church 21. That the title of Catholike is proper and essentiall vnto the faith professed by the present visible Church of England but cannot truely be attributed to the Faith or Creede of the moderne visible Romish Church 180 22. Of the adinuentions or new Articles added to the Creede by the Romish Church by which shee hath defiled the Holy Catholike and Apostolike faith Of the difference betwixt the Church of Rome and the Church of England concerning the rule of faith What that ecclesiasticke tradition was which Vincentius Lirâ—nensis so much commendeth to what vse it serued in the ancient Councels 185 23. Of the agreement betweene the Enthusiast or some non-conformitants to the Church of England and the Romish Church concerning the manner how the Spirit of truth as they suppose doth lead men into all truth That the true sense of scripture is as determinable by light of reason and rules of art as the conclusions of any other sciences or faculties are A generall suruey of the depraued or more then hereticall or heathenish infidelity of the moderne Romish Church 195 Errata Page 80 lin penult for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A TREATISE of the Holy Catholique Faith and CHVRCH IN the Exposition of the Apostles Creed a worke vndertaken by me long agoe I did sequester foure points from the body of that intended worke now almost finished The first was the doctrine of the holy blessed Trinitie which I reserued for the last part of my labours to be set downe by way of prayer or Soliloquies as being an argument in my iudgement both then and now more fit for meditation then for controuersie or Scholasticke discourse The second point was the Article of the holy Catholike Church The Third the Communion of Saints The fourth the Forgiuenesse of sinnes Points which I knew not how to handle in that ranke and order as they are propounded vnto vs in the Creede without manifest interruption of my intended method which I indeauoured should be continuate each latter part immediately issuing out of the former Nor could I finde a commodious entrance into the Article of Christs comming to iudge as well the dead as the liuing before I had treated of the resurrection of the dead Nor could I finish what I had to say or what was to bee said concerning the last Iudgement it selfe without some explication of the sentence to be awarded and that is life euerlasting to all true beleeuers and euerlasting death to the disobedient and vnbeleeuers So then the articles of the holy Catholique Church of the Communion of Saints of the forgiuenesse of sinnes haue beene out of choice and intended method left altogether vntouched reserued for peculiar Treatises CHAP. I. That it is easier to oppose than to answer a Romanist in this Argument of the Church The Authors method for meeting with wrangling Sophismes FIrst then of the Holy Catholique Church An Argument fitting for these times being specially insisted vpon and inlarged by Priests and Iesuites to our preiudice they well perceiuing their intricate disputes and sophisticall discourses in this point to bee the only net which Peters pretended successors haue left them for catching silly vncatechized soules or for intangling men of deepe vnderstanding but of deeper discontent or dislike with their present Gouernours or Dispensers of preferment For vnto men either not misled by discontented passion or otherwise not vncapable of sound reason it might easily appear that there is no heresie at this day maintained in Christendome at least so generally which doth either so highly offend God and his Christ or so grieuousty disturb the publike peace of Christs Church or so desperately indaÌ„ger the soul of euery one that subscribes vnto it as this heresie concerning the transcendent Authoritie of the visible Romish Church Howbeit I must confesse it is a great deale easier to discouer their blasphemies refute their heresies to pittie the stupiditie of some or to deride the petulancie or rashnesse of others then to auoide the contrary errors into which some reformed Writers of good note haue fallen some through meere eagernesse of opposition others through weakenesse and want of Arts. And no maruell for there is nothing which sooner or faster leades Artists themselues into errour than identitie of names or words including in them diuersitie of significations or importances The diuers significations of one and the same word may be either equiuocall or analogicall or a medly of both Be the diuersitie of this or that kinde or of what kinde it may bee vntill the difference betwixt them be exactly notified or vnfolded by some commodious distinction or artificiall explication they are apt to bring forth seeds of such endlesse quarrels betwixt controuersie-writers as grounds and tenements not well bounded or suruaide alwaies breede betwixt greedy and wrangling neighbours As in the one case each man is prone to trespasse vpon his neighbours possession so in the other each seuerall signification or importance is alwaies incroaching vpon the attributes or prerogatiues which most properly appertaine to some other more prime and principall Now there is no word or terme vsed either in any scientificall morall or popular discourse which hath so many so much different significations or importances as the word Church hath whether we take it in the Greeke Latine or English For preuenting the inconueniences whereunto the multiplicity and diuersitie of its significations or
parallel betwixt the Apostle and the Prophet is this After the Evangelical Prophet had written the historie of Christs passion in the 53. chapter he presently sets down that invitation of the new Ierusalem pre-figured by Sarah and her barrennesse to take vp old Hannahs Song Reioyce ô barren thou that didst not beare breake forth into singing and cry aloud thou that didst not trauell with child for more are the children of the desolate then the childrē of the maried wife saith the Lord. Enlarge the place of thy tent let thē stretch forth the curtains of thine habitatiōs spare not lengthē thy coards strengthen thy stakes For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left thy seed shal inherit the Gentiles make the desolate cities to be inhabited Isa 54. v. 1 2 3. The Apostle immediately after his explication of the former Allegory Gal. 4.27 takes vp the first part of the Prophets song by way of testimony or confirmation of his doctrine But Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the mother of vs all For it is written Reioyce thou Barren that bearest not c. CHAP. XI Of the consonancie betweene the promulgation of the old Testament and the New Of the opposition between the Law and the Gospell or betweene the old Testament and the new The explication of the Apostles argument Heb. 9. ver 13 14. 1 BVt when did the Church or spouse of Christ or children of the new Testament first take vp this ioyfull song whereunto the Prophet did invite her Immediately vpon our Sauiours death and resurrection No these were the dayes of the Churches widowhood wherein she sate for a while destitute and comfortlesse and wherein her womb was shut vp from bearing children The Apostles themselues had as little strength as Abraham had to beget or Sarah had to bring forth children vnto God vntill they were indued with power from aboue The new Ierusalem did not descend like a glorious bride from Heaven vntill the bridegroome her Lord had ascended from earth to heauen in glory But within ten daies after the Holy Ghost came down vpon the Apostles and disciples in visible shape in token that Christs Church was now betrothed vnto him this was as the solemnization of the Mariage And whereas for fifty daies after our Sauiours resurrection wee doe not read of one soule more then their owne begotten to God by the Apostles and Disciples there were added vpon the fiftieth day three thousand soules vnto the new Ierusalem or visible Church and euery day after such as should bee saued And these being dispersed throughout euery Nation vnder heaven did propagate the seed increasing and multiplying much faster then the Israelites did in Egypt The songs of ioy foretold by Esaias the Prophet were taken vp by these sonnes of the new Ierusalem whilest they were filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speake with other tongues as the spirit gaue them vtterance Acts 2. ver 4. God gaue his Law vpon Mount Agar or Sinai fiftie dayes after the Israelites were deliuered out of Aegypt and fiftie dayes after the deliuerance of his people from the bondage of sin and Sathan the same Lord proclaimes his Gospel or new Couenant vpon Mount Sion in Ierusalem the Metropolis or royall seat of Abraham or Dauids seed The visible Ierusalem from Davids time till Christs is as the middle terme of proportion betweene the Law and the Gospell that is the same proportion which the Law as opposed vnto the Gospell or which Agar with her children had vnto Abrahams of-spring by Sarah in respect of ciuill freedome or of emblematicall or typicall preheminences the like proportion had Abrahams of-spring by Sarah or the visible Ierusalem in her greatest glory vnto the new Ierusalem after the Holy Ghost had descended vpon the Apostles and such as were in their times conuerted vnto Christ And as the Law being giuen vpon Mount Agar did emblematically import a kind of ciuill seruitude vnto such as did adhere vnto it whilest it stood in opposition to the Gospell so the Gospell being promulged in the visible Ierusalem did betoken the spiritual freedome of all such as abandoning the Law did embrace it 2 Of the difference or agreements betwixt the Law and the Gospell or which is all one betwixt the old Testament and the new I shall haue occasion to treat elsewhere For this time it shall suffice in a word to aduertise that the old Testament and the new are sometimes compared and considered by sacred Writers tanquam includens inclusum as the Huske and the Graine The Gospell before Christs time was in the Law as the corne new set in the eare And the Law and the Gospell or the two Testaments thus considered are rather one thē two at least there is an vnity of subordination betwixt them Vnto such as vsed the old Testament as they ought onely as an Introduction to the new there was indeed but one Testament For as the Schooles speake vbi vnum propter aliud ibi vnum tantùm The same Testaments may be sometimes considered as abstracted or seuered each from other Thus the Gospell or new Testament since our Sauiours death and resurrection is become as pure corne threshed and winnowed The old Testament or the Law thus seuered from it remaines onely as the chaffe or huske If we thus consider the Law or old Testament as the Iewes imbrace it that is altogether seuered from the new to which alone wee Christians adhere by faith they are not onely two but two opposites or contraries The Iewes appetitus caninus or womanish longing after the Law and our constant adherence to the Gospell thus opposed vnto the Law as pure corne vnto the putrified chaffe or huske breeds a kinde of Antipathie betweene vs. For such as is our seuerall food and nourishment such our seuerall dispositions are Wee feed vpon the pure corne or rather vpon the bread of life it selfe cleansed from all branne the Iew onely vpon the chaffe or huske and his religion is as loathsome to vs as swines flesh is to him See Philip. 3. vers 7 8 9. 3 This opposition or subordination betweene the legall or Euangelicall Testament will further appeare from our second instance which was in the same Apostle Heb. 9. ver 13 14. If the blood of Bulls and of goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the vncleane sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God The termes of proportion likewise in this inference are foure The first not fully expressed but implyed and it is a sin or trespasse meerly committed against the Law of ceremonies The second which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to this is a legall or proper sacrifice for such a sinne to wit the blood of Bulls and of goats and the
of the Churches or the Popes absolute infallibility in matters of faith and manners is an errour in it selfe ex specie hereticall and more deadly then heathenisme and includeth infidelitatem prauae dispositionis infidelity of contradiction as malignant as the infidelity of the Iewes and the consequent of it is an entire Apostasie from the Apostolike faith This I haue elsewhere endeauoured to shew at large the summe of which worke shall by Gods assistance bee recollected in this Treatise I now meddle onely with this transcendent heresie as it is diffused through other errours The very participation of it is as the Pharisaicâ—ll leauen by which all other erroneous opinions or coniectures which that Church hath suâ—ked either from Heretikes of old or from some mistakings or misreadings of ancient Fathers are malignified and made much worse then they were in their first Authors Our first instance shall be in the manifold and daily transgressions of that rule of faith giuen by our Apostle Rom. 14. verse 5. into all which transgressions this doctrine doth leade and draw them blindfold as the Philistines did Sampson after they had put out his eyes The Apostles rule is Let euery man be fully perswaded in his owne minde And this full perswasion or assurance of faith is in the cases there mentioned necessary because whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne verse 23. This last Maxime is most vndoubtedly true and the former precept most exactly to be obserued in such cases as the Apostle there speakes of that is where the positiue practice vnlesse our warrant bee authentique in it selfe and euident to vs is very dangerous or deadly whereas on the contrary the forbearance of such practice is either safe or not preiudiciall to our soules but to our bodies onely or estate temporall But in what cases doth the authoritie of the Romish Church where it beares sway draw men to transgresse the former rules of faith or conscience In many 10 To rob God of his honour or doe him preiudice in his glorious titles of mercy bounty and the like is vnquestionably a grieuous sinne and being such no doctrine or practice ought to bee admitted or imposed vpon vs which with probabilitie may induce or inferre it especially if the end or benefit for whose attainement the suspected doctrine or practice is imagined behoofefull or vsefull may as certainely be obtained by some other more safe and no lesse effectuall or conuenient meanes If from these grounds wee should enter friendly conference with an ingenuous Papist and tell him as the truth is that we Protestants doe teach That good workes are most necessarie to saluation and that the more such workes we doe the greater certainely shall be our reward so wee doe them in sinceritie and acknowledgement of our bounden dutie towards God humbly confessing our selues after we haue done all euen our very best to bee vnprofitable seruants It from these allegations we shall thus inferre that glory honour immortality and eternall happinesse in the life to come being all that hee seekes after by wel-doing seeing wee seeke for the very selfe same things by a safer and lesse suspitious way why should hee not be content to abandon all conceit of merit and to renounce the tearme as an offensiue and suspicious title for a poore suppliant to vse before the Almighty Maiesty of God To this and like Quaeries all the answer you shall get is this and this you shall haue from the more iudicious and ingenuous secular Papists that for their owne parts they could be wel content to relinquish the opinion or terme of Merit so they were left vnto themselues but they must vse the one and maintaine the other in obedience to the Church So strong a hand hath the Church his mother ouer his faith and conscience that hee had rather aduenture to stand vpon reall termes of meum and tuum or come to iuridicall contestation with God his Creator and Redeemer than disobey or dissent from her in the vse of words or in matters of conceit or opinion onely 11 Again no Christian denies that our Sauiour is able to heare our prayers at all times in all places that he is more fauourable and compassionate vnto vs then any Saint in Heauen or earth can be that his Father alwaies heareth him It is likewise a fundamentall article of our beliefe that wee ought at all times to pray vnto him that he would pray vnto his Father for vs that it is our duty to offer vp our praiers and the best sacrifice of our soules and spirits in honour of his great and glorious name that to come vnto the Father by his mediation is to worship him in truth and spirit All these positions are ex fide de fide points of necessity to be beleeued And if we were alwayes imployed in some of these practices happy were we although we did nothing else No Saint we may bee sure would bee offended with vs for praying continually vnto Christ vnto whom they contiuall pray or giue thanks But whether in praying vnto Saints as the Romanists doe wee doe not offend both Christ and them is not so clear and vnquestionable 12 To request the Saints deceased to pray for vs without expresse warrant or assurance that they can hear our praiers is superstitious to offer vp our praiers vnto them by way of Honour or tribute without assurance of faith is flat Idolatry Yet admitting it were lawfull not onely to pray but to offer our praiers vnto their Images yet to fall down before them and worship them is certainly a practice so quite contrary to the rule of faith and Gods holy commandements that he which feareth God who hath expressed himselfe in this point aboue others to be a iealous God would in ordinary discretion and reason before hee durst aduenture vpon so dangerous a practice demand as expresse a dispensation or countermand to the former precept as Abraham had to assure him he should not commit murder by sacrificing his only sonne Lastly admitting the invocation of true and vnquestionable Saints as for example the Apostles and the adoration of their Images to be no sacrilege or wrong to God yet to honor euery one whoÌ„ the Pope shall canonize for a Saint with all the former points of honour which they exhibit to S. Peter S. Paul c is a great wrong vnto those glorious Saints an heresie or rather an Idolatry ex specie deadly And yet for aduenturing vpon all these dangerous practices they haue no other assurance of faith or warrant of scripture besides their vnwarrantable and blind beleife of the Chruch and Popes infallibility Nor can the ingenuous Papists giue vs any other answer to such reasonable demands as were now proposed in this point of Inuocation of Saints or adoration of Images then was giuen before That Hee doth all this in obedience to his mother the Church I should proceed to the like faithlesse and desperate practices in the
from the Holy Catholike Church of former times from which the Gouernors of the present visible Church haue swearued in this particular Of this case thus propounded in Thesi Athanasius his case was the Hypothesis The then Church representatiue or visible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had condemned him in one or two generall Councells for an hereticke and being so condemned he was vtterly excluded and perpetually cut off from all communion in things sacred with the visible Church or its members so long as he maintained that doctrine which it condemned Which doctrine it is certaine hee neither did nor would recant whatsoeuer the then visible Church did or might determine to the contrary 3 If either the name Catholike or the thing signified by it be to be valued for the time present by the multitude of suffragants or number of suffrages giuen ex cathedra Athanasius and his followers were no more Catholiks then Wickliffe and Hus with their followers in their times were For one Bishop that did maintaine or fauour Athanasius doctrine there were more then forty did oppugne it And yet he boldly pronounceth that the faith professed by him was the onely true Catholike faith without which no man could be saued which whosoeuer did not keepe holy and vndefiled was to perish euerlastingly Suppose not ten in all the Christian world besides had resolutely imbraced the same faith which Athanasius did so much magnifie or suppose all were they more or few which did imbrace or professe it had beene with him condemned for heretikes and vtterly cut off from all communion with the visible Church all either banished into seuerall Hands or shut vp into seuerall prisons all this notwithstanding they had still remained the onely true visible members of the Holy catholike Church which these times afforded And for this reason were they to bee accounted the onely true visible members of the Holy Catholike Church because they onely were contented rather to be cut off from the present visible church then to communicate with it in such doctrines or opinions as either contradict or defile the chatholike primitiue faith 4 That which some Romanists in this point reply to wit that Iulius then Bishop of Rome did not consent to Athanasius his condemnation but entertained him in his exile may for ought I know or at this present haue to say against it bee as true in part as it is impertinent Sure I am that the Bishop of Rome did not so resolutely and manfully oppose the Arian faction or the then erring visible Church as Athanasius did That confession of the catholike faith which the Church of Rome her selfe retaineth in her Lyturgy as a Trophie of the victory which the catholike faith in the issue obtained ouer the potent Arian heresie was neither conceiued published nor commended to the Christian world by the Bishop of Rome but by the exiled Athanasius This worthy Bishop saw almost all the Prelates in the world besides for the present to bee set against him How these or their successors or such as liued after him would be affected he knew not in respect of the truth of his doctrine hee cared not as being confident that his doctrine was truly catholike and authenticke without the ratification or proposall of the then Bishop of Rome or his successors or of any visible church succeeding he knew Christs Apostles and their immediate successors had imbraced it For such as liued with him or were to come after him at their perills be it if they imbrace it not Though not ten of that age or any age after him were to be saued yet of these few not one as he protests could otherwise bee saued then by beleeuing as he did and as former Saints of God had done If the then Bishop of Rome did receiue Athanasius in the name of an Orthodox or Catholike and bid God speed vnto his labours all that can hence be inferred is this That Athanasius was to the Bishop of Rome a visible member of the holy catholike Church and the Bishop of Rome a visible member of the same church to Athanasius But neither of them not both of them the then visible church nor any members of it As many as after this time became true members of the holy catholike Church became not such by holding vnion with the then visible Church but by adherence to that catholike faith which Athanasius and other visible members of the holy catholike Church then taught The holy catholike militant Church hath continued one and the same since its Foundation not by continuation of one and the same visible Church but by continuation of one and the same catholike Apostolike faith throughout al ages which faith hath been sometimes maintained but oftē oppugned by churches visible or represētatiue 5 It is one thing to say the Holy catholike Church hath beene in all ages visible another thing to say the visible Church hath beene in all ages catholike We may and ought to grant that in euery age since the Apostles time there haue beene many not onely true but visible members of the one holy catholike Church that is such as were able out of Scriptures to make demonstration vnto the observant that their doctrine was orthodoxall consonant to the orthodoxall faith doctrine of the primitiue Church howsoeuer contradicted ecclipsed by the present visible churches wherin they liued till Luther Christian Princes by Gods appointment vnited the visible members of the Holy catholike Church into visible Churches A pregnant instance of the former distinction wee haue gathered to our hands in that famous Dialogue between Constantius the Emperor and Liberius then Bishop of Rome The Emperor hauing as the Romanists since haue done mispictured the regiment of Christs body or Church by the regiment of common weales wherin Lawes are made by the whole consent or by the consent of the greater part of the body politike presseth Liberius with this argument Doth so great a part of the world reside in thee Liberius that thou alone darest vndertake the defence of this impious man Athanasius to the disturbance of the peace of the Empire and of the world Hereto Liberius answers Be it so as you say that I alone defend Athanasius yet the cause of faith shall hereby suffer no detriment for the times heretofore haue beene wherein three onely were found that durst resist the Kings command To this reply Eusebius the Eunuch reioynes Do you Liberius make the Emperor another Nebucodonozer I do not so but thou Eusebius deales no lesse vniustly than Nebucodonozer did in thus condemning a man who hath not had a iudiciall tryall 6 So long as Liberius stood to this confession he was a visible member of the Catholike Church But when he sought to purchase the Emperours sauour by subscription to Athanasius his condemnation and communion with the Arians although hee might by this dealing regaine his former dignities and become a principall member of the then visible Church
had deliuered this sentence ex cathedra It is expedient for vs that one man die for the people and that the whole nation perish not Iohn 11. ver 49. And vpon his authority or warrant they aduentured to put the Lord of glory to death Had not this false Apostaticall Priest beene in vero sacerdotio a chiefe officer in the house of God neither could so cleer a truth as he vttered haue beene inuerted to such a pernitious end as it was spoken by him apprehended by others nor could hee haue conceiued or vttered so cleare a truth of himselfe as S. Iohn instructs vs he did This he spake not of himselfe but being high Priest that same yeer he prophesied that Iesus should die for the Nation Ioh. 11.51 Other Acts of his priesthood tooke their validity from his office not from his person this speculatiue truth tooke its poysonous operation from his person not from his office although he could not haue borne so bitter enmity vnto Christ vnlesse he had beene in that office Now albeit we grant that Caiaphas did prophesie by vertue of his place or Priestly office yet no Romanists as I hope will deny that Caiaphas in the preposterous application of his propheticall sentence might well brooke the name of Antichrist at the least that hee was a type or shadow of the Antichrist to come who was to sit as Caiaphas did in the Temple of God or if so they will haue it in S. Peters chaire that hee may wrest diuine truths authoritatiuely to as wicked ends as Caiaphas did 5 But may it not hence bee inferred that as the Sanedrin was the onely visible Church which God had here on earth so the Romish Church from which Luther did separate himselfe was the onely true visible Church of Christ at the time of his separation This may be granted de facto but not de iure For there was an expresse Law of God that there should be no more visible Churches then one before our Sauiours death and resurrection after which there were to bee as many visible Churches de iure as there were seuerall independent Soueraignties I haue heard indeed of some French Catholikes as they would bee accounted which vse this as an argument whether intended by them ad homines to delude the obiecter onely or ad rem to the matter it selfe I know not But this argument they vse to proue that their Church as opposed to Reformed Churches is the true Church because the Pope is Antichrist Antichrist as the Apostle teacheth is to sit in the Temple of God and the Temple of God no question is the true Church whence seeing hee sits in their Church they inferre that theirs is the true Church not ours But as in most other arguments concerning the Church so in this they cozen themselues with the fallacy à dicto secundùm quid ad dictum simpliciter First both letter of Scripture and analogie of faith doe teach that Antichrist is to sit as Caiaphas did in a true Church yea to be a chiefe Officer of some Church otherwise he could not be a principal Rebell or notorious Traitor against Christ But in that he was to be such a rebell and such a Traitor it is not conceiuable that the Church which wholly submits herselfe to him as to her head should bee the true Church much lesse the onely Church of Christ The former argument will hold thus farre The Pope is Antichrist ergo the Church of Rome is a true Church secundùm quid that is in opposition to the Synagogue of Iewes of Turkes or other professed Infidels But if we speake absolutely or compare it with Churches truly Christian it is no true Church of Christ but the Synagogue of Satan Or as he said of his sordid Hosts entertainment that there was so much fire as a man could not haue truly said in strict propriety of logicke phrase there was no fire that is there was so much as if hee had beene bound by couenant of Lease neuer to haue suffered the fire to goe out hee might haue saued his lease from forfeiture and yet there was no fire but a mocke-fire to the entertaining of a stranger so much as was a greater eyesore to him that had sought comfort or refreshing from it then if there had been none at all In like manner there is so much of the true Church in the present Romish visible Church as a man cannot say it is no Church at all so much true doctrine in it as sufficeth to support the title of Antichrist and to make it the very seat of all abominations or impieties more then natural For as the mingling of the Traditions of men with Moses doctrine did make the leuen of Pharises to be so malignant and distastfull to God and all good men so is it the mixture or making vp of the doctrine of Christ and of Deuills in one and the same Liturgy which makes Antichristianisme in graine And as elswhere is obserued the Idolatry of the Romish Church is so much worse then the Idolatry of the Heathens by how much that Churches generall beliefe of one God of the glorious Trinity and of the redemption of mankind is better then the Heathens beliefe or knowledge of the same points 6 But when it is said that Antichrist is to sit in the Temple of God it is not meant onely that hee should sit in the present visible Church but that he should be an vsurper of that chaire which sometimes had beene the seat of Gods Saints and bee an intruder into that Church which had beene Holy and Catholike before his intrusion and which still retaines the rootes and stemmes of Catholike faith into which it shall be his and his followers continual care to ingraffe the doctrine of Deuills and to exercise their spirituall whoredomes in the Oratories of God CHAP. XIX Whether our Forefathers in separating themselues or suffering themselues to be separated from the Romish Church did any otherwise then Gods Prophets or our Sauiours Disciples had their case and opportunity beene the same would haue done 1 BVt here againe the Author of the Antidote or the blinde Guide of faith will obiect That neither the Prophets of old nor our Sauiours Disciples before his death did separate themselues from the present visible Church If not to beleeue as the Church visible and representatiue for the time present did if not to communicate with her in matters of fact or practice were to bee separated from the present visible Church as this Authors words elsewhere imply the Prophets out of all question did either separate themselues or suffer themselues to be separated from the visible Church wherein they liued Ezekiel and Daniel would neuer haue consented to the Priests and Rulers in their persecutions of Ieremie as a false Prophet or Traytor Our Sauiours Disciples before his death stood excommunicated by the visible Church of the Iewes they were as farre from communicating with
of this case they would not conclude the cause specially before a Iudge not acquainted with the mystery of the Creation For he that hath a wife and a wife hath a wife and shee that hath a husband and a husband hath a husband But if that precept of our Sauiour Whosoeuer putteth away his wife vnlesse it bee for adulterie and marieth another committeth adultery and hee that marieth her being so put away committeth adultery were once produced any Heathen Ciuilian might giue this absolute and infallible sentence If yee Christians will admit this Law for true and iust or for a rule of conscience then Polygamy certainly is a naturall part of Adultery and hee that hath a wife and marieth another is to bee punished as an Adulterer For what is the reason why he that putteth away his wife though by legall diuorce and marieth another commits adultery with the second or why he that marieth the first being so put away is likewise an Adulterer Is not the reason because the bond of matrimonie betwixt the husband and the first wife according to this your Christian law is not dissolued by a legall sentence of diuorce extra casum adulterij vnlesse in case of adultery Yet as a sentence of diuorce gotten vpon suspicion of adultery or subornation or vpon other causes which humane Lawes and Gods Law vnto the Iew did permit cannot by the Evangelicall Law altogether dissolue the bond of matrimony so out of all question it doth rather loosen or weaken it than corroborate or knit it faster Wherefore if hee that hauing gotten a sentence of diuorce by formall course of Law against his wife become guilty of Adultery in the Court of conscience and by the Euangelicall Law if hee marry another then much more shall he be an Adulterer who hauing a wife whose chastity was neuer called in question against whom no sentence of Law hath beene obtained if he shall presume to marry another Thus farre an Heathen by light of naturall reason without the assistance of Gods Spirit may goe in this and many other controuersies amongst Christians 3 Were not most Recusants throughout this Kingdome worse affected I will not say towards vs and our Religion but towards truth it selfe euen towards the light of the Gospell than any ciuill Heathen either are or can be they might as clearly discerne the vsurped authority of the Romish Church ouer their faith and ouer Scriptures the rule of faith to be as true a branch of Apostasie from Christ as Polygamy is of Adultery and that it doth more euidently dissolue the bonds of matrimony betwixt Christ and his Spouse the Church than Polygamy or adulterie doth the bond of matrimonie betwixt man and wife First they make the Scriptures as was said before not onely an imperfect rule in respect of its quantity but this defect being in their opinion supplyed by associating vnwritten Traditions vnto it in the second place they make both Scriptures and vnwritten Traditions to bee an vnsufficient rule in respect of their quality For it is their doctrine that we cannot know which be Canonicall Scriptures which are not which be authenticke traditions which not but by relying vpon the authority of the visible Church Againe admitting the Church could determine which were Authenticke Traditions which were not and that no Traditions should hereafter be receiued besides those which shee had determined yet if any controuersie should arise concerning the meaning of those Scriptures which she hath determined to be Canonicall or concerning the meaning limitation or vse of these Traditions which shee hath acknowledged to be authentike no priuate man may take vpon him absolutely to beleeue this or that to be the meaning of either but with submission of his iudgment to the Churches sentence And this as I haue elswhere shewed at large is not onely to make the authority of the Church to bee aboue the authority of the Scriptures but vtterly to nullifie the authority of the Scriptures saue onely so farre as they may serue as a stale or footstoole to support or hold vp the authority of the Church or Pope So that the last resolution of the Romanists beliefe as out of their owne comparisons of the Scriptures to colours and the authority of the Church vnto the light by which colours become visible to vs as is elsewhere demonstrated must be this That he absolutely beleeues onely the infallible authority of the Church concerning the truth of Scriptures and their true meaning their truth or meaning he neither absolutely nor infallibly beleeues So that if he beleeue any diuine truth it is onely ex accidenti that is in as much as the Church doth not erre in that point of faith which she proposeth vnto him howbeit to beleeue that which is true vpon no better motiue or condition then this is much worse then the ignorance of truth or meer vnbeliefe of the same truth How many seuerall diuine truths or articles of faith soeuer he thus beleeueth hee can be no true Catholike because he beleeues no diuine truth but as it is mixt with hellish antichristian falshood If wee shall proue that this supposed infallibilitie of the Romish Church doth in diuers points induce not onely heresie but infidelity and that infidelity of a worse sort then can be incident to any Heathen I hope our intended conclusion will bee sufficiently euicted that whosoeuer holds this absolute infallibility of the present visible Romish Church whatsoeuer he holds besides can bee no Catholike To giue you an instance for proofe of this 4 If one being a Christian shall steale hee doth commit a grieuous sinne yet a sinne of one kinde or species that is theft he doth not thereby cease to be a Christian he doth not thereby become an Infidell or Antichristian The like wee may say of fornication adultery murder incest or the like all which are grieuous sinnes and without repentance exclude men from the Kingdome of Heauen Yet can wee not say that they make a man an Infidell though worthy to be cast out of the Church vntill hee giue full proofe of his humble submission and hearty repentance for his fact But if any man that hath beene baptized and made a partaker of the word which in many points hee beleeues shall by couetousnesse malice intemperancie or the like haue so farre corrupted the feeds of Christianity or Law of God written in his heart as he shall thinke that which indeed and truth is theft fornication adultery murder or incest to be no sinne he is by the generall verdict of the Schooles not onely an hereticke but an Infidell Now Infidelitie is of two sorts either infidelitas purae negationis priuatiue infidelity such as is in the Heathen which haue not knowne God or his Lawes as hauing no commerce with his people or infidelitas prauae dispositionis depraued infidelity of which there bee more degrees as first it may bee in the Heathen to whom the truth of the